Mark 10

MARK CHAPTER 10

Verses 1-12. See this question about divorce explained in See Barnes "Mt 19:3, and Mt 19:4-12

{d} "And he arose" Mt 19:1

Verse 2. No Barnes text on this verse.

Verse 3. No Barnes text on this verse.

Verse 4. No Barnes text on this verse.

{e} "Moses suffered"

De 24:1; Mt 5:31

Verse 5. No Barnes text on this verse.

Verse 6. No Barnes text on this verse.

{f} "God made them"

Ge 1:27; 5:2; Mal 2:15

Verse 7. No Barnes text on this verse.

{g} "For this cause"

Ge 11:24

Verse 8. No Barnes text on this verse.

{h} "one flesh"

1 Co 6:16; Eph 5:31

Verse 9. No Barnes text on this verse.

Verse 10. No Barnes text on this verse.

Verse 11. No Barnes text on this verse.

{i} "Whosoever shall"

Mt 5:32; 19:9; Lu 16:18; Ro 7:3; 1 Co 7:10,11

Verse 12. No Barnes text on this verse.

Verses 13-16.

See Barnes "Mt 19:13"

and Mt 19:14-15

Verse 13. Should touch them . That is, should lay his hands on them, and pray for them, and bless them. Compare Mt 19:13. It was common to lay the hands on the head of a person for whom a blessing was asked. See the case of Jacob, Ge 48:14.

{k} "And they" Mt 19:13; Lu 18:15

Verse 14. Saw it . Saw the conduct of his disciples.

Was much displeased . Because, first, it was a pleasure to him to receive and bless little children; and, secondly, they were doing what they were not commanded to do—interfering in a case where it was evidently improper.

{l} "much displease" Eph 4:26 {m} "of such is" Mt 18:10; 1 Co 14:20; 1 Pe 2:2; Re 14:5

Verse 15. Whosoever shall not receive . Whosoever shall not manifest the spirit of a little child.

The kingdom of God . The gospel. The new dispensation by the Messiah, or the reign of God through a Mediator. See Barnes "Mt 3:2" .

As a little child . With the temper and spirit of a child teachable, mild, humble, and free from prejudice and obstinacy.

Shall not enter therein . Shall not be a Christian; shall not be a real member of the family of Christ on earth, though he may be a professor ; and shall never enter heaven.

Verse 16. Took them up in his arms . These were small children.

Blessed them . Prayed for them, sought a blessing on them, or gave them the assurance of his favour as the Messiah.

How happy would it be if all parents thus felt it to be their privilege to present their children to Christ! The question with a parent should be, not whether he ought to present them by prayer, but whether he may do it. And so, too, the question respecting infant baptism is not so much whether a parent OUGHT to devote his children to God in this ordinance, as whether he MAY do it. It is an inestimable privilege to do it; not a matter of mere stern and iron-handed duty; and a parent with right feelings will come to God with his children in every way , and seek his blessing on them in the beginning of their journey of life. Our children are given to us but for a little time. They are in a world of danger, sin, and woe. They are exposed to temptation on every hand. If God be not their Friend, they have no friend that can aid them in the day of adversity, or keep them from the snares of the destroyer. If He is their Friend, they have nothing to fear. The proper expression, then, of parental feeling , is to come and offer them early to God. A parent should ask only the privilege of doing it. He should seek God's favour as the best inheritance of his children; and if a parent may devote his offspring to God if he may daily seek his blessing on them by prayer—it is all that he should ask. With proper feelings, he will rush to the throne of grace, and daily seek the protection and guidance of God for his children amidst the temptations and snares of an ungodly world, and implore Him to be their guide when the parent shall be laid in the silent grave.

So, children who have been devoted to God; who have been the daily objects of a father's prayers and a mother's tears; who have been again and again presented to Jesus in infancy and childhood; are under the most sacred obligations to live to God. They should never forget that a parent sought the favour of God as the chief blessing; and having been offered to Jesus by prayer and baptism in their first days on earth, they should make it their great aim to be prepared to meet him when he shall come in the clouds of heaven.

