Observations on the hole.

ST. MATTHEW.

The word church defined.

forty-three years after this: and some of the persons now with || Christ said that the disciple is not ABOVE the Master? If us hirn, doubtless survived that period, and witnessed the ex- humbled himself, how can he look upon those who, professing tension of the Messiah's kingdom; and our Lord told them faith in his name, are conformed to the world and mind earthly these things before, that when they came to pass, they might things? These disciples affect to be above their Lord; and as be confirmed in the faith, and expect an exact fulfilment of all they neither bear his cross, nor follow him in the regeneration, the other promises and prophecies which concerned the ex- they must look for another heaven than that in which he sits tension and support of the kingdom of Christ. at the right hand of God. This is an awful subject, but how few of those, called Christians, lay it to heart!

To his kingdom, or in his kingdom. Instead of facia, kingdom, four MSS. later Syriac, Coptic, Ethiopic, Saxon, and one copy of the Itala, with several of the primitive Fathers, read on, glory: and to this is added, Tov matρos autou, of his Father, by three MSS. and the versions mentioned before. This makes the passage a little more conformable to the passage already quoted from Daniel: and it must appear very clearly, that the whole passage speaks not of a future judgment, but of the destruction of the Jewish polity; and the glorious spread of Christianity in the earth, by the preaching of Christ crucified by the Apostles and their immediate successors in the Christian Church.

1. The disciples, by being constantly with their Master, were not only guarded against error, but were taught the whole truth: we should neglect no opportunity of waiting upon God -while Jesus continues to teach, our ear and heart should be open to receive his instructions. That what we have already received may be effectual, we must continue to hear, and pray on. Let us beware of the error of the Pharisees! they minded only external performances, and those things by which they might acquire esteem and reputation among men; thus, humility and love, the very soul of religion, were neglected by themthey had their reward--the approbation of those who were as destitute of vital religion as themselves.-Let us beware also of the error of the Sadducees, who, believing no other felicity but what depended on the good things of this world, becaine the flatterers and slaves of those who could bestow them, and so, like the Pharisees, had their portion only in this life. All false religions, and false principles conduct to the same end, however contrary they appear to each other. No two sects could be more opposed to each other than the Sadducees and Pharisees, yet their doctrines lead to the same end-they are both wedded to this world, and separated from God in the next.

3. The term CHURCH, in Greek, xxaniz, occurs for the first time, in ver. 18. of this chapter. The word simply means an assembly or congregation, the nature of which is to be understood from connecting circumstances; for the word exxλnoie, as well as the terms congregation and assembly may be applied to any concourse of people, good or bad; gathered together for lawful or unlawful purposes. Hence, it is used, Acts xix. 32. for the mob, or confused rabble, gathered together against Paul, exxaniz GuYXEXUμm, which the town-clerk distinguished ver. 39, from a lawful assembly, evrouw exxdog. The Greek word εκκλησια, seems to be derived from εκκαλέω, to cal out of, or from, i. e. an assembly gathered out of a multitude; and must have some other word joined to it, to determine its nature, viz. the Church of God; the congregation collected by God, and devoted to his service. The Church of Christ : the whole company of Christians wheresoever found; because by the preaching of the Gospel, they are called out of the spirit and maxims of the world, to live according to the precepts of the Christian religion. This is sometimes called the Catholic or universal Church, because constituted of all the professors of Christianity in the world, to whatever sects or parties they may belong; and hence the absurdity of applying the term Catholic, which signifies universal, to that very small portion of it, the Church of Rome. In primitive times, before Christians had any stated buildings, they worshipped in private houses; the people that had been converted to God, meeting together in some one dwelling-house of a fellow convert, more convenient and capacious than the rest; hence the church that was in the house of Aquila and Priscilla, Rom. xvi. 3, 5. and 1 Cor. xvi. 19. and the church that was in the house of Nymphas, Col. iv. 15. Now, as these houses were dedicated to the worship of God, each was termed xvgiou oxos kuriou oikos, the house of the Lord; which word in process of time, became contracted into xvgioix kurioik, and

bours, and cypic kirik, of our Saxon ancestors, from which, by corruption, changing the hard Saxon c into ch, we have made the word church. This term, though it be generally used to signify the people worshipping in a particular place, yet by a metonymy, the container being put for the contained, we apply, as it was originally, to the building which con. tains the worshipping people.

