The Pulpit Commentary — Mark — Volume 1 — Section 54

corrupt, slow-dying sufferer appeals to the Lord of life, and love, and power. It is not wrong to say" lf thou wilt." It is & lower form of" Thy will be done." II. 'l'he humble cry turns us from the sufferer to THE SAVIOUR to learn his com- passion, to see bis touch, to bear bis word of power, and to witnes~ its instant effect. 1. Jesus was "moved with compassion." What bad not the world to hope from that" c~mpassion" I What may it not still hope from itl We could hope much from compass10n such as many good souls would show; but what from bis compassion I w·hat depth; what tenderness; what yearning; and what power I Happy he who com- mits himself to the compassion of Christ. 2. With quickness" he stretched forth his hand, and touched him." '!'here was comfort in that, for all others fled from him. But it was a touch of acceptance and assurance, having many moral lessons. "I do not despise thee." His touch had compassion in it, perhaps more than power, thouah "power" went forth from him when others touched even his garments. 3. The true"' power, however, is in the word, " Be thou made clean." It is a command to that body and to disease. The disease, Christ's servant of judgment, obeys: "the leprosy departed from him;" and the body obeys, putting on its new robes of health, the flesh as of a little child-" he was made clean." Can faith desire more? He who would learn to have faith must stand near and see, and let the "works bear witness." Faith is God's gift, like the dew of the morning, as silently, as wondrously given. Again let it be said, if men would have faith they must come to the Word; the air is full of blessing when the word of Christ is vibratin_?; in it; and it will distil as the dew upon the chill, sad heart. How great a miraclf yet typical of" greater works" yet to be done. It is easier to say to the body, "Be th... a made clean," than to say it to the soul But now a command, having within it a touch of sternness, " He strictly charged him, . . . Say nothing to any man : but go thy way, show thyself to the priest, and offer for thy cleansing the things which Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them." Alas I even gratitude could not conquer joy. His new life, his whole flesh, forbade silence, and he "began to publish it much." It was alm,ist excusable, yet not entirely. For Christ's words must be obeyed at all cost. The Lord's ways are best, as is here proved. Disobedience brings its inconvenience. The cities suffered by the man's error. Ah, every city suffers by every man's error. Jesus could not" openly enter;" he must hide" in desert places." But" they came to him from every quarter." Thus may all afflicted in body or sou.I learn: 1. To offer their cry to him, who, even if they err in their methods, will not despise their prayer. 2. That Christ willeth to heal all, and is able. 3. That his compassion is never unmoved in presence of human woe. 4. That the bumble appeal to him will surely meet with a helpful response. 5. That the best return is to suppress their own inclination, and, even with crui,hed feel- ings, obey his minutest word; for so is his purpose best answered.-G. Vers. 1-8. Parallel passages: Matt. iii. 1-12; Luke iii. 1-18. The ministry of .John the Baptist. L Tm: BEGINNING OF ST. MABK'B MEMOIB. 1. The commencement. It is a remarkable circumstance and a curious coincidence that the first words of this Gospel are an echo of Peter's confession. In that confession, as recorded by St. Matthew, Peter expresses his belief in the very remarkable words," 'l'hou art the C~rist, the ~on of the living God." In nearly the same words St. Mark commences_ his narrative: "The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. 2. J?ifference of C0;1-- :,tructW11,. 'l'he words of this first verse may be taken (1) as the title of the entire book; or (2) in construction with the following verse," 'l'he beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ the Son of God, was ae it is written in the prophets;" or (3) even in eonnection with the fourth verse, the second and third being parenthetic; that is," The beginning of the gospel . . . wae John baptizing." 3. Omis~ions. After a. brief ~ut indispensable introduction, touching the m~istry of _the Baptist, th~ evan~eh_st hurr!es on to his concise but clear and comprehensive narrative of our Lords public life, begm- ning with his baptism by John. He passes over the four eve~ts of the Saviour's childhood-the circumcision and presentation in the temple, which are recorded by St. Luke as also the visit of the Magi and the flight into Egypt, mentioned by St. Matthew. He passes over the only recorded incident of his early days-the one event which constituted the dividing line between his childhood and y~uth, when 1at ilia second appearance in the temple, he disputed with the doctors, and 1n connection -OH, I, 1-45.] THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. MARK. 61