29 Take my yoke upon you, | the corn; and his disciples and learn of me; for I am meek were a hungered, and began and lowly in heart and ye shall to pluck the ears of corn, and find rest unto your souls. : 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. AT CHAPTER XII. T that time Jesus went on the Sabbath-day through could give adequate consolation under all their sorrows, and who would welcome all, in every age, that might feel themselves oppressed by ignorance, sin, and trouble. to eat. 2 But when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto him, Behold, thy disciples do that which is not lawful to do upon the Sabbath-day. himself, with every needed assurance of reception and favor. How different is the service of Christ from the methods which the human mind might devise for obtaining the favor of God! 29, 30. Take my yoke, &c. A yoke how different from the bondage of is an emblem of subjection. The idea heathenism, and from the observances then is, Submit yourselves to me, and of any false religion! Let us, then, become my disciples. || I am meek-give the more earnest heed to Him and ye shall find rest. How different that speaks to us from heaven. from the scribes and Pharisees! See 23:4. Luke 11: 46. REFLECTIONS. 1. How abundant is the evidence that Jesus was the Messiah, the true Saviour! v. 5. In every subsequent age, the practical influence of his religion has added immensely to the evidence. 2. How great was the honor bestowed on John the Baptist, though he was destitute of worldly splendor, and was so carelessly condemned to death! vs. 9-11. 3. Let us beware of disesteeming the gospel, because it makes no pretensions to external greatness. v. 6. 4. Avoid a captious spirit in regard to religion and to its ministers. v. 16-19. 5. Though we may not be defiled with the sins of Sodom, yet we may be in danger of an unspeakably awful condemnation. vs. 20-24. 6. The spirit of humble docility will be blessed. Let us beware of a selfconfident spirit. v. 25. 7. How suitable, that we trust to the teaching of our Lord Jesus Christ! Think of his ability (v. 27); of his kindness and condescension (vs. 2830). If we feel ourselves oppressed by sin and sorrow, he welcomes us to CHAPTER XII. 1. At that time; a general expression, meaning, about the time when the things just spoken of occurred. || On the Sabbath-day. From the language of Luke 6: 1, it is generally believed that this Sabbath occurred during the festival of the passover. Through the corn. The word corn among us is used in a very limited sense, meaning Indian corn, or maize. It is used in the Bible as equivalent to our word grain a general term, including several varieties, as wheat, rye, barley, &c. The original might here be rendered through the sown fields, or through the fields of grain. Through such fields there were footpaths. The grain here mentioned was probably barley; for, on the second day of the passover, which occurred in the month Nisan, or Abib, corresponding to our April, it was required that a ripe sheaf should be offered up. Lev. 23: 4—11. The barley was ripe at that season, having been sown the preceding autumn. A hungered; hungry. 2. That which is not lawful to do on the Sabbath-day. In Deut. 23: 25, permission was given to a person, who was in another's grain field, to pluck the ears as he passed along. It was 3 But he said unto them, but only for the priests? Have ye not read what David did when he was a hungered, and they that were with him; 4 How he entered into the house of God, and did eat the show-bread, which was not lawful for him to eat, neither for them which were with him, not, then, because the disciples took some of the grain through which they were passing, that they were censured, but because they did it on the Sabbath. Thus they were accused of having violated the Sabbath. Among the Jewish rules enforced at that time, was one that forbade reaping on the Sabbath; and the plucking of the grain, and rubbing it in their hands (Luke 6: 1), the Pharisees regarded as a kind of reaping. The punishment for violating the Sabbath, according to the Jewish law, was death. See Ex. 35: 2. Num. 15:32-36. 3. Jesus vindicated his disciples by ascribing their conduct to necessity. They were in need of food. He appealed first to an incident in David's life. What David did. See 1 Sam. chapter 21st. The examples of distinguished pious men, recorded in the Old Testament, had much weight with the Jews. In the instance to which Jesus referred, a priest also was concerned; and according to Deut. 17 8-13, the decision of a priest had much authority. With this incident in the life of David the Jews would not find fault; and the reason which justified David would also justify the disciples. 4. The house of God; the tabernacle, which was a movable sanctuary, prepared during the travels in the desert while the people were on the way to the promised land. Ex. 25: 1-9. 36: 1-7. The tabernacle continued to be the house of worship, till Solomon built the temple. 1 Kings 5: 5, 8, 13, &c. || The show-bread. In Lev. 24: 5-9," directions were given for baking twelve cakes, to be renewed every Sabbath, and to be 5 Or have ye not read in the law, how that on the Sabbathdays the priests in the temple profane the Sabbath, and are blameless? 