Mark 9:30

Here, I. Christ foretels his own approaching sufferings. He passed through Galilee with more expedition than usual, and would not that any man should know of it (Mar 9:30); because he had done many mighty and good works among them in vain, they shall not be invited to see them and have the benefit of them, as they have been. The time of his sufferings drew nigh, and therefore he was willing to be private awhile, and to converse only with his disciples, to prepare them for the approaching trial, Mar 9:31. He said to them, The Son of man is delivered by the determinate council and fore-knowledge of God into the hands of men (Mar 9:31), and they shall kill him. He had been delivered into the hands of devils, and they had worried him, it had not been so strange; but that men, who have reason, and should have love, that they should be thus spiteful to the Son of man, who came to redeem and save them, is unaccountable. But still it is observable that when Christ spoke of his death, he alway spoke of his resurrection, which took away the reproach of it from himself, and should have taken away the grief of it from his disciples. But they understood not that saying, Mar 9:32. The words were plain enough, but they could not be reconciled to the thing, and therefore would suppose them to have some mystical meaning which they did not understand, and they were afraid to ask him; not because he was difficult of access, or stern to those who consulted him, but either because they were loth to know the truth, or because they expected to be chidden for their backwardness to receive it. Many remain ignorant because they are ashamed to enquire.

II. He rebukes his disciples for magnifying themselves. When he came to Capernaum, he privately asked his disciples what it was they disputed among themselves by the way, Mar 9:33. He knew very well what the dispute was, but he would know it from them, and would have them to confess their fault and folly in it. Note, 1. We must all expect to be called to an account by our Lord Jesus, concerning what passes while we are in the way in this state of passage and probation. 2. We must in a particular manner be called to an account about our discourses among ourselves; for by our words we must be justified or condemned. 3. As our other discourses among ourselves by the way, so especially our disputes, will be all called over again, and we shall be called to an account about them. 4. Of all disputes, Christ will be sure to reckon with his disciples for their disputes about precedency and superiority: that was the subject of the debate here, who should be the greater, Mar 9:34. Nothing could be more contrary to the two great laws of Christ's kingdom, lessons of his school, and instructions of his example, which are humility and love, than desiring preferment in the world, and disputing about it. This ill temper he took all occasions to check, both because it arose from a mistaken notion of his kingdom, as if it were of this world, and because it tended so directly to be debasing of the honour, and the corrupting of the purity, of his gospel, and, he foresaw, would be so much the bane of the church.

Now, (1.) They were willing to cover this fault (Mar 9:34); they held their peace. As they would not ask (Mar 9:32), because they were ashamed to own their ignorance, so here they would not answer because they were ashamed to own their pride. (2.) He was willing to amend this fault in them, and to bring them to a better temper; and therefore sat down, that he might have a solemn and full discourse with them about this matter; he called the twelve to him, and told them, [1.] That ambition and affectation of dignity and dominion, instead of gaining them preferment in his kingdom, would but postpone their preferment; If any man desire and aim to be first, he shall be last; he that exalteth himself, shall be abased, and men's pride shall bring them low. [2.] That there is no preferment to be had under him, but an opportunity for, and an obligation to, so much the more labour and condescension; If any man desire to be first, when he is so, he must be much the more busy and serviceable to every body. He that desires the office of a bishop, desires a good work, for he must, as St. Paul did, labour the more abundantly, and make himself the servant of all. [3.] That those who are most humble and self-denying, do most resemble Christ, and shall be most tenderly owned by him. This he taught them by a sign; He took a child in his arms, that had nothing of pride and ambition in it. "Look you," saith he; "whosoever shall receive one like this child, receives me. Those of a humble, meek, mild disposition are such as I will own and countenance, and encourage every body else to do so too, and will take what is done to them as done to myself; and so will my Father too, for he who thus receiveth me, receiveth him that sent me, and it shall be placed to his account, and repaid with interest."

III. He rebukes them for vilifying all but themselves; while they are striving which of them should be greatest, they will not allow those who are not in communion with them to be any thing. Observe,

1. The account which John gave him, of the restraint they had laid upon one from making use of the name of Christ, because he was not of their society. Though they were ashamed to own their contests for preferment, they seem to boast of this exercise of their authority, and expected their Master would not only justify them in it, but commend them for it; and hoped he would not blame them for desiring to be great, when they would thus use their power for maintaining the honour of the sacred college. Master, saith John, we saw one casting out devils in thy name, but he followeth not us, Mar 9:38. (1.) It was strange that the one who was not a professed disciple and follower of Christ, should yet have power to cast out devils, in his name, for that seemed to be peculiar to those whom he called, Mar 6:7. But some think that he was a disciple of John, who made use of the name of the Messiah, not as come, but as near at hand, not knowing that Jesus was he. It should rather seem that he made use of the name of Jesus, believing him to be the Christ, as the other disciples did. And why not he receive that power from Christ, whose Spirit, like the wind, blows where it listeth, without such an outward call as the apostles had? And perhaps there were many more such. Christ's grace is not tied to the visible church. (2.) It was strange that one who cast out devils in the name of Christ, did not join himself to the apostles, and follow Christ with them, but should continue to act in separation from them. I know of nothing that could hinder him from following them, unless because he was loth to leave all to follow them; and if so, that was an ill principle. The thing did not look well, and therefore the disciples forbade him to make use of Christ's name as they did, unless he would follow him as they did. This was like the motion Joshua made concerning Eldad and Medad, that prophesied in the camp, and went not up with the rest to the door of the tabernacle; "My lord Moses, forbid them (Num 11:28); restrain them, silence them, for it is a schism." Thus apt are we to imagine that those do not follow Christ at all, who do not follow him with us, and that those do nothing well, who do not just as we do. But the Lord knows them that are his, however they are dispersed; and this instance gives us a needful caution, to take heed lest we be carried, by an excess of zeal for the unity of the church, and for that which we are sure is right and good, to oppose that which yet may tend to the enlargement of the church, and the advancement of its true interests another way.

2. The rebuke he gave to them for this (Mar 9:39); Jesus said, "Forbid him not, nor any other that does likewise." This was like the check Moses gave to Joshua; Enviest thou for my sake? Note, That which is good, and doeth good, must not be prohibited, though there be some defect or irregularity in the manner of doing it. Casting out devils, and so destroying Satan's kingdom, doing this in Christ's name, and so owning him to be sent of God, and giving honour to him as the Fountain of grace, preaching down sin, and preaching up Christ, are good things, very good things, which ought not to be forbidden to any, merely because they follow not with us. If Christ be preached, Paul therein doth, and will rejoice, though he be eclipsed by it, Phi 1:18. Two reasons Christ gives why such should not be forbidden. (1.) Because we cannot suppose that any man who makes use of Christ's name in working miracles, should blaspheme his name, as the scribes and Pharisees did. There were those indeed that did in Christ's name cast out devils, and yet in other respects were workers of iniquity; but they did not speak evil of Christ. (2.) Because those that differed in communion, while they agreed to fight against Satan under the banner of Christ, ought to look upon one another as on the same side, notwithstanding that difference. He that is not against us is on our part. As to the great controversy between Christ an Beelzebub, he had said, He that is not with me is against me, Mat 12:30. He that will not own Christ, owns Satan. But as to those that own Christ, though not in the same circumstances, that follow him, though not with us, we must reckon that though these differ from us, they are not against us, and therefore are on our part, and we must not be any hindrance to their usefulness.

Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible (1708–1710) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Mar_9:30-32

And they departed thence, and passed through Galilee.

Christ teaching His disciples

I. He explained to them His present state. He was about to be delivered by a traitorous disciple, etc.

II. He told them the parties into whose power He had been given.

1. To be delivered into the hands of men, is to be put into their power-to do to Him, and with Him, as they chose.

2. They could have this power only by special permission-from the Father, and Himself.

3. It is marvellous that He should have been so delivered. God in humanity! It brought out their desperate wickedness, proved the voluntariness of His obedience, showed how blind sin is in its supposed triumphs, etc.

III. He told them what must befall Him at the hands of men.

1. That Christ was to die, was not now foretold for the first time, predicted, etc.

2. This death of Christ was necessary, etc.

IV. He further revealed to them the future, by telling them of His resurrection. The result of an agency, neither human nor satanic, but Divine; prophecy, etc., called for it. Conclusion:

1. Christ had His sufferings ever in view (Luk_12:50; Joh_12:27).

2. In His sufferings and resurrection He saw His people.

3. He unveiled the future to His disciples. They were contending for honour-on the brink of sufferings-understood not the warning of Christ (Expository Discourses.)

The complete truth

About this announcement there are two things remarkable-Christs care in preparing His disciples for the cross, and the confidence with which Christ affirms His own resurrection. To have spoken of the betrayal alone, would have been to have put before His disciples a fragmentary truth; over the darkness of death Christ sheds the light of resurrection. The revelation of Christs purposes can occasion grief only when it is incompletely apprehended; sorrow attaches to some of the intermediate points, but never to the issue; the Lamb slain is a part of the process; the Lamb slain, but seated in the midst of the throne, is the sublime consummation. (J. Parker, D. D.)

The utility of truth not understood

It is not to no purpose, to speak things that are not immediately understood. Seed, though it lies in the ground awhile unseen, is not lost or thrown away, but will bring forth fruit. If you confine your teacher, you hinder your learning; if you limit his discourses to your present apprehensions, how shall he raise your understandings? If he accommodate all things to your present weakness, you will never be the wiser, than you are now; you will be always in swaddling clothes. (Dr. Whichcote.)

Understood not

When I was a little girl I had a sovereign given to me. If it had been a shilling I might have put it in my own little purse, and spent it at once; but, being a sovereign, my dear father took care of it for me, and I expect I forgot all about it. But one day when I was quite grown up, he called me into his study and gave me the sovereign, reminding me how it had been given me when I was about as high as the back of a chair. And I was very glad to have it then, for I understood how much it was worth and knew very well what to do with it. Now, when you come to some saying of the Lord Jesus that you do not understand or see how to make any use of yourself, do not think it of no consequence whether you read it or not. When you are older you will find that it is just like my sovereign, coming back to you when you want it and are able to make use of it. (Frances Ridley Havergal.)

The Biblical Illustrator, edited by Joseph S. Exell (c. 1880s–1900s) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Mar 9:30-32. And they departed thence — From the country of Cesarea Philippi; and passed through Galilee — Not through the cities, but by them, in the most private ways; for he would not that any man should know it — Lest the important conversation into which he then intended to enter with his disciples should be interrupted by company; for he purposed to converse freely with them, and instruct them fully concerning his sufferings. For he taught his disciples, &c. — The evangelist here assigns this as the reason why he desired his journey to be private, namely, that he might have an opportunity to talk over this subject at large. And said, The Son of man is delivered into the hands of men — It is as sure as if it were done already. This declaration, according to Luke, he prefaced with saying, Let these sayings sink down into your ears, signifying hereby, not only their certain truth, but their unspeakable importance, and that they ought to be seriously considered and laid to heart. But they understood not that saying — They could not comprehend how he, who was to abide on earth for ever, and was to deliver others from the universal destroyer, should himself fall under his stroke: Or, they could not reconcile his death, nor consequently his resurrection, which supposed his death, with their notions of his temporal kingdom: Luke says, And it was hid from them, namely, by their own prejudices and misconceptions concerning the Messiah. For, seeing he spake of rising again the third day, they were not able to divine any reason for his dying at all, being ignorant, as yet, of the nature and ends of his death. And they were afraid to ask him — Taking no comfort from the mention that was made of his resurrection, the prediction raised such fears in their minds, that they durst not ask him to explain it; especially as they remembered that he had often inculcated it, and had reprimanded Peter for being unwilling to hear it.

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

§ 77. — JESUS AGAIN FORETELLS HIS SUFFERINGS AND HIS RESURRECTION, Mar_9:30-32.

(See note on Mat_22:23.)

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

CRITICAL AND EXEGETICAL NOTES

Mar_9:31. Is delivered.—Is being delivered. The last stage of His ministry, which was to culminate in His threefold “delivery”—the Father’s surrender of the Son, the Son’s surrender of Himself, and His betrayal by Judas—had now set in.

MAIN HOMILETICS OF THE PARAGRAPH.—Mar_9:30-32

(PARALLELS: Mat_17:22-23; Luk_9:43-45.)

More explicit prediction of sufferings.—After His transfiguration, and the performance of the above miracle, Christ proceeded through Galilee towards Jerusalem. He travels unknown, in order that He might instruct His disciples. An example of how we may spend time by the way.

