Mark 9

H. Cox Mason and the (Revelation 5)John Townsend, a Clergyman and a dissenting Minister, who have now both entered into rest; and whose memory is embalmed in the hearts of those unfortunates. Thus money, the love of which is the root of all evil, may be converted by Christian benevolence into the source of much good.: “Christ’s curing this man, (says Mr. Henry,) was a specimen of the operation of the Gospel on the minds of men. The great command of the gospel addressed to sinners is, Ephphatha, ‘be opened!’ Even Grotius himself applies it to the removal of our internal impediments to the reception of divine truth, by the influence of divine grace upon the heart. Most admirable is the remark of the spectators of this miracle.

Astonished beyond measure at the Saviour’s miraculous powers, and at the benevolent manner in which those powers were employed, they exclaim, ‘He hath done all things well: he maketh both the deaf to hear, and the dumb to speak!’ “O give us, Lord, the hearing ear, The tongue of praise to tell, When we within thy courts appear, Thou hast done all things well!” Chap. VIII. Ver. 23—38. Christ cures a blind man.—We saw, in the last chapter, our Lord’s application of spittle to the cure of dumbness; the same means are here applied in the cure of blindness; and we then remarked, that there is in the East a strong persuasion of the efficacy of human spittle in such cases. Capt. Light, when at Erment, (the ancient Hermonthis,) mentions that an aged woman applied to him for a medicine for a disease in her eyes; “and on my giving her some directions, which she did not seem to approve, she requested me to spit on them: I did so, and she went away blessing me, and perfectly satisfied of the certainty of a cure.”

—(Walpole’s Turkey.) Dr. Lightfoot (on (John 9)) gives the following specimen of Jewish notions on this subject:—‘Is there ever a woman among you,’ said Rabbi Meir, “skilled in muttering charms over eyes?’ The woman said, “Rabbi, I am not skilled.” “However,” saith he, “do thou spit seven times on my eyes, and I shall be healed.” We are far from thinking, however, that our Lord would countenance such superstitious notions by his example: we think it far more probable, that Jews or Asiatics make a copy of such means, in hopes of finding the efficacy in the means themselves. In general, the miracles of Christ were wrought momentarily; but in this instance the cure was gradual. On first opening his eyes, the man saw confusedly, “as trees walking;”

but on a second view, he saw distinctly. This is in perfect analogy with fact. On conversing with a gentleman who had been couched, (after having lost his sight from infancy,) he described his first attempt at seeing as very imperfect. The sight of objects with which he had been most familiar by the sense of feeling, did not at all bring them to recollection, till he had handled them afresh; and he could only judge of other objects by viewing them repeatedly, in parts. Practice is as requisite to judge of the objects of sight, as of feeling. This narrative admits also of a beautiful moral improvement, in reference to religious knowledge. Our first views of truth are commonly defective and incorrect; it is only by a careful perusal of the Scriptures, and a growing experience of their efficacy, that we can any way hope to obtain a correct and practical knowledge of divine truth.

We should pray with the Psalmist, “Open thou mine eyes, that I may see wonderful things out of thy law!” ((Psalms 119:18).) “They who would go after Christ to heaven, must deny themselves, take up their cross, and follow him: and they only are in the way of eternal happiness, who are willing to venture all, even their very lives, rather than deny Christ, or be ashamed of him in this evil world. Did we duly consider the worth and danger of our precious souls, for which no ransom could be found but the blood of Emmanuel, we should count the whole world contemptible, if the gain of it endangered our salvation; and the loss of life our greatest gain, if laid down for the sake of Christ and the gospel. May we then continually think of that season, when he will ‘come in the glory of the Father, with his holy angels,’ and may we now estimate every earthly object as we shall do on that important day!”—T. Scott. Chap. IX. Ver. 38—50. The nature and duration of future punishment.—Before we enter upon this awful subject, we must notice the incident by which it is introduced. The disciples of Jesus, in the course of their itineracy, met with a person casting out demons, or at least attempting so to do, in their Master’s name, who yet did not associate with them. Dr. S. Clarke supposes he might be a disciple of John the Baptist; but Dr. Doddridge inclines to think he might be some vagabond Jew, who, like the sons of Sceva, ((Acts 19)

13,) attempted the practice of exorcism, with some sinister design. Our Lord’s reply, however, imposes no censure; but seems to intimate, that he could hardly be an enemy, who should pay such honour to his name. He had, on a former occasion, laid down this maxim, “He that is not with me, is against me,” ((Matthew 12:30);) and here he takes up the converse of the proposition, “He that is not against us, is on our part;” both maintaining the important principle, that there is no neutrality in religion, so far as respects the profession of Christianity. This, indeed, is one of its distinctive characters, as it was one of Judaism. The heathen considered it as a proof of their benevolence, and a mark of good breeding, (if we may so speak,) to show respect to the gods of other nations.

