THE GOSPEL OF ST. MARK
€ext',$ooftB of (geftgtous 3n*f ruction.
EDITED BY THE
REV. EDWARD L. CUTTS, D.D.
AUTHOR OF "TURNING POINTS OF ENGLISH CHURCH HISTORY, ETC. ETC.
Crown 8vo.
THE HISTORY OF THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND.
By the Rev. Edward L. Cutts, D.D., Editor of the Series.
THE GOSPEL OF ST. MARK. By the Hon. and Rev. E. Lyttelton, M.A., Head-Master of Hailey- bury College.
THE PENTATEUCH. By the late Lord A. C. Hervey, D.D., Bishop of Bath and Wells. Com- pleted by the Rev. C. Hole.
Other Volumes to follow.
NEW YORK: LONGMANS, GREEN & CO.
€txi;(§oo&B of QReftgtoue 3it6frucfton
THE
GOSPEL OF ST. MARK
WITH NOTES
BY TJIE
HON. and REV. E. LYTTELTON, M.A.
HEAD-MASTER OF HAILEYBURY COLLEGE
NEW YORK
LONGMANS, GREEN, AND CO.
AND LONDON
1895
All rights reserved.
PREFACE
In putting together these notes on the narrative of St. Mark's Gospel, I have tried to keep in view two classes of readers.
First, those who are anxious to read the Bible with profit, but are baffled by finding that the meaning of a great deal of it escapes them. They hoped to gather new ideas, and to see hidden connexions ; but this is very difficult to do, and, for many, almost an impossibility. They pore over the familiar words, but cannot feel that the effort has deepened their knowledge of the meaning.
Now, it might be supposed that out of the abundant store of learned and thoughtful com- mentaries which exists, it would be possible to find for any such student exactly what he wants. So it would, but at the cost of sparing him all effort of his own. It is a terribly common expe- rience for many, to read an attractive piece of Biblical commentary and enjoy it and go their
vi PREFACE
way ; and then to discover, after a few weeks, that it has left no trace whatever behind. The excellence, the charm, the completeness of many of these writings seem to make matters worse. They tend to delude the reader into thinking that he need not exert himself, and the result is that, beyond a passing feeling of edification, little is gained.
No reader of these notes will, I trust, be under any such delusion. They are meant to help him if he is willing to work, but they assuredly will not deceive him if he is not. They merely suggest lines of thought, giving references for the following out of the sugges- tions. Eead by themselves in an arm-chair they will be manifestly and undeniably useless. But if any one is ready to take a little trouble, I am in hopes that, considering the eminence of the writers whom I have laid under contribution, there will be found some profit in working out the hints here given.
The other class of readers for whom the book is designed is that of teachers. Only quite the elder boys of a public school would be able to make anything of the notes without help. But a skilful teacher would find matter in them
PREFA CE vii
which he could illustrate and amplify suitably to a class of fifteen-year-old boys or girls. And there is no reason why they, as well as the teacher, should not use the book.
Of course a teacher may find a full commen- tary more serviceable. But many teachers have neither time to read anything of the kind, nor opportunity of securing the book.
The first series of notes in each page contains, very briefly, some necessary facts. Those below the waved line are suggestions of thoughts and connexions with other books of the Bible.
I have thought it well to consult commen- taries as different in tone as Mr. Latham's " Pastor Pastorum," and Father Benson's " Pinal Passover." Some hints are also due to Dean Luckock's " Footprints of the Son of Man in St. Mark ; " Godet on St. Luke ; Edersheim's " Life and Times ; " Sadler's Commentaries ; Trench's " Parables, Miracles, Studies in the Gospel ; " Isaac Williams' " Devotional Commen- tary ; " and Dr. Bruce on the Parabolic Teach- ing of Christ.
E. LYTTELTOK Haileybury, 1895.
THE
GOSPEL OF ST. MAEK
Chapter I.
1 The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God ;
2. As it is written in the prophets, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee.
Ver. 1. The meaning seems to be that the beginning of the Gospel was the preaching of John. Gospel = ' good tidings.' Son of God, literally ' Son of the God.' Jesus = ' Saviour.' Christ = ' the Anointed.'
Ver. 2. Two prophecies are blended — (a) Mai. iii. 1 freely quoted. Notice that St. Mark's alterations bring
1. The gospel of Jesus Christ, he is from virtue. The words
— These familiar words cannot clearly mean ' tidings of salva-
only mean the moral precepts tion ' brought about for man
given by Christ. Those pre- by God in the work of His Son.
cepts were loftier in tone than It is to be remembered that
any that had ever been uttered, what Christ did is even more
But lofty precepts, especially important and essential than
when they are addressed to what He said,
weak and sinful people, do not 2. It was 400 years since
constitute good tidings ; they Malachi had prophesied, 700
only show the sinner how far since Isaiah. The expression,
$. T, A
2 THE GOSPEL OF ST. MARK
3 The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.
4 John did baptize in the wilderness, and preach the baptism of repentance for the remis- sion of sins.
out the divinity of Christ. The words, as he gives them, read like a colloquy between the Persons of the Trinity (Gen. i. 26). Our Lord quotes the words as they are here given (Matt. xi. 10). (b) Isa. xl. 3.
Ver. 4. The tense in the Greek expresses suddenness. Baptism of repentance. Baptism, known to the Jews as the ceremony used in the admission of the heathen to their covenant, and washings were common as cleansing from legal defilements, leprosy, &c. John therefore proclaimed that purification was needed not only for heathen, but for all the Jews. They were in need of repentance, leading to the putting away or forgiveness of sin.
' Prepare ye the way,' would 4. Literally, ' repentance
have a distinct meaning to leading to remission of sins.'
people living in half-civilised (1.) The remission or putting
countries, where the roads are away of sins is not the same as
always put in order to welcome simply a recovery of good con-
the visit of a great personage. duct. It is the re-establishing
3. There is something very of a right relation to God.
impressive in the way in which God is wrathful against unre-
all four Evangelists begin their pented sin (Rom. ii. 5, 8, 9;
gospels with the mention of 2 Thess. i. 7, 8 ; Matt. xxv.
John the Baptist, recognising 41), and of course against the
in him the fulfilment of the sinner if he identifies himself
final prophecies of the Old Tes- with his sin and clings to it.
tament. It is certain that the The remission of sins, then,
Old Testament can only be means first the putting away
understood with constant re- of this wrath, and on the part
ference to Christ. of the sinner the losing of
CHAPTER I. 5 3
5 And there went out unto him all the land of Judea, and they of Jerusalem, and were all baptized of him in the river of Jordan, confessing their sins.
Ver. 5. All twice (the marginal reading and the A.V. give it three times), showing how completely the work of rousing the people was done. The desert would be a rough and inhospitable country some distance from Jeru- salem, near the Jordan, where there was nothing to attract the people but the sincerity of the new preaching. Read Luke iii. 10-18. (Jer. xxxi. 9.)
the mysterious sense of guilt. This is the work of Christ as the 'Propitiation for us.' (2.) But remission is closely con- nected with renewal of holiness and union with God (Jer. xxxi. 34, and study Mark ii. 5-12). The two things go together, though they are not the same. (3.) The repentance which leads to this is not remorse. The latter means a sense of degra- dation or loss brought about by our own fault : a selfish feeling. The former is a con- sciousness of having outraged the love of a Father, coupled with a deep desire to be re- stored (Ps. Ii. 4 ; Luke xv. 18). John did not preach forgive- ness, since Christ alone could bestow that (ii. 10), and hence we see that the ceremony of baptism was only an external rite designed to teach vividly the need of purification. It had no power to confer a cleans-
ing any more than any other ceremony under the Law (cf. ver. 8). In short, 'baptism of repentance,' not ' baptism of re- mission.' Lastly, his -teaching, like that of the Law of Moses, was meant to stimulate among the Jews a feeling that they needed a Saviour. Grace is not given to those who do not long for it (ii. 17 ; vi. 5; Matt, vii. 8). Thus we can under- stand how unwelcome this teaching must have been to the Pharisees (Luke v. 32 ; vii. 30).
5. John's dress and habits of life reminded the people of Elijah (2 Kings i. 8). His austerity was certainly one ex- planation of his extraordinary influence, but it was not put on for show. His example has been frequently imitated in the history of the Church, though at the present day it is not in favour.
4 THE GOSPEL OF ST. MARK
6 And John was clothed with camel's hair, and with a girdle of a skin about his loins ; and he did eat locusts and wild honey ;
7 And preached, saying, There cometh one mightier than I after me, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to stoop down and un- loose.
8 I indeed have baptized you with water : but he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost.
Ver. 6. John's dress. Imitated by false prophets in old days (Zech. xiii. 4). Locusts (Lev. xi. 22).
Ver. 7. From St. Luke we learn that these words were in answer to the musing of the people as to who John was. The unloosing of the shoes and carrying them was the office of slaves attending on their masters at the bath (Ps. lx. 8).
Ver. 8. With or in. — The preposition h is often trans- lated ' with 'or ' by ' in the New Testament with a mean- ing coloured by the ordinary meaning 'in' (Rom. v. 9 ; iii. 25; i. 10; i. 4; 1 Cor. viii. 11; Gal. iii. 5, 11 ; Eph. v. 19).
7. The first intimation of Holy Spirit accompanying the wonderful lowliness of the water. Taken in conjunction Baptist. He was of high posi- with xvi. 16 ; Acts ii. 41 ; x. tion among his countrymen, 47, this verse can only be in- the son of one of the heads of terpreted as referring to the the courses of priests ; and this rite of Christian baptism, utterance shows how dis- whereby the Holy Spirit in- tinctly he realised that Christ corporates us into Christ's was more than merely human Church, making us ' members (John iii. 30). of His Body,' and inheritors of
8. With water only ; but everlasting life, Christ with water and the
CHAPTER I. 9-11
5
9 And it came to pass in those days, that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized of John in Jordan.
10 And straightway coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens opened, and the Spirit, like a dove, descending upon him :
1 1 And there came a voice from heaven, saying, Thou art my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.
Ver. 9. Shows that Jesus had been living at Nazareth till He was thirty years of age (Luke xiii. 23).
Ver. 10. He saw, i.e. Jesus. But John saw the Spirit also (John i. 32, 33). Not so the bystanders (John xiv. 7). The dove symbolises meekness (Matt. x. 16 ; Isa. lxi. 1).
Ver. 11. Thou art.— So St. Luke. St. Matthew, 'This is My beloved Son.'
9. Why was the sinless Son of Man baptized ? The follow- ing answers may be given, (a) To fulfil all righteousness, i.e., to give an example of perfect obedience to God's will as re- vealed, (b) To associate Him- self with sinful men in making a full confession of the sinful- ness of fallen humanity. This confession of the sinfulness of sin had never before been made by any one, and it was an essential part of the re- conciliation (or atonement) wrought for us by Christ. Such an admission of fault is a condition of any true forgive- ness being granted even among
men. Thus the Baptism was the beginning of the work of the Atonement, (c) To sanc- tify water for the purposes of baptism.
10. Many have seen a con- nexion between Christ's as- cending out of the water, and the Ascension into heaven, accompanied by the descent of the Holy Ghost (John xvi. 7).
11. The words spoken strik- ingly recall Gen. xxii. 2, Aa/5£ tov vlov crov top dydirrjTov. The Voice was given for our sakes (John xii. 30). The three occasions on which the Voice sounded from heaven, (1) the Baptism, (2) the Transfigura-
6 THE GOSPEL OF ST. MARK
12 And immediately the Spirit drive th him into the wilderness.
13 And he was there in the wilderness forty days, tempted of Satan ; and was with the wild beasts ; and the angels ministered unto him.
Ver. 13. With the wild beasts.— Added by St. Mark alone.
tion, (3) the colloquy with the Greeks in the Temple just before the Passion, should be compared : at the beginning, middle, and end of the ministry. (1) exhibits the regeneration of souls ; (2) of bodies ; (3) pre- liminary to the work whereby both are consummated. (1) and (2) foreshadow the As- cension ; (3) explains the inner moral principle of an ascended life. (Johnxii. 25; Rom. vi. 3; as an illustration of St. Paul's expression, cf. St. Stephen's death, Acts vii. 56.)
12. If the lessons of our Lord's temptation, as recorded by St. Matthew and St. Luke, were fully drawn out, they would embrace all the prin- ciples of Christian conduct. We can only here observe (a) that Christ was as to His human nature liable to temp- tation (Acts ix. 16; Heb. ii. 2, 9 ; iv. 15). One object, certainly, was to triumph over the most terrible trials, in that very nature of which we are partakers, and in which our
Lord still makes intercession for us. Otherwise, the episode has no meaning for us, but it is explained by John xvi. 33 ; Rom. vii. 34 ; Matt, xxviii. 20. It contains the assurance of our triumph so long as we remain united to Christ (John xv. 5 ; Phil. iv. 3). (6) The temptations were meant to undermine the absolute sub- mission of Christ's human will to the Father's. They sug- gested how the redemption might be accomplished by an easier way than had been pre- scribed (viii. 33, note), (c) The Lord conquei-ed by meek- ness (Matt. v. 5), and not till a doubt was suggested as to the method of man's redemption, did He speak with majestic command. For the combina- tion of royalty and meekness, Zech. ix. 9.
13. With the wild beasts. — These words remind us that the first Adam before his fall had dominion over the beasts of the field, and our Lord in His humiliation goes down to
CHAPTER I. 14, 15 7
14 Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God,
15 And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand : repent ye, and believe the gospel.
Ver. 14. After that John was delivered up. — Be- lieve in. We have iriorevtiv els, or iv.
Into Galilee. — But the temptation which has just been recorded took place in Galilee. This shows how little the Evangelist was aiming at completeness in his record. St. John's narrative tells us of the intervening ministry in Judea (ii. 13 to iv. 3), which explains St. Mark's hint.
Of the kingdom. — Omitted by the Revisers. Yvrhether genuine or not, the words are accurate (cf. ver. 15 and Matt. iv. 23).
the beasts in the wilderness to to new ideas ; the failure of
overcome sin (Dan. iv. 32 ; pagan religions, the tyranny
Job v. 23). The brief expres- of sin (Rom. i.), and the thirst
sion hints at the dismal loneli- for spiritual nourishment. The
ness of the conflict. Angels words refer also to the time of
ministered unto him. Not till the Law having elapsed ; and
the trial was over (Matt. iv. 11). in our Lord's mouth we may
14. The fulfilment of the suppose they referred to deeper
time. There are few more m}Tsteries still (Rev. xiii. 8). interesting subjects than that 15. The kingdom of God is
of the preparation in human at hand. — This expression must
history for the Gospel ; espe- have made all Christ's listeners
cially in relation to the con- alive with expectation. Every
solidation of the Roman power, Jew was at this time brought
the prevalence of peace, the up to look forward to a mighty
facility of intercourse, the deliverer of the nation from
spread of the Greek language, the Romans. ' The kingdom '
with its unrivalled adaptability was to be established amid
2
THE GOSPEL OF ST. MARK
16 Now as he walked by the sea of Galilee, he saw Simon, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea : for they were fishers.
Ver. 16. Not the first call. Compare carefully John i. 35-45. Nor the last (Mark iii. 14).
conquest and general rejoicing, and usher in a time of golden prosperity. We know this from the contemporary prophecies of Enoch ; the Psalter of Solomon; the Assumption of Moses ; the Sibyllines ; the Book of Jubi- lees. There was a profound and intense antagonism be- tween these ideas and Christ's teaching. Kingdom implies a king, subjects, and officials in due subordination. So the nar- rative leads naturally on to the calling of the Apostles.
Repent ye. Christ, the Bap- tist, St. Peter (Acts ii.), and St. Paul (Acts xxvi. 20), begin by preaching repentance. Be- lieve the gospel. This exhorta- tion shows that ' belief ' is to some extent a matter of moral effort, which can be made or not made as the individual chooses. It is not meant to come by nature, but by man co-operating with God's grace. Such were the subjects of our Lord's first preaching. He is portrayed by St. Mark under the aspect of a Prophet, which means Teacher. The scene of this preaching was Galilee, where the most vigorous and
independent and less bigoted of the Jews lived and laboured.
The feeling of the Galilseans towards Christ was throughout different from that of the resi- dents in Jerusalem. It was kindled by national aspirations, and full of warmth (John vi. 15 ; but cf. ii. 24, 25). Apart from this, there were reasons against beginning in Samaria, since His mission was first to His countrymen (Matt. xv. 24); or in Persea, since Herod was living there now, and our Lord abstained from all contact with him (Luke xxiii. 9) ; or in Jeru- salem, since the hostility of the priests and Pharisees would have led to violence before the appointed time.
16. The previous intercourse between Jesus and the fisher- men had prepared them for this summons to leave their ordinary work and follow Him. There was nothing abrupt or magical in the call. From chap. iii. we learn that there was a third stage of final selec- tion to the Apostleship from a larger number of disciples. Their preparation for the min- istry was not completed till the
CHAPTER I. 17-19 9
17 And Jesus said unto them, Come ye after me, and I will make you to become fishers of men.
18 And straightway they forsook their nets, and followed him.
19 And when he had gone a little further thence, he saw James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, who also were in the ship mending their nets.
Ver. 19. The mother of James and John is often mentioned as a follower of the Lord. Not so Zebedee ; and it has been surmised from this that he was not a believer.
double gift of the Holy Spirit (John xx. 22 ; Acts ii. 4). It is worth while reflecting on the things which these men had seen and heard since their first invitation (viz., the events re- corded in John ii. and per- haps iii.)
The second stage in the selec- tion of these Apostles being now completed, we may ask what was their special fitness for so sublime a work. They were apparently very ordinary men, narrow in their aspira- tions and in their intellectual horizon, unlearned, jealous of each other, very slow to take in new ideas (x. 28 ; viii. 15 ; ix. 34), timid (xiv. 50). But they possessed two qualities of the utmost importance : they
honoured and loved goodness when they saw it, or they could not have made this renuncia- tion ; and they were matter- of-fact men, and thereby fitted to become trustworthy wit- nesses of a fact, the Resurrec- tion (Luke xxiv. 48 ; John xv. 27 ; Acts i. 8, 22 ; ii. 32 ; iii. 15). We shall see how patiently and tenderly Christ enlarged their minds, gave them confidence, and overcame their jealousies. In other ways they started with some advan- tages ; e.g., they were of a middle -class station of life, Galilseans, accustomed to un- remunerative toil. But still the work these men accom- plished remains one of the greatest miracles in all history.
io THE GOSPEL OF ST. MARK
20 And straightway he called them : and they left their father Zebedee in the ship with the hired servants, and went after him.
21 And they went into Capernaum: and straightway on the sabbath day he entered into the synagogue, and taught.
22 And they were astonished at his doctrine :
Ver. 20. Hired servants seems to denote a well-to-do position in life.
Ver. 21. Capernaum. — Christ lived at the house of Peter, who lived with his brother Andrew and his mother-in-law. John and James also had a house in the town. The place was a great centre of traffic, with its custom-house, garri- son, harbour, and synagogue. The port and streets were constantly thronged by Jews and mixed Gentiles, Komans, Greeks, Syrians, Phoenicians, Arabians. It was the border- town between the territories of Herod Antipas and Philip.
Synagogue. — This institution probably dates from the exile. Nearly every town or village had its meeting-house, for purposes of worship and hearing the Law and Prophets. The internal arrangements were like those of the Taber- nacle. The Ark contained the sacred writings, and a veil hung before it. Near it were the ' chief seats.' The officers were (1) the Kabbi and perhaps a college of elders ; (2) the chief reader ; (3) the servant, a sort of deacon. The hours of prayer were the third, sixth, and ninth hours (Acts iii. 1 ; x. 3, 9). A feast was held at the end of the Sabbath. The officers exercised a sort of judicial function (John xii. 42 ; Matt. x. 17).
Ver. 22. Scribe. — Cf. Prov. xxv. 1 and Is. xxxiii. 18,
22. As one having authority. 22, 28, 34, and especially vii. — For examples see Matt. v. 22. But there can be no
CHAPTER I. 23, 24
ii
for he taught them as one that had authority, and not as the scribes.
23 And there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit ; and he cried out,
24 Saying, Let us alone ; what have we to do
showing the growth in importance of the scribes. After the return from the captivity their power increased enormously. The country had been terribly punished for disobedience to the law, and afterwards these men alone understood it and the vast mass of traditions built upon it. The whole country combined to do them honour and be guided by them in affairs of daily life. Ver. 24. To destroy us (2 Pet. ii. 4 ; Jude 6).
measuring of the gulf which separated the teaching of Jesus from that of the scribes. Men and women hungering for truth and guidance had been forced to put up with profane and childish disputations, subtle- ties, quibbles, bad jokes, riddles, &c, from the scribes. Our Lord's style of teaching, though Hebraic in form, and in the prevalence of proverbial utter- ances, was like a voice from heaven in its freshness, depth, insight, directness, tenderness, hopefulness, and courage (John vii. 46).
