Mark · Chapter 9

V. 1. Till they see the kingdom of God coming with power-So it began to do at the day of pentecost, when three thousand were converted to God at once.

Verse 1. There be some] This verse properly belongs to the preceding chapter, and to the preceding discourse. It is in this connection in Matthew 16:27, 28. See the notes there.

Verse 1. Some that stand here shall not taste of death, &c. — See on Matthew 16:28; till they see the kingdom of God come with power — So it began to do when three thousand were converted to God at once.

CHAPTER 9. Verse 1. There be some of them that stand here. — See notes on Matthew 16:28.

V. 2. By themselves-That is, separate from the multitude: Apart-From the other apostles:

and was transfigured-The Greek word seems to refer to the form of God, and the form of a servant, {mentioned by St. Paul, Philippians 2:6, 7,} and may intimate, that the Divine rays, which the indwelling God let out on this occasion, made the glorious change from one of these forms into the other. Matthew 17:1; Luke 9:28.

Verse 2. And after six days Jesus taketh with him Peter, &c.] For a full account of the nature and design of the transfiguration, see Clarke on “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 Dr. Lightfoot thinks a mountain near Cesarea Philippi to be more likely. Was transfigured] Four good MSS. and Origen add here, AND WHILE THEY WERE PRAYING he was transfigured; but this appears to be added from Luke 9:29.

Verses 2-10. Jesus taketh with him Peter, &c., apart by themselves — That is, separate from the multitude, apart from the apostles; and was transfigured before them — The word metemorfwqh, here used, seems to refer to the form of God, and the form of a servant, mentioned by St. Paul, Philippians 2:6, 7, and may intimate that the divine rays, which the indwelling Deity let out on this occasion, made the glorious change from one of these forms into the other. White as snow, as no fuller on earth can whiten — Such as could not be equalled either by nature or art: And there appeared Elias — Whom they expected: Moses — Whom they did not. See the whole paragraph explained and improved, Matthew 17:1-13.

Verse 2. And after six days, not counting the two sabbaths, as in Luke 9:28. See on Matthew 17:1.

Verse 2. Was transfigured, &c. — See notes on Matthew 17:1-4.

V. 3. White as snow, such as no fuller can whiten-Such as could not be equalled either by nature or art.

Verses 2-10. Jesus taketh with him Peter, &c., apart by themselves — That is, separate from the multitude, apart from the apostles; and was transfigured before them — The word metemorfwqh, here used, seems to refer to the form of God, and the form of a servant, mentioned by St. Paul, Philippians 2:6, 7, and may intimate that the divine rays, which the indwelling Deity let out on this occasion, made the glorious change from one of these forms into the other. White as snow, as no fuller on earth can whiten — Such as could not be equalled either by nature or art: And there appeared Elias — Whom they expected: Moses — Whom they did not. See the whole paragraph explained and improved, Matthew 17:1-13.

V. 4. Elijah-Whom they expected: Moses, whom they did not.

Verses 2-10. Jesus taketh with him Peter, &c., apart by themselves — That is, separate from the multitude, apart from the apostles; and was transfigured before them — The word metemorfwqh, here used, seems to refer to the form of God, and the form of a servant, mentioned by St. Paul, Philippians 2:6, 7, and may intimate that the divine rays, which the indwelling Deity let out on this occasion, made the glorious change from one of these forms into the other. White as snow, as no fuller on earth can whiten — Such as could not be equalled either by nature or art: And there appeared Elias — Whom they expected: Moses — Whom they did not. See the whole paragraph explained and improved, Matthew 17:1-13.

Verses 2-10. Jesus taketh with him Peter, &c., apart by themselves — That is, separate from the multitude, apart from the apostles; and was transfigured before them — The word metemorfwqh, here used, seems to refer to the form of God, and the form of a servant, mentioned by St. Paul, Philippians 2:6, 7, and may intimate that the divine rays, which the indwelling Deity let out on this occasion, made the glorious change from one of these forms into the other. White as snow, as no fuller on earth can whiten — Such as could not be equalled either by nature or art: And there appeared Elias — Whom they expected: Moses — Whom they did not. See the whole paragraph explained and improved, Matthew 17:1-13.

Verses 2-10. Jesus taketh with him Peter, &c., apart by themselves — That is, separate from the multitude, apart from the apostles; and was transfigured before them — The word metemorfwqh, here used, seems to refer to the form of God, and the form of a servant, mentioned by St. Paul, Philippians 2:6, 7, and may intimate that the divine rays, which the indwelling Deity let out on this occasion, made the glorious change from one of these forms into the other. White as snow, as no fuller on earth can whiten — Such as could not be equalled either by nature or art: And there appeared Elias — Whom they expected: Moses — Whom they did not. See the whole paragraph explained and improved, Matthew 17:1-13.

6. He wist not — He knew not. The verb wist comes from the old English to wit. It is cognate with the words wit and wisdom.

V. 7. There came a (bright, luminous) cloud, overshadowing them-This seems to have been such a cloud of glory as accompanied Israel in the wilderness, which, as the Jewish writers observe, departed at the death of Moses. But it now appeared again, in honour of our Lord, as the great Prophet of the Church, who was prefigured by Moses.

Hear ye him-Even preferably to Moses and Elijah.

Verses 2-10. Jesus taketh with him Peter, &c., apart by themselves — That is, separate from the multitude, apart from the apostles; and was transfigured before them — The word metemorfwqh, here used, seems to refer to the form of God, and the form of a servant, mentioned by St. Paul, Philippians 2:6, 7, and may intimate that the divine rays, which the indwelling Deity let out on this occasion, made the glorious change from one of these forms into the other. White as snow, as no fuller on earth can whiten — Such as could not be equalled either by nature or art: And there appeared Elias — Whom they expected: Moses — Whom they did not. See the whole paragraph explained and improved, Matthew 17:1-13.

Verses 2-10. Jesus taketh with him Peter, &c., apart by themselves — That is, separate from the multitude, apart from the apostles; and was transfigured before them — The word metemorfwqh, here used, seems to refer to the form of God, and the form of a servant, mentioned by St. Paul, Philippians 2:6, 7, and may intimate that the divine rays, which the indwelling Deity let out on this occasion, made the glorious change from one of these forms into the other. White as snow, as no fuller on earth can whiten — Such as could not be equalled either by nature or art: And there appeared Elias — Whom they expected: Moses — Whom they did not. See the whole paragraph explained and improved, Matthew 17:1-13.

Verses 2-10. Jesus taketh with him Peter, &c., apart by themselves — That is, separate from the multitude, apart from the apostles; and was transfigured before them — The word metemorfwqh, here used, seems to refer to the form of God, and the form of a servant, mentioned by St. Paul, Philippians 2:6, 7, and may intimate that the divine rays, which the indwelling Deity let out on this occasion, made the glorious change from one of these forms into the other. White as snow, as no fuller on earth can whiten — Such as could not be equalled either by nature or art: And there appeared Elias — Whom they expected: Moses — Whom they did not. See the whole paragraph explained and improved, Matthew 17:1-13.

Verse 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.] ~otan eknekrwn anasth, When he should arise from the dead, is the reading of D, six others, Syriac, all the Persic, Vulgate, all the Itala, and Jerome. Griesbach approves of it.

There is nothing that answers to this verse either in Matthew or Luke.

Verses 2-10. Jesus taketh with him Peter, &c., apart by themselves — That is, separate from the multitude, apart from the apostles; and was transfigured before them — The word metemorfwqh, here used, seems to refer to the form of God, and the form of a servant, mentioned by St. Paul, Philippians 2:6, 7, and may intimate that the divine rays, which the indwelling Deity let out on this occasion, made the glorious change from one of these forms into the other. White as snow, as no fuller on earth can whiten — Such as could not be equalled either by nature or art: And there appeared Elias — Whom they expected: Moses — Whom they did not. See the whole paragraph explained and improved, Matthew 17:1-13.

10. Should mean — Will he literally die, or is it a figure of speech? If figurative, what does it mean? If real, why should it take place, and what will become of us? Will he truly rise again? What if he should not? What then becomes of his past miracles and teachings? And how are we to explain this dazzling transfiguration? It is wonderful how completely the crucifixion of Jesus swept from the disciples’ minds all hope of his resurrection, so that they could scarce believe it when it took place. See notes on Mark 16:10, 11.

§ 76. — HEALING THE CHILD POSSESSED OF A DEAF AND DUMB DEMON, 14-29. (See notes on Matthew 17:14-21.)

Verse 11. Elias must first come, &c. — See notes on Matthew 17:10- 12.

V. 12. Elijah verily coming first restoreth all things: and how it is written-That is, And he told them how it is written-As if he had said, Elijah's coming is not inconsistent with my suffering. He is come: yet I shall suffer. The first part of the verse answers their question concerning Elijah; the second refutes their error concerning the Messiah's continuing for ever.

Verse 12. And how it is written] Rather, as also it is written. Instead of kai pwv, AND HOW it is written, I read kaqwv, 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. Some think the propriety of adopting this reading is self-evident.

Verses 12, 13. Elias verily cometh first, and restoreth all things, and how it is written — That is, And, he told them, how it is written. As if he had said, Elijah’s coming is not inconsistent with my suffering. He is come; yet I shall suffer. The first part of the verse answers their question concerning Elijah; the second refutes their error concerning the Messiah’s continuing for ever.

Verses 12, 13. Elias verily cometh first, and restoreth all things, and how it is written — That is, And, he told them, how it is written. As if he had said, Elijah’s coming is not inconsistent with my suffering. He is come; yet I shall suffer. The first part of the verse answers their question concerning Elijah; the second refutes their error concerning the Messiah’s continuing for ever.

V. 14. Matthew 17:14; Luke 9:37.

Verses 14-19. When he came to his disciples he saw a great multitude — Probably this multitude had remained there all night, waiting till Jesus should return from the mountain, and the scribes questioning — Greek, suzhtountav, disputing with them, namely, with the nine who remained on the plain. Doubtless they took the opportunity of their Master’s absence to expose and distress them. And all the people, when they beheld him, were greatly amazed — At his coming so suddenly, so seasonably, so unexpectedly: perhaps, also, at some unusual rays of majesty and glory, which yet remained on his countenance; as, it seems, Moses’s face shone several hours after he had been with God on the mount. And running to him, saluted him — With the greatest marks of respect and affection. The scribes and Pharisees, however, without regarding his return, continued their ill-natured attacks on his disciples. And he asked the scribes — Namely, when the salutations of the multitude were over. What question ye with them? — What is the subject of your dispute with them? What is the point you are debating so warmly? The scribes gave no answer to our Lord’s question. They did not care to repeat what they had said to his disciples: but one of the multitude said, Master, I have brought unto thee my son, &c. — From the narrative which this man gives, in answer to what Jesus said to the scribes, it appears that they had been disputing about the cure of this youth, which the disciples had unsuccessfully attempted. And probably their want of success had given the scribes occasion to boast that a devil was found that neither the disciples nor their Master was able to cast out. See notes on Matthew 17:14-21. Which hath a dumb spirit — A spirit that takes his speech from him; and wheresoever he taketh him, he teareth him — Or rather convulseth him, and he foameth — At the mouth; and gnasheth with his teeth — In extremity of anguish; and pineth away — Though in the bloom of his age. And I spake to thy disciples — Entreated them to cast him out; and they could not. The Lord Jesus permitted this for wise reasons, chiefly, perhaps, to keep them humble, and sensible of their entire dependance on him for all their power to perform cures, or do any manner of thing that was good.

Verses 14-24. And when he came to his disciples. — That is, to the body of the disciples, those whom he had not taken with him to the scene of the transfiguration, as he did Peter, James, and John. He found them with a great multitude about them, and the scribes questioning with them, perplexing them with objections and difficult inquiries, and especially exulting over them, that they had not been able to cast out a devil from a youth who had been brought to them during the absence of Christ. On this account, see the notes on Matthew 17:14-18. St. Mark adds to the relation several striking and affecting particulars; as

1. That as soon as the people beheld him approaching they were greatly amazed, and running to him saluted him. There is a considerable difficulty in explaining what it was in the appearance of Christ which amazed the people. That, as they were generally friendly to him and displeased with the carping disputings of the scribes with his disciples during his absence, they should be greatly elevated with joy at seeing him so opportunely approach, is very rational; because they knew well how soon he would silence all these inimical men, as he had often silenced them before, to the great joy of the honest-minded multitudes. But this amazement was an emotion which neither in kind nor degree answers to that expressed by the word ekqambeomai, which denotes the highest degree of astonishment not unmingled with fear or awe. It is therefore probable that there was something of unusual dignity and majesty in the air and mien of our Lord, so lately descended from the mountain on which he had been transfigured, which impressed with astonishment and awe those who ran to salute him. That some rays of the glory remained upon his face, as upon the face of Moses after he had been with God on the mount, is an ingenious and not an improbable conjecture of several commentators both ancient and modern. — Certain it is, there was something visible and exceedingly impressive in his aspect; but, whatever it might be, it was probably laid aside before he joined the promiscuous throng and confronted the scribes, as no farther allusion is made to 2:2. The case of the possessed youth is also set forth with additional circumstance. He was not only “lunatic,” that is to say, epileptic, and “sore vexed,” as stated by St. Matthew, but also dumb; and, being torn, convulsed, and thrown down by the evil spirit, he foamed, gnashed with his teeth; and, by reason of these various torments, he pined or wasted away. This too was stated by the father to have been the unhappy case of his son from a child, paidioqen; not exactly from infancy, but from boyhood.

3. St. Mark draws the picture of the father in a most affecting manner. He had brought his afflicted child to Jesus, having, no doubt, heard of his fame; but, finding him absent, he had applied to the disciples, and they could not cast him out: either they had attempted and failed, or, what is more probable, for want of faith to encounter so fearful a spirit, (see the notes on Matthew 17:14-20,) would not make the attempt, and so confessed their inability. This was a bitter disappointment to the father, and served also to shake his faith in the Master of these weak disciples. Hence after having pathetically described the case of the youth, he says doubtfully, yet imploringly, If thou canst do anything, have compassion on us, and help us. The powerful struggle between faith and unbelief in the mind of this poor man is artlessly but most affectingly portrayed. Jesus had said, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth; and straightway the father of the child CRIED OUT, and said, WITH TEARS, Lord, I believe; help thou my unbelief; that is, increase my faith, by supplying its defects, and removing the doubts which I confess intrude against my better convictions and wishes. He knew so much of Christ that he felt that it was most reasonable in him to exercise an entire trust in his power and goodness; yet the length of time his son had been possessed, the powerful and fearful character of the evil spirit, and the failure of Christ’s disciples to cast him out, had rendered the exercise of that entire faith an act of great difficulty. He, however, manfully struggles, and casts himself upon the compassion of Him who “despises not the day of small things;” and his prayer is heard.

V. 15. All the multitude seeing him were greatly amazed-At his coming so suddenly, so seasonably, so unexpectedly: perhaps also at some unusual rays of majesty and glory, which yet remained on his countenance.

Verse 15. Were greatly amazed] Probably, because he came so unexpectedly; but the cause of this amazement is not self-evident.

Verses 14-19. When he came to his disciples he saw a great multitude — Probably this multitude had remained there all night, waiting till Jesus should return from the mountain, and the scribes questioning — Greek, suzhtountav, disputing with them, namely, with the nine who remained on the plain. Doubtless they took the opportunity of their Master’s absence to expose and distress them. And all the people, when they beheld him, were greatly amazed — At his coming so suddenly, so seasonably, so unexpectedly: perhaps, also, at some unusual rays of majesty and glory, which yet remained on his countenance; as, it seems, Moses’s face shone several hours after he had been with God on the mount. And running to him, saluted him — With the greatest marks of respect and affection. The scribes and Pharisees, however, without regarding his return, continued their ill-natured attacks on his disciples. And he asked the scribes — Namely, when the salutations of the multitude were over. What question ye with them? — What is the subject of your dispute with them? What is the point you are debating so warmly? The scribes gave no answer to our Lord’s question. They did not care to repeat what they had said to his disciples: but one of the multitude said, Master, I have brought unto thee my son, &c. — From the narrative which this man gives, in answer to what Jesus said to the scribes, it appears that they had been disputing about the cure of this youth, which the disciples had unsuccessfully attempted. And probably their want of success had given the scribes occasion to boast that a devil was found that neither the disciples nor their Master was able to cast out. See notes on Matthew 17:14-21. Which hath a dumb spirit — A spirit that takes his speech from him; and wheresoever he taketh him, he teareth him — Or rather convulseth him, and he foameth — At the mouth; and gnasheth with his teeth — In extremity of anguish; and pineth away — Though in the bloom of his age. And I spake to thy disciples — Entreated them to cast him out; and they could not. The Lord Jesus permitted this for wise reasons, chiefly, perhaps, to keep them humble, and sensible of their entire dependance on him for all their power to perform cures, or do any manner of thing that was good.

Verses 14-24. And when he came to his disciples. — That is, to the body of the disciples, those whom he had not taken with him to the scene of the transfiguration, as he did Peter, James, and John. He found them with a great multitude about them, and the scribes questioning with them, perplexing them with objections and difficult inquiries, and especially exulting over them, that they had not been able to cast out a devil from a youth who had been brought to them during the absence of Christ. On this account, see the notes on Matthew 17:14-18. St. Mark adds to the relation several striking and affecting particulars; as

1. That as soon as the people beheld him approaching they were greatly amazed, and running to him saluted him. There is a considerable difficulty in explaining what it was in the appearance of Christ which amazed the people. That, as they were generally friendly to him and displeased with the carping disputings of the scribes with his disciples during his absence, they should be greatly elevated with joy at seeing him so opportunely approach, is very rational; because they knew well how soon he would silence all these inimical men, as he had often silenced them before, to the great joy of the honest-minded multitudes. But this amazement was an emotion which neither in kind nor degree answers to that expressed by the word ekqambeomai, which denotes the highest degree of astonishment not unmingled with fear or awe. It is therefore probable that there was something of unusual dignity and majesty in the air and mien of our Lord, so lately descended from the mountain on which he had been transfigured, which impressed with astonishment and awe those who ran to salute him. That some rays of the glory remained upon his face, as upon the face of Moses after he had been with God on the mount, is an ingenious and not an improbable conjecture of several commentators both ancient and modern. — Certain it is, there was something visible and exceedingly impressive in his aspect; but, whatever it might be, it was probably laid aside before he joined the promiscuous throng and confronted the scribes, as no farther allusion is made to 2:2. The case of the possessed youth is also set forth with additional circumstance. He was not only “lunatic,” that is to say, epileptic, and “sore vexed,” as stated by St. Matthew, but also dumb; and, being torn, convulsed, and thrown down by the evil spirit, he foamed, gnashed with his teeth; and, by reason of these various torments, he pined or wasted away. This too was stated by the father to have been the unhappy case of his son from a child, paidioqen; not exactly from infancy, but from boyhood.

3. St. Mark draws the picture of the father in a most affecting manner. He had brought his afflicted child to Jesus, having, no doubt, heard of his fame; but, finding him absent, he had applied to the disciples, and they could not cast him out: either they had attempted and failed, or, what is more probable, for want of faith to encounter so fearful a spirit, (see the notes on Matthew 17:14-20,) would not make the attempt, and so confessed their inability. This was a bitter disappointment to the father, and served also to shake his faith in the Master of these weak disciples. Hence after having pathetically described the case of the youth, he says doubtfully, yet imploringly, If thou canst do anything, have compassion on us, and help us. The powerful struggle between faith and unbelief in the mind of this poor man is artlessly but most affectingly portrayed. Jesus had said, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth; and straightway the father of the child CRIED OUT, and said, WITH TEARS, Lord, I believe; help thou my unbelief; that is, increase my faith, by supplying its defects, and removing the doubts which I confess intrude against my better convictions and wishes. He knew so much of Christ that he felt that it was most reasonable in him to exercise an entire trust in his power and goodness; yet the length of time his son had been possessed, the powerful and fearful character of the evil spirit, and the failure of Christ’s disciples to cast him out, had rendered the exercise of that entire faith an act of great difficulty. He, however, manfully struggles, and casts himself upon the compassion of Him who “despises not the day of small things;” and his prayer is heard.

