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Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
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Matthew Henry |
M A R K.
CHAP. III.
In this chapter, we have,
I. Christ’s healing a man that had a withered hand, on the sabbath day,
and the combination of his enemies against him for it,
II. The universal resort of people to him from all parts, to be healed,
and the relief they all found with him,
III. His ordaining his twelve apostles to be attendants on him, and the
preachers of his gospel,
IV. His answer to the blasphemous cavils of the scribes, who imputed
his power to cast out devils to a confederacy with the prince of the
devils,
V. His owning his disciples for his nearest and dearest relations,
| The Withered Hand Restored; Multitudes Healed. |
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1 And he entered again into the synagogue; and there was a man
there which had a withered hand.
2 And they watched him, whether he would heal him on the
sabbath day; that they might accuse him.
3 And he saith unto the man which had the withered hand, Stand
forth.
4 And he saith unto them, Is it lawful to do good on the
sabbath days, or to do evil? to save life, or to kill? But they
held their peace.
5 And when he had looked round about on them with anger, being
grieved for the hardness of their hearts, he saith unto the man,
Stretch forth thine hand. And he stretched it out: and his hand
was restored whole as the other.
6 And the Pharisees went forth, and straightway took counsel
with the Herodians against him, how they might destroy him.
7 But Jesus withdrew himself with his disciples to the sea: and
a great multitude from Galilee followed him, and from Judæa,
8 And from Jerusalem, and from Idumæa, and from beyond
Jordan; and they about Tyre and Sidon, a great multitude, when
they had heard what great things he did, came unto him.
9 And he spake to his disciples, that a small ship should wait
on him because of the multitude, lest they should throng him.
10 For he had healed many; insomuch that they pressed upon him
for to touch him, as many as had plagues.
11 And unclean spirits, when they saw him, fell down before
him, and cried, saying, Thou art the Son of God.
12 And he straitly charged them that they should not make him
known.
Here, as before, we have our Lord Jesus busy at work in the
synagogue first, and then by the sea side; to teach us that
his presence should not be confined either to the one or to the other,
but, wherever any are gathered together in his name, whether in the
synagogue or any where else, there is he in the midst of them.
In every place where he records his name, he will meet his
people, and bless them; it is his will that men pray every
where. Now here we have some account of what he did.
I. When he entered again into the synagogue, he improved the
opportunity he had there, of doing good, and having, no doubt, preached
a sermon there, he wrought a miracle for the confirmation of it, or at
least for the confirmation of this truth–that it is lawful to do
good on the sabbath day. We had the narrative,
1. The patient’s case was piteous; he had a withered hand, by
which he was disabled to work for his living; and those that are so,
are the most proper objects of charity; let those be helped that cannot
help themselves.
2. The spectators were very unkind, both to the patient and to the
Physician; instead of interceding for a poor neighbour, they did what
they could to hinder his cure: for they intimated that if Christ cured
him now on the sabbath day, they would accuse him as a Sabbath
breaker. It had been very unreasonable, if they should have opposed
a physician or surgeon in helping any poor body in misery, by ordinary
methods; but much more absurd was it to oppose him that cured without
any labour, but by a word’s speaking.
3. Christ dealt very fairly with the spectators, and dealt with them
first, if possible to prevent the offence.
(1.) He laboured to convince their judgment. He bade the man stand
forth
(v. 3),
that by the sight of him they might be moved with compassion toward
him, and might not, for shame, account his cure a crime. And then he
appeals to their own consciences; though the thing speaks
itself, yet he is pleased to speak it; “Is it
lawful to do good on the sabbath days, as I design to do, or to
do evil, as you design to do? Whether is better, to save
life or to kill?” What fairer question could be put? And
yet, because they saw it would turn against them, they held their
peace. Note, Those are obstinate indeed in their infidelity, who,
when they can say nothing against a truth, will say nothing
to it; and, when they cannot resist, yet will not
yield.
