42<\/strong>. a millstone<\/em> ] Literally, an ass-mill-stone<\/strong>, a mill-stone turned by an ass. These were much larger and heavier than the stones of hand-mills. Comp. Ov. Fast<\/em>. vi. 318,<\/p>\n “Et qu pumiceas versat asella molas.”<\/p>\n It was not a Jewish punishment, but was in use among the Greeks, Romans, Syrians, and Phnicians. “Pdagogum ministrosque C. fili oneratos gravi pondere<\/em> cervicibus prcipitavit in flumen.” Sueton. Oct<\/em>. lxvii.<\/p>\n See the notes at Mat 18:7-9<\/span>. Millstone. See Mat 18:6<\/span>.<\/P> Mar 9:44-46<\/B><\/span><\/P> Their worm – <\/B>This figure is taken from Isa 66:24<\/span>. See the notes at that passage. In describing the great prosperity. of the kingdom of the Messiah, Isaiah says that the people of God shall go forth, and look upon the carcasses of the men who have transgressed against God. Their enemies would be overcome. They would be slain. The people of God would triumph. The figure is taken from heaps of the dead slain in battle; and the prophet says that the number would be so great that their worm – the worm feeding on the dead – would not die, would live long – as long as there were carcasses to be devoured; and that the fire which was used to burn the bodies of the dead would continue long to burn, and would not be extinguished until they were consumed. The figure, therefore, denotes great misery, and certain and terrible destruction. In these verses it is applied to the state beyond the grave, and is intended to denote that the destruction of the wicked will be awful, widespread, and eternal.<\/P> It is not to be supposed that there will be any real worm in hell – perhaps no material fire; nor can it be told what was particularly intended by the undying worm. There is no authority for applying it, as is often done, to remorse of conscience, anymore than to any other of the pains and reflections of hell. It is a mere image of loathsome, dreadful, and eternal suffering. In what that suffering will consist it is probably beyond the power of any living mortal to imagine. The word their, in the phrase their worm, is used merely to keep up the image or figure. Dead bodies putrefying in that valley would be overrun with worms, while the fire would not be confined to them, but would spread to other objects kindled by combustibles through all the valley. It is not meant, therefore, that every particular sufferer has a special worm, or has particular sins that cause remorse of conscience. That is a truth, but it does not appear that it is intended to be taught here.<\/P> Mar 9:49<\/B><\/span><\/P> Every one shall be salted with fire – <\/B>Perhaps no passage in the New Testament has given more perplexity to commentators than this, and it may be impossible now to fix its precise meaning. The common idea affixed to it has been, that as salt preserves from putrefaction, so fire, applied to the wicked in hell, will have the property of preserving them in existence, or they will be preserved amid the sprinkling of fire, to be continually in their sufferings a sacrifice to the justice of God; but this meaning is not quite satisfactory. Another opinion has been, that as salt was sprinkled on the victim preparatory to its being devoted to God (see Lev 2:13<\/span>), so would the apostles, by trials, calamities, etc., represented here by fire, be prepared as a sacrifice and offering to God. Probably the passage has no reference at all to future punishment; and the difficulty of interpreting it has arisen from supposing it to be connected with the 48th verse, or given as a reason for what is said in that verse, rather than considering it as designed to illustrate the general design of the passage. The main scope of the passage was not to discourse of future punishment; that is brought in incidentally. The chief object of the passage was – <\/P> <\/p>\n The word fire, here, therefore denotes self-denials, sacrifices, trials, in keeping ourselves from the gratification of the flesh. As if he had said, Look at the sacrifice on the altar. It is an offering to God, about to be presented to him. It is sprinkled with salt, emblematic of purity, of preservation and of fitting it, therefore, for a sacrifice. So you are devoted to God. You are sacrifices, victims, offerings to him in his service. To make you acceptable offerings, every thing must be done to preserve you from sin and to purify you. Self-denials, subduing the lusts, enduring trials, removing offences, are the proper preservatives in the service of God. Doing this, you will be acceptable offerings and be saved; without this, you will be unfit for his eternal service and will be lost.<\/P> Mar 9:50<\/B><\/span><\/P> Lost its saltness … – <\/B>See the notes at Mat 5:13<\/span>.