1AndG2532 he saidG3004 to themG846, VerilyG281 I sayG3004 to youG5213, ThatG3754 there areG1526 someG5100 of them that standG2476 hereG5602, whoG3748 shallG1089 notG3364 tasteG1089 of deathG2288, tillG2193 G302 they have seenG1492 the kingdomG932 of GodG2316 comeG2064 withG1722 powerG1411. 2AndG2532 afterG3326 sixG1803 daysG2250 JesusG2424 takethG3880 with him PeterG4074, andG2532 JamesG2385, andG2532 JohnG2491, andG2532 leadethG399 themG846 upG399 uponG1519 an highG5308 mountainG3735 apartG2596 G2398 by themselvesG3441: andG2532 he was transfiguredG3339 beforeG1715 themG846. 3AndG2532 hisG846 raimentG2440 becameG1096 shiningG4744, exceedingG3029 whiteG3022 asG5613 snowG5510; so asG3634 noG3756 fullerG1102 onG1909 earthG1093 canG1410 make them whiteG3021. 4AndG2532 there appearedG3700 to themG846 ElijahG2243 withG4862 MosesG3475: andG2532 they wereG2258 talkingG4814 with JesusG2424. 5AndG2532 PeterG4074 answeredG611 and saidG3004 to JesusG2424, MasterG4461, it isG2076 goodG2570 for usG2248 to beG1511 hereG5602: andG2532 let us makeG4160 threeG5140 tabernaclesG4633; oneG3391 for theeG4671, andG2532 oneG3391 for MosesG3475, andG2532 oneG3391 for ElijahG2243. 6ForG1063 he knewG1492 notG3756 whatG5101 to sayG2980; forG1063 they were greatlyG2258 afraidG1630. 7AndG2532 there wasG1096 a cloudG3507 that overshadowedG1982 themG846: andG2532 a voiceG5456 cameG2064 out ofG1537 the cloudG3507, sayingG3004, ThisG3778 isG2076 myG3450 belovedG27 SonG5207: hearG191 himG846. 8AndG2532 suddenlyG1819, when they had looked aroundG4017, they sawG1492 no manG3762 any moreG3765, exceptG235 JesusG2424 onlyG3441 withG3326 themselvesG1438. 9AndG1161 as theyG846 came downG2597 fromG575 the mountainG3735, he chargedG1291 themG846 thatG2443 they should tellG1334 no manG3367 what thingsG3739 they had seenG1492, tillG1508 G3752 the SonG5207 of manG444 were risenG450 fromG1537 the deadG3498. 10AndG2532 they keptG2902 that sayingG3056 withG4314 themselvesG1438, questioning one with anotherG4802 whatG5101 the risingG450 fromG1537 the deadG3498 should meanG2076. 11AndG2532 they askedG1905 himG846, sayingG3004, WhyG3754 sayG3004 the scribesG1122 thatG3754 ElijahG2243 mustG1163 firstG4412 comeG2064? 12AndG1161 he answeredG611 and toldG2036 themG846, ElijahG2243 verilyG3303 comethG2064 firstG4412, and restorethG600 all thingsG3956; andG2532 howG4459 it is writtenG1125 concerningG1909 the SonG5207 of manG444, thatG2443 he must sufferG3958 many thingsG4183, andG2532 be treated with contemptG1847. 13ButG235 I sayG3004 to youG5213, ThatG3754 ElijahG2243 isG2064 indeedG2532 comeG2064, andG2532 they have doneG4160 to himG846 whateverG3745 they wishedG2309, asG2531 it is writtenG1125 concerningG1909 himG846. 14AndG2532 when he cameG2064 toG4314 his disciplesG3101, he sawG1492 a greatG4183 multitudeG3793 aboutG4012 themG846, andG2532 the scribesG1122 questioningG4802 with themG846. 15AndG2532 immediatelyG2112 allG3956 the peopleG3793, when they beheldG1492 himG846, were greatly amazedG1568, andG2532 running toG4370 him greetedG782 himG846. 16AndG2532 he askedG1905 the scribesG1122, WhatG5101 question yeG4802 withG4314 themG846? 