The Pulpit Commentary — Mark — Volume 1 — Section 148

XI. LESSONS TO BE LEARNT FROM THIS SECTION. 1. The first lesson we learn here is the multitude of witnesses that are watching the movements of the disciples of Christ• for as it was with the Master so is it with ourselves. The eye of God is upon us, according to the language ofe.ncient piety, "Thou God seest us;" the eyes of angels are upon us to aid us with their blessed and beneficent ministries; the eyes of good men are upon us to cheer us onward and help us forward; the eyes of bad men are upon us to mark our halting and take advantage of our errors; the eyes of Satan and his servants-evil angels as well as evil men-are upon us to entrap us by their machinations aud gloat over~ fall. How vigilant, then, must we be, watching and pmying that we fall not into, nor succumb to, temptation I 2. In every case of spiritual withering we know the Physician to whom we must apply. Has our faith been withering, or has it lost aught of its freshness? we pray ~im to help our unbelief an~ increase our faith. Has our love been withering and languish- mg? we must seek from him a renewal of the love of our espousals, and meditate on him till in our hearts there is rekindled a flame of heavenly love to him who first loved us. Is our zeal for the Divine glory, or our activity in the Divine service, withering and decaying? then we must seek grace to repent and do onr first works, stretching out at Christ's command the withered hand to Christian work, whether it be the resumption of neglected duty, or the rendering of needful help, or relieving the wants of the indiuent or wiping away the tears of the sorrowing, or usefulness of whatever kind in our d~y ~nd generation, or honest endeavours to leave the world better than we found it. 3. It is well worthy of notice that if we are doing no good we are doing evil; nay, if we are doing nothing, we are doing evil; still more, if we are not engaged at least in helping to save, we are guilty of abetting, if not actually causing destruction. Let us, then, be "not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord." 4. The mercifulness of the Saviour is an encouragement to faith and obedience. With his anger against sin was mingled grief for sinners' hardness of heart. Many a tear he shed for perishing souls in the days of his flesh. He dropped a tear at the grave of a beloved friend-only dropped a silent tear ( io.£,cp1111e11); but over the impenitent inhabitants of a doomed city bis eyes brimmed over with tears and he wept aloud, for we there read l,cA.1&1111,11. In this restoration of the withered hand we have evidence of the Saviour's gracious <lisposition, a warrant to ta.ke him at his word, and a guarantee that when he gives a precept he will grant power for its performance. 5. Divine power was here displayed in human weakness. The sinner has a warrant to believe, and in responding to that warrant he realizes Divine help; in his willingness to obey he experiences Divine power; in his earnest entreating Christ for strength to believe, he is actually and already exercising a reliance on Christ for salvation. Divine power harmonized with the faith of this afflicted man, and the Saviour's strength made itself manifest in his obedience. And yet faith lays claim to no inherent power; it is, on the contrary, human weakness laying hold of Divine strength. Its potency is derived entirely from that on which it rests; believing the Word of God, trustiDg in the Son of God, relying on aid from the Spirit of God, it surmounts every obstacle, overcomes every difficulty, and triumphs over every enemy. It is a principle that develops most wonderful potencies for good ; in its exercise we cross the borderland that lies between the humanly impossible and heavenly _possibilitie:;; for "what is the victory that overcometh the world? Even our faith."-J. J. G. Vers. 7-12. Parallel passa<1e: Matt. xii. 15-21.-Popularity of Christ on the increaae. I. THE POPULARITY ~F JEsus. It was ever increasing, as is proved by this passage. A great multitude followed him from Galilee in the north; from Judaia and its capital in a central position; and from Idumrea in the far south, situated as it was between J udma., Arabia, and Egypt ; then from Perrea, east of the Jordan ; the people of Tyre and Sidon also in the north-west ;-a.II these, attracted by the fame of what Jesus was doing, flocked unto him. So great were the multit~de. and pressure that he directed his disciples to procure a little boat to keep close to him m order to escape the crowding (ll,a: -rbv &xA.011) and conSP.quent confusion. II. Ills POWER TO HEAL. This appears to be as yet the main nttraction. The miracles of healing were abundant, so much so that the afflicted sufferers actually fell against him (i1rnrlrmr), that by the contact their plagues might be removed. Unclean spirits also, wherever they saw him, kept falling down before him, crying out, " Thou art the Son of GC1d." 011. m. 1--36.] THE GOSPEJ, ACCORDING TO ST. MARK. 143