Verses 17-31. See Barnes "See Barnes " Mt 19:16, and Mt 19:17-30.

Verse 17. Gone forth . From the place where he had been teaching.

Into the way . Into the road or path on his journey.

Running . Thus showing the intensity with which he desired to know the way of life. Zeal to know the way to be saved is proper; nor is it possible to be too intense, if well directed. Nothing else is so important, and nothing demands, therefore, so much effort and haste.

Verse 18. No Barnes text on this verse.

{o} "one" Ps 86:5; 119:68

Verse 19. Defraud not . Do not take away your neighbour's property by fraud or dishonesty. To cheat or defraud supposes a covetous desire of a neighbour's property, and is usually attended with falsehood or false witness against a neighbour in obtaining it. It is thus a violation of the ninth and tenth commandments; and our Saviour very properly, therefore, condensed the two, and expressed their substance in this—not to defraud. It is, besides, expressly forbidden in Le 19:13—"Thou shalt not defraud thy neighbour."

{p} "commandments" Ex 20:1; Ro 13:9

Verse 20. No Barnes text on this verse.

{q} "all these"

Isa 58:2; Eze 33:31,32; Mal 3:8; Ro 7:9; Php 3:6

Verse 21. Jesus—loved him . What occurred afterwards showed that the young man did not love the Saviour, or was not a true disciple. So that this expression denotes, simply, natural affection; or means that Jesus was pleased with his amiableness, his morality, and his external regard for the law of God. At the same time, this was entirely consistent with deep sorrow that he would not give his heart to God, and with deep abhorrence of such a love of the world as to blind the mind to the beauty of true religion, and to lead to the rejection of the Messiah, and the destruction of the soul.

One thing thou lackest . When the young man came to Jesus, he asked him, "What lack I yet?" Mt 19:20. This question Mark has omitted, but he has retained the answer. The answer means— There is one thing yet wanting. Though all that you have said should be true yet to make the system complete, or to show that you really are disposed to keep the commands of God, go and sell your property. See whether you love God more than you do your wealth . By doing that, you will show that your love of God is supreme; that your obedience is not merely external and formal , but sincere and real; the thing, now lacking , will be made up.

{r} "One thing" Jas 2:10 {s} "treasure" Mt 6:19,20; Lu 12:33; 16:9

Verse 22. No Barnes text on this verse.

Verse 23. No Barnes text on this verse.

Verse 24. Children . An expression of affection, perhaps also implying a reproof that their slowness of understanding was like children. When they should have seen at once the truth of what he said, they were slow to learn it. It became necessary, therefore, to repeat what he had said.

How hard . With how much difficulty.

{t} "trust in riches" Job 31:24; Ps 52:7; 62:10; Hab 2:9; 1 Ti 6:17

Re 3:17

Verse 25. No Barnes text on this verse.

Verse 26. Out of measure . Very much, or exceedingly. The Greek means no more than this.

Verse 27. No Barnes text on this verse.

{u} "with God" Gen 18:14; Job 42:2; Jer 32:17; Lu 1:37

Verse 28. No Barnes text on this verse.

Verse 29. No Barnes text on this verse.

Verse 30. An hundredfold . A hundred times as much.

In this time . In this life. In the time that he forsakes all.

Houses , etc. This cannot be taken literally, as promising a hundred times as many mothers, sisters , etc. It means, evidently, that the loss shall be a hundred times compensated or made up; or that, in the possession of religion, we have a hundred times the value of all that we forsake. This consists in the pardon of sin, in the favour of God, in peace of conscience, in support in trials and in death, and in raising up friends in the place of those who are left— spiritual brethren, and sisters, and mothers , etc. And this corresponds to the experience of all who ever became Christians. At the same time, it is true that godliness is profitable for all things , having the promise of the life that is, as well as of that which is to come. The favour of God is the security for every blessing. Obedience to his law secures industry, temperance, chastity, economy, prudence, health, and the confidence of the world—all indispensable to success in life, and all connected, commonly, with success. Though the wicked sometimes prosper, yet the surest way of prosperity is to fear God and keep his commandments. Thus will all needed blessings descend on us here , and eternal blessings hereafter.

