ciples, that they should tell no, disciples, how that he must go man that he was Jesus the Christ. unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests, and scribes, and be 21 ¶ From that time forth | killed, and be raised again the began Jesus to shew unto his t Lu.9.22; 18.31; 24.6,7. 1Cor. 15.3,4. flock of God," &c., as a pastor. The terms binding and loosing were commonly in use to denote forbidding and allowing. They should have authority to found and govern the Christian church on earth, prescribing and prohibiting according to Divine direction, and so their acts should have Divine authority (see Acts 15. 20). This binding and loosing extended to things, as doctrine and discipline (Acts 10. 28, and 21. 24), and to persons (John 20. 23). In ch. 18. 18, a case is given, and the church court is thus spoken of. But we find James' advice taken rather than Peter's. He could not have been regarded as necessarily Head, and less, an infallible Head (see Gal. 2. 11). Christ calls him Satan, immediately after! Alas, too fallible was Peter! The stone can soon become a stumbling-block. Put before Christ, it stands in His way, and must get behind Him. 20. Then charged He, &c. After this very special conversation, He thought fit to enjoin upon them secrecy respecting His Messiahship, which they had admitted. It was not that He wished now to promulgate it, that He had inquired for men's opinions and theirs. He wished to confirm them in the great truth, but the time had not come for its open dissemination. The Jews would only seek His life, and their malice would only hinder His work. OBSERVE, (1.) The authority given to Christ's ministers in the Church, is based upon the confession of Christ in His person and offices, as the truth is in Jesus. Hence the true and only succession of the ministry cannot be traced independently of this requisite (vss. 16 and 17). (2.) Grace from Heaven is essential to this ministerial work, even before office (vs. 17). third day. 21. From that time forth. Having now signified to them their officework, He speaks of His own, and would have them understand what was to come. This language calls attention to the fact that now, for the first, He discloses to His disciples the particulars of His cruel death. This belongs to the year 32, in His 33d year, some nine months before His death. Elders and chief priests and Scribes, as of the Sanhedrim. See note, 5. 22. He showed these things to them beforehand, that when they should come to pass, their faith in His Divine character and claims might be most fully established (John 13. 19). He had always known all that was to happen (John 18. 14), and He could have avoided death if He had so preferred. It was entirely a voluntary offering of Himself. I come. This proved His love to men, that He should have willingly laid down His life. "Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life that I might take it again." "Lo 22. Then Peter took Him, &c. The word is expressive, having the same force as our word assume. T To rebuke is to blame, and here, to reply harshly. We have his language, de began to rebuke him, saying, | disciples, If any 1 Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall not be unto thee. 23 But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan ;" thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men. man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his his cross, and follow me. 25 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake, shall find it. 26 For what is a man profited, 24 ¶ Then said Jesus unto his if he shall gain the whole world, 20 c.10.38. Mar.8.34. Lu.9.23; 14.27. Ac.14.22. 1Th.3.3. Jno.12.25. Est.4.14. of God. Christ took this opportunity to lay down the requisitions of disci 1 Pity thyself. u 2Sa.19.22. v Ro.14.13. claring what Christ had said impossible, and vouching that it should not come to pass. Peter said this, doubt-pleship-denial and perseverance. He less, because of his surprize at such a statement, and because he thought he could warrant its not occurring, as he afterward offered to lay down his own life for Christ. The Apostles did not know before this, these particulars of Christ's death. T Be it far from thee, (cs) translated Heb. 8. 12, "merciful." It is an exIt is an exclamation invoking mercy. Let God in mercy avert such a thing. 23. Satan. This word means an accuser, an adversary, and so Christ applies it here, intimating that Peter knows not his own heart in all this, but accuses and contradicts Christ with something of Satan in him, that shall yet appear in connexion with this very event of His crucifixion. He orders him to stand back and not to interrupt or cross His designs. So He ordered Satan himself (ch. 4. 10) to get behind Him. See also John 6. 70.