ing, desired him that he would show them a sign from heaven. He answered and said unto them: When it is evening, ye say: 2 It will be fair weather; for the sky is red. And in the morning It will be foul weather to-day; for the sky is red and lowering. O ye hypocrites! ye can discern the face of the sky, but can ye not discern the signs of the times? A wicked 4 and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given unto it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas. And he left them, and departed. And when his disciples were come to the other side, they had 5 forgotten to take bread. Then Jesus said unto them: Take 6 Trying or testing. The Evange- 2, 3. The ancients, as we learn both from Jewish and classic authority, were skilful in prognosticating the weather. This was done, as at the present day, by observing the signs of the sky, the appearances of the clouds and the heavenly bodies. The import of our Saviour's reproof is, that they were ingenious in predicting the weather from the signs in the heavens, but that they could not understand the signs of the times, the miracles which came from the sky or descended from the God of heaven, and which authenticated his divine commission. -Foul weather. A familiar expression for a storm. Hypocrites. A term descriptive of the general character of the Pharisees, rather than as having any particular application in this place. ·Discern. Discriminate, judge of. heed, and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the 7 Sadducees. And they reasoned among themselves, saying: 8 It is because we have taken no bread. Which when Jesus perceived, he said unto them: O ye of little faith, why reason 9 ye among yourselves, because ye have brought no bread? Do ye not yet understand, neither remember the five loaves of the 10 five thousand, and how many baskets ye took up? neither the seven loaves of the four thousand, and how many baskets ye 11 took up? How is it that ye do not understand that I spake it not to you concerning bread, that ye should beware of the 12 leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees? Then understood they how that he bade them not beware of the leaven of bread, but of the doctrine of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees. 13 When Jesus came into the coasts of Cæsarea Philippi, he qualifies the expression, "they had forgotten to take bread," by saying, that they had but one loaf with them. 6. Leaven. Both good and bad doctrines were compared to leaven, which silently diffuses itself throughout the mass in which it is mixed. 1 Cor. v. 6, 7. In Mark viii. 15, "the leaven of Herod" is spoken of, by which is probably meant, the doctrine of the Herodians or partisans of Herod, which was as pernicious, in a political point of view, as that of the Pharisees and Sadducees was in a religious aspect. There is ever some leaven of error working around us in society, happily if not in the Christian church, against which we ought to be upon our guard. 7. We have here an evidence of the exceeding backwardness of the disciples to understand the figurative language of their Master. Has not a similar dulness of apprehending the metaphors of Scripture prevailed in all ages? They supposed, that, in their destitution of bread, Jesus was unwilling that they should buy loaves of the Pharisees and Sadducees, for fear that they should be contaminated. 8-11. Of little faith. Distrustful of my power, or of Divine Providence. He reminds them of the late repeated miracles, by which many thousands had been miraculously supplied with food. Matt. xiv. 21; xv. 38. According to Mark viii. 17, 18, he reproves them sharply for their stupidity. 12. At last, their minds were opened to its meaning. But the event is an instructive one, as it presents a picture of their spiritual obtuseness, and want of insight, which continued until they were supernaturally inspired on the day of Pentecost, notwithstanding our Saviour's most assiduous and patient instructions. Then. After all these explanations. 1 - Doctrine. Implies their practices as well as their tenets; the superstition, cant, and hypocrisy of the Pharisees; and the denial of a Providence, and a future life, and the pride of the Sadducees. 13-28. Parallel to Mark viii. 27-38; ix. 1; and Luke ix. 18-27. 13. Came. Was coming, or, as asked his disciples, saying: Whom do men say that I, the Son of Man, am? And they said: Some say that thou art John 14 the Baptist; some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets. He saith unto them: But whom say ye that I am? 15 And Simon Peter answered and said: Thou art the Christ, the 16 Son of the living God. And Jesus answered and said unto him: 17 Mark expresses it, viii. 27, "by the way. Coasts. Borders. According to Mark, "towns," or villages, lying around and dependent on the city. Casarea Philippi. A city of Upper Galilee, near the source of the Jordan, at the foot of Mount Hermon. It is supposed to have occupied the site of the ancient town of Laish, afterwards called Dan. Judg. xviii. 