CHAPTER XV. See the explanation of the whole chapter, in notes on Matt. ch. xxvii. See also Luke ch. xxiii.; and John xviii. 28-40; xix. 1-42. 15. Willing to content the people. The weakness, not to say wickedness, of Pilate deserves the severest reprehension. He believed Jesus to be innocent; yet he condemned him to death, merely to please the Jews, and to avoid their enmity. 16. Pretorium. The hall of the prætor, or Roman governor; called by Matthew, the common hall. 19. Worshipped him. That is, prostrated themselves before him in mockery. This was not designed as a semblance of religious worship, but only of the civil homage rendered, in the East, to superiors, by prostration. This act was in unison with placing a crown on his head, a purple or scarlet robe on his shoulders, and a reed in his hand for a purple, and platted a crown of thorns, and put it about his head, 18 And began to salute him, Hail, King of the Jews! 19 And they smote him on the head with a reed, and did spit upon him, and bowing their knees, worshipped him. 20 And when they had mocked him, they took off the purple from him, and put his own clothes on him, and led him out to crucify him. 21 And they compel one Simon a Cyrenian, who passed by, coming out of the country, the father of Alexander and Rufus, to bear his cross. 22 And they bring him unto the place Golgotha, which is, being interpreted, The place of a skull. 23 And they gave him to drink, wine mingled with myrrh: but he received it not. 24 And when they had crucified him, they parted his garments, casting lots upon them, what every man should take. 25 And it was the third hour, and they crucified him. sceptre; all were designed to ridicule his pretensions of royal authority; for though he never claimed an earthly kingdom, yet his enemies so represented the matter, and thus obtained his condemnation on the charge of treason against the Roman government. 23. Wine. Matthew calls it vinegar. It was probably wine, which had passed that state of fermentation whereby it became vinegar, and might be called by either name indifferently. Received it not. Matthew says, more particularly, "when he had tasted thereof, he would not drink." See note on Matt. xxvii. 34. 25. Third hour. That is, nine o'clock in the morning. John says "about the sixth hour," or about noon. John xix. 14. It is generally supposed by commentators that John wrote the third hour, and that the change was made by some early transcriber. As it was customary to denote such numbers by single letters, such a mistake would not 26 And the superscription of his | ing, Let alone; let us see whether accusation was written over, THE | Elias will come to take him down KING OF THE JEWS. 37 And Jesus cried with a loud voice, and gave up the ghost. 38 And the vail of the temple was rent in twain, from the top tc the bottom. 27 And with him they crucify two thieves, the one on his right hand, and the other on his left. 28 And the scripture was fulfilled, which saith, And he was numbered with the transgressors. 29 And they that passed by, railed on him, wagging their heads, and saying, Ah, thou that destroyest the temple, and buildest it in three days, 30 Save thyself, and come down from the cross. 31 Likewise also the chief priests mocking, said among themselves with the scribes, He saved others; himself he cannot save. 32 Let Christ the King of Israel descend now from the cross, that we may see and believe. And they that were crucified with him, reviled him. 33 And when the sixth hour was come, there was darkness over the whole land, until the ninth hour. 34 And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani? which is, being interpreted, My God, My God, why hast thou forsaken me? 35 And some of them that stood by, when they heard it, said, Behold, he calleth Elias. be surprising. See note on John xix. 14. 39 And when the centurion which stood over against him, saw that he so cried out, and gave up the ghost, he said, Truly this man was the Son of God. 40 There were also women looking on afar off, among whom was Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James the less, and of Joses, and Salome ; 28 The scripture was fulfilled, &c. This passage of Scripture is found in Isaiah liii. 12. This does not mean that he was a transgressor, but simply that, in dying, he had a place with transgressors. Nor does it mean that God regarded him as a sinner; but that, at his death, in popular estimation, or by the sentence of the judge, he was regarded as a transgressor. and was 41 Who also, when he was in Galilee, followed him, and ministered unto him; and many other women which came up with him unto Jerusalem. 42 And now, when the even was come, (because it was the preparation, that is, the day before the sabbath,) 43 Joseph of Arimathea, an honorable counsellor, which also waited for the kingdom of God, came, and went in boldly unto Pilate, and craved the body of Jesus. 44 And Pilate marvelled if he were already dead and calling unto him the centurion, he asked him whether he had been any while dead. 36 And one ran and filled a sponge full of vinegar, and put it on a reed, and gave him to drink, say-seph. 45 And when he knew it of the centurion, he gave the body to Jo treated in the same manner as the others put to death for their transgressions. Jesus died the just for the unjust, and in hi death, as well as in his life, he was holy, harmless, undefiled.”— Barnes. 42. Even. The first evening; commencing at the ninth hour, or three o'clock. 44. Pilate marvelled. It was seldom that those who were crucified died so soon. He seems to have suspected a the was fore into there shall ye see him, as he said unto you. 8 And they went out quickly, and fled from the sepulchre; for they trembled, and were amazed neither said they any thing to an man; for they were afraid. 9 Now, when Jesus was risen early, the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had cast seven devils. passed, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Saome, had bought sweet spices, that they might come and anoint him. 2 And very early in the morning, the first day of the week, they came unto the sepulchre at the rising of the sun : 3 And they said among themselves, Who shall roll us away the stone from the door of the sepulchre? 4 (And when they looked, they saw that the stone was rolled away,) for it was very great. 5 And entering into the sepul deception; for he would not deliver the body, until he had first ascertained from the centurion that death had actually taken place. 