17AndG2532 oneG1520 ofG1537 the multitudeG3793 answeredG611 and saidG2036, MasterG1320, I have broughtG5342 toG4314 theeG4571 myG3450 sonG5207, who hathG2192 a dumbG216 spiritG4151; 18AndG2532 whereverG3699 G302 he takethG2638 himG846, he tearethG4486 himG846: andG2532 he foamethG875, andG2532 gnashethG5149 with hisG846 teethG3599, andG2532 pineth awayG3583: andG2532 I spokeG2036 to thyG4675 disciplesG3101 thatG2443 they should castG1544 himG846 outG1544; andG2532 they couldG2480 notG3756. 19He answeredG611 himG846, andG1161 saithG3004, OG5599 faithlessG571 generationG1074, how longG2193 G4219 shall I beG2071 withG4314 youG5209? how longG2193 G4219 shall I bear withG430 youG5216? bringG5342 himG846 toG4314 meG3165. 20AndG2532 they broughtG5342 himG846 toG4314 himG846: andG2532 when he sawG1492 himG846, immediatelyG2112 the spiritG4151 toreG4682 himG846; andG2532 he fellG4098 onG1909 the groundG1093, and wallowedG2947 foamingG875. 21AndG2532 he askedG1905 hisG846 fatherG3962, How longG4214 is itG2076 G5550 sinceG5613 thisG5124 cameG1096 to himG846? AndG1161 he saidG2036, From a childG3812. 22AndG2532 oftenG4178 it hath castG906 himG846 intoG2532 G1519 the fireG4442, andG2532 intoG1519 the watersG5204, toG2443 destroyG622 himG846: butG235 ifG1536 thou canstG1410 do any thingG1536, have compassionG4697 onG1909 usG2248, and helpG997 usG2254. 23JesusG2424 saidG2036 to himG846, IfG1487 thou canstG1410 believeG4100, all thingsG3956 are possibleG1415 to himG846 that believethG4100. 24AndG2532 immediatelyG2112 the fatherG3962 of the childG3813 cried outG2896, and saidG3004 withG3326 tearsG1144, LordG2962, I believeG4100; help thouG997 myG3450 unbeliefG570. 25WhenG1161 JesusG2424 sawG1492 thatG3754 the peopleG3793 came running togetherG1998, he rebukedG2008 the foulG169 spiritG4151, sayingG3004 to himG846, Thou dumbG216 andG2532 deafG2974 spiritG4151, IG1473 chargeG2004 theeG4671, comeG1831 out ofG1537 himG846, andG2532 enterG1525 no moreG3371 intoG1519 himG846. 26AndG2532 the spirit criedG2896, andG2532 toreG4682 himG846 violentlyG4183, and came out of himG1831: andG2532 he wasG1096 asG5616 one deadG3498; soG5620 thatG3754 manyG4183 saidG3004, He is deadG599. 27ButG1161 JesusG2424 tookG2902 himG846 by the handG5495, and liftedG1453 himG846 upG1453; andG2532 he aroseG450. 28AndG2532 when heG846 had comeG1525 intoG1519 the houseG3624, hisG846 disciplesG3101 askedG1905 himG846 privatelyG2596 G2398, WhyG3754 couldG1410 notG3756 weG2249 castG1544 himG846 outG1544? 29AndG2532 he saidG2036 to themG846, ThisG5124 kindG1085 canG1410 come forthG1831 byG1722 nothingG3762, butG1508 byG1722 prayerG4335 andG2532 fastingG3521. 30AndG2532 they departedG1831 from thereG1564, and passedG3899 throughG1223 GalileeG1056; andG2532 he wouldG2309 notG3756 thatG2443 any manG5100 should knowG1097 it. 31ForG1063 he taughtG1321 hisG846 disciplesG3101, andG2532 saidG3004 to themG3754 G846, The SonG5207 of manG444 is deliveredG3860 intoG1519 the handsG5495 of menG444, andG2532 they shall killG615 himG846; andG2532 after that he is killedG615, he shall riseG450 the thirdG5154 dayG2250. 32ButG1161 they understood notG50 that sayingG4487, andG2532 were afraidG5399 to askG1905 himG846. 33AndG2532 he cameG2064 toG1519 CapernaumG2584: andG2532 beingG1096 inG1722 the houseG3614 he askedG1905 themG846, WhatG5101 was it that ye disputedG1260 amongG4314 yourselvesG1438 byG1722 the wayG3598? 34ButG1161 they held their peaceG4623: forG1063 byG1722 the wayG3598 they had disputedG1256 amongG4314 themselvesG240, whoG5101 should be the greatestG3187. 