MARY MARY. See LAZARUS. MAGDALENE. She at the grave. There Jesus met her; seems to have been an inhabitant of she supposed he was the gardener, Magdala; and it is hinted by some, and asked him if he knew what was that she was a plaiter of hair to the become of the dead body, that she harlots and vain women of her city; might take care of it? With his but it is more certain she was possess-known air of speech, Jesus called her ed of seven devils, whom Jesus cast by her name. Knowing him immeout. I suppose she was the scandalous diately by this, she cried out in a rapsinner, who, in the house of Simon the ture of joy, Rabboni! which signifies, Pharisee, washed our Saviour's feet my great Master, and fell at his feet to with her tears, and wiped them with embrace them; then he bade her forher hair, and kissed and anointed bear, and go inform his disciples that them with precious ointment. Si- he was risen. As she went and overmon thought Jesus's admission of her took the other Mary, and other woto such familiarity, similar to that of men, Jesus appeared to them; they affectionate daughters towards their held him by the feet, and worshipfather, was an evidence that he knew ped him, but were directed to go and not her character, or was not suffi- tell his apostles and followers, and ciently strict in his practice. Jesus particularly Peter, that he was risen. knowing his thought, uttered a para- They did as he directed them, but ble of two debtors, to whom their cre- their information was not duly creditor had forgiven very different ac-dited, Matt. xxviii. 9, 10. John xx. counts, and asked Simon, which of the 1-18. two would love him most? Simon replied, that he thought it would be MASH, or MESHECH, the fourth the debtor to whom the greatest sum son of Aram, and grandson of Shem. had been forgiven: Jesus approved He was probably the father of the of his judgment, and, after observing Moscheni, or Masians, who resided how far superior this woman's kind-about the south parts of Armenia, ness was to that of Simon, who had and from him the mount Masius, and neither saluted him with a kiss, nor the river Mazecha, or Mozecha, in given him water for his feet, nor oil these quarters, seem to have had their for his head, hinted, that her great name, Gen. x. 23. 1 Chron. i. 17. love was an evidence that her mul- MASONS. From the history of tiplied transgressions were forgiven; the temple, and the ruins of Baaland just then declared to the woman beck, Tadmor, Persepolis, and other that they were so. As some mur-places, it appears that their art was in mured within themselves, that Jesus as great perfection long ago as at took upon him to forgive sins, he present. Those of Tyre were among said to her, Thy faith hath saved the first for fame; and David hired thee. Soon after, she is mentioned them to build his palace, 2 Sam. v. 11. as one of his ministering attendants, MASTS for ships. The Tyrians Luke vii. 36-50. and vii. 1, 2, 3. made theirs of cedar, Ezek. xxvii. 5. She attended him in his last journey As it is dangerous to lie down in the from Galilee to Jerusalem, and sor- sea, or on the top of a must of a ship rowfully witnessed his crucifixion, as she sails; so he who indulges and assisted in preparing spices for himself in drunkenness, is in danger his being embalmed, John xix. 25. of death and damnation, Prov. xxiii. Luke xxiii. 55, 56. Early on the 3d 34. See SHIPS. day, she, and Mary the wife of Cleo- MASTER, one who rules, or phas, went to his sepulchre; but miss- teacheth. It is a title applied, (1.) ing his body, an angel informed them To Jesus Christ, who is our great he was risen. As they were going lawgiver and teacher, and who alone to tell the disciples, Mary Magda- can inwardly and powerfully instruct lene returned, and stood weeping our souls; and in matters of faith and worship, he only is to be followed, language, is controverted. There Matt. xxiii. 8, 10. (2.) To preach- was very early a copy of it in Heers and ministers, who to assembled brew or Syriac, to which the Judaizcongregations declare and explain ing pretenders to Christianity added the oracles of God, Eccl. xii. 11. so many interpolations of their own, (3.) To such as more privately teach that it was generally condemued. scholars or disciples, Luke vi. 40. As early as Origen's time, it was (4.) To such as have, and rule over despised; and Epiphanius reckons servants, Eph. vi. 5. (5.) To such it spurious. The Hebrew copies as proudly affect vain applause, and published by Munster and Tillet, are a superiority above others, Matt. but modern translations from the xxiii. 