---
title: "Clarke"
description: "Verse Mark 3:1. A man there which had a withered hand. — See this explained on Matthew 12:10, c., and on Luke 6:6, Luke 6:10. Verse Mark 3:2. They watched"
image: "/images/missing.jpg"
url: "https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries/clarkes-commentary/mark/3"
---

Verse [Mark 3:1](../../../kjv/mark/3/1). ***A man there which had a withered hand.*** — See this explained on [Matthew 12:10](../../../kjv/matthew/12/10), c., and on [Luke 6:6](../../../kjv/luke/6/6), [Luke 6:10](../../../kjv/luke/6/10).

Verse [Mark 3:2](../../../kjv/mark/3/2). ***They watched him*** — παρετηρουν αυτον, *they maliciously* *watched him*. [Luke 14:1](../../../kjv/luke/14/1).

Verse [Mark 3:4](../../../kjv/mark/3/4). ***To do good - or - evil? to save life, or to kill?*** — It was a maxim with the Jews, as it should be with all men, that he who neglected to preserve life when it was in his power, was to be reputed a murderer. Every principle of sound justice requires that he should be considered in this light. But, if this be the case, how many murderers are there against whom there is no law but the law of God!
*To kill*- but instead of αποκτειναι, several MSS. and versions have απολεσαι to *destroy*. *Wetstein* and *Griesbach* quote *Theophylact* for this reading; but it is not in my copy. Paris edit. 1635.

Verse [Mark 3:5](../../../kjv/mark/3/5). ***With anger, being grieved for the hardness of their*** *hearts*] These words are not found in any of the other evangelists. For πωρωσει *hardness*, or rather *callousness*, the *Codex Bezae*, and four of the *Itala*, read νεκρωσει, *deadness*; the *Vulgate* and some of the *Itala, caecitate, blindness*. Join all these together, and they will scarcely express the fulness of this people's wretchedness. By a long resistance to the *grace* and *Spirit* of God, their hearts had become *callous*; they were past *feeling*. By a long opposition to the *light* of God, they became *dark* in their understanding, were *blinded* by the deceitfulness of sin, and thus were past *seeing*. By a long continuance in the *practice* of every evil work, they were cut off from all union with God, the fountain of spiritual life; and, becoming *dead* in trespasses and sins, they were incapable of any *resurrection* but through a miraculous power of God.
*With anger*. What was the anger which our Lord felt? That which proceeded from excessive grief, which was occasioned by their obstinate stupidity and blindness: therefore it was no uneasy passion, but an excess of generous grief.
***Whole as the other.*** — This is omitted by the best MSS. and versions. *Grotius, Mill*, and *Bengel* approve of the omission, and *Griesbach* leaves it out of the text.

Verse [Mark 3:6](../../../kjv/mark/3/6). ***Herodians*** — For an account of these, see the note on [Matthew 16:1](../../../kjv/matthew/16/1); [Matthew 22:16](../../../kjv/matthew/22/16).

Verse [Mark 3:7](../../../kjv/mark/3/7). ***Galilee*** — See [Matthew 4:13](../../../kjv/matthew/4/13); [Matthew 4:15](../../../kjv/matthew/4/15).

Verse [Mark 3:8](../../../kjv/mark/3/8). ***Tyre - Sidon***, &c.] See [Matthew 11:21](../../../kjv/matthew/11/21).
***When they had heard what great things he did, came unto him.*** — So, if Christ be persecuted and abandoned by the wicked, there are a multitude of pious souls who earnestly seek and follow him. He who labours for God will always *find* more than he *loses*, in the midst of all his contradictions and persecutions.

Verse [Mark 3:9](../../../kjv/mark/3/9). ***A small ship*** — πλοιαριον. *The lytil boot*, Old English MS. It was doubtless something of the *boat* kind, which probably belonged to some of the disciples. Our Lord was at this time teaching by the sea of Galilee. The word *ship* is utterly improper in many places of our translation, and tends to mislead the people.

Verse [Mark 3:10](../../../kjv/mark/3/10). ***They pressed upon him*** — *Rushed upon him*, επιπιπτειν - through eagerness to have their spiritual and bodily maladies immediately removed.
***Plagues.*** — Rather *disorders*, μαστιγας; properly such disorders as were inflicted by the Lord. The word *plague* also tends to mislead.

Verse [Mark 3:11](../../../kjv/mark/3/11). ***Thou art the Son of God.*** — Two MSS., and the later *Syriac*, have, *Thou art the Christ, the Son of God*. One of Stephens's MSS. has, *Thou art the Holy One of God*. A MS. in the library of Leicester has, συ ει ὁ Θεος, υἱος, *Thou art* GOD, *the* *Son*. This is an uncommon reading, which is not confirmed by any MS. yet discovered.

Verse [Mark 3:14](../../../kjv/mark/3/14). ***He ordained twelve*** — εποιησε, he *made* twelve. Here is nothing of what we call *ordaining*. Christ simply appointed them to be with him; and that he might send them occasionally to preach, &c.
***To preach*** — The *Codex Bezae, Saxon*, and all the *Itala*, except one, add το ευαγγελιον, *the Gospel*.