Verses 14-19. When he came to his disciples he saw a great multitude — Probably this multitude had remained there all night, waiting till Jesus should return from the mountain, and the scribes questioning — Greek, suzhtountav, disputing with them, namely, with the nine who remained on the plain. Doubtless they took the opportunity of their Master’s absence to expose and distress them. And all the people, when they beheld him, were greatly amazed — At his coming so suddenly, so seasonably, so unexpectedly: perhaps, also, at some unusual rays of majesty and glory, which yet remained on his countenance; as, it seems, Moses’s face shone several hours after he had been with God on the mount. And running to him, saluted him — With the greatest marks of respect and affection. The scribes and Pharisees, however, without regarding his return, continued their ill-natured attacks on his disciples. And he asked the scribes — Namely, when the salutations of the multitude were over. What question ye with them? — What is the subject of your dispute with them? What is the point you are debating so warmly? The scribes gave no answer to our Lord’s question. They did not care to repeat what they had said to his disciples: but one of the multitude said, Master, I have brought unto thee my son, &c. — From the narrative which this man gives, in answer to what Jesus said to the scribes, it appears that they had been disputing about the cure of this youth, which the disciples had unsuccessfully attempted. And probably their want of success had given the scribes occasion to boast that a devil was found that neither the disciples nor their Master was able to cast out. See notes on Matthew 17:14-21. Which hath a dumb spirit — A spirit that takes his speech from him; and wheresoever he taketh him, he teareth him — Or rather convulseth him, and he foameth — At the mouth; and gnasheth with his teeth — In extremity of anguish; and pineth away — Though in the bloom of his age. And I spake to thy disciples — Entreated them to cast him out; and they could not. The Lord Jesus permitted this for wise reasons, chiefly, perhaps, to keep them humble, and sensible of their entire dependance on him for all their power to perform cures, or do any manner of thing that was good.

Ver. 16. He asked the scribes, what question ye with them? No answer! They had been insulting the disciples because they could not deliver a child, (for so the jews call young people under the age of twenty years) from the power of Satan. 1 Kings 3:7. This was a momentary triumph of the learned adversaries of Christ. They had ridiculed the apostles as impostors, pretending to work miracles in bye places, and deluding weak people.

Verses 14-24. And when he came to his disciples. — That is, to the body of the disciples, those whom he had not taken with him to the scene of the transfiguration, as he did Peter, James, and John. He found them with a great multitude about them, and the scribes questioning with them, perplexing them with objections and difficult inquiries, and especially exulting over them, that they had not been able to cast out a devil from a youth who had been brought to them during the absence of Christ. On this account, see the notes on Matthew 17:14-18. St. Mark adds to the relation several striking and affecting particulars; as

1. That as soon as the people beheld him approaching they were greatly amazed, and running to him saluted him. There is a considerable difficulty in explaining what it was in the appearance of Christ which amazed the people. That, as they were generally friendly to him and displeased with the carping disputings of the scribes with his disciples during his absence, they should be greatly elevated with joy at seeing him so opportunely approach, is very rational; because they knew well how soon he would silence all these inimical men, as he had often silenced them before, to the great joy of the honest-minded multitudes. But this amazement was an emotion which neither in kind nor degree answers to that expressed by the word ekqambeomai, which denotes the highest degree of astonishment not unmingled with fear or awe. It is therefore probable that there was something of unusual dignity and majesty in the air and mien of our Lord, so lately descended from the mountain on which he had been transfigured, which impressed with astonishment and awe those who ran to salute him. That some rays of the glory remained upon his face, as upon the face of Moses after he had been with God on the mount, is an ingenious and not an improbable conjecture of several commentators both ancient and modern. — Certain it is, there was something visible and exceedingly impressive in his aspect; but, whatever it might be, it was probably laid aside before he joined the promiscuous throng and confronted the scribes, as no farther allusion is made to 2:2. The case of the possessed youth is also set forth with additional circumstance. He was not only “lunatic,” that is to say, epileptic, and “sore vexed,” as stated by St. Matthew, but also dumb; and, being torn, convulsed, and thrown down by the evil spirit, he foamed, gnashed with his teeth; and, by reason of these various torments, he pined or wasted away. This too was stated by the father to have been the unhappy case of his son from a child, paidioqen; not exactly from infancy, but from boyhood.

3. St. Mark draws the picture of the father in a most affecting manner. He had brought his afflicted child to Jesus, having, no doubt, heard of his fame; but, finding him absent, he had applied to the disciples, and they could not cast him out: either they had attempted and failed, or, what is more probable, for want of faith to encounter so fearful a spirit, (see the notes on Matthew 17:14-20,) would not make the attempt, and so confessed their inability. This was a bitter disappointment to the father, and served also to shake his faith in the Master of these weak disciples. Hence after having pathetically described the case of the youth, he says doubtfully, yet imploringly, If thou canst do anything, have compassion on us, and help us. The powerful struggle between faith and unbelief in the mind of this poor man is artlessly but most affectingly portrayed. Jesus had said, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth; and straightway the father of the child CRIED OUT, and said, WITH TEARS, Lord, I believe; help thou my unbelief; that is, increase my faith, by supplying its defects, and removing the doubts which I confess intrude against my better convictions and wishes. He knew so much of Christ that he felt that it was most reasonable in him to exercise an entire trust in his power and goodness; yet the length of time his son had been possessed, the powerful and fearful character of the evil spirit, and the failure of Christ’s disciples to cast him out, had rendered the exercise of that entire faith an act of great difficulty. He, however, manfully struggles, and casts himself upon the compassion of Him who “despises not the day of small things;” and his prayer is heard.

V. 17. And one of the multitude answering-The scribes gave no answer to our Lord's question. They did not care to repeat what they had said to his disciples.

A dumb spirit-A spirit that takes his speech from him.

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.

Verses 14-19. When he came to his disciples he saw a great multitude — Probably this multitude had remained there all night, waiting till Jesus should return from the mountain, and the scribes questioning — Greek, suzhtountav, disputing with them, namely, with the nine who remained on the plain. Doubtless they took the opportunity of their Master’s absence to expose and distress them. And all the people, when they beheld him, were greatly amazed — At his coming so suddenly, so seasonably, so unexpectedly: perhaps, also, at some unusual rays of majesty and glory, which yet remained on his countenance; as, it seems, Moses’s face shone several hours after he had been with God on the mount. And running to him, saluted him — With the greatest marks of respect and affection. The scribes and Pharisees, however, without regarding his return, continued their ill-natured attacks on his disciples. And he asked the scribes — Namely, when the salutations of the multitude were over. What question ye with them? — What is the subject of your dispute with them? What is the point you are debating so warmly? The scribes gave no answer to our Lord’s question. They did not care to repeat what they had said to his disciples: but one of the multitude said, Master, I have brought unto thee my son, &c. — From the narrative which this man gives, in answer to what Jesus said to the scribes, it appears that they had been disputing about the cure of this youth, which the disciples had unsuccessfully attempted. And probably their want of success had given the scribes occasion to boast that a devil was found that neither the disciples nor their Master was able to cast out. See notes on Matthew 17:14-21. Which hath a dumb spirit — A spirit that takes his speech from him; and wheresoever he taketh him, he teareth him — Or rather convulseth him, and he foameth — At the mouth; and gnasheth with his teeth — In extremity of anguish; and pineth away — Though in the bloom of his age. And I spake to thy disciples — Entreated them to cast him out; and they could not. The Lord Jesus permitted this for wise reasons, chiefly, perhaps, to keep them humble, and sensible of their entire dependance on him for all their power to perform cures, or do any manner of thing that was good.

Ver. 17, 18. Master, I have brought to thee my son, which hath a dumb spirit; and wheresoever he taketh him, he teareth him, and he foameth and gnasheth with his teeth, and pineth away. A sad case, a chronic and obstinate case. And I spake to thy disciples that they should cast him out, and they could not. Sometimes ministers are divested of their strength, and baffled before an infidel auditory; yet their God will not forsake them, they shall still lift up their heads.

Verses 14-24. And when he came to his disciples. — That is, to the body of the disciples, those whom he had not taken with him to the scene of the transfiguration, as he did Peter, James, and John. He found them with a great multitude about them, and the scribes questioning with them, perplexing them with objections and difficult inquiries, and especially exulting over them, that they had not been able to cast out a devil from a youth who had been brought to them during the absence of Christ. On this account, see the notes on Matthew 17:14-18. St. Mark adds to the relation several striking and affecting particulars; as

1. That as soon as the people beheld him approaching they were greatly amazed, and running to him saluted him. There is a considerable difficulty in explaining what it was in the appearance of Christ which amazed the people. That, as they were generally friendly to him and displeased with the carping disputings of the scribes with his disciples during his absence, they should be greatly elevated with joy at seeing him so opportunely approach, is very rational; because they knew well how soon he would silence all these inimical men, as he had often silenced them before, to the great joy of the honest-minded multitudes. But this amazement was an emotion which neither in kind nor degree answers to that expressed by the word ekqambeomai, which denotes the highest degree of astonishment not unmingled with fear or awe. It is therefore probable that there was something of unusual dignity and majesty in the air and mien of our Lord, so lately descended from the mountain on which he had been transfigured, which impressed with astonishment and awe those who ran to salute him. That some rays of the glory remained upon his face, as upon the face of Moses after he had been with God on the mount, is an ingenious and not an improbable conjecture of several commentators both ancient and modern. — Certain it is, there was something visible and exceedingly impressive in his aspect; but, whatever it might be, it was probably laid aside before he joined the promiscuous throng and confronted the scribes, as no farther allusion is made to 2:2. The case of the possessed youth is also set forth with additional circumstance. He was not only “lunatic,” that is to say, epileptic, and “sore vexed,” as stated by St. Matthew, but also dumb; and, being torn, convulsed, and thrown down by the evil spirit, he foamed, gnashed with his teeth; and, by reason of these various torments, he pined or wasted away. This too was stated by the father to have been the unhappy case of his son from a child, paidioqen; not exactly from infancy, but from boyhood.

3. St. Mark draws the picture of the father in a most affecting manner. He had brought his afflicted child to Jesus, having, no doubt, heard of his fame; but, finding him absent, he had applied to the disciples, and they could not cast him out: either they had attempted and failed, or, what is more probable, for want of faith to encounter so fearful a spirit, (see the notes on Matthew 17:14-20,) would not make the attempt, and so confessed their inability. This was a bitter disappointment to the father, and served also to shake his faith in the Master of these weak disciples. Hence after having pathetically described the case of the youth, he says doubtfully, yet imploringly, If thou canst do anything, have compassion on us, and help us. The powerful struggle between faith and unbelief in the mind of this poor man is artlessly but most affectingly portrayed. Jesus had said, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth; and straightway the father of the child CRIED OUT, and said, WITH TEARS, Lord, I believe; help thou my unbelief; that is, increase my faith, by supplying its defects, and removing the doubts which I confess intrude against my better convictions and wishes. He knew so much of Christ that he felt that it was most reasonable in him to exercise an entire trust in his power and goodness; yet the length of time his son had been possessed, the powerful and fearful character of the evil spirit, and the failure of Christ’s disciples to cast him out, had rendered the exercise of that entire faith an act of great difficulty. He, however, manfully struggles, and casts himself upon the compassion of Him who “despises not the day of small things;” and his prayer is heard.

Verse 18. Pineth away] By these continual torments; so he was not only deaf and dumb, but sorely tortured besides.

Verses 14-19. When he came to his disciples he saw a great multitude — Probably this multitude had remained there all night, waiting till Jesus should return from the mountain, and the scribes questioning — Greek, suzhtountav, disputing with them, namely, with the nine who remained on the plain. Doubtless they took the opportunity of their Master’s absence to expose and distress them. And all the people, when they beheld him, were greatly amazed — At his coming so suddenly, so seasonably, so unexpectedly: perhaps, also, at some unusual rays of majesty and glory, which yet remained on his countenance; as, it seems, Moses’s face shone several hours after he had been with God on the mount. And running to him, saluted him — With the greatest marks of respect and affection. The scribes and Pharisees, however, without regarding his return, continued their ill-natured attacks on his disciples. And he asked the scribes — Namely, when the salutations of the multitude were over. What question ye with them? — What is the subject of your dispute with them? What is the point you are debating so warmly? The scribes gave no answer to our Lord’s question. They did not care to repeat what they had said to his disciples: but one of the multitude said, Master, I have brought unto thee my son, &c. — From the narrative which this man gives, in answer to what Jesus said to the scribes, it appears that they had been disputing about the cure of this youth, which the disciples had unsuccessfully attempted. And probably their want of success had given the scribes occasion to boast that a devil was found that neither the disciples nor their Master was able to cast out. See notes on Matthew 17:14-21. Which hath a dumb spirit — A spirit that takes his speech from him; and wheresoever he taketh him, he teareth him — Or rather convulseth him, and he foameth — At the mouth; and gnasheth with his teeth — In extremity of anguish; and pineth away — Though in the bloom of his age. And I spake to thy disciples — Entreated them to cast him out; and they could not. The Lord Jesus permitted this for wise reasons, chiefly, perhaps, to keep them humble, and sensible of their entire dependance on him for all their power to perform cures, or do any manner of thing that was good.

Ver. 17, 18. Master, I have brought to thee my son, which hath a dumb spirit; and wheresoever he taketh him, he teareth him, and he foameth and gnasheth with his teeth, and pineth away. A sad case, a chronic and obstinate case. And I spake to thy disciples that they should cast him out, and they could not. Sometimes ministers are divested of their strength, and baffled before an infidel auditory; yet their God will not forsake them, they shall still lift up their heads.

Verses 14-24. And when he came to his disciples. — That is, to the body of the disciples, those whom he had not taken with him to the scene of the transfiguration, as he did Peter, James, and John. He found them with a great multitude about them, and the scribes questioning with them, perplexing them with objections and difficult inquiries, and especially exulting over them, that they had not been able to cast out a devil from a youth who had been brought to them during the absence of Christ. On this account, see the notes on Matthew 17:14-18. St. Mark adds to the relation several striking and affecting particulars; as

1. That as soon as the people beheld him approaching they were greatly amazed, and running to him saluted him. There is a considerable difficulty in explaining what it was in the appearance of Christ which amazed the people. That, as they were generally friendly to him and displeased with the carping disputings of the scribes with his disciples during his absence, they should be greatly elevated with joy at seeing him so opportunely approach, is very rational; because they knew well how soon he would silence all these inimical men, as he had often silenced them before, to the great joy of the honest-minded multitudes. But this amazement was an emotion which neither in kind nor degree answers to that expressed by the word ekqambeomai, which denotes the highest degree of astonishment not unmingled with fear or awe. It is therefore probable that there was something of unusual dignity and majesty in the air and mien of our Lord, so lately descended from the mountain on which he had been transfigured, which impressed with astonishment and awe those who ran to salute him. That some rays of the glory remained upon his face, as upon the face of Moses after he had been with God on the mount, is an ingenious and not an improbable conjecture of several commentators both ancient and modern. — Certain it is, there was something visible and exceedingly impressive in his aspect; but, whatever it might be, it was probably laid aside before he joined the promiscuous throng and confronted the scribes, as no farther allusion is made to 2:2. The case of the possessed youth is also set forth with additional circumstance. He was not only “lunatic,” that is to say, epileptic, and “sore vexed,” as stated by St. Matthew, but also dumb; and, being torn, convulsed, and thrown down by the evil spirit, he foamed, gnashed with his teeth; and, by reason of these various torments, he pined or wasted away. This too was stated by the father to have been the unhappy case of his son from a child, paidioqen; not exactly from infancy, but from boyhood.

3. St. Mark draws the picture of the father in a most affecting manner. He had brought his afflicted child to Jesus, having, no doubt, heard of his fame; but, finding him absent, he had applied to the disciples, and they could not cast him out: either they had attempted and failed, or, what is more probable, for want of faith to encounter so fearful a spirit, (see the notes on Matthew 17:14-20,) would not make the attempt, and so confessed their inability. This was a bitter disappointment to the father, and served also to shake his faith in the Master of these weak disciples. Hence after having pathetically described the case of the youth, he says doubtfully, yet imploringly, If thou canst do anything, have compassion on us, and help us. The powerful struggle between faith and unbelief in the mind of this poor man is artlessly but most affectingly portrayed. Jesus had said, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth; and straightway the father of the child CRIED OUT, and said, WITH TEARS, Lord, I believe; help thou my unbelief; that is, increase my faith, by supplying its defects, and removing the doubts which I confess intrude against my better convictions and wishes. He knew so much of Christ that he felt that it was most reasonable in him to exercise an entire trust in his power and goodness; yet the length of time his son had been possessed, the powerful and fearful character of the evil spirit, and the failure of Christ’s disciples to cast him out, had rendered the exercise of that entire faith an act of great difficulty. He, however, manfully struggles, and casts himself upon the compassion of Him who “despises not the day of small things;” and his prayer is heard.

Verses 14-19. When he came to his disciples he saw a great multitude — Probably this multitude had remained there all night, waiting till Jesus should return from the mountain, and the scribes questioning — Greek, suzhtountav, disputing with them, namely, with the nine who remained on the plain. Doubtless they took the opportunity of their Master’s absence to expose and distress them. And all the people, when they beheld him, were greatly amazed — At his coming so suddenly, so seasonably, so unexpectedly: perhaps, also, at some unusual rays of majesty and glory, which yet remained on his countenance; as, it seems, Moses’s face shone several hours after he had been with God on the mount. And running to him, saluted him — With the greatest marks of respect and affection. The scribes and Pharisees, however, without regarding his return, continued their ill-natured attacks on his disciples. And he asked the scribes — Namely, when the salutations of the multitude were over. What question ye with them? — What is the subject of your dispute with them? What is the point you are debating so warmly? The scribes gave no answer to our Lord’s question. They did not care to repeat what they had said to his disciples: but one of the multitude said, Master, I have brought unto thee my son, &c. — From the narrative which this man gives, in answer to what Jesus said to the scribes, it appears that they had been disputing about the cure of this youth, which the disciples had unsuccessfully attempted. And probably their want of success had given the scribes occasion to boast that a devil was found that neither the disciples nor their Master was able to cast out. See notes on Matthew 17:14-21. Which hath a dumb spirit — A spirit that takes his speech from him; and wheresoever he taketh him, he teareth him — Or rather convulseth him, and he foameth — At the mouth; and gnasheth with his teeth — In extremity of anguish; and pineth away — Though in the bloom of his age. And I spake to thy disciples — Entreated them to cast him out; and they could not. The Lord Jesus permitted this for wise reasons, chiefly, perhaps, to keep them humble, and sensible of their entire dependance on him for all their power to perform cures, or do any manner of thing that was good.

Ver. 19. Oh faithless generation. The onus of this rebuke, as appears from ver. 29, was levelled against the scribes, who had gloried in their shame.

Verses 14-24. And when he came to his disciples. — That is, to the body of the disciples, those whom he had not taken with him to the scene of the transfiguration, as he did Peter, James, and John. He found them with a great multitude about them, and the scribes questioning with them, perplexing them with objections and difficult inquiries, and especially exulting over them, that they had not been able to cast out a devil from a youth who had been brought to them during the absence of Christ. On this account, see the notes on Matthew 17:14-18. St. Mark adds to the relation several striking and affecting particulars; as

1. That as soon as the people beheld him approaching they were greatly amazed, and running to him saluted him. There is a considerable difficulty in explaining what it was in the appearance of Christ which amazed the people. That, as they were generally friendly to him and displeased with the carping disputings of the scribes with his disciples during his absence, they should be greatly elevated with joy at seeing him so opportunely approach, is very rational; because they knew well how soon he would silence all these inimical men, as he had often silenced them before, to the great joy of the honest-minded multitudes. But this amazement was an emotion which neither in kind nor degree answers to that expressed by the word ekqambeomai, which denotes the highest degree of astonishment not unmingled with fear or awe. It is therefore probable that there was something of unusual dignity and majesty in the air and mien of our Lord, so lately descended from the mountain on which he had been transfigured, which impressed with astonishment and awe those who ran to salute him. That some rays of the glory remained upon his face, as upon the face of Moses after he had been with God on the mount, is an ingenious and not an improbable conjecture of several commentators both ancient and modern. — Certain it is, there was something visible and exceedingly impressive in his aspect; but, whatever it might be, it was probably laid aside before he joined the promiscuous throng and confronted the scribes, as no farther allusion is made to 2:2. The case of the possessed youth is also set forth with additional circumstance. He was not only “lunatic,” that is to say, epileptic, and “sore vexed,” as stated by St. Matthew, but also dumb; and, being torn, convulsed, and thrown down by the evil spirit, he foamed, gnashed with his teeth; and, by reason of these various torments, he pined or wasted away. This too was stated by the father to have been the unhappy case of his son from a child, paidioqen; not exactly from infancy, but from boyhood.

3. St. Mark draws the picture of the father in a most affecting manner. He had brought his afflicted child to Jesus, having, no doubt, heard of his fame; but, finding him absent, he had applied to the disciples, and they could not cast him out: either they had attempted and failed, or, what is more probable, for want of faith to encounter so fearful a spirit, (see the notes on Matthew 17:14-20,) would not make the attempt, and so confessed their inability. This was a bitter disappointment to the father, and served also to shake his faith in the Master of these weak disciples. Hence after having pathetically described the case of the youth, he says doubtfully, yet imploringly, If thou canst do anything, have compassion on us, and help us. The powerful struggle between faith and unbelief in the mind of this poor man is artlessly but most affectingly portrayed. Jesus had said, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth; and straightway the father of the child CRIED OUT, and said, WITH TEARS, Lord, I believe; help thou my unbelief; that is, increase my faith, by supplying its defects, and removing the doubts which I confess intrude against my better convictions and wishes. He knew so much of Christ that he felt that it was most reasonable in him to exercise an entire trust in his power and goodness; yet the length of time his son had been possessed, the powerful and fearful character of the evil spirit, and the failure of Christ’s disciples to cast him out, had rendered the exercise of that entire faith an act of great difficulty. He, however, manfully struggles, and casts himself upon the compassion of Him who “despises not the day of small things;” and his prayer is heard.

