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UndG2532 er nahmG2983 die siebenG2033 BroteG740 und dankteG2168 und brachG2806 sie undG2532 gabG1325 sie seinenG846 JüngernG3101, daßG2443 sie dieselben vorlegtenG3908; undG2532 sie legtenG3908 dem VolkG3793 vor. 7UndG2532 hattenG2192 ein wenigG3641 FischleinG2485; undG2532 er dankteG2127 und hießG2036 dieG846 auchG2532 vortragenG3908. 8Sie aßenG5315 aberG1161 undG2532 wurden sattG5526; undG2532 hobenG142 die übrigenG4051 BrockenG2801 auf, siebenG2033 KörbeG4711. 9UndG1161 ihrerG5315 warenG2258 beiG5613 4000G5070, die da gegessenG5315 hatten; undG2532 er ließG630 sieG846 vonG630 sich. 10UndG2532 alsbaldG2112 tratG1684 er inG1519 ein SchiffG4143 mitG3326 seinenG846 JüngernG3101 und kamG2064 inG1519 die GegendG3313 von DalmanuthaG1148. 11UndG2532 die PharisäerG5330 gingenG1831 heraus undG2532 fingenG756 an, sich mit ihmG846 zu befragenG4802, versuchtenG3985 ihnG846 und begehrtenG2212 vonG3844 ihmG846 ein ZeichenG4592 vomG575 HimmelG3772. 12UndG2532 er seufzteG389 in seinemG846 GeistG4151 und sprachG3004: WasG5101 suchtG1934 doch diesG3778 GeschlechtG1074 ZeichenG4592? WahrlichG281, ich sageG3004 euchG5213: Es wird diesemG5026 GeschlechtG1074 keinG1487 ZeichenG4592 gegebenG1325. 13UndG2532 er ließG863 sieG846 und tratG1684 wiederumG3825 inG1519 das SchiffG4143 und fuhrG565 herüberG1519 G4008. 14UndG2532 sie hatten vergessenG1950, BrotG740 mit sich zu nehmenG2983, und hattenG2192 nicht G2532 G3756 mehrG1508 mitG3326 sichG1438 imG1722 SchiffG4143 denn einG1520 BrotG740. 15UndG2532 er gebotG1291 ihnenG846 und sprachG3004: SchauetG3708 zu und sehetG991 euch vorG991 vorG575 dem SauerteigG2219 der PharisäerG5330 undG2532 vor dem SauerteigG2219 des HerodesG2264. 16UndG2532 sie gedachtenG1260 hin und her und sprachenG3004 untereinanderG4314 G240 : Das ist’s, daßG3754 wirG2192 nichtG3756 BrotG740 haben. 17UndG2532 JesusG2424 merkteG1097 das und sprachG3004 zu ihnenG846: WasG5101 bekümmertG1260 ihr euch doch, daßG3754 ihr nichtG3756 BrotG740 habtG2192? VernehmetG3539 ihr noch nichtsG3768 und seid noch nichtG3761 verständigG4920? Habt ihrG2192 nochG2089 ein erstarrtesG4456 HerzG2588 in euchG5216? 18Ihr habtG2192 AugenG3788, und sehetG991 nichtG3756, undG2532 habtG2192 OhrenG3775, und höretG191 nichtG3756, undG2532 denketG3421 nichtG3756 daran, 19daG3753 ich fünfG4002 BroteG740 brachG2806 unterG1519 5000G4000: wie vielG4214 KörbeG2894 vollG4134 BrockenG2801 hobtG142 ihrG846 da auf? Sie sprachenG3004: ZwölfG1427. 20DaG3753 ich aberG1161 die siebenG2033 brach unterG1519 die 4000G5070, wievielG4214 KörbeG4711 vollG4138 BrockenG2801 hobtG142 ihr da auf? Sie sprachenG2036: SiebenG2033. 21UndG2532 er sprachG3004 zu ihnenG846: WieG4459, vernehmetG4920 ihr denn nichtsG3756? 22UndG2532 er kamG2064 genG1519 BethsaidaG966. UndG2532 sie brachtenG5342 zu ihmG846 einen BlindenG5185 undG2532 batenG3870 ihnG846, daßG2443 er ihnG846 anrührteG680. 23UndG2532 er nahmG1949 den BlindenG5185 bei der HandG5495 und führteG1806 ihnG846 hinausG1854 vor den FleckenG2968;G2532 spützteG4429 inG1519 seineG846 AugenG3659 und legteG2007 seine HändeG5495 auf ihnG846 und fragteG1905 ihnG846, obG1536 er etwasG1536 säheG991? 