I. He explained to them His present state: “The Son of Man is delivered.”—

1. He had already been delivered by the Father—in purpose, promise, and deed—to stand in our room.

2. He had delivered Himself to law and justice, to be a curse for us.

3. He was about to be delivered by a traitorous disciple. Among the twelve He seems to have for a while a retreat; but He is betrayed.

4. The Father and Himself, in thus acting, shewed love—Judas, avarice.

II. He told them the parties into whose power He had been given; “Into the hands of men.”—

1. To be delivered into the hands of men is to be put into their power—to do to Him and with Him as they chose.

2. They could have this power only by special permission—from the Father and Himself.

3. It is marvellous that He should have been delivered into the hands of men. God in humanity.

(1) It tested their character, and brought out their desperate wickedness.

(2) It proved the voluntariness of His obedience.

(3) It shewed how blind sin is in its supposed triumphs—how God brings glory out of rebellion.

III. He told them what must befall Him at the hands of men: “They shall kill Him.”—

1. That Christ was to die was not now foretold for the first time.

(1) In sacrifice He had been slain since the beginning of the world.

(2) His sufferings had been predicted.

(3) He had been hated in His law.

(4) Killed in His people.

(5) His life had been sought already.

(6) The death of Christ was no singular event in the display of human character involved.

2. Conscience tells man that death is penal, and he uses it as such, and as the height of punishment. Man proclaimed Christ guilty.

3. Intensity of revenge leads him sometimes to add torture to death. Man proclaimed his own hatred to Christ.

4. This death of Christ was necessary.

5. Did take place—religion—law—power—people.

IV. He revealed to them the future by telling them of His resurrection.—

1. Man’s power and agency ended with His death.

2. Christ’s resurrection was the result of an agency neither human nor satanic, but Divine.

(1) Scripture prophecy called for it.

(2) His office and undertaking called for it.

(3) Divine justice called for it.

(4) The exalted connexion of His humanity called for it.

(5) The defeat of him who had the power of death led to it.

3. Christ followed man to death. Man follows Christ to life.

V. We see that Christ had His sufferings ever in view.—

1. He knew Judas’ part, and the priests’ and the people’s. He saw in their bosoms the fire, etc.

2. He anticipates the Father’s. He knew His ire.

3. The feelings with which He approached these are mentioned, Luk_12:50; Joh_12:27.

VI. He also kept in view that which was to follow.—

1. He contemplated the whole truth, and the one part balanced with the other.

2. “For the joy that was set before Him,” etc.—Jas. Stewart.

OUTLINES AND COMMENTS ON THE VERSES

Mar_9:31. Sufferings and glory intimately connected.—Jesus knew beforehand the whole amount of His sufferings, in all their connexions and bearings; and therefore never foretold them without likewise foretelling His resurrection; neither did He foretell this without foretelling His sufferings. Thus doth true faith apprehend the latter and the former as one entire matter, and makes very much of everything pertaining to either. Here is something for exercising the heart—something which must never be lost sight of, in the darkest night of affliction, or in the clearest blaze of the terrestrial noon; for it is to “guide our feet into the way of peace.” As we hold a candle to the flame until it is fully lighted, so we must hold ourselves to this subject with affecting meditation (Luk_24:26; 1Pe_5:1; 2Co_13:4).—J. A. Bengel.

Mar_9:32. Lessons.—

1. The spirit cannot understand what the flesh is unwilling to suffer.

2. This seed which Christ seems unprofitably to cast into a barren soil will bring forth fruit in due time.

3. We must not give over instructing, how dull soever the understandings of men are as to heavenly truths: the Spirit of God can open them, as He opened those of the apostles.

4. We ought to be ashamed of that unreasonable bashfulness which makes us choose rather to continue ignorant than to discover our ignorance. Nothing but humility can secure us from it.—P. Quesnel.

Understanding must precede speech.—It is not to no purpose to speak things that are not presently understood. Seed, though it lies in the ground awhile unseen, is not lost or thrown away, but will bring forth fruit. If you confine your teacher, you hinder your learning; if you limit his discourses to your present apprehensions, how shall he raise your understandings? If he accommodate all things to your present weakness, you will never be the wiser than you are now; you will be always in swaddling clothes (Joh_2:22; Joh_14:26).—Dr. Whichcote.

ILLUSTRATIONS TO CHAPTER 9

Mar_9:31. Christ’s knowledge of His future.—Christ deals with His future as men deal with their past. This is entirely different from these mere presentiments of death which are sometimes, no doubt, as extraordinary as they are pathetic. A brave officer is ordered abroad for a campaign. On his voyage out his heart turns to his family, to his wife and children. After he lands, before going into action, he writes tender words in the light of an eternal world. They reach us when the hand is cold that traced the lines, when the eyes are closed that were half blinded with the salt mist of love. We read the presentiment into a prophecy, the felt probability into a certainty. Yet, in truth, such anticipations are generally vague enough. Hundreds have written such letters for whom they have not been fulfilled. It was not so with Christ. In the army of the greatest of all human captains there was a regiment, at the head of whose list was the name of one brave soldier, called first whenever the roll was called, with the addition of “killed upon the field of battle.” So stood the name of the Son of God in His own hearing every day of His life.—Bishop Wm. Alexander.

The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary (gen. ed. Joseph S. Exell; Funk & Wagnalls, c. 1892) — public domain (pre-1929). A full-Bible homiletical/sermon-outline anthology covering 65 of 66 books (2 John is absent from the source module). Text from a community e-Sword module.

NINTH SECTION

THE RETIREMENT OF JESUS IN GALILEE PREPARATORY TO HIS JOURNEY TO PERÆA AND JERUSALEM. FURTHER PREPARATION FOR THE NEW CHURCH

Mar_9:30-50

______

1. Christ’s Prediction among His Galilœan Disciples of His Death. Mar_9:30-32

(Parallels: Mat_17:22-23; Luk_9:43-45.)

30And they departed thence, and passed [passed by by-ways 15] through Galilee; and he would not that any man should know it. 31For he taught his disciples, and said unto them, The Son of man is delivered into the hands of men, and they shall kill him; and after that he is killed, he shall rise the third day.16 32But they understood not that saying, and were afraid to ask him.

EXEGETICAL AND CRITICAL

See on Matthew and Luke.—It is plain that the return of Jesus to Galilee from Cæsarea Philippi is here described. As it regards the chronological relation to what follows, it is questionable whether this was the last residence of Jesus in Galilee before His departure to Jerusalem in the year of His death, or the last but one. The former is the opinion of Lücke, Wieseler, Hofmann, and Ebrard. But on the other side is the fact, that Jesus now went through Galilee quite in secret; while His last journey from Galilee, through Samaria, was a very public one. (See Luk_9:52; Luk_15:1.) This secret abode of Christ in Galilee coincides with the Lord’s refusal, on the occasion of His brethren’s challenge to Him to go up with them to the Feast of Tabernacles in Jerusalem, Joh_7:1; and this took place before the penultimate and certainly concealed journey of Jesus to Jerusalem (see Leben Jesu, ii. 2, p. 28).—The Feast of Tabernacles fell in the autumn (on the fifteenth day of the seventh Jewish month, called Tisri). It began this year—the year of persecutions before the year of His death, 782 a. u. c—according to Wieseler, on the twelfth of October. The present history, therefore, places us in the autumn of that year. (See on Matthew.) The proper and special characteristics of the present journey of Jesus through Galilee are found in the παρεπορεύοντο, Mar_9:30 (on which below), in the words, “He would not that any man should know,” and in the particulars of the prediction concerning the Passion. Mark is here distinguished from Matthew by being more precise in his characterization. On the other hand, Luke gives prominence to a specific trait, Luk_9:44—the Lord’s reference to the contrast furnished by the praises which He received after the healing of the demoniac youth at Cæsarea Philippi. He also gives special emphasis, Mar_9:45, to the expression οἱ δὲ ὴγνόουν τὸ ῥῆμα.

Mar_9:30. And passed through Galilee.—The παραπορεύομαι means a going aside or passing by. Meyer explains, “They were required to go rapidly through Galilee; that is, they so travelled as nowhere to tarry long.” In Deu_2:4 the passing through the territory of the Edomites was a passing through their borders (not touching their central places). In Mar_2:23 it means a passing through the cornfields, leaving the overhanging ears of corn. Hence Grotius (Annott. in Marc. p. Mark 638: compare Leben Jesu, ii. 924; Sepp. 2:418): they journeyed in by-ways and field-roads. But of a voyage by sea we read nothing. They travelled round the sea, through desert mountain-ways and woody paths; for Jesus desired uninterruptedly to prepare His disciples in Galilee for His approaching sufferings.

Mar_9:31. For He taught His disciples.—We must understand by these only His disciples dispersed through Galilee; that discipleship out of which He at a later period, before His last journey, selected the Seventy, and from among whom a nucleus of more than five hundred brethren outlived the trial of the cross: 1Co_15:6; Mat_28:16. For the Lord had previously led the twelve Apostles to Gaulonitis, over the sea, in order to make them acquainted with the same great mystery. See Mar_8:31.—Is delivered, παραδίδοται.—The future vividly exhibited as present.

Mar_9:32. But they understood not that saying.—Compare especially the parallel passage in Luke. According to Matthew, they were exceedingly troubled. The saying concerning His violent death so contradicted their expectations, that they could not and would not think of it. Hence they would not ask for fuller explanation.

DOCTRINAL AND ETHICAL

1. See on Matthew and Luke.

2. The whole passage is a psychological example that teaches us how difficult it is to enter into views which are opposed to our former views, and the tendency of our wills; how hard it is for the world, with its view of Christianity, and for Christians themselves, with their worldly views, to take a self-renouncing view of the mystery and doctrine of the cross. So every individual man of the world, and even the individual disciple of Christ, finds it ever.

3. Schleiermacher: “We see that the disciples had then as yet no conviction of the necessity of the death of Christ for the accomplishment of the work of redemption. They thought all was to be done without the intervention of the death of their Lord and Master, although not without many conflicts to befall both Him and them.” We see, however, that for that stage their faith satisfied the Lord; but we see also how often He had again to rebuke their unbelief, until, after His crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension, they came to a perfect faith through the anointing of the Holy Spirit.

HOMILETICAL AND PRACTICAL

See on Matthew and Luke.—The departure of Jesus from His asylum in the mountains on the other side of the sea.—The silent paths of the Lord in the dreary time of persecution (the ancient Christians in the Catacombs, the Waldenses, the Huguenots, Luther in the Wartburg, &c.).—The by-paths of Christ in contrast with the by-paths of the world.—The Lord’s calm autumnal travelling: 1. It was autumn in the year; 2. autumn in His life; 3. autumn in the ancient world.—The Son of Man delivered into the hands of men; or, the heaven-wide difference and contrast between the Man and men: 1. Between the Son of Man and the hands of men; 2. between the new humanity and the old humanity.—The betrayal into the hands of men, the bitterest sting in the anticipation of His sufferings.—The displacency with which man hears the first solemn and fearful words concerning the cross.—Lack of the insight of faith, and lack of the obedience of faith, in their reciprocal influence.—The pains taken by our Lord with His people, before He brought them to believe in the great salvation wrought out in the great judgment.—We learn the meaning of Christ’s death by the light of His life and suffering.

Starke:—Hedinger:—Christ’s suffering was certain and prearranged, but to the natural reason incomprehensible: the flesh for ever hears of it with displacency.—Majus:—When the Church is in a prosperous condition, that is the time to remember what has been predicted in Holy Writ concerning the cross and sufferings of the faithful.

2. The Greatest among the Disciples and the Little Child. Zeal of John. Offences. Mar_9:33-50

(Parallels: Mat_18:1-9; Luk_9:46-50.)