35AndG2532 he sat downG2523, and calledG5455 the twelveG1427, andG2532 saithG3004 to themG846, If any manG1536 desirethG2309 to beG1511 firstG4413, the same shall beG2071 lastG2078 of allG3956, andG2532 servantG1249 of allG3956. 36AndG2532 he tookG2983 a childG3813, and setG2476 himG846 inG1722 the midstG3319 of themG846: andG2532 when he had takenG1723 himG846 in his armsG1723, he saidG2036 to themG846, 37WhoeverG3739 G1437 shall receiveG1209 oneG1520 of suchG5108 childrenG3813 inG1909 myG3450 nameG3686, receivethG1209 meG1691: andG2532 whoeverG3739 G1437 shall receiveG1209 meG1691, receivethG1209 notG3756 meG1691, butG235 him that sentG649 meG3165. 38AndG1161 JohnG2491 answeredG611 himG846, sayingG3004, MasterG1320, we sawG1492 oneG5100 casting outG1544 demonsG1140 in thyG4675 nameG3686, andG3739 he followethG190 notG3756 usG2254: andG2532 we forbadG2967 himG846, becauseG3754 he followethG190 notG3756 usG2254. 39ButG1161 JesusG2424 saidG2036, ForbidG2967 himG846 notG3361: forG1063 there isG2076 no manG3762 whoG3739 shall doG4160 a miracleG1411 inG1909 myG3450 nameG3686, thatG2532 canG1410 lightlyG5035 speak evilG2551 of meG3165. 40ForG1063 he thatG3739 isG2076 notG3756 againstG2596 usG2257 isG2076 for usG5228 G2257. 41ForG1063 whoeverG3739 G302 shall giveG4222 youG5209 a cupG4221 of waterG5204 to drinkG4222 inG1722 myG3450 nameG3686, becauseG3754 ye belongG2075 to ChristG5547, verilyG281 I sayG3004 to youG5213, he shallG622 notG3364 loseG622 hisG846 rewardG3408. 42AndG2532 whoeverG3739 G302 shall causeG4624 oneG1520 of these little onesG3398 that believeG4100 inG1519 meG1691 to stumbleG4624 it isG2076 betterG2570 G3123 for himG846 thatG1487 a millstoneG3037 G3457 were hungG4029 aboutG4012 hisG846 neckG5137, andG2532 he were castG906 intoG1519 the seaG2281. 43AndG2532 ifG1437 thyG4675 handG5495 causethG4624 theeG4571 to stumbleG4624, cutG609 itG846 offG609: it isG2076 betterG2570 for theeG4671 to enterG1525 G1519 lifeG2222 maimedG2948, thanG2228 havingG2192 twoG1417 handsG5495 to goG565 intoG1519 hellG1067, intoG1519 the fireG4442 that never shall be quenchedG762: 44WhereG3699 theirG846 wormG4663 diethG5053 notG3756, andG2532 the fireG4442 isG4570 notG3756 quenchedG4570. 45AndG2532 ifG1437 thyG4675 footG4228 causethG4624 theeG4571 to stumbleG4624, cutG609 itG846 offG609: it isG2076 betterG2570 for theeG4671 to enterG1525 lameG5560 intoG1519 lifeG2222, thanG2228 havingG2192 twoG1417 feetG4228 to be castG906 intoG1519 hellG1067, intoG1519 the fireG4442 that never shall be quenchedG762: 46WhereG3699 theirG846 wormG4663 diethG5053 notG3756, andG2532 the fireG4442 isG4570 notG3756 quenchedG4570. 47AndG2532 ifG1437 thyG4675 eyeG3788 causethG4624 theeG4571 to stumbleG4624, pluckG1544 itG846 outG1544: it isG2076 betterG2570 for theeG4671 to enterG1525 intoG1519 the kingdomG932 of GodG2316 with one eyeG3442, thanG2228 havingG2192 twoG1417 eyesG3788 to be castG906 intoG1519 hellG1067 fireG4442: 48WhereG3699 theirG846 wormG4663 diethG5053 notG3756, andG2532 the fireG4442 isG4570 notG3756 quenchedG4570. 49ForG1063 every oneG3956 shall be saltedG233 with fireG4442, andG2532 everyG3956 sacrificeG2378 shall be saltedG233 with saltG251. 50SaltG217 is goodG2570: butG1161 ifG1437 the saltG217 hath lostG1096 its saltnessG358, howG1722 G5101 will ye seasonG741 itG846? HaveG2192 saltG217 inG1722 yourselvesG1438, andG2532 have peaceG1514 oneG240 withG1722 anotherG240.
