PREFACE TO THE GOSPEL OF SAINT MARK. genious manner of accounting. He supposes that Mark had carefully read Matthew's gospel in the original Hebrew, before it was translated into Greek; and that he had the particulars fresh in his memory, when he was occupied in writing his gospel. Again: he supposes that the translator of Matthew into Greek has thought it safest to adopt the expressions of Mark, wherever they would suit the Hebrew, from which he was translating. But this, it must be confessed, though not implausible, is mere conjecture. It is generally our Lord's discourses which are abridged by Mark. As to his miracles, he has rather more fully related them. The additional circumstances and incidents recorded in his gospel appear to rest upon the authority of the apostles, but principally on that of Peter." As to the travels and labours of this evangelist, it is said that for some time he preached the gospel, in conjunction with St. Peter, in Italy and at Rome. Afterward, he was sent by him into Egypt, fixing his chief residence at Alexandria, and the places thereabouts; where he was so successful in his ministry, that he converted multitudes, both men and women, to the Christian faith. He afterward removed westward, toward the parts of Lybia, going through the countries of Marmorica, Pentapolis, and others thereabouts, where, notwithstanding the barbarity and idolatry of the inhabitants, he planted the gospel. Upon his return to Alexandria, he ordered the affairs of the church, and there suffered martyrdom in the following manner: About Easter, at the time the solemnities of Serapis were celebrated, the idolatrous people, being excited to vindicate the honour of their deity, seized St. Mark, when engaged in the solemn celebration of divine worship; and, binding his feet. with cords, dragged him through the streets and most craggy places to the Bucelus, a precipice near the sea, and then for that night shut him up in prison, where he had the comfort of a divine vision. Early the next morning the tragedy began again: they dragged him about in the same manner, till, his flesh being raked off, and his blood run out, his spirits failed, and he expired. Some add that they burned his body, and that the Christians decently interred his bones and ashes near the place where he used to preach. This is supposed to have happened A. D. 68. Some writers assert, that the remains of St. Mark were afterward, with great pomp, translated from Alexandria to Venice. However, he is the tutelary patron of that republic, and has a very rich and stately church erected to his memory. See the Encyclopædia Britannica. a 255 THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO SAINT MARK. CHAPTER I. We have in this chapter, (1,) The ministry and success of John the Baptist, answerable to the predictions of the prophets, 1-8. (2) Christ's baptism by John, and attestation from heaven, 9-11. (3,) His temptation by Satan, and assistance from angels in the wilderness, 12, 13. (4,) His labours in preaching, 14, 15, 21, 22, 38, 39; and prayer, 35. (5,) His calling of disciples, 16–20. (6,) His rebuking and casting out an unclean spirit, to the astonishment of the spectators, 23-28. (7) His curing Peter's mother-in-law of a fever, 29–31. (8,) His healing all that came to him, 32-35. (9,) His healing a leper, and charging him to conceal the cure, 40-45. A. M. 4030. THE beginning of the gospel of || Prepare ye the way of the Lord, A. M. 4030. Jesus Christ, the Son of God; make his paths straight. A. D. 26. a 2 As it is written in the prophets, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee; 3 The voice of one crying in the wilderness, a Matt. xiv. 33; Luke i. 35; John i. 34.- b Mal. iii. 1; Matt. m. 10 ke vii. 27. Isa. xl. 3; Matt. iii. 3; Luke NOTES ON CHAPTER I. A. D. 26. 4 d John did baptize in the wilderness, and preach the baptism of repentance, 1for the remission of sins. 5 And there went out unto him all the land iii. 4; John i. 15, 23.—d Matt. iii. 1; Luke iii. 3; John iii. 23.- -1 Or, unto.— Matt. iii. 5. of by those prophets, being sent of God for that end; Verses 1-3. The beginning of the gospel-That did baptize in the wilderness-Which lay east from is, of the gospel history; of Jesus Christ, the Son || Jerusalem, along the river Jordan and the lake Asof God-Who was, or is, in the bosom of the Father, || phaltites, also called the Dead sea. By wilderness, John i. 18, and came down from heaven, John iii. 13, || in the Scriptures, it is plain that we are not always to reveal his Father's will unto us, to confirm his doctrine by a great variety of astonishing miracles,|| to set us a perfect example of every branch of piety and virtue, to expiate our sins by the sacrifice of himself, and to abolish death, with respect to such as believe aright in him, by rising from the dead as the first-fruits of them that sleep. The evangelist speaks with strict propriety in this sentence, for the beginning of the gospel is in the account of John the Baptist, contained in the first paragraph; the gospel itself in the rest of the book. Thus the verse must be considered as being connected with the following, and as signifying that the gospel of Jesus Christ began, according to the prediction of the prophets, with the preaching and baptism of John the Baptist. In styling Jesus the Son of God, while the other evangelists describe him chiefly as the Son of man, Mark gives him a title the most likely, as being the most august, to engage the attention and obedience of the Romans, those lords of the earth,|| to the religion which was promulgated by him. Behold, I send my messenger, &c.