(2.) When they rebelled against the light, he lamented their
stubbornness
(v. 5);
He looked round about on them with anger, being grieved for the
hardness of their hearts. The sin he had an eye to, was, the
hardness of their hearts, their insensibleness of the evidence
of his miracles, and their inflexible resolution to persist in
unbelief. We hear what is said amiss, and see what is done amiss; but
Christ looks at the root of bitterness in the heart, the
blindness and hardness of that. Observe,
[1.] How he was provoked by the sin; he looked round upon
them; for they were so many, and had so placed themselves, that
they surrounded him: and he looked with anger; his anger, it is
probable, appeared in his countenance; his anger was, like God’s,
without the least perturbation to himself, but not without great
provocation from us. Note, The sin of sinners is very
displeasing to Jesus Christ; and the way to be angry, and not to sin,
is it be angry, as Christ was, at nothing but sin. Let hard-hearted
sinners tremble to think of the anger with which he will look
round upon them shortly, when the great day of his wrath
comes.
[2.] How he pitied the sinners; he was grieved for the
hardness of their hearts; as God was grieved forty years for the
hardness of the hearts of their fathers in the wilderness. Note, It is
a great grief to our Lord Jesus, to see sinners bent upon their own
ruin, and obstinately set against the methods of their conviction and
recovery, for he would not that any should perish. This is a good
reason why the hardness of our own hearts and of the hearts of others,
should be a grief to us.
4. Christ dealt very kindly with the patient; he bade him stretch
forth his hand, and it was immediately restored. Now,
(1.) Christ has hereby taught us to go on with resolution in the way of
our duty, how violent soever the opposition is, that we meet with in
it. We must deny ourselves sometimes in our ease, pleasure, and
convenience, rather than give offence even to those who causelessly
take it; but we must not deny ourselves the satisfaction of serving
God, and doing good, though offence may unjustly be taken at it. None
could be more tender of giving offence than Christ; yet, rather than
send this poor man away uncured, he would venture offending all the
scribes and Pharisees that compassed him about.
(2.) He hath hereby given us a specimen of the cures wrought by
his grace upon poor souls; our hands are spiritually
withered, the powers of our souls weakened by sin, and disabled
for that which is good. The great healing day is the sabbath,
and the healing place the synagogue; the healing power is that
of Christ. The gospel command is like this recorded here; and the
command is rational and just; though our hands are withered, and we
cannot of ourselves stretch them forth, we must attempt it,
must, as well as we can, lift them up to God in prayer, lay
hold on Christ and eternal life, and employ them in good works; and
if we do our endeavour, power goes along with the word of Christ, he
effects the cure. Though our hands be withered, yet, if we will
not offer to stretch them out, it is our own fault that we are
not healed; but if we do, and are healed, Christ and his power and
grace must have all the glory.
5. The enemies of Christ dealt very barbarously with him. Such a work
of mercy should have engaged their love to him, and such
a work of wonder their faith in him. But, instead of
that, the Pharisees, who pretended to be oracles in the church, and the
Herodians, who pretended to be the supporters of the state, though of
opposite interests one to another, took counsel together against
him, how they might destroy him. Note, They that suffer for doing
good, do but suffer as their Master did.
II. When he withdrew to the sea, he did good there. While his
enemies sought to destroy him, he quitted the place; to teach us
in troublous times to shift for our own safety; but see here,
1. How he was followed into his retirement. When some had such an
enmity to him, that they drove him out of their country, others had
such a value for him, that they followed him wherever he went; and the
enmity of their leaders to Christ did not cool their respect to him.
Great multitudes followed him from all parts of the nation; as
far north, as from Galilee; as far south, as from Judea and
Jerusalem; nay, and from Idumea; as far east, as from beyond Jordan;
and west, as from about Tyre and Sidon,
Observe,
(1.) What induced them to follow him; it was the report they heard of
the great things he did for all that applied themselves to him;
some wished to see one that had done such great things,
and others hoped he would do great things for them. Note, The
consideration of the great things Christ has done, should engage
us to come to him.
(2.) What they followed him for
(v. 10);
They pressed upon him, to touch him, as many as had plagues.
