In all countries, and under all religions, fasting has not only been considered a duty, but also of extraordinary virtue to procure blessings, and to avert evils. Hence it has often been practised with extraordinary rigour, and abused to the most superstitious purposes. There are twelve kinds of fasts among the Hindoos: -
1. The person neither eats nor drinks for a day and night. This fast is indispensable, and occurs twenty-nine times in the year.
2. The person fasts during the day, and eats at night.
3. The person eats nothing but fruits, and drinks milk or water.
4. He eats once during the day and night.
5. Eats one particular kind of food during the day and night, but as often as he pleases.
6. Called Chanderaym, which is, to eat on the first day, only one mouthful; two on the second; and thus continue increasing one mouthful every day for a month, and then decreasing a mouthful every day, till he leaves off where he began.
7. The person neither eats nor drinks for twelve days.
8. Lasts twelve days: the first three days he eats a little once in the day; the next three, he eats only once in the night; the next three, he eats nothing, unless it be brought to him; and, during the last three days, he neither eats nor drinks.
9. Lasts fifteen days. For three days and three nights, he eats only one handful at night; the next three days and nights, he eats one handful if it be brought him, if not, he takes nothing. Then he eats nothing for three days and three nights. The next three days and nights he takes only a handful of warm water each day. The next three days and nights he takes a handful of warm milk each day.
10. For three days and nights he neither eats nor drinks. He lights a fire, and sits at a door where there enters a hot wind, which he draws in with his breath.
11. Lasts fifteen days. Three, days and three nights he eats nothing but leaves; three days and three nights, nothing but the Indian fig; three days and three nights, nothing but the seed of the lotus; three days and three nights, nothing but peepul leaves; three days and three nights, the expressed juice of a particular kind of grass called doobah.
12. Lasts a week. First day he eats milk; second, milk-curds; third, ghee, i.e. clarified butter; fourth, cow's urine; fifth, cow's dung; sixth, water; seventh, nothing.
During every kind of fast, the person sleeps on the ground, plays at no game, has no connection with women, neither shaves nor anoints himself, and bestows alms each day. - Ayeen Akbery, vol. iii. p. 247-250. How much more simple and effectual is the way of salvation taught in the Bible! But, because it is true, it is not credited by fallen man.
Fasting is considered by the Mohammedans as an essential part of piety. Their orthodox divines term it the gate of religion. With them, it is of two kinds, voluntary and incumbent; and is distinguished by the Mosliman doctors into three degrees:
1. The refraining from every kind of nourishment or carnal indulgence.
2. The restraining the various members from every thing which might excite sinful or corrupt desires.
3. The abstracting the mind wholly from worldly cares, and fixing it exclusively upon God.
Their great annual fast is kept on the month Ramzan, or Ramadhan, beginning at the first new moon, and continuing until the appearance of the next; during which, it is required to abstain from every kind of nourishment from day-break till after sun-set of each day. From this observance none are excused but the sick, the aged, and children. This is properly the Mohammedan Lent. See Hedayah, prel. Dis. p. LV. LVI.
It is worthy of remark, that these children of the Bridegroom, the disciples, did not mourn, were exposed to no persecution, while the Bridegroom, the Lord Jesus, was with them, but after he had been taken from them, by death and his ascension, they did fast and mourn; they were exposed to all manner of hardships, persecutions, and even death itself, in some of its worst forms.
Introduction
Jesus calls, commissions, and names his twelve disciples, [Mat 10:1-4]. Gives them particular instructions relative to the objects of their ministry, [Mat 10:5], [Mat 10:6]. Mode of preaching, etc., [Mat 10:7-15]. Foretells the afflictions and persecutions they would have to endure, and the support they should receive, [Mat 10:16-25]. Cautions them against betraying his cause, in order to procure their personal safety, [Mat 10:26-39]. And gives especial promises to those who should assist his faithful servants in the execution of their work, [Mat 10:40-42].
