Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Mark 3:8
And from Jerusalem, and from Idumea, and [from] beyond Jordan; and they about Tyre and Sidon, a great multitude, when they had heard what great things he did, came unto him.
Verse 8. Tyre – Sidon, &c.] See Mt 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.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
And from Jerusalem,…. The metropolis of the country of Judea;
and from Idumea, or Edom, as the Syriac version reads it; a country that lay on the south of Judea, formerly inhabited by the sons of Edom, but now by Jews; or at least the inhabitants of it were proselytes to the Jewish religion. Mention is made of the plains of Idumea, along with Gazera, Azotus, and Jamnia, as in 1 Maccabees:
“Howbeit all the hindmost of them were slain with the sword: for they pursued them unto Gazera, and unto the plains of Idumea, and Azotus, and Jamnia, so that there were slain of them upon a three thousand men.” (1 Maccabees 4:15)
Pliny t speaks of Idumea and Judea together, as a part of Syria; and Ptolemy says u, this country lies on the west of the river Jordan; and it is here added,
and from beyond Jordan; the country of Peraea, on the east of Jordan:
and they about Tyre and Sidon; either the inhabitants of these places, as the Syriac, Arabic, Persic, and Ethiopic versions favour, reading “a great company from Tyre and Sidon”; or those that lived near the borders, and upon the confines of these cities of Phoenicia:
a great multitude; when all met together, from these several parts; who
when they had heard what great things he did, came unto him: for his fame went through all the countries, for the miracles he wrought; which drew this vast concourse of people after him; and who, inquiring where he was, came to him at the sea of Galilee.
t Nat. Hist. l. 5. c. 12. u Geograph. l. 5. c. 16.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Hearing what great things he did ( ). Masculine plural present participle, though is neuter singular (construction according to sense in both number and gender). This crowd by the sea came from Galilee, Judea, Jerusalem, Idumea, beyond Jordan (Decapolis and Perea), Tyre and Sidon, Phoenicia, North, South, East, and Northwest, even from Idumea (mentioned here alone in the N.T.) won by John Hyrcanus to Palestine. “In our Lord’s time Idumea was practically a part of Judea with a Jewish circumcised population” (George Adam Smith). Many of these were probably Gentiles (Phoenicia and Decapolis) and may have known only the Greek language. The fame of Jesus had spread through all the regions round about. There was a jam as the crowds came to Jesus by the Sea of Galilee.
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
He did [] . Imperfect tense. Others read poiei, he is doing. In either case the tense has a continuous force : what things he was doing or is doing. Note in verses 7, 8, Mark’s accurate detail of places. See Introduction. The reasons for our Lord ‘s withdrawing into a boat, given with such minuteness of detail in verses 9 – 11, are also peculiar to Mark.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) “And from Jerusalem, and from Idumaea,” (kai apo lerosolumon kai apo tes Idoumaias) “As well as from Jerusalem and from ldumaea,” as also recounted Luk 6:17-19. Idumaea was near the Negev desert, at the southernmost part of Judea; known also as the land of Edom, country of Esau, Isa 34:5-6; Eze 35:15; Eze 36:5.
2) “And from beyond Jordan; (kai peran tou lordanou) “And from beyond the Jordan (river and valley);- From far and near, from remote parts of the Holy Land the people came to meet Jesus in His Galileean ministry of more than two years.
3) “And they about Tyre and Sidon, a great multitude,” (kai peri Turon kai Sidona plethos polu) “And around Tyre and Sidon, a great multitude,” or crowds of Jews from Sidon.
4) “When they had heard what great things He did,” (akountes hosa poiei) “Having heard what great things He did;- by 1) Fulfilling prophecy, 2) By miracles that He performed, and 3) By the life He lived, Jesus demonstrated that He was the Son of God.
5) “Came unto Him,” (elthon pros a uton) “They came unto Him,” of their own accord, because they wanted to see and hear this man of renoun, Joh 3:2.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
(8) From Iduma.The only passage in the New Testament in which this country is named. It had acquired a considerably wider range than the Edom of the Old Testament, and included the whole country between the Arabah and the Mediterranean. It was at this time under the government of Aretas (2Co. 11:32), the father of the wife whom Herod Antipas had divorced, and this had probably brought about a more frequent intercourse between its inhabitants and those of Galilee and Pera.
They about Tyre and Sidon.The fact is interesting in its connection with the history of the Syro-Phnician woman (Mat. 15:21; Mar. 7:24) as showing how it was that our Lords appearance in that region was welcomed as that of one whose fame had travelled thither before Him.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
8. Idumea This was the ancient Edom. It lay south of Palestine. Herod the Great was by descent an Idumean. Many Jews lived in the country, but it can hardly be inferred that these who now followed Jesus had heard of him and came from that distance. Jews from Idumea being in Galilee followed the Saviour on account of his great and merciful miracles.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
8 And from Jerusalem, and from Idumaea, and from beyond Jordan; and they about Tyre and Sidon, a great multitude, when they had heard what great things he did, came unto him.
Ver. 8. From beyond Jordan ] . This country by Josephus is called Peraea, as Ultrajectum in Germany.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Idumaea. South of Judea and Dead Sea.
about. Greek. peri. App-104.,
did = was doing.
unto. Greek. pros. App-101.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Mar 3:8. , Idumea) Therefore Esau was not altogether hated [Mal 1:3; Rom 9:13].- ) These were Israelites living near Tyre and Sidon.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
Idumaea: Isa 34:5, Eze 35:15, Eze 36:5, Mal 1:2-4, Edom
beyond: Num 32:33-38, Jos 13:8-14
Tyre: Mar 7:24, Mar 7:31, Jos 19:28, Jos 19:29, Psa 45:12, Psa 87:4, Isa 23:1-18, Eze 26:1 – Eze 28:26
Reciprocal: Isa 23:18 – her merchandise Mat 14:35 – General Mar 2:13 – and all Luk 6:17 – the sea
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
8
Jerusalem was in Judea, but the writer thought it good to specify some of the important centers of population in that district as well as others. Idumaea was the same as Edom, a country east of the Jordan. Tyre and Sidon were important cities of Phoenicia, a country bordering on the Mediterranean Sea. The fame of Jesus reached into all these places and people came from them to see him.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
XL.
