And they reasoned among themselves,.... Upon Christ's giving this caution, and recollecting with themselves, that they had forgot to buy any provisions, and take with them: saying, it is because we have no bread; that he says these words; tacitly chiding and reproving us, for our want of thought and care; [See comments on Matthew 16:7].
And when Jesus knew it,.... As he did immediately, by his omniscience; for as he knew the thoughts and reasonings of the Scribes and Pharisees, Matthew 9:4, so he did those of his own disciples: he saith unto them, why reason ye because ye have no bread? or imagine that I have given you this caution on that account; or are distressed because this...
Having eyes, see ye not?.... Meaning perhaps both the eyes of their bodies, and of their understandings: they had bodily eyes, and with them saw the miracles he wrought, and yet took little notice of them; and the eyes of their understandings were enlightened by Christ, and yet saw things but very darkly: and having ears, hear ye not? They had...
When I brake the five loaves among five thousand,.... This, with what follows, chiefly regards the last question: how many baskets full of fragments took ye up? do not you remember? have you forgot what was so lately done? surely you cannot: they say unto him, twelve. Their memories were hereby refreshed, and they call to mind the exact number of...
And when the seven among four thousand,.... That is, when seven loaves were broken among four thousand men, how many baskets full of fragments took ye up? this surely you must remember, it being so recent an action, but just done, as it were: and they said, seven; for this, as yet, could not have slipped their memories; though they had, been...
And he said unto them,.... Since this was the case, and they so well remembered the miracles he had wrought, and the circumstances of them: how is it that ye do not understand? my words concerning the leaven of the Pharisees, of the Sadducees, and of Herod, as to imagine I spoke of bread, taken in a literal sense; or that I concerned myself about...
And he cometh to Bethsaida,.... The city of Andrew, Peter, and Philip, John 1:44; a fishing town, which was situated by the sea of Galilee. Beza's ancient copy, and the Gothic version, wrongly read "Bethany". The Vulgate Latin, Arabic, and Ethiopic versions read, "they came"; Christ, and his twelve apostles, who landed at this place: and they...
And he took the blind man by the hand,.... Not for the sake of touching him, in order to heal him, as they desired, but to be his guide: and led him out of the town; to shun all appearance of vain glory and popular applause, being willing to do the miracle in a private manner; and because of the obstinacy and unbelief of the inhabitants of this...
And he looked up,.... This is omitted in the Arabic and Persic versions. The sense is, that he opened his eyelids, and lifted up his eyes, to try if he could see, and he could, and did see again; his sight was returned again, though very imperfectly as yet: and said, I see men, as trees, walking: he saw some objects at a little distance from him,...
After that he had put his hands again upon his eyes,.... By the former account it does not appear on what part of him he put his hands; but this determines it; and from hence it seems plain, that he first spit on his eyes, and then closed them, and put his hands on them; which last action of his he repeated, though not the former: and made him...
And he sent him away to his house,.... Which seems to have been in one of the neighbouring villages or was one of the houses scattered about in the fields for the conveniency of rural business. Saying, neither go into the town: or "that town", as the Syriac, the town or city of Bethsaida: nor tell it to any in the town; to any of the inhabitants...
And Jesus went out, and his disciples,.... From Bethsaida and even from Galilee into the towns Caesarea Philippi; in the jurisdiction of Philip, tetrarch of Iturea and Trachonitis; for this Caesarea was rebuilt by him and called so in honour of Tiberius Caesar; and the towns and villages adjacent to it are here intended: [See comments on Matthew...
And they answered,.... That some said he was John the Baptist; which was the opinion of Herod, and others: but some say Elias; that is the "Tishbite", whom the Jews in general expected in person before the coming of the Messiah and imagined that Jesus was he: and others one of the prophets; as Jeremiah or Isaiah or some other. The Vulgate Latin...
And he saith unto them, but whom say ye that I am?.... It was for the sake of this question he put the former; [See comments on Matthew 16:15]; and Peter answereth and saith unto him, thou art the Christ; the Messiah that was long ago promised and so often prophesied of in the books of Moses and the prophets; and whom the Jews have so much and...
And he charged them,.... His disciples, after he had declared his approbation of Peter's confession of faith, and signified he would build his church on that rock, and the gates of hell should not prevail against it: and promised Peter the keys of the kingdom of heaven; and that whatsoever was bound, or loosed by him on earth, should be bound and...
And he began to teach them,.... For as yet he had said nothing to them about his sufferings and death, at least in express terms; but now they being firmly established in the faith of him, as the Messiah, he thought it proper to inform them, that the son of man must suffer many things; meaning himself, as that he should be betrayed, apprehended,...
And he spake that saying openly,.... Concerning his sufferings, death, and resurrection from the dead. He not only spoke it before them all, but in plain words, without a figure; so that it might be, and was clearly understood by them; and he spake it as the word will also bear, not only very freely, but likewise boldly, with an undaunted courage,...
But when he had turned about,.... Upon Peter, and showed quick resentment at what he said: and looked on his disciples; he cast his eye toward, them at the same time, and expressed to them the same displeasure in his countenance, they being of the same mind: he rebuked Peter, saying, get thee behind me, Satan: for thou savourest not the things...
And when he had called the people unto him,.... Who, it seems, followed him out of Galilee, from Bethsaida, and these parts; for it was in the way from thence to Caesarea Philippi, that Christ had this conversation with his disciples; who walked together alone, the multitude following at some distance; and the private conversation being ended,...
For whosoever will save his life,.... Life is a valuable thing, and all that a man has he will give for it; self preservation is a principle in nature; and it becomes every man to take all lawful methods to save his life, when it is threatened, or is in danger: but whoever is willing to save it, when it is called for to be laid down for Christ's...