feeling in this place, rather than rectitude of principle. - Not willing, &c. Such was his rectitude, or propriety of feeling, upon this trying occasion, that he was not only unwilling to cause her to be punished by the rigor of the law, but even to subject her to public ignominy. He was reluctant to expose one whom he loved, even in her supposed guilt, and injury to himself, to death, or to shame. Was minded. A private divorce, according to the laws of the Jews, could be made in the presence of two witnesses, without reasons being assigned for it, or disgrace being incurred. A divorce was as necessary in a case where the parties were only espoused, as where they were actually married; and they were as much called husband and wife before marriage as after. See verses 16, 20. Joseph's affection prompted him to put her away without publicly stating the cause, or exposing her to the severity of the law. Deut. xxiv. 1. Cases occur where it is the part of justice not to push the laws of justice to extremity.

20. While he thought on these things. This argued a commendable deliberation. Supposing himself to be grievously wronged, yet he did not act rashly, but exercising the beautiful wisdom of patience, he met with its rich reward. Time and docility will clear up the darkest perplexities. — Behold. Lo. A word used in the Classics and the Scriptures to denote the approach

of something extraordinary, and to awaken attention. -Angel. A messenger. An angel is any instrument or form of the divine communication. This title is given to men, to beings of other spheres, to fire, storms, winds, plagues, and other modes by which God either publishes or executes his will. Gen. xxviii. 12; Exod. iii. 2, with Acts vii. 30; Psalms lxxviii. 49; Acts xii. 23; Psalms civ. 4; Rev. i. 20. Angel is often the name of an office, not of a distinct person, or conscious intelligence. A dream. A frequent mode of divine communication in the elder ages, but it can be called little short of superstition to suppose that this sort of miracles is continued to the present day, and to put reliance upon the unchecked and grotesque wanderings of the imagination in sleep, as necessarily descriptive either of our duty or fortunes. For that which is conceived. This was the reason why he should not hesitate to marry her. She had committed no crime, the conception was miraculous.

put all mankind in the way of salvation, for so the word signifies, to lay the foundation of a kingdom of virtue and holiness as extensive as the race, as lasting as the earth. This aim he most diligently pursued in all his discourses, during his whole life, and by his exemplary death. To the last painful breath on the cross, to the last word at his ascension, he never wandered from the furtherance of this great plan. This is the key of his life and death, that he came to save men from their sins; not the consequences merely, but from sin itself.

22. That it might be fulfilled, &c. That is not to be taken in the sense of cause, or intention, but of the event. The birth of Jesus did not take place in order that the words of Isaiah might be verified, but so that they were verified. The thing was done for its own sake, not for the sake of fulfilling Isaiah's words, though, as it was, it did fulfil them. Again, we have an instance here of what is called Accommodation. The words of Isaiah did not relate to the birth of Christ, but to something which happened in the reign of Ahaz. The prediction had long before been fulfilled. But Matthew quotes it in the way of an illustration, as if he had said, "the ancient saying was made good, or verified; the passage in Isaiah well describes these events." Is. vii. 14.

23. This and the preceding verse are parenthetical. They are the comment which Matthew makes upon the angel's message.—Behold

a virgin, &c. This prediction was originally made by the prophet Isaiah, and was accomplished in the days of Ahaz, one of the kings of Israel. Emmanuel. Composed of two Hebrew words, meaning God, and with us, i. e. God helpeth us. This signifies divine interposition in favor of Ahaz against his foes, an appropriate title for Jesus, but one which is not applied to him anywhere else in the Bible. The Jews were accustomed to form and apply appellations indicative of God's goodness, and compounded of his name. Thus, Bethel, house of God, Elijah, God the Lord. If the application of the word Emmanuel, God with us, to Jesus Christ, proves that he is God, as some hold, it might be argued just as strongly that the application, for instance, of the word Elijah, which means God the Lord, to John the Baptist, proved him to be God likewise. Matt. xi. 14.-God is with us in nature, reason, conscience, and the multitude of his blessings and mercies. He was with the Jews especially in Moses and the Prophets. But he is eminently with the whole world in Jesus Christ, reconciling it to himself; for he gave him his spirit without measure. John iii. 34. He sent him as the brightest manifestation of his glory, as the true image and likeness of himself for men to look upon and copy. Loving Christ, the Image, we shall love God, the Original.

