The works of the Reverend and learned John Lightfoot D. D., late Master of Katherine Hall in Cambridge such as were, and such as never before were printed : in two volumes : with the authors life and large and useful tables to each volume : also three maps : one of the temple drawn by the author himself, the others of Jervsalem and the Holy Land drawn according to the author's chorography, with a description collected out of his writings.

§ To preach the Gospel to the Poor, &c.

Here are six particulars in this portion of Scripture as parts of Christs Ministery, which though they may be all applyed to any one particular person to whom the Gospel and Ministery of Christ powerfully and effectually came, for such a poor wretch had the Gospel preached to him, his broken heart was heald, he heard of deliverance from the bon∣dage of Satan, &c. yet have they all their singular and several intentions and meanings, and so are to be expounded and understood, for the taking up of the verse in its full sense and life.

1. Christ was sent to preach the Gospel to the Poor: in the Text of Esay it is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 to the meek, or humble, and accordingly rendred by the Chaldee Paraphrast: and so the sense is made the readier, namely, that by the poor here is meant the poor in Spirit, as Mat. 5. 3. Such as went out of their own righteousness, and by the convictions of the Law, did find themselves to be nothing, and worse than nothing: to such Christ was sent to Preach the Gospel, and such received it. Mat. 9. 12, 13. & 11. 5. Christ preached to to all that came about him to hear him, but he speaketh here of his Preaching the Gospel in the proper power and fruit of it, viz. so as that it was received. Now this is the first composure to the receiving and intertaining of the Gospel, when a soul by the power of the Preaching of the Law is thrust off from all security either in sin, or self-righteousness, and becomes so poor in his own spirit, that he finds himself nothing but wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked and in need of all things.

The title of poor is as common a name for the Saints of God, especially in the Old Testa∣ment, as any name whatsoever: and that not only because of their depressed and oppressed condition by the wicked, but because of their poverty of spirit, and abasedness in their own eyes: they knowing how poor they are, and living by continual begging of grace at the hands of God. The Hebrew word is sometime written 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 poor in the text and read 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 humble, in the margin, as Psalm. 9. 13. and sometime 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 in the text, and read 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 in the margin, as in the same Psalme verse 19. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 is translated poor by the Septuagint, Psal. 10. 13. & 22. 27. as well as here.

2. To heal the broken hearted: here is the heart a degree lower than in the former ex∣pression, and the operation of the Gospel a degree higher: Every broken hearted soul is also poor in spirit, but not e contra: for an humble and poor spirited soul, may yet some time be free from these breakings of heart which many a one hath met withall, and which it self may meet withall at another time. For being brought poor in spirit, and made sen∣sible of its own unrighteousness by the Preaching of the Law, and so intertaining the Gos∣pel, it is by degrees even broken also by the Gospel, the heart melting in the sense and apprehension of the dear love of God to sinners, and of its own sinfulness and untoward∣ness towards him.

3. To Preach deliverance to the Captives: This may very well allude to the Jews ex∣pectation: who looked for (and do still) a bodily deliverance from all their captivities and calamities, by the coming of Messiah: now Christ came to Preach deliverance to captived ones, but not in this sense, but in a higher, in as much as he was a higher Saviour than their ordinary deliverers.

4. Recovering of sight to the blind: This may look also at the Gentiles, who sate in the darkness of all manner of ignorance, Error, and Idolatry: And though it be most true that every one naturally is blind as to the things of Heaven, and that the Gospel giveth new sight to those that receive it, yet since the Heathen are especially set out as sitting in blind∣ness, this clause may very well be applyed to them, as in a singular propriety.

The Evangelist doth here somewhat differ from Esays Text, as also do the Septua∣gint, whom he followeth: for Esay hath it 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 And opening of prison to those that are bound, as our English translates it: There is some scruple among translators about rendering the words 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 and what to make of them; but the other word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 doth plainly enough and without all difficulty signifie Bound, and yet the Greek hath uttered it blind.

1. The words 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 are taken by divers, to be not two but one word doubled as 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 and many other of the like nature: and that it signifieth by the du∣plication the more emphatically and eminently: which opinion is the more justified by this, that 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 the latter part of it, by it self, can be made nothing of (such a word

not being to be found again in Scripture) but uncertain and unprofitable conjectures only are given of it: As that it should signifie a prison, as is the conceit of Dav. Kim∣chies Father; or that it should signifie a taking out of Prison, as is fancyed by Kimchi himself; and both taking away the first syllable in 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 to mint this word, but by what warrant, and after what example they do not shew.

