1 And hee said vnto them, Uerely I say vnto you, that there be some of them that stand here, which shal not taste of death, till they haue seene the kingdome of God come with power.
2 ¶ And after sixe dayes, Iesus taketh with him Peter, and Iames, and Iohn, and leadeth them vp into an high mountaine apart by themselues: and he was transfigured before them.
3 And his raiment became shining, exceeding white as snow: so as no Fuller on earth can white them.
4 And there appeared vnto them Elias with Moses: and they were talking with Iesus.
5 And Peter answered, and saide to Iesus, Master, it is good for vs to bee here, and let vs make three Tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias.
6 For he wist not what to say, for they were sore afraid.
7 And there was a cloud that ouershadowed them: and a voyce came out of the cloud, saying, This is my beloued Sonne: heare him.
8 And suddenly when they had looked round about, they saw no man any more, saue Iesus only with themselues.
9 And as they came downe from the mountaine, he charged them that they should tell no man, what things they had seene, till the Sonne of man were risen from the dead.
10 And they kept that saying with themselues, questioning one with another, what the rising from the dead should meane.
11 ¶ And they asked him, saying, Why say the Scribes that Elias must first come?
12 And he answered, and told them, Elias verely commeth first, and restoreth al things, and how it is written of the Sonne of man, that he must suffer many things, and be set at nought.
13 But I say vnto you, that Elias is indeed come, and they haue done vnto him whatsoeuer they listed, as it is written of him.
14 ¶ And when he came to his disciples, he saw a great multitude about them, and the Scribes questioning with them.
15 And straightway all the people, when they beheld him, were greatly amazed, & running to him, saluted him.
16 And he asked the Scribes, What question ye with them?
17 And one of the multitude answered, and said, Master, I haue broughe vnto thee my son, which hath a dumbe spirit:
18 And wheresoeuer he taketh him, he teareth him, & he fometh, and gnasheth with his teeth, and pineth away: and I spake to thy disciples, that they should cast him out, and they could not.
19 He answereth him, and saith, O faithlesse generation, how long shall I be with you, how long shall I suffer you? Bring him vnto me.
20 And they brought him vnto him: and when he saw him, straightway the spirit tare him, and he fel on the ground, and wallowed, foming.
21 And he asked his father, Howe long is it agoe since this came vnto him? And he said, Of a child.
22 And oft times it hath cast him into the fire, and into the waters to destroy him: but if thou canst doe any thing, haue compassion on vs, and helpe vs.
23 Iesus said vnto him, If thou canst beleeue, all things are possible to him that beleeueth.
24 And straightway the father of the child cried out and said with teares, Lord, I beleeue, helpe thou mine vnbeliefe.
25 When Iesus saw that the people came running together, he rebuked the foule spirit, saying vnto him, Thou dumbe and deafe spirit, I charge thee come out of him, and enter no more into him.
26 And the spirit cried, and rent him sore, and came out of him, and he was as one dead, insomuch that many said, He is dead.
27 But Iesus tooke him by the hand, and lifted him vp, and he arose.
28 And when he was come into the house, his disciples asked him priuately, Why could not we cast him out?
29 And hee said vnto them, This kind can come forth by nothing, but by prayer, and fasting.
30 ¶ And they departed thence, and passed through Galilee, and he would not þt any man should know it.
31 For he taught his disciples, and said vnto them, The sonne of man is deliuered into the hands of men, and they shall kill him, and after that he is killed, he shall rise the third day.
32 But they vnderstood not that saying, and were afraid to aske him.
33 ¶ And he came to Capernaum; and being in the house, he asked them, What was it that yee disputed among your selues by the way?
34 But they held their peace: For by the way they had disputed among themselues, who should be the greatest.
35 And he sate downe, and called the twelue, and saith vnto them, If any man desire to be first, the same shall be last of all, and seruant of all.
36 And he tooke a child, and set him in the midst of them: & when he had taken him in his arms, he said vnto them,
37 Whosoeuer shall receiue one of such children in my Name, receiueth me: and whosoeuer shall receiue me, receiueth not me, but him that sent me.
38 ¶ And Iohn answered him, saying, Master, we saw one casting out deuils in thy Name, and he followeth not vs, and we forbade him, because he followeth not vs.
39 But Iesus said, Forbid him not, for there is no man, which shall doe a miracle in my Name, that can lightly speake euill of me.
