The Pulpit Commentary — Mark — Volume 1 — Section 368

word and work ; they rather denote-the former the virtue proceeding from the Saviour, which restored the extinct sense of sight, the latter the rectification of the organ. Just as in the case of the person born blind, who was couched for blindness, the recovery here also was gradual ; so with the spiritually blind we proceed gradually from one degree of light to another, from grace to grace, and from strength to strength. When the spiritually blind recover sight, they discern many things before shrouded in darkness, but not all things, nor even those many things with perfect clearness, or in their correct relations or relative proportions. We need the hand of Jesus to touch our eyes many a time before our spiritual eyesight is perfected; that sight, by the gentle touch of our loving, living Sa.vionr, goes on improving till our dying day. We are in the hand of our Saviour just as this blind man ; and as he led him forth, fully restored his sight, and sPnt him away from his old associations, so we must give ourselves up to his guidance, depend on him entirely for full restoration of sight and other spiritual powers, tum our back on old sinful courses or companions, and go with our Lord whithersoever he leads us. The following context exemplifies the gradual recovery of spiritual sight in those who identified Jesus with John, or Elias, or a prnphet, and in the disciples who acknowledged him to be the Christ. The former had a glimmering of the truth; the latter saw its full-orbed clearness. The former only saw "men like trees, walking;" the latter saw it in this particular with perfect plainness.-J. J. G. Vers. 27-34. Parallel passages: Matt. xvi. 13-24; Luke ix. 18-23.-Christ's prediction of his death and rebuk6 of Peter. This section will be considered in con- nection with a like prediction in the following (ninth) chapter of this Gospel.-J. J. G. Vers. 35-38. Parallel passages: Matt. xvi. 25-27; Luke ix. 24-26.-Secular profit and spirit'll,Q,l loss. 1. A CURIOUS OALOULATION. These verses present themselves in the light of an arithmetical calculation regarding profit and loss-a calculation as important as it is curious. In this calculation the soul is on one side, and the world on the other; secular matters on the one hand, spiritual concerns on the other. A calculation of this sort involves a difficulty, for there is no common standard to which we can bring things so different in their nature. There is no common measure by which we can simplify their comparison, and so better gauge their real relative propor- tions. They have no common factor; they stand prime to each other. But perhaps it were better to regard these verses as an allusion, not so much to a bare arithmetical calculation, as to a. practical mercantile reckoning. It is customary with merchants and others, at some particular period of the year, to look into their books and see how they stand with the world, and how the world stands with them-to balance their accounts, ascertaining their profits and determining their losses. Now, the course thus pursued in secular may with still greater advantage be adopted in spiritual concerns, while the adoption of some such course seems suggested by the inquiry, "What shall it profit a man?" II. SUPPOSED PnOFIT. Tho supposed profit is here set forth to the greatest advantage. The supposed gain is the very maximum-the greatest possible. It is, in fact, much greater than any man bas ever reached. 'l'hat any one individual should gain the whole world is quite improbable-nay, it is almost, if not altogether, impossible. No man has ever ii:ained so much, no man is ever likely to do so; no man nowadays ever dreams of such a thing. We read, indeed, of one in ancient times that made al\ approximation to it. We e.re informed that Alexander the Great subjected the surrounding hostile tribes to the arms of Macedon; conquered the provinces of Asia Minor, deciding the empire ol all Asia in three great battles at Grauicus, Issus, and .Arbela; received the submission of Italian, Scythian, Kelt, and Iberian ambassadors; penetrated to the furthest limit northward, and overthrew the Scythians on the banks of the J axartis; pushed his victorie;s far eastward, even to the Hyphasis or Sutlej ; founded cities and planted colonies in the Punjab. And when at that point his progress was checked by the murmuring of his troops, and he was obliged to retreat to the Hydaspes or Jhelum, he built a fleet, sailed down the Indus to its mouth, and there, standing in view of the Indian Ocean, and feeling he had arrived at the limit of his career, tears filled his eyes, and he wept because his victories were at an end, and there was no moro for_him to subdue-" no other worlu," say the old historians," for 366 THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. MARK. [ou. VIII. 1-38.