X.

(1) And he arose from thence.--We may note, as some help to a right study of the Gospel narrative, that the best harmonists place Matthew 18:15-35, Luke 10:1 to Luke 17:10 (with the exception of Mark 15:3-7), and John 7:1 to John 11:54, between the 9th and 10th chapters of this Gospel. The "farther side of Jordan" implies what is known as the Peraean ministry of our Lord, and which is related only by St. Luke.

Resort unto him.--Literally, come together, or journey together.

Verse 1. - Instead of the words, into the coasts of Judea by the farther side of Jordan, the passage, by a change of reading from διὰ τοῦ to καὶ. He will run thus: into the coasts (borders) of Judaea and beyond Jordan. Our Lord was now on his last progress towards Jerusalem. It would appear from St. Luke (Luke 9:51) that in the earlier part of his journey he touched the frontier of Samaria. Putting the accounts together, we conclude that, being refused by the Samaritans, he passed eastwards along their frontier, having Galilee on his left, and Samaria on his right; and then crossed the Jordan, perhaps at Scythopolis, where was a bridge, and so entered Peraea. As Judaea and Galilee both lay west of the Jordan, this route above described would be literally coming "to the borders of Judaea and beyond Jordan." Again multitudes flocked together to him, and again he taught them. St. Matthew (Matthew 21:1) says that "he healed them." His miracles of healing and his teaching went hand in hand.

10:1-12 Wherever Jesus was, the people flocked after him in crowds, and he taught them. Preaching was Christ's constant practice. He here shows that the reason why Moses' law allowed divorce, was such that they ought not to use the permission; it was only for the hardness of their hearts. God himself joined man and wife together; he has fitted them to be comforts and helps for each other. The bond which God has tied, is not to be lightly untied. Let those who are for putting away their wives consider what would become of themselves, if God should deal with them in like manner.And he arose from thence,.... From Galilee, and particularly from Capernaum:

and cometh into the coasts of Judea; into those places, which bordered on that part of the land of Israel, called Judea, as distinct from Galilee:

by, or rather "to"

the further side of Jordan; which he crossed at the bridge of Chammath: the particular place he came to was Bethabara; see John 10:40, where John formerly preached, and baptized:

and the people resorted unto him again; great multitudes followed him out of Galilee, and more doubtless flocked to him from the adjacent parts, when they heard of his coming again to them.

And, as he was wont, he taught them again: it had been his custom before, and so it was wherever he went, to preach the word of God, and teach men what was profitable to them, and useful for the good of their immortal souls; and so he did now, and here: and not only so, but healed many of them of their bodily disorders, as Matthew relates, Matthew 19:2.