PUBLIC-DOMAIN CHRISTIAN BOOK
The Pulpit Commentary — Mark — Volume 1
Edward Henry Bickersteth [1925-1906] · 331,482 words · 374 reading sections
The Pulpit Commentary — Mark — Volume 1 — Section 241
than himself, and entered in and dwelt there, so that" the last state of that man was worse than the first"? At all events, he felt that there was no safety but in nearness to Christ; and this is the proper sentiment for every follower and friend of Jesus to entertain. When Peter followed Christ afar off, Peter fell Ne…
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go home. They trembled at the power of Christ, while they dreaded the torments he will one day inflict. They would rather enter into swine, rather go into the sea, rather go into the "'orst and filthiest spot of earth, than go back into the deep abyss of hell. It was not the abyss of earth or the abyss of ocean, but…
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nothing bettered, but rather grew worH;" "neither could be healed of e.ny." What is she now to ~o?. Where is she to seek relie!? To whom can she further go? la there. any appbce.tion she ce.n yet me.~e? Or 1s ther~ any remedy still remaining to be tned? 2. One resowrce yet remains. She has tried all the physicians· she…
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her faith, confirms her cure, ratifies her desire, and gladdens her heart by these most gracious words, "Daughter, be of good comfort: thy faith hath made thee whole ; go in peace." II. THE PECULUBITY OF THIS WOMAN'S TOUCII. 1. There must he contact. The first thing we are taught by it is that, in coming to Christ …
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with the Continent, and one continent with another; that link the Old World with the New, flashing itil messages over more than half the globe, thus facilitating the intercommunion of nations, and expediting the exchange of intelligence from East to West and from West to East; -if those electric wires stretched from on…
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no longing for his presence, no thirsting for his grace, no hunsering for his righteous- ness, no earnest inquiry, "What must we do to be saved?• and no seeking of the fulfilment of the promises ;-in all such, or any such cases, are we not thronging Christ instead of t-0uching him? If custom, or curiosity, or the cr…
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realized, he 11nd they evidently give up all for lost. The great Healer might havo restored her to health, however ill, or however far gone she might havo been • but how can he restore hor to life now that she is dead? 4. Jesus' power over death: He had heard, or, ifwe read a compound of the same word, though slightly …
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and brother of J'ames, and J'osea, and J'udu, eating, e.nd drinking, and sleeping, and and Simon! Some have thought that these working at his tra.de, like others, despised were lit.erully brethren of our Lord, sons of him when he ole.imed respect aud revorenoo Joseph l\nd Mary. Others have considered e.s a Prophet, …
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Ver. 8.-They should take nothing for their repent. This was their great work, to journey, Bll.Ve a staff only. St. Matthew says which the miracles were subordinate. (x. 10), according to the best authorities Ver. 13.-And anointed with oil many that (µ116~ pr/./J6ov), they were not to take a staff. were sick, and hea…
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avenge hie own murder. "What a great evangelist ls to point out that it was thing," exclaims St. Chrysostom," is virtue I Herodias'e own daughter who danced, for Herod fears him, even tho~h dead." It and not a mere professional d1moing-girl. should not be forgotten that this is the Josephus mentions tbl\t da.noing-w…
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through some treacherous ice over which she apent. The English, like the Greek, ie here wns pe.ssing, aud foll through it iu such a veryidiomatic(1eal1fo71 t:ipas,rOAAil•-y•11oµh71,). mnnner that her head was caught while the The English is retained in the Revised rest of her body sank into the water, and Version as it…
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ftlue of the two kinds of bread is given in for they would be, if possible, even more Rev. vi. 6. " A measure of wheat for a eager then the men to see the great Prophet. penny, and three measures of barley for a When all had eaten and were so.tisfled, they penny." The psalmist alludes to the greater took up broken p…
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our Lord had been obliged to nee e. little making e. mile. The Sea of Galilee is not pressure to induoe his disciples to leave more than six miles broad at its widest him: "He constrained them (-l/11cl:y1<1111• .-ol,, po.rt. They were therefore now Uv µeuq, ,...o.,,.-lts ain-oii). -r~s 811/\&11u11•) '' in the midst of …
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so at le&st it appeared to the disoiplee. n "footsteps are not known." They needod hRs been snggested that our Lord did this not, however, to have been so ame.zed, for that the disciples might more clearly see they had just witnessed his power in the bow the wind was stilled in his presence. miracle of the loaves; b…
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o, great and acknowledged reputation. In the most populous parts of Galilee he had fulfilled a ministry which had excited the deepest interest. His miracles were undeniable and undenled. He was the object of general attention and of widespread faith. 3. He came to Nazareth and taught publicly, thns giving his townsmen …
