Chapter 9:
| Darby
| Geneva
| Gill
| Jamieson Faussett Brown
| Johnson
| Lightfoot
| Matthew Henry
| Matthew Henry Concise
| McGarvey Pendleton
| McGee
| Wesley
| Index
| Bible Gateway |
Introduction 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 Matthew Luke
Mark 9
Verse 1. Till they see the kingdom of God coming with power - So it
began to do at the day of pentecost, when three thousand were
converted to God at once.
Verse
2. By themselves - That is, separate from the multitude: Apart -
From the other apostles: and was transfigured - The Greek word
seems to refer to the form of God, and the form of a servant,
{mentioned by St. Paul, Phil. ii, 6, 7, } and may intimate, that the
Divine rays, which the indwelling God let out on this occasion,
made the glorious change from one of these forms into the other.
Matt. xvii, 1; Luke ix, 28.
Verse
3. White as snow, such as no fuller can whiten - Such as could not
be equalled either by nature or art.
Verse
4. Elijah - Whom they expected: Moses, whom they did not.
Verse
7. There came a (bright, luminous) cloud, overshadowing them -
This seems to have been such a cloud of glory as accompanied
Israel in the wilderness, which, as the Jewish writers observe,
departed at the death of Moses. But it now appeared again, in
honour of our Lord, as the great Prophet of the Church, who was
prefigured by Moses. Hear ye him - Even preferably to Moses and
Elijah.
Verse
12. Elijah verily coming first restoreth all things: and how it is
written - That is, And he told them how it is written - As if he had
said, Elijah's coming is not inconsistent with my suffering. He is
come: yet I shall suffer. The first part of the verse answers their
question concerning Elijah; the second refutes their error
concerning the Messiah's continuing for ever.
Verse
14. Matt. xvii, 14; Luke ix, 37.
Verse
15. All the multitude seeing him were greatly amazed - At his
coming so suddenly, so seasonably, so unexpectedly: perhaps also
at some unusual rays of majesty and glory, which yet remained on
his countenance.
Verse
17. And one of the multitude answering - The scribes gave no
answer to our Lord's question. They did not care to repeat what
they had said to his disciples. A dumb spirit - A spirit that takes
his speech from him.
Verse
20. When he saw him - When the child saw Christ; when his
deliverance was at hand. Immediately the spirit tore him - Made
his last grand effort to destroy him. Is it not generally so, before
Satan is cast out of a soul, of which he has long had possession?
Verse
22. If thou canst do any thing - In so desperate a case: Have
compassion on us - Me as well as him.
Verse
23. If thou canst believe - As if he had said, The thing does not
turn on my power, but on thy faith. I can do all things: canst thou
believe?
Verse
24. Help thou mine unbelief - Although my faith be so small, that
it might rather be termed unbelief, yet help me.
Verse
25. Thou deaf and dumb spirit - So termed, because he made the
child so. When Jesus spake, the devil heard, though the child
could not. I command thee - I myself now; not my disciples.
Verse
26. Having rent him sore - So does even the body sometimes
suffer, when God comes to deliver the soul from Satan.
Verse
30. They passed through Galilee - Though not through the cities,
but by them, in the most private ways. He was not willing that any
should know it: for he taught his disciples - He wanted to be alone
with them some time, in order to instruct them fully concerning
his sufferings. The Son of man is delivered - It is as sure as if it
were done already. Matt. xvii, 22; Luke ix, 44.
Verse
32. They understood not the word - They did not understand how
to reconcile the death of our saviour (nor consequently his
resurrection, which supposed his death) with their notions of his
temporal kingdom.
Verse
33. Luke ix, 46.
Verse
34. Who should be greatest - Prime minister in his kingdom.
Verse
35. Let him be the least of all - Let him abase himself the most.
Verse
36. Matt. xviii, 2; Luke ix, 47.
Verse
37. One such little child - Either in years or in heart.
Verse
38. And John answered him - As if he had said, But ought we to
receive those who follow not us? Master, we saw one casting out
devils in thy name - Probably this was one of John the Baptist's
disciples, who believed in Jesus, though he did not yet associate
with our Lord's disciples. And we forbad him, because he
followeth not us - How often is the same temper found in us?
How readily do we also lust to envy? But how does that spirit
become a disciple, much more a minister of the benevolent Jesus!
