- nection with the prediction of persecutions which they would meet, as an encouragement.
For various other explanations of this last passage, see Poole's Synopsis, Rosenmueller, Wetstein, Macknight, Le Sainte Bible avec notes, &c. in loc. But Kuinoel, who quotes on his side Beza, Bolten, and others, supports the view, which an unassisted consideration induced me to suggest.
"Anointed with oil." Mark vi. 13. The same expression occurs in James v. 14, and needs explanation from its connection with a peculiar rite of the Romish church,—extreme unction, from which it differs, however, inasmuch as it was always a hopeful operation, intended to aid the patient, and secure his recovery, while the Romish ceremony is always performed in case of complete despair of life, only with a view to prepare the patient, by this mummery, for certain death. The operation mentioned as so successfully performed by the apostles, for the cure of diseases, was undoubtedly a simple remedial process, previously in long-established use among the Hebrews, as clearly appears by the numerous authorities quoted by Lightfoot, Wetstein, and Paulus, from Rabbinical Greek and Arabic sources; yet Beza and others, quoted in Poole's Synopsis, as well as Rosenmueller, suggest some symbolical force in the ceremony, for which see those works in loc. See also Kuinoel, and Bloomfield who gives numerous references. See also Marlorat's Bibliotheca expositionum, Stackhouse's Hist. of the Bible, Whitby, &c.
THE SCENES ON THE LAKE.
After receiving the report of his apostles' labors, Jesus said to
them, "Come ye yourselves apart into a retired place, and rest
awhile:" for there were many coming and going, and they had no
leisure so much as to eat. And he took them and went privately
by ship aside, into a lonely place, near the city called Bethsaida.
And the people saw him departing, and many knew him, and went
on foot to the place, out of all the country, and outwent them, and
came together to him as soon as he reached there. And he received
them, and spoke unto them of the kingdom of God, and
healed them that had need of healing. It was on this occasion
that he performed the miracle of feeding the multitude with five
loaves and two fishes. So great was the impression made on their
minds by this extraordinary act of benevolence and power, that he
thought it best, in order to avoid the hindrance of his great task,
by any popular commotion in his favor, to go away in such
a manner as to be effectually beyond their reach for the time.—With
this view he constrained his disciples to get into the ship,
and go before him to the other side of the lake, opposite to Bethsaida,
where they then were; while he sent away the people.
After sending the multitude away, he went up into a mountain,
apart, to pray. And after night fall, the vessel was in the midst
of the sea, and he alone on the land. Thence he saw them toiling
with rowing, (for the wind was contrary to them, and the ship
tossed in the waves:) and about three or four o'clock in the morning,
he comes to them, walking on the sea, and appeared as if
about to pass unconcernedly by them. But when they saw him
walking upon the sea. they supposed it to have been a spirit, and
