SECTION V. Christ sends the Multitude away, and alone o. * Or, over MATT. xiv. 22, 23. MARK vi. 45, 46. JOHN vi. 15. would come and take him by force, to make him the ship, and to go to the other side before * unto against Beth Bethsaida, while he sent away the people. And when he had sent the multitudes away, he Matt. xiv. 23. he departed again into a mountain himself alone ; John vi. 15. apart to pray: and when the evening was come, Matt. xiv. 23. he was there alone. saida. went up MATT. xiv. ver. 22. and part of ver. 23. 22 And straightway Jesus constrained his disciples to get into a ship, and to go before him unto the other side, while he sent the multitudes away. 23 --into a mountain MARK vi. ver. 46. 46 And when he had sent them away, he departed into a mountain to pray. SECTION VI. Christ walks on the Sea to his Disciples, who are overtaken with a Storm". And when the even was now come, his disciples John vi. 16. went down unto the sea, Galilce. 10 It is a good remark of Dr. Gill, that those, who desired a temporal Redeemer, were unworthy of his presence. All who follow Christ for powershew-popularity-wealth, or honour, or for any other purpose than to receive a spiritual Messiah, are unworthy of him. Christ retired to a mountain, and declined all worldly honours. To have the power of praying, to be admitted as *Christ was admitted, into communion with God the Father, is higher and more inestimable than all earthly distinctions and treasures. 11 Christ here demonstrated his power as the Lord of Nature. He walked upon the sea, and when he entered into the ship the waves and the wind acknowledged him, and the ship was instantly at the place of its destination. Nonnus has given a beautiful description of this miracle : Christ, he tells us, walked upon the water with unwetted feet; and when he came into the ship it moved as by a divine impulse, like a winged thought of the mind, without winds, without oars, self-moving to the distant haven. Χριστόν έθηήσαντο διαστείχοντα θαλάσσης John vi, 17. John vi. 18. Matt. xiv, 24. Mark vi. 48. Matt. xiv. 25. John vi. 19. Matt. xiv, 26. John vi. 17. And entered into a ship, and went over the sea Galilee. towards Capernaum: alone on the land : And the sea arose, by reason of a great wind But the ship was now in the midst of the sea, tossed with waves ; for the wind was contrary. And he saw them toiling in rowing: And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea ; Mark vi. 48. and would have passed by them. So when they had rowed about five and twenty or thirty furlongs, they see Jesus walking on the sea, and drawing nigh unto the ship: and they were afraid. And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a spirit; and they cried out for fear. For they all saw him, and were troubled. But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid. And Peter answered and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water. come down out of the ship, he walked on the But when he saw the wind * boisterous, he was * Or, strong. And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, And he went up unto them into the ship; And when they were come into the ship, the Mark vi. 50. Matt. xiv. 27. Matt. xiv. 28. Matt. xiv, 30. Matt, xiv, 31. Mark vi, 51. John vi, 21. Matt. xiv. 32. John vi, 21. *Αβρoχoν ίχνος έχοντα, βατής αλός οξύν οδίτης- -έπει θεoδίνει παλμώ Galilee. and they were sore amazed in themselves beyond Mark vi. 51. measure, and wondered. For they considered not the miracle of the Mark vi. 52. loaves : for their hearts were hardened. Then they that were in the ship came and wor- Matt . xiv. 33. shipped him, saying, Of a truth thou art the Son of God 12. MARK vi. part of ver. 47, 48, ver. 49. and part of ver. 50, 51. 47 --when even was come 48 for the wind was contrary unto them: and about the fourth watch of the night he cometh unto them, walking upon the sea 49 But when they saw him walking upon the sea, they supposed it had been a spirit, and cried out : 50 –And immediately he talked with them, and saith unto them, Be of good JOHN vi. ver. 20. and part of ver. 21. SECTION VII. Christ heals many People. And when they were come out of the ship, Mark vi. 54. straightway they knew him. And when the men of that place had know- Matt. xiv. 35. ledge of him, they sent out into all that country round about, And ran through that whole region round Mark vi. 55. about, and began to carry about in beds those that were sick, where they heard he was ; and brought unto him all that were diseased; And whithersoever he entered, into villages, or Mark vi. 56. cities, or country, they laid the sick in the streets, and besought him, that they might touch if it were but the border Matt. xiv. 35. 