Matthew Henry

But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear.

“Now this Christ speaks of, [1.] As a blessing; " Blessed are your eyes for they see, and your ears for they hear; it is your happiness, and it is a happiness for which you are indebted to the peculiar favour and blessing of God."”

The seed sown on rocky ground is the one who hears the word and at once receives it with joy.

“Note, It is possible we may be a great deal better than some others, and yet not be so good as we should be; may go beyond our neighbours, and yet come short of heaven.”

But the seed sown on good soil is the one who hears the word and understands it. He indeed bears fruit and produces a crop—a hundredfold, sixtyfold, or thirtyfold.”

“Thirdly, Not all alike fruitful; some a hundred-fold, some sixty, some thirty. Note, Among fruitful Christians, some are more fruitful than others: where there is true grace, yet there are degrees of it; some are of greater attainments in knowledge and holiness than others; all…”

Jesus spoke all these things to the crowds in parables. He did not tell them anything without using a parable.

“There are eight parables recorded in this chapter, which are designed to represent the kingdom of heaven, the method of planting the gospel kingdom in the world, and of its growth and success.”

Jesus spoke all these things to the crowds in parables. He did not tell them anything without using a parable.

“It was from the foundation of the world wrapt up in types and shadows, which are now done away; and those secret things are now become such things revealed as belong to us and to our children, Deut. xxix.”

Then Jesus dismissed the crowds and went into the house. His disciples came to Him and said, “Explain to us the parable of the weeds in the field.”

“The exposition Christ gave of the parable, in answer to their request; so ready is Christ to answer such desires of his disciples.”

He replied, “The One who sows the good seed is the Son of Man.

“Note, The number of fruitless hearers is very great, even of those who heard Christ himself. Who has believed our report?”

When Jesus had finished these parables, He withdrew from that place. Coming to His hometown, He taught the people in their synagogue, and they were astonished.

“Note, Sometimes there is most of the power of religion where there is least of the pomp of it: the poor receive the gospel. When Christ went to the sea-side, multitudes were presently gathered together to him.”

and said to his servants, “This is John the Baptist; he has risen from the dead! That is why miraculous powers are at work in him.”

“Herodias laid the plot; her implacable revenge thirsted after John's blood, and would be satisfied with nothing less.”

and said to his servants, “This is John the Baptist; he has risen from the dead! That is why miraculous powers are at work in him.”

“These extraordinary sufferings of him who was the first preacher of the gospel, plainly show that bonds and afflictions will abide the professors of it. As the first Old-Testament saint, so the first New-Testament minister, died a martyr.”

Now Herod had arrested John and bound him and put him in prison on account of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, because John had been telling him, “It is not…

“For this sin John reproved him; not by tacit and oblique allusions, but in plain terms, It is not lawful for thee to have her.”

Now Herod had arrested John and bound him and put him in prison on account of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife,

“Note, (1.) Faithful reproofs, if they do not profit, usually provoke; if they do not do good, they are resented as affronts, and they that will not bow to the reproof, will fly in the face of the reprover and hate him, as Ahab hated…”

Although Herod wanted to kill John, he was afraid of the people, because they regarded John as a prophet.

“Note, The way of sin, especially the sin of persecution, is down-hill; and when once a respect to Christ's ministers is cast off and broken through in one instance, that is at length done, which the man would sooner have thought himself a dog than…”

so much that he promised with an oath to give to her whatever she asked.

“Note, Promissory oaths are ensnaring things, and, when made rashly, are the products of inward corruption, and the occasion of many temptations. Therefore, swear not so at all, lest thou have occasion to say, It was an error, Eccl. v. 6 . (3.)”

Prompted by her mother, she said, “Give me here on a platter the head of John the Baptist.”

“She was before instructed of her mother. Note, The case of those children is very sad, whose parents are their counsellors to do wickedly, as Ahaziah's ( 2 Chron. xxii.”

The king was grieved, but because of his oaths and his guests, he ordered that her wish be granted

“The king was sorry, at least took on him to be so, but, for the oath's sake, he commanded it to be given her. Here is, [1.] A pretended concern for John.”

and sent to have John beheaded in the prison.

“It was done in the night, for it was at supper-time, after supper, it is likely. It was done in the prison, not at the usual place of execution, for fear of an uproar.”

When Jesus heard about John, He withdrew by boat privately to a solitary place. But the crowds found out about it and followed Him on foot from the towns.

“It should seem, there was more crowding to Christ after John's martyrdom than before. Sometimes the suffering of the saints are made to further the gospel ( Phil. i. 12 ), and "the blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church."”

When Jesus heard about John, He withdrew by boat privately to a solitary place. But the crowds found out about it and followed Him on foot from the towns.

“This passage of story, concerning Christ's feeding five thousand men with five loaves and two fishes, is recorded by all the four Evangelists, which very few, if any, of Christ's miracles are: this intimates that there is something in it worthy of special remark.”

When He stepped ashore and saw a large crowd, He had compassion on them and healed their sick.

“Note, In all the favours Christ shows to us, he is moved with compassion, Isa. lxiii. The motion which the disciples made for the dismissing of the congregation, and Christ's setting aside the motion.”

After He had sent them away, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray. When evening came, He was there alone,

“That he was alone at prayer; that was his business in this solitude, to pray. Though Christ, as God, was Lord of all, and was prayed to, yet Christ, as Man, had the form of a servant, of a beggar, and prayed.”

but the boat was already far from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it.

“Note, It is no new thing for Christ's disciples to meet with storms in the way of their duty, and to be sent to sea then when their Master foresees a storm; but let them not take it unkindly; what he does they know not…”

During the fourth watch of the night, Jesus went out to them, walking on the sea.

“He that keepeth Israel neither slumbers nor sleeps, but, when there is occasion, walks in darkness for their succour; helps, and that right early. Of his power, that he went unto them, walking on the sea.”

Then some Pharisees and scribes came to Jesus from Jerusalem and asked,

“Jerusalem, which should have been a pure spring, was now become a poisoned sink. How is the faithful city become a harlot! Now if these great men be the accusers, pray what is the accusation?”

Jesus replied, “And why do you break the command of God for the sake of your tradition?

“You transgress the commandment of God. Note, Those who are most zealous of their own impositions, are commonly most careless of God's commands; which is a good reason why Christ's disciples should stand upon their guard against such impositions, lest, though at first they seem…”