The Pulpit Commentary — Matthew — Volume 2 — Section 120

dis8Me or accident (cf. eh. xviii. 8; Mark ix, 4.-3). The morally m&imod are those whose _faculties are impaired or obliterated by sin. (5) "Many othert1." As devils arc leg10n, so are their possessions. The va1ietics of evil are lccrion as well 88 the number of their victims. 3. The miraculous is typwal of the spii·itual healing. (1) See now the lame leaping for joy and walking steadily in the wayH of God's command- ments. . (2) Listen now to the dumb witnessing for Christ and singing the praises of the Saviour. (3) Behold how the faculties and powers of the maimed have been restored. Is there not a new creation here? ( 4) Witness how the blind eyes are opened to see the wonders of God's Law. (5) All distortions of the soul are cured by the power of Jesus. ~I. CHRIST THE PoWER OF Goo. 1. The peop'le gkl1'iji,ed <Jhrist as God. (1) His healing power was undoubtedly the power of God. For here is the reproduction of a hand or foot at a word or touch. Is not this creative energy? What power short of omnipotence c:in create? (2) But Jesus wroucrht his miracles immediately from him- self. In this case he could not have wrought by delegated power. Omnipotence cannot be delegated, for there cannot be two Omnipotents. (3) How otherwise, then, cou~d the people who "wondered" at the miracles glorify God without disc.e_rning Christ to be the Power of God? 2. They glorified him as " the God of Israel." . (1) They identified him as the very God of Jacob, who in human form wrestled with, that IJ:1,triarch and changed his name to Israel (cf. Gen. mii. 24-30). (2) They identified him as the God of the covenant people. 'l'he same Miracle-Worker who brought I_sra.el out of Egypt. The same who gave them the Law from Sinai. The same who estab- lished them in the land of promise. The same who in the Shechinah enthroned himself in the temple a.s in the palace of his kingdom. The same who will restore again to Israel the kingdom.--J. A. M. · • Vers. 32-39.-The compassion of Jesus. Having let fall that crumb under the table, in the parts of Tyre and Sidon, Jesus returns to make a full feast for the children. When he had here performed miracles ~f healing, be proceeds to the performance of a miracle of feeding. The removal of evil is a prelude to the communication of good. L THE COMPASSION OF JEsus rs READY. 1. Quick to discern a need. (1) "I have compassion on the multitude, because they continue with me now three days, and have nothing to eat." Three hours, under ordinary conditions, would be a long servi9e; especially so should the dinner-hour be invaded. But here is a service of three days, in which dinner is the last thought with the congregation. The Minister, however, able, and withal considerate. (2) "They-have nothing to eat." Thi11 world is a desert, where nothing can be found to satisfy the soul of man, but the salvation which Christ has purchased. (3) Christ suffered the multitude to hunger, as Israel of old, to teach them great lessons (see Dent. viii. 3). That is sweet to the hungry soul which the full soul loathes. Fasting precedes feasting. Hungering and thirsting after righteousness is the prelude to being satisfied with the bounties of God's table. 2. Quick to prO'IJide against cal,a,mity. (1) "They may faint in the way." Note: It is fitting and religious to give due attention to the wants of the body. "Our prayers should be for a sound ruind in a sound body" (Juvenal). (2) The wants of the body restrain the desires of the spirit. "The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak." Jesus still, from the loftier elevation of the mount of glory, compassionately sees. (3) The compassion of Jesus provides for the everlasting future. Through his merciful provisions we may avoid the hungering and thirsting of perdition. The spiritual body of the better resurrection will have no wants to impair the desires of the spirit. "They hunger no more, neither thirst any more" (see Rev. vii. 16-18). So can they "serve God day and night in ~~~ . II. THE OOHPASBION OF JESUS IS POTEh""T. 1. Its potency had been evinced. Within the year or two of his public ministry how many miracles had Jesus wrought 1 . Y~t how few that were not miracles of mercy I 2. Some of these were recent. W1thm these "three days" how numerous were the "lame, blind, dumb, maimed, and many others," the healing of whom "astonished" this multitude (see vere. 30, 31) I 3. The potency of the compassion of Jesus was now to receive additional illustration. Here are eight thousand hungry people. Four thousand men," besides women and children," whu were proLaLly as many more. For the nourishment of these there are "seven 011. xv. l-39.J THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. MATTHEW. 12,3