the Second Week after Easter
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Biblia Karoli Gaspar
Márk 9:43
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Concordances:
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- InternationalBible Verse Review
from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge
if: Deuteronomy 13:6-8, Matthew 5:29, Matthew 5:30, Matthew 18:8, Matthew 18:9, Romans 8:13, 1 Corinthians 9:27, Galatians 5:24, Colossians 3:5, Titus 2:12, Hebrews 12:1, 1 Peter 2:1
offend thee: or, cause thee to offend, and so, Mark 9:45, Mark 9:47
maimed: Matthew 15:30, Matthew 15:31, Luke 14:13, Luke 14:21
Reciprocal: Numbers 11:1 - and the fire Deuteronomy 32:22 - For a fire 2 Chronicles 34:25 - shall not Job 15:30 - the flame Job 20:13 - spare it Isaiah 1:31 - and they Isaiah 9:18 - wickedness Isaiah 14:11 - the worm Isaiah 33:14 - everlasting Isaiah 34:10 - shall not Jeremiah 4:4 - lest Jeremiah 7:20 - and shall Jeremiah 17:4 - for Jeremiah 17:27 - shall not Jeremiah 21:12 - none Ezekiel 20:47 - the flaming Amos 5:6 - there Matthew 3:12 - with Matthew 10:28 - able Matthew 13:42 - cast Matthew 25:41 - everlasting Mark 8:34 - Whosoever Luke 3:17 - but Luke 9:25 - what Luke 16:24 - for 2 Corinthians 5:11 - the terror 2 Corinthians 7:11 - revenge 2 Thessalonians 1:9 - be Hebrews 10:27 - fiery Revelation 14:11 - no Revelation 20:15 - was cast
Gill's Notes on the Bible
And if thy hand offend thee, cut it off,.... I have observed on Matthew 5:30 that by the Jewish canons, cutting off of the hand was ordered in some cases there mentioned; which, though literally enjoined, must not be understood, as though the Jewish sanhedrim had a power of inflicting such a punishment, on persons found guilty of the things instanced in; or that it was required they should do this to themselves; but such rules were delivered in such language, to show the heinousness of the crimes committed, to express an abhorrence of them g, and to deter persons from them; and to show, as the gloss h on one place observes, that it is better that the hand be cut off; or it should be more eligible to the person himself, to have it cut off, than to be guilty of such evil: and in like manner, Christ there and here, directs to what is most proper and fit to be done; even to part with what is ever so near and dear, rather than be drawn into evil by it: and his sense in this place is, that the dearest friends and acquaintance, or be they what they will, though ever so near and dear, like a right hand, the instrument of action, that obstruct the spiritual welfare of men, are to be renounced and parted with, and treated as real enemies, and of the most pernicious consequence;
Matthew 5:30- :,
Matthew 5:30- :.
It is better for thee to enter into life maimed: not that there will be any such thing, as upon the resurrection, going into heaven without a limb; for the words are to be understood, not literally, but figuratively; and the sense is, it is better to part with every thing here, that is detrimental to a man's doing, or enjoying, what is spiritually good, and enter into eternal life,
than having two hands, to go into hell; than by enjoying such persons and things, agreeable to the flesh, to the ruin of the soul, and be cast into hell;
into the fire that never shall be quenched. This is a periphrasis of hell, and is an allusion to the valley of Hinnom, from whence hell has its name, here and elsewhere; where a constant fire was kept, for the burning of polluted things: one of the Jewish writers says i, that it
"was a place in the land near to Jerusalem, and was a place contemptible: where they cast things defiled, and carcasses; and there was there, אש תמיד, "a continual fire", to burn polluted things and bones; and therefore the condemnation of the wicked, in a parabolical way, is called "Gehinnom".''
And says another of them k,
"Gehinnom is a place known, near to Jerusalem, and a valley, שאין האש נכבית, "whose fire is never quenched"; and in which they burn bones of defilement, and carcasses, and other polluted things.''
This whole clause is left out in the Syriac, Persic, and Ethiopic versions; and the phrase, "that never shall be quenched", is not in the Arabic version.
g Maimonides in Misn. Nidda, c. 2. sect. 1. h T. Bab. Sabbat, fol. 108. 2. i Kimchi in Psal. xxvii. 13. k R. Isaac Saugari, Sepher Cosri, fol. 57. 2.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible
See the notes at Matthew 18:7-9. Millstone. See Matthew 18:6.