<\/P> Have salt in yourselves – <\/B>Have the preserving, purifying principle always; the principles of denying yourselves, of suppressing pride, ambition, contention, etc., and thus you will be an acceptable offering to God.<\/P> Have peace – <\/B>Avoid contention and quarrelling, struggling for places, honors, and office, and seek each others welfare, and religion will be honored and preserved in the world.<\/P> <\/p>\n See Poole on “Mat 18:6<\/span>“. <\/P> <\/p>\n 42. For whosoever shall offend oneof these little ones that believe in me<\/B>or, shall cause them tostumble; referring probably to the effect which such unsavorydisputes as they had held would have upon the inquiring and hopefulwho came in contact with them, leading to the belief that after allthey were no better than others. <\/P> it is better for him that amillstone were hanged about his neck<\/B>The word here is simply”millstone,” without expressing of which kind. But in Mt18:6<\/span> it is the “ass-turned” kind, far heavier than thesmall hand-mill turned by female slaves, as in Lu17:35<\/span>. It is of course the same which is meant here. <\/P> and he were cast into thesea<\/B>meaning, that if by such a death that stumbling wereprevented, and so its eternal consequences averted, it would be ahappy thing for them. Here follows a striking verse in Mt18:7<\/span>, “Woe unto the world because of offences!” (Therewill be stumblings and falls and loss of souls enough from theworld’s treatment of disciples, without any addition from you:dreadful will be its doom in consequence; see that ye share not init). “For it must needs be that offences come; but woe to thatman by whom the offence cometh!” (The struggle between light anddarkness will inevitably cause stumblings, but not less guilty is hewho wilfully makes any to stumble).<\/P><\/p>\n And whosoever shall offend one of these little ones that believe in me<\/strong>,…. Whosoever shall do the, least injury to the meanest person that believes in Christ, who are mean both in their own eyes, and the eyes of others; for Christ is not speaking of little children in age, who are neither capable of believing in Christ, nor are they ready to take offence; but of such as belong to him; his disciples and followers, of whom he is speaking in the preceding verse:<\/p>\n it is better for him that a mill stone were hanged about his neck, and he were cast into the sea<\/strong>; and drowned there: the allusion is to the drowning of malefactors, by tying a stone, or any heavy thing about their necks, and casting them into the sea. Casaubon, and others, have shown out of Heathen writers, that this has been a practice of some nations, particularly the Grecians: Jerom says, Christ speaks according to the custom of the country; this being a punishment of the greatest crimes among the Jews; but I have no where met with it in their writings: Christ’s sense is, that such who give offence to any of his ministers or people, how mean soever they may appear, shall undergo the severest punishment;<\/p>\n [See comments on Mt 18:6]<\/span>.<\/p>\n Millstone. Rev., great millstone. See on Mt 18:6<\/span>. Wyc., millstone of asses. Note the graphic present and perfect tenses; the millstone is hanged, and he hath been cast.<\/P> <\/p>\n <\/strong><\/p>\n JESUS’ SOLEMN WARNING ABOUT HELL V. 42-50<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/strong><\/p>\n 1) “And whosoever shall offend,<\/strong>” (kai hos an skandalise) “And whoever offends,” or scandalizes, casts a hindrance, a stumbling block, in the path or journey of one to cause him to fall in Divine Service, or Christian living, Mat 18:6<\/span>; Luk 17:1-2<\/span>.<\/p>\n 2) ”One of these little ones that believe in me,”<\/strong> (hena ton mikron touton ton pisteuonton) “One of these little ones who believes,” who trusts, to cause him to doubt or stumble, or turn back or away from following me, Rom 14:21<\/span>; 1Co 8:13<\/span>; 1Co 10:24<\/span>; 1Co 10:31-32<\/span>.<\/p>\n 3) “It is better for him,”<\/strong> (kalon estin auto mallon) “it is far better for him,” better for that hinderer, that offender, that one who trips another up in his path of following Jesus, to make him fail, so that he loses his influence for Jesus and truth, morally, ethically, as warned of Paul, 1Co 8:8-13<\/span>; 1Co 10:20-24<\/span>.<\/p>\n 4) ”That a millstone were hanged about his neck,” <\/strong>(ei perikeitai mulos onikos peri ton trachelon autou) ”If a heavy millstone should be hanged about his neck,” the large, heavy “ass-millstone” one turned by an ass, rather than a small hand-millstone.<\/p>\n 5) “And he were cast into the sea.”