Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Mark 11:25
And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have aught against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.
25. when ye stand praying ] The posture of prayer among the Jews seems to have been most often standing; comp. the instance of Hannah (1Sa 1:26), and of the Pharisee (Luk 18:11). When the prayer was offered with especial solemnity and humiliation, this was naturally expressed by ( a) kneeling; comp. the instance of Solomon (1Ki 8:54), and Daniel (Mar 6:10); or ( b) prostration, as Joshua (Mar 7:6), and Elijah (1Ki 18:42).
forgive ] In this place, where our Lord connects the strong assurance of the marvellous power of faith with the cursing of the fig-tree, He passes on most naturally to declare how such a faith could not be sundered from forgiving love, that it should never be used in the service of hate or fanaticism.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Mar 11:25-26
But if ye do not forgive.
Prayer and forgiveness
1. The first lesson here taught is that of a forgiving disposition. Gods full and free forgiveness is to be the rule of ours with men.
2. There is a second and more general lesson. Our daily life in the world is made the test of our intercourse with God in prayer. Life does not consist of so many loose pieces, of which now the one, then the other, can be taken up. My drawing nigh to God is of one piece with my intercourse with men. Failure here will cause failure there.
3. We may gather these thoughts into a third lesson. In our life with men the one thing on which everything depends is love. The spirit of forgiveness is the spirit of love. The right relations to the living God above me, and the living men around me, are the conditions of effectual prayer. (A. Murray.)
Forgiving foes
I. We should forgive our enemies and all who have injured us, because of the Divine example. Let us learn to act like our Father in heaven, who forgives us without any merit on our part.
II. We should forgive because it is needful for our own peace. Revenge cherished is like a thorn in the flesh.
III. Forgiveness is one of the most important signs and essentials of spiritual growth.
IV. We should forgive one another because it is the condition of our own forgiveness. (Anon.)
Forgive
He that cannot forgive others breaks down the bridge over which he must pass himself; for everyone has need to be forgiven. As when the sea worm makes a hole in the shell of the mussel, the hole is filled up with a pearl; so, when the heart is pierced by an injury, forgiveness is like a pearl, healing and filling up the wound. (Anon.)
Generous and magnanimous minds are readiest to forgive; and it is a weakness and impotency of mind to be unable to forgive. (Bacon.)
Forgive and forget
Whilst wrongs are remembered, they are not remitted. He forgives not, that forgets not. When an inconsiderate fellow had struck Cato in the bath, and afterwards besought his pardon, he replied, I remember not that thou didst strike me. Our Henry VI is said to have been of that happy memory, that he never forgot anything but injuries. (J. Trapp.)
Forgive
A wealthy planter in Virginia, who had a great number of slaves, found one of them reading the Bible, and reproved him for neglect of his work, saying, there was time enough on Sundays for reading the Bible, and that on other days he ought to be in the tobacco house. On the offence being repeated, he ordered the slave to be whipped. Going near the place of punishment soon after its infliction, curiosity led him to listen to a voice engaged in prayer; and he heard the poor black implore the Almighty to forgive the injustice of his master, to touch his heart with a sense of his sin, and to make him a good Christian. Struck with remorse, he made an immediate change in his life, which had been careless and dissipated, and appears now only to study bow he can render his wealth and talents useful to others.
Forgiveness by those forgiven
A great boy in a school was so abusive to the younger ones, that the teacher took the vote of the school whether he should be expelled. All the small boys voted to expel him, except one, who was scarcely five years old. Yet he knew very well that the bad boy would probably continue to abuse him. Why, then, did you vote for him to stay? said the teacher. Because if he is expelled, perhaps he will not learn any more about God, and so he will be more wicked still. Do you forgive him then? inquired the teacher. Yes, said the little fellow; papa and mamma and you all forgive me when I do wrong; God forgives me too and I must do the same.
Why prayers sometimes fail
I. Let us, in the first place, enter upon an intelligent exposition of the verses just as they stand. It will be quite as necessary for us to be sure what they do not mean, as what they do mean; for the declaration has been somewhat abused.