Diseases are here called plagues,
mastigas—corrections, chastisements; so they are
designed to be, to make us smart for our sins, that thereby we
may be made sorry for them, and may be warned not to return to
them. Those that were under these scourgings came to Jesus; this
is the errand on which sickness is sent, to quicken us to enquire after
Christ, and apply ourselves to him as our Physician. They pressed
upon him, each striving which should get nearest to him, and
which should be first served. They fell down before him
(so Dr. Hammond), as petitioners for his favour; they desired leave but
to touch him, having faith to be healed, not only by his
touching them, but by their touching him; which no doubt
they had many instances of.
(3.) What provision he made to be ready to attend them
(v. 9);
He spoke to his disciples, who were fishermen, and had
fisher-boats at command, that a small ship should constantly
wait on him, to carry him from place to place on the same coast;
that, when he had despatched the necessary business he had to do in one
place, he might easily remove to another, where his presence was
requisite, without pressing through the crowds of people that followed
him for curiosity. Wise men, as much as they can, decline a crowd.
2. What abundance of good he did in his retirement. He did not withdraw
to be idle, nor did he send back those who rudely crowded after him
when he withdrew, but took it kindly, and gave them what they came for;
for he never said to any that sought him diligently, Seek ye me in
vain.
(1.) Diseases were effectually cured; He healed many; divers
sorts of patients, ill of divers sorts of diseases; though numerous,
though various, he healed them.
(2.) Devils were effectually conquered; those whom
unclean spirits had got possession of, when they saw him,
trembled at his presence, and they also fell down before him,
not to supplicate his favour, but to deprecate his wrath, and by their
own terrors were compelled to own that he was the Son of God,
v. 1.
It is sad that this great truth should be denied by any of the children
of men, who may have the benefit of it, when a confession of it has so
often been extorted from devils, who are excluded from having benefit
by it.
(3.) Christ sought not applause to himself in doing those great things,
for he strictly charged those for whom he did them, that they
should not make him known
(v. 12);
that they should not be industrious to spread the notice of his
cures, as it were by advertisements in the newspapers, but let them
leave his own works to praise him, and let the report of them
diffuse itself, and make its own way. Let not those that are
cured, be forward to divulge it, lest it should feed their pride who
are so highly favoured; but let the standers-by carry
away the intelligence of it. When we do that which is
praiseworthy, and yet covet not to be praised of men for
it, then the same mind is in us, which was in Christ
Jesus.
| The Calling of the Apostles. |
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13 And he goeth up into a mountain, and calleth unto him whom
he would: and they came unto him.
14 And he ordained twelve, that they should be with him, and
that he might send them forth to preach,
15 And to have power to heal sicknesses, and to cast out
devils:
16 And Simon he surnamed Peter;
17 And James the son of Zebedee, and John the brother of
James; and he surnamed them Boanerges, which is, The sons of
thunder:
18 And Andrew, and Philip, and Bartholomew, and Matthew, and
Thomas, and James the son of Alphæus, and Thaddæus, and Simon
the Canaanite,
19 And Judas Iscariot, which also betrayed him: and they went
into a house.
20 And the multitude cometh together again, so that they could
not so much as eat bread.
21 And when his friends heard of it, they went out to lay
hold on him: for they said, He is beside himself.
In these verses, we have,
I. The choice Christ made of the twelve apostles to be his
constant followers and attendants, and to be sent abroad as there was
occasion, to preach the gospel. Observe,
1. The introduction to this call or promotion of
disciples; He goes up into a mountain, and his errand thither
was to pray. Ministers must be set apart with solemn prayer for
the pouring out of the Spirit upon them; though Christ had authority to
confer the gifts of the Holy Ghost, yet, to set us an example, he
prayed for them.
2. The rule he went by in his choice, and that was his own good
pleasure; He called unto him whom he would. Not such as we
should have thought fittest to be called, looking upon the
countenance, and the height of the stature; but such as he
thought fit to call, and determined to make fit for the
service to which he called them: even so, blessed Jesus,
because it seemed good in thine eyes. Christ calls whom he
will; for he is a free Agent, and his grace is his own.