Verse 1
Twelve disciples - Our Lord seems to have had the twelve patriarchs, heads of the congregation of Israel, in view, in his choosing twelve disciples. That he had the plan of the ancient Jewish Church in his eye is sufficiently evident from [Mat 19:28]; and from [Luk 10:1]; [Luk 22:30]; [Joh 17:1], etc., and [Rev 21:12-14].
He gave them power against unclean spirits - The word κατα, against, which our translators have supplied in Italic, is found in many MSS. of good note, and in the principal versions. Here we find the first call to the Christian ministry, and the end proposed by the commission given. To call persons to the ministry belongs only to Him who can give them power to cast out unclean spirits. He whose ministry is not accompanied with healing to diseased souls, was never called of God. But let it be observed, that, though the spiritual gifts requisite for the ministry must be supplied by God himself, yet this does not preclude the importance of human learning. No man can have his mind too well cultivated, to whom a dispensation of the Gospel is committed. The influence of the Spirit of God was no more designed to render human learning useless, than that learning should be considered as superseding the necessity of Divine inspiration.
Verse 2
Apostles - This is the first place where the word is used. ΑποϚολος, an apostle, comes from αποϚελλω, I send a message. The word was anciently used to signify a person commissioned by a king to negotiate any affair between him and any other power or people. Hence αποϚολοι and κηρυκες, apostles and heralds, are of the same import in Herodotus. See the remarks at the end of chap. 3.
It is worthy of notice, that those who were Christ's apostles were first his disciples; to intimate, that men must be first taught of God, before they be sent of God. Jesus Christ never made an apostle of any man who was not first his scholar or disciple. These twelve apostles were chosen.
1. That they might be with our Lord, to see and witness his miracles, and hear his doctrine.
2. That they might bear testimony of the former, and preach his truth to mankind.
The first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; etc. - We are not to suppose that the word πρωτος, first, refers to any kind of dignity, as some have imagined; it merely signifies the first in order - the person first mentioned. A pious man remarks: "God here unites by grace those who were before united by nature." Though nature cannot be deemed a step towards grace, yet it is not to be considered as always a hinderance to it. Happy the brothers who are joint envoys of Heaven, and the parents who have two or more children employed as ambassadors for God! But this is a very rare case; and family compacts in the work of the ministry are dangerous and should be avoided.
Verse 3
Bartholomew - Many are of opinion that this was Nathanael, mentioned [Joh 1:46], whose name was probably Nathanael bar Talmai, Nathanael, the son of Talmai: here, his own name is repressed, and he is called Bar Talmai, or Bartholomew, from his father.
Matthew the publican - The writer of this history. See the preface.
James the son of Alpheus - This person was also called Cleopas, or Clopas, [Luk 24:18]; [Joh 19:25]. He had married Mary, sister to the blessed Virgin, [Joh 19:25].
Verse 4
Simon - He was third son of Alpheus, and brother of James and Jude, or Judas, [Mat 13:55].
The Canaanite - This word is not put here to signify a particular people, as it is elsewhere used in the Sacred Writings; but it is formed from the Hebrew קנא kana, which signifies zealous, literally translated by Luke, [Luk 6:15], ζηλωτης, zelotes, or the zealous, probably from his great fervency in preaching the Gospel of his Master. But see [Luk 6:15].
Judas Iscariot - Probably from the Hebrew איש קריות ish kerioth, a man of Kerioth, which was a city in the tribe of Judah, [Jos 15:25], where it is likely this man was born.
As אסכרא iscara, signifies the quinsy, or strangulation, and Judas hanged himself after he had betrayed our Lord, Dr. Lightfoot seems inclined to believe that he had his name from this circumstance, and that it was not given him till after his death.
Who also betrayed him - Rather, even he who betrayed him, or delivered him up; for so, I think, ο και παραδους αυτον should be translated. The common translation, who Also betrayed him, is very exceptionable, as it seems to imply, he was betrayed by some others, as well as by Judas.
Verse 5
These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded - To be properly qualified for a minister of Christ, a man must be,
1. filled with the spirit of holiness;
2. called to this particular work;