Bible Commentaries
Mark 10

Introduction

Watson - Exposition of the Gospels of St. Matthew and St. Mark

2 Christ disputeth with the Pharisees touching divorcement:

13 blesseth the children that are brought unto him:

17 resolveth a rich man how he may inherit life everlasting:

23 telleth his disciples of the danger of riches:

28 promiseth rewards to them that forsake any thing for the Gospel:

32 foretelleth his death and resurrection:

35 biddeth the two ambitious suitors to think rather of suffering with him:

46 and restoreth to Bartimeus his sight.

Verse 2

Watson - Exposition of the Gospels of St. Matthew and St. Mark

Is it lawful, &c. — See notes on Matthew 19:3-12.

Verse 13

Watson - Exposition of the Gospels of St. Matthew and St. Mark

They brought young children, &c. — See notes on Matthew 19:13-15.

Verse 14

Watson - Exposition of the Gospels of St. Matthew and St. Mark

For of such is the kingdom of God. — A more correct translation would be, For to such belongeth the kingdom of God.

Verse 17

Watson - Exposition of the Gospels of St. Matthew and St. Mark

Good Master, &c. — See Matthew 19:16, &c.

Verse 23

Watson - Exposition of the Gospels of St. Matthew and St. Mark

How hardly shall they that have riches, &c. — See notes on Matthew 19:23-24.

Verse 24

Watson - Exposition of the Gospels of St. Matthew and St. Mark

Them that trust in riches, &c. — This seems to explain our Lord’s meaning as to the obstructions which riches present to piety. They naturally lead those who possess them to trust in them, that is, to expect ease and satisfaction of mind from them, and to depend upon the security which they seem to give, to the destruction of that sense of dependence upon God which leads to prayer and constant reference to him in our thoughts and purposes. Where this is the case there can be no spirituality of taste and discernment; the mind becomes animal and earthly, and can have no desire for the kingdom of God, which is “righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.”

Verse 27

Watson - Exposition of the Gospels of St. Matthew and St. Mark

With men it is impossible, &c. — See notes on Matthew 19:26.

Verse 30

Watson - Exposition of the Gospels of St. Matthew and St. Mark

A hundredfold now in this present time, &c. — See note on Matthew 19:29. Μετα διωγμων , with persecutions, is added to indicate that our Lord is not speaking strictly of a hundredfold reward of external felicity to be enjoyed in this life; for whatever the promise might imply, still they were to be liable to persecutions. This shows the importance of this clause as elucidatory of our Lord’s meaning, although some critics have stumbled at it, and would conjecturally amend it into μετα διωγμον , after “the persecution has ceased,” without the least authority. Besides, the very phrase shows that the words are to be understood mystically since of some things we can have but one, as, for instance, a mother, while mothers a hundredfold are yet promised. Yet are we not so to restrict the promise to spiritual consolation and advantages as to forget that even in this life those who willingly “lose” for Christ’s sake, often “find” advantages which at the time they could not expect. Here, as the early persecutions were of such a nature as often to deprive the believers of their natural relatives, who forsook and renounced them, so the compensation in the new and better friends which Christianity prepared for them may be glanced at. Thus, as one observes, “when the apostles left their own houses, the houses of all the faithful were open to them; so that, instead of one small dwelling, they had a hundred houses, — ut loco unius ædiculæ centum habuerunt domos. The lands of all the faithful ministered to them fruits and necessaries; ‘having nothing,’ as St. Paul says, ‘they possessed all things;’ and instead of one father, one mother, and a few brothers and sisters, they found a hundred of the faithful regarding them with paternal, maternal, and brotherly affection.” Chiefly, however, no doubt, does the promise, says Mr. Bolton, respect “spiritual joy in an enlarged measure, peace of conscience, contentment of soul, more familiarity with God, more communion with Jesus Christ, full assurance of his love, more sensible experience of his all-sufficiency, sweeter taste in the promises, &c.; one drop of which spiritual refreshing dews distilling upon the soul, even in the greatest outward distress; one glimpse of such glorious inward joys shining from the face of the sun of salvation into the saddest heart, into the darkest dungeon; doth incredibly surpass all the comfort which wife, children, wealth, or, in a word, all worldly good, or mortal greatness, can possibly yield.”

Verse 31

Watson - Exposition of the Gospels of St. Matthew and St. Mark

Many that are first shall be last. — Many who promise to endure persecutions with confidence shall lose the martyr’s crown through a base cowardice: and the last first, persons not esteemed as of high and solid attainments, yet shall show that the judgment of man, nay, the judgment of the Church, is often fallacious; and shall come forth as unshrinking confessors of Christ, to prison and to death.

Verses 32-34

Watson - Exposition of the Gospels of St. Matthew and St. Mark

They were amazed. — See notes on Matthew 20:17-19.

Verses 35-45

Watson - Exposition of the Gospels of St. Matthew and St. Mark

And James and John, &c. — See notes on Matthew 20:20, &c.

Verse 46

Watson - Exposition of the Gospels of St. Matthew and St. Mark

Blind Bartimeus, the son of Timeus, sat by the highwayside begging. — See the notes on Matthew 20:29, &c.

Verse 51

Watson - Exposition of the Gospels of St. Matthew and St. Mark

Lord, that I might receive, &c. — The word rendered Lord, is here Rabboni, and is a term of the greatest reverence.