Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Mark 2:2
And straightway many were gathered together, insomuch that there was no room to receive [them,] no, not so much as about the door: and he preached the word unto them.
2. about the door ] All the avenues of approach to the house were blocked up, and the courtyard or vestibule was filled.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
So much as about the door – In the court or yard before the door. They could not get near enough to hear him.
Preached the word unto them – The word of God; the revelation or doctrine which he came to deliver, called the Word, and the Word of God, because it was spoken or revealed by God. Compare Act 6:2-7.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 2. So much as about the door] Meaning the yard or court before the house.
Preached THE WORD] . The doctrine of the kingdom of God; for so is repeatedly used.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
2. And straightway many weregathered together, insomuch that there was no room to receive them,no, not so much as about the doorThis is one of Mark’s graphictouches. No doubt in this case, as the scene occurred at hisinformant’s own door, these details are the vivid recollections ofthat honored disciple.
and he preached the word untothemthat is, indoors; but in the hearing, doubtless, of themultitude that pressed around. Had He gone forth, as He naturallywould, the paralytic’s faith would have had no such opportunity todisplay itself. Luke (Lu 5:17)furnishes an additional and very important incident in the sceneasfollows: “And it came to pass on a certain day, as He wasteaching, that there were Pharisees and doctors of the law sittingby, which were come out of every town,” or village, “ofGalilee, and Judea, and Jerusalem.” This was the highesttestimony yet borne to our Lord’s growing influence, and thenecessity increasingly felt by the ecclesiastics throughout thecountry of coming to some definite judgment regarding Him. “Andthe power of the Lord was [present] to heal them”or, “was[efficacious] to heal them,” that is, the sick that were broughtbefore Him. So that the miracle that is now to be described was amongthe most glorious and worthy to be recorded of many then performed;and what made it so was doubtless the faith which was manifested inconnection with it, and the proclamation of the forgiveness of thepatient’s sins that immediately preceded it.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And straightway many were gathered together,…. From all parts of the city,
insomuch that there was no room to receive them; in the house: by which it should seem to be a large one, though not large enough to hold such a numerous company as were got together:
no, not so much as about the door; or the places before the door, the porch, the court, or courtyard. The crowd was so great, that neither the house, nor the out places before, could hold them, nor could they come even near the door;
and he preached the word unto them. The Ethiopic version renders it, “he spake his own word to them that came to him”; he preached the Gospel, the word of grace and truth, of life and salvation, to as many as could come near him, and were within the hearing of him. To me it seems, that our Lord went up into an upper room, and out of the window preached to the people, that were, in great numbers, without doors; and the following narrative seems to confirm this conjecture.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
So that there was no longer room for them, no, not even about the door ( ). Another graphic Markan detail seen through Peter’s eyes. The double compound negative in the Greek intensifies the negative. This house door apparently opened into the street, not into a court as in the larger houses. The house was packed inside and there was a jam outside.
And he spake the word unto them ( ). And he was speaking the word unto them, Mark’s favourite descriptive imperfect tense (). Note this word about the preaching of Jesus (originally just sounds like the chatter of birds, the prattling of children, but here of the most serious kind of speech. As contrasted with (to say) it is rather an onomatopoetic word with some emphasis on the sound and manner of speaking. The word is com- mon in the vernacular papyri examples of social inter-course.
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
1) “And straightway many were gathered together,” (kai sunechthesan polloi) “And many were gathered or assembled,” at the home or residence where Jesus had returned, certainly remembering the miraculous deeds of His former visits only a few months or weeks priortothis time, Mar 1:21-45.
2) “Insomuch that there was no room to receive them,”
(hoste mekett chorein) “So that there was no more (longer) room to receive them,” those who were assembling, crowding toward where Jesus was.
3) “No, not so much as about the door– (mede ta pros ten thuran) “Not even at the door:” or around the entrance to the home, to say nothing of the packed crowd inside the house.
4) “And He preached the word unto them.” (kai elalei autois ton logon) “And He spoke the word to them.” This (the preaching) always came first, had first priority over His miracle ministry. Preaching Jesus as the Messiah also became the- priority of the church’s early evangelistic and missionary ministry, Mar 16:15; Act 1:8; 2Ti 4:1-2.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
(2) No, not so much as about the door.Another of St. Marks graphic touches of description.