V. 20. When he saw him-When the child saw Christ; when his deliverance was at hand.

Immediately the spirit tore him-Made his last grand effort to destroy him. Is it not generally so, before Satan is cast out of a soul, of which he has long had possession?

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.

Verses 20-22. And when he saw him — When the child saw Jesus, being brought to him by his father: when his deliverance was at hand; immediately the spirit tore him — Made his last, grand effort to destroy him. Is it not generally so, before Satan relinquishes his power over a soul of which he has long had possession? And he (Christ) asked, How long is it, &c. — The Lord Jesus made this inquiry for the same reason for which he suffered Satan to make the violent attack upon the youth just mentioned, namely, that the spectators might be impressed with a more lively sense of his deplorable condition. And he said, From a child — Greek, paidioqen, from his childhood, or, as some render it, from his infancy. And ofttimes it — The evil spirit; hath cast him into the fire, &c., to destroy him — Such is the power it has over him, and such its infernal rage and malice! But if thou canst do any thing — In so desperate a case; have compassion on us — On me as well as him; and help us — The afflicted father, greatly discouraged by the inability of our Lord’s disciples, and dispirited by the sight of his son’s misery, and by the remembrance of its long continuance, was afraid this possession might surpass the power of Jesus himself, and therefore spoke thus, expressing his doubts and fears in a manner very natural, and yet strongly pathetic, and obliquely interesting the honour of Christ in the issue of the affair.

Ver. 20. They brought him to the Saviour, wallowing on the ground, and foaming at the mouth. Jesus allowed this to identify the case, and the more profoundly to rebuke the contempt evinced by the scribes. He wrought all his miracles for the advancement of true religion.

Verses 14-24. And when he came to his disciples. — That is, to the body of the disciples, those whom he had not taken with him to the scene of the transfiguration, as he did Peter, James, and John. He found them with a great multitude about them, and the scribes questioning with them, perplexing them with objections and difficult inquiries, and especially exulting over them, that they had not been able to cast out a devil from a youth who had been brought to them during the absence of Christ. On this account, see the notes on Matthew 17:14-18. St. Mark adds to the relation several striking and affecting particulars; as

1. That as soon as the people beheld him approaching they were greatly amazed, and running to him saluted him. There is a considerable difficulty in explaining what it was in the appearance of Christ which amazed the people. That, as they were generally friendly to him and displeased with the carping disputings of the scribes with his disciples during his absence, they should be greatly elevated with joy at seeing him so opportunely approach, is very rational; because they knew well how soon he would silence all these inimical men, as he had often silenced them before, to the great joy of the honest-minded multitudes. But this amazement was an emotion which neither in kind nor degree answers to that expressed by the word ekqambeomai, which denotes the highest degree of astonishment not unmingled with fear or awe. It is therefore probable that there was something of unusual dignity and majesty in the air and mien of our Lord, so lately descended from the mountain on which he had been transfigured, which impressed with astonishment and awe those who ran to salute him. That some rays of the glory remained upon his face, as upon the face of Moses after he had been with God on the mount, is an ingenious and not an improbable conjecture of several commentators both ancient and modern. — Certain it is, there was something visible and exceedingly impressive in his aspect; but, whatever it might be, it was probably laid aside before he joined the promiscuous throng and confronted the scribes, as no farther allusion is made to 2:2. The case of the possessed youth is also set forth with additional circumstance. He was not only “lunatic,” that is to say, epileptic, and “sore vexed,” as stated by St. Matthew, but also dumb; and, being torn, convulsed, and thrown down by the evil spirit, he foamed, gnashed with his teeth; and, by reason of these various torments, he pined or wasted away. This too was stated by the father to have been the unhappy case of his son from a child, paidioqen; not exactly from infancy, but from boyhood.

3. St. Mark draws the picture of the father in a most affecting manner. He had brought his afflicted child to Jesus, having, no doubt, heard of his fame; but, finding him absent, he had applied to the disciples, and they could not cast him out: either they had attempted and failed, or, what is more probable, for want of faith to encounter so fearful a spirit, (see the notes on Matthew 17:14-20,) would not make the attempt, and so confessed their inability. This was a bitter disappointment to the father, and served also to shake his faith in the Master of these weak disciples. Hence after having pathetically described the case of the youth, he says doubtfully, yet imploringly, If thou canst do anything, have compassion on us, and help us. The powerful struggle between faith and unbelief in the mind of this poor man is artlessly but most affectingly portrayed. Jesus had said, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth; and straightway the father of the child CRIED OUT, and said, WITH TEARS, Lord, I believe; help thou my unbelief; that is, increase my faith, by supplying its defects, and removing the doubts which I confess intrude against my better convictions and wishes. He knew so much of Christ that he felt that it was most reasonable in him to exercise an entire trust in his power and goodness; yet the length of time his son had been possessed, the powerful and fearful character of the evil spirit, and the failure of Christ’s disciples to cast him out, had rendered the exercise of that entire faith an act of great difficulty. He, however, manfully struggles, and casts himself upon the compassion of Him who “despises not the day of small things;” and his prayer is heard.

Verses 20-22. And when he saw him — When the child saw Jesus, being brought to him by his father: when his deliverance was at hand; immediately the spirit tore him — Made his last, grand effort to destroy him. Is it not generally so, before Satan relinquishes his power over a soul of which he has long had possession? And he (Christ) asked, How long is it, &c. — The Lord Jesus made this inquiry for the same reason for which he suffered Satan to make the violent attack upon the youth just mentioned, namely, that the spectators might be impressed with a more lively sense of his deplorable condition. And he said, From a child — Greek, paidioqen, from his childhood, or, as some render it, from his infancy. And ofttimes it — The evil spirit; hath cast him into the fire, &c., to destroy him — Such is the power it has over him, and such its infernal rage and malice! But if thou canst do any thing — In so desperate a case; have compassion on us — On me as well as him; and help us — The afflicted father, greatly discouraged by the inability of our Lord’s disciples, and dispirited by the sight of his son’s misery, and by the remembrance of its long continuance, was afraid this possession might surpass the power of Jesus himself, and therefore spoke thus, expressing his doubts and fears in a manner very natural, and yet strongly pathetic, and obliquely interesting the honour of Christ in the issue of the affair.

Ver. 21. How long is it since this came unto him. The answer was, from his childhood. This question was put to demonstrate more clearly the extremity of the case, by the number of years it had continued, and to save the souls of the crowd, whose faith had just been shaken by the generation of infidel scribes.

Verses 14-24. And when he came to his disciples. — That is, to the body of the disciples, those whom he had not taken with him to the scene of the transfiguration, as he did Peter, James, and John. He found them with a great multitude about them, and the scribes questioning with them, perplexing them with objections and difficult inquiries, and especially exulting over them, that they had not been able to cast out a devil from a youth who had been brought to them during the absence of Christ. On this account, see the notes on Matthew 17:14-18. St. Mark adds to the relation several striking and affecting particulars; as

1. That as soon as the people beheld him approaching they were greatly amazed, and running to him saluted him. There is a considerable difficulty in explaining what it was in the appearance of Christ which amazed the people. That, as they were generally friendly to him and displeased with the carping disputings of the scribes with his disciples during his absence, they should be greatly elevated with joy at seeing him so opportunely approach, is very rational; because they knew well how soon he would silence all these inimical men, as he had often silenced them before, to the great joy of the honest-minded multitudes. But this amazement was an emotion which neither in kind nor degree answers to that expressed by the word ekqambeomai, which denotes the highest degree of astonishment not unmingled with fear or awe. It is therefore probable that there was something of unusual dignity and majesty in the air and mien of our Lord, so lately descended from the mountain on which he had been transfigured, which impressed with astonishment and awe those who ran to salute him. That some rays of the glory remained upon his face, as upon the face of Moses after he had been with God on the mount, is an ingenious and not an improbable conjecture of several commentators both ancient and modern. — Certain it is, there was something visible and exceedingly impressive in his aspect; but, whatever it might be, it was probably laid aside before he joined the promiscuous throng and confronted the scribes, as no farther allusion is made to 2:2. The case of the possessed youth is also set forth with additional circumstance. He was not only “lunatic,” that is to say, epileptic, and “sore vexed,” as stated by St. Matthew, but also dumb; and, being torn, convulsed, and thrown down by the evil spirit, he foamed, gnashed with his teeth; and, by reason of these various torments, he pined or wasted away. This too was stated by the father to have been the unhappy case of his son from a child, paidioqen; not exactly from infancy, but from boyhood.

3. St. Mark draws the picture of the father in a most affecting manner. He had brought his afflicted child to Jesus, having, no doubt, heard of his fame; but, finding him absent, he had applied to the disciples, and they could not cast him out: either they had attempted and failed, or, what is more probable, for want of faith to encounter so fearful a spirit, (see the notes on Matthew 17:14-20,) would not make the attempt, and so confessed their inability. This was a bitter disappointment to the father, and served also to shake his faith in the Master of these weak disciples. Hence after having pathetically described the case of the youth, he says doubtfully, yet imploringly, If thou canst do anything, have compassion on us, and help us. The powerful struggle between faith and unbelief in the mind of this poor man is artlessly but most affectingly portrayed. Jesus had said, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth; and straightway the father of the child CRIED OUT, and said, WITH TEARS, Lord, I believe; help thou my unbelief; that is, increase my faith, by supplying its defects, and removing the doubts which I confess intrude against my better convictions and wishes. He knew so much of Christ that he felt that it was most reasonable in him to exercise an entire trust in his power and goodness; yet the length of time his son had been possessed, the powerful and fearful character of the evil spirit, and the failure of Christ’s disciples to cast him out, had rendered the exercise of that entire faith an act of great difficulty. He, however, manfully struggles, and casts himself upon the compassion of Him who “despises not the day of small things;” and his prayer is heard.

V. 22. If thou canst do any thing-In so desperate a case: Have compassion on us-Me as well as him.

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.

Verses 20-22. And when he saw him — When the child saw Jesus, being brought to him by his father: when his deliverance was at hand; immediately the spirit tore him — Made his last, grand effort to destroy him. Is it not generally so, before Satan relinquishes his power over a soul of which he has long had possession? And he (Christ) asked, How long is it, &c. — The Lord Jesus made this inquiry for the same reason for which he suffered Satan to make the violent attack upon the youth just mentioned, namely, that the spectators might be impressed with a more lively sense of his deplorable condition. And he said, From a child — Greek, paidioqen, from his childhood, or, as some render it, from his infancy. And ofttimes it — The evil spirit; hath cast him into the fire, &c., to destroy him — Such is the power it has over him, and such its infernal rage and malice! But if thou canst do any thing — In so desperate a case; have compassion on us — On me as well as him; and help us — The afflicted father, greatly discouraged by the inability of our Lord’s disciples, and dispirited by the sight of his son’s misery, and by the remembrance of its long continuance, was afraid this possession might surpass the power of Jesus himself, and therefore spoke thus, expressing his doubts and fears in a manner very natural, and yet strongly pathetic, and obliquely interesting the honour of Christ in the issue of the affair.

Ver. 22. If thou canst do any thing, have compassion on us. The question is not whether I can do any thing or not. The touchstone is, whether thou canst believe or not; for all things are possible to him that believeth. “Through faith we understand that the worlds were made.” God spake, and it was done; he commanded, and the heavens stood fast. The great Lord knew that creation would rise at his command; and it becomes us to know and believe that his word of grace is strong as that which built the skies.

22. If thou canst do — The father has hopes, but not strong faith. He knows this to be a most inveterate case. He has heard the revilings of the scribes, and is still watched by their sharp, sarcastic faces. He has heard of Jesus’s power — he has perhaps seen it displayed; but that it can reach this case, after the plain failure of his disciples, is hard, and perhaps too good to believe.

Verses 14-24. And when he came to his disciples. — That is, to the body of the disciples, those whom he had not taken with him to the scene of the transfiguration, as he did Peter, James, and John. He found them with a great multitude about them, and the scribes questioning with them, perplexing them with objections and difficult inquiries, and especially exulting over them, that they had not been able to cast out a devil from a youth who had been brought to them during the absence of Christ. On this account, see the notes on Matthew 17:14-18. St. Mark adds to the relation several striking and affecting particulars; as

1. That as soon as the people beheld him approaching they were greatly amazed, and running to him saluted him. There is a considerable difficulty in explaining what it was in the appearance of Christ which amazed the people. That, as they were generally friendly to him and displeased with the carping disputings of the scribes with his disciples during his absence, they should be greatly elevated with joy at seeing him so opportunely approach, is very rational; because they knew well how soon he would silence all these inimical men, as he had often silenced them before, to the great joy of the honest-minded multitudes. But this amazement was an emotion which neither in kind nor degree answers to that expressed by the word ekqambeomai, which denotes the highest degree of astonishment not unmingled with fear or awe. It is therefore probable that there was something of unusual dignity and majesty in the air and mien of our Lord, so lately descended from the mountain on which he had been transfigured, which impressed with astonishment and awe those who ran to salute him. That some rays of the glory remained upon his face, as upon the face of Moses after he had been with God on the mount, is an ingenious and not an improbable conjecture of several commentators both ancient and modern. — Certain it is, there was something visible and exceedingly impressive in his aspect; but, whatever it might be, it was probably laid aside before he joined the promiscuous throng and confronted the scribes, as no farther allusion is made to 2:2. The case of the possessed youth is also set forth with additional circumstance. He was not only “lunatic,” that is to say, epileptic, and “sore vexed,” as stated by St. Matthew, but also dumb; and, being torn, convulsed, and thrown down by the evil spirit, he foamed, gnashed with his teeth; and, by reason of these various torments, he pined or wasted away. This too was stated by the father to have been the unhappy case of his son from a child, paidioqen; not exactly from infancy, but from boyhood.

3. St. Mark draws the picture of the father in a most affecting manner. He had brought his afflicted child to Jesus, having, no doubt, heard of his fame; but, finding him absent, he had applied to the disciples, and they could not cast him out: either they had attempted and failed, or, what is more probable, for want of faith to encounter so fearful a spirit, (see the notes on Matthew 17:14-20,) would not make the attempt, and so confessed their inability. This was a bitter disappointment to the father, and served also to shake his faith in the Master of these weak disciples. Hence after having pathetically described the case of the youth, he says doubtfully, yet imploringly, If thou canst do anything, have compassion on us, and help us. The powerful struggle between faith and unbelief in the mind of this poor man is artlessly but most affectingly portrayed. Jesus had said, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth; and straightway the father of the child CRIED OUT, and said, WITH TEARS, Lord, I believe; help thou my unbelief; that is, increase my faith, by supplying its defects, and removing the doubts which I confess intrude against my better convictions and wishes. He knew so much of Christ that he felt that it was most reasonable in him to exercise an entire trust in his power and goodness; yet the length of time his son had been possessed, the powerful and fearful character of the evil spirit, and the failure of Christ’s disciples to cast him out, had rendered the exercise of that entire faith an act of great difficulty. He, however, manfully struggles, and casts himself upon the compassion of Him who “despises not the day of small things;” and his prayer is heard.

V. 23. If thou canst believe-As if he had said, The thing does not turn on my power, but on thy faith. I can do all things: canst thou believe?

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, anger, peevishness, with all the other bad tempers and dispositions which constitute the mind of Satan, entirely destroyed? Alas! it is because we do not believe; Jesus is able; more, Jesus is willing; but we are not willing to give up our idols; we give not credence to his word; therefore hath sin a being in us, and dominion over us.

Verses 23-27. Jesus said, If thou canst believe, &c. — As if he had said, The question is not respecting my power, but thy faith. I can do all things: canst thou believe? If thou canst believe — Canst rely with confidence on my power, love, and faithfulness, and be persuaded that I can and will grant thy request, the deliverance which thou desirest will surely be effected; for all things are possible — To God, and all things of this kind, such as the deliverance of a person’s soul or body from the power of Satan, or the recovery of a person from sickness, or from any calamity or trouble, are possible to him that believeth — In the power and goodness of God, and makes application to him in prayer, lifting up holy hands, as without wrath, and every unkind temper, so without doubting. And straightway the father — Touched to the very heart to think that his dear son might possibly lose the cure through the weakness of his faith; cried out with tears, Lord, I believe — That thy power and goodness are unlimited; yet such is my frailty, that when I look on my child, and consider the miserable condition he is in, my faith is ready to fail me again: therefore, help thou mine unbelief — That is, help me against my unbelief, by mitigating the circumstances of the trial, or communicating suitable strength to my soul. The Greek is, bohqei mh th apistia, which Dr. Campbell renders, Supply thou the defects of my faith, observing, “It is evident from the preceding clause, that apistia denotes here a deficient faith, not a total want of faith. I have used the word supply, as hitting more exactly what I take to be the sense of the passage.” Grotius justly expresses it, Quod fiduciæ meæ deest, bonitate tua supple: “What is wanting to my faith, supply by thy goodness.” When Jesus saw the people running together — The vehemence with which the father of the child spake, occasioned by the greatness of his grief, brought the crowd about them. Jesus, therefore, to prevent further disturbance, immediately commanded the unclean spirit to depart from the youth, saying unto him, Thou dumb and deaf spirit — So termed because he made the child deaf and dumb: when Jesus spake, the devil heard, though the child could not: I charge thee — I myself, now; not my disciples; come out of him, and enter no more into him — Leave him instantly, and presume not any more to trouble or disquiet him as long as he lives. And the spirit cried, and rent him sore, &c. — Scarcely had Jesus uttered the word when the devil came out of the child, making a hideous howling, and convulsing him to such a degree, that he lay senseless and without motion, as one dead, till Jesus took him by the hand, instantly brought him to life, and then delivered him to his father perfectly recovered.

23. If thou canst believe — An echo of the man’s expression, If thou canst do anything. The man had evidence which required him to have and to use a proper amount of faith. As God does not require our first faith without giving us a first evidence, so our Lord first gave prior evidence of his divinity in order to create a first faith. But when that was done, the condition of the exercise of faith was an inexorable demand. Our Lord thus performed, as we may say, two classes of miracles.

All things are possible to him that believeth — When our Lord says “all things,” we are to understand what classes of things he is speaking of, in which he includes all. And the condition (“to him that believeth”) belongs not to every rash and presumptuous belief, that the mind, not in communion with God, may conjure up. The belief and the grant to prayer of which Jesus speaks belong perhaps to the world in which he speaks, namely, the religious and spiritual world. And the belief of which he speaks is that faith of which God grants the power. All things within its sphere are possible to that faith; for God will not grant power to faith for things which he will not make possible.

Verses 14-24. And when he came to his disciples. — That is, to the body of the disciples, those whom he had not taken with him to the scene of the transfiguration, as he did Peter, James, and John. He found them with a great multitude about them, and the scribes questioning with them, perplexing them with objections and difficult inquiries, and especially exulting over them, that they had not been able to cast out a devil from a youth who had been brought to them during the absence of Christ. On this account, see the notes on Matthew 17:14-18. St. Mark adds to the relation several striking and affecting particulars; as

1. That as soon as the people beheld him approaching they were greatly amazed, and running to him saluted him. There is a considerable difficulty in explaining what it was in the appearance of Christ which amazed the people. That, as they were generally friendly to him and displeased with the carping disputings of the scribes with his disciples during his absence, they should be greatly elevated with joy at seeing him so opportunely approach, is very rational; because they knew well how soon he would silence all these inimical men, as he had often silenced them before, to the great joy of the honest-minded multitudes. But this amazement was an emotion which neither in kind nor degree answers to that expressed by the word ekqambeomai, which denotes the highest degree of astonishment not unmingled with fear or awe. It is therefore probable that there was something of unusual dignity and majesty in the air and mien of our Lord, so lately descended from the mountain on which he had been transfigured, which impressed with astonishment and awe those who ran to salute him. That some rays of the glory remained upon his face, as upon the face of Moses after he had been with God on the mount, is an ingenious and not an improbable conjecture of several commentators both ancient and modern. — Certain it is, there was something visible and exceedingly impressive in his aspect; but, whatever it might be, it was probably laid aside before he joined the promiscuous throng and confronted the scribes, as no farther allusion is made to 2:2. The case of the possessed youth is also set forth with additional circumstance. He was not only “lunatic,” that is to say, epileptic, and “sore vexed,” as stated by St. Matthew, but also dumb; and, being torn, convulsed, and thrown down by the evil spirit, he foamed, gnashed with his teeth; and, by reason of these various torments, he pined or wasted away. This too was stated by the father to have been the unhappy case of his son from a child, paidioqen; not exactly from infancy, but from boyhood.