3. The efficacy of the call; He called them to separate
themselves from the crowd, and stand by him, and they came unto
him. Christ calls those who were given him
(John xvii. 6);
and all that the Father gave him, shall come to him,
John vi. 37.
Those whom it was his will to call, he made willing to
come; his people shall be willing in the day of his power.
Perhaps they came to him readily enough, because they were in
expectation of reigning with him in temporal pomp and power; but
when afterward they were undeceived in that matter, yet they had
such a prospect given them of better things, that they would not say
they were deceived in their Master, nor repented their leaving
all to be with him.
4. The end and intention of this call; He ordained them
(probably by the imposition of hands, which was a ceremony used among
the Jews), that they should be with him constantly, to be
witnesses of his doctrine, manner of life, and patience, that
they might fully know it, and be able to give an account of it;
and especially that they might attest the truth of his miracles; they
must be with him to receive instructions from him, that
they might be qualified to give instructions to others. It would
require time to fit them for that which he designed them for;
for they must be sent forth to preach; not to preach till they
were sent, and not to be sent till by a long and intimate
acquaintance with Christ they were fitted. Note, Christ’s ministers
must be much with him.
5. The power he gave them to work miracles; and hereby he put a very
great honour upon them, beyond that of the great men of the earth. He
ordained them to heal sicknesses and to cast out devils. This
showed that the power which Christ had to work these miracles was an
original power; that he had it not as a Servant, but
as a Son in his own house, in that he could confer it upon
others, and invest them with it: they have a rule in the law,
Deputatus non potest deputare–He that is only deputed himself,
cannot depute another; but our Lord Jesus had life in
himself, and the Spirit without measure; for he could give this
power even to the weak and foolish things of the
world.
6. Their number and names; He ordained twelve, according to the
number of the twelve tribes of Israel. They are here named not just in
the same order as they were in Matthew, nor by couples, as they were
there; but as there, so here, Peter is put first and Judas last. Here
Matthew is put before Thomas, probably being called in that order; but
in that catalogue which Matthew himself drew up, he puts himself after
Thomas; so far was he from insisting upon the precedency of his
consecration. But that which Mark only takes notice of in this list of
the apostles, is, that Christ called James and John Boanerges,
which is, The sons of thunder; perhaps they were remarkable for
a loud commanding voice, they were thundering preachers; or, rather, it
denotes the zeal and fervency of their spirits, which would make them
active for God above their brethren. These two (saith Dr. Hammond) were
to be special eminent ministers of the gospel, which is called a
voice shaking the earth,
Heb. xii. 26.
Yet John, one of those sons of thunder, was full of love and
tenderness, as appears by his epistles, and was the beloved
disciple.
7. Their retirement with their Master, and close adherence to him;
They went into a house. Now that this jury was impanelled, they
stood together, to hearken to their evidence. They went together
into the house, to settle the orders of their infant college; and now,
it is likely, the bag was given to Judas, which pleased him, and made
him easy.
II. The continual crowds that attended Christ’s motions
(v. 20);
The multitude cometh together again, unsent for, and
unseasonably pressing upon him, some with one errand and some with
another; so that he and his disciples could not get time so much as
to eat bread, much less for a set and full meal. Yet he did not
shut his doors against the petitioners, but bade them welcome, and gave
to each of them an answer of peace. Note, They whose hearts are
enlarged in the work of God, can easily bear with great inconveniences
to themselves, in the prosecution of it, and will rather lose a meal’s
meat at any time than slip an opportunity of doing good. It is happy
when zealous hearers and zealous preachers thus
meet, and encourage one another. Now the kingdom of God was
preached, and men pressed into it,
This was a gale of opportunity worth improving; and the disciples might
well afford to adjourn their meals, to lay hold on it. It is good
striking while the iron is hot.
III. The care of his relations concerning him
(v. 21);
When his friends in Capernaum heard how he was followed, and
what pains he took, they went out, to lay hold on him, and fetch
him home, for they said, He is beside himself.
