1 Then he called his twelue disciples together, and gaue them power and authority ouer all deuils, and to cure diseases.
2 And hee sent them to preach the Kingdome of God, and to heale the sicke.
3 And he said vnto them, Take nothing for your iourney, neither staues, nor scrip, neither bread, neither money, neither haue two coates apeece.
4 And whatsoeuer house yee enter into, there abide, and thence depart.
5 And whosoeuer will not receiue you, when ye goe out of that city, shake off the very dust from your feete, for a testimonie against them.
6 And they departed, and went through the townes, preaching the Gospel, and healing euery where.
7 ¶ Now Herode the Tetrarch heard of all that was done by him: and hee was perplexed, because that it was said of some, that Iohn was risen from the dead:
8 And of some, that Elias had appeared: and of others, that one of the olde Prophets was risen againe.
9 And Herode said, Iohn haue I beheaded: but who is this of whom I heare such things? And hee desired to see him.
10 ¶ And the Apostles when they were returned, tolde him all that they had done. And hee tooke them, and went aside priuately into a desert place, belonging to the citie called Bethsaida.
11 And the people when they knew it, followed him, and he receiued them, and spake vnto them of the kingdome of God, and healed them that had need of healing.
12 And when the day beganne to weare away, then came the twelue, and said vnto him, Send the multitude away, that they may go into the townes and countrey round about, and lodge, and get victuals: for we are here in a desert place.
13 But he said vnto them, Giue yee them to eate. And they said, Wee haue no more but fiue loaues and two fishes, except we should goe and buy meate for all this people.
14 For they were about fiue thousand men. And he said to his disciples, Make them sit downe by fifties in a company.
15 And they did so, and made them all sit downe.
16 Then he tooke the fiue loaues and the two fishes, and looking vp to heauen, hee blessed them, and brake, and gaue to the disciples to set before the multitude.
17 And they did eate, and were all filled. And there was taken vp of fragments that remained to them, twelue baskets.
18 ¶ And it came to passe, as he was alone praying, his disciples were with him: and he asked them, saying, Whom say the people that I am?
19 They answering, said, Iohn the Baptist: but some say, Elias: and others say, that one of the old Prophets is risen againe.
20 He said vnto them, But whom say yee that I am? Peter answering, said, The Christ of God.
21 And he straitly charged them, and commanded them to tell no man that thing,
22 Saying, The Sonne of man must suffer many things, and be reiected of the Elders, and chiefe Priests, and Scribes, and be slaine, and be raised the third day.
23 ¶ And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him denie himselfe, and take vp his crosse daily, and follow me.
24 For whosoeuer will saue his life, shall lose it: but whosoeuer will lose his life for my sake, the same shall saue it.
25 For what is a man aduantaged, if hee gaine the whole world, and lose himselfe, or be cast away?
26 For whosoeuer shall bee ashamed of me, and of my wordes, of him shall the Sonne of man be ashamed, when he shall come in his owne glory, and in his Fathers, and of the holy Angels.
27 But I tell you of a trueth, there be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the kingdome of God.
28 ¶ And it came to passe, about an eight dayes after these sayings, hee tooke Peter, and Iohn, and Iames, and went vp into a mountaine to pray:
29 And as hee prayed, the fashion of his countenance was altered, and his raiment was white and glistering.
30 And behold, there talked with him two men, which were Moses and Elias,
31 Who appeared in glory, and spake of his decease, which he should accomplish at Hierusalem.
32 But Peter, and they that were with him, were heauie with sleepe: and when they were awake, they saw his glory, and the two men that stood with him.
33 And it came to passe, as they departed from him, Peter said vnto Iesus, Master, it is good for vs to be here, and let vs make three tabernacles, one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias: not knowing what he said.
34 While he thus spake, there came a cloud, and ouershadowed them, & they feared, as they entred into the cloude.
35 And there came a voice out of the cloud, saying, This is my beloued Son, heare him.
36 And when the voyce was past, Iesus was found alone, and they kept it close, & told no man in those dayes any of those things which they had seene.
37 ¶ And it came to passe, that on the next day, when they were come downe from the hill, much people met him.
38 And behold, a man of the companie cried out, saying, Master, I beseech thee looke vpon my sonne, for he is mine onely child.