23. We must imagine the synagogue packed with a breathlessly attentive audience, when the cry as of a maniac rang through the building. Unclean spirit. The expres-
sion points to a deep mystery. There is a marked difference in the symptoms of possession and those of lunacy : especially as regards the double personality ; the plural number ; the instant recognition of the Saviour ; the horror of ejectment (Luke viii. 31). The victims of possession were conscious of their bondage and of the disorder in the deeps of their being. It is probable that sin — especially sins of the flesh — laid open the individual to the assaults of the evil one, which may have owed their severity to the fact that the overthrow of Satan's kingdom was near at hand (Luke x. 18 ; Rev. xx. 2). The phenomenon ceases to be noticed at an early period after Christ.
24. If the possession by evil
12
THE GOSPEL OF ST. MARK
with thee, thou Jesus of Nazareth ? art thou come to destroy us ? I know thee who thou art, the Holy One of God.
25 And Jesus rebuked him, saying, Hold thy peace, and come out of him.
26 And when the unclean spirit had torn him, and cried with a loud voice, he came out of him.
Ver. 25. cf)Lixo)dr]Ti ix. 9.
Matt. xxii. 12, and literally 1 Cor.
spirit meant nothing more than ordinary lunacy, this recogni- tion would be inexplicable : it is hard to account for anyhow, (a) The cry of abject fear seek- ing to avert a doom ; (b) meant to injure Christ in the estima- tion of the bystanders (cf. iii. 22 following iii. 11, and viii. 33 following viii. 29) ; (c) the spirits wished to impart to others the knowledge which was to themselves a torment, because (1) there is no such pain to the utterly depraved as the contact with goodness ; (2) it brought close to them the final doom (Rev. xx. 10) ; (d) an attempt to mar the gradualness of God's revela- tion by blurting out the truth before men were prepared to receive it (Matt. vii. 6). It was from love that our Lord withheld it, even as He spoke in parables (1 Cor. ii. 8). To utter truth to those who are
sure to reject it, is to increase their hardness of heart. But this longsuffering has an end (xiv. 62).
25. Contrast Christ's majes- tic power with the magic exor- cisms in vogue at this time. The Book of Tobit speaks of burning the heart and liver of a fish ; the Book of Enoch of various plants being efficacious. So Josephus. Our Lord re- bukes in His own name (Jude 9; Acts xvi. 18).
26. Having torn him — the final paroxysm (Luke ix. 42), just as evil habits sometimes seem most fixed shortly before they are overcome, and saints are often afflicted with mental anguish on their deathbeds (cf. the darkness on Calvary and Rev. xii. 12).
On the subject of miracles generally, it is worth observing, (1) that throughout Scripture each occasion of the giving of
CHAPTER I. 27-29 13
27 And they were all amazed, insomuch that they questioned among themselves, saying, What thing is this ? what new doctrine is this ? for with authority commandeth he even the unclean spirits, and they do obey him.
28 And immediately his fame spread abroad throughout all the region round about Galilee.
29 And forthwith, when they were come out of the synagogue, they entered into the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John.
Ver. 27. eda.fxfir)Qr)<rav : A very strong word, meaning amazement mixed with awe ; used three times by St. Mark (x. 24, 32), four times by St. Luke (iv. 36 ; v. 9 ; Acts iii. 10 ; ix. 6). It seems to denote a sense of the near- ness of the unseen world. St. Mark is always prompt to notice these outward effects. R.V. = ' What thing is this ? a new teaching5 (Acts xiii. 12).
Ver. 29. Cf. John i. 44. There are several possible explanations of the discrepancy.
a new law, or the restoration to health, its elevation to a
of the original law, is preceded higher plane of life than that
by a manifestation of the at which it had been created.
Creator's power over His own (2) There is no need to think
natural law : to attest the of miracles as violations of
authority of the law-giver nature's laws. They may be
(Gen. i. 1 and ii. 17 ; vii. 12 interruptions similar to those
and ix. 3 ; xxi. 1 and xxii. 15 ; a man makes when he drains
Exod. vii. 3 and xii. 3 ; xvii. a river or disturbs an ant's
5 and xxii. 1 ; 1 Kings xvii. 6 nest. With higher knowledge
and xviii. 37). Moreover, the we should see there was no
signs correspond to the mean- violation of law in these opera-
ing of the new law. Hence tions of the Creator, but a
our Lord's miracles show the manipulation of natural laws
nature of His work — the resto- such as is often accomplished
ration of sick human nature by man.
14 THE GOSPEL OF ST. MARK
30 But Simon's wife's mother lay sick of a fever ; and anon they tell him of her.
31 And he came and took her by the hand, and lifted her up; and immediately the fever left her, and she ministered unto them.
32 And at even, when the sun did set, they brought unto him all that were diseased, and them that were possessed with devils.
Ver. 30. irevOcpa : St. Peter's wife, said to be named Concordia, and Perpetua. Perhaps accompanied him on his journeys (1 Cor. ix. 5). Suffered martyrdom before her husband, and was encouraged by him to meet her death.
Ver. 31. Not apparently by request ; possibly because it was the Sabbath (Luke xiv. 3). Kparrjo-as rjyeipev ; not by strength (Matt. viii. 15). Head St. Luke's account. His expression 'great fever' is a medical one, to denote the kind of fever. dcprJKeu, let her go. The fever is still more clearly personified as the work of an evil spirit in St. Luke's eiriTifirjo-ev. ' She ministered,' to show the complete- ness of the cure. (Cf. note on miracles (1) sub fin. p. 13.)
Ver. 32. When the sun did set. — Either because of the Sabbath, which was over at sunset, or for the sake of the cool evening. The first is the more probable.
31. Took her by the hand. — verbi verbum nobis est.' Spiri- We must observe our Lord's tual life is given to believers method of healing, knowing in Christ through His human that He might have wrought nature (John vi. 54) — which cures by word of mouth only He did not put off at the (ii. 11; John xi. 43); why Ascension (Luke xxiv. 39; was there so often a personal Acts vii. 55) — by the agency contact? (cf. especially v. 29). of the Holy Spirit (John xvi. There must have been a deep 14). God actiug through out- reason. ' Nam quia ipse Chris- ward visible means is the tus verbum est, etiarn factum esseuce of sacramental grace.
CHAPTER I. 33-35
33 And all the city was gathered together at the door.
34 And he healed many that were sick of divers diseases, and cast out many devils; and suffered not the devils to speak, because they knew him.
35 And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed.
Ver. 34. Notice St. Matthew's and St. Luke's additions.
Ver. 35. Our Lord's praying mentioned before the Bap- tism, Transfiguration, Passion, and before the choosing of the Apostles. There is some reason to think this was before the Sermon on the Mount.
33. This striking scene must have recalled to some of the people Isa. lxi. 1. The purpose of all this healing was to strengthen the Apostles as well as the people. It was only partly successful (iv. 40 ; vi. 3 ; but cf. John vii. 31). And yet it seems clear that miracles were only intended as evidence in a very secondary sense. To any who believe in the Incarnation for other reasons they are a natural corollary of the fact of God being in the world as Man (John xiv. 11). By others, the whole of Christ's actions should be looked on as evidence of His divinity (John x. 37, 38).
34. St. Matthew notices the fulfilment of Isa. liii. 4 to be explained by the fact that as the only way for us to bear each others' burdens (Gal. vi. 2) is by lively sympathy or ' feel- ing with,' so in the case of the Divine Healer every mortal sorrow was a separate pang to His soul (John xi. 33, 35).
35. Mark the strong expres- sions. This is an example of earnest prayer after brilliant successes. For the importunity of prayer, cf. Luke xi. and xviii. As this is not mentioned in the other Evangelists, we may sup- pose it was noticed by St. Peter, in whose house Christ was staying.
16 THE GOSPEL OF ST. MARK
36 And Simon, and they that were with him, followed after him.
37 And when they had found him, they said unto him, All men seek for thee.
38 And he said unto them, Let us go into the next towns, that I may preach there also: for therefore came I forth.
39 And he preached in their synagogues throughout all Galilee, and cast out devils.
40 And there came a leper to him, beseeching him, and kneeling down to him, and saying unto him, If thou wilt, thou canst make me clean.
41 And Jesus, moved with compassion, put forth his hand, and touched him, and saith unto him, I will ; be thou clean.
Ver. 36. They that were with Him. — Probably Andrew, James, and John.
Ver. 40. Leprosy, vide Bible Dictionary. Perhaps not contagious (2 Kings viii. 5), but isolated amoEg Jews as emblem of the living death of sin, incurable by man (Num. xii. 12 ; 2 Kings v. 7 ; Eev. xxi. 27).
37. Seek for thee. — Either to of faith recognising the divine be healed, or from mere curiosity power (Luke xxiii. 42, and to see miracles. But miracles for a contrast Mark ix. 22). are subsidiary to teaching (cf. Humility also and absence of note on p. 15). Our Lord's dictation (cf. 2 Kings xix. 19). mission was to preach (i. 14, The different accounts agree in note). giving these exact words. The
38. Came forth, i.e., from reward is complete and in- God (John xviii. 37 ; xvi. 28, stantaneous.
30). 41. Moved: shows an eye-
40, An astonishing triumph witness. A human being ' full
CHAPTER I. 42-45 17
42 And as soon as he had spoken, immediately the leprosy departed from him, and he was cleansed.
43 And he straitly charged him, and forthwith sent him away ;
44 And saith unto him, See thou say nothing to any man : but go thy way, shew thyself to the priest, and offer for thy cleansing those things which Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them.
45 But he went out, and began to publish it much, and to blaze abroad the matter, insomuch
Ver. 43. 'E/x/^pipjcrajtzevos, a very strong word, ' charged with threats ; ' e£e/3aA.€v, sent him out to do what he was told.
Ver. 44. For a testimony. — To be joined with ' offer,' not with ' commanded.'
of leprosy ' (Luke) is the most the quiet work of the Preacher;
pitiable object on earth (Gen. (2) grace is to be sought rather
i. 27) ; touched (cf. verse 31, than offered ; (3) the priests
note). The touch was a defile- might through jealousy refuse
ment (Lev. xiii. 44), but by it the certificate,
our Lord teaches : (1) that He To the priest. — Why not to a
was Lord of the Law (ii. 28) ; doctor? Because of the con-
(2) that He could take on Him nexion between leprosy and
our sinful nature without defile- sin. For the pronunciation of
ment, as sunbeams fall on a cleansing cf. John xx. 23 ; 2
dunghill and remain pure. To Cor. ii. 6 ; v. 18.
the clean all things are clean For a testimony. — Compare
(Tit. i. 15). Matt. x. 18; Luke xxi. 13;
44. The charge is very strict. Phil. i. 28. This seems to
Besides the reasons given in refer to the unbelief of the
verse 26 (note) : (1) it was priests (John ii. 18).
certain that the publication 45. The man's disobedience
would attract crowds and hinder apparently excusable, but it is
5. T. B
1 8 THE GOSPEL OF ST. MARK
that Jesus could no more openly enter into the city, but was without in desert places ; and they came to him from every quarter.
Chapter II.
1 And again he entered into Capernaum after some days ; and it was noised that he was in the house.
2 And straightway many were gathered to- gether, insomuch that there was no room to receive them, no, not so much as about the door : and he preached the word unto them.
3 And they come unto him, bringing one sick of the palsy, which was borne of four.
4 And when they could not come nigh unto
Chap. II. Ver. 1. Capernaum, cf. Matt. xi. 23.
Ver. 4. The house was built round an open court. There seem to have been two storeys round the court, and a covered gallery in which Christ was probably standing ; the court below crowded, and the vestibule. From the street an outside staircase led to the roof (Matt. xxiv. 17). The roof which was broken through was probably the light tile roof of the gallery, not the main roof of the house, which would have been too solid.
just in such cases that obedience (Gen. iii. 6 ; Num. xx. 11 ; xxii.
is worth something. Cases of 21 ; 1 Sam. xv. 9 ; Gal. ii. 12).
disobedience for which many As was inevitable, the dis-
arguments were to be urged obedience did harm.
CHAPTER II. 5-7 19
him for the press, they uncovered the roof where he was: and when they had broken it up, they let down the bed wherein the sick of the palsy lay.
5 When Jesus saw their faith, he said unto the sick of the palsy, Son, thy sins be forgiven thee.
6 But there were certain of the scribes sitting there, and reasoning in their hearts,
7 Why doth this man thus speak blasphemies ? who can forgive sins but God only ?
Ver. 5. Notice R.V., are forgiven.— A pronunciation, like the Absolution in our Morning and Evening Service, not a wish.
Ver. 6. This may have been a hostile deputation sent from Jerusalem to watch Him.
Ver. 7. BXao-^/xet, in classical writings, to speak evil of a person, or things of evil omen. In the Bible, to speak things derogatory to God's honour.
Chap. II. 5. Seeing their act upon the ever present grace faith, i.e., of the bearers as well of God (v. 27 ; x. 52). as of the sufferer, since they had Thy sins are forgiven. — faced many difficulties. Evi- Clearly the sufferer was op- dently the benefits of faith are pressed with a sense of guilt, not confined to the individual, either with good reason (Ps. Here a great deal depended on xxxix. 12) or from the Jewish the bearers, as for a child much belief about all illness (John ix. depends on parents. There is 2, 34 ; Luke xiii. 2 ; Job pas- much that is vicarious in the sim). Christ exercised divine natural and moral world. Faith insight frequently (xiv. 18 ; contains two convictions, (1) of John iv. 18; cf. ver. 6). The something wrong ; (2) of the scribes were perfectly right power of Christ to heal. All from their point of view in hindrance in spiritual growth calling this blasphemy (xiv. 64 ; is due to one or both being feeble. Job xiv. 4), but see note on Where both are vigorous they ver. 9.
20
THE GOSPEL OF ST. MARK
8 And immediately when Jesus perceived in his spirit that they so reasoned within themselves, he said unto them, Why reason ye these things in your hearts ?
9 Whether is it easier to say to the sick of the palsy, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, and take up thy bed, and walk ?
10 But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (he saith to the sick of the palsy),
Ver. 9. Not easier to do but to say, i.e., without being put to the proof. Of course the first : but that ye may know . . .
8. Forgiveness is impossible without discernment of the thoughts of the heart. Jesus showed that He did so discern, and, besides, manifests His power by an outward act for the sake of the onlookers ( Matt. xi. 23 ; Luke xvi. 31 ; Isa. v. 4 ; John xii. 40).
9. Sin is a bondage (John xx. 23). The Jews thought only of its effects, and con- ceived of forgiveness only as remission of punishment. But God only forgives by restoring to holiness. The paralytic man, besides being repentant, was a visible proof of Satan's power, sickness being generally (John ix. 2) the outcome of sin ; so our Lord here teaches His
power of reversing Satan's work in the physical and spiritual world. And for this display of grace He was called a blas- phemer.
10. The Son of man.— The expression used by our Lord in speaking of Himself as the Mediator.
On earth. — It is well to notice that the final judgment is given to Christ as Son of man or Mediator (Matt. xiii. 41 ; Luke xxi. 36 ; John v. 22 ; ix. 39) ; therefore while on earth He exercises this power ; not dele- gated, as in Matt, xviii. 18. In these words He assumes the prerogatives of divinity as completely as in John v. and x.
CHAPTER II. 11-14 21
11 I say unto thee, Arise, and take up thy bed, and go thy way into thine house.
12 And immediately he arose, took up the bed, and went forth before them all ; insomuch that they were all amazed, and glorified God, saying, We never saw it on this fashion.
13 And he went forth again by the sea-side ; and all the multitude resorted unto him, and he taught them.
14 And as he passed by, he saw Levi the son of Alpheus sitting at the receipt of custom, and said unto him, Follow me. And he arose and followed him.
Ver. 12. The crowd now let Him pass (Mark x. 48, 49). Notice the different words given by each Evangelist, re- porting the various comments of the crowd.
Ver. 13. All the accounts place this event close after the cure of the paralytic.
Ver. 14. Enl to reAaWoj>, as collector of the customs and fishery dues, &c, near the lake (reXobi/^). These inferior
12. If the man bad been 29 ; John x. 4 ; xv. 5 ; Col. ii.
guided solely by logic and 20 ; iii. 9 ; 1 Cor. vi. 19). reason he would have lain still. 14. Suppose England was
Faith acts on an assumption conquered by the French, and
which cannot be proved by near each important town cus-
reason ; and not till afterwards torn - houses were kept by
is the action seen to be rapacious French officials who
reasonable. So in 'respect of battened on ill-gotten gains ;
spiritual infirmity men should and that among them there
remember their relation to God was an Englishman in French
and act upon it ; then the uniform robbing his own
strength which was latent is countrymen under the protec-
manifested (Matt. vi. 32 ; xiv. tion of France ; he would be
22 THE GOSPEL OF ST. MARK
15 And it came to pass, that, as Jesus sat at meat in his house, many publicans and sinners sat also together with Jesus and his disciples: for there were many, and they followed him.
16 And when the scribes and Pharisees saw him eat with publicans and sinners, they said unto his disciples, How is it that he eateth and drinketh with publicans and sinners ?
collectors very much hated (Matt, xviii. 17) and outcasts, because of their extortion, in spite of the Koman law alluded to in Luke xix. 8, and as showing loss of freedom (John viii. 33), especially in Galilee (Luke xx. 22). Collectors of customs more extortionate than collectors of the poll-tax. He farmed his department of taxation ; gave a capital sum which left a fair margin for profit ; he might be fair and lenient ; his temptation was to be grasping and dishonest.
16. Pharisees. See note on iii. 6.
detested, but probably less Levi had had opportunities of
than Levi was by the proud hearing Christ (cf. ver. 5).
Galilseans. 15. A large company, per-
Levi. — St. Matthew alone haps not invited as a farewell, uses the later name (1 Cor. xv. nor merely to do honour to 9). The name was probably Christ, but to give Levi's changed with the change of associates a chance of making life. Cf. Peter, Paul, Thomas, the same renunciation, accord- fee. The significance of names ing to the saving principle of is very prominent in Scripture, turning warm feelings into
He arose and followed Him. practice (Ps. li. 13 ; Luke xxii.
— There is no reason to think 32). This was a terrible shock
that this was unpremeditated ; to the Pharisees (Luke xviii.
possibly there was a religious 12).
movement going on among this 16. Imagine them expressing
class (Luke vii. 29 ; iii. 12, 13). their misgivings to the dis-
CHAPTER II. 17-19 23
17 When Jesus heard it, he saith unto them, They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick : I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.
18 And the disciples of John and of the Pharisees used to fast : and they come and say unto him, Why do the disciples of John and of the Pharisees fast, but thy disciples fast not ?
19 And Jesus said unto them, Can the children of the bride-chamber fast, while the bridegroom is
Ver. 18. The only fast instituted by Moses was on the day of Atonement (Lev. xxiii. 27), though it was fre- quently practised at critical times (Josh. vii. 6 ; Joel ii. 16). But during the Captivity four more annual fasts added (2 Kings xxv. 25). The strictest Pharisees fasted twice in the week (Luke xviii. 12). Disciples of John. Men who looked on John as a founder of a sect and not a forerunner.
Ver. 19. Cf. John iii. 29, where the Baptist refers to a custom not practised in Galilee. Children or sons of
ciples, probably without hos- rebuke to them as guardians of tility, as people discuss a rising the people (Ezek. xxxiv. 4). politician. Their idea of re- We see here the conflict be- spectability was to be exclusive tween two ideals (John v. 44 ; (John vii. 49). Matt. xxvi. 35 ; Luke vii. 22). 17. Christ explains He is 19. Our Lord's attitude to- not a social leader but a wards fasting frequently mis- Physician. No one could understood. The Pharisees understand His mission who looked on it as a meritorious did not feel the deep corrup- act, giving them a claim on tion of human nature. So God ; and practised it to be righteous is ironical (but cf. seen of men (Matt. vi. 16). Luke xv. 7). There is also a Here it is explained to be a
24
THE GOSPEL OF ST. MARK
with them ? as long as they have the bridegroom with them, they cannot fast.
20 But the days will come when the bride- groom shall be taken away from them, and then shall they fast in those days.
21 No man also seweth a piece of new cloth on an old garment : else the new piece that filled it up taketh away from the old, and the rent is made worse.
the bride-chamber. Those who made arrangements for the advent of the bride in the festive marriage week. A Galilsean custom.
Ver. 21. The two first Evangelists give the parable differently from the third. St. Luke emphasises the spoiling of the new garment only to produce a patchwork. Here the idea is of the contracting of the undressed piece after it has been sewn on to the old.
natural outcome of godly sorrow (Eccles. iii. 14) ; con- nected with prayer and alms- giving (Matt. vi.). It is in- separable from genuine feeling concerning Christ's work, and has its effect in reminding us of spiritual things. We set great store by expression of feelings in ordinary life : why not in religion ? For its other purpose, cf. 1 Cor. ix. 27. It is therefore an act of homage due to God, and also a means of discipline (Matt. xi. 1 2).
