Bible Commentaries

The kingdom of God come with power; that is, Christianity openly established and rapidly spreading.

Transfigured; changed in appearance.

Fuller; the workman who conducted the finishing processes in the manufacture of cloth.

Tabernacles; tents; in this case, perhaps, such structures for shelter as might be made from branches of trees.

He wist not, &c. The meaning is, that Peter, zealous, and eager to speak and to act on all occasions, brought forward his offers of service, though so much agitated as scarcely to know what he was proposing.

On all occasions Jesus evinced a strong desire that the fact that he was the long-expected Messiah, should not be generally made known during his life. His course in this respect shows us that the principle, which is sometimes strongly urged, viz., that the truth should always be made known, at all hazards, was not sanctioned by his example.

Questioning, &c. It seems that they did not very distinctly understand, after all, what Jesus had disclosed to them in Mark 8:31.

First come; that is, before the Messiah.

And restoreth all things; that is, he was to revive the religious spirit of former times, or, as it is expressed elsewhere, to turn the hearts of the fathers unto the children.

Listed; chose. He referred to John the Baptist, whom Herod had beheaded.

A great multitude; attracted by the case of the child mentioned below.

Greatly amazed; surprised to see him returning, as they did not know where he had gone.

Generation; people.

These are the symptoms of a disease called epilepsy. In the different cases recorded, various maladies, mental and bodily, are described as resulting from the demoniacal influence.

Rent him sore; agitated him with strong convulsions.

This kind; this kind of evil spirits.

Is delivered; is to be delivered.

Were afraid to ask him. This and similar expressions show that the intercourse of Jesus with his apostles was never familiar. They regarded him with habitual veneration.

Mark 9:36. True spiritual greatness is humility, and a lowliness of mind like the unassuming gentleness of children.

Not me; not merely me.

Offend; wilfully injure or lead to sin.

Offend; cause thee to sin.

Mark 9:43-48. This language is obviously figurative. The meaning is, give up every thing, however dear, which proves a temptation to sin, and a snare to the soul. A similar passage is recorded by Matthew as a part of the sermon on the mount. (Matthew 5:29,30.)

A dark saying, of which no satisfactory explanation has ever been given. Salt is the emblem of the spiritual influences of Christianity; but what is intended by being salted with fire, and by every sacrifice, we cannot easily imagine. It is true that sacrifices were to be salted, according to the Jewish law; but it is difficult to regard that circumstance in any aspect which will throw light upon this passage.