- - Offence. ¶ This word means a stumbling-block. Bengel remarks, it is an antithesis to the name just given him, a stone.' You are now a stone in my way. All this outcry of Peter against such an event, is in truth against the plan of Christ's great work, for which He came into the world. Thou savourest not. Thou mindest not the things Divine and spiritual, but the things human and carnal. He did not discern as yet the mystery of the cross. 24. Then. The doctrines of the cross are not the things of men, but was to suffer indeed for them. They 25. He that has for his object to spare himself, shall be at last the loser, and shall sacrifice himself, while he that spares not himself, but gives up his own will and pleasure for Christ, shall have salvation. By losing one's life for Christ's sake, is meant the enduring of all personal sacrifice and loss, "not counting his life dear," and "counting all things but loss" (Phil. 3. 8), and laying down one's life even, for Christ. Many of the first disciples actually lost their lives for Christ's sake. Shall find it. Bengel remarks, that the soul which is saved is found. 26. For what is a man profited? Christ here passes to estimate the profit and loss. To lose the soul, is to lose all the opportunities of its sal vation, and die eternally. This will 27. The Son of man. This points to the judgment, and refers to Christ's exaltation, as an offset to all His humiliation which so offended Peter. The Lord Jesus Christ, who has an interest in men and is related to our nature, has "authority given Him to execute judgment because He is the Son of The works of people are to be brought up in the day of judg ment, that every mouth may be stopped, and that God's justice may be man. shall reward every man according to his works. 28 Verily I say unto you, There be some standing here which shall not taste © of death, till they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom. b Mar. 9.1. c He.2.9. fully vindicated. Men will be rewarded according to their works. They shall receive such a measure of ret ribution and reward as will comport with their respective works, the strictest equity being observed in every case. "We must all appear (on that day) before the judgment seat of Christ.' The glory. Christ here opened to their view His future and final glory, that they might not despond at His coming death. 28. This verse gives a hint of the transfiguration which was about to take place, when Peter, James, and John 'should see Christ in His glory so soon, for their encouragement. Peter speaks of that sight (2 Pet. 1. 16), as the power and COMING of our Lord Jesus Christ," when they were eyewitnesses of His majesty.- T Not taste of death. A Hebraic idiom for shall not die. In His kingdom. Mark has it: "Till they have seen the kingdom of God come with power." Luke reads it: "Till they see the kingdom of God." OBSERVE, (1.) We more readily receive the doctrine of Christ's person than that of His cross. Peter could profess Christ as the Son, but not as the sacrifice. (2.) OFFICE in the church is nothing but an offence without Christian doctrine and conduct. (3.) The doctrines of the cross are not of men, but of God, and those sentiments which spring from men's own wisdom and natural choice, are false. The word of God must be beyond human reason in substantiating doctrine. CHAPTER XVII. 75. THE TRANSFIGURATION. Our Lord's subsequent discourse with the three disciples.-Region of Cesares Philippi. Luke. 9.28-36 19. John. 17. 1-13 9. 2-13 Our Lord was still in the vicinity of Cesarea Philippi, in the northernmost part of Palestine. 1. Jesus taketh Peter, James and John. (He would have two or three witnesses. Deut. 17. 6.) These three He selected also to go with Him to Gethsemane, Mark 14. 33, and to the house of the ruler of the synagogue, whose daughter He raised from the dead (Mark 5. 37). He would specially train them for their special work.¶ After six days. Luke says about an eight days after, that is inclusive of the two which bounded the reckoning. This was a common mode of computing time.——¶ A high mountain apart. Apart from the rest of the twelve. Mark has it, "apart by themselves." Luke adds that He went up there to pray (9. 28). This high mountain is not mentioned to us by name. Most have thought it to be mount Tabor. But we find Him afterward still in this region farther north. He was near the mountain range of Hermon. -T Transfigured. The word is "metamorphosed." The meaning of the term is, that His appearance was changed, as is afterward described. His face shone as the sun. The same word is rendered in Romans 12. 2, transformed. And in 2 Cor. 3 18, changed into the same image, &c. So Moses is spoken of when he came down from talking with God on Sinai. Exod. 24. 