3. St. Mark draws the picture of the father in a most affecting manner. He had brought his afflicted child to Jesus, having, no doubt, heard of his fame; but, finding him absent, he had applied to the disciples, and they could not cast him out: either they had attempted and failed, or, what is more probable, for want of faith to encounter so fearful a spirit, (see the notes on Matthew 17:14-20,) would not make the attempt, and so confessed their inability. This was a bitter disappointment to the father, and served also to shake his faith in the Master of these weak disciples. Hence after having pathetically described the case of the youth, he says doubtfully, yet imploringly, If thou canst do anything, have compassion on us, and help us. The powerful struggle between faith and unbelief in the mind of this poor man is artlessly but most affectingly portrayed. Jesus had said, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth; and straightway the father of the child CRIED OUT, and said, WITH TEARS, Lord, I believe; help thou my unbelief; that is, increase my faith, by supplying its defects, and removing the doubts which I confess intrude against my better convictions and wishes. He knew so much of Christ that he felt that it was most reasonable in him to exercise an entire trust in his power and goodness; yet the length of time his son had been possessed, the powerful and fearful character of the evil spirit, and the failure of Christ’s disciples to cast him out, had rendered the exercise of that entire faith an act of great difficulty. He, however, manfully struggles, and casts himself upon the compassion of Him who “despises not the day of small things;” and his prayer is heard.

V. 24. Help thou mine unbelief-Although my faith be so small, that it might rather be termed unbelief, yet help me.

Verse 24. Lord, I believe] The word Lord is omitted by ABCDL, both the Syriac, both the Arabic later Persic, Æthiopic, 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 could not be expected to accost him with a title expressive of that authority which he doubted whether he possessed, unless we grant that he used the word kurie after the Roman custom, for Sir.

Help thou mine unbelief.] That is, assist me against it. Give me a power to believe.

Verses 23-27. Jesus said, If thou canst believe, &c. — As if he had said, The question is not respecting my power, but thy faith. I can do all things: canst thou believe? If thou canst believe — Canst rely with confidence on my power, love, and faithfulness, and be persuaded that I can and will grant thy request, the deliverance which thou desirest will surely be effected; for all things are possible — To God, and all things of this kind, such as the deliverance of a person’s soul or body from the power of Satan, or the recovery of a person from sickness, or from any calamity or trouble, are possible to him that believeth — In the power and goodness of God, and makes application to him in prayer, lifting up holy hands, as without wrath, and every unkind temper, so without doubting. And straightway the father — Touched to the very heart to think that his dear son might possibly lose the cure through the weakness of his faith; cried out with tears, Lord, I believe — That thy power and goodness are unlimited; yet such is my frailty, that when I look on my child, and consider the miserable condition he is in, my faith is ready to fail me again: therefore, help thou mine unbelief — That is, help me against my unbelief, by mitigating the circumstances of the trial, or communicating suitable strength to my soul. The Greek is, bohqei mh th apistia, which Dr. Campbell renders, Supply thou the defects of my faith, observing, “It is evident from the preceding clause, that apistia denotes here a deficient faith, not a total want of faith. I have used the word supply, as hitting more exactly what I take to be the sense of the passage.” Grotius justly expresses it, Quod fiduciæ meæ deest, bonitate tua supple: “What is wanting to my faith, supply by thy goodness.” When Jesus saw the people running together — The vehemence with which the father of the child spake, occasioned by the greatness of his grief, brought the crowd about them. Jesus, therefore, to prevent further disturbance, immediately commanded the unclean spirit to depart from the youth, saying unto him, Thou dumb and deaf spirit — So termed because he made the child deaf and dumb: when Jesus spake, the devil heard, though the child could not: I charge thee — I myself, now; not my disciples; come out of him, and enter no more into him — Leave him instantly, and presume not any more to trouble or disquiet him as long as he lives. And the spirit cried, and rent him sore, &c. — Scarcely had Jesus uttered the word when the devil came out of the child, making a hideous howling, and convulsing him to such a degree, that he lay senseless and without motion, as one dead, till Jesus took him by the hand, instantly brought him to life, and then delivered him to his father perfectly recovered.

Ver. 24. And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief. Here is anguish of soul; here is the struggle for victory between true faith, mixed with fear, and the assaults of unbelief. The strong faith of the Centurion pleading for a valuable servant, carried the victory at once; but here is a victory obtained with a most arduous conflict. It held the Saviour with a feeble hand, but would not let him go. Jesus therefore, in presence of the accumulating crowd, delivered the son, healed and restored him to his joyful father. — Oh what a burst of praise to God would now be heard from all the crowd. Oh how light the steps of the joyful father and the son to their habitation. Meanwhile, how the doctors would steal away, having been found to fight against God; and be followed by looks of contempt from all the people.

24. Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief — Surely, the Spirit of God must have prompted words so wise and so suited to his case. I believe with all the strength I have; give me more strength that my faith may be more complete. And his faith was thus strong as could be required, and strong enough to empower Jesus to grant him the fulness of the blessing.

Verses 14-24. And when he came to his disciples. — That is, to the body of the disciples, those whom he had not taken with him to the scene of the transfiguration, as he did Peter, James, and John. He found them with a great multitude about them, and the scribes questioning with them, perplexing them with objections and difficult inquiries, and especially exulting over them, that they had not been able to cast out a devil from a youth who had been brought to them during the absence of Christ. On this account, see the notes on Matthew 17:14-18. St. Mark adds to the relation several striking and affecting particulars; as

1. That as soon as the people beheld him approaching they were greatly amazed, and running to him saluted him. There is a considerable difficulty in explaining what it was in the appearance of Christ which amazed the people. That, as they were generally friendly to him and displeased with the carping disputings of the scribes with his disciples during his absence, they should be greatly elevated with joy at seeing him so opportunely approach, is very rational; because they knew well how soon he would silence all these inimical men, as he had often silenced them before, to the great joy of the honest-minded multitudes. But this amazement was an emotion which neither in kind nor degree answers to that expressed by the word ekqambeomai, which denotes the highest degree of astonishment not unmingled with fear or awe. It is therefore probable that there was something of unusual dignity and majesty in the air and mien of our Lord, so lately descended from the mountain on which he had been transfigured, which impressed with astonishment and awe those who ran to salute him. That some rays of the glory remained upon his face, as upon the face of Moses after he had been with God on the mount, is an ingenious and not an improbable conjecture of several commentators both ancient and modern. — Certain it is, there was something visible and exceedingly impressive in his aspect; but, whatever it might be, it was probably laid aside before he joined the promiscuous throng and confronted the scribes, as no farther allusion is made to 2:2. The case of the possessed youth is also set forth with additional circumstance. He was not only “lunatic,” that is to say, epileptic, and “sore vexed,” as stated by St. Matthew, but also dumb; and, being torn, convulsed, and thrown down by the evil spirit, he foamed, gnashed with his teeth; and, by reason of these various torments, he pined or wasted away. This too was stated by the father to have been the unhappy case of his son from a child, paidioqen; not exactly from infancy, but from boyhood.

3. St. Mark draws the picture of the father in a most affecting manner. He had brought his afflicted child to Jesus, having, no doubt, heard of his fame; but, finding him absent, he had applied to the disciples, and they could not cast him out: either they had attempted and failed, or, what is more probable, for want of faith to encounter so fearful a spirit, (see the notes on Matthew 17:14-20,) would not make the attempt, and so confessed their inability. This was a bitter disappointment to the father, and served also to shake his faith in the Master of these weak disciples. Hence after having pathetically described the case of the youth, he says doubtfully, yet imploringly, If thou canst do anything, have compassion on us, and help us. The powerful struggle between faith and unbelief in the mind of this poor man is artlessly but most affectingly portrayed. Jesus had said, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth; and straightway the father of the child CRIED OUT, and said, WITH TEARS, Lord, I believe; help thou my unbelief; that is, increase my faith, by supplying its defects, and removing the doubts which I confess intrude against my better convictions and wishes. He knew so much of Christ that he felt that it was most reasonable in him to exercise an entire trust in his power and goodness; yet the length of time his son had been possessed, the powerful and fearful character of the evil spirit, and the failure of Christ’s disciples to cast him out, had rendered the exercise of that entire faith an act of great difficulty. He, however, manfully struggles, and casts himself upon the compassion of Him who “despises not the day of small things;” and his prayer is heard.

V. 25. Thou deaf and dumb spirit-So termed, because he made the child so. When Jesus spake, the devil heard, though the child could not. I command thee-I myself now; not my disciples.

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 propriety, as he has done here: Thou deaf and dumb spirit, come out of him, and enter no more into him? Is the doctrine of demoniacal influence false? If so, Jesus took the most direct method to perpetuate the belief of that falsity, by accommodating himself so completely to the deceived vulgar. But this was impossible; therefore the doctrine of demoniacal influence is a true doctrine, otherwise Christ would never have given it the least countenance or support.

Verses 23-27. Jesus said, If thou canst believe, &c. — As if he had said, The question is not respecting my power, but thy faith. I can do all things: canst thou believe? If thou canst believe — Canst rely with confidence on my power, love, and faithfulness, and be persuaded that I can and will grant thy request, the deliverance which thou desirest will surely be effected; for all things are possible — To God, and all things of this kind, such as the deliverance of a person’s soul or body from the power of Satan, or the recovery of a person from sickness, or from any calamity or trouble, are possible to him that believeth — In the power and goodness of God, and makes application to him in prayer, lifting up holy hands, as without wrath, and every unkind temper, so without doubting. And straightway the father — Touched to the very heart to think that his dear son might possibly lose the cure through the weakness of his faith; cried out with tears, Lord, I believe — That thy power and goodness are unlimited; yet such is my frailty, that when I look on my child, and consider the miserable condition he is in, my faith is ready to fail me again: therefore, help thou mine unbelief — That is, help me against my unbelief, by mitigating the circumstances of the trial, or communicating suitable strength to my soul. The Greek is, bohqei mh th apistia, which Dr. Campbell renders, Supply thou the defects of my faith, observing, “It is evident from the preceding clause, that apistia denotes here a deficient faith, not a total want of faith. I have used the word supply, as hitting more exactly what I take to be the sense of the passage.” Grotius justly expresses it, Quod fiduciæ meæ deest, bonitate tua supple: “What is wanting to my faith, supply by thy goodness.” When Jesus saw the people running together — The vehemence with which the father of the child spake, occasioned by the greatness of his grief, brought the crowd about them. Jesus, therefore, to prevent further disturbance, immediately commanded the unclean spirit to depart from the youth, saying unto him, Thou dumb and deaf spirit — So termed because he made the child deaf and dumb: when Jesus spake, the devil heard, though the child could not: I charge thee — I myself, now; not my disciples; come out of him, and enter no more into him — Leave him instantly, and presume not any more to trouble or disquiet him as long as he lives. And the spirit cried, and rent him sore, &c. — Scarcely had Jesus uttered the word when the devil came out of the child, making a hideous howling, and convulsing him to such a degree, that he lay senseless and without motion, as one dead, till Jesus took him by the hand, instantly brought him to life, and then delivered him to his father perfectly recovered.

25. The people came running together — They had before run forward to him. They now crowded around in close circle to witness the expected miracle. Rebuked the foul spirit — The words were not directed to the child, nor to his disease; but to the spirit that possessed the child and produced the disease. Dumb and deaf — Not that the spirit was dumb and deaf; for it is plain that he heard Jesus, and that he cried when driven from the child.

Verses 25-27. He rebuked. — He reproved the malice of the devil, and, with an authority which that foul spirit dared not to resist, he charged him both to come out, and, probably for the greater comfort of the afflicted parent, to enter no more into him. He was suffered indeed to exert great power over him before he came out; the object of which was both to show the fearful malignity of these apostate and wholly abandoned spirits, and to render the miracle more illustrious before the multitude, especially as the scribes had availed themselves of the weakness of the disciples to depreciate the power of their Master. But the mischief inflicted by Satan was soon repaired: in this terrible parting struggle he had left the youth as one dead; so that many said, He is dead; but Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up, and he arose.

V. 26. Having rent him sore-So does even the body sometimes suffer, when God comes to deliver the soul from Satan.

Verses 23-27. Jesus said, If thou canst believe, &c. — As if he had said, The question is not respecting my power, but thy faith. I can do all things: canst thou believe? If thou canst believe — Canst rely with confidence on my power, love, and faithfulness, and be persuaded that I can and will grant thy request, the deliverance which thou desirest will surely be effected; for all things are possible — To God, and all things of this kind, such as the deliverance of a person’s soul or body from the power of Satan, or the recovery of a person from sickness, or from any calamity or trouble, are possible to him that believeth — In the power and goodness of God, and makes application to him in prayer, lifting up holy hands, as without wrath, and every unkind temper, so without doubting. And straightway the father — Touched to the very heart to think that his dear son might possibly lose the cure through the weakness of his faith; cried out with tears, Lord, I believe — That thy power and goodness are unlimited; yet such is my frailty, that when I look on my child, and consider the miserable condition he is in, my faith is ready to fail me again: therefore, help thou mine unbelief — That is, help me against my unbelief, by mitigating the circumstances of the trial, or communicating suitable strength to my soul. The Greek is, bohqei mh th apistia, which Dr. Campbell renders, Supply thou the defects of my faith, observing, “It is evident from the preceding clause, that apistia denotes here a deficient faith, not a total want of faith. I have used the word supply, as hitting more exactly what I take to be the sense of the passage.” Grotius justly expresses it, Quod fiduciæ meæ deest, bonitate tua supple: “What is wanting to my faith, supply by thy goodness.” When Jesus saw the people running together — The vehemence with which the father of the child spake, occasioned by the greatness of his grief, brought the crowd about them. Jesus, therefore, to prevent further disturbance, immediately commanded the unclean spirit to depart from the youth, saying unto him, Thou dumb and deaf spirit — So termed because he made the child deaf and dumb: when Jesus spake, the devil heard, though the child could not: I charge thee — I myself, now; not my disciples; come out of him, and enter no more into him — Leave him instantly, and presume not any more to trouble or disquiet him as long as he lives. And the spirit cried, and rent him sore, &c. — Scarcely had Jesus uttered the word when the devil came out of the child, making a hideous howling, and convulsing him to such a degree, that he lay senseless and without motion, as one dead, till Jesus took him by the hand, instantly brought him to life, and then delivered him to his father perfectly recovered.

26. Rent him — Wrenched him around the space, as if struggling in the act of throwing the child off from his position. As one dead — Not only prostrated by the convulsions, but left in complete exhaustion and apparent lifelessness.

Verses 25-27. He rebuked. — He reproved the malice of the devil, and, with an authority which that foul spirit dared not to resist, he charged him both to come out, and, probably for the greater comfort of the afflicted parent, to enter no more into him. He was suffered indeed to exert great power over him before he came out; the object of which was both to show the fearful malignity of these apostate and wholly abandoned spirits, and to render the miracle more illustrious before the multitude, especially as the scribes had availed themselves of the weakness of the disciples to depreciate the power of their Master. But the mischief inflicted by Satan was soon repaired: in this terrible parting struggle he had left the youth as one dead; so that many said, He is dead; but Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up, and he arose.

Verses 23-27. Jesus said, If thou canst believe, &c. — As if he had said, The question is not respecting my power, but thy faith. I can do all things: canst thou believe? If thou canst believe — Canst rely with confidence on my power, love, and faithfulness, and be persuaded that I can and will grant thy request, the deliverance which thou desirest will surely be effected; for all things are possible — To God, and all things of this kind, such as the deliverance of a person’s soul or body from the power of Satan, or the recovery of a person from sickness, or from any calamity or trouble, are possible to him that believeth — In the power and goodness of God, and makes application to him in prayer, lifting up holy hands, as without wrath, and every unkind temper, so without doubting. And straightway the father — Touched to the very heart to think that his dear son might possibly lose the cure through the weakness of his faith; cried out with tears, Lord, I believe — That thy power and goodness are unlimited; yet such is my frailty, that when I look on my child, and consider the miserable condition he is in, my faith is ready to fail me again: therefore, help thou mine unbelief — That is, help me against my unbelief, by mitigating the circumstances of the trial, or communicating suitable strength to my soul. The Greek is, bohqei mh th apistia, which Dr. Campbell renders, Supply thou the defects of my faith, observing, “It is evident from the preceding clause, that apistia denotes here a deficient faith, not a total want of faith. I have used the word supply, as hitting more exactly what I take to be the sense of the passage.” Grotius justly expresses it, Quod fiduciæ meæ deest, bonitate tua supple: “What is wanting to my faith, supply by thy goodness.” When Jesus saw the people running together — The vehemence with which the father of the child spake, occasioned by the greatness of his grief, brought the crowd about them. Jesus, therefore, to prevent further disturbance, immediately commanded the unclean spirit to depart from the youth, saying unto him, Thou dumb and deaf spirit — So termed because he made the child deaf and dumb: when Jesus spake, the devil heard, though the child could not: I charge thee — I myself, now; not my disciples; come out of him, and enter no more into him — Leave him instantly, and presume not any more to trouble or disquiet him as long as he lives. And the spirit cried, and rent him sore, &c. — Scarcely had Jesus uttered the word when the devil came out of the child, making a hideous howling, and convulsing him to such a degree, that he lay senseless and without motion, as one dead, till Jesus took him by the hand, instantly brought him to life, and then delivered him to his father perfectly recovered.

27. Jesus took him by the hand — Jesus now, in the place of the diabolical life, bestows upon him a true vitality which is at once natural and supernatural.

Verses 25-27. He rebuked. — He reproved the malice of the devil, and, with an authority which that foul spirit dared not to resist, he charged him both to come out, and, probably for the greater comfort of the afflicted parent, to enter no more into him. He was suffered indeed to exert great power over him before he came out; the object of which was both to show the fearful malignity of these apostate and wholly abandoned spirits, and to render the miracle more illustrious before the multitude, especially as the scribes had availed themselves of the weakness of the disciples to depreciate the power of their Master. But the mischief inflicted by Satan was soon repaired: in this terrible parting struggle he had left the youth as one dead; so that many said, He is dead; but Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up, and he arose.

Verses 28, 29. When he was come into the house, his disciples asked him, &c. — See notes on Matthew 17:19-21. This kind can come forth by nothing but by prayer and fasting — “Some doubts have been raised in regard to the meaning of the words, this kind. The most obvious interpretation is, doubtless, that which refers them to the word demon, immediately preceding. But as in the parallel passage in Matthew 17:19, mention is made of faith, as the necessary qualification for dispossessing demons, Knatchbull and others have thought that this kind, refers to the faith that is requisite. But it is an insurmountable objection to this hypothesis, that we have here the same sentiment, almost the same expression, and ushered in with the same words, this kind, though, in what goes before, there is no mention of faith, or of any thing but demon, to which it can refer. It would be absurd to suppose, that the pronouns and relatives in one gospel refer to antecedents in another. Every one of the gospels does indeed give additional information, and in various ways serves to throw light upon the rest. But every gospel must be a consistent history by itself; otherwise, to attempt an explanation would be in vain. Now the argument stands thus: The story related in both gospels is manifestly the same: that the words in question may refer to demon in Matthew, no person who attentively reads the passage can deny; that they cannot refer to faith, but must refer to demon, in Mark, is equally evident. Either, then, they refer to demon in both, or the evangelists contradict one another. Some have considered it as an objection to the above explanation, that it supposes different kinds of demons; and that the expulsion of some kinds is more difficult than that of others. This objection is founded entirely on our own ignorance. Who can say that there are not different kinds of demons? or that there may not be degrees in the power of expelling? Revelation has not said that they are all of one kind, and may be expelled with equal ease.” — Campbell.

Verse 28. Why could not we cast him out? — See notes on Matthew 17:19-21. The reason why the disciples could not cast out the demon was, that they wanted faith in Christ. Here is a grand distinction between the servant and the master. Our Lord’s power of working miracles is never attributed to his faith: the reason is, that he looked to no higher a power than his own Divinity in essential union with the Father and the Holy Spirit. But had he been a mere man, faith in another and a higher power would have been as necessary to his effecting a miracle as to his disciples. What then can explain the fact that faith was every thing to them, nothing to him, in precisely similar acts? Nothing can explain it but the doctrine that they were men, and he more than man.

Verse 29. Prayer and fasting.] See Clarke on “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, but it is greatly amplified in Mark’s account, and many new circumstances related. Another proof that Mark did not abridge Matthew.

