Mark 7:36

7:36-37 Despite his desire to avoid attention, Jesus’ greatness shone too brightly—his person, his teaching, and his ability to heal inspired awe, and he could not be hidden.

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Mar 7:36. Αὐτοῖς, them) Those who had borne the dumb man. It was rather the part of the spectators to publish it abroad. And yet the former [the bearers] also published the fame of it, Mar 7:37. Silence was wont especially to be enjoined on those who had been cured of the diseases.—μᾶλλον περισσότερον, the more exceeding abundantly) The comparative contained in the μᾶλλον, more, stands in antithesis to His prohibition: that in the περισσότερον, exceeding abundantly, stands in antithesis to the publishing of it, which they would have made, had there been no prohibition; comp. Php 1:23, note.

Bengel's Gnomon of the New Testament — English translation (T&T Clark, Edinburgh, 1860) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Mar 7:36 . μᾶλλον περισσότερον , a double comparative, forcibly rendered in A.V [67] , “So much the more, a great deal”. Cf. 2Co 7:13 . This use of μᾶλλον to strengthen comparatives is found in classics, instances in Raphel, Annon., ad loc. , and Hermann’s Viger , p. 719.

[67] Authorised Version.

The Expositor's Greek Testament, edited by W. Robertson Nicoll (1897–1910) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Verse 36. Tell no man] See Clarke on Mt 8:4. This miracle is not mentioned by any other of the evangelists. Another proof that Mark did not abridge Matthew. For a practical review of the different important subjects of this chapter, see Mt 15:1-39, and particularly the observations at the end. See Clarke on Mt 15:39.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

36. he charged them] i. e. the friends of the afflicted man, who had accompanied or followed him into the presence of his Healer.

so much the more] Observe the accumulation of comparatives, “The more He charged them, so much the more a great deal they published it, and were beyond measure astonished.” The original word for “beyond measure” occurs nowhere else in the New Testament.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And were beyond measure astonished,.... The man that was cured, the men that brought him, and the whole multitude were exceedingly, beyond all expression, amazed at what was done, in this case, and many others; for there were other miracles also wrought at this time; see Mat 15:30. The grace of God, in opening the ears and heart of a sinner, and causing the tongue of the dumb to sing his praise, is very astonishing, to men and angels; to the persons themselves that partake of it; and to all the saints that hear of it; it is amazing that such grace should be bestowed at all; and it is more, that it should be communicated to such unworthy persons it is; as also that it should produce such effects it does; that it should make such a surprising change, and be attended with such blessed consequences:

saying, he hath done all things well; not by Beelzebub, the prince of devils, as said the Scribes and Pharisees; nor in any ostentatious manner, for the sake of the honour and applause of men, as they plainly saw; but for the good of mankind, and for the glory of God: and as all the miraculous works, which Christ did, were well done by him, so all other works of his: all that he did in eternity before the world was, he did well; what he did in the council and covenant of grace, in espousing the persons and cause of his people, and in all his federal transactions and suretyship engagements for them: he drew nigh to God on their account; he cheerfully agreed to what his Father proposed; he entered into a covenant with him, and took the care and charge of all his people, and of all promises and blessings of grace for them: and whatsoever he has done in time is well done; as his assumption of human nature; taking a nature, and not a person, this of a virgin, and an holy nature, though subject to sinless infirmities, and this in due and proper time; also his subjection to the law, moral, civil, and ceremonial, as it became him to fulfil all righteousness; and his preaching the Gospel, which he did with authority, and which he spake as never man did, and which he confirmed by his miracles; but especially the great work of redemption he came about, was well done by him: this he has thoroughly done; he has redeemed his people from the law, its curse, and condemnation; he has ransomed them out of the hands of Satan; he has saved them from all their sins; he has procured the remission of them, made reconciliation for them, and brought in an everlasting righteousness: he has done this work to the satisfaction of all parties; to the glory of all the divine perfections, of justice, as well as of grace and mercy; to the contentment and pleasure of all the divine persons; his Father, himself, and the blessed Spirit: and to the joy of angels and men: and all that he has done, or is now doing in heaven, as an advocate and intercessor, is done well; and we may be assured, that all that he will do hereafter, as the judge of quick and dead, will be done in like manner.

He maketh both the deaf to hear, and the dumb, or those that could not speak, at least without a great deal of difficulty,

to speak; an instance of both which there was in this single man's case.

