Page 645
Harmony and Explanation.
Vers. 23. And Iesus went about all Galilee, &c.
〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. Joseph. in vita sua: Apud me pag. 642.
There were two hundred and four Cities and Towns in Galilee: Into all and every one of which, we cannot so properly hold that Jesus entred and preached, as that he chose to go into the most eminent and most convenient for his work, namely where he might preach unto the most people. And this is a second perambulation of Galilee that he made, and a far fuller than the first, mentioned Luke 4. 15. Then he had walked more alonely and without the company of his Disciples, but they are now constantly and ever with him: Then did he few or no miracles, but only preached, but now he doth exceeding many, and healeth all diseased that come unto him.
The diseases he healed are reduced to three kinds. 1. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, Diseases, as Blindness, Witheredness, Lameness, Fevers, Dropsies, &c. 2. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, Languishings, as Consumpti∣ons, Wastes, Fluxes, and such other, as carried not so much pain with them, as certain decaying of the body, and wasting away. 3. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, Tortures, or Wrackings, as Aches, Gouts, Convulsions, and such other maladies as were attended with grievous pain and tortures: And particularly three grievous maladies are named, Palsies, Lunacy, and pos∣sessedness by the Devil, the first of which expresseth the greatest debility of body, the second of mind, and the third the greatest misery of both that can be named: and they were all maladies naturally as incurable as any whatsoever.
His Doctrine is comprised under these two heads, Teaching and Preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom: the former denoteth the more general tenor of his doctrine, as his expla∣nation of the Law, Admonition, Exhortation and Reproof: and the latter betokeneth his proving that the long and much looked for Kingdom of Messias was now come, and his preaching the doctrines that particularly concerned that Kingdom.
Vers. 24. And his fame went throughout all Syria, and they brought unto him all sick.
We shall the better understand what is meant by all Syria, if we look upon the next following verse, where mention is made of places out of which such multitudes followed Christ, as were drawn unto him by the fame that went of him, and especially if we ob∣serve that Region which was called Decapolis: which Pliny describeth thus, Jungitur ei (Judaeae) latere Syriae Decapolitana regio a numero oppidorum, in quo non omnes eandem ob∣servant. Plurimi tamen Damascum, & Opoton riguas amne Chrysorrhoa. Fertilem Philadel∣phiam, Raphanam, omnia in Arabiam recedentia. Scythopolin antea Nisam a Libero patre, sepulta ibi matre, Scythis deductis. Gadara Hieromiace praefluente & jam dictum Hippon Di∣on, Pellam aquis divitem, Galasam, Canatham. Intercursant cinguntque has urbes tetrarchiae regionum instar singulae, & in regna contribuuntur, Trachonitis, Paneas in qua Caesarea, cum supra dicto fonte Abila, Arca, Ampeloessa, lib. 5. cap. 18.
The Region of Decapolis joineth to Judaea on the side of Syria: it was so called from the number of the (ten) Cities in it, about which all do not hold alike: But the most hold for Damascus, and Opotos, both watered by the River Chrysorrhoas: Fruitful Philadelphia, and Raphana, all lying towards Arabia. Schythopolis, so called from Scythians brought thither by Bacchus, where he buried his mother, but of old called Nisa. Gadara, by which Hieromiax runs, and so by that which is now called Hippon Dion, Pella bravely watered, Galasa, Cana∣tha. Among and about these Cities there lie Tetrarchies every one like whole Countries, and they are divided into Kingdoms, Trachonitis, Paneas, in which is Caesarea (Philippi) with the fountain Abila, Area, Ampeloessa, &c.
By all Syria therefore is meant all the Country of the Jews in its full extent both within and without Jordan, for as that was within the Jurisdiction of the Roman Governour of Syria, so was it ordinarily called by that name: and not only that, but all this large Re∣gion of Decapolis, which did expatiate far into Syria properly so called, and into some part of Arabia: So that here is a concourse of Heathens to Christ, as well as of Jews, even out of those Countries which had been the constant and bitter enemies of Israel: and this is the first coming in (and it is a remarkable one too) of abundance of Gen∣tiles to our Saviour: compare Zech. 9. 1, 2. upon which the Rabbins give this Gloss. Rabbi Benaja saith, Hadrach is Messu••s: Rabbi Josi the son of Durmaskith (or of a woman of Damascus) saith to him, How long wilt thou pervert the Scriptures to us? I call Heaven and Earth to witness, that I am of Damascus, and there is a place there which is called Hadrach. He saith to him, But I argue thus: And Damascus shall be his rest, for Jerusalem shall reach unto Damascus, as it is said, And his rest: now his rest is at Jerusalem, as it is said, This is my rest for ever. He saith to him, But I argue thus: The City shall be built upon her heap.