28 And they answered, John | the Baptist: but some say, Elias: and others, One of the prophets. 29 And he saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? And Peter answereth and saith unto him, Thou art the Christ. 30 And he charged them, that they should tell no man of him. 31 And he began to teach them, that the Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders, and of the chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. 32 And he spake that saying openly. And Peter took him, and began to rebuke him. 33 But when he had turned about, and looked on his disciples, he rebuked Peter, saying, Get thee behind me, Satan: for thou savorest not the things that be of God, but the things that be of men. 34 And when he had called the people unto him, with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. 35 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel's, the same shall save it. 36 For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole This city was situated in the northern part of Galilee, at the foot of mount Hermon, near the sources of the Jordan; and is generally supposed to have been the same place as was anciently called Leshem, or Laish, and subsequently Dan. See Josh. 19: 47. Judg. 18:27, 29. It was named, world, and lose his own soul? 37 Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? 38 Whosoever, therefore, shall be ashamed of me, and of my words, in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father, with the holy angels. CHAPTER IX. AND he said unto them, Veri ly, I say unto you, That there be some of them that stand here, which shall not taste of death, till they have seen the kingdom of God come with power. 2 And after six days, Jesus taketh with him Peter, and James, and John, and leadeth them up into a high mountain, apart, by themselves; and he was transfigured before them. 3 And his raiment became shining, exceeding white as snow; so as no fuller on earth can white them. 4 And there appeared unto them Elias, with Moses; and they were talking with Jesus. 5 And Peter answered and said to Jesus, Master, it is good for us to be here: and let us make three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias. after being rebuilt and enlarged, Cesarea Philippi, by Philip the tetrarch, in honor of himself and the reigning emperor of Rome, Tiberius Cesar. CHAPTER IX. 1. Compare Matt. 16: 28. 2-13. Compare Matt. 17: 1–13. 6 For he wist not what to say: | questioning with them. for they were sore afraid. 7 And there was a cloud that overshadowed them; and a voice came out of the cloud, saying, This is my beloved Son: hear him. 8 And suddenly, when they had looked round about, they saw no man any more, save Jesus only with themselves. 9 And as they came down from the mountain, he charged them that they should tell no man what things they had seen, till the Son of man were risen from the dead. 10 And they kept that saying with themselves, questioning one with another what the rising from the dead should mean. 11 And they asked him, saying, Why say the scribes that Elias must first come? 12 And he answered and told them, Elias verily cometh first, and restoreth all things; and how it is written of the Son of man, that he must suffer many things, and be set at nought. 13 But I say unto you, That Elias is indeed come, and they have done unto him whatsoever they listed, as it is written of him. 15 And straightway all the people, when they beheld him, were greatly amazed, and running to him, saluted him. 16 And he asked the scribes, What question ye with them? 17 And one of the multitude answered and said, Master, I have brought unto thee my son, which hath a dumb spirit: 18 And wheresoever he taketh him, he teareth him; and he foameth and gnasheth with his teeth, and pineth away; and I spake to thy disciples that they should cast him out, and they could not. 19 He answereth him, and saith, O faithless generation, how long shall I be with you? how long shall I suffer you? Bring him unto me. 20 And they brought him unto him: and when he saw him, straightway the spirit tare him; and he fell on the ground, and wallowed, foaming. 21 And he asked his father, How long is it ago since this came unto him? And he said, Of a child. 22 And ofttimes it hath cast him into the fire, and into the waters to destroy him: but if 14 And when he came to his thou canst do any thing, have disciples, he saw a great multi-compassion on us, and help us. tude about them, and the scribes 13. They listed. See on Matt. 17:12. 14-29. Compare Matt. 17: 1421. 15. Were greatly amazed. The coming of Jesus to the company was unexpected; but it was very opportune, as his disciples were harassed by the scribes. 23. If thou canst believe. This remark was made with reference 23 Jesus said unto him, If to what the father of the afflicted person had said, in v. 22, if thou canst do any thing. Jesus thus intimated to him, that there was no deficiency of power in himself, and that the blessing would be bestowed, if he would place confidence in that power. If there was any difficulty in the case, thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth. 24 And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said, with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief. 25 When Jesus saw that the people came running together, he rebuked the foul spirit, saying unto him, Thou dumb and deaf spirit, I charge thee come out of him, and enter no more into him. 26 And the spirit cried, and rent him sore, and came out of him and he was as one dead; insomuch that many said, He is dead. 27 But Jesus took him by the hand, and lifted him up; and he arose. 28 And when he was come into the house, his disciples asked him privately, Why could not we cast him out? 29 And he said unto them, This kind can come forth by nothing, but by prayer and fasting. 30 And they departed thence, and passed through Galilee; and he would not that any man should know it. 31 For he taught his disciples, and said unto them, The Son of man is delivered into the it would be found to exist not in Jesus, but in the man himself. 24. Help thou mine unbelief; help me, though am conscious that my faith is weak; I have confidence in no one else but thee, and though I might justly be required to have more faith, yet, O, pity my distressed situation, and let not my lack of faith prevent the exercise of thy power. 