IN THOSE DAYS,.... The Ethiopic version reads, on that day; as if it was on the same day that the deaf man was healed; and so it might be; and on the third day from Christ's coming into those parts; and so is very properly expressed, "in those days"; see Mark 7:31, compared with the following verse:... [ Continue Reading ]
I HAVE COMPASSION ON THE MULTITUDE,.... Christ is a compassionate Saviour both of the bodies and souls of men: he had compassion on the souls of this multitude, and therefore had been teaching them sound doctrine and he had compassion on the bodies of many of them, and had healed them of their disea... [ Continue Reading ]
AND IF I SEND THEM AWAY FASTING TO THEIR OWN HOUSES,.... Greek, "to their own house", or home; but all the Oriental versions render it as we do, in the plural, "their own houses", or habitations; and it seems from hence that they were now tasting, and at least had had no food all that day, whatever... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HIS DISCIPLES ANSWERED HIM,.... The Syriac version renders it, "say unto him"; and the Persic and Ethiopic, "said unto him"; forgetting the late miracle of feeding five thousand with five loaves and two fishes, when they had now a less number, and more provisions: FROM WHENCE CAN A MAN SATISFY... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE ASKED THEM, HOW MANY LOAVES HAVE YE?.... Matthew 15:34; AND THEY SAID, SEVEN. Matthew adds, "and a few little fishes", which are here afterwards mentioned.... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE COMMANDED THE PEOPLE TO SIT DOWN ON THE GROUND,.... Matthew 15:35; AND HE TOOK THE SEVEN LOAVES, AND GAVE THANKS, AND BRAKE THEM; Matthew 15:36; AND GAVE TO HIS DISCIPLES TO SET BEFORE [THEM], the multitude, AND THEY DID SET [THEM] BEFORE THE PEOPLE; in which they were obedient to their... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THEY HAD A FEW SMALL FISHES,.... Which they also acquainted Christ with, and brought out unto him: AND HE BLESSED, AND COMMANDED TO SET THEM ALSO BEFORE [THEM]. It looks, by this account, as if the fishes were blessed, and brake, and distributed separately, alter the blessing, breaking, and dis... [ Continue Reading ]
SO THEY DID EAT, AND WERE FILLED,.... Christ and his disciples, and the whole multitude: they not only had some, but they had all enough, a full meal. It was surprising that it could be divided so, is that every one should have a bit; but that they should all be satisfied to the full, is amazing: A... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THEY THAT HAD EATEN WERE ABOUT FOUR THOUSAND,.... That is, men, besides women and children, as Matthew observes; Matthew 15:38. AND HE SENT THEM AWAY; some that came dumb, with their speech, and deaf, with their hearing; others that were maimed, with perfect healing of their wounds, and with t... [ Continue Reading ]
AND STRAIGHTWAY HE ENTERED INTO A SHIP, WITH HIS DISCIPLES,.... As soon as ever he had, dismissed the multitude, he took shipping with his disciples; for he was at the sea of Galilee, either at a place near it, or upon the shore of it; see Mark 7:31; AND CAME INTO THE PARTS OF DALMANUTHA; which Mat... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE PHARISEES CAME FORTH,.... Out of their houses; who dwelt in the coasts of Magdala, and parts of Dalmanutha, and came to Jesus, hearing of his being arrived in their neighbourhood: AND BEGAN TO QUESTION WITH HIM; or to dispute with him, it being their manner to carry on disputations by quest... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE SIGHED DEEPLY IN HIS SPIRIT,.... In his human soul; and which shows that he had one, and was subject to grief and sorrow, and all passions and infirmities, excepting sin. This deep sigh was on account of the hardness of their hearts, the malignity of their minds, and insincerity of their inte... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE LEFT THEM,.... As a perverse and hardened generation of men, and as such with whom it was not worth while to discourse: AND ENTERING INTO THE SHIP AGAIN; which brought him over, and waited for him: DEPARTED TO THE OTHER SIDE; of the sea of Galilee, towards Bethsaida, Mark 8:22.... [ Continue Reading ]
