The Pulpit Commentary — Mark — Volume 1 — Section 362

representations, wearies and saddens the mind. Hence the craving for amusement, which gives change to the perpetual march past of the same old thoughts. The feeling is natural enough. The Jews, who had no science in our sense, and did not live in an interesting age like ours, wanted signs and wonders to amuse. We can understand the feeling, and allow it to be natural, but at the same time not religious. II. CBBIST REFUSES TO FOBTEB SENSATIONALISM. 1. The /orm of denial and refusal, u very strong and emphatic indeed. (Ver. 12.) Signe will be given to those who are ready to profit by them, not to gratify idle curiosity. How severely does Christ discountenance "sensationalism" in connection with his religion I He will have as little noise, as little rumour, finger-pointing, gaping of vacant crowd, as possible. "The kingdom of God cometh not with observation." 2. Besides, an ezpress warning is given : against " the leaven of the Pharisees and of Herod." This means much the l!Bme as the Pharisees and Sadducees, apparently. The political Herodians were many of them Sadducees. Again, the Pharisees and Sadducees had a certain common basis of teaching. Both were at once in opposition to Jesus and the aims of his kingdom. The Pharisees, strongly conservative of Judaism, woulddiaparage Jesus and his works. The other party would object to any "kingdom of heaven," acknowledging only the Roman empire. 'l'he "leaven" means both the teaching and the spirit of it (cf. Matt. xvi. 12 ; Luke xii. 1). III. THE UNSPIRITUAL MIND CONSTANTLY MISUNDERSTOOD Hnl. The disciples stuck at the word" leaven "-leaven-loaves. "We forgot to bring provisions with us!" The error was double. They caught at the sound instead of the sense. And they showed forgetfulness of the miracle they had so recently witnessed. " How is it that you do not consider?" Christ is just as much misunderstood to-day as he was then. We forget the spirit of Christianity; we blunder over its meaning. He says to us to-da.y, "How is it that you do not consider?" "Moral evidence is most profitable and proper for religious truth. Lower proof is desired when higher is disregarded and despised. Forgetfulness of the past occasions needless anxiety for the future" (J. H. Godwin).-J. Vera. 22-26.-Tlte blind man. I. "THE KNOWLEDGE OF CHRIST AWAKENS FAITH IN THOSE WHO ABE BROUGHT TO HIIII BY THE FAITH OF OTHERS." II. "BENEFITS ARE RECEIVED ACCORDING TO THE KE.ABUBE OF FAITH IN HIM" (J. H. Godwin).-J. Vers. 27-30.-Jesua the Messiah. L SoME MISTAKEN IDENTIFICATIONS OP JESUS. John Baptist; Elijah; a prophet; Jeremiah, according to Matthew. There was some truth here. They recognized the prophetic inspiration and power of Jesus. Truth in feeling, error in thought; Jesus was the greatest of the prophets, not re:,,oducing his predecessors, but going beyond them. God bath spoken by his Son (Heb. i.). IL A TBUE IDENTIFICATION. Pater's, "Thou art the Messiah," i.e. the Anointed of God (cf, Matt. xvi. 13-20). 'l'he Messiah includes Prophet, Priest, and King within his person and functions. III. THE ACCEPT.ANOE OF THE IDENTIFICATION BY JESUS. 1. It is implicitly accepted here, as explicitly in Matt. xvi. Jesus claims to be Prince and Saviour of his people and mankind. 2. Yet it must not be made known. Probably the statement, "'1.'he Prophet Jesus is the Messiah," noised abroad, would have produced a false impression. When by his death all hopes of an earthly kiugdom had been destroyed, it would not be so. "Only with a knowledge of his character would the statement at any time be beneficial; and from this it would receive the best and surest confirmation" (J. H. Godwin).-J. Vere, 31-38.- Unwelcome prophecies. I. PLAIN TRUTHS SELDOM WELCOME. He now spoke of suffering, rejection, even murder, at the hands of a conspiracy. The veil was drawn aside; at last it was seen what the Messiahship of Jesus meant. The same thing hl\d before been expressed parabolically (John ii. 19; iii. 14; vi. 61). II. 'l'HE FLATTERY OF FRIBNDSHIP. The honest-hearted Peter is endeared to us. He is so lium:i.n; his feelings always on the right side, his intelligence often confused. How true his heart here ! how wrong his thought! Suffering and death seem an evil  860 THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. MARK. [c11. vm. 1-38.