He preached the word.Literally, He spake the word.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
2. Many were gathered together Luke informs us that there were Pharisees and doctors of the law from every town in Galilee, Judea, and from Jerusalem. It is not probable that they came so far for the purpose of hearing him, but there may have been some convocation which drew them to that locality, and the fame of Jesus drew them to hear him. Not so much as about the door So great was the crowd that access could not be obtained to the door. This might intimate that the paralytic was taken up through a neighbour’s house to the roof over Jesus. The word The Gospel word or doctrine.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
(2) And straightway many were gathered together, insomuch that there was no room to receive them, no not so much as about the door: and he preached the word unto them. (3) And they come unto him, bringing one sick of the palsy, which was borne of four. (4) And when they could not come nigh unto him for the press, they uncovered the roof where he was: and when they had broken it up, they let down the bed wherein the sick of the palsy lay. (5) When Jesus saw their faith, he said unto the sick of the palsy, Son, thy sins be forgiven thee. (6) But there were certain, of the scribes sitting there, and reasoning in their hearts. (7) Why doth this man thus speak blasphemies? who can forgive sins but God only? (8) And immediately when Jesus perceived in his spirit that they so reasoned within themselves, he said unto them, Why reason ye these things in your hearts? (9) Whether is it easier to say to the sick of the palsy, Thy sins be forgiven thee: or to say, Arise, and take up thy bed, and walk? (10) But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (he saith to the sick of the palsy,) (11) I say unto thee, Arise, and take up thy bed, and go thy way into thine house. (12) And immediately he arose, took up the bed, and went forth before them all; insomuch that they were all amazed, and glorified God, saying, We never saw it on this fashion.
I stay not to remark, what might otherwise be very profitably attended to in the several circumstances of this man’s case, the disease of his body; but I have so much to say in relation to the state of his soul, and the souls of GOD’s people, who are all so highly concerned in what is here said, that I fear I shall trespass, and exceed the limits I ought to observe, before that I have said all I wish to say on a subject so abundantly interesting. But otherwise, here would be ample opportunity to enlarge upon such a subject, as a misery of nature, in the painful crippled state of a poor Paralytic, and the mercy of JESUS in healing him. But it is the palsy of the soul, which this of the body became a lively emblem of, that demands our special notice; and may the LORD render our contemplation of it profitable to our hearts. Think, Reader! what a crippled, benumbed, and helpless state our whole nature is reduced to by the fall! And behold, as in the instance of this man, he had no power of himself to come to CHRIST; so neither have we. See, in proof, Joh 6:44 . But what a beautiful lesson is read to us in the friends of this poor creature, in the earnestness with which they brought him to CHRIST. No throng, no obstructions, will they allow to stop them. Even the housetop shall be opened, but CHRIST shall have him brought before him. Oh! that the LORD’s people, who know, in their own cases, the blessedness of JESUS’s grace, would feel somewhat of the same earnestness for the salvation of others. Methinks I would bring to ordinances, and also in private approaches, to the mercy seat, the whole of my carnal, graceless relations; and do as they did by this man, lay them down before the presence of JESUS. More than this I am not able to do; but thus far I am encouraged to do. And that compassionate LORD, who hath healed my crippled soul, can cure theirs.
And I pray the Reader to observe, how infinitely JESUS’s love out run their desires of favour. They brought the poor man to be healed only in his body, whereas JESUS extended his mercy also to the cure of the soul. And do not overlook the gracious manner in which the lord of mercy did it. Son (said JESUS) thy sins are forgiven thee. Did not Jesus mean, by the tender appellation, that he was, indeed, one of those children which the FATHER gave him in the everlasting covenant? One of those concerning whom JESUS hath already said, he will, at the last day, when presenting his Church to himself and Father, say; behold I and the children whom thou hast given me. Isa 8:18 ; Heb 2:13 . Reader! do not forget, in this view to remark, that a Son of JESUS may be, and frequently will be, deeply afflicted, in body, while blessed in soul. Sickness, and the thousand other ailments of life, are not tokens of being out of the covenant, but rather of being in it. Whom the LORD loveth, it is said, he chasteneth, and scourgeth every Son whom he receiveth. Heb 12:6-8 . And what I particularly beg the Reader to remark is, the unconsciousness of this relationship, in the poor man, until JESUS told him of it. So that though one of CHRIST’s own, a son by adoption, and given to CHRIST, in an everlasting covenant, yet he himself knew, it not, but was crippled with disease, and borne down with affliction. Let the sons and daughters of the LORD GOD Almighty, who, by regeneration, know themselves to be such, by adoption and grace, think of this, as they review this man’s history. If ye endure affliction, saith the HOLY GHOST, GOD dealeth with you as with Sons. The reasoning of the Scribes and Pharisees, though resulting from malice to CHRIST, was founded in what is right, concerning the thing itself. None but GOD can forgive sins. But here JESUS manifested that he was truly GOD, as well as man, by exercising this divine prerogative. And in confirmation that he was GOD who possessed this sovereign power, he instantly wrought a miracle, in nature, to cure the body, as he had wrought a miracle of grace in pardoning the soul. Look at this, ye people of GOD, and rejoice. Your JESUS is GOD; One with the FATHER over all, GOD blessed forever, Amen. Look at this, ye that deny the GODHEAD of my LORD, and be ashamed. Oh! that the LORD may carry conviction to the unbeliever, in such a striking testimony of CHRIST’s eternal power and GODHEAD, and cause the knee of the heart to bend before JESUS, crying out with the Prophet. Who is a GOD like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, transgression, and sin! Mic 7:18 . For other observations on this miracle, See Mat 9:2-8 .
