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'Came in the press behind.' In tne crowd that pressed upon him. This was done to avoid being noticed. It was an act of faith full confidence that Jesus was able to heal; but trembling, and retiring, on account of her conscious unworthiness, illustrating the humility and confidence of a sinner coming to God for pardon and life.

28 For she said, If I may touch but his clothes, I shall be whole. 29 And straightway the fountain of her blood was dried up; and she felt in her body that she was healed of that plague. 30 And Jesus immediately knowing in himself that virtue had gone out of him, turned him about in the press, and said, Who touched my clothes?

'Virtue had gone out of him.' Power to heal. The word in the original means power. 'Who touched my clothes?' This he said, not to obtain information, but that the woman might merself confess the whole matter, by which the power of her faith and the greatness of the miracle might be manifested, to the praise of God.

31 And his disciples said unto him, Thou seest the multitude thronging thee, and sayest thou, Who touched me? 32 And he looked round about to see her that had done this thing. 33 But the woman fearing and trembling, knowing what was done in her, came and fell down before him, and told him all the truth. 34 And he said unto her, Daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace, and be whole of thy plague.

'Daughter. A word of kindness, tending to inspire confidence, and to dissipate her fears. The merciful Saviour always speaks in kindness to those who are humble, and conscious of their ill desert. 'Be whole.' That is, continue to be whole; for she was already cured. Of thy plague.' Thy disease; literally thy scourge. So a word from Jesus heals the moral malady of the sinner.

35 While he yet spake, there came from the ruler of the synagogue's house certain which said, Thy daughter is dead: why troublest thou the Master any further? 36 As soon as Jesus heard the word that was spoken, he saith unto the ruler of the synagogue, Be not afraid, only believe.

Why troublest thou,' &c. It seems that the people had not yet confidence that Jesus could raise the dead. He had not yet done it; and as the child was now dead, they wished no further

to trouble him. Jesus kindly set the fears of the ruler at rest, and assured him that he had equal power over the dead as the living, and could as easily raise those who had expired as those who were expiring.

37 And he suffered no man to follow him, save Peter, and James, and John the brother of James. 38 And he cometh to the house of the ruler of the syna gogue, and seeth the tumult, and them that wept and wailed greatly.

"The tumult.' The confusion and weeping of the assembled people. Wailed.' Making inarticulate, mournful sounds, howling for the dead.

39 And when he was come in, he saith unto them, Why make ye this ado, and weep? the damsel is not dead, but sleepeth.

'This ado.' This tumult, this bustle or confusion. 'And weep.' Weep in this inordinate and improper manner. 'Bu' sleepeth.' See Matt. ix. 24.

40 And they laughed him to scorn. But when he had put them all out, he taketh the father and the mother of the damsel, and them that were with him, and entereth in where the damsel was lying. 41 And he took the damsel by the hand, and said unto her, Talitha-cumi; which is, being interpreted, Damsel, I say unto thee, arise.

Talitha-cumi.' This is the language which our Saviour commonly spoke. It is a mixture of Syriac and Chaldee, called Syro-Chaldaic. The translation is given by the evangelist. Damsel, arise.'

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42 And straightway the damsel arose, and walked ; for she was of the age of twelve years. And they were astonished with a great astonishment. 43 And he charged them straitly that no man should know it; and commanded that something should be given her to

eat.

'Something should be given her to eat.' He had raised her by extraordinary power, but he willed that she should be sustained by ordinary means. He also in this gave full evidence that she was really restored to life and health. The changes were great, sudden, and certain. There could be no illusion. So when the Saviour had risen, he gave evidence of his own resurrection, by cating with his disciples. John xxi. 1—13.

CHAPTER VI.

1 AND he went out from thence, and came into his 2 And own country; and his disciples follow him. when the sabbath day was come, he began to teach in the synagogue: and many hearing him were astonished, saying, From whence hath this man these things? and what wisdom is this which is given unto him, that even such mighty works are wrought by his hands? 3 Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James, and Joses, and of Juda, and Simon? and are not his sisters here with us? And they were offended at him. 4 But Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not without honour, but in his own country, and among his own kin, and in his own house. 5 And he could there do no mighty work, save that he laid his hands upon a few sick folk, and healed them. 6 And he marvelled because of their unbelief. And he went round about the villages, teaching.