24UndG2532 er sahG308 auf und sprachG3004 :G3754 Ich seheG991 MenschenG444 gehenG4043, als G5613 G3708 sähe ich BäumeG1186. 25DarnachG1534 legteG2007 er abermalsG3825 die HändeG5495 aufG1909 seineG846 AugenG3788 undG2532 hießG4160 ihnG846 abermals sehenG308; undG2532 er ward wieder zurechtgebrachtG600, daß er allesG537 scharfG5081 sehenG1689 konnte. 26UndG2532 er schickteG649 ihnG846 heim G846 G1519 G3624 und sprachG3004: GeheG1525 nichtG3366 hinein inG1519 den FleckenG2968 und sageG2036 es auchG3366 niemandG5100 drinnenG1722 G2968. 27UndG2532 JesusG2424 gingG1831 aus mitG2532 seinenG846 JüngernG3101 inG1519 die MärkteG2968 der Stadt CäsareaG2542 PhilippiG5376. UndG2532 aufG1722 dem WegeG3598 fragteG1905 er seineG846 JüngerG3101 und sprachG3004 zu ihnenG846: WerG5101 sagenG3004 die LeuteG444, daß ichG3165 seiG1511? 28SieG2532 antwortetenG611: Sie sagen, du seiest JohannesG2491 der TäuferG910;G1161 etlicheG243 sagen, du seiest EliaG2243;G1161 etlicheG243, du seiest der ProphetenG4396 einerG1520. 29UndG2532 erG846 sprachG3004 zu ihnenG846: Ihr aberG1161, werG5101 sagtG3004 ihrG5210, daß ichG3165 seiG1511? DaG1161 antworteteG611 PetrusG4074 und sprachG3004 zu ihmG846: DuG4771 bistG1488 ChristusG5547! 30UndG2532 er bedrohteG2008 sieG846, daßG2443 sie niemandG3367 vonG4012 ihmG846 sagen solltenG3004. 31UndG2532 er hobG756 an, sieG846 zu lehrenG1321: Des MenschenG444 SohnG5207 mußG1163 vielG4183 leidenG3958 undG2532 verworfenG593 werden vonG575 den ÄltestenG4245 undG2532 HohenpriesternG749 undG2532 SchriftgelehrtenG1122 undG2532 getötetG615 werden undG2532 überG3326 dreiG5140 TageG2250 auferstehenG450. 32UndG2532 er redeteG2980 das WortG3056 frei offenbarG3954. UndG2532 PetrusG4074 nahmG4355 ihnG846 zu sich, fingG756 an, ihmG846 zu wehrenG2008. 33Er aberG1161 wandteG1994 sich um undG2532 sahG1492 seineG846 JüngerG3101 an und bedrohteG2008 PetrusG4074 und sprachG3004: GeheG5217 hinterG3694 michG3450, du SatanG4567! dennG3754 du meinstG5426 nichtG3756, was göttlichG2316, sondernG235 was menschlichG444 ist. 34UndG2532 er riefG4341 zu sich das VolkG3793 samtG4862 seinenG846 JüngernG3101 und sprachG2036 zu ihnenG846: WerG3748 mirG3450 willG2309 nachfolgenG3694 G2064, der verleugneG533 sich selbstG1438 undG2532 nehmeG142 seinG846 KreuzG4716 auf sich undG2532 folgeG190 mirG3427 nach. 35DennG1063 wer G3739 G302 seinG846 LebenG5590 willG2309 behaltenG4982, der wird’sG846 verlierenG622; undG1161 wer G3739 G302 seinG846 LebenG5590 verliertG622 umG1752 meinetG1700– undG2532 des EvangeliumsG2098 willen, derG3778 wird’sG846 behaltenG4982. 36 Was G1063 G5101 hülfeG5623 es dem MenschenG444, wennG1437 er die ganzeG3650 WeltG2889 gewönneG2770, undG2532 nähmeG2210 an seinerG846 SeeleG5590 Schaden? 37OderG2228 wasG5101 kann der MenschG444 gebenG1325, damitG465 er seineG846 SeeleG5590 löse. 38 Wer G3739 G302 sich aberG1063 meinG3165 undG2532 meinerG1699 WorteG3056 schämtG1870 unterG1722 diesemG5026 ehebrecherischenG3428 undG2532 sündigenG268 GeschlechtG1074, desG846 wird sich auchG2532 des MenschenG444 SohnG5207 schämenG1870, wennG3752 er kommenG2064 wird inG1722 der HerrlichkeitG1391 seinesG846 VatersG3962 mitG3326 den heiligenG40 EngelnG32.
