Jamieson, Fausset & Brown

But they were silent, for on the way they had been arguing about which of them was the greatest.

“This raised the whole question afresh, and at this point our Evangelist takes it up. The subject was suggested by the recent announcement of the Kingdom (Mt 16:19-28), the transfiguration of their Master, and especially the preference given to three of them at that scene.”

But if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble, it would be better for him to have a large millstone hung around his neck…

“But in Mt 18:6 it is the "ass-turned" kind, far heavier than the small hand-mill turned by female slaves, as in Lu 17:35. It is of course the same which is meant here.”

If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life crippled than to have two hands and go into hell, into the…

“The only difference between the words there and here is that there they refer to impure inclinations; here, to an ambitious disposition, an irascible or quarrelsome temper, and the like: and the injunction is to strike at the root of such dispositions and cut off…”

For everyone will be salted with fire.

“"Every one" probably means "Every follower of mine"; and the "fire" with which he "must be salted" probably means "a fiery trial" to season him. (Compare Mal 3:2, &c.).”

As they were going up the road to Jerusalem, Jesus was walking ahead of them. The disciples were amazed, but those who followed were afraid.

“These artless, lifelike touches--not only from an eye-witness, but one whom the noble carriage of the Master struck with wonder and awe--are peculiar to Mark, and give the second Gospel a charm all its own; making us feel as if we ourselves were in the…”

who will mock Him and spit on Him and flog Him and kill Him. And after three days He will rise again.”

“That they should have clung so tenaciously to the popular notion of an "unsuffering" Messiah, may surprise us; but it gives inexpressible weight to their after-testimony to a suffering and dying Saviour.”

Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to Jesus and declared, “Teacher, we want You to do for us whatever we ask.”

“The thought was doubtless suggested to her sons by the recent promise to the Twelve of "thrones to sit on, when the Son of man should sit on the throne of His glory" (Mt 19:28); but after the reproof so lately given them (Mr 9:33…”

“You do not know what you are asking,” Jesus replied. “Can you drink the cup I will drink, or be baptized with the baptism I will undergo?”

“Here it is the cup of suffering. and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?--(Compare for the language, Ps 42:7).”

“We can,” the brothers answered. “You will drink the cup that I drink,” Jesus said, “and you will be baptized with the baptism that I undergo.

“And they said unto him, We can--Here we see them owning their mother's petition for them as their own; and doubtless they were perfectly sincere in professing their willingness to follow their Master to any suffering He might have to endure.”

But to sit at My right or left is not Mine to grant. These seats belong to those for whom they have been prepared.”

“All we are sure of is, that their asking it was displeasing to Him "to whom all judgment is committed," and so was not fitted to gain their object, but just the reverse.”

When the ten heard about this, they became indignant with James and John.

“And when the ten heard it, they began to be much displeased with James and John--or "were moved with indignation," as the same word is rendered in Mt 20:24.”

So Jesus called them together and said, “You know that those regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their superiors exercise authority over them.

“But Jesus called them to him, and saith unto them, Ye know that they which are accounted to rule--are recognized or acknowledged as rulers.”

For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.”

“The Served of all came to be the Servant of all; and His last act was the grandest Service ever beheld by the universe of God--"HE GAVE HIS LIFE A RANSOM FOR MANY!", &c.”

Then Jesus entered Jerusalem and went into the temple courts. He looked around at everything, but since it was already late, He went out to Bethany with the Twelve.

“And Jesus entered into Jerusalem, and into the temple: and when he had looked round about upon--surveyed. all things, and now the eventide was come, he went out into Bethany with the twelve--Thus briefly does our Evangelist dispose of this His first day in Jerusalem…”

The next day, when they had left Bethany, Jesus was hungry.

“And on the morrow--The Triumphal Entry being on the first day of the week, this following day was Monday. when they were come from Bethany--"in the morning" (Mt 21:18). he was hungry--How was that?”

Seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, He went to see if there was any fruit on it.

“Perhaps all that is meant is, that as the proper fig season had not arrived, no fruit would have been expected even of this tree but for the leaves which it had, which were in this case prematurely and unnaturally developed.”

Then He said to the tree, “May no one ever eat of your fruit again.” And His disciples heard this statement.

“And his disciples heard it--and marked the saying. This is introduced as a connecting link, to explain what was afterwards to be said on the subject, as the narrative has to proceed to the other transactions of this day.”

As they were walking back in the morning, they saw the fig tree withered from its roots.

“And in the morning--of Tuesday, the third day of the week: He had slept, as during all this week, at Bethany. as they passed by--going into Jerusalem again.”

Peter remembered it and said, “Look, Rabbi! The fig tree You cursed has withered.”

“Master, behold, the fig tree which thou cursedst is withered away--so connecting the two things as to show that he traced the death of the tree entirely to the curse of his Lord.”

Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.

“Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them--This verse only generalizes the assurance of Mr 11:23; which seems to show that it was designed for the special encouragement of evangelistic…”

And when you stand to pray, if you hold anything against another, forgive it, so that your Father in heaven will forgive your trespasses as well.”

“And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have aught against any; that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses, &c.--This is repeated from the Sermon on the Mount (see on Mt 6:12); to remind them that if this was…”

Then the Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to Jesus and questioned Him:

“Then come unto him the Sadducees, which say there is no resurrection--"neither angel nor spirit" (Ac 23:7). They were the materialists of the day. See on Ac 23:6. and they asked him, saying--as follows:”

When the dead rise, they will neither marry nor be given in marriage. Instead, they will be like the angels in heaven.

“A beautiful clause is added in Luke (Lu 20:36) --"and are the children of God"--not in respect of character, which is not here spoken of, but of nature--"being the children of the resurrection," as rising to an undecaying existence (Ro 8:21, 23), and so being…”

He is not the God of the dead, but of the living. You are badly mistaken!”

“It was because the Pentateuch was regarded by all classes as the fundamental source of the Hebrew religion, and all the succeeding books of the Old Testament but as developments of it, that our Lord would show that even there the doctrine of the Resurrection…”

Now one of the scribes had come up and heard their debate. Noticing how well Jesus had answered them, he asked Him, “Which commandment is the most important of all?”

“Our Lord's answer is in a strain of respect very different from what He showed to cavillers--ever observing His own direction, "Give not that which is holy to the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine; lest they trample them under their feet, and…”