charge. It is wonderful that the devil did not injure the dis ciples; cf. Acts xix. 16.
17. "Amffroc,, x.r.X., faithless, etc.) By a severe rebuke the dis ciples are reckoned as a part of the multitude. — sus v6re} how long) After Jesus had received an accession of strength on the Mount, a more grievous instance of human unbelief and misery demanded and obtained His succour ; cf. Ex. xxxii. 19.1 — sffopai, x.r.X., shall I be, etc.) He was in haste to return to the Father ; yet He knew that He could not effect His departure until He had conducted His disciples to a state of faith. Their slowness was painful to Him ; see John xiv. 9, and xvi. 31. — pel? v^uv, with you) Jesus was not of this world. — avsfypat, shall I suffer) An instance of Metonymia Conseqwntis.2 The life of Jesus was a continued act of toleration.
18. ' E<rerifj,ri<tsv aurif), He rebuked it) as an enemy. — aurjs, it) sc. the devil. — aurov, of him) sc. the child.
19.3 Ka/ sfirov, x.r.X., and said, etc.) A salutary submission, and enquiry as to the cause. — Biarl — oOx jjduvjjdjj^sv, why — were we unable1?) They had been already in the habit of performing the miracle in question; see ch. x. 1.
20. ' AT/tfr/af, unbelief) in this case. — n'usriv &$ XOKKOV ffivdvtu;, faith as a grain of mustard seed) contrasted with a huge moun tain. This faith is contrasted with a strong faith, and one stimulated by prayer and fasting [see ver. 21]. From this it is clear, that the transportation of a mountain is a less miracle than the ejection of a devil of the kind mentioned in the text ; for the devil clings more closely to a man spiritually, than the mountain to its roots physically ; and faith, even the smallest, is more powerful than the fixture of a mountain. You will say,
1 The transfiguration may have probably been the most delightful, and the case of the lunatic the most painful, of the events which befell Jesus whilst sojourning on the earth. — V. g.
2 See explanation of technical terms in Appendix. — (I. B.)
Here, the substitution of the consequent for the antecedent. Jesus puts His toleration of them (the consequent) instead of His sojourning with them (the airtecedent of the former). — ED.
8 Of ftetfaTott, the disciples') Not even Peter, James, and John being ex cluded (excepted). Otherwise, one would think that the expulsion of the demon should have been committed to them on their return from the moun tain. — V. g.