And Simon and they that were with him followed after him.
And Simon and they that were with him followed after him;
and Simon and those with him went in quest of him,
And Simon and those with him went after him:
Mark — The Gospel of the servant in motion. The narrative hinges at Peter's confession (8:27). Before: the Servant revealed. After: the Servant suffers.
Rare words are the text's own signal of a deliberate thread — the fewer the occurrences, the more the places it appears belong together.
Voices2
And Simon, and they that were with him,.... Peter, and his brother Andrew, together with James and John, followed after him; some time after he was gone; for he privately withdrew from them, so that they might not be aware when he went, nor apprized of his departure, for some considerable time; which when they were, they set out, in diligent search, and eager pursuit after him, until they found him.
John Gill· Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748)reformed
And Simon - followed after him - Κατεδιωξαν, followed him eagerly. They had now begun to taste the good word of God, and thought they could never hear too much of it. Many possess this spirit when first converted to God. O! what a pity that they should ever lose it! The soul that relishes Gods word is ever growing in grace by it.
Adam Clarke· Commentary on the Bible, 1832evangelical