6 But I say unto you, That in this place is one greater than the temple. placed, with frankincense sprinkled over them, in a prescribed order, on a table in the tabernacle, which was covered with gold. Ex. 25: 23-30. These cakes, having thus been set out before the Lord, were regarded as peculiarly holy, and were to be eaten by the priests only. These were the show-bread. 5. In the law; of Moses, particularly the statutes which have respect to the religious services of the Sabbath. The priests in the temple profane the Sabbath. The Pharisees had accused the disciples of violating the Sabbath, because, by rubbing the ears of grain, they had performed labor. Jesus reminded them, that the very law itself prescribed some labor for the priests on the Sabbath, even in the sanctuary. Num. 28: 9, 10. The sacrifices which they were required to offer, called for some labor on their part. Thus he showed, that the circumstances of men are to be taken into account; and that, in some cases, what some persons might call work on the Sabbath, would not be a violation of the Sabbath. 6. One greater than the temple; possessing more authority, more right to control the conscience; one whose permission to do a thing is of more weight than any prohibition to do it which was grounded on reverence for the temple. Of course, he meant himself. This he expressed fully in the 8th verse. At this point, Mark (2: 27) inserts an additional thought, suggested by our Lord in vindication of the disciples; "the Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath." That is, the Sabbath was appointed for the 7 But if ye had known what | saying, Is it lawful to heal on this meaneth, I will have mercy, the Sabbath-days? that they and not sacrifice, ye would might accuse him. not have condemned the guiltless. 8 For the Son of man is Lord even of the Sabbath-day. 9 And when he was departed thence, he went into their synagogue: 11 And he said unto them, What man shall there be among you, that shall have one sheep, and if it fall into a pit on the Sabbath-day, will he not lay hold on it, and lift it out? 12 How much then is a man 10 And behold, there was a better than a sheep? WhereIman which had his hand with-fore it is lawful to do well on ered. And they asked him, the Sabbath-days. benefit of man; and therefore is not of such a nature as to require man to subject himself to misery in order to observe it. Man was not created in subordination to the Sabbath, as though certain statutes concerning the Sabbath must inevitably, on all occasions, be obeyed, whether they comport, or do not comport, with man's well-being. Sabbath, without respect to any existing opinions on the subject. This was indeed taking very high ground; but it pertained to the province of the Messiah. Compare, as parallel passages, Mark 2: 23-28. Luke 6: 1-5. 9. The event next related appears, by Luke 6: 6, to have taken place on another Sabbath. Matthew unites it 10. Withered. The condition of a limb said to be withered, was caused by a contraction of the muscles, and was very dangerous. A person, when seized with such a contraction, was unable to alter the position of the limb which was affected. If the hand, for instance, was extended, he was unable to draw it back; if it was not extended, he became unable to stretch it out. It became diminished in size, and dried up. Compare 1 Kings 13: 4-6. Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath-days? Many of the Jewish teachers contended that it was not lawful to heal on the Sabbath, unless there was danger of death. 7. In still another way, Jesus show-in his history with the preceding, on ed the impropriety of the Pharisees' account of the similar circumstances accusation. They had overlooked the of the two events. true nature of religion, and had given an undue prominence to external ceremonies, while they neglected the kind and merciful temper which is more pleasing to God. I will have mercy; I choose, or prefer, mercy. Not sacrifice; that is, comparatively speaking, I ask not for sacrifice, for external service; I require a merciful spirit. I choose a merciful spirit rather than the offering of sacrifices. See Hosea 6: 6. Compare also Matt. 9:13. The Pharisees urged the external observance of precepts, while they neglected inward piety, especially the exercise of a kind and benevolent temper. Compare Matt. 23: 23. Had they considered well the nature of God's requisitions, they would not have passed censure on such innocent acts as a man's plucking a little grain on the Sabbath to appease the cravings of hunger, while passing through a field. 8. Lord of the Sabbath-day. Jesus declared his right to regulate the 11, 12. By the value of a man's life and happiness, compared with a sheep's, Jesus showed the utter impropriety of the Pharisees' opinion respecting healing on the Sabbath. The Jewish teachers expressly permitted a person to take a sheep out of a pit on the Sabbath. To do 13 Then saith he to the man, Stretch forth thy hand. And he stretched it forth; and it was restored whole, like as the other. 14 Then the Pharisees went out, and held a council against him, how they might destroy him. 15 But when Jesus knew it, he withdrew himself from thence: well; to perform a good, a merciful act. 13. Stretch forth. Such a command might seem inconsistent with what is stated in the note on v. 10. But He, who gave the command, could also, and did, impart the requisite muscular power. So in regard to all the commandments of Christ, in respect to all men, we should remember, "he giveth power to the faint, and to them that have no might he increaseth strength." Is. 40: 29. Compare, as parallel passages, Mark 3: 1-6. Luke 6:6-11. SUGGESTIONS. 