1. Some understand it of an absurd preposterous care, which had more
in it of reproach to him than of respect; and so we must take it as we
read it, He is beside himself; either they suspected it
themselves, or it was suggested to them, and they gave credit to the
suggestion, that he was gone distracted, and therefore his
friends ought to bind him, and put him in a dark room, to bring him to
his right mind again. His kindred, many of them, had mean thoughts of
him
(John vii. 5),
and were willing to hearken to this ill construction which some put
upon his great zeal, and to conclude him crazed in his intellects, and
under that pretence to take him off from his work. The prophets were
called mad fellows,
2 Kings ix. 11.
2. Others understand it of a well-meaning care; and then they
read exeste–“He fainteth, he has no time to
eat bread, and therefore his strength will fail him; he will be
stifled with the crowd of people, and will have his spirits quite
exhausted with constant speaking, and the virtue that goes out of
him in his miracles; and therefore let us use a friendly violence
with him, and get him a little breathing-time.” In his
preaching-work, as well as his suffering-work, he was attacked with,
Master, spare thyself. Note, They who go on with vigour and zeal
in the work of God, must expect to meet with hindrances, both from the
groundless disaffection of their enemies, and the mistaken affections
of their friends, and they have need to stand upon their guard against
both.
| The Blasphemy of the Scribes. |
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22 And the scribes which came down from Jerusalem said, He hath
Beelzebub, and by the prince of the devils casteth he out devils.
23 And he called them unto him, and said unto them in
parables, How can Satan cast out Satan?
24 And if a kingdom be divided against itself, that kingdom
cannot stand.
25 And if a house be divided against itself, that house cannot
stand.
26 And if Satan rise up against himself, and be divided, he
cannot stand, but hath an end.
27 No man can enter into a strong man’s house, and spoil his
goods, except he will first bind the strong man; and then he will
spoil his house.
28 Verily I say unto you, All sins shall be forgiven unto the
sons of men, and blasphemies wherewith soever they shall
blaspheme:
29 But he that shall blaspheme against the Holy Ghost hath
never forgiveness, but is in danger of eternal damnation:
30 Because they said, He hath an unclean spirit.
I. Here is, The impudent impious brand which the scribes fastened upon
Christ’s casting out devils, that they might evade and invalidate the
conviction of it, and have a poor excuse for not yielding to it. These
scribes came down from Jerusalem,
v. 22.
It should seem they came this long journey on purpose to hinder the
progress of the doctrine of Christ; such pains did they take to do
mischief; and, coming from Jerusalem, where were the most polite and
learned scribes, and where they had opportunity of consulting
together against the Lord and his Anointed, they were in the
greater capacity to do mischief; the reputation of scribes from
Jerusalem would have an influence not only upon the country
people, but upon the country scribes; they had never thought
of this base suggestion concerning Christ’s miracles till the
scribes from Jerusalem put it into their heads. They could not
deny but that he cast out devils, which plainly bespoke him sent of
God; but they insinuated that he had Beelzebub on his side, was
in league with him, and by the prince of the devils cast out
devils. There is a trick in the case; Satan is not cast out,
he only goes out by consent. There was nothing in the manner of
Christ’s casting out devils, that gave any cause to suspect
this; he did it as one having authority; but so they will have
it, who resolve not to believe him.
II. The rational answer which Christ gave to this objection,
demonstrating the absurdity of it.
1. Satan is so subtle, that he will never voluntarily quit his
possession; If Satan cast out Satan, his kingdom is divided against
itself, and it cannot stand,
v. 23-26.
He called them to him, as one desirous they should be convinced;
he treated them with all the freedom, friendliness, and familiarity
that could be; he vouchsafed to reason the case with them, that
every mouth may be stopped. It was plain that the doctrine of
Christ made war upon the devil’s kingdom, and had a direct
tendency to break his power, and crush his interest in the souls of
men; and it was as plain that the casting of him out of the bodies of
people confirmed that doctrine, and gave it the setting on; and
therefore it cannot be imagined that he should come into such a design;
every one knows that Satan is no fool, nor will act so directly
against his own interest.
