John Gill

Then Jesus went up on the mountain and called for those He wanted, and they came to Him.

“And he goeth up into a mountain,.... Near Capernaum, being solitary, and a place of recess and retirement, "to pray", as Luke says, Luk 6:12, who adds, "and continued all night in prayer to God", notwithstanding the great fatigue of the day past.”

He appointed twelve of them, whom He designated as apostles, to accompany Him, to be sent out to preach,

“And he ordained twelve,.... Or made, constituted, and appointed twelve men, out of those he called to him. The Arabic version adds, "and called them apostles"; which seems to be taken out of Luk 6:”

and to have authority to drive out demons.

“And to have power to heal sicknesses,.... All manner of corporeal diseases that attend men and women: and to cast out devils; from such who were possessed with them: that is, he chose and appointed them to be his apostles, with a view of conferring…”

These are the twelve He appointed: Simon (whom He named Peter),

“And Simon he surnamed Peter. Or Cephas, which signifies a rock, or stone, because of his courage and constancy, his strength and fortitude, steadiness and firmness of mind: this name was imposed upon him, not at the time of his mission as an apostle; nor…”

James son of Zebedee and his brother John (whom He named Boanerges, meaning “Sons of Thunder”),

“And James the son of Zebedee, and John the brother of James,.... These are mentioned next, as being first called after Peter and Andrew: and he surnamed them Boanerges, which is, the sons of thunder: either because of their loud and sonorous voice; or their…”

Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James son of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus, Simon the Zealot,

“And Andrew,.... The brother of Peter; and Philip, who was of Bethsaida; and Bartholomew, whom Dr. Lightfoot thinks is the same with Nathaniel: the name may be the same with בר תלמיון, "Bar Talmion", with the Jews (y); See Gill on Mat 10:”

and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed Jesus.

“And Judas Iscariot,.... So called to distinguish him from the other Judas; and is mentioned last for the following reason: which also betrayed him; and which action of his will ever render his name infamous among men.”

If a kingdom is divided against itself, it cannot stand.

“And if a kingdom be divided against itself,.... Any of the kingdoms of this world, and the kingdom of "Satan": that kingdom cannot stand: not long; its internal broils and divisions will, soon bring it to desolation; See Gill on Mat 12:25.”

And if Satan is divided and rises against himself, he cannot stand; his end has come.

“And if Satan rise up against himself,.... As he must do in such a case as this, if devils are cast out by Beelzebub, the prince of devils: and be divided; one devil against another, as the above calumny supposes; he cannot stand, but hath…”

Indeed, no one can enter a strong man’s house to steal his possessions unless he first ties up the strong man. Then he can plunder his house.

“No man can enter into a strong man's house,.... This is properly a parable; the other seem to be proverbs, or sayings, that were commonly used to show the ill consequences of discords, factions, and divisions, as is explained in the note on See Gill…”

Truly I tell you, the sons of men will be forgiven all sins and blasphemies, as many as they utter.

“Verily I say unto you,.... The Scribes and Pharisees, who had not only blasphemed him, but the Spirit of God also: all sins shall be forgiven unto the sons of men, and blasphemies wherewith soever they shall blaspheme; God; or the Son of God, angels…”

But whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven; he is guilty of eternal sin.”

“But he that shall blaspheme against the Holy Ghost,.... Against his person, and the works performed by him, by ascribing them to diabolical power and influence, as the Scribes did, hath never forgiveness: there is no pardon provided in the covenant of grace, nor obtained…”

But Jesus replied, “Who are My mother and My brothers?”

“And he answered them,.... The multitude that sat about him, and informed him of his mother and brethren being without, and desirous of speaking with him: saying, who is my mother, or my brethren?”

Looking at those seated in a circle around Him, He said, “Here are My mother and My brothers!

“And he looked round about on them which sat about him,.... To find out his disciples among them, and point them out particularly, by stretching forth his hand towards them: and said, behold my mother and my brethren: not in a natural, but in a…”

For whoever does the will of God is My brother and sister and mother.”

“For whosoever shall do the will of God,.... By believing in Christ, receiving him as a Saviour and Redeemer, and submitting to him in all his ordinances, as King of saints: the same is my brother, and my sister, and my mother: such are openly…”

But when the sun rose, the seedlings were scorched, and they withered because they had no root.

“But when the sun was up, it was scorched,.... When persecution arose because of the word, and that became very hot and vehement, it tried and pierced through this thin speculative knowledge of the word, which could not stand before it, and bear the heat…”

As soon as Jesus was alone with the Twelve and those around Him, they asked Him about the parable.

“And when he was alone,.... After the multitude was dismissed, and he either remained in the ship, or left it, and retired to some private place, it may be to Simon's house in Capernaum.”

so that, ‘they may be ever seeing but never perceiving, and ever hearing but never understanding; otherwise they might turn and be forgiven.’”

“That seeing they may see,.... Which the end and reason of his speaking to them in parables. The passage referred to is in Isa 6:9. See Gill on Mat 13:14. See Gill on Mat 13:15.”

Some are like the seeds along the path, where the word is sown.

“And these are they by the way side, where the word is sown,.... Such hearers are represented by the way side, in which the seed fell; who, coming where the Gospel is preached, stop awhile and hear it, and so are only casual and accidental…”

But they themselves have no root, and they remain for only a season. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away.

“And have no root in themselves,.... The word has no root in their hearts, only in their natural affections: nor is the root of grace in them; there is no heart work, only speculative notions, and flashy affections: and so endure but for a time…”

He went on to say, “Pay attention to what you hear. With the measure you use, it will be measured to you, and even more will be added to you.

“And he said unto them,.... At the same time, though he had said what follows at another time, still continuing his discourse with his disciples: take heed what you hear: diligently attend to it, seek to understand it, and lay it up in your minds…”

He did not tell them anything without using a parable. But privately He explained everything to His own disciples.

“But without a parable spake he not unto them,.... For the above reason, as well as for the accomplishment of Scripture; See Gill on Mat 13:34, Mat 13:35.”

Soon a violent windstorm came up, and the waves were breaking over the boat, so that it was being swamped.

“And there arose a great storm of wind,.... Called Laelaps, a wind that is suddenly whirled about upwards and downwards, and is said to be a storm, or tempest of wind with rain; it was a sort of a hurricane: and the waves beat into…”

But Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on the cushion. So they woke Him and said, “Teacher, don’t You care that we are perishing?”

“And he was in the hinder part of the ship,.... That is, Christ was in the stern of the ship: the Persic version renders it, "he was in the bottom of the ship, in a corner", but very wrongly; here he was asleep on a…”

Overwhelmed with fear, they asked one another, “Who is this, that even the wind and the sea obey Him?”

“And they feared exceedingly,.... That is, the men in the ship, the mariners to whom the ship belonged, and who had the management of it: and said to one another, as persons in the greatest amazement, what manner of man is this, that even the…”