Chapter XXVIII (continued, part 2)
Glorious Cure of the Oadnrene Demoninc (r. 1-20). 1. And they came over unto the other side of the sea, Into the country of ihe Gadarenes. And wlien he was come out of the ship, Immediately (see i'. (i) there met him a man with an unclean spirit.—" which had devils (or 'demons') long time" (Luke 8. 27). In Mattliew (8, 2S), " there met him two men possessed with devils." Though there he no discrepancy between these two statementsmore than between two witnesses, one of whom testities to something done by one person, while the other atlirms that there were two—It is difllcult to .see how the principal details here given could nppl.v to more than one case. 3. Who had his dwelling among the tombs—Luke Says, " He ware no clothes, neit her abode In an.v house." These tombs were hewn out of the rocky caves o' 'he localit.y, And served for shelters and lurking-places (Luke 8. 2(j). 70
' down t he h:i nging cli li '— into the sea it Itey were abont two thousand)—The number of thi iu m given l).v ourgraphic K\':ingellst alone—anil Tverechoked in the sea—or "perished in the waters" (Mattljuw 8. ;J2),
JabiLs' DaugltUr Restored to Life. MARK V. Woman willi an Issue oj Blood Healed.
14. And tliey <hnt fed the gwliie lied, and told It—" told
of the tempest. The tide of our Lord's popularity was now fast rising, and he Avas nigh unto the sea. ii^. And, beliold, tliere cometK one of the rulers of the synagogue—of which class there were but fe\v who believed in Jesus (John 7. 48;. One would suppose from this that the ruler had been with the multitude on the shore, anxiously awaiting the return of Jesus, and immediately on His arrival had accosted Him as here related. But Matthew (9. 18) tells us that the ruler came to Him while He was in the act of speaking at his own table on the subject of fasting; and as we must suppose that this converted publican ought to know what took place on that meinoraljle occasion when he made a feast to his Lord, we conclude that here the right order is indicated by the First Evangelist alone. Jaliiis by name—or 'Jaeirus.'
evei y tiling, and what was befallen to the possessed of the
devils" (Matthew 8. 33)—In tlie city, and In the country. And tJiey went out to see what It was that was done —Thus had they the evideuce both of the herdsmen and
of their own senses, to tlie reality of both miracles. 15. And tliey come to Jesus—Matthew (8. 34) says, " Behold,
the whole city came out to meet Jesus"—and see hlin that was possessed with the devil— ' the demon i zed person'—ami had the legion, sitting—" at the feet of Jesus," adds Luke (8.35); in contrast with his former ^vild and uaudering habits—and clothed—As our Evangelist had not told us that lie " ware no clothes," the meaning of this statement could only have been conjectured but for " the beloved physician" (Luke 8. 27), who supplies the missing piece of information here. This is a striking case of what are called Undesiyned Cbmcideftces amongst the diflerent Evangelists; one of them taking a thing for grunted, as familiarly known at the time, but which we should never have known but for one or more of the others, and without tlie knowledge of which some of their statements would be unintelligible. The clothing which the poor man would feel the want of the moment his consciousness returned to him, was doubtless supplied to him by some of the Twelve—and In his right mind—but now, oh in what a lofty sense ! (Cf. an analogous, though a different kind of case, Daniel 4.3-1-37.) and they were afraid—Had this been awe only, it had been natural enough; but other feelings, alas ! of a darker kind, soon showed themselves. 16. And they that saw it told them how It befell to him that was possessed with the devil (' the demouized person') and also concemEng the swine—Thus had they the double testimony of the herdsmen and their own senses. 17. And they hegan to pray him to depart out of their coasts—Was it the owners only of the valuable property now lost to them that did this? Alas, no ! For Luke (8. 37) says, " Then the whole multitude of the country of the Gadarenes round about besought Him to depart from them ; for they were taken with great fear." The evil spirits had thus, alas ! their
It is the same name as Jair, in the Old Testament (Numbers 32. 41 ; Judges lU. 3 ; Esther 2. 5). and when he saw him, he fell at his feet—in Matthew (9. IS), " worshipped Hini." The meaning is tlie same in both. 23. And besought him greatly, saying, My little daughter—Luke
(8.42) says, "He had one only daughter, about twelve years of age." According to a well-known rabbin, quoted by LiGHTFOOT, a daughter, till she had completed her twelfth year, was, called 'little,' or 'a little maid;' after that, 'a young woman'—lieth at the point of death Matthew gives it thus: "My daughter is even now dead" —'has just expired.' The news of her death reached the father after the cure of the woman with the issue of blood: but Matthew's brief account gives only the result, as in the case of the centurion's servant (Matthew 8.
5, &c.). come and lay thy hands on Iier, that she may be healed; and she shall live-or, 'that slie may bo healed and live,' according to a fully preferable reading. In one of the class to which this man belonged, so steeped in prejudice, such faith would imply more than in others.
J'/ie ivoman ivith an Issue of Blood Healed (v. 23-34). 24-. And Jesus went with him ; and much people followed him, and thronged him—The word in Luke is stronger—'choked,' 'stifled Hiin.' 2K. And had sulTered many things of many pitysicians—The expression perhaps does not necessarily refer to the sullering slie endured under medical treatment, but to the much vai ied treatment which she underwent-and had spent all that she had, and was notliing bettered, but ratlier grew worse—Pitiable case, and affectingly aggravated; emblem of our natural state as fallen creatures (Ezekiel
oljject. Irritated, the people could not suffer His presence; yet awe-struck, they dared not order Him
olT: so they entreat Him to withdraw, and—He takes them at their word. 18. he that had been possessed with the devil prayed him that he miglit be with him-the grateful heart, fresh from the hand of demons, clinging to its wondrous Benefactor. How exquisitely natural! 19. Howbelt, Jesus suffered him not, &c. To be a missionary for Christ, in the region where he was so well known and so long dreaded, was a far nobler calling than to follow Him where nobody had ever heard of liim,and where other trophies not less illustrious could be raised by the same power and grace. 30. And he departed, and began to publish—not only among his friends, to whom Jesus immediately sent him, but—In Decapolls—so called, as being a region of ten cities. (See on Matthew 4. 2.3)—how great things Jesus had done for him: and all men did marvel—Throughout that considerable region did this monument of mercy proclaim his new-found Lord; and some, it Is to be hoped, did more than "marvel."
16. 5, 6), and illustrating the worse than vanity of all human remedies for spiritual maladies (Hosea 5. 13). The higher design of all our Lord's miracles of healing irresistibly suggests this way of viewing the present case, the propriety of which will still more appear as we proceed. 37. When she had heard of Jesus, came—This was the right experiment at last. What had she "heard of Jesus?" No doubt it was His marvellous cui'es she had heard of; and the hearing of these, in connection with her bitter experience of the vanity of applj'ing to any other, had been blessed to the kindling in her soul of a firm confidence that He who had so willingly wrought such cures on othei's was able and would not refuse to heal her also. In the press behind—shrinking, yet seeking—and touched his garment—According to the ceremonial law, the touch of any one having the disease which this woman had would have defiled the person touched. Some think that the recollection of this may account for her stealthily approaching Him in the crowd behind, and touching but the hem of His garment. But there was an instinct in the faith which brought her to
21-43. The Daughter of Jairus Raised to Life—The Woman with ak Issue of Blood Healed. (=Matthew
9. 18-26 ; Luke 8. il-58.) The occasion of this scene will appear presently.
