If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence, to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.

21 Howbeit, this kind goeth not out, but by prayer and fasting. 22 And while they abode in Galilee, Jesus said unto them, The Son of man shall be betrayed into the hands of men :

23 And they shall kill him, and the third day he shall be

Mark 9: 14, we learn that the scribes had been disputing with the disciples during the absence of their Master. It is likely that the scribes were disputing in reference to Jesus, and to the power of working miracles; and by casting suspicions and surmises, and suggesting doubts, they had produced a distrustful state of mind in the disciples. One who believes the truth may have his mind shaken for a time by hearkening to objections, especially if skilfully and slyly presented. As a grain of mustard seed; that is, a very small degree of faith. The mustard seed was regarded as the smallest of seeds. See 13: 32. || Nothing shall be impossible; by cherishing a steadfast faith, you will be able to accomplish any miracles which your official station requires; you will never be foiled.

21. By prayer and fasting. By such religious exercises, love to God and confidence in his promises would be greatly increased; and only to so strong a faith as would be nourished by such religious exercises, would this species of adversaries, would these demons yield. Mark (9: 14-29) gives an account of this transaction more particular and highly interesting, especially as developing the feelings of the anxious father, and showing the high value of faith in order to the reception of blessings. Compare, also, Luke 9; 37-43.

raised again. And they were exceeding sorry.

24 And when they were come to Capernaum, they that received tribute-money, came to Peter, and said, Doth not your Master pay tribute?

25 He saith, Yes. And when he was come into the house, Jesus prevented him, saying, What thinkest thou, Simon? of whom do the kings of the earth take custom or tribute? of their own children, or of strangers?

REMARK. By keeping our minds habitually directed to the promises of God, rather than to any difficulties which may beset us, our faith will become stronger, our happiness more abiding, and our ability to be useful much greater. v. 20.

22, 23. Mark observes (9: 30) that Jesus at this time purposely kept himself from the multitude. He was wishing to prepare the minds of his disciples for the trying events which were soon to occur. Compare Mark 9: 30-32. Luke 9: 43-45.

24. They that receive tribute. The tribute here spoken of was the yearly payment of a half shekel from every adult Jew, for the support of the temple, originating from the requisition in Ex. 30: 12-16. The Greek word here rendered tribute, is the name of a coin equal to a Jewish half shekel, and amounting to about twenty-eight cents of our money. | Doth not your Master pay tribute? It has been supposed, though there is no positive evidence, that the religious teachers among the Jews were exempted from this tax, but that they usually paid it, as a proof of their regard for religion. 25. Jesus prevented him; that is, anticipated him, commenced speaking on the subject before Peter had time to inform him of the question that had been proposed. The word prevent, in the Bible, means to be before, to go be

one such little child in name, receiveth me.

my

6 But whoso shall offend one of these little ones, which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea.

7 Woe unto the world, because of offences! for it must needs be that offences come; but woe to that man by whom the offence cometh:

8 Wherefore, if thy hand or thy foot offend thee, cut them off, and cast them from thee: it is better for thee to enter

distributed. To be little in your own eyes is the way to be great in the esteem of the Messiah.

5. In my name; on my account, as my disciple. By comparing the parallel passage in Mark 9:38, it will appear, that the conversation between Jesus and the disciples now took a different turn. Mark relates that just at this point, John recollected an event which had lately occurred. Some of the disciples had met with a man who was casting out demons in the name of the Messiah; and because he was not of their company, and did not follow them, they endeavored to restrain him. Jesus disapproved of their conduct, and took occasion from this circumstance to explain how they ought to feel and to act towards all who acknowledged him.

6. Offend; cast a stumbling-block in the way; treat one so as to alienate him from me. || These little ones; an expression equivalent to disciples. See on 10: 42. Reference is had here not to age, but to the relation sustained to the Messiah as the great Teacher; little ones being the contrasted term; as disciples are contrasted with Teacher.

7. Offences; occasions of sin and

into life halt or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet, to be cast into everlasting fire.