JESUS HEALS MULTITUDES BESIDE THE
SEA OF GALILEE.
aMATT. XII. 15-21; bMARK III. 7-12.
a15 And Jesus perceiving it withdrew bwith his disciples afrom thence: bto the sea [This was the first withdrawal of Jesus for the avowed purpose of self-preservation. After this we find Jesus constantly retiring to avoid the plots of his enemies. The Sea of Galilee, with its boats and its shores touching different jurisdictions, formed a convenient and fairly safe retreat]: aand many followed him; band a great multitude from Galilee followed; and from Juda, 8 and from Jerusalem, and from Idumaea, and beyond the Jordan, and about Tyre and Sidon, a great multitude, hearing what great things he did, came unto him. [Iduma was the land formerly inhabited by the Edomites. It is a Greek word from “Edom,” which was another word for Esau ( Gen 25:30), and means red. This land was originally the narrow strip reaching from the Dead Sea to the Red Sea, lying between the Arabah on the west, and the desert on the east, being about one hundred miles long and fifteen or twenty broad. During the Babylonian captivity, however, the Edomites took possession of the southern portion of Juda, and Strabo says that they encroached as far as to the city of Hebron. They were conquered by John Hyrcanus, one of the Asmonan princes about 120 B.C., and were by him made subservient to the law and incorporated with the Jewish people. As before [217] noted, Herod the Great sprang from this people. Tyre and Sidon were Phoenician cities on the Mediterranean seacoast, westward from the Lake of Galilee.] aand he healed them all, 16 and charged them that they should not make him known: 17 that it might be fulfilled which was spoken through Isaiah the prophet [ Isa 42:1-4. Partly taken from the LXX and part an original translation], saying, 18 Behold, my servant whom I have chosen; My beloved, in whom my soul is well pleased: I will put my Spirit upon him, And he shall declare judgment to the Gentiles. [The word translated “servant,” means also son, but it is rightly translated “servant” here, for the Father uses another word when he would designate Jesus as specifically his Son ( Mat 3:17, Mat 17:5). Jesus was a servant in form ( Phi 2:7), and in obedience ( Heb 10:9). The word “judgment,” as used in the Old Testament, from which it is here translated, means rule, doctrine, truth. It is usually here understood as meaning that Jesus would reveal the gospel or the full truth of the new dispensation to the Gentiles.] 19 He shall not strive, nor cry aloud; Neither shall any one hear his voice in the streets. 20 A bruised reed shall he not break, and smoking flax shall he not quench, Till he send forth judgment unto victory. [These two verses find their fulfillment in the events of this paragraph. Jesus did not strive nor quarrel with the Pharisees, but having victoriously put them to silence, he meekly and quietly withdrew from their presence, and the healing of the multitudes which followed him as aptly fulfilled the prediction about the reed and the flax, for these two words, symbolic of weakness ( Isa 36:6) and patience-trying annoyance ( Pro 10:26), fitly represented the sick and lame and blind–sinners who, by affliction, had been made contrite and poor in spirit, remorseful and repentant, and who were brought to Jesus to be healed. If the hollow cylinder of the reed is bruised, its strength is gone, and it is no longer able to stand erect. Flax was then used where we now use cotton, as wicking for lamps. Imperfection in the fiber of it would cause it to smoke. A violent [218] man, irritated by the fumes of the smoking wick, would put it out, and cast it from him. But the Lord’s servant would patiently fan it to flames. The statement that he would not break these bruised reeds, nor quench this smoking flax, was an emphatic declaration, by contrast, that he would heal their bruises and fan their dying energies and resolutions into a flame, until he sent forth judgment unto victory; i. e., until the gospel–the authoritative announcement of the divine purpose or will–shall be sent forth and advanced to its final triumph. Christ shall show patient mercy and forbearance until the gospel shall practically exclude the need of it, by triumphing over Jewish opposition and Gentile impiety so as to bring about universal righteousness.] 21 And in his name shall the Gentiles hope. [This verse sets forth the breadth of Christ’s conquest over all nations. It reaches beyond our times into a future which is yet to be. But it was partially fulfilled by the presence of Idumans and citizens of Tyre and Sidon in the multitudes which Jesus healed–unless we say that only Jews from these quarters are meant, which is not likely.] b9 And he spake to his disciples, that a little boat should wait on him because of the crowd, lest they should throng him: 10 for he had healed many; insomuch that as many as plagues pressed upon him that they might touch him. [Literally, they “fell upon him;” such was their eagerness to be healed by touching him.] 11 And unclean spirits, whensoever they beheld him, fell down before him, and cried, saying, Thou art the Son of God. 12 And he charged them much that they should not make him known. [Because this was not the right time, nor were they the right witnesses to make him known.] [219]
[FFG 217-219]
Fuente: McGarvey and Pendleton Commentaries (New Testament)
3:8 And from Jerusalem, and from Idumaea, and [from] {f} beyond Jordan; and they about Tyre and Sidon, a great multitude, when they had heard what great things he did, came unto him.
(f) Which Josephus called stony or rocky.