purpose. 7 Then Herod secretly summoning the Magians, Herod's learnt from them exactly the time of the star's appearing: and sending them to Bethlehem, he said, "Go and ascertain exactly concerning the child; and when you find him, report to me, that I too may come and bow down to him." of 9 And when they heard the king they departed; Worship and lo, the star which they saw in the east, went Magians. before them, until it came and stood over where the child was. 10 And seeing the star they rejoiced with very much joy. And coming into the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother; and they fell and bowed down to him. And opening their caskets they presented to him gifts,-gold and incense and myrrh. And being divinely directed in a dream, not to return to Herod, they went back by another way to their own country. IV. ture to 13 Now when they were gone away, lo, an angel of Depar the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph, saying, Egypt. "Arise, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt; and be there until I tell thee; for Herod will seek the child to destroy him." And arising he took the child and his mother by night, and went away to Egypt. 15 And he was there until the death of Herod; so that there was a fulfilment of what was spoken by 8. Apart from any testimony, it would be most probable, that Joseph and Mary would prefer a residence in Bethlehem to a continuance of their residence in Nazareth. And so, having gone back to Nazareth after their visit to Bethlehem and Jerusalem, they returned to Bethlehem, purposing to dwell there. Luke ii. 39. The narratives of the two Evangelists are different, because they refer to different times and places. 15. The statement of the prophet respecting the Jewish nation, is applied to a corresponding fact in the history of Christ; there being not only outward similarity, but the same principle. Thus history is prophecy. Hosea xi. 1. Massacre of chil dren. Return to Nazareth. the Lord through the prophet, saying, "Out of Egypt I called my Son." 16 Then Herod seeing that he was deluded by the Magians, was greatly enraged; and he sent and slew all the children who were in Bethlehem and in all its neighbourhood, from two years and under, according to the time which he had learnt exactly from the Magians. Then there was a fulfilment of what was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet, saying, 18" A cry was heard in Ramah, wailing and weeping and much sorrow; Rachel weeping for her children; and she would not be comforted, because they are not." 17 19 But when Herod deceased, lo, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, saying, "Arise, take the child and his mother, and go to the land of Israel; for they are dead who sought the life of the child.” 20 And he arose, and took the child and his mother; and he came to the land of Israel. 22 But hearing that Archelaus reigned over Judæa, instead of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there; and being divinely directed in a dream, he returned to the district of Galilee. 23 And he went and resided in a town called Nazareth: so that there was a fulfilment of what was said by the prophets, that he would be called a Nazarene. 18. These words describe the sorrow of the Jews when they were taken away from their own land. They are here applied to another affliction, for which also there would be comfort and hope. Jer. xxxi. 15. 23. No single prediction is here referred to, but the general tenor of prophecy respecting Christ, as despised by men. Psalm xxii.; Isaiah liii. Nazareth was a place of low esteem, and its name a title of reproach. John i. 46. The return to Nazareth, mentioned Luke ii. 39, was different from this, preceding the residence in Bethlehem, the visit of the Magians, and the sojourn in Egypt. PART II. I. pre 1 In those days appeared John the Baptist, preaching John as in the wilderness of Judæa, and saying, "Repent: dicted. for the kingdom of Heaven is near." For this is he who was spoken of by Isaiah the prophet, saying, 1. The title, Baptist, refers both to the outward purification which he performed for the people, as the priests were wont to do; and to the moral purification which he enjoined upon them, as the prophets did. He was called the Baptizer or Purifier. His prophetical service was above his priestly, and his title refers to the former as much as to the latter. Many Jewish purifications were called baptisms, without any regard to the way in which they were performed. No immersion of a person in water was ever enjoined by Jewish law; and no public immersion of persons with their clothes on, took place in ancient purifications. The practice of bathing in water, as a religious service, did not appear among Jews or Christians till later times. The rite was used, as all similar rites, to set forth truth; and it was useful as a moral emblem, to teach repentance, not as a material means, to produce it. Mark vii. 3; Luke xi. 37; Heb. ix. 9; 2 Kings v. 14; Judith xii. 7; Sirach xxxi. 25; Jos. Ant. xviii. 6. Justin Martyr, dial. cum Tryphone, 231, calls repentance a baptism. 2. Repentance, according to its etymology, is simply a change of mind; but according to usage, it is a change to a better mind or purpose,—a turning to what is right. In the Scriptures it denotes the great change which takes place when men turn from all wrong, submitting to the will of God, and hoping for his mercy. It is preceded by sorrow, and followed by reformation, and it is an exercise of faith in God. 2 Cor. vii. 10. The kingdom of Heaven is the government of God,-the government of men by Christ, the service and salvation given by him, for which all ages were preparatory. Dan. vii. 14. 3. The prophecy of Isaiah refers directly to the deliverance by Christ which was for all people, of which the deliverance of the Jews by Cyrus was typical, being partly like and partly unlike. Isaiah xl, 3. |