Mark 10:1-12. Marriage Legislation of the Pharisees 1. _And_ Between the events just recorded and those of which the Evangelist now proceeds to treat, many others had occurred, which he has passed over. The most important of these were (α) _The visit of our Lord to Jerusalem at the Feast of Tabern... [ Continue Reading ]
_Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife_ "for every cause?" as St Matthew adds (Matthew 19:3). On this point the rival schools of Hillel and Shammai were divided, the former adopting the more lax, the latter the stricter view: the one holding that _any dislike_, which he felt towards her, would... [ Continue Reading ]
_For this cause_ He thus shews that from the beginning God had designed that the marriage tie should be the closest and most indissoluble of all ties, and in the words added by St Matthew (Matthew 19:9) rebukes the adultery of Herod Antipas, though without naming him, in the severest terms.... [ Continue Reading ]
_What therefore God_ In Genesis 2:24 these are the words of Adam; in St Matthew 19:4 the words of God; in St Mark the words of Christ. They are words of Adam as uttering prophetically a Divine, fundamental, ordinance; they are words of God as being eternally valid; they are words of Christ, as rules... [ Continue Reading ]
_in the house_ St Mark records several confidential household words of our Lord to His disciples, e.g. concerning (_a_) the power of casting out demons (Mark 9:28-29); (_b_) the great in the kingdom of heaven (Mark 9:33-37); and (_c_) here, the Christian law of marriage.... [ Continue Reading ]
Suffer little Children to come unto Me 13. _they brought_ These probably were certain parents, who honoured Him and valued His benediction. The "children" in St Mark and St Matthew are "infants" in St Luke 18:15. _that he should touch them_ or, as St Matthew adds, _that he should lay his hands upo... [ Continue Reading ]
_he was much displeased_ This feature is peculiar to St Mark. Only lately the Lord had expressed His love towards little children in a very remarkable manner (Mark 9:36-37). _of such_ Rather, TO SUCH BELONGS THE KINGDOM OF GOD. He says not _of these,_but _of such:_shewing that it is not children on... [ Continue Reading ]
_took them up in his arms_ He ever giveth more than men ask or think. He had been asked only to touch the children. He takes them into His arms, lays His Hands upon them, and blesses them. Twice we read of our Lord _taking into His arms_, and both times they were children whom He embraced, and both... [ Continue Reading ]
The Rich Young Ruler 17. _when he was gone forth_ Literally, WHEN HE WAS GOING FORTH. He was just starting, it would seem, on His last journey towards Bethany. _one_ He was young (Matthew 19:22), of great wealth, and a ruler of a local synagogue (Luke 18:18). _running_ Running up to Him, apparent... [ Continue Reading ]
_Why callest thou me good?_ The emphasis is on the "why." "Dost thou know what thou meanest, when thou givest Me this appellation?" If we combine the question and rejoinder as given by St Matthew and St Luke it would seem to have run, _Why askest thou Me about the good? and why callest thou Me good?... [ Continue Reading ]
_Thou knowest the commandments_ The young man is referred to the Commandments of the Second Table only, and they are cited generally from Exodus 20:12-17. A striking instance of the free mode of quotation from the Old Testament even in such a case as the Ten Commandments. _Defraud not_ The word thu... [ Continue Reading ]
_all these have I observed_ adding, according to St Matthew, _what lack I yet?_We are told that when the Angel of Death came to fetch the R. Chanina, he said, "Go and fetch me the Book of the Law, and _see whether there is anything in it which I have not kept_." Farrar's _Life of Christ_, ii. 161, n... [ Continue Reading ]
_beholding him_ The same word, which occurs also in Mark 10:27, in the original is applied (_a_) to the Baptist, when he "_looked upon Jesus_," and said, "Behold the Lamb of God" (John 1:36), (_b_) to our Lord's _look_at St peter (i) when He named him Cephas (John 1:42), and (ii) when He turned and... [ Continue Reading ]
_he was sad_ "_Sorrowful_," says St Matthew (Matthew 19:22); "_very sorrowful_," says St Luke (Luke 18:23); "sad," says St Mark, or rather LOWRING, with a cloud upon his brow. The original word only occurs in one other place, Matthew 16:3, "for the sky is red and _lowring_." _he had great possessio... [ Continue Reading ]
_looked round about_ "Sæpe describitur vultus Christi, affectui conveniens, et affectibus auditorum attemperatus." Bengel. Comp. Mark 3:5; Mark 3:34; Mark 8:34; Luke 6:10; Luke 22:61.... [ Continue Reading ]
_Children_ By this affectionate title He softens the sadness and sternness of His words. _for them that trust in riches_ Some important MSS. omit these words, and then the verse would run, "Children, how hard it is to enter into the kingdom of God.... [ Continue Reading ]
_It is easier for a camel_ This figure has been variously interpreted. (_a_) Some have rendered it an "anchor-rope," as though the word was "_kamilon_" and not "_kamelon;_" (_b_) others think it refers to the side gate for foot passengers, close by the principal gate, called in the East the "eye of... [ Continue Reading ]