Jamieson Fausset Brown Bible Commentary 14 HEALING OF A DEMONIAC BOY--SECOND EXPLICIT ANNOUNCEMENT OF HIS APPROACHING DEATH AND RESURRECTION. ( =
Matt 17:14-
Matt 17:23;
Luke 9:37-
Luke 9:45). (Mark 9:14-32)
And when he came to his disciples, he saw a great multitude about them, and the scribes questioning with them--This was "on the next day, when they were come down from the hill" (
Luke 9:37). The Transfiguration appears to have taken place at night. In the morning, as He came down from the hill on which it took place--with Peter, and James, and John--on approaching the other nine, He found them surrounded by a great multitude, and the scribes disputing or discussing with them. No doubt these cavillers were twitting the apostles of Jesus with their inability to cure the demoniac boy of whom we are presently to hear, and insinuating doubts even of their Master's ability to do it; while they, zealous for their Master's honor, would no doubt refer to His past miracles in proof of the contrary.
15 And straightway all the people--the multitude.
when they beheld him, were greatly amazed--were astounded.
and running to him saluted him--The singularly strong expression of surprise, the sudden arrest of the discussion,and the rush of the multitude towards Him, can be accounted for by nothing less than something amazing in His appearance. There can hardly be any doubt that His countenance still retained traces of His transfiguration-glory. (See
Exod 34:29-
Exod 34:30). So BENGEL, DE WETTE, MEYER, TRENCH, ALFORD. No wonder, if this was the case, that they not only ran to Him, but saluted Him. Our Lord, however, takes no notice of what had attracted them, and probably it gradually faded away as He drew near; but addressing Himself to the scribes, He demands the subject of their discussion, ready to meet them where they had pressed hard upon His half-instructed and as yet timid apostles.
16 And he asked the scribes, What question ye with them?--Ere they had time to reply, the father of the boy, whose case had occasioned the dispute, himself steps forward and answers the question; telling a piteous tale of deafness, and dumbness, and fits of epilepsy--ending with this, that the disciples, though entreated, could not perform the cure.
17 And one of the multitude answered, and said, Master, I have brought unto thee my son--"mine only child" (
Luke 9:38).
which hath a dumb spirit--a spirit whose operation had the effect of rendering his victim speechless, and deaf also (
Mark 9:25). In Matthew's report of the speech (
Matt 17:15), the father says "he is lunatic"; this being another and most distressing effect of the possession.
18 And wheresoever he taketh him, he teareth him; and he foameth, and gnasheth with his teeth, and pineth away--rather, "becomes withered," "dried up," or "paralyzed"; as the same word is everywhere else rendered in the New Testament. Some additional particulars are given by Luke, and by our Evangelist below. "Lo," says he in
Luke 9:39, "a spirit taketh him, and he suddenly crieth out; and it teareth him that he foameth again, and bruising him hardly [or with difficulty] departeth from him."
and I spake to thy disciples that they should cast him out; and they could not--Our Lord replies to the father by a severe rebuke to the disciples. As if wounded at the exposure before such a multitude, of the weakness of His disciples' faith, which doubtless He felt as a reflection on Himself, He puts them to the blush before all, but in language fitted only to raise expectation of what He Himself would do.