33And he came17 to Capernaum: and, being in the house, he asked them, What was it that ye disputed among yourselves by [on] the way? 34But they held their peace: for by [on] the way18 they had disputed among themselves who should be the greatest. 35And he sat down, and called the twelve, and saith unto them, If any man desire to be first, the same shall be last of all, and servant of all. 36And he took a child, and set him in the midst of them: and when he had taken him in his arms, he said unto them, 37Whosoever shall receive one of such children in my name, receiveth me; and whosoever 38shall receive me, receiveth not me, but him that sent me. And [But] John answered him,19 saying, Master, we saw one casting out devils in thy name, and he followeth not us; and we forbade him, because he followeth not us. 39But Jesus said, Forbid him not: for there is no man which shall do a miracle in my name, that can lightly [readily] 40speak evil of me. For he that is not against us20 is on our part. 41For whosoever shall give you a cup of water to drink in my name,21 because ye belong to Christ, verily I say unto you, he shall not lose his reward. 42And whosoever shall offend one of these little ones that believe in me,22 it is better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he were cast into the sea. 43And if thy hand offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee23 to enter into life maimed, than having [the] two hands to go into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched: 44Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. 45And if thy foot offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter halt into life, than having [the] two feet to be cast into hell, into the fire that never shall 46be quenched: Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.24 47And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out: it is better for thee to enter into the kingdom of 48God with one eye [one-eyed], than having two eyes to be cast into hell-fire25: Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. 49For every one shall be salted with 50fire, and every sacrifice shall be salted with salt. Salt is good: but if the salt have lost his [its] saltness [have become saltless], wherewith will ye season it? Have salt in yourselves, and have peace one with another.

EXEGETICAL AND CRITICAL

See on the parallel passages of Matthew and Luke.—As it respects the chronology, this residence of Jesus in Capernaum does not immediately follow the former section; but His appearance in Jerusalem at the Feast of Tabernacles must be interposed. According to John, our Lord went up to Jerusalem not only at the Feast of Tabernacles, but also at the Feast of Dedication. The former feast fell in the middle of the month of October; that of the Dedication in the second half of December (the 27th). The question arises, whether Jesus remained in Judæa during the interval between these two feasts, and then returned to Galilee and Capernaum for the last time; or whether this last journey homewards and the departure from Galilee fell within the interval of the two feasts. We assume that the latter is the true hypothesis, and for the following reasons:—1. The last journey of Jesus to Jerusalem led, according to the Synoptists, over Peræa. 2. According to Joh_10:40, Jesus went back, after the Feast of Dedication, to Peræa. Thus He must already have been once in Peræa; and this could have occurred only between the Feast of Tabernacles and the Feast of Dedication, that is, between October and December 782. Into this season falls His last abode in Capernaum, and His departure from Galilee (see Notes on Matthew). That between the secret travels of Jesus in the former section, and the position of things in the present, much must have intervened, is proved by the discussion going on among the disciples, which issued now in words, as to who should be the greatest among them. The glorious demonstration of Jesus at the Feast of Tabernacles, the healing of the blind man, the favourable feelings of the many, must have again enkindled within them the hopes of His speedy manifestation of the glory of His kingdom. This made them ever more desirous to give His prophecy of His death a figurative meaning as referring to the sufferings of Messiah, the temporary obscuration of His name and of His cause. Thus they might come to the question as to who would have a fair prospect of the highest place under Him in His kingdom. Mark is more precise in his narrative here than either Matthew or Luke: first, in regard to the occasion of the act and the special circumstances; secondly, in the scene with the little child. The Lord had already spoken the decisive word, before He placed the child in the midst. Mark records that Jesus embraced the child. In the words of application that follow he is more copious than Matthew, somewhat less copious than Luke. Mark, on the contrary, communicates in the fullest manner the transaction between Jesus and John, which Luke has in brief; and, in the discourse touching the offending hand, &c., he is more solemnly detailed than the other Evangelists. The narrative about the stater, Mark seems to have passed over, as being a narrative which Peter omitted because it made himself prominent.

Mar_9:33. By the way.—The fleeting journey through Galilee cannot here be meant, but the last return of Jesus from Jerusalem, when the disciples had recovered their tone of mind and their hopes.

Mar_9:34. Who should be the greatest.—Obviously, only with reference to the Messiah’s kingdom,—their hopes of the speedy establishment of which being now rekindled.

Mar_9:35. If any man desire to be first.—Comp. Mat_23:12; Mat_20:27; Mat_18:4. Our clause seems in one formula to include two rules: whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased; whosoever humbleth himself shall be exalted. Despotism makes man a slave; spiritual despotism makes him the lowest and most abject of all slaves, who must serve the most external and legal behests of a police for the internal kingdom of God. But voluntary service in the kingdom of love, and under the impulse of humility and self-denial, makes a man a spiritual power, and gives him an unconscious and blessed greatness in the kingdom of God, which does not complacently look at its own reflection. In this sense Christ came to minister unto all (symbol, the feet-washing), and has become Lord over all, Php_2:5-11. But the emphasis falls here obviously upon the second rule.

Mar_9:36. When He had taken him in His arms.—Peculiar to the vivid and pathetic style of Mark. Comp. Mar_10:16.

Mar_9:37. Whosoever shall receive one of such children.—The natural child in the arms of Jesus is not only a symbol, but also identical in its susceptibility with the spiritual child; and it signifies, not a Christian ripe in humility, but a beginner in faith. The child baptized or blessed is in the catechumen state, like the thirty years’ proselyte before baptism, or the beginner in faith. See on Matthew, p. 323.—Not Me, but Him that.—Meyer: “Not non tamquam, but with rhetorical emphasis the ἐμὲ δέχεται is absolutely denied.” At the same time the rhetorical element must be strongly emphasized. It signifies a “much more,” or “infinitely more;” with the child we receive Christ, with Christ we receive God, if the receiving is of the right kind.

Mar_9:38. And John answered Him.— The ἀποκρίνεσθαι here, as often, in the wider sense: on a special occasion to begin the conversation. John had a fact in his mind which he must bring into the light of this act of Jesus. Meyer, following Schleiermacher: “The disciples had, to one who uttered the name of Jesus, done the opposite of receive.” Or, rather, they had hindered one who in the name of Jesus was receiving the miserable, and doing works of mercy. John now hears that precisely to such an one the greatest promises are given.—In Thy name.—The τῷ ὀνόματί σου says less than ἐν τῷ, κ.τ.λ. Comp. Mat_7:22; Act_9:13. By means of uttering the name of Jesus. Meyer: “But our exorcist was not an impostor, he was a believer; yet not one belonging to the permanent company of Jesus.” Had he been a deceiver, he would not have been able to cast out demons by the name of Jesus; for the name of Jesus wrought no magical effects: see Act_19:13. But if he had been a decided believer, John would have known him as such; for the ἀκολουθεῖν must be understood of actual and real following, and not necessarily of merely external discipleship. The passage therefore means, that there was in him a measure of trust in the name of Jesus, a germ of true faith. But we must not forget that the words are, “he followeth not with us,” not, “he followeth not Thee:” this is certainly the utterance of an excited human party feeling. Gerlach and others suppose that the exorcist might have been a disciple of John the Baptist; but it is to be remembered that John himself did no miracle. All were indeed disciples of John, in the wider sense, who were hoping for the approaching kingdom, and had been baptized of John.—We forbade him, because.—We must regard John as the main agent in all this matter, though in perfect understanding and concert with the rest of the disciples. The “because he followeth not with us,” &c., signifies that they desired of the man a decided following with them, or an abandonment of all working in the name of Jesus. Thus they did not deny that even an unregenerate man might do something by means of the name of Jesus; but they regarded him as not justified in so doing. Their watchword was: first a full conversion, and then the right and ability to work. It is strictly, “We interdicted him from that,” or “hindered him.” Easily might the prohibition of the disciples disturb his miracle-working confidence.

Mar_9:39. Forbid him not, for.—Augustin: “Distinguit inter neutralitatem epicuream et neutralitatem ex infirmitate.” Such a man, the Lord tells them, would not immediately dishonor His name. His experience would prevent him from so soon turning round and going over to His enemies. And in this there was expressed, at the same time, the hope that he would earlier or later become an actual follower. Jesus, therefore, would impress it upon His disciples that they must honor and protect the isolated beginnings or germs of faith to be found in the world, without the circle of actual believers. We are not violently to constrain the men in whom such beginnings are seen, to adopt prematurely the party of faith: such a course might have a tendency to repel them, and drive them into the camp of the enemy. Moreover, it is contrary to the demands of a germ, and of gradual development; it is contrary to the rights of conscience, and the nature of the kingdom of God, whose kindled sparks of life fall far beyond the central hearth of the Church. But we must carefully distinguish here between forbidding and commanding. It is not permitted the disciples to forbid; they should pay all respect to the unrestrained influence of Christ, and its results, even beyond the fold of the disciples. But it does not follow from this, that the Lord commands, outside the circle of discipleship also, a premature activity of the beginners in faith. It is wholesome and natural that every energy of faith, in every young Christian, should act and move, according to the measure of its development, under the condition of truth, sincerity, and supreme regard for its own internal growth and well-being. Meyer: “We gather, moreover, from this passage, how mightily the words and influence of Christ had wrought outside the sphere of His permanent dependants, exciting in individuals a degree of spiritual energy that performed miracles on others.”

Mar_9:40. For he that is not against you.—The reading ὑμῶν is better supported than the reading ἡμῶν, which the Text. Rec., Fritzsche, and Tischendorf follow; and thus the clause constitutes a formal antithesis to the word in Matthew 11:42. (See the Critical Notes on that passage.) “And in order that they might not, in this sacred domain of tender beginnings, hurt any the least sapling, He converts His royal word, He who is not for Me is against Me, into a disciple-word for them to use, He who is not against us is on our part.” (Leben Jesu, ii. 10–12; comp. Stier on the passage.)

Mar_9:41. Whosoever shall give you a cup of water (see Mat_10:42.) The third γάρ, for: a threefold significant establishment of the rule laid down by our Lord, not to hinder beginnings. First reason: Such a man will not soon become mine enemy. Second reason: If any one were against you, he would give assurance of the fact; if he is not against you, it is to be assumed at the outset that he is for you. Third reason: The respect and love which is even outwardly shown you in the very slightest degree by men in the world, for Christ’s sake, or in His name, proves that they stand in a certain spiritual connection with Him, which under His blessing may increase and become more strict. The smallest token of friendship you receive as disciples of Christ, is a token of friendship to your Master, which is rewarded by Him with the blessing of greater friendship. Thus: 1. The beginning of friendly feeling excludes the thought of a speedy enmity; 2. so much so, that the cessation of enmity, in any instance, is to be regarded as friendship; 3. because the slightest token of friendliness, which is understood by that cessation of enmity, is blessed and furthered until it has become decided love and friendship. From the external friendship which is manifested in external proofs of love, men go on to internal friendship: from the disciples of Christ, whom they acknowledge as such, they come to Christ Himself. Thus we must esteem holy all the loots, relations, and tendencies of good which Christianity finds in the world,—yet that Christianity which does not deny itself and the Lord (ἐν τῷ ὀνόματί μου). We assume that the three fors all directly refer to the “forbid him not,” without disparaging the connection in which they stand to each other.

Mar_9:42. And whosoever shall offend one of these little ones.—What follows is, down to the close, a strong utterance of our Lord against that fanatical ecclesiastical zealotry which is so much disposed to throw stumbling-blocks in the way of beginners in the faith, by imposing traditional dogmatic articles of faith. Saunier, De Wette, and others have lost the connection here. But it is evident enough when we bear in mind that the words of Christ, Mar_9:43-47, have here a reference altogether different from that which the related words of Mat_5:29-30 have. (Comp. Leben Jesu, ii. 2.)—Our passage forms a parallel with Mat_18:6 seq. Matthew, however, did not adhere strictly to the place where the words were spoken; Mark places the locality and circumstances very clearly before us. The sons of thunder had a series of their own particular crises to pass through, just as Peter had; a series of crises for their fanatical and enthusiastic party zeal. The first is found here; the second soon follows, on their departure from Galilee (Luk_9:54); the third falls into a later period, before the final going up to Jerusalem, Mar_10:35.

Mar_9:43. And if thy hand offend thee.—For the meaning of these words in this connection, see the notes on the parallel in Matthew. Offences of the hand, of the eye, and of the foot; or, stumbling-blocks of fanatical hierarchism, of heretical Gnosticism, and of political proselytism. In the formal shape which the word of our Lord assumes in Mark, “it may be regarded as an ideal formulary, which is designed to suggest to His Church the pious gentleness of the hand, the sacred spiritual clearness of the eye, and the peaceful and amiable apostolical movement of the feet.” (Leben Jesu, ii. 2, 1016.)

Mar_9:44. Where their worm.—Three times solemnly repeated. The reference to Isa_66:24 is manifest. It is a concrete expression for suffering in the fire of hell, Gehenna.

Mar_9:45. It is better for thee.—Comp. on Matthew.

