CHAPTER IX. _The transfiguration of Christ, and the discourse occasioned by_ _it_, 1-13. _He casts out a dumb spirit which his disciples could not_, 14-29. _He foretells his death_, 30-32. _The disciples dispute about supremacy, and Christ corrects them_, 33-37. _Of the person who cast out de... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Mark 9:2. _AND AFTER SIX DAYS JESUS TAKETH_ with him _Peter_, c.] For a full account of the _nature_ and _design_ of the transfiguration, Matthew 17:1, c. _A HIGH MOUNTAIN_] I have conjectured, Matthew 17:1, that this was one of the mountains of _Galilee_: some say _Hermon_, some _Tabor_ but... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Mark 9:10. _AND THEY KEPT THAT SAYING_] This verse is wanting in two MSS. and one of the _Itala_. _WHAT THE RISING FROM THE DEAD SHOULD MEAN._] Ὁταν εκ νεκρων αναϚῃ, _When he should arise from the dead_, is the reading of D, six others, _Syriac_, all the _Persic, Vulgate_, all the _Itala_,... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Mark 9:12. _AND HOW IT IS WRITTEN_] Rather, _as also it is_ _written_. Instead of και πως, AND HOW _it is written_, I read καθως, AS ALSO _it is written of the Son of man_, c. This reading is supported by AKM, _seventeen_ others, the later _Syriac_ in the margin, _Slavonic_ and _Armenian_. Som... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Mark 9:15. _WERE GREATLY AMAZED_] Probably, because he came so unexpectedly; but the _cause_ of this amazement is not self-evident.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 17. _A DUMB SPIRIT_] That is, a demon who afflicted those in whom it dwelt with an incapacity of speaking. The _spirit_ itself could not be either _deaf_ or _dumb_. These are accidents that belong only to _organized animate_ bodies. See this case explained, Matthew 17:14, c.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 18. _PINETH AWAY_] By these continual torments; so he was not only _deaf_ and _dumb_, but sorely _tortured_ besides.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 20. _WHEN HE SAW HIM THE SPIRIT TARE HIM; AND HE FELL ON_ _THE GROUND_, C.] When this demon saw Jesus, he had great rage, knowing that his time was short and hence the extraordinary convulsions mentioned above.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 22. _IF_ THOU _CANST_ DO _ANY THING_] I have already tried thy _disciples_, and find _they_ can do _nothing_ in this case; but if _thou_ hast any power, in mercy use it in our behalf.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 23. _IF_ THOU _CANST_ BELIEVE] This was an answer to the inquiry above. I can furnish a sufficiency of _power_, if _thou_ canst but bring _faith_ to receive it. Why are not our souls completely healed? Why is not every demon cast out? Why are not pride, self-will, love of the world, lust, ange... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 24. _LORD, I BELIEVE_] The word _Lord_ is omitted by ABCDL, both the _Syriac_, both the _Arabic_ later _Persic, AEthiopic, Gothic_, and three copies of the _Itala. Griesbach_ leaves it out. The omission, I think, is proper, because it is evident the man did not know our Lord, and therefore cou... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 25. _I CHARGE THEE_] Considerable emphasis should be laid on the pronoun: - Thou didst resist the command of my _disciples_, now I _command thee to come out_. If this had been only a natural disease, for instance the _epilepsy_, as some have argued, could our Lord have addressed _it_, with any... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 29. _PRAYER AND FASTING._] Matthew 17:21, Matthew 17:21. This demon may be considered as an _emblem_ of _deeply rooted_ vices, and _inveterate habits_, over which the conquest is not generally obtained, but through extraordinary humiliations. This case is related by both Matthew and Luke, bu... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 30. _THEY - PASSED THROUGH GALILEE_] See on Matthew 17:22.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 32. _BUT THEY UNDERSTOOD NOT_] This whole verse is wanting in two MSS., in the first edition of _Erasmus_, and in that of _Aldus. Mill_ approves of the omission. It does not appear likely, from Matthew's account, that three of the disciples, Peter, James, and John, could be _ignorant_ of the... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 33. _AND BEING IN THE HOUSE_] That is, _Peter's house_, where he ordinarily lodged. This has been often observed before.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 34. _WHO_ SHOULD BE _THE GREATEST._] See on Matthew 18:1.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 38. _WE SAW ONE CASTING OUT DEVILS IN THY NAME_] It can scarcely be supposed that a man who knew nothing of Christ, or who was only a common _exorcist_, could be able to work a miracle in Christ's name; we may therefore safely imagine that this was either one of John the Baptist's disciples, w... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 39. _FORBID HIM NOT_] If you meet him again, let him go on quietly in the work in which God owns him. If he were not of God, the demons would not be subject to him, and his work could not prosper. A spirit of bigotry has little countenance from these passages. There are some who are so outrage... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 40. _HE THAT IS NOT AGAINST US, IS ON OUR PART._] Or rather, _Whosoever is not against_ YOU, _is for_ YOU. Instead of ημων, _us_, I would read υμων, _you_, on the authority of ADSHV, upwards of _forty_ others, _Syriac, Armenian, Persic, Coptic,_ _AEthiopic, Gothic, Slavonic, Vulgate, Itala, Vi... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 41. _A CUP OF WATER TO DRINK_] See the notes on Matthew 10:42; Matthew 18:6.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Mark 9:43-41. _THY HAND - FOOT - EYE - CAUSE THEE TO OFFEND;_] See the notes on Matthew 5:29. Verse Mark 9:43. _THE FIRE THAT NEVER SHALL BE QUENCHED_] That is, _the_ _inextinguishable fire_. This clause is wanting in L, _three_ others, the _Syriac_, and later _Persic_. Some eminent critics s... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 44. Mark 9:43, Mark 9:43.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 45. Mark 9:43, Mark 9:43.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 46. Mark 9:43, Mark 9:43.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 47. Mark 9:43, Mark 9:43.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 48. Mark 9:43, Mark 9:43.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Mark 9:49. _FOR EVERY ONE SHALL BE SALTED WITH FIRE_] Every one of those who shall live and die in sin: but there is great difficulty in this verse. The Codex Bezae, and some other MSS., have omitted the first clause; and several MSS. keep the _first_, and omit the last clause - _and every sac... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Mark 9:50. _IF THE SALT HAVE LOST HIS SALTNESS_] Matthew 5:13. _HAVE SALT IN YOURSELVES_] See that ye have at all times the _preserving_ principle of Divine grace in your hearts, and give that proof of it which will satisfy your own minds, and convince or silence the world: live in brotherly... [ Continue Reading ]