Matthew Henry - Complete Commentary 1 We had the story of a miracle very like this before, in this gospel (
Mark 6:35), and of this same miracle (
Matt 15:32), and here is little or no addition or alternation as to the circumstances. Yet observe,
1. That our Lord Jesus was greatly followed;
The multitude was very great (
Mark 8:1); notwithstanding the wicked arts of the scribes and Pharisees to blemish him, and to blast his interest, the common people, who had more honesty, and therefore more true wisdom, than their leaders, kept up their high thoughts of him. We may suppose that this multitude were generally of the meaner sort of people, with such Christ conversed, and was familiar; for thus he humbled himself, and made himself of no reputation, and thus encouraged the meanest to come to him for life and grace.
2. Those that followed him, underwent a great deal of difficulty in following him;
They were with him three days, and had nothing to eat, that was hard service. Never let the Pharisee say, that
Christ's disciples fast not. There were those, probably, that brought some food with them from home; but by this time it was all spent, and they had a great way home; and yet they
continued with Christ, and did not speak of leaving him till he spoke of dismissing them. Note, True zeal makes nothing of hardships in the way of duty. They that have a full feast for their souls may be content with slender provision for their bodies. It was an old saying among the Puritans,
Grown bread and the gospel are good fare. 3. As Christ has a
compassion for all that are in wants and straits, so he has a special
concern for those that are reduced to straits by their zeal and diligence in attending on him. Christ said,
I have compassion on the multitude. Whom the proud Pharisees looked upon with disdain, the humble Jesus looked upon with pity and tenderness; and thus must we
honour all men. But that which he chiefly considers, is,
They have been with me three days, and have nothing to eat. Whatever losses we sustain, or hardships we go through, for Christ's sake, and in love to him, he will take care that they shall be made up to us one way or other.
They that seek the Lord, shall not long
want any good thing, Pss 34:10. Observe with what sympathy Christ saith (
Mark 8:3),
If I send them away fasting to their own houses, they will faint by the way, for hunger. Christ knows and considers our frame; and he is
for the body, if we glorify him,
verily we shall be fed. He considered that
many of them came from afar, and had a great way home. When we see
multitudes attending upon the word preached, it is comfortable to think that Christ knows whence they all come, though we do not.
I know thy works, and where thou dwellest, Revel 2:13. Christ would by no means have them go home fasting, for it is not his manner to send those
empty way from him, that in a right manner attend on him.
4. The doubts of Christians are sometimes made to work for the magnifying of the power of Christ. The disciples could not imagine whence so many men should be
satisfied with bread here in the wilderness,
Mark 8:4. That therefore must needs be
wonderful, and appear so much the more so, which the disciples looked upon as
impossible. 5. Christ's time to act for the relief of his people, is, when things are brought to the last extremity; when they were ready to
faint, Christ provided for them. That he might not invite them to follow him for the
loaves, he did not supply them but when they were utterly reduced, and then he
sent them away.
6. The bounty of Christ is inexhaustible, and, to evidence that, Christ
repeated this miracle, to show that he is still the same for the succour and supply of his people that attend upon him. His favours are renewed, as our wants and necessities are. In the former miracle, Christ used all the bread he had, which was
five loaves, and fed all the guests he had, which were
five thousand, and so he did now; though he might have said, If five loaves would feed five thousand, four may feed four thousand; he took all the seven loaves, and fed with them the four thousand; for he would teach us to take things as they are, and accommodate ourselves to them; to use what we have, and make the best of that which is. Here it was, as in the dispensing of manna,
He that gathered much had nothing over, and he that gathered little had no lack.
7. In our Father's house, in our Master's house,
there is bread enough, and to spare; there is a fulness in Christ, which he communicates to all that passes through his hands; so that from it we receive, and
grace for grace, John 1:16. Those need not fear wanting, that have Christ to live upon.
8. It is good for those that follow Christ,
to keep together; these followers of Christ continued in a body,
four thousand of them together, and Christ fed them all. Christ's sheep must abide by the flock, and go forth by their footsteps, and verily they shall be fed.
10 Still Christ is upon motion; now he visits the parts of Dalmanutha, that no corner of the land of Israel might say that they had not had his presence with them. He came thither
by ship (
Mark 8:10); but, meeting with occasions of dispute there, and not with opportunities of doing good, he
entered into the ship again (
Mark 8:13), and came back. In these verses, we are told,
I. How he refused to gratify the Pharisees, who challenged him to give them a
sign from heaven. They
came forth on purpose to
question with him; not to propose questions to him, that they might learn of him, but to cross question with him, that they might ensnare him.