With persecutions . Persecutions, or the contempt of the world, and bodily sufferings on account of their religion, they must meet. Jesus did not conceal this. But he consoled them. He assured them that amidst these, or perhaps it should be rendered " after " these, they should find friends and comfort. It is well to bear trial if God be our friend. With the promises of the Bible in oar hand, we may hail persecutions, and thank God that, amidst so many sorrows, he has furnished such superabundant consolations.

Verse 31. No Barnes text on this verse.

{u} "But many" Mt 20:16; Lu 13:30

Verses 32-34. See Mt 20:17-19

Verse 32. Jesus went before them . In the manner of an intrepid, fearless leader and guide, exposing himself to danger and death rather than his followers.

And they were amazed , etc. They were afraid that evil would befall him in the city; that the scribes and Pharisees, who had so often sought to kill him, would then do it. Their fear and amazement were increased when he told them what would befall him there. They were amazed that, when he knew so well what would happen, he should still persevere in going up to the city.

{v} "But many" Mt 20:17; Lu 18:31

Verse 33. No Barnes text on this verse.

{w} "we go up"

Ac 20:22

Verse 34. No Barnes text on this verse.

{x} "and they shall mock"

Ps 22:6,7,13

Verse 35-45. See Barnes "Mt 20:20-28" .

Verse 35. And James and John—come unto him . They did this through the instrumentality of their mother. They did not come in person , but they got their mother to make the request for them. Comp. Matthew.

Verse 36. No Barnes text on this verse.

Verse 37. No Barnes text on this verse.

Verse 38. No Barnes text on this verse.

{y} "Ye know not what you ask" Jas 4:3 {z} "baptism" Lu 12:50

Verse 39. No Barnes text on this verse.

{a} "Ye shall"

Mt 10:25; Joh 17:14

{b} "cup that I drink" Mr 14:36

Verse 40. No Barnes text on this verse.

{c} "it is prepared"

Mt 25:34; Heb 11:16

Verse 41. No Barnes text on this verse.

Verse 42. No Barnes text on this verse.

{d} "Ye know"

Lu 22:25

{1} "which are accounted" or, "think good"

Verse 43. No Barnes text on this verse.

{e} "but whosoever"

Mt 20:26,28; Mr 9:35; Lu 9:48

Verse 44. No Barnes text on this verse.

Verse 45. No Barnes text on this verse.

{f} "but to minister"

Joh 13:14; Php 2:7

{g} "to give his" Isa 53:11,12; Da 9:26; 2 Co 5:21; Gal 3:13; 1 Ti 2:6

Tit 2:14

Verses 46-52. See Barnes "Mt 20:29, Mt 20:30-34.

Verse 46. Blind Bartimaeus . Matthew says there were two. Mark mentions but one, though he does not deny that there was another. He mentions this man because he was well known—Bartimaeus, THE blind man .

{h} "And they came" Mt 20:29; Lu 18:35

Verse 47. No Barnes text on this verse.

Verse 48. No Barnes text on this verse.

{k} "the more a great"

Jer 29:13

{l} "mercy on me" Ps 62:12

Verse 49. No Barnes text on this verse.

{m} "he calleth thee"

Joh 11:28

Verse 50. Casting away his garment . That is, his outer garment; the one that was thrown loosely over him. See Mt 5:40. He threw it off, full of joy at the prospect of being healed, and that he might run without impediment to Jesus. This may be used to illustrate— though it had no such original reference—the manner in which a sinner should come to Jesus. He should throw away the garments of his own righteousness—he should rise speedily—should run with joy—should have full faith in the rower of Jesus, and cast himself entirely upon his mercy.

{n} "casting" Php 3:7-9

Verse 51. No Barnes text on this verse.

Verse 52. No Barnes text on this verse.

{o} "thy faith"

Mt 9:22; Mr 5:34

{2} "made thee whole" or, "saved thee"