Mar_9:49. For every one shall be salted with fire.—On this clause, which has no parallel (and which De Wette, Baur, and others, have so much doubted about), see Meyer, and the treatises referred to by him. Meyer, however, is wrong in interpreting this of the fire of hell mentioned previously. He explains: “πᾶς cannot mean every one generally; but must, in harmony with the context, be restricted to those who in Mar_9:48 are described by αὐτῶν; since afterwards another class is distinguished by πᾶσα θυσία from that which is meant by πᾶς, and its predicate is opposed to the predicate of the latter: πυρί and ἁλί are antitheses.” They are indeed distinct points, but yet related to each other; for otherwise we should not read “Every one must be salted with fire.” We therefore thus understand the passage: Every (sinful) man must, according to the typical meaning of the burnt-offering, enter into the suffering of fire: either into the fire of Gehenna, which then in his case represents the salt which was wanting to him; or as the burnt-offering of God into the fiery suffering of tribulation, those renunciations, namely and especially, which had just been mentioned—the sacrifice of the eye, the hand, and the foot—after he had been previously consecrated with the salt of the Spirit. This rule holds irreversibly good: those offending members which were not, as God’s sacrifices, previously salted with salt, pass immediately into the fiery sufferings of punishment, which then represent and take the place of the salting. The καί in the clause, “and every sacrifice,” does not therefore mean ὡς, καθώς; but it marks the specific case in which the being salted precedes the suffering of fire, and in which it may perhaps (as in John’s own later history) more or less supply the place of, and involve the fiery suffering of, external tribulations (1Co_3:13). Meyer’s separation of the salt and fire, and his antithesis between them, with his exclusive reference of the fire to the punishment of the ungodly, are found in Grotius, Lightfoot, and others. On the other hand, both are referred to the good by Euthym. Zigabenus (“the fire of faith in God, the salt of love to man”), by Luther (the Gospel is a fire and a salt: the old man is crucified, renewed, salted), Calovius, Kuinoel, Schott.—Olshausen thus agrees with our interpretation: “On account of the universal sinfulness of the race, every one must be salted with fire; whether by his voluntarily entering upon a course of self-denial and earnest renunciation of his sins, or by his being involuntarily cast into the place of punishment.” Similarly Ewald. The γάρ gives the reason of the exhortation which preceded. Sacrifice the hand, the foot, &c., in the self-renunciation of godliness, rather than fall with your whole being into the fire of judgment as a sacrifice of death. For this is a fundamental law for sinful humanity: all must enter the fire. But if the fire becomes to man a sacrificial fire, his sacrifice must be voluntarily prepared and seasoned with salt (made savory, like food); otherwise, the fire of Gehenna supplies the place of the salt and the sacrifice.

Mar_9:50. Salt is good.—The καλόν is not exhausted by the word good. Something preëminently good in its kind and effect is intended. The better any product of nature is in itself, the worse it is in its corruption. Therein the salt is an image of man. Saltless salt is not to be saved; and so with the spiritless disciple, or Christian, or minister (without chrisma: without salt). See on Mat_5:13.—Have salt in yourselves, and have peace.—The salt is figurative, not merely signifying wisdom, but the Spirit as the Spirit of discipline; and on that account it is the symbol of the covenant,—a blessing the preservation and assurance of which has peace for its result. The “have peace one with another” is therefore a consecutive exhortation. Have peace amongst yourselves, such peace as you must have if you have that salt. From this last application it follows that the Lord regarded the contention of the disciples, and their zeal against a beginner in faith not walking in their circle, under the same point of view. All undevout and unholy zealotry, whether towards those within or those without, He explains as resulting from one fundamental offence and fault,—the lack of salt and self-resignation, the want of the Spirit’s discipline and of consecration to God.—Here, again, it is Mark who has given most prominence to words of the Lord which most strongly corrected and admonished His disciples.

DOCTRINAL AND ETHICAL

1. See on the parallel places in Matthew and Luke.

2. Between a hierarchy and the true catechumen’s nurture of the little ones in the Church, there is an essential repugnance. The latter seeks to train up the babes in faith to the full maturity of faith; the former would not only keep the babes in infancy, but would train up the adult to be dumb babes. The extreme adherents of hierarchy and the Baptist principle agree, in that the former ascribe no prerogative to baptism, but make the baptized laity a subordinate class of imperfect Christians; and the latter, with hierarchical exclusiveness, deal like a clerus with the little ones in faith.—The sign which Jesus gave to the Church by His repeated embracing (according to Mark) of the children, was directed the first time rather against the fanatical church-spirit of the hierarchy, and the last time (Mar_10:16) rather against the theological school-spirit of the Baptists. Whosoever of you: compare the history of the Papacy. Gregory the Great called himself the servus servorum, that he might be the first. The hierarchy has taken the ironical word of Christ’s Spirit with unthinking and unintelligent literality; like the word of our Lord, on another occasion, concerning the two swords, Luk_22:38 (see Leben Jesu, ii. 3, 1345), and other similar expressions.

3. But John answered Him.—This history teaches us, in connection with Mar_10:35 and Luk_9:54, how Christ dealt with and purified the zeal, noble but not yet free from fanatical excitement, of the disciples, and especially what may be called the idealistic fanatical zeal of the sons of thunder, as it formed a contrast to the realistic fanatical zeal of Peter. With every development of true faith there is interwoven, especially in its first stages, a certain measure of that other quality which stains its purity, and requires to be eliminated. But when its heart is sound, the flame is soon cleared of its bedimming smoke; the life of faith becomes ever more christianly human, wise, and gentle (see Jam_3:17-18). But where the heart is evil, or becomes so through the influence of external things, the life of faith declines into fanaticism and perishes, as the history of Pharisaism and Judaism everywhere proves. Such a fanaticism lived indeed in the soul of Judas; he went on through enthusiasm and excitement to apostasy. The answer of John was a frank avowal, and revelation of himself or confession, before the Lord (see Leben Jesu, ii. 2).

4. The connection of the beginnings of faith:—pious work, Mar_9:38; its root in the devout mind, Mar_9:39; its nourishment in devout habits, humanity, Mar_9:41. Hence loving care for the disciples, leading to quiet recognition of their interests, and thence to active usefulness in the name of Jesus.

5. The bigoted conduct of the disciples towards these beginnings of faith.—In its issue and result an offence or injury to the little ones, and in a twofold sense: either as they are dishonored and wronged, or as they are offended and tempted to resistance and enmity. In its origin, it is an internal offence; offending self through the hand, or the foot, or the eye (see Crit. Notes, Mar_9:43, and on Matthew). In the Church, and for the Church, or in relation to the bride of Christ, that law of self-renunciation and self-sacrifice holds good which is the basis of the relations of marriage, Mat_5:27 seq. We must be subject to the church, if we would edify it, Rom_12:3 seq.

6. That a millstone were hanged.—See on Matthew.

7. Into hell, where the fire is not quenched.—Concerning the difference between hell and Gehenna, and the kingdom of the dead or Sheol, see on Matthew. The additional clause, “where their worm dieth not,” etc., points back, as it has been remarked, to the passage Isa_66:24, where the valley of Hinnom is expressly made a symbol of the punishment of the reprobate, and the Old Testament germ of the doctrine of future eternal punishment distinctly appears, as also it does in the earlier Cherem or death-sentence of the law, and in later passages, such as Eze_20:47; Dan_12:2, and others. According to the passage in Isaiah, the bodies of those who were apostate from Jehovah lay without before the holy city, an abomination to all flesh. The worm of corruption, which devoured them from within, died not; and the fire of judgment, which destroyed them from without, was not extinguished. And this manifestly presented a symbolical idea of eternal suffering; for, literally taken, the fire would be extinguished and consumed with the bodies and the worms. Eternal destruction within, eternal judgment without, and these in eternal reciprocal influence. On the doctrine of hell, compare dogmatic treatises.

8. For every one must be salted with fire, and every sacrifice.—Fire is the symbol of life in its renewing power, and especially of the judicial power and working of God, renewing by a divine energy: thus it is the presence and action of God in the full energy of His holy, penetrating nature: Gen_15:17; Exo_3:2; Mai. Mar_3:3; Mar_4:1. Hence it is for the sinful man generally a judicial visitation of God, the mercifully rebuking and correcting manifestation of His nature (Mal_3:3; Mal_4:1); for the penitent, believing man, it is the saving judgment of grace, the purifying fire, the fire of new quickening, transforming, glorification (Act_2:3); for the reprobate it is a fire of condemning judgment, Heb_10:27; Heb_12:29.

9. This gives us the true meaning and significance of the sacrificial fire, of the fire of the altar. It forms a counterpart and contrast to the fire of hell. It is the fire of God, into which man voluntarily enters with his offering, in order that he may escape falling into the terror of the eternal fire. Thus, if we strictly judge ourselves, we shall not be judged. This absolute and inviolable law of the fire-alternative was symbolically exhibited by the Old Testament sacrifice: the Christian must have the reality of it accomplished in himself, whilst he makes himself, as it respects those members and their actions (hand, foot, eye) which might hurt his Christian life, a sacrifice upon the altar. This self-sacrifice is a burnt-offering, inasmuch as the Christian places himself daily at the Lord’s disposal in pure self-dedication (Romans 12); it is a. sin-offering, inasmuch as he actually renounces and rids himself of all those impulses and acts which are a hindrance. This applies, however, not only to sensual tendencies (Matthew 5), but also to those spiritual and ecclesiastical impulses of the self which are colored and disguised by religion (as it respects place and prerogative). Yet the sacrifice must not proceed from fear, but from loving obedience; it must not be an act of constrained dread, but voluntarily, an act of the spirit, of self-discipline. And that is signified by the salt (see the article Salz in Winer, Buchner, and the Stuttgart Bibelwörterbuch). The salt is the symbol of the Spirit, as the spirit of purifying and conserving discipline; even as oil is the symbol of the Spirit, as the Spirit of religious life and the living flame of devotion. Salt is the preserving, cleansing virtue of life: the Spirit who checks and kills sin germinating within. Fire is the transforming power of life: the Spirit who punishes the sin that is present, separating the sinner from sin as the judgment of grace, or destroying the sinner with his sin as the judgment of condemnation. Salt is discipline and conservation; fire is punishment, judgment, purification. Out of the fiery condemnation of Sodom a sea of salt flowed forth. The punishment of the doomed is a source of discipline and healing for those who still live. As fire and light are related to each other, and yet form a direct contrast, so it is with salt and light, Mat_5:13-14. Because the salt signified the spirit of discipline, it was needful (according to Eze_43:24, the testimony of this passage, and Jewish tradition) to every offering, and not only to the meat-offering (Lev_2:13); hence it was the proper symbol of the establishment and renewal of the covenant in the sacrifice. Hence, on the one hand, the salt is salt of the covenant (Lev_2:13), and, on the other, the covenant with Jehovah is a covenant of salt (Num_18:19; 2Ch_13:5); while, in the common life of the Orientals, it was a sign of sacred covenant engagements and obligations. (See Winer, and Bahr, Symbolik.) To eat salt together, meant to make peace, and enter into covenant with each other (Rosenmuller, Morgenland, ii. 150.) But as salt, or the spirit of discipline, was the fundamental condition of peace with God, so it was also the fundamental condition of peace in the Church, of the mutual peace of Christian people. Hence the word of our Lord: Have salt in yourselves, and peace one with another. The disciples were amongst themselves to have salt, but for the earth to be salt. In reference to the symbolism of the sacrifices, see the works on the subject by Bähr, Kurtz, and Hengstenberg.

10. In connection with the contrast, wide as heaven, between the salt and sacrificial fire on the one hand, and the unquenchable fire of Gehenna on the other, there must also be observed a certain relation, so far as, first, the salt is regarded as a symbol of the sacrificial fire; and, secondly, as the fire is regarded as a kind of salt: the Lord says that all must be salted with fire. The contrast between the two is this: the salt sustains and conserves; the fire, on the contrary, destroys and annihilates. But there is something more than a contrast; there is a strict relation. The salt preserves and sustains by an influence resembling that of fire: it is keen, biting, and pervasive; like a subtle flame, it penetrates all that is corruptible, separates that which is most corruptible and foul, whilst it fixes and quickens that which is sound. Thus it effects a kind of transformation or metamorphosis. So, on the other hand, the fire is a salt of higher potency: it destroys that which is perishable, and thereby establishes the imperishable in its purest perfection; it leads to new and more beautiful forms of being. Salt seems to petrify the object, fire seems to volatilize it; but the salt fixes it in its healthy normal condition, whilst the fire bears it upwards in its pure constituent elements to heaven. Thus the believer is first purified by the salt; but then by the fire of internal and external tribulation he is carried up to God. So it is with the whole world of mankind and the earth itself. First, it is purified and preserved by the salt of the apostolical Church (Mat_5:13); then by the final fire at the end of the world it will be delivered from its condition of curse, and glorified: 2Th_1:8; 2Pe_3:10.