1. They demanded of him a
sign from heaven, as if the signs he gave them on earth, which were more familiar to them, and were more capable of being examined and enquired into, were not sufficient. There was a sign
from heaven at his baptism, in the descent of the dove, and the voice (
Matt 3:16,
Matt 3:17); it was public enough; and if they had attended John's baptism as they ought to have done, they might themselves have seen it. Afterward, when he was nailed to the cross, they prescribed a new sign;
Let him come down from the cross, and we will believe him; thus obstinate infidelity will still have something to say, though ever so unreasonable. They demanded this sign,
tempting him; not in hopes that he would give it them, that they might be satisfied, but in hopes that he would not, that they might imagine themselves to have a pretence for their infidelity.
2. He denied them their demand; He
sighed deeply in his spirit, Mark 8:12. He
groaned (so some), being grieved for the
hardness of their hearts, and the little influence that his preaching and miracles had had upon them. The infidelity of those that have long enjoyed the means of conviction, is a great grief to the Lord Jesus; it troubles him, that sinners should thus stand in their own light, and put a bar in their own door. (1.) He expostulates with them upon this demand;
Why doth this generation seek after a sign; this generation, that is so unworthy to have the gospel brought to it, and to have any sign accompanying it;
this generation, that so greedily swallows the traditions of the elders, without the confirmation of any sign at all;
this generation, into which, by the calculating of the times prefixed in the Old Testament, they might easily perceive that the coming of the Messiah must fall;
this generation, that has had such plenty of sensible and merciful signs given them in the cure of their sick? What an absurdity is it for them to desire a sign! (2.) He refuses to answer their demand;
Verily, I say unto you, there shall no sign, no such sign,
be given to this generation. When God spoke to particular persons in a particular case, out of the road of his common dispensation, they were encouraged to ask a sign, as Gideon and Ahaz; but when he speaks in general to all, as in the law and the gospel, sending each with their own evidence, it is presumption to prescribe other signs than what he has given.
Shall any teach God knowledge? He denied them, and then
left them, as men not fit to be talked with; if they will not be convinced, they shall not; leave them to their strong delusions.
II. How he warned his disciples against the leaven of the Pharisees and of Herod. Observe here,
1. What the caution was (
Mark 8:15);
Take heed, beware, lest ye partake of the
leaven of the Pharisees, lest ye embrace the tradition of the elders, which they are so wedded to, lest ye be proud, and hypocritical, and ceremonious, like them. Matthew adds,
and of the Sadducees; Mark adds,
and of Herod: whence some gather, that Herod, and his courtiers were generally Sadducees, that is, deists, men of no religion. Others give this sense, The Pharisees demanded a
sign from heaven; and Herod was long
desirous to see some miracle wrought by Christ (
Luke 23:8); such as he should prescribe, so that the leaven of both was the same; they were unsatisfied with the signs they had, and would have others of their own devising; Take heed of
this leaven (saith Christ), be convinced by the miracles ye have seen, and covet not to see more.
2. How they misunderstood this caution. It seems, at their putting to sea this time, they had
forgotten to take bread, and
had not in their ship more than one loaf, Mark 8:14. When therefore Christ bid them
beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, they understood it as an intimation to them, not to apply themselves to any of the Pharisees for relief, when they came to the other side, for they had lately been offended at them for eating with
unwashen hands. They
reasoned among themselves, what should be the meaning of this caution, and concluded,
It is because we have no bread; he saith this, to reproach us for being so careless as to go to sea, and go among strangers, with but one loaf of bread; he doth, in effect, tell us, we must be brought to
short allowance, and must eat our bread by weight. They
reasoned it -
dielogizonto , they
disputed about it; one said, It was owing to you; and the other said, It was owing to you, that we are so ill provided for this voyage. Thus distrust of God makes Christ's disciples quarrel among themselves.
3. The reproof Christ gave them for their uneasiness in this matter, as it argued a disbelief of his power to supply them, notwithstanding the abundant experience they had had of it. The reproof is given with some warmth, for he knew their hearts, and knew they needed to be thus soundly chidden;
Perceive ye not yet, neither understand, that which you have had so many demonstrations of?
Have ye your hearts yet hardened, so as that nothing will make any impression upon them, or bring them to compliance with your Master's designs?
Having eyes, see ye not that which is plain before your eyes?
Having ears, hear ye not that which you have been so often told? How strangely stupid and senseless are ye!
