The Pharisees also with the Sadducees came, and tempting desired him that he would shew them a sign from heaven. Ver. 1. _The Pharisees also with the Sadducees came_] Came forth, saith St Mark, to wit, out of the coasts of Magdala, as soon as ever our Saviour arrived there, to quarrel him, and keep... [ Continue Reading ]
He answered and said unto them, When it is evening, ye say, _It will be_ fair weather: for the sky is red. Ver. 2. _When it is evening, ye say, It will be fair, &c._] _q.d._ Are you so weatherwise (which yet is not your profession)? are ye so skilful in nature, and yet so ignorant of Scripture, as... [ Continue Reading ]
And in the morning, _It will be_ foul weather to day: for the sky is red and lowring. O _ye_ hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky; but can ye not _discern_ the signs of the times? Ver. 3. _Can you not discern the sign of the times?_] The men of Issachar were in great account with David, b... [ Continue Reading ]
A wicked and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given unto it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas. And he left them, and departed. Ver. 4. _A wicked and adulterous generation_] _See Trapp on "_ Mat 12:39 _"_ The same wedge serves the same knot. They shall have no... [ Continue Reading ]
And when his disciples were come to the other side, they had forgotten to take bread. Ver. 5. _They had forgotten to take bread_] As wholly transported with fervour in following Christ, the bread of life. This is the fault of but a few today: worldly cares eat up heavenly desires, as the lean kine... [ Continue Reading ]
Then Jesus said unto them, Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees. Ver. 6. _Take heed and beware of the leaven_] Or take knowledge of, and then take heed of, false doctrine; _a_ which is fitly called leaven, because it soureth, swelleth, spreadeth, corrupteth the w... [ Continue Reading ]
And they reasoned among themselves, saying, _It is_ because we have taken no bread. Ver. 7. _It is because we have taken no bread_] Oh the dulness that is in the best to receive or retain heavenly mysteries! Surely, as owls see best by night, and are blind by day: so in deeds of darkness we are sha... [ Continue Reading ]
_Which_ when Jesus perceived, he said unto them, O ye of little faith, why reason ye among yourselves, because ye have brought no bread? Ver. 8. _O ye of little faith_] _Fides famem non formidat._ It was want of faith that made them fear they should perish in the wilderness for lack of bread: God w... [ Continue Reading ]
Do ye not yet understand, neither remember the five loaves of the five thousand, and how many baskets ye took up? Ver. 9. _Neither remember_] _Tantum didicimus, quantum meminimus._ So much we learn as we remember. _a_ Our memories are naturally like hour glasses, no sooner filled with good instruct... [ Continue Reading ]
Neither the seven loaves of the four thousand, and how many baskets ye took up? Ver. 10. _Neither the seven loaves_] Learn to lay up experiences. If we were well read in the story of our own lives (saith a reverend man, Dr Sibbs) we might have a divinity of our own. The philosopher saith, that expe... [ Continue Reading ]
How is it that ye do not understand that I spake _it_ not to you concerning bread, that ye should beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees? Ver. 11. _How is it that ye understand not_] Ignorance under means is a blushful sin. The Scripture calls such, horses, asses, mules, and sen... [ Continue Reading ]
Then understood they how that he bade _them_ not beware of the leaven of bread, but of the doctrine of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees. Ver. 12. _Then understood they how, &c._] This chiding then was well bestowed. So was that, Luke 24:29, upon the two disciples going to Emmaus, and that upon th... [ Continue Reading ]
When Jesus came into the coasts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I the Son of man am? Ver. 13. _Whom do men say that I, &c._] This question Christ asked, not as tickled with ambition to hear his own commendation (which yet is held and said to be the only sw... [ Continue Reading ]
And they said, Some _say that thou art_ John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets. Ver. 14. _Some say that thou art John, &c._] His body they saw was not John's, but they held then (and the Jews to this day hold) the Pythagorean transanimation, or passing of souls... [ Continue Reading ]
He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? Ver. 15. _But whom say ye that I am_] _q.d._ It behoveth you to say something that is better to the purpose, than the Vulgate saith and censureth. God will take that of some that he will not of others. Christ would not have his to stand doubtful, and t... [ Continue Reading ]
And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. Ver. 16. _Simon Peter answered, &c._] As the mouth of the company, and one that being, haply, older, and surely bolder than the rest, spake thus for them. But what a foul mouth of blasphemy opened those two popes (Pe... [ Continue Reading ]
And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed _it_ unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven. Ver. 17. _Blessed art thou, Simon_] These and the following words of our Saviour to Peter were meant to all the apostles also, John 20:22,23... [ Continue Reading ]
And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. Ver. 18. _Thou art Peter_] _i.e._ Thou art a living stone in the spiritual temple, like as Peter saith all other Christians are,1 Peter 2:5. And here Christ... [ Continue Reading ]
And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. Ver. 19. _And I will give unto thee the keys_] _i.e._ I will make thee and all my ministers stewards in... [ Continue Reading ]
Then charged he his disciples that they should tell no man that he was Jesus the Christ. Ver. 20. _That they should tell no man_] viz. Till the due time. Everything is beautiful in its season, saith Solomon, Ecclesiastes 3:11. Silence in some cases is a virtue, as here. The disciples might preach t... [ Continue Reading ]
From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day. Ver. 21. _How that he must go to Jerusalem_] He must, _necessitate non simplici, sed... [ Continue Reading ]
Then Peter took him, and began to rebuke him, saying, Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall not be unto thee. Ver. 22. _Then Peter took him_] Took him by the hand, and led him apart, as we do those we are most intimate with, in great courtesy and secrecy, to impart to them things of greatest import... [ Continue Reading ]
But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men. Ver. 23. _Get thee behind me, Satan_] Come behind as a disciple, go not before me as a teacher; understand thy distance, and hold t... [ Continue Reading ]
Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any _man_ will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. Ver. 24. _If any man will come after me_] Not step before me, prescribe to me, as Peter attempted to do, whose fault herein is purposely recorded, that he might not be (a... [ Continue Reading ]
For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it. Ver. 25. _For whosoever will save his life_] That is parsimonious of it, when Christ calls him to be prodigal of it. Man is naturally a "life loving creature." _a_ What man is he that desiret... [ Continue Reading ]
For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? Ver. 26. _Yet what is a man profited_] Francis Xanerius counselled John the Third, King of Portugal, to meditate every day a quarter of an hour on this divine sent... [ Continue Reading ]
For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works. Ver. 27. _In the glory of his Father with his angels_] Great will he the glory of the man Christ Jesus at his second coming. He shall come riding on the clouds (not t... [ Continue Reading ]
Verily I say unto you, There be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom. Ver. 28. _Which shall not taste of death_] The saints do but taste of death only, they do no more but sip of that bitter cup, which for tasting of that forbidden f... [ Continue Reading ]