20. Certainly this was ful- filled in the days of the early Church.
21. Broadly, these verses express the impossibility of combining the life of mere subservience to minute rules with the glorious liberty of the children of God. Yet we can only be free by obedience. There is some obscurity in the parables, especially in the ap- plication of the figure as given by St. Luke. It cannot be right to explain the new cloth and the new wine by the austerities of John's disciples. The converse is the true ex- planation. The power of a real religious revival cannot be cramped by old forms and
CHAPTER II. 22, 23
25
22 And no man putteth new wine into old bottles ; else the new wine doth burst the bottles, and the wine is spilled, and the bottles will be marred : but new wine must be put into new bottles.
23 And it came to pass, that he went through the corn-fields on the sabbath day ; and his dis-
Ver. 22. No man pours unferraented wine into old skins which are weak and brittle.
rules : its vitality will be the ruin of both. Cf., for the severity of the figure to which the old dispensation is likened, Gal.iv. 3, 9 ; Heb. vii. 18 ; and for the great example of this very failure, Gal. iii. Observe that the word ' undressed ' im- plies a different figure from that in St. Luke, where a piece from a new garment would not be 'undressed.'
22. For similar repetitions yet containing new ideas, cf. Matt. xiii. 31, 32, 33; Luke xiv. 28-30, 31, 32. This image is also connected with marriage festivities. The bursting of the old bottles seems to mean the destruction wrought by new truths working in minds un- prepared for them ; e.g., as in some cases of religious excite- ment among the ignorant. It would apply also to an attempt to fit on a portion of Christian truth to old ideas. The figure
of the new wine is an anticipa- tion of Acts ii. 13. Of course the difficulty of applying this principle, when novelties in religion make their appearance, is often very great. The ' new wine skins ' seems to refer to the mystery of regeneration (Gal. vi. 15 ; Rev. xxi. 5). At the first sound of the new message, Paul, Nicodemus, and Caiaphas were alike hostile, and seemed likely to be ruined by it. Notice the kindly words with which St. Luke ends the parable, and compare throughout John ii. 1-11.
23. Luke vi. 1 describes the Sabbath as the 'second after the first,' probably the first Sabbath after the second Pas- chal day, on which the wave- omer of barley was presented. There is very little doubt that this incident took place be- tween the second Passover and the second Pentecost of our
26
THE GOSPEL OF ST. MARK
ciples began, as they went, to pluck the ears of corn.
24 And the Pharisees said unto him, Behold, why do they on the sabbath day that which is not lawful ?
25 And he said unto them, Have ye never
Lord's ministry. (After the first Passover, occurred John iii. 22. The harvest was ripe on the return through Samaria (John iv. 35). Then the apos- tles seem to have scattered to their house?, Matt. iv. 18-22 being later. The active oppo- sition to our Lord on the part of the Pharisees began with His visit to Jerusalem in the autumn of that year (John v.). So this incident belongs to the following spring.)
To pluck the ears. — Lawful (Deut. xxiii. 25) ; but the Rab- binic rulers made two unlawful actions out of this : the pluck- ing, which they called reaping ; and the rubbing, which was grinding. Each involved a sin- offering. These and other rules were external, and often evaded. Thus, in order to move a sheaf from his field, which was forbidden, a man could lay a spoon on the top, and then the moving of the sheaf was excusable, as it was in order to move the spoon. Again, a Sabbath day's jour- ney was 2000 cubits beyond one's dwelling; but if at the
boundary of that journey a man placed, on Friday, food for two meals, he made that place his dwelling, and so might travel another 2000 cubits. There is a discussion in the Talmud whether, as a burden is defined as the weight of a dried fig, a man might carry two half figs at different times on the Sabbath. In one treatise twenty-four chapters are devoted to such childish questions ; and we cannot un- derstand our Lord's attitude towards the Pharisees un- less we remember that they were the slaves of these sense- less rules, and tried to compel others to be so.
24. The Pharisees were watching probably to see if they went farther than 2000 cubits. It is supposed that the occurrence took place just after the synagogue service at 9 A.M.
25. Even the Pabbis allowed that danger to life superseded the Sabbath law, quoting Lev. xviii. 5. They also admitted some relaxation in the matter of Temple service, and hence would approve of David's
CHAPTER II. 26-28
27
read what David did, when he had need, and was an hungred, he, and they that were with him ?
26 How he went into the house of God in the days of Abiathar the high priest, and did eat the shew- bread, which is not lawful to eat but for the priests, and gave also to them which were with him ?
27 And he said unto them, The sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath :
28 Therefore the Son of man is Lord also of the sabbath.
Ver. 27. And he said unto them. — Formula for intro- ducing a weighty saying (Luke v. 36).
action as being in the service of the Lord.
26. In 1 Sam. xxi. the name of the priest is Ahimelech. Possibly he bore both names. The shewbread. — The most sacred of all food, laid out in the Presence of God, and only eaten by the priests, if cere- monially clean, in the Holy Place. Meat offered in sacri- fice might be sold.
The instance was a cogent one, as David was acknow- ledged to be a national saint. But further, it was meant to help them to a deeper view of Christ's Person. Like David, the disciples were engaged in the service of One greater than the Temple.
27. Just as Christ modified but did not abolish fasting, changing it from a slavish cere-
mony into an act of worship consonant with man's need, so with the Sabbath. It remains an institution designed for God's glory and the good of man ; and man, being a com- plex creature, it is meant to aid him in many ways, but always with a view to God's glory. To say that one day's rest in seven is necessary for hard-working people is true, but does not exhaust the question, as worship is omitted.
28. If the ordinance is sub- ordinate to man's need, the representative Man is Lord of the ordinance. If men were, like Him, perfect, the reason for the institution would dis- appear. It is, however, per- fectly in keeping with man's requirements in a fallen world.
28 THE GOSPEL OF ST. MARK
Chapter III.
1 And he entered again into the synagogue ; and there was a man there which had a withered hand.
2 And they watched him, whether he would heal him on the sabbath day; that they might accuse him.
3 And he saith unto the man which had the withered hand, Stand forth.
4 And he saith unto them, Is it lawful to do good on the sabbath days, or to do evil ? to save life, or to kill ? But they held their peace.
Chap. III. Ver. 1. Tradition says he was a stone-mason. Synagogue either at Capernaum or Sepphoris.
Ver. 2. Tlaperrjpovv = malignantly observed.
Ver. 3. "Eyei/Dcu = rise up and stand forth: this, no doubt, to excite compassion.
Ver. 4. Eefers to the Kabbinical precept that danger to life superseded the Sabbath law (but only where the life of an Israelite was concerned).
Chap. III. 2. Apart from The attack on Christ gets
the particular meaning of the nearer, cf. vers. 6 and 16.
word, we should notice the 4. To do evil, i.e., by omis-
light in which Scripture places sion (Prov. xxiv. 11, 12 ; Matt,
those who merely watch as spec- xxv. 45), or to kill. The
tators God's work going forward refusing to aid life for malig-
( Judg. v. 23 ; Ps. xxxvii. 32 ; nant or childish reasons, is on
Jer. xx. 10 ; Matt, xxvii. 36). the road to murder (Matt. v.
CHAPTER III. 5, 6 29
5 And when he had looked round about on them with anger, being grieved for the hardness of their hearts, he saith unto the man, Stretch forth thine hand. And he stretched it out : and his hand was restored whole as the other.
6 And the Pharisees went forth, and straight-
Ver. 5. ^2vX\v7rov[X€vos = feeling grief for them.
Ver. 6. Pharisees. — As long ago as the Syrian war (150 B.C.) intestine strife began in Judsea between the Pharisees or Assidseans and the Sadducees or Asmonseans. The former abhorred all political alliances, and were zealous only for the law and the ecclesiastical traditions of the scribes. They rested their ideas of right and wrong on the observance of minute rules and childish maxims handed down by the Rabbis. The disputes between them and the Sadducees still continued (Acts xxiii. 7).
Herodians (viii. 15, xii. 13 ; Matt. xxii. 15 ; Luke xii. 1), probably the party which supported the rule of the foreigner Herod as a bulwark against the Eoman
22). There seems also a refer- (2 Kings v. 26 ; Eph. iv. 26).
ence to their designs against Stretch forth. Compare note
Himself. Throughout Scrip- on ii. 11. It should be noticed
ture great reverence is shown that this healing did not violate
for life, as life (Exod. xxi. 23 ; even the letter of the law,
Lev. xvii. 11 ; Ps. lxiii. 3). as it was only a spoken
Held their 'peace, cf. Ps. order.
xxxi. IS ; 1 Pet. ii. 15 ; Matt. 6. A crusade against good is xxii. 12. more powerful to cement an- 5. HepifiXeif/afiepos. — Christ's tagonisms than one against look an anticipation of the Last evil. There are points of con- Judgment (Ps. xiv. 2 ; Isa. v. tact between all lies, none be- 2 ; Luke xxii. 61). The com- tween a lie and the ti-uth. Cf. bination of anger and grief for Matt, and Luke for the fury of sinners hardly possible to man the Pharisees at this display of
30 THE GOSPEL OF ST. MARK
way took counsel with the Herodians against him, how they might destroy him.
7 But Jesus withdrew himself with his dis- ciples to the sea : and a great multitude from Galilee followed him, and from Judaea,
8 And from Jerusalem, and from Iduniaea, and from beyond Jordan ; and they about Tyre and Sidon, a great multitude, when they had heard what great things he did, came unto him.
9 And he spake to his disciples, that a small ship should wait on him because of the multitude, lest they should throng him.
10 For he had healed many ; insomuch that
power, and a pledge of their own national existence. Their principles, which were the offspring of political distress, and short-lived, were thus a compromise between those of the Pharisees and Sadducees.
Ver. 8. 'Akovovtcs, K.V., not aKovcravres ■ as if they were discussing the miracles on the way.
Ver. 9. Hpoo-Kaprepr) = be always ready.
divine power and compassion : lated by national feeling, by
and yet some of them must hope of material benefits, by
have been ordinary conscien- curiosity to see miracles. These
tious men. hopes arrested attention for
7-10. The Evangelists, and His teaching, and prepared
especially St. Mark, record the hearts for the work of the
growing popularity of the Lord Apostles after Pentecost. But
in Galilee for about the first vague or carnal enthusiasm
half of His ministry. It rested He always checked by stern
upon hopes of a triumph on and lofty doctrine (viii. 34 ;
this side of the grave ; stimu- John vi. 66 ; Luke ix. 58).
CHAPTER III. 11-14
3i
they pressed upon him for to touch him, as many as had plagues.
11 And unclean spirits, when they saw him, fell down before him, and cried, saying, Thou art the Son of God.
12 And he straitly charged them that they should not make him known.
13 And he goeth up into a mountain and calleth unto him whom he would : and they came unto him.
14 And he ordained twelve, that they should be with him, and that he might send them forth to preach,
Ver. 13. The mountain. — Thought to be the Horns of Hattin, from which the sermon had been preached, on the western shore of the lake. Ovs rjQiktv avros. Notice emphasis.
11. Cf. note on i. 25. It remains a mystery how the evil spirits at once recognised Him, and why the rebuke was apparently ineffectual.
13. The final selection of the twelve was preceded by prayer (Luke vi. 12). Hence our Ember Days. From this time on, our Lord devotes more and more of His teaching and at- tention to the training of the twelve. His work must not be considered as directed mainly to the multitude. He founded a small society on which every-
thing depended for propagation of the truth after His with- drawal from earth (i. 18, note). This propagation was at first the proclaiming the fact of the Resurrection ; and the spread of the truth meant that outsiders joined the society (Acts i. to v.). 14. K-rjpvacretv Kai eK^^Weiv to. dcufidvia : to proclaim the Kingdom as heralds of the Most High, and to have power over Satan's hosts ; first illus- trated in vi. 7, then after Pentecost. ''ETrolijffe. appointed, not ordained (John xx. 21).
32 THE GOSPEL OF ST. MARK
15 And to have power to heal sicknesses, and to cast out devils :
16 And Simon he surnamed Peter ;
17 And James the son of Zebedee, and John the brother of James; and he surnamed them Boanerges, which is, The sons of thunder :
Ver. 17. Three groups, (1.) Peter, James, John, Andrew. Though Andrew was the first to follow Christ, he was not among the most favoured circle. (2.) Philip, Bartho- lomew, Matthew, Thomas. Some characteristics of Philip and Thomas are given by St. John. Bartholomew, in all probability, Nathanael Bar Tolmai (John i. 47 ; xxi. 2). ' Matthew ' = the gift of God. Cf . Theodore, &c. (Compare Matt. x. 3 ; ix. 9 ; Mark ii. 14.) (3.) James, Thaddams, Simon, Judas. James called ' the less,' but should be ' the little,' in reference to his stature. ' Thaddaeus ' = Judas not Iscariot, probably a name given after the original name had become odious. Also called ' Lebbajus ' = the lionlike. Simon, the zealot member of the fiercest society of the nationalists (vide Bible Diet.). Judas Iscariot, or
16. It seems impossible to which led to this name (Luke deny that a primacy of a kind ix. 54 ; 1 John ii. 22 ; iii. 8, was accorded by the rest of and contrast 2 John vi.). The the Apostles to St. Peter, either work of the Holy Spirit after because of his age or of his Pentecost on these different character (Matt. x. 2 ; xvii. 1 ; characters (compare Peter and ix. 24 ; Mark xvi. 7 ; Acts i. Philip, Thomas and John) was 15; iv. 13; Gal. i. 18). In his a guarantee of the all-embracing best moments his faith was scope of the Church.
riper than that of the rest, and The appointment of the
could find readier expression twelve an epoch in Christ's
(Matt. xvi. 16 ; John vi. 68). work. The ministry of the
17. Sons of thunder. — Signs future Church was now selected, of the warmth of temperament was being trained, and was to
CHAPTER III. 18-22 33
18 And Andrew, and Philip, and Bartholomew, and Matthew, and Thomas, and James the son of Alpheus, and Thaddeus, and Simon the Canaanite,
19 And Judas Iscariot, which also betrayed him : and they went into an house.
20 And the multitude cometh together again, so that they could not so much as eat bread.
21 And when his friends heard of it, they went out to lay hold on him : for they said, He is beside himself.
22 And the scribes which came down from
■ of Kerioth,' a little village in the south ; a member of the tribe of Judah ; the only one of the twelve not a Galilsean.
Ver. 21. Ot nap avrov. Friends, and probably brothers, among whom would be James, the future Bishop of Jeru- salem. 3~Eg€crTrj = he is carried away by success, his head is being turned by fanaticism, so that he is hardly responsible for what he does.
Ver. 22. Probably a special deputation sent down to undermine the work going on. BeeA£e/3ovA. Possibly a
be inspired by Christ alone (oCs wonderfully natural. Observe
ijde\ei> avros) before the future as to the true position of our
Church had begun to exist. Saviour in the midst of all the
20. Such disregard of bodily hollow popularity, the verdict needs at times necessary (John first of his nearest relations, iv. 34, but 1 Tim. v. 23). then of the scribes.
21. It is characteristic that 22. Thus a miracle to be ignoring bodily desires is taken effectual as evidence requires as a proof of something like fair construction. The fact is loss of reason. His friends not sufficient (John xi. 47 ; (cf. on vi. 4). The episode is Deut. iv. 33 ; xxxiii. 29).
5. T. C
34 THE GOSPEL OF ST. MARK
Jerusalem said, He hath Beelzebub, and by the prince of the devils casteth he out devils.
23 And he called them unto him, and said unto them in parables, How can Satan cast out Satan ?
24 And if a kingdom be divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand.
25 And if a house be divided against itself, that house cannot stand.
26 And if Satan rise up against himself, and be divided, he cannot stand, but hath an end.
27 No man can enter into a strong man's house, and spoil his goods, except he will first bind the strong man ; and then he will spoil his house.
28 Yerily I say unto you, All sins shall be
Phoenician god : word of doubtful meaning : here, any- how, used to mean the lord of the evil spirits.
Ver. 23. In parables = ' using a figure ' (cf. on iv. 2).
Ver. 28. Blasphemies, it 7, note.
24. The answer intended to shall have bound. When ? show that their cavil contra- Probably Matt. iv. 11 (cf. dieted common sense. It also Luke x. 18). reveals the kingdom of evil : 28. Deep and difficult say- assumes the most complete sin- ings. Two points first: (1.) gleness of purpose in the Prince Blasphemies mean something of Darkness. spoken. (2.) The reason of the
27. The only possible theory first sin being pardoned is that
which harmonises with known it was done through weakness
facts. ' Strong man ' (cf. Isa. or ignorance. The second,
xlix. 25 ; 1 Pet, v. 8). 8rjK-n= then (ver. 29), must be a wil-
CHAPTER III. 29-32 35
forgiven unto the sons of men, and blasphemies wherewith soever they shall blaspheme :
29 But he that shall blaspheme against the Holy Ghost hath never forgiveness, but is in danger of eternal damnation ;
30 Because they said, He hath an unclean spirit.
31 There came then his brethren and his mother, and, standing without, sent unto him, calling him.
32 And the multitude sat about him ; and they
Ver. 29. Atcuvtov, not ' everlasting,' so much as referring to a condition of things when time shall be no more (Rev. x. 6). 'AfxapTrjixaros, the right reading, the easier Kpio-cus having been substituted for it.
Yer. 31. His brethren. — James and Joses, Judah and Simon, probably half-brothers, sons of Joseph by a former wife : Joseph himself, as is supposed, being now dead (John xix. 26).
Ver. 32. Again note the different words used by members
ful traducing what is secretly cular saying. Inferences: (1.)
known to be good, not only in The vast scope of God's mercy
thought but open speech, so in pardoning (Luke xii. 10).
that others may be misled. This (2.) Matt. xii. 32. That for
is diabolic (Sia^dMco) (cf. Jas. some sins there may be pardon
ii. 19 ; Mark xii. 7), and if per- after death (1 Cor. v. 5 ; xi. 30,
sisted in ends in 'eternal sin.' A 32 ; 1 Tim. i. 20). But against
warning as to the certain issue this mark the expression eter-
of the temper of scribes in thus nal sin, seeming to show that
describing the work of Christ it is possible for the will never
done through the Spirit (Acts to turn (Rev. xxii. 11). See
i. 2 ; ii. 22 ; Matt. xii. 28). note on ix. 44.
30. Explains the connection 32. The motive of His rela-
of the warning with this parti- tions should not be assumed
36 THE GOSPEL OF ST. MARK
said unto him, Behold, thy mother and thy brethren without seek for thee.
33 And he answered them, saying, Who is my mother, or my brethren ?
34 And he looked round about on them which sat about him, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren !
35 For whosoever shall do the will of God, the same is my brother, and my sister, and mother.
Chapter IV.
1 And he began again to teach by the sea side : and there was gathered unto him a great multi- tude, so that he entered into a ship, and sat in the sea ; and the whole multitude was by the sea on the land, of the crowd, in the different accounts. Cf. Homer's wSe
8e TtS ei7T€(TK€V.
Chap. IV. Ver. 1. It is supposed that the scene was on the northern shores of the lake, not far from Bethsaida, and in sight there is a corn-field answering in every par- ticular to the one here described.
It may have been interference, ix. 60). Mankind here divided
but may also have been a wish into two classes (Matt. xii. 30),
to hear. all others being insignifi-
35. Not from contempt of cant,
relationships (John xi. 36), but Shall do the will, i.e., as the
to show that from some enun- result of spiritual conformity
ciation of the closest ties is (Rom. xii. 2). The new close
required (Luke xi. 46), and spiritual relationships given in
that, for all, they should never compensation for the loss of the
stand in the way of a call (Luke old (Matt. xix. 29).
CHAPTER IV. 2-5 37
2 And he taught them many things by parables, and said unto them in his doctrine,
3 Hearken ; Behold, there went out a sower to sow:
4 And it came to pass, as he sowed, some fell by the way side, and the fowls of the air came and devoured it up.
5 And some fell on stony ground, where it had not much earth; and immediately it sprang up, because it had no depth of earth :
Ver. 3. Hearken ; Behold. — Possibly implies that a sower was in sight. The time of year is uncertain. Parabolic teaching common among the Kabbis, but con- fined to the select few. The subject of this suggested by the sight of the audience.
Ver. 5. Stony, i.e., of shallow earth on a rock.
