2. certain women . . . healed, &c.--on whom He had the
double claim of having brought healing to their bodies and new life to
their souls. Drawn to Him by an attraction more than magnetic, they
accompany Him on this tour as His almoners--ministering unto Him
of their substance. Blessed Saviour! It melts us to see Thee living
upon the love of Thy ransomed people. That they bring Thee their poor
offerings we wonder not. Thou hast sown unto them spiritual things, and
they think it, as well they might, a small thing that Thou shouldst
reap their material things
(1Co 9:11).
But dost Thou take it at their hand, and subsist upon it? "Oh, the
depth of the riches"
(Ro 11:33)
--of this poverty of His!
Mary Magdalene--that is, probably, of Magdala (on which see
Mt 15:39;
see on
Mr 8:10).
went--rather, "had gone."
seven devils--
(Mr 16:9).
It is a great wrong to this honored woman to identify her with the once
profligate woman of
Lu 7:37,
and to call all such penitents Magdalenes. The mistake has
arisen from confounding unhappy demoniacal possession with the
conscious entertainment of diabolic impurity, or supposing the one to
have been afflicted as a punishment for the other--for which there is
not the least scriptural ground.
JFB.
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