1. It is easy to show what our Lord does not teach in His repeated counsels on this point. The new revision gives a very interesting turn to the form of expression by throwing the verb into the past tense: forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. This intensifies the admonition, and enforces the condition that ensures success in our praying; for it demands that our pardon of injuries shall have taken place previous even to our coming to the mercy seat for ourselves. It cannot be that the passage we are studying means that our forgiveness of others is in any sense the ground for our remission of sins from God. It cannot be that the passage means that our forgiveness of others is to furnish the measure of our own pardon from God.
2. What then does our Lord mean when He gives this warning? How is a forgiving spirit connected with our prayers? If our having pardoned those who have injured us be not a ground for our own pardon nor a measure of Divine grace, what is it? For one thing, it may be used as a token. It can be looked upon as a hopeful sign that our transgressions have been removed, and that we are now heirs of the kingdom. For, if ye forgive men their trespasses your heavenly Father will also forgive you. Such a token can be employed very easily. If used faithfully, it would set at rest many a doubt concerning religion in ones heart. For another thing, this passage may serve as an admonition. And it is likely that it will have in this its widest use. The petition of the great universal prayer cannot be pressed without its comment. In this demand for a forgiving spirit, there is nothing less than a permanent reminder that when we come asking for pardon, we must be prepared to exercise it likewise; if not, we are to turn on our track and seek preparation.
II. This being the exposition of the verses, and the conclusion having been inevitably reached that we cannot even pres without the spirit of forgiveness, it is evident that we must move forward to a higher plane of Christian experience in this one particular. So we inquire, in the second place, concerning the reach and the limit of the doctrine of forgiveness.
1. The reach of it is indicated in an incident of Simon Peters life (Mat 18:21-22).
2. But now, with a sober sense of inquiry, and a sincere wish to be reasonable, some of us are ready to ask after the limit as well as the reach of this counsel. (Luk 17:3-4.) Before this question can be plainly answered, we must be careful to see that forgiveness does not imply that we approve, condone, or underrate the injurious acts committed; we forgive the sinner, not the sin-the sin we are to forget. Nor does forgiveness imply that we are to stifle all honest indignation against the wickedness of the injury. Nor is it settled that we are to take the injurious man into constant companionship if we forgive him; Jacob and Esau will do better apart. What, then, are we to do? We are, in our very heart of hearts, to cease forever from the sore sense of a hurt; we are to shut our souls against all suggestions of requital or future revenge; we are to use all means for furthering the interests of those who have done us harm; we are to illustrate the greatness of Gods pardoning love by the quickness of our own. All this before our wrongs have been atoned for; before our honest acts and decent deeds have been shown! It does seem a little difficult; but think over Augustines searching question: Do you who are a Christian desire to be revenged and vindicated, and the death of Jesus Christ has not yet been revenged, nor his innocence vindicated? It is related of the chivalric leader, the great Sir Tristam, that his stepmother tried twice to poison him. He hurried to the king, who honoured him as he honoured none other, and craved a boon: I beseech you of your mercy that you will forgive it her! God forgive it her, and I do! For Gods love, I require you to grant me my boon! (C. S. Robinson, D. D.)
Forgiveness of injuries
A young Greenlander said to a missionary, I do love Jesus-I would do anything for Him; how good of Him to die for me! The missionary said to him, Are you sure you would do anything for our dear Lord? Yes, I would do anything for Him. What can I do? The missionary, showing him the Bible, said, This Book says, Thou shalt do no murder. Oh, but that man killed my father. Our dear Lord Himself says, If ye love Me, keep My commandments, and this is one of them. Oh, exclaimed the Greenlander, I do love Jesus! but I-I must- Wait a little, calm yourself; think it well over and then come and let me know. He went out, but presently came back, saying, I cannot decide; one moment I will, the next I will not. Help me to decide. The missionary answered; When you say, I will kill him, it is the evil spirit trying to gain the victory; when you say, I will not, it is the Spirit of God striving within you. And so speaking, he induced him at length to give up his murderous design. Accordingly the Greenlander sent a message to the murderer of his father, telling him to come and meet him as a friend. He came, with kindness on his lips, but treachery in his heart. For, after he had stayed with him a while, he asked the young man to come and visit him on this side of the river. To this he readily assented, but, on returning to his boat, found that a hole had been pierced in the boat, and cleverly concealed by his enemy, who hoped thereby to destroy him. He stopped the hole, and put off in his boat, which to the surprise and wrath and indignation of the other, who had climbed a high rock on purpose to see him drown, did not sink, but merrily breasted the waves. Then cried the young man to his enemy, I freely forgive you, for our dear Lord has forgiven me.