1. Notice the captious disposition of the Pharisees. All the Saviour's works were upright and benevolent; yet the Pharisees were constantly inclined to find fault. 2. Let us beware of magnifying outward, and especially uncommanded, observances, to the neglect of inward piety, and the cherishing of kind and just affections. 3. Notice the benevolence of the Saviour. vs. 7, 12, 13. 4. While we ought carefully to observe the Sabbath, we ought also to remember that true piety dwells in the heart, and consists in love, humility, and benevolence, as much as in outward obedience to God's commands. 5. The Pharisees made religion a grievous yoke. But Christ's yoke is easy. and great multitudes followed him, and he healed them all; 16 And charged them that they should not make him known: 17 That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, 18 Behold my servant, whom I have chosen; my beloved, in whom my soul is well pleased: I overcome by the arguments of Jesus. But their hearts were not rightly affected, and they plotted his destruction. Held a council; held a consultation. 15. Great multitudes followed him. The common people were better disposed, and were favorably affected by his miracles and teaching; nor was he deterred by the evil designs of the Pharisees from prosecuting his work of mercy. 16. They should not make him known. The Pharisees had already become greatly excited against him; and it would have been unseasonable in Jesus to have encouraged the people to spread abroad reports of new miracles. He knew what work he had to perform, and what was the best way of accomplishing it. Hence he sometimes withdrew from public observation, and forbade those who had been benefited, to speak of him publicly, lest he should excite too soon that hostility which was to crucify him. 17. By Esaias. See Is. 42: 1-3. Besides the reason just hinted, the character of Christ furnished a reason for his frequently seeking retirement. He was not disposed to be contentious; he was not turbulent. He was remarkably gentle and kind, while yet he was carrying into effect the designs which he had formed. Hence, when it would consist with his duty to retire from the public gaze, and to spend some time in obscurity, he gladly availed himself of the privi 14. The Pharisees felt themselves lege. 19 He shall not strive, nor cry; neither shall any man hear his voice in the streets. 20 A bruised reed shall he not break, and smoking flax shall he not quench, till he send forth judgment unto victory. 21 And in his name shall the Gentiles trust. 22 Then was brought unto him one possessed with a devil, blind and dumb: and he healed him, insomuch that the blind and dumb both spake and saw. 23 And all the people were 18. Show judgment; make known that which is just; righteousness, the truth. To the Gentiles; to the nations. 19. He shall not be disposed to make a tumult. amazed; and said, Is not this the son of David? 24 But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, This fellow doth not cast out devils, but by Beelzebub, the prince of the devils. 25 And Jesus knew their thoughts, and said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself, is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself, shall not stand : 26 And if Satan cast out Satan, he is divided against himself; how then shall his kingdom stand? 27 And if I by Beelzebub 2. The mildness and gentleness of Christ. 3. The firm, undeviating prosecution of his object, while yet he had a due regard to the circumstances of the people. 23. The son of David; the Messiah, the long-expected King. 24. The Pharisees saw that the common people were ready to hail Jesus as indeed the Messiah. To prevent this, they threw out injurious insinuations. 20. Smoking flax; a smoking wick. The wick whose flame is just expiring, or which has expired, but which still has a faint spark, he will not rudely quench. The whole verse is expressive of the utmost benevolence and mildness. Till he send forth to victory; till he advance to a victorious issue. Judgment; his just or righ-on 10: 25. teous cause. He will accomplish a victory; but not after the manner of this world. He will do it in the exercise of meekness and benevolence, and will establish, in this way, his reign in the hearts of men. 21. In his name; in him. || The Gentiles; the nations. In the passage as found in Isaiah, mention is here made of "the isles." By isles are meant remote countries, well corresponding to Gentiles. We cannot but ADMIRE, 1. The prudence of Jesus. He would not encourage a needless excitement, nor needlessly provoke opposition. Beelzebub. See 25, 26. In refuting the calumnious charge made by the Pharisees, Jesus presented several considerations. He first showed how absurd it was to make such a representation, as though Satan would fight against himself. Would Satan thus endeavor to destroy his own power? The word house here means family. 27. Jesus next hinted at the manner in which the accusation of the Pharisees would recoil upon themselves. Their disciples (for this is the meaning of the word children, as here used) professed to cast out demons, and the Pharisees professed to believe that they did cast them out. Now, said Jesus, If you say I cast out de |