-See notes on Mal. iii. 1; Matt. xi. 10. The voice of one, &c.-|| See notes on Isa. xl. 3; Matt. iii. 3. Verse 4. John-Who was the very person spoken to understand what is commonly denominated so with us, a region either uninhabitable or uninhabited. No more seems to have been denoted by it than a country fitter for pasture than for agriculture, mountainous, woody, and but thinly inhabited. These Epnuo, wildernesses, did not want their towns and villages. And preach the baptism of repentance— That is, preach repentance, and baptize as a sign and means of it. Thus John endeavoured to prepare men for the coming of that Messiah who was to save his people from their sins. See notes on Matt. iii. 2, 3. This baptism, says Dr. Lightfoot, may belong to children, though it be the baptism of repentance, and they know not what repentance means; for it requireth not their repentance at the receiving of this sacrament, but it engageth them to it for the time to come, namely, when they shall come to the use of reason, and the knowledge of the engagement. And so was it with the children that were circumcised; for they by that sacrament became debtors to observe the whole law, Gal. v. 3, when they knew not what obedience or the law meant; but that bound them to it when they came to years of knowledge and discretion. Verses 5-8. There went out to him all Judea, &c. h Jesus tempted in the wilderness. 10 m And straightway coming up A. M. 4031. out of the water, he saw the heavens A. D. 27. 2 opened, and the Spirit like a dove descending upon him. 11 And there came a voice from heaven, saying, "Thou art my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. 12 And immediately the Spirit driveth 7 And preached, saying, There cometh one 8 I indeed have baptized you with water: but he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost. 9 And it came to pass in those days, that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized of John in Jordan. Matt. iii. 4.— Lev. xi. 22. Matt. iii. 11; John i. 27; Acts xiii. 25.- -i Acts i. 5; xi. 16; xix. 4.- Isa. xliv. 3; Joel ii. 28; Acts ii. 4; x. 45; xi. 15, 16; 1 Cor. xii. 13.- Matt. iii. Verses 9-11. It came to pass in those days-Of|| John's baptism at the river Jordan; that Jesus came || from Nazareth of Galilee-Where he lived for many years in a retired manner, with his parents; || and was baptized of John in Jordan-Near Bethabara. John i. 28. See on Matt. iii. 13-17. 13 And he was there in the wilderness forty days, tempted of Satan; and was with the wild beasts; and the angels ministered unto him. 14 Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, -So disposed were the people to receive his baр- || Teρi avre, he waited for John's testimony concerning tism. See note on Matt. iii. 5. The latchet of him. Accordingly, St. Peter represents Christ as whose shoes, &c.-That is, whose servant I am not || beginning thus to preach from Galilee, after the worthy to be, or to perform for him the meanest || baptism which John preached was ended, Acts x. 37. offices. He shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost || Now hence it is evident, that his coming into Galilee, -The promise of which is made to you and your mentioned Luke iv. 14, must refer to the same time, children, Acts ii. 39; where see the note, and on that so all the evangelists may agree. The time is Matt. iii. 11. fulfilled-The time of my kingdom, foretold by Daniel, and expected by you, is fully come. The kingdom of God is at hand-That kingdom which God is about to erect by the Messiah, (foretold by Daniel, chap. ii. 44; and vii. 14,) whereby he will rescue men from the dominion of Satan and of sin, of the world and of the flesh, and constitute them his loyal subjects and obedient servants; whereby he will reign in them, as well as over them, ruling their hearts by his grace as well as their lives by his laws; that kingdom, which is not in word, but in power, 1 Cor. iv. 20, which is righteousness, internal and external, love to God and all mankind, and obedience flowing therefrom; peace with God and peace of conscience, consequent on deliverance from the guilt and power of sin, and joy in the Holy Ghost, arising from the Holy Spirit's influences assuring us of our adoption into the family of God, inspiring us with a lively hope of his glory, Gal. iv. 6; Rom. v. 2; and giving us an earnest of our future inheritance in our hearts, Eph. i. 14. See note on Rom. xiv. 17. This kingdom of God, of which believers are possessed on earth, is at once a preparation for, and an Verses 12, 13. Immediately the Spirit driveth him -Gr. ɛkbaλλei, thrusteth him out, or, sends him away, as the same word signifies, verse 43. Luke says, nyero, he was moved, or led; Matthew, avnxon, he was led up, namely, from the plain of Jordan. He was forty days tempted of Satan-Invisibly. After this followed the temptation by him in a visible shape, related by Matthew. These forty days, says Dr. Lightfoot, the holy angels ministered to Christ visibly, and Satan tempted him invisibly; at the end of them, Satan puts on the appearance of an angel of light, and pretends to wait on him as they did. || See on Matthew iv. 2-11. And