2. The word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 doth properly refer to opening of the eyes; and it is hard, I be∣lieve, to find where it signifies any other kind of opening: and therefore the Chaldee Pa∣raphrast, to close as near with the very propriety of it as he thought the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 would suffer him, hath given it 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 revealing to the light.

3. Observe that this clause in the Prophet is of a higher tenor than that next before; for there was mention of captivity: but here of imprisonment in captivity: for it is a sad thing to be captived into a strange land, but it is a sadder to be bound in chains or lockt up in a prison there. Now the Evangelist (as he translates the Prophet) speaks of a higher degree of misery still, and that is to be imprisoned having his eyes put out, as it was the case of Sampson, Judg. 16. 2. and Zedekiah, 2 Kings 25. 7. and as it was the custom much in those eastern parts, and is at this day in Turkey. The Evangelist there∣fore willing to render the Prophet to the Highest comfortable sense that might be, useth an expression that meeteth with the highest misery that was couched and included in the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 and that is, when men were not only shut up in a blind prison, where they could see no light, but when they had also their eyes put out, that they could not see light if there were any: He telleth therefore that Christ should not only Preach deliverance to captives, but also restoring of light to captive prisoners, nay yet more, recovery of sight to blinded prisoners, and so doth he sweetly set out Christs delivery of men from the captivity of Satan, chains of corruption and blinding of ig∣norance: and so he doth not cross the Prophets expression, but explain it to the high∣est sweetness.

5. To set at liberty them that are bruised. This clause is not verbatim in that Text in the Prophet, from whence the rest are alleadged: yet is it generally in all copies here, and in all Translations: How it came into this Text, some are very bold and indeed un∣civil with the Text, in imagining that it crept in, out of the margin of the Septuagint, being set there by some body that thought he had met with a fit parallel to that that was in the Text. Sed quisquis hunc locum primus annotavit ad marginem, saith Beza, res sane dissimillimas inter se comparavit. Poterat autem quisquis ille fuit alium locum prorsus similem conferre ex cap. 42. 7.

I should rather confess my own ignorance and say I cannot understand how this came into the Text, or rather bewray my own folly in giving some conjecture at it some other way, than in thus down-right tearms to conclude that it came in from the marginal notes of some one or other that knew not well what he noted: I would give some aim at it, the result whereof shall be to the undervaluing of my judgment, rather than thus to de∣termine, to the undervaluing of the sacred Text.

It was allowed and used in their Synagogues, as was toucht even now, in the reading of the Prophets to skip from Text to Text upon occasion: take the tradition at the full 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 He that readeth in the Prophets may skip from one Text to another: but he may not leap out of one Prophet into another, but in the twelve small Prophets only: And he may not leap from the end of a Book to the beginning of it: And whosoever leapeth thus, must not stay on the Text whither he skips, longer than the Interpreter gives the interpretation of it: Maymon. in Tephillah. per. 12.

Now I should rather think that Christ as he read in the Prophet, skipped into another Text of the same Prophet, and brought it in hither, than to think it crept out of the margin of the Septuagint of I know not whose setting there. This their skipping from Text to Text in the reading of the Prophets was for nothing else but to fetch in ano∣ther place that spake in parallel or in clearing of the Text that they were in reading: And so since we find Christ conforming in many other things to the custom of their Synagogues, why may we not hold that he did the like in this, which was a thing of profitable use? He reading therefore upon this clause 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 And to those that are bound, opening, opening (for so the word is doubled, and signifieth the largest and freest opening that may be) why may we not conceive, that he used the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 skip∣ping to another Text in the same Prophet (as it was ordinary for learned Readers in the Synagogues to do) by which he might clear the sense of this doubled and remark∣able word to its full extent?

The words that are here taken in, are found in Esay 58. 6. one Syllable only changed in the Septuagint from the words used by the Evangelist: Now by 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 or bruised ones is to be understood, bruised by calamity and misery, in difference from broken hearted which was used before: And so the very sense of the place in Esay, and the use

of the world in Deut. 28. 33. do make it apparent without more evidence. Christ there∣fore setteth at liberty those that are bruised with outward calamities, not only by deliver∣ing his people out of their troubles, but by the sweet comforts of the Gospel, inlarging their hearts though their persons be in straits.

Vers. 19. To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.

This expression alludeth to the proclaiming of the year of Jubilee, that welcome year to poor wretches that were in debt, decay, and servitude. There have been some in ancient time that from this passage have concluded, that Christ preached but one year from the beginning of his Ministery to his death, which is a matter so apparently confuted in the Gospels that it is needless to stand about it. If the allusion to the Jubi∣lee year in the expression, aim at any particular year Christs preaching, it referreth to the year of his death, which was not only a year of Jubilee in a spiritual sense, (because then there was redemption and restoring to a lost estate, and out of servitude by his death) but also it was a year of Jubilee in the literal and proper sense indeed.

