Mark 3

ANd he entred again into the Synagogue. and there was a man there which had a withered hand.

And they watched him, whether he would heal him on the sabbath day, that they might accuse him.

And he says unto the man that had a withered hand, Stand forth.

And he says unto them, Is it lawful to do good on the sabbath days, or to do evil? to save life, or to kill? but they held their peace.

And when he had looked round about on them, with anger, being grieved for the hardness of their hearts, he says unto the man, Stretch forth thine hand, and he stretched it out, and his hand was restored whole as the other. See the Notes upon Matth. 12.9. The Word used, v. 5. may be understood to signify Blindness, or hardness, as it may derive from Callus or Caecus, but the Derivation of it from the former best obtains, Hardness being a quality in a thing by which it resisteth our touch, and suffers us not to make an impression upon it, that ill Condition of the Soul, by which it becomes Rebellious, and disobedient to the Will of God Revealed, so as it is not affected with it, nor does it make any impre sion of Faith or holiness upon the Soul, is as usually called harddness of Hearts. But for the Argument of this History, proving Acts of Mercy lawful on the Sabbath Day, it is fully spoken to in the Notes on Matth. 12.

And the Pharisees went forth, and straightway took counsel with the Herodians against him, how they might destroy him.

But Jesus withdrew himself with his disciples to the sea, and a great multitude from Galilee followed him, and from Judea.

And from Jerusalem, and from Idumea, and from beyond Jordan, and they about Tyre and Sidon, a great multitude, when they had heard what great things he did, came unto him.

And he spake to his disciples, that a small ship should wait on him, because of the multitude, lest they should throng him.

For he had healed many, insomuch that they pressed upon him for to touch him, as many as had plagues.

And unclean spirits, when they saw him, fell down before him, and cryed, saying, Thou art the Son of God.

And he straitly charged them, that they should not make him known. Who these Herodians were, we cannot learn plainly from holy Writ, it is most probable, that they were a Civil Faction, who took Herods part, and were stiff for promoving his interest, and the interest of the Roman Emperor (whose substitute Herod was) with these the Pharisees (in other Cases their implacable Enemies) mix Counsels how they might destroy Christ. Christ gives place to their fury, his time being not yet come, and withdraweth himself from their sight, being followed by great multitudes, who in the fame of his Miracles, or the hopes they had of receiving some good from him for themselves, or for their Friends drew after him. Some of these are said to have come from Idumea, which was the Country of Edom, and distinct from Iudea Anciently, as may be gathered form Ios. 15.1. and Numb. 34. but whether it was at this time so or no, is doubted. Our Lord Commandeth the Devils not to make him known, not desiring any such Preachers.

And he goeth up into a mo ntain, and he calleth unto him whom he would, and they came unto him.

And he ordained twelve, that they should be with him, and that he might send them forth to preach.

And to have power to heal sicknesses, and to cast out devils. We have this piece of Hi ory, or rather something to which it relates both in Matthew and in Luke only Mark has this peculiar to himself, that our Saviour did this upon a M untain. It is the opinion of Bucer, that this was the Mountain at the Foot of which he preached the Sermon largely recorded, Matth. Ch. 5, 6, 7. and (as some Judge) more shortly by Luke, Ch. 6. he thinketh the Multitude here mentioned, is the same with that mentioned, Matth. 4.25. and Luke 3.7. and that our Saviour did not go up into this Mountain to Preach, or ordain his Disciples, but only to Pray and to Discourse with some of his Disciples, more privately about Spiritual Mysteries. That it was at this time, that he continued all Night in Prayer to God, Luke 6.12. And in the Morning called unto him such of his Disciples as he thought fit, and Dis o rsed with them his Intentions concerning them, telling them that he had chosen them to be with him, ordinarily, to be Eye and Ear Witnesses of what he spake and did. 2. That he designed soon after to send them out to Preach. Which we Read he did, C. 6, 7. M tth. 10.1. v. 3. to give them a Power to heal Sicknesses, and to cast out Devils, so that this Chapter only ment oneth Christs Election of them, not his Actual sending them, which is Discoursed, Ch. 6. as also Matth. 10.1. These things being privately Transacted on the Mountain. Bucer thinks he came down into the Plain, at the Foot of the Mountain, according to Luke 6.17. and there Preached that Sermon ment oned, Matth. 5, 6, 7. Ch. as we before said. The Evangelist telling us, that he called to him which of his Disciples he would, lets us know, that he chose them, and not they him, that the choice of them, was of his free Grace and M rcy, and his continuing all Night in Prayer before this choice, lets us know the Gravity of the Work of choosing Persons, fit to be sent out to Preach the Gospel.

And Simon he surnamed Peter.

And James the son of Zebedee, and John the brother of James, and he surnamed them Boanerges, which is, The sons of thunder.

And Andrew, and Philip, and Bartholomew, and Matthew, and Thomas, and James the son of Alpheus, and Thaddeus, and Simon the Canaanite.