Jairiui' Daughter {v. 21-21). 31. And when Jesus was passed over again by ship unto the other side—from the Gadarene side of the lake, where He had parted with the healed demoniac, to the west side, at Capernaum much people gathered unto him-who "gladly received Him; for they were all waiting for Him" (Luke 8. 40). The abundant teaching of that day (cli. 4. I, <fec., and Matthew 13.) had only whetted the people's appetite: and disappointed, as would seem, that He had left them in the evening to cross the lake, they remain hanging about the beach, having got a hint, probably through some of His disciples, that He would be back the same evening. Perbap<i they wltqessed at a distance the sudden calming
Je.sus, which taught her, that if that touch could set her free from the defiling disease itself, it was impossible to communicate defilement to Him, and that this wondrous Healer must be above such laws. 38. For she said— "within herself" (Matthew 9. 21)—If I may toiu:h but his clothes, I shall be whole i. e., if I may but come in
contact with this glorious Healer at all. Keinarkable faith this ! 39. And straightway the fouittain of her blood was dried up—Not only was her issue of blood stanched (Luke 8. 44), but the cause of It was thoroughly removed,
MAEK VI.
Jairm' Daughter Raised to Life.
John the Baptist's Tmprisonmenl and Death.
rather, simply, ' laughed at Him'—" knowing that she WM dead" (Luke 8. 53) ; an important testimony this to the reality of her death. But when lie had put them all out— The word is strong—'when he had put,' or' turned them all out;' meaning all those who were making this noise, and any others tliat may have been there from sympathy, tliat only those might be present who were most nearly concerned, and those whom He had Himself brought as wit nesses of the great act about to be done—he taketh the father and the mother of the damsel, and them that were with him—(Peter, and James, and John)—and enteretii In where the damsel was lying. 41. And lie took the damsel by the hand—as He did Peter's inolherin-law (ch. 1. 31)—and said unto her, Talitha cumi—The words are Aramaic, orSyro-Chaldaic, the then langu.age of Palestine. Mark loves to give such wonderful words just as they were spoken. See ch. 7. 34 ; 14. 36. 43. And straightway the damsel—The word here is ditTerent from tlial in
iQSomuch that by her bodily sensations she irametliately knew herself perfectly cured. 30. And Jesus Immediately knowing In Iilmgelf tlint virtue—or ' eflicaey' —had gone out of Ulm—He was conscious of t he forthgoing of His healing power, which was not—as in propliets and apostles—sometliing fm-eiyn to Himself and imparted merely, but what He had dwelling within Him a.s "His own fulness"—turned lilm about In tUe press or 'crowd'—and salfl, AVlio touched my clothes I 31. And his disciples said unto him—Luke says (S. 451, " When all (U-nied, Peter and they that were with Him said. Master"—Thou seest the multitude thronging
tlkee, and sayest thou, Who touched me J—'Asliest thou. Lord, who touched Thee? Rather asli who touclied Thee not in such a throng.' "And Jesus said. Somebody hath touched me"—'a certain person has touched Me' " for I perceive that virtue is gone out of Me" (Luke 8. 46). Yes, tlie multitude "thronged and pressed Him"—they
jostled against Him, but all involuntarily; they were merely carried along ; but one, one only—"a certain person—touched Him," with the conscious, voluntary, dependent touch of faith, reaching forth its hand expressly to have contact with Him. This and this only Jesus acknowledges and seeks out. Even so, as Augustin long ago said, muUitudes still come similarly close to Christ in the means of grace, but all to no purpose, being only sucked into the a-otcd. The voluntary, living contact of faitli is that electric conductor which alone draws virtue out of Him. 3^. And he looked I'ound about to see her that had done tills thing—not for the purpose of summoning forth a culprit, but, as we shall presently see, to obtain from the healed one a testimony to what He had done for her. 33. Hut tlie woman, fearing and trembling, knowing wliat was done in her—alarmed, as a humble, slii'inkiug female would naturally be, at the necessity of so public an exposure of herself, yet conscious that she had a tale to tell which would speak for her—came and fell down Iiefore him, and told him all the truth—In Luke (8. 47) it is, " When the woman saw that she was not hid, slie came trembling, and falling down before Him, she declared unto Him before all the people for what CiUise site had touched Him, and how she was healed immediately." This, though it tried the modesty of the believing woman, was just what Christ wanted in dragging her forth, lier public testimony to the facts of her case the disease, with her abortive eflbrts at a cure, and the instantaneous and perfect relief which her touching the Great Healer had brought her. 34. And he said unto her, Daughter-"be of good comfort" (Luke 8. 4S)—tliy
V. 39, 40, 41, and signifies 'young maiden,' or 'little girl'— arose, and walked—a vivid touch evidently from an eyewitness—for she was of the age of twelve years. And they were astonished with a great astonishment—The language here is the strongest. 43. And he charged tliem strnitly—or strictly—that no man should know it—The only reason we can assign for this is His desire not to let the public feeling regarding Him come too precipitately to a crisis—and commanded that something should be given her to eat—in token of perfect restoration.
Ver. 1-6. Christ Rejected AT Nazareth. (=Matthew
13. 54-58; Luke 4. 16-30.) See on Luke 4. 16-30.
7-13. Mission OF THE Twelve Apo.stles. (=Matthew
10. 1, .5-15; Luke 9. 1-6.) See on Matthew 10. 1, 5-15.
14-29. Herod thinks Jesus a Resurrection of the Murdered Bapti.st—Account of his Death. (=Matthew 14. 1-12; Luke 9.7-9.)
Herod's Vieiv of Christ {v. 14-16). 14. And King Herod—
i. e., Herod Antipas, one of the three sons of Herod the Great, and own brother of Archelaus (Matthew '2. 22), who ruled as Ethnarch over Galilee and Perea—heard of him ; (for his name was spread abroad) ) and he said—" unto his servants" (Matthew 14.2), his councillors or courtministers—That John the Baptist was risen from the dead—Tlie murdered prophet haunted his guilty bre.ast likea spectre, and seemed to him alive again and clotlied with unearthly powers, in theperson of Jesus, l.'j. OUiera said, That It Is Eliag. And others, Tliat it is a prophet, or as one of the prophets—See on Matthew 16.14. 16. But wlien Herod heard thereof, he said. It is John, whom I beheaded; he is risen from tiic dead—'Him-
faitti hntli miide tiiee whole; go in peace, and be whole of fliy pliiguc—Though healed as soon as she believed, it seemed to her a stolen cure—she feared to acknowledge it. Jesus therefore sets His royal seal upon
self has risen;' as if the innocence and sanctity of his faithful reprover had not suffered that he should lie long dead.
it. Hut what a glorious dismissal from the lips of Him who is "our Peace" is that "Go in peace!"
Jairus' Daughter raised to Life {v. 35-43). 35. Thy daughter is dead ; wliy troublegt thou the Master — ' the Teacher"—any furllierl 36. he saitli unto tiie niler of
Account of the Baptist's Tmprisonmcnt and Death (v. 17-29). 17. For Herod himself had sent fortli, and laid hold upon John, and bound htm in prison—in the castle of Machasrus, near the southern extremity of Heroil's dominions, and adjoining the Dead Sea. [JosEi'llu.s, Anti-
tlie synagogue. Be not afraid, only believe — .Tesus, knowing how the heart of the agonized father would sink at llie tidings, and the reflections at the delay which wouUl 1)0 apt to rise in his mind, hastens to reassure hlin, and in His accustomed style: "lie not afraid, only believe"—words of unchanging preclousness and power! How vividly do such Incidents bring out Christ's knowledge of the human heart and tender sympathy! (Hebrews 1. 15.) .37. And he suflered no man to follow htm, save Peter, and James, and .Tolin tlie lirotlier of James—See on ch. I. 29. 38. And lie comet li — rather, Mliey coine'—to the house of the rtiler of the synagogue, and seeth the tumult, and tliem tliat wept and wailed greatly—"the minstrels and the people making a noise" (Mattliew 9. 21?)—lamenting for the dead. (See
quities IS. ,5, 2.] for Herod las' sake—She was the granddaughter of Herod the Great—his brother Philip's wife —and therefore the niece of both brothers. Tliis I'liilip, however, was not the tetrarch of that name mentioned in Luke 1 (see there), but one whose distinctive name was 'Herod Philip,' another son of Herod the Great—who was disinherited by his father. Herod .\ntipas' own wife was the daughter of Aretas, king of Arabia; but he prevailed on Herodias, his half-brother Philip's wife, to forsake her husband and live with him, on condition, says Josei'HUS {Antiquities 18. 5, 1), that he shoulii put away his own wile. This involved him afterwards in war with .Vn'tas, who
totally defeated him and destroyed his army, from the
2 Chronicles 35.2.5; Jeremiah 9.20; Amos 5.1(1.) 3'.). And when he was come in, he saith unto tliem, AVIiy make ye this ado, and weepT the damsel is not dead, but sleepeth—so brief her state of death as to be more like a Bhoit bleep. 40. And they laughed him to scorn 72
efl'ects of whicli he was never able to recover iiimself.