40 For he that is not against vs, is on our part.
41 For whosoeuer shall giue you a cup of water to drinke in my Name, because yee belong to Christ: Uerily I say vnto you, he shall not lose his reward.
42 And whosoeuer shall offend one of these litle ones that beleeue in me, it is better for him, that a milstone were hanged about his necke, and he were cast into the Sea.
43 And if thy hand offend thee, cut it off: It is better for thee to enter into life maimed, then hauing two hands, to goe into hell, into the fire that neuer shall be quenched:
44 Where their worme dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.
45 And if thy foote offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter halt into life, then hauing two feete, to be cast into hell, into the fire that neuer shall be quenched:
46 Where their worme dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.
47 And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out: it is better for thee to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye, then hauing two eyes, to be cast into helfire:
48 Where their worme dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.
49 For euery one shall be salted with fire, and euery sacrifice shall be salted with salt.
50 Salt is good: but if the salt haue lost his saltnesse, wherewith will you season it? Haue salt in your selues, and haue peace one with another.
The transfiguration. (1-13) An evil spirit cast out. (14-29) The apostles reproved. (30-40) Pain to be preferred to sin. (41-50)1-13 Here is a prediction of the near approach Christ's kingdom. A glimpse of that kingdom was given in the transfiguration of Christ. It is good to be away from the world, and alone with Christ: and how good to be with Christ glorified in heaven with all the saints! But when it is well with us, we are apt not to care for others, and in the fulness of our enjoyments, we forget the many wants of our brethren. God owns Jesus, and accepts him as his beloved Son, and is ready to accept us in him. Therefore we must own and accept him as our beloved Saviour, and must give up ourselves to be ruled by him. Christ does not leave the soul, when joys and comforts leave it. Jesus explained to the disciples the prophecy about Elias. This was very suitable to the ill usage of John Baptist.
14-29 The father of the suffering youth reflected on the want of power in the disciples; but Christ will have him reckon the disappointment to the want of faith. Very much is promised to our believing. If thou canst believe, it is possible that thy hard heart may be softened, thy spiritual diseases may be cured; and, weak as thou art, thou mayest be able to hold out to the end. Those that complain of unbelief, must look up to Christ for grace to help them against it, and his grace will be sufficient for them. Whom Christ cures, he cures effectually. But Satan is unwilling to be driven from those that have been long his slaves, and, when he cannot deceive or destroy the sinner, he will cause him all the terror that he can. The disciples must not think to do their work always with the same ease; some services call for more than ordinary pains.
30-40 The time of Christ's suffering drew nigh. Had he been delivered into the hands of devils, and they had done this, it had not been so strange; but that men should thus shamefully treat the Son of man, who came to redeem and save them, is wonderful. Still observe that when Christ spake of his death, he always spake of his resurrection, which took the reproach of it from himself, and should have taken the grief of it from his disciples. Many remain ignorant because they are ashamed to inquire. Alas! that while the Saviour teaches so plainly the things which belong to his love and grace, men are so blinded that they understand not his sayings. We shall be called to account about our discourses, and to account for our disputes, especially about being greater than others. Those who are most humble and self-denying, most resemble Christ, and shall be most tenderly owned by him. This Jesus taught them by a sign; whoever shall receive one like this child, receives me. Many have been like the disciples, ready to silence men who have success in preaching to sinners repentance in Christ's name, because they follow not with them. Our Lord blamed the apostles, reminding them that he who wrought miracles in his name would not be likely to hurt his cause. If sinners are brought to repent, to believe in the Saviour, and to live sober, righteous, and godly lives, we then see that the Lord works by the preacher.
41-50 It is repeatedly said of the wicked, Their worm dieth not, as well as, The fire is never quenched. Doubtless, remorse of conscience and keen self-reflection are this never-dying worm. Surely it is beyond compare better to undergo all possible pain, hardship, and self-denial here, and to be happy for ever hereafter, than to enjoy all kinds of worldly pleasure for a season, and to be miserable for ever. Like the sacrifices, we must be salted with salt; our corrupt affections must be subdued and mortified by the Holy Spirit. Those that have the salt of grace, must show they have a living principle of grace in their hearts, which works out corrupt dispositions in the soul that would offend God, or our own consciences.
Commentary by Matthew Henry, 1710.