2. From the circumstance mentioned in the conclusion of this chapter, we may easily see the nature of the king-xugiann, and kuriake; and hence kirk of our northern neighdom and reign of Christ, it is truly spiritual and divine; having for its object the present holiness and future happiness of mankind. Worldly pomp, as well as worldly maxims, were to be excluded from it. Christianity forbids all worldly expectations, and promises blessedness to those alone who bear the cross, leading a life of mortification and self-denial. Jesus Christ has left us an example that we should follow his steps. How did he live?-What views did he entertain?-In what light did he view worldly pomp and splendor? These are questions which the most superficial reader may, without difficulty, answer to his immediate conviction. And has not

In the proper use of this word there can be no such thing as THE church, exclusively-there may be a church, and the CHURCHES, signifying a particular congregation, or the different assemblies of religious people; and hence, the Church of

The transfiguration of Christ, 1-8. Christ's discourse with his disciples on the subject, 9—13. He heals a lunatic, 14—18. His discourse with his disciples on this subject also, 19-21. He foretells his own sufferings and death, 29, 23. He is required to pay tribute at Capernaum, 24-26; and provides the money by a miracle, 27.

A.M. 4032.

A. D. 28.

ND after six days, Jesus taketh || 3 And, behold, there appeared unto A.M. 4032.
ND "after six days, Jesus taketh ||
Peter, James, and John his bro- them Moses and Elias talking with An. Olymp.

A
CCI. 4. ther, and bringeth them up into a him.

An. Olymp.

high mountain, apart,

2 And was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light.

с

A. D. 28. CCI. 4.

4 Then answered Peter, and said unto Jesus, Lord, it is good for us to be here: if thou wilt, let us make here three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias.

Mark 9. 2. Luke 9. 28.- b Rev. 1. 16. Dan. 10. 6.

Luke 9. 30. Rev. 11. 3.- -d Luke 9. 33.

NOTES ON CHAP. XVII.

Verse 1. After six days] Mark ix. 2. has the same number; but Luke says, ix. 28. after eight days: the reason of this difference seems to be the following: Matthew and Mark reckon the days from that mentioned in the preceding chapter, to that mentioned in this. Luke includes both days as well as the six intermediate; hence, the one makes eight, the other sir, without any contradiction.

Peter, James, and John] He chose those, that they might be witnesses of his Transfiguration: two or three witnesses being required by the Scripture to substantiate any fact Eminent communications of the Divine favour prepare for, and entitle to great services, and great conflicts. The same three were made witnesses of his agony in the garden, chap. xxvi. 37.

A high mountain] This was one of the mountains of Galilee, but whether mount Tabor or not, is uncertain. Some think it was Mount Hermon. St. Luke says, Christ and his disciples went up into the mountain to pray, chap. ix. 28.

Verse 2. Was transfigured] That fulness of the God-head, which dwelt bodily in Christ, now shone forth through the human nature, and manifested to his disciples not only that Divinity which Peter had before confessed, chap. xvi. 16. but also the glorious resurrection body, in which they should exist in the presence of God to eternity.

White as the light.] But the Cod. Beza, some of the ancient Versions, and several of the Fathers read ws xiwy, us Sow; and this is the reading in Mark ix. 3.

same body which he had upon earth, for he was translated, and did not see death, 2 Kings ii. 11. And the body of Moses was probably raised again, as a pledge of the resurrection; and as Christ is to come to judge the quick and the dead, for we shall not all die, but all shall be changed, 1 Cor. xv. 51. he probably gave the full representation of this in the person of Moses, who died, and was thus raised to life, (or appeared now as he shall appear when raised from the dead in the last day ;) and in the person of Elijah, who never tasted death. Both their bodies exhibit the same appearance, to shew, that the bodies of glorified saints are the same, whether the person had been translated, or whether he had died. It was a constant and prevalent tradition among the Jews, that both Moses and Elijah should appear in the times of the Messiah, and to this very tradition the disciples refer, ver. 10.

We may conceive that the Law in the person of Moses, the great Jewish legislator; and the Prophets in the person of Elijah, the chief of the prophets, came now to do homage to Jesus Christ, and to render up their authority into his hands; as he was the END of the Law, and the grand subject of the predictions of the prophets. This appears more particularly from what St. Luke says, chap. ix. 31. that Moses and Elijah conversed with our Lord on his death, which he was about to accomplish, (#λngour to fulfill,) because in it, all the rites, ceremonies and sacrifices of the Law, as well as the predictions of the prophets, were fulfilled.

Verse 4. Peter said-let us make &c.] That is, when he saw Moses and Elijah ready to depart from the mount, Luke Verse 3. Moses and Elias] Elijah came from heaven in the ix. 33. he wished to detain them that he might always enjoy

5 While he yet spake, behold, a spake, behold, a 7 And Jesus came and touched An. Olymp. bright cloud overshadowed them: and them, and said, Arise, and be not An. Olymp. behold a voice out of the cloud, which afraid. said, "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him.