39 And loe, a spirit taketh him, and hee suddenly crieth out, and it teareth him that he fometh againe, and bruising him, hardly departeth from him.
40 And I besought thy disciples to cast him out, and they could not.
41 And Iesus answering, said, O faithlesse, and peruerse generation, how long shal I be with you, and suffer you? bring thy sonne hither.
42 And as he was yet a comming, the deuill threw him downe, and tare him: and Iesus rebuked the vncleane spirit, and healed the child, and deliuered him againe to his father.
43 ¶ And they were al amazed at the mightie power of God: But while they wondred euery one at all things which Iesus did, he said vnto his disciples,
44 Let these sayings sinke downe into your eares: for the Sonne of man shall bee deliuered into the handes of men.
45 But they vnderstood not this saying, and it was hid from them, that they perceiued it not: and they feared to aske him of that saying.
46 ¶ Then there arose a reasoning among them, which of them should be greatest.
47 And Iesus perceiuing þe thought of their heart, tooke a child, and set him by him,
48 And said vnto them, Whosoeuer shall receiue this child in my Name, receiueth me: and whosoeuer shal receiue me, receiueth him that sent me: For hee that is least among you all, the same shalbe great.
49 ¶ And Iohn answered, and said, Master, we saw one casting out deuils in thy Name, and we forbade him, because he followeth not with vs.
50 And Iesus said vnto him, Forbid him not: for he that is not against vs, is for vs.
51 ¶ And it came to passe, when the time was come that he should bee receiued vp, he stedfastly set his face to goe to Hierusalem,
52 And sent messengers before his face, and they went and entred into a village of the Samaritanes to make ready for him.
53 And they did not receiue him, because his face was as though he would goe to Hierusalem.
54 And when his disciples, Iames and Iohn sawe this, they said, Lord, wilt thou that wee command fire to come downe from heauen, and consume them, euen as Elias did?
55 But he turned, and rebuked them, and said, Ye know not what maner spirit ye are of.
56 For the Sonne of man is not come to destroy mens liues, but to saue them. And they went to another village.
57 ¶ And it came to passe that as they went in the way, a certaine man said vnto him, Lord, I wil follow thee whithersoeuer thou goest.
58 And Iesus said vnto him, Foxes haue holes, and birds of the aire haue nests, but the Sonne of man hath not where to lay his head.
59 And he said vnto another, Follow me: But he said, Lord, suffer mee first to goe and bury my father.
60 Iesus said vnto him, Let the dead bury their dead: but go thou and preach the kingdome of God.
61 And another also said, Lord, I will follow thee: but let me first goe bid them farewel, which are at home at my house.
62 And Iesus said vnto him, No man hauing put his hand to the plough, and looking backe, is fit for the kingdome of God.
The apostles sent forth. (1-9) The multitude miraculously fed. (10-17) Peter's testimony to Christ, Self-denial enjoined. (18-27) The transfiguration. (28-36) An evil spirit cast out. (37-42) Christ checks the ambition of his disciples. (43-50) He reproves their mistaken zeal. (51-56) Every thing to be given up for Christ. (57-62)1-9 Christ sent his twelve disciples abroad, who by this time were able to teach others what they had received from the Lord. They must not be anxious to commend themselves to people's esteem by outward appearance. They must go as they were. The Lord Jesus is the fountain of power and authority, to whom all creatures must, in one way or another, be subject; and if he goes with the word of his ministers in power, to deliver sinners from Satan's bondage, they may be sure that he will care for their wants. When truth and love thus go together, and yet the message of God is rejected and despised, it leaves men without excuse, and turns to a testimony against them. Herod's guilty conscience was ready to conclude that John was risen from the dead. He desired to see Jesus; and why did he not go and see him? Probably, because he thought it below him, or because he wished not to have any more reprovers of sin. Delaying it now, his heart was hardened, and when he did see Jesus, he was as much prejudiced against him as others, #Lu 23:11|.