29. The Phonicians also called it Paneas; and its modern name is Banias. The name of Cæsarea was given it in honor of Tiberius Cæsar, the Roman emperor, and that of Philippi, after Philip, the tetrarch, who rebuilt and embellished it, and to distinguish it from another Cæsarea, a city on the coast of the Mediteranean. It was about thirty miles north from the Sea of Galilee, and 115 from Jerusalem, and was probably the most distant place from that city which Jesus ever visited. Whom. Grammatical correctness requires who. -The Son of Man, i. e. the man by eminence, the man that excites such curiosity and wonder. The motives of Jesus, in thus questioning his disciples, will better appear, if we consider that his conduct must have perplexed them. Instead of suffering himself to be proclaimed king, he was privately fleeing from the tyrant who had killed his forerunner, and seeking retirement. To clear up the obscurity, and prepare their minds for his approaching fate, he enters upon this conversation, and draws from them their confession that he was the Messiah or Christ; and then warns them to be faithful in following him, though they had to carry the cross itself, and opens visions of a higher than any earthly glory Verses upon their dismayed eyes. 21, 24, 28. 14. John the Baptist, &c. These views of Christ's person were all founded upon substantially the same ground, the belief in the transmigration of souls, which appears to have been prevalent at that time. See notes on Matt. xi. 14, and xiv. 2. Those who were not ready to admit that Jesus was the Messiah, might yet recognise him as his precursor. It is said, that there was a Jewish tradition, that Jeremiah would precede the advent of the Messiah, and dig up those vessels which it was supposed he had buried, and restore, in all its ancient splendor, the temple worship. 2 Maccabees, ii. 1-9. 15. The question here asked shows, that Jesus had not expressly told the Jews that he was the Messiah, but left it to be inferred from his works and his words. 16. Simon Peter answered. This was in harmony with his ardent temperament. Christ, the Son of the living God. This described the person and office of Christ, and the power from on high with which he was invested. It was the joint confession of the disciples, expressed through Peter. Christ should have the article prefixed to it as in the original; the Christ, the Messiah. It is observable that Peter's testimony is, that Jesus is the Son of God, and not God himself. The Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-jona; for flesh and blood hath not 18 revealed it unto thee, but my Father, which is in heaven. And I say also unto thee, that thou art Peter; and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail phraseology of the answer is slightly varied in the other Evangelists. The epithet living, as applied to God, signifies real, true, in distinction from idols and false gods, that were not living beings. Is it not an incidental evidence of the truthfulness of Mark's Gospel, who is supposed to have written from Peter's dictation or aid, according to early tradition, that the commendation of Peter by Christ is omitted, as if through modesty? 17. Simon Bar-jona. The latter was a Syriac word, meaning the son of Jona. John i. 42. As Furness remarks, "How naturally, when a friend communicates any unexpected sentiment or intelligence, do we express our surprise in a similar way, uttering the whole name of our friend, with fervent emphasis ! Flesh and blood. A Hebrew circumlocution for man. Gal. i. 16 But my Father, &c. Human wisdom or authority (in allusion, perhaps, to the Scribes and Pharisees) has not revealed this truth to you, but you have arrived at it, because, in the providence of God, you became my disciple, witnessed my divine works, and yielded to the natural influences of God's spirit upon your soul. 18. Thou art Peter. Or, a Peter. Thou art rightly named Peter; which signifies, in the original Greek, rock. And upon this rock I will build, &c. The necessity of building houses in Judea on a rock foundation rendered this figure a graphic one to the Jews. See Rev. xxi. 14; Eph. ii. 20, where the apostles and prophets are called the foundation, and Christ the cornerstone. Some have supposed that Jesus, in saying that he would build his church upon this rock, meant Peter's confession that he was the Christ; others, that he meant himself; but the most obvious reference is to Peter. He was to be a foundation, as he first preached the Gospel to the Gentiles, and took a prominent part also in spreading it among the Jews. As the first, firmest, and most energetic among the Twelve, he might without invidiousness be called a main rock in the foundation of the church. But that no peculiar and exclusive privilege was granted to Peter above the other disciples, as maintained by the church of Rome, is evident from a comparison of the following passages: Matt. xviii. 