Mark 8:34

And Jesus went out, and his disciples, into the towns of Caesarea Philippi: and by the way he asked his disciples, saying unto them, Whom do men say that I am? For the exposition, see the notes at Matthew 16:13....

34-38 Frequent notice is taken of the great flocking there was to Christ for help in various cases. All are concerned to know this, if they expect him to heal their souls. They must not indulge the ease of the body. As the happiness of heaven with Christ, is enough to make up for the loss of life itself for him, so the gain of all the world in sin, will not make up for the ruin of the soul by sin. And there is a day coming, when the cause of Christ will appear as glorious, as some now think it mean and contemptible. May we think of that season, and view every earthly object as we shall do at that great day....

Verse Mark 8:34. _WHOSOEVER WILL COME AFTER ME_] It seems that Christ formed, on the _proselytism_ of the Jews, the principal qualities which he required in the _proselytes_ of _his covenant_. The _first_ condition of proselytism among the Jews was, that he that came to embrace their religion should come _voluntarily_, and that neither _force_ nor _influence_ should be employed in this business. This is also the _first_ condition required by Jesus Christ, and which he considers as the _foundation_ of all the rest: - If a man be willing to come after me. The _second_ condition required in the _Jewish_ proselyte was, that he should _perfectly renounce_ all his prejudices, his errors, his idolatry, and every thing that concerned his false religion; and that he should entirely _separate_ himself

See this passage illustrated in the notes at Matthew 16:13. Mark 8:32 HE SPAKE THAT SAYING OPENLY - With boldness or confidence, or without parables or figures, so that there could be no possibility of misunderstanding him. Mark 8:38 ASHAMED OF ME - Ashamed to own attachment to me on account of my lowly appearance and my poverty. AND OF MY WORDS - My doctrines, my instructions. THIS ADULTEROUS AND SINFUL GENERATION - This age given to wickedness, particularly to adultery. In the glor

EXPOSITION MARK 8:1, MARK 8:2 The opening words of the first verse seem to imply that our Lord remained for some time on this, the north-east, side of the Sea of Galilee. THE MULTITUDE BEING VERY GREAT. The word here rendered "very great" is παμπόλλου, a word not to be found anywhere else in the New Testament. But according to the best authorities, the true reading is πάλιν πόλλου; so that the words would run, _when there was again a great multitude. _It has been supposed with some reason that, as an old ecclesiastical Lection began with this chapter, this may have led to the substitution of παμπόλλου for πάλιν πόλλου, in order to make the Lection more complete in itself, avoiding this reference to the context. In the origina

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 distance; and the private conversation being ended, Christ called, or beckoned to the people, to come nearer to him: WITH HIS DISCIPLES ALSO; for what he was about to say, concerned them both: WHOSOEVER WILL COME AFTER ME; in a spiritual sense, as this multitude did in a natural one, and which is the same as to be a disciple of his: LET HIM DENY HIMSELF, AND TAKE UP HIS CROSS, AND FOLLOW ME; signifying, that his followers must deny themselves of worldly advantages, and suffer many things, as well as he, which he had been but just before acquainting his disciples with;...

CHAPTER 8 __ 1. The feeding of the Four Thousand. (Mark 8:1. Matthew 15:32) 2. The Pharisees ask a sign. (Mark 8:10 .Matthew 16:1) 3. The Warning against the leaven of the Pharisees. (Mark 8:14 .Matthew 16:5 .) 4. The healing of the blind man. (Mark 8:22) 5. Peter's Confession. (M

MARK 8:27 TO MARK 9:1. THE GREAT CONFESSION, AND THE FIRST VIEW OF THE CROSS. Here opens a new section of the gospel. The tendency to seek retirement with the Twelve, pronounced from Mark 6:31 onwards, now dominates the story. Jesus devotes Himself to training the Twelve in the shadow of the Cross. This concentration on His disciples becomes possible when they pierce His secret. The full significance of the confession is only apparent if Jesus has not previously revealed Himself or been recognised as Messiah (_cf._ HNT). It constitutes a decisive development. The scene is laid near Cæ sarea Philippi (p. 32), a largely Gentile town on the east side of Jordan, not to be confused with Cæ sarea on the coast. The praise bestowed on Peter in...

COMPASSION AND CHALLENGE (Mark 8:1-10)...

AND WHEN, &c. The Lord now speaks to all who follow Him. WITH. in association with. Greek _sun._ App-104. Not the same word as in verses: Mark 8:10; Mark 8:14; Mark 8:38. WILL COME. is willing to come. WILL. Greek. _thelo._ App-102. FOLLOW: i.e. habitually follow....