Julian Pe- cording to the time which he had diligently inquired of Bethlehem. riod, 4709. the wise men Before the 5. 17 Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremy the prophet, saying, 18 In Rama was there a voice heard, lamentation, and weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, and would not be comforted, because they are not. Julian Period, 4711. Before the Vulgar Æra, 3. 19 But when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeareth in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, 20 Saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and go into the land of Israel: for they are dead which sought the young child's life ". 39 known that about thirty years after the slaughter, and the latter end of 38 ̓Απὸ διετοῦς καὶ κατωτέρω. Sir Norton Knatchbull, in his 39 Mr. Mann conjectures that Antipater, who was the heir apparent to the crown of Herod, when Christ was born, was one of the principal advisers of the massacre at Bethlehem. He had already procured the death of his two elder brothers, to prepare his way to the succession. His alarm would be as great as that of his father, when he heard that a king of the Jews was born. As this Antipater was executed only five days before Herod died, both might be referred to in the words of the angelThey are dead which sought the young child's life. The very Egypt. Julian Pe riod, 4711. Before the Vulgar Era, 3. 21 And he arose, and took the young child and his Egypt. mother, and came into the land of Israel. 22 But when he heard that Archelaus did reign in Judæa in the room of his father Herod, he was afraid to go thither notwithstanding, being warned of God in a dream, he turned aside into the parts of Galilee : 40 23 And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth: Nazareth that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, He shall be called a Nazarene " LUKE ii. 40. 40 And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, filled with wisdom: and the grace of God was upon him. Julian Pe SECTION XVII. History of Christ at the age of twelve years "2. LUKE ii. 41-52. 41 Now his parents went to Jerusalem every year at Jerusalem. riod, 4720. the feast of the passover. Vulgar Era, 7. same words are applied to Moses, under similar circumstances, 40 The reign of Archelaus commenced inauspiciously: for St. Matthew seems in this passage to apply as it were in a collective sense all the prophecies in the Old Testament that refer to the abject and low condition in which the Messiah should appear. Nazareth, where Christ was now conducted, was the most contemned part of the Holy Land, agreeing well with that prediction-He was despised and rejected of men. The Evangelist, says Lightfoot, does not quote one prophet, (τὸ ῥηθὲν διὰ τῶν Προφητῶν) but all. All the prophets do teach the vile and abject condition of Christ; but none that his condition should be out of Nazareth. Christ seems destined to that abject place, to fulfil in a general sense these prophecies. This seems to be the best interpretation of the passage; preferable to those which represent St. Matthew as playing upon the words, and . Vide Lightfoot. Heb. et Talm. Exerc. vol. ii. p. 112. 42 The canons of the Jewish law required parents to instruct their children in their intended trade at twelve years of age. It is probable, therefore, that this was the period also when they began to comply with the law, Exod. xxxiv. 23. which required Julian Pe 42 And when he was twelve years old, they went up to Jerusalem. riod, 4720. Jerusalem after the custom of the feast. Vulgar Æra, 7. all the male children to present themselves at Jerusalem three The brief narrative of the Evangelist, which confines itself The conversation of Jesus must have made a deep impression; and not only excited the attention, but the curiosity and admiration of the Sanhedrim. That the object of our Lord's sitting among the doctors was something more than hearing or asking questions concerning the difficulties of the Jewish law, is evidently implied in his answer to the expostulation of his mother, Wist ye not that I must be about my Father's business? or, as it may be translated, Wist ye not that I must be in the house of God my Father? The God of the Jewish Church did not send the Messiah to excite the amazement, or to gratify the curiosity of the Jews. He came to impress some lesson upon them, suit Julian Pe riod, 4720. Vulgar Æra, 7. 43 And when they had fulfilled the days, as they re- Jerusalem. turned, the child Jesus tarried behind in Jerusalem; and Joseph and his mother knew not of it. 44 But they, supposing him to have been in the company, went a day's journey; and they sought him among their kinsfolk and acquaintance. 45 And when they found him not, they turned back again to Jerusalem, seeking him. 46 And it came to pass, that after three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the doctors, both hearing them, and asking them questions. 47 And all that heard him were astonished at his understanding and answers. 48 And when they saw him, they were amazed: and his mother said unto him, Son, why hast thou thus dealt with us? behold, thy father and I have sought thee sorrowing. 49 And he said unto them, How is it that ye sought me? wist ye not that I must be about my Father's business? 50 And they understood not the saying which he spake unto them. 51 And he went down with them, and came to Nazareth, and was subject unto them: but his mother kept all these sayings in her heart. 52 And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man. able to the peculiar circumstances of the moment, and in con- Lightfoot has shewn the probability that Hillel had died some (a) See Lightfoot, Heb. and Talm. Exerc. in Luke, vol. ii. p. 396-7. Lightfoot thinks it is not impossible that our Lord had found admission into the very Sanhedrim, a circumstance of rare occurrence, permitted only in extraordinary cases. (b) Doddridge, Fam. Expositor, translates the word isάvro," they were in a transport of admiration." 'Elioravro, obstupescebant, mirabantur. Verbum líornui de quacunque animi commotione vehementiori, imprimis etiam de admiratione summa usurpatur. Rosenmuller in loc. G Julian Pe riod, 4739. Vulgar Era, 26. Luke iii. 1. 2. Matt. iii. 1. SECTION XVIII. Commencement of the Ministry of John the Baptist. Judea. MATT. iii. 1-12. MARK i. 2-8. LUKE iii. 1-18. Annas and Caiaphas being the High Priests, the word In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judæa. 43 The spirit of prophecy came upon John when he was thirty years of age: this was the time appointed in the law for the commencement of their ministry by the Priests and Levites. He preached in the desart, where the greatest multitudes passed-be wore a garment of camel's hair, the most coarse and common garment, similar to that worn by the prophets of old, to express his contempt for the vanities and ostentations of life. His food was the spontaneous produce of the country, shewing his self-denial, and subjection of all his appetites-his days were passed in the wilderness, far removed from the world, preparing and preaching the way of the Lord. He avoided wine and strong drink, like a Nazarite, being separated and holy to the Lord, Numb. vi. 2, 3. He was to others the example of all that he taught. Whether the locusts he ate were the animal so called, prepared in the manner usual among the Jews, or whether it was a peculiar herb growing about that country, which seems most probable, is uncertain. Many have conjectured that the wild honey, the μέλι ἄγριον, ought to be read μελεαγρίαν, which they imagine to be likewise a species of herb, indigenous in Judæa. Witsius, however, considers this opinion as quite unfounded (a). Had any other Messenger of a different character been chosen as the forerunner of the Messiah, the Jews would indeed have been confirmed in their preconceived ideas of a temporal prince; but the austerity of the Baptist's habits, his seclusion from the world, and his contempt of all its pleasures and distinctions, were in direct opposition to all those opinions, and ought to have contradicted them :-Had he been the ambassador of any worldly sovereign he must have been invested with all the external splendour and pomp which he was appointed to represent-but as the ambassador of a spiritual Lord, and a spiritual kingdom, all these things were laid aside-his robe of state was of camel's hair-the luxuries of his table were the honey of the wilderness-and the message that he brought from his sovereign was an invitation to repentance and faith. (a) On the locusts eaten by John, see a curious criticism in verse, by Dr. Byrom, of Manchester-Byrom's Poems, in Chalmers' edition of the poets, p. 231, vol. xv. |