HOMILETICAL AND PRACTICAL

See on the parallel passages in Matthew and Luke.—Despotism over fellow-disciples, and proselytizing those not disciples, spring from the same source: from the self-exaltation of a proud and unpurified zeal.—Spiritual pride is the common source of all hierarchical and fanatical movements.—The silence of the other disciples compared with John’s answering: 1. In reference to the persons:—the more noble the disciple, the more free he is to make honest and open confession. 2. In reference to the matter:—fanatical zeal in the Church is more readily confessed than the impulses of proud ambition and the lust of ecclesiastical dominion, because it is in its first motives much more noble and less guilty.—The question concerning the greater in the Church, is a question in the way to the judgment-seat of Christ. 1. It will not be resolved before: the primacy waits till then. 2. It will be resolved in the end by the Lord, as He resolved it at the beginning (the first, the last).—The simple image of the pure Church of Christ: 1. Christ sits upon His throne; 2. the preaching sounds out, Whosoever will be first, etc.; 3. the only image in the Church is a little child; 4. the prospect: revelation of the great God through the humble care of the little ones.—The Church of apostolical humility. It marks Christ’s word, “Whosoever will be first,” etc., 1. in its literal significance, a threatening word against all despotism in the external, legal Church; 2. in its spiritual meaning, a word of promise for humble, ministering love in the congregation of His Spirit.—The child and the Apostles: 1. The child their master; 2. the child their scholar; 3. the child their fellow.—How we may receive with the little child the highest life in the name of Jesus: 1. The Lord Christ himself; 2. God himself.—How we may receive with the little child the great God: 1. If the child is received in the name of Jesus; 2. if Jesus is received in the name of God.—The beautiful confession of John.—Christ the holy Master of all the sons of thunder in His Church: 1. How He represses the sons of thunder (or reduces to silence the thunder of carnal zeal); 2. how He arouses the sons of thunder (or lets the thunder of the Spirit resound, Rev_10:4).—The prohibition of John, and the commandment of the Lord, in relation to free labor in the Church, and for the cause of Christ.—The law of fanatical zeal, and the law of the spirit of freedom in the Church.—Ecclesiastical party zeal in the light of the word and Spirit of Christ.—Christ the defender and guardian of all beginnings of faith, and of all germs of spiritual life: 1. Through His Scripture-word; 2. through His apostolical infant baptism; 3. through the evangelical rights of personal conscience.—The water-cups of mild, human customs, in their connection with the sacramental cup of the God-man.—The connection between false fire of zeal in the Church and the fire of hell.—The three great dangers of ecclesiastical. zeal: 1. Dangers of the hand; 2. dangers of the foot; 3. dangers of the eye.—The law of sacred gentleness in the service of Christ.—The true sacrificial fire of self-denial and self-mortification, in relation to the fiery flame of hell: 1. The relation: all must be salted with fire. 2. The contrast: to be prepared for the fire by salt, or to be salted with fire.—We cannot escape the fire; but we have the choice between the fire of life and the fire of death.—Discipline of the Spirit: the fundamental condition of healthy life in the Church: 1. Of the right warfare, 2. of the right peace.—The zeal of Christ the purifying fire for the zeal of His people.—The thundering of men, and the Lord’s thunder; or, the exaggeration of little strength, and the mildness of great strength: 1. In their origin: a. want of love, want of self-government; b. the zeal of love and divine moderation. 2. In their manifestation: a. thundering of the cannons, of the bulls, of the curses, scattering sudden and swift destruction; b. trumpet-calls to penitence, words of correcting love, alarming and yet not destroying. 3. In their effects: a. lost and ended in time; b. dispensing blessings for a time, and bringing salvation for eternity.—How Christ, with the anticipating grief of holy love, was inflamed with zeal against all covetous and party frenzy of zeal in His Church.—The alternative of the two fires of history: indifference must be burnt away, either, 1. in the fires of salvation, or, 2. in the fires of judgment.

Starke:—Doubtless it is our duty to wrest from others their hurtful errors; but we are also bound to bear with them for a while, and give them time to come to a better apprehension.—Quesnel:—Pride reigns in almost all conditions. Few are content to be placed beneath others; most people are intent only upon getting above their fellows, and mount aloft.—Nova. Bibl. Tub.:—Alas, how many will stand before Him with shame and fear, when Christ shall demand an account of all the useless and sinful contentions which they have mutually indulged in!—Hedinger:—Pride, conceit, ambition, are all utterly out of harmony with the spirit of true Christianity.—Luther:—That man has a true nobility who is profoundly humble in heart.—True greatness consists in perfect lowliness.—Quesnel:—Blessed is it to rest in the arms of the love of Jesus.—It is an honor to receive the great into our house; greater still to receive those who are lacking in all things but the spirit of Christ.—It is a holy work to do good to children, especially to poor and orphan children.—Osiander:—The most pious, devoted, and faithful ministers in the Church have their failings.—Hedinger:—God has a marvellous method in the dispensation of His graces and gifts, and we must not be too ready to reject what is not as yet perfectly pure and flawless, Php_1:16.—Quesnel:—We too often blend our own selves, our prejudices and notions, with the things of God; and our pride uses the honor of His name as a mere cloak.—Osiander:—Instead of envying and grudging, we should praise God for the wonderful variety of gifts which He bestows for the common good.—Bibl. Wirt.:—God’s gifts are not bound to any particular person, or to any particular condition; but He distributes them Himself freely, if He will, to whom He will, and when He will.—Cramer:—To deal with little children is a delicate matter; we may soon plant either what is good or what is evil in them.—That young people have offences so often thrown in their way is one reason why there is so much wickedness among the adult.—Bibl. Wirt.:—To give offence is, in those who hold the office of correction, a threefold sin: 1. They sin themselves; 2. they make others sin; 3. they cannot use their office.—To enter into life halt or lame: his fleshly lusts are as dear to man as one of his members.—Cramer:—Who can doubt about hell, and the damnation of hell, when Christ has so often repeated and confirmed the truth?—Our foot offends us in two ways: 1. If it goes in evil ways; 2. if it stands still.—Quesnel:—To be salted with the fire of hell, as an offering to the divine righteousness.—Bibl. Wirt.:—If God’s word is falsified, or not with all solemnity add earnestness dealt with, there is no other salt for the sinful flesh: it breeds all kinds of corruption, and all kinds of sins have dominion.—Canstein:—Faithful teachers must give all diligence to maintain the integrity of the sound doctrine of the gospel; yet they must avoid all contention, and approve themselves not only true, but also full of love and peace.

Lisco:—In earthly empires power rules; in the kingdom of heaven rules the power of devoted, self-sacrificing, and self-humbling love (Mar_9:33).—Secret pride was the reason why the disciples so acted. But Jesus is displeased with their conduct; for He would have a love in them that should be ready to love heartily everything in others, wherever seen, that presented anything spiritually congenial.—Jesus rejects and condemns all casting off, shutting out, and repulsion, as unchildlike. The gnawing worm of the evil conscience, and the burning smart of divine wrath, are figures of the eternal destruction which will befall the seducers.—All things, that is, the whole of humanity, must be salted with fire.—Gerlach:—He who is not against you, is with you. Only in things merely external does Jesus include Himself with the disciples in the we: We go up to Jerusalem.—But, when internal relations are in question, He does not say we and us, any more than He says Our Father. And for this reason: 1. Because He distinguishes himself from them as sinners; 2. because He identifies himself with them as believers,—the branches united with the vine, Joh_15:1.—He who is not with Me, etc. Both words must always be united; so that Christ’s disciples must take equal care to instruct the ignorant and to bear with the weak, 1Th_5:14.—Braune:—They had indeed the feeling that this thought was not right in the sight of Christ. Therefore He asks them about it; He gives them opportunity to utter it aloud. And thus their Master makes them sensible how exceedingly improper that thought was.—Earthly, temporal relations, they carried over into their notions of the eternal kingdom of God.—There are indeed distinctions even in the kingdom of God (Peter, John, James); but that He termed Peter the Rock could not at that time have been misunderstood by the Apostles, as He was misunderstood by Catholic Christendom, especially by the whole of the Middle Ages.—At first they kept silence; and when they spoke, it was only through shame. And so it was right. It is not well to be put to shame at death; better is it to come forward and be exposed before God, and the Saviour and His people.—With the unpretending act of receiving a little child, He connects the greatest of all, the receiving God.—With perfect right the disciples of Jesus held their vocation high and precious. But that they supposed their vocation the only channel through which God could reveal His Son in men’s hearts, was a great error.—We should be willing to trace and follow out all the threads in others which lead to Christ.—There is such a thing as an internal, though it may be weak, inclination towards Christ, without any external and full fellowship.—The Redeemer undoubtedly had in view those offences which are connected with the teaching office in the Church, when contentions arise, and love, humility, and regard for the little ones are discountenanced. We do not always perceive, or at least sufficiently consider, what great offence and damage may ensue from the neglect of heartfelt humility of poverty of heart and lowliness of spirit.—All that gives offence, and all that takes offence, must alike in the end be abolished and vanish away.—Jesus took no offence, and gave no offence; for God was in Him.—Happy are we if His spirit dwelleth in us.

Schleiermacher:—(With reference to Mat_20:28, and the ministering of Christ.)—He must in spirit descend into the unsaved depths of the human heart: it was needful that He should see how, and in what variety of ways, the most various tempers and spirits might be aided and saved—brought to sink into their own absolute nothingness, in order that they might attain to the new birth in Him.—That was His ministering; and in this sense He says that He—who is the first in the kingdom of heaven, who is all in all, He who is the One supreme over all and in all, He in whom all have all things—is at the same time the servant of all.—The greater the power of Christ in the disciple, and the more that power works through him for the well-being of others, the greater he is in the kingdom of heaven.—To receive God—what greater thing can be conceived!—(The transaction with John.) There is a condition under which the gradual influences of the Spirit best effect their work, and that is undisturbed self-concentration. The more men are excited in reference to external things, the more are their minds closed against higher influences; but when they are in perfect repose, the gentle inspirations of the Divine Spirit have their better effect.

Brieger:—Are we to understand the words to mean, that he who burns with desire to be the first should be the last, in order to compass that end? Would any such humility as that possess a value? The Lord could not possibly have intended to say that the being little was a means to becoming great. The “If any man will” is intended rather to show the way in which a man becomes great in the kingdom of God, without willing to be so.—This way is that of self-denial.—Because the Lord from heaven entered into the condition, or assumed the form, of a servant, His Church also must take the same form.—To receive is here indeed a high thing: to take up to Himself.—In reference to ourselves, we have to observe the word “He who is not with Me,” etc. In reference to others, we have to observe the word “He that is not against you,” etc., that we may judge them in the spirit of Jesus.

Gossner:—In the kingdom of humility there is no contention.—The more humble and simple we are, the nearer we are to the Saviour.—The holiest words, without anointing and salt, are good for nothing.—Bauer:—By their ruling we know the great ones of this world; by their serving we know the great ones of the kingdom of heaven.—Where love, the sacred regard for faith however little, is wounded, the retribution of the kingdom of heaven is severe.

Footnotes:

[15]Mar_9:30.—Lachmann, ἐπορεύοντο, after B.*, D. Meyer: “The compound was given up as misunderstood.”

[16]Mar_9:31.—Lachmann and Tischendorf read, following B., C., D., L., Δ., Versions, μετὰ τρεῖς ἡμέρας, as in Mar_8:31. But it is quite natural that the more definite expression should occur here.

[17]Mar_9:33.—Lachmann, Tischendorf, [after B., D., Vulgate]: ἦλθον Πρὸς ἑαυτούς is wanting in [B., C., D., Versions, Lachmann, Tischendorf, Meyer.]

[18]Mar_9:34.—The omission of ἐν τῇ ὁδῶ in some Codd. [A., D.] is not important.

[19]Mar_9:38.—Tischendorf [and Meyer] read ἔφη αὐτῷ, [with the omission of λέγων,] after B., L., Δ., and Versions. Perhaps an explanation of the more difficult “John answered.”—A. and others omit ἐν; B., D. retain it. The former seems more unusual and more correct.—See Meyer on the omissions of ὃς οὐκ and ὅτι οὐκ. [’̀Ος οὐκ ἀκολουθεῖ ἡμῖν is wanting in B., C., L., Δ., while, on the contrary, this is found in D., X., Versions, Vulgate, Fritzsche, Tischendorf, but ὅτι οὐκ ἀκολ ἡμῖν is wanting. Meyer retains both.]