Do ye not remember that which was done but the other day,
when I broke the five loaves among the five thousand, and soon after, the
seven loaves among the four thousand? Do ye not remember
how many baskets full ye took up of the fragments? Yes, they did remember, and could tell that they took up
twelve baskets full one time, and
seven another; Why then, said he,
how is it that ye do not understand? As if he that multiplied
five loaves, and
seven, could not multiply one. They seemed to suspect that the one was not matter enough to work upon, if he should have a mind to entertain his hearers a third time: and if that was their thought, it was indeed a very senseless one, as if it were not all alike to the Lord, to save by many or few, and as easy to make one loaf to feed five thousand as five. It was therefore proper to remind them, not only of the sufficiency, but of the overplus, of the former meals; and justly were they chidden for not understanding what Christ therein designed, and what they from thence might have learned. Note, (1.) The experiences we have had of God's goodness to us in the way of duty, greatly aggravate our distrust of him, which is
therefore very provoking to the Lord Jesus. (2.) Our
not understanding of the true intent and meaning of God's favours to us, is equivalent to our not remembering of them. (3.) We are
therefore overwhelmed with present cares and distrusts, because we do not
understand, and remember, what we have known and seen of the power and goodness of our Lord Jesus. It would be a great support to us, to
consider the days of old, and we are wanting both to God and ourselves if we do not. (4.) When we thus
forgot the works of God, and distrust him, we should chide ourselves severely for it, as Christ doth his disciples here; Am I thus without understanding? How is it that my heart is thus hardened?
22 This cure is related only by this evangelist, and there is something singular in the circumstances.
I. Here is a
blind man brought to Christ by his friends, with a desire that he would
touch him, Mark 8:22. Here appears the faith of those that brought him - they doubted not but that one touch of Christ's hand would recover him his sight; but the man himself showed not that earnestness for, or expectation of, a cure that other blind men did. If those that are spiritually blind, do not pray for themselves, yet let their friends and relations pray for them, that Christ would be pleased to
touch them. II. Here is Christ
leading this blind man,
Mark 8:23. He did not bid his friends lead him, but (which bespeaks his wonderful condescension) he himself
took him by the hand, and led him, to teach us to be as Job was,
eyes to the blind, Job 29:15. Never had poor blind man such a Leader. He led him
out of the town. Had he herein only designed privacy, he might have led him into a house, into an inner chamber, and have cured him there; but he intended hereby to upbraid Bethsaida with the
mighty works that had
in vain been done
in her (
Matt 11:21), and was telling her, in effect, she was unworthy to have any more done within her walls. Perhaps Christ took the blind man
out of the town, that he might have a larger prospect in the
open fields, to try his sight with, than he could have in the
close streets.
III. Here is the cure of the blind man, by that blessed Oculist, who came into the world to
preach the recovering of sight to the blind (
Luke 4:18), and to
give what he
preached. In this cure we may observe, 1. That Christ used a
sign; he
spat on his eyes (spat
into them, so some), and
put his hand upon him. He could have cured him, as he did others, with a word speaking, but thus he was pleased to assist his faith which was very weak, and to help him against his
unbelief. And this spittle signified the
eye-salve wherewith Christ anoints the eyes of those that are spiritually blind,
Revel 3:18. 2. That the cure was wrought
gradually, which was not usual in Christ's miracles. He
asked him if he saw aught, Mark 8:23. Let him tell what condition his sight was in, for the satisfaction of those about him. And he
looked up; so far he
recovered his sight, that he could open his eyes, and he said,
I see men as trees walking; he could not distinguish men from trees, otherwise than he could discern them to move. He had some glimmerings of sight, and betwixt him and the sky could perceive a man erect like a tree, but
could not discern the form thereof, Job 4:16. But, 3. It was soon completed; Christ never doeth
his work by the halves, nor leaves it till he can say,
It is finished. He
put his hands again upon his eyes, to disperse the remaining darkness, and then bade him look up again, and he
saw every man clearly, Mark 8:25. Now Christ took this way, (1.) Because he would not
tie himself to a method, but would show with what liberty he acted in all he did. He did not cure by
rote, as I may say, and in a
road, but
varied as he thought fit. Providence gains the same end in different ways, that men may attend its motions with an
implicit faith. (2.) Because it should be to the patient
according to his faith; and perhaps this man's faith was at first very weak, but afterward gathered strength, and accordingly his cure was. Not that Christ always went by this rule, but thus he would sometimes put a rebuke upon those who came to him, doubting. (3.) Thus Christ would show how, and in what method, those are healed by his grace, who by nature are
spiritually blind; at first, their knowledge is confused, they see
men as trees walking; but, like the light of the morning, it
shines more and more to the perfect day, and then they
see all things clearly, Prov 4:18. Let us enquire then, if we
see aught of those things which
faith is the
substance and
evidence of; and if through grace we see
any thing of them, we may hope that we shall see yet
more and
more, for Jesus Christ will
perfect for ever those that are
sanctified.