Verses 28, 29. When he was come into the house, his disciples asked him, &c. — See notes on Matthew 17:19-21. This kind can come forth by nothing but by prayer and fasting — “Some doubts have been raised in regard to the meaning of the words, this kind. The most obvious interpretation is, doubtless, that which refers them to the word demon, immediately preceding. But as in the parallel passage in Matthew 17:19, mention is made of faith, as the necessary qualification for dispossessing demons, Knatchbull and others have thought that this kind, refers to the faith that is requisite. But it is an insurmountable objection to this hypothesis, that we have here the same sentiment, almost the same expression, and ushered in with the same words, this kind, though, in what goes before, there is no mention of faith, or of any thing but demon, to which it can refer. It would be absurd to suppose, that the pronouns and relatives in one gospel refer to antecedents in another. Every one of the gospels does indeed give additional information, and in various ways serves to throw light upon the rest. But every gospel must be a consistent history by itself; otherwise, to attempt an explanation would be in vain. Now the argument stands thus: The story related in both gospels is manifestly the same: that the words in question may refer to demon in Matthew, no person who attentively reads the passage can deny; that they cannot refer to faith, but must refer to demon, in Mark, is equally evident. Either, then, they refer to demon in both, or the evangelists contradict one another. Some have considered it as an objection to the above explanation, that it supposes different kinds of demons; and that the expulsion of some kinds is more difficult than that of others. This objection is founded entirely on our own ignorance. Who can say that there are not different kinds of demons? or that there may not be degrees in the power of expelling? Revelation has not said that they are all of one kind, and may be expelled with equal ease.” — Campbell.

Ver. 29. This kind can come forth by nothing but by prayer and fasting. Our Saviour, as Lord of all, could do what he would; but when families are peculiarly afflicted with chronic complaints, they must learn meekly to lay their case before the Almighty in humble addresses to his throne.

V. 30. They passed through Galilee-Though not through the cities, but by them, in the most private ways.

He was not willing that any should know it: for he taught his disciples-He wanted to be alone with them some time, in order to instruct them fully concerning his sufferings.

The Son of man is delivered-It is as sure as if it were done already. Matthew 17:22; Luke 9:44.

Verse 30. They-passed through Galilee] See on Matthew 17:22-27.

Verses 30-32. And they departed thence — From the country of Cesarea Philippi; and passed through Galilee — Not through the cities, but by them, in the most private ways; for he would not that any man should know it — Lest the important conversation into which he then intended to enter with his disciples should be interrupted by company; for he purposed to converse freely with them, and instruct them fully concerning his sufferings. For he taught his disciples, &c. — The evangelist here assigns this as the reason why he desired his journey to be private, namely, that he might have an opportunity to talk over this subject at large. And said, The Son of man is delivered into the hands of men — It is as sure as if it were done already. This declaration, according to Luke, he prefaced with saying, Let these sayings sink down into your ears, signifying hereby, not only their certain truth, but their unspeakable importance, and that they ought to be seriously considered and laid to heart. But they understood not that saying — They could not comprehend how he, who was to abide on earth for ever, and was to deliver others from the universal destroyer, should himself fall under his stroke: Or, they could not reconcile his death, nor consequently his resurrection, which supposed his death, with their notions of his temporal kingdom: Luke says, And it was hid from them, namely, by their own prejudices and misconceptions concerning the Messiah. For, seeing he spake of rising again the third day, they were not able to divine any reason for his dying at all, being ignorant, as yet, of the nature and ends of his death. And they were afraid to ask him — Taking no comfort from the mention that was made of his resurrection, the prediction raised such fears in their minds, that they durst not ask him to explain it; especially as they remembered that he had often inculcated it, and had reprimanded Peter for being unwilling to hear it.

§ 77. — JESUS AGAIN FORETELLS HIS SUFFERINGS AND HIS RESURRECTION, 30-32. (See note on Matthew 22:23.)

32. And were afraid to ask him — Our Lord did not encourage bold questions on their part in regard to this matter. He develops the truth in his own way gradually, as he sees their minds prepared for it. It is not until the passover supper that they fully feel that he is to leave them by death. And not even then is their faith so strong that they are prepared for an immovable faith in his resurrection. See on ver. 10.

§ 79. — HUMILITY ILLUSTRATED BY THE CHILD — THE DISPOSSESSOR OF DEMONS WHO FOLLOWETH NOT WITH US, 33-50.

(Compare notes on Matthew 18:1-5.)

Verses 30, 31. And passed through Galilee, &c. — See notes on Matthew 17:22, 23.

Verses 30-32. And they departed thence — From the country of Cesarea Philippi; and passed through Galilee — Not through the cities, but by them, in the most private ways; for he would not that any man should know it — Lest the important conversation into which he then intended to enter with his disciples should be interrupted by company; for he purposed to converse freely with them, and instruct them fully concerning his sufferings. For he taught his disciples, &c. — The evangelist here assigns this as the reason why he desired his journey to be private, namely, that he might have an opportunity to talk over this subject at large. And said, The Son of man is delivered into the hands of men — It is as sure as if it were done already. This declaration, according to Luke, he prefaced with saying, Let these sayings sink down into your ears, signifying hereby, not only their certain truth, but their unspeakable importance, and that they ought to be seriously considered and laid to heart. But they understood not that saying — They could not comprehend how he, who was to abide on earth for ever, and was to deliver others from the universal destroyer, should himself fall under his stroke: Or, they could not reconcile his death, nor consequently his resurrection, which supposed his death, with their notions of his temporal kingdom: Luke says, And it was hid from them, namely, by their own prejudices and misconceptions concerning the Messiah. For, seeing he spake of rising again the third day, they were not able to divine any reason for his dying at all, being ignorant, as yet, of the nature and ends of his death. And they were afraid to ask him — Taking no comfort from the mention that was made of his resurrection, the prediction raised such fears in their minds, that they durst not ask him to explain it; especially as they remembered that he had often inculcated it, and had reprimanded Peter for being unwilling to hear it.

§ 77. — JESUS AGAIN FORETELLS HIS SUFFERINGS AND HIS RESURRECTION, 30-32. (See note on Matthew 22:23.)

32. And were afraid to ask him — Our Lord did not encourage bold questions on their part in regard to this matter. He develops the truth in his own way gradually, as he sees their minds prepared for it. It is not until the passover supper that they fully feel that he is to leave them by death. And not even then is their faith so strong that they are prepared for an immovable faith in his resurrection. See on ver. 10.

§ 79. — HUMILITY ILLUSTRATED BY THE CHILD — THE DISPOSSESSOR OF DEMONS WHO FOLLOWETH NOT WITH US, 33-50.

(Compare notes on Matthew 18:1-5.)

Verses 30, 31. And passed through Galilee, &c. — See notes on Matthew 17:22, 23.

V. 32. They understood not the word-They did not understand how to reconcile the death of our Saviour (nor consequently his resurrection, which supposed his death) with their notions of his temporal kingdom.

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 reasons of Christ’s death and resurrection, after the transfiguration; on the contrary, from the circumstances there related, it is very probable that from that time they must have had at least a general understanding of this important subject; but the other nine might have been ignorant of this matter, who were not present at the transfiguration; probably it is of these that the evangelist speaks here. See the observations on the transfiguration, Matthew 17:9, &c., and Matthew 18:1.

Verses 30-32. And they departed thence — From the country of Cesarea Philippi; and passed through Galilee — Not through the cities, but by them, in the most private ways; for he would not that any man should know it — Lest the important conversation into which he then intended to enter with his disciples should be interrupted by company; for he purposed to converse freely with them, and instruct them fully concerning his sufferings. For he taught his disciples, &c. — The evangelist here assigns this as the reason why he desired his journey to be private, namely, that he might have an opportunity to talk over this subject at large. And said, The Son of man is delivered into the hands of men — It is as sure as if it were done already. This declaration, according to Luke, he prefaced with saying, Let these sayings sink down into your ears, signifying hereby, not only their certain truth, but their unspeakable importance, and that they ought to be seriously considered and laid to heart. But they understood not that saying — They could not comprehend how he, who was to abide on earth for ever, and was to deliver others from the universal destroyer, should himself fall under his stroke: Or, they could not reconcile his death, nor consequently his resurrection, which supposed his death, with their notions of his temporal kingdom: Luke says, And it was hid from them, namely, by their own prejudices and misconceptions concerning the Messiah. For, seeing he spake of rising again the third day, they were not able to divine any reason for his dying at all, being ignorant, as yet, of the nature and ends of his death. And they were afraid to ask him — Taking no comfort from the mention that was made of his resurrection, the prediction raised such fears in their minds, that they durst not ask him to explain it; especially as they remembered that he had often inculcated it, and had reprimanded Peter for being unwilling to hear it.

§ 77. — JESUS AGAIN FORETELLS HIS SUFFERINGS AND HIS RESURRECTION, 30-32. (See note on Matthew 22:23.)

32. And were afraid to ask him — Our Lord did not encourage bold questions on their part in regard to this matter. He develops the truth in his own way gradually, as he sees their minds prepared for it. It is not until the passover supper that they fully feel that he is to leave them by death. And not even then is their faith so strong that they are prepared for an immovable faith in his resurrection. See on ver. 10.

§ 79. — HUMILITY ILLUSTRATED BY THE CHILD — THE DISPOSSESSOR OF DEMONS WHO FOLLOWETH NOT WITH US, 33-50.

(Compare notes on Matthew 18:1-5.)

V. 33. Luke 9:46.

Verse 33. And being in the house] That is, Peter’s house, where he ordinarily lodged. This has been often observed before.

Verses 33-37. Being in the house — With his apostles, with a view to introduce the discourse he intended; he asked, What was it that ye disputed among yourselves, &c. — Our Lord’s late prediction concerning his sufferings had made the disciples exceeding sorry, Matthew 17:23; but their grief soon went off, or their ignorance quickly got the better of it; for in a day or two after, some of them, forming a separate company, fell a disputing about the chief posts of honour and profit in their Master’s kingdom. This debate Jesus overheard; and though he said nothing to them at the time, yet afterward, when they were alone in the house, he did not fail to inquire about it. They were at first silent, not caring to discover the matter to him. Therefore, he sat down, and called the twelve — Namely, to stand round him, and attend to what he should say and do. It is natural to suppose that twelve persons, travelling together on foot, would form themselves into two or three little companies, while some of them no doubt would be attending Christ and discoursing with him: but our Lord judged it proper, being now in the house, that all the twelve should hear this admonition, though they might not all have been engaged in the dispute which occasioned it. And saith, If any man desire to be first, the same shall be, or let him be, last of all — Let him abase himself the most: And servant of all — Let him serve his brethren in all the offices of humility, condescension, and kindness. In other words, If any man desire to be the greatest person in my kingdom, let him endeavour to obtain that dignity by preferring others in honour, and by doing them all the good in his power. This he said, to signify that in his kingdom, they who are most humble and modest, and zealous in doing good, shall be acknowledged as the greatest persons. And he took a child — That happened then to be in the house where they lodged; and set him in the midst of them — That they might all fix their eyes upon him, and attend to the instruction which Jesus was about to draw from such an emblem of simplicity, sincerity, humility, teachableness, and innocence. Luke expresses it thus: And Jesus, perceiving the thought of their heart, took a child. His perceiving their thought does not seem to relate to the dispute which happened some hours before, and which they had sufficiently declared in their question, but it relates to their present frame of mind. He knew that each of them ardently wished to be the greatest in his kingdom, and he proposed to cure their ambition. See the notes on Matthew 18:1-4. He said, Whosoever shall receive one of such children — Whosoever shall show kindness, even to the least of my disciples; whosoever shall encourage and assist such a one because he belongs to me; receiveth me — Thus, after showing how acceptable a grace humility is, he next declares that kindness shown to such as humble themselves, like little children, is in reality kindness shown to him, especially if it be done out of obedience to his command. Whosoever shall receive me, receiveth him that sent me — Even my heavenly Father, who is honoured or affronted as I am respected or slighted. And this regard to the meanest of my servants, I must urge upon you as of the utmost importance. For (Luke) he that is least among you all, that acts as if he were the least, or meanest, or who is most humble and condescending, the same shall be great, in my esteem, and be distinguished by peculiar marks of the divine favour. See notes on Matthew 18:4, 5.

Verse 33. What was it that ye disputed, &c. — See notes on Matthew 18:1, &c.

V. 34. Who should be greatest-Prime minister in his kingdom.

Verse 34. Who should be the greatest.] See on Matthew 18:1-5.

Verses 33-37. Being in the house — With his apostles, with a view to introduce the discourse he intended; he asked, What was it that ye disputed among yourselves, &c. — Our Lord’s late prediction concerning his sufferings had made the disciples exceeding sorry, Matthew 17:23; but their grief soon went off, or their ignorance quickly got the better of it; for in a day or two after, some of them, forming a separate company, fell a disputing about the chief posts of honour and profit in their Master’s kingdom. This debate Jesus overheard; and though he said nothing to them at the time, yet afterward, when they were alone in the house, he did not fail to inquire about it. They were at first silent, not caring to discover the matter to him. Therefore, he sat down, and called the twelve — Namely, to stand round him, and attend to what he should say and do. It is natural to suppose that twelve persons, travelling together on foot, would form themselves into two or three little companies, while some of them no doubt would be attending Christ and discoursing with him: but our Lord judged it proper, being now in the house, that all the twelve should hear this admonition, though they might not all have been engaged in the dispute which occasioned it. And saith, If any man desire to be first, the same shall be, or let him be, last of all — Let him abase himself the most: And servant of all — Let him serve his brethren in all the offices of humility, condescension, and kindness. In other words, If any man desire to be the greatest person in my kingdom, let him endeavour to obtain that dignity by preferring others in honour, and by doing them all the good in his power. This he said, to signify that in his kingdom, they who are most humble and modest, and zealous in doing good, shall be acknowledged as the greatest persons. And he took a child — That happened then to be in the house where they lodged; and set him in the midst of them — That they might all fix their eyes upon him, and attend to the instruction which Jesus was about to draw from such an emblem of simplicity, sincerity, humility, teachableness, and innocence. Luke expresses it thus: And Jesus, perceiving the thought of their heart, took a child. His perceiving their thought does not seem to relate to the dispute which happened some hours before, and which they had sufficiently declared in their question, but it relates to their present frame of mind. He knew that each of them ardently wished to be the greatest in his kingdom, and he proposed to cure their ambition. See the notes on Matthew 18:1-4. He said, Whosoever shall receive one of such children — Whosoever shall show kindness, even to the least of my disciples; whosoever shall encourage and assist such a one because he belongs to me; receiveth me — Thus, after showing how acceptable a grace humility is, he next declares that kindness shown to such as humble themselves, like little children, is in reality kindness shown to him, especially if it be done out of obedience to his command. Whosoever shall receive me, receiveth him that sent me — Even my heavenly Father, who is honoured or affronted as I am respected or slighted. And this regard to the meanest of my servants, I must urge upon you as of the utmost importance. For (Luke) he that is least among you all, that acts as if he were the least, or meanest, or who is most humble and condescending, the same shall be great, in my esteem, and be distinguished by peculiar marks of the divine favour. See notes on Matthew 18:4, 5.

V. 35. Let him be the least of all-Let him abase himself the most.

Verses 33-37. Being in the house — With his apostles, with a view to introduce the discourse he intended; he asked, What was it that ye disputed among yourselves, &c. — Our Lord’s late prediction concerning his sufferings had made the disciples exceeding sorry, Matthew 17:23; but their grief soon went off, or their ignorance quickly got the better of it; for in a day or two after, some of them, forming a separate company, fell a disputing about the chief posts of honour and profit in their Master’s kingdom. This debate Jesus overheard; and though he said nothing to them at the time, yet afterward, when they were alone in the house, he did not fail to inquire about it. They were at first silent, not caring to discover the matter to him. Therefore, he sat down, and called the twelve — Namely, to stand round him, and attend to what he should say and do. It is natural to suppose that twelve persons, travelling together on foot, would form themselves into two or three little companies, while some of them no doubt would be attending Christ and discoursing with him: but our Lord judged it proper, being now in the house, that all the twelve should hear this admonition, though they might not all have been engaged in the dispute which occasioned it. And saith, If any man desire to be first, the same shall be, or let him be, last of all — Let him abase himself the most: And servant of all — Let him serve his brethren in all the offices of humility, condescension, and kindness. In other words, If any man desire to be the greatest person in my kingdom, let him endeavour to obtain that dignity by preferring others in honour, and by doing them all the good in his power. This he said, to signify that in his kingdom, they who are most humble and modest, and zealous in doing good, shall be acknowledged as the greatest persons. And he took a child — That happened then to be in the house where they lodged; and set him in the midst of them — That they might all fix their eyes upon him, and attend to the instruction which Jesus was about to draw from such an emblem of simplicity, sincerity, humility, teachableness, and innocence. Luke expresses it thus: And Jesus, perceiving the thought of their heart, took a child. His perceiving their thought does not seem to relate to the dispute which happened some hours before, and which they had sufficiently declared in their question, but it relates to their present frame of mind. He knew that each of them ardently wished to be the greatest in his kingdom, and he proposed to cure their ambition. See the notes on Matthew 18:1-4. He said, Whosoever shall receive one of such children — Whosoever shall show kindness, even to the least of my disciples; whosoever shall encourage and assist such a one because he belongs to me; receiveth me — Thus, after showing how acceptable a grace humility is, he next declares that kindness shown to such as humble themselves, like little children, is in reality kindness shown to him, especially if it be done out of obedience to his command. Whosoever shall receive me, receiveth him that sent me — Even my heavenly Father, who is honoured or affronted as I am respected or slighted. And this regard to the meanest of my servants, I must urge upon you as of the utmost importance. For (Luke) he that is least among you all, that acts as if he were the least, or meanest, or who is most humble and condescending, the same shall be great, in my esteem, and be distinguished by peculiar marks of the divine favour. See notes on Matthew 18:4, 5.

V. 36. Matthew 18:2; Luke 9:47.

Verses 33-37. Being in the house — With his apostles, with a view to introduce the discourse he intended; he asked, What was it that ye disputed among yourselves, &c. — Our Lord’s late prediction concerning his sufferings had made the disciples exceeding sorry, Matthew 17:23; but their grief soon went off, or their ignorance quickly got the better of it; for in a day or two after, some of them, forming a separate company, fell a disputing about the chief posts of honour and profit in their Master’s kingdom. This debate Jesus overheard; and though he said nothing to them at the time, yet afterward, when they were alone in the house, he did not fail to inquire about it. They were at first silent, not caring to discover the matter to him. Therefore, he sat down, and called the twelve — Namely, to stand round him, and attend to what he should say and do. It is natural to suppose that twelve persons, travelling together on foot, would form themselves into two or three little companies, while some of them no doubt would be attending Christ and discoursing with him: but our Lord judged it proper, being now in the house, that all the twelve should hear this admonition, though they might not all have been engaged in the dispute which occasioned it. And saith, If any man desire to be first, the same shall be, or let him be, last of all — Let him abase himself the most: And servant of all — Let him serve his brethren in all the offices of humility, condescension, and kindness. In other words, If any man desire to be the greatest person in my kingdom, let him endeavour to obtain that dignity by preferring others in honour, and by doing them all the good in his power. This he said, to signify that in his kingdom, they who are most humble and modest, and zealous in doing good, shall be acknowledged as the greatest persons. And he took a child — That happened then to be in the house where they lodged; and set him in the midst of them — That they might all fix their eyes upon him, and attend to the instruction which Jesus was about to draw from such an emblem of simplicity, sincerity, humility, teachableness, and innocence. Luke expresses it thus: And Jesus, perceiving the thought of their heart, took a child. His perceiving their thought does not seem to relate to the dispute which happened some hours before, and which they had sufficiently declared in their question, but it relates to their present frame of mind. He knew that each of them ardently wished to be the greatest in his kingdom, and he proposed to cure their ambition. See the notes on Matthew 18:1-4. He said, Whosoever shall receive one of such children — Whosoever shall show kindness, even to the least of my disciples; whosoever shall encourage and assist such a one because he belongs to me; receiveth me — Thus, after showing how acceptable a grace humility is, he next declares that kindness shown to such as humble themselves, like little children, is in reality kindness shown to him, especially if it be done out of obedience to his command. Whosoever shall receive me, receiveth him that sent me — Even my heavenly Father, who is honoured or affronted as I am respected or slighted. And this regard to the meanest of my servants, I must urge upon you as of the utmost importance. For (Luke) he that is least among you all, that acts as if he were the least, or meanest, or who is most humble and condescending, the same shall be great, in my esteem, and be distinguished by peculiar marks of the divine favour. See notes on Matthew 18:4, 5.

Verses 36, 37. And he took a child, &c. — This was teaching by action, and the lesson was twofold; first to the disciples, that their character ought, in simplicity and freedom from ambition, to be like that of a child; second, that to receive persons of this childlike disposition, the true followers of a lowly Master, would be accompanied by the highest spiritual benefit: such persons, by receiving Christ’s servants as such, and out of respect of their relation to him, their resemblance to him, and the work assigned to them by him, would receive both Christ and him that sent him into the world, even the Father; which not only means that they would show respect both to the Son and to the Father, but that they should be raised into communion with each, and receive those benefits which, in the economy of our redemption, respectively they bestow upon true believers, — the Father being the FOUNTAIN of all blessings, and the Son the GRAND MEDIUM through which his abounding grace flows to man. This is, as St. John expresses it, to have “the Father and the Son.” But although this is doubtless the primary and chief sense of this emblematical action, and the words of Christ which it called forth, the whole transaction shows the interest our Lord took in children, and bears a FAVOURABLE ASPECT upon infant baptism.