<\/strong> (kai bebletai eis ten thalasson) “And that he simply be thrown into the sea,” Mat 18:6<\/span> adds, “in the depths of the sea,” or deep parts of the sea, to drown, to die, to end his life that hinders the work of one of the smallest or weakest “little ones,” or servants and witnesses of Jesus Christ. To hinder a weaker servant of Jesus Christ, to the point of causing him discouragement to quit his path of following Jesus, is a grave sin that every person should avoid, lest he lose his life, under God’s chastening hand, 1Co 10:31-33<\/span>; 1Co 11:31-32<\/span>.<\/p>\n CRITICAL AND EXEGETICAL NOTES<\/em><\/p>\n Mar. 9:42-47<\/span>. Offend<\/strong>.Lay a trap for<\/em>. See on chap. Mar. 6:3<\/span>.<\/p>\n Mar. 9:42<\/span>. It is better for him<\/strong>.A happy thing it is for him rather<\/em>. Cp. 1Co. 9:15<\/span>.<\/p>\n Mar. 9:44<\/span>; Mar. 9:46<\/span>. Probably spurious.<\/p>\n Mar. 9:47<\/span>. Hell fire<\/strong>.The Gehenna<\/em>. The Ravine of Hinnom, also called Topheth (2Ki. 23:10<\/span>; Isa. 30:33<\/span>), is described in Jos. 18:16<\/span> as on the south of Mount Zion. Total length a mile and a half. A deep retired glen, shut in by rugged cliffs, bleak mountain-sides rising over all. Scene of barbarous rites of Molech and Chemosh in times of Ahaz and Manasseh (2Ki. 16:3<\/span>; 2Ch. 28:3<\/span>; Jer. 7:31<\/span>); in consequence of which it was polluted by Josiah (2Ki. 23:10<\/span>; 2Ki. 23:13-14<\/span>); from which time it seems to have become the common cesspool of the city. These inhuman rites and subsequent ceremonial defilements caused the later Jews to regard it with horror and detestation, and they applied the name given to the valley to the place of torment<\/em>.G. F. Maclear, D. D<\/em>.<\/p>\n Mar. 9:48<\/span>. Quoted from Isa. 66:24<\/span>. The words are not to be taken to mean more here than they do there.<\/p>\n Mar. 9:49<\/span>. Salted with fire<\/strong>.Explanatory of the words immediately preceding. Either here on earth, or else hereafter in the Gehenna, all the impurities and imperfections of our fallen nature must be burnt out by the cleansing fires of discipline and chastisement, in order that we may become an acceptable sacrifice unto God. Salted with salt<\/strong>.It is Divine grace aloneand not in any sense our own meritsthat makes us a reasonable, holy, and lively sacrifice. This second clause of Mar. 9:49<\/span> is probably an early marginal gloss.<\/p>\n Mar. 9:50<\/span>. Here there seems to be a transition of thought from the Divine Source to the human receptacles of grace. Our Lord is speaking to the twelve (Mar. 9:35<\/span>), whom He has already styled, as His disciples, the salt of the earth (Mat. 5:13<\/span>). He now warns them against the tendency to factiousness and self-seeking, which, if indulged, will thwart all their efforts to purify the world. And then He winds up, Entertain among yourselves the spiritual salt of self-repression and self-discipline, and be at peace with one another.<\/p>\n MAIN HOMILETICS OF THE PARAGRAPH.<\/em>Mar. 9:42-50<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n (PARALLEL:Mat. 18:6-9<\/span>.)<\/p>\n Mar. 9:42-48<\/span>. Offences<\/em>.The law was given by Moses; grace and truth came by Jesus Christ. It seems as though the contrast was suggested. I think it was. But men make a tremendous mistake if they imagine that gentleness means weakness, or that only in obtrusive terribleness comes a revelation of strength. The speech of Jesus is the mightiest utterance the world has ever heard. The law of life and love, the call to righteousness which He delivered, is the most awfully soul-searching, all-encompassing, fiery word which has ever reached the listening ears and beating hearts of men. The only salvation worth the having is a salvation unto God. A purpose which alone satisfies Him as being worthy of the Infinite Father is to renew His own image in His children, and make us like unto Himself.<\/p>\n I. Christian life is a thorough consecration<\/strong>.Anything less than this turns religion into a dismal burden. But this makes its face to shine with the very glory of God, and its power comes to us as an uplifting joy, a thrilling inspiration; thy whole self, body, mind, heart, soul, hallowed, consecrated, dedicated. What do you think of it? This is to be, this is<\/em> the fulness of the blessing of the gospel of Christ. High, great, difficult, beyond our capacity. Yes, and therefore comes the salvation from the everlasting, Almighty One. He is able and He is patient. What He begins He can complete. Our world of weak, erring, human life has known one Being who maintained a complete, supreme, unswerving consecration. He is the Saviour of men. He inbreathes His life; His mind, His spirit, may be in us. Men have felt His spell and realised His power. His promise has been so far known to be a great reality that it brought faith enough to a disciple to say, We shall be like Him.