John the Baptist is

A. M. 4032.
A. D. 23.

An. Olymp. again from the dead.

CCL. 4.

a

no man, until the Son of man be risen already, and they knew him not, but
have done unto him whatsoever they
listed: Likewise shall also the Son
of man suffer of them.

10 T. And his disciples asked him, saying, Why then say the scribes that Elias must first come?

13. Then the disciples understood that he spake unto them of John the Baptist.

11 And Jesus answered and said unto them,
Elias truly shall first come, and restore all
things;
12 But I say unto you, That Elias is come ing down to him, and saying,

14 And when they were come to the mul
T
titude, there came to him a certain man, kneel-

'Mal. 4. 5. ch. 11. 14. Mark 9. 11.

21. ch 11. 14.

Mal. 4. 6. Luke 1. 16, 17. Acts 3.
Mark 9. 12, 13.

Ch. 14. 3, 10. ch. 16. 21.- fch. 11. 1. Mark 9. 14.
Luke 9. 37.

of Christ, and the glory that should follow. 4thly. The estab-inward, he may be said, in the strictest sense of the word, to lishment of the mild, light-bringing, and life-giving Gospel of || have fulfilled the prophecy: and that he was the Elijah menthe Son of God. And 5thly. That as the Old Jewish Covenant, tioned by Malachi, the words of Gabriel to the virgin Mary and Mediatorship had ended, Jesus was now to be considered as prove; Luke i. 17. And h. (John) shall go before him (Christ) the sole Teacher, the only availing offering for sin, and the in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the grand Mediator between God and man. fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, &c. and that his ministry was powerfully effectual for this purpose, we have already scen.

Verse 10. His disciples] Instead of HIS disciples, some MSS. with the Coptic, Armenian, Vulgate, all the Itala except two, and Origen, read simply, o pantai, THE disciples, i. e. those only who had been with him on the mount, Peter, James and John.

Why then say the scribes that Elias must first come?] As the disciples saw that Elijah returned to heaven, knowing the tradition of the elders, and the prophecy on which the tradition was founded, Mal. iv. 5, 6. Behold I send you Elijah the Prophet, before the great and terrible day of the Lord shall || come; and he shall turn the hearts, &c. It was natural enough for them to inquire what the meaning of the tradition, and the intention of the prophecy were.

Verse 11. Elias-shall first come, and restore all things.] Or will reform, añoxaTaTou; this word our Lord quotes from the Septuagint; who render the Hebrew iarab aiwni

vehesheb leb aboth âl banim, he will cause the heart of the fathers to turn to the children, by, os attoxaтaoтnoel nagdia margos meos vion, who will convert or restore, the heart of the father to the son. We are not therefore to understand the version of the Septuagint quoted by our Lord, in any other sense than the Hebrew will allow. No fanciful restoration of all men, devils and damned spirits, is spoken of as either being done, or begun by the ministry of John; but merely that he should preach a doctrine tending to universal reformation of manners, and should be greatly successful: see Matt. iii. 1—7. and especially Luke iii. 3—15. where we find that a general reformation had taken place, 1. among the common people; 2. among the tax-gatherers; and 3. among the soldiers. And as John announced the coming Christ, who was to baptize with the Holy Ghost, i. e. to enlighten, change and purify the heart, that the reform might be complete, both outward and

Verse 12. Knew him not] Or, cux Elywσay autor, They have not acknowledged him. That is, the Jewish rulers have not acknowledged him, did not receive him as the forerunner of the Messiah. But it appears that all the rest acknowledged him as such; and some from the power and demonstration of his preaching, were inclined to think he was more, even the Messiah himself: see Luke iii. 15.

Verse 13. Then the disciples understood] When he spoke of the sufferings of this prophetic Elijah, and also of his own, which had been the subject of the conversation on the mount, during the Transfiguration; they clearly apprehended that he spoke of John the Baptist.

Verse 14. When they were come to the multitude] It appears that a congregation had been collected during our Lord's stay on the mount; how great must have been the desire of these people to hear the words of Christ! The assembly is self collected, and no delay on the preacher's side discourages themthey continue to wait for him: in the present day how rare is this zeal! how few by the most pathetic invitation can be brought together, even at the most convenient times, to hear the same doctrines, and to get their souls healed by the same wonder-working Christ!

Kneeling down to him] Or falling at his knees, yourITWY. The ancients consecrated the EAR to Memory; the FOREKḥAD to Genius; the RIGHT HAND to Faith, and the KNEES to Mercy; hence those who entreated favour, fell at and touched the knees of the person whose kindness they supplicated.-See Wakefield's Commentary, and see the note on Exod. ix. 29. where the subject is largely explained.

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