Mark 16:20

And they i. e. the Apostles.

went forth Not immediately. They were commanded not to "depart from Jerusalem," but to "tarry" there until at Pentecost they should be endued with power from on high (Luke 24:49; Acts 1:4). But when the day of Pentecost had come, and the Comforter had been bestowed, they went forth on their career of conquest,

and preached every where St Mark himself when he wrote his Gospel had witnessed the spread of the Church from Babylon in the distant East to the City of the Seven Hills in the West.

the Lord working with them according to His promise, "Behold I am with you always, even unto the end of the world." The word translated "working with them" only occurs here in the Gospels, but is used by St Paul, Romans 8:28, "all things work togetherfor good to them that love God;" 1 Corinthians 16:16, "to every one that helpeth with us;" 2 Corinthians 6:1, "we then as workers together with Him, beseech you also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain;" and by St James (Mark 2:12), "seest thou how faith wrought with his works?"

confirming The original word here employed denotes (1) to make firm to the tread, (2) to make steadfast, (3) to establish, confirm. It occurs nowhere else in the Gospels, but it is found five times in St Paul's Epistles, and twice in the Epistle to the Hebrews. Thus St Paul writes to the Romans (Mark 15:8), "Jesus Christ was a minister of the circumcision … to confirmthe promises made unto the fathers;" and to the Corinthians (Mark 1:8) that God will "confirmthem unto the end, that they may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ;" and to the same Church again (2 Corinthians 1:21), "now he which stablishethus with you … is God;" and he exhorts the Colossians (Mark 2:6-7), "to walk, rooted and built up in [Jesus Christ], and stablishedin the faith." And for illustrations of the confirmation of the Apostolic commission compare (i) Acts 4:29-30; (ii) Acts 5:12; (iii) Acts 14:3.

with signs Rather, by the signs which followed.

following The original word thus rendered denotes more than merely to follow, and = to follow close upon, to follow in the track of another. St Paul uses it in 1 Timothy 5:10, speaking of the condition of a "widow indeed," "if she had diligently followedevery good work;" and in 1 Timothy 5:24, "Some men's sins are open beforehand … and some men they follow after." St Peter uses the word in one place (1 Peter 2:21), "Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, that ye should followHis steps." The word is very expressive here, and denotes that the "signs" followed close upon, and were the immediate result of, the continued operation of Him, Who, clad in majesty ineffable, sitteth at the right hand of God, and hath promised to be with His Church "even unto the end of the world" (Matthew 28:20). The Evangelist does not conceive of Christ's Session as a state of inactive rest. (i) As the High Priest of His Church He pleads with the Father the merits of His wondrous sacrifice (Romans 8:34; Hebrews 4:14; Hebrews 7:25; 1 John 2:1-2). (ii) As the Prophet, He teaches, inspires, and guides His Church into all truth (Deuteronomy 18:15; Luke 24:19). (iii) As King of kings and Lord of lords, He sways the destinies of the universe, and employs the agency of heaven and earth for the government and defence of His people, till He shall have subdued all things unto Himself(Philippians 3:21), and the last enemy, even death, shall be destroyed(1 Corinthians 15:26), and the victory, for which all Creation waits, shall be finally and completely won (Romans 8:19-23).

Amen This is wanting in the best MSS. For some remarks respecting the apotheosisof the Cæsars at the era of the Ascension, see Abp Trench's Hulsean Lectures, and compare the striking fact that "on public buildings at Ephesus, Augustus is found, from inscriptions on recently discovered buildings there, to have been described by the singular title Υἱὸς Θεοῦ, "Son of God." With this revelation of the great Conqueror, the true divus Cæsar, seated at the right hand of God of which glorious reality the divine honours paid to the emperors at the very time he was writing from Rome were the dark shadow the second Evangelist brings his Gospel to a close. He has portrayed the Son of Man and the Son of God as He wrought on earth, in all the fulness of His living Energy, "going about doing good" (Acts 10:38); He leaves us to realize, and realizing to believe in, His continued operation in the very heaven of heavens, in behalf of His Church and the Humanity He came to save.

"The golden censer in His hand,

He offers hearts from every land,

Tied to His own by gentlest band

Of silent love:

Above Him winged blessings stand

In act to move."

Keble's christian Year. Ascension Day.