<\/p>\n II. Now it will be evident, if we pause to think, that, as the sphere of our being rises, dangers and hindrances will come, which lower down may not be so obtrusive<\/strong>. There can be no question as to desires, passions, activities, words, deeds, thoughts, which are wrong in themselves. The Christian has no business with them. The right eye, the right hand, are not wrong things. They are good faculties, good energies, which are a splendid gift for consecrated use. The advice of the fanatic or the coward is, Destroy the sense, blind it, muffle it, for in it lies a danger; and out of that have come all the austerities of the ascetic, all the inhumanity of the Stoic, but with no real redemption. The advice of the presumptuous fatalist is, Withhold not thy heart from any joy; you are not responsible for your weakness or your passion; and out of that have come the degradation of men, the fierce and terrible lines which sensual sin brands upon the sinners face. In the one extreme a man tries to have nothing to pray for; in the other he dares to pray for the working of a miracle in aid of wrong. We must avoid both presumption and distrust. Broadly speaking, I suppose the eye may stand for that which is beautiful, pleasurable, and the hand for that which is active and energetic; in a word, occupation and recreation, labour and luxury. These are wholesome, natural, essential, to our due being. Without them a man is manifestly maimed. But, says Jesus, it is better to be maimed than slain. The limb or the body, the organ or the whole self: can there be any question as to which? I have known men on what was said to be the way to fortune, who seemed to me to be stumbling on a footway like that outside Jerusalem, where the precipice overhung Gehenna. I have known men, said to be ruined, from whom God had mercifully cut away the peril of their soul.<\/p>\n III. But Jesus here, as always, lays His appeal upon conscience<\/strong>.This alone would have made Him solitary among all leaders and teachers. He clears conscience from its shadow, and says, Look to its lightyour own conscience, not another mans. You have no business with the hands and eyes of others; you have great business with your own. Looking unto Jesus, you will not be led astray. Maintaining communion with Him, conscience will be lustrous and clear. Cling to Him, your Saviour. Obey His voice, your Lord.D. J. Hamer<\/em>.<\/p>\n Mar. 9:50<\/span>. The salt of Christian profession<\/em>.Salt is good. The wise son of Sirach says, The principal things for the whole of a mans life are water, fire, iron, and salt<\/em>; after which follow in their turn flour of wheat, honey, milk and the blood of the grape, and oil, and clothing. Amongst the good things of this present lifethe natural productions which the Giver of all good has caused to exist for the use and benefit of His creatureswe may surely reckon a condiment so indispensable to health and enjoyment. Yes, salt is good; and it cannot lose its goodness or usefulness so long as it is salt.<\/p>\n I. In the symbolical language of Scripture, salt is applied in several ways, according to its various uses and properties<\/strong>.<\/p>\n 1. The first and most obvious of all is derived from its seasoning property. Salt makes savoury and palatable that which has no taste of its own (Job. 6:6<\/span>). Divine grace communicates a similar relish to everything in which it may be said to form an ingredientto every part of the life and conversation of him who is under its influence, but especially to his familiar discourse. Hence the apostolic admonition (Col. 4:6<\/span>). And to this same seasoning virtue our Lord Himself alludes when He says to His disciples, Ye are the salt of the earthas if all that is in the world were utterly tasteless and unpalatable in the judgment of truth until seasoned and as it were leavened with the holy doctrines and pure principles of Christianity. But if the salt have lost its saltness, wherewith will ye season it<\/em>? What other more powerful or more salutary religion remains behind to renovate the enfeebled energies of a corrupt and degenerate Christianity? <\/p>\n 2. This article entering so largely into the arrangements of the table, especially in the more simple forms of society, we need not be surprised to find it sometimes put for food in general. To eat a persons salt carries with it among Eastern nations the same idea as with us to eat a persons bread, i.e.