Chap. IV. 2 and! 0. Why does This was a deepening of the
Christ's teaching change its form humiliation of Christ in becom-
at this point ? The reason is a ing Man ; a further acceptance
merciful one. It was both to at- of limitation upon infinite
tract the hearers, and to temper power (Phil. ii. 8; Luke xiii.
the truth to their dulness. For 34; but xvii. 24).
the dullest parables were some- Concerning Christ's teach-
thing to start from, for others ings from nature we notice :
they were replete with truth. (1) That, unlike all poets, He
The time had come for the never dwells on the terrifying
veiling of truth still more than side ; (2) that the lavishness
before. Clearly, the subject is of His illustrations shows how
connected with the mystery of abundantly nature can help
man's power of resisting the to a knowledge of God as a
divine appeal. All the miracles starting - point (Job xxxix.
and the teaching hitherto had to xli. ; Rom. i. 20 ; Acts xiv.
effected little that was solid or 17 ; xvii. 27) ; (3) the illus-
permanent even in Galilee. trations are taken with the
38 THE GOSPEL OF ST. MARK
6 But when the sun was up, it was scorched ; and because it had no root, it withered away.
7 And some fell among thorns ; and the thorns grew up, and choked it, and it yielded no fruit.
8 And other fell on good ground, and did yield fruit that sprang up and increased ; and brought forth, some thirty, and some sixty, and some an hundred.
9 And he said unto them, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.
10 And when he was alone, they that were about him with the twelve asked of him the parable.
11 And he said unto them, Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God;
Ver. 6. It sprang up, as the energy of the growth down- wards was checked. Root, which would have sucked up moisture to feed the stalk with.
Ver. 9. A warning that there was a meaning likely to be hidden.
Ver. 10. A select number of disciples as well as the apostles.
Ver. 11. Notice the K.V. omits to know. Mystery, a thing kept secret from our full understanding, but subse-
greatest ease and freedom from unlike the first productions of
the commonest objects that authors and poets, it is as per-
meet the eye. feet as the last.
The parable of the sower is 11. The mystery is given,
the first that He uttered ; but, i.e., to contemplate and act
CHAPTER IV. 12
39
but unto them that are without, all these things are done in parables :
12 That seeing they may see, and not perceive ; and hearing they may hear, and not understand ; lest at any time they should be converted, and their sins should be forgiven them.
quently revealed, such as (a.) the Atonement, which is revealed and partly understood now ; (6.) the Trinity, of which the fact only is revealed now (a. Rom. xvi. 25 ; b. Eph. v. 32).
Ver. 12. Important to notice, tva, 'that,' varies between final and consecutive in Hellenistic Greek, i.e., ' in order that,' or, ' so that it happens.' Here mainly the former ; but in St. Matt. on.
upon, not to solve. All things are done in parables, a thought common to Plato. Men with thoughts intent on mundane matters can never learn from the parables of nature and life. Sights and occurrences are to them merely incidents without meaning — a story without an interpretation. Thus they live among phantoms (Rev. xx. 3 ; Col. iii. 5; Isa. lv. 2). To, iravra, nature and life ; yiverai, go on in a succession.
12. That seeing they may see. Quoted also in a more ter- rible form in John xii. 40. Our Lord's teaching had attracted large crowds of listeners, but He knew how hollow their alle- giance was. The time had
come for some serious effort on their part to see below the surface and get at the meaning of His work ; but they only ' saw ' without ' per- ceiving.' The passage from Isa. vi. 9, 10 represents this as God's doing by the agency of His prophet, and should be studied with Rom. ix. The difficulty is much modified if we remember that after a certain time of free rejec- tion of God's message, the only thing left is that the dis- obedient nation or individual should be used as an implement for the furtherance of God's scheme, as the hardening of the Jews led to the calling of the Gentiles (Rom. ix. 22,23). We
40 THE GOSPEL OF ST. MARK
13 And he said unto them, Know ye not this parable ? and how then will ye know all parables ?
14 The sower soweth the word.
15 And these are they by the way side, where the word is sown; but when they have heard, Satan cometh immediately, and taketh away the word that was sown in their hearts.
16 And these are they likewise which are sown on stony ground ; who, when they have heard the word, immediately receive it with gladness ;
Ver. 13. Implies that this parable is very simple.
Ver. 14. The answer to the question lies in the moral condition of Christ's hearers. They had reached the time when self-examination and thought was necessary. Thus our Lord shows (1) He was under no illusion about the appearance of success ; (2) how much reality there was in the people's attentiveness ; (3) dangers in store for their spiritual life (John ii. 25).
can see that such dealing would sower, and so teaches that His
be not only the wisest but the work in the world is and will
most merciful. be gradual, partial, and in con-
13. Meaning, ' arrive at per- formity to natural laws. Ob-
fect knowledge ' (1 Cor. xiii. serve next that no one of the
12). four classes is meant to be
15. Some hear but do not absolutely hard : ' the trodden
mind : some mind but do not path is not a rock.' For an
keep : some keep but do not example of this, cf. Eph. ii. 3
bring to profit: some do all. with Luke xii. 13 (John vi.
The applications are numerous 27).
and simple. Individual (John 16. But the soil can often be
vi. 66 ; ix. 24) ; national (Gal. changed (Ezek. vi. 26 ; Ps.
iv. 14) ; or ecclesiastical (John lxxxviii. 10; Acts xxvi. 8;
v. 35 ; Rev. iii. 1, 10, 17). John xiv. 12)
Christ likens Himself to a Those who have joy in reli-
CHAPTER IV. 17-20 41
17 And have no root in themselves, and so endure but for a time : afterward, when affliction or persecution ariseth for the word's sake, imme- diately they are offended.
18 And these are they which are sown among thorns ; such as hear the word,
19 And the cares of this world, and the deceit- fulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful.
20 And these are they which are sown on good ground; such as hear the word, and receive it, and bring forth fruit, some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some an hundred.
Ver. 17. SKavSaAi^ovTou, are offended as at an unex- pected affront.
Ver. 19. MepLfxvat, anxieties (Matt. vi. 25) : that which draws asunder. Choke, because they grow faster.
gion without thought: emo- 19; Heb. x. 34). Contrast
tional, boi'rowed enthusiasm Matt. xiii. 44.
(Luke ix. 57 ; Matt. viii. 19). 19. The deceitfulncss of
17. The double - minded riches. — Because they conceal
(James i. 8), caring for other from a man his true position
things (enumerated by the (Luke xii. 20 ; xviii. 24 ; xi.
three evangelists) as much as 41).
for the new faith. No one is 20. The heart is good through
without these ' roots of bitter- receiving of the word, not vice
ness;' but men differ enormously versa; but compare John viii.
in their dealing with them 41 ; xviii. 37 ; Acts xiii. 48.
(Luke ix. 61, 62 ; Acts xii. 25 ; St. Luke, ver. 28, records the
xiii. 13 ; xv. 37 ; Josh. xxiv. warnings against fatalism.
42
THE GOSPEL OF ST. MARK
21 And he said unto them, Is a candle brought to be put under a bushel, or under a bed ? and not to be set on a candlestick ?
22 For there is nothing hid, which shall not be manifested; neither was any thing kept secret, but that it should come abroad.
23 If any man have ears to hear, let him hear.
24 And he said unto them, Take heed what ye hear: with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you; and unto you that hear shall more be given.
25 For he that hath, to him shall be given :
Ver. 21. 6 Av^vos, ' the lamp ' of the house, vide R.V. Ver. 24. Proverb used differently elsewhere. Ver. 25. e ya, not ' hoards/ nor simply ' has,' but = acquires.'
21. Connexion. There is a reason for this temporary hid- ing of truth. "E/>xercu seems to refer to John viii. 12. Oi^x '^a, viz., if it is to fulfil the reason of its existence.
22. The first proverb suggests a second, with many applica- tions (Matt. xiii. 33 ; 1 Cor. ii. 7 ; Luke ii. 35). Notice, the hiding is with a view to the future manifestation (John xii. 24). The application here is primarily to the receiving of spiritual truth ; unless it is spread it dies. Not that a man must strive to show his good-
ness to others, but that if it is genuine it cannot be con- cealed.
24. What ye hear — ' how y e learn divine truth,' or 'see what it is that ye hear.' Ac- cording as ye are receptive so shall your knowledge be in- creased ; but in increasing ratio.
25. The principle of ine- quality. The rewards are those of greater opportunities (Matt, xxv. 21; Luke xvi. 12; Ps. xcvii. 11). The rewards of obedience come little by little ; those of disobedience at once,
CHAPTER IV. 26-29 43
and he that hath not, from him shall be taken even that which he hath.
26 And he said, So is the kingdom of God, as if a man should cast seed into the ground,
27 And should sleep, and rise night and day, and the seed should spring and grow up, he knoweth not now.
28 For the earth bringeth forth fruit of herself ; first the blade, then the ear ; after that, the full corn in the ear.
29 But when the fruit is brought forth, imme- diately he putteth in the sickle, because the har- vest is come.
Ver. 26. Parable peculiar to St. Mark, teeming full of meaning. Principal thought : the growth in grace like the growth in nature.
Ver. 27. Parallel not strictly observed here.
and slowly die away. A very All religious people feel this
profound saying, easy to mis- difficulty.
understand. 28. Of herself. — Man's share
26. It is an epoch in any is only glanced at (1 Cor. iii. one's life when he first becomes 6). Notice also the lesson of aware of mysteries in nature, patience (Jas. v. 7). The life Christ draws attention to the of the Church (Isa. xi. 9 ; Ps. mystery of reproduction, and Ixv. 14).
its likeness to the growth of 29. Cf. Rev. xiv. 14 ; John
grace, especially in gradual- iv. 35. In spiritual matters it
ness. A few exceptions in both is necessary to distinguish (a)
worlds (e.g., volcanoes, Acts Regeneration (Tit. iii. 5), the
ix.), cf. Eccles. xi. 5,6. Imagine completed divine operation at
St. Peter recording these words baptism ; (6) Sanctification (2
and thiuking of his own growth Thess. ii. 13), the gradual work
(1 Pet. i. 23). of the Spirit— (a) may be in-
27. Cf. ver. 38 ; Ps. x. 11. visible for long, or come to
44 THE GOSPEL OF ST. MARK
30 And he said, W hereunto shall we liken the kingdom of God ? or with what comparison shall we compare it ?
31 It is like a grain of mustard seed, which, when it is sown in the earth, is less than all the seeds that be in the earth :
32 But when it is sown, it groweth up, and becometh greater than all herbs, and shooteth out great branches ; so that the fowls of the air may lodge under the shadow of it.
33 And with many such parables spake he the word unto them, as they were able to hear it.
34 But without a parable spake he not unto them : and when they were alone, he expounded all things to his disciples.
Ver. 30. As if choosing from numberless illustrations.
Ver. 31. Proverbial for smallness. It is said to have sometimes grown to above a man's height. Noted also for pungency, medicinal properties, and required bruising.
nought (John xv. 6; 1 Thess. So consecutive miracles often
v. 19) ; (c) Conversion (Acts teach first one truth, then its
xv. 3), a turning from sin to qualification. Why not seed of
truth ; before or after baptism cedar ? The emphasis is on
sudden or gradual. the smallness of the beginning.
31. Unlike all other founders Consider what the Church was
of communities, Christ often on the morning of Pentecost,
foretells failure (Matt. vii. 22 ; and after (Ezek. xvii. 22 ; Ps.
xxiv. 12 ; Luke xviii. 8). This lxxx. 8). The stage of being
parable to balance the teaching able to give spiritual help to
of the sower and the tares, others is a very late one.
CHAPTER IV. 35-38 45
35 And the same day, when the even was come, he saith unto them, Let us pass over unto the other side.
36 And when they had sent away the multi- tude, they took him even as he was in the ship : and there were also with him other little ships.
37 And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full.
38 And he was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow : and they awake him, and say unto him, Master, carest thou not that we perish ?
Ver. 35. lQ,s rjv, cf. John iv. 6, and ut erat in Latin poetry.
Ver. 37. Sudden storms common on this and other lakes.
Ver. 38. Master, Master, in St, Luke. Carest thou not, peculiar to St. Mark ; probably spoken by Peter.
35. See note on i. 25. Mira- Jesus, but in being alarmed cles hitherto had taught the (Ps. liii. 5 ; 2 Tim. i. 7). Apostles their Master's power. The miracle full of sym- This one also teaches them holism. The ship = ' the Church.' their weakness, even on their The apparent indifference of familiar lake. The training our Lord to His followers' very gradual. Nothing had trouble a means of discipline, yet been said as to who He The sea = 'the world,' yearning was. and restless (Isa. lvii. 20 ; Rev.
36. Human weakness of xxi. 1, but xv. 2 possibly mean- Christ no hindrance to His ing the restlessness of life divine power. stilled, and purity and calm
38. The words singularly instead). In considering the
characteristic of St. Peter, effect on the Apostles, the
They betray some faith. The ferocity of the storm must be
fault was not in appealing to remembered,
46 THE GOSPEL OF ST. MARK
39 And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.
40 And he said unto them, Why are ye so fearful ? how is it that ye have no faith ?
41 And they feared exceedingly, and said one to another, What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him ?
Chapter V.
1 And they came over unto the other side of the sea, into the country of the Gadarenes.
2 And when he was come out of the ship, im- mediately there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit,
Ver. 39. Peace, be still, lit. ' Be silent, be muzzled ' (Luke iv. 39 ; Eom. viii. 20). TaXr/vrj yeXoao, cf. ' leni resonant plangore cachinni,' a bright sunny calm.
Chap. V. Ver. 1. Place identified now Khersa. Gadara impossible. By this time it was nearly or quite night.
Chap. V. 1. A miracle in 2. Unclean spirit. — It seems which we ought to beware of clear that this sort of posses- asking unanswerable questions, sion was the result of the The relations between the Son foul indulgences in lust either of God and the evil spirits is of the race or of the indi- one of mystery (i. 23, note), e.g., vidual (Rom. i.). Sensuality Why did the demoniac come has worked more havoc than forth from the tombs ? The any other sin (St. Augus- last miracle to be contrasted. tine speaks of ' inter omnia
CHAPTER V. 3-7 47
3 Who had his dwelling among the tombs ; and no man could bind him, no, not with chains :
4 Because that he had been often bound with fetters and chains, and the chains had been plucked asunder by him, and the fetters broken in pieces : neither could any man tame him.
5 And always, night and day, he was in the mountains, and in the tombs, crying, and cutting himself with stones.
6 But when he saw Jesus afar off, he ran and worshipped him,
7 And cried with a loud voice, and said, What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of the most high God ? I adjure thee by God, that thou torment me not.
Ver. 3. Tombs, cf. Num. xix. 11. His strength (Acts xix. 16).
Ver. 7. Son of the most high God.— Nowhere else except Luke i. 32.
Christianorum certamina du- Yet strict utilitarianism would riora praelia castitatis ; ' and approve neglect. Isidore, ' magis per carnis luxu- 7. Said to be the formula riam genus humanum subditur of exorcism which the spirit diabolo quam peraliquodaliud.' would be familiar with. So among moderns, Bishop What have I? — The corn- Temple in ' Essays and Re- plete opposition between work views'). Guilt of the indivi- of destruction and that of sav- dual not to be assumed (Luke ing : just as complete in affairs ix. 42). Imagine scene : after of ordinary life, but we cannot peace, this horror. The ma- see it. Torment. — The ap- niac's cry ; solitude ; night. proach of Christ like the calls 3. Compare ancient and mo- to repentance addressed to one dern treatment of such cases, who is wholly depraved.
48 THE GOSPEL OF ST. MARK
8 For he said unto him, Come out of the man, thou unclean spirit.
9 And he asked him, What is thy name ? And he answered, saying, My name is Legion ; for we are many.
10 And he besought him much that he would not send them away out of the country.
11 Now there was there, nigh unto the moun- tains, a great herd of swine feeding.
12 And all the devils besought him, saying, Send us into the swine, that we may enter into them.
Ver. 8. "EAeye = He icas on the 2~>oint of saying.
Ver. 9. Legion. He had probably gained a knowledge of the strength and number implied in the word.
Ver. 11. There is no certainty whether the owners were Jewish or Gentile.
9. What is thy name? — (a) Again, why were they so To appeal to his better self, anxious to do this, though the (6) For our benefit, to reveal respite was only for a few the mightiness of the cure (viii. moments ? Lastly, the conces- 5 ; ix. 21). Our Lord's method sions made to them remind us never hasty. of the larger question (Acts
10. Rev. xx. 10 ; 1 Cor. vi. xvii. 30 ; Rom. iii. 25). It 3 ; Jude 6. Comp. St. Mat- should be noticed that these thew's account. The yearning obvious difficulties tell against of the evil spirits for a human the theory of invention, while will to subjugate is like the on such a subject they should desire of all bad men to find not surprise us. Trench partners in guilt. points out connection between
11. Full of mystery. Why spurcus and porcus. It is, should they not enter the swine however, very probable that without leave ? And notice the demons wished to injure the form ire^ov . . . tva , . . Christ (i. 25).
CHAPTER V. 13-16 49
13 And forthwith Jesus gave them leave. And the unclean spirits went out, and entered into the swine : and the herd ran violently down a steep place into the sea, (they were about two thousand,) and were choked in the sea.
14 And they that fed the swine fled, and told it in the city and in the country. And they went out to see what it was that was done.
15 And they come to Jesus, and see him that was possessed with the devil, and had the legion, sitting, and clothed, and in his right mind : and they were afraid.
16 And they that saw it, told them how it be- fell to him that was possessed with the devil, and also concerning the swine.
Ver. 13. K/57J/xvov, at the present day a very steep slope straight to the water.
Ver. 15. Qewpovcri, 'gaze at.'
Ver. 16. Ot 186vt€<$, those in the ship with Him, and in the other ships.
13. (a) To punish owners, if the natives. At first fear only Jewish ; {b) to give ocular de- (Jud. vi. 23, &c.), then when monstration of the cure (Exod. they saw the facts (ver. 16) in- xiv. 30); (c) to facilitate the dignation at the loss of property, exit, and prevent destruction The divine work, no matter of the man's life ; (d) to test how visible or how beneficent, the moral condition of the has a poor chance against the natives : {b) and (c) most pro- love of worldly goods. There bable. But we speak without was also the instinctive dislike any sufficient data. For the of interference with the ordi- only other miracle involving nary routine of life (Matt. ii. destruction, cf. xi. 13. 3). The request granted at
14. The drama changes to once (vi. 5).
S. T. D
5o
THE GOSPEL OF ST. MARK
17 And they began to pray him to depart out of their coasts.
18 And when he was come into the ship, he that had been possessed with the devil prayed him that he might be with him.
19 Howbeit, Jesus suffered him not, but saith unto him, Go home to thy friends, and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee, and hath had compassion on thee.
20 And he departed, and began to publish in Decapolis how great things Jesus had done for him : and all men did marvel.
21 And when Jesus was passed over again by ship unto the other side, much people gathered unto him : and he was nigh unto the sea.
Ver. 17. Cf. Job xxii. 17.
19. Refusal (cf. v. 3), based on (a) the man's moral needs, e.g., that of acting on religious emotion, or of company after solitude ; (6) the wish to pre- pare the country-side for the teaching of the Apostles. A clue to our Lord's action always to be found in the spiritual or moral needs of mankind. Under certain circumstances it is right to make known personal spi- ritual experiences (Ps. li. 13 ; xxxiv. 11 ; Acts xxii.)
'EOatfiafrv. The first thing needful was to shake them out of their narrow view of life and its problems.
Indications of spiritual laws in this miracle. (1.) Horror of goodness among the lost (Luke xxiii. 30). (2.) Combination of cowardice and ferocity (John xviii. 6). (3.) Self-destroying instinct of evil (Ps. lvii. 7, &c., apparently not in the later psalms). (4.) The granting of the prayer of the evil (Ps. lxxviii. 29-31 ; Numb. xxii. 20 ; 2 Cor. xii. 8 ; Exod. x. 28).
21, sqq. Three miracles of raising from the dead recorded : seem typical. Compare the intervals of time after death.
CHAPTER V. 22-26 51
22 And, behold, there cometh one of the rulers of the synagogue, Jairus by name ; and when he saw him, he fell at his feet,
23 And besought him greatly, saying, My little daughter lieth at the point of death : I pray thee, come and lay thy hands on her, that she may be healed ; and she shall live.
24 And Jesus went with him ; and much people followed him, and thronged him.
25 And a certain woman, which had an issue of blood twelve years,
26 And had suffered many things of many
Ver. 22. Cf. St. Matthew. St. Mark's the more pro- bable order of events. y Ap^o-vvaydoyoiv, local authori- ties. 'Iaet/30s= he shall gladden.
Ver. 23. 'Eo-xaVtos e^et, Latinism. Notice the broken clauses.
Ver. 25. Look out the story of St. Veronica. This woman probably once well-to-do. Remedies for this un- clean disease barbarous and elaborate.
23. Every word expresses the on whether the faith would utmost urgency. stand the trial.
24. Be went with him. — 25. Her trouble had begun Most important to notice at the same time as Jairus' Christ's dealing with this man. daughter was born.
