_He entered again into the synagogue_ Luke says, _On another sabbath._ The synagogue seems not to have been at Capernaum, but in some city which lay in his way as he went through Galilee. _And there was a man which had a withered hand_ His hand was not only withered, but contracted, as appears from... [ Continue Reading ]
_And the Pharisees went forth_, &c. From Matthew's observing that _they held a council against him_, it seems probable that those of them, with the scribes, who were present at this miracle, were members of the sanhedrim, or great council; _with the Herodians_ As bitter as they and the Pharisees usu... [ Continue Reading ]
_He goeth up into a mountain_ Thus Luke also represents him as retiring to a mountain for solemn prayer, and indeed continuing all night in that duty, before he made choice of twelve out of his disciples, and appointed them to be apostles: thereby showing, that much consideration and prayer ought to... [ Continue Reading ]
_He ordained_, Gr. εποιησε, _he made, constituted_, or _appointed, twelve_ The word is elsewhere used for appointing to an office. See 1 Samuel 12:6 Greek; Hebrews 3:2. Henry thinks our Lord appointed them by imposition of hands, but of this there is no proof. Indeed, this appointment seems to have... [ Continue Reading ]
_James and John he surnamed Boanerges_ “This word,” says Dr. Hammond, “is the corruption of the Hebrew בני רעשּׁ, _benei ragnash, sons of earthquake, tempest_, or any other _commotion_, such as is here styled, βροντη, _thunder._ And the meaning of this title may seem to be, that those two sons of Ze... [ Continue Reading ]
_And they went into a house_ It appears, from the manner in which Mark here connects this with the names of the apostles, that it happened very quickly after their being chosen. The other evangelists, indeed, inform us of some previous events which happened in the meantime, but they might be despatc... [ Continue Reading ]
_The scribes_ (and Pharisees, Mat 12:22) _who had come down from Jerusalem_, &c. Purposely, on the devil's errand; and not without success. For the common people now began to drink in the poison from these learned, good, honourable men! _He hath Beelzebub_ At command; is in league with him: _And by... [ Continue Reading ]
_Because they said, He hath an unclean spirit_ That is, because they said, _he hath Beelzebub, and by the prince of the devils casteth out devils, Mark 3:22_. Is it not astonishing that men who have ever read these words should doubt what is the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost? Can any words declar... [ Continue Reading ]
_There came then his brethren and his mother_ Having at length made their way through the crowd, so as to come to the door. _His brethren_ are here named first, as being first and most earnest in the design of taking him; _for neither did_ these of _his brethren believe on him._ They _sent to him, c... [ Continue Reading ]