<\/em> to be in his domestic service or otherwise employed by him at a salary<\/em> (a term which derived its origin from the Latin word for salt<\/em>). See Ezr. 4:14<\/span>, text and margin. Hence also salt became a symbol of hospitality and friendship; and an Arab of the present day regards every one who has eaten salt with him<\/em> as his sworn friend and brother, whom he is bound on all occasions to protect. Connected with this idea is the custom of eating a few grains of salt at the ratification of covenants. See Num. 18:19<\/span>; Lev. 2:13<\/span>. <\/p>\n 3. But that which is ever so good in moderation and in its proper place may without those conditions be turned into the sorest of evils. Salt is good; but when it covers the whole face of the country, and the husbandman sees nothing around him but brimstone and salt and burning (Deu. 29:23<\/span>), this most useful commodity becomes another word for barrenness and desolation. See Jer. 17:6<\/span>; Psa. 107:34<\/span>, margin. To this head may probably be referred the custom of sowing salt<\/em> (Jdg. 9:45<\/span>) in a place which was intended to be devoted to perpetual desolation.<\/p>\n II. Whereas this substance is used to season others, we know of no other which can be made use of to impart a savour to salt<\/strong>.Insipid salt<\/em> may therefore be regarded as another name for whatever is useless and valueless, not in its own nature, but as being devoid of those very properties in which its excellence consists. <\/p>\n 1. Salt that has lost its saltness may fitly represent a religious profession which does not influence the conduct. The profession of religion is good. It is good to see a man framing his life, arranging his habits, ordering his family, on the supposition that God is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him. It is good to see him entering into his closet, and shutting the door and praying to his Father which seeth in secret. It is good to see him coming forth from his private devotions, and summoning his family to join with him in domestic worship. It is good to see him and them in the Lords house on the Lords Day, and especially at the altar to receive the Sacrament of the Lords Body and Blood. All these things are good, for the same reason that salt is goodbecause of their aptitude to impregnate and season other things, all things, in fact, with which they are mixed up. This is the proper virtue and natural operation of a mans religious profession; the whole life ought to taste of it. But, alas, how seldom is this so! How few are there amongst the multitude of professing Christians who in the common concerns of life think and speak and act differently from those who are openly living without God in the world! 3. What has been said of the duty of all Christians to seek the spiritual good of others applies in the highest degree to the priesthood of the Church. Insipid salt is but a feeble illustration of the character of a careless and unfaithful minister of Christ and steward of the mysteries of Godas to be cast out and trodden underfoot of men but faintly shadows forth his inevitable doom.<\/p>\n III. Improvement under religions advantages depends in a great measure upon ourselves<\/strong>.The Word preached, be it ever so highly seasoned, will not profit unless it be mixed with faith in them that hear it. Salt is good; but there are some substances so utterly corrupt and stinking as to bid defiance to its correcting and preserving power. We Christian preachers are, according to St. Paul, a sweet savour of Christ, etc. (2Co. 2:15-16<\/span>). The salt is the same; its natural properties are the same; but, being applied to one, it preserves him from corruption and seasons him for the kingdom of heaven; while, being sprinkled on another, it salts him as a sacrifice to be offered up to the Divine vengeance, and makes him indestructible only for the worm that dieth not, and the fire that cannot be quenched, until the mans heart is humbled to the dust and he cries aloud for mercy to the God whose grace he has heretofore spurned If therefore ye would escape the agonies of hell, take heed what ye hear and how ye hear. Receive with meekness the engrafted Word, etc. Give no place to the devil, who is ever watching his opportunity to take away the Word out of your hearts, etc. Keep yourselves unspotted from the world, which is always at hand with its contaminating influence, the cares and riches and pleasures of this life, to choke the Word and make it unfruitful. And finally, pray constantly to God to give you more and more of that honest and good heart, which having heard the Word keeps it and brings forth fruit with patience.