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
2 And straightway many were gathered together, insomuch that there was no room to receive them , no, not so much as about the door: and he preached the word unto them.
Ver. 2. Many were gathered together ] Erasmus observeth that Origen, in his sermons to the people, chideth them for nothing more than for their thin assemblies to hear the Word, and for their careless hearing of that, which they ought to attend to with utmost diligence; recte iudicans, saith he, hinc esse praecipuum pietatis profectum aut defectum.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
2. ] In this verse we have again the peculiar minute depicting of Mark. Wordsw. believes “these minute notices to be recorded by the Evangelist with a studied design, lest it should be supposed that, because he incorporates so much which is in St. Matthew’s Gospel, he was only a copyist: and in order to shew that he did so because he knew from ocular testimony that St. Matthew’s narrative was adequate and accurate.” I mention this, to shew to what shifts the advocates of the theory of the “interdependence” of the Evangelists are now reduced.
] so that not even the parts towards the door (much less the house) would any longer hold them (they once sufficed to hold them).
, in the strict imperfect sense: He was speaking to them the word, when that which is about to be related happened.
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
Mar 2:2 . : with the extraordinary incidents of some weeks or months ago fresh in their memory, a great gathering of the townspeople was inevitable. , etc.: the gathering was phenomenal; not only the house filled, but the space round about the door crowded no room for more people even there ( ), not to speak of within. : the phrase has a secondary sound, as if an echo of the speech of the apostolic church, but the meaning is plain. Jesus was preaching the gospel of the kingdom when the following incident happened. Preaching always first.
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
straightway = immediately. See note on Mar 1:12. Omitted by [L Tr. ] T WH R.
no room = no longer any room.
no . . . about = no. not even (mede meketi) at (Greek. pros. App-104) the door.
preached = was speaking (when what follows took place).
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
2.] In this verse we have again the peculiar minute depicting of Mark. Wordsw. believes these minute notices to be recorded by the Evangelist with a studied design, lest it should be supposed that, because he incorporates so much which is in St. Matthews Gospel, he was only a copyist: and in order to shew that he did so because he knew from ocular testimony that St. Matthews narrative was adequate and accurate. I mention this, to shew to what shifts the advocates of the theory of the interdependence of the Evangelists are now reduced.
] so that not even the parts towards the door (much less the house) would any longer hold them (they once sufficed to hold them).
, in the strict imperfect sense: He was speaking to them the word, when that which is about to be related happened.
Fuente: The Greek Testament
Mar 2:2. , not even) Not only the house within, but not even the hall, could contain them.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
straightway: Mar 2:13, Mar 1:33, Mar 1:37, Mar 1:45, Mar 4:1, Mar 4:2, Luk 5:17, Luk 12:1
and he: Mar 1:14, Mar 6:34, Psa 40:9, Mat 5:2, Luk 8:1, Luk 8:11, Act 8:25, Act 11:19, Act 14:25, Act 16:6, Rom 10:8, 2Ti 4:2
Reciprocal: Mar 4:14 – the word Luk 5:15 – great Jam 1:19 – let
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Mar 2:2. The description of Mark is here minute, but is paraphrased in the common version.
Insomuch that not even the parts about (or towards) the door (much less the house), could any longer hold them. This suggests a constantly increasing crowd, at length filling even the porch leading from the interior court to the door.
He was speaking the word, i.e., was teaching (Luke). He was doing this when this incident occurred. From Lukes account we infer that He had already healed others on this occasion.
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
Verse 2
And he preached the word unto them; probably in the court. The buildings constituting an ancient dwelling of the better class, were generally arranged in a square, so as to bring the yard or court in the centre, which was thus enclosed and protected. This is still the case in countries where the people do not feel secure from public commotions and acts of violence.
Fuente: Abbott’s Illustrated New Testament
2:2 And straightway many were gathered together, insomuch that there was no room to receive [them], no, not so much as {b} about the door: and he preached the word unto them.
(b) Neither the house nor the entry was able to hold them.