IV. The directions Christ gave the man he had cured, not to
tell it to any in the town of Bethsaida, nor so much as to
go into the town, where probably there were some expecting him to come back, who had seen Christ lead him out of the town, but, having been eyewitnesses of so many miracles, had not so much as the curiosity to follow him: let not those be gratified with the sight of him when he was cured, who would not show so much respect to Christ as to go a step out of the town, to see this cure wrought. Christ doth not forbid him to tell it to others, but he must not tell it to
any in the town. Slighting Christ's favours is forfeiting them; and Christ will make those know the worth of their privileges by the want of them, that would not know them otherwise. Bethsaida, in the day of her visitation, would not know the things that belonged to her peace, and now they are
hid from her eyes. They will not see, and therefore shall not see.
27 We have read a great deal of the doctrine Christ preached, and the miracles he wrought, which were many, and strange, and well-attested, of various kinds, and wrought in several places, to the astonishment of the multitudes that were eye-witnesses of them. It is now time for us to pause a little, and to consider what these things mean; the wondrous works which Christ then forbade the publishing of, being recorded in these sacred writings, are thereby published to all the world, to us, to all ages; now what shall we think of them? Is the record of those things designed only for an amusement, or to furnish us with matter for discourse? No, certainly
these things are written, that we may believe that Jesus is the Christ the Son of God (
John 20:31); and this discourse which Christ had with his disciples, will assist us in making the necessary reflections upon the miracles of Christ, and a right use of them. Three things we are here taught to infer from the miracles Christ wrought.
I. They
prove that he is
the true Messiah, the Son of God, and Saviour of the world: this the works he did witnessed concerning him; and this his disciples, who were the eye-witnesses of those works, here profess their belief of; which cannot but be a satisfaction to us in making the same inference from them.
1. Christ enquired of them what the sentiments of the people were concerning him;
Who did men say that I am? Mark 8:27. Note, Though it is a small thing for us to be judged of men, yet it may sometimes do us good to know what people say of us, not that we may seek our own glory, but that we may hear our faults. Christ asked them, not that he might be informed, but that they might observe it themselves, and inform one another.
2. The account they gave him, was such as plainly intimated the
high opinion the people had of him. Though they came short of the truth, yet they were convinced by his miracles that he was an extraordinary person, sent from the invisible world with a divine commission. It is probable that they would have acknowledged him to be the Messiah, if they had not been possessed by their teachers with a notion that the Messiah must be a temporal Prince, appearing in external pomp and power, which the figure Christ made, would not comport with; yet (whatever the Pharisees said, whose copyhold was touched by the strictness and spirituality of his doctrine) none of the people said that he was a Deceiver, but some said that
he was John Baptist, others
Elias, others
one of the prophets, Mark 8:28. All agreed that he was one
risen from the dead. 3. The account they gave him of their own sentiments concerning him, intimated their abundant satisfaction in him, and in their having left all to follow him, which now, after some time of trial, they see no reason to repent;
But whom say ye that I am? To this they have an answer ready,
Thou art the Christ, the Messiah often promised, and long expected,
Mark 8:29. To be a Christian indeed, is, sincerely to believe that Jesus is the Christ, and to act accordingly; and that he is so, plainly appears by his wondrous works. This they knew, and must shortly publish and maintain; but for the present they must keep it secret (
Mark 8:30), till the proof of it was completed, and they were completely qualified to maintain it, by the pouring out of the Holy Ghost; and then
let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made this same Jesus, whom ye crucified, both Lord and Christ, Acts 2:36.
II. These miracles of Christ
take off the offence of the cross, and assure us that Christ was, in it, not conquered, but a Conqueror. Now that the disciples are convinced that Jesus is the Christ, they may bear to hear of his sufferings, which Christ now
begins to give them notice of,
Mark 8:31.
