The beginning of the Gospel of Jesus Christ - The evangelist speaks with strict propriety: for the beginning of the Gospel is in the account of John the Baptist, contained in the first paragraph; the Gospel itself in the rest of the book. Mt 3:1; Lu 3:1
Mal 3:1
Isa 40:3.
Preaching the baptism of repentance - That is, preaching repentance, and baptizing as a sign and means of it.
The latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose - That is, to do him the very meanest service.
Mt 3:13; Lu 3:21.
And immediately the Spirit thrusteth him out into the wilderness - So in all the children of God, extraordinary manifestations of his favour are wont to be followed by extraordinary temptations. Mt 4:1; Lu 4:1.
And he was there forty days, tempted by Satan - Invisibly. After this followed the temptation by him in a visible shape, related by St. Matthew. And he was with the wild beasts - Though they had no power to hurt him. St. Mark not only gives us a compendium of St. Matthew's Gospel, but likewise several valuable particulars, which the other evangelists have omitted.
Mt 4:12.
The time is fulfilled - The time of my kingdom, foretold by Daniel, expected by you, is fully come.
Mt 4:18; Lu 5:1.
Straightway leaving their nets, they followed him - From this time they forsook their employ, and constantly attended him. Happy they who follow Christ at the first call!
Lu 4:31.
A loud noise - For he was forbidden to speak. Christ would neither suffer those evil spirits to speak in opposition, nor yet in favour of him. He needed not their testimony, nor would encourage it, lest any should infer that he acted in concert with them.
Mt 8:14; Lu 4:38.
When the sun was set - And, consequently, the Sabbath was ended, which they reckoned from sunset to sunset.
And the whole city was gathered together at the door - O what a fair prospect was here! Who could then have imagined that all these blossoms would die away without fruit?
He suffered not the devils to say that they knew him - That is, according to Dr. Mead's hypothesis, (that the Scriptural demoniacs were only diseased persons,) He suffered not the diseases to say that they knew him!
Rising a great while before day - So did he labour for us, both day and night. Lu 4:42.
Mt 8:2; Lu 5:12.
See thou say nothing to any man - But our blessed Lord gives no such charge to us. If he has made us clean from our leprosy of sin, we are not commanded to conceal it. On the contrary, it is our duty to publish it abroad, both for the honour of our Benefactor, and that others who are sick of sin may be encouraged to ask and hope for the same benefit. But go, show thyself to the priest, and offer for thy cleansing what Moses commanded for a testimony to them - The priests seeing him, pronouncing him clean, Lev 13:17,23,28,37, and accordingly allowing him to offer as Moses commanded, Lev 14:2,7, was such a proof against them, that they durst never say the leper was not cleansed; which out of envy or malice against our Saviour they might have been ready to say, upon his presenting himself to be viewed, according to the law, if by the cleansed person's talking much about his cure, the account of it had reached their ears before he came in person. This is one great reason why our Lord commanded this man to say nothing.
So that Jesus could no more openly enter into the city - It was also to prevent this inconvenience that our Lord had enjoined him silence.
And again - After having been in desert places for some time, he returned privately to the city. In the house - In Peter's house.
And immediately many were gathered together - Hitherto continued the general impression on their hearts. Hitherto, even at Capernaum, all who heard received the word with joy.
Mt 9:2; Lu 5:18.
They uncovered the roof - Or, took up the covering, the lattice or trap door, which was on all their houses, (being flat roofed.) And finding it not wide enough, broke the passage wider, to let down the couch.
But certain of the scribes - See whence the first offence cometh! As yet not one of the plain unlettered people were offended. They all rejoiced in the light, till these men of learning came, to put darkness for light, and light for darkness. Wo to all such blind guides! Good had it been for these if they had never been born. O God, let me never offend one of thy simple ones! Sooner let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth!
They were all amazed - Even the scribes themselves for a time.
All the multitude came to him - Namely, by the sea side. And he as readily taught them there as if they had been in a synagogue.
Mt 9:9; Lu 5:27.
Many publicans and notorious sinners sat with Jesus - Some of them doubtless invited by Matthew, moved with compassion for his old companions in sin. But the next words, For there were many, and they followed him, seem to imply, that the greater part, encouraged by his gracious words and the tenderness of his behaviour, and impatient to hear more, stayed for no invitation, but pressed in after him, and kept as close to him as they could.
And the scribes and Pharisees said - So now the wise men being joined by the saints of the world, went a little farther in raising prejudices against our Lord. In his answer he uses as yet no harshness, but only calm, dispassionate reasoning.
I came not to call the righteous - Therefore if these were righteous I should not call them. But now, they are the very persons I came to save.
Mt 9:14; Lu 5:33.
Mt 12:1; Lu 6:1.
In the days of Abiathar the high priest - Abimelech, the father of Abiathar, was high priest then; Abiathar himself not till some time after. This phrase therefore only means, In the time of Abiathar, who was afterward the high priest. 1Sa 21:6.
The Sabbath was made for man - And therefore must give way to man's necessity.
Moreover the Son of man is Lord even of the Sabbath - Being the supreme Lawgiver, he hath power to dispense with his own laws; and with this in particular.
He entered again into the synagogue - At Capernaum on the same day. Mt 12:9; Lu 6:6.
And they - The scribes and Pharisees, watched him, that they might accuse him - Pride, anger, and shame, after being so often put to silence, began now to ripen into malice.
Is it lawful to save life or to kill? - Which he knew they were seeking occasion to do. But they held their peace - Being confounded, though not convinced.
Looking round upon them with anger, being grieved - Angry at the sin, grieved at the sinner; the true standard of Christian anger. But who can separate anger at sin from anger at the sinner? None but a true believer in Christ.
The Pharisees going out - Probably leaving the scribes to watch him still: took counsel with the Herodians - as bitter as they usually were against each other.
From Idumea - The natives of which had now professed the Jewish religion above a hundred and fifty years. They about Tyre and Sidon - The Israelites who lived in those coasts.
Plagues or scourges (so the Greek word properly means) seem to be those very painful or afflictive disorders which were frequently sent, or at least permitted of God, as a scourge or punishment of sin.