19 He answereth him, and saith, O faithless generation--"and perverse," or "perverted" (
Matt 17:17;
Luke 9:41).
how long shall I be with you? how long shall I suffer you?--language implying that it was a shame to them to want the faith necessary to perform this cure, and that it needed some patience to put up with them. It is to us surprising that some interpreters, as CHRYSOSTOM and CALVIN, should represent this rebuke as addressed, not to the disciples at all, but to the scribes who disputed with them. Nor does it much, if at all, mend the matter to view it as addressed to both, as most expositors seem to do. With BENGEL, DE WETTE, and MEYER, we regard it as addressed directly to the nine apostles who were unable to expel this evil spirit. And though, in ascribing this inability to their "want of faith" and the "perverted turn of mind" which they had drunk in with their early training, the rebuke would undoubtedly apply, with vastly greater force, to those who twitted the poor disciples with their inability, it would be to change the whole nature of the rebuke to suppose it addressed to those who had no faith at all, and were wholly perverted. It was because faith sufficient for curing this youth was to be expected of the disciples, and because they should by that time have got rid of the perversity in which they had been reared, that Jesus exposes them thus before the rest. And who does not see that this was fitted, more than anything else, to impress upon the by-standers the severe loftiness of the training He was giving to the Twelve, and the unsophisticated footing He was on with them?
Bring him unto me--The order to bring the patient to Him was instantly obeyed; when, lo! as if conscious of the presence of his Divine Tormentor, and expecting to be made to quit, the foul spirit rages and is furious, determined to die hard, doing all the mischief he can to this poor child while yet within his grasp.
20 And they brought him unto him: and when he saw him, straightway the spirit tare him--Just as the man with the legion of demons, "when he saw Jesus, ran and worshipped Him" (
Mark 5:6), so this demon, when he saw Him, immediately "tare him." The feeling of terror and rage was the same in both cases.
and he fell on the ground, and wallowed foaming--Still Jesus does nothing, but keeps conversing with the father about the case--partly to have its desperate features told out by him who knew them best, in the hearing of the spectators; partly to let its virulence have time to show itself; and partly to deepen the exercise of the father's soul, to draw out his faith, and thus to prepare both him and the by-standers for what He was to do.
21 And he asked his father, How long is it ago since this came unto him? And he said, Of a child, &c.--Having told briefly the affecting features of the case, the poor father, half dispirited by the failure of the disciples and the aggravated virulence of the malady itself in presence of their Master, yet encouraged too by what he had heard of Christ, by the severe rebuke He had given to His disciples for not having faith enough to cure the boy, and by the dignity with which He had ordered him to be brought to Him--in this mixed state of mind, he closes his description of the case with these touching words:
22 but if thou canst do anything, have compassion on us, and help us--"us," says the father; for it was a sore family affliction. Compare the language of the Syrophśnician woman regarding her daughter, "Lord, help me." Still nothing is done: the man is but struggling into faith: it must come a step farther. But he had to do with Him who breaks not the bruised reed, and who knew how to inspire what He demanded. The man had said to Him, "If Thou canst do."
23 Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe--The man had said, "If Thou canst do anything." Jesus replies.
all things are possible to him that believeth--"My doing all depends on thy believing." To impress this still more, He redoubles upon the believing: "If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth." Thus the Lord helps the birth of faith in that struggling soul; and now, though with pain and sore travail, it comes to the birth, as TRENCH, borrowing from OLSHAUSEN, expresses it. Seeing the case stood still, waiting not upon the Lord's power but his own faith, the man becomes immediately conscious of conflicting principles, and rises into one of the noblest utterances on record.
24 And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe: help thou mine unbelief--that is, "It is useless concealing from Thee, O Thou mysterious, mighty Healer, the unbelief that still struggles in this heart of mine; but that heart bears me witness that I do believe in Thee; and if distrust still remains, I disown it, I wrestle with it, I seek help from Thee against it." Two things are very remarkable here: First, The felt and owned presence of unbelief, which only the strength of the man's faith could have so revealed to his own consciousness. Second, His appeal to Christ for help against his felt unbelief--a feature in the case quite unparalleled, and showing, more than all protestations could have done, the insight he had attained into the existence of a power in Christ more glorious them any he had besought for his poor child. The work was done; and as the commotion and confusion in the crowd was now increasing, Jesus at once, as Lord of spirits, gives the word of command to the dumb and deaf spirit to be gone, never again to return to his victim.