[20]Mar_9:40.—A., D., E., F., Versions, read ὑμῶν.

[21]Mar_9:41.—Τῷ and μοῦ are omitted in A., B., C.

[22]Mar_9:42.—Τούτων is added by Tischendorf and Lachmann, after A., B., C.**; Meyer derives it from Mat_18:6.—Lachmann: μύλος ὀνικός, after B., C., D. Meyer derives this also from Matthew.

[23]Mar_9:43.—Lachmann, Tischendorf, [Meyer]: καλόν ἐστίν σε, after B., C., L.

[24]Mar_9:45.—The omission of εἰς τὸ πῦρ ἄσβεστον [in B., C., L., Tischendorf, Meyer,] is to be explained by the fact of the repetition of the words concerning the worm; which only in Mar_9:48 is found in all the Codd. [In Mar_9:44; Mar_9:46 it is wanting in B., C., L., Δ., and Tischendorf.]

[25]Mar_9:47.—Τοῦ πυρός is wanting in many Codd.

Lange's Commentary on the Holy Scriptures (Critical, Doctrinal, and Homiletical), ed. John Peter Lange, English translation edited by Philip Schaff (1864–1880) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

CHAPTER 38

DEATH AND RESURRECTION

Mat 17:22-23; Mar 9:30-32; Luk 9:43-45. Mark: “And having gone out from thence, they continued to journey through Galilee.” As Galilee extends up to the very suburbs of Caesarea-Philippi, this passage is a clinching argument for the location of the transfiguration in that vicinity. Luke: “Place these words in your ears; for the Son of man is about to be delivered into the hands of sinners.” Matthew & Mark say: “They will kill Him; and having been killed, on the third day He will arise.” “And they did not know this word, and it was hidden from them, in order that they may not understand it; and they feared to ask Him concerning this word.” This took place in His conversation with His disciples while journeying down the Jordan, from Caesarea-Philippi, back to the sea of Galilee. You observe that this is the second time that He has positively told them about His coming arrest, execution, and resurrection. As you here see, “it was hidden from them,” so they did not understand it. Do you know that this dark veil wrapped the important item in our Lord’s biography till He had actually risen from the dead, though He had distinctly and positively spoken it out to them three times? Why was this revealed to them, and still withheld from them? It was really indispensable that it should be revealed, in order to the completion of the prophetical curriculum, destined, as in all bygone ages, to constitute the basis of faith for all future generations; hence the necessity of its revealment is clear and demonstrative. Then why was it withheld from them, so they never did receive it till after He had risen from the dead? This is equally obvious. If His disciples had understood it, they would have rallied His friends and fought for Him, thus precipitating on the country a bloody revolution, which Jesus did not want. Consequently, the blessed Holy Spirit just took it away from them, so they never caught the idea till after He had risen from the dead.

William B. Godbey, Commentary on the New Testament (1896–1900) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

9:30–10:31 This section is the second cycle (see study note on 8:27–9:1) containing a prediction about Jesus’ suffering (9:30-32), an error by the disciples (9:33-34), and teaching about discipleship (9:35–10:31).

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

Mar 9:30. Παρεπορεύοντο, they were passing by) not through the cities, but going past [passing by] them.—οὐκ ἤθελεν, ἵνα τις γυῷ, He would not that any should know) Hence may be inferred the reason, why the Saviour sometimes forbade Himself to be spoken of abroad, whilst at other times He did not forbid it: Mar 9:31.[6]

[6] Implies that His reason in the former case was, that He did not wish to hurry forward His crucifixion before the due time.—ED. and TRANSL.

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

Mar_9:30-32. Comp. Mat_17:22 f., who abridges, and Luk_9:43-45.

ἐκεῖθεν] out of the region of Caesarea Philippi, Mar_8:27.

παρεπορεύοντο] they journeyed along through Galilee, i.e. they passed through in such a way, that (until Capernaum, Mar_9:33) they never tarried anywhere. Comp. Deu_2:4; Deu_2:14; Bar_4:37; also Mar_2:23. The travelling along by-ways (Lange) is not implied in the verb.

καὶ οὐκ ἤθελεν, ἵνα τὶς γνῷ (Lachmann, Tischendorf read γνοῖ; see on Mar_5:43): similar to Mar_7:24. But here (ἵνα) the contents of the wish is conceived as its design. The reason why Jesus wished to journey unknown is given by ἐδίδασκε γὰρ κ.τ.λ., Mar_9:31, for which deeply grave instruction He desired to be entirely undisturbed with His disciples. This ἐδίδασκε was the continuance of the ἤρξατο διδάσκειν of Mar_8:31; hence there is no reason for understanding in the passage before us not the Twelve, but the scattered adherents in Galilee (Lange). Moreover, αὐτούς in Mar_9:33 is decisive against this. Comp. Mar_9:35.

παραδίδοται the near and certain future realized as present.

καὶ ἀποκτανθείς] has in it something solemn. Comp. Pflugk, ad Eur. Hec. 25.

Mar_9:32. The instructions of Jesus were so opposed to their Messianic expectations, that they not only did not comprehend them, but they, moreover, shrank from any more precise disclosure concerning the inconceivable gloomy fate before them.

Meyer — Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament — English translation by Peter Christie, edited by Frederick Crombie (T&T Clark, 1880) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Mar 9:30-32 . Second announcement of the Passion (Mat 17:22-23 , Luk 9:43-45 ).

Mar 9:30 . καὶ ἐκεῖθεν ἐξελθόντες , going forth from thence, i.e. , from the scene of the last cure, wherever that was: it might be north or south of their destination (Capernaum) Caesarea Philippi or Tabor. παρεπορεύοντο , they passed along without tarrying anywhere. Some take the παρὰ in the compound verb to mean, went along by-ways, to avoid publicity: “diverticulo ibant, non via regia,” Grotius. It is certainly true that Jesus had become so well known in Galilee that it would be difficult for Him on the thoroughfares to escape recognition as He wished ( οὐκ ἤθελεν ἵνα τις γνοῖ ).

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

He and his disciples together.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

Verse 30. They - passed through Galilee] See on Mt 17:22-27.

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

(30-32) And they departed thence.—See Notes on Mat_17:22-23.

He would not that any man should know it.—We note St. Mark’s addition, as showing that the apparent shrinking from publicity which had marked our Lord’s action since the feeding of the Four Thousand still continued.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

30–32. Predictions of the Passion

30. And they departed thence] From the northern regions, into which our Lord had penetrated, He now turned His steps once more towards Galilee, probably taking the route by Dan across the slopes of Lebanon, thus escaping the publicity of the ordinary high roads, and securing secrecy and seclusion. “It was the last time He was to visit the scene of so great a part of His public life, and He felt, as He journeyed on, that He would no more pass from village to village as openly as in days gone by, for the eyes of His enemies were everywhere upon Him.”

and passed] The word thus translated occurs five times in the N. T. It is applied to the disciples passing through the cornfields (Mar_2:23); to their passing by along the road from Bethany and noticing the withered fig-tree (Mar_11:20); to those that passed by and reviled our Lord upon the Cross (Mat_27:39; Mar_15:19). Here it seems to denote that, avoiding populous places, He and His Apostles sought bye-paths among the hills, where He would meet few and be little known.

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 they departed thence,.... From the coasts of Caesarea Philippi, from that part of the country where the mountain was, on which Christ was transfigured, and at the foot of which the above miracle was wrought. This is to be understood of Christ and his twelve disciples, though the Syriac, Arabic, and Ethiopic versions read in the singular number, "he went out"; not alone, but with his disciples, as the following account shows:

and passed through Galilee; in order to go to the coasts of Judea, and so to Jerusalem, where he was shortly to suffer: and therefore that his journey might not be retarded, and he be hindered by the conversation of the people in Galilee, and their importunity to stay with them, and teach, and work miracles among them, he passed through the country, in as private a manner as could be:

and he would not that any man should know it; partly for the reason just mentioned, and partly that he might have the opportunity of conversing alone with his disciples, and of reminding, and informing them, of some important things, which it was necessary they should be acquainted with, and observe.

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

30 And they departed thence, and passed through Galilee; and he would not that any man should know it.

Ver. 30. And they departed thence] Clam et celeriter, privily and hastily, as the Greek παρεπορευαντο imports; and why they did so, see Luk 9:53.

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.

See the notes at Mat 17:22-23.

Mar 9:31

Is delivered - Is given to men to make an atonement by his sufferings and death, and will in due time be taken and killed.

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

Our Saviour, as the time of his suffering approached more nearly, did more frequently inculcate it to his disciples, that being forewarned, they might also be forearmed against the temptation of it; and we learn from Luk 24:21, that all was too little, for when they saw these things come to pass they began to flag as to their faith: they said, But we trusted that it had been he which should have redeemed Israel. Our Saviour

said unto them, The Son of man is delivered; which is expounded by Mat 17:22,23, The Son of man shall be betrayed. He was already delivered in the sure counsel of God, and what God hath revealed shall be done, because of the certainty of the effect, is often in Scripture spoken of as a thing already done. That phrase, Mar 9:31, the third day, τῇ τρίτῃ ἡμέρᾳ, expounds that other phrase which we meet with, Mar 8:31. μετὰ τρεῖς ἡμέρας, which we translate after three days, and makes the meaning of the evangelists plain to have been as we determined it.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

This verse informs us that our Lord and his disciples now left the neighbourhood of Caesarea Philippi. Their route would be across the Jordan above the Sea of Galilee, and so by the usual track through Galilee down to Capernaum. Our Lord now wished for privacy, that he might farther instruct his disciples with regard to his sufferings and death.

Vers. 30-32. Death foretold.

The evangelists have recorded that on several distinct occasions our Lord foretold, in the hearing of his disciples, what would be the close of his earthly career. It is evident, accordingly, that these predictions, though only partially comprehended at the time, nevertheless made a deep impression on the minds of those who listened to them. After all that Jesus had foretold had been fulfilled, his apostles naturally enough recalled his sayings, and pondered them in the light of actual events, and published among their fellow-disciples the communications which have been recorded in the Gospels.

I THE OCCASION OF THESE REVELATIONS. This second declaration by the Son of man of his approaching death and resurrection was made not long after the first.

1. It was in the course of the journey from Caesarea Philippi through Galilee to the most ordinary scenes of his ministry that Jesus thus spoke to his disciples. They were apart from the multitude and the busy towns, where the great Healer was continually beset by applicants for relief and healing. There was quiet leisure, of which opportunity was taken by the Master to unfold anew to his disciples facts of tremendous import.

2. It was soon after the Transfiguration upon the mount a display of his glory which must have enlightened the minds of his friends with regard to his nature, and must have disposed them to receive with deeper reflectiveness declarations concerning himself. That a Being so glorious and so remarkably in correspondence with celestial intelligences, and so intimately in the fellowship and the favor or the Eternal, should look forward to a fate so dread this was indeed likely to provoke them to profound inquiry and meditation.

II The SUBSTANCE OF THESE REVELATIONS. The matter of these very remarkable and repeated communications was threefold.

1. He foretold his apprehension by his enemies. That there were among the ruling classes at Jerusalem many who were violently opposed to his teaching and to his claims, must have been known to his disciples as well as to himself. But hitherto Jesus had eluded the efforts of his foes, and had always proved himself able both to refute them in argument and to defy their efforts to seize and kill him. But the Lord"s express words assured them that the time was at hand when the foes, whose enmity and malice had hitherto been defeated, should prevail against the Holy One and the Just.

2. He foretold the violent death which his enemies should inflict upon him. He had saved many from death, and had raised some from the dead; strange it must have seemed to them that he himself should submit to be put to death by the violence of men! Why should he submit to power which he was evidently capable of defying? Why should he endure treatment from which he could certainly save himself? Why should he endure a fate which he might easily avert?

3. He foretold his resurrection after three days" submission to death. This must have perplexed them still more. To what purpose need he die if he intended so soon to revive? Why not rather avoid death than, first submitting to it, then prove himself superior to its power? Yet such a prediction was fitted to enhance their conceptions of his majesty and authority.

III THE EFFECT OF THESE REVELATIONS UPON THE MINDS OF THE DISCIPLES, Very simply are we informed that:

1. They understood not the saying. The words which the Lord had used were simple and unmistakable; the events he had foretold were such as were familiar to their observation, or such as they were acquainted with from the Old Testament narrative. What was it that they failed to understand? Probably the consistency between such a prospect and the view they were forming of Jesus" Messianic character and glory, and the expectations they were cherishing of his speedily approaching kingdom. Their minds were utterly confused by declarations which accorded neither with their primitive nor their more mature apprehensions of their Master"s nature and ministry.

