The Pulpit Commentary — Mark — Volume 1 — Section 303

II. A VIEW OF TIIE SAVIOUR AND OF THE PROOESS OF SALVATION. Remark: 1. The individual, character of salvation. As Jesus took this deaf man apart from the crowd, that he might deal with him privately and by himself, so the Lord ever singles out each individual whom he saves. Sometimes he lays such a one aside by affliction, quietly_ to converse with him and work upon his nature. 2. Salvation is through <Jhrist's personal contact with the soul. When Jesus put his fingers into the man's ears and anointed his tongue with spittle, this was a striking and effective lesson to one who could not be reached by the usual channel of articulate speech. It was the touch of Christ, and the communication of his virtue, that healed. A lesson to us that restora- tion to spiritual capacity and health is the effect of an immediate contact of the soul with Christ, the soul's Saviour. 3. A profoundly compassionate Saviour, "He sighed;" not simply because of this instance which he encountered of human misery and need, but doubtless also because of all the world's sin and misery. His was a heart moved at the spectacle of the wretchedness of this fallen race. His work of redemption was inspired by pity and by love. 4. An authoritative Saviour, The word of Jesus," Be opened! " reminds us of the original and authoritative utterance of the Creator, "Let there be light!" It is thus that the Lord of light and vision ever speaks: he utters his royal command as one who is certain to be obeyed. III. A REPRESENTATION OF THE RESULTS OF SALVATION. Simple as is the record of the mandate and summons of Immanuel, equally simple Is the record of the success which attended his word. The response to the command was immediate, Similarly with the release which it is the prerogative of our Redeemer to effect for the soul of man. The nature which Christ renews becomes sensitive to those heavenly voices to which it has so long been deaf, and finds delight in holy and grateful utterances to which it has before been utterly strange. IV. AN ILLUSTRATION OF THE IMPRESSION PRODUCED BY THE EXEBOISE OF CHRIST19 roWEB. 1. Astonishment; for who but he can work such marvels? 2. Publication; for the healed, and the beholders of the spiritual change, are unable to restrain them- selves--are impelled to tell the story of redemption and deliverance. 3. Witness and praise; for such must needs be offered to him of whom it is said, "He hath done all things welL" HOMILIES BY VARIOUS AUTHORS. Vere. 1-23.-Externalism versus righteousness. In vers. 3, 4 of this chapter we are furnished with an interesting piece of antiquarianism. The daily life of the devout Jew is set before us in its ceremonial aspect; not as Moses had originally ordered it, but as custom and human casuistry had gradually transformed it. The light thrown upon several questions is very searching and full of revelation, viz. the various eel!.ses in which baptism seems to have been understood by the contemporaries of Christ, and the punctilio, vigour, and detail with which ceremonial purifications were carried out. It is only as we realize the background of daily Jewish life, against which the life to which Jesus called his disciples stood out so prominently, that we are in a position to appreciate the current force of the objections raised by Pharisee and t1eribe. We have here- I. CHEIBTUNITY CRITICIZED FROM THE POINT OF VIEW OF RELIGIOUS TRADITION. (Vere. 1-5.) The exaggerated form the latter assumed brought out the more strikingly the peculiarity and essential character of Christ's teaching. J. It wa, an age in which Jewish ceremcnialism had reached its highest. The doctrine of Pharisaism had pene- trated the common life of the people. '.l'hey mi~ht be said to have fallen in love with it. The distinctions are artificial and super-refined, e.g. between " common," "profane," or "defiled" hands, and hands ceremonially clean. They washed "diligently" (a para- phrase of the original substituted by our revisers for "oft" of the Authorized Version, and apparently the best rendering of the difficult word in the original)," carefully," or "thoroughly;" and no detail or minute application was forgotten of the "many other things" "which t.bey have received to hold" (i.e. to hold fast, retain). Amongst the respectable Jews ceremonial stricmess and nicety held a place very Bimilar to what " good manners," or polite behaviour and refinement, occupy with ourselves, having, of course, an additional supernatural sanction from association with the Law. 'l'hus 011. vn. 1-37.] THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. MARK. 301