1. Christ
taught his disciples that he must
suffer many things, Though they had got over the vulgar error of the Messiah's being a temporal Prince, so far as to believe their Master to be the Messiah, notwithstanding his present meanness, yet still they retained it, so far as to expect that he would
shortly appear in outward pomp and grandeur, and
restore the kingdom to Israel; and therefore, to rectify that mistake, Christ here gives them a prospect of the contrary, that he must be
rejected of the elders, and the chief priests, and
the scribes, who, they expected, should be brought to own and prefer him; that, instead of being crowned,
he must be killed, he must be crucified, and
after three days he must rise again to a heavenly life, and to be
no more in this world. This he spoke
openly (
Mark 8:32),
parresia . He said it freely and plainly, and did not wrap it up in ambiguous expressions. The disciples might easily understand it, if they had not been very much under the power of prejudice: or, it intimates that he spoke it cheerfully and without any terror, and would have them to hear it so: he spoke that saying
boldly, as one that not only knew he
must suffer and die, but was resolved he
would, and made it his own act and deed.
2. Peter opposed it;
He took him, and began to rebuke him. Here Peter showed more love than discretion, a zeal for Christ and his safety, but not according to knowledge. He
took him -
proslabomenos . He took hold of him, as it were to stop and hinder him, took him in his arms, and embraced him (so some understand it); he fell on his neck, as impatient to hear that his dear Master should suffer such hard things; or he took him aside privately, and
began to rebuke him. This was not the language of the least authority, but of the greatest affection, of that
jealousy for the welfare of those we love, which is
strong as death. Our Lord Jesus allowed his disciples to be free with him, but Peter here took too great a liberty.
3. Christ checked him for his opposition (
Mark 8:33); He
turned about, as one offended, and
looked on his disciples, to see if the rest of them were of the same mind, and concurred with Peter in this, that, if they did, they might take the reproof to themselves, which he was now about to give to Peter; and he said,
Get thee behind me, Satan. Peter little thought to have had such a sharp rebuke for such a kind dissuasive, but perhaps expected as much commendation now for his love as he had lately for his faith. Note, Christ sees that amiss in what we say and do, which we ourselves are not aware of, and knows what manner of spirit we are of, when we ourselves do not. (1.) Peter spoke as one that did not rightly understand, nor had duly considered, the purposes and counsels of God. When he saw such proofs as he every day saw of the
power of Christ, he might conclude that he could not be
compelled to suffer; the most potent enemies could not overpower him whom diseases and deaths, whom winds and waves and devils themselves, were forced to obey and yield to: and when he saw so much of the
wisdom of Christ every day, he might conclude that he would not
choose to suffer but for some very great and glorious purposes; and therefore he ought not thus to have contradicted him, but to have acquiesced. He looked upon his death only as a
martyrdom, like that of the prophets, which he thought might be prevented, if either he would take a little care not to provoke the chief priests, or to keep out of the way; but he knew not that the thing was necessary for the glory of God, the destruction of Satan, and the salvation of man, that the Captain of our salvation must be
made perfect through sufferings, and so must
bring many sons to glory. Note, The wisdom of man is perfect folly, when it pretends to give measures to the divine counsels. The cross of Christ, the great instance of God's power and wisdom, was to some a stumbling-block, and to others foolishness. (2.) Peter spoke as one that did not rightly understand, nor had duly considered, the nature of Christ's kingdom; he took it to be
temporal and
human, whereas it is
spiritual and
divine. Thou savourest not the things that are of God, but those that are of men; ou phroneis -
thou mindest not; so the word is rendered,
Roma 8:5. Peter seemed to mind more the things that relate to the lower world, and the life that now is, than those which relate to the upper world, and the life to come. Minding the
things of men more than the
things of God, our own credit, ease, and safety, more than the
things of God, and his glory and kingdom, is a very great sin, and the root of much sin, and very common among Christ's disciples; and it will appear in suffering times, those times of temptation, when those in whom the
things of men have the ascendant, are in danger of falling off.
Non sapis- Thou art not wise (so it may be read)
in the things of God, but in the
things of men. It is important to consider what
generation we appear
wise in, Luke 16:8. It seems policy to shun trouble, but if with that we shun duty, it is fleshly wisdom (
2Cor 1:12), and it will be folly in the end.
