Filled with wrath - They were enraged, probably, for the following reasons:
- They saw that the cases applied to themselves, because they would not receive the miraculous evidences of his mission.
- That he would direct his attention to others, and not to them.
- That the “Gentiles” were objects of compassion with God, and that God often showed more favor to a “single” Gentile than to multitudes of Jews in the same circumstances.
- That they might be “worse” than the Gentiles. And,
- That it was a part of his design to preach the gospel to the Gentiles, and not confine his labors to them only.
On these accounts their favor was soon turned to wrath, and the whole transaction shows us:
- That popular applause is of little value.
- That the slightest circumstances may soon turn the warmest professed friendship to hatred. And,
- That people are exceedingly unreasonable in being unwilling to hear the truth and profit by it.