Category: Devotions

The first thing that demands our notice in these verses, is the mighty miracle that is here recorded. We read that they brought unto our Lord “one that was deaf and had an impediment in his speech,” and besought Him that He would “put His hand upon him.” At once the petition is granted, and the cure is wrought. Speech and hearing are instantaneously given to the man by a word and a touch. “Immediately his ears were opened, and his tongue was loosed, and he spake plain.”

We know nothing of the woman who is here mentioned, beyond the facts that we here read. Her name, her former history, the way in which she was led to seek our Lord, though a Gentile, and dwelling in the borders of Tyre and Sidon,–all these things are hidden from us. But the few facts that are related about this woman are full of precious instruction. Let us observe them, and learn wisdom.

We see in the beginning of this passage, how slow of understanding men are in spiritual things. “Hearken,” says our Lord to the people, “hearken unto me every one of you, and understand.”–“Are ye so without understanding?” He says to His disciples,–“Do ye not perceive?”

This passage contains a humbling picture of what human nature is capable of doing in religion. It is one of those Scriptures which ought to be frequently and diligently studied by all who desire the prosperity of the Church of Christ.

The event first recorded in these verses, is a beautiful emblem of the position of all believers, between the first and second advents of Jesus Christ. Like the disciples, we are now tossed to and fro by storms, and do not enjoy the visible presence of our Lord. Like the disciples, we shall see our Lord face to face again, though it may be a time of great extremity, when He returns. Like the disciples, we shall see all things changed for the better, when our Master comes to us. We shall no longer be buffeted by storms. There will be a great calm.
There is nothing fanciful in such an application of the passage. We need not doubt that there is a deep meaning in every step of His life, who was “God manifest in the flesh.” For the present, however, let us confine ourselves to the plain, practical lessons which these verses contain.

Of all our Lord Jesus Christ’s miracles, none is so frequently described in the Gospels, as that which we have now read. Each of the four Evangelists was inspired to record it. It is evident that it demands a more than ordinary attention from every reader of God’s word.

Let us mark in this passage, the conduct of the apostles when they returned from their first mission as preachers. We read that they “gathered themselves together unto Jesus, and told Him all things, both what they had done, and what they had taught.”

These verses describe the death of one of the most eminent saints of God. They relate the murder of John the Baptist. Of all the evangelists none tells this melancholy story so fully as Mark. Let us see what practical lessons the passage contains for our own souls.
We see, in the first place, the amazing power of truth over the conscience. Herod “fears” John the Baptist while he lives, and is troubled about him after he dies. A friendless, solitary preacher, with no other weapon than God’s truth, disturbs and terrifies a king.

These verses describe the first sending forth of the apostles to preach. The great Head of the church made proof of His ministers, before He left them alone in the world. He taught them to try their own powers of teaching, and to find out their own weaknesses, while He was yet with them. Thus, on the one hand, He was enabled to correct their mistakes. Thus, on the other, they were trained for the work they were one day to do, and were not novices, when finally left to themselves.–Well would it be for the church, if all ministers of the Gospel were prepared for their duty in like manner, and did not so often take up their office untried, unproved, and inexperienced.

This passage shows us our Lord Jesus Christ in “his own country,” at Nazareth. It is a melancholy illustration of the wickedness of man’s heart, and deserves special attention.