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In this chapter, we have, I. Christ's dispute with the Pharisees concerning divorce (Mar 10:1-12). II. The kind entertainment he gave to the little children that were brought to him to be blessed (Mar 10:13-16). III. His trial of the rich man that enquired what he must do to get to heaven (Mar 10:17-22). IV. His discourse with his disciples, upon that occasion, concerning the peril of riches (Mar 10:23-27), and the advantage of being impoverished for his sake (Mar 10:28-31). V. The repeated notice he gave his disciples of his sufferings and death approaching (Mar 10:32-34). VI. The counsel he gave to James and John, to think of suffering with him, rather than of reigning with him (v. 15-45). VII. The cure of Bartimeus, a poor blind man (Mar 10:46-52). All which passages of story we had the substance of before, Mt. 19 and 20.

And he arose from thence,.... From Galilee, and particularly from Capernaum: and cometh into the coasts of Judea; into those places, which bordered on that part of the land of Israel, called Judea, as distinct from Galilee: by, or rather "to" the further side of Jordan; which he crossed at the bridge of Chammath: the particular place he came to was Bethabara; see Joh 10:40, where John formerly preached, and baptized: and the people resorted unto him again; great multitudes followed him out of Galilee, and more doubtless flocked to him from the adjacent parts, when they heard of his coming again to them. And, as he was wont, he taught them again: it had been his custom before, and so it was wherever he went, to preach the word of God, and teach men what was profitable to them, and useful for the good of their immortal souls; and so he did now, and here: and not only so, but healed many of them of their bodily disorders, as Matthew relates, Mat 19:2.

But Jesus said unto them,.... Not by granting them what they desired, but by observing their ignorance to them; ye know not what ye ask: for sometimes good men are ignorant petitioners at the throne of grace; they are under the influence of their own spirits, and not the Spirit of God; they are prompted to ask things from a selfish principle, and not with a view to the glory of God, and their own spiritual welfare, and that of others: and indeed, the best of saints know not what they should pray for as they ought; and always stand in need of the help, assistance, and intercession of the Spirit of God; who is a Spirit of grace and supplication, and searches the deep things of God, and knows his mind and will, and what is suitable and convenient for his people; and whenever they pray without him, there is much darkness and ignorance in them, and in their petitions. In particular, these disciples knew not what they were asking for; they had no true notion of Christ's kingdom and glory, they were asking the chief places in; they were dreaming of worldly glory and grandeur, in which they imagined the kingdom of the Messiah would quickly appear: whereas his kingdom, in the present state of things, is not of this world, but of a spiritual nature; namely, the Gospel dispensation, which lies in the ministration of his word and ordinances, and in the distribution of his gifts and grace; and his kingdom and glory in the world to come, are things which eye has not seen, nor ear heard: they talked of things which would never be, either in Christ's kingdom, in earth or in heaven; fancying there would be posts of honour and profit, which some would be advanced to in it, signified by sitting at his right hand and left; whereas in the Gospel church state, the apostles, governors, and officers of the church were alike, and had no superiority over one another, but were all brethren, having one master, Christ; and the members of the churches are of the same body, and members one of another; and in the ultimate glory, there will be no degrees, but all the saints will share the same happiness: can ye drink of the cup that I drink of, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with? Which Christ speaks of in the present time, partly because his sorrows and sufferings were already begun: he had already been drinking of the cup of sorrows, being a man of sorrows and acquainted with griefs, all his days; and he was wading in the waters of affliction, though as yet they were not come into his soul, and he as it were immersed in them; he was not yet baptized with the bloody baptism he came into this world for, and he was desirous of, Luk 12:50, and partly because of the certainty of these things, the cup was not to pass from him, and the baptism of his sufferings was to be surely accomplished; See Gill on Mat 20:22.

Pray does the emperor in person set forth, or the prefect in person cudgel? One whose ministers do a thing is always said to do it. So "He will baptize you" will have to be understood as standing for, "Through Him," or" Into Him," "you will be baptized.

They were expecting him to enter into [the kingdom], but not to go to the cross and death. Even though they had heard it ten thousand times, they could not clearly understand. Since they had not gotten a clear and certain knowledge of his teachings, they thought that he was going to this visible kingdom and would rule in Jerusalem. So the sons of Zebedee caught up with him on the road. They thought they had found the opportune moment. They put their request to him. They had broken away from the throng of the disciples and, just as if the whole situation had turned out exactly as they wanted, they asked about the privilege of the first seats and about being first among the others. They asked for this because they assumed that everything was finished and the whole business was over and done with. They made their request because they thought that now was the time for crowns and rewards.