<\/p>\n OUTLINES AND COMMENTS ON THE VERSES<\/em><\/p>\n Mar. 9:42-48<\/span>. Self-control and self-denial<\/em>.The whole passage is steeped in metaphor. No one is expected to take the scandal<\/em> or trap of Mar. 9:42-43<\/span>; Mar. 9:45<\/span> literally, or the ass-millstone<\/em> or the flinging into the sea<\/em>, or the Gehenna<\/em>.Why, then, should we insist on taking literally either the hand<\/em> or the foot<\/em> of these verses, or even the inextinguishable fire<\/em>? The principle which underlies them is, that a man had far better part with, lose, sacrifice, anything and everything else, however good it may be in itself or however dear, than suffer himself to be hindered in that service of truth and goodness in which he finds his true life, or that fidelity to Christ in which eternal life consists. It is not by mutilating the body, but only by a wise and resolute self-control, a wise and resolute rule of our own spirit, that we can maintain our loyalty to Him, and walk with even and steadfast foot in His ways. And if we find that<\/em> in ourselves which hinders or makes us stumble in these ways, He would have us know that, unless we freely renounce it, there is that both in the righteousness and in the love of God which will kindle on it like a fire, and burn it out of us; yes, and burn us<\/em> until we let it go.S. Cox, D.D.<\/em><\/p>\n Destruction of evil<\/em>.The point to which our Lord really directs our thoughts is, that all that is evil in us, however closely it sits to the heart, must be destroyed; that not only in a future world of woewhich we might just as truly depict as all millstone and sea, as all worm and firebut here and now, as well as then and there, the righteousness and love of God will burn against all unrighteousness of men, burn more keenly and inwardly and consumingly than any fire; that all in us which exalts itself against Him or stands in the way of our own perfection, or militates against the welfare of the world, will infallibly expose us to a discipline more dreadful and agonising than metaphor can convey or imagination conceive. The severity is part of the goodness of God.Ibid<\/em>.<\/p>\n Something better than acrimony<\/em>.Instead of acrimony against those who follow not with us, let us bend all our anger and resentment, all our bitterness and hostility, against our own lusts and sinful propensities, not sparing one of them, though they be as dear to us as the members of our bodies, as our hands, our feet, or our eyes, and however painful the amputation or mortification of them may be to us.C. Seymour<\/em>.<\/p>\n Mar. 9:42<\/span>. Skandala<\/em>.When we learn that it was Johns repulse of the man who had cast out demons which set our Lord on this theme, a light is thrown on the particular meaning of the word skandala, which I think was in our Lords mindthat, viz., of the checking others on their way to good, the throwing back on itself of the enthusiasm or warm affection which was beginning to flow, and the choking up of the heartsprings thereby. The man who had been casting out demons and was turned back because he did not follow with the apostles might have asked, Would the scribes and Pharisees have treated me worse? The revulsion might deaden his spiritual life.H. Latham<\/em>.<\/p>\n Stumbling-blocks<\/em>.To go where we should not go, to do what we should not do, to touch what we should not touch with hand or eye, tongue or foot; is to set one of these traps in motion. To lie in wait on any honest path, to forbid or condemn any good action, movement, teaching, to hinder men, to trip them up, to hold them back, when they are bent on the service of truth or going on any errand of mercy, is to be<\/em> such a trap: it is to scandalise or set them stumbling. Better to die, better even to be hanged<\/em>, than to become a trap, a drag, in the service of truth and goodness: a defender of the faith, for example, who, honestly intending its defence, nevertheless opposes its growth, retards, or even blights, its springing and germinant powers. The most capable and eminent servants of the truth in all ages have had to waste half their strength in breaking through these traps and snares. Dont you be one of these traps, or even the tongue<\/em> of a trap.S. Cox, D.D.<\/em><\/p>\n We offend Christs little ones<\/em> every time we give them, in place of gospel bread, the stones of human philosophy; or, in place of the nourishment of simple faith in Christ, the sting of some abstraction about which sectaries quarrel.<\/p>\n Where in our Lords teachings do you find stronger words than these?<\/em>He never denounced murder or unchastity or malice of any kind in stronger terms, and the reason is not far to seek. He who deliberately puts the occasion of falling in the way of Christs little ones is really committing a heinous sin; it is murder and suicide combined, for while he injures the soul of him who is weak and helpless, he is really destroying all that is pure and Christlike in his own nature.