18. For Joliii had said unto Herod, It Is not lawful for thee to have tliy brother's wife. Noble (Idelity!
It was not lawful, because Herod's wife and Herodias' husband were both living; and further, because the par-
Jonii the Baptist Beheaded. MARK VI. Five Thousand People Fed,
tist's own disciples—they came and took up his corpse, and laid it in a tomb—"and went and told J(«us " (Matthew 14. 12). If tliese disciples liad, up to tliis time, stood apart from Him, as adherents of John (Maltliew 11. 2), perhaps they now came to Jesus, not witliout some secret reflection on Him for His seeming neglect of their master; but perhaps, too, as orphans, to cast in their lot henceforth with the Loi-d's disciples. How Jesus lelt, or wliat He said, on receiving this intelligence, is not recorded; but He of whom it was said, as He stood by tlie grave of His friend Lazarus, "Jesus wept," was not likely to receive such intelligence without deep emotion. And one reason why He might not be unwilling that a small holy of John's disciples should cling to him 1o the last, might be to provide some attached friends who sliould do for his precious body, on a small scale, what was alterwards to be done for His own.
Mfs were within the forbidden degrees of consanguinity
(see Li-yiticiis 2i). 21); Herodias being the (laughter of Aris-
lobulus, tlie brother of botli Herod and Philip [Josephus,
IR. 4]. 19. Therefore Herodias liad a «i«nrrel agnJiist him—nither, as in the margin, 'had a grudge against
hini. Probably she was loo proud to speak to him; still
less would she quarrel with him. ami would have killtdhlin; but she could not. 30. For Herod feared .loUn—liut, as Bkn'OEI. notes, John feared not Herod knn«vlnK that he was a just man and an holy. Cf. the
tase If Kli.iah with Ahab, after the murder of Naboth
(1 Kings 21. 20). and observed lilm—rather, as in the niMrgin, 'kept' or 'saved him:' i. c, from the wicked designs of Herodias, who had been watching for some pretext to get Herod entangled and committed to despatcU liim. and when he heard him, he did many thlagsmany good things under the influence of the Baptist on his conscience—and heard lilm gladly— a striking statement this, for which we are indebted
30-i36. The Twelve, on their Return, having reported THE Success of their Mlssion, Jesus Crcsses THE Sea of Gai-ilee with them. Teaches the People, and miraculously feeds them to the number of Five Thousand — He sends His Disciples by Ship again to the western side, while himself returns AFTERWARDS WALKING ON THE SEA — INCIDENTS ON Landing. (=Matthew 14. 13-36; Luke M. 10-17; Jolm 6. 1-
to our grapliic Evangelist alone, illustrating the working
of contrary principles in the slaves of passion. But this only shows how far Herodias must have wrought upon
liim, as .lezebel upon Ahab, that he should at length agree to what his awakened conscience kept him long from executing. 'Zl. And when a convenient day—(for
tlie purposes ofHerodias)—was come, that Herod—rather, 'A convenient day being come, when Herod'—on his birth-day, made a slipper to his lords, high captains, ond chief [estates] of Galilee — This graphic minuteness
24.) Here, for the first time, all the four streams of sacred text run parallel. The occasion and all the circumstances of this grand section are tlius brought before us with a vividness quite remarkable.
Five Thousand 3Iiraeulously Fed (v. 30-44). 30. And the apostles gatliered themselves together— probably at Capernaum, on returning from their mission (ti. 7-13) and told him all things, both what they had done, and what they had tauglit—Observe the various reasons He had for crossing to the other side. First, JIatthew (14.
ofdi'tail adds much to the interest of the tragic narrative.
Z'i. And when the daughter of the said Herodias—!:. c, —herdaugliter by her proper husband, Herod Philip: Her name was Salome [Josephus, ib.]—came In and danced, and pleased Herod and thein that sat with him, the king said unto the damsel—
' the girl'—(See oh ch.o. 42^— Ask of me whatsoever thou wilt, and I will give It thee. 33. And he—the king, so called, but only by courtesy (see on t'. U)—sware unto her, Wliatsocver thou Khalt nsk of me, unto the half of my kingdom—Those In whom passion and luxury have destroyed self-command will in a capricious moment say and do what in their cool moments they bitterly regret. 34. And she aid. The head of John the Baptist—Abandoned women are more shameless and heartless than men. The Baptist's fidelity marred the pleasures of Herodias, and this was too good an opportunity of getting rid of him to let slip. 35. I will that thou give me by and by—rather, 'at once'— in a charger— or large flat 'trencher' — the head of John the Baptist. 26. And the king was exceeding sorry—With his feelings regarding John, and the truths which so told upon his conscience from that preacher's lips, and after so often and carefully saving him from his paramour's rage, it must have been very galling to find himself at length entrapped by his own rash lolly, yet for his oath's sake—.See how men of no principle, but troublesome conscience, will stick at breaking a rash oath, while yielding to tlie commission of the worstcrimcs !—and for their sakes witich sat witlk him —under tlx; Influence of that false shame, which could not brook being thought to be troubled with religious or moral scruples. To how many has this proved a fatal snare! — he would not reject her. 37. And immediately tlie king sent an executioner—one of the guards in attendance. The word is Roman, denoting one of the Im-
13) says, that "when Jesus heard" of the murder of His faithful forerunner—from those attached disciples of his who had taken up his body and laid it in a sepulchre (see on V. 29)—" He departed by ship into a desert place apai-t ;"
either to avoid some apprehended consequences to Him-
self, arising from the Baptist's death (Matthew 10. 23), or more probably to be able to indulge in those feelings which that affecting event had doubtless awakened, and to which the bustle of the multitude around Him was very unfavourable. Next, since He must have heard the report of the Twelve with the deepest interest, and probably with something of the emotion wliich He experienced on the return of the Seventy (see on Luke 10. 17-22), He sought privacy for undisturbed reflection on this begun preaching and progress of His kingdom. Once more, He was wearied with the multitude of "comers and goers " — depriving Him even of leisure enough to take His food—and wanted rest: "Come ye yourselves apart into a desert place, and rest a while," &c. Under the ;ombined influence of all these considerations, our Lord sought this ch.mge. 33. And they departed into u
•lesert place by ship privately—"over the Sea of Galilee, which is the Sea of Tiberias," says John (0. 1), the only one of the Evangelists who so fully descrilies it; the others having written when their readers were supposed to know something of it, while the last wrote for those at a greater distance of time and place. This "desert place"
is more definitely described by Luke (9. 10) as " belonging to the city called Bethsalda." This must not be confounded with the town so called on the western side of the lake (see on Matthew 11. 21). Tliis town lay on its north-eastern side, near where the Jordan empties itself Into it: in Gaulonltis, out of the dominions of Herod Antipas, and within the dominions of Philip the Tetrarcii (Luke 3. 1), who raised it from a village to a city, and called It Julias, \n honour of Julia, thedaugliter of Augustus [Josephus, Antiquities 18. 2, 1]. 33. And the people— 'the multitudes' — saw them departing, and many knew him—The true reading would seem to be: 'And tnany s;iw them departing, and knew or recognized [them]'—and ran afoot—Here, perhaps, it should be rendered ' by land '—running round by the liead of the lake, and taking one of the fords of the river, so as to me«s:
pt^rial Guard—and commanded his head to be brought: and lie went and beheaded him in tlte prison—after. It would seem, more than twelve months' imprisonment.