18, xx. 26; Acts xv., and Gal. ii. 11. Besides, if any peculiar authority had been vested in Peter more than in the other Apostles, no countenance would have been given to the papal supremacy, for the prerogative would have been personal and incommunicable.-The gates of hell. Or, of Hades, the abode or world of the dead, without reference to happiness or misery. See Is. xxxviii. 10, where, in the Septuagint version, Hades is translated grave. In the gates of ancient cities it was customary to hold courts and public assemblies and consultations. Hence the gates of death mean the designs or power of death. The church shall not die, but be immortal; a prophecy which has been fulfilling for almost twenty centuries. The word church is first used in the New Testament in this place. Its original signification was an assembly. The people of Israel are called by this name. Acts vii. 38. It means sometimes the against it. And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom 19 of heaven; and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. Then charged he his disciples, that they 20 should tell no man that he was Jesus, the Christ. - From 21 that time forth began Jesus to show unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the laws which Peter and the Apostles might make or repeal. A similar power with regard to persons is supposed to be conferred on all the Apostles in John xx. 23. For the exercise of both powers, see Acts v. 15, 20; xxi. 24. The same authority here given to Peter is also imparted, Matt. xviii. 18, to all the Twelve. The preeminence of Peter was not absolute, but arose from his distinguished energy and ability, and could not, therefore, from its nature, descend to any successor. Although this is the great Roman Catholic text, when it is thus explained, it affords not the shadow of an argument for the lofty claims of that church. whole body of Christians, and sometimes a particular society of believers. Eph. i. 22; Acts viii. 1; Rom. xvi. 5. The ancient English version of Tyndale renders it congregation. The noble confession of Christ by Peter is an example for all subsequent time; whilst we should beware of being tempted like him to a denial of our Master, we should also avoid adding any human dogmas to the beautiful simplicity of his faith, which comprehended the great essentials. 19. The keys of the kingdom of heaven, i. e. the prerogatives of the new dispensation. This, like all figurative expressions, must be interpreted by the subject and purpose of the discourse with which it is connected, and the use of language amongst the hearers. A key was anciently used as a symbol of power and wisdom. Isa. xxii. 22; Rev. iii. 7; Luke xi. 52. When the Jews invested a man with the authority of doctor of the law, they gave him the key of the closet in the temple where the sacred books were kept, to intimate that they intrusted him with power to explain the Scriptures, and teach the people. Whatsoever thou shalt bind, c. To bind, according to Jewish phraseology, is to forbid, and to loose is to permit. The force of Christ's words is this: I authorize you to preach my religion, by which what is forbidden and what is permitted is forbidden and permitted in heaven or by God. The word whatsoever refers to things, to rites or 20. They should tell no man. In Luke ix. 21, "he straitly or strictly "charged them." The reasons of this prohibition have been intimated from time to time in the foregoing passages. Jesus would not give occasion to disturbance and sedition, which would certainly have arisen, had his Apostles at once gone forth to proclaim his Messiahship. The time had not yet come, his ministry was not ended. He therefore holds their enthusiasm in check, and henceforth explains to them more fully, that he is to be not a triumphant, but a suffering deliverer; to be less the Lion of Judah than the Lamb of God. - Jesus. This word has no place in the original, according to Griesbach, and other eminent critics. 21. Began Jesus to show unto his disciples, &c. It is natural to be |