Mark 11

to stiefastness of faith, and to forgive their enemies: 27 and defendeth the lawfulness of his actions, by the witness of John, who was a man sent of God.

a Matt. 21. 1.

AND when they came nigh to Jerusalem, unto Bethphage and Bethany, at the mount of Olives, he sendeth forth two of his disciples,

Chap. XI. ver. 1. And when they came nigh &c.] For further notes, see the passages of Matt. xxi. referred to in the margin.

Chap. XII. ver. 1. And he began to speak &c.] Respecting this chapter, see the notes on the passages of Matt. xxi. and xxii, referred to in the margin.

L The two great commandments. The poor widow’s two miles. Anno DOMINI 32. book of Moses, how in the bush God spake unto him, saying, I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob?

Mark 11:2

2. — whereon never man sat.] This circumstance was not mentioned in St. Matthew’s account, Matt. xxi. 1, 2.

Mark 11:6

6. — they let them go.] The ass and the colt. “And they brought the colt,” ver. 7, together with the ass, Matt. xxi. 7. Bp. Pearce.

Mark 11:10

10. Blessed be the kingdom &c.] That is, May the kingdom be happily begun and flourish, which God is to erect, according to His promise made to our father David; let prosperity be from heaven to the king Messiah, and to his kingdom. Dr. Whitby.

Mark 11:13

13. — a fig tree — having leaves.] The fig tree, in climates favourable to it, produces generally its fruit twice a year. In Judea, the early fig is ripe about June; the second regular crop is seldom ripe before August: besides this, there appears also sometimes a third crop, or the winter fig, which hangs to ripen on the tree after the leaves are shed; and if the winter proves mild, is gathered in the spring. The time at which this transaction took place was in the month Nisan, three days before the passover, answering to our March or April. As the fruit of this tree precedes the leaves, it appears that our Saviour, on seeing this in full vigour and covered with leaves, might justly look for fruit; either a few ripe figs of the early crop some

weeks before the proper season, or else some winter figs remaining on the tree. Dr. Shaw.

— for the time of figs was not yet.] The time of gathering figs was not yet come.

Mark 11:14

14. — No man eat fruit of thee hereafter for ever.] The moral of this action of our Saviour cannot easily be mistaken. The tree, which seemed to be in a flourishing condition, and to promise fruit, and yet had nothing besides leaves, was an exact figure of the Jews. They had a Divine revelation to guide them, by which they were distinguished from all nations, they had the publick worship of God established amongst them, they had the appearance of sanctity and religion, but all was outside shew, hypocrisy and dissimulation, without any solid and substantial goodness: they had nothing besides leaves, and therefore, by a just judgment, that which they had was to be taken from them. As the deceitful tree, at the rebuke of Christ, sickened, and drooped, and withered, and died away; so their national distinction and privilege, their temple, their publick legal worship, of which they made so poor a use, were to be no longer continued to them; their city also was to be destroyed, their country made desolate, and themselves either cut off in a miserable manner, or driven and dispersed over the face of the earth. Dr. Jortin.

Mark 11:16

16. — any vessel through the temple.] See Lev. xix, 30; Dent. xii. 5. Christ exhorteth to faith in prayer. The Pharisees answered. Anno DOMINI 33.

Mark 11:17

17. — My house shall be called &c.] There is a reverence due to God’s house for the owner’s sake, for the service’s sake: secular and profane actions are not fit for that sacred roof. What but holiness can become that place which is the beauty of holiness? Bp. Hall. See Isa. 1vi. 7.

Mark 11:18

18. — sought how they might destroy him:] St. Luke adds, chap. xix. 48, “but could not find what they might do,” “for,” as is here added, “they feared Him;” they were afraid of seizing Him in publick, because of the people. Bp. Pearce.

Mark 11:22

22, 23. — Have faith in God. For verily I say unto you, &c.] Among the reasons which may be assigned for Christ’s requiring this high degree of faith from His followers, are these. The Apostles were to be employed in preaching the Gospel, and confirming it by wonderful works. If such persons had discovered a distrust concerning God’s assistance, it would have been a disgrace to themselves and to their sacred cause, and have raised suspicions in others that there was something dishonest at the bottom. Also, the employment to which the Apostles were appointed was as dangerous as it was honourable. They were to encounter all sorts of diffi-

ther will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses.

Mark 11:23

23. — whosoever shall say unto this mountain, &c.] He says, I have given that power to you, that if any of you in the fear of God, with full confidence of faith, without any mixture of doubting, shall attempt even the greatest difficulty, and assuredly believe, that through the power of God in Christ it shall be done, he shall do whatsoever he will: but this is to be undertaken by you, (ver. 24,) not upon confidence of your own strength, but by humble prayer to God; and whatsoever ye thus pray for, believing that I will according to My promise grant it to you, ye shall undoubtedly receive from Me. Dr. Hammond.

Mark 11:25

25. — forgive, if ye have ought] Our Saviour had given the same injunction at Matt. vi. 14, 15. He implies, that whenever the Christian prays, he must not only have a steadfast faith in the power, wisdom, and

Anno DOMINI 33. g Matt. 21. 23. f Or, things. The parable of the wicked husbandmen. CHAP. XII. Of paying tribute to Cesar. Anno DOMINI 31.

Mark 11:28

28. — the first] The principal, “the great,” Matt. xxii. 36. 31. — There is none other commandment greater than these.] That is, there is nothing in religion of a higher obligation than these two precepts. All the duties of religion must be governed by these two principles. Beyond them there is nothing greater, nothing to limit or restrain them: but by them must every thing else be limited and restrained. Bp. Sherlock.

Mark 11:36

36. — said by the Holy Ghost,] Here is a most clear and express proof that David wrote the Psalms under the influence of the Holy Ghost. Dr. Whitby. From this passage also, compared with Luke i. 68, 70, it appears that the Holy Ghost is “the Lord God of Israel.” For from Luke i. 68, 70, we find that the Lord God of Israel “spake by the mouth of His holy Prophets.” But here we read, that David spake “by the Holy Ghost;” therefore the Holy Ghost is the Lord God of Israel.

Mark 11:38

38. — love to go in long clothing,] They “enlarged the borders of their garments,” Matt. xxiii. 5, by which their clothing was longer. Bp. Pearce. That which is expressed in these three verses, 38, 39, 40, is set forth at large in the whole twenty-third chapter of St. Matthew.

Mark 11:40

40. — for a pretence] For the sake of outward appearance, and not with sincere piety. Abp. Newcome.

Mark 11:41

41. — the treasury,] The chest where the treasure arising from the offerings was kept. It appears from

Mark 11:42

42. — two mites,] This was the lowest denomination of Hebrew money.

Mark 11:44

44. — even all her living,] Her whole stock; all her means of living for that day. Dr. Whitby. Thus God judges of men’s actions, not by the measure of the outward work, but by the inward disposition and affection of the heart. Dr. S. Clarke. Thus our offerings to God, and our alms of charity to the poor, are not rated by the largeness of the gift, but by the good intention of the giver. Bp. Mann.