Sarepta, a city of Sidon, unto a woman that was a widow.

Sarepta was a town between Tyre and Sidon, near the Mediterranean sea. It was not a Jewish city, but a Sidonian, and therefore a Gentile town. The meaning of the verse is this. He was not sent to any of the widows in Israel. He was not sent except to Sarepta, to a woman that was a Sidonian.

27 And many lepers were in Israel in the time of Eliseus the prophet; and none of them was cleansed, saving Naaman the Syrian.

For an account of the leprosy, see note on Matt. viii. 1. 'Time of Eliseus.' Time of Elisha. The word 'Eliseus' is the Greek way of writing the word Elisha: as Elias is of Elijah. Saving Naaman the Syrian.' The account of his cure is contained in 2 Kings v. 14.

28 And all they in the synagogue, when they heard these things, were filled with wrath,

'Filled with wrath. They saw the application of the cases to themselves, and would not receive the miraculous evidences of his mission. It was a part of Christ's design that the gospel should be preached to the Gentiles, and not confined to them only. On these accounts their favour was soon turned to wrath.

29 And rose up, and thrust him out of the city, and led him unto the brow of the hill, whereon their city was built, that they might cast him down headlong.

The region in which Nazareth was, is hilly. The place to which it is said they led the Saviour is still shown, and is called the mount of Precipitation. It is at a short distance to the south of Nazareth. 'Cast him down.' This was the effect of a popular tumult. They had no legal right to take away his life, and especially in this furious and irregular manner.

30 But he passing through the midst of them went his way,

It was very remarkable that he should escape out of their hands when their very object was to destroy him; and that he should escape in so peaceful a manner, without violence or conflict. A similar case is recorded in John viii. 59. Jesus, by Divine power, stilled their passions, arrested their purpose, and passed silently through them. That he had such a power over the spirits of men, we learn from the occurrence in Gethsemane. when Jesus said, I am he, and they went backward, and fell to the ground, John xviii. 6.

31 And came down to Capernaum, a city of Gali

lee, and taught them on the sabbath days. 32 And they were astonished at his doctrine: for his word was with power. 33 And in the synagogue there was a man which had a spirit of an unclean devil, and cried out with a loud voice, 34 Saying, Let us alone; what have we to do with thee, thou Jesus of Nazareth? art thou come to destroy us? I know thee who thou art; the Holy One of God. 35 And Jesus rebuked him, saying, Hold thy peace, and come out of him. And when the devil had thrown him in the midst, he came out of him, and hurt him not. 36 And they were all amazed, and spake among themselves, saying, What a word is this! for with authority and power he commandeth the unclean spirits, and they come out. 37 And the fame of him went out into every place of the country round about. 38 And he arose out of the synagogue, and entered into Simon's house. And Simon's wife's mother was taken with a great fever; and they besought him for her. 39 And he stood over her, and rebuked the fever; and it left her: and immediately she arose and ministered unto them. 40 Now when the sun was setting, all they that had any sick with divers diseases brought them unto him; and he laid his hands on every one of them, and healed them. 41 And devils also came out of many, crying out, and saying, Thou art Christ, the Son of God. And he rebuking them suffered them not to speak: for they knew that he was Christ. 42 And when it was day, he departed and went into a desert place: and the people sought him, and came unto him, and stayed him, that he should not depart from them. 43 And he said unto them, I must preach the kingdom of God to other cities also: for therefore am I sent. 44 And he preached in the synagogues of Galilee.

See this explained in the notes on Mark i. 21-39.

CHAPTER V.

1 AND it came to pass, that, as the people pressed upon him to hear the word of God, he stood by the lake of Gennesaret,

The pecple pressed upon him.' There were times in the life of our Saviour when thousands were anxious to hear him, and when many, as we have no reason to doubt, became his true followers. The lake of Gennesaret.' Called also the sea of Galilee, and the sea of Tiberias. This was the region of the early toils of our Redeemer. Here he performed some of his first and most amazing miracles; here he selected his disciples; and here, on the shores of this lake, among people of poverty, and inured to the privations of fishermen, he laid the foundation of a religion which is yet to spread through all the world, and which has blessed millions of guilty and miserable men, and translated them to heaven.

2 And saw two ships standing by the lake: but the fishermen were gone out of them, and were washing their nets.

'Two ships.' Fishing boats, probably without decks, and easily drawn up on the beach. Josephus says there were two hundred and thirty of them on the lake, attended by four or five men each. A single large draught of fishes endangered them. 'Standing by the lake.' Anchored by the lake, or drawn up upon the beach.