12 Markland (ap Bowyer's Crit. Conjec. p. 95.) has justly remarked the difference between this confession (ålnowc Des Úlòs ei) which is no higher acknowledgment than the heathen centurion, and the soldiers, made at the crucifixion; and that of St. Peter contained in Matt. xvi. 16. Eù ei ó Xpisos, o ÜLÒS TOY OtoŨ TOY SWvros, thou art the Christ, The Son of the one God, THE living God. Matt. xiv. 36. the bem of his garment: and as many as touched Galilee. were made perfectly whole. MATT. xiv. ver. 34. and part of ver. 36. 34 –And when they were gone over, they came into the land of Gennesarel 36 And besought him that they might only touch MARK vi. part of ver. 56. 56 --of his garment: and as many as touched him were made whole. * Or, it. SECTION VIII. John vi, 23. John vi. 24. Christ teaches in the Synagogue of Capernaum. Conversation with his Disciples. JOHN vi. 22, to the end, and vii. 1. on the other side of the sea saw that there was (Howbeit there came other boats from Tiberias When the people therefore saw that Jesus was And when they had found him on the other side you, Ye seek me, not because ye saw the * Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but . Or, Work for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: m for him hath God the Father sealed. Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God? John vi. 29. Jesus answered and said unto them, " This is n 1 John iii. the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent. John vi. 30. They said therefore unto him, What sign shew John vi. 25. John vi. 26. say unto John vi. 27. not. m Matt.iii. 17. John vi. 28. 23. o Ex. xvi. 15. Num. xi. 7. Capernaum. est thou then, that we may see, and believe thee? what dost thou work? • Our fathers did eat manna in the desert ; as John vi. 31. Ps. lxxviii. it is written, P He gave them bread from heaven 24, 25 to eat. Then said Jesus unto them, Verily, verily, I say John vi. 32. unto you, Moses gave you not that bread from heaven; but my Father giveth you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is he which cometh down John vi. 33. from heaven, and giveth life unto the world. Then said they unto him, Lord, evermore give John vi. 34. us this bread. And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of John vi. 35. life 13 : he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst. But I said unto you, That ye also have seen John vi. 36. me, and believe not. All that the Father giveth me shall come to John vi. 37. 13 We have here another instance in which Christ applied to himself an epithet given by the Jews to their expected Messiah. Midrash Coheleth, fol. 73.3. R. Berechia nomine R. Isaac dixit: quemadmodum Goël primus, sic quoque erit postremus. Goël primus 100 nx 1717, descendere fecit Manna. q. d. Exod. xvi. 4. Et pluere faciam vobis panem de cælo. Sic quoque Goël postremus descendere facit Manna q. d. Ps. lxxii. 16. erit multitudo frumenti super terram. See Schoetgen. in loc. It is probable that our Saviour alluded to this tradition, as well as to the ideas of the Rabbis, discussed at great length by Whitby, on Johin vi. 31. 37, &c. The comparison of food which nourishes the body, and wisdom which nourishes the soul, is common in many parts of Scripture. Thus Isaiah-"Ye that are thirsty, come buy wine and milk without money, and without price. Wherefore do ye spend your money for that which is not bread,” &c. &c. Lightfoot quotes also Chajigah, fol. 14. 1. and Gloss. in Succah, fol. 52. to prove that bread was frequently used among the Jewish doctors for doctrineons beann feed him with bread; that is, make him take pains in the warfare of the law, as it is written. It may be observed here, that an acquaintance with the Jewish traditions would materially assist the theological student to form a more accurate notion of many subjects of controversy between the Church of Rome and the Protestants. This discourse of our Lord in John vi. has been much insisted upon by the Romanists, as defending and supporting the doctrine of transubstantiation. This notion originated in the sixth century, and is founded on the literal interpretation of passages which were commonly used by the Jews, to whom the Scriptures were addressed, and by the inspired writers who primarily wrote for their use, in a metaphorical sense. I do not observe that Fulke has noticed this point in his remarks on John vi, in his work on the Rhemish translation of the New Testament. See that work, p. 275-280, folio edit. 1633. London. |