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Verse 25. When ye stand praying] This expression may mean no more than, When ye are disposed, or have a mind, to pray, i.e. whenever ye perform that duty. And it is thus used and explained in the Koran, Surat. v. ver. 7. See Clarke on Mt 21:20-22. But the Pharisees loved to pray standing, that they might be seen of men.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
25. And when ye stand praying,forgive, if ye have aught against any; that your Father also which isin heaven may forgive you your trespasses, c.This is repeatedfrom the Sermon on the Mount (see on Mt6:12) to remind them that if this was necessary to theacceptableness of all prayer, much more when great thingswere to be asked and confidently expected.
Mr11:27-33. THEAUTHORITY OF JESUSQUESTIONEDHISREPLY. ( = Mat 21:23-27;Luk 20:1-8).
See on Mt21:23-27.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And when ye stand praying,…. Are about to engage in that work, or are engaged in it, performing it in such a posture; for standing was an usual posture in praying; [See comments on Mt 6:5];
forgive, if ye have ought against any, that your Father also in heaven may forgive you your trespasses. The sense is, that if, while a man is praying, it comes into his mind that such an one has committed a trespass against him, has done him an injury, of which he has just reason to complain; but instead of complaining of it before God, and calling upon him to avenge his cause, he should immediately in his heart, and from his heart, forgive him, even though he is not present to acknowledge his sin, and ask his pardon; and such an one may expect forgiveness of God, and a manifestation of it to his soul; which is one the things he is constantly praying for, as his daily case makes it necessary: not that it is to be understood as though his for, giving the person that has offended him, is the cause, or condition, of his receiving remission of sin at the hand of God; for then it would not be through the blood of Christ, and according to the riches of his grace; but this points at a temper and disposition of mind well pleasing to God, and describes persons who may expect this favour from him; [See comments on Mt 6:14].
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Whensoever ye stand ( ). Late form of present indicative , from perfect stem . In LXX. Note use of as in 11:19. Jesus does not mean by the use of “stand” here to teach that this is the only proper attitude in prayer.
That your Father also may forgive you ( ). Evidently God’s willingness to forgive is limited by our willingness to forgive others. This is a solemn thought for all who pray. Recall the words of Jesus in Matt 6:12; Matt 6:14.
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
Trespasses. See on Mt 6:14
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) “And when ye stand praying, forgive,” (kai hoten stekete peoseuchomenoi aphiete) “And when ye stand, you all stand praying, forgive ye,” as also recounted by Matthew in abbreviated form, Mat 18:35. Standing was the normal posture in public prayer, 2Ch 6:13; Dan 6:10; But kneeling in private prayer.
2) “If you have ought against any:- (ei ti echete kata tinos) “If you have or hold anything at all against anyone,” if you have or hold any malice, envy, old grudge, hate, or unkind disposition toward any person and expect to have your prayers answered by the Lord, Eph 4:31; Mat 5:24.
3) “That your Father also which is in heaven,” (hina kai ho pater humon ho en tois puranois) ”in order that your Father also who is (exists in) the heavens,” who holds no such attitude of malice or grudge against you, Mat 5:48; Heb 12:14.
