Mar 10 | Geneva | STEP | And he {a} arose from thence, and cometh into the coasts of Judaea by the farther side of Jordan: and the people resort unto him again; and, as he was wont, he taught them again. (a) That is to say, departed and went from there: for in the Hebrew language sitting and dwelling are the same thing, and so are rising and going forth.

‏ Mark 10

And he {a} arose from thence, and cometh into the coasts of Judaea by the farther side of Jordan: and the people resort unto him again; and, as he was wont, he taught them again.

(a) That is to say, departed and went from there: for in the Hebrew language sitting and dwelling are the same thing, and so are rising and going forth. {1} And Jesus answered and said unto them, For the hardness of your heart he wrote you this {b} precept.

(1) God never allowed those divorces which the law tolerated. (b) See Mt 19:3-12. For Moses gave them no commandment to put away their wives, but rather made a good stipulation for the wives to protect them from the stubborn hardness of their husbands. And he saith unto them, Whosoever shall put away his wife, and marry another, committeth adultery {c} against her.

(c) Whom he puts away, for he is an adulterer by keeping company with another. {2} And they brought young children to him, that he should touch them: and [his] disciples rebuked those that brought [them].

(2) God in his goodness is concerned not only for the parents, but the children as well: and therefore he blesses them. (Ed.) Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God {3} as a little child, he shall not enter therein.

(3) In our malice we must become as children if we will enter into the kingdom of heaven. {4} And when he was gone forth into the way, there came one running, and kneeled to him, and asked him, Good Master, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?

(4) Two things are to be greatly avoided by those who earnestly seek eternal life: the first is an opinion of their merits or deservings, which is not only understood, but condemned by the due consideration of the law: and the second is the love of riches, which turns aside many from that race in which they ran with a good courage. Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, {d} Defraud not, Honour thy father and mother.

(d) Neither by force nor deceit, nor any other means at all. {5} Then Peter began to say unto him, Lo, we have left all, and have followed thee.

(5) To neglect everything in comparison with Christ is a sure way unto eternal life, so that we do not fall away along the path. But he shall receive an {e} hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, {f} with persecutions; and in the world to come eternal life.

(e) A hundred times as much, if we use the commodities of this life in a proper way, so that we use them in accordance with the will of God, and not just to gain the wealth itself, and to fulfil our greedy desire. (f) Even in the midst of persecutions. {6} And they were in the way going up to Jerusalem; and Jesus went before them: and they were amazed; and as they followed, they were afraid. And he took again the twelve, and began to tell them what things should happen unto him,

(6) The disciples are again prepared not to be overcome by the foretelling unto them of his death, which was at hand, and in addition about his life, which would most certainly follow. {7} And James and John, the sons of Zebedee, come unto him, saying, Master, {g} we would that thou shouldest do for us whatsoever we shall desire.

(7) We must first strive before we triumph. (g) We pray thee. {8} But Jesus called them [to him], and saith unto them, Ye know that {h} they which are accounted to rule over the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and their great ones exercise authority upon them.

(8) The magistrates according to God's appointment rule over their subjects: but the pastors are not called to rule, but to serve according to the example of the Son of God himself who went before them, for in doing such he also was a minister of his Father's will. (h) They to whom it is decreed and appointed. {9} And they came to Jericho: and as he went out of Jericho with his disciples and a great number of people, blind Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, sat by the highway side begging.

(9) Only Christ being called upon by faith heals our blindness.