9 And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes, to be cast into hell fire.

10 Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones: for I say unto you, That in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father, which is in heaven.

11 For the Son of man is come to save that which was lost.

departure from Christ, stumblingblocks.

8, 9. Compare 5: 29, 30. As parallel passages relating to what is contained in Matt. 18: 1–9, see Mark 9: 33-50. Luke 9. 46-48.

10. Jesus proceeded to show more at large the temper of mind which should be cherished towards his disciples, and mentioned some reasons why they should be treated with much affection. Despise; disesteem, undervalue. Their angels. Compare Heb. 1: 14. Angels in heaven are represented as feeling a deep interest in the repentance and salvation of a sinner. See Luke 15: 7, 10. Here they are said to behold the face of God, that is, to stand in his presence, ready to obey any order which he may give in respect to the welfare of the righteous. This is the first consideration enforcing a benevolent regard for the disciples of Christ; namely, they are objects of divine care, and angels, who are appointed as ministering spirits to them, are always ready to perform the will of God in respect to them.

11. Another reason Jesus present ed for cherishing a very kind regard for the disciples; namely, the Mes

12 How think ye? If a man have a hundred sheep, and one of them be gone astray, doth he not leave the ninety and nine, and goeth into the mountains, and seeketh that which is gone astray?

13 And if so be that he find it, verily I say unto you, he rejoiceth more of that sheep,

siah himself came on earth in order to save them. In their welfare, then, what an interest does the Messiah cherish! He looks upon them as those who were wandering and lost, and whom he came to search for and to deliver from their danger.

12, 13. Astray. The disciples of Jesus, regarded as those who had wandered away from duty and bliss, but who had been sought after and reclaimed, are on this very account objects of deep interest to the Messiah. This thought he illustrated by the feeling which a shepherd would cherish towards a sheep that had wandered from the fold, and had become lost, and which, after much anxiety and care, he had found and brought back. Such an unhappy sheep, thus rescued and restored, would, while the remembrance of this fact was present to the mind of the shepherd, be contemplated with a more lively interest than a whole flock that had not been thus exposed. So Jesus, having rescued and restored his disciples from their former sinful and dangerous condition, feels a very peculiar interest in them.

14. As in the case supposed, the rescuing of the lost sheep was the object to be gained, so in the case of the Saviour's disciples, God has purposed that they shall not be lost. And if he has formed such a design respecting them, surely we ought not (v. 10) to despise, to undervalue them.

REMARKS. 1. Jesus always discountenanced an ambitious, aspiring disposition. He encouraged the pur

than of the ninety and nine which went not astray.

14 Even so it is not the will of your Father which is in heaven, that one of these little ones should perish.

15 Moreover, if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall

suit of moral excellence, but not the seeking after great earthly distinctions. Compare Jer. 45: 5. 1 Tim. 6: 9.

2. Humility is the best recommendation to the divine favor. v. 4. Compare Luke 14: 11. James 4: 6.

3. The condescension of Christ is

great in regarding any disciple as a representative of himself. v. 5. Compare Matt. 10: 42.

4. To be the means of leading a Christian to do wrong, is an offence of no ordinary magnitude. v. 6.

5. Any inconvenience ought to be submitted to, rather than to be drawn atsray to the commission of sin. vs. 7-9.

6. We ought to cherish a very high esteem for the followers of Christ, however lowly their situation, or mean their garb, or depressed in understanding and outward circumstances. vs. 10-14. Compare John 15: 12. 13: 34, 35. 1 John 3: 14.

15. The cautions respecting the high regard which we ought to cherish towards the disciples of Christ, were followed by directions how to regulate our conduct, if a Christian brother should do us wrong. Hear thee; hear so as to yield to thy representations, and return to his duty. || Gained thy brother. A person who lives in sin, is lost in respect to his eternal welfare; if he be recovered from sin, he experiences great gain, and is gained, that is, recovered and saved by the instrumentality of him who brings him back to obedience. The one who thus brings him back,