Blessed martyr! Dark and cheerless was the end reserved for thee: but now thou hast thy Master's benediction, "Blessed Is he whosoever shall not be offended In Me" ( JIatthew 11. 6), and hast found the life thou gavest away (Matthew 10.39). But where are they In wiiose skirts Is found thy blood? 38. And he brought his head In a charger, and gave It to the tiamsel i and the damsel gave it to her mother—Herodias d id not sited the blood of tile stern reprover ; she only got it done, and then gloated over it, as It streamed from the trunkless head. 39. And when his disciples heard of it— i. <f., the Bap-
Five Thousand People Fed. MARK VI. Jesus Walkelh upon the Sea.
to each and all of them was a plentiful one. " When they were filled, He said unto His disciples. Gather up tlia fragments that remain, that nothing be lost" (John 6. 12). This was designed to bring out the whole extent of the miracle. 43. And they took up twelve baskets full of the fragments, and of the tlshes — "Therefore (says John 6. 13), they gathered them together, and flUed twelve baskets with the fragments of the tlve barley loaves, which remained over and above unto them that had eaten." The article here rendered "baskets" in all the four narratives was part of the luggage taken by Jews on a journey—to carry, it is said, both their provisions and hay to sleep on, that they might not have to depend on Gentiles, and so run the risk of ceremonial pollution. In this we have a striking corroboration of the truth of the four narratives. Internal evidence renders It clear, we think, that the first three Evangelists wrote independently of each other, though the fourth must have seen all the others. But here, each of the first three Evange. lists uses the same word to express the apparently insignificant circumstance that the baskets employed to gather up the fragments were of the kind which even the Roman satirist, Juvenal, knew by the name of coijhinus, while in both the narratives of the feeding of the I'"our Thousand the baskets used are expressly said to have been of the kind called spuris. (See on ch. 8. 19,20.) 44, And they that did eat of the loaves were [about] tive thousand men—" besides women and children" (Matthew
Jesus, who was crossing with the Twelve by sliip. tliltlier out of all citteg, and outwent tliem—got before tlieiii—mill tame togetlier unto lilin—How exceedingly graphic is tliis! evei-y touch of It betokening the presence 3f an eye-witness. John (6. 3) says, that "Jesus went up into a mountain " — somewhere in that hilly rangt, the green tableland whicli skirts the eastern side of the lake. 34. And Jesus, when lie came out of tlie slilp— ' havi ng gone on shore'—saw mucii people—a great multitude—and was moved wltl» compassion toward tliem, liecause tUey were as sheep not Iiavlng a shepherd—At the sight of the multitudes who had followed Him by land and even got before Him, He was so moved, as was His wont in such cases, with compassion, because they were like shepherdless sheep, as to forego both privacy and rest that He might minister to them. Here we have an important piece of information from the Fourth Evangelist ;Iohn 6. 4), "And the Passover, a feast of the Jews, was nigh"—rather, 'Now the Passover, the feast of the Jews, was nigh.' This accounts for the multitudes that now crowded around Him. They were on their way to keep that festival at Jerusalem. But Jesus did not go up to this festival, as John expressly tells us,
(cli. 7. 1)—-.eniaining in Galilee, because the ruling Jews sought to kill Him. 35. And when the day was now far spent;—" began to wear away" or 'decline,' says Luke
(9. 12). Matthew (14. 15) says, "when it was evening;" and yet he mentions a later evening of the same day
(v. 2'!). Tliis earlier evening began at three o'clock P. M.
14. 21). Of these, however, there would probably not be many; as only the males were obliged to go to the approaching festival.
the latter began at sunset. 36. Send them away, that they may go into the country round about, and Into the villagrs, and buy themselves bread : for they have nothing to eat—John tells us (6. 5, 6) that "Jesus said to Philip, Whence shall we buy bread, that these may eat? (And this He said to prove him: for He Himself knew what He would do.)" The subject may have been introduced by some remark of the disciples ; but the precise order and form of what was said by each can hardly be gathered with precision, nor is it of any importance. 37. He answered and said unto them —"They need not depart" (Matthew 14. 10)—Give ye them to eat—doubtless said to prepare them for what was to follow. And they say unto him, Shall vre go and buy two hundred penny%vortU «f Itread, and give them to eat 1—" Philip answered Him, Two hundred pennyworth of bread is not suflicient for them, that every one of them may take a little" (John 6. 7). 38. He salth unto them. How many loaves have ye i go and see. And when they knew, they say. Five, and two flshes—John is more precise and full: "One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brotlicr, saitli unto Him, There is a lad here which hath five barley loaves and two small fishes: but what are they among so many?" (John 6. 8, 9.) Probably this was the whole stock of provisions then at the command of the disciples—no more than enough for one meal to them —and entrusted for the time to this lad. " He said. Bring them hitlior to me" (Matthew 14. IS). 39. And he commanded them to make all sit down by companies upon the green grass—or ' green hay ;' the rank grass of those bushy wastes. For, as John (6. 10) notes, " there was much grass in the place." 40. And they sat down In ranks, l>y liniidrcds, and by flftics—Doubtless this was tosliow at a glance the immber fed, and to enable .all to witness in an orderly manner this glorious miracle. 41. And when lie had taken tite <ive loaves and the two tlshes, lie looked up to heaven—Thus would the most distant of tlicin see distinctly what He was doing—and blessed—John says, "And when he had given thanks." The simse Is the same. This thanksgiving fbr the meat, and benediction of it as the food of thousands, was the
Jesus Hecrosses to the Western side of the Lake, Walking on the Sea {v. 45-5t>). One very important particular given by Jolin alone (6. 15) introduces this portion: "When Jesus therefore perceived that they would take Him by force, to make Him a king. He departed again into a mountain Himself alone." 45. And straightway he constrained his disciples to get Into the shlji, and to go to the other side before—Him—unto Bethsnlda Bethsaida of Galilee (John 12. 21). John says they " went over the sea towards Capernaum"—the wind, probably, occasioning this slight deviation from the direction of Bethsaida—while he sent away the people—'the multitude.' His object in this was to put an end to the misdirected excitement in His favour (John 6. 15), into whicli
tlie disciples themselves may have been somewhat; drawn. The word " constrained" Implies reluctance on their part, perhaps from unwillingness to part with their Master and embark at night, leaving Him alone on the mountain. 4G. And when he had sent them away, he departed Into a mountain to pray—thus at length getting th.at privacy and rest which He had vainly souglit during the earlier part of the day; opportunity also to pour out His soul in connection with the extraordinary excitement in His favour that evening—which appears to have marked the zenith of His reputation, for it began to decline the very next day; and a place whence He might watch the disciples on the lake, pray for tlicm in their extremity, and observe the right time for coming to them, in .a new manifestation of His gloiiy, on the sea. 47. And when even was come—the later evening
(see on t>. 35). It had ('onie even when the disciples embarked (Matthew 14. 23; Jolin 6. l(i)—the ship was In tho midst of the sea, and he alone on the land—.lohn says
(0. 17), "It was now dark, and Jesus was not come to tbem." Perhaps they made no great effort to push across at first, having a lingering hope that their Master would yet join them, and so allowed the darkness to come on. "And the sea arose (adds the beloved disciple, G. 18), by reason of a great wind that blew." 48. And he saw them toiling In rowing; for the wind was contrary unto them—putting forth all their strength to bullet the waves and bear on against a head wind, but to little
crisis of the miracle—ami brake the loaves, and gave them to his disciples to set before them—thus virtually
holdin'j; forth these men as His future ministers—and the two tlshes divided he among them all. I'i. And they «lld all eat, and were rtlled—All the four EvangeMsts mention this: and John (G. 10 adds, " and likewise of the fishes, as much ho they would"—to show that vast U8 was the multitude, and scanty the provisions, the meal
effect. He "saw" this from His mountain-top, and through the darkness of the night, for His heart was all with tliem: yet would He not go to their relief till His own time came, and about the fourth watch of thn night—The Jews, who used to divide the night Into three
Jesuj! Walketh upon the Sfti.. MARK VII. He Healeth all who Touch Him.
