The Pulpit Commentary — Mark — Volume 1 — Section 363

to him, as to most of us. Not so to Christ. The mere suggestion that the real is to be preferred to the idea.I, mere life to duty, self-interest to the kingdom of God, he 1puros from him as the suggestion of a dark spirit. IIL SELF-RENUNCIATION. " Let him renounce himself!" says Christ to the recruit for his army, tlie would-be citizen of his kingdom. Deep words: the meaning behind them it requires a life to learn. 1. rhe resolve of egotism must end in failure. 'fo determine to save one's life is to ca.st it away; to cast away one's life for the sake of the ideal is to save it. Christianity is the kingdom of the ideal, 2. In the spiritual sphere there is no real loss. Life is one, and is not " in the abundance of the things possessed." It cannot be "priced," nor bartered a.way. It is the man's very self. 3. To disavow our ideal is to incur eternal shame. There are the ideals of comfort, of hu::ury; the ideals of society; the idealq of God, of the spirit. We must take our choice. We may make a choice of the lower which shall exclude the higher, or of the higher which shall include all of worth in the lower. There is no other rule than " :::leek first the kingdom of God I " If we are ashamed to be true to our ideal, the time will come when we shall be put to shame in the presence of it. To disavow greatness when it comes to us under the guise of obscurity, this is to ensure our being disavowed of greatness when it appears in its true and heavenly glory.-J. Vers. 1-21. Parallel passage: Matt. xv. 30-xvi. 12.-1. The feeding of the four thousand.. 2. TM sign sought by the Pha,·isees. 3. The leaven of the Phariaees. I. OmssION. Having pretty fully considered the feeding of the five thousand recorded in the sixth chapter, and its relation to the feeding of the four thousand narrated in the above section of this eighth chapter, we waive further notice of this subject, as the two miracles are in fact twin miracles, having much in common, and many circumstances so similar that, as we saw, some erroneously identified them. We may add, however, that on the former occasion the northern villagers would have made Jesus a king ; the dwellers on the eastern shores make no demonstration. Further, the five thousand were fed after the return of the twelve ; the four thousand after our Lord's return from the borders of Tyre and Sidon. In the former case, the disciples went away by sea and Christ retired to the mountain, but met them again at the fourth watch, as he walked upon the waters. On the present occasion the multitude had been with Jesus three days, and afterwards he departed with the disciples in the ship. II. THE P:e:•BIBEEB At this juncture they had made common cause with their bitter opponents, the Saddncees; both together made a combined and desperate attack on our Lord. He seems to have avoided Bethsaida and Capernaum, which were further north, and to have landed near Magda.la, now El-Mejdel, in the neighbourhood and about three miles to the north of which was Dalmanutha, on purpose, it would seem, to escape from those inveterate enemies who appear to have ma.de Capernaum or Bethsaida their head-quarters. Consequently they were under the necessity of coming in quest of him ; for they "came forth, and began to question with him. n Their ostensible object on this occasion was to seek of him a sign from heaven, but their real design was, ln all likelihood, to entrap him. They were insincere as well as sceptical; and, had the sought-for sign been granted, it would not have overcome their deeply rooted pre- judic.es and hypocritical pretences. The conduct of these wretched men was suicidal. Their curiosity craved a sign ; their unbelief unfitted them for its performance, as also for it& proper perception had it been performed. Besides, had there not been many signs? Had not a multitude of the angelic host celebrated Christ's birth on the plains of Bethlehem ? Had there not been the reception by Simeon, and the response of Anna at his presentation in the temple? Had not the star appeared in the East? Had not the Magi followed its guidance to worship the infant Saviour and to present their gifts? Had not an audible voice from heaven acknowledged him at his baptism, it did as on two subseauent occasions? Had not the Spirit, in vi8ible, dove-like form, descended upon him 'f ThUB in the temple two pious Jews expressed their grateful e.cknowledg- ments and recorded their Joy, confessing their Lord. Soon after, Gentile Magi, men of scientific knowledge and literary pursuits, came from a far-off Eastern land to pay their homage. Here we have at once Hebrew piety and Gentile philosophy uniting to do honour to the infant Saviour, and bow in humility at his feet. Here, too, we have male lllld female-that godly old man Simeon and that holy, aged woman Anna repre- ~u. vm. 1-38.] 'lHE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. MARK. 361