His faith was bold and in- 26. We get an insight into
sistent, but narrow, and bound her state of mind. She had
by what he had seen (contrast the first requisite of faith, a
Matt. viii. 10). Jesus instantly sense of something wrong ; also
sees this, and breaks off what a knowledge of the impotence
He was doing. All depends of human remedies. Now she
52 THE GOSPEL OF ST. MARK
physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was nothing bettered, but rather grew worse,
27 When she had heard of Jesus, came in the press behind, and touched his garment :
28 For she said, If I may touch but his clothes, I shall be whole.
29 And straightway the fountain of her blood was dried up ; and she felt in her body that she was healed of that plague.
30 And Jesus, immediately knowing in him- self that virtue had gone out of him, turned him about in the press, and said, Who touched my clothes ?
31 And his disciples said unto him, Thou seest the multitude thronging thee, and sayest thou, Who touched me ?
Ver. 28. Clothes. Of. Num. xv. 37-40 ; Matt, xxiii. 5. Ver. 29. Macrn£. Cf. plague, 7rXy]yr).
shows a confidence in the power ignorance (Gen. iii. 9 ; iv. 9 ; of Christ. But in this confi- 2 Kings v. 25). dence there was something 31. Seems to be inserted to superstitious. She thought the show the Apostles' total mis- exercise of the healing power understanding of God's opera- was independent of Christ's tions (ix. 5), but also draws out will, so that a mere touch would two truths : {a) The woman's be enough, and that she might touch was different in kind then escape notice, being legally from that of the rest, and unclean. Notice how Jesus actuated by a different kind of corrected this, keeping in mind trust ; (6) healing and life pro- the interests of Jairus, and our ceed from His person ; just the instruction. truth necessary for Jairus to 30. Question not asked in graspfully(Col.ii.9,<rov«iTt/cws).
CHAPTER V. 32-36
53
32 And he looked round about to see her that had done this thing.
33 But the woman, fearing and trembling, know- ing what was done in her, came and fell down before him, and told him all the truth.
34 And he said unto her, Daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole : go in peace, and be whole of thy plague.
35 While he yet spake, there came from the ruler of the synagogue's house, certain which said, Thy daughter is dead: why troublest thou the Master any further ?
36 As soon as Jesus heard the word that was
Ver. 34. Seo-w/ce, broader word than vyi-qs. Not only in health but in soul she was saved. Ver. 35. ^KvXXels. Vide Lexicon.
33. She was in danger of losing the benefit of personal communion with the Saviour (Rom. x. 9).
34. Her idea of a miracle was physical, not spiritual. It looked on God as a power only, not as a Father. Christ has already insisted on con- fession and communion ; now He tells her that her faith was essential. This is very dif- ferent from legendary marvels of magic. We have the ingre- dients of a miracle distinctly shown ; divine power con- stantly ready to act ; faith
in the sufferer barely strong enough for the effort ; and the means whereby the latter libe- rates the former (1 Cor. x. 16). This dialogue gives Jairus a chance of understanding the in- junction in verse 36.
36. Jairus had borne the delay ; but there was danger of his expressing his despair. Jesus speaks to prevent this. Feelings generally confirmed by being uttered.
Fear not, only believe (2 Tim. i. 7). — What was he to believe ? That in Christ's Person resided a power to work the impos-
54 THE GOSPEL OF ST. MARK
spoken, he saith unto the ruler of the synagogue, Be not afraid, only believe.
37 And he suffered no man to follow him, save Peter, and James, and John the brother of James.
38 And he cometh to the house of the ruler of the synagogue, and seeth the tumult, and them that wept and wailed greatly.
39 And when he was come in, he saith unto them, Why make ye this ado, and weep ? the damsel is not dead, but sleepeth.
40 And they laughed him to scorn. But when he had put them all out, he taketh the father and the mother of the damsel, and them that were with him, and entereth in where the damsel was lying-
Ver. 37. The first occasion of this selection. It recog- nises the principle of inequality : perhaps designed to prevent jealousy.
Ver. 38. Hired mourners (Jer. ix. 17). The same cus- tom survives.
Ver. 39. Sleepeth (John xi. 11).
Ver. 40. They were afraid of losing their gain.
Put them forth. — Acts ix. 40.
sible. Fear not that it is all 39. Death not the end of
over. Only. — God asks no life, but an incident in life
more of man. It is common (xii. 27). Contrast the words
to hear people say they are with the noise of the mourners,
without faith ; but this in- Note the absence of sensa-
junction is unqualified. We tionalism in the accounts. The
may not answer God with non power over death apparently
possum (Exod. iv. 10 ; Jer. i. different in degree from any
6 ; Isa. i. 5). previously shown.
CHAPTER VI. 1 55
41 And he took the damsel by the hand, and said unto her, Talitha cumi ; which is, being in- terpreted, Damsel, I say unto thee, arise.
42 And straightway the damsel arose, and walked ; for she was of the age of twelve years. And they were astonished with a great astonish- ment.
43 And he charged them straitly that no man should know it ; and commanded that something should be given her to eat.
Chapter VI.
1 And he went out from thence, and came into his own country ; and his disciples follow him.
Ver. 41. Is taken as evidence that our Lord spoke in Aramaic.
Ver. 43. Man's part is left to man to perform.
Chap. VI. Ver. 1. The first visit was that of Luke iv. 28.
43. So in the restoration of the Human Nature of Christ
the morally dead, awakening is part of the doctrine of the
must be followed by feeding Mediation.
(Phil. ii. 12 ; Luke xi. 26). Chap. VI. 1. About a year
In the last two miracles and a half since the former
the truth of the Incarnation visit. They were then hos-
forcibly brought out. Christ tile. Now His disciples follow
is Man, since He takes the Him. This amount of pres-
dead person by the hand ; God, tige prevented hostility, but
since He commands her to live not hardness of heart.
and is obeyed. Life through
56 THE GOSPEL OF ST. MARK
2 And when the sabbath day was come, he began to teach in the synagogue : and many, hear- ing him, were astonished, saying, From whence hath this man these things? and what wisdom is this which is given unto him, that even such mighty works are wrought by his hands ?
3 Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James, and Joses, and of Juda, and Simon? and are not his sisters here with us? And they were offended at him.
4 But Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not without honour, but in his own country, and among his own kin, and in his own house.
Ver. 2. 'Akovovtzs, ' while listening.' Ver. 3. Indicates that Joseph had died before. 'EoncavSaAifoi/To, lit. ' were tripped up ; ' as of people on their way to something.
2. The people testify to the dismiss the matter.' Or per- wisdom of Christ's utterances, haps ' whence ? ' implies some- and admit His miracles. But thing ' uncanny ' about it (iii. they resist the claim made upon 22). Any argument will do to them, by dwelling on externals, resist the claim of religion. Yet these very externals only Were offended. — The hum ilia- increase the marvel, instead of tion of the Son of God : thirty simplifying it. They refused years of secluded, ordinary vil- to probe the matter honestly lage life, an obstacle to earthly (1 Kings xviii. 21), intellectual instincts (John v. 43 ; vii. 27 ; sloth. Luke xxiii. 37).
3. ' He says and does mar- 4. All greatness has its petty vellous things ; but we know aspects which small minds can His surroundings were com- see. Christ took upon Himself monplace : therefore we may the littlenesses of life. There
CHAPTER VI. 5-8
57
5 And he could there do no mighty work, save that he laid his hands upon a few sick folk, and healed them.
6 And he marvelled because of their unbelief. And he went round about the villages, teaching.
7 And he called unto him the twelve, and began to send them forth by two and two, and gave them power over unclean spirits ;
8 And commanded them that they should take
Ver. 6. And he went (Matt. ix. 35).
Ver. 7. By two and two. — Not stated, but implied in Matthew and Luke.
Ver. 8. Save a staff. — Cf. Matt. x. 10 ; perhaps dif- ferent instructions given to different pairs.
is no credit in seeing them. The thing to aim at is to see greatness though disguised. (Compare the saying about the hero and his valet and the comment.) The words seem to refer also to Hosea i. 10.
5. The omnipotent God un- able to work (Gen. xix. 22 ; xxxii. 25 ; Ps. lxxxi. 13), bound by a spiritual law of which He is the embodiment. Sick folk, who were in earnest in seeking relief.
6. (Isa. lix. 16 ; Matt. viii. 10.) Christ as Man wonders at what is unnatural. Cf. the frequent question, Jer. xxvii. 13 ; Ezek. xviii. 31 ; xxxiii. 11.
7. Hitherto the Twelve had
been trained to a larger in- tellectual and spiritual grasp, and to a trust in Christ. Next comes the preparation for their practical work, showing a strik- ing combination of spiritual insight and common sense.
Began seems to imply that this was the first of a series cf missions. By two and two. — Observe how they were paired (Matt. x. 2, 3). The object was to avoid dangers of soli- tude, conceit, or depression. ' Authority,' i.e., power com- bined with love (ver. 13), truth, and mercy (2 Tim. i. 7 ; Eph. iv. 15).
8. I.e., to be in the world, not of it (John xvii. 15) ; as
58 THE GOSPEL OF ST. MARK
nothing for their journey, save a staff only; no scrip, no bread, no money in their purse :
9 But be shod with sandals; and not put on two coats.
10 And he said unto them. In what place so- ever ye enter into an house, there abide till ye depart from that place.
11 And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear you, when ye depart thence, shake off the dust under your feet for a testimony against them. Verily I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrha in the day of judgment, than for that city.
Ver. 9. Xnwas, garment next the skin. No mention of the tfxdriov, or outer robe.
Ver. 10. From thence. — From the city or village.
Ver. 11. Shake off the dust (Neh. v. 13 ; Acts xii. 31 ; xviii. 6).
far as possible saved from such Temple, to signify absorption
entanglements as belong to or- in religious duty,
dinary life, hospitality, wish to 9. Coats (Luke iii. 11).
improve position, bargaining, Covetousness the temptation of
packing, &c. Above all, to be ministers (Exod. xviii. 21 ; Jude
trained to rely on an unseen 11 ; John xiii. 29). Dante,
Lord(l Tim. v. 18 ; Isa. xxxiii. Inferno.
16). St"ff, sign of pilgrim- 11. I.e., shall show unfriend- age ; also see Gen. xxxii. 10. liness as well as obduracy. Ao bread, because people Shake off, as a sign or testi- value what costs them some- mony to be appealed to on the thing. Sandals, not shoes judgment day (2 Cor. i. 14 ; (Matt.), possibly because the Phil. ii. 16 ; iv. 1 ; 1 Thess. ii. latter were put off in the 19, 20).
CHAPTER VI. 12-15 59
12 And they went out, and preached that men should repent.
13 And they cast out many devils, and anointed with oil many that were sick, and healed them.
14 And king Herod heard of him; (for his name was spread abroad ;) and he said, That John the Baptist was risen from the dead, and there- fore mighty works do shew forth themselves in him.
15 Others said, That it is Elias. And others said, That it is a prophet, or as one of the prophets.
Ver. 13. Oil (Jas. v. 14). JE£e/3aAAov, &c. ; notice the tense, denoting ' from time to time.'
Ver. 14. Herod, i.e., Antipas, son of Herod the Great (Matt. ii. 1), and Malthace, a Samaritan woman. Strictly he was tetrarch, not king.
Ver. 15. It is Elijah (Mai. iv. 5).
12. Repent, cf. i. 4, note. Lord's method. He seems to
13. Oil, 'a visible token of have felt some uncertainty as spiritual grace ' (Calvin), used, to the result (Luke x. 21).
not medicinally, but for in- 14. Herod's character is re-
struction. vealed in this chapter as weak,
The brief account of this sensual, cruel, and supersti-
exercise of ministry emphasises tious (cf. also Luke xiii. 32).
(1) preparation of men's The effect of the Apostles'
hearts ; (2) power delegated ; success was to spread Christ's
(3) the use of outward sym- fame. Different people formed
bols of divine operations. Luke theories each according to his
xxii. 35-38 shows that the com- own previous moral history,
mission was educational ; the Notice Herod's emphasis in
training of the few in the midst verse 16. of rampant evil being our
6o THE GOSPEL OF ST. MARK
16 But when Herod heard thereof, he said, It is John, whom I beheaded : he is risen from the dead.
17 For Herod himself had sent forth and laid hold upon John, and bound him in prison, for Herodias' sake, his brother Philip's wife : for he had married her.
18 For John had said unto Herod, It is not lawful for thee to have thy brother's wife.
19 Therefore Herodias had a quarrel against him, and would have killed him; but she could not.
Ver. 17. Herodias, daughter of Aristobulus, eldest son of Herod the Great : married her uncle Philip, son of Herod and Marianne : an incestuous union. She broke it off and married Antipas (incest and adultery). The latter put away his former wife, daughter of Aretas, an Arabian prince. If Philip was still alive, which is uncertain, Antipas and Herodias each committed incest and double adultery. Yet St. Mark deals with him as gently as was consistent with a full disclosure.
Ver. 18. John was imprisoned in the fortress called Machrerus, to the east of the Dead Sea.
18. If the daughter of Philip preparation; the wide renown
and Herodias, Salome, had not in the wilderness ; the life at
been born, the marriage would court ; imprisonment ; death,
have been lawful, as far as the The most trying time probably
relationship was concerned, at court, where everything
"EX676, tense. prompted a discreet reticence.
A great moral crisis in the (Note carefully the drift of
Baptist's life. Compare the Luke vii. 19-35.) stages of his career ; the long
CHAPTER VI. 20-25 61
20 For Herod feared John, knowing that he was a just man and an holy, and observed him ; and when he heard him, he did many things, and heard him gladly.
21 And when a convenient day was come, that Herod on his birthday made a supper to his lords, high captains, and chief estates of Galilee ;
22 And when the daughter of the said Herodias came in, and danced, and pleased Herod and them that sat with him, the king said unto the damsel, Ask of me whatsoever thou wilt, and I will give it thee.
23 And he sware unto her, Whatsoever thou shalt ask of me, I will give it thee, unto the half of my kingdom.
24 And she went forth, and said unto her mother, What shall I ask ? And she said, The head of John the Baptist.
25 And she came in straightway with haste
Ver. 20. Notice the two readings, rjiropet and kiroUi. Supper in the fortress, just before the war with Aretas began, undertaken by the latter in consequence of the insult.
Ver. 22. Esther vii. 2.
20. Herod feared John. — The tempting: he did much of what
not uncommon phenomenon of he was told, except the one
a bad, weak man, hungering renunciation (James ii. 10 ;
to hear denunciations of him- Matt. v. 18).
self. The A. V. reading is 25. Straightway with haste.
62 THE GOSPEL OF ST. MARK
unto the king and asked, saying, I will that thou give me by and by, in a charger, the head of John the Baptist.
26 And the king was exceeding sorry ; yet for his oath's sake, and for their sakes which sat with him, he would not reject her.
27 And immediately the king sent an execu- tioner, and commanded his head to be brought : and he went, and beheaded him in the prison,
28 And brought his head in a charger, and gave it to the damsel : and the damsel gave it to her mother.
29 And when his disciples heard of it, they came and took up his corpse, and laid it in a tomb.
30 And the apostles gathered themselves to-
Ver. 30. I.e., the twelve after their mission.
— Daughter and mother pro- this connection St. Vincent of
bably had plotted together. Lerins' canon, ' Quod semper,
28. Tradition adds that she quod ubique quod ah omnibus.') tore the tongue out. Yet note the contrast between
29. Took up. — Perhaps after the beginning and end of the being cast out. The whole careers of great reformers in narrative is a marvel of con- Scripture ; frequently triumph, ciseness and lucidity. As to then shame.
the end of the Baptist, it ex- It is worth while noticing
emplifies the law of the antago- that Christ did nothing to avert
nism between truth and the the death of the Baptist ; nor
world, anticipating the supreme does He comment upon it.
instance on Calvary. It is He must have seen and heard
doubtful if any truth really a vast amount of sin and folly
needed for man has been wel- and said nothing, corned at first. (Compare in
CHAPTER VI. 31-34 63
gether unto Jesus, and told him all things, both what they had done, and what they had taught.
31 And he said unto them, Come ye yourselves apart into a desert place, and rest awhile: for there were many coming and going, and they had no leisure so much as to eat.
32 And they departed into a desert place by ship privately.
33 And the people saw them departing, and many knew him, and ran afoot thither out of all cities, and outwent them, and came together unto him.
34 And Jesus, when he came out, saw much people, and was moved with compassion toward them, because they were as sheep not having a
Ver. 31. Notice avroi, you too, the givers, require rest.
Ver. 32. Desert place. — Not wilderness, but unin- habited, near Bethsaida Julias, N.E. corner of the lake. The spot has been identified.
Ver. 34. Come forth. — Probably from the ship.
31. Rest required after giv- narrated by all four Evan-
ing out. There is a striking gelists. It is full of types as
absence of haste in divine ope- to God's bountiful dealing with
rations (Acts vii. 29; Gal. i. His Church. The reader should
18 ; ii. 1 ; Luke iii. 23). They fill up this narrative with the
had no leisure. — This belies the other three, especially with
impression gathered from pic- that of St. John. The fact
tures, &c, that the Apostles that the miracle was at the
were merely spectators and time of the Passover, and was
listeners. They must have closely followed by that of the
been constantly engaged (ver. walking on the water, and that
38, and 7, note ; 1 Cor. iii. 9). the two together lead to the
34. This is the only miracle great discourse in John vi. just
64 THE GOSPEL OF ST. MARK
shepherd; and he began to teach them many things.
35 And when the day was now far spent, his disciples came unto him, and said, This is a desert place, and now the time is far passed :
36 Send them away, that they may go into the country round about, and into the villages, and buy themselves bread : for they have nothing to eat.
37 He answered and said unto them, Give ye them to eat. And they say unto him, Shall we go and buy two hundred pennyworth of bread, and give them to eat ?
38 He saith unto them, How many loaves have ye ? go and see. And when they knew, they say, Five, and two fishes.
Ver. 37. Penny, ^vapiov = 7^d. Possibly this 200 denarii was the total sum they possessed.
Ver. 38. Fish, small salt fish used for seasoning bread.
a year previously to the insti- 37. 2 Kings iv. 41, 42; Num.
tution of the Lord's Supper, xi. 22.
point to a development in 38. Questions to draw out
Christ's teaching concerning (a) the faith of the Apostles as a
divine feeding ; (b) divine Pre- necessary preliminary to the
sence, leading to the doctrine divine manifestation. There
of the Eucharist (John vi. 11). was but little, but it seems to
Not . . . shepherd. — Cf. have been combined with true
Ezek. xxxiv. 18. self-denial, in offering to give
35. Cf. St. John. Training up all their little store (ver. 31 ;
in trust through despair of Matt. xii. 1 ; Mark viii. 14 ;
earthly resources (Deut. xxxii. Matt. vi. 33). 10, 11 ; Mark v. 26).
CHAPTER VI. 39-43 65
39 And he commanded them to make all sit down by companies upon the green grass.
40 And they sat down in ranks by hundreds, and by fifties.
41 And when he had taken the five loaves and the two fishes, he looked up to heaven, and blessed, and brake the loaves, and gave them to his dis- ciples to set before them ; and the two fishes divided he among them all.
42 And they did all eat, and were filled.
43 And they took up twelve baskets full of the fragments, and of the fishes.
Ver. 39. Green, as it is for a few weeks in the spring (John vi. 4).
Ver. 40. Upao-iaX Trpavial, like flower-beds : the effect of coloured garments on the grass. Perhaps they were in double files of fifty in each row.
Ver. 41. The Talmud says, ' He that enjoys aught with- out thanksgiving is as if he robbed God' (1 Sam. ix. 13 ; Matt, xxvi.^26).
Ver. 42. 'Exoprda-drja-av, in body only, like cattle (John vi. 26). This is the predominant sense of the word.
Ver. 43. Ko^ivwv, the small baskets carried by Jews
39. It is most important to all the Evangelists. For the
observe the orderly nature of teaching of sacramental truth we
the distribution. It was quite can scarcely conceive of a more
superfluous, excepting as a pre- effectual preparation than this,
paration for the life of the 42. The multiplication must
Church. have taken place in the Apos-
41. The solemnity of our ties' hands.
Lord's demeanour recorded by 43. In this miracle we ob-
5. T. E
66
THE GOSPEL OF ST. MARK
44: And they that did eat of the loaves were about five thousand men.
45 And straightway he constrained his dis- ciples to get into the ship, and to go to the other side before unto Bethsaida, while he sent away the people.
46 And when he had sent them away, he de- parted into a mountain to pray.
away from home (Juvenal, Satire, ii. 14 ; Mark viii. 8 ; Acts ix. 25),
Ver. 44. Men (Matt. xiv. 21). (a) Women and children kept apart according to Oriental ideas ; (b) women not required (generally) to attend the feasts, hence only present in inconsiderable numbers, as this crowd was mainly of pilgrims on their way to Jerusalem.
Ver. 45. Bethsaida Julias, near the extreme north of the lake.
serve— (1) royal bounty; (2) leisureliness ; (3) order ; (4) employment of human agents ; (5) after their offer of self- sacrifice ; (6) at a time of ap- parent destitution. Also the miracle had been prepared for by the people being detained by our Lord's teaching (ver. 34).