watches, latterly adopted the Roman division Into four watches, as here. So that, at the rate of three hours to
nim, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou douljt?" This rebuke was not aibniniitered while Peter was sinkiny, nor till Christ had fUm by the hand : first reinvigorating his faith, and then with it enabling him again to walk upon tlie crested wave. Bootless else had been this loving reproof, which owns the faith that had ventured on the deep upon the bare word of Clirist, but asks why that distrust whicli so quickly marred it. 32. "And when they were come into the sliip (Jesus a'jd Peter), the wind ceased." 51. And he went up unto them Into the ship. John (6. 21) saj's, " Then tliey willingly received him Into the ship"—or rather, 'Tlien were tliey willing to receive Him' (with reference to their previous terror); but implying also a glad welcome, their first fears now converted into wonder and deliglit. " And immediateij'," adds the beloved disciple, " tliey were at the land whitlier they went," or were bound." This additional miracle, for as such it Is manifestly related, is recorded by the fourth Evangelist alone. As the storm was suddenly calmed, so the little bark—propelled by the secret power of the Lord of nature now sailing in it—glided through the now unruflled waters, and, while they were wrapt in wonder at what had happened, not heeding their rapid motion, was found at port, to their still further surprise.
eacn, the fourth watch, reckoning from six p. m., would
be three o'clock in the morning. "So when they had rowed ahout five and twenty or thirty furlongs" (John 6.
19)--ratlier more llian half-way across. The lake Is about seven miles broad at its widest part. So tliat in eight or nine hours they had only made some three and a half
miles. By this time, therefore, they must have been in a
state of exhaustion and despondency bordering on de-
spair; and now at length, having tried them long enough —lie coineth unto them, walking upon the sea—" and draweth nigh unto the ship" (John 6. 19)—and would have passed by them—but only in the sense of Luke 24.
28; Genesis 82. 26; cf. Genesis 18. 3. 5; 42.7. 49. But when they saw him walking upon the sea, they supi>osed It had been a spirit, and cried out—" for fear" (Matthew
14. 26). He would appear to them at first like a dark moving speck upon the waters; then as human figure; but in the dark tempestuous sky, and not dreaming that
tt could be their Lord, they take it for a spirit. Cf. Luke
ii. 37. 50. For they all saw him, and were troubled. And Immediately he talked with them, and salth unto them. Be of good cheer : It Is I ; be not afraid There is something in these two little words—given by Mattliew, Mark and John — "'Tis I," which from the mouth that spake it and the circumstances in which It was uttered, passes the power of language to express. Here were they in the midst of a raging sea, their little bark the sport of the elements, and witli Just enough of
' Then are tliey glad, because at rest
And quiet now they be
So to the haven He tlieni hrlngn
Which they desired to see.'
Matthew (14. 83) says, "Then they that were In thn snip came (t. e., ere they got to land) and worshipped him, saying. Of a truth Thou art the Son of God." But our Evan gelist is wonderfully striking, and the wind ceased and they were sore ama'zed In themselves beyond measure, and wondered—The Evangelist seems hardly to find language strong enough to express their astonislinient. 53. For they considered not the miracle of the loaves; for their heart was hardened—Wliat a singuiar statement! The meaning seems to be tliat if tliey )iad but "considered (or refieoted upon) the miracle of tlio loaves," wrought but a few hours before, they would have wondered at nothing which He might do within tne wlioie circle of power and grace.
light to descry an object on the waters which only aggravated their fears. But Jesus deems It enough to dispel
all apprehension to let them know that He was there. From other lips that "I am" would have merely meant that the person speaking was such a one and not another person. That, surely, would have dene little to calm the
fears of men expecting every minute, it may be, to go to
tlie bottom. But spoken by One who at that moment was " treading upon the waves of the sea," and was about
to hush the raging elements with His word, what was it but the Voice which cried of old In the ears of Israel, even from the days of Moses, "I am;" "I, even I, am He!"
Cf. John 18.5,6; 8.58. Now, that Word Is "made flesh, and dwells among us," uttering Itself from beside us in dear familiar tones — "It Is the Voice of my Beloved!" How far was this apprehended by these frightened disciples? There was one, we know. In the boat who outstripped all the rest in susceptlbillt.y to such sublime appeals. It was not the deep-toned writer of the Fourth Gospel, who, though he lived to soar beyond all the apos-
Incidents onLanding[v. 53-56). The details here are given' with a rich vividness quite peculiar to t*.is charming: Gospel. 53. And when they had passed over, they, came Into the land of Gennesaret—from which the laka sometimes takes its name, stretcliing along its western, shore. Capernaum was their landing-place (Jolin 6,.
24, 25)—and drew to the shorea nautical phrase, nowhere else used in tlie New Testament. 54:. And when, they were come out of the ship, straiglitwuy tiiejj. knew him—" immediately they recognized Him;" i.e., the people 'did. 55. and began to carry about in beds those that were sick, where they heard Ite was—At this period of our Lord's ministry the popular eiitluisiasiu in His favour was at its height. 5C. and besought. hliU' that they might touch If it were but tlie border of hisgarment—having heard, no doubt, of wliat the woman, with the Issue of blood experienced on doing so (cJi..5.25..
tles, was as yet too young for prominence, and all unripe.
It was Simon-Barjonas. Here follows a very remarkable and instructive episode, recorded by Matthew alone
Peter Ventures to Walk upon the Sea (Matthew 14. 28-32).
28. " And Peter answered Him, and said, Lord, If it be Thou, bid me come unto thee on the water ;" not ' let me,' but 'give me the word of command'—
' command,' or ' order me to come unto Thee upon the waters.' 29. "And He said. Come." Sublime word. Issuing from One conscious of power over the raging element, to bid It serve both Himself and whomsoever else He pleased! "And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked upon the water"—
29), and perhaps of other unrecorded cases of the same nature, and as many as touched [him]—or 'i.f^the border of His garment—were made whole—All this they, continued to do and to experience while our Lord was in, that region. The time corresponds to that meationea. (John 7. 1), when He " walked in Galilee," lnsl<;ad of aprpearing In Jerusalem at the Passover, " because the Jews,"
' waters'—to come to Jesus." ' It was a bold spirit,' says Bishop Hall, 'that could wish it; more bold that could act It^not fearing either the softness or the roughness of that uncouth passage.' 30. " But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he pried, saying, Lord, save me." The wind was as boisterous before, but Peter "saw" it not; seeing only the power of Christ, In the lively exercise of faith. Now he "sees" the fury of the elements, and Immediately the power of Christ to bear him up fades beft>re his view, and this makes him "afraid"—as how could he be other-
i.e., the rulers, "sought to kill Him" \Y.h.i\& thepeoplesought to enthrone Him
Ver. 1-23. Discourse on Cekemon-iai. PoLLUTioKi
( = Matthew 15. l-'20.) See on Matthew 15. 1-20.
wise, without any /eli power to keep him up? He then begins to sink^" and finally, conscious that his experiment had failed, he casts himself, in a sort of desperate eonfldence, upon his "Lord" for deliverance! 31. "And Immediately Jesus stretched forth His hand, and caught
24-37. The Syuo-phcenician Woman and heh Daughter—A Deaf and Dumb Man Hkaled^ ( — Matthew.li
21-31.) The Syro-phoenician Woman awl. her DauglUer (v. 24-)90).
