CHAPTER II. _Christ preaches in Capernaum_, 1, 2. _A paralytic person is brought to him, whose sins are pronounced_ _forgiven_, 3-5. _The scribes accuse him of blasphemy_, 6, 7. _He vindicates himself, and proves his power to forgive sins, by_ _healing the man's disease_, 8-11. _The people ar... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Mark 2:2. _SO MUCH AS ABOUT THE DOOR_] Meaning the yard or court before the house. _PREACHED_ THE WORD] τον λογον. The _doctrine_ of the kingdom of God; for so ο λογος is repeatedly used.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Mark 2:3. _ONE SICK OF THE PALSY_] _A paralytic person_. Matthew 9:2, Matthew 9:2, c. _BORNE OF FOUR._] Four men, one at each corner of the sofa or couch on which he lay: this sick man appears to have been too feeble to come himself, and too weak to be carried in any other way.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Mark 2:4. _THEY UNCOVERED THE ROOF_] The houses in the east are generally made _flat-roofed_, that the inhabitants may have the benefit of taking the air on them; they are also furnished with battlements round about, Deuteronomy 22:8; Judges 16:27; and 2 Samuel 11:2, to prevent persons from f... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Mark 2:7. _WHY DOTH THIS MAN THUS SPEAK BLASPHEMIES?_] See this explained Matthew 9:3, c.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Mark 2:12. _HE - TOOK UP THE BED_] The words of PROSPER, on this place, are worthy of notice:- "What is sin but a deplorable fall, a grovelling on the earth, a repose in the creature, often followed by a universal _palsy_ of the soul; namely, an utter inability to help itself, to break off it... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Mark 2:14. _LEVI_] The same as _Matthew_; he appears to have been a Jew, though employed in the odious office of a tax-gatherer. For an account of his call, see his Gospel, Matthew 9:9, c.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Mark 2:16. _SINNERS_] By αμαρτωλοι, the Gentiles or heathens are generally to be understood in the Gospels, for this was a term the Jews never applied to any of themselves, Matthew 9:10, Matthew 9:10. _HOW IS IT THAT HE EATETH_] Some very good MSS., several versions, with _Chrysostom_ and _Au... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 17. _TO REPENTANCE._] This is omitted by ABDKL, twenty-seven others; both the _Syriac, Persic, Coptic, AEthiopic,_ _Armenian, Gothic, Vulgate_; six copies of the _Itala; Euthymius_ and _Augustin_. _Griesbach_ has left it out of the text; _Grotius, Mill_, and _Bengel_ approve of the omission. M... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 18. _WHY DO THE DISCIPLES OF JOHN AND OF THE PHARISEES_ _FAST_] See this largely explained on Matthew 9:14, c. The following vices are very common to _Pharisees_. 1. They are more busied in censuring the conduct of others than in rectifying their own. 2. They desire that every one should reg... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 19. _CAN THE CHILDREN OF THE BRIDE - CHAMBER FAST WHILE THE_ _BRIDEGROOM IS WITH THEM?_] Among the _Hindoos_, large parties of friends, belonging both to the bride and bridegroom, attend on both during the wedding day; on the following day, when the bridegroom leaves the house of his father-in... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 20. _IN THOSE DAYS._] But instead of εν εκειναις ταις ἡμεραις, many of the best MSS. and versions read, εν εκεινῃ τῃ ἡμερᾳ, in that day; viz. the day in which Jesus Christ should be delivered up to the Jews and Gentiles. _Mill_ and _Bengel_ approve of this reading, and _Griesbach_ adopts... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 21. _NO MAN - SEWETH_] Matthew 9:16. _No man seweth a piece of unscoured cloth upon an old garment_. In the common editions this verse begins with και, _and_, but this is omitted by almost every MS. and version of note. The construction of the whole verse is various in the MSS. The translation... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 23. _WENT THROUGH THE CORN FIELDS_] Matthew 12:1, Matthew 12:1.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Mark 2:26. _THE DAYS OF ABIATHAR THE HIGH PRIEST_] It appears from 1 Samuel 21:1, which is the place referred to here, that _Ahimelech_ was then high priest at _Nob_: and from 1 Samuel 22:20; 1 Samuel 23:6, and 1 Chronicles 18:16, it appears that _Abiathar_ was the son of Ahimelech. The Persi... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Mark 2:27. _THE SABBATH WAS MADE FOR MAN_] That he might have the _seventh_ part of his whole time to devote to the purposes of bodily rest and spiritual exercises. And in these respects it is of infinite use to mankind. Where no Sabbath is observed, there disease, poverty, and profligacy, gen... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Mark 2:28. _THE SON OF MAN IS LORD_] See on Matthew 12:7. Some have understood this as applying to _men in general_, and not to Christ. _The Son of man_, any man _is Lord of the Sabbath_; i.e. it was made for him, for his ease, comfort, and use, and to these purposes he is to apply it. But thi... [ Continue Reading ]