NOW THE DISCIPLES HAD, FORGOTTEN TO TAKE BREAD,.... At Dalmanutha, or Magdala, or whatever place in those parts they were at, before they took shipping, as was their usual method. NEITHER HAD THEY IN THE SHIP WITH THEM MORE THAN ONE LOAF; for thirteen passengers of them. The Persic version reads th... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE CHARGED THEM,.... When they were in the ship, and had just recollected themselves, that they had took no care to bring any provisions with them: SAYING, TAKE HEED, BEWARE OF THE LEAVEN OF THE PHARISEES; AND OF THE LEAVEN OF HEROD: in Matthew, instead of "the leaven of Herod", it is read, "th... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THEY REASONED AMONG THEMSELVES,.... Upon Christ's giving this caution, and recollecting with themselves, that they had forgot to buy any provisions, and take with them: SAYING, IT IS BECAUSE WE HAVE NO BREAD; that he says these words; tacitly chiding and reproving us, for our want of thought an... [ Continue Reading ]
AND WHEN JESUS KNEW IT,.... As he did immediately, by his omniscience; for as he knew the thoughts and reasonings of the Scribes and Pharisees, Matthew 9:4, so he did those of his own disciples: HE SAITH UNTO THEM, WHY REASON YE BECAUSE YE HAVE NO BREAD? or imagine that I have given you this cautio... [ Continue Reading ]
HAVING EYES, SEE YE NOT?.... Meaning perhaps both the eyes of their bodies, and of their understandings: they had bodily eyes, and with them saw the miracles he wrought, and yet took little notice of them; and the eyes of their understandings were enlightened by Christ, and yet saw things but very d... [ Continue Reading ]
WHEN I BRAKE THE FIVE LOAVES AMONG FIVE THOUSAND,.... This, with what follows, chiefly regards the last question: HOW MANY BASKETS FULL OF FRAGMENTS TOOK YE UP? do not you remember? have you forgot what was so lately done? surely you cannot: THEY SAY UNTO HIM, TWELVE. Their memories were hereby re... [ Continue Reading ]
AND WHEN THE SEVEN AMONG FOUR THOUSAND,.... That is, when seven loaves were broken among four thousand men, HOW MANY BASKETS FULL OF FRAGMENTS TOOK YE UP? this surely you must remember, it being so recent an action, but just done, as it were: AND THEY SAID, SEVEN; for this, as yet, could not have... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE SAID UNTO THEM,.... Since this was the case, and they so well remembered the miracles he had wrought, and the circumstances of them: HOW IS IT THAT YE DO NOT UNDERSTAND? my words concerning the leaven of the Pharisees, of the Sadducees, and of Herod, as to imagine I spoke of bread, taken in... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE COMETH TO BETHSAIDA,.... The city of Andrew, Peter, and Philip, John 1:44; a fishing town, which was situated by the sea of Galilee. Beza's ancient copy, and the Gothic version, wrongly read "Bethany". The Vulgate Latin, Arabic, and Ethiopic versions read, "they came"; Christ, and his twelve... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE TOOK THE BLIND MAN BY THE HAND,.... Not for the sake of touching him, in order to heal him, as they desired, but to be his guide: AND LED HIM OUT OF THE TOWN; to shun all appearance of vain glory and popular applause, being willing to do the miracle in a private manner; and because of the ob... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE LOOKED UP,.... This is omitted in the Arabic and Persic versions. The sense is, that he opened his eyelids, and lifted up his eyes, to try if he could see, and he could, and did see again; his sight was returned again, though very imperfectly as yet: AND SAID, I SEE MEN, AS TREES, WALKING: h... [ Continue Reading ]
AFTER THAT HE HAD PUT HIS HANDS AGAIN UPON HIS EYES,.... By the former account it does not appear on what part of him he put his hands; but this determines it; and from hence it seems plain, that he first spit on his eyes, and then closed them, and put his hands on them; which last action of his he... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE SENT HIM AWAY TO HIS HOUSE,.... Which seems to have been in one of the neighbouring villages or was one of the houses scattered about in the fields for the conveniency of rural business. SAYING, NEITHER GO INTO THE TOWN: or "that town", as the Syriac, the town or city of Bethsaida: NOR TELL... [ Continue Reading ]