V. 37. One such little child-Either in years or in heart.

Verses 33-37. Being in the house — With his apostles, with a view to introduce the discourse he intended; he asked, What was it that ye disputed among yourselves, &c. — Our Lord’s late prediction concerning his sufferings had made the disciples exceeding sorry, Matthew 17:23; but their grief soon went off, or their ignorance quickly got the better of it; for in a day or two after, some of them, forming a separate company, fell a disputing about the chief posts of honour and profit in their Master’s kingdom. This debate Jesus overheard; and though he said nothing to them at the time, yet afterward, when they were alone in the house, he did not fail to inquire about it. They were at first silent, not caring to discover the matter to him. Therefore, he sat down, and called the twelve — Namely, to stand round him, and attend to what he should say and do. It is natural to suppose that twelve persons, travelling together on foot, would form themselves into two or three little companies, while some of them no doubt would be attending Christ and discoursing with him: but our Lord judged it proper, being now in the house, that all the twelve should hear this admonition, though they might not all have been engaged in the dispute which occasioned it. And saith, If any man desire to be first, the same shall be, or let him be, last of all — Let him abase himself the most: And servant of all — Let him serve his brethren in all the offices of humility, condescension, and kindness. In other words, If any man desire to be the greatest person in my kingdom, let him endeavour to obtain that dignity by preferring others in honour, and by doing them all the good in his power. This he said, to signify that in his kingdom, they who are most humble and modest, and zealous in doing good, shall be acknowledged as the greatest persons. And he took a child — That happened then to be in the house where they lodged; and set him in the midst of them — That they might all fix their eyes upon him, and attend to the instruction which Jesus was about to draw from such an emblem of simplicity, sincerity, humility, teachableness, and innocence. Luke expresses it thus: And Jesus, perceiving the thought of their heart, took a child. His perceiving their thought does not seem to relate to the dispute which happened some hours before, and which they had sufficiently declared in their question, but it relates to their present frame of mind. He knew that each of them ardently wished to be the greatest in his kingdom, and he proposed to cure their ambition. See the notes on Matthew 18:1-4. He said, Whosoever shall receive one of such children — Whosoever shall show kindness, even to the least of my disciples; whosoever shall encourage and assist such a one because he belongs to me; receiveth me — Thus, after showing how acceptable a grace humility is, he next declares that kindness shown to such as humble themselves, like little children, is in reality kindness shown to him, especially if it be done out of obedience to his command. Whosoever shall receive me, receiveth him that sent me — Even my heavenly Father, who is honoured or affronted as I am respected or slighted. And this regard to the meanest of my servants, I must urge upon you as of the utmost importance. For (Luke) he that is least among you all, that acts as if he were the least, or meanest, or who is most humble and condescending, the same shall be great, in my esteem, and be distinguished by peculiar marks of the divine favour. See notes on Matthew 18:4, 5.

Verses 36, 37. And he took a child, &c. — This was teaching by action, and the lesson was twofold; first to the disciples, that their character ought, in simplicity and freedom from ambition, to be like that of a child; second, that to receive persons of this childlike disposition, the true followers of a lowly Master, would be accompanied by the highest spiritual benefit: such persons, by receiving Christ’s servants as such, and out of respect of their relation to him, their resemblance to him, and the work assigned to them by him, would receive both Christ and him that sent him into the world, even the Father; which not only means that they would show respect both to the Son and to the Father, but that they should be raised into communion with each, and receive those benefits which, in the economy of our redemption, respectively they bestow upon true believers, — the Father being the FOUNTAIN of all blessings, and the Son the GRAND MEDIUM through which his abounding grace flows to man. This is, as St. John expresses it, to have “the Father and the Son.” But although this is doubtless the primary and chief sense of this emblematical action, and the words of Christ which it called forth, the whole transaction shows the interest our Lord took in children, and bears a FAVOURABLE ASPECT upon infant baptism.

V. 38. And John answered him-As if he had said, But ought we to receive those who follow not us?

Master, we saw one casting out devils in thy name-Probably this was one of John the Baptist's disciples, who believed in Jesus, though he did not yet associate with our Lord's disciples.

And we forbad him, because he followeth not us-How often is the same temper found in us? How readily do we also lust to envy? But how does that spirit become a disciple, much more a minister of the benevolent Jesus! St. Paul had learnt a better temper, when he rejoiced that Christ was preached, even by those who were his personal enemies. But to confine religion to them that follow us, is a narrowness of spirit which we should avoid and abhor. Luke 9:49.

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, who, at his master’s command, had believed in Jesus, or one of the seventy, whom Christ had sent out, Luke 10:1-7, who, after he had fulfilled his commission, had retired from accompanying the other disciples; but as he still held fast his faith in Christ, and walked in good conscience, the influence of his Master still continued with him, so that he could cast out demons as well as the other disciples.

He followeth not us] This first clause is omitted by BCL, three others, Syriac, Armenian, Persic, Coptic, and one of the Itala. Some of the MSS. and versions leave out the first; some the second clause: only one of them is necessary. Griesbach leaves out the first.

We forbade him] I do not see that we have any right to attribute any other motive to John than that which he himself owns-because he followed not us-because he did not attach himself constantly to thee, as we do, we thought he could not be in a proper spirit.

Verses 38-40. And John answered him — As if he had said, But ought we to receive those who follow not us? Master, we saw one casting out devils in thy name — Probably this was one of John the Baptist’s disciples, who believed in Jesus, though he did not yet associate with our Lord’s disciples. And we forbade him, because he followeth not us — How often is the same temper found in us! How readily do we also lust to envy! But how ill does that spirit become a disciple, much more a minister, of the benevolent Jesus! St. Paul had learned a better temper, when he rejoiced that Christ was preached, even by those who were his personal enemies. But to confine religion to them that follow us, is a narrowness of spirit which we should avoid and abhor. Jesus said, &c. — Christ here gives us a lovely example of candour and moderation. He was willing to put the best construction on doubtful cases, and to treat as friends those who were not avowed enemies. Perhaps in this instance it was a means of conquering the remainder of prejudice, and perfecting what was wanting in the faith and obedience of these persons. Forbid him not — Neither directly nor indirectly discourage or hinder any man, who brings sinners from the power of Satan to God, because he followeth not us, in opinions, modes of worship, or any thing else which does not affect the essence of religion. For he that is not against us, is for us — Our Lord had formerly said, He that is not with me, is against me: thereby admonishing his hearers that the war between him and Satan admitted of no neutrality, and that those who were indifferent to him now, would finally be treated as enemies. But here, in another view, he uses a very different proverb; directing his followers to judge of men’s characters in the most candid manner; and charitably to hope, that those who did not oppose his cause wished well to it. Upon the whole, we are to be rigorous in judging ourselves, and candid in judging each other.

Ver. 38. We forbad him, because he followeth not us. This marks the great reputation of the Redeemer, for men of other name (and probably of John’s) wrought cures in his name. The canon laws of Rome forbid us to preach: so do the canon laws of Luther, and of England, and the Scottish laws differ but little. They talk big against all bodies of Methodists, as though they had no gospel, no sacraments, no salvation. They swell their claims as though the Lord Jesus, while his prudence was asleep, had given them a charter absolute, that they, and they alone, should be his ministers, whether they were holy or unholy, whether they believed or disbelieved, whether they were idle or industrious, whether they gathered or scattered the sheep. Against these blind allegations the Saviour declares, that men doing good are not to be stopped, no, not even by the holy apostles themselves.

38. Casting out devils in thy name — Among the many who were favoured with our Lord’s ministry, there was, it seems, one at any rate who had true faith in him to so high a degree as to be able, though not an apostle, to work miracles. Followeth not us — He probably had received no regular open commission from Christ to preach or work miracles.

Verses 38-40. And John answered, &c. — These words appear to have interrupted our Lord’s discourse, which is renewed again at verse 41. The man who was casting out devils was a believer in Christ. This is clear from his adjuring the devils in the name of Christ, that is, in dependence on his power, and under his authority. That the same miraculous powers which had been given to the twelve, and to the seventy disciples, had been communicated to him, was also clear from the effects produced. But he followed not with them; that is, he was not of the company that immediately attended upon Christ, and to whom John probably thought that the authority to cast out devils in the name of Christ properly belonged. Yet perhaps he had not been called thus immediately to follow Christ; and it is clear that it was not the will of Christ to restrict the communication of miraculous powers to those who did. Grotius and others have thought that, though well inclined to Christ, he was not “a full believer.” There is, however, no proof of his deficiency in this respect, more than this, that he did not follow Christ as the apostles and the seventy. But that this was a fault, since he openly confessed Christ, cannot be proved; and therefore it is not conclusive against his being “a full believer,” of which the presumption lies the other way. The fact seems to be that John, like many since, thought that authority to cast out devils in the name of Christ must come in one particular way; but Christ showed that he was bound to no order at all, and that he was so far from making that his only rule, he had conferred as rich a degree of spiritual gifts upon a believer who followed not with the rest, and who especially had not had the same call into the apostolic and evangelical ministry as those whom Christ had chosen. Forbid him not, therefore, says our Lord, to the too forward John: for there is no man that can do a miracle in my name, that can lightly speak evil of me; that can easily bring himself to speak evil of me; meaning that such a one could not be an enemy, but a friend. It is therefore added, For he that is not against us, is on our part. Such a man could not be against them, because he was engaged in the same work of casting out devils, and honouring the name of Christ as the world’s Redeemer from the tyranny of Satan; but, as urging on the same designs of mercy to mankind, he was for them. Alas! that this important sentiment has been so disregarded among the different sects of Christians. Even those who have been successfully promoting the salvation of men through Christ, have often been haughtily forbidden, because the order and manner of their calling was different from others. Men would restrain their Master to one rule, and refuse to acknowledge his Spirit where a diversity appears in his operations. Thus blind mortals attempt to limit the Holy One of Israel, and tacitly confess like John, until better instructed, that they would rather the devils were let alone to torment and destroy men, than that they should be cast out in any other manner than their own. Let us, however, recollect that, as there is a common Christianity, so there is a COMMON CAUSE among true Christians; and whoever promotes it is not against us, but on our part, if our side be indeed the side of Christ. We are therefore to encourage his work, and not coldly, much less proudly, hinder it; and we are to esteem him also, as well as those that follow with us, “very highly in love for his work’s sake.” If only the devils are cast out in the name of Jesus, let us rejoice, and thereby show that our love to the common Christianity surmounts the petty attachments of mere party and sectarian feeling.

V. 39. Jesus said-Christ here gives us a lovely example of candour and moderation. He was willing to put the best construction on doubtful cases, and to treat as friends those who were not avowed enemies. Perhaps in this instance it was a means of conquering the remainder of prejudice, and perfecting what was wanting in the faith and obedience of these persons. Forbid him not-Neither directly nor indirectly discourage or hinder any man who brings sinners from the power of Satan to God, because he followeth not us, in opinions, modes of worship, or any thing else which does not affect the essence of religion.

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 outrageously wedded to their own creed, and religious system, that they would rather let sinners perish than suffer those who differ from them to become the instruments of their salvation. Even the good that is done they either deny or suspect, because the person does not follow them. This also is vanity and an evil disease.

Verses 38-40. And John answered him — As if he had said, But ought we to receive those who follow not us? Master, we saw one casting out devils in thy name — Probably this was one of John the Baptist’s disciples, who believed in Jesus, though he did not yet associate with our Lord’s disciples. And we forbade him, because he followeth not us — How often is the same temper found in us! How readily do we also lust to envy! But how ill does that spirit become a disciple, much more a minister, of the benevolent Jesus! St. Paul had learned a better temper, when he rejoiced that Christ was preached, even by those who were his personal enemies. But to confine religion to them that follow us, is a narrowness of spirit which we should avoid and abhor. Jesus said, &c. — Christ here gives us a lovely example of candour and moderation. He was willing to put the best construction on doubtful cases, and to treat as friends those who were not avowed enemies. Perhaps in this instance it was a means of conquering the remainder of prejudice, and perfecting what was wanting in the faith and obedience of these persons. Forbid him not — Neither directly nor indirectly discourage or hinder any man, who brings sinners from the power of Satan to God, because he followeth not us, in opinions, modes of worship, or any thing else which does not affect the essence of religion. For he that is not against us, is for us — Our Lord had formerly said, He that is not with me, is against me: thereby admonishing his hearers that the war between him and Satan admitted of no neutrality, and that those who were indifferent to him now, would finally be treated as enemies. But here, in another view, he uses a very different proverb; directing his followers to judge of men’s characters in the most candid manner; and charitably to hope, that those who did not oppose his cause wished well to it. Upon the whole, we are to be rigorous in judging ourselves, and candid in judging each other.

39. That can lightly speak evil of me — If he uses my name he must believe that mine is a divine name. If he can work wonders by it, his faith must be both true and great. If God enable him to perform miracles, the divine obligation is upon him. He therefore cannot speak contemptuously of the name by faith in which he achieves miracles of mercy. He win never pronounce I am an impostor, or join the scribes in saying that I cast out devils through the prince of devils.

It cannot be denied that this furnishes a strong reproof to bigots who are ready to deny the Christian or the churchly name to those who are not of their own organization. Where those who differ from us do not endanger the fundamentals of repentance towards God and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, we must be very cautious how we forbid them because they follow not us. We may love our own doctrines, discipline, usages, and denomination, we may defend them at the proper time with firmness and boldness; but let us not be unjust to the piety and the zeal in the cause of Christ and the good of mankind, which exist in other denominations of Christians.

Verses 38-40. And John answered, &c. — These words appear to have interrupted our Lord’s discourse, which is renewed again at verse 41. The man who was casting out devils was a believer in Christ. This is clear from his adjuring the devils in the name of Christ, that is, in dependence on his power, and under his authority. That the same miraculous powers which had been given to the twelve, and to the seventy disciples, had been communicated to him, was also clear from the effects produced. But he followed not with them; that is, he was not of the company that immediately attended upon Christ, and to whom John probably thought that the authority to cast out devils in the name of Christ properly belonged. Yet perhaps he had not been called thus immediately to follow Christ; and it is clear that it was not the will of Christ to restrict the communication of miraculous powers to those who did. Grotius and others have thought that, though well inclined to Christ, he was not “a full believer.” There is, however, no proof of his deficiency in this respect, more than this, that he did not follow Christ as the apostles and the seventy. But that this was a fault, since he openly confessed Christ, cannot be proved; and therefore it is not conclusive against his being “a full believer,” of which the presumption lies the other way. The fact seems to be that John, like many since, thought that authority to cast out devils in the name of Christ must come in one particular way; but Christ showed that he was bound to no order at all, and that he was so far from making that his only rule, he had conferred as rich a degree of spiritual gifts upon a believer who followed not with the rest, and who especially had not had the same call into the apostolic and evangelical ministry as those whom Christ had chosen. Forbid him not, therefore, says our Lord, to the too forward John: for there is no man that can do a miracle in my name, that can lightly speak evil of me; that can easily bring himself to speak evil of me; meaning that such a one could not be an enemy, but a friend. It is therefore added, For he that is not against us, is on our part. Such a man could not be against them, because he was engaged in the same work of casting out devils, and honouring the name of Christ as the world’s Redeemer from the tyranny of Satan; but, as urging on the same designs of mercy to mankind, he was for them. Alas! that this important sentiment has been so disregarded among the different sects of Christians. Even those who have been successfully promoting the salvation of men through Christ, have often been haughtily forbidden, because the order and manner of their calling was different from others. Men would restrain their Master to one rule, and refuse to acknowledge his Spirit where a diversity appears in his operations. Thus blind mortals attempt to limit the Holy One of Israel, and tacitly confess like John, until better instructed, that they would rather the devils were let alone to torment and destroy men, than that they should be cast out in any other manner than their own. Let us, however, recollect that, as there is a common Christianity, so there is a COMMON CAUSE among true Christians; and whoever promotes it is not against us, but on our part, if our side be indeed the side of Christ. We are therefore to encourage his work, and not coldly, much less proudly, hinder it; and we are to esteem him also, as well as those that follow with us, “very highly in love for his work’s sake.” If only the devils are cast out in the name of Jesus, let us rejoice, and thereby show that our love to the common Christianity surmounts the petty attachments of mere party and sectarian feeling.

V. 40. For he that is not against you, is for you-Our Lord had formerly said, he that is not with me, is against me: thereby admonishing his hearers, that the war between him and Satan admitted of no neutrality, and that those who were indifferent to him now, would finally be treated as enemies. But here in another view, he uses a very different proverb; directing his followers to judge of men's characters in the most candid manner; and charitably to hope that those who did not oppose his cause wished well to it. Upon the whole, we are to be rigorous in judging ourselves, and candid in judging each other.

Verse 40. He that is not against us, is on our part.] Or rather, Whosoever is not against YOU, is for YOU. Instead of hmwn, us, I would read umwn, you, on the authority of ADSHV, upwards of forty others, Syriac, Armenian, Persic, Coptic, Æthiopic, Gothic, Slavonic, Vulgate, Itala, Victor, and Opt. This reading is more consistent with the context-He followed not us-well, he is not against YOU; and he who is not against you, in such a work, may be fairly presumed to be on your side. There is a parallel case to this mentioned in Numbers 11:26-29, which, for the elucidation of this passage, I will transcribe. “The Spirit rested upon Eldad and Medad, and they prophesied in the camp. And there ran a young man, and told Moses, and said, Eldad and Medad do prophesy in the camp. And Joshua, the servant of Moses, said, My lord Moses, forbid them! And Moses said unto him, Enviest THOU for MY sake? Would God, that all the Lord’s people were prophets, and that the Lord would put his Spirit upon them.” The reader will easily observe that Joshua and John were of the same bigoted spirit; and that Jesus and Moses acted from the spirit of candour and benevolence. See the notes on Numbers 11:25-29.

Verses 38-40. And John answered him — As if he had said, But ought we to receive those who follow not us? Master, we saw one casting out devils in thy name — Probably this was one of John the Baptist’s disciples, who believed in Jesus, though he did not yet associate with our Lord’s disciples. And we forbade him, because he followeth not us — How often is the same temper found in us! How readily do we also lust to envy! But how ill does that spirit become a disciple, much more a minister, of the benevolent Jesus! St. Paul had learned a better temper, when he rejoiced that Christ was preached, even by those who were his personal enemies. But to confine religion to them that follow us, is a narrowness of spirit which we should avoid and abhor. Jesus said, &c. — Christ here gives us a lovely example of candour and moderation. He was willing to put the best construction on doubtful cases, and to treat as friends those who were not avowed enemies. Perhaps in this instance it was a means of conquering the remainder of prejudice, and perfecting what was wanting in the faith and obedience of these persons. Forbid him not — Neither directly nor indirectly discourage or hinder any man, who brings sinners from the power of Satan to God, because he followeth not us, in opinions, modes of worship, or any thing else which does not affect the essence of religion. For he that is not against us, is for us — Our Lord had formerly said, He that is not with me, is against me: thereby admonishing his hearers that the war between him and Satan admitted of no neutrality, and that those who were indifferent to him now, would finally be treated as enemies. But here, in another view, he uses a very different proverb; directing his followers to judge of men’s characters in the most candid manner; and charitably to hope, that those who did not oppose his cause wished well to it. Upon the whole, we are to be rigorous in judging ourselves, and candid in judging each other.

40. He that is not against us — Every expeller of demons that works separately from us must be held to be on our part, unless he is against us. He who thus is not against us is on our side.

