--- title: "John Wesley's Notes on the Whole Bible" author: "John Wesley" languages: [en] shelf: "Commentaries" section: 282 of 398 url: https://scriptura.si/works/john-wesley-notes-on-the-whole-bible/282/ cite: "John Wesley, John Wesley's Notes on the Whole Bible, section 282. Scriptura (scriptura.si), https://scriptura.si/works/john-wesley-notes-on-the-whole-bible/282/" --- # John Wesley's Notes on the Whole Bible *John Wesley* Wesley's short, plain notes on the Old and New Testaments, verse by verse. ## 282. Mark · 3 of 7 Source: https://scriptura.si/works/john-wesley-notes-on-the-whole-bible/282/ · cite a paragraph as https://scriptura.si/works/john-wesley-notes-on-the-whole-bible/282/#p-N [¶0] He could do no miracle there - Not consistently with his wisdom and goodness. It being inconsistent with his wisdom to work them there, where it could not promote his great end; and with his goodness, seeing he well knew his countrymen would reject whatever evidence could be given them. And therefore to have given them more evidence, would only have increased their damnation. [¶1] He marvelled - As man. As he was God, nothing was strange to him. [¶2] Mt 10:1; Lu 9:1. [¶3] He commanded them to take nothing for their journey - That they might be always unincumbered, free, ready for motion. Save a staff only - He that had one might take it; but he that had not was not to provide one, Matt 10:9. Lu 9:3. [¶4] Be shod with sandals - As you usually are. Sandals were pieces of strong leather or wood, tied under the sole of the foot by thongs, something resembling modern clogs. The shoes which they are in St. Matthew forbidden to take, were a kind of short boots, reaching a little above the mid - leg, which were then commonly used in journeys. Our Lord intended by this mission to initiate them into their apostolic work. And it was doubtless an encouragement to them all their life after, to recollect the care which God took of them, when they had left all they had, and went out quite unfurnished for such an expedition. In this view our Lord himself leads them to consider it, Luke 22:35: When I sent you forth without purse or scrip, lacked ye any thing? [¶5] Mt 10:11; Lu 9:4. [¶6] Lu 9:6. [¶7] They anointed with oil many that were sick - Which St. James gives as a general direction, Jas 5:14,15, adding those peremptory words, And the Lord shall heal him - He shall be restored to health: not by the natural efficacy of the oil, but by the supernatural blessing of God. And it seems this was the great standing means of healing, desperate diseases in the Christian Church, long before extreme unction was used or heard of, which bears scarce any resemblance to it; the former being used only as a means of health; the latter only when life is despaired of. [¶8] Mt 14:1; Lu 9:7. [¶9] A prophet, as one of the prophets - Not inferior to one of the ancient prophets. [¶10] But Herod hearing thereof - Of their various judgments concerning him, still said, It is John. [¶11] And preserved him - Against all the malice and contrivances of Herodias. And when he heard him - Probably sending for him, at times, during his imprisonment, which continued a year and a half. He heard him gladly - Delusive joy! While Herodias lay in his bosom. [¶12] A convenient day - Convenient for her purpose. His lords, captains, and principal men of Galilee - The great men of the court, the army, and the province. [¶13] To the half of my kingdom - A proverbial expression. [¶14] Yet for his oath's sake, and for the sake of his guests - Herod's honour was like the conscience of the chief priests, Matt 27:6. To shed innocent blood wounded neither one nor the other. [¶15] Lu 9:10. [¶16] Mt 14:13; John 6:1. [¶17] They departed - Across a creek or corner of the lake. [¶18] Coming out - of the vessel. [¶19] They sat down in ranks - The word properly signifies a parterre or bed in a garden; by a metaphor, a company of men ranged in order, by hundreds and by fifties - That is, fifty in rank, and a hundred in file. So a hundred multiplied by fifty, make just five thousand. [¶20] Full of the fragments - of the bread. [¶21] He constrained his disciples - Who did not care to go without him. Mt 14:22. [¶22] Mt 14:23; John 6:15. [¶23] And he saw them - For the darkness could veil nothing from him. And would have passed by them - That is, walked, as if he was passing by. [¶24] Their heart was hardened - And yet they were not reprobates. It means only, they were slow and dull of apprehension. [¶25] Mt 14:34; John 6:21. [¶26] Coming from Jerusalem - Probably on purpose to find occasion against him. Mt 15:1. [¶27] Washing of cups and pots and brazen vessels and couches - The Greek word (baptisms) means indifferently either washing or sprinkling. The cups, pots, and vessels were washed; the couches sprinkled. [¶28] The tradition of the elders - The rule delivered down from your forefathers. [¶29] Isa 29:13. [¶30] Ex 20:12; Ex 21:17. [¶31] There is nothing entering into a man from without which can defile him - Though it is very true, a man may bring guilt, which is moral defilement, upon himself by eating what hurts his health, or by excess either in meat or drink yet even here the pollution arises from the wickedness of the heart, and is just proportionable to it. And this is all that our Lord asserts. [¶32] Purging all meats - Probably the seat was usually placed over running water. [¶33] Wickedness - The word means ill natured, cruelty, inhumanity, and all malevolent affections. Foolishness - Directly contrary to sobriety of thought and discourse: all kind of wild imaginations and extravagant passions. [¶34] Mt 15:21. [¶35] The woman was a Greek (that is, a Gentile, not a Jew) a Syrophenician or Canaanite. Canaan was also called Syrophenicia, as lying between Syria, properly so called, and Phenicia. [¶36] Mt 15:29. [¶37] He put his fingers into his ears - Perhaps intending to teach us, that we are not to prescribe to him (as they who brought this man attempted to do) but to expect his blessing by whatsoever means he pleases: even though there should be no proportion or resemblance between the means used, and the benefit to be conveyed thereby. [¶38] Ephphatha - This was a word of SOVEREIGN AUTHORITY, not an address to God for power to heal: such an address was needless; for Christ had a perpetual fund of power residing in himself, to work all miracles whenever he pleased, even to the raising the dead, John 5:21,26. [¶39] Them - The blind man and those that brought him. [¶40] Mt 15:32. [¶41] So they did eat - This miracle was intended to demonstrate, that Christ was the true bread which cometh down from heaven; for he who was almighty to create bread without means to support natural life, could not want power to create bread without means to support spiritual life. And this heavenly bread we stand so much in need of every moment, that we ought to be always praying, Lord, evermore give us this bread. [¶42] Tempting him - That is, trying to ensnare him. Mt 16:1. [¶43] Mt 16:4. [¶44] Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of Herod, or of the Sadducees; two opposite extremes.