с and prudence, he was thrice compelled to preserve his life by miracle: and that, after he had fed five thousand with five loaves and two fishes, the multitudes were about "to take him by force and make him a king" upon which he retired to a mountain, and on his return from solitude taught with e unusual obscurity, purposely flessening the number of his followers, and sifting (as it were) the chaff from the wheat. As our Lord's miracles tended to induce a persuasion that he was the Christ, it may justly be supposed that he occasionally concealed them for the same general reasons. However, as they were designed to prove his prophetic character, very many of them were wrought in the most public manner. But let us observe in what particular instances our Lord withheld his miracles from the notice of the Jews. k g When he had cleansed a 1 leper in a certain city, he straitly charged him not to proclaim it, instantly sent him away from following him, and said to him, "See thou say nothing to any man; but go thy way, shew thyself to the priest, and offer for thy cleansing those things which Moses commanded; for a testimony unto them :" that is, that this miracle may be hereafter a witness and proof to them of my divine power, they themselves allowing the cure to be Luke iv. 30. John viii. 59. x. 39. fib. 60, 65. * See p. 300. Mark i. 43. Comp. Matt. ix. 30. d John vi. 15. ib. 32-58. h Matt. viii. 2, &c. and p. p. k Mark i. 43. Comp. Matt. ix. 25. Mark i. 12. v. 40. Luke iv. 29. viii. 54. John x 4. perfect before they learn in what manner it was effected. The inconvenience which arose from the publication of this miracle, contrary to our Lord's injunction, sufficiently explains his present conduct: though I allow that other reasons may have concurred. The leper "went out, and began to publish it much, and to blaze abroad the matter, insomuch that Jesus could no more openly enter into the city, but was without in desert places." On another occasion " great multitudes followed him, and he healed them all, and charged them that they should not make him known." Here St. Matthew furnishes " one reason. This charge of silence was partly owing to our Lord's meekness and humility. To which may be added from the context, that, immediately before, the a Pharisees and Herodians had taken counsel against him that they might destroy him. When he had raised Jairus's daughter, he charged her parents in many 。 words to tell no one what had been done. Yet at this very time he wrought, before a large multitude, the miracle of healing a woman who had been diseased with an issue of blood for twelve years: which was an astonishing instance of knowledge and power. Still he commanded that the greater miracle of restoring life to one dead should not be divulged. At the time of performing this miracle, the Scribes and Pharisees had murmured at his eating with publicans and sinners: and ib. 14. and p. p. 1 Mark. i. 45. ib. v. 43, and p. p. m c. xii. 17-21. soon after the performance of it, they a second time imputed his miracles to Satan. This disposition of the Jewish rulers was neither to be trusted, nor rewarded with illustrious evidence. It has been conjectured by Lardner and Benson, that our Lord enjoined secrecy to prevent inconveniencies to Jairus's family and it is certain that, from the fame of Lazarus's restoration to life, the chief priests endeavoured to destroy both him and Jesus; because many crowded to see him, and, by reason of him, fell off and believed on Jesus. Perhaps, as the Scribes and Pharisees were so watchful of our Lord's conduct, he partly intended to strike them with an idea of his lowliness when the whole transaction came to their knowledge; and thus to disarm their malice, and work their conviction. Perhaps also the publi cation of such a miracle tended to spread his fame too extensively, to interrupt his ministry as to the great business of instruction, and to excite undue expectations among his friends and a dangerous alarm among his enemies. As Jesus departed from the house of Jairus in Capernaum, he opened the eyes of two blind men, " and "straitly charged them, saying, See that no man know it." It is observable too that he restored their sight, not publicly in the way, but privately in the house where he dwelt. As this miracle stands in immediate connection with the foregoing, the same Resurrection Miracles, p. 67. John xi. 47, &c. xii. 9, 10, 11. ib. ix. 30. w Matt. ix. 28. Life of Christ, p. 343, 4. See Matt. ix. 26. reasons for the designed concealment of it must be supposed, except equal apprehension of dangerous consequences to the objects of it. When Jesus had departed from the coasts of Tyre and Sidon, he was entreated to put his hands on one that was deaf and had an impediment in his speech: "and he took him aside from the multitude," restored him to hearing and speech, and charged the witnesses of the miracle" that they should tell no man." We must observe that our Lord did not attend the passover which preceded this event, "because the Jews sought to kill him :" and that Scribes and Pharisees from Jerusalem, who probably came to watch his conduct, had been lately offended at his doctrines and at the freedom of his expostulations. It seems probable that on this account he departed into the coasts of Tyre and Sidon : and that, when he returned thence into Galilee, he was willing, by a concealment of this miracle, to prevent an immediate concourse of people about him. However, soon afterwards "he went up into a mountain and great multitudes came to him, having with them those that were lame, blind, dumb, maimed, and many others, and cast them down at Jesus's feet; and he healed them." And in the desert, he compassionately fed more than four thousand with seven loaves and a few small fishes. It is possible that the difference of the scene might occasion a fitness in this different conduct. * Mark vii. 31-37. - ib. 29, 30. y John vii. 1. 2 Matt. xv. 1-12. bib. 32, &c. When Jesus healed a blind man near Bethsaida, "he sent him to his house, saying, neither go into the town, nor tell any one of the town." It should seem, as d Benson suggests, that the inhabitants of that place, in which our Lord had wrought many mighty works, were deemed unworthy to have further means of conviction granted them. e Lastly we read that Jesus commanded Peter, James and John not to disclose his transfiguration, and the wonders which passed at it, till he rose from the dead. Besides the general reasons already mentioned, our Lord might choose to distinguish these three apostles by a special manifestation of his glory, to try their fidelity towards him; and, during his continuance on earth, he might wisely rest the truth of his heavenly mission on more public transactions. We may therefore conclude that Jesus's conduct, respecting his reserve about his Messiahship and the occasional concealment of his miracles, is so far from affording any just ground for objection, that it appears amiable, wise and necessary; that it furnished an example of prudence and humility to his immediate followers in the exercise of their miraculous powers; and was remarkably opposite to the ostentatious manner of an impostor. h < Mark viii. 26. Life of Christ, p. 347. Matt. xi. 21. Luke x. 13. f Our Lord had three chosen witnesses to this extraordinary fact. It is said of Apollonius that Achilles appeared to him, and conversed with him : [Vita. Apoll. a Philostrato, liv. c. xv. xvi. Ed. Lips. 1709. fol.] But he sent his companions to their ship; and went alone to the tomb of Achilles. ib. c. xi. See Lardner's Testimonies, iii. 357. Mark ix. 9. and p. p. h See how our Lord's lowly manner of work. ing miracles, Mark v. 37, 9. is imitated by St. Peter, Acts ix. 40. and by St. Paul, Acts xx. 10. |