Bible Commentaries
Mark 16

Verse 1

Anoint him ; it was customary to anoint and embalm dead bodies in order to preserve them.

Verses 1-8

The resurrection. Matthew 28:1 .

Verse 3

When men love the Saviour and wish to honor him, they will often meet with difficulties. But if obstructed in one way, let them honor him in another; in due time apparently insurmountable obstacles may be in unexpected ways removed.

Verse 7

Though the friends of Christ may have deserted and even denied him, yet when they repent and turn to him he freely forgives them, and delights in removing their sorrows and promoting their joys.

Verse 11

Believed not ; this shows, that notwithstanding all our Lord had said concerning his rising from the dead on the third day, his disciples did not expect it.

Verse 12

Another form ; one different from that in which he had appeared before. Luke 24:13-31 .

Verse 13

The residue ; those disciples who remained at Jerusalem.

Verse 14

The eleven ; the eleven apostles. Judas having hung himself.

Upbraided them ; sharply rebuked them for their unbelief, in not receiving the testimony of those who had seen him after his resurrection. To reject competent evidence in matters of religion, is a great sin. It shows unbelief and hardness of heart, which are exceedingly offensive to God. Without faith in what he has revealed, it is impossible to please him. Hebrews 11:6 .

Verse 15

All the world ; wherever men are found.

Preach the gospel ; proclaim the glad tidings of salvation through repentance of sin, and faith in Jesus Christ.

Every creature ; every human being who can hear and understand it. It is the will of Christ that the gospel should be preached to all men. By repenting of sin and believing in him all may obtain it; and if they do not, they will, by their neglect, be self-destroyers.

Verse 16

He that believeth ; receives the testimony of God, and treats it, in his feelings and conduct, as true.

Is baptized ; expresses his belief in God’s testimony concerning his Son, not in words only, but in actions, according to Christ’s directions.

Shall be saved ; saved from the practice and consequences of sin; inclined and enabled to practise holiness, and to continue in it, till, through grace, he is prepared for, and raised to the eternal holiness and bliss of heaven.

Believeth not ; does not so credit the testimony of God, especially in regard to his Son, and the way of life through him, as to love and obey him.

Shall be damned ; shall be left in the love and practice of sin through time, and be miserable to eternity. Though salvation through Christ should be preached to all men, yet none, without believing on and obeying him, will be saved.

Verse 17

In my name ; in reliance on my power, and making it known that it is I, and not they, who perform the miracles. Acts 3:6 .

Speak with new tongues ; in languages which they had not before known. Acts 2:4-11 .

Verse 18

Serpents ; poisonous reptiles. They would be able, when needful, to handle them without injury. Acts 28:3-6 .

Deadly thing ; mortal poison.

Lay hands on the sick , Acts 9:17 .

Verse 19

Received up into heaven ; Acts 1:9 .

Right hand of God ; a phrase denoting great exaltation and honor. As God has shown by the most conclusive evidence the truth of his gospel, those who continue to reject it are without excuse, and will perish with an awfully aggravated destruction.

Verse 20

The Lord working with them ; by miracles, showing that they were sent of him; by removing obstacles, and giving them access to men: by accompanying the proclamation of his truth with his own power, and causing it to produce divine effects.