26 And the spirit cried, and rent him sore, and came out of him; and he was as one dead; insomuch that many said, He is dead--The malignant, cruel spirit, now conscious that his time was come, gathers up his whole strength, with intent by a last stroke to kill his victim, and had nearly succeeded. But the Lord of life was there; the Healer of all maladies, the Friend of sinners, the Seed of the woman, "the Stronger than the strong man armed," was there. The very faith which Christ declared to be enough for everything being now found, it was not possible that the serpent should prevail. Fearfully is he permitted to bruise the heel, as in this case; but his own head shall go for it--his works shall be destroyed (
1John 3:8).
27 But Jesus took him by the hand, and lifted him up; and he arose.
28 Why could not we cast him out?
29 And he said unto them, This kind can come forth by nothing but by prayer and fasting--that is, as nearly all good interpreters are agreed, "this kind of evil spirits cannot be expelled," or "so desperate a case of demoniacal possession cannot be cured, but by prayer and fasting." But since the Lord Himself says that His disciples could not fast while He was with them, perhaps this was designed, as ALFORD hints, for their after-guidance--unless we take it as but a definite way of expressing the general truth, that great and difficult duties require special preparation and self-denial. But the answer to their question, as given in
Matt 17:20-
Matt 17:21 is fuller: "And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief. For verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place, and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you" (
Matt 17:20). See on
Mark 11:23. "Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting" (
Matt 17:21), that is, though nothing is impossible to faith, yet such a height of faith as is requisite for such triumphs is not to be reached either in a moment or without effort--either with God in prayer or with ourselves in self-denying exercises. Luke (
Luke 9:43) adds, "And they were all amazed at the mighty power of God"--"at the majesty" or "mightiness of God," in this last miracle, in the Transfiguration, &c.; or, at the divine grandeur of Christ rising upon them daily.
Second Explicit Announcement of His Approaching Death and Resurrection (
Mark 9:30-
Mark 9:32).
30 And they departed thence, and passed--were passing along.
through Galilee; and he would not that any man should know it--By comparing
Matt 17:22-
Matt 17:23 and
Luke 9:43-
Luke 9:44 with this, we gather, that as our Lord's reason for going through Galilee more privately than usual on this occasion was to reiterate to them the announcement which had so shocked them at the first mention of it, and thus familiarize them with it by little and little, so this was His reason for enjoining silence upon them as to their present movements.
31 For he taught his disciples, and said unto them--"Let these sayings sink down into your ears" (
Luke 9:44); not what had been passing between them as to His grandeur, but what He was now to utter.
The Son of man is delivered--The use of the present tense expresses how near at hand He would have them to consider it. As BENGEL says, steps were already in course of being taken to bring it about.
into the hands of men--This remarkable antithesis, "the Son of man shall be delivered into the hands of men," it is worthy of notice, is in all the three Evangelists.
and they shall kill him--that is, "Be not carried off your feet by all that grandeur of Mine which ye have lately witnessed, but bear in mind what I have already told you and now distinctly repeat, that that Sun in whose beams ye now rejoice is soon to set in midnight gloom."
and after he is killed, he shall rise the third day.
32 But they understood not that saying--"and it was hid from them, [so] that they preceived it not" (
Luke 9:45).
and were afraid to ask him--Their most cherished ideas were so completely dashed by such announcements, that they were afraid of laying themselves open to rebuke by asking Him any questions. But "they were exceeding sorry" (
Matt 17:23). While the other Evangelists, as WEBSTER and WILKINSON remark, notice their ignorance and their fear, Matthew, who was one of them, retains a vivid recollection of their sorrow.