was with the wild beasts-Though they had no power to hurt him. Mark, we may observe, not only gives us a compendium of Matthew's gospel, but likewise several valuable particulars, which he and the other evangel-earnest of, the kingdom of God in heaven. Repent ists have omitted; especially such particulars as might enable the Romans, or Gentiles in general, better to understand him. Thus, as a Roman might not know how wild and uninhabited the deserts of Arabia were, in which Christ was tempted, he adds here, that he was with the wild beasts. Verses 14, 15. After John was put in prison-By ye, and believe the gospel-That you may be Christ's loyal subjects in time and in eternity, and be made partakers of this two-fold kingdom. Observe well, reader, the one, only way leading to the kingdom of God on earth and in heaven, is, repentance toward God, productive of fruits worthy of repentance, and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, and in the great truths and precious promises of his holy gospel. See on Matt. iii. 2; John i. 12; and iii. 16. Verses 17-20. Come, and I will make you fishers | of men-I will enable you to draw them into my true church by the net of my gospel. And straight- || way-Upon his call; leaving their nets, they followed him-From this time they forsook their employ, and constantly attended him. Happy they who follow Christ at the first call! When he had gone thence, he saw James-See on Matt. iv. 21. Mending their nets, which they had washed, Luke v. 2. The Greek word, karaρtičovras, here rendered mending, or refitting, signifies also preparing, or making. || out an unclean spirit. A. D. 30. 20 And straightway he called them: A. M. 4034. and they left their father Zebedee in the ship with the hired servants, and went after him. 21 And they went into Capernaum; and straightway on the sabbath day he entered into the synagogue and taught. 22 And they were astonished at his doctrine: for he taught them as one that had authority, and not as the scribes. b 23 And there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit; and he cried out, 24 Saying, Let us alone; what have we to do with thee, thou Jesus of Nazareth? art thou come to destroy us? I know thee who thou art, the Holy One of God. y Matt. iv. 21.- Matt. iv. 13; Luke iv. 31.- a Matt. vii. 28 he cried out in great terror: saying, in the name of all the rest, Let us alone, &c. Art thou come to destroy us—By driving us out of our abodes on earth to the regions of darkness? I know thee—Under all the disadvantages of thy present appearance, I can sufficiently discern who thou art, the Holy One of God-Whom he hath sanctified and sent into the world for the destruction of my kingdom, and therefore I dread thee. It seems plain, from what is said afterward, verse 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 vainly suppose, and not really possessed by an evil spirit? This case was so remarkable, that, as the evangelist adds, immediately our Lord's fame spread abroad throughout all the region round about Galilee. However, though madmen might not know Christ, the devils could not be ignorant of him, from the time of his baptism, when the voice from heaven said, This is my beloved Son, &c., and therefore Satan soon after, in one of his temptations, says, If thou be the Son of God, &c., Matt. iv. 6. And Jesus rebuked him— Not being willing to receive any testimony from Satan. When the unclean spirit had torn him— Or convulsed him, as oñapažav seems here to mean. Accordingly, onapaypov, as Grotius has observed, is sometimes used to signify a convulsion. It is certainly much more natural, as Doddridge observes, to understand the expression thus, than to suppose the devil to have torn him, according to the common meaning of the word torn, which leaves the Verses 21, 22. And they went into CapernaumWhen our Lord had thus called Peter, Andrew, James, and John, they all left the side of the lake, and entered with him into the city of Capernaum. || And straightway on the sabbath day-Doubtless the next sabbath, which was probably the very next day. The word for sabbath day, roɩç σaßbaoi, is in the plural number, and the expression is frequently the same where it is evidently to be understood of a particular day, as Matt. xii. 1; xxviii. 1 ; Acts xiii. 14. And taught-Declared the important truths which he was in so extraordinary a manner commissioned to reveal and vindicate. And they were astonished at his doctrine-Were again struck with amazement at it, as they had been when he first came to preach among them. See Luke iv. 23, and note on Matt. vii. 28. There seems to have been something in the discourses, as well as in the miracles of this last sabbath that he spent among them at this time, which raised their wonder, and affected them in a peculiar manner, as appears from the multitude of sick peo-reader to imagine that he grievously wounded him, ple which were brought to him that evening, verses 32, 33; Luke iv. 40; Matt. viii. 16. Verses 23-28. And there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit—Luke, which had a spirit of an unclean devil. And he cried out-Luke, with a loud voice. As soon as the devil saw Jesus, dreading his power, and expecting to be dispossessed, 258 || when Luke expressly says, he hurt him not. And cried with a loud voice-Or, noise, rather, for he was forbidden to speak. Christ would neither suffer those evil spirits to speak in opposition, nor yet in favour of him. He needed not their testimony, nor would encourage it, lest any should infer that he acted in concert with them. Luke says, When ( 17* ) a Jesus heals various diseases, A. M. 4035. d e A. D. 31. 