Matthew 15:29; Mark 7:31-37
Matthew 15:29. And Jesus departing thence. Though it is
unquestionably the same journey of Christ, on his return from the neighborhood
of Sidon, that is related by Matthew and by Mark, yet in some points they
do not quite agree. It is of little moment that the one says he came to
the borders of Magdala, and the other, that he came to the coasts of Dalmanutha;
for the cities were adjacent, being situated on the lake of Gennesareth,
and we need not wonder that the district which lay between them received
both names.
Decapolis was so called from its containing (de>ka po>leiv) ten cities;
and as it was contiguous to Phenicia and to that part of Galilee which
lay towards the sea, Christ must have passed through it, when he returned
from Phenicia into Galilee of Judea. There is a greater appearance of contradiction
in another part of the narrative, where Matthew says that our Lord cured
many who labored under various diseases, while Mark takes no notice of
any but of one deaf man. But this difficulty need not detain us; for Mark
selected for description a miracle which was performed during the journey,
and the report of which was no sooner circulated than it aroused the inhabitants
of every part of that country to bring many persons to Christ to be cured.
Now we know that the Evangelists are not anxious to relate all that Christ
did, and are so far from dwelling largely on miracles, that they only glance
at a few by way of example. Besides, Mark was satisfied with producing
one instance, in which the power of Christ is as brightly displayed as
in others of the same sort which followed shortly afterwards.
Mark 7:32. And they bring to him one who was deaf. The
reason why they implored him to lay his hands upon him may be learned from
passages which we have already considered; for the laying on of hands was
a solemn symbol of consecration, and by means of it, the gifts of the Holy
Spirit were also bestowed. And there is no doubt that this ceremony was
frequently used by Christ; so that those men requested nothing but what
they knew that he had been formerly in the habit of doing. On the present
occasion, Christ employs other symbols; for he puts his spittle on the
tongue of the dumb man, and puts his fingers into his ears. The laying
on of hands would of itself have been sufficiently efficacious, and even,
without moving a finger, he might have accomplished it by a single act
of his will; but it is evident that he made abundant use of outward signs,
when they were found to be advantageous. Thus, by touching the tongue with
spittle, he intended to point out that the faculty of speech was communicated
by himself alone; and by putting his finger into the ears, he showed that
it belonged to his office to pierce the ears of the deaf. There is no necessity
for having recourse to allegories; and we find that those who have amused
themselves with ingenious discussions on this subject, are so far from
bringing forward any thing of real value, that they tend rather to hold
up the Scriptures to ridicule. Readers of sobriety and judgment will be
satisfied with this single instruction, that we obtain from Christ, in
answer to our prayers, both speech and hearing; for he pours his energy
into our tongues, and pierces our ears with his fingers.
33. And when he had taken him aside from the multitude. This
was done, partly to afford to those who were ignorant, and not yet sufficiently
qualified for becoming witnesses, an opportunity of perceiving at a distance
the glory of his Divine nature, and partly that he might have a better
opportunity of pouring out earnest prayer. When he looked up to heaven
and sighed, it was an expression of strong feeling; and this enables us
to perceive the vehemence of his love towards men, for whose miseries he
feels so much compassion. Nor can it be doubted, that by conveying the
spittle from his own mouth to the mouth of another, and by putting his
fingers into his ears, he intended to manifest and express the same feeling
of kindness. Yet that he has supreme power to remove all our defects, and
restore us to health, is proclaimed by him when he simply orders the tongue
and ears to be opened; for it was not without a good reason that Mark inserted
that Chaldaic word, (ejffaqa>) Ephphatha, be opened, but to testify the
divine power of Christ. Among other fooleries with which baptism has been
debased by foolish men, the ceremony used by our Lord is turned into a
piece of buffoonery; and this instance shows us that there is no end to
licentiousness, when men wantonly change at their own pleasure the mysteries
of God.
36. Then he enjoined them not to tell it to any person. Many
commentators torture these injunctions to an opposite meaning, as if Christ
had purposely excited them to spread abroad the fame of the miracle; but
I prefer a more natural interpretation which I have formerly stated, that
Christ only intended to delay the publication of it till a more proper
and convenient time. I have no doubt, therefore, that their zeal was unseasonable,
when, though enjoined to be silent, they were in haste to speak. We need
not wonder that men unaccustomed to the doctrine of Christ are carried
away by immoderate zeal, when it is not called for. Yet what they unwisely
attempted to do, was made by Christ to promote his own glory; for not only
was the miracle made known, but the whole of that district, in despising
the Author of heavenly gifts, was rendered inexcusable.
37. He hath done all things well. Matthew, after collecting many
miracles, concludes by saying that the multitudes wondered, and glorified
the God of Israel; that is, because God, taking unusual methods of illustrating
his power, had called up the remembrance of his covenant. But the words
of Mark contain perhaps an implied contrast; for the reports concerning
Christ were various, and the word multitude or crowd (o]clov) may be intended
to mean that it was only wicked and malicious persons who slandered his
actions, since all that he did was so far from exposing him to calumny
that it deserved the highest praise. But we know, and it is what nature
teaches us, that nothing is more unjust than to make the bestowal of favors
an occasion of envy and ill-will.