45, From St. John we learn that the people were anxious to make Christ a king ; all that was carnal and selfish in their feeling for Him was finding expression, and likely to injure
the faith of the Apostles. It was very rarely that our Lord interfered in the course of events.
46. Compare the other occa- sions on which Christ is re- corded as praying ; Luke v. 12 ; ix. 29 ; xi. 1 ; xxii. 41— always before some momentous event. Here He seems to be preparing for the great dis- course at Capernaum (John vi.), which was to elevate the ideas of the Apostles, sift His disciples, and lay the founda- tions of sacramental truth.
CHAPTER VI. 47-51
67
47 And when even was come, the ship was in the midst of the sea, and he alone on the land.
48 And he saw them toiling in rowing ; for the wind was contrary unto them : and about the fourth watch of the night he cometh unto them, walking upon the sea, and would have passed by them.
49 But when they saw him walking upon the sea, they supposed it had been a spirit, and cried out :
50 For they all saw him, and were troubled. And immediately he talked with them, and saith unto them, Be of good cheer: it is I; be not afraid.
51 And he went up unto them into the
Ver. 48. The power of God over the sea often mentioned in Scripture, e.g., Ps. lxxvii. 19 ; Job ix. 8, &c.
47. The first miracle taught the mystery of the divine feed- ing ; the second that of the divine presence.
48. He saw them. — Again waiting till their need was ex- treme. Would have passed. — As in Luke xxiv. 28, to draw out an expression of reliance upon Himself.
49. Man is always ready to have recourse to superstition when natural laws cease to be a guide. We find it difficult to rise up to a simple belief in
God's power over matter. Pos- sibly this was but a mighty extension of the mysterious subordination of matter to spirit often observable, e.g., a man weighs less when awake than when asleep — the physi- cal strength given by great excitement, &c.
50. For they all saw Him. — Peculiar to Mark: none able to rise above ordinary notions, not even John (xxi. 7).
51. The amazement is spoken of as a sign of unbelief ; it was
68 THE GOSPEL OF ST. MARK
ship; and the wind ceased: and they were sore amazed in themselves beyond measure, and wondered.
52 For they considered not the miracle of the loaves : for their heart was hardened.
53 And when they had passed over, they came into the land of Gennesaret, and drew to the shore.
54 And when they were come out of the ship, straightway they knew him,
55 And ran through that whole region round about, and began to carry about in beds those that were sick, where they heard he was.
56 And whithersoever he entered, into villages, or cities, or country, they laid the sick in the streets, and besought him that they might touch, if it were but the border of his garment : and as many as touched him were made whole.
due to their clinging to low xiv. 33 to be explained by the
ideas about the person of the insertion of the incident, Matt.
Lord. If they were true, then xiv. 28-31 ; the statement here
the amazement was reason- refers to the Apostles' feeling
able. before Peter made his attempt,
52. That is, the divine crea- that in St. Matt, to the effect
tive action upon matter (viii. after.
17; iii. 5; xvi. 14). The ap- 56. Cf. v. 27, 28; Matt. ix.
parent discrepancy with Matt. 20 ; Acts xix. 12 .
CHAPTER VII. 1-3 69
Chapter VII.
1 Then came together unto him the Pharisees, and certain of the scribes, which came from Jeru- salem.
2 And when they saw some of his disciples eat bread with denied (that is to say, with unwashen) hands, they found fault.
3 (For the Pharisees, and all the Jews, except
Chap. VII. Ver. 1. The first direct collision with Kab- binism, the official teaching added to the Mosaic Law, reverenced by many above the Law. The terrible punish- ment of the Captivity caused the Palestinian Jews (the minority) to dread idolatry but to idolise the law, mean- ing their own additions as well as Scripture ; i.e., the writings called the Mishnah, the Midrash Targums, &c, and finally the Talmud. Their theology was divided into Halachah and Haggadah, the former being the traditional law, and supposed by all to be in complete agreement with Scripture. This is exactly what Christ denies (ver. 13), thereby marking the completeness of the antagonism be- tween Him and the Jewish leaders.
Pharisees, a religious party ; scribes, the official inter- preters of the law, held in very great honour. ' Coming,' as a deputation, to prove their allegation (John ix. 16).
Ver. 3. All the Jews. — Because this was one of the few points on which the two great rival teachers, Hillel
Chap. VII. 2. Possibly a nance was broken. For the reflection on the miracle of the effect of miracles on different previous day, when the ordi- minds, cf. John xi. 47.
70 THE GOSPEL OF ST. MARK
they wash their hands oft, eat not, holding the tradition of the elders.
4 And when they come from the market, except they wash, they eat not. And many other things there be, which they have received to hold, as the washing of cups, and pots, brazen vessels, and of tables.)
5 Then the Pharisees and scribes asked him, Why walk not thy disciples according to the tra- dition of the elders, but eat bread with unwashen hands ?
6 He answered and said unto them, Well hath
and Shammai, just before the time of Christ, were agreed. These two were called ' elders ; ' hence the expression, ' the tradition of the elders.'
Oft, ' diligently.' Probably means ' to the wrist,' since if the water remained short of the wrists the hands were not clean. There was a belief that an evil spirit settled on the hands when they were defiled. The numerous for- malities connected with this rite had been very recently confirmed by authority.
Ver. 4. The market. — Because of the contact with heathen, which sometimes compelled the orthodox Jew to immerse. Cups, &c, bought from heathen had to be put into boiling water or purged with fire. Anything with a hollow in it was a cup. The whole of this passage shows an intimate knowledge of these minutiae.
6. We should avoid the com- religious observances co-exist
inon mistake of supposing that with worldliness Isaiah's words
the sin denounced here is pecu- apply. The peculiarity of the
liarly Jewish. Wherever any Jews was their zeal (cf. St.
CHAPTER VII. 7-11 7*
Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is writ- ten, This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me.
7 Howbeit, in vain do they worship me, teach- ing for doctrines the commandments of men.
8 For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, as the washing of pots and cups : and many other such like things ye do.
9 And he said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition.
10 For Moses said, Honour thy father and thy mother ; and, Whoso curseth father or mother, let him die the death :
11 But ye say, If a man shall say to his father or mother, It is Corban, that is to say, a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me ; he shall be free.
Paul's pathetic words, Rom. 10. This is an instance of
x. 2). However misguided, evasion by a formula. Kor-
it was better than indifference ban — 'dedicated to the Temple
(Rev. iii. 15). treasury.' If true, the remark
8. Why ? These traditions would mean that the money were burdensome enough (Matt, was previously dedicated ; but xxiii. 4) ; but they only re- the word was said to enable quired outward effort, not re- the son to withhold what his formation of the heart. Men parent required, and enjoy it naturally resent any claim himself for a long time. Yet which involves the latter, the Jews were punctilious (Compare Deut. iv. 2.) about observing the law of
9. Ironical. Fall well means Exod. xxi. 17. Human his- something like ' what could be tory is full of the power of better than.' ph
72
THE GOSPEL OF ST. MARK
12 And ye suffer him no more to do ought for his father or his mother ;
13 Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition, which ye have delivered : and many such like things do ye.
14 And when he had called all the people unto him, he said unto them, Hearken unto me every one of you, and understand :
15 There is nothing from without a man that, entering into him, can defile him : but the things which come out of him, those are they that defile the man.
16 If any man have ears to hear, let him hear.
17 And when he was entered into the house
13. Tradition. — Not of a hallowed antiquity, from a purer age of the Church ; but a very late development, mostly between the times of the Old and New Testaments. Compare the growth of some Romanist dogmas, confessedly not based on Scripture, nor known to the early Church.
14. With all impressiveness, since these words mark a com- plete revolution in religious thought. Understand, a moral act, like love, in 1 John iii. 18. It is well to distinguish the kind of teaching given to the multi- tude from that given to the dis- ciples, or to the Apostles alone.
15. Even temptations from without need not defile. The sin of gluttony is not in the
superfluous food, but in the disobedient will. Man has a difficulty in thoroughly under- standing the truth of his natu- ral corruption, but blames circumstances (Gen. iii. 12 ; Exod. xiv. 12 ; xxxii. 22 ; 1 Sam. xv. 21).
16. Touches on the mystery, which Scripture does not solve, that some are without under- standing or faith (2 Thess. iii. 2). Comp. John xii. 40 with ix. 41 and v. 44. Isaiah, chap, i., dwells on the stupidity towards spiritual truth shown by the nation.
17. Notice the delusion which is here attacked, viz., that unclean meats actually de- filed the heart of man, as if they brought defilement with
CHAPTER VII. 18-22 73
from the people, his disciples asked him concern- ing the parable.
18 And he saith unto them, Are ye so without understanding also? Do ye not perceive, that whatsoever thing from without entereth into the man, it cannot defile him :
19 Because it entereth not into his heart, but into the belly, and goeth out into the draught, purging all meats ?
20 And he said, That which cometh out of the man, that defileth the man.
21 For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders.
22 Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit,
Ver. 17. Parable = { dark saying ' (iv. 11).
Ver. 19. Notice the important correction at end of verse in R.V.
Ver. 21. Evil thoughts. — Perhaps { disputings,' allud- ing to the cavils of the scribes (1 Tim. vi. 5).
Ver. 22. Evil eye = ' envy,' ' blasphemy,' or R.V. 1 railing ; ' probably the same sense as in 1 Cor. x. 30.
them, whereas the prohibition dered on with the imagination against certain foods was for and intellect. All these sins purposes of exclusion from enumerated have their origin other nations. This saying is in corrupt desire. in anticipation of the breaking 22. Pride. — The haughty de- down of the wall of partition meanour of a self-centred man. (Eph. ii. 14). Foolishness. — The absence of 21. Evil thoughts are said to what is sometimes called Chris- proceed out of the heart when tian wisdom, they are taken up and pon- The whole of this explana-
74 THE GOSPEL OF ST. MARK
lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, fool- ishness :
23 All these evil things come from within, and defile the man.
24 And from thence he arose, and went into the borders of Tyre and Sidon, and entered into an house, and would have no man know it : but he could not be hid.
25 For a certain woman, whose young daughter had an unclean spirit, heard of him, and came and fell at his feet :
Malicious gossip proceeds from evil desire to injure another or to exalt oneself.
Ver. 24. Compare St. Matthew's account. It seems the woman first accosted Christ in the street, then followed Him into the house.
Ver. 25. (Matt. xv. 22.) Probably the unclean spirit caused paroxysms. Anyhow the calamity of such a pos- session of a pure young girl must have been unspeakable. Fell at his feet. — St. Mark here explains for Gentiles the Oriental mode of prostration in worship.
tion of the working of evil cular miracle, which is full of
must be taken in connexion instruction,
with the obligation to treat 25. Possession by evil spi-
the body with respect. Evil rits was prevalent among the
originates in the heart and dis- heathen. We do not read
plays itself in act ; but any of one case in Judea. This
violation of the laws of health woman was almost certainly a
will affect the mind and soul heathen by religion, but was
(Ps. cxxxix. 14). able to recognise and adore
24. Possibly owing to danger love and power when she heard
from the Herodians or others ; of it. Yet she belonged to the
or very probably with the in- very refuse of heathenism, tention of working this parti-
CHAPTER VII. 26-29
75
26 The woman was a Greek, a Syrophenician by nation ; and she besought him that he would cast forth the devil out of her daughter.
27 But Jesus said unto her, Let the children first be filled : for it is not meet to take the chil- dren's bread, and to cast it unto the dogs.
28 And she answered and said unto him, Yes, Lord : yet the dogs under the table eat of the children's crumbs.
29 And he said unto her, For this saying go thy way ; the devil is gone out of thy daughter.
Ver. 26. One of the old accursed race (Numb. xiii. 29 ; Gen. ix. 25) doomed to extirpation for foul wickedness.
Ver. 27. Dogs. — The term among the Greeks either denoted a noble animal or was a term of contempt ; in Scripture, always the latter.
27. The first repulse was given by silence (Matt. xv. 23). The second, see ver. 26. This is the third. The answer means, 'let the chosen people have the full abundance of God's favour.' It contained a sting in the allusion to the conquest of Canaan. This is divine love hiding under seve- rity (Isa. lxv. 15 ; Ps. xxii. 2 ; Mark vi. 48 ; Luke xxiv. 28, &c). Thus also Christ speaks honourably of the Jews, but sharply to them (John viii. S3, 37 ; iv. 22), always to teach humility.
28. She first detects the gleam of light in the answer :
' If dogs, anyhow not debarred from the master's table.' The answer shows the intimate union of faith with humility. She accepts the description and its stigma, resting her appeal entirely on mercy (2 Kings xix. 14-19). For ordinary heathen prayer, cf. Homer's ' Iliad,' Ek. I. This woman exactly illustrates Rom. x. 30 (cf. 31). Her words are adopted ' in the deepest prayer of our Eucha- ristic service.' For other teach- ing of the need of importunity in prayer and intercession, cf. Luke xviii. 32 ; Gen. xxxii. 24 ; 1 Kings xviii. 43.
76 THE GOSPEL OF ST. MARK
30 And when she was come to her house, she found the devil gone out, and her daughter laid upon the bed.
31 And again, departing from the coasts of Tyre and Sidon, he came unto the sea of Galilee, through the midst of the coasts of Decapolis.
32 And they bring unto him one that was deaf, and had an impediment in his speech ; and they beseech him to put his hand upon him.
33 And he took him aside from the multitude, and put his fingers into his ears, and he spit, and touched his tongue ;
34 And looking up to heaven, he sighed, and saith unto him, Ephphatha, that is, Be opened.
35 And straightway his ears were opened, and the string of his tongue was loosed, and he spake plain.
Ver. 31. This visit was heralded (ver. 20).
Ver. 32. They bring.— Of. ii. 3, note. To lay his hands. — Probably a sign of weak faith (2 Kings v. 11 ; Mark v. 23 ; vi. 5).
33. The reason is doubtful. Looking up. — This action, else- All goes to show a weak faith where noticed, illustrates the in the people and in the suf- law that Christ, as Man, re- ferer. Christ perhaps wished ceived from the Father gifts to release him from the effects for men (John v. 30 ; xiv. 24 ; of the unbelief of the others, Eph. iv. 8). Clearly this is to or to avoid encouraging super- enable us to learn the difficult stition. The details show diffi- lesson contained in 1 Cor. iv. culty, though the Healer was 7 ; 1 Pet. iv. 10 ; John iv. 10 ; omnipotent. vi. 32. All Christ's actions are
34. Sighed. — Cf. viii. 12. for our spiritual edification.
CHAPTER VIII. 1-3 77
36 And he charged them that they should tell no man : but the more he charged them, so much the more a great deal they published it ;
37 And were beyond measure astonished, say- ing, He hath done all things well: he maketh both the deaf to hear, and the dumb to speak.
Chapter VIII.
1 In those days the multitude being very great, and having nothing to eat, Jesus called his dis- ciples unto him, and saith unto them,
2 I have compassion on the multitude, because they have now been with me three days, and have nothing to eat :
3 And if I send them away fasting to their own houses, they will faint by the way : for divers of them came from far.
Chap. VIII. Ver. 1. Among many points of resem- blance, an attentive reader can detect at least nine differ- ences between this and the miracle of the five thousand.
37. The words do not ex- xiii. 20 ; Luke xv. 19, 20, and
press a very elevated faith. frequently in Psalms and Pro-
Chap. VIII. 2. Christ takes phets). the initiative, but not till three 3. The question put to the
days had passed. There are Apostles to draw from them
many illustrations in Scripture some reminiscence of the pre-
of the saying, ' Man's extremity vious miracle ; but in vain,
is God's opportunity ' (v. 26 j There are no limits to human
78 THE GOSPEL OF ST. MARK
4 And his disciples answered him, From whence can a man satisfy these men with bread here in the wilderness ?
5 And he asked them, How many loaves have ye ? And they said, Seven.
6 And he commanded the people to sit down on the ground : and he took the seven loaves, and gave thanks, and brake, and gave to his disciples to set before them; and they did set them before the people.
Ver. 5. The proportion borne by the multitude to the loaves and fishes was greater in the first miracle. This is clearly against the theory of a forgery.
Ver. 6. As before, the giving of thanks is emphasised. There is also the blessing before the distribution of fish (ver. 7). It was in accordance with Jewish custom to give thanks only once at the beginning of the meal (vi. 41). But, dealing with Gentiles, our Lord repeated the thanks- giving. Ground, not grass (vi. 39), as in Palestine it would be burnt up in the summer.
incredulity of divine power, seems different. Possibly the
Cf. Exod. xvii. 1-7 ; xvi. 13 ; fact that these were heathen
Num. xi. 21,22. The Apostles, was the difficulty (Matt. xv.
moreover, were singularly mat- 23). Again, the miracles of
ter-of-fact men (John xiv. 5, 8 ; feeding were very infrequent
xx. 25 ; xii. 5), and hence well compared to those of healing,
fitted for their commission Why ? For Christ's taking the
(Luke xxiv. 48). Every new Apostles into confidence, cf.
collapse that impends seems Amos vii. 7 ; John xv. 15.
worse than previous ones. To Everything that occurs is made
argue from God's mercies in a means of increasing their
the past to the future is a faith in Him, or their power
triumph of faith very rarely of resource, attained, Something always
CHAPTER VIII. 7-12 79
7 And they had a few small fishes: and he blessed, and commanded to set them also before them.
8 So they did eat, and were filled: and they took up of the broken meat that was left seven baskets.
9 And they that had eaten were about four thousand : and he sent them away.
10 And straightway he entered into a ship with his disciples, and came into the parts of Dalmanutha.
11 And the Pharisees came forth, and began to question with him, seeking of him a sign from heaven, tempting him.
12 And he sighed deeply in his spirit, and saith, Why doth this generation seek after a sign ? verily
Ver. 11. Came forth. — Probably from the small towns in the neighbourhood. In Matt. xv. 39 Magadan is given as the name of the district, somewhere south of the Sea of Tiberias, within the Decapolis.
Ver. 12. Generation. — Sometimes used as = ' men of a certain disposition, temper' (Ps. xiv. 5).
11. The demand for signs rently they thought a sign in
in the case of great rabbis is the sky was not open to the
mentioned in Jewish writings, suspicion of iii. 22.
Their view of Christ was that 12. Sighed deeply. — Why?
He was a law-breaker, and (1.) The request was a premoni-
therefore a false prophet. It tion of xv. 33, or of xiii. 24,
would settle the question if 26. This was a fresh proof of
they demanded a sign and He the suicidal blindness of the
failed to obtain one. Appa- Jews (Luke xiii, 34; xix. 41).
So THE GOSPEL OF ST. MARK
I say unto you, There shall no sign be given unto this generation.
13 And he left them, and entering into the ship again departed to the other side.
14 Now the disciples had forgotten to take bread, neither had they in the ship with them more than one loaf.
15 And he charged them, saying, Take heed, beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, and of the leaven of Herod.
Ver. 15. Take heed, beware, expressing urgency. Of Herod, Sadducees (cf. Matt.). Leaven, ordinarily a lump of old fermented dough put into fresh dough prepared for baking, causing it to swell Unleavened bread was insipid. The aptness of the figure consists in' the connexion between leaven and corruption and its gradual influence.
They did not know that faith disappointment in their reli-
cannot be grounded on sight gious life are asking for a
(Heb. xi. 1; John xiv. 17; sign, which would cost nothing
Rom. viii. 24 ; 2 Cor. iv. 18). and do no good.
Faith was a new quality, only This generation. — Possibly
understood by a very few because the sign of xiii. 24 was
(Luke ii. 38). The word al- forty years later ; but cf. xiii.
most confined to the New 30.
Testament (Deut. xxxii. 20 ; 14. So little did they ' take
Hab. ii. 4). It is a reliance thought ' about material needs
on revelation rather than on in our Lord's company, yet the
common sense, and demands a rebuke they are to receive is a
sympathy with the divine order very severe one.
of things. (2.) It was a repeti- 15. Explains part of the Old
tion of the temptation (Matt. Testament type (Lev. ii. 11 ;
iv. 9), as it suggested a short Numb. vi. 15; Deut. xvi. 4;
cut to a transitory success. Amos iv. 5, ironical ; Deut.
Those who are dismayed by xvi. 3). Here leaven = the cor-
CHAPTER VIII. 16-18
Si
16 And they reasoned among themselves, say- ing, It is because we have no bread.
17 And when Jesus knew it, he saith unto them, Why reason ye, because ye have no bread ? perceive ye not yet, neither understand ? have ye your heart yet hardened ?
18 Having eyes, see ye not ? and having ears, hear ye not ? and do ye not remember ?
Ver. 16. Probably after an interval, and being reminded of the omission by the use of the word. Ver. 17. Hardened, cf. vi. 52.
rupting influence of the tone of the Pharisees and Sad- ducees. Different in many ways, in both parties were many hypocrites (Luke xii. 1), i.e., professing zeal for a lofty object — religion or patriotism — but caring for their own glorification most (John v. 44 ; 1 Cor. v. 8 ; Matt. vi. 2). This secular motive, called ambi- tion, is profoundly corrupting and stealthy in its influence. Hence the severity of Christ's denunciations (Luke xi. 39 ; Matt. vii. 22, 23; cf. ix. 11, 12), and St. Paul's (Rom. ix. 31 ; Gal. v. 12, &c).
