01150
 \\And straightway with the Herodians took council\\ (\\euthus meta tn\\
 \\Hridiann\\). The Pharisees could stand no more. So out they
 stalked at once in a rage of madness
 # Lu 6:11
 and outside of the synagogue took counsel (\\sumboulion epoisan\\)
 or gave counsel (\\sumboulion edidoun\\, as some MSS. have it,
 imperfect tense, offered counsel as their solution of the
 problem) with their bitter enemies, the Herodians, on the sabbath
 day still "how they might destroy him" (\\hops auton apolessin\\),
 a striking illustration of the alternatives of Jesus a few
 moments before, "to save life or to kill." This is the first
 mention of the Herodians or adherents of Herod Antipas and the
 Herod family rather than the Romans. The Pharisees would welcome
 the help of their rivals to destroy Jesus. In the presence of
 Jesus they unite their forces as in
 # Mr 8:15; 12:13; Mt 22:16

01151
 \\Withdrew to the sea\\ (\\anechrsen eis tn thalassan\\). Evidently
 Jesus knew of the plot to kill him, "perceiving it"
 # Mt 12:15
 "He and His would be safer by the open beach" (Swete). He has the
 disciples with him. Vincent notes that on eleven occasions Mark
 mentions the withdrawals of Jesus to escape his enemies, for
 prayer, for rest, for private conference with his disciples
 # 1:12; 3:7; 6:31,46; 7:24,31; 9:2; 10:1; 14:34
 But, as often, a great multitude (\\polu plthos\\) from Galilee
 followed him.

01152
 \\Hearing what great things he did\\ (\\akouontes hosa poiei\\).
 Masculine plural present participle, though \\plthos\\ is neuter
 singular (construction according to sense in both number and
 gender). This crowd by the sea came from Galilee, Judea,
 Jerusalem, Idumea, beyond Jordan (Decapolis and Perea), Tyre and
 Sidon, Phoenicia, North, South, East, and Northwest, even from
 Idumea (mentioned here alone in the N.T.) won by John Hyrcanus to
 Palestine. "In our Lord's time Idumea was practically a part of
 Judea with a Jewish circumcised population" (George Adam Smith).
 Many of these were probably Gentiles (Phoenicia and Decapolis)
 and may have known only the Greek language. The fame of Jesus had
 spread through all the regions round about. There was a jam as
 the crowds came to Jesus by the Sea of Galilee.

01153
 \\That a little boat should wait on him\\ (\\hina ploiarion\\
 \\proskarteri auti\\). The boat was to keep close (note present
 tense subjunctive of \\proskartere\\) to the shore in constant
 readiness and move as Jesus did. Whether he needed it or not is
 not told, but it was there at hand. \\Lest they should throng him\\
 (\\hina m thlibsin auton\\). Press or crush him. Jesus stayed with
 the crowds for they needed him. Present subjunctive again.

01154
 \\Pressed upon him\\ (\\epipiptein auti\\). Were falling upon him to
 such an extent that it was dangerous. They were not hostile, but
 simply intensely eager, each to have his own case attended to by
 Jesus. \\That they might touch him\\ (\\hina autou hapsntai\\). If only
 that much. They hoped for a cure by contact with Christ. Aorist
 subjunctive. It was a really pathetic scene and a tremendous
 strain on Jesus. \\As many as had plagues\\ (\\hosoi eichon mastigas\\).
 Strokes or scourges, terms used by us today as a paralytic
 stroke, the influenza scourge. Our word plague is from \\plg\\
 (Latin _plaga_), from \\plgnumi\\, to strike a blow. Common in
 ancient Greek in this sense. See
 # Mr 5:29,34; Lu 7:21
 for the same use of \\mastiges\\ and also 2Macc. 9:11.

01155
 \\Whensoever they beheld him\\ (\\hotan auton etheroun\\). Imperfect
 indicative with \\hotan\\ of repeated action. They kept falling down
 before him (\\prosepipton\\) and crying, (\\ekrazon\\) and he kept
 charging or rebuking (\\epitim\\) them, all imperfects. The unclean
 spirits (demons) recognize Jesus as the Son of God, as before.
 Jesus charged them not to make him known as he had also done
 before. He did not wish this testimony. It was a most exciting
 ordeal and is given only by Mark. Note non-final use of \\hina\\.