33 STRIFE AMONG THE TWELVE WHO SHOULD BE GREATEST IN THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN, WITH RELATIVE TEACHING--INCIDENTAL REBUKE OF JOHN FOR EXCLUSIVENESS. ( =
Matt 18:1-
Matt 18:9;
Luke 9:46-
Luke 9:50). (Mark 9:33-50)
What was it that ye disputed among yourselves by the way?--From this we gather that after the ,painful communication He had made to them, the Redeemer had allowed them to travel so much of the way by themselves; partly, no doubt, that He might have privacy for Himself to dwell on what lay before Him, and partly that they might be induced to weigh together and prepare themselves for the terrible events which He had announced to them. But if so, how different was their occupation!
34 But they held their peace: for by the way they had disputed among themselves, who should be the greatest--From
Matt 18:1 we should infer that the subject was introduced, not by our Lord, but by the disciples themselves, who came and asked Jesus who should be greatest. Perhaps one or two of them first referred the matter to Jesus, who put them off till they should all be assembled together at Capernaum. He had all the while "perceived the thought of their heart" (
Luke 9:47); but now that they were all together "in the house," He questions them about it, and they are put to the blush, conscious of the temper towards each other which it had kindled. This raised the whole question afresh, and at this point our Evangelist takes it up. The subject was suggested by the recent announcement of the Kingdom (
Matt 16:19-
Matt 16:28), the transfiguration of their Master, and especially the preference given to three of them at that scene.
35 If any man desire to be first, the same shall be last of all, and servant of all--that is, "let him be" such: he must be prepared to take the last and lowest place. See on
Mark 10:42-
Mark 10:45.
36 And he took a child--"a little child" (
Matt 18:2); but the word is the same in both places, as also in
Luke 9:47.
and set him in the midst of them: and when he had taken him in his arms--This beautiful trait is mentioned by out Evangelist alone.
he said unto them--Here we must go to Matthew (
Matt 18:3-
Matt 18:4) for the first of this answer: "Verily I say unto you, except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of Heaven: " that is, "Conversion must be thorough; not only must the heart be turned to God in general, and from earthly to heavenly things, but in particular, except ye be converted from that carnal ambition which still rankles within you, into that freedom from all such feelings which ye see in this child, ye have neither part nor lot in the kingdom at all; and he who in this feature has most of the child, is highest there." Whosoever, therefore, shall "humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven": "for he that is [willing to be] least among you all, the same shall be great" (
Luke 9:48).
37 Whosoever shall receive one of such children--so manifesting the spirit unconsciously displayed by this child.
in my name--from love to Me.
receiveth me; and whosoever shall receive me, receiveth not me, but Him that sent me--(See on
Matt 10:40).
Incidental Rebuke of John for Exclusiveness (
Mark 9:38-
Mark 9:41).
38 And John answered him, saying, Master, we saw one casting out devils in thy name, and he followeth not us: and we forbade him, because he followeth not us--The link of connection here with the foregoing context lies, we apprehend, in the emphatic words which our Lord had just uttered, "in My name." "Oh," interposes John--young, warm, but not sufficiently apprehending Christ's teaching in these matters--"that reminds me of something that we have just done, and we should like to know if we did right. We saw one casting out devils "in Thy name," and we forbade him, because he followeth not us. Were we right, or were we wrong?" Answer--"Ye were wrong." "But we did it because he followeth not us." "No matter."
39 But Jesus said, Forbid him not: for there is no man which shall do a miracle in my name, that can lightly speak evil of me--soon, that is, readily "speak evil of me."
40 For he that is not against us is on our part--Two principles of immense importance are here laid down: "First, No one will readily speak evil of Me who has the faith to do a miracle in My name; and second, If such a person cannot be supposed to be against us, ye are to consider him for us." Let it be carefully observed that our Lord does not say this man should not have "followed them," nor yet that it was indifferent whether he did or not; but simply teaches how such a person was to be regarded, although he did not--namely, as a reverer of His name and a promoter of His cause.
41 For whosoever shall give you a cup of water to drink in my name, because ye belong to Christ, verily I say unto you, he shall not lose his reward--(See on
Matt 10:42).
Continuation of Teaching Suggested by the Disciple's Strife (
Mark 9:42-
Mark 9:50).
What follows appears to have no connection with the incidental reproof of John immediately preceding. As that had interrupted some important teaching, our Lord hastens back from it, as if no such interruption had occurred.
