CHAPTER X

2. Tempting. See on Matt. vi. 13.

4. Bill (biblion). See on Matt. xix. 7. Diminutive. Lit., a little book; Lat., libellus, from which comes our word libel, a written accusation. Accordingly Wyc. has a libel of forsaking, and Tynd. a testimonial of her divorcement.

7. Shall cleave. See on Matt. xix. 5. Tynd., bide by.

8. Shall be one flesh (esontai eiv sarka mian). Lit., "shall be unto one flesh." The preposition expresses more graphically than the A.V. the becoming of one from two. So Rev., shall become.

9. What. Regarding the two as one.

13. They brought (proseferon). Imperfect tense; they were bringing, as he went on his way. Similarly, were rebuking, as they were successively brought.

16. Took them in his arms. See on ix. 86.

Put his hands upon them and blessed them. The best texts read kateulogei, tiqeiv tav ceirav ejp aujta, blessed them, laying his hands upon them; including the laying on of hands in the blessing. The compound rendered blessed occurs only here in the New Testament. It is stronger than the simple form, and expresses the earnestness of Christ's interest. Alford renders fervently blessed.

17. Running and kneeled. Two details peculiar to Mark.

18. Why callest thou, etc. Compare Matt. xix. 17. The renderings of the A.V. and Rev. here are correct. There is no change of reading as in Matthew, where the text was altered to conform it to Mark and Luke.

22. He was sad (stugnasav). Applied to the sky in Matt. xvi. 3; lowering. The word paints forcibly the gloom which clouded his face.

25. Needle (rafidov). A word stigmatized by the grammarians as unclassical. One of them (Phrynichus) says, "As for rJafiv, nobody would know what it is." Matthew also uses it. See on Matt. xix. 24. Luke uses, belonhv, the surgical needle. See on Luke xviii. 25.

30. Houses, etc. These details are peculiar to Mark. Note especially with persecutions, and see Introduction. With beautiful delicacy the Lord omits wives; so that Julian's scoff that the Christian has the promise of a hundred wives is without foundation.

32. Were amazed. The sudden awe which fell on the disciples is noted by Mark only.

42. Which are accounted to rule. Wyc., that seem to have princehead on folks.

43. Minister. See on ix. 35.

45. For many (anti pollwn). For, in the sense of over against, instead of; not on behalf of.

46. Son of Timaeus. Mark, as usual, is particular about names. Blind. Diseases of the eye are very common in the East. Thomson says of Ramleh, "The ash-heaps are extremely mischievous; on the occurrence of the slightest wind the air is filled with a fine, pungent dust, which is very injurious to the eyes. I once walked the streets counting all that were either blind or had defective eyes, and it amounted to about one-half the male population. The women I could not count, for they are rigidly veiled" ("Land and Book "). Palgrave says that ophthalmia is fearfully prevalent, especially among children. "It would be no exaggeration to say that one adult out of every five has his eves more or less damaged by the consequences of this disease" ("Central and Eastern Arabia"). Beggar. See on Matt. v. 3.

49, 50. Peculiar to Mark, and adding greatly to the vividness of the narrative.