Verses 38-40. And John answered, &c. — These words appear to have interrupted our Lord’s discourse, which is renewed again at verse 41. The man who was casting out devils was a believer in Christ. This is clear from his adjuring the devils in the name of Christ, that is, in dependence on his power, and under his authority. That the same miraculous powers which had been given to the twelve, and to the seventy disciples, had been communicated to him, was also clear from the effects produced. But he followed not with them; that is, he was not of the company that immediately attended upon Christ, and to whom John probably thought that the authority to cast out devils in the name of Christ properly belonged. Yet perhaps he had not been called thus immediately to follow Christ; and it is clear that it was not the will of Christ to restrict the communication of miraculous powers to those who did. Grotius and others have thought that, though well inclined to Christ, he was not “a full believer.” There is, however, no proof of his deficiency in this respect, more than this, that he did not follow Christ as the apostles and the seventy. But that this was a fault, since he openly confessed Christ, cannot be proved; and therefore it is not conclusive against his being “a full believer,” of which the presumption lies the other way. The fact seems to be that John, like many since, thought that authority to cast out devils in the name of Christ must come in one particular way; but Christ showed that he was bound to no order at all, and that he was so far from making that his only rule, he had conferred as rich a degree of spiritual gifts upon a believer who followed not with the rest, and who especially had not had the same call into the apostolic and evangelical ministry as those whom Christ had chosen. Forbid him not, therefore, says our Lord, to the too forward John: for there is no man that can do a miracle in my name, that can lightly speak evil of me; that can easily bring himself to speak evil of me; meaning that such a one could not be an enemy, but a friend. It is therefore added, For he that is not against us, is on our part. Such a man could not be against them, because he was engaged in the same work of casting out devils, and honouring the name of Christ as the world’s Redeemer from the tyranny of Satan; but, as urging on the same designs of mercy to mankind, he was for them. Alas! that this important sentiment has been so disregarded among the different sects of Christians. Even those who have been successfully promoting the salvation of men through Christ, have often been haughtily forbidden, because the order and manner of their calling was different from others. Men would restrain their Master to one rule, and refuse to acknowledge his Spirit where a diversity appears in his operations. Thus blind mortals attempt to limit the Holy One of Israel, and tacitly confess like John, until better instructed, that they would rather the devils were let alone to torment and destroy men, than that they should be cast out in any other manner than their own. Let us, however, recollect that, as there is a common Christianity, so there is a COMMON CAUSE among true Christians; and whoever promotes it is not against us, but on our part, if our side be indeed the side of Christ. We are therefore to encourage his work, and not coldly, much less proudly, hinder it; and we are to esteem him also, as well as those that follow with us, “very highly in love for his work’s sake.” If only the devils are cast out in the name of Jesus, let us rejoice, and thereby show that our love to the common Christianity surmounts the petty attachments of mere party and sectarian feeling.

V. 41. For whosoever shall give you a cup-Having answered St. John, our Lord here resumes the discourse which was broken off at the 37th verse. Mark 9:37 Matthew 10:42.

Verse 41. A cup of water to drink] See the notes on Matthew 10:42; 18:6-8.

Verses 41, 42. For whosoever shall give you a cup of water, &c. — Having answered John, our Lord resumes the discourse, which was broken off at verse 37. And to show the apostles further, that they had been in the wrong to discourage this person, who must have entertained a great veneration for their Master, and was in a fair way to become his follower, he told them, that the lowest degree of respect which any one showed him, though it were but the giving a cup of cold water to one of his thirsty disciples, would be acceptable to him, and should not lose its reward: whereas, on the other hand, the least discouragement of his servants in their duty, come from what quarter it might, should be severely punished. For he added, Whosoever shall offend: kai ov an skandalish, whosoever shall cause to stumble one of these little ones — The very least Christian. It is better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck — See note on Matthew 18:5, 6.

41. Give you a cup of water — See note on Matthew 10:42.

Verse 41. For whosoever shall give you a cup, &c. — Here the discourse, broken off at verse 37, is resumed. See note on Matthew 10:42, where the phrase is similar, though the occasion is different; for our Lord often repeated the same weighty sayings on different occasions.

V. 42. On the contrary, whosoever shall offend the very least Christian. Matthew 18:6; Luke 17:1.

Verses 41, 42. For whosoever shall give you a cup of water, &c. — Having answered John, our Lord resumes the discourse, which was broken off at verse 37. And to show the apostles further, that they had been in the wrong to discourage this person, who must have entertained a great veneration for their Master, and was in a fair way to become his follower, he told them, that the lowest degree of respect which any one showed him, though it were but the giving a cup of cold water to one of his thirsty disciples, would be acceptable to him, and should not lose its reward: whereas, on the other hand, the least discouragement of his servants in their duty, come from what quarter it might, should be severely punished. For he added, Whosoever shall offend: kai ov an skandalish, whosoever shall cause to stumble one of these little ones — The very least Christian. It is better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck — See note on Matthew 18:5, 6.

42, 43. Consult our notes on Matthew 18:6.

Verses 42-47. Offend one of these little ones, &c. — See the notes on Matthew 18:6-9.

V. 43. And if a person cause thee to offend-(The discourse passes from the case of offending, to that of being offended) if one who is as useful or dear to thee as a hand or eye, hinder or slacken thee in the ways of God, renounce all intercourse with him. This primarily relates to persons, secondarily to things. Matthew 5:29; 18:8.

Verses 43. - 48. Thy hand-foot-eye-cause thee to offend;] See the notes on Matthew 5:29, 30.

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 suppose it to be a spurious reading; but the authorities which are for it, are by no means counterbalanced by those which are against it. The same clause in Mark 9:45, is omitted in BCL, seven others, Syriac, later Persic, Coptic, and one Itala. Eternal fire is the expression of Matthew.

Verse 43. And if thy hand offend thee, &c. — The discourse here passes from the case of offending to that of being offended. If one who is as useful or dear to thee as a hand or eye, prevent thee from walking in the ways of God, or hinder thee therein, renounce all intercourse with him. This primarily relates to persons; secondarily, to things. See the note on Matthew 5:29, 30, where this subject is explained at large. The sum is, It is better to deny one’s self the greatest earthly satisfactions, and to part with any and every person and thing, however precious, represented by the figures of a hand, a foot, and eye, than by these things to cause the weakest of Christ’s disciples to stumble, or to be made to stumble ourselves. Further, the amputation of our hands and feet, and the digging out of our eyes, when they cause us to stumble, import also, that we should deny ourselves such use of our senses and members as may lead us into sin. Thus the hand and the eye are to be turned away from those alluring objects which raise in us lust and ambition. The foot must be restrained from carrying us into evil company, unlawful diversions, and forbidden pleasures. Nor can we complain of these injunctions as severe, since by causing, or even by tempting others to sin, as well as by sinning ourselves, we are exposed to the eternal punishments of hell. Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched — “These expressions seem to be borrowed from Isaiah 66:24, in which passage the prophet is describing the miserable end of hardened sinners, by a similitude taken from the behaviour of conquerors, who, after having gained the battle, and beaten the enemy out of the field, go forth to view the slain. Thus, at the last day, the devil, with all his adherents, being finally and completely vanquished, the saints shall go forth to view them, doomed by the just judgment of God to eternal death. And this their punishment is represented by two metaphors, drawn from the different ways of burying the dead in use among the Jews. Bodies of men, interred in the earth, are eaten up of worms, which die when their food faileth; and those that are burned are consumed in fire, which extinguishes itself when there is no more fuel added to feed it. But it shall not be so with the wicked; their worm shall not die, and their fire is not quenched. These metaphors, therefore, as they are used by our Lord, and by the Prophet Isaiah, paint the eternal punishments of the damned in strong and lively colours.” — Macknight. To this may be added, that by the worm here spoken of, that dieth not, may be denoted, the continual torture of an accusing conscience, and the misery naturally arising from the evil dispositions of pride, self-will, desire, malice, envy, shame, sorrow, despair; and by the fire that is not quenched, the positive punishment inflicted by the fiery wrath of God. Dr. Whitby’s note on these verses deserves the reader’s particular attention. After observing that these words, Where their worm dieth not, &c., are taken from Isaiah 66:24, (where see the notes,) he adds, “It seems reasonable to interpret them according to the received opinion of the Jews, since otherwise our Lord, by using them so frequently in speaking to them, without saying any thing to show them that he did not understand the expression as they did, must have strengthened them in their error. Now, it is certain, 1st, That gehenna (hell) was by them still looked on as the place in which the wicked were to be tormented by fire. So the Jerusalem Targum, on Genesis 15:17, represents it as a furnace sparkling and flaming with fire, into which the wicked fall. And the Targum, upon Ecclesiastes 9:15, speaks of the fire of hell; and, Mark 10:11, of the sparks of the fire of hell; and, chap. 8:10, of the wicked who shall go to be burned in hell. Accordingly, our Lord speaks here, verse 47, and Matthew 5:22, of the wicked being cast into hell fire; and, Matthew 13:42, of their being cast into a furnace of fire. 2d, The ancient Jews held that the punishments of the wicked in hell will be perpetual, or without end. So Judith says, chap. 16:17, klausontai en aisqhsi ewv aiwtov, they shall weep under the sense of their pains for ever. Josephus informs us that the Pharisees held that the souls of the wicked were to be punished, aidiw timwria, with perpetual punishment; and that there was appointed for them, eirgmov aidiov, a perpetual prison. Philo saith, “The punishment of the wicked person is, zhn apoqanonta aei, to live for ever dying, and to be for ever in pains, and griefs, and calamities that never cease: accordingly our Lord says of them, that they shall go away into eternal punishment, Matthew 25:41; that God will destroy the soul and body in hell, Matthew 10:28; and here, that their worm dieth not, and their fire is not quenched.” Whence the doctor concludes, 1st, That though it is not to be doubted that the expression, the worm dieth not, is to be understood figuratively of remorse of conscience and keen self-reflection; yet, that the bodies of the wicked shall suffer in fire, properly so called, this he thinks being suitable not only to the tradition of the Jewish and of the Christian Church, but to the constant phraseology of the Scriptures. And, 2dly, That the punishment of the wicked shall be, strictly speaking, eternal; this also being the constant opinion of the Christian Church, as he shows in a note on Hebrews 6:2; and this punishment being consistent with divine justice and goodness, as he proves in his Appendix to 2 Thessalonians 1. It is justly added here, by Dr. Macknight, “The most superficial reader must be sensible, that our Lord’s repeating so frequently his declaration concerning the duration of future punishments, has in it something very awful, and implies that mankind should attend to it as a matter of infinite importance to them. It likewise affords a lesson to all the ministers of the gospel, directing them to enforce the precepts of religion, which they inculcate, by frequently and earnestly holding forth to the view of their hearers the terrors of a future judgment.”

43. The fire that never shall be quenched — Our Lord gives a stronger expression than Isaiah 66:24, presents. It is not simply “shall not be quenched,” but “never” shall be quenched. This carries the thought far beyond the mere temporal fires of Hinnom, even to that unquenchable fire for which he uses the fire of Hinnom as a figure. Jesus repeats the expression with great solemnity thrice, as if to show that the highest possible meaning was to be attributed to his word.

Verses 42-47. Offend one of these little ones, &c. — See the notes on Matthew 18:6-9.

V. 44. Where their worm-That gnaweth the soul, (pride, self will, desire, malice, envy, shame, sorrow, despair,) dieth not-No more than the soul itself: and the fire (either material, or infinitely worse!) that tormenteth the body, is not quenched for ever. Isaiah 66:24.

Verses 43. - 48. Thy hand-foot-eye-cause thee to offend;] See the notes on Matthew 5:29, 30.

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 suppose it to be a spurious reading; but the authorities which are for it, are by no means counterbalanced by those which are against it. The same clause in Mark 9:45, is omitted in BCL, seven others, Syriac, later Persic, Coptic, and one Itala. Eternal fire is the expression of Matthew.

Verses 42-47. Offend one of these little ones, &c. — See the notes on Matthew 18:6-9.

Verses 43. - 48. Thy hand-foot-eye-cause thee to offend;] See the notes on Matthew 5:29, 30.

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 suppose it to be a spurious reading; but the authorities which are for it, are by no means counterbalanced by those which are against it. The same clause in Mark 9:45, is omitted in BCL, seven others, Syriac, later Persic, Coptic, and one Itala. Eternal fire is the expression of Matthew.

Verses 42-47. Offend one of these little ones, &c. — See the notes on Matthew 18:6-9.

Verses 43. - 48. Thy hand-foot-eye-cause thee to offend;] See the notes on Matthew 5:29, 30.

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 suppose it to be a spurious reading; but the authorities which are for it, are by no means counterbalanced by those which are against it. The same clause in Mark 9:45, is omitted in BCL, seven others, Syriac, later Persic, Coptic, and one Itala. Eternal fire is the expression of Matthew.

Verses 42-47. Offend one of these little ones, &c. — See the notes on Matthew 18:6-9.

Verses 43. - 48. Thy hand-foot-eye-cause thee to offend;] See the notes on Matthew 5:29, 30.

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 suppose it to be a spurious reading; but the authorities which are for it, are by no means counterbalanced by those which are against it. The same clause in Mark 9:45, is omitted in BCL, seven others, Syriac, later Persic, Coptic, and one Itala. Eternal fire is the expression of Matthew.

Ver. 47. Cast into hell fire. Greek, the fire of Gehenna, where the worm of conscience dieth not and where the fire is not quenched. Isaiah 30:33. Matthew 5:22. This proves that hell is both a state and a place of punishment. The heathen poets speak on this subject in many views, as do the holy scriptures. Euripidès asks Menelaus what the disease was that wasted his body? To which he answers, that it was his own mind for the great evils he had done.

Ti crhma pasceiv; tiv s appolosi nosov.

OREST. ‘H sunesiv, &c.

Verses 42-47. Offend one of these little ones, &c. — See the notes on Matthew 18:6-9.

Verses 43. - 48. Thy hand-foot-eye-cause thee to offend;] See the notes on Matthew 5:29, 30.

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 suppose it to be a spurious reading; but the authorities which are for it, are by no means counterbalanced by those which are against it. The same clause in Mark 9:45, is omitted in BCL, seven others, Syriac, later Persic, Coptic, and one Itala. Eternal fire is the expression of Matthew.

Verse 48. Where their worm dieth not, &c. — These words are similar to Isaiah 66:24; but even there they may be used as a proverbial description of hopeless and utter destruction, and so there may be no application of them by our Lord, except as the expression was well known as proverbial. — Bishop Lowth and others think the allusion in Isaiah is to the valley of Hinnom, where the idolatrous Jews made their children to pass through the fire to Moloch. Josiah desecrated or defiled it; and it was the custom to keep fires perpetually burning there to consume the filth and offal of the city. See note on Matthew 5:22. This might, indeed, explain the allusion to unquenchable fire, but not that to the worm that dieth not; and the notion of Lowth that this valley was also a common burying place, and so furnished the image of the ever gnawing worm, as well as that of the everlasting fire, is without sufficient proof. In so polluted a place the Jews were unlikely to bury their dead. The passage occurs indeed in Isaiah, before any such use was made of the valley as burning the refuse of the city. It appears therefore to have been a highly metaphorical mode of expressing the highest penalties of the Divine justice upon guilty nations and individuals. As the worm itself dies not, but destroys that it feeds upon, and as a fire unquenched consumes that upon which it kindles, so when temporal judgments are expressed by this phrase, the utter destruction of persons, cities, and nations, appears to be intended; but when it refers to a future state, and the subject of punishment is, in itself, or by Divine appointment, immortal, the idea is heightened to its utmost terror; their worm of reflection and remorse ever gnaws; and the fire, which represents the severity of accumulated judgments, is never quenched. Three times here does this most mild and gracious Teacher repeat this awful commination against those who refuse to put away those sins which offend them, that is, cause them to stumble and fall. And though the excision of them may appear like cutting off a hand or foot, or plucking out an eye, yet the necessity is laid upon us: we must deny ourselves and mortify our sins, or be exposed to this fearful, this ever enduring misery. See notes on Matthew 5:29, 30, and 18:8, 9.

V. 49. Every one-Who does not cut off the offending member, and consequently is cast into hell, shall be, as it were, salted with fire, preserved, not consumed thereby whereas every acceptable sacrifice shall be salted with another kind of salt, even that of Divine grace, which purifies the soul, (though frequently with pain) and preserves it from corruption.

Verse 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 Bezæ, and some other MSS., have omitted the first clause; and several MSS. keep the first, and omit the last clause-and every sacrifice shall be salted with salt. There appears to be an allusion to Isaiah 66:24. It is generally supposed that our Lord means, that as salt preserves the flesh with which it is connected from corruption, so this everlasting fire, to pur to asbeston, this inconsumable fire, will have the property, not only of assimilating all things cast into it to its own nature, but of making them inconsumable like itself.

Scaliger supposes, that instead of pav puri, pasa puria, every sacrifice (of flour) should be read, “Every sacrifice (of flour) shall be salted, and every burnt offering shall be salted.” This, I fear, is taking the text by storm. Some take the whole in a good sense, as referring to the influence of the Spirit of God in the hearts of believers, which shall answer the same end to the soul, in preserving it from the contagion that is in the world, as salt did in the sacrifices offered to God to preserve them from putrefaction. Old Trapp’s note on the place pleases me as much as any I have seen:-“The Spirit, as salt, must dry up those bad humours in us which breed the never-dying worm; and, as fire, must waste our corruptions, which else will carry us on to the unquenchable fire.” Perhaps the whole is an allusion to the purification of vessels, and especially such metallic vessels as were employed in the service of the sanctuary. Probably the following may be considered as a parallel text:-Every thing that may abide the fire, ye shalt make go through the fire, and it shall be clean; and all that abideth not the fire, ye shall make go through the water, Numbers 31:23. Ye, disciples, are the Lord’s sacrifice; ye shall go through much tribulation, in order to enter into my kingdom: but ye are salted, ye are influenced by the Spirit of God, and are immortal till your work is done; and should ye be offered up, martyred, this shall be a means of establishing more fully the glad tidings of the kingdom: and this Spirit shall preserve all who believe on me from the corruption of sin, and from eternal perdition. That converts to God are represented as his offering, see Isaiah 66:20, the very place which our Lord appears to have here in view.

If this passage be taken according to the common meaning, it is awful indeed! Here may be seen the greatness, multiplicity, and eternity, of the pains of the damned. They suffer without being able to die; they are burned without being consumed; they are sacrificed without being sanctified-are salted with the fire of hell, as eternal victims of the Divine Justice. We must of necessity be sacrificed to God, after one way or other, in eternity; and we have now the choice either of the unquenchable fire of his justice, or of the everlasting flame of his love. Quesnel.

Verses 49, 50. For every one shall be salted with fire — These words seem to refer to the preceding, respecting the punishment of those who will not cut off the offending members, which render them obnoxious to future punishment: and so the import of them must be, that all such shall be “seasoned with fire itself, so as to become inconsumable, and shall endure for ever to be tormented, and therefore may be said to be salted with fire, in allusion to that property of salt which is to preserve things from corruption.” — Whitby. This interpretation supposes the word pav, every one, to signify the same as if the expression had been pav gar autwn, for every one of them, namely, whose fire is not quenched; shall be salted with, or in the fire; that is, preserved from corruption, in and by it. So Mark 12:44, pantev gar, for all, that is, all they, as our translators render it, all those rich men, there spoken of. So Luke 16:16, The kingdom of God is preached, kai pav, and every one, (namely, who believes,) presseth into it. And Luke 21:32, This generation shall not pass away, ewv an panta genhtai, till all things be done, that is, panta tauta, all these things, there mentioned. The reader may see many other instances in Grotius. The sense, therefore, of the clause is, Every one, who does not comply with the preceding advice, and consequently is cast into hell, shall be, as it were, salted with fire, preserved, not consumed, thereby. And every sacrifice — That is, every person who offers himself unto God in repentance, faith, and new obedience, as a living sacrifice; shall be salted with salt — Even with the salt of divine grace, which purifies the soul, (though frequently with pain,) and preserves it from corruption. It is evident that there is an allusion here to that part of the law of Moses which required every meat-offering, or sacrifice, to be seasoned with salt. See Leviticus 2:13. Salt is good — Highly beneficial to the world in many respects: But if the salt — Which should season other things; have lost its own saltness; Analon genhtai, become insipid; wherewith will ye season it? — By what means will ye restore its saltness, or seasoning quality, to it? Thus, if you, whom I have termed the salt of the earth, (Matthew 5:13; where see the note,) and have appointed to be the chief instruments in seasoning the rest of mankind with truth and grace, with wisdom and piety, should lose your own grace, and your faith in, and relish for, the truths of my gospel, or should cease to be properly influenced thereby, wherewith can you be seasoned? Beware, therefore, of apostatizing from the truth, and of falling from grace: see that you retain your savour, and the seasoning virtue wherewith I have endued you, and, as a proof of it, have peace one with another.

More largely this obscure text might be paraphrased thus: As every burnt-offering was salted with salt, in order to its being cast into the fire of the altar, so every one who will not part with his hand or eye, shall fall a sacrifice to divine justice, and be cast into hell-fire, which will not consume, but preserve him from a cessation of being. And on the other hand, every one who, denying himself, and taking up his cross, offers up himself as a living sacrifice to God, shall be seasoned with grace, which, like salt, will make him savoury, and preserve him from destruction for ever. As salt is good for preserving meats, and making them savoury, so it is good that ye be seasoned with grace, for the purifying your hearts and lives, and for spreading the savour of my knowledge, both in your own souls, and wherever ye go. But as salt, if it loses its saltness, is fit for nothing, so ye, if ye lose your faith and love, are fit for nothing but to be utterly destroyed. See therefore that grace abide in you, and that ye no more contend, Who shall be greatest?

Ver. 49. Every one shall be salted with fire. These words are cited froth Isaiah 66:24. The ideas are borrowed from the valley of the son of Hinnom, as explained in Matthew 5:22; and both the prophet and our Lord refer them to the punishment of the wicked. In that valley the flesh of children were burnt, and in the great slaughter of the last enemies of the church, the worm shall crawl in their carcases. Now, figuratively, as salt preserves flesh, so the salt of God’s wrathful vengeance shall preserve the wicked in existence, that their worm shall not die, and their fire shall not be quenched. This passage is therefore in itself, and in its connection, totally different from Matthew 5:13, where the disciples are called the salt of the earth. That alludes to the savour of grace, and a good conversation; this refers to the eternal justice of God.