01156
01157
 \\He goeth up into the mountain\\ (\\anabainei eis to oros\\). So Matthew
 # Mt 5:1
 and Luke
 # Lu 6:12
 "to pray" Luke adds. Historical present so common in Mark's vivid
 narrative. Neither Gospel gives the name of the mountain,
 assuming it as well known, probably not far from the lake. \\Whom\\
 \\he himself would\\ (\\hous thelen autos\\). Emphatic use of \\autos\\
 (himself) at end of sentence. Whether by personal imitation or
 through the disciples Jesus invites or calls to himself
 (\\proskaleitai\\, historical middle present indicative) a select
 number out of the vast crowds by the sea, those whom he really
 wished to be with him. \\They went off to him\\ (\\aplthon pros\\
 \\auton\\). Luke states that Jesus "continued all night in prayer, to
 God." It was a crisis in the ministry of Christ. This select
 group up in the hills probably respected the long agony of Jesus
 though they did not comprehend his motive. They formed a sort of
 spiritual body-guard around the Master during his night vigil in
 the mountain.

01158
 \\He appointed twelve\\ (\\epoisen ddeka\\). This was a second
 selection out of those invited to the hills and after the night
 of prayer and after day came
 # Lu 6:13
 Why he chose twelve we are not told, probably because there were
 twelve tribes in Israel. It was a good round number at any rate.
 They were to be princes in the new Israel (cf.
 # Mt 19:28; Lu 22:30; Re 21:14,15
 Luke
 # Lu 6:13-16
 also gives the list of the twelve at this point while Matthew
 # Mt 10:1-4
 postpones giving the names till they are sent out in Galilee.
 There is a fourth list in
 # Ac 1:13
 For discussion of the names of the apostles,
 see note on "Mt 10:1"
 ... through verse 4
  and pp. 271-3 of my _Harmony of the Gospels for Students of the
 Life of Christ_. The three groups of four begin alike (Simon,
 Philip, James). There are some difficulties. \\Whom he also named\\
 \\apostles\\ (\\hous kai apostolous nomasen\\). Margin of Revised
 Version, the text of Westcott and Hort after Aleph, B, C, etc.
 Genuine in
 # Lu 6:13
 and probably so here. The meaning is that Jesus himself gave the
 name apostle or missionary (\\apostell\\, to send) to this group of
 twelve. The word is applied in the New Testament to others
 besides as delegates or messengers of churches
 # 2Co 8:23; Php 2:25
 and messenger
 # Joh 13:16
 It is applied also to Paul on a par with the twelve
 # Ga 1:1,11
 etc.) and also to Barnabas
 # Ac 14:14
 and perhaps also to Timothy and Silas
 # 1Ti 2:6
 Two purposes of Jesus are mentioned by Mark in the choice of
 these twelve, \\that they might be with him\\ (\\hina sin met' autou\\),
 \\and that he might send them forth\\ (\\kai hina apostelli autous\\).
 They were not ready to be sent forth till they had been with
 Jesus for some time. This is one of the chief tasks of Christ to
 train this group of men. See Bruce's _The Training of the
 Twelve_. The very word \\apostolos\\ is from \\apostell\\. There were
 two purposes in sending them forth expressed by two infinitives,
 one to preach (\\krussein\\, from \\krux\\, herald), the other to have
 power to cast out demons (\\echein exousian ekballein ta daimonia\\).
 This double ministry of preaching and healing was to mark their
 work. The two things are, however, different, and one does not
 necessarily involve the other.

01159
01160
 \\Simon he surnamed Peter\\ (\\epethken onoma ti Simni Petron\\). The
 Greek idiom seems awkward, but it is not. Peter is in apposition
 with _name_ or \\onoma\\ (accusative). This surname Jesus gave in
 addition (\\epethken\\) to Simon (dative case). Here then is a
 direct reference to what is told in
 # Joh 1:42
 when Jesus met Simon for the first time. Mark here reflects
 Peter's own words. Luke
 # Lu 6:14
 simply says "Whom he also surnamed Peter." See
 # Mt 16:18
 for the full explanation of the name Peter, a Rock, Cephas.

01161
 \\Boanerges, which is Sons of thunder\\ (\\Boanrges ho estin huioi\\
 \\bronts\\). This Hebrew nickname is given only by Mark and the
 reason for it is not clear. It may refer to the fiery temperament
 revealed in
 # Lu 9:34
 when James and John wanted to call down fire on the Samaritan
 villages that were unfriendly to them. The word literally means
 \\sons of tumult, sons of thunder\\ in Syriac. No other epithets are
 given by Mark save descriptions to distinguish as Simon the
 Cananaean (or Zealot) and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed him
 (verse
 # 19
 Andrew, (from \\anr\\, a man) and Philip (Philippos, fond of horses)
 are both Greek names. Bartholomew, son of Tolmai, is the
 Nathanael of John's Gospel
 # Joh 21:2
 He probably had both names. Matthew is a Hebrew name meaning gift
 of God (\\Maththaios\\). Thomas is Hebrew and means Twin (Didymus,
 # Joh 11:16
 There are two uses of the name of James (\\Iacbos\\, Jacob).
 Thaddeus is another name for Lebbaeus.