The Jews have so jumbled the Jubilees in their writings and constructions, and made them so fast and loose, (and it may be purposely, to evade the clear answer of the An∣titype to the Type in the death of Christ on a Jubilee year) that they have left it at a careless and indifferent cast whether there were any Jubilees after a while or no. Assoon as the Tribes of Ruben, Gad and Manasseth were captived, say they, the Jubilee ceased. Siphri. in Lev. 15. And, Israel numbred seventeen Jubilees from their coming into the land, to their going out: and the year that they went out, when the Temple was first destroyed, was the going out of a seventh year of rest, and it was the thirty sixth year of the Jubilee. For the first Temple stood four hundred and ten years, and when it was destroyed this counting ceased. The second Temple stood four hundred and twenty years, and on the seventh year from its build∣ing Ezra came up, and from that year they began to count again, and made the thirteenth year of the second Temple a year of rest, and counted seven rests and hallowed the fiftieth year, although there was no Jubilee under the second Temple. The destruction of the second Temple was in the going out of a seventh year, and it was the fifteenth year of the ninth Ju∣bilee: Maym. in Shemittah. per. 10. & Erachin. per. 2.

But God having appointed so full and sweet a resemblance of Christs redemption, in this Type, as a greater is scarcely to be found, he did so carry on the chain and brace∣let of Jubilees as I may so call them, from the time that their accounting for did first be∣gin, that many of them were also made remarkable with some singular event, beside their releasements, and the last of them fell with the year of the death of the Redeemer: as is accutely observed by the most learned Mr. Broughton who also produceth this con∣fession of old Zohar or R. Simeon ben Jochai upon this matter 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 The Divine Majesty will be to Israel in a Jubilee, Freedom, Redemption, and sinisher of Sabbath.

But we need not to straiten this acceptable year of the Lord, to that particular year of Christs death (though that most eminently hath its share in the sense of it) but it may also be understood of that time that was now begun, of Messias his appearing, and the publishing of the Gospel: which preaching of the Gospel was so full and clear an answer and Antitype, to the proclaiming of that year with the sound of the Trumpet, that every one cannot but see it: Zohar hath this application of that rite. It is appointed, saith he, to blow the Trumpet at the Jubilee: Now as at the blowing of the Trumpet at the Jubilee all ser∣vants went free 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 So at the last redemption, at the blowing of a Trumpet, all Israel shall be gathered from the four sides of the world, &c. Zohar. in Lev. 25. fol. 53.

Vers. 20. And closing the Book he gave it to the Minister.

The Minister or 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 here mentioned, was the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Angelus Ecclesiae, of whom we have spoken before: When they had done reading, the Angelus Ecclesiae laid up the Book in its place again. Maym. ubi supr. Christs sitting down in the Pulpit when he had done reading (whereas he should have come away to his seat in the Church) did cause all the Synagogue to eye him, and to expect what he would speak unto them. It was the custom for the Teacher to sit, as Mark 5. 1. Luke 5. 3. and so in their Divinity Schools 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 The Doctor sate aloft and all his Scholars round about him in a circle, that all might see him and hear his words, &c. At the first the Master sate and his Scholars stood, but before the second Temple was destroyed, it came into use, that every Master taught his Scholars they also setting. Id. in Talm. Torah. per. 4. Which custom came up from the death of Gamaliel the old (Pauls Master) whereupon it was ordinarily said, From the death of Rabban Gamaliel the old the glory of the Law ceased. Jucasin. fol. 53.

Vers. 21. This day is this Scripture fulfilled in your ears, &c.

Christ doth openly profess himself to be that person, there foretold of by the Prophet, and at large explaining the Text which he had read (which explanation the Evangelist hath not recorded) he declares himself who he was, so evidently and graciously, that even his own Townsmen, who knew his birth and education, could not but acknowledge what he spake, and gave testimony to his words, they were so gracious. And this makes them wonder (comparing his present powerful and divine discourse with his mean and homely education) and to be amazed among themselves, and to say, Is not this the son of Joseph? as Mark 6. 2, 3.

Vers. 23. Ye will surely say to me this Proverb, &c.

He taketh occasion of these words from their present wonderment and questioning among themselves about him. As if he had spoken out to them thus at large: Ye look up∣on me as Josephs son, as one that was bred and brought up among you, and therefore ye will be ready to urge me with the sense of that Proverb, Physician heal thy self, and expect that I should do some miracles here in mine own Town, as I have done in other places, nay rather in this Town than in others, because of my relation to it.