<\/p>\n Mar. 9:43-48<\/span>. The awfulness of hell<\/em>.In this and other passages Christ speaks of hell in terms far more solemn and terrible than any other prophet or messenger of God has done. Why is this? <\/p>\n 1. Because He is emphatically the teacher of Gods truth in its fullest form, without reservation or concealment. Precautions against evil<\/em>.What precautions do we not take to avoid an infectious air, and to prevent a contagious distemper from spreading? How much greater reason have we to shun those persons who are to us an occasion of sin, were they, on the account of their advice, protection, and assistance, as dear to us as our hands, our feet, and our eyes? How much more still ought we to cut off all criminal, unprofitable, and dangerous use of our senses, our mind, and our body?P. Quesnel<\/em>.<\/p>\n Mar. 9:44<\/span>. The worm of remorse<\/em>.Who can conceive the torment of this gnawing worm, namely, of the eternal reproach of conscience, when a man shall reflect upon the graces and mercies of God which he has despised, and on the preference he has made of the shadow of a momentary happiness, before a substantial and eternal good, which is God Himself?Ibid<\/em>.<\/p>\n Mar. 9:45<\/span>. The cutting off of the foot<\/em> is the breaking off all commerce with the world by a holy retirement, whenever it becomes necessary to salvation. To quit the occasions of falling is not a counsel of perfection, but a necessary duty, since salvation depends upon it.Ibid<\/em>.<\/p>\n Mar. 9:49<\/span>. The true sacrificial fire<\/em> of self-denial and self-mortification in relation to the fiery flame of hell. <\/p>\n 1. The relation: all must be salted with fire. The two fires<\/em>.We cannot escape the fire; but we have the choice between the fire of life and the fire of death.Ibid<\/em>.<\/p>\n Learn<\/em><\/p>\n 1. Christians ought to be as spiritual sacrifices or oblations offered up to God in this life. Mar. 9:50<\/span>. Saltless salt<\/em>.Three times, in different connexions, this proverb is recorded in Christs teaching, in each case in reference to the failure of that which was excellent and hopeful. In St. Matthew it is applied generally to the influence of His new people on the world; in St. Mark to the danger to ourselves of the careless or selfish use of our personal influence; in St. Luke to the conditions of sincere discipleship. But in all cases it contemplates the possible failure of religion to do its perfect work.Dean Church<\/em>.<\/p>\n Deterioration<\/em>.There is such a thing as moral and spiritual decayin standard, motive, devotion, sacrifice, goodness. What are the signs of it? <\/p>\n 1. A lowered and attenuated ideal. Christ has little by little become almost a personal stranger. We have not consciously renounced Him, but have lagged so far behind in the journey that He is quite out of our sight and reach. 2. A growing indifference to all great enterprise for Christ. True savour<\/em>.If we merely have the salt of good doctrine, without having the true savour and seasoning of personal godliness, we may become utterly worthlesslike the waters of the Dead Sea, so called, whose waters receive a large quantity of salt, but which, by remaining stagnant, become so dense that nothing can live or grow in them.S. Jenner<\/em>.<\/p>\n Christians the salt of the earth<\/em>.It is for the best welfare of every nation and city on the face of the earth that the children of God should be in it, not merely for its spiritual welfare, but even that the blessing of God may descend upon it in earthly matters, the hand of God guiding and directing it. It is for the best interests both of this life and of the life to come that the children of God should pervade the earth from one end to another, and that the blessing of God should rest upon all men for their sakes. No doubt in the process of thus spreading through the earth the children of God may be persecuted and harassed and vexed; death may be their portion; their earthly goods may be spoiled at the hands of ungodly men; they may suffer for their faithfulness to Christ and to His cause. Are they not the liker to the salt which perishes in the very using, and is crushed into extinction simply by doing its work in the world? Let them be scattered abroad, therefore, come of them what may; and then, when the gospel shall have been preached in all the nations of the world, when there is something of this salt of the earth scattered everywhere, then we are told the end shall come, the world shall be ready for its blessing, ready for the presence of its God, ready to become the new heavens and the new earth wherein dwelleth righteousness.A. Melvill, D.D.