Mark 2

Mark 2:1

And after a while he came openly in the day time into the city Capernaum, ch. i. 21, 45, (see Matt. ix. 1,) and went, as it is probable, into Simon’s and Andrew’s house, ch. i. 21; and it was—

Mark 2:3

And there was a company which came unto him, bringing—

the great confidence which the sick man and his friends had of Christ’s power to cure him, he said—

4.) observe most carefully? viz. to abstain from all pollutions, and so not to eat or converse with any heathen person, or such as frequently trade with such.

Mark 2:7

This must needs be a wicked blasphemous thing to assume that to himself which belongs only to God; for sure none can forgive sins—

discerned by his divine spirit, which alone is able to know the secrets of the heart, (see note [a] on Rom. ix.) he said—

L 2

Mark 2:23

[a] began] The phrase here in the Greek is a little unusual, ἤρξαντο ὁδὸν ποιεῖν τίλλοντες; literally thus, They began to journey, plucking, &c. But the truth is, the word ἤρξαντο, began, here, is but a παρελκον, or an insignificant expletive, as in the parallel, Matt. xii. 1, and in very many places more, where generally ἤρξατο λέγειν, he began to speak, is no more than ἔλεγε, he said, and so particularly Luke iii. 8, bring forth fruits, &c. and begin not to say, that is, do not say within yourselves. We have Abraham &c.; and so Acts i. 1, ὧν ἤρξατο ποιεῖν, &c. which Jesus began to do and teach, that is, which he did and taught. So ἀποκριθεὶς ἔλεγε, he answered and said, a pure expletive, many times, when there had gone nothing before, to which an answer could be accommodated, as ch. xi. 14, when to the fig tree ἀποκριθεὶς εἶπεν αὐτῇ, he answered and said to it. So δοκεῖ, seeming, or thinking, is sometimes taken, as Matt. iii. 9, μὴ δόξητε λέγειν, &c. think not, or seem not to say, is parallel to that of Luke iii. 8, μὴ ἀρξησθε λέγειν, begin not to say, that is, say not within yourselves, and so in many other places, as hath been formerly shewn: see note [e] Matt. iii. 9. So πορευόμενοι, going, Luke viii. 14, which hath no signification but what belongs to the συμπνίγονται, choked, following, πορευόμενοι συμπνίγονται, they are choked.

Mark 2:38

[b] next] That ἐχόμεναι signifies here (joined with κωμοπόλεις) adjoining is from the use of the word in the Septuagint of the Old Testament; for there the Hebrew אֹר, which signifies behind, or next after, and is oft rendered μετὰ, and ὀπισθεν, post, and ὀπίθια, the hinder parts, is four times rendered ἐχόμενος: Gen. xli. 23, ἐφύοντο ἐχόμενοι αὐτῶν, sprang up adjoining, or next to them; we read, after them: 2 Sam. xxi. 1, ἐνιαντὸς ὁ ἐχόμενος ἐνιαντοῦ, year adjoining to year; we read, year after year: psalm lxviii. 25, προέφθασαν ἄρχοντες ἐχόμενοι ψαλλόντων, the princes went before adjoining, or next to the singers; we read, the singers after: psalm xciv. 15, ἐχόμενοι αὐτῆς πάντες οἱ εὐθεῖς. All that are true are near it, we read, follow, or after it. So likewise the word כיד is oft by them rendered ἐχόμενος, in this sense, following, contiguous, Num ii. 17, and in eight places more; and accordingly I doubt not but 1 Sam. xix. 3, where the copies read στήσομαι εὐχόμενος τοῦ πατρός μου, it should be read ἐχόμενος, the Hebrew ליר, which we render besides my father, being so often rendered ἐχόμενος; and so in like manner Dan. x. 3. εὐχόμενος τοῦ ποταμοῦ, sure ἐχόμενος, the Hebrew having יי; and we render it, I was by the side of the great river. So in the New Testament τῇ ἐχομίῃ ἡμέρᾳ, Acts xx. 15, and xxi. 26, is the day adjoining, or next following, according to the notion of אֹר, the day after, and ch. xx. 15, τῇ ἐχομίῃ, the day next following; so Luke xiii. 33. See note [h] Acts xiii.