Next: Mark Chapter 8

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

36 And he charged them that they should tell no man: but the more he charged them, so much the more a great deal they published it;

Ver. 36. So much the more] Eo magis praefulgebat utique quia non visebatur, as Tacitus saith of Brutus; the more he sought to secrete himself the more he was noticed.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Tell no man - Do not noise it abroad. He was not ambitious of being known, and he knew that if much was said of his cures, it would excite the jealousy of the Pharisees and endanger his life.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

36. Tell no man — The palace of Herod at Cesarea Philippi was not distant, and mercy and miracle must in this guilty world work in secret.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Vers. 36, 37. He charged them (diestelleto). The word is a strong one: "he gave them clear and positive orders." The injunction seems to have been given, both to the deaf and dumb man, and to those who brought him. And it was given partly, no doubt, for his own sake, and for reasons connected with his gradual manifestation of himself to the world, and partly for the instruction of his disciples, and to show that he did not desire by his miracles to win the vain applause of men. St. Augustine says that "our Lord desired, by putting this restraint upon them, to teach how much more fervently they ought to preach him, whom he commissions to preach, when they who were forbidden could not be silent." He hath done all things well. He did nothing that the Pharisees, captious and envious as they were, could reasonably find fault with. St. Matthew (Mat_15:30, Mat_15:31) intimates that at this time our Lord exhibited a vast number of miracles, a bright galaxy of wonders, amongst which this shone out conspicuously, as a very prominent and instructive one. But, indeed, "he went about doing good." His whole life on earth was one connected, continued manifestation of loving kindness.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Them - The blind man and those that brought him.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

36. He charged them that they should tell no man. Consult note on Matt. 8:4.

B. W. Johnson's The People's New Testament with Notes (1889–1891) — public domain. Electronic text from the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (CCEL) ThML edition.

the more he ordered them

The refers to him ordering them not to tell anyone about what he had done. AT: "the more he ordered them not to tell anyone" (See: Ellipsis)

the more abundantly

"the more widely" or "the more"

were extremely astonished

"were utterly amazed" or "were exceedingly astonished" or "were astonished beyond all measure"

the deaf ... the mute

These refer to people. AT: "deaf people ... mute people" or "people who cannot hear ... people who cannot speak" (See: Metonymy)

translationWords

preach

amazed

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.

36. διεστείλατο. See on Mar 5:19; Mar 5:43. He gave the charge once; and then, the more He repeated it (διεστέλλετο), the more they continued to disregard it (ἐκήρυσσον). The comparative is sometimes strengthened by μᾶλλον (2Co 7:13; Php 1:23), sometimes by ἔτι (Heb 7:15), and περισσεύω may have both (Php 1:9). But here μᾶλλον might mean potius, “instead of being silent they published it more exceedingly.” These commands to be silent were usually disregarded, but that does not prove that they ought not to have been given. The Decalogue is not abrogated because of man’s disobedience. Wrede (Messiasgeheimnis, p. 133) sees a contradiction between this and Mar 7:33. But Mar 7:33 does not say that Christ took the man away from everybody. No doubt some of the crowd followed, and they were people who previously had seen little or nothing of His work as a Healer. They would naturally be very demonstrative.

Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges (Cambridge University Press, 1896; 21 vols, various authors incl. Carr, Maclear, Plummer, Farrar, Lumby, Moule, M. R. James, Simcox) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

36.] See ch. 1:45.

Henry Alford, The Greek Testament (1849–1861) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

36. καὶ διεστείλατο αὐτοῖς ἵνα μηδενὶ λέγωσιν· ὅσον δὲ αὐτοῖς διεστέλλετο, αὐτοῖ μᾶλλον περισσότερον ἐκήρυσσον—and he commanded them to tell no one. But the more he commanded them, the more exceedingly they heralded it.3

λέγωσιν, instead of εἴπωσιν, Tisch. Treg. WH. א BL Δ 28, 33. Omit αὐτὸς after ὅσον δὲ, Tisch. Treg. WH. א ABLX Δ 1, mss. Lat. Vet. Vulg. Memph. Insert αὐτοὶ before μᾶλλον, Tisch. Treg. WH. א B(D) LN Δ 33, 61, one ms. Lat. Vet. Memph. Pesh.

Jesus accompanies this miracle with the ordinary injunction of secrecy, but it only inflamed their zeal to publish it.4 The conduct of the multitude is a good example of the way in which men treat Jesus, yielding him all homage, except obedience.5

International Critical Commentary — older volumes (1896–1929), various authors — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Charged [διεστειλατο] . The verb means, first, to separate; then to define or distinguish; and as that which is separated and distinguished is emphasized, to command or straitly charge.

Marvin R. Vincent, Word Studies in the New Testament (1887–1900) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.