25 And Jesus rebuked him, saying, || and lifted her up; and immediately A. M. 4035. Hold thy peace, and come out of him. the fever left her, and she ministered 26 And when the unclean spirit had torn unto them. him, and cried with a loud voice, he came out of him. 27 And they were all amazed, insomuch that they questioned among themselves, saying, What thing is this? what new doctrine is this? for with authority commandeth he even the unclean spirits, and they do obey him. 28 And immediately his fame spread abroad throughout all the region round about Galilee. 29 And forthwith, when they were come out of the synagogue, they entered into the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John. 32 And at even, when the sun did set, they brought unto him all that were diseased, and them that were possessed with devils. 33 And all the city was gathered together at the door. 34 And he healed many that were sick of divers diseases, and cast out many devils; and suffered not the devils 3 to speak, because they knew him. 35 And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he went out and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed. 36 And Simon, and they that were with him, 30 But Simon's wife's mother lay sick of a followed after him. fever; and anon they tell him of her. 37 And when they had found him, they said 31 And he came and took her by the hand, unto him, All men seek for thee. ■ Verse 34. Chapter ix. 20. Matt. viii. 14; Luke iv. 38. Matt. viii. 16; Luke iv. 40. Chap. iii. 12; Luke iv. 41; See Acts xvi. 17, 18.- Or, to say that they knew him.-i Luke iv. 42. be made a bad use of by men of evil minds. the devil had thrown him in the midst, he came out them, and cured them all. And he suffered not the of him—It is remarkable, that in all the cures of this devils to speak, because they knew him-Luke, sort which our Lord performed, the person to be knew that he was the Christ-That is, according to cured was seized with the disorder in its violence at the hypothesis of those who consider the Scriptural the time of the cure, and raised from the stupor of demoniacs as being only diseased persons, he suf the fit to perfect health in an instant. The reason || fered not the diseases to speak, because they knew was, that thus the reality and greatness both of the him! The fact seems to have been this, the demons, disorder and the cure were fully proved, to the con- in addressing Jesus, honoured him with the title of viction of every beholder. And they were all amazed the Messiah. This, his enemies said, they never -At so miraculous a cure; insomuch that they ques- || would have done, had he not been in compact with tioned among themselves-Inquired of each other, them. Therefore, our Lord would not have their and reasoned together, saying, What new doctrine testimony, because it was a real and intended defais this ?—Luke, TI o λoyos 8705, what a word is this!||mation of him; and because he foresaw that it would How powerful is this man's word, or command! for with authority commandeth he even the unclean Verses 35-39. And in the morning, a great while spirits—An indubitable proof that his doctrine was before day-Evvvxov hav, When the night was very attended with an extraordinary power: and imme- far advanced, or, when it was yet deep night, he diately his fame-Raised by this signal miracle, || went out, &c.-Thus diligently did the Son of God spread abroad throughout all the region-And made labour for us! After the preceding day had been way for his reception in the progress which he spent in preaching, and the evening in working miraafterward took into every place of the neighbouring cles, Jesus allowed himself but a very short repose. country. And departed into a solitary place-Withdrawing not only from the multitude, but even from his disciples; for the company of the best friends is not always seasonable nor acceptable. There are times and cases when a true Christian would not be willing that his dearest friends should be witnesses of what passes between God and his soul. By retiring thus early in the morning for prayer, our Lord teaches that the morning is a fit season, yea, the best Verses 29-34. They entered into the house of Simon―That is, of Peter. See the notes on Matt. viii. 14–17. And all the city was gathered together at the door. Namely, of the house in which Jesus was; some coming as humble petitioners for themselves or their friends, others as spectators of the surprising miracles which he wrought, and some probably to hear and be instructed by his discourses. O what a fair prospect was here! Who could then have ima-season, for private duties. Then our spirits are gined that all these blossoms would die away without fruit? And he healed many-Luke says, chap. iv. 40, He laid his hands on every one of them and healed them. The sight of so many of the human kind in distress, moved him; and he took pity on most fresh, and our minds most free, before the cares and distractions of the day have broken in upon us. It is better to go from prayer to business, than from business to prayer. But not only early in the morning, but at other convenient times, we find |