And Judas Iscariot, which also betrayed him. And they went into an house. Matthew nameth the Apostles upon his relating the History of their Mission, or sending out: Mark nameth them upon their Election or fir t cho ce. Both these Evangelists agree with Luke in their Names, saving that Luke calleth him Iudas, whom Matthew calls L bbeus, and M rk, Thaddeus, so that he had three Names. Christ changeth the Names of Simon, whom he called Cephas, or Peter, I h. 1.42. We have the reason, Matth. 16. v. 18. he also changed the Names of Iames and Iohn, the Sons of Zebedee, calling them Boanarges, about the Etymolog of which Name Criticks much dispute The Evangelists tell us it signifieth Sons of Thunder, thereby minding them of their Duty, to Cry aloud, and to preach the Go pel as on the House Tops, or perhaps decl ring what he knew was in the Fervor and Warmth of their Spirits. We must not here inquire too narrowly into the secret Counsels of God, in suf ering a Son of Perdition to come into the number of his f rst Ministers, Christ did it not because he did not know what was in his H art, for before that he showed himself a Devil, by informing against his Master. Chri t told his Disciples, that he had chosen twelve, and one of them was a Devil: Nor yet because he had no others to sen, he had Multitudes of Disciples, and he who of Stones could have raised up Children to Abraham, could easily have fitted out a Person for this Service; nor yet did he do it to let in any Sots, and Scandalous Pe so s into the Mini try, for we read of no Scandal in Iudas his Life. We ought to believe that God had wise ends in the Permi sion of this, and that Christ did out of infinite Wisdom do this tho we po sibly are not able to give a S tisfactory account in the Case. What if we should say that Chri t by this instructed those that after his Ascen on should have the care of the Church, not to pretendto Iudge of secret things; but only to Judge as Manought to Judge according to the outward appearance, leaving the Judgment of the Heart to God alone. 2. God by this Armeth his People against the Scandal of wicked Ministers, such in whom Corruption may break out after their entrance into that holy Function, t o before no such thing appeared, that they may not think the Ministerial Acts per ormed by them, to have been Nullities. 3. God by this also lets us know, that the Efficacy of the Ordinance does not depend upon the goodness of the sp ritual State of the Minister, that administers. A Bell may c ll others to hear the Word, t o it self receives no Bene t by it. In the mean time here is no warrant either for People to choose, or the Governours of a Church to ordain Leud, and Visibly Scandalous Person. Iudas was no suc Person, nor yet for People to own, or the Governour of Churches to continue Leud, a d Scandalous Persons in the Ministry, God ordin rily not ble sing the Labours of such. No sooner had Iudas discovered himself, but he w nt out and hanged himself. Christ no longer allowed him his Company, nor the Disciples their Fellowship. There is a great deal of difference with Relation to our Fellowship, and Communion, betwixt secret wickedness concealed in the Heart, and open and Scandalous Sinning, tho both be alike dangerous to the Soul of the Sinner.

And the multitude cometh together again, so that they could not so much as eat bread.

And when his friends heard of it, they went out to lay h nds on him, for they said, He is besides himself. There is no small dispute, who are here called our Saviours Friends, those who were ofhim, whether it signifieth his Neighbours, the C tizens of his City, or his nearer Relations, those who belong'd to the Family of which he was. (For he had some Brethren that did not believe in him, Iohn 7.5.) they went to lay Hands on him, that is, to take him from the Multitude, which pressed upon him by force (for so the Word signifies) for they said, he is beside himself, various Senses are given of this Word, but certa nly the mo t ordinary Interpretation of it does best agree to this place. They saw our Saviour's warn th of Spirit, and Zeal in the Prosecution of that, for which he came into the World, and did so well understand his Person, or Mission, and receiving the Spirit not by measure, and did take what he did to be the Product and Effect of a natural infirmity and imperfect Head, and disordered Reason. The young Prophet sent by Elisha was counted a M. d fellow, by Iehues Comrades, 2 Kings 9.11. so was Paul by Fest s, Acts 26.24. or by the Corinthians, or some crept in amongst them, 2 Cor. 5.13. we are naturally inclined to inquire the causes of strange, and unusual effects, and cannot always discern the true Casues, and often make false guesses at them. I am not so prone as I find some to Condemn these Friends or Neighbours, or kinsmen of Christ, believing that they did verily believe as they spake, not yet fully understanding, that the Spirit of the Lord in that measure was upon him, but through their infirmity, fearing that he had been under some distraction, and Charitably offering their help to him. The next Words tells us of a far worse Sense, the Scribes put upon his Actions.

And the scribes which came down from Jerusalem, said, He has Beelzebub, and by the prince of the devils, he casteth out devils.

And he called them unto him, and said to them in parables, How can Satan cast out Satan?

And if a kingdom be divided against it self, that kingdom cannot stand.

And if an house be divided against it self, that house cannot stand.

And if Satan rise up against Satan, and be divided, he cannot stand, but has an end.

No man can enter into a strong mans house, and spoil his goods, except he will first bind the strong man, and then he will spoil his house.

Verily I say unto you, All sins shall be forgiven unto the sons of men, and Blasphemies, wherewithsoever they shall Blaspheme.

But he that shall blaspheme against the holy Ghost, has never forgiveness, but is in danger of eternal damnation.

Because they said He has an unclean spirit. Here is no passage in all this piece of Hi tory, but what the Reader will find opened, in the Notes on Matth. 9.34. and Matth. 12.31, 32, 33. to which I refer him.

There came then his brethren, and his mother, and standing without, sent unto him, calling him.

And the multitude sate about him, and they said unto him, Behold, thy mother, and thy brethre without seek for thee.

And he answered them, saying, Who is my mother, or my brethren?

And he looked round about on them which sate about them, and said, Behold my mother and my B ethren.

For whosover shall do the will of God, the same is my brother, and my sister, and mother. ee the Notes on Matth. 12.46, 47, 48, 49, 50.