[3720] While writing this, we fully remember about the title of St. John as he whom Jesus loved' specially, even in that inner and closer circle.
[3721] St. Mark ix. 10.
[3722] St. Mark ix. 10.
[3723] St. Matt. xi. 14.
[3724] The meaning remains substantially the same whether we insert him' or it.'
[3725] The question, whether there is to be a literal reappearance of Elijah before the Second Advent of Christ does not seem to be answered in the present passage. Perhaps it is purposely left unanswered.
[3726] In St. Matthew and St. Mark.
[3727] The reading little faith' instead of unbelief,' though highly attested, seems only an early correction. On internal grounds it is more likely, that the expression little faith' is a correction by a later apologete, than unbelief.' The latter also corresponds to faithless generation.'
[3728] ver. 14.
[3729] There is no hint in the text, that their amazement was due to the shining of His Face.
[3730] St. Mark.
[3731] In St. Mark ix. 16 the better reading is, He asked them,' and not, as in the T. R., the Scribes.'
[3732] St. Matthew.
[3733] The addition of the word fasting' in St. Mark is probably spurious. It reads like a later gloss. It is not unlikely that St. Matt. xvii. 21 is merely a spurious insertion from St. Mark. However, see Meyer on this point.
[3734] The expression generation' although embracing in its reproof all the people, is specially addressed to the disciples.
[3735] Godet.
[3736] The weight of the evidence from the MSS. accepted by most modern critics (though not by that very judicious commentator, Canon Cook) is in favour of the reading and rendering: If Thou canst! all things are possible,' &c. But it seems to me, that this mode of reply on the part of Christ is not only without any other parallel in the Gospels, but too artificial, too Western, if I may use the expression. While the age of a MS. or MSS. is, of course, one of the outward grounds on which the criticism of the text must proceed, I confess to the feeling that, as age and purity are not identical, the interpreter must weigh all such evidence in the light of the internal grounds for or against its reception. Besides, in this instance, it seems to me that there is some difficulty about the t if pistesai is struck out, and which is not so easily cleared up as Meyer suggests.
[3737] Omnipotentiæ Divinæ se fides hominis, quasi organon, accommodat and recipiendum, vel etiam ad agendum.' - Bengel.
[3738] In this sign shalt thou conquer' - the inscription on the supposed vision of the Cross by the Emperor Constantine before his great victory and conversion to Christianity.
[3739] The words with tears,' in the T.R. are apparently a spurious addition.
[3740] The interpretation of Meyer: Do not withhold thy help, notwithstanding my unbelief' seems as Jejune as that of others: Help me in my unbelief.'
[3741] But it is rather too wide an application, when Euthymius Zygabenus (one of the great Byzantine theologians of the twelfth century), and others after him, note the kind of all demons.'
[3742] The Rabbinic use of the expression, grain of mustard seed,' has already been noted. The expression tearing up' or removing' mountains' was also proverbial among the Rabbis. Thus, a great Rabbi might be designated as one who uprooted mountains' (Ber., last page, line 5 from top; and Horay, 14 a), or as one who pulverised them (Sanh. 24 a). The expression is also used to indicate apparently impossible things, such as those which a heathen government may order a man to do (Baba B. 3 b). __________________________________________________________________
CHAPTER III. THE LAST EVENTS IN GALILEE - THE TRIBUTE-MONEY, THE DISPUTE BY THE WAY, THE FORBIDDING OF HIM WHO COULD NOT FOLLOW WITH THE DISCIPLES, AND THE CONSEQUENT TEACHING OF CHRIST.