2. They were afraid to ask him. There seem to have been times when the disciples stood in awe of their Master. It could not well be otherwise. Sometimes his grace and friendliness drew them to him, and the intimacy was as that subsisting among brothers; at other times the superiority of Jesus seemed to cleave a chasm of separation which they had not confidence or courage to bridge over by their approaches. They could not then even question him concerning the import of his own language.

IV THE REASON OF THESE REVELATIONS.

1. Jesus intended thus to open the eyes of his companions to his owncharacter. Such sayings as these must have awakened their renewed inquiry, "What manner of man is this?" Thus Jesus would impress upon them the fact that his nature and character, his kingdom and mission, were altogether unique.

2. Jesus intended, in some measure, to prepare them for the events whichwere about to happen. This was effected but partially; yet it would be a mistake to suppose that such teaching was lost upon the twelve. The events of the Passion did indeed amaze and dismay Christ"s disciples, yet not to that extent which would have been the case had no such communications been vouchsafed.

3. Jesus designed to open their minds to the spiritual nature of hiskingdom. What he foretold could not happen without dispelling, or at least weakening, many preconceived notions and expectations; and even before these things came to pass, some light regarding the unworldly and spiritual kingdom must have streamed into their dim minds.

4. Jesus purposed that, after he should have arisen from the dead, theyshould call to memory the sayings they had heard from him, and that their faith should thus be confirmed in his superior knowledge, and in the divinity of his purposes, so clearly conceived and so gloriously accomplished. Thus was provision made for their thinking aright of him who laid down his life for the sheep, and in due time and of his own accord took to him that life again.

Vers. 30-32. The gospel a source of sorrow and perplexity.

Something very grand and pathetic in those rehearsals of the drama of redemption. The great heart of Christ yearning for sympathy, and yet shrinking from the kind that was evoked; wondering, meanwhile, at the "hardness of heart" of his disciples, who "understood not the saying." How inexplicable this failure to affect their moral nature! So far as words are concerned, it was the same gospel as that which woke the nations at Pentecost; yet it was as if still-born; an abstraction; a mystery past finding out. It is a sad monologue; a recitative upon a minor key. Reasons for this failure and ineffectiveness

I IT WAS NOT UNDERSTOOD. From human standpoint all but incomprehensible; as it certainly could not have been originally conceived by man. A mood and sentiment too elevated for ordinary moral natures. An important consideration in determining the question as to who founded Christianity Christ or his disciples. The "prophet" must not discourse in an unknown tongue.

II IT COULD NOT BE UNDERSTOOD UNTIL IT WAS ACCOMPLISHED. Intelligence, moral perception, and spiritual illumination waited upon the finished work. It was, so to speak, a moral creation, which beforehand only the Author could comprehend, and afterwards still he alone perfectly. Each step in the evolution of it, up to a certain point, only deepened the mystery. When Christ realized his work of salvation in act, his people began to realize it in thought and experience.

III AND THEN ONLY COULD IT BE UNDERSTOOD THROUGH THE SPIRITUAL LIFE IT CALLED FORTH. Christ had to evoke the very faculty by which the plan and spirit of his work were to be discerned. It is "unto Jews a stumbling-block, and unto Gentiles foolishness; but unto them that are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God". (1Co_1:23, 1Co_1:24) The world by wisdom knew it not, "but we received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us by God Now the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness unto him; and he cannot know them, because they are spiritually judged". (1Co_2:12-14) It is not until we learn the true character of God, and, in the light of that, the nature of sin, that we can from the heart approve of the career of Jesus as "the way of salvation. M.

Vers. 30-32. Renewed prediction of death.

I UNWELCOME OUTLOOKS SHOULD BE FIRMLY FACED. "Tis not well to hide the head in the sand, like the ostrich, and try to fancy danger absent because not seen. For, if faced, the worst prospect loses at once half, and presently all, its terrors.

II THE WILL OF GOD IS TO BE RECOGNIZED, EVEN IN THE WICKEDNESS OF MEN. It is by conflict that his will is wrought out. Outbursts of crime represent only one side of great living forces, and onward moving facts.

III UNWELCOME TRUTHS NEED TO BE REPEATED, BUT NOT FOR ALL. There is an esoteric and an exoteric in Christianity. We do not tell children all we know of life. But there is an age, and there are persons, to whom all should be told that we know. Let truth be economized and wisely administered. J.

Vers. 30-32. Parallel passages: Mat_17:22, 23 Luk_9:43-45. Prediction of his passion.

I SECRECY. "To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under heaven." Every man has a work to do, and a time allowed him to do it in. Every man, moreover, is immortal till that work is done, and God"s will with him accomplished. In like manner there was a time allotted for our Lord"s mission on earth. There was a time fixed for his ministry of mercy to man. When the fullness of the time was come, he made his descent into our world; when the work he came to do was done, and when the proper period again arrived, he took his departure from our world. The appointed interval of his sojourn on earth no enemy could shorten by one day, no power could abridge it by a single hour; nothing could interfere with it, so long as "his hour was not yet come." Yet, notwithstanding this, our Lord never neglected the use of such means as were proper for the prolongation of his stay on earth till his great work should be performed, and the destined period completed. Accordingly, we find him at one time returning to Galilee, and "walking no more in Jewry, because Jews sought to kill him." Afterward, when Herod"s attention had been directed to him, and his abode even in Galilee had thus become somewhat insecure, we find him withdrawing to the more remote and less populous districts of that province. We are, moreover, informed that subsequently he had gone yet further from contact with his enemies, passing beyond Galilee into the Phoenician territory. This he did in order, it would seem, to escape observation, for while there he "entered into a house, and would have no man know it: but he could not be hid." This course our Lord pursued for various reasons. While each particular occasion on which he courted privacy had its own specific reason, we can state in general the motives that seem to have influenced him in this direction. As already intimated, he avoided such publicity as would bring him into hostile conflict with his enemies, so as to precipitate the crisis, and hasten his death, before the proper and purposed period. Again he sought seclusion, now for required rest, oftener for more time and better opportunity of instructing his apostles for their future work and important mission. But while our Lord thus sought seclusion to prevent any interference either with the space of his ministry or with the plan of instructing his apostles, there was another eventuality which he carefully avoided, namely, any attempt on the part of the people to make him a king; as, after the miracle of feeding the five thousand, we read that, when Jesus perceived that they would come and take him by force, to make him a king, he departed again into a mountain himself alone." This was no very improbable contingency. In a moment of excitement, under the influence of enthusiasm, yielding to the impulse of popular feeling, they might attempt to place him at the head of a rebellion, if not a revolution, against existing authorities, and try to restore to Israel the temporal kingdom which Israel so ardently, though mistakenly, sought. This would have been a result greatly to be deprecated. It would have left a stigma on the Savior"s name, and caused a suspicion about his design, both of which would have been most detrimental to the interests of that spiritual kingdom the kingdom "not of this world," which he came to set up. Accordingly, we find that when he had restored the deaf mute, he charged them that they should tell no man." Again, when he cured the blind man at Bethsaida, he sent him away to his house, saying, "Neither go into the town, nor tell it to any in the town any townsmen he might chance to meet on his way home. Also, after the Transfiguration, "he charged them that they should tell no man what things they had seen, till the Son of man were risen from the dead." And now that they passed along (pareporeuonto) through Galilee, "he would not that any man should know it." Even an apparent exception is easily accounted for: nor is there any real discrepancy between the injunction he laid on them after the restoration of the deaf mute. (Mr 7) He to "tell no man," and the direction he gave the demoniac. (Mr 5) He to "go home to thy friends, and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee, and hath had compassion on thee." No doubt it was the same district of Decapolis where both commands were given: but on the latter occasion our Lord was about to leave the district in question, so that there was no risk of his ministry being obstructed by the matter being blazoned abroad; on the former occasion he was going to tarry for a time in the same region, and hence he resorts to the precaution necessary under circumstances which were thus quite different.

II HE FORETELLS HIS DEATH. There were three great epochs in our Lord"s ministry. The first was that of miracles, by which he attested the divinity of his mission; the second was that of parables, by which he developed the nature of his kingdom; and the third was that of suffering, by which he made satisfaction for the sins of his people. The miracles began with that at Cana; the parables, properly so called, began somewhere about the commencement of the last year of the Savior"s work and ministry. Though his parabolic teaching began at this period to assume a more formal shape, he had all along employed on certain occasions parabolic utterances of a briefer sort. Thus, for example, in the sermon on the mount the agreement with one"s adversary there recommended is of the nature of parable; the similitude of the wise and foolish builders, with which that sermon closes, is still more distinctly parabolic; while subsequently, and before the beginning of his regular method of strictly parabolic instruction, we find such proverbial or brief parabolic representations as that of the new patch and the old garment, and that of the new wine and the old bottles, Besides that of the creditor and the two debtors. Still, from the period indicated, his teaching by parables became more frequent and methodical The reasons of our Lord"s adopting this method are such as the following:

1. The harmony existing between the kingdom of nature and that of grace, and the similarity in their laws of development.

2. The adaptation to our nature of the historical element, real or ideal, contained in them.

3. The amount of truth communicable in this way to the dull apprehension of the disciples.

4. Their helpfulness to memory by linking the spiritual truth to some familiar natural object, the frequent occurrence of the latter always suggesting the former; and:

5. A judicial Veiling of the truth because of past dulness and indifference. The constant theme of his teaching henceforth consists of his sufferings and death, as is implied in the imperfect tense (edidaske . He "he kept teaching") here used.

III PREVIOUS INTIMITATIONS ON THE SUBJECT. The previous intimations had been obscure. There had been the intimation of the Baptist when he pointed the Savior out as "the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world". (Joh_1:29) He and in the repetition of part of the same at ver. 36. He had himself given several figurative intimations of it, as when he spake of his death by violence, and his resurrection in three days under the similitude of the demolition and rebuilding of a temple. "Destroy," he said, "this temple, and in three days I will raise it up." This had occurred at the celebration of the first Passover after the commencement of his public ministry. Again, in his discourse with Nicodemus, he represented his crucifixion as an uplifting, and its beneficial effects by a comparison with Moses" lifting up the serpent in the wilderness, when the bitten Israelite looked and lived. Another intimation of his death, and the first allusion to that event recorded in this Gospel (St. Mark"s). He is the removal of the bridegroom, of which he said, "The days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken away from them". (Mar_2:20 Mat_9:15) Also, after the feeding of the five thousand, in the synagogue of Capernaum he made a reference to it in the words, "The bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world." But the first clear and distinct declaration is that of the preceding chapter. (Mr 8) He when "he began to teach them, that the Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders, and of the chief priests, and scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again.

IV SIMILAR DECLARATIONS IN THE PRESENT AND SUBSEQUENT CHAPTERS. The first public, or at least the first direct and unreserved announcement of his sufferings, death, and resurrection, was made, as recorded in the preceding chapter, after the disciples had been convinced of, and Peter had confessed, his Messiahship, saying, "Thou art the Christ." On that occasion we learn from the fuller report of St. Matthew that our Lord warmly commended Peter"s confession, but soon after, as both St. Matthew and St. Mark inform us, found cause to condemn his indiscreet and unwelcome rebuke. The commendation is contained in the words, "I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Church." The latter clause of the promise just cited has, as is well known, excited no little controversy, and called forth a variety of interpretations.

1. Augustine will have it that the rock on which the Church is built, according to the Savior"s promise, is Christ himself.

2. Chrysostom maintains that the confession of faith in Christ, that Peter had just given utterance to, is the rock on which the Church is based. We admit the show of reason and the plausibility with which both opinions have been expressed and enforced; still we cannot concur in either. Chrysostom"s explanation is chargeable with overlooking the context. So to some extent, though less so, is that of Augustine; but the latter rests, besides, on a very doubtful distinction between two words which are frequently used in classical writers as interchangeable. According to this interpreter its import would be, "Thou art Peter (petrov) a small stone; but I am Christ, a strong Rock (petra ). He and on this Rock, that is, myself, I will build my Church." In the Aramaic there is one word (Kipho) for Peter and for rock, just as in French there is one word for both Pierre, Peter, a man"s name, and pierre, a stone or rock. But in Greek there are the two words already mentioned, viz. petrov and petra . He so that in this play upon the word there is a slight variation in the Greek, without, however, real difference of meaning. Even admitting the distinction between the two words, which has been questioned, if not entirely disproved, the explanation is evidently forced. We require to look more closely at the context as furnished by the eighteenth verse itself, and by the sixteenth. As recorded in the latter, Peter"s answer was, "Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God." Our Lord, after expressing approval of Peter"s reply, and assuring him that the truth contained in it was the outcome, not of human discovery, but of Divine revelation, takes occasion to state another and no less important truth, and that in a form accommodated to the statement of Peter, "And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter petrov . He a rock, and upon this rock (petra) I will build my Church;" that is to say, You have made a good and true confession in acknowledging my Messiahship and divinity; I also, in my turn, will confess what I have in store for you in connection with my Church.