26. Rent him sore; hands of men, and they shall kıll him; and after that he is killed, he shall rise the third day. 32 But they understood not that saying, and were afraid to ask him. 33 And he came to Capernaum, and being in the house, he asked them, What was it that ye disputed among yourselves by the way? 34 But they held their peace · for by the way they had disputed among themselves, who should be the greatest. 35 And he sat down, and called the twelve, and saith unto them, If any man desire to be first, the same shall be last of all, and servant of all. 36 And he took a child, and set him in the midst of them: and when he had taken him in his arms, he said unto them, 37 Whosoever shall receive one of such children in my name, receiveth me: and whosoever shall receive me, receiveth not me, but him that sent me. 38 And John answered him, saying, Master, we saw one casting out devils in thy name, and he followeth not us; and we forbade him, because he followeth not us. 39 But Jesus said, Forbid him not: for there is no man which probably, threw him into severe convulsions. Compare 1: 26. 30-32. Compare Matt. 17: 22, 23. 33-48. Compare Matt. 18: 1-9 35. The same shall be last of all. Rather, the same should be, or, let him be, last of all. According to the Messiah's religion, humility is true greatness; your preeminence ought to consist, not in outward honors, but in shall do a miracle in my name, that can lightly speak evil of me. 40 For he that is not against us, is on our part. 41 For whosoever shall give you a cup of water to drink in my name, because ye belong to Christ, verily I say unto you, He shall not lose his reward. 44 Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. 45 And if thy foot offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter halt into life, than having two feet to be cast into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched: 46 Where their worm dieth of-not, and the fire is not quenched. 42 And whosoever shall fend one of these little ones that believe in me, it is better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he were cast into the sea. 43 And if thy hand offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter into life maimed, than having two hands to go into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched: 47 And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out: it is better for thee to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye, than having two eyes to be cast into hellfire: 48 Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. 49 For every one shall be salted with fire, and every sacrifice shall be salted with salt. humility and in usefulness. 39. Light- shall be "cast into hell-fire." || Salted ly; for a slight cause, easily. 43. Into with fire. As salt is spread over the hell; the place of future punishment; substance to which it is applied, and the word being here contrasted with is intended to affect all parts of it, so, going into life, that is, future bliss. in respect to the punishments of a For a similar contrast, see Matt. 25: future world, the wicked will be, as 46. || Fire. See on Matt. 25: 41. it were, covered with torment. Com44. Where their worm, &c. This lan-pare with this language the expres guage is figurative, expressing extreme distress and anguish, which shall have no end. It seems to have been adopted from Is. 66: 24, where the doom of transgressors is described. Compare also Matt. 5: 22. The constant fire which was kept burning in the awful valley of Tophet came to be regarded as a fit emblem of the ever-enduring misery of lost souls. The idea of the Saviour, in vs. 4348, is, that it would be better to endure any inconvenience, or calamity, on earth, however great, than to be at last consigned to remediless woe. 49. For every one shall be salted with fire. The word fire here, having the same meaning as in the connected verses, represents the punishment of the wicked in the future state. Every one; that is, of those who sion " He shall baptize [the impeni- expressing what we REMARK. The very solemn language of our Lord, in this verse and the preceding ones, cannot be reconciled with any low and slight views of the future punishment of the 50 Salt is good: but if the salt have lost his saltness, wherewith will ye season it? Have salt in yourselves, and have peace one with another. CHAPTER X. S And they twain shall be one flesh: so then they are no more twain, but one flesh. 9 What, therefore, God hath joined together, let not man put asunder. 10 And in the house his dis AND he arose from thence, ciples asked him again of the and cometh into the coasts of Judea, by the farther side of Jordan and the people resort unto him again; and, as he was wont, he taught them again. 2 And the Pharisees came to him, and asked him,. Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife? tempting him. 3 And he answered and said unto them, What did Moses command you? 4 And they said, Moses suffered to write a bill of divorcement, and to put her away. 5 And Jesus answered and said unto them, For the hardness of your heart, he wrote you this precept: 6 But from the beginning of the creation, God made them male and female. 7 For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and cleave to his wife; wicked. Who could, in accordance with this language, believe that the wicked will be annihilated? Who could think of their punishment as intended to have an end? 50. Salt is good. The Saviour proceeded to use the word salt with a different meaning, as suggesting, on account of its preserving quality, a salutary caution for his disciples. Compare Matt. 5: 13. In this closing remark, it is employed to express true wisdom or piety. Huve salt in your same matter. 11 And he saith unto them, Whosoever shall put away his wife, and marry another, committeth adultery against her. 12 And if a woman shall put away her husband, and be married to another, she committeth adultery. 13 And they brought young children to him, that he should touch them; and his disciples rebuked those that brought them. 14 But when Jesus saw it, he was much displeased, and said unto them, Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God. 15 Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein. 16 And he took them up in selves; cherish true piety; it will make you acceptable to God, and useful to men. || Have peace one with another. A caution, required by the subject on which the disciples had been conversing. See vs. 33, 34. An ambitious, self-elevating spirit is opposite to the spirit of peace. The cherishing of mutual peace best counteracts the spirit of ambition. CHAPTER X. 1-31. Compare Matt. 19: 1-30. |