A Paraphrase on the New Testament, Mark · Chapter 6
CHAP. VI.
1. AND he went out from thence, and came into his own country, and his diſciples followed him. 2. And when the ſabbath-day was come, he began to teach in the ſynagogue; and many hearing him were aſtoniſhed, ſaying, From whence hath this man theſe things? and what wiſdom is this which is given unto him, that even ſuch mighty works are wrought by his hands.
3. Is not this the carpenter, the Son of Mary, the brother of James and Joſes, and of Judas and Simon? and are not his ſiſters here with us? and they were offended at him.
2. Becauſe they knew his viſible Original, and Education, and Kindred to be like other of their Neighbours, they were by this, made backward to believe, him to be the Son of God.
4. And Jeſus ſaid to them, A prophet is not without honour but in his own country, and among his own kindred, and in his own houſe.
4. It is uſual for Prophets to be leaſt ſet by at home, where men that ſee their Natural Original, yet ſee not the Spirit of God in them, nor know his operations,
5. And he could there do no mighty work, ſave that he laid his hands upon a few ſick folk and healed them. 6. And he marvelled becauſe of their unbelief, And he went round about the villages, teaching.
5. It was not for want of Power in Chriſt; but becauſe they were uncapable receivers. Thus Sin goes on from bad to worſe: Unbelief deprived them of the Miracles that ſhould have cured it.
7. And he called to him the twelve, and began to ſend them forth by two and two, and gave them power over unclean ſpirits.
7. He aſſigned not to any one, a ſingular Province, but ſet them by Two's, of which no one was Ruler of another.
8. And commanded them, that they ſhould take nothing for their journey, ſave a ſtaff onelyonly: no ſcrip, no bread, no money in their purſe: 9. But be ſhod with ſandals: and not put on two coats. 10. And he ſaid to them, In what place ſoever ye enter into an houſe, there abide till ye depart from that place.
8. &c. N. This is no binding Example to all Preachers.
11. And whoſoever ſhall not receive you, nor hear you, when ye depart thence, ſhake off the duſt under your feet, for a teſtimony againſt them: verily I ſay to you, It ſhall be more tollerable for Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of Judgment, then for that city.
11. N. Rejecting the greateſt Mercy, and Goſpel-light, deſerveth the greateſt puniſhment in Hell: What then will become of Perſecutors?
12. And they went out and preached, that men ſhould repent.
12. N. Repentance is as real a part of the Goſpel, as Faith: And repenting of Unbelief as it ſignifyeth Converſion, is Faith it ſelf. Alas, that ſo reaſonable a duty as Repenting, ſhould be ſo hardly obtained.
13. And they caſt out many devils, and anointed with oyl many that were ſick, and healed them.
13. And when the Miraculous Power ceaſeth, the ceremony of Anointing ceaſeth.
14. And king Herod heard of him, (for his name was ſpread abroad) and he ſaid, that John the Baptiſt was riſen from the dead, and therefore mighty works do ſhew forth themſelves in him.
14. N. Herod believed, the Immortality of the Soul; elſe he could not have believed the Reſurrection.
15. Others ſaid, That it is Elias. And others ſaid, That it is a prophet, or as one of the prophets. 16. But when Herod heard thereof, he ſaid, It is John whom I beheaded, he is riſen from the dead.
15.16. His Conſcience put him in fear of John.
17. For Herod himſelf had ſent forth, and laid hold upon John, and bound him in priſon for Herodias ſake, his brother Philips wife; for he had married her.
17. N. He could bear the guilt, but not the reproofe But God will make the proudeſt bear more.
18. For John had ſaid to Herod, It is not lawful for thee to have thy brothers wife.
18. N. He that hath a call, to tell Kings of their Sin, muſt do it faithfully.
19. Therefore Herodias had a quarrel againſt him, and would have killed him, but ſhe could not.
19. N. See the bloody mind of a wicked Que… The cauſe of Johns Death, is but fore-telling a Sinner of his Sin.
20. For Herod feared John, knowing that he was a juſt man and an holy, and obſerved him, and when he heard him, he did many things, and heard him gladly.
20. His Conſcience telling him; that John was a Juſt and Holy man, made him reverence him; and do many things which John Preached to him, and hear him with ſome pleaſure; but could not leave his Sin.
21. And when a convenient day was come, that Herod on his birth-day made a ſupper to his lords, high captains, and chief eſtates of Galilee: 22. And when the daughter of the ſaid Herodias came and danced, and pleaſed Herod, and them that ſate with him, the king ſaid unto the damſel, Ask of me whatſoever thou wilt, and I will give it thee. 23. And he ſware unto her, Whatſoever thou ſhalt ask of me, I will give it thee, unto the half of my kingdom.
21. &c. N. 1. Yet will ſuch wretches loſe the Kingdom of Heaven, rather than let go a baſe luſt for God; ſo much more liberal are they to their Fleſh and fellow-Sinners.
24. And ſhe went forth, and ſaid unto her mother, What ſhall I ask? And ſhe ſaid, The head of John the Baptiſt. 25. And ſhe came in ſtraightway with haſte unto the king, and asked, ſaying, I will that thou give me by and by in a charger, the head of John the Baptiſt.