3. Your name is significant it means a rock; and according to your name will be the nature of your work. With the foundation of the Church you will have much to do. On your preaching of the faith which you have just professed its foundation shall be laid. Similarly, elsewhere we read that the Church is "built on the foundation of apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief Corner-stone;" whereas apostles and prophets are only the foundation in so far as they themselves, knit together with and cemented to Christ, lay the foundation by their exhibition of Christ and declaration of the truth concerning Christ. It is as though our Lord had said to Peter, Among Jews and Gentiles your work is appointed you. Among the Jews on the day of Pentecost your proclamation of the selfsame faith, which you have just confessed, will lay the foundation of the Christian Church; while to Cornelius the same gospel preached by you will inaugurate a similar blessed result among the Gentiles, introducing the first-fruits of the Gentile world into the Church. Still more, to the united Church of the believing Jew and converted Gentile I shall promise and provide security from all the devices of the most wily, and all the assaults of the most Satanic, foes.

V WHY IS THIS COMMENDATION OMITTED BY ST. MARK? It has often been remarked that many things redounding solely to the honor of St. Peter are omitted by St. Mark; while at the same time his infirmities are fully and faithfully recorded by the same evangelist, extenuating circumstances being less noticed by this evangelist than by the other synoptists. An example of this is furnished in the case before us. The blessing pronounced on him because of this noble and brave confession of the Christ, the Divine origin of his knowledge and faith, the promise just considered, and the further promise of the keys of the kingdom of heaven, are all omitted by St. Mark. But the rebuke to which he soon after subjected himself is carefully recorded. Many instances of both kinds occur. This is one of those incidental circumstances that go far to confirm the voice of history in regard to the relation in which St. Peter stood to St. Mark and his Gospel, namely, that the latter penned his Gospel, as disciple and by the dictation, to soma extent, of the former. If so, and we think it extremely probable, we have proof herein of the veracity of the one and the humility of the other.

VI REPETITION OF THE PREDICTION. Reverting to the subject of the Savior"s sufferings, so plainly announced in the eighth chapter, we have a repetition of a similar announcement in this ninth chapter, and another, again, in nearly the same terms in the tenth chapter. These repeated as well as direct and unreserved declarations on this subject a subject so distasteful and saddening to his disciples show their unwillingness to associate the idea of death with the Messiah, their tenacity in clinging to a temporal king and worldly kingdom, their slowness and lothness to apprehend or accept the notion of a spiritual, unworldly kingdom. The idea of a suffering Messiah has, therefore, to be dinned into their ears and impressed on their hearts by frequent and earnest reiterations. Nor has this subject lost aught of its importance or interest even for ourselves and at the present day; while the faithful inculcation of it is as much a duty and a necessity now as when our Lord in person urged it so solemnly and so often on the mind and heart of his sorrowing disciples. Though the cross was a stumbling-block to the Jews, and foolishness to the Greeks, it is still the power of God, and the wisdom of God, to the salvation of every believer. The way to the crown is still by, and only by, the cross; humiliation precedes glorification. The preacher of the gospel cannot dwell too frequently or too earnestly on a theme that bulked so largely in the sight of the Savior himself. The doctrine of Christ"s suffering for us to put away our sins suffering, "the just for the unjust, to bring us to God cannot be too much insisted on; neither can we be too often instructed in the duty of giving ourselves fully, freely, and for ever to him "who loved us and gave himself for us." If, moreover, Christ was "obedient unto death, even the death of the cross," in all its shame and with all its pain, it surely behoves us, in daily, holy obedience, to take up our cross, deny ourselves, and follow him. J.J.G.

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

They passed through Galilee - Though not through the cities, but by them, in the most private ways. He was not willing that any should know it: for he taught his disciples - He wanted to be alone with them some time, in order to instruct them fully concerning his sufferings. The Son of man is delivered - It is as sure as if it were done already. Matt. xvii, 22; Luke ix, 44.

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

The Last Discourses of Christ in Galilee.

A second announcement of His Passion:

v. 30. And they departed thence and passed through Galilee; and He would not that any man should know it.

v. 31. For He taught His disciples and said unto them, The Son of Man is delivered into the hands of men, and they shall kill Him; and after that He is killed, He shall rise the third day.

v. 32. But they understood not that saying, and were afraid to ask Him.

"Thence," from the country or region where they had been for some time; this points to Gaulanitis. They now made a journey through Galilee, their last trip with the Lord through these familiar scenes. He did no public preaching at this time, He wanted no loud heralding. His purpose was to be alone with His disciples, for their instruction had not yet proceeded to the point it should reach before the time of His great Passion. He got into the habit of referring to His approaching suffering, above all. The entire subject of His teaching touched upon this important Gospel-lesson. The entire Passion was so vivid before His eyes that He speaks of it in the present tense: He is delivered into the hands of men. First Judas would deliver Him into the hands of the Jewish rulers, then these would deliver Him into the hands of the Roman governor. Note the thought included here: The Son of Man, the redeemer in His divine-human nature, having might and authority over all things, delivered into the hands of men, mere men, weak men, that in themselves are powerless before Him. And they kill him. That was their object, and that was, in their opinion, the end of Him and of His aspirations. For Him, however, it is not the end, but only the beginning. After three days He will arise. The remark of the evangelist at this point is almost pitiful. After all the teaching and repeated teaching and referring to the truth of the Old Testament prophecy that Jesus had done, the disciples went along the way with Him in ignorance as to the word that He was uttering. And at the same time they were afraid to ask Him. Natural man cannot comprehend the facts of Christ’s Passion, and, incidentally, avoids unpleasant subjects. All the solemn, mysterious beauties of the Gospel are hidden from the heart of man until God Himself, through His Holy Ghost, opens heart and mind, and pictures unto it Christ.

Paul E. Kretzmann, Popular Commentary of the Bible (1921–1924) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Observable it is, how frequently our Saviour forewarned his disciples of his approaching sufferings; and as the time of his sufferings drew near, he did more frequently warn them of it. But all was little enough to warn them against the scandal of the cross, and to reconcile their thoughts to a suffering condition. The disciples had taken up the common opinion, that the Messiah was to be a temporal prince, and as such to reign here upon earth, and they knew not how to reconcile this with his being delivered up into the hands of men that should kill him; and yet they were afraid to ask him concerning this matter.

Now from Christ’s frequent forewarning his disciples of approaching sufferings, we may gather, That we can never hear either too often, or too much, of the doctrine of the cross, nor be too frequently instructed in our duty to prepare for a suffering state. As Christ went by his cross to is crown, from a state of abasement to a state of exaltation, so must all his disciples and followers likewise.

William Burkitt's Expository Notes on the New Testament (1700–1703) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

J. W. McGarvey's The Fourfold Gospel [LXXI. Return to Galilee].

LXXI. RETURN TO GALILEE. THE PASSION FORETOLD. aMATT. XVII. 22, 23; bMARK IX. 30-32; cLUKE IX. 43-45.

b30 And they went forth from thence [from the region of Cæsarea Philippi], and passed through Galilee [on his way to Capernaum]; and he would not that any man should know it. [He was still seeking that retirement which began on the journey to Tyre. See Joh_7:3, Joh_7:4. See page 439.] [426] 31 For he taught his disciples [the reason for his retirement is here given: he wished to prepare his disciples for his passion], and said unto them, The Son of man is delivered up [the present tense is used for the future to express the nearness and certainty of the event] into the hands of men, a22 And cBut awhile they abode in Galilee, cwhile all were marvelling at all the things which he did, aJesus csaid unto his disciples, 44 Let these sayings sink into your ears: for the Son of man shall be delivered up into the hands of men. [We have here two notes of time during which Jesus spoke of his passion. It was all the while he was in Galilee, between his return from Cæsarea and his departure into Judæa, for which see page 439. The length of time suggests that the sad lesson was oft repeated, but was at a time when the marvels of his works strengthened the faith of the disciples so as to enable them to bear the instruction.] band they shall kill him; and when he is killed, after three days he shall rise again. aand the third day he shall be raised up. [For comment on similar language see page 306.] And they were exceeding sorry. [Peter's experience taught them not to attempt to correct Jesus while thus speaking, so there was nothing left for them but to grieve at his words.] c45 But they understood not this bthe saying, cand it was concealed from them, that they should not perceive it [What was told to them was not for their present but their future benefit, and therefore they were left to puzzle over the words of Jesus]; and they were afraid to ask him about this saying. [Not so much from any awe with which they regarded him, as from the delicacy of the subject itself, and their own sorrow, which shrank from knowing it more fully.] [427]

[FFG 426-427]

J. W. McGarvey (with Philip Y. Pendleton), Commentaries on the New Testament (The Fourfold Gospel, 1914; Acts; and the epistles) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Connecting Statement:

After he heals the demon-possessed boy, Jesus and his disciples leave the house where they are staying. He takes time to teach his disciples alone.

They went out from there

"Jesus and his disciples left that region"

passed through

"traveled through" or "passed by"

for he was teaching his disciples

Jesus was teaching his disciples privately, away from the crowd. This can be stated clearly. AT: "for he was teaching his disciples privately" (See: Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)

The Son of Man will be delivered

This can be translated in active form. AT: "Someone will deliver the Son of Man" (See: Active or Passive)

The Son of Man

Here Jesus refers to himself as the Son of Man. This is an important title for Jesus. "I, the Son of Man," (See: Translating Son and Father)

into the hands of men

Here "hands" is a metonym for control. AT: "into the control of men" or "so that men will be able to control him" (See: Metonymy)

When he has been put to death, after three days he

This can be stated in active form. AT: "After they have put him to death and three days have passed, he" (See: Active or Passive)

they were afraid to ask him

They were afraid to ask Jesus what his statement meant. AT: "they were afraid to ask him what it meant" (See: Ellipsis)

translationWords

Galilee

Jesus

disciple

Son of Man

deliver

hand

die

raise

understand

fear

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

30–32. ANOTHER PREDICTION OF THE PASSION

Mat 17:22-23. Luk 9:43-45

30. Κἀκεῖθεν. From the neighbourhood of the “high mountain” (Mar 9:2). The best MSS. usually have κἀκεῖθεν: καὶ ἐκεῖθεν (Mar 10:1) is a very rare exception.

οὐκ ἤθελεν. He is still in quest of seclusion for the training of the Twelve. It is noteworthy that in none of these quests is He represented as working a miracle in order to secure seclusion; repeated failures do not induce Him to use supernatural means where ordinary means may suffice.

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.

30-32.] Second Announcement of His death and resurrection. Mat 17:22, Mat 17:23.Luk 9:43-45Luk 9:43-45, where see notes, as this account is included in the two others.

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

30-32. Jesus returns through Galilee, and again seeks to hide his presence, in order to convey to his disciples the esoteric teaching about his death. The same particulars are given as in the previous announcement, that he will be delivered up, and put to death, and will rise again after three days. But they did not know what he was saying, and were afraid to question him.

30. κἀκεῖθεν ἐξελθόντες (παρ) ἐπορεύοντο—and having gone out from that place, they were coming. The place which they left was the vicinity of Cæsarea Philippi. Their journey through Galilee to Capernaum would take them on the west side of the Jordan.

ἐπορεύοντο, instead of παρεπορεύοντο, Treg. WH. B* Dgr. mss. Lat. Vet.

καὶ οὐκ ἤθελεν ἵνα τις γνοῖ—and did not wish that any one should know it.1 Jesus’ desire to escape notice is a continuation of the policy pursued by him since his departure to Tyre and Sidon(7:24). Since that time, he has been mostly in strange places, accompanied by his disciples alone, and preparing them for the approaching crisis in his life.

γνοῖ, instead of γνῷ, Tisch. Treg. WH. א BCDL.

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

Passed through [παρεπορευοντο] . Lit., passed along [παρα] . Not tarrying. Bengel says, "not through the cities, but past them."

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