III. These miracles of Christ should engage us all to
follow him, whatever it cost us, not only as they were
confirmations of his
mission, but as they were
explications of his
design, and the tendency of that grace which he came to bring; plainly intimating that by his Spirit he would do that for our blind, deaf, lame, leprous, diseased, possessed
souls, which he did for the
bodies of those many who in those distresses applied themselves to him. Frequent notice had been taken of the great flocking that there was to him for help in various cases: now this is written, that we may believe that he is the great Physician of souls, and may become his patients, and submit to his
regimen; and here he tells us upon what terms we may be admitted; and he
called all the people to him, to hear this, who modestly stood at some distance when he was in private conversation with his disciples. This is that which all are concerned to know, and consider, if they expect Christ should heal
their souls. 1. They must not be
indulgent of the
ease of the body; for (
Mark 8:34),
Whosoever will come after me for spiritual cures, as these people do for bodily cures,
let him deny himself, and live a life of self-denial, mortification, and contempt of the world; let him not pretend to be his own physician, but renounce all confidence in himself and his own righteousness and strength, and let him
take up his cross, conforming himself to the pattern of a crucified Jesus, and accommodating himself to the will of God in all the afflictions he lies under; and thus let him continue to
follow me; as many of those did, whom Christ healed. Those that will be Christ's patients must attend on him, converse with him, receive instruction and reproof from him, as those did that
followed him, and must resolve they will never forsake him.
2. They must not be
solicitous, no, not for
the life of the body, when they cannot keep it without quitting Christ,
Mark 8:35. Are we invited by the words and works of Christ to follow him? Let us sit down, and count the cost, whether we can prefer our advantages by Christ before life itself, whether we can bear to think of losing our life
for Christ's sake and the gospel's. When the devil is drawing away disciples and servants after him, he conceals the worst of it, tells them only of the pleasure, but nothing of the peril, of his service;
Ye shall not surely die; but what there is of trouble and danger in the service of Christ, he tells us of it before, tells us we shall
suffer, perhaps we shall
die, in the cause; and represents the discouragements not
less, but
greater, than commonly they prove, that it may appear he
deals fairly with us, and is not afraid that we should know the worst; because the
advantages of his service abundantly suffice to
balance the
discouragements, if we will but impartially set the one over against the other. In short,
(1.) We must
not dread the loss of our lives, provided it be
in the cause of Christ (
Mark 8:35);
Whosoever will save his life, by declining Christ, and refusing to come to him, or by disowning and denying him after he has in profession come to Christ, he shall
lose it, shall lose the comfort of his natural life, the root and fountain of his spiritual life, and all his hopes of eternal life; such a bad bargain will he make for himself. But
whosoever shall lose his life, shall be truly willing to lose it, shall venture it, shall lay it down when he cannot keep it without denying Christ, he shall
save it, he shall be an unspeakable gainer; for the loss of his life shall be made up to him in a better life. It is looked upon to be some kind of recompence to those who lose their lives in the service of their prince and country, to have their memories honoured and their families provided for; but what is that to the recompence which Christ makes in eternal life to all that die for him?
(2.) We must
dread the loss of our souls, yea, though we should
gain the whole world by it (
Mark 8:36,
Mark 8:37);
For what shall it profit a man, if he should gain the whole world, and all the wealth, honour, and pleasure, in it, by denying Christ, and
lose his own soul? True it is, said Bishop Hooper, the night before he suffered martyrdom, that
life is sweet, and
death is bitter, but
eternal death is more bitter, and
eternal life is more sweet. As the happiness of heaven with Christ, is enough to countervail the loss of life itself for Christ, so the gain of all the world
in sin, is not sufficient to countervail the ruin of the soul
by sin. What that is that men do, to
save their lives, and
gain the world, he tells us (
Mark 8:38), and of what fatal consequence it will be to them;
Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me, and of my words, in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him shall the Son of man be ashamed. Something like this we had,
Matt 10:33. But it is here expressed more fully. Note, [1.] The disadvantage that the cause of Christ labours under this world, is, that it is to be owned and professed in an
adulterous and sinful generation; such the generation of mankind is, gone a whoring from God, in the impure embraces of the world and the flesh, lying in wickedness; some ages, some places, are more especially adulterous and sinful, as that was in which Christ lived; in such a
generation the cause of Christ is opposed and run down, and those that own it, are exposed to reproach and contempt, and every where ridiculed and
spoken against. [2.] There are many, who, though they cannot but own that the cause of Christ is a righteous cause, are
ashamed of it, because of the reproach that attends the professing of it; they are
ashamed of their relation to Christ, and
ashamed of the credit they cannot but give to
his words; they cannot bear to be frowned upon and despised, and therefore throw off their profession, and go down the stream of a prevailing apostasy. [3.] There is a day coming, when the cause of Christ will appear as bright and illustrious as now it appears mean and contemptible; when the Son of man comes
in the glory of his Father with his holy angels, as the true Shechinah, the brightness of his Father's glory, and the Lord of angels. [4.] Those that are ashamed of Christ in this world where he is despised, he will be ashamed of in that world where he is eternally adored.
They shall not share with him in his glory then, that were not willing to share with him in his disgrace now.
