8:41 And when much people were gathered together, and were
come to him out of every city, he spake by a parable:
(1) The same gospel is sown everywhere, but does not everywhere
yield the same fruit, and this is only due to the fault of
men themselves.
8:10 And he said, Unto you it is given to know the a mysteries
of the kingdom of God: but to others in parables; that
seeing they might not see, and hearing they might not
understand.
(a) Those things are called secret which may not be
uttered: for the word used here is equivalent to our
saying, "to hold a man's peace".
8:14 And that which fell among thorns are they, which, when they
have heard, b go forth, and are choked with cares and
riches and pleasures of [this] life, and c bring no fruit
to perfection.
(b) That is, as soon as they have heard the word, they go
about their business.
(c) They do not bring forth perfect and full fruit to the
ripening: or, they begin, but they do not bring to an
end.
8:15 But that on the good ground are they, which in an d
honest and good heart, having heard the word, e keep
[it], and bring forth fruit with patience.
(d) Who seek not only to seem to be such, but are indeed
so: so that this word "honest" refers to the
outward life, and the word "good" refers to the good
gifts of the mind.
(e) With much difficulty, for the devil and the flesh fight
against the Spirit of God, who is a new guest.
8:162 No man, when he hath lighted a candle, covereth it with
a vessel, or putteth [it] under a bed; but setteth [it] on
a candlestick, that they which enter in may see the light.
(2) That which every man has received in private he ought
to bestow to the use and profit of all men.
8:183 Take f heed therefore how ye hear: for whosoever
hath, to him shall be given; and whosoever hath not, from
him shall be taken even that g which he seemeth to have.
(3) Heavenly gifts are lost when one is sparing with them, and
increase when one is liberal with them.
(f) That is, with what minds you come to hear the word, and
how you behave yourselves when you have heard it.
(g) Either to himself, or to others, or to both: for there
are none so proud as these fellows, if it were possible
to see those things which they disguise: neither are
there those that deceive the simple more than they do.
8:194 Then came to him [his] mother and his brethren, and
could not come at him for the press.
(4) There is no relationship of flesh and blood among men so
intimate and upright as the band which is between Christ
and those who embrace him with a true faith.
8:225 Now it came to pass on a certain day, that he went into
a ship with his disciples: and he said unto them, Let us go
over unto the other side of the lake. And they launched
forth.
(5) It is expedient for us sometimes to come into extreme
danger, as though Christ was not with us, that we may have
a better test, both of his power, and also of our weakness.
8:23 But as they sailed he fell h asleep: and there came down
a storm of wind on the lake; and i they were filled [with
water], and were in jeopardy.
(h) Jesus fell asleep, and it appears that he was very fast
asleep, because they called him twice before he awoke.
(i) Not the disciples, but the ship.
8:276 And when he went forth to land, there met him out of
the city a certain man, which had devils long time, and
ware no clothes, neither abode in [any] house, but in the
tombs.
(6) Christ shows by casting out a legion of demons by his word
alone that his heavenly power was appointed to deliver men
from the slavery of the devil: but foolish men for the most
part will not redeem this so excellent grace freely offered
unto them if it means the loss of even the least of their
wealth.
8:29 (For he had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the
man. For oftentimes it had caught him: and he was kept
bound with chains and in fetters; and he brake the bands,
k and was driven of the devil into the wilderness.)
(k) By force and violence, as a horse when he is spurred.
8:39 Return to thine own house, and shew how great things God
hath done unto thee. And he went his way, and published l
throughout the whole city how great things Jesus had done
unto him.
(l) That is, the city of the Gadarenes: and though Mark
says that he preached it in Decapolis, these accounts
do not differ, for Pliny records in lib. 5, chap. 18,
that Gadara is a town of Decapolis: so that Decapolis
was partly on this side of Jordan, and partly on the
other side.
8:40 And it came to pass, that, when Jesus was returned, the
people m [gladly] received him: for they were all waiting
for him.
(m) The multitude was glad he had come again, and greatly
rejoiced.
8:417 And, behold, there came a man named Jairus, and he was
a ruler of the synagogue: and he fell down at Jesus' feet,
and besought him that he would come into his house:
(7) Christ shows by a double miracle that he is Lord both of
life and death.
8:43 And a woman having an issue of blood twelve years, which
had spent all her n living upon physicians, neither could
be healed of any,
(n) All that she had to live upon.
8:52 And all wept, and o bewailed her: but he said, Weep not;
she is not dead, but sleepeth.
(o) The word signifies to beat and strike, and is used in
the mournings and lamentations that are at burials, at
which times men used this type of behaviour.
8:55 And her spirit came again, and she p arose straightway:
and he commanded to give her meat.
(p) The corpse was lying there, and then the young girl
received life, and rose out of the bed, that all the
world might see that she was not only restored to life,
but also void of all sickness.
