Verse 52. Art thou also of Galilee?] They knew very well that he was not; but they spoke this by way of reproach. As if they had said, thou art no better than he is, as thou takest his part. Many of the Galileans had believed on him, Which the Jews considered to be a reproach. Art thou his disciple, as the Galileans are? Search, and look] Examine the Scriptures, search the public registers, and thou wilt see that out of Galilee there ariseth no prophet. Neither the Messiah, nor any other prophet, has ever proceeded from Galilee, nor ever can. This conclusion, says Calmet, was false and impertinent: false, because Jonah was of Gathheper, in Galilee: see 2 Kings xiv. 25, compared with Josh. xix. 13. The Prophet Nahum was also a Galilean, for he was of the tribe of Simeon; and some suppose that Malachi was of the same place. The conclusion was false, because there not having been a prophet from any particular place was no argument that there never could be one, as the place had not been proscribed.
Verses 40-53 - The malice of Christ's enemies is always against reason, and sometime the staying of it cannot be accounted for. Never any man spake with that wisdom, and power, and grace, that convincing clearness, and tha sweetness, wherewith Christ spake. Alas, that many, who are for a tim restrained, and who speak highly of the word of Jesus, speedily los their convictions, and go on in their sins! People are foolishly swaye by outward motives in matters of eternal moment, are willing even to be damned for fashion's sake. As the wisdom of God often chooses thing which men despise, so the folly of men commonly despises those whom God has chosen. The Lord brings forward his weak and timid disciples, an sometimes uses them to defeat the designs of his enemies __________________________________________________________________
