1151 matching verse commentaries
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And his disciples asked him,.... That is, as Mark says, "when he was alone"; after the multitude were departed, and they were by themselves, it may be in some house with other disciples: saying, what might this parable be? what is the sense and meaning of it? According to Matthew, they asked why he spake in parables to the people; and to such a...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And he said, unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God,.... The doctrines of the Gospel, which to have spiritual knowledge is a special and peculiar gift of God. The Vulgate Latin and Persic versions read, "the mystery", in the singular, as in Mark: "but to others in parables"; that is, the doctrines of the Gospel are...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Now the parable is this, &c] "Or this is the sense of the parable", as the Arabic version renders it: "the seed is the word of God", the Gospel, as preached by Christ, his apostles, and faithful ministers, which has God for its author, is concerning the grace of God, and is what he blesses, and makes effectual to answer any good purpose.
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Those by the wayside are they that hear,.... The word of God, though only by accident, and very carelessly, and without understanding what they hear: then cometh the devil; signified by the fowls of the air: and taketh away the word out of their hearts, or memories; that little of it, which is retained there, and diverts their minds from it by...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
They on the rock are they, which when they hear,.... The seed that fell upon the rock, or stony ground, signify such sort of hearers, who receive the word with joy. The Ethiopic version reads, "with joy of heart". But, this sort of hearers receive not the word into their hearts, or with their hearts believe it, and from their hearts obey it, only...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And that which fell among thorns are they,.... The seed that fell among thorns, or were sown on thorny ground, represent such hearers: which, when they have heard, go forth; from hearing the word to their worldly business; or go on in the pursuit of their worldly lusts and pleasures notwithstanding; for the word translated, "go forth", belongs to...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
But that on the good ground are they,.... The seed that fell on good ground design such hearers, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it: who hear with an honest and good intention, and faithfully keep it, and hold it fast: and bring forth fruit with patience; with great constancy, suffering much for the sake of it; and...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
No man, when he hath lighted a candle,.... Christ by this, and some proverbial sentences following, observes to his disciples, that though the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven were delivered in parables for the present, that they might not be seen and understood by some; and though he gave to them the explanation of such parables, as of the...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
For nothing is secret that shall not be made manifest,.... Meaning, whatever was then wrapped up in parables and dark sayings, or was secretly, and in a private manner, committed to them, should be made manifest by them to others hereafter: neither any thing hid, that shall not be made known, and come abroad; for what had been whispered to them,...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Take heed therefore how ye hear,.... That ye hear not in a careless and negligent manner, since what truths and doctrines ye now hear with the ear, are to be preached by you unto others: for whosoever hath; that is, hath knowledge of the doctrines of the Gospel, and hath gifts and abilities to preach them to others: to him shall be given; more...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Then came to him his mother and his brethren,.... It was when Christ was preaching in an house at Capernaum, that Mary his mother, and some of his near kinsmen with her, came from Nazareth to him: these brethren of his were relations according to the flesh, either by Joseph, or his mother's side: who they were, cannot be said with certainty: it...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And it was told him by certain, which said,.... The phrase, "which said", is omitted in the Vulgate Latin version, and in Beza's most ancient copy. The Syriac, Arabic, and Ethiopic versions only read, "and they said unto him"; and the Persic version renders it, "a certain person said"; some one person, as in Matthew 12:47 thy mother, and thy...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And he answered and said unto them,.... Not to his mother and brethren, but to those that told him of them, who either designed to reproach him with them, by reason of the meanness of them, or to interrupt him in his work: my mother and my brethren are these; pointing to his disciples: which hear the word of God; which he had been preaching, and...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Now it came to pass on a certain day,.... The same day at even, as Mark says, Mr 4:35 in which he delivered the parables of the sower, and of the seed cast into the ground, and of the grain of mustard seed: that he went into a ship with his disciples; they following him into it, Matthew 8:23 and he said unto them, let us go over unto the other...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
But as he sailed he fell asleep,.... On a pillow, in the hinder part of the ship, as in Mr 4:38 and there came down a storm of wind on the lake, [See comments on Matthew 8:24]. and they were filled; with water: not the disciples, but the ship in which they were; and so the Ethiopic version renders it, "their ship was filled with water". The Syriac...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And they came to him, and awoke him,.... That is, the disciples came from some part of the ship, to the hinder part of it, where Christ was asleep; and by their shrieks and cries, and repeated vociferations, awaked him out of sleep: saying, Master, Master, we perish. The Vulgate Latin, Arabic, and Ethiopic versions, only read "master", without a...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And he said unto them, where is your faith?.... That is, he said so to his disciples, who had professed faith in him, but now discovered very little: and they being afraid, wondered; being filled with awful sense of his majesty, were amazed at his power and authority, in rebuking the wind and sea, which at once obeyed him, and were still: saying...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And they arrived at the country of the Gadarenes,.... In Matthew 8:28 it is called the country of the Gergesenes, [See comments on Matthew 8:28] as it is here, in the Arabic and Ethiopic versions; and "of the Gerasenes", in the Vulgate Latin; but the Syriac and Persic versions read, "of the Gadarenes", as in Mr 5:1. [See comments on Mr 5:1]. which...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And when he went forth to land,.... The Persic and Ethiopic versions read, when they went forth to land; when Christ and his disciples came out of the ship, and went ashore: there met him out of the city a certain man; or rather, there met him a certain man of the city; that is, one that belonged to, and was an inhabitant of Gadera, or some city...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
When he saw Jesus,.... Even afar off, at some considerable distance, he ran towards him, Mr 5:6. He cried out, and fell down before him; that is, the man possessed with the devil did so, under his impulse, and through his agitation of him: and with a loud voice said; which was the unclean spirit in the man: what have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou...