Mark 12:37

Mark 12:37. And whence. From what source shall we seek an explanation of the fact that He is his Son. Or perhaps simply: ‘how can He be his Son.'

And the great multitude. This multitude was made up of ‘the common people,' since the upper classes were withdrawing, but that is not the prominent idea. A great multitude still listened to Him.

Heard him gladly. Lit, sweetly, with relish, with pleasure. This was after He had virtually claimed to be the Messiah: David's Lord, as well as David's Son. See on Matthew 22:45. Had He desired to establish a temporal kingdom, the multitude would now have followed Him. But hearing Christ with relish, is not necessarily accepting Him as a Saviour. Knowing all men (John 2:24-25), and faithful to His mission of Atoning Love, our Lord remains in the temple to deliver His fearful denunciation of the Pharisees (Matthew 23), briefly alluded to by Mark (Mark 12:38-40), pauses to praise a poor widow (Mark 12:41-44), and then withdraws from His foes and from the listening multitude, to give in private some of His most remarkable predictions.

THE accounts of Mark and Luke agree here very closely. The denunciatory discourse of Matthew 23, is given in this abridged form, the other incident is omitted by Matthew. We join them together because they form a striking contrast. Comp. ‘devour widows' houses' (Mark 12:41) and the ‘poor widow' (Mark 12:42). Both expressions are peculiar to Mark and Luke (see on Matthew 23:14). Even after such fearful denunciations, our Lord quietly sits in the court of the women (Mark 12:41).