clamation or preaching is ascribed to him, which had been ascribed to John the Baptist. Reform, for the reign of heaven approacheth. With giving this public notice he also began his ministry. Again, we are told 197, that he went over all Galilee, teach. ing in their synagogues, and κηρύσσων το ευαγγελιον τns Baoiλeias, proclaiming the good news of the reign. There can be no doubt that the same proclamation is here meant, which is quoted above from the same chapter. Nor is this the only place wherein this expression is used of our Lord 198. Again, it is applied to Jesus Christ by the Prophet Isaiah 199, as quoted in the Gospel 200, as to which I shall only observe at present (having made some remarks on the passage in the preceding Dissertation 201), that the word anρvoow, which twice occurs in it, is used solely in relation to those things which were wont to be notified by proclamation. In the last clause, to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, there is a manifest allusion to the jubilee, which was always proclaimed by sound of trumpet, and accompanied with a proclamation of liberty to all the bondmen and bondwomen among them. It was by proclamation, also, that Cyrus gave freedom to the captives of Judah, to return to their native land. I need only add, that the word xnpvoow is sometimes applied to our Lord indefinitely, where we are not told what he proclaimed or preached. In such cases, the 197 Matth. iv. 23. 198 Matth. ix. 35. 200 Luke, iv. 18, 19. Mark, i, 14. 201 P. II. § 2. rules of interpretation invariably require, that the expressions which are indefinite and defective, be explained by those which are definite and full; and that, by consequence, they be understood to signify, that he gave public warning of the Messiah's ap-, proaching reign. 6. LASTLY, as to the application of the term to the Apostles its first appearance is in the instructions which their Lord gave them, along with their first mission to the cities and villages of Israel. As ye go, says he 202, unpvooɛte λeyovtes, proclaim, saying, nyyixe 'n Baoiλɛiα τwv sparov, the reign of heaven approacheth. Here we have the very words of their preaching, or proclamation, expressly given them. To the same purpose, another Evangelist tells us 203, Απεςειλεν αυτός κηρύσσειν την βασιλειαν To Oɛ8, which is literally, He commissioned them to proclaim the reign of God. The same is doubtless to be understood by Mark, who acquaints us 204, Εξελδοντες εκηρυσσον ἵνα μετανοησωσι ; which is say ing, in effect, that wherever they went they made the same proclamation, which had been made by their Master, and his precursor, before them. Reform, for the reign of heaven approacheth. Now, it deserves our notice, that we nowhere find such an order as διδάσκετε λέγοντες, teach saying, where the express words of their teaching are prescribed. It was necessary that this should differ in manner, aç204 vi. 12., $92 Matth. x. 7. 203 Luke, ix. 2. cording to the occasion, and be suited to the capacities and circumstances of the persons to be taught, and therefore, that it should be left to the discretion of the teacher. No variation was necessary, or even proper, in the other, which was no more than the public notification of a fact, with a warning to prepare themselves. In the charge which our Lord gave to his Apostles, after his resurrection, he says 205, Go throughout all the world, κηρύξανε το ευαγγελιον, proclaim the good news to the whole creation. And as the call to reformation was enforced by the promise of remission in the name of Christ, these are also said 206 κηρυχθήναι εις παντα τα έθνη, to have been proclaimed to all nations. Indemnity for past sins is the foundation of the call to reform, with which the proclamation of the reign of God was always accompanied. It is proper to remark, that the form, nyyine yap, used first by the Baptist, then by our Lord himself, and lastly, by his disciples in his lifetime, is never repeated after his resurrection. And we have reason to believe, from the material alteration in circumstances which then took place, that they have then said, not as formerly, nyyxe, but nλde yap Baσideia Two spavov. The reign of heaven, that is, of the Messiah, is come. § 7. FURTHER, I must take notice, that though announcing publicly the reign of the Messiah, comes 205 Mark, xvi. 15. 206 Luke, xxiv. 47. always under the denomination, anрvσσav, no moral instructions, or doctrinal explanations, given either by our Lord, or by his Apostles, are ever, either in the Gospels, or in the Acts, so denominated. Thus, that most instructive discourse of our Lord, the longest that is recorded in the Gospel, commonly named his sermon on the mount, is called teaching by the Evangelists, both in introducing it, and after the conclusion 207. Opening his mouth, edidao. x avτ85, he taught them, saying: and, when Je-`· sus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished, eлi in didan avτs, at his doctrine, his manner of teaching. It is added, yap διδασκων αυτός; for he taught them as one having authority, and not as the Scribes. He is said to have been employed in teaching 209, when the wisdom, which shone forth in his discourses, excited the astonishment of all who heard him. In like manner, the instructions he gave by parables, are called teaching the people, not preaching to them 209; and those given in private to his Apostles, are in the same way styled 210 teaching, never preaching. And if teaching and preaching be found sometimes coupled together, the reason appears to be, because their teaching, in the beginning of this new dispensation, must have been frequently introduced by announcing the Messiah, which alone was preaching. The explanations, admonitions, arguments, and motives, that followed, 207 Matth. v. 2. vii. 28, 29. 298 Matth. xiii. 54. Mark, vi. 2. Luke, iv. 15. 22. 210 Mark, viii. 31. 09 Mark, iv. 1, 2. came under the denomination of teaching. Nor does any thing else, spoken by our Lord and his disciples, in his lifetime, appear to have been called preaching, but this single sentence, Μετανοείτε ήγγικε γαρ η βασιλεια των ερανων. In the Acts of the Apostles, the difference of meaning in the two words is carefully observed. The former is always a general and open declaration of the Messiah's reign, called emphatically, the good news, or gospel; or, which amounts to the same, the announcing of the great foundation of our hope, the Messiah's resurrection: the latter comprehends every kind of instruction, public or private, that is necessary for illustrating the nature and laws of this kingdom, for confuting gainsayers, persuading the hearers, for confirming and comforting believers. The proper subject of each is fitly expressed in the conclusion of this book 211; where, speaking of Paul, then confined at Rome, in a hired house, the author tells us, that he received all who came to him, κηρύσσων την βασιλείαν το Θε8, και διδασκων τα περι το Κυριο Ιησε Χρις. Announcing to them the reign of God, and instructing them in every thing that related to the Lord Jesus Christ. § 8. LET it also be observed that, in all the quotations in the Gospels, from the ancient Prophets, neither the word xnpvoσw, nor any of its conjugates, is applied to any of them beside Jonah. What is quoted from the rest, is said to have been spoken, 211 Acts, xxviii. 31. |