A paraphrase and annotations upon all the books of the New Testament briefly explaining all the difficult places thereof / by H. Hammond.

Annotations on S. MATTHEW, Chap. XIV.

[ a] * 1.1 V. 8. Instructed] The word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, saith Bu∣daeus, hath a peculiar notion for a Client instructing an Advocate in his cause, telling him the heads of his defence, and so it may properly signifie here, and so the Vulgar reads praemonita, that Herodias instructed her daughter, admonished her before hand, what she should propose to the King by way of request; so in Xenophon 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. the Masters having shewed their Scholars how to do their business, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 do also by words premonish them. But besides this, Hesychius renders 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, and in the old Glossary, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 promoveo, proveho, and Suidas, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, in all of these to stirre up, perswade, instigate. The Interpreters of the Old Testament use it for 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 to sharpen, Deut. 6. 7. and that belongs to the same sense.

[ b] * 1.2 V. 9. Was sorry] Of Herods sorrow many motives, and reasons might be collected; One lesse observable might be, because this was his Birthday feast; On such dayes they were wont to make merry, and enter∣tain the people, and make it Holy-day from all secular employments, and they tooke speciall care to avoid all ill omens, to have no quarrels nor contentions, no pleadings in foro,

(Natalem colimus, tacete lites,

Mart. l. 10. 87.) but especially no shedding of blood, no executions, counting it unfit to deprive any of life, that day, wherein they received theirs 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, &c. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, saith Philo against Flaccus; and if any hanged on the gallowes, or cross be∣fore, they were then to be taken down. This was done by the Pagans, lest they should offend, or sadden or displease their Genius; and Herod being more then half a Pagan, might well have this cause of grief, and so be troubled to doe this on John Baptist this day. But beyond this, two other reasons of Herods sorrow are set down by the Evangelists, on Mar. 6. 20. where 'tis said Herod feared John, and look'd upon him as a just and holy man, and thereupon reformed many things upon his instance and took pleasure in hearing him, and that is mention'd as the obstruction of Herodias's designe of killing him, v. 19. A second reason is here mention'd v. 5. he feared the multitude, be∣cause they counted John as a prophet, he was afraid to meddle with him because of his popularity, (as the Pharisees were, c. 21. 26.) Both these had an influence on Herod, and caused this reluctancy to his execution.

[ c] * 1.3 V. 19. Blessed] That 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 to blesse signifies to give thanks, is sufficiently known; And the same is otherwise express'd by praising, glorifying, singing, confessing, calves of lips, but especially giving thanks, and two of them together, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, Col. 3. 16. with thansgiving singing or praising. The only diffi∣culty here is, whether the Verb 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, he bless'd be to be rendred so, as to joyne with the bread and fishes, or with the word God understood, that is, whether it be, he gave thanks, to God, or he blessed the bread, &c. praying for Gods blessing upon them. The sense in either notion will be much the same; For if he blessad, or gave thanks to God, he is to be supposed also to have pray'd for his blessing upon them, and so if he gave thanks, or pray'd for blessing on them, it must be to God that this was perform'd. But the use of the phrase in the New Testament inclines it (both here and Mar. 6. 41. and 8. 7.) to the latter notion, that of blessing the bread, giving thanks for it; For so 1 Cor. 10. 16. where it hath an Accusative case joyn'd with it, it is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 the cup, or pot, the cup of blessing 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 which we blesse, which makes it necessiary to render the word in that place, not to give thanks simply, but to blesse, that is, by giving of thanks, to separate or con∣secrate it to a holy use, as when Gen. 2. 3. 'tis said of God, that he hallowed the seventh day, and blessed it. Thus 1 Sam. 9. 13. we read 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 to blesse the sacrifice, that is, by giving thanks to God to consecrate it. And so Lu. 9. 16. 'tis clearly (without the notion of any extraordinary Consecration) of the Loaves and Fishes, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, he blessed them,

and brake &c. And this is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 to sanctifie with prayer &c. 1. Tim. 4. 5. which belongs to the use of every creature, and not only of those which are conse∣crated to a peculiar use in the service of God.

[ d] * 1.4 V. 23. Evening] The different signification of 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, the evening being come in this verse, from the same phrase v. 15. may be observed; For betwixt that and this, the people were set to supper, and risen again, the Disciples sent to take boat, and the multitudes dis∣miss'd by Christ, and all that being done, Jesus goes by himself to the mount to pray, and then after that it followes, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, the evening being come. The sure way of understanding this must be by comparing these passages with the relations of the other Evange∣lists; S. John assignes not any part of the day to the for∣mer part of the action, but to the latter he doth, Joh. 6. 16. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 when the evening was come, S. Mark in the first place hath a different phrase, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 much time being now spent c. 6. 35. and S. Luke another, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 c. 9. 12. Now the day began to wane. In the latter place, S. Marke reads with S. Matthew, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 evening being come, and S. Luke proceeds not to that part of the story. By this it is cleare, that the latitude of the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, which we render evening, is it which must reconcile the seeming difference. The evening and the morning were the first day, saith Moses, and so 'tis clear that the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 signifies all from the beginning of the evening, till the next morning, the space of the Suns being set, as the morning is of the Suns being up. So Mat. 28. 1. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 the evening of the Sab∣bath is immediately attended with 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, the light of the morning of the first day of the week, and here the first thing, after this last 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, is the fourth watch in the night, that is, to∣ward morning. According to this latitude, the decli∣nation of the day, the Sun-setting in S. Luke, and the, much time being spent in S. Marke, is by S. Matthew call'd 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, v. 15. And the night time (for so it was, when they were a rowing in the river, and he at his prayers in the mount) is by all the three Evangelists, that mention it, call'd 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 too. See note on Mar. 14. c.

[ e] * 1.5 V. 34. Genesaret] The place called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 in Jo∣suah (and used by the Hierusalem Targum Num. 34. 15.) was after commonly call'd Genezar, saith Jose∣phus, from the Chaldee 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. which was the rendring of that Hebrew; from both which put together, ariseth the word here, Genezareth, that is, the valley of branches; and this as the title of the whole province, which con∣tain'd in it the Lake so call'd, and the City in the tribe of Nephthaly, which Herod adorn'd with magnificent buildings, and call'd it Tiberias in honour of Tiberius Caesar, and accordingly the Lake of Genezareth is sometimes call'd the Sea of Tiberias.

Notes

• * 1.1

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• * 1.3

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• * 1.4

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• * 1.5

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