CRITICAL AND EXEGETICAL NOTES
Mark 9:31. Is delivered.—Is being delivered. The last stage of His ministry, which was to culminate in His threefold “delivery”—the Father’s surrender of the Son, the Son’s surrender of Himself, and His betrayal by Judas—had now set in.
MAIN HOMILETICS OF THE PARAGRAPH.— Mark 9:30-32
(PARALLELS: Matthew 17:22-23; Luke 9:43-45.)
More explicit prediction of sufferings.—After His transfiguration, and the performance of the above miracle, Christ proceeded through Galilee towards Jerusalem. He travels unknown, in order that He might instruct His disciples. An example of how we may spend time by the way.
I. He explained to them His present state: “The Son of Man is delivered.”—
1. He had already been delivered by the Father—in purpose, promise, and deed—to stand in our room.
2. He had delivered Himself to law and justice, to be a curse for us.
3. He was about to be delivered by a traitorous disciple. Among the twelve He seems to have for a while a retreat; but He is betrayed.
4. The Father and Himself, in thus acting, shewed love—Judas, avarice.
II. He told them the parties into whose power He had been given; “Into the hands of men.”—
1. To be delivered into the hands of men is to be put into their power—to do to Him and with Him as they chose.
2. They could have this power only by special permission—from the Father and Himself.
3. It is marvellous that He should have been delivered into the hands of men. God in humanity.
(1) It tested their character, and brought out their desperate wickedness.
(2) It proved the voluntariness of His obedience.
(3) It shewed how blind sin is in its supposed triumphs—how God brings glory out of rebellion.
III. He told them what must befall Him at the hands of men: “They shall kill Him.”—
1. That Christ was to die was not now foretold for the first time.
(1) In sacrifice He had been slain since the beginning of the world.
(2) His sufferings had been predicted.
(3) He had been hated in His law.
(4) Killed in His people.
(5) His life had been sought already.
(6) The death of Christ was no singular event in the display of human character involved.
2. Conscience tells man that death is penal, and he uses it as such, and as the height of punishment. Man proclaimed Christ guilty.
3. Intensity of revenge leads him sometimes to add torture to death. Man proclaimed his own hatred to Christ.
4. This death of Christ was necessary.
5. Did take place—religion—law—power—people.
IV. He revealed to them the future by telling them of His resurrection.—
1. Man’s power and agency ended with His death.
2. Christ’s resurrection was the result of an agency neither human nor satanic, but Divine.
(1) Scripture prophecy called for it.
(2) His office and undertaking called for it.
(3) Divine justice called for it.
(4) The exalted connexion of His humanity called for it.
(5) The defeat of him who had the power of death led to it.
3. Christ followed man to death. Man follows Christ to life.
V. We see that Christ had His sufferings ever in view.—
1. He knew Judas’ part, and the priests’ and the people’s. He saw in their bosoms the fire, etc.
2. He anticipates the Father’s. He knew His ire.
3. The feelings with which He approached these are mentioned, Luke 12:50; John 12:27.
VI. He also kept in view that which was to follow.—
1. He contemplated the whole truth, and the one part balanced with the other.
2. “For the joy that was set before Him,” etc.—Jas. Stewart.
OUTLINES AND COMMENTS ON THE VERSES
Mark 9:31. Sufferings and glory intimately connected.—Jesus knew beforehand the whole amount of His sufferings, in all their connexions and bearings; and therefore never foretold them without likewise foretelling His resurrection; neither did He foretell this without foretelling His sufferings. Thus doth true faith apprehend the latter and the former as one entire matter, and makes very much of everything pertaining to either. Here is something for exercising the heart—something which must never be lost sight of, in the darkest night of affliction, or in the clearest blaze of the terrestrial noon; for it is to “guide our feet into the way of peace.” As we hold a candle to the flame until it is fully lighted, so we must hold ourselves to this subject with affecting meditation (Luke 24:26; 1 Peter 5:1; 2 Corinthians 13:4).—J. A. Bengel.
Mark 9:32. Lessons.—
1. The spirit cannot understand what the flesh is unwilling to suffer.
2. This seed which Christ seems unprofitably to cast into a barren soil will bring forth fruit in due time.
3. We must not give over instructing, how dull soever the understandings of men are as to heavenly truths: the Spirit of God can open them, as He opened those of the apostles.
4. We ought to be ashamed of that unreasonable bashfulness which makes us choose rather to continue ignorant than to discover our ignorance. Nothing but humility can secure us from it.—P. Quesnel.
Understanding must precede speech.—It is not to no purpose to speak things that are not presently understood. Seed, though it lies in the ground awhile unseen, is not lost or thrown away, but will bring forth fruit. If you confine your teacher, you hinder your learning; if you limit his discourses to your present apprehensions, how shall he raise your understandings? If he accommodate all things to your present weakness, you will never be the wiser than you are now; you will be always in swaddling clothes (John 2:22; John 14:26).—Dr. Whichcote.
ILLUSTRATIONS TO CHAPTER 9
Mark 9:31. Christ’s knowledge of His future.—Christ deals with His future as men deal with their past. This is entirely different from these mere presentiments of death which are sometimes, no doubt, as extraordinary as they are pathetic. A brave officer is ordered abroad for a campaign. On his voyage out his heart turns to his family, to his wife and children. After he lands, before going into action, he writes tender words in the light of an eternal world. They reach us when the hand is cold that traced the lines, when the eyes are closed that were half blinded with the salt mist of love. We read the presentiment into a prophecy, the felt probability into a certainty. Yet, in truth, such anticipations are generally vague enough. Hundreds have written such letters for whom they have not been fulfilled. It was not so with Christ. In the army of the greatest of all human captains there was a regiment, at the head of whose list was the name of one brave soldier, called first whenever the roll was called, with the addition of “killed upon the field of battle.” So stood the name of the Son of God in His own hearing every day of His life.—Bishop Wm. Alexander.