16. But the Apostles could not rise above the thought of barley loaves.
17. Why reason ? cf. note on vii. 21. Understand, cf. Matt.
S. T.
xv. 16, where there is a refer- ence to the Pharisees. Stupi- dity about spiritual things, when pushed beyond a certain point, is treated like want of principle (cf. for utter degra- dation, Rom. i. 21, and for the life of the blessed, 1 Cor. xiii. 12). It is in the list of vii. 22. But when thoroughly honest, and combined with love for Christ, it is removed by Him (John xx. 28). Here, the second cause of complaint, their being anxious about the want of food, is due to the same cause, absorption in tem- poral things.
Christ's teaching easy to mis- understand, but when explained by God's merciful severity, it not only opens mysteries, but allays anxiety also.
F
82 THE GOSPEL OF ST. MARK
19 When I brake the five loaves among five thousand, how many baskets full of fragments took ye up ? They say unto him, Twelve.
20 And when the seven among four thousand, how many baskets full of fragments took ye up ? And they said, Seven.
21 And he said unto them, How is it that ye do not understand ?
22 And he cometh to Bethsaida; and they bring a blind man unto him, and besought him to touch him.
23 And he took the blind man by the hand, and led him out of the town : and when he had
Vers. 19, 20. As before, different words are used to de- note different kinds of baskets.
Ver. 22. Bethsaida, i.e., Julias, on the eastern shore of the lake. Therefore the denunciation of Matt. xi. 21 is not to be taken in connection with this miracle. Many points of similarity to the miracle of vii. 31. One striking difference.
23. The only miracle of aloud for the benefit of the which the healing was gradual. Apostles and of the sufferer ; (Recovery of spiritual sight no proportion in His sight (as always gradual, even in Luke in the newly converted) ; need xxiii. 42, and Acts ix. 6.) (1.) of quiet home-life for a time, Because the sufferer's faith was not excitement or questioning probably weak. (2. ) To show (John ix. 25). Every action us the process of spiritual heal- of our Lord's directed to train- ing. Notice, then, the faith of ing of the Apostles for their others (as often) : need of soli- work. Again, we see here the tude ; healing from Christ's law of gradual operation (iv. Person ; the question asked 28). The legendary miracles
CHAPTER VIII. 24-27 83
spit on his eyes, and put his hands upon him, he asked him if he saw ought.
24 And he looked up, and said, I see men as trees, walking.
25 After that he put his hands again upon his eyes, and made him look up : and he was restored, and saw every man clearly.
26 And he sent him away to his house, saying, Neither go into the town, nor tell it to any in the town.
27 And Jesus went out, and his disciples, into the towns of Csesarea Philippi : and by the way he
Ver. 24. Notice the broken sentence of the R.V.; more natural than the A.V.
Ver. 26. Shows that He lived in a house separated from the village.
Ver. 27. This was a part of the country hitherto un- visited by them, rich in splendid scenery and historical
are for the most part meaning- shrewd observer (like Judas) less and without law. might foresee failure. Who was Some retrospect is neces- this whom they were following? sary. The age-long preparation How was it going to end ? (Matt. xxv. 34 ; Eph. i. 4 ; 1 Up till now there was no proof Pet. i. 20) for man's salvation whether their loyalty was from was now to be tested. Christ love or ambition (ver. 15). was founding a society built Certainly, their worldly hopes upon belief in His Person, had received a shock, but far Were the Apostles ready ? The worse was to come (ver. 31). ministry in Galilee was ended In view of this, we must con- (John vi., sub Jin.); hostility nect closely the Confession, the was gathering all round ; He prophecy of death, the Trans- had refused the formal chal- figuration, lenge of the Pharisees. Any 27. Men.— Not Pharisees or
84 THE GOSPEL OF ST. MARK
asked his disciples, saying unto them, Whom do men say that I am ?
28 And they answered, John the Baptist : but some say, Elias ; and others, One of the prophets.
29 And he saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am ? And Peter answered and saith unto him, Thou art the Christ.
30 And he charged them that they should tell no man of him.
interest. Csesarea Philippi, enlarged by the Tetrarch, a place of purely heathen associations.
He asked. — After prayer (Luke). To estimate the im- portance of the occasion, cf. i. 35 ; Luke v. 16 ; vi. 12 ; ix. 29 ; xi. 1 ; xxii. 41.
Ver. 28. I.e., ' a second John the Baptist,' &c.
Ver. 29. Christ = 'The Anointed,' embracing the three offices of Prophet, Priest, and King (1 Kings xix. 16 ; Exod. xl. 15; 1 Sam. x. 1).
Ver. 30. Charged with rebuke. Cf. the expressions in Matthew and Luke. Head the whole account in the first Gospel carefully.
priests. What had been the the others ; (3.) and posterity,
progress of the Gospel among Peter's faith, at its best, was
the populace ? Christ's method more available even than
of helping faith by questions. John's. Hence he is repre-
28. Varied aspects of His sentative of all. For Christ's work. Men's estimate of Christ answer, cf. Matt. xvi. ; John may be very lofty and yet in- xvii. 3 ; Gal. i. 1 6. expressibly below the truth. 30. It would have been far
29. Emphasis on ' ye.' Why too great a trial. The whole necessary to elicit the answer ? episode is totally unlike any (1.) Faith must be progressive, recorded of other founders of explicit, ratified; (2.) to help religious movements, and unin-
CHAPTER VIII. 31-33
35
31 And he began to teach them, that the Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders, and of the chief priests, and scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again.
32 And he spake that saying openly. And Peter took him, and began to rebuke him.
33 But when he had turned about and looked on his disciples, he rebuked Peter, saying, Get thee behind me, Satan: for thou savourest not
Ver. 31. Be rejected, after scrutiny.
Ver. 33. Behind me.— The same Greek word is strik-
telligible except on the assump- tion that Christ is God. Peter's words contain the whole doc- trine of Christ's Person in the germ, though he could not have known all that they meant. He meant the divine Messiah (John v. 18). He was called 'blessed,' as in Matt. xi. 6; xiii. 16 ; Rev. xvi. 15 ; Pro v. viii. Si. Some details omitted, because St. Peter himself told St. Mark of the occurrence. We must observe that our Lord, to fit them for their work, led the Apostles to a confession of belief, not simply to a high moral standard.
31. Fortified by their own confession, the Apostles were the better prepared to receive the first prophecy of the Pas- sion. Each succeeding one was more detailed than this. Still
the shock must have been ter- rible. Elders, &c. — i.e., all that was most august and learned in the country. The prophecy of the Resurrection was quite hidden from them. Their difficulty was not in con- necting Christ and the God- head, but in connecting the Godhead with humiliation (Isa. liii.).
32. Openly, so that disciples as well as Apostles could hear. Took him aside, so as to ad- monish Him, not to speak such words, which would be fatal to their hopes.
33. ' Turning about,' as else- where, when enforcing some truth in opposition to some powerful worldly idea (iii. 5 ; x. 21 , 23). Satan.— The words recall the scene of Matt. iv. 10. It seems as if Satan, having
86
THE GOSPEL OF ST. MARK
the things that be of God, but the things that be of men.
34 And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny him- self, and take up his cross, and follow me.
ingly used in xiii. 16 ; Luke ix. 62 ; John vi. 66 ; Phil, iii. 13. Satan, lit., 'an adversary or accuser.'
Ver. 34 There are two Greek words used for ' deny.' This one, airapvdo-Oai = to disown the claims of; the other, apveo/jLou, to say No ; to say No to ; to reject in word. Sometimes the distinction is confused (Luke ix., var. lee. • xii. 9, 22, 34. St. Luke, writing Greek more according to the older usages, blended the two words, as in the classics.
found out then with whom he had to do, left Him till the Passion (Luke xxii. 53). But at intervals during the Minis- try the old temptation was renewed covertly, through an- other voice. Savourest not, 1 mindest,' R.V. (Rom. viii. 7). Peter fell four times, each time after full assurance of faith. Things of men. — All human ideals, even the highest, were shattered by such a prospect as was foretold. No great work has ever been done for God which was not in conflict with the prevailing notions of the time (Luke xviii. 34 ; John xv. 20).
34. One of those utterances
by Christ which thinned down the number of His followers. He left no one under a delu- sion (Luke xiv. 28 ; ix. 58, 62 ; John vi. 26). Deny himself. — This familiar saying is not easy to analyse. The verb seems to mean, ' to answer the claims of somebody, as if not binding ' (cf. responsare cupidinibus). Himself. — Clearly his natural self, including what we call all natural desires, hopes, aspira- tions, &c. Thus self-denial means the treating of all natu- ral human desires, &c, as un- deserving of the first place in one's attention, but always as subservient to something else. Cross. — Apparently the first
CHAPTER VIII. 35, 36
87
35 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it ; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the Gospel's, the same shall save it.
36 For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul ?
Ver. 36. Gain
transactions.
. forfeit. — Metaphor from commercial
introduction of this startling figure. To Christ's hearers it presented a picture of utter and abject misery, familiar enough to all.
35. In the New Testament the word for ' life ' denotes the higher faculties of the man without the specially spiritual portion called ' spirit.' The 'life,' or soul, is the battle- ground between the Holy Spirit working on man's spirit and Satan working through the desires of the lower nature. It must be gradually trans- formed by one influence or the other (Luke xxi. 19 ; xii. 22 ; 1 Pet. i. 22). The statement in this verse is a paradox which illuminates human life by re- vealing a law. Man is likely to suppose that the best way to preserve his own higher life is to make it his first and only object. Christ says that this is the way to destroy it. Thus, to cultivate the intellect for the sake of being intellectual is to spoil it ; whereas if it is devoted to some higher object
— e.g., the pursuit of truth — it develops freely to its full sta- ture. Again, to seek health simply for health's sake is to court disease ; but to obey the laws of health for the sake of a higher object — e.g., to do God's work in the world — is the best way to remain healthy. The same is obviously true of the pursuit of happiness. "We may say, too, that the law is closely connected with another, viz., that every form of life seems to fulfil its destiny best by giving itself, through death, to the support of the form of life next above it in the scale ; e.g., water, grass, animals, man. This death is here called the losing of the 'soul.' For my sake. — Very important words, warning us against that kind of self-mortification which pro- ceeds from any motive except the desire to do God's will in simple obedience. Shall save, even in this world (John xvii.
a).
36. Appeal to common sense in spiritual matters.
88 THE GOSPEL OF ST. MARK
37 Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul ?
38 Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me, and of my words, in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father, with the holy angels.
Chapter IX.
1 And he said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That there be some of them that stand here, which shall not taste of death, till they have seen the kingdom of God come with power.
Ver. 37. Lit. ' to buy back his soul ' (Ps. xlix. 8).
Ver. 38. Adulterous. — This figure frequently used (Hosea i. ; Eev. ix. 1 ; Eph. v. 32 ; Is. lxii. 5 ; Matt. xxv. 1 ; John iii. 29). Sinful.— The verb ' to sin,' originally = 'to miss the mark,' lience the adjective contains the idea of ' not fulfilling the object of existence.' Both words indicate a transferred allegiance. In the glory of his Father. — ( 'f. St. Luke's expression : combined, the words indicate unity of substance and distinction of persons. Holy angels. — See the impressive parallel, 1 Tim. v. 21.
Chap. IX. Ver. 1. Very difficult. The words here seem to be separated from the preceding. But not so in Matthew and Luke.
38. The supremacy of the a society which derides or lower worldly self means a despises His claim, failure to confess Christ before Chap. IX. 1. There are
CHAPTER IX. 2, 3
89
2 And after six days Jesus taketh with him Peter, and James, and John, and leadeth them up into an high mountain apart by themselves : and he was transfigured before them.
3 xlnd his raiment became shining, exceeding
Ver. 2. Transfigured. — The Greek word would sug- gest a metamorphosis to a Greek : hence St. Luke avoids it.
Ver. 3. The words seem chosen to express the utmost possible degree of whiteness.
four principal explanations — (a) the Transfiguration ; (b) the Day of Pentecost ; (c) the fall of Jerusalem ; (d) the Second Coming. In all predictions there is much that is obscure, especially when, as after xiii. 21-30 nearer and more remote events are blended. Compare the effect of distant moun- tains, which seem like one ; but when approached, separate (Rev. xix. 10). Taste of death may mean ' the slight libation of death to the faith- ful ' (Heb. ii. 9). Of the above, (6) strains the language the least, but it is best to assume the words are widely inclusive. For (a) cf. 2 Pet. i. 15 ; John i. 14. In any case, Christ was reassuring His bewildered hearers by promises of a great realisation (Jas. v. 8, 9). His method was to stretch their minds open first in the direc-
tion of glory, then of humilia- tion. The light and shadow of life ought to deepen as we grow older.
2. A week of meditation fol- lowed the last great prophecy, which, whatever its true sense, prepared the Apostles for the revelation to come.
Why only three ? Because re- velations are given to those who have most faith (Matt. xiii. 12), and it was needful for Christ to show the Apostles that He chose whom He would. Three the number for witnesses ; two for missionaries. High moun- tain, cf. Gen. xxii. 2 ; Exod. xxiv. 18 ; 1 Kings xiii. 19 ; Ezek. xl. 2; Rev. xxi. 10. All this seems natural to any one fami- liar with high mountains.
3. This wonderful event comes between the Baptism and the Resurrection. Till now Christ's ministry on the whole
9o
THE GOSPEL OF ST. MARK
white as snow ; so as no fuller on earth can white them.
4 And there appeared unto them Elias, with Moses ; and they were talking with Jesus.
5 And Peter answered and said to Jesus, Master, it is good for us to be here : and let us make three tabernacles: one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias.
6 For he wist not what to say ; for they were sore afraid.
7 And there was a cloud that overshadowed
Ver. 5. Tabernacles. — Cf. Dan. xi. 45 ; Eev. xxi. 3.
a success ; from this point He ' descends ' into more deadly conflict with unbelief and sin. The indwelling Godhead shone forth, this being, we may sup- pose, the natural appearance of the Incarnate Christ, as far as man may look upon it (Ps. civ. 2 ; Exod. iii. 2, 4 ; Phil, iii. 21). Comp. Luke ix. 29 and 31 . It may perhaps be sug- gested that our Lord, had He not checked Himself, would now have begun His Ascension into heaven. But there re- mained the Redemption to be accomplished.
4. Elias. — To meet the delu- sion in viii. 28 ; and Moses, to show that He who so conversed with the Lawgiver was not a law-breaker (Matt. viii. 17 ; John vii. 19), and that He had
power over life and death. Cf. also 1 Kings xix. 10, and John v. 18. But principally to show the absorption of law and pro- phets in Christ (Rom. x. 4). Both Elias and Moses had passed away mysteriously. How recognised now ? (Rev. iii. 17). It has been supposed that our Lord explained to them the mystery of the Passion, and how it was that the Ascension was not yet.
5. Probably implying that he longed for the glory to remain, that they might continue to enjoy it. Also that the Law and Prophets might abide.
7. Cloud (1 Kings viii. 10, 11; Isa. xlv. 15; Judg. xiii. 22; 1 Tim. vi. 16) = 'excess of light.'
Voice. — Cf. Matt. iii. 17 ;
CHAPTER IX. 8-11 91
them : and a voice came out of the cloud, saying, This is my beloved Son ; hear him.
8 And suddenly, when they had looked round about, they saw no man any more, save Jesus only with themselves.
9 And as they came down from the mountain, he charged them that they should tell no man what things they had seen, till the Son of man were risen from the dead.
10 And they kept that saying with themselves, questioning one with another what the rising from the dead should mean.
11 And they asked him, saying, Why say the scribes that Elias must first come ?
Ver. 8. Suggests the vanishing away of the older dispen- sation.
John xii. 28, just before the then confirm the lessons of the
Passion. Cf. 2 Pet. i. 17. Resurrection. All points to-
Words drawn from Psalms, wards differentiation among
Prophets, and Law (Ps. ii. 7 ; ministers in the Church. The
Isa. xlii. 2 ; Deut. xviii. 15). principle of inequality (Matt.
Hear ye him.— Cf. Col. ii. 17 ; xx. 15 ; xxv. 15 ; 1 Cur. iv. 7 ;
Heb. viii. 5 ; x. 1. Thus cul- xii. 29).
minated this ineffable revela- 10. An interesting remini-
tion vouchsafed to those who scence of St. Peter's. The
had faith in Christ's Person Jews by this time had a fairly
(viii. 29), and designed to for- clear expectation of a general
tify them through the rapidly resurrection (Dan. xii. 2).
ensuing trials. 11. Mai. iv. 5. Thus they
9. Our Lord knew that the identified the Transfiguration
faith of eight out of the nine with the prophet's forecast,
others could be left till after The question about Elias is
the Passion. This news would not fully answered. In the
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THE GOSPEL OF ST. MARK
12 And he answered and told them, Elias verily cometh first, and restoreth all things; and how- it is written of the Son of man, that he must suffer many things, and be set at nought.
13 But I say unto you, that Elias is indeed come, and they have done unto him whatsoever they listed, as it is written of him.
14 And when he came to his disciples, he saw a great multitude about them, and the scribes questioning with them.
15 And straightway all the people, when they beheld him, were greatly amazed ; and running to him, saluted him.
16 And he asked the scribes, What question ye with them ?
Yer. 14. Cf. the scene in Exod. xxxii. Ver. 15. Running to him.— Contrast Exod. xxxiv. 30. The Law and the Gospel.
person of the Baptist the pro- phecy had received one fulfil- ment. There may be another. Christ points out to them the law exemplified in Elijah, John, and Himself (Isa. liii. 2, &c). Restoreth. — The true idea of religion.
The whole story of the Trans- figuration demands careful me- ditation. Christ made no com- ment on it, apparently, to the Apostles. In numberless ways He shows that He will not save men the discipline of learning
the meaning of His doings, in spite of the errors and divisions that must ensue (Luke xii. 51). God respects man's reason as much as his free will.
14. Questioning. — Probably disputing and inferring the fail- ure of the Master's power from that of His followers.
15. Probably owing to some remains of the celestial glory on His countenance.
16. Question designed to make the scribes state clearly their position. (Error the off-
CHAPTER IX. 17-21 93
17 And one of the multitude answered and said, Master, I have brought unto thee my son, which hath a dumb spirit :
18 And wheresoever he taketh him, he teareth him ; and he foameth, and gnasheth with his teeth, and pineth away ; and I spake to thy disciples, that they should cast him out; and they could not.
19 He answered him, and saith, 0 faithless generation ! how long shall I be with you ? how long shall I suffer you ? bring him unto me.
20 And they brought him unto him : and when he saw him, straightway the spirit tare him; and he fell on the ground, and wallowed foaming.
21 And he asked his father, How long is it ago
Ver. 17. Dumb spirit. — Confusion of cause and effect. Dumb = * inarticulate,' cf . verse 26.
spring of a refusal to do this.) into an atmosphere of unbe-
They and the Apostles were lief that such glories existed!
ashamed (Matt. xxii. 1 2 ; Ezek. also into wrangling, triumph of
iii. 27; Col. iv. 3 ; Ps. li. 15 : scoffers, and unchecked malig-
praise a gift : cf. beginning of nity of Satan. The Lord feels
our daily service : contrast Is. it all. It is a miniature por-
xxx. 15). trait of His Incarnation. Gcnc-
18. The whole dialogue is ration, including all present, most dramatic and natural : How long, and the abrupt order the needless dwelling on symp- following, cf. John xiv. 9 ; xi. toms ; the helplessness, and 34. Christ's sojourn among glimmering faith. ' They were mankind prolonged of His own not able' (cf. Gehazi, 2Ki.iv.31). free will (verse 2, note).
19. Consider the shock, after 20. Tare him, as in i. 26. tasting the glories of the hea- 21. As before, it was neces- venly world, to descend full sary to draw out and strengthen
94 THE GOSPEL OF ST. MARK
since this came unto him ? And he said, Of a child :
22 And ofttimes it hath cast him into the fire, and into the waters, to destroy him : but if thou canst do any thing, have compassion on us, and help us.
23 Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.
24 And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief.
25 When Jesus saw that the people came run- ning together, he rebuked the foul spirit, saying unto him, Thou dumb and deaf spirit, I charge thee, come out of him, and enter no more into him.
Ver. 23. Emphasis on the second person of this verb (R.V.).
Ver. 25. Seeing, &c. — To avoid excitement. '/ com- mand thee,' emphatic in the Greek. The cure is complete for all time.
by utterance the father's faith but if thou canst (believe).'
(iii. 29, note). And he said. — There is often a critical mo-
Cf. Ps. cxlii. 2. God will not ment in Christ's miracles. Will
dispense with petition any more the sufferer make the effort or
than a human father. not ?