24. Joseph is not disobedient unto the heavenly vision. His con

philosophers, and men of letters. They were much devoted to medicine, astrology, and religion, and were highly esteemed by kings as counsellors in civil and military affairs, as they professed to predict future events. Their doctrines were ascribed to Abraham as their author, or reformer; and afterwards becoming corrupted, were purified by Zoroaster, who is said to have been a descendant of the prophet Daniel. They are asserted to have worshipped God in spirit, without the use of images. As they were imbued with many Jewish notions, it was not unnatural that they should have participated to some extent in the Jewish expectation of a Messiah. Indeed Bishop Pearce believes them to have been Jews, residing in the colleges of the Magi. Rabmag, Jer. xxxix. 3, 13, means the chief of the wise men. Daniel referred to them v. 11, and at one time presided over them. From the east. This is a general name of Arabia, Media, Persia, and Chaldea. It cannot -now be determined from which country these visitors came, but their gifts were famous productions of Arabia, though that country lies rather south than east of Judea. To Jerusalem. They naturally resort to the capital to see the supposed new-born king of the nation.

2. King of the Jews. As the regal office was the highest in human estimation, Jesus is often spoken of as a king, and his religion as a kingdom. A general expectation was abroad throughout the whole eastern world, that some extraordinary personage would appear at this period. Mankind anxiously awaited his coming. The Jews, relying on their prophecies, thirsted to behold their great Restorer. Jo

66

sephus, their historian, says that the principal cause which stimulated them to make war against the Romans was an ambiguous oracle, found also in our sacred writings, that about this time some one from Judea should obtain the empire of the world." Suetonius, a Roman historian, writing about the same period, mentions" that there had been for a long time all over the east a notion firmly believed, that it was in the books of the fates, that some one from Judea was destined, about that time, to obtain the empire of the world." Tacitus, another Roman author, of great credit and veracity, speaking of the Jewish calamities when their city was destroyed by Titus, says "that the mass of the people entertained a strong persuasion that it was mentioned in the ancient writings of the priests, that at that very time the east should prevail, and some one from Judea obtain the empire of the world." Other writers might be cited to the same effect. - His star. It was believed by the ancients that new stars appeared before great events, and at the birth or death of illustrious men, and had some mysterious connexion with their lives. Pliny says, that a new

star or comet was seen on the accession of Augustus to the Roman empire, which he called his natal

Bishop Hall," is so qualified to see the star of Christ as a diligent proficient in philosophy." In the east. While they were in the east country, they saw the star in the west, and accordingly directed their steps thither. - To worship him. Not in the sense of religious homage, but simply of obeisance or high respect. Marks of great reverence were shown to kings, especially in the east. Prostration of the body upon the ground before sovereigns, and the giving of the most costly presents, were common signs of homage. The wise men, regarding the young child as a candidate for the Jewish throne, and heir to some remarkable destiny, followed the usual custom. The word worship was formerly applied to the respect paid to man, as well as the homage given to God, see 1 Chron. xxix. 20.

3. It does not appear that Herod had as yet seen the wise men. By common report he heard of their coming and object. Afterwards, ver. 7, he sent to have an interview with them. - He was troubled. Was agitated. His fear was natural. He had laid the foundation of his throne in blood and crime, and killed several of his own family. His outraged conscience made him uneasy, jealous, and fearful. Wickedness converts men into cowards, "but the righteous are bold as a lion." Though far advanced in years, his insatiate ambition also led him to be anxious about the continuance of the government in his hands, and those of his successor; for the Pharisees, according to Josephus, had predicted the overthrow of Herod's reign, probably

in sanguine expectation of the coming of their Messiah. If a legitimate heir to the throne was now born, he feared the kingdom would be taken out of his hands, for he was a foreigner and a usurper. All Jerusalem with him i. e. The city generally was agitated. The friends and adherents of Herod would participate in his fear and suspicion; while his enemies might justly apprehend, what afterwards took place, ver. 16, that the tyrant would find on this occasion a pretext, however groundless, for some unheard-of atrocity. Or they might rejoice at the prospect of his downfall, and exult in the hope of the speedy coming of the Messiah.

4.. We may infer the extent of his consternation from the active steps he took to calm it.. Chief priests and scribes of the people. Probably a circumlocution for the Sanhedrim, or Jewish Senate, consisting of seventy persons. Its members were chiefly priests and Levites, including the high-priest, the ex-high-priests, and the chiefs of the twenty-four classes, into which David had divided the sacerdotal order. 1 Chron. xxiii. 6. Its jurisdiction was both civil and ecclesiastical. The scribes, elsewhere called lawyers and doctors of the law, were men of learning, versed in the laws of Moses, and the commentaries upon them. They kept the public records and registers, drew up law documents for the people, transcribed the sacred books, and acted as religious teachers and interpreters. · He demanded, &c. As they understood the sacred books and made it their business to expound them, he naturally