THE TRANSFIGURATION 1-8. The Transfiguration (Mark 9:2; Luke 9:28). St. Leo rightly apprehended the historical situation when he said that in the Transfiguration the principal object aimed at was that in the hearts of the disciples the scandal of the cross might be removed, and that throughout the... [ Continue Reading ]
AFTER SIX DAYS] Lk 'after about eight days,' either an independent calculation or another way of reckoning. AN HIGH MOUNTAIN] not Mt. Tabor, the top of which was occupied by a fortress, but more probably Hermon, which is near Caesarea Philippi, and is an 'exceeding high mountain '(9,000 ft.), which... [ Continue Reading ]
MOSES and Elijah were recognised through the supernatural power of insight which enabled them to be seen.... [ Continue Reading ]
THREE TABERNACLES] or, 'booths.' Peter wished to prolong the stay of the heavenly visitants, and offered to build them temporary houses on the mountain for their accommodation. He felt that it was good to be there in such glorious surroundings, and by no means wished to descend to earth again, to be... [ Continue Reading ]
A BRIGHT CLOUD] i.e. the visible glory which, according to Jewish ideas, manifested the divine presence. It is the same as the pillar of cloud and fire in the wilderness, the cloud that filled Solomon's Temple, and the visible glory which, according to the rabbis, rested upon the ark, and was called... [ Continue Reading ]
THE VISION] LIT. 'the thing seen.' The word does not imply the unreality of the occurrence. TO NO MAN] Not to the multitudes, lest they should be carried away by political enthusiasm; nor to the other disciples, because they were not yet in a fit state to receive the lesson that it taught. To be wit... [ Continue Reading ]
ELIJAH AND THE BAPTIST (Mark 9:11).... [ Continue Reading ]
WHY THEN SAY THE SCRIBES?] Jesus, by forbidding the incident to be spoken of (Matthew 17:9), seemed to attach little importance to the present appearance of Elijah. 'Why then,' ask the disciples, 'do the scribes attach so much importance to it? And why are we forbidden to reply to their leading obje... [ Continue Reading ]
ELIAS TRULY, etc.] RV 'Elijah indeed cometh, and shall restore all things.' The future 'shall restore' is best explained as a quotation of the exact words of the scribes, and not as a prophecy that Elijah will come in person to prepare the way for Christ's Second Advent, though some understood it to... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT HAVE DONE] Herod, not the scribes, actually killed John, but Herod only did what the scribes would have been glad to do: cp. Luke 7:30; Luke 7:33.... [ Continue Reading ]
HEALING OF THE LUNATIC (epileptic) (Mark 9:14; Luke 9:37). St. Mark's account is much the fullest. Christ descends from the mount to resume His works of benevolence. He who had communed with God and His prophets in the very atmosphere of heaven, now mingles in the common life of men, and concerns Hi... [ Continue Reading ]
LUNATICK] i.e. epileptic, because epileptics were supposed to be affected by the changes of the moon (_luna_).... [ Continue Reading ]
O FAITHLESS] The rebuke is addressed not only to the discipies, but also to the father of the lad and the multitude.... [ Continue Reading ]
UNBELIEF] RV 'little faith.' FAITH AS A GRAIN OF MUSTARD] i.e. the smallest amount: see on Matthew 13:31. YE SHALL SAY UNTO THIS MOUNTAIN, etc.] a proverbial expression: see on Matthew 21:21;... [ Continue Reading ]
The RV and Westcott and Hort omit the whole v., but it is too strongly attested to be lightly rejected. The parallel in Mk (RV) omits 'and fasting': see on Mark 9:29. 22, 23. JESUS PREDICTS HIS PASSION (Mark 9:30; Luke 9:43).... [ Continue Reading ]
ABODE] RV 'were gathering themselves together.' GALILEE] mentioned because the last miracle had taken place beyond its borders, near Caesarea Philippi.... [ Continue Reading ]
SORRY] They thought only of the Passion, not of the Resurrection, the allusion to which they did not in the least understand. St. Mark says, 'But they understood not the sayjng, and were afraid to ask him.'... [ Continue Reading ]
THEY THAT RECEIVED TRIBUTE _money_] RV 'the half-shekel' (Gk. _didrachama_). Every male Isralite above the age of twenty was required by the Law (Exodus 30:11; Exodus 38:25) to pay half a shekel annually (i.e. about eighteen-pence) towards the maintenance of the Temple worship, as 'a ransom for his... [ Continue Reading ]
THE HALFSHEKEL OR TEMPLE TRIBUTE (peculiar to St. Matthew). Jesus is asked to pay the usual tax towards the maintenance of the temple services. As son of God He claims exemption, yet pays lest He should be thought to dispise the temple. A significant indication of Christ's conciousness of a special... [ Continue Reading ]
CUSTOM] i.e. taxes on merchandise. TRIBUTE] i.e. taxes on persons and property.... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN ARE THE CHILDREN (RV 'the sons') free] Therefore Jesus, being the Son of the Heavenly King, is free from the Temple tax. 'Children' (sons) is not meant to include the apostles or Christians generally. The plural is only part of the simile.... [ Continue Reading ]
LEST we SHOULD OFFEND THEM] i.e. 'lest we give the collectors, who do not know that I am the Son of God, the false impression that I dishonour the Temple, and so hinder their conversion, GO thou,' etc. Offend] RV 'cause to stumble.' A PIECE OF MONEY] lit. 'a stater.' A silver stater was exactly four... [ Continue Reading ]