22. But if thou canst. — Sud- 24. A beautiful saying. The denly breaking off in despera- consciousness of faith being tion. weak is a sign of true faith.
23. Greek reading doubtful. An unbeliever has no misgiv- Probably a broken exclama- ings (Luke xvii. 5; xviii. 11 ; tion, meaning, ' not if / can, Matt. ix. 13).
CHAPTER IX. 26-31 95
26 And the spirit cried, and rent him sore, and came out of him : and he was as one dead ; inso- much that many said, He is dead.
27 But Jesus took him by the hand, and lifted him up ; and he arose.
28 And when he was come into the house, his disciples asked him privately, Why could not we cast him out ?
29 And he said unto them, This kind can come forth by nothing but by prayer and fasting.
30 And they departed thence, and passed through Galilee ; and he would not that any man should know it.
31 For he taught his disciples, and said unto them, The Son of man is delivered into the hands of men, and they shall kill him ; and after that he is killed, he shall rise the third day.
Ver. 27. Took him by the hand.— Dan. x. 8, 9 ; Rev. i. 17.
Ver. 31. For. — Solitude required for this teaching ; lit, ' He was teaching.'
26. As in spiritual revivals, neglected spiritual preparation the first outward symptom is for a danger which they heed- often great weakness (compare lessly encountered (Matt. xxv. Acts ix. 1 with ix. 9 ; and Matt. 3 ; Mark xiii. 33 ; Eph. vi. 18). xiv. 29 with John xxi. 18). Contrast Lam. iv. 17; Jer.
28. Implies that they had xliv. 27.
before been more successful. 30-32. Notice the increas-
29. This kind.— Some worse ing clearness of the prediction than others (Matt. xii. 45 ; (John xvi. 4). Hence the im- Eph. vi. 12). The Apostles had portance of such intimations
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THE GOSPEL OF ST. MARK
32 But they understood not that saying, and were afraid to ask him.
33 And he came to Capernaum : and being in the house, he asked them, What was it that ye dis- puted among yourselves by the way ?
34 But they held their peace : for by the way they had disputed among themselves who should be the greatest.
35 And he sat down, and called the twelve, and saith unto them, If any man desire to be first, the same shall be last of all, and servant of all.
36 And he took a child, and set him in the
Ver. 36. Probably the words in Matthew about child- likeness are part of a different discourse (Mark x. 13). Notice the different details of Christ's eloquent action in the three accounts.
as Matt, xxvii. 35 (Luke xxiv. 27), allowing us to learn that God has foreseen all. And yet Christ knew that the Apostles would not under- stand ; nor did He explain fully. His method was to let events explain, being very gentle in His dealings towards errors of intellect.
33. But when the motives were wrong He interfered, but not till the Apostles had finished talking.
34. They looked forward to being the officers in a kingdom. The desire for precedence, the
most stubborn evil which our Lord had to get rid of. Every- thing depended on its being cured. All sin is self-assertion, and any self-assertion is fatal to missionary work. Notice the mildness of His rebuke, and compare accounts in Matt, and Luke.
35. The natural desire must be transformed. If any man would be first. — Not to be pressed : it only indicates the result in God's sight. The words servant of all give the connexion with what follows.
CHAPTER IX. 37-39
97
midst of them : and when he had taken him in his arms, he said unto them,
37 Whosoever shall receive one of such children in my name, receiveth me : and whosoever shall re- ceive me, receiveth not me, but him that sent me.
38 And John answered him, saying, Master, we saw one casting out devils in thy name, and he followed not us : and we forbad him, because he followed not us.
39 But Jesus said, Forbid him not : for there is no man which shall do a miracle in my name, that can lightly speak evil of me.
Ver. 38. Cf. Numb. xi. 28 ; Acts xix. 13 ; Phil. i. 18. John perhaps took the lead in Peter's absence (cf. ix. 54 ; Matt. xx. 20).
37. An Apostle's humility is in ministering to the weak simply because they are weak. They have their compensation (Matt, xviii. 10 ; Luke xvi. 25), and true sympathy with them is blessed. The comple- ment of their life is Christ, that of Christ's life is the Father (John vi. 57).
This ambition among the twelve still lived (cf . Luke xxii. 24 with John xiii. 4). It re- appeared generally in harsh contrast with some action or saying of Christ (x. 37). Dis- tinctions in the kingdom of heaven were taught by the
5. T.
Rabbis ; it is, however, worse to be anxious about distinctions on earth.
38. John, probably pricked in conscience after the words in thy name, or jealous of apostolic dignity (x. 13). This disciple may have been wrong, but he had not seceded.
39. The reply clearly refers to the question of forbidding, and should not be extended to modern controversies. ' Why forbid ? Such faith as his will not easily degenerate into hos- tility to Me, and that is all you have to be concerned with. '
G
98
THE GOSPEL OF ST. MARK
40 For he that is not against us, is on our part.
41 For whosoever shall give you a cup of water to drink in my name, because ye belong to Christ, verily I say unto you, he shall not lose his reward.
42 And whosoever shall offend one of these little ones that believe in me, it is better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he were cast into the sea.
43 And if thy hand offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter into life maimed, than,
Ver. 41. Apparently connected with verse 37 after the interruption.
Ver. 42. The Greek means ' a millstone too big to be turned by hand' (Rev. xviii. 21). The severity of the saying consists in the loss of burial involved.
40. Clearly there were some disciples commissioned by our Lord apart from the twelve. Notice, also, that the twelve were not always with Him. Compare Matt. xii. 30, observ- ing in one text 'us,' in the other ' me.' There was as yet no question of opposition to an organised body (John xvii. 22 ; Eph. i. 22 ; iii. 6 ; iv. 4).
41. Contrast the reception foretold in Matt. vii. 22. All depends on motive.
42. Indicates God's estimate of those who are devoid of all that men think much of, but have faith in Christ (Matt. v. 3 ; Isa. lvii. 15 ; lxvi. 2 ; Luke
i. 52 ; 2 Cor. xii. 10). Offend = make it difficult for them to believe or grow in goodness, not only by temptation, but by absence of humility, or of willingness to serve them, which brings Christianity into disrepute.
43. If a logical connexion is required it may be as follows. Verses 37 and 42, the need in an Apostle for humility in ser- vice. (This will require sacri- fice, which seems to militate against a completely happy- life.) Verse 43, sqq., Life must be made safe before it is made complete. Or it may be a tran- sition from offences in the way
CHAPTER IX. 44-47
99
having two hands, to go into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched ;
44 Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.
45 And if thy foot offend thee, cut it off : it is better for thee to enter halt into life, than, having two feet, to be cast into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched ;
46 Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.
47 And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out : it is better for thee to enter into the kingdom of
Ver. 45. Gehenna, name given to the fire in the Valley of Hinnom, south of Jerusalem, where refuse was burnt (Isa. lxvi. 24), and used by the Jews as the name of the place of punishment after death. Both the great schools of Jewish thought taught eternity of punishment in the case of some.
of others to offences in our own way. But ver.se 50 seems to show that our Lord kept the dis- pute (34) in His mind through- out.
44. Hand, feet, eye. — All that ministers to desire of any kind. First sight (vii. 22), then approach, then seizure. In this order our Lord's com- mand gets more and more in- ward. The meaning is the necessity of strong measures in the spiritual struggle. Every one knows his own obstacle
(Matt. xi. 12), and must deal with it vigorously, even though it be something not only inno- cent but beautiful, like the eye. Appeal to religious common sense, as in viii. 36.
45-47. On the subject of the punishment of the wicked it is important to remember that
(1) very little is revealed ;
(2) what is revealed is unspeak- ably terrible ; (3) we have not the data for forming any judg- ment as to the justice of what God will do with the obstinately
IOO
THE GOSPEL OF ST. MARK
God with one eye, than, having two eyes, to be cast into hell fire :
48 Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.
49 For every one shall be salted with fire, and every sacrifice shall be salted with salt.
50 Salt is good: but if the salt have lost his saltness, wherewith will ye season it ? Have salt in yourselves, and have peace one with another.
Ver. 49. Cf. Lev. ii. 13 ; Deut. iv. 24 ; Mai. iii. 2.
impenitent ; (4) no one is coerced into goodness more than into evil (Luke xiii. 34 ; Jas. i. 13); (5) the greatest misery for a soul which loves evil more than goodness would be eternal life with God (Isa. xxxiii. 14) ; (6) we have no right to speak or think of par- ticular individuals as lost, even though no hint is given us of a further probation after this life.
49. Very difficult, perhaps a fragment of a longer discourse. See the A.V. reading. Fire, to cleanse (1 Cor. iii. 13) ; salt, preserving from corruption. In 49 the two ideas combined.
Apparently the effect of this salting of fire will be consum- ing, or purifying, or merely pre- serving, according to the mate- rial it acts on. Hence for, connecting with 48.
50. Salt in its sacrificial as- pect (Matt. v. 13). Compare the well-known Quis custodiet custodies ? There was a Jewish saying of the dead, ' Shake off the salt, and throw the flesh to the dogs.' We may conjecture that the moral of the discourse was to point out the impossi- bility of the Apostles retaining the salt of divine grace with- out charity towards each other.
CHAPTER X. 1-4 101
Chapter X.
1 And he arose from thence, and cometh into the coasts of Judaea by the farther side of Jordan : and the people resort unto him again ; and, as he was wont, he taught them again.
2 And the Pharisees came to him, and asked him, Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife ? tempting him.
3 And he answered and said unto them, What did Moses command you ?
4 And they said, Moses suffered to write a bill of divorcement, and to put her away.
Chap. X. Ver. 1. From thence. — Place not known. A long interval of time between this chapter and the last (Lnke xvii. 11-xviii. 15, &c).
Ver. 2. Pharisees. — After previous encounters (Luke xvii.).
Ver. 4. The law forbade any one to write Hebrew char- acters : so this rule involved the intervention of a scribe.
Chap. X. 2. Either to em- 3. Not asked for informa-
broil Christ with the common tion, but to fix their minds on
people, or with Herod (vi. 17), the important point (ix. 21, 33).
or to settle a question as to 4. Not as a mere concession
divorce disputed between rival to popular feeling, but as a
schools ; that of Hillel being check involving deliberation ;
lax, that of Shammai strict, the best preventive of further
There was a great dissolution laxity possible at the time,
of morals prevalent at this Not permanent any more than
time. slavery or polygamy.
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THE GOSPEL OF ST. MARK
5 And Jesus answered and said unto them, For the hardness of your heart he wrote you this precept :
6 But from the beginning of the creation God made them male and female.
7 For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and cleave to his wife ;
8 And they twain shall be one flesh : so then they are no more twain, but one flesh.
9 What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.
Ver. 8. Flesh. — The word is often used by St. Paul to mean human life in its various claims and aspirations (1 Cor. vii. 28 ; 2 Cor. x. 2).
6. Nothing more striking than the solemn tone of Scrip- ture about marriage (Mai. ii. 15; Eph. v. 28, 32; 1 Cor. xii. 27 ; Rev. xxi. 9), a mea- sure of the guilt of lowering in any way men's idea of it. This is almost the only subject on which our Lord lays down a prohibition of the nature of an external rule (cf. Matt. v. 32 with rest of v., vi., vii.). Male and female. — Perhaps denoting monogamy.
7. Unity emphasised as strongly as possible. Shall leave. — Perhaps with allusion to the Incarnation (Matt. xxviii. 20 ; Eph. iv. 9 ; John xvii. 5).
9. The practice of the early Church about divorce was various, owing to the ambi- guity of Matt. xix. 9. This text seems to lay down equality between the sexes, not yet secured in England. Since the Reformation the civil and ecclesiastical laws have been divergent, especially since 1867 — the former encouraging divorce with ruinous conse- quences. The permission given by the Mosaic law is some- thing like 1 Cor. vii. 6. There- fore refers back to verse 6. Verse 8 emphasises the human unity of marriage. Verse 9 shows that it has a divine side. Selfishness is fatal to both
CHAPTER X. 10-14 103
10 And in the house his disciples asked him again of the same matter.
11 And he saith unto them, Whosoever shall put away his wife, and marry another, committeth adultery against her.
12 And if a woman shall put away her hus- band, and be married to another, she committeth adultery.
13 And they brought young children to him, that he should touch them : and his disciples re- buked those that brought them.
14 But when Jesus saw it, he was much dis- pleased, and said unto them, Suffer the little
Ver. 13. For the transition between this and the last subject, see Rev. xiv. 4.
Ver. 14. As elsewhere, when the words are very im- portant, there is a concurrence between the Evangelists
(John xii. 24), and without the thing more contrary to the
Agape or Christian love, the spirit of Christianity than
Eros or human love will fade scorn (John vii. 49 ; Matt. v.
away. (For the abiding power 3 ; ix. 10; Rom. xii. 16).
of agape cf. John xv. 9 ; 1 14. Because of their charac-
John ii. 10). teristic qualities ; absence of
14. 'Moved with indigna- self-seeking ; trust; obedience ;
tion.' The only time the word purity ; receptivity of spiritual
is used of Christ. Once again truth ; absence of prejudice ;
He saw the motive of self- wonder. The reference to in-
aggrandisement. Their own fant baptism is very marked,
position would suffer if Christ's See the Baptismal Service,
dignity was impaired. Com- This blessing was given be-
pare the halo of etiquette cause of the faith of the parents,
thrown round a sovereign by The children were very young
courtiers. Also, there is no- (Luke xviii. 15). But the main
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children to come unto me, and forbid them not ; for of such is the kingdom of God.
15 Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein.
16 And he took them up in his arms, put his hands upon them, and blessed them.
17 And when he was gone forth into the way, there came one running, and kneeled to him, and asked him, Good Master, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life ?
18 And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou
almost verbally complete. Suffer. — As if they would come naturally by themselves.
Ver. 16. Cf. Heb. ii. 13.
Ver. 17. Into the way. — In public. Contrast John iii. 2.
reason for the institution is that sin is unconsciously in- herited. Why then should not the grace be unconsciously re- ceived ? It is interesting to compare the parallel accounts of the different Evangelists (cf. Matt. xix. 13). What they asked of Him as Man He gave as God (ver. 16).
15. Especially in the matter of intellectual submissiveness ; not receiving stupidly, but with trust, knowing the limits of human understanding. A good father will not abuse a child's trustfulness. We ought also
to realise the great act of in- tellectual humility it was for any one to turn Christian in early days.
17. What shall I do?— This seems to show his conviction that he could win salvation, instead of receiving it (1 Cor. iv. 7). The idea of faith very dim, though it was in the Old Testament (Rom. x. 8). For the idea of winning salvation, as by a bargain, cf. Matt. xx. 15 ; Rom. iii. 23 ; and conversely, John ix. 2 ; Luke xiii. 2.
18. The young man had
CHAPTER X. 19-21
105
me good? there is none good, but one, that is, God.
19 Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Defraud not, Honour thy father and mother.
20 And he answered and said unto him, Master, all these have I observed from my youth.
21 Then Jesus beholding him, loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest : go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven : and come, take up the cross, and follow me.
Ver. 20. Cf. Luke xv. 29. Ver. 21. Cf. Isa. lx. 17.
Rom. vii. 14, 24.
lightly used a word which should be reserved for God (Isa. vi. 3, where a Greek would have written Beauti- ful). He had but little sense of the Unseen, but was earnest in pursuit of virtue. Christ's words were to lift up his idea of holiness.
19. The commandments. — Those are selected which are most outward.
20. Probably not far from the exact truth.
21. He was self-complacent (Matt. ix. 13), and earthly in his ideas. But Jesus loved him for (1) his sincerity (Matt.
v. 8; Ps.li. 6; John i. 47), and (2) his zeal (Rom. x. 2 ; Rev. iv. 16 ; Isa. lxiv. 7 ; Numb. xxv. 13). The answer is, that if he would be saved by works the apostleship was before him ; let him detach himself from the world, by getting rid of pos- sessions, land, houses, &c. The object was to show him what virtue really meant — to inflict a blow to arouse him from self- satisfaction (Gal. ii. 19), and so prepare his heart for the teaching after Pentecost. His life lacked love, in spite of good conduct, and needed a feeling of yearning after a
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22 And he was sad at that saying, and went away grieved ; for he had great possessions.
23 And Jesus looked round about, and saith unto his disciples, How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God !
24 And the disciples were astonished at his words. But Jesus answereth again, and saith unto them, Children, how hard is it for them that trust in riches to enter into the kingdom of God !
25 It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.
26 And they were astonished out of measure,
Ver. 22. Cf., however, Acts iv. 35.
Personal God. Treasure. — Luke xvi. 9.
It is quite wrong to suppose that this injunction refers to all Christians at all times (1 Tim. vi. 17 ; v. 8), except as far as it repeats ix. 43. Con- trast Luke xix. 9.
23. Hardly. — This is an ex- pression of a fact uttered in pity. Strikingly true at that time, when joining the Church meant casting away all pre- judices of rank or station (1 Cor. ii. 8 ; 2 Cor. iii. 14). Meaning ' with difficulty.'
24. Though poor themselves they were concerned about the
salvation of others. Jesus' answer is not a whittling away of the first remark ; to have riches and not to ' trust in them ' is beyond man's strength.
25. The camel seems chosen for its unwieldiness and slow- ness when burdened. Riches procure all delights, and so make detachment "from the world very hard. A rich Chris- tian is deceived into thinking this life sufficient (Luke xii. 19 ; 1 John ii. 17). Riches like a phantom (Col. iii. 5 ; Matt. xiii. 22). For the safe- guard, cf. Luke xi. 41.
26. Like the young man,
CHAPTER X. 27-31 107
saying among themselves, Who then can be saved ?
27 And Jesus looking upon them saith, With men it is impossible, but not with God : for with God all things are possible.
28 Then Peter began to say unto him, Lo, we have left all, and have followed thee.
29 And Jesus answered and said, Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake, and the gospel's,
30 But he shall receive an hundred-fold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with per- secutions; and in the world to come eternal life.
31 But many that are first shall be last; and the last first.
Ver. 27. Jer. xxxii. 17 ; Luke i. 37. Ver. 30. 2 Chron. xxv. 9.
they thought only of ' natural ' present time V (Rom. viii. 28).
forces (John iii. 2, 5). Every true believer more or
27. Even though He works less shifts his affections from by law, and without coercing natural to spiritual relation- men's wills. ships (Luke viii. 19-21, cf. 1-3;
28. Began. — Perhaps stop- Gal. i v. 19). Besides the com - ping in confusion. pensation of self-sacrifice, the
29. 30. Seldom now, but safeguard of persecution is often then, such renunciations added, to prevent the world were necessary. How ' in this resuming its sway.
108 THE GOSPEL OF ST. MARK
32 And they were in the way going up to Jeru- salem ; and Jesus went before them : and they were amazed; and as they followed, they were afraid. And he took again the twelve, and began to tell them what things should happen unto him,
33 Saying, Behold, we go up to Jerusalem ; and the Son of man shall be delivered unto the chief priests, and unto the scribes, and they shall con- demn him to death, and shall deliver him to the Gentiles ;
34 And they shall mock him, and shall scourge him, and shall spit upon him, and shall kill him ; and the third day he shall rise again.
35 And James and John, the sons of Zebedee,
Ver. 32. Were amazed. — Very emphatic word (i. 27 ; x. 24 ; Luke v. 9 ; Acts iii. 10). He took again. Apart, privately.
Ver. 35. Cf. St. Matthew's account.
32. Jerusalem = ' the city of 34. Notice the increased peace ; ' yet a scene of con- clearness of detail each time, tinual war ( Judg. i. 8) ; seven- The Apostles could not get over teen times besieged, twice their prejudice that such a razed, before its destruction, prospect conflicted with Christ's So called as the place where dignity. When faith seems to Christ made peace (Col. i. 20). contradict faith, it is wrong Were afraid. — From a sense of to empty God's message of its the greatness of the impending plain meaning. They said no- struggle. To tell them. — It is thing, remembering viii. 33. important for us to remember 35. They wished to keep that our sufferings are fore- their desires secret from the known. This is the fifth an- rest. Their hope was to be re- nouncement, latively greater than the rest ;
CHAPTER X. 36-39 109
come unto him, saying, Master, we would that thou shouldest do for us whatsoever we shall desire.
36 And he said unto them, What would ye that I should do for you ?
37 They said unto him, Grant unto us that we may sit, one on thy right hand, and the other on thy left hand, in thy glory.
38 But Jesus said unto them, Ye know not what ye ask. Can ye drink of the cup that I drink of ? and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with ?
39 And they said unto him, We can. And Jesus said unto them, Ye shall indeed drink of the cup that I drink of: and with the bap- tism that I am baptized withal shall ye be baptized :
but the request implied faith events do that (xv. 40 ; Acts
in Christ's power, and high xii. 2 ; Eev. i. 9). The cup
aspirations. and the baptism seem to refer
36. Cf. ix. 33. When the to the two sacraments.
spirit of self-aggrandisement is