The Pulpit Commentary — Matthew — Volume 2 — Section 239

EXPOSITION. CHAPTER XIX. was thus oft'ered. This may possibl_y be the sojourn in Perma mentioned by St. John (x. Ven. 1-12.-'I'hs beginning of the lad 40-42). journey to Jerwalem. Tlie question concern- Ver. 2.-Great multitudes followed him. ing di'l!Of'Cll. (Mark x. 1-12.) He was favourably received by the unpre- judiced Perma.ns. Healed them. Those of Yer. 1.-When Jesus had finished theaa the multitude who had need of bee.ling (Luke sayings. TLis is the beginning of a new ix. 11). There. In the "beyond Jorde.n 11 sc_c,lion of the history, commencing, as usual, region. St. Mark observes that he taught m.th the formul1try, And it ea.me to pass. them. Thus, "at one time teaching, at "These sayings" must refer to what was another working miracles, he ve.ried his recorded in eh. xviii. But St. M:atthew's means of salvation, that from the miracles narrative omits many events that happened faith might be given him as a Teacher; and in the intervol between the account of the by his teaching he might urge to edification Galilman ministry o.nd the history of these the miracles which he wrought 11 (St. Chry- lo.st do.ye, tbat is, from the autumn of one sostom, ap. I. Williama). year to the spring of the next. The transac- Ver. 3.-We have now- to listen to our tions of this time, which a.re omitted elso by Lord's tenching respecting divorce and mar- St. 1\Ia.rk, are given by St. Luke (ix. 51- riage. The Pharisees. The article is better xvii. 11) and St. John (vii. 2-x:i. 54), com- omitted. Our Lord we.a not long left in prising many things that occurred at Jeru- peace by these inveterate enemies, who, if salem during the Feast of Tabernacles and they could not openly persecute him, might on other occasions. He departed from Gali- hope to extract something from his words lee. Not visiting it again till he appeared e.nd sentiments which might be used to his there after his resurrection. There was no disadvantage. They were probe.bly envoys pa.rt of the Holy Land in which he did not sent from Jerusalem to entre.p e.nd e.nnoy at some time sojourn, and now, as the final him. Tempting him, Trying to get him consummation drew nigh, he resolutely set to give an answer which would in any case his face towards Jerusalem. Came into the afford e. handle for malicious misrepresenta- coasts of ludiea. beyond lordan. Coast. tion. The question proposed concerned should be border,. J ud.ma was bounded by divorce. To put away hie wife for every the river, and there was no part of it beyond, cause; ,ea.Ta 1ra.<Tav ai·rtav: quacumq,µ, ea, that is, on the east of Jordan. The words, causa; for an!/ cause whatever. This was a "beyond Jordan," belong to the verb "came," delicate question to raise in the domains of and the clause signifies that the object of Herod A.ntipae (see eh. xiv. S, 4), and one Christ's journey was the vicinity of Judme., greatly debated in the rabbinioa.l schools. and that, instead of entering the province Our Lord had already twice pronounced by the direct road through Sa.maria, he took upon the subject, once in the sermon on the the more lengthy but safer route through mount (eh. v. 32), and agnin when reason- Perms. This was the name of the region ing with the Pharisees on the due observ- on the east of the Jordan (1rlpaY, be!fond), e.nee of the Law (Luke xvi. 18). Two extending at this time from the river Hiero- opposite opinions were held by the followers max, or J Bl'I!louk, on the north, to the Amon of Hille! and Scha.mmai, the heads of a.n- on the south, i.e. t.o the middle of the eastern tagonistio schools. The school of Hille} shore of the Dead Sea. The ruler of this contended the.t a man might divorce hie district was Herod Antipa.s, and it was at wife for various ea.uses quite unconneoted this era in a moat flourishing condition, with infringement of the marriage vow,e.g. notably fertile, and containing many fine because he he.d ceased to love her, or had towns ornamented with magnificent build- seen some one whom he liked better, or even ings. Here the simple, pastoral country because she cooked hie dinner badly. The people were 1esB influenced by the narrow sohool of Schammai woe more strict, and bigotry of the Pharisaic party, and in the permitted divorce only in ea.so of fornica- towns the ban which excluded Jeane from tion, adultery, or some oft"tn~oe against the synagogues of Galilee and J udiea. was chastity. Between these contending parties either not recognized or not enforced. A the Pharisees desired to make our Lord give 9uiet opportunity for preaching the go3pel a deoision, thinking th1d they had fixed him co. Kil, 1-30.] THE GOSPEL .ACCORDING TO ST. MATTHEW. 213