Bible Commentaries

Withered; wasted away by disease.

With anger; with an expression of displeasure upon his countenance.

The Herodians. The Herod who ruled over Judea, when Christ was born, died a year or two after that event. His son, Herod Antipas, who beheaded John the Baptist, now governed Galilee and some other countries, but not Judea. The Herodians were probably persons in the interest of his government, and they could therefore aid in inducing Herod to put Jesus to death.

The sea; of Galilee.

Wait on him; receive him on board.

Plagues; diseases of any kind.

Into a mountain; into a retired place among the recesses of the mountains.

It is noticeable that Peter's name is placed first upon the list. Then follow James and John,--and Judas comes last. They seem thus to take precedence somewhat according to the standing which their talents and piety gave them. They who occupy prominent positions in the church, should learn humility from the fact, that the highest on the catalogue of the apostles was the one who afterwards denied his Master.

Boanerges; a title expressive of the power and energy of their eloquence. In forming our opinions on the subject of rendering honors to the summit are we to take into consideration the fact that Jesus seems to have given to two of his disciples an honorary title of distinction?

James the son of Alpheus. His father's name is given to distinguish him from the other James, the son of Zebedee. In theological writings, the former is generally called James the greater, and the latter James the less. James the less is supposed to have written the Epistle called by his name.--Simon the Canaanite. He is called by Luke 6:15, Simon Zelotes. He is thus particularly designated to distinguish him from Simon Peter.

To lay hold on him; to take him away from the danger which they supposed him to be in.--For they said; that is, the people said; and then, in Mark 3:22-30, there is a particular account of their charging him with being possessed with an evil spirit, (Mark 3:30,) or with being beside himself, as it is expressed in Mark 3:21, and his answer to the charge. It was the anxiety for his safety, produced by this increasing excitement against him, which led his mother an his other friends to come and endeavor to take him away, as mentioned Mark 3:21, and afterwards more particularly in Mark 3:31.

The strong man; meaning Satan,--with whom they had accused him of being in league.

Alluding to their sin in ascribing his divine power to the agency of evil spirits.

The sin of the Pharisees consisted in this,--that when they knew that it was the divine power which they saw imbodied in the person of Jesus, they ascribed the effects to the agency of evil spirits; it was thus a direct and deliberate opposition to the cause of God, as such. Most of the sins and blasphemies of mankind arise from the violence of human passions, uncontrolled by the authority of God, but without any positive hostility directed expressly and intentionally towards him. But when the human soul assumes an attitude of known and wilful opposition to the cause of God, from malignant feeling directed against this cause and its Author, it goes to the extreme limit of human guilt, and incurs the terrible denunciation which Jesus here pronounced against such sins.

There came; that is, in consequence of the excitement against him expressed in the preceding verses.--Standing without; the pressure of the crowd preventing their coming in to him.

This seems to have been a calm expression of confidence that he had then nothing to fear. He was surrounded by friends, as well as beset by enemies.