01162
01163
 \\He cometh into a house\\ (\\erchetai eis oikon\\). Historical present
 again and no article with noun. He comes home from the mountain,
 probably the house of Simon as in
 # 1:29
 Mark passes by the Sermon on the Mount given by Matthew and Luke
 on the mountain (plateau on the mountain in Luke). We have to
 allow a reasonable interval for Mark's narrative. Mark's Gospel
 is full of action and does not undertake to tell all that Jesus
 did and said.

01164
 \\So that they could not so much as eat bread\\ (\\hste m dunasthai\\
 \\autous mde arton phagein\\). Note infinitive with \\hste\\.
 Apparently Jesus and the disciples indoors with the great crowd
 in the house and at the door as in
 # 1:32; 2:2
 to which Mark refers by "again." The jam was so great that they
 could not rest, could not eat, and apparently Jesus could not
 even teach. The crowd reassembled at once on Christ's return from
 the mountain.

01165
 \\His friends\\ (\\hoi par' autou\\). The phrase means literally "those
 from the side of him (Jesus)." It could mean another circle of
 disciples who had just arrived and who knew of the crowds and
 strain of the Galilean ministry who now come at this special
 juncture. But the idiom most likely means the kinspeople or
 family of Jesus as is common in the LXX. The fact that in verse
 # 31
 "his mother and his brothers" are expressly mentioned would
 indicate that they are "the friends" alluded to in verse
 # 21
 It is a mournful spectacle to think of the mother and brothers
 saying, \\He is beside himself\\ (\\exest\\). Second aorist active
 indicative intransitive. The same charge was brought against Paul
 # Ac 26:24; 2Co 5:13
 We say that one is out of his head. Certainly Mary did not
 believe that Jesus was in the power of Beelzebub as the rabbis
 said already. The scribes from Jerusalem are trying to discount
 the power and prestige of Jesus
 # 3:22
 See note on "Mt 9:32"
 ... through verse 34
 See note on "Mt 10:25"
 See note on "Mt 12:24"
  for Beelzebub and Beelzebul. Mary probably felt that Jesus was
 overwrought and wished to take him home out of the excitement and
 strain that he might get rest and proper food. See my _The Mother
 of Jesus: Her Problems and Her Glory_. The brothers did not as
 yet believe the pretensions and claims of Jesus
 # Joh 7:5
 Herod Antipas will later consider Jesus as John the Baptist
 _redivivus_, the scribes treat him as under demonic possession,
 even the family and friends fear a disordered mind as a result of
 overstrain. It was a crucial moment for Jesus. His family or
 friends came to take him home, to lay hold of him (\\kratsai\\),
 forcibly if need be.

01166
01167
 \\In parables\\ (\\en parabolais\\). In crisp pungent thrusts that
 exposed the inconsistencies of the scribes and Pharisees.
 See note on "Mt 3:13"
  for discussion of the word \\parable\\ (\\parabol\\, placing beside for
 comparison). These short parabolic quips concern Satan's casting
 out (\\ekballei\\, the very word used of casting out demons) Satan
 (rhetorical question), a kingdom divided (\\meristhi\\, for a mere
 portion) against itself, a house divided (\\meristhi\\) against
 itself, two conditions of the third class undetermined, but with
 prospect of determination.

01168
01169
01170
01171
 \\Spoil\\ (\\diarpasai\\). Plunder, compound verb, thoroughly ransack.
 Picture of Satan plundering the demons, the very tools (\\skeu\\) by
 which he carried on his business. A _reductio ad absurdum_. Jesus
 is the conqueror of Satan, not in league with him.

01172
01173
 \\Guilty of an eternal sin\\ (\\enochos estin ainiou hamartmatos\\).
 The genitive of the penalty occurs here with \\enochos\\. In saying
 that Jesus had an unclean spirit (verse
 # 30
 they had attributed to the devil the work of the Holy Spirit.
 This is the unpardonable sin and it can be committed today by men
 who call the work of Christ the work of the devil, Nietzsche may
 be cited as an instance in point. Those who hope for a second
 probation hereafter may ponder carefully how a soul that
 eternally sins in such an environment can ever repent. That is
 eternal punishment. The text here is \\hamartmatos\\ (sin), not
 \\krises\\ (judgment), as the Textus Receptus has it.