_and have followed thee_ adding, as St Matthew relates, "what shall _we_have therefore?" In reply to which our Lord uttered glorious words respecting the Twelve Thrones to be occupied by the Apostles "in the Regeneration," or "restoration of all things" (Matthew 19:28).... [ Continue Reading ]
_with persecutions_ An important limitation. See 2 Corinthians 12:10; 2 Thessalonians 1:4; 2 Timothy 3:11.... [ Continue Reading ]
_many that are first_ Very signally was the former part of this verse fulfilled _temporarily_in the case of St peter himself, _finally_in that of Judas; while the latter part was wonderfully realised in the instance of St Paul, so that this passage is chosen for the Gospel of the Festival of "the Co... [ Continue Reading ]
Predictions of the Passion 32. _they were in the way_ Our Lord would seem to have now descended from Ephraim to the high road in order to join the caravans of Galilæan pilgrims going up to Jerusalem. St Mark gives a special prominence to this critical period in His human history: He describes (_a_)... [ Continue Reading ]
_and shall kill him_ Or, as St Matthew adds, "_crucify Him_." Now for the first time is revealed this last, this greatest horror (see Matthew 20:19). St Luke lays stress upon the fact that the disciples would not and could not understand His words (Luke 18:34). This absence of all sympathy was one o... [ Continue Reading ]
The Ambitious Apostles 35. _James and John_ and with them their mother Salome, to ask the same favour on their behalf. She was one of the constant attendants of our Lord, and now falling on her knees preferred her request (Matthew 20:10). Nothing could have been more ill-timed than this selfish pet... [ Continue Reading ]
_that we may sit_ The mention of Thrones (Matthew 19:28), as in reversion for the Twelve at the coming of their Master in glory, may have suggested the idea to the aspiring Three. This session on the right hand and on the left was a Jewish form of expression for being next to the king in honour.... [ Continue Reading ]
_And they said unto him, We can_ They knew not at the time what they said, and their words were recorded in heaven. They had yet to learn how serious their words were, and afterwards they were enabled to drink of that Cup, and to be baptized with that Baptism. To St James was given strength to be st... [ Continue Reading ]
_but it shall be given_ This is not a very happy interpolation. The verse really runs thus: BUT TO SIT ON MY RIGHT HAND AND ON MY LEFT HAND IS NOT MINE TO GIVE EXCEPT TO THOSE FOR WHOM IT IS PREPARED. To "give" here denotes to give, as of mere favour; to lavish out of caprice, as in kingdoms of the... [ Continue Reading ]
_began to be much displeased_ "hadden endignacioun," Wyclif. The sons of Zebedee had been in a better social position than most of their brethren, and this attempt to secure a pre-eminence of honour kindled a storm of jealousy.... [ Continue Reading ]
_which_ Commonly used at the time our translation was made for the relative "_who_," and applied to persons, from the A.-S. _hwilc,_Mœso-Goth. _hwêleiks_, literally, _who-like_. Comp. Latimer's _Sermons_, p. 331, "Whosoever loveth God, will love his neighbour, _which_is made after the image of God.... [ Continue Reading ]
_and to give his life_ We have here one of the early intimations of the mysterious _purport_of the Passion, that the Redeemer was about to give His life as _a ransom for many_(1 Timothy 2:6). The word translated "ransom" only occurs here and in the parallel, Matthew 20:28. Wyclif renders it "and yyu... [ Continue Reading ]
Passing through Jericho. Blind Bartimæus 46. _And they came_ Leaving behind them the upland pastures of Peræa, the little company travelled along the road which led down to the sunken channel of the Jordan, and the luxuriant "district" of Jericho. _to Jericho_ This ancient stronghold of the Canaani... [ Continue Reading ]
_Son of David_ This was the popular designation of the Messiah. He may have heard of the recent resurrection of Lazarus, which took place in his own neighbourhood.... [ Continue Reading ]
_charged him_ "þretnyden hym, þat he schulde be stille." Wyclif. They rebuked him and his companion, deeming their clamours illmannered and unworthy of Him, who was passing onward to Jerusalem.... [ Continue Reading ]
_stood still_ in the fulness of His compassionate heart. _commanded him to be called_ Or, more graphically, according to some MSS., SAID, CALL HIM.... [ Continue Reading ]
_casting away his garment_ i. e. his _abba_, or upper garment, _he rose_, or, according to a better reading, LEAPED UP. "Sturtinge cam to him," Wyclif.... [ Continue Reading ]
_Lord_ The original word is "Rabboni" = _my Master_. The blind man gives Him the title of greatest reverence that he knew. The title occurs only here and in John 20:16, where it is used by Mary Magdalene to her risen Lord. The gradations of honour were _Rab, Rabbi, Rabban, Rabboni_.... [ Continue Reading ]
_and followed Jesus_ or _followed him_along the road, _glorifying God_, as St Luke adds (Luke 18:43), and joining the festal company of his Healer, who all likewise gave praise unto God for the miracle, which they had witnessed. Comp. Acts 3:8-10. In the account of this Miracle the graphic power of... [ Continue Reading ]