The Pulpit Commentary — Luke — Volume 1 — Section 99

thP Law (tl>e five boob of Mc>BeB) e.nd the chosen people---of the Ji,we, who as a nation roll• of th ~ prophets. he knew too well would not acoopt him. Yer. 22.-And they 118.id, I■ not thi1 Hut if Israel would have none of him, he 1oseph's Bon T Quickly the pl'e8Cher oought would reign in the hearts of that unnum- the min<l end fooling of his e.udienoo. Sur• bered multitude who peopled the isles of prise e.nd admiration soon gave ple.oe to e. the Gentiles. spirit of unbelief. Is not this who sp ..e.ks Vera. 25-27.-Bnt I tell yon of a truth, to us such words, bright e.nd eloq nent with many widow■ were in I■rael in the days of hope, often ";th a ring of sure triumph end Elias, when the heaven wa1 1hut up three CL'rt&in vktory in them-is it not the young years and six months, when great famine Cerpenter we have known so long in our was throughout e.11 the land ; but unto none village? of them was Elias sent, save unto Sarepta, a Yer. 23.-Ye will surely say unto me thi1 city of Bidon, unto a woman that was a proverb, Physician, heal thyself. "There is widow. And many lepers were in Israel in eomething interesting in our finding this the time of Elisena the prophet ; and none proverb in the Gospel nf the beloved physi- of them wu oleanaed, saving Naaman the cian. llley we think of him as hearing the Syrian. In support of these assertions, proverb oe,mally, tracking out its applica- Jesus proceeds to quote two well-known in- tion. end so coming on this history? It was, cidents in the story of Israel. They must robablv, so far e.s is kr:own, a common remember God's mercies in pnst times were 5 ewish ·proverb; but there is no tra.<-e of it in Greek writers, and it was therefore likely not confined to Israel. There were many starving widows among the chosen people, to attract his notice" (Dean Plnmptre). not a few childless, desolate hearths; but 'Whatsoever we have heard done in Caper- their own great Elijah was sent to none of nanm, do also here in thy oountry. Now, these, but to a despised Phcenioian woman up t.o this time in Jesus' public career no in Sarepta, hard by Sidon. Elisha, that miraoles are recorded as having been done loved man of God,.who passed by the homes in Capernnum. After the mire.ole at Cana of the people continually, performed his we know that the Lord resided for some famona miracle of healing on no child of time in Capernanm (John ii. 12); the Israel, though many a leper mourned his mire.oles to which these men of Nnzarl'th sad lot among the chosen people; but the alluded were no doubt worked then. The one on whom Elisha worked his mighty memory of these early miracles, as Godet miracle of mercy was the Syrian leper No.a- well observes, would have been effaced by man, the great foe of Israel. more remo.rko.ble later events, as that at Ver. 28.-.A.ll.d all they in the synagogue, Cana would have been ho.d not John, who when they heard these things, were filled required it in the plan of his Gospel, rescu, d with wrath. 'fhe J ewe in the synagogue it from ol,livion. The Jews of Nazareth, quickly caught the Master's meaning. after the first moment of surprise and ad- Thoughts such o.s "Thou our Messiah, who miration at Jesus' words, evidently looked talkest of Gentile, Syrian, and Zidonian in at llim with scorn and unbelief. That poor the same breath with us the cllosen and Carpenter their glorious expected Messiah I elect of God, who hintest at the possibility ~ for the marvellous deeds reported to have of the accursed Gentile shadng in our pro- been done in Capernaum, they did not be- mised blessings I" flashed through their lieve in them; at least why did he not here, minds, and as one mo.n the congregation rose, in tile neigllbourhood of his own home, some- and, seizing the Preacher. dro.gged him out thing of the 11Rme kind? If they could see of the syn11gogue, and hurried him t.hrough with their eyes marvels worked by him, the little town to one of the rocky precipices then perhaps they might accept him as close by. Messiah. Ver. 29.-And rose up, and thrust him out Ver. 24.-.A.ll.d he said, Verily I say unto of the city, and Jed him unto the brow of the yon, No prophet is accepted in his own coun- hill whereon their oity was built, that they try. But iustead of gratifying their curi- might cast him down headlong. The place osity and supplying them with some more now shown as the scene of the not of violence empty arguments why they should not of the fanatics of Nazareth, known as the Jiskn to his words, the Lord quietly quotes Mount of Precipitation, is some two milea a proverb well known to all people-Farrar from the town. It must be remembered calls it a curious psychological fact-the that this happened on a sabbath day; this quoting prefaced by the solemn "verily." would therefore be beyonrl the limits of a The Master was evidently looking far be- sabbath day's journey. There is, however, yond the little prejudices of Nazareth. close io Nazareth a cliff about forty feet "His own countl"V " meant far more than high. the narrow circuit.bounded by the Nazareth Ver. 30.-But he pa.Hing through the hills. The Speaker w11,11 thinkiui of ell the miclat of tkem went his way. Not neces- on. 1v. 1-44.) THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. LUKE. 91