'Ute iSj/ro-Phoenician Woman. MARK VII. Deaf and Dumb J/a« ITcalcO.
The fir^t worris of this narrative show that tJie incident follDu ed, in point of time, immediatelj' on wliat precedes
break silence—but in what style? Here we return lo onr own Evangelist. 37. But Jesus said unto her, Let the chilrtren Urst be filled-'Is there hope for n-e iicre?'
It. 24, Ami from tlitnce he arose, and ivent Into—or Unlo"—Tlu; lioiders of Tyi-e ami Shloii—the two-great Phoaniciiin sea-poi l-s, luit liere denoliiig the territory genprali>, u t]:(' fronliers of wliieh Jesus now came. But did Jesus iK'tually enter tliis lieatheii territory? The whole
' Filled FIK.ST?' ' Then m.v turn, it seems, coming !—hut then, "The chil,dre?j first?" Ah! when, on that rule, shall my turn ever come !' Bnt ere she has time for these ponderings of His word, another word comes to sn.iplement it— for it is not meet to take the children's bread, and to cast it unto the dogs—Is this the death of her hopes? Nay, l)Ut it is life from the dead. Out ot the eater shall come forth meat (Judges 14. 14). At evening-time it shall be light (Zechariah 14.7). 'Ha! I have
r. arr ilivi.-, We lliinl;, proceeds upon the supposition tliat ]Ie dill His iniiiif iliate olijecl seems to liave Ijeeii to m oid ttuwratli of llie Pharisees at llie withering exposnre }le liad just made of tlu-ir traditional religion—and
eiiicveil iii(o ail Uoti«e, aii<l would Iiave no man know
it—heeause He liaii not come tliere to minister to heathens. lUU thong!) not, "«<•?(< but to the lost sheep of the house of Israel" (.Matthew 15. 2-)), He hindered not the lost sheep ol tlie vast Gentile world from coming to Him, nor put them away when they did come—as this incident was designed to show. Imt he could not he hfd—Christ's fame had e,-\rly spread from Galilee to this very region
it now. Had He kept silence, wliat could I have done but go nnblest? but he hath spoken, and the victory is mi:ie.' 28. And she answered and said unto him. Yes, Lord -
or, as the same word is rendered in Matthew 15.27, "Truth, Lord"— yet the dogs eat of the children's crumbs—" which fall from their master's table" (Matthew). 'I thank Thee, O blessed One, for that word! That's my whole case. Not of the children? True. A dog? Truealso: yt>« the dogs under the table are allowed to eat of the ch Idren's crumbs-the droppings from their master's full
(ch. o. S; I,\ike6. IT). ti5. For a certain woman, whose
j omig (laughter had an unclean sp'rtt—or, as in Matthew,
' was badly demonized'—Iiearc' >f him—one wonders how; but distress is quick of 1 aring—and fell at his feet : ^G. The woman was a Greek—i. e., " a Gentile,' Rs in Ihe margin—aSyro-phoeniclan by nation—so called as inlial)iting tlie Phoenician tract of Syria, .Titvenal uses tlie same term, as was remarked by Justin i, iTYi. and Tertcllian. Matthew calls her "a w( lan Canaan "—a more intelligible description to his Jewi.-- readers (cf. Judges 1. 30, 32, 33). and she besought him that he would cast forth the devil outofher
• ible: Give me that, and I am content. One crumb o power and grace from Thy table shall cast the devil •-/.it f my daughter.' Oh what lightning-quicknccs, w) - t ach of instinctive ingenuity, do we behold In this ithen woman! 29. And he said unto her—"
.v-omar great is thy faith" (Matthew 15. 2S). As Bengei,
i ..autJfully remarks, Jesus "jtiarvelled" only at two things—/ai(!A and unbelief (see on Luke 7. 9). For thi» saying go thy way 5 tlie devil is gone out of tliy daughter—That moment the deed was done. 30. And when she was come to her house, she found the devil gone out, and her daughter laid upon the l>ed —But Matthew is more specific; "And her daughter was made whole from tliat very hour.'' The woiiderfulness of this cas in all its features lias been fell in every age of the Chuit , and the balm it has administered, and will yet administer, to millions will be known only in that day that shall reveal the secrets of all hearts.
' -"tghter " She cried unto Him, saj ing. Have mercy on me O Lord, Sou of David: my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil" (Matthew lo. 22). Thus, though no Israelite her-
self, she salutes Him as Israel's promised Messiah. Here we must go to Matthew 15. 2;?-2.5 for some important links in the dialOlKue omitted by our Evangelist. 23. "But he answered her not ii word." The design of this was first, perhaps, t(> show that He was ol font to such as she. He had said expressly to theTweive, "Go not into the way of the Gentiles" (Matthew 10. 5); and being now amongst then. H.mself, He would, for consistency's sake, let it be seen tliat lie had not gone thither for mmionary purposes. Therefore He not only kept silence, but had actually left the house, and—.as will presently appear—was proceeding on His way back, when this woman accosted Him. But nnotlier I'eason for keeping silence plainly w'as to try and to whet her faith, patience, and perseverance. And it had the desired effect: "She cried after them" which shows that He was already on His way from the place. "And His disciples came and besought Him, saying. Send her away; for she crieth after us." They thought her trout>lesome with her importunate cries, just as they did the people who brought young children to be blessed of Him, and lliey ask their Lord to "send her away," i.e., to grant her request and be rid of her; for we gather from His reply that they meant to solicit favour for her, though not for her sake so much as their own. 24. "But He answered and said, I am not sent hut unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel"—.a .speech evidently intended for the disciples themselves, to satisfy them that, though the grace He was about to show to this Gentile believer was
Deaf and Dumb Man Healed (v. 3)-;i7). 31. And again, departing fi om tlie coasts of Tyre and Sidon, he came unto il e Sea of Galilee—or, according to what has very strong claims to be regarded as the true text here, 'And again, departing from the coasts of Tyre, He came through Sidon to the Sea of Galilee.' The MS.S. in favour of this reading, though not the most numerous, are weighty, while the versions agreeing with it are among the most ancient; and all the best critical editors and commentators adopt it. In this case we njust understand that our Lord, having once gone out of the Holy Lan<l the length of Tyre, proceeded as far north as Sidon, though without ministering, so far as appears, in those jiarts, and then bent His steps in a soalh-<>i\sterly direction. There is certainly a difficulty in the supposition of so long a detour without any missionary ol)ject: and some may think this sufficient to cast llie balance in favour of the received reading. Be this as it may, on returning from these coasts of Tyre, Ho passed tlirough the midst of the coasts—or frontiers—of Decapolis—crossing the Jordan, therefore, and approaching t)>e lake on its east
side. Here Mattliew, who omits the details of the cure of this deaf and dumb man, introduces some particu-
beyond His .s-trict commission. He had not ^one spontaneously to dispense it. Yet did even this speech open a gleam of hope, could she have discerned it. For thus might she have spoken: 'I am not'sENT, did He say? Trulh, Iy>rd, Thou comest not hither in quest of w.«, but I come ,in quest of Thee; and must I go empty away? So
lars, from which we learn that it was only one of a great number. "And Jesus," says that F.vangelist (15. 2i)-31), "departed from thence, and came nigh unto the Sea of Galilee, and went up into a mountain"—the mountainrange bounding the lake on the north-east, in Decai<olis: "And great multitudes came unto Him, having with them lame, blind, dumb, maimed"—not ' mntUaled,' which is but a secondary sense of the word, but 'deformed'—"and many others, and cast them down at Je-
(lid not the woman of Samaria, whom when Thou found-
,e«t her on Thy way to Galilee, Thou sentest away to make
many rich !' But this our poor Syro-phoenlcian could not attain to. What, then, can slu; answer to such a speech? Nothing. .She has reached her lowest deptli, her darkest moment: she will lust utter her last cry: 25. "Then came she ami worshipped Him, !«vylng. Lord, help me !" This appeal, so artless, wrung from the depths of a )>ollevlng heart, and reuilndliiig us of the publican's " God be mer-
sus' feet; and he healed them: Insomuch that the multitude"—'the multitudes'—'.'wondered, when they saw the dumb to speak, tno maimed to be whole, the lame to walk, and the blind to see; and tliey glorified the God of Israel"—who after so long and dreary an abst tice of visi-
ciful to mo a sin:uor,," moved the Redeemer at last to
ble manifestation, had returned to bless His people as of
DeoJ and Dumb Man Healed: MARK VIII. Feeding of the Four ThovMmd.