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companion~hip, and 'to secure that none should be unfriended and unsupported• as well as, in all likelihood, to bring about that one should supply the other's lack. 2. They were sent as pi,lgrims. Two things only they were to take with them-thuir sandals Rnd their staves, which were part of their natural equipment a…
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in the ministry of Jesua to recall that of John. John did no miracle; the fame of Josue was largely owing to the miracles by which his ministry was continuously signal- ized, The power to attract multitudes was the one point obviously in common. But any association was sufficient to revive within Herod's breast the mem…
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\Ters. 30--44.-No rest j()'f' Jesus. 'l'he twelve have fulfilled their brief mission of evaugelization, have returned to their Master, l\lld tell him of the incidents and results of thdr mission. Jesus takes occasion to rest, and to give them rest and "·ith this intent withdraws to a desert place. This passage shows…
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creatures I There is yet room at hie table, and bread in his store, bounty in his heart, and blessing in his hands. " Come, for all things are ready I" Vers. 45-52.-" le is I." How picturesque and impressive is tbe scene I Jesus bas dismissed the mullitude, and has sent his disciples away in tbe boat to the western …
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Christ's popularity was at the flood. In a few versos, the evangelist strikingly depicts the general excitement which the presence of the Prophet of Nazareth awakened amidst the thronging and busy population. I. THE PRESENCE OF THE DIVINE PHYSICIAN AMONG THE PEOPLE, Jesus sometimes retired to desert_ solitudes ; but, …
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Cne seeming disproportion between the results actually produced and the instruments. A curious phaso this of human incredulity, as if the works did not speak for themselves! Failing the discovery of an evidently great cnuso, the results themselves are not credited with being what they seem to be. This is characteristic…
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needed. 3. The adaptation of men is to be conside1·ed in dete1·mining the ministry tl1ey /iave to perform. Ill. THE APOSTLESHIP INVOLVED TESTIMONY, IIIOBAL APPEAL, AND SUPERNATURAL POWER. (Vers. 7, 11-13.) The particular duties of the Christian ministry are determined by the demands of the age, etc., in which it is ca…
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ness of the Jews was condemned to stationariness at the very point of Di vine revelation where John had failed to reform them. And so all men's lack of faith and their unworthy conceptions of Christ have a moral root also. It is only as Christ himself, by his Spirit and teaching, enables us that we can truly say," Our …
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success to relate. A few, however (Matt. xiv. 12), had a tale of personal sorrow to rour into his ears. They had been disciples of John the Baptist, whom Herod had Just beheaded. Their hopes had been dashed to the ground, and they scarcely knew what else to do than "tell him." More disquieting still was theit story, fo…
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Ill. A FULFILMENT OF THE WORLD'S HOPE, IV. AN UNCONS0I0UB PROOF OF HlB BEING THE SAVIOUR OF MANKIND.-M. Vere. 35-44.-Feeding the five thousam,d: a miracle. One of the most sirnally aemonstrative and masterly of Christ's Iniracles, whether we consider the circumstances in which it was wrought, the details of its carry…
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Vers. 45--52.-Jesus walking on the sea. L THE SERVANTS OF THE LORD ABE EXPOSED TO OPPOSITION AND DANGER IN OABBYING OUT HIS OOIIIIIIANDS. II. WITHOUT THE OONBOIOOBNESB OF Hl8 PBEBENOE DIFFIOOLTY APPEARS INSUR· MOtn."'TABLE. fil fu IS EVER AT HAND TO BLESS THOSE WHO ABE STRIVING TO OBEY HIS WoBD. IV. ,VHEN HIS BEBVAN…
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justified Nathanael's question," Can any good thing come ont" of Nazareth?" In a true and lofty sense, the Lord was the Representative of his brethren, the Ideal to which they are to be conformed. From what he was and from what he experienced we may constantly learn something respecting ourselves. We are reminded by…
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for him by his reputed father's choice. Often our work is so settled for us, and our plans and preferences are thus altered by others, or nither through them by him wh1> appoints for every man the bounds of his habitation. Sometimes, for example, a. young fellow has entered on the study of the law; but his father dies,…
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it conditioned itself, &S infinite power always does in this world; and by this limitation it was not lessened, but W&S glorified as moral and spiritual power. In Nazareth thoru was an absence of the ethical condition, on the existence of which miracles depended- an absence, namely, of that faith which has its root …
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apostles worked. If their message was rejected, on leaving the place they were to "shake off the dust under their feet for a testimony against them "-an act symbolic of renunciation of influence and responsibility, and of the announcement of coming judgment. They were not to attempt to force men to listen and obey. Spi…