See this passage explained in the notes on Matt. xiii. 54-58. 7¶ And he called unto him the twelve, and began to send them forth by two and two; and gave them power over unclean spirits;

"By two and two.' In order that they might support and encourage each other in their work. Amidst the trials and opposition which they would meet with, mutual counsel and aid would greatly lighten their burdens, and alleviate their calamities, and lead to united plans, to advance the kingdom of the Redeemer. Jesus here, as in all the work of religion, consulted at the same time the happiness and usefulness of his disciples; nor are they ever separated.

8 And commanded them that they should take nothing for their journey, save a staff only; no scrip, no bread, no money in their purse: 9 But be shod with 10 And he said

sandals; and not put on two coats. unto them, In what place soever ye enter into an house, there abide till ye depart from that place. 11 And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear you, when ye depart thence, shake off the dust under your feet, for a testimony against them. Verily, I say unto you, It

shall be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment, than for that city.

See these verses fully explained in Matt. x. 9--15. In Matt. x. 5, they were commanded not to go among the Gentiles or Samaritans. Mark omits that direction, perhaps, because as he was writing for the Gentiles, the direction might create unnecessary difficulty or offence. Perhaps, also, because the command was given for a temporary purpose, and was not in force at the time of his writing.

12 And they went out, and preached that men should repent.

'Preached that men should repent.' See the nature of repentance explained, in Matt. iii. 2.

13 And they cast out many devils, and anointed with oil many that were sick, and healed them.

'Cast out many devils.' See note on Matt. iv. 24. And anointed with oil.' Anointing with oil was in common use among the Jews in cases of sickness. It was supposed to have a mild, soothing, and alleviating effect on the body. In James v. 14, the elders of the church, in connexion with prayers, were directed also to anoint the sick with oil. It was also used in wounds. The good Samaritan poured oil into the wounds of the waylaid Jew, Luke x. 34. It need not be supposed, however, that the apostles used oil for mere medical purposes. It was used probably, like the imposition of hands, or like our Saviour's anointing the eyes of the blind with clay, merely as a sign, in expectation that God would impart that aid and comfort which was sought, and which was represented by the naturally soothing and gentle effect of oil.

14 And king Herod heard of him, (for his name was spread abroad :) and he said, That John the Baptist was risen from the dead, and therefore mighty works do show forth themselves in him. 15 Others said, That it is Elias. And others said, That it is a prophet, or as one of the prophets. 16 But when Herod heard thereof, he said, It is John, whom I beheaded : he is risen from the dead. 17 For Herod himself had sent forth and laid hold upon John, and bound him in prison for Herodias' sake, his brother Philip's wife: for he had married her. 18 For John had said unto Herod, It is not lawful for thee to have thy brother's wife. 19 Therefore Herodias had a quarrel against him, and would have killed him; but she could not: 20 For

21

Herod feared John, knowing that he was a just man and an holy, and observed him: and when he heard him, he did many things, and heard him gladly. And when a convenient day was come, that Herod, on his birth-day, made a supper to his lords, high captains, and chief estates of Galilee; 22 And when the daughter of the said Herodias came in, and danced, and pleased Herod and them that sat with him, the king said unto the damsel, Ask of me whatsoever thou wilt, and I will give it thee. 23 And he sware unto her, Whatsoever thou shalt ask of me, I will give it thee, unto the half of my kingdom. 24 And she went forth, and said unto her mother, What shall I ask? And she said, the head of John the baptist. 25 And she came in straightway with haste unto the king, and asked, saying, I will that thou give me by and by in a charger the head of John the baptist. 26 And the king was exceeding sorry; yet for his oath's sake, and for their sakes which sat with him, he would not reject her. 27 And immediately the king sent an executioner, and commanded his head to be brought : and he went and beheaded him in the prison, 28 And brought his head in a charger, and gave it to the damsel: and the damsel gave it to her mother. 29 And when his disciples heard of it, they came and took up his corpse, and laid it in a tomb.

See this account of the death of John the Baptist fully explained in Matt. xiv. 1-12.

'He did many things.' But he did not do the thing which was demanded of him-break off from his sins. He attempted to make a compromise with his conscience. Sinners often treat ministers kindly, and do much to make them comfortable, and hear them gladly, while they are still unwilling to do the thing which is demanded of them-repent, and believe the gospel.

30 And the apostles gathered themselves together unto Jesus, and told him all things, both what they had done, and what they had taught.

And the apostles gathered themselves together.' That is, those whom he had sent out two and two, ver. 7. Having travelled around the country, they returned and met the Saviour at Capernaum.

31 And he said unto them, Come ye yourselves

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