old (of. Luke 7. 16). Beyond this It is not clear from tlie
Feeding of the Four Tliousand {v. 1-9). 1. In those days the multitude being very great ... 3. I have compassion on the multitude—an expression of that deep emotion in the Redeemer's heart which always preceded some remarkable interposition for relief. (See Mjiltliew
Evaiifielisl's language that the people saw into the claims or Jesus. Well, of these cases Mark here singles out one, whose cure hid something peculiar in it. 38. And they bring unto litm one tlint was deaf. , . And they beseech him lo put his Iiand upoik him—In their eagerness they appear to have been somewhat too ofHcious. Thoagli usually doing as here suggested. He will deal with this case in His own way. 33. And he took him aside from the multitude—as in another case He "took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the town"
If. U; 20. 3-1; Mark 1. 41 ; Luke 7. 13; also Matthew 9. 36, before the mission of the Twelve; cf. Judges 2. IS; 10. 10.) because they have now been with me—in constant attendance— three dsiys, and liave nothing to eat: 3. And if I send them away fasting to their own houses, they win faint by the way—In their eagerness tliey seem not to have thought of the need of provisions for such a length of time; but the Lord thought of it. In Matthew (15.32) it is, "I will not send them away fasting"—or rather, 'To send them away lasting I am unwilling.' 4r. From whence can a man satisfy these men with bread here in the wilderness I—Thougli the question here is the same as when He fed the five thousand, they evidently now meant no more by it than that thcytind not the means of feeding llie multitude; modestly leaving the Lord to decide what was to be done. And this will the more appe&r from liis not now trying them, as before, by saying, "They need not depart, give j'e them to eat;" but simply asking what they had, and then giving His directions. 5. And he asked them. How many loaves have ye J And they said. Seven—It was important in this case, as in the former, that tlic precise number of the loaves should be brought out. Thus also does the distinctness of the two miracles ap
(ch. 8. 25), probably to fix his undistracted attention on Himself, an<l, by means of certain actions he was about
lo do, to awaken and diiect his attention to the proper source of relief, and put his lli»gers Into his ears—As his indistinct articulation arose from his deafness, our Lord addresses Hitnself to this first. To the impotent man He said, "Wilt thou be made whole?" to the blind men, "Wliat will ye that I shall do unto you?" and " Delieve ye that I am able to do this?" (John 5. 6; Matthew a). 32; 0. 28.) But as this patient could 7t#ar nothing, our Lord sul)stitutes symbolical actions upon each of the organs affected, and he spit and touched his tongue moistening the man's parched tongue with saliva from His own mouth, as if to lubricate the organ or facilitate
its free motion ; thus indicating the source of the healing virtue to be His own person. (For similar actions, see
eh. 8. 2?t; John S). 6.) 34. And looking up to heaven— ever a<-kno\Yledging His Father, even while the healing
peai'. 9. And they that had eaten were about four thovisand : and he sent them away—Had not our Lord distinctly referred, in this very chapter and in twc successive sentences, to the feeding of tlie Five and of tlie Four Thousand as two distinct miracles, many critics would have insisted that they were but two different representations of one and the same miriicle, as they do of the two expulsions of the buyers and sellers from the tem-
W!is seen to flow from Himself (see on Jolm 5. 19)—he sighed—'over the wreck,' says Trench, ' which sin had biought about, and the malice of the devil in deforming the fair features of God's original creation.' But, we take it, there was a yet more painful impression of that "evil thing and bitter" whence all our ills have sprung, and which, when "Himself took our infirmities and bare our sicknesses" (Matthew 8. 17), became mysteriously His own.
ple, at the beginning and end oT our liOrd's ministry. But even in spite of what our Lord s.a.vs, it is painful to find such men as Neaxder endeavouring to identify the two miracles. The localities, though both on the eastern side of the lake, were different: the time was dilTerent: the precedingand following circumstances weredifterent: the period during which the people continued fasting was difterent—in the one case not one entire day, in the other three days: the number fed was diflferent—five thousand in the one case, in the other four thousand: the number of the loaves was difterent—five in tlie one case, in the other seven: the numlier of the fishes in tlie one case is definitely stated by all the four Evangelists—two; in the other case both give them indefinitely—" a few small
' In tliouglit of thfise his brows benign.
Not even in healing, clouiiless sliine.' Keble.
and «aith unto him, Kphpltatha, that is, Be opened Our Evangelist, as remarked on ch. 5. 41, loves to give such won<U rful words just as they were spoken. 35. And straightway his cars were opened—This is mentioned
first as the source of the other derangement—and the string of his tongue was loosed, and he spake plain Tiiecure was thus alike instantaneous and perfect. 36. And lie charged them tikat they should tell no man Into this very region He had sent the man out of whom had l>een Ciist the legion of devils, to proclaim "what the Lord had done for him" (ch. 5. 19). Now He will have
fishes:" in the one case the multitude were commanded
to sit down "upon the green grass;" in the other "on the ground;" in the one case the number of the baskets taken up filled with the fragments was twelve; in the other seven : but more than all, perhaps, because apparently quite incidental, in the one case tlie name given to the kind of baskets used is the same in all the four narratives—the copliintm fsee on ch. 6. 43); in the other case the name given to the kin<l of baskets used, while it is the same in both the narratives, is quite difterent—the sj^m-in, a basket large enough to hold a man's body, for Paul was let down in one of these from the wall of Damascus (Acts 9. 25)".
tliem "tell no man." But in the former ca.se there was no danger of obstructing His ministry by "blazing the matter" (ch. 1. 15), a.s He Himself. had left the region; whereas now He was sojourning in it. but the more he ehnrged them, so much the more a great deal they published it—They could not be restrained; nay, the prohibition seemed only to whet their determination to publish His fame. 37. And were beyond measure astonished, saying. He hath done all things well—reminding us, says Tkknch, of the words of the first crea-
tion iGenesis 1. HI, LXX.), upon which we are thus not
It might be added, that in the one case the people, in a frenzy of enthusiasm, would havi^ taken Him by force to make Him a king; in the other case no such excitement
unsuital)ly thrown back, for Christ's work is in the tru-
est sense "a new creation." he maketh both the deaf
lo hear and the dumb to speak—" and they glorified
is recorded. In view of these things, who could have be-
the G'nl of I.srael" (Matthew 15. 31). See on v. 31 of this chapter.
lieved that these were one and the same mira<'Ie, even
If the Lord Himself had not expressly distinguished them?