<\/em><\/p>\n Peace without, from purity within<\/em>.The meaning of the last clause in this verse is, that the strongest personal character is quite consistent with the gentlest Christian temper and behaviour. Christ intends to say, that His disciples not only may be calm and decided too; but that, if they are true ones, that is just what they will be.S. Rickards<\/em>.<\/p>\n ILLUSTRATIONS TO CHAPTER 9<\/p>\n Mar. 9:42<\/span>. Wrong done to a child<\/em>.One of the most pathetic stories of the wrong done to children is, to my mind, that which a good man tells of his own childhood more than a hundred and fifty years ago. It was a Scotch Communion Sunday, and amidst the crowd who thronged to that solemn ordinance there came a boy of eight who managed to pass unnoticed into the church. He heard a part of the ministers address, and tells us that he commended Christ in so sweet and delightful a manner that his heart was captivated. But just then a stern official caught sight of the young intruder, and indignantly bade him go out of the sanctuary, as though he had been some leprous Uzziah, instead of one of the lambs of Christs flock. The Church has not thought it worth while to preserve in grateful memory the name of that austere upholder of ecclesiastical discipline, but the boy he excommunicated lived to ennoble one of the commonest of common names, for he is known to us and to many as the saintly John Brown, of Haddington.<\/p>\nFuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
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Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible <\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
2. Salt that has lost its saltness may also fitly represent a Christian who does no good to others. Just as the use of salt is to season not itself but other things which either have no savour of their own or an unpleasant one, so the use of Christianity is to season an ungodly and unbelieving world with the truths and principles of pure and undefiled religion. This can only be accomplished by the exertions of individual Christians, each seeking the good and promoting the eternal salvation of all who come within the circle of his influence. This, says Chrysostom, is the definition of Christianityto care for the salvation of others. Nothing is so frivolous and insipid as a Christian who does not save others. And yet there are many who seem to understand that text, Work out your own salvation, in the same way as if they had been told to mind their own business and not to trouble themselves about the religious state of others. They do<\/em> work out their own salvation, at least according to their views of the method of working it. They are zealous towards God, diligent in the performance of religious duties, strict moralists, and blameless in all the common duties and relations of life. Thus they may be said to have salt in themselves. But how do they realise that other and higher requirement, to be the salt of the earth? Where are their seasoning qualities? Wherein does such a man please his neighbour for his good to edification? Does he command his children and his household after him to keep the way of the Lord? Does he seek the good of the city where he dwells, doing all in his power to discountenance wickedness and vice, and to season that locality with which he is more immediately connected, with the salt of true religion and virtue? Do his efforts reach forth beyond the narrow limits and petty concerns of a single locality? and does he cast in his mite of salt to the general stock which is employed in seasoning, converting, and evangelising the world? <\/p>\n
2. Because He alone has perfect knowledge on the subject of the eternal world.
3. Because of His infinite love. He paints hell in all its awfulness, to induce men to flee from the wrath to come and to seek refuge in Him.<\/p>\n
2. The contrast: to be prepared for the fire by salt, or to be salted with fire.J. P. Lange, D.D.<\/em><\/p>\n
2. The ministry of the Word ought to be as salt to season men for God, and fit for His use and service.
3. As salt, being of a hot and dry nature, is apt to bite and fret the raw skin or flesh, so the Word of God, preached and applied to mens consciences, is apt to cause pain and grief.G. Petter<\/em>.<\/p>\n
3. A deepening indifference to truth for its own sake, though not infrequently accompanied with an augmenting fierceness of controversy and a spirit of partisanship in contending with those on the other side. Few forms of self-deceit are more treacherous or more hardening than that which thinks to contend for the truth without love.
4. Inconsistency in the use and enjoyment of what we understand by earthly and worldly things. To aim at both worlds is usually to end in enjoying neither.Bishop Thorold<\/em>.<\/p>\n