10-17 The people followed Jesus, and though they came unseasonably, yet he gave them what they came for. He spake unto them of the kingdom of God. He healed those who had need of healing. And with five loaves of bread and two fishes, Christ fed five thousand men. He will not see those that fear him, and serve him faithfully, want any good thing. When we receive creature-comforts, we must acknowledge that we receive them from God, and that we are unworthy to receive them; that we owe them all, and all the comfort we have in them, to the mediation of Christ, by whom the curse is taken away. The blessing of Christ will make a little go a great way. He fills every hungry soul, abundantly satisfies it with the goodness of his house. Here were fragments taken up: in our Father's house there is bread enough, and to spare. We are not straitened, nor stinted in Christ.
18-27 It is an unspeakable comfort that our Lord Jesus is God's Anointed; this signifies that he was both appointed to be the Messiah, and qualified for it. Jesus discourses concerning his own sufferings and death. And so far must his disciples be from thinking how to prevent his sufferings, that they must prepare for their own. We often meet with crosses in the way of duty; and though we must not pull them upon our own heads, yet, when they are laid for us, we must take them up, and carry them after Christ. It is well or ill with us, according as it is well or ill with our souls. The body cannot be happy, if the soul be miserable in the other world; but the soul may be happy, though the body is greatly afflicted and oppressed in this world. We must never be ashamed of Christ and his gospel.
28-36 Christ's transfiguration was a specimen of that glory in which he will come to judge the world; and was an encouragement to his disciples to suffer for him. Prayer is a transfiguring, transforming duty, which makes the face to shine. Our Lord Jesus, even in his transfiguration, was willing to speak concerning his death and sufferings. In our greatest glories on earth, let us remember that in this world we have no continuing city. What need we have to pray to God for quickening grace, to make us lively! Yet that the disciples might be witnesses of this sign from heaven, after awhile they became awake, so that they were able to give a full account of what passed. But those know not what they say, that talk of making tabernacles on earth for glorified saints in heaven.
37-42 How deplorable the case of this child! He was under the power of an evil spirit. Disease of that nature are more frightful than such as arise merely from natural causes. What mischief Satan does where he gets possession! But happy those that have access to Christ! He can do that for us which his disciples cannot. A word from Christ healed the child; and when our children recover from sickness, it is comfortable to receive them as healed by the hand of Christ.
43-50 This prediction of Christ's sufferings was plain enough, but the disciples would not understand it, because it agreed not with their notions. A little child is the emblem by which Christ teaches us simplicity and humility. What greater honour can any man attain to in this world, than to be received by men as a messenger of God and Christ; and to have God and Christ own themselves received and welcomed in him! If ever any society of Christians in this world, had reason to silence those not of their own communion, the twelve disciples at this time had; yet Christ warned them not to do the like again. Those may be found faithful followers of Christ, and may be accepted of him, who do not follow with us.
51-56 The disciples did not consider that the conduct of the Samaritans was rather the effect of national prejudices and bigotry, than of enmity to the word and worship of God; and through they refused to receive Christ and his disciples, they did not ill use or injure them, so that the case was widely different from that of Ahaziah and Elijah. Nor were they aware that the gospel dispensation was to be marked by miracles of mercy. But above all, they were ignorant of the prevailing motives of their own hearts, which were pride and carnal ambition. Of this our Lord warned them. It is easy for us to say, Come, see our zeal for the Lord! and to think we are very faithful in his cause, when we are seeking our own objects, and even doing harm instead of good to others.
57-62 Here is one that is forward to follow Christ, but seems to have been hasty and rash, and not to have counted the cost. If we mean to follow Christ, we must lay aside the thoughts of great things in the world. Let us not try to join the profession of Christianity, with seeking after worldly advantages. Here is another that seems resolved to follow Christ, but he begs a short delay. To this man Christ first gave the call; he said to him, Follow me. Religion teaches us to be kind and good, to show piety at home, and to requite our parents; but we must not make these an excuse for neglecting our duty to God. Here is another that is willing to follow Christ, but he must have a little time to talk with his friends about it, and to set in order his household affairs, and give directions concerning them. He seemed to have worldly concerns more upon his heart than he ought to have, and he was willing to enter into a temptation leading him from his purpose of following Christ. No one can do any business in a proper manner, if he is attending to other things. Those who begin with the work of God, must resolve to go on, or they will make nothing of it. Looking back, leads to drawing back, and drawing back is to perdition. He only that endures to the end shall be saved.
Commentary by Matthew Henry, 1710.