Verse [Mark 3:15](../../../kjv/mark/3/15). ***To have power to heal - and to cast out devils*** — The business of a minister of Christ is,
1st. To *preach* the *Gospel*.
2dly. To be the *physician* of souls. And,
3dly. To *wage* war with the *devil*, and destroy his kingdom.

Verse [Mark 3:16](../../../kjv/mark/3/16). ***Simon***, &c.] [Matthew 10:2](../../../kjv/matthew/10/2); [Matthew 10:2](../../../kjv/matthew/10/2), &c.

Verse 17. ***Sons of thunder*** — A Hebraism for *thunderers*; probably so named because of their *zeal* and *power* in preaching the Gospel.
The term *Boanerges* is neither Hebrew nor Syriac. Calmet and others think that there is reason to believe that the Greek transcribers have not copied it exactly. בני רעם *beney raam*, which the ancient Greeks would pronounce *Beneregem*, and which means *sons of thunder*, was probably the appellative used by our Lord: or בני רעש *beni reges, sons of tempest*, which comes nearest to the *Boanerges* of the evangelist. St. Jerome, on [Daniel 1](../../../kjv/daniel/1):, gives בני רעם (which he writes *Benereem*, softening the sound of the ע *ain*) as the more likely reading, and Luther, supposing our Lord spoke in Hebrew, gives the proper Hebrew term above mentioned, which he writes *Bnehargem*. Some think that the reason why our Lord gave this appellative to the sons of Zebedee was, their desire to bring fire down from heaven, i.e. a storm of thunder and lightning, to overturn and consume a certain Samaritan village, the inhabitants of which would not receive their Master. See the account in [Luke 9:53-54](../../../kjv/luke/9/53-54). It was a very usual thing among the Jews to give surnames, which signified some particular quality or excellence, to their rabbins. See several instances in *Schoettgen*.

Verse 19. ***Into a house.*** — As Christ was now returned to Capernaum, this was probably the house of Peter, mentioned [Mark 2:1](../../../kjv/mark/2/1).

Verse 20. ***Eat bread.*** — Had no time to take any necessary refreshment.

Verse 21. ***His friends*** — Or, *relations*. On this verse several MSS. differ considerably. I have followed the reading of the Syriac, because I think it the best: οιπαραυτου signify merely *his relatives, his brethren*, c., see [Mark 3:31](../../../kjv/mark/3/31) and the phrase is used by the best writers to signify *relatives, companions*, and *domestics*. See *Kypke* in loc.
***They said, He is beside himself.*** — It was the enemies of Christ that raised this report; and his relatives, probably thinking that it was true, went to confine him. Let a Christian but neglect the care of his body for a time, in striving to enter in at the strait gate; let a minister of Christ but impair his health by his pastoral labours; presently "he is distracted;" he has "not the least conduct nor discretion." But let a man forget his soul, let him destroy his health by debaucheries, let him expose his life through ambition, and he may, notwithstanding, pass for a very *prudent* and *sensible* man!
*Schoettgen* contends that the *multitude*, and not *Christ*, is here intended. Christ was in the house: the multitude, οχλος, [Mark 3:20](../../../kjv/mark/3/20), pressed upon him so that he could not eat bread. His disciples, or friends, went out, κρατησαι αυτον (*scil*. οχλον,) to restrain *it*, viz. the multitude, to prevent them from rushing into the house and disturbing their Master, who was now taking some refreshment. This conjecture should not be lightly regarded.

Verse 22. ***He hath Beelzebub*** — See Clarke on [Matthew 12:24-26](../../../kjv/matthew/12/24-26).

Verse [Mark 3:27-30](../../../kjv/mark/3/27-30). ***No man***, &c.] For an explanation of these verses, and a definition of the *sin against the Holy Ghost*, see [Matthew 12:29-33](../../../kjv/matthew/12/29-33).

Verse 28. [Mark 3:27](../../../kjv/mark/3/27); [Mark 3:27](../../../kjv/mark/3/27).

Verse 29. [Mark 3:27](../../../kjv/mark/3/27); [Mark 3:27](../../../kjv/mark/3/27).

Verse 30. [Mark 3:27](../../../kjv/mark/3/27); [Mark 3:27](../../../kjv/mark/3/27).

Verse [Mark 3:31](../../../kjv/mark/3/31). ***His brethren and his mother*** — Or rather, *his mother* *and his brethren*. This is the arrangement of the best and most ancient MSS.; and this clause, και αἱ αδελφαι σου, *and thy* *sisters*, [Mark 3:32](../../../kjv/mark/3/32), should be ADDED, on the authority of ADEFGMSUV, *fifty-five* others, some editions, the margin of the later *Syriac,* *Slavonic, Gothic*, and all the *Itala* except four. *Griesbach* has received this reading into the text.
***Calling him.*** — This clause is wanting in one copy of the *Itala*. The *Codex Alexandrinus* has ζητουντες αυτον, *seeking him*.

Verse [Mark 3:33](../../../kjv/mark/3/33). ***Who is my mother?*** — See on [Matthew 12:46-50](../../../kjv/matthew/12/46-50).

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