Had Jehovah allowed of visible representations of his glory, they would doubtless have placed his statue in their

Notes on the verses

Chap. IX. Ver. 1. And he said, &c.—See (Matthew 16:28).
Ver. 2—14. And after six days, &c.—The parallel history of the transfiguration, and the subsequent conversation respecting Elias, have been considered on (Matthew 17:1-13).
Ver. 3. No fuller on earth—Or, “with earth.” Dr. John Edwards.
Ver. 4. Elias with Moses.—[Moses was the founder of the Jewish polity, and Elias the most zealous reformer and prophet of the Jewish church; their presence implied, that the ministry of Christ was attested by the law and the prophets.]—Bagster.
Ver. 5. It is good, &c.—“Had it been possible for Peter to have gone to heaven directly, with Christ, and Moses, and Elias; all his usefulness would have been prevented.

But he lived many years amidst conflict and suffering and died on a cross: yet tens and hundreds of thousands were saved by his means, to the glory of God by him! And was not this well worth his while?”—T.
Ver. 12. And how it is written of the Son of man, &c.—Doddridge remarks, the construction of this verse in the original, is as perplexed as most any in the New Testament. Campbell, “satisfied that no proper meaning can be drawn from the words as they lie,” follows a various reading (differing only in two letters,) which is supported by fourteen MSS., (three ancient,) as is adopted by Bps. Pearce, Marsh, &c., and produces the following translation: “And (as is written of the Son of man) must likewise suffer many things, and be contemned.” So Boothroyd; who also transposes the last clause of verse 13 thus: “Elias is indeed come, as it is written of him, and they have done unto him whatsoever they listed”

(or chose.)
Ver. 15. Were greatly amazed.—Campbell, “Struck with awe.” Whitby, Doddridge, and others, suppose, that as the face of Moses shone when he came down from the mount, so did the countenance of Jesus. See (2 Corinthians 3:7).
Ver. 15—32. And straightway, &c.—See parallel, (Matthew 17:14-29).
Ver. 18. Foameth.—[As these symptoms accord very much with those of epileptic persons, some have ventured to assert that it was no real possession; but the Evangelist expressly affirms, that he had ‘a dumb spirit,’ which tare him; that our Lord charged him to come out of him,” &c.]—Bagster.
Ver. 20. The spirit tare him.—Doddridge, “Threw him down and convulsed him;” Campbell, “better ‘threw him into convulsions.’”
Ver. 24. Mine unbelief.—Literally, “want of faith,” of which the most eminent believers find reason to complain.
Ver. 25. Thou dumb and deaf spirit, &c.—[If this had been only a natural disease, as some have contended, could our Lord with any propriety have thus addressed it? If the demoniacal possession had been false, or merely a vulgar error, would our Lord, the Revealer of truth, have thus established falsehood, sanctioned error, or encouraged deception, by teaching men to ascribe effects to the malice and power of evil spirits, which they had no agency in producing? Impossible! Such conduct is utterly unworthy the sacred character of the Redeemer.]—Bagster.
Ver. 26. Rent him sore.—Campbell, “Severely convulsed him.”
Ver. 29. Can come forth.—Doddridge, “Go forth.” Campbell, “Be dis-
Ver. 32. But they understood not.—They could not understand how the Son of God should suffer death, or rise again from the dead. Their expectation of a temporal kingdom completely warped their understanding on these subjects.
Ver. 37. Receiveth not me—That is, “not me only.”
Ver. 38. Casting out devils.—Greek, demons. It is difficult to account for the circumstance here related. Our Lord will at last refuse to acknowledge some who plead that they have cast out devils in his name; (Matthew 7:22), Yet the man that wrought, or pretended to work miracles in his name, could lightly of him, however he might afterwards desert scarcely at the time speak