The Pulpit Commentary — Mark — Volume 1 — Section 337

ihe Btages of the spirituo.1 chau11:e from JernSl\lem, it would have boon· perilous to ebsolute darknose to glimmering light, and speak on suoh a snbj-sct ; for the scribes thence to bright and clear vision. Cornelius would at once have accused him to the ~ Lapide s11,ys, " We see 11,n example of this Roman power that he was seeking the king- in ohildren and sohollU'll, who must be taught dom. The student who wishes for furthe1 e.nd instructed by degrees. Otherwise, if information respecting the site of Cmsarea the master, imp11,tient of delay 11,nd labour, Philippi may consult with advantnge8tanley's 11&eks to deliver 11,ll things to them 11,t once, • Sinai and Palestine' (eh. xi., "The Lake he will overwhelm their mind and their of Merom and the sources of the Jordan "'). A memory, so that they will take in nothing; m9re familiar dei,:ivation of the Jordan than as wine, when it is poured into a narrow- that given by A Lapide is that of the necked vessel, if you attempt to pour in the '' descender," from Jo.rad," to descend." Our whole at once, scarcely any will ent:er, but Lord went from Dethsaida Julie.a directly almost all is wasted." A Lapide adds the northwards towards Paneas, named by well-!..--nown Italian proverb, " Piano, pie.no, Philip the Tetrarch Ciesaree. Philippi, t.o si va lonta.no." distinguish it from the otber Ciesarea in Ver. 26.-This verse, a.coording to the best Se.maria. on the Mediterranean coast. H reading, runs thus: And he sent him away to will be observed that he went into the vil- his home, saying, Do not even enter into the le.ges of Ciesarea Philippi, avoiding the city village. It thus appears that Bethsaida was itself. In the way thither he asked his dis- not the home of thie blind man. He might oiples, ... Who do men say thatI am l This nature.lly have wished t.o exhibit himself in incident is mentioned also by St. Matthew Bethse.ida, where me.ny must have known and St. Luke. St. Luke (ix. 18) says that him, and to have BUng the praises of his he was alone praying, his disciples being great Benefactor. But this was far from doubtless not far off. According to this what Christ wished. He wished to be iu evangelist, our Lord says, "Who do the seclusion. He hsd no desire to excite more multitudes say that I am?" thus distinguish- than could be helped the idle curiosity of the ing them more particularly from his own multitude. His miracles were for the se.ke of disciples. The common people among the hie doctrine, and not his doctrine for the sake Jews knew that not long after the Babylonish of his miracles. The whole character of his Captivity the gift of propheoy had ceased ad.ministration was retiring and gentle. amongst their nation. So they thought that "My doctrine shell distil as the dew." "He Christ was not a new Prophet, but one of the llha.ll not strive, nor cry; neither shell any old. They could not but see in him tile hear hill voioe in the streets." renewal of the powers of the old prophets, Vera. 27, 28.-And J'eSllS went forth, and their miracles and their teaching; but there his disciples, into the villages of Cmaarea were very few of them who believed that ha Philippi. This verse seems to corroborate we.s the Messiah. The great body of them the view that the Bethse.ide. just referred t.o were offended at his poverty and humility; fo? was Bethse.ida Julias. Ciesa.rea Philippi lies they thought that MeBBiah would appear e.t the roots of Libanns. Comelins a Lapide amongst them with royal state as a temporal says that it we.s originally called Dan, the king. So that when some said, moved it place where two little streams united, namely, might be by the sight of his miracles, "This J eor and Dan. These two streamlets so united is that Prophet that should come into the make the J orde.n, whence the name J eor- world,'' they did but give utterance to a Dan, or Jordan. But since Pan, the god of momentary and fugitive feeling, and not a shepherds, was better known to the Gentiles firm or abiding conviction. The mass of man- than Dan, a Hebrew tribe, it was hence kind are fickle, easily led . to change their ce.lled by them " Pe.neas." It is ce.lled opinions. Perhaps some of the Jewish multi- Bania.a at the present day. It lay at the tude thought that the soul of one of the extreme north, as Beersheba le.y at the ancient prophets had entered mto Christ, extreme south. Hence the phrase, " from e.ccording to the Pythagorean notion of the Dan even t.o Beemheba.." On this a.ccount transmigration of souls ; or perhaps they many neighbouring Gentiles, especially the thought that one of the old prophets had risen Phcenicians, 1l.ocked to this city, as is again in the person of Jesus. For though frequently the case with border t.owns. And the Sadducees denied a resurrection, the EO Chria visited this neighbourhood, not great body of the Jews believed in it. Some only because it presented favourable oppor- thought that Christ was John the Baptist, tunities to him for teaching Jews and because he resembled the Bu.ptist in age Gentiles a.like, but e.lso that he might spee.k (there was only six months difference in age more freely than he could have done in between them), o.s he also resembled him in Jn.dllla concerning a. Messiah, whom the Jews holiness and in fervour of preaching. It we.a expected as their king. In Juruea itself, but a short time before, that John the &Dd especially in the neighbourhood of Baptiijt he.d been put t.o <leo.th by Herod. cH, vm. 1-38.] THE GOSI'EL ACCORDING TO ST. MARK. 335