V'er. 1-20. FouH Thousand Miuaculousi.y Fi!d—A HiGN FKOM HKAVKN SoUOHT AND KeFUSKD—THK LEAVKN OFTIIK P1IAK1SEE.S AND .SADDUCEES—A BLIND
SU/n from Heaven Soiir/fit (v. 10-13). 10. And straiglitway he entered Into a ship—'into the ship,' or 'embarked'—with his disclpl< s, and came into the parts of Dalmanutha—In Matthew (15. 39) it is "the coasts of Magdala." Magdala and Ualnianutha were both on the western shore of the lake, »nd probably 'not far apnrt. From the former t he suniiune " Magdalene" was probabh-
.Ma.v at Bethsaida Hestoked to Sight. (=-=Mattliew
l.i. 32 to lU. 12.) This section of miscellaneous matter evidently follows the preceding one In point of time,
a.s will be Keen by observing how it Is Introduced by Multliew.
taken, to denote the resilience of one of the .Maries. Uul77
The Leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees. MARK IX. Blind Man at Bethsaida Restored to Sight.
manufha may have been a village, but it cannot now be identified with certainty. 11. seeking of him a sign from licaven, tempting him—not in the least desiring evidence for their conviction, but hoping to entrap Him. l*he first part of the answer is given in Mattliew alone
look into these things" will not prize such glimpses above gold? 17. have ye your heart yet hardened 1—How strong an expression to use of true-hearted disciples ! .See on ch. 6. 52. 18. Having eyes, see ye not? and having ears, hear j-e not?—See on Matthew 13. 13—and do ye not remember? 19. Wlicn I brake the Ave loaves among—
!16. 2, 3): "He answered and said unto them. When it is evening, ve say. It will be fair weather; for the sky is red. And in the morning, It will be foul weather to-day: for thesky is red and lowering"—'sullen' or 'gloomy.' "Hypocrites! ye can discern the face of the sky; but can ye not discern tlie signs of the times?" The same simplicity of purpose and careful observation of the symptoms of approaching events which they showed in common things would enable them to "discern the signs of the times" or ratlier "seasons," to which the prophets pointed for
' the'—tlve thousand, how many baskets full of fragments took ye up; . . . How is it that ye do not understand I—'do not understand that tlie warning I gave you could not have been prompted by any such petty consideration as the want of loaves in your scrip.' Profuse as were our Lord's miracles, we see from this that they were not wrought at random, but that He carefully noted their minutest details, and desired that this should be done by those who witnessed, as doubtless by all who read the record of them. Even the different kind of baskets used at the two miraculous feedings, so carefully noted in the two narratives, are here also referred to; the one smaller, of which there were twelve, the other mucii larger, of which there were seven.
tli« manifestation of the Messiah. The sceptre had departed from Judah ; Daniel's seventy weeks were expiring, &c. ; and many other significant Indications of the close of the old economy, and preparations for a freer and more comprehensive one, might have been discerned. But all was lost upon them. 13. And he sighed deeply In his spirit—Tlie language i^ very strong. Tliese glimpses into the interior of the Redeemer's heart, In which our Evangelist abounds, are more precious than rubies. The state of the Pliarisaic heart, which prompted this desire for a fresli sign, went to His very soul—and salth, Why doth this generation—"this wicked and adulterous generation" (Matthew 16. 4)—seek after a sign \—when fliey have had such abundant evidence already. There shall no sign he given nnto this generation lit., ' If tliere shall be given to this generation a sign ;' a Jewish way of expressing a solemn and pereniptorj' determination to tho contrary (cf. Hebrews 4. 5; Psalm 95. 11, Mar-
Blind Man at Bethsaida Restored to Sight (v. 22-26). 32. And he Cometh to Bethsaida—Bethsalda-Julias, on the north-east side of the lake, whence after this He proceeded to Csesarea Philippi {v. 27)—and they bring a blind man unto him, and besought him to touch him—.See on ch. 7. 32. 33. And he took the blind man by the hand, and led him out of the tow^i—Of the deaf and dumb man it is merely said that "He took him aside''
(ch. 7. 33) ; but this blind man He led by the hand out of the town, doing it Himself rather than employing another great humility, exclaims Bengel— that He might gain his confidence and raise his expectation, and when he liad spit on his eyes—the organ affected—see on ch. 7.33—and put his hands upon liim, lie asked lilm if he saw aught. 34. And he looked up, and said, I see men as trees, walking — This is one of the cases In which one edition of what is called the received text differs fi-om another. That which Is decidedly the best supported, and has also internal evidence on its side
gin). 'A generation incapable of appreciating such demonstrations shall not be gratified with them.' In Mattliew 16. 4 He added, " but toe sign of the prophet Jonas." See on Matt hew 12. 39, 40. 13. And he left them—no doubt with tol^ens of displeasure—and entering into the ship again, departed to the other side.
is this: 'I see men; fori see [them] as trees walking'—
TTie Leoven of the Pharisees and Sadducees (v. 14-21). 14. Now tile disciples had forgotten to take hread, neither had they in tlie slilp with them more than one loaf— This is another example of that graphic circumstantiality which gives such a cliarm to this briefest of the four Gospels. The circumstance of the " one loaf" only remaining, as Webster and Wilkinson remark, was more suggestive of their Master's recent miracles than the entire absence of provision.s. 15. And he charged them, saylug, Take heed, beware of the leaven of the Pharisees —"and of tlie Sadducees" (Matthew 16. 6>—and of tlie li-aven of Herod—The teaching or "doctrine" (Matthew
i. e., he could distinguish them from trees only by their motion; a minute mark of truth in the narrative, as AlFORD observes, describing how human objects had appeared to him during that gradual failing of sight which had ended in blindness. 35. After that he put his hands again upon Ills eyes, and made hini look up ; and he was restored, and saw every man clearly—Perhaps the one operation perfectly restored the eyes, while the other Imparted immediately the faculty of using them. It is the only recorded example of a progressive cure, and It certainly illustrates similar methods In the spiritual kingdom. Of the four recorded cases of sight restored, all the patients save one either came or were brought to the Physician. In the case of the man born blind, the Physician came to the patient. So some seek and find Christ ; of others He is found who seek Him not. 36. Neither go into the town, nor tell It to any In the town—Besides the usual reasons against going about "blazing the matter," retirement in this case would be salutary to him-
It) 12) of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees was quite dltTerent, tint both were equally pernicious; and the Herodians, tliough ratlier a political party, were equally envencmed against our Lord's spiritual teaching. See on Matthew 12. 14. The penetrating and diffusive quality of leaven, lor good or bad, is the ground of the comparison. 16. And they reasoned among themselves, saying, It
Is becansc we have no bread—But a little ago He was tried with the obduracy of the Pharisees; now He is tried with the olituseness of His own disciples. The nine questions following each other in rapid succession (v. 17-21) show liow deeply He was hurt at this want of spiritual apprehension, and worse still, tlieir low thoughts of Him, as If He would utter so solemn a warning on so petty a suhject. It will be seen, however, from the very form of their conjecture, "It is because we have no bread," and our Lord's astonishment tliat they should not by that
self.
27-38. Peter's Noble Confession of Christ — OtrR Lord's First explicit Announcement of His Approaching Sufferings, Death, and Rssurrection —His Rebuke of Peter, and Warning to all the Twelve. (—Matthew 16. 13-27; Luke 9. 18-26.) For the exposition, see on Matthew 16. 13-28.