2. Christ is so wise, that, being engaged in war with him, he
will attack his forces wherever he meets them, whether in the bodies or
souls of people,
It is plain, Christ’s design is to enter into the strong man’s
house, to take possession of the interest he has in the world, and
to spoil his goods, and convert them to his own service; and
therefore it is natural to suppose that he will thus bind the strong
man, will forbid him to speak when he would, and to
stay where he would, and thus show that he has gained a victory
over him.
III. The awful warning Christ gave them to take heed how they spoke
such dangerous words as these; however they might make light of them,
as only conjectures, and the language of free-thinking, if they
persisted in it, it would be of fatal consequence to them; it would be
found a sin against the last remedy, and consequently
unpardonable; for what could be imagined possible to bring
them to repentance for their sin in blaspheming Christ, who
would set aside such a strong conviction with such a weak
evasion? It is true, the gospel promiseth, because Christ hath
purchased, forgiveness for the greatest sins and sinners,
Many of those who reviled Christ on the cross (which was a
blaspheming of the Son of man, aggravated to the highest
degree), found mercy, and Christ himself prayed, Father, forgive
them; but this was blaspheming the Holy Ghost, for it was by
the Holy Spirit that he cast out devils, and they said, It was
by the unclean spirit,
v. 30.
By this method they would outface the conviction of all the gifts of
the Holy Ghost after Christ’s ascension, and defeat them all, after
which there remained no more proof, and therefore they should never
have forgiveness, but were liable to eternal damnation. They
were in imminent danger of that everlasting punishment, from which
there was no redemption, and in which there was no
intermission, no remission.
| The Family of Christ. |
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31 There came then his brethren and his mother, and, standing
without, sent unto him, calling him.
32 And the multitude sat about him, and they said unto him,
Behold, thy mother and thy brethren without seek for thee.
33 And he answered them, saying, Who is my mother, or my
brethren?
34 And he looked round about on them which sat about him, and
said, Behold my mother and my brethren!
35 For whosoever shall do the will of God, the same is my
brother, and my sister, and mother.
Here is,
1. The disrespect which Christ’s kindred, according to the
flesh, showed to him, when he was preaching (and they knew very
well that he was then in his element); they not only stood
without, having no desire to come in, and hear him, but they sent
in a message to call him out to them
(v. 31, 32),
as if he must leave his work, to hearken to their impertinences;
it is probable that they had no business with him, only sent for
him on purpose to oblige him to break off, lest he should
kill himself. He knew how far his strength would go, and
preferred the salvation of souls before his own life, and soon after
made it to appear with a witness; it was therefore an idle thing
for them, under pretence of his sparing himself, to interrupt him; and
it was worse, if really they had business with him, when they knew he
preferred his business, as a Saviour, so much before any other
business.
2. The respect which Christ showed to his spiritual kindred upon
this occasion. Now, as at other times, he put a comparative
neglect upon his mother, which seemed purposely designed to obviate
the prevent the extravagant respect which men in aftertimes would be
apt to pay her. Our respect ought to be guided and governed by
Christ’s; now the virgin Mary, or Christ’s mother, is not equalled
with, but postponed to, ordinary believers, on whom Christ here puts a
superlative honour. He looked upon those that at about
him, and pronounced those of them that not only heard, but did, the
will of God, to be to him as his brother, and sister, and
mother; as much esteemed, loved, and cared for, as his nearest
relations,
This is a good reason why we should honour those that fear the
Lord, and choose them for our people; why we should be not hearers
of the word only, but doers of the work, that we may share with the
saints in this honour, Surely it is good to be akin to those who are
thus nearly allied to Christ, and to have fellowship with those that
have fellowship with Christ; and woe to those that hate and persecute
Christ’s kindred, that are his bone and his flesh, every one
resembling the children of a king (see
for he will with jealously plead their cause, and avenge their
blood.
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