AND JESUS WENT OUT, AND HIS DISCIPLES,.... From Bethsaida and even from Galilee INTO THE TOWNS CAESAREA PHILIPPI; in the jurisdiction of Philip, tetrarch of Iturea and Trachonitis; for this Caesarea was rebuilt by him and called so in honour of Tiberius Caesar; and the towns and villages adjacent t... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THEY ANSWERED,.... That some said he was JOHN THE BAPTIST; which was the opinion of Herod, and others: BUT SOME SAY ELIAS; that is the "Tishbite", whom the Jews in general expected in person before the coming of the Messiah and imagined that Jesus was he: AND OTHERS ONE OF THE PROPHETS; as Je... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE SAITH UNTO THEM, BUT WHOM SAY YE THAT I AM?.... It was for the sake of this question he put the former; Matthew 16:15; AND PETER ANSWERETH AND SAITH UNTO HIM, THOU ART THE CHRIST; the Messiah that was long ago promised and so often prophesied of in the books of Moses and the prophets; and w... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE CHARGED THEM,.... His disciples, after he had declared his approbation of Peter's confession of faith, and signified he would build his church on that rock, and the gates of hell should not prevail against it: and promised Peter the keys of the kingdom of heaven; and that whatsoever was bound... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE BEGAN TO TEACH THEM,.... For as yet he had said nothing to them about his sufferings and death, at least in express terms; but now they being firmly established in the faith of him, as the Messiah, he thought it proper to inform them, THAT THE SON OF MAN MUST SUFFER MANY THINGS; meaning hims... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE SPAKE THAT SAYING OPENLY,.... Concerning his sufferings, death, and resurrection from the dead. He not only spoke it before them all, but in plain words, without a figure; so that it might be, and was clearly understood by them; and he spake it as the word will also bear, not only very freely... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT WHEN HE HAD TURNED ABOUT,.... Upon Peter, and showed quick resentment at what he said: AND LOOKED ON HIS DISCIPLES; he cast his eye toward, them at the same time, and expressed to them the same displeasure in his countenance, they being of the same mind: HE REBUKED PETER, SAYING, GET THEE BEHI... [ Continue Reading ]
AND WHEN HE HAD CALLED THE PEOPLE UNTO HIM,.... Who, it seems, followed him out of Galilee, from Bethsaida, and these parts; for it was in the way from thence to Caesarea Philippi, that Christ had this conversation with his disciples; who walked together alone, the multitude following at some distan... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR WHOSOEVER WILL SAVE HIS LIFE,.... Life is a valuable thing, and all that a man has he will give for it; self preservation is a principle in nature; and it becomes every man to take all lawful methods to save his life, when it is threatened, or is in danger: but whoever is willing to save it, whe... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR WHAT SHALL IT PROFIT A MAN,.... In the long run, in the issue of things, who by denying Christ, and his Gospel, may not only save his life for the present, but procure for himself great riches and wealth: IF HE SHALL GAIN THE WHOLE WORLD; were that possible to be done, and which the ambitious,... [ Continue Reading ]
OR WHAT SHALL A MAN GIVE IN EXCHANGE FOR HIS SOUL?] To deliver it out of its miserable state and condition; all the riches of the world, and the whole world itself, are not an equivalent to it, or a sufficient ransom for it; riches will not profit in the day of wrath, or deliver a soul from damnatio... [ Continue Reading ]
WHOSOEVER THEREFORE SHALL BE ASHAMED OF ME,.... As suffering, crucified, and put to death; things he had been speaking of before: whoever through scandal of the cross, and fear of men, will be ashamed of Christ, and dare not profess faith in him, but shall conceal and keep it to themselves: AND OF... [ Continue Reading ]