The Prayer.

O GOD, merciful Father, that despisest not the sighing of a contrite heart, nor the desire of such as be sorrowful; mercifully assist our prayers that we make before Thee in all our troubles and adversities, whensoever they oppress us; and graciously hear us, that those evils, which the craft and subtilty of the Devil or man worketh against us, be brought to nought; and by the Providence of Thy Goodness they may be dispersed; that we Thy servants, being hurt by no persecutions, may evermore give thanks unto Thee in Thy holy Church; through JESUS CHRIST our LORD. Amen.

A

PLAIN COMMENTARY

ON THE SIXTH CHAPTER OF

St. Mark's Gospel.

1 CHRIST is contemned of His countrymen. 7 He giveth the Twelve power over unclean spirits. 14 Divers opinions of CHRIST. 27 John Baptist is beheaded, 29 and buried. 30 The Apostles return from preaching. 34 The miracle of five loaves and two fishes. 48 CHRIST walketh on the sea: 53 and healeth all that touch Him.

VI. And He went out from thence, and 1 came into His own country; and His Disciples follow Him.

BUT why did our LORD thus leave Capernaum for Nazareth? It was, doubtless, to escape the importunity of the people. Some of His mighty acts had got abroad at this very juncture; and the celebrity which they immediately acquired was such as to render His continuance in the City impossible. The ensuing narrative corresponds with that in St. Matthew xiii. 54 to 58: where the notes may be also consulted.

And when the sabbath day was come, He 2 began to teach in the Synagogue and many

:

3

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?

"What Wisdom!"—and "Such mighty Works!" We are left to infer how unearthly the Wisdom,how marvellous the Works must have been, from the wonder which they produced. Nothing whatever is revealed to us concerning either. Take notice, however, (for we should not let such things escape us,) that we have here another of the many traces that this was He of whom the Prophet exclaimed," Thou art fairer than the children of men: full of Grace are Thy lipsa " In the same Synagogue, once before, all "bare Him witness, and wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of His mouth"," "Never man spake like this man," was the confession of His Enemies. See the last note on St. Matthew vii.

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.

"The Carpenter !" Yea,-who hath builded His House, and hewn out His seven pillars! who

a Psalm xlv. 3.

c St. John vii. 46.

b St. Luke iv. 22.

d Prov. ix. 1.

hath builded His stories in the Heavene, and laid the beams of His chambers in the Waters! who set a compass upon the face of the depths: who laid the measures of the Earth, and stretched the line upon it, and fastened the foundations, and laid the corner-stone thereof; when the MorningStars sang together, and all the Sons of GOD shouted for joy! The LORD, the God of Hosts, is His Namei.

Save in this one place, our SAVIOUR is nowhere Himself called "the Carpenter." Joseph, was probably, by this time, dead. Concerning 'the Brethren' of CHRIST, (James and Joses, Juda and Simon,)—and the 'Sisters,' whose names are nowhere recorded, but who were all our LORD'S cousins,-enough has been already written in the notes on St. Matthew xiii. 55, and on St. Mark iii. 31. The note on St. Matthew xii. 47 may be also consulted.

In explanation of the last words of the preceding verse, see the note on St. Matthew xi. 6.

But JESUS said unto them, A Prophet is 4 not without honour, but in his own country, and among his own kin, and in his own. house.

Perhaps it was in order to remind them of their former mistaken treatment of Him, that He now

e Amos ix. 6.

f Psalm civ. 3.

h Job xxxviii. 5 to 7.

g Prov. viii. 27.

i Amos iv. 13.

repeats to them almost the same proverb which He had once before used, and from the same place. And Human Unbelief is mighty enough to thrust away,-or rather, to disable,-Divine Love: for, as it follows,

5 And He could there do no mighty work, save that He laid His Hands upon a few sick folk, and healed them.

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St. Matthew says that "He did not many mighty works1;”—and St. Mark, in his concluding words, allows that He did some. Compare, also, the language of ver. 2. But take notice that He could not do as many as He would have done, because of the unbelief of the people . . . . How awful is the thought that we have in our hands the means of frustrating God's most gracious designs towards ourselves! That on us depends the limits of His power! . . . . "How often would I!... and ye would not m!”—said He of the inhabitants of the Holy City.-" Fear not: believe only"!" was His injunction to the Father and Mother of the dead Maiden: for, had the Parents doubted, He could have done for them no mighty work. "If thou canst do anything," (exclaimed the Father of the lunatic child,) "have compassion on us, and help us!"-" If thou canst believe," was the reply, "all things are possible° !” .. It hath ever been: it will ever be so!

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k St. Luke iv. 24.

m St. Matthew xxiii. 37.

1 St. Matth. xiii. 58.

n St. Luke viii. 50.

St. Mark ix. 22, 23.