24.25. N. Blood and Revenge is by a Luſtful Woman, preferred before half a Kingdom: ſuch are the Enemies of holy men.
26. And the king was exceeding ſorry, yet for his oaths ſake, and for their ſakes which ſate with him, he would not reject her.
26. All unwillingneſs and ſorrow for Sin, is not true Repentance; but that which is more effectual againſt Sin, than the temptation is for it.
27. And immediately the king ſent an executioner, and commanded his head to be brought, and he went, and beheaded him in the priſon. 28. And brought his head in a charger, and gave it to the damſel, and the damſel gave it to her mother.
27.28. This wicked, bloody King wanted not an Executioner to do his Will, in the moſt heynons Sin.
29. And when his diſciples heard of it, they came and took up his corps, and laid it in a tomb.
30. And the Apoſtles gathered themſelves together unto Jeſus, and told him all things, both what they had done, and what they had taught.
29.30. Of their Doctrine and Miracles.
31. And he ſaid unto them, Come ye your ſelves apart into a deſert place, and reſt a while: for there were many coming and going, and they had no leiſure ſo much as to eat. 32. And they departed into a deſert place by ſhip privately. 33. And the people ſaw them departing, and many knew him, and ran a foot thither out of all cities, and out went them, and came together unto him.
33. N. Fervent deſire is very diligent and laborious.
34. And Jeſus, when he came out, ſaw much people, and was moved with compaſſion toward them, becauſe they were as ſheep not having a ſhepherd? and he began to teach them many things. 35. And when the day was now far ſpent, his diſciples came to him, and ſaid, This is a deſert place, and now the time is far paſſed, 36. Send them away, that they may go into the country round about, and into the villages, and buy themſelves bread: for they have nothing to eat. 37. He anſwered and ſaid to them, give ye them to eat. And they ſay to him, Shall we go and buy two hundred penny-worth of bread, and give them to eat?
34. Their Penny was Seven pence half penny. Beza reckoneth the 200 pence, to 35 pound Frank of Tours.
Note. The Luxurious Bellys of this Land would have taken bread but for a dry Feaſt, though they had the Fiſhes alſo.
38. He ſaith to them, How many loaves have ye? go and ſee. And when they knew, they ſay, Five, and two fiſhes. 39. And he commanded them to make all ſit down by companies upon the green graſs. 40. And they ſate down in ranks by hundreds, and by fifties. 41. And when he had taken the five loaves and the two fiſhes, he looked up to heaven, and bleſſed, and brake the loaves and gave them to his diſciples to ſet before them, and the two fiſhes divided he among them all. 42. And they did all eat, and were filled. 43. And they took up twelve baskets full of the fragments, and of the fiſhes. 44. And they that did eat of the loaves, were about five thouſand men.
38. &c. N. 1. This Miracle had Witneſſes enough. 2. Though God do not now feed his Servants by Miracle, he doth perform his Promiſe, and provide for them, nevertheleſs; and is no leſs to be truſted. 3. Even Miraculous Food is to be Sanctified by Heavenly benediction.
45. And ſtraightway he conſtrained his diſciples to get into the ſhip, and to go to the other ſide before unto Bethſaida, while he ſent away the people. 46. And when he had ſent them away, he departed into a mountain to pray. 47. And when the even was come, the ſhip was in the midſt of the ſea, and he alone on the land. 48. And he ſaw them toyling in rowing, for the wind was contrary to them: and about the fourth watch of the night he cometh unto them, walking upon the ſea, and would have paſſed by them. 49. But when they ſaw him walking upon the ſea, they ſuppoſed it had been a ſpirit, and cryed out. 50. For they all ſaw him, and were troubled, and immediately he talked with them, and ſaid to them, Be of good cheer, it is I, be not afraid. 51. And he went up unto them into the ſhip, and the wind ceaſed, and they were ſore amazed in themſelves, beyond meaſure, and wondered.
45. &c. N. 1. If Chriſt muſt pray ſo much, what need we? 2. If Chriſt ſay, it is I, be not afraid, it ſhould quiet tumerous ſouls. 3. Even the appearance of Chriſt himſelf in a ſtrange way, may amaze the faithful.
52. For they conſidered not the miracle of the loaves, for their heart was hardened.
52. Had they duely conſidered the miracle of feeding, no further miracle would have ſeemed ſo ſtrange to them. N. They that have not hearts hardened as the wicked, may be hardened as to ſome particular thing.
53. And when they had paſſed over, they came into the land of Geneſareth, and drew to the ſhore. 54. And when they were come out of the ſhip, ſtraightway they knew him. 55. And ran through the whole region round about, and began to carry about in beds thoſe that were ſick, where they heard he was. 56. And whitherſoever he entered into villages: or cities, or country, they laid the ſick in the ſtreet, and beſought him, that they might touch if it were but the border of his garment? and as many as touched him were made whole.
53. N. O that we were as earneſt followers of Chriſt for Salvation, as they were for their Bodies! And that we could as boldly believe and truſt him for our ſoul…, as common experience of ſucceſs cauſed them to do for their health.