49. Salted with fire — As salt, from its antiseptic qualities, was an ancient emblem of purification, so salted here is equivalent to purified, and “salted with fire” is equivalent to “purified with fire.” Now every one (who is purified) is indeed purified by the fire of the Spirit of God. See note on Matthew 3:11. And that same fire of God’s holiness which purifies the saint, constitutes the penal fire of the obdurate sinner, so that the essential base of the fire in verses 48 and 49 is the same. The particle for connects verse 49 with verse 47, and shows that the severity of the purgation which is expressed by fire here is the same as that expressed by cutting off in the previous verses. Undergo this purgative severity of cutting off and plucking out all the members of sin, for it is by this severe and fiery ordeal that we are purified, as a meat offering is purified by salt. And every sacrifice shall be salted with salt — The Greek word for and might better be rendered as. There is a comparison thus introduced. Every soul is purified with fire as every sacrifice is salted with salt. See Leviticus 2:13.

Verses 49, 50. For every one shall be salted with fire, &c. — On this difficult passage the opinions of commentators have greatly differed. It is unnecessary to notice many absurd and some mischievous interpretations, which carry their own refutation: those which have the greatest plausibility are the following. It is necessary, however, to state previously, that, although the Codex Bezæ wants the first clause of this verse, and some other MSS. omit the second, yet the evidence of the genuineness of the whole verse from the agreement of the best MSS. and ancient versions is decisive. The first opinion regards these words as wholly unconnected with the preceding remarks on the punishment of the wicked; and as expressing the fiery persecutions to which Christians would be exposed. A second is, that pav, every one, respects all Christians, whether persecuted or not; and that the sense is, every true believer is purified by the afflictions and trials of life, in the same manner (kai being used for wv) as every sacrifice is salted with salt. A third is, that believers were to be salted or prepared by the apostles, for the fire of God’s altar, (puri being here taken in the dative case,) that is, to become through their ministry a holy sacrifice to God. A fourth urges that gar connects the words chiefly with the preceding verse, and therefore that the words salted with fire, can refer only to the wicked, to them whose “worm dieth not,” &c.; gar for every one of these shall be salted with fire; as if it had been, pav gar autwn. In this case, the idea of endless torments suggested by the unquenchable fire of the preceding verse is supposed to be carried on and heightened by the strong figure of being salted, that is, seasoned with fire itself, so as to be rendered inconsumable by it. The fifth view, and that which has been perhaps most generally received, regards the two clauses of the verse as standing in opposition to each other; the first expressing the fearful doom of the wicked as victims to Divine justice, to be salted with fire, which shall endure for ever; but every acceptable sacrifice, — under which real Christians are supposed to be represented, — as being salted with another kind of salt, namely, the Divine grace, which purifies the soul. These are all the opinions on this subject worth noticing, the others being either modifications of some one of these, or founded upon emendatory and uncertain criticism.

For the true interpretation of this passage it is to be remarked, that the discourse was addressed to the apostles alone. Our Lord had reproved them for their ambition, by setting a child in the midst, and taking him in his arms in token of his special regard; he had farther declared his affection to such of his childlike followers, by assuring them that whoso received one of such children received him; he had reproved John for forbidding a good man who followed not with them from casting out devils in his name; he had, in returning from this digression to the former subject, declared that the most severe punishment would follow the offending, or making to stumble, one of these little ones that believe in me: having guarded others against offending, or causing to stumble and fall, the least of his disciples, he warns the apostles lest they should be stumbling blocks to themselves, enjoining upon them the utmost purity, exhorting them to renounce every sin by entire and rigid self-mortification, which he compares to the cutting off a hand or a foot, or the plucking out of an eye; and this entire renunciation of evil, this universal purity, he enforces upon them by the awful doctrine, that, failing of it, they could not enter into life, but should inevitably be cast into unquenchable fire. But in what follows he continues the same address to the apostles, and still enforces the same subject, their entire purification from sin to God, which he illustrates from the offering of salt with sacrifices. The apostles professed to CONSECRATE themselves to Christ, to OFFER themselves to his service; but as under the law all offerings were to be accompanied with salt, — the striking and well understood emblem in eastern countries of SINCERITY and GOOD FAITH in covenant engagements, and hence called in the very passage alluded to, Leviticus 2:13, “the salt of the covenant of thy God,” — so their devoting themselves to Christ demanded that perfect sincerity and purity which could not consist with the sparing and retaining any sin whatever; and the sincerity and good faith with which they renounced all sin was as the offering of salt with the sacrifice. This appears to be the connection; and the particle gar must therefore be considered as connecting these words, not with the verse next preceding, but with the whole argument of the preceding verses; and the pav is to be applied to every one of the apostles: for, that in the first instance they are spoken of, and that the salting refers to the principle and operation of Divine grace in them, made plain by what follows, Salt is good; where our Lord means the very salt of which he had before been speaking, that with which every sacrifice should be salted. To which he also adds, Have salt, in yourselves, and, with reference to their dispute which should be greatest, have peace one with another. So clear is it that, throughout the whole of this disputed passage, the apostles were addressed, and they first and chiefly, whatever lessons may be consequentially taught by it to ministers and Christians generally; and if so, then the only point to be considered is, whether the first clause, for every one shall be salted with fire, may not refer to the punishment of a false apostle, or a bad minister, although the next clause, and every sacrifice shall be salted with salt, must be considered as a figurative application of the rites of ancient sacrifice, to express the entire consecration of the faithful disciples to Christ, as by “a covenant of salt.” On this question it may be observed that the never ending punishment of the faithless had been with such reiteration, explicitness, and emphasis already three times, or rather six times, uttered in the preceding verses, that it is improbable that the same subject should be again stated in the garb of metaphor as being “salted with fire.”

2. That to suppose our Lord, in the same verse, to speak of being salted with the fire of hell, and salted with Divine grace, is an exceedingly harsh interpretation: for although he often uses the same terms in a sentence, or in successive sentences, in different or even contrasted senses, yet there is always some observable relation of degree or contrariety arising out of the terms or the nature of the subject; but here no such relation appears, and we shall not find an instance of such a use of words by our Lord in senses so violently different and disconnected. But

3. The terms being all manifestly sacrificial, an easy interpretation is afforded to the whole, without supposing any such violent transition in the meaning of the terms used: For every one shall be salted, by an entire integrity and sincerity, WITH THE FIRE of that altar on which you devote yourselves, AS every sacrifice in the temple shall be salted with salt; the emblem of the sincerity and integrity in which it is offered. Here puri is taken in the dative case, as 2 Peter 3:7, puri throumenoi, reserved for the fire; and kai takes the sense of wv, which is not unfrequent. At the same time, the order in which these distinct ideas rose in the mind of our Lord may be probably traced. The “unquenchable fire” of hell, of which he had been just speaking, might easily associate itself with another unquenchable fire, that which was kept ever burning through all generations on the altar of burnt-offering in the temple. Still farther, the punishment of wicked apostate Christians might naturally be considered as the immolation of victims to Divine justice, and forcibly suggest the striking contrast of that great act of grace by which true apostles and disciples were allowed to offer themselves to God upon the altar of the Christian temple, and to present themselves a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable, to God; but the acceptableness of which depends, as in the ancient offerings, upon the salt offered with it, that is, upon the entire simplicity and fidelity with which we give our whole selves to Christ and to his service, making no reserves and tolerating no sin. In this way, indeed, the admonitory contrast, so forcibly dwelt upon by some commentators, is brought out and impressed upon us; not by separating the two clauses of verse 46 into distinct and opposite senses, but by opposing the false disciple, who refuses to cut off his right hand, or foot, or eye, that is, wholly and universally to mortify his corruptions, and is cast into hell, a victim to incensed and eternal justice; and the faithful disciple, he who enters, into “a covenant of salt” with Christ, that is, who engages himself to him in purity and fidelity, and who is offered upon the altar, a sacrifice of sweet-smelling savour, in all he thinks, and speaks, and does, “acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.” In this view, it is very true that we must be sacrifices either to GRACE or to JUSTICE. Let us not falter then in our choice, but cut off whatever might cause us to stumble, and fall into this unquenchable fire.

If the salt have lost its saltness, wherewith will ye season it? — See notes on Matthew 5:13.

V. 50. Such salt is good indeed; highly beneficial to the world, in respect of which I have termed you the salt of the earth.

But if the salt which should season others, have lost its own saltness, wherewith will ye season it?-Beware of this; see that ye retain your savour; and as a proof of it, have peace one with another. More largely this obscure text might be paraphrased thus:— As every burnt offering was salted with salt, in order to its being cast into the fire of the altar, so every one who will not part with his hand or eye, shall fall a sacrifice to Divine justice, and be cast into hell fire, which will not consume, but preserve him from a cessation of being. And on the other hand, every one, who, denying himself and taking up his cross, offers up himself as a living sacrifice to God, shall be seasoned with grace, which like salt will make him savoury, and preserve him from destruction for ever. As salt is good for preserving meats, and making them savoury, so it is good that ye be seasoned with grace, for the purifying your hearts and lives, and for spreading the savour of my knowledge, both in your own souls, and wherever ye go. But as salt if it loses its saltness is fit for nothing, so ye, if ye lose your faith and love, are fit for nothing but to be utterly destroyed. See therefore that grace abide in you, and that ye no more contend, Who shall be greatest. Matthew 5:13; Luke 14:34.

Verse 50. If the salt have lost his saltness] See Clarke on “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 kindness and peace with each other: thus shall all men see that you are free from ambition, (see Mark 9:34,) and that you are my disciples indeed. That it is possible for the salt to lose its savour, and yet retain its appearance in the most perfect manner, see proved on the note on Matthew 5:13.

ST. MARK

Verses 49, 50. For every one shall be salted with fire — These words seem to refer to the preceding, respecting the punishment of those who will not cut off the offending members, which render them obnoxious to future punishment: and so the import of them must be, that all such shall be “seasoned with fire itself, so as to become inconsumable, and shall endure for ever to be tormented, and therefore may be said to be salted with fire, in allusion to that property of salt which is to preserve things from corruption.” — Whitby. This interpretation supposes the word pav, every one, to signify the same as if the expression had been pav gar autwn, for every one of them, namely, whose fire is not quenched; shall be salted with, or in the fire; that is, preserved from corruption, in and by it. So Mark 12:44, pantev gar, for all, that is, all they, as our translators render it, all those rich men, there spoken of. So Luke 16:16, The kingdom of God is preached, kai pav, and every one, (namely, who believes,) presseth into it. And Luke 21:32, This generation shall not pass away, ewv an panta genhtai, till all things be done, that is, panta tauta, all these things, there mentioned. The reader may see many other instances in Grotius. The sense, therefore, of the clause is, Every one, who does not comply with the preceding advice, and consequently is cast into hell, shall be, as it were, salted with fire, preserved, not consumed, thereby. And every sacrifice — That is, every person who offers himself unto God in repentance, faith, and new obedience, as a living sacrifice; shall be salted with salt — Even with the salt of divine grace, which purifies the soul, (though frequently with pain,) and preserves it from corruption. It is evident that there is an allusion here to that part of the law of Moses which required every meat-offering, or sacrifice, to be seasoned with salt. See Leviticus 2:13. Salt is good — Highly beneficial to the world in many respects: But if the salt — Which should season other things; have lost its own saltness; Analon genhtai, become insipid; wherewith will ye season it? — By what means will ye restore its saltness, or seasoning quality, to it? Thus, if you, whom I have termed the salt of the earth, (Matthew 5:13; where see the note,) and have appointed to be the chief instruments in seasoning the rest of mankind with truth and grace, with wisdom and piety, should lose your own grace, and your faith in, and relish for, the truths of my gospel, or should cease to be properly influenced thereby, wherewith can you be seasoned? Beware, therefore, of apostatizing from the truth, and of falling from grace: see that you retain your savour, and the seasoning virtue wherewith I have endued you, and, as a proof of it, have peace one with another.

More largely this obscure text might be paraphrased thus: As every burnt-offering was salted with salt, in order to its being cast into the fire of the altar, so every one who will not part with his hand or eye, shall fall a sacrifice to divine justice, and be cast into hell-fire, which will not consume, but preserve him from a cessation of being. And on the other hand, every one who, denying himself, and taking up his cross, offers up himself as a living sacrifice to God, shall be seasoned with grace, which, like salt, will make him savoury, and preserve him from destruction for ever. As salt is good for preserving meats, and making them savoury, so it is good that ye be seasoned with grace, for the purifying your hearts and lives, and for spreading the savour of my knowledge, both in your own souls, and wherever ye go. But as salt, if it loses its saltness, is fit for nothing, so ye, if ye lose your faith and love, are fit for nothing but to be utterly destroyed. See therefore that grace abide in you, and that ye no more contend, Who shall be greatest?

50. Salt is good — Whether it be a natural or a spiritual element, it is a good creation of God. As the natural substance is excellent, so it is the rightful symbol of spiritual excellence. If the salt have lost his saltness — See notes on Matthew 5:13. Have salt in yourselves — Let the emblem of active, sharp purity, symbolised by salt, be in you. There is something of sharpness in the reformatory spirit, which is felt to be acrid and unpleasant by those who need the benefit of it. Nevertheless this does not excuse us from the possession of the element. And have peace — Let your purity, and your purifying element, with all its sharpness, be characterized by the spirit of love. So in the East salt is the emblem of fidelity and friendship. To eat salt with a man and then be his enemy is the height of treachery. The same salt which is an element of purity, is also an emblem of peace and perpetuity.

Verses 49, 50. For every one shall be salted with fire, &c. — On this difficult passage the opinions of commentators have greatly differed. It is unnecessary to notice many absurd and some mischievous interpretations, which carry their own refutation: those which have the greatest plausibility are the following. It is necessary, however, to state previously, that, although the Codex Bezæ wants the first clause of this verse, and some other MSS. omit the second, yet the evidence of the genuineness of the whole verse from the agreement of the best MSS. and ancient versions is decisive. The first opinion regards these words as wholly unconnected with the preceding remarks on the punishment of the wicked; and as expressing the fiery persecutions to which Christians would be exposed. A second is, that pav, every one, respects all Christians, whether persecuted or not; and that the sense is, every true believer is purified by the afflictions and trials of life, in the same manner (kai being used for wv) as every sacrifice is salted with salt. A third is, that believers were to be salted or prepared by the apostles, for the fire of God’s altar, (puri being here taken in the dative case,) that is, to become through their ministry a holy sacrifice to God. A fourth urges that gar connects the words chiefly with the preceding verse, and therefore that the words salted with fire, can refer only to the wicked, to them whose “worm dieth not,” &c.; gar for every one of these shall be salted with fire; as if it had been, pav gar autwn. In this case, the idea of endless torments suggested by the unquenchable fire of the preceding verse is supposed to be carried on and heightened by the strong figure of being salted, that is, seasoned with fire itself, so as to be rendered inconsumable by it. The fifth view, and that which has been perhaps most generally received, regards the two clauses of the verse as standing in opposition to each other; the first expressing the fearful doom of the wicked as victims to Divine justice, to be salted with fire, which shall endure for ever; but every acceptable sacrifice, — under which real Christians are supposed to be represented, — as being salted with another kind of salt, namely, the Divine grace, which purifies the soul. These are all the opinions on this subject worth noticing, the others being either modifications of some one of these, or founded upon emendatory and uncertain criticism.

For the true interpretation of this passage it is to be remarked, that the discourse was addressed to the apostles alone. Our Lord had reproved them for their ambition, by setting a child in the midst, and taking him in his arms in token of his special regard; he had farther declared his affection to such of his childlike followers, by assuring them that whoso received one of such children received him; he had reproved John for forbidding a good man who followed not with them from casting out devils in his name; he had, in returning from this digression to the former subject, declared that the most severe punishment would follow the offending, or making to stumble, one of these little ones that believe in me: having guarded others against offending, or causing to stumble and fall, the least of his disciples, he warns the apostles lest they should be stumbling blocks to themselves, enjoining upon them the utmost purity, exhorting them to renounce every sin by entire and rigid self-mortification, which he compares to the cutting off a hand or a foot, or the plucking out of an eye; and this entire renunciation of evil, this universal purity, he enforces upon them by the awful doctrine, that, failing of it, they could not enter into life, but should inevitably be cast into unquenchable fire. But in what follows he continues the same address to the apostles, and still enforces the same subject, their entire purification from sin to God, which he illustrates from the offering of salt with sacrifices. The apostles professed to CONSECRATE themselves to Christ, to OFFER themselves to his service; but as under the law all offerings were to be accompanied with salt, — the striking and well understood emblem in eastern countries of SINCERITY and GOOD FAITH in covenant engagements, and hence called in the very passage alluded to, Leviticus 2:13, “the salt of the covenant of thy God,” — so their devoting themselves to Christ demanded that perfect sincerity and purity which could not consist with the sparing and retaining any sin whatever; and the sincerity and good faith with which they renounced all sin was as the offering of salt with the sacrifice. This appears to be the connection; and the particle gar must therefore be considered as connecting these words, not with the verse next preceding, but with the whole argument of the preceding verses; and the pav is to be applied to every one of the apostles: for, that in the first instance they are spoken of, and that the salting refers to the principle and operation of Divine grace in them, made plain by what follows, Salt is good; where our Lord means the very salt of which he had before been speaking, that with which every sacrifice should be salted. To which he also adds, Have salt, in yourselves, and, with reference to their dispute which should be greatest, have peace one with another. So clear is it that, throughout the whole of this disputed passage, the apostles were addressed, and they first and chiefly, whatever lessons may be consequentially taught by it to ministers and Christians generally; and if so, then the only point to be considered is, whether the first clause, for every one shall be salted with fire, may not refer to the punishment of a false apostle, or a bad minister, although the next clause, and every sacrifice shall be salted with salt, must be considered as a figurative application of the rites of ancient sacrifice, to express the entire consecration of the faithful disciples to Christ, as by “a covenant of salt.” On this question it may be observed that the never ending punishment of the faithless had been with such reiteration, explicitness, and emphasis already three times, or rather six times, uttered in the preceding verses, that it is improbable that the same subject should be again stated in the garb of metaphor as being “salted with fire.”

2. That to suppose our Lord, in the same verse, to speak of being salted with the fire of hell, and salted with Divine grace, is an exceedingly harsh interpretation: for although he often uses the same terms in a sentence, or in successive sentences, in different or even contrasted senses, yet there is always some observable relation of degree or contrariety arising out of the terms or the nature of the subject; but here no such relation appears, and we shall not find an instance of such a use of words by our Lord in senses so violently different and disconnected. But

3. The terms being all manifestly sacrificial, an easy interpretation is afforded to the whole, without supposing any such violent transition in the meaning of the terms used: For every one shall be salted, by an entire integrity and sincerity, WITH THE FIRE of that altar on which you devote yourselves, AS every sacrifice in the temple shall be salted with salt; the emblem of the sincerity and integrity in which it is offered. Here puri is taken in the dative case, as 2 Peter 3:7, puri throumenoi, reserved for the fire; and kai takes the sense of wv, which is not unfrequent. At the same time, the order in which these distinct ideas rose in the mind of our Lord may be probably traced. The “unquenchable fire” of hell, of which he had been just speaking, might easily associate itself with another unquenchable fire, that which was kept ever burning through all generations on the altar of burnt-offering in the temple. Still farther, the punishment of wicked apostate Christians might naturally be considered as the immolation of victims to Divine justice, and forcibly suggest the striking contrast of that great act of grace by which true apostles and disciples were allowed to offer themselves to God upon the altar of the Christian temple, and to present themselves a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable, to God; but the acceptableness of which depends, as in the ancient offerings, upon the salt offered with it, that is, upon the entire simplicity and fidelity with which we give our whole selves to Christ and to his service, making no reserves and tolerating no sin. In this way, indeed, the admonitory contrast, so forcibly dwelt upon by some commentators, is brought out and impressed upon us; not by separating the two clauses of verse 46 into distinct and opposite senses, but by opposing the false disciple, who refuses to cut off his right hand, or foot, or eye, that is, wholly and universally to mortify his corruptions, and is cast into hell, a victim to incensed and eternal justice; and the faithful disciple, he who enters, into “a covenant of salt” with Christ, that is, who engages himself to him in purity and fidelity, and who is offered upon the altar, a sacrifice of sweet-smelling savour, in all he thinks, and speaks, and does, “acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.” In this view, it is very true that we must be sacrifices either to GRACE or to JUSTICE. Let us not falter then in our choice, but cut off whatever might cause us to stumble, and fall into this unquenchable fire.

If the salt have lost its saltness, wherewith will ye season it? — See notes on Matthew 5:13.