St. Paul had learnt a better temper, when he rejoiced that Christ
was preached, even by those who were his personal enemies. But
to confine religion to them that follow us, is a narrowness of spirit
which we should avoid and abhor. Luke ix, 49.
Verse
39. Jesus said - Christ here gives us a lovely example of candour
and moderation. He was willing to put the best construction on
doubtful cases, and to treat as friends those who were not avowed
enemies. Perhaps in this instance it was a means of conquering the
remainder of prejudice, and perfecting what was wanting in the
faith and obedience of these persons. Forbid him not - Neither
directly nor indirectly discourage or hinder any man who brings
sinners from the power of Satan to God, because he followeth not
us, in opinions, modes of worship, or any thing else which does
not affect the essence of religion.
Verse
40. For he that is not against you, is for you - Our Lord had
formerly said, he that is not with me, is against me: thereby
admonishing his hearers, that the war between him and Satan
admitted of no neutrality, and that those who were indifferent to
him now, would finally be treated as enemies. But here in another
view, he uses a very different proverb; directing his followers to
judge of men's characters in the most candid manner; and
charitably to hope that those who did not oppose his cause wished
well to it. Upon the whole, we are to be rigorous in judging
ourselves, and candid in judging each other.
Verse
41. For whosoever shall give you a cup - Having answered St.
John, our Lord here resumes the discourse which was broken off
at the 37th verse. Mark ix, 37. Matt. x, 42.
Verse
42. On the contrary, whosoever shall offend the very least
Christian. Matt. xviii, 6; Luke xvii, 1.
Verse
43. And if a person cause thee to offend - (The discourse passes
from the case of offending, to that of being offended) if one who
is as useful or dear to thee as a hand or eye, hinder or slacken thee
in the ways of God, renounce all intercourse with him. This
primarily relates to persons, secondarily to things. Matt. v, 29;
Matt. xviii, 8.
Verse
44. Where their worm - That gnaweth the soul, (pride, self will,
desire, malice, envy, shame, sorrow, despair, ) dieth not - No
more than the soul itself: and the fire (either material, or infinitely
worse!) that tormenteth the body, is not quenched for ever. Isaiah
lxvi, 24.
Verse
49. Every one - Who does not cut off the offending member, and
consequently is cast into hell, shall be, as it were, salted with fire,
preserved, not consumed thereby whereas every acceptable
sacrifice shall be salted with another kind of salt, even that of
Divine grace, which purifies the soul, (though frequently with
pain) and preserves it from corruption.
Verse
50. Such salt is good indeed; highly beneficial to the world, in
respect of which I have termed you the salt of the earth. But if the
salt which should season others, have lost its own saltness,
wherewith will ye season it? - Beware of this; see that ye retain
your savour; and as a proof of it, have peace one with another.
More largely this obscure text might be paraphrased thus:- As
every burnt offering was salted with salt, in order to its being cast
into the fire of the altar, so every one who will not part with his
hand or eye, shall fall a sacrifice to Divine justice, and be cast into
hell fire, which will not consume, but preserve him from a
cessation of being. And on the other hand, every one, who,
denying himself and taking up his cross, offers up himself as a
living sacrifice to God, shall be seasoned with grace, which like
salt will make him savoury, and preserve him from destruction for
ever. As salt is good for preserving meats, and making them
savoury, so it is good that ye be seasoned with grace, for the
purifying your hearts and lives, and for spreading the savour of
my knowledge, both in your own souls, and wherever ye go. But
as salt if it loses its saltness is fit for nothing, so ye, if ye lose your
faith and love, are fit for nothing but to be utterly destroyed. See
therefore that grace abide in you, and that ye no more contend,
Who shall be greatest. Matt. v, 13; Luke xiv, 34.
Chapter 9:
| Darby
| Geneva
| Gill
| Jamieson Faussett Brown
| Johnson
| Lightfoot
| Matthew Henry
| Matthew Henry Concise
| McGarvey Pendleton
| McGee
| Wesley
| Index
| Bible Gateway |
Introduction 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 Matthew Luke
This version of Wesley's Notes on the Bible is a derivative of an electronic version, Copyright 1997, by Sulu D. Kelley. All rights reserved. Used by permission. It may not be modified or used commercially without permission of Wesleyan Heritage Publishing and Sulu Kelley. A special thanks to Mr. Kelley and Wesleyan Heritage Publishing for permission to create and post this version of Wesley's Notes on the Bible.
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