10. (6.) To such as judge, Latin or Greek. It is certain, a condemn, censure, and reprove Greek copy of this gospel existed in others, or do it beyond the merits of the apostolic age; and not long afthe cause, uncharitably wresting ter, it was translated into Latin. things to the worst meaning, or by We cannot therefore accede to the aggravating real faults; or who do sentiment of the Christian fathers, it from a spirit of pride and contra- who will have its original to have diction; or who affect to be many been the Hebrew: for, why might teachers, instead of the one teacher, it not be as easily translated from Christ, James iii. 1. Greek into Hebrew, as from Hebrew MATTHEW, given, or a reward, into Greek? About A. M. 184, a or LEVI, the son of Alpheus, we sup- Greek copy of it was found in the pose one different from Cleophas, was East Indies, which, it is supposed, a Galilean by birth, a Jew by religion. was carried thither by Bartholomew. and a publican by office. His ordinary In 488, a Greek copy was found at residence was at Capernaum, and he Cyprus, which was inscribed on hard had his house for gathering his toll wood, and supposed to have been or tax on the side of the sea of Tibe-most ancient. Moreover, if Matthew rias. Jesus called him to be one of had wrote in Hebrew, with what his apostles. He directly obeyed, sense could he have given us a literal without taking time to settle his af-interpretation of Hebrew names, fairs. At his request, Jesus, probably Emmanuel, &c.? some time after, took an entertain- In his gospel, Matthew had this ment at his house, in company with chiefly in view, to show us the royal some other publicans. As the Phari- descent and genealogy of Jesus sees censured him for eating with pub- Christ, and to represent to us his licans and other notorious sin-life and conversation among men. ners, he told them that it was sin- No one of the evangelists enters so sick souls that needed the Divine far into the particulars of the account Physician, and that God loved mercy of Jesus Christ, or has given so many more than sacrifice and pretensions rules for the conduct of life, and so to strictness. He assured them he many lessons of morality. If we comwas come into the world, not to call pare him with the other three evanthe righteous, but sinners, to repent-gelists, we may observe a remarkable ance, Matt. ix. 9-13. Mark ii. 14 difference in the order and situation -17. Grotius thinks, Matthew and of our Saviour's actions, from chap. Levi were two different persons; iv. 22. to chap. xiv. 13. Some have the former the clerk or servant, and imputed to mere accident this variathe latter the master. Whether Mat-tion in Matthew; and others to thew suffered martyrdom in Persia, choice and design. However this or died in Abyssinia, after he had may be, it can be no prejudice to the preached there, we know not. truths of the facts which are the esIt is said he began to write his gos-sential part of the gospel; and as to pel about A. D. 41. but in what the order of time, the sacred authors died a violent or natural death, we MATTOCK, an iron instrument are not always solicitous to follow it MAUL, a hammer, such as cop MAZZAROTH, the Chaldean name for the 12 signs of the Zodiac. MATTHIAS, the Lord's gift, a disciple of Jesus Christ, perhaps one of the seventy. After our Saviour's ascension, Peter proposed, that one who had been a constant Whether they be the twelve signs, or witness of his marvellous sufferings that called the chambers of the south, and conduct, should be chosen to or the Mazzerim, stars scattered about fill the room of Judas, who, after be- the north pole, we know not, Job traying his Lord, had hanged him- xxxviii. 32. and ix. 9. and xxxvii. 9. self. MEADOW, fat and well watered ground for feeding cattle or producing hay, Gen. xli. 2. That MEAL, (1.) The disciples chose Barsabas and Matthias for the candidates. As the office was extraordinary, the final determination, which of the two should be the apostle, was left to whereof bread, or similar eatables, Af-are formed, Isa. xlvii. 