01174
01175
 \\Standing without\\ (\\ex stkontes\\). A late present from the perfect
 \\hestka\\. Pathetic picture of the mother and brothers standing on
 the outside of the house thinking that Jesus inside is beside
 himself and wanting to take him home. They were crowded out. \\They\\
 \\sent unto him, calling him\\ (\\apesteilan pros auton kalountes\\
 \\auton\\). They were unwilling to disclose their errand to take him
 home (Swete) and so get the crowd to pass word unto Jesus on the
 inside, "calling him" through others. Some of the MSS. add
 "sisters" to mother and brothers as seeking Jesus.

01176
 \\Was sitting about him\\ (\\ekathto peri auton\\). They sat in a circle
 (\\kukli\\) around Jesus with the disciples forming a sort of inner
 circle.

01177
01178
 \\Looking round on them\\ (\\periblepsamenos\\). Another of Mark's
 life-like touches. Jesus calls those who do the will of God his
 mother, brothers, and sisters. This does not prove that the
 sisters were actually there. The brothers were hostile and that
 gives point to the tragic words of Jesus. One's heart goes out to
 Mary who has to go back home without even seeing her wondrous
 Son. What did it all mean to her at this hour?

01179
01180
 \\Sat in the sea\\ (\\kathsthai en ti thalassi\\). In the boat, of
 course, which was in the sea. He first sat by the beach
 # Mt 13:1
 and then a very great multitude (\\ochlos pleistos\\) made him enter
 a boat in which he sat and taught. It was a common experience now
 to teach the crowds on the beach
 # 2:1,13; 3:7-9
 \\There is gathered\\ (\\sunagetai\\). Graphic pictorial present again.
 See the crowds pressing Jesus into the sea.

01181
 \\He taught them\\ (\\edidasken autous\\). Imperfect tense describing it
 as going on. \\In parables\\ (\\en parabolais\\). As in
 # 3:23
 only here more extended parables.
 See note on "Mt 4:13"
  for discussion concerning Christ's use of parables. Eight are
 given there, one (the Lamp both in
 # Mr 4:21
 and
 # Lu 8:16
 (both Sower and the Lamp in Luke), one alone in
 # Mr 4:26-29
 (seed growing of itself) not in Matthew or Luke, ten on this
 occasion. Only four are mentioned in
 # Mr 4:1-34
 (The Sower, the Lamp, the Seed Growing of Itself, the Mustard
 Seed). But Mark adds
 # 4:34
 "without a parable spake he not unto them," clearly meaning that
 Jesus spoke many others on this occasion and Matt. after
 mentioning eight
 # Mt 13:34
 makes the same statement. Manifestly, therefore, Jesus spoke many
 parables on this day and all theories of exegesis or
 dispensations on the basis of the number of these kingdom
 parables are quite beside the mark. In beginning Jesus said:
 \\Hearken\\ (\\Akouete\\). It is significant that even Jesus had to ask
 people to listen when he spoke. See also verse
 # 9

01182
01183
01184
01185
01186
 \\Choked\\ (\\sunepnixan\\). \\Pnig\\ means to strangle, throttle. Mark has
 the compounded form with \\sun-\\, squeezed together.
 # Mt 13:7
 has \\apepnixan\\, \\choked off\\. \\Yielded no fruit\\ (\\karpon ouk edkan\\).
 In Mark alone. Barren in results.

01187
 \\Growing up and increasing\\ (\\anabainonta kai auxanomena\\). In Mark
 alone. A vivid detail enlarging on the continued growth implied
 in the imperfect "yielded fruit" (\\edidou karpon\\). It kept on
 yielding as it grew. Fruit is what matters.

01188
01189
 \\When he was alone\\ (\\hote egeneto kata monas\\). Only in Mark. Vivid
 recollection of Peter. Mark has also "they that were about him
 with the twelve" (\\hoi peri auton sun tois ddeka\\), Matthew and
 Luke simply "the disciples." They did not want the multitude to
 see that they did not understand the teaching of Jesus.

