_THE OFFICE OF JOHN THE BAPTIST. JESUS IS BAPTIZED: TEMPTED: HE PREACHETH: CALLETH PETER, ANDREW, JAMES, AND JOHN: HEALETH ONE THAT HAD A DEVIL, PETER'S MOTHER-IN-LAW, AND MANY DISEASED PERSONS; AND CLEANSETH THE LEPER._ _Anno Domini 26._... [ Continue Reading ]
OF JESUS CHRIST THE SON OF GOD— This exordium is singular; for while the other Evangelists describe our Saviour as the _Son of man,_ St. Mark, in express words, stiles him the _Son of God._ A title the most likely, as being the most august, to engage the attention and obedience of the Romans, those... [ Continue Reading ]
DRIVETH— _Conveyeth._... [ Continue Reading ]
AND WAS WITH THE WILD BEASTS— St. Mark is often very circumstantial in his narrations, and adds many things for the sake of the Romans or Gentiles in general, to enable them the better to understand him. Thus, as a Roman might not know how wild and uninhabited the deserts of Arabia were, in which Ch... [ Continue Reading ]
NOW, AFTER THAT JOHN WAS PUT IN PRISON, &C.— We have here a remarkable particular in the conduct of our Saviour: no sooner was he informed that Herod had thrown John in prison, than he quitted Judea, and went into Galilee. (Comp. Matthew 4:12—to the end.) And traversing it all over,—as well that par... [ Continue Reading ]
SHIP— _Boat._... [ Continue Reading ]
ON THE SABBATH DAY— In the Greek it is plural, τοις σαββασιν, and, when compared with the parallel place in St. Luke, shews that it was the custom of Jesus to frequent these places of worship on the sabbath days. The addition of this circumstance seems therefore intended to intimate, that Christ was... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THERE WAS IN THEIR SYNAGOGUE, &C.— It seems plain from what is said afterwards, Mark 1:27 that the other persons then present did not know Jesus to be the Son of God; how then should the demoniac know this, if he had been only mad, as some would vainly suppose, and not really possessed by an evi... [ Continue Reading ]
HAD TORN HIM— _Had thrown him into convulsions._ That this is a proper translation, though circuitous, appears from St. Luke, who informs us, that the spirit _did not hurt him._ It is remarkable, that in all the cures of this sort which our Lord performed, the person to be cured was agitated by the... [ Continue Reading ]
THEY ENTERED INTO THE HOUSE OF SIMON— Peter was a native of Bethsaida; and when first admitted to Christ's acquaintance, seems to have had his residence there: but happening to marry a woman of Capernaum, as is generally supposed, he removed thither with his brother Andrew; and there they prosecuted... [ Continue Reading ]
ANON— _Forthwith._... [ Continue Reading ]
AND AT EVEN, &C.— The news of the miracle above related being spread through the town, those who had sick relations or friends resolved to apply to Jesus for a cure: only, because it was the sabbath, they did not immediately come to him; they waited till the holy rest was ended, which, according to... [ Continue Reading ]
A GREAT WHILE BEFORE DAY— 'Εννυχον λιαν, _when the night was very far advanced,_ and consequently just before the dawn of day.... [ Continue Reading ]
THE NEXT TOWNS— _The neighbouring towns._ INFERENCES.—Respecting John the Baptist and our Saviour's baptism, see the Inferences on Matthew 3.; and on our Saviour's choice of his disciples, &c. we shall enlarge in the Inferences on Luke 5. Let us at present contemplate the great Redeemer of our soul... [ Continue Reading ]