(de Con. Evan. ii. 64) Matthew has expressed that this was said not by themselves, but by their mother, since she brought their wishes to the Lord; wherefore Mark briefly implies rather that they themselves, than that their mother, had used the words.

And James and John, the sons of Zebedee, come to him, saying: Master, we desire that whatsoever we shall ask, thou wouldst do it for us. And he said to them: What will you that I should do for you? And they said: Grant to us that we may sit, one on thy right hand, and the other on thy left hand, in thy glory. Matthew writes that their mother asked the Lord for this on their behalf; but Mark, wishing to reveal their desire and counsel to the readers, omits the intervening mother, and says rather that they themselves asked, which he knew had been asked at their request through the mother. Finally, the Lord, according to both Evangelists, replied not to the mother but to them:

Another Evangelist (Matt. 20:20) relates that their mother (of James and John) approached Jesus. But probably both things happened: these two apostles, being ashamed before the others, sent their mother ahead first, and then they themselves also came separately, as the Evangelist indicates by saying, "they came to Him," that is, they came separately, withdrawing from the rest. What then were they asking? The ascent of Christ to Jerusalem, about which He had been speaking with the disciples, they understood to mean that He was going to receive an earthly kingdom and that only after His enthronement would He endure those sufferings which He had foretold. Thinking in this way, they asked for seats at the right and left side of Christ.

Now the abovementioned disciples thought that He was going up to Jerusalem, to reign there, and then to suffer what He had foretold. And with these thoughts, they desired to sit on the right and the left hand; wherefore there follows, They said unto him, Grant unto us that we may sit, one on thy right hand, the other on thy left hand, in thy glory.

The Pharisees question our Lord concerning divorce, Mar 10:1-12. Little children are brought to him, Mar 10:13-16. The person who inquired how he might inherit eternal life, Mar 10:17-22. How difficult it is for a rich man to be saved, Mar 10:23-27. What they shall receive who have left all for Christ and his Gospel, Mar 10:28-31. He foretells his death, Mar 10:32-34. James and John desire places of pre-eminence in Christ's kingdom, Mar 10:35-41. Christ shows them the necessity of humility, Mar 10:42-46. Blind Bartimeus healed, Mar 10:46-52.

And James and John - come unto him - The request here mentioned, Matthew says, Mat 20:20, was made by Salome their mother; the two places may be easily reconciled thus: - The mother introduced them, and made the request as if from herself; Jesus knowing whence it had come, immediately addressed himself to James and John, who were standing by; and the mother is no farther concerned in the business. See the note on Mat 20:20.

THE BARREN FIG TREE CURSED WITH LESSONS FROM IT--SECOND CLEANSING OF THE TEMPLE, ON THE SECOND AND THIRD DAYS OF THE WEEK. ( = Mat 21:12-22; Luk 19:45-48). (Mark 11:11-26) And Jesus entered into Jerusalem, and into the temple: and when he had looked round about upon--surveyed. all things, and now the eventide was come, he went out into Bethany with the twelve--Thus briefly does our Evangelist dispose of this His first day in Jerusalem, after the triumphal entry. Nor do the Third and Fourth Gospels give us more light. But from Matthew (Mat 21:10-11, Mat 21:14-16) we learn some additional and precious particulars, for which see on Luk 19:45-48. It was not now safe for the Lord to sleep in the city, nor, from the day of His Triumphal Entry, did He pass one night in it, save the last fatal one. The Barren Fig Tree Cursed (Mar 11:12-14).

And James and John, the sons of Zebedee, come unto him, saying--Matthew (Mat 20:20) says their "mother came to Him with her sons, worshipping Him and desiring," &c. (Compare Mat 27:56, with Mar 15:40). Salome was her name (Mar 16:1). We cannot be sure with which of the parties the movement originated; but as our Lord, even in Matthew's account, addresses Himself to James and John, taking no account of the mother, it is likely the mother was merely set on by them. The thought was doubtless suggested to her sons by the recent promise to the Twelve of "thrones to sit on, when the Son of man should sit on the throne of His glory" (Mat 19:28); but after the reproof so lately given them (Mar 9:33, &c.) they get their mother to speak for them. Master, we would that thou shouldest do for us whatsoever we shall desire--thus cautiously approaching the subject.