Mark 8:29 Ulasan

In this chapter, we have, I. Christ's miraculous feeding of four thousand with seven loaves and a few small fishes (Mar 8:1-9). II. His refusing to give the Pharisees a sign from heaven (Mar 8:10-13). III. His cautioning his disciples to take heed of the leaven of Pharisaism and Herodianism (Mar 8:14-21). IV. His giving of sight to a blind man at Bethsaida (Mar 8:22-26). V. Peter's confession of him (Mar 8:27-30). VI. The notice he gave his disciples of his own approaching sufferings (Mar 8:31-33), and the warning he gave them to prepare for sufferings likewise (Mar 8:34-38).

In those days,.... The Ethiopic version reads, on that day; as if it was on the same day that the deaf man was healed; and so it might be; and on the third day from Christ's coming into those parts; and so is very properly expressed, "in those days"; see Mar 7:31, compared with the following verse: the multitude being very great: for the number of men that ate, when the following miracle was wrought, were about four thousand; see Mar 8:9. The Vulgate Latin, Arabic, and Ethiopic versions add, "again"; referring to the former miracle of the five thousand, who were fed with five loaves, and two fishes, Mar 6:44. And having nothing to eat; what they might have brought with them being expended, and they in a desert, where nothing was to be had, nor bought for money: Jesus called his disciples to him, and saith unto them; See Gill on Mat 15:32.

And he saith unto them, but whom say ye that I am?.... It was for the sake of this question he put the former; See Gill on Mat 16:15; and Peter answereth and saith unto him, thou art the Christ; the Messiah that was long ago promised and so often prophesied of in the books of Moses and the prophets; and whom the Jews have so much and long expected. This confession of Peter's in which all the apostles agreed with him speaks out what Jesus really was, and exceeds the most exalted sentiments which the people had of him: he was not the harbinger of the Messiah but the Messiah himself; not Elias in whose Spirit his forerunner was to come and did come; nor any one of the prophets; but he who was spoken of by all the holy prophets; which have been since the beginning of the world. Not one of the various opinions of the people being just, and answering the true character of Jesus, he demands the sense of his disciples which is here given by Peter in their name, and which was right; and on account of which he declared Peter blessed and ascribed his knowledge of him not to flesh and blood but to the revelation of his Father. The Syriac and Persic versions add, "the Son of the living God"; and so Beza found it in one ancient copy; but it may be it is only taken from Mat_16:16; See Gill on Mat 16:16.

(in Matt. Tom. xii. 15) Or else, Mark and Luke, as they wrote that Peter answered, Thou art the Christ, without adding what is put down in Matthew, the Son of the living God, so they omitted to relate the blessing which was conferred on this confession. It goes on, And he charged them that they should tell no man of him.

(Hom. in Mat. 54) From the manner, however, itself of the question, He leads them to a higher feeling, and to higher thoughts, concerning Him, that they might not agree with the multitude. But the next words show what the head of the disciples, the mouth of the Apostles, answered; when all were asked, Peter answereth and saith unto him, Thou art the Christ.

(Vict. Ant. e Cat. in Marc.) He asks the question with a purpose, for it was right that His disciples should praise Him better than the crowd.

Then he says to them: But who do you say that I am? Note, prudent reader, from the following text that the apostles are not at all called men, but gods. For when he had said: Who do men say I am, he added: But who do you say that I am? To them who are men giving human opinions, he says: But you, who are gods, who do you think I am?

Peter answered, saying: You are the Christ. Although the other apostles knew, Peter responded before the others. He encompassed everything, expressing both nature and name, in which is the summit of virtues. Do we indeed discuss questions about the generation of God? When Paul indicated knowing nothing except Christ Jesus, and him crucified, and Peter thought nothing more than that Christ should be confessed as the Son of God, do we examine with human frailty when and how he was born, and how great he is? Therefore, the end of my faith is Christ, the end of faith is the Son. I am not permitted to know the sequence of the generation, but I am not permitted to be ignorant of the faith of the generation.

Having thus asked them about the opinions of others, the Lord then asks them their own opinion as well, as if saying: those think of Me erroneously, but who do you consider Me to be? What then does Peter say? He confesses Him as the Christ, foretold by the prophets. But what the Lord said in response to Peter's confession and how He blessed him, Mark omitted, so as not to appear partial to Peter, his teacher. Matthew, on the contrary, told everything without omission.

After however having enquired into the opinion of others, He asks them what was the belief of their own minds on this point; wherefore it continues, And he saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? He confesses indeed that He is the Christ announced by the Prophets; but the Evangelist Mark passes over what the Lord answered to his confession, and how He blessed him, lest by this way of relating it, he should seem to be favouring his master Peter; Matthew plainly goes through the whole of it.

Four thousand persons fed with seven loaves and a few small fishes, Mar 8:1-8. Christ refuses to give any farther sign to the impertinent Pharisees, Mar 8:10-12. Warns his disciples against the corrupt doctrine of the Pharisees and of Herod, Mar 8:13-21. He restores sight to a blind man, Mar 8:22-26. Asks his disciples what the public thought of him, Mar 8:27-30. Acknowledges himself to be the Christ, and that he must suffer, Mar 8:31-33. And shows that all his genuine disciples must take up their cross, suffer in his cause, and confess him before men, Mar 8:34-38.

Thou art the Christ - Three MSS. and some versions add, the Son of the living God.

HEALING OF A DEMONIAC BOY--SECOND EXPLICIT ANNOUNCEMENT OF HIS APPROACHING DEATH AND RESURRECTION. ( = Mat 17:14-23; Luk 9:37-45). (Mark 9:14-32) And when he came to his disciples, he saw a great multitude about them, and the scribes questioning with them--This was "on the next day, when they were come down from the hill" (Luk 9:37). The Transfiguration appears to have taken place at night. In the morning, as He came down from the hill on which it took place--with Peter, and James, and John--on approaching the other nine, He found them surrounded by a great multitude, and the scribes disputing or discussing with them. No doubt these cavillers were twitting the apostles of Jesus with their inability to cure the demoniac boy of whom we are presently to hear, and insinuating doubts even of their Master's ability to do it; while they, zealous for their Master's honor, would no doubt refer to His past miracles in proof of the contrary.