42 For whosoever shall offend one of these little ones that believe in me--or, shall cause them to stumble; referring probably to the effect which such unsavory disputes as they had held would have upon the inquiring and hopeful who came in contact with them, leading to the belief that after all they were no better than others.
it is better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck--The word here is simply "millstone," without expressing of which kind. But in
Matt 18:6 it is the "ass-turned" kind, far heavier than the small hand-mill turned by female slaves, as in
Luke 17:35. It is of course the same which is meant here.
and he were cast into the sea--meaning, that if by such a death that stumbling were prevented, and so its eternal consequences averted, it would be a happy thing for them. Here follows a striking verse in
Matt 18:7, "Woe unto the world because of offences!" (There will be stumblings and falls and loss of souls enough from the world's treatment of disciples, without any addition from you: dreadful will be its doom in consequence; see that ye share not in it). "For it must needs be that offences come; but woe to that man by whom the offence cometh!" (The struggle between light and darkness will inevitably cause stumblings, but not less guilty is he who wilfully makes any to stumble).
43 And if thy hand offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter into life maimed, than having two hands to go into hell--See
Matt 5:29-
Matt 5:30. The only difference between the words there and here is that there they refer to impure inclinations; here, to an ambitious disposition, an irascible or quarrelsome temper, and the like: and the injunction is to strike at the root of such dispositions and cut off the occasions of them.
47 And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out: it is better for thee to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye, than having two eyes to be cast into hell-fire--On the words "hell" and "hell-fire," or "the hell of fire," see on
Matt 5:22.
48 Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched--See on
Matt 5:30; The "unquenchablesness" of this fire has already been brought before us (see on
Matt 3:12); and the awfully vivid idea of an undying worm, everlastingly consuming an unconsumable body, is taken from the closing words of the evangelical prophet (
Isa 66:24), which seem to have furnished the later Jewish Church with its current phraseology on the subject of future punishment (see LIGHTFOOT).
49 For every one shall be salted with fire, and every sacrifice shall be salted with salt--A difficult verse, on which much has been written--some of it to little purpose. "Every one" probably means "Every follower of mine"; and the "fire" with which he "must be salted" probably means "a fiery trial" to season him. (Compare
Mal 3:2, &c.). The reference to salting the sacrifice is of course to that maxim of the Levitical law, that every acceptable sacrifice must be sprinkled with salt, to express symbolically its soundness, sweetness, wholesomeness, acceptability. But as it had to be roasted first, we have here the further idea of a salting with fire. In this case, "every sacrifice," in the next clause, will mean, "Every one who would be found an acceptable offering to God"; and thus the whole verse may perhaps be paraphrased as follows: "Every disciple of Mine shall have a fiery trial to undergo, and everyone who would be found an odor of a sweet smell, a sacrifice acceptable and well-pleasing to God, must have such a salting, like the Levitical sacrifices." Another, but, as it seems to us, farfetched as well as harsh, interpretation--suggested first, we believe, by MICHAELIS, and adopted by ALEXANDER--takes the "every sacrifice which must be salted with fire" to mean those who are "cast into hell," and the preservative effect of this salting to refer to the preservation of the lost not only in but by means of the fire of hell. Their reason for this is that the other interpretation changes the meaning of the "fire," and the characters too, from the lost to the saved, in these verses. But as our Lord confessedly ends His discourse with the case of His own true disciples, the transition to them in
Mark 9:48 is perfectly natural; whereas to apply the preservative salt of the sacrifice to the preserving quality of hell-fire, is equally contrary to the symbolical sense of salt and the Scripture representations of future torment. Our Lord has still in His eye the unseemly jarrings which had arisen among the Twelve, the peril to themselves of allowing any indulgence to such passions, and the severe self-sacrifice which salvation would cost them.
50 Salt is good; but if the salt have lost his saltness--its power to season what it is brought into contact with.
wherewith will ye season it?--How is this property to be restored? See on
Matt 5:13.
Have salt in yourselves--See to it that ye retain in yourselves those precious qualities that will make you a blessing to one another, and to all around you.
and--with respect to the miserable strife out of which all this discourse has sprung, in one concluding word.
have peace one with another--This is repeated in
1Thess 5:13.