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Many have hereby been led into moral ruin. Salome degraded herself unspeakably by coming forward in this shameless dance. Forgetting all decency and decorum, she danced " in the midst," that is, in a circle of half-intoxicated admirers. 1. Her regal dignity was forgotten. With amazement the historian records that it wa…
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snd who saunters through life voting everything to be a. weariness. How vivid is the contrast between his enjoyment and that of the schoolboy who comes home after passing hie examination ; or the man of business who rejoices to get free and renew the joys of bis boyhood I The same principle applies to things spiritual.…
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Too often we are unmindful of this teaching, and attribute our suocesses ~o our own skill and strength. Therefore God allows some disaster to come, so that in the recog• nition of human helplessness Divine goodness may begin to be considered. 11 Lord, we cannot satisfy this great necessity," said the disciples; and …
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himself from earthly h<mowrs, whereas too often hi, d-isciples greedi1y seek them. Our Lord "constrained" hie disciples to go away, for they were evidently loth to do so. It we.a for their good, They were in danger of becoming infected (if they were not already infected) with the spirit of the people. To them it seemed…
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m. As A WORTHY SERVICE TO OTHERS. By the constitution of human society, it ts the plain foty of each to promote to the utmost of his ability the well-being of all othors. The products of industrial toil, especially of handicraft, are useful In the highest degree. Without them the comfort of large communities must be gr…
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Vere. 14-29,-Herod: the disordered conscience, The fame or the disciples reaches tho ears of Herod, and has the effect of recalling to him a shameful deed of blood with which his memory is charged, and leads him, in contradiction to his Sa.dducean professions, to declare, "John, whom I beheaded; he is risen." 'l'hus…
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Jesus withdraws them" apart into a desert place, to res't a while." "But they could no, be hid. The people saw them departing, and gathered, '.' from all the cities, a grea, multitude." To the eye of the Merciful they were II as sheep not bavinV, a shepherd," and his deepest sympathies were touched. 11 He bad compassio…
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of faith in the living God, who works wherever, whenever, howsoever he wills. Beware of that narrow egotism which even now may be shutting us out from light and beauty, divinity and blessedness. III. THE MOST INVINCIBLE 01!' OBSTACLES IS THE WILL 01!' MAN. How deep was the truth of the saying, that against stupidity e…
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Vers. 35-44.-The multitude fed. I. THE COMPASSION OF CHRIST. It is for the body as well as the soul. The foundation of work upon the soul is cure for the body. It is contrasted with the disciples' carelessness. Their spirit is that which leads men to get rid of irksome duty. "Send them away l" Let them shift for the…
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presence of God. Modified by intelligence, purified from superstition, fear passes into that reverence which is the ground-tone of religious feeling. III, THE TEBBOnB OF GoD CONCEAL HIS LOVE. Behind the tempest is his "smiling face." The voice of the Comforter and Saviour of man speaks from the dread a ppari- tion of …
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yokes and other agricultural implements. But they knew his family and friends- knew them so well that familiarity begat contempt. They knew who Mary was, Joseph having in all probability died before this time. They knew his brethren: sons of Joseph and Mary; or possibly his half-brothers"""'"sons of Joseph by a prev…
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admitte.nce, they were, by a significant symbolic act, to express their renunciation of all intercourse with persons guilty of such churlish rudeness or barbarous want or hospitality. 1'hey had rejected them, though they went in their Master's name; and, rejeoting them, they rejected the Master who sent them, and th…
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IV. THE CIRCUMSTANCES THAT OCOASI01'"ED THE BAPTIST'S DEATIJ, The evangelist now turns aside to narrate the circumstances that led up to the death of John the Baptist. Herod Anti pas, ethnarch of Galilee and Perrea" called "tetrarch" tby St. Matthew, as inheriting only a fourth part of the dominions of his father, H…
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late; he wae excessively sorry (1r,p(ll.u,ros). This word is only used twice again in the New TeJtnment-of the Saviour in his agony, and of the rich ruler in parting, perhaps for ever, from the Saviour. But then there was the false shame consequent on repeated oaths, and because of the prtlllence of so many persons of …
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follornng circumstances :-(1) In the miracle of feedinii; the four thousand just referred to, our Lord himself introduces the matter of supply. (2) The provision for the smaller number of four thousand was greater, being seven loaves and a few small tbhes; while here for the five thousand there are only five loaves …