3 And he entered into one of the ships, which was Simon's, and prayed him that he would thrust out a little from the land. And he sat down, and taught the people out of the ship.

'Which was Simon's.' Simon Peter's. 'Prayed him.' Asked him. He sat down. This was the common posture of Jewish teachers. Compare Matt. v. 1. It is not improbable that the lake was still; that scarcely a breeze passed over it; that all was silence on the shore, and nothing to disturb his voice. In such a situation he could be heard by multitudes; and no spectacle could be more striking than the Son of God-the Redeemer of the world, thus speaking froin the bosom of a placid lake, the emblem of the peace of his own doctrines, to the poor, ignorant, but attentive multitudes assembled on the shore.

4 Now when he had left speaking, he said unto Simon, Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught.

'Launch out. Go out with your vessels. 'Into the deep.' Into the sea; at a distance from the shore. For a draught.' A draught of fish; or let down your nets for the taking of fish.

5 And Simon answering, said unto him, Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing: nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net.

'At thy word.' At thy command. Though it seemed so improbable that they should take any thing after having in vain toiled all night, and still more improbable by launching into the deep, yet he was willing to trust the word of Jesus, and make the trial. This was a remarkable instance of faith. Peter, as it appears, knew little then of Jesus. He was not then a chosen apostle. Jesus came to them almost a stranger, unknown; and yet, at his command, Peter resolved to make another trial, and go once more out into the deep. O if all would as readily obey Jesus, all would be in like manner blessed. If sinners would thus obey him, they would find all his promises sure. He never disappoints. He asks only that we have confidence in him, and he will give to us every needed blessing.

6 And when they had this done, they inclosed a great multitude of fishes: and their net brake.

'Their net brake. Or their net began to break; or was about to break. This is all that is implied in the Greek word. If their nets had actually broken, as our English word seems to imply, the fish would have escaped.

7 And they beckoned unto their partners, which were in the other ship, that they should come and help them. And they came, and filled both the ships, so that they began to sink.

'They beckoned.' They gave signs. 'Their partners.' James and John. See ver. 10.

8 When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord.

'When Simon Peter saw it.' Saw the great amount of fishes; the remarkable success of letting down the net. He fell down at Jesus' knees. This was a common posture of supplication. He had no doubt now of the power and knowledge of Jesus. In amazement, and wonder, and gratitude, and not doubting that he was in the presence of some Divine being, he prostrated himself to the earth, trembling and afraid. 'Depart from me.' This is an expression of Peter's humility, and consciousness of his unworthiness. It was not from want of love to Jesus; it did not show that he would not be pleased with his favour and presence; but it was the result of being convinced that Jesus was a messenger from God: a high and holy being; and he felt that he was unworthy to be in his presence. It was an involuntary, sudden request, and arose from ignorance of the character of Jesus. We are not worthy to be with him; to be reckoned among his friends; or to dwell in heaven with him. But he came to seek the lost, and to save the impure. He graciously condescends to dwell with those who are humble and contrite, though they are conscious that they are not worthy of his presence. And we may therefore come boldly to him, and ask him to receive us to his home; to an eternal dwelling with him in the heavens.

9 For he was astonished, and all that were with him, at the draught of the fishes which they had taken: 10 And so was also James, and John, the sons of Zebedee, which were partners with Simon. And Jesus said unto Simon, Fear not; from henceforth thou shalt catch men.

'From henceforth." Hereafter. Shalt catch men.' Shalt be a minister of the gospel; and your business shall be to win men to the truth, that they may be saved.

11 And when they had rought their ships to land, they forsook all, and followed him.

'Forsook all. It was not much that they left: a couple of small boats and their nets: but it was all they had, even all their living. It showed their love of Jesus, and their willingness to deny themselves, as really as if they had forsaken palaces and gold. All that Jesus asks is that we should leave all we have for him; that we should love him more than we do whatever friends or property we may have; and be willing to give them all up when he requires them.

12 And it came to pass, when he was in a certain city, behold a man full of leprosy: who seeing Jesus fell on his face, and besought him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean. 13 And he put forth his hand and touched him, saying, I will: Be thou clean. And immediately the leprosy departed from him. 14 And he charged him to tell no man: but go, and show thyself to the priest, and offer for thy cleansing, according as Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them. 15 But so much the more went there a fame abroad of him: and great multitudes came together to hear and to be healed by him of their infirmities.

See Matt. viii. 2-4.

16 And he withdrew himself into the wilderness, and prayed. 17 And it came to pass on a certain day, as he was teaching, that there were pharisees and doctors of the law sitting by, which were come out of every town of Galilee, and Judea, and Jerusalem: and