29, 30. -¶ His raiment, or clothing, was white as the light. Mark has it: "White as snow, so as no fuller (or lothes bleacher) on earth can white | 3 And, behold, there appeared unto them Moses and Elias, talking with him. 4 Then answered Peter and said unto Jesus, Lord, it is good for us to be here: if thou wilt, let us make here three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias. them." change. His body underwent no 3. Moses and Elias. These were prominent characters of the Old Testament dispensation, that was now coming to an end. It was fit that they should appear. Moses as the mediator of the old Covenant and giver of the Law from Sinai, and a type of Christ, represented the Old Law.T And Elias. (See Matt. 21. 13.) For all the prophets and the law were until John, and if ye will receive it, this is Elias, which was for to come. Elias, or Elijah, the symbol of Christ's forerunner, John, represented the prophets. The Law and the Prophets waited here upon Christ the Redeemer, for they all had an eye to His work. They talked with Him. Luke says, they conversed about His decease which He should accomplish at Jerusalem (Luke 9. 31). Moses had now been dead nearly 1500 years. He died on the top of Pisgah, over against Jericho, and was buried in an unknown spot, in a valley, Deut. 34. Elijah had not died, but had been translated, or taken to heaven without death (2 Kings 2. 11). This occurred about 900 years before Christ's birth. This appearance of two that had gone to eternity, shows us that a resurrection of the body is no impossible thing. Moses' dead body was raised, and both these were the identical persons they had been on earth. 4. Tabernacles, tents, booths (see Levit. 23. 34), for shelter, and a dwelling. This expressed Peter's desire to abide there. sire to abide there. Yet he would build three, not six. He would plan d 5 While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold, a voice © out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in a whom I am well pleased; hear ye him. 6 And when the disciples heard it, they fell on their face, and were sore afraid. 7 And Jesus came and touched f them, and said, Arise, and be not afraid. c c.3.17. Mar.1.11. Lu.3.22. 2Pe.1.17. d Is.42.1, 21. e De.18.15,19. Ac.3.22,23. He.1.1,2; 1.1-3. Da.10.10,18. Re.1.17. only to keep these glorious personages there, "not knowing what he said" (Luke). Mark: "For he wist not what to say, for they were sore afraid." 8 And when they had lifted up their eyes, they saw no man, save Jesus only. 9 And as they came down from the mountain, Jesus charged them, saying, Tell the vision to no man, until the Son of man be risen again from the dead. 10 And his disciples asked him, saying, Why then say the scribes that Elias must first come? 11 And Jesus answered and g Mal.4.5,6. c.11.14. made them afraid. Men should fear the voice of God, because they are sinners and lost, and to Christ Jesus they must attend if they would live. Adam was afraid of God's voice as soon as he had sinned, but not before. And if God should now so utter His will, as He did at Sinai, men would tremble as they did there, where even Moses said, “I exceedingly fear and quake," and the multitude begged that God's voice be not spoken to them any more, lest they die (Heb. 12. 19–21). 5. A bright cloud overshadowed· spread over them, all light and glorious. A cloud of glory was God's symbol of His presence in former times. Ex. 24. 16, 17. “Upon the mercy seat," Levit. 16. 2. Such a cloud was the shechinah which abode in the temple. 1 Kings 8. 10, 11.- TA voice. Of Jehovah, which formerly spoke out of the cloud that symbolized His 9. Tell the vision. A vision is a presence.- ¶ Hear Him. The same supernatural exhibition to the sighthad been declared at Christ's bap-"the things which they had seen." Luke. tism. (3. 17.) (See also John 12. 28.) This gave another attestation of Christ's divine glory and authority, and placed Him before Moses and the prophets. See 2 Peter 1. 17, 18. They needed this confirmation of their faith, and this reiteration of Divine testimony to His mediatorial person and work, in order to be strengthened for the events of His death.- THear Him. This is to attend upon His instructions and obey Him. The same word in Hebrew, means to hear and to obey. If we disobey this command, refusing to acknowledge, receive and follow Christ, we must perish. They were not to tell it until He had risen, for then it would be understood, and not till then could it have its full force, but would be only abused to the hindrance of His work. Mark says, they kept this saying with themselves, questioning what the rising from the dead should mean. (Mark 9. 10.) Luke says, they kept it close, and told no man "in those days.” 10. Why then? i. e., If, as now plainly appears, Thou art the Messiah, why do the scribes say that Elias must come first? They knew this to be a received doctrine among the Jews, and they thought it involved a contradiction-for here was Christ 6. They fell on their face, with reve- and where was Elias? They had not rence and fear. At once prostrate known of his coming in John the Bapand enveloped in the cloud. Luke 9. tist. The prophecy is found in Mal34. The exceeding (excellent) gloryachi, the last verses. And as the |