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rank e.nd :file, as it were, which he here directs. Whether we are in the Church or i11 the world-that is, whether we are engaged in f,he arrangements of the one or in the affairs of the other-we shall do well to observe this law of order. "A place for everv- thing," says the old maxim," and everything in its proper…
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manner the ordinary process. It has been said, somewhat rhetorically, "We breathe miracles, we live by miracles, we are upheld every day miraculously, and that individual has a blind mind or a hard heart (or both) who does not see, or seeing does not recognize, the hand of our heavenly Father in all those gifts of his …
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He thus intimated, under the thin veil of an almoet transparent figure, his incarnation Wld atonement--his life as an example, and his death as an expiation, in other words, the benefits procured by his manifestation in tbe flesh, and the blessings purchased by his sacrificial blood-shedding on the cross. 3. This food …
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shal1 ye come, but M further." The sacred writers claim it as the peculiar preroga- tive of God to gather the wind in his fists and bind the waters in a garment. Job in celebrating the attributes of the Almighty, applies to him the sublime and striking sent.ence, "Which alone sprea.deth out the heavens, and treadeth…
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from land-they had just launched forth (li.vfixfhi11av), as St. Luke iniorms us; on this they were in the midst of the sea. (,,.l11ov). On the former occasion the storm had come down on the lake, and, for aught we know, was bearing them rapidly forward towards their destination { on this, we are expressly told, it was …
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discovered himself, and told them who and what he was, in the characteristic words "You carry C1BSar and his fortunes." With Christ in the boat, the disciples might hav~ flung their fears to the winds, for One infinitely greater than Cmsar would have been there-One who could have stirred their hearts and raised thei…
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in the second watch, nor even In the third. The fourth watch had commenced, and still I saw reason to delay my coming. It was half run and more before the pr0per moment arrived. I did not postpone nor defer an instant longer than was meet. Soon as the minute-hand pointed to the right moment on the dial-plate of time…
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are constrained to say with the patriarch of Uz, "Miserable comforters are ye all;" just then, it may be, a happy thought occurs to us, a ray of heavenly light shines down upon us, a gleam of comfort comes to cheer us. We fear we are imposing on ourselves. Not so. Jesus come~ in a way ~ot to be misapprehended, and says…
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EXPOSITION. CHAPTER VIL ' The Greek word here rendered "oft" is .,,u-yµii: literally, unth the fist, i.e. with the Vere. I, 2.-These verses, according to cloeecl hand, rubbing one against the other. the Greek construction, should rnn thus: Thie word he.a co.used a ve.et amount of 4nd there are gathered together unt…
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oral pr-pta were afterwards embodied in it. This, however, was only a custom, and the 'l'ulmud. not a thing of legal obligation until it was· Ver. 4.-And wl1en they come from the exitlted into a law by the Pllarisees. Now market ( lur~ &.;opas); literally, and from ("8 this punctilious observance of tradition~ mark…
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tradition. H is 11s though onr Lord s111d', Divine commandments. Thus the eon, by "Your tr11ditions are not instituted by God, crying "Corban" to his needy parents, shut or by his serv11nts the prophets, but they their mouths, by opposing to tliem a scruple are modem inventions, which you desire to of conseience, and s…
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all e:dernal wn~hings are in vain. It is RB in St. Chrysostom (Homily on St. Matthew though he ~nicl., "The scribes tee.oh you that ll'V.): 'O H Md.p1tos ,P111rlv, 3T1 ""8"P((a,v Tc\ it is not lawful to eat with unwe.shen hands, f, pd,µaT", TauTc,. (>,.,-y,v: "But ?!fork affirms because unwashen hands mflke the food…
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Ver. 24.-0ur Lord now pe.eeee out of which in St. Mark precedes the words, it ia Galilee into a heathen oountry, Syro- not meet to take the ohildren's bread and oast phcenioio., into the borders of Tyre and it to the dogs, Dogs abound in Palestine and Bidon, that he might begin to impart hie the sunounding districts…
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oonstrains Christ, arguing her case from his Tyre, and oame through Bidon unto the ■ea own words. prudently, modestly, foroibly, and of Galilee, through the midst of the borden with e. humble fe.ith which perceives that he of Deoapolia. St. Matthew (xv. 29) simply is not unwilling to be overc'Ome by p~tition ea.ye that…
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he sighed, and 1111th 'IIJlto him, Ephphatha., The word appliee of course, primarily, that is, :Be oJ!ened. He looke<l up to heo ven, though not exclusively, to the ear; for not because from thenoe come nll good things- only were his ears opened; but the bond of words for the dumh, hearing for the dcof, his tongue was …
847 wordsSource & rights
Public domain historical Pulpit Commentary. Source page identifies the volume as Public Domain; text extracted from its historical PDF.
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Historical Christian writing; not Scripture.