4) “May forgive you your trespasses.” (aphe humin ta paraptomata humon) “May forgive to you your trespasses,” Mat 5:14-15; Mat 18:35, Col 3:13. A disposition or attitude of heart and life, free from any unforgiving spirit, or concealing malice, hatred, envy or any such covert, covetous, carnal inclination, is necessary for one to have his prayers answered, and the object of his desires realized from an holy, compassionate, and caring heavenly Father.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
(25-26) And when ye stand praying, forgive.See Notes on Mat. 6:14. The reproduction of the words which are recorded as having been spoken in the Sermon on the Mount, is very significant. The prayer even of intensest faith is not perfect, unless the temper of the worshipper is also that of the Charity which forgives offences. Such words exclude from the prayers of Christs disciples wishes more or less vindictive, which, as in Psalms 69, 109, had seemed natural and right under a less perfect manifestation of the will and mind of the Father.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
25. Forgive In the very act of prayer. God’s forgiveness of all our transgression must lie at the bottom of all other blessings. Otherwise we are unreconciled to him and our prayers are unheard. But how can we expect forgiveness of God, against whom we have most highly offended, if we refuse to forgive our fellows who have offended us far less. So this forgiveness by us is requisite in order to our possessing true faith, and that faith is necessary to procure anything from God.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘And whenever you stand praying, forgive if you have anything against anyone, that your Father who is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.’
This is another saying of Jesus which at first sight appears to be even more ‘unattached’. Looking at it from this point of view it is a reminder that if we want our prayers to be answered our hearts must be right with God, and that means having a right attitude towards our fellowman. As we have the heart to forgive, so will we be forgiven (compare Mat 6:12; Mat 6:14-15, and note the reference here to ‘your Father Who is in Heaven’ which connects with the Lord’s Prayer). And the corollary of this is that those who are unforgiving cannot expect God to answer their prayers, for they are unable to receive the forgiveness of God. The centrality of such an idea for prayer comes out in that it is such an essential part of the Lord’s prayer.
But if we think about it further we can see that Jesus may well have a specific purpose in mind in bringing in the need to forgive here. For such willingness to forgive, together with its parallel of being forgiven, is elsewhere central to Jesus’ view of what He requires from His new people. It is stressed in connection with the Lord’s prayer (Mat 6:14-15), and it is seen as basic to His instructions to the new community (Mat 18:15-35). Thus in the context of the idea of the spiritual failure of Jerusalem there is good reason to see this as being the alternative that could succeed in enabling the church to triumph where Jerusalem had failed. They were to be the house of prayer. And the secret of true spirituality and prayer lay in forgiving one another and being forgiven by God. Such people would never suffer under His curse, and would be able to pray in faith, knowing that they would be heard.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Mar 11:25-26 . Comp. Mat 6:14 f. To the exhortation to confidence in prayer, according to Mark, Jesus links on another principal requisite of being heard namely, the necessity of forgiving in order to obtain forgiveness. And how appropriate is this to guard against a false conclusion from the occurrence with the fig-tree! Nevertheless (in opposition to Holtzmann) it is hardly here original, but introduced [145] into this connection by Mark from the collection of Logia in the way of thoughtful redaction, not of unadjusted insertion (Hilgenfeld).
] Comp. on , Mat 6:5 . The indication is not incorrect, but has its relation merely to the particle , and does not affect the verb; see on Mar 3:11 .
Mar 11:26 . Observe the antithesis , in which (not , as in Matthew) is closely associated with and constitutes with it one idea (Hermann, ad Vig. p. 831; Winer, p. 423 f. [E. T. 597 f.]; Buttmann, neut. Gr. p. 297 [E. T. 346]).
[145] Which, however, is not, with Weiss in the Jahrb. f. D. Theol. 1864, p. 63, to be supported by the argument that Mark has nowhere else the expression: . For Mark has no place at all, in which this designation would have been applicable instead of another that he has used.
Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary
25 And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.
Ver. 25. And when ye stand, praying ] Several gestures in prayer are described, not prescribed, in God’s book. The word , here rendered stand, importeth a presenting one’s self before the Lord, whether he stand, sit, or kneel, &c.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
25. ] On the matter cf. Mat 6:14 f. See also ib. Mat 5:23 f., where the converse to this is treated of.