2. (2.) A par the decision of God by the lot. substance ter prayer, the lots were cast, and it ticular diet; a dinner, supper, or the fell upon Matthias: he was there-like, Ruth ii. 14. fore numbered with the eleven apos MEASURE, (1.) That whereby tles, Acts i. 15-26. It is proba-the quantity, length, or breadth, of ble he preached the gospel some- any thing is adjusted. Tables of where in the east: but whether he Measure follow: Digit Scripture-measures of Length, reduced to English Measure. Eng. feet. inch. dec. 0 0,912 96 24 6 2 Fathom 7 3,552 11,328 192 48 16 8 2 Arabian pole 14 7,104 1920 480 160 86 20 1310 Schoenus's measur. line 145 11,04 Scripture-measures of Capacity for Liquids, reduced to English Wine Scripture-measures of Capacity for things dry, reduced to English Corn N. B. A Scotch pint contains three English of corn-measure, and almost four of wine-measure. A measure, in 2 Kings vii. 1. signi- they overlook the superior excellenfies a scah, or satum; but in Rev. cies of others, 2 Cor. x. 2. vi. 6. it signifies but a chenix, which MEAT. The food of the Hecontained about a pint and a half, brews was regulated by the appointand this being sold for a penny, or ment of God. What animals they 73 pence sterling, imports, that the might eat, and what they ought not, famine would be so severe that a were particularly specified, Lev. xi. man would scarcely be able to earn Deut. xiv. No blood, nor flesh enough by his labour to keep him in with the blood, nor the fat of anilife. (2.) The length, breadth, or mals offered in sacrifice, was to be quantity, to be measured, Ezek. xl. eaten. What the Hebrews reck10. (3.) Measure signifies the deter- oned high living, may appear from mined length, boundary, or degree, of what Solomon had at his table; his any thing; as of life, Psal. xxxix. 4. daily provision was 30 cors or meaof sin, Jer. li. 13. or of grace, Eph. sures of fine flour, with 60 cors of iv. 11. The measure of the apostles, coarser meal; in all about 58,320 was the extent of their power and of- pounds weight of meal, with 10 fed fice, 2 Cor. x. 13-15. The Jews fill- oxen, 20 pasture oxen, 100 sheep, ed up the measure of their fathers, by beside venison, deer, roebuck, does, adding to their sin, and so hastening wild fowl, &c. The Jews say that on the judgments of God, Matt. 60,000 were maintained in his court: xxiii. 32. In measure, is moderate- but it is rather probable they were ly, sparingly, Isa. xxvii. 8. Jer. xxx. not above the half of that number, 11. Ezek. iv. 11, 15. Without mea-1 Kings iv. 22, 23. It does not apsure, is very largely, Isa. v. 14. pear they were very nice in the seaJohn iii. 34. As the measure of a soning or dressing of their food. Salt man is six feet, so the New Jerusa- was the only seasoning of what was lem being measured with the measure prepared in the temple, if we do not of a man, that is, of the angel, may add the oil wherewith meat-offerimport, how exact and heavenly ings were baked. The paschal lamb saints shall be during the millennium. was eaten with bitter herbs, salt, TO MEASURE, or METE, (1). To honey, butter, oil; and perhaps take the dimensions or quantity of sometimes aromatic herbs were used things, Numb. xxxv. 5. Ruth iii. 15. (2.) To take possession of, especially in order to build, Zech. ii. 2. (3.) To repay, reward, Isa. Ixv. 7. God's measuring the dust or waters in the hollow of his hand, imports his full knowledge of, his absolute power over, and easy management thereof, Job xxviii. 25. Isa. 43. Nations were sometimes shy of xl. 12. The angel's visionary mea- eating with one another. The Egypsuring of the temple and city in Eze- tians hated to eat with shepherds, kiel and John's vision, imports, that Gen. xliii. 31. The Jews shunned every thing in the gospel-church eating with Heathens, particularly ought to correspond with the line the Samaritans, John iv. 9. They and reed of God's word, Ezek. xl. reproached our Saviour for eating and xli. and xlii. and xlvii. Rev. with publicans, Matt. ix. 11. Luke xxi. Men's measuring themselves by xv. 2. The Jews washed their hands themselves, and comparing themselves before they took their meals, Mark among themselves, is foolishly to ima- vii. Anciently they sat at tables, gine themselves standards of true Prov. xxiii. 1. but in after ages, excellency; and reckoning every they copied after the Persian, Chalthing good that is their own, while dean, and Roman manner, of leaning VOL. II. in their common ragouts. Anciently, it seems, every one of the guests used to have a table by himself: the Chinese and other eastern nations, we are told, still use this fashion; and the greatest honour done to a guest was to give him a large share, 1 Sam. i. 4, 5. Gen. xviii. 6-8. and xliii. U |