47. Beheld where he was laid. The constancy and devotion of the females, who followed Jesus to the cross and to the sepulchre, while strong men were so panic-struck that they fled, has been often and deservedly noticed. The same trait in the female character is still visible. CHAPTER XVI. 1-11. See notes on Matt. xxviii. 1 - 8. See also Luke xxiv. 1—12; John I. 1-18. chre, they saw a young man sit- 6 And he saith unto them, Be not affrighted: ye seek Jesus of Nazareth, which was crucified: he is risen; he is not here: behold the place where they laid him. 7 But go your way, tell his disciples and Peter, that he goeth be 4. For it was very great. Namely, the stone at the door of the sepulchre, ver. 3. They saw none of the soldiers, nor any other on whom they might call to remove the stone; and their own strength, they knew, was inadequate. On further inspection, they perceived it was already rolled away. 5. Young man. That is, an angel, hong the appearance of a voung man. 10 And she went and told them that had been with him, as they mourned and wept. 11 And they, when they had 13-35. 13, 14. See notes ver. 11, and at the end of Matthew's Gospel. 15. Go ye into all the world. They were formerly sent to the lost sheep of the house of Israel, but forbidden to preach to Gentiles, or even to the Samaritans. Matt. x. 5, 6. Now their commission was extended, and they were required to go into all the worldto carry the joyful news to every nation on the earth. See note on Matt. xxviii. 19. And preach the gospel to every creature. That is, preach the good to the eleven, as they sat at me, and upbraided them with their unbelief, and hardness of heart, because they believed not them which had seen him after he was risen. 15 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. 16 He that believeth and is baptized, shall be saved; but he nacy. The belief and the salvation exist simultaneously; and so also the unbelief and the condemnation. In other words, while men remain in unbelief, whether in this life or the next, they remain also in condemnation; when they shall believe, whether in this life or the next, they shall also receive salvation. This, I doubt not, is true, as a general explanation of the passage. Yet, from ver. 17, 18, the language manifestly had a peculiar application to the apostles and primitive believers, while miraculous powers were continued. Hence it has been explained thus: "The truth is, that the salvation here spoken of is not the salvation of a future life, the final recompense of virtue, but exemption from the wrath to come upon a large part of that present generation of the Jewish people, for their unbelief. It has no relation to moral merit, and is addressed to the people of that age, and of that religion only. It was a dispen news of the kingdom, proclaim the joy-sation of the Mosaic economy. That ful tidings of salvation, to all men. condemnation to which this salvation has reference, was a temporal and national punishment for the violation of the law of Moses, and of the positive requisitions of God, made by the prophets of that institution. It is to faith that this salvation is promised; on unbelief, that this condemnation is denounced."-Cappe. This, perhaps, may be considered as pushing the matter to an unnecessary extremity. For though the language may have had direct application to the men of that age, still the principle is equally true, in regard to all men who hear the gospel. Nevertheless, "the sanctions with which our Lord enforces the precept of faith in him, though generally applied to a future judgment, do not appear to have any relation to it; but only to the admission of Christian converts into the Christian church, after Christ's ascension, upon the same terms as he 16. He that believeth, &c. "He who shall believe, and he baptized, shall be saved; but he who will not believe shall be condemned."-Campbell. Some have understood our Lord to mean, that those who believe in this world shall be happy in the next, and those who do not believe in this world shall be endlessly miserable in the next. If this had been his meaning, I suppose he would have expressed that meaning definitely. But he has done no such thing. And, surely, the general spirit of his language and conduct does not justify us in forcing a harsh interpretation of his words. The evident meaning of the passage is similar to John iii. 18, namely, that a living faith in Jesus delivers men from the power of sin and moral death; while a wilful rejection of him leaves the soul in its corruption, and incurs the condemnation of obsti that believeth not, shall be damned. 17 And these signs shall follow them that believe: In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; 18 They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover. 17. These signs, &c. What follows in this and the next verse clearly demonstrates that the language in ver. 16 had special application to the men of that age during which miraculous power was bestowed upon believers. Cast out devils. See Acts xvi. 1618. Speak with new tongues. See Acts ii. 4. 34* 19 So then, after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat o the right hand of God. 20 And they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following. Amen. admitted them himself. Jesus here, 13. Take up serpents. See Acts xxviii. 3—6. Any deadly thing. Poisonous, usually producing death. Why should they drink any deadly thing? Not as a miracle, one should suppose. Perhaps, as poisoning was at this time carried to a great height, and often used in executing criminals, the apostles might be exposed to it by their secret enemies."-Gilpin. They shal lay hands on the sick, &c. See Acts iií. 6, 7; v. 15, 16; ix. 17, 18; xxviii. 8. 66 19. Was received up into heaven, &c. Our Lord ascended from the mount of Olives, while his disciples were standing around him. See a more particula account of his ascension, Luke xxiv. 50 51; Acts i. 1-11. Right hand o God. See Acts vii. 56; Heb. i. 3. 20. Preached every where, &c. As a suitable illustration of this verse, the whole book of the Acts of the Apostles may be consulted. The labors, the faithfulness, the miracles, and the man divine assistance, of the apostles, are there exhibited. Amen. This word is here regarded as spurious by almost all critics, and is omitted by Knapp and Griesbach. Thus closes the Gospel according to Mark. It is more brief than the others yet it contains some facts which too others omit. It is of equal author t with the other three; and its doctrines precepts, and promises, deserve the most serious and devout consideration. |