01190
 \\Unto you is given the mystery of the kingdom of God\\ (\\Humin to\\
 \\mustrion dedotai ts basileias tou theou\\).
 See note on "Mt 13:11"
  for word \\mustrion\\. Here
 # Mr 4:11; Mt 13:11; Lu 8:10
 alone in the Gospels, but in Paul 21 times and in the Revelation
 4 times. It is frequent in Daniel and O.T. Apocrypha. Matthew and
 Luke use it here in the plural. Matthew and Luke add the word \\to\\
 \\know\\ (\\gnnai\\), but Mark's presentation covers a wider range than
 growing knowledge, the permanent possession of the mystery even
 before they understand it. The secret is no longer hidden from
 the initiated. Discipleship means initiation into the secret of
 God's kingdom and it will come gradually to these men. \\But unto\\
 \\them that are without\\ (\\ekeinois de tois ex\\). Peculiar to Mark,
 those outside our circle, the uninitiated, the hostile group like
 the scribes and Pharisees, who were charging Jesus with being in
 league with Beelzebub.
 # Lu 8:10
 has "to the rest" (\\tois loipois\\),
 # Mt 13:11
 simply "to them" (\\ekeinois\\). Without the key the parables are
 hard to understand, for parables veil the truth of the kingdom
 being stated in terms of another realm. Without a spiritual truth
 and insight they are unintelligible and are often today
 perverted. The parables are thus a condemnation on the wilfully
 blind and hostile, while a guide and blessing to the enlightened.
 \\That\\ (\\hina\\). Mark has the construction of the Hebrew "lest" of
 # Isa 6:9
 with the subjunctive and so
 # Lu 8:10
 while
 # Mt 13:13
 uses causal \\hoti\\ with the indicative following the LXX.
 See note on "Mt 13:13"
  for the so-called causal use of \\hina\\. Gould on
 # Mr 4:12
 has an intelligent discussion of the differences between Matthew
 and Mark and Luke. He argues that Mark here probably "preserves
 the original form of Jesus' saying." God ironically commands
 Isaiah to harden the hearts of the people. If the notion of
 purpose is preserved in the use of \\hina\\ in Mark and Luke, there
 is probably some irony also in the sad words of Jesus. If \\hina\\ is
 given the causative use of \\hoti\\ in Matthew, the difficulty
 disappears. What is certain is that the use of parables on this
 occasion was a penalty for judicial blindness on those who will
 not see.

01191
 \\Lest haply they should turn again, and it should be forgiven\\
 \\them\\ (\\mpote epistrepssin kai aphethi autois\\). Luke does not
 have these difficult words that seem in Isaiah to have an
 ironical turn, though
 # Mt 13:15
 does retain them even after using \\hoti\\ for the first part of the
 quotation. There is no way to make \\mpote\\ in
 # Mr 4:12
 and
 # Mt 13:15
 have a causal sense. It is the purpose of condemnation for wilful
 blindness and rejection such as suits the Pharisees after their
 blasphemous accusation against Jesus. Bengel says: _iam ante non
 videbant, nunc accedit iudicium divinum_. Jesus is pronouncing
 their doom in the language of Isaiah. It sounds like the dirge of
 the damned.

01192
 \\Know ye not this parable?\\ (\\ouk oidate tn paraboln tauten;\\).
 They had asked Jesus his reasons for using parables. This
 question implies surprise at their dulness though initiated into
 the secret of God's Kingdom. Incapacity to comprehend this
 parable of the sower raises doubt about all the others on this
 day and at all times.

01193
 \\The sower soweth the word\\ (\\ho speirn ton logon speirei\\). Not put
 thus clearly and simply in
 # Mt 13:19
 or
 # Lu 8:11

01194
 \\Where the word is sown\\ (\\hopou speiretai ho logos\\). Explanatory
 detail only in Mark. \\Satan\\ (\\Satans\\) where
 # Mt 13:19
 has \\the evil one\\ (\\ho ponros\\) and
 # Lu 8:12
 \\the devil\\ (\\ho diabolos\\). \\Sown in them\\ (\\esparmenon eis autous\\).
 Within them, not just among them, "in his heart" (Matt.).

01195
01196
01197
01198
 \\The lusts of other things\\ (\\hai peri ta loipa epithumiai\\). All the
 passions or longings, sensual, worldly, "pleasures of this life"
 (\\hdonn tou biou\\) as Luke has it
 # Lu 8:14
 the world of sense drowning the world of spirit. The word
 \\epithumia\\ is not evil in itself. One can yearn (this word) for
 what is high and holy
 # Lu 22:15; Php 1:23

01199
 \\Bear fruit\\ (\\karpophorousin\\). Same word in
 # Mt 13:23
 and
 # Lu 8:15
 Mark gives the order from thirty, sixty, to a hundred, while
 # Mt 13:23
 has it reversed.