In , the connects, not with the verb, but with the , giving indefiniteness to the occasion, not to the act. See Klotz, Devar. p. 470, 475. He gives an example from Lycurgus contra Leocratem, p. 162 ( 107), .
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
against. Greek. kata. App-104.
Father. App-98.
heaven = the heavens. Plural as in Mar 11:26, but Singular in Mar 11:30. See notes on Mat 6:9, Mat 6:10.
trespasses = falling aside. Greek paraptoma. App-128.:4.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
25.] On the matter cf. Mat 6:14 f. See also ib. Mat 5:23 f., where the converse to this is treated of.
In , the connects, not with the verb, but with the , giving indefiniteness to the occasion, not to the act. See Klotz, Devar. p. 470, 475. He gives an example from Lycurgus contra Leocratem, p. 162 ( 107), .
Fuente: The Greek Testament
Mar 11:25. , and when) The connection is, We must pray without doubting and wrath, 1Ti 2:8.-, stand) When in respect to the very attitude of your body you have laid yourselves out for prayer: com. Jer 18:20. To stand is the attitude of one praying with confidence [Luk 18:11; Luk 18:13]: to lie prostrate is that of one praying so as to deprecate vengeance. , from , signifies I am he [one] who have betaken myself to standing; a signification which admirably suits the other passages also, where is read. When standing we touch the earth with as small a part of us as possible; for which reason it is an apt posture for those who pray; in which the ascetics forbid appodiare[1]-, forgive) [Thus an especial hinderance (Mar 11:26) to believing (faithful) prayer is removed. Sin not yet forgiven hinders all things else.-V. g.] Jesus cursed the fig-tree: the believer ought not to curse his brother.
[1] Lit. ad podium stare, podioque inniti, to lean upon some prop.-ED. and TRANSL.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
stand: Zec 3:1, Luk 18:11, Rev 11:4
forgive: Mat 6:12, Mat 6:14, Mat 6:15, Mat 18:23-35, Luk 6:37, Eph 4:32, Col 3:13, Jam 2:13
Reciprocal: Mat 5:7 – are Mat 18:22 – but 1Ti 2:8 – without Phm 1:12 – thou
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
5
The word stand does not refer to the posture of the body, but is a term that applies to the established practice of praying. Besides, the things Jesus instructs to be done in connection with praying to God are just as necessary in any other position of the body as they are in that of standing.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Mar 11:25. When ye stand praying. A common and proper posture in prayer (comp. Luk 18:13).
Forgive if ye have ought against any one. See on Mat 5:23, where the converse is presented: thy brother hath aught against thee, and Mat 6:14, etc. That such sayings should be repeated almost word for word, is not at all strange. A forgiving temper is necessary for them in working miracles, as well as faith and believing prayer; their faith and the power it wields should never be used in the service of hate. A caution against passing judicial condemnation on the evil and unfruitful, as He had just done, even though their faith should be strong enough, to effect like results (Mat 21:21; ye shall not only do this which is done to the fig tree, etc.). The best authorities omit Mar 11:26.
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
Mar 11:25-26. When ye stand praying Standing was their usual posture when they prayed. Forgive, if ye have aught against any If you expect your prayers should prevail with God, you must take care to offer them in love as well as in faith; and, as you have offended the Majesty of heaven by many provocations, if you expect forgiveness from him, you must forgive your fellow-creatures if you have any matter of complaint against any of them. See notes on Mat 6:14-15; Mat 18:23-35.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
11:25 And when {g} ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.
(g) When you will appear before the altar.
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
Faith in God is not the only condition for answered prayer. One must also forgive his or her fellow human beings. The Jews commonly stood when they prayed (cf. 1Sa 1:26; Luk 18:11; Luk 18:13). Forgiving our brothers and sisters is a precondition for obtaining family forgiveness from the Father (Mat 6:14-15). This is the only place in Mark where Jesus referred to the disciples’ Father in heaven. This may have reminded them of His teaching in the Lord’s Prayer (Mat 6:9-15; Luk 11:2-4).