And they immediately left the ship and their father, and followed him.
All Commentaries on Matthew 4:22 Go To Matthew 4
Cornelius a Lapide
AD 1637
They straightway, &c. Observe Luke 5:11 rolls the vocation of these four Apostles into one; but S. Matthew relates the particulars of the calling: 1 , of Andrew and Peter; 2 , of James and John. The historical sequence is as follows—Christ having been carried in Peter"s boat, and having landed on the shore, then called Peter and Andrew. Going on a little further, he saw James and John mending the nets which had been broken by the miraculous draught of fishes; then He called these two, saying, "Follow me." They, being moved by the miracle, and the example of their partners, straightway left their father and all things, and followed Christ. So S. Augustine (de Consens. Evan. lib2 , c17).
And Jesus went about, &c. Sickness—Greek, ×ףןע,—an habitual, organic, or incurable disease, says Euthymius. Disease—Greek, לבכבךןחi.e, languor, infinity, failure of strength.
And his fame. Greek, ב̉ךןח̀—i.e, rumour, report. Torments (Gr. גבףï¢×ןיע). This word means, properly, examination under torture, when an accused person was tormented on the little horse, to make him confess his crime and accomplices. Lunatics are sick persons, who suffer from the changes of the moon, either by sickness, or delirium, or madness, especially epilepsy. Tho. Valesius (Sac. Philos. c71) denies that the moon has any such effect.
And healed them. From none of these did Christ require faith, says S. Chrysostom, for He had not yet manifested His power; and those who came from far had as yet but small faith in Him. But afterwards He required faith on the part of the sick, as will appear in the sequel. "Clouds of miracles," says S. Chrysostom, "does S. Matthew pass over in few words, a few of which he afterwards relates more at length."
Mystically, lunatics are mutable and inconstant persons, who at one time serve God and religion, at another the devil and their lusts, according to the words in Sirach 27:12—"A holy man continueth in wisdom as the sun, but a fool is changed as the moon."
Followed him. Hear S. Bernard (Serm. I de omnibus Sanc.): "From the cities and villages the people followed the preaching of the Lord. He saved their souls; He healed their bodies. They clave to Him, being delighted both by the sight of Him and by His words. His voice was sweet, His face was comely, as it is written, "Thou art fairer than the children of men; full of grace are thy lips." Such is He whom we follow, to whom we adhere—who is altogether desirable, upon whom not the people only, but the holy angels themselves desire to look."
Decapolis—i.e, the region of ten cities—from הךב ten, and × ï¢•×›×™×¢ a city. The names of these ten cities, according to Burchard, were Tiberias, Saphet, Asor, Kedesh, Cæsarea Philippi, Capharnaum, Jotapata (which Josephus defended against the Romans), Bethsaida, Corozaim, and Beth-shan, or Scythopolis.
Beyond the Jordan—i.e, in respect of Galilee, which was on this side Jordan. These regions were Gilead, Trachonitis, Abilene, Seir, CÅ“losyria, and Batanæa, the ancient Bashan, formerly the dominions of King Og.
>