Mark 9:44-46
Their worm - This figure is taken from Isaiah 66:24. See the notes at that passage. In describing the great prosperity. of the kingdom of the Messiah, Isaiah says that the people of God “shall go forth, and look upon the carcasses of the men who have transgressed against God.” Their enemies would be overcome. They would be slain. The people of God would triumph. The figure is taken from heaps of the dead slain in battle; and the prophet says that the number would be so great that their worm - the worm feeding on the dead - would not die, would live long - as long as there were carcasses to be devoured; and that the fire which was used to burn the bodies of the dead would continue long to burn, and would not be extinguished until they were consumed. The figure, therefore, denotes great misery, and certain and terrible destruction. In these verses it is applied to the state beyond the grave, and is intended to denote that the destruction of the wicked will be awful, widespread, and eternal.
It is not to be supposed that there will be any “real” worm in hell - perhaps no material fire; nor can it be told what was particularly intended by the undying worm. There is no authority for applying it, as is often done, to remorse of conscience, anymore than to any other of the pains and reflections of hell. It is a mere image of loathsome, dreadful, and “eternal” suffering. In what that suffering will consist it is probably beyond the power of any living mortal to imagine. The word their, in the phrase “their worm,” is used merely to keep up the “image” or “figure.” Dead bodies putrefying in that valley would be overrun with worms, while the “fire” would not be confined to them, but would spread to other objects kindled by combustibles through all the valley. It is “not” meant, therefore, that every particular sufferer has a special worm, or has particular sins that cause remorse of conscience. That is a truth, but it does not appear that it is intended to be taught here.
Mark 9:49
Every one shall be salted with fire - Perhaps no passage in the New Testament has given more perplexity to commentators than this, and it may be impossible now to fix its precise meaning. The common idea affixed to it has been, that as salt preserves from putrefaction, so fire, applied to the wicked in hell, will have the property of preserving them in existence, or they will “be” preserved amid the sprinkling of fire, to be continually in their sufferings a sacrifice to the justice of God; but this meaning is not quite satisfactory. Another opinion has been, that as salt was sprinkled on the victim preparatory to its being devoted to God (see Leviticus 2:13), so would “the apostles,” by trials, calamities, etc., represented here by “fire,” be prepared as a sacrifice and offering to God. Probably the passage has no reference at all to future punishment; and the difficulty of interpreting it has arisen from supposing it to be connected with the 48th verse, or given as a “reason” for what is said in “that” verse, rather than considering it as designed to illustrate the “general design” of the passage. The main scope of the passage was not to discourse of future punishment; that is brought in incidentally. The chief object of the passage was -
- To teach the apostles that “other men,” not “with them,” might be true Christians, Mark 9:38-39.
- That they ought to be disposed to look favorably upon the slightest evidence that they “might be true believers,” Mark 9:41.
- That they ought to avoid giving “offence” to such feeble and obscure Christians, Mark 9:42.
- That “everything” calculated to give offence, or to dishonor religion, should be removed, Mark 9:43. And,
- That everything which would endanger their salvation should be sacrificed; that they should “deny” themselves in every way in order to obtain eternal life. In this way they would be “preserved” to eternal life.
The word “fire,” here, therefore denotes self-denials, sacrifices, trials, in keeping ourselves from the gratification of the flesh. As if he had said, “Look at the sacrifice on the altar. It is an offering to God, about to be presented to him. It is sprinkled with “salt, emblematic of purity, of preservation and of fitting it, therefore, for a sacrifice.” So “you” are devoted to God. You are sacrifices, victims, offerings to him in his service. To make you “acceptable” offerings, every thing must be done to “preserve” you from sin and to “purify” you. Self-denials, subduing the lusts, enduring trials, removing offences, are the proper “preservatives” in the service of God. Doing this, you will be acceptable offerings and be saved; without this, you will be “unfit” for his eternal service and will be lost.”
Mark 9:50
Lost its saltness ... - See the notes at Matthew 5:13.
Have salt in yourselves - Have the preserving, purifying principle always; the principles of denying yourselves, of suppressing pride, ambition, contention, etc., and thus you will be an acceptable offering to God.
Have peace - Avoid contention and quarrelling, struggling for places, honors, and office, and seek each other’s welfare, and religion will be honored and preserved in the world.
Clarke's Notes on the Bible
Verse Mark 9:43-48. Thy hand - foot - eye - cause thee to offend; — See the notes on Matthew 5:29-30.
Verse Mark 9:43. The fire that never shall be quenched — That is, the inextinguishable fire. This clause is wanting in L, three others, the Syriac, and later Persic. Some eminent critics suppose it to be a spurious reading; but the authorities which are for it, are by no means counterbalanced by those which are against it. The same clause in Mark 9:45, is omitted in BCL, seven others, Syriac, later Persic, Coptic, and one Itala. Eternal fire is the expression of Matthew.