Again, in their law, it was written that whoever touched the altar of incense should be holy (Exodus 29:37). A woman with a bloody issue touched him and was whole of her plague (Mark 5:28). Yea, they brought him many diseased persons, 'and besought him that they might only touch the hem of his garment; and as many as touched were made perfectly whole' (Matt 14:36).
Thus, he was justified before them out of their own law and had his glory manifest before their faces, to their everlasting confusion and contempt.
Indeed, the Jews did make one objection against Jesus Christ that seemed to them to have weight in it, and that was because he first began to appear and manifest his glory in Cana of Galilee. At this, I say, they stumbled. It was their sore temptation, for still, as some affirmed him to be the Christ, others as fast objected, 'Shall Christ come out of Galilee?' 'Art thou also of Galilee? Search and look; for out of Galilee arises no prophet' (John 2:1,11, 7:40-42,52).
But this stumble might arise either from the cruelty of Herod or from their own not observing and keeping in mind the alarm that God gave them at his birth.
1. It might arise or be occasioned through the cruelty of Herod, for Jesus was born in Bethlehem, the city where David dwelt. But when Herod sent out to kill him, and for his sake killed all the young children in Bethlehem, then was Joseph warned by an angel of God to take the young child and his mother and fly into Egypt, and so he did and was there till the death of Herod (Matt 2:1,13,16). After this, the angel comes to them in Egypt and bids them take the young child and return to the land of Israel, wherefore they arose and went. But hearing that Herod's son that tyrant ruled in his father's room, they were afraid to go to Bethlehem but turned aside into the parts of Galilee, where they remained till his showing to Israel (Matt 2:19-23).
2. This stumble might arise from their not observing and remembering the alarm God gave them of his birth. (1.) God began to provide them with the alarm at the birth of John the Baptist, where it was asserted that he was to go before the face of the Lord Jesus and to prepare his ways. 'And fear came on all that dwelt round about them, and all these sayings were noised abroad throughout Judea's hill country' (Luke 1:65). (2.) Again, what a continuation of this alarm was there also at the birth of Jesus, about three months after John Baptist was born? Now come the angels from heaven. Now comes a strange star over the country to lead the men of the east to the stable where Jesus was born; now was Herod, the priests, the scribes, and also the city of Jerusalem, awakened and sore troubled; for it was noised by the wise men that Christ the King and Saviour was born. Besides the shepherds, Simeon and Anna notified the people of him. Therefore, they should have retained the memory of these things and followed God in all his dark providences until his Sun of Righteousness should arise among them with healing under his wings.
3. I may add another cause of their stumble—they did not understand the prophecies that went before of him. (1.) He was to come to them out of Egypt—' Out of Egypt have I called my Son' (Matt 2:15; Hosea 11:1). (2.) He turned aside into Cana of Galilee and dwelt in Nazareth, 'that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, He shall be called a Nazarene' (Matt 2:23). (3.) That saying also was to be fulfilled, 'The land of Zabulon, and the land of Nephthalim, by the way of the sea, beyond Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles; the people which sat in darkness saw great light, and to them which sat in the region and shadow of death light is sprung up' (Matt 4:15,16; Isa 9:2, 42:7).
They stumbled at these things, and God's judgment upon them was great. Besides, there seemed to be a contradiction in the prophecies of Scripture concerning his coming. He was to be born in Bethlehem and yet to come out of Egypt. How should he be the Christ and yet come out of Galilee, out of which arises no prophet? Thus, they stumbled.
Hence, note that though the prophecies and promises be complete and plain as these were, that he should be born in Bethlehem, yet men's sins may cause them to be fulfilled in such obscurity that instead of having benefit thereby, they may stumble and split their souls thereat. Take heed then; hunt not Christ from plain promises with Herod, but rather from Bethlehem, lest he appear to your amazement and destruction from Egypt or the land of Zabulon! But this is much to the second question: What is it for Jesus to come into the world?
I come now to the third question.
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