A Paraphrase on the New Testament, Mark · Chapter 3
CHAP. III.
1. ANd he entred again into the ſynagogues, and there was a man there which had a withered hand. 2. And they watched him, whether he would heal him on the ſabbath-day, that they might accuſe him.
1.2. N. Malignity is not reſtrained by Miracles.
3. And he ſaith to the man that had the withered hand, Stand forth. 4. And he ſaith to them, Is it lawful to do good on the ſabbath-day, or to do evil? to ſave life, or to kill? but they held their peace.
3.4. Do you ceremonious murderers that lay wait for my life now, keep the ſabbath; and do I break it by ſaving mens lives.
5. And when he had looked round about on them with anger, being grieved for the hardneſs of their hearts, he ſaith to the man, Stretch forth thine hand. And he ſtretched it out: and his hand was reſtored whole as the other.
5. N. 1. Anger and grief for mens ſin, were juſtified by Chriſts example. 2. A hard heart can ſin againſt Miracles and Mercy.
6. And the Phariſees went forth, and ſtraightway took counſel with the Herodians againſt him, how they might deſtroy him.
6. N. Its folly to doubt whether there be Devils, while Devils incarnate dwell among us; what elſe but Devils ſure, could make ceremonious hypocrites, conſult with Politike Royaliſts to deſtroy the Son of God for ſaving mens health and lives by Miracle. Quer. Whether if this withered hand had been their own, they would have plotted to kill him, that would have cured them by a Miracle, as a ſabbath Breaker? And whether their ſucceſſours would ſilence and impriſon Godly Miniſters, if they could cure them of all their ſickneſſes, and help them to preferment, and give them money to feed their luſts?
7. But Jeſus withdrew himſelf with his diſciples to the ſea: and a great multitude from Galilee followed him, and from Judea.
7. N. They that will drive away mercy from them, ſhall be without it; and ſpeed as they chooſe, and thoſe that follow after Chriſt and mercy ſincerely, ſhall have their ….
8. … from Jeruſalem, and from Idumea, and from beyond Jordan, and they about Tyre and Sidon, a great Multitude, when they heard what great things he did, came unto him. 9. And he ſpake to his diſciples, that a ſmall ſhip ſhould wait on him, becauſe of the multitude, leſt they ſhould throng him. 10. For he had healed many, inſomuch that they preſſed upon him for to touch him, as many as had plagues.
9.10. Were men but as regardful of their Souls as of their bodies, how univerſally and joyfully would Chriſtianity and Godlineſs be received.
11. And unclean ſpirits, when they ſaw him, fell down before him, and cried, ſaying, Thou art the Son of God. 12. And he ſtraightly charged them, that they ſhould not make him known.
11.12. N. He would not have the Devil preach the Goſpel, leſt it ſhould bring it under ſupicion.
13. And he goeth up into a mountain, and calleth unto him whom he would: and they came unto him. 14. And he ordained twelve, that they ſhould be with him, and that he might ſend them forth to preach.
13.14. N. Apoſtles were witneſſes and preachers, but not Lords nor Silencers, nor Perſecutors.
15. And to have power to heal ſickneſſes and to caſt out devils.
15. N. But not to do miſchief, and promote the Devils Kingdom, by fighting againſt love and Godlineſs.
16. And Simon he ſurnamed Peter, 17. And James the ſon of Zebedee, and John the brother of James (and he ſurnamed them Boanerges, which is, The ſons of thunder. 18. And Andrew, and Philip, and Bartholomew, and Matthew, and Thomas, and James, the ſon of Alpheus, and Thaddeus, and Simon the Canaanite. 19. And Judas Iſcariot who alſo betrayed him: and they went into an houſe.
16. &c. N. He ſuited the number to the twelve tribes, till the Church was to be made Catholike, and then he increaſed the number.
20. And the multitude cometh together again, ſo that they could not ſo much as eat bread. 21. And when his friends heard of it, they went out to lay hold on him, for they ſaid, He is beſide himſelf.
20.21. His kindred thought that all this ado, did ſignifie ſome extaſie, and would have got him home. But one very old Greek Copy (Bezas) readeth it thus, [When the ſcribes and the reſt heard of it, they came to apprehend him; for they ſaid, that he made men mad.
22. And the Scribes who came down from Jeruſalem, ſaid, He hath Beelzebub, and by the prince of the devils caſteth he out devils.
22. They denied not the matter of fact of his Miracles, but ſaid that he did it by the Prince of the Devils.
23. And he called them to him, and ſaid to them in parables, How can Satan caſt out Satan. 24. And if a kingdom be divided againſt it ſelf, that kingdom cannot ſtand. 25. And if a houſe be divided againſt it ſelf, that houſe cannot ſtand. 26. And if Satan riſe up againſt himſelf and be divided, he cannot ſtand, but hath an end. 27. No man can enter into a ſtrong mans houſe, and ſpoil his goods, unleſs he firſt bind the ſtrong man, and then he will ſpoil his houſe.
23. &c. It is not by the Devils own conſent that he is caſt out, but by overcoming him.
28. Verily I ſay to you, All ſins ſhall be forgiven to the ſons of men, and blaſphemies wherewith ſoever they ſhall blaſpheme: 29. But he that ſhall blaſpheme againſt the holy Ghoſt, hath never forgiveneſs, but is in danger of eternal damnation: 30. Becauſe they ſaid, He hath an unclean ſpirit.
28, &c. All other ſin and blaſphemy is curable and pardonable, but if men will take all the miracles, gifts, and graces of the holy Ghoſt, by which I and my ſervants prove me to be ſent from God, to be all done by the Devil to deceive them, there is no greater evidence of Gods atteſtation left to convince them, and therefore their blaſphemous unbelief is uncurable and unpardonable.
31. There came then his brethren and his mother, and ſtanding without, ſent unto him, calling him. 32. And the multitude ſate about him, and they ſaid to him, Behold thy mother and thy brethren without ſeek thee. 33. And he anſwered ſaying, Who is my mother or my brethren. 34. And he looked round about on them that ſate about him, and ſaid, Behold my mother and my brethren. 35. For whoſoever ſhall do the will of God, the ſame is my brother, and my ſiſter, and my mother.
31, &c. If you would know me, you muſt look beyond my fleſhly Kindred and Relations: As I am of an higher off-ſpring, ſo I have higher works to do than to pleaſe natural kindred. (I draw you not from due regard to your natural kindred: God commandeth you to honour Parents.) But Spiritual Relations to me as ſuch, are more amiable and happy than meer Natural Relations as ſuch. It is a more amiable thing to be a Lover of God and to obey him, than to be my Mother, Siſter or Brother: If they had no better, they would periſh for ever. But all that love God and obey him ſhall be ſaved;) This is great comfort to every true Chriſtian, that they are dearer to Chriſt than Mother, Brother or Siſter as ſuch, would have been, had they not been holy.)