Mark 9:33
in Mark 9Then they came to Capernaum. While Jesus was in the house, He asked them, “What were you discussing on the way?”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And they came to Capernaum: and when he was in the house he asked them, What were ye reasoning on the way?
KJV
And he came to Capernaum: and being in the house he asked them, What was it that ye disputed among yourselves by the way?
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This verse in Mark 9
Commentary
10 notes on this verseWhere it is to be observed, that the disciples disputed by the way concerning the chief place, but Christ Himself sat down to teach humility; for princes toil while the humble repose.
This site's exposition
What were you discussing on the way
on Mark 9:33-35
In Capernaum Jesus asks, What were you discussing on the way, and they were silent, for on the way they had been arguing about which of them was the greatest. The road was the one where He had just foretold His death. Sitting down, the posture of a teacher, He called the Twelve and said, If anyone wants to be first, he must be the last of all and the servant of all.
The record, by era
The Medieval Church4 voices
And they came to Capernaum. When they were in the house, he asked them, "What were you discussing on the way?" But they kept silent. For they had been disputing among themselves on the way about who was the greatest. The disciples' dispute seems to …
The disciples, still having human thoughts, were arguing among themselves about which of them was greater and more honored by Christ.
(ubi sup.) The reason why the dispute concerning the chief place arose amongst the disciples seems to have been, that Peter, James, and John, were led apart from the rest into the mountain, and that something secret was there entrusted to them, also that the keys of the kingdom of heaven were promised to Peter, according to Matthew.
Capernaum means the city of consolation, and agrees with the former sentence, which He had spoken: And after that he is killed, he shall arise the third day. There follows: And being in the house he asked them, What was it that ye disputed among yourselves by the way? But they held their peace. It was fit also that they should dispute concerning the chief place by the way; the dispute is like the place where it is held; for lofty station is only entered upon to be quitted: as long as a man keeps it, it is slippery, and it is uncertain at what stage, that is, on what day, it will end.
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
And he came to Capernaum,.... Where he met with the collectors of the tribute money, and paid it to them, as related by Matthew, Mat 17:24, though Mark takes no notice of it.
3 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
We must all expect to be called to an account by our Lord Jesus, concerning what passes while we are in the way in this state of passage and probation. We must in a particular manner be called to an account about our discourses among ourselves; for by our words we must be justified or condemned.
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
J.C. Ryle1816–1900
Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: Mark (lightly modernized text, Grace Gems edition) (1857)
proposed
The dullness of the disciples in spiritual things appears once more, as soon as this announcement was made. There was good in the tidings as well as seeming evil — sweet as well as bitter — life as well as death — the resurrection as well as the cross. But it was all darkness to the bewildered twelve. "They did not understand what He was saying, and were afraid to ask." Their minds were still full of their mistaken ideas of their Master's reign upon earth. They thought that His earthly kingdom was immediately to appear. Never are we so slow to understand, as when prejudice and pre-conceived opinions darken our eyes. The immense importance of our Lord's death and resurrection comes out strongly in this fresh announcement which He makes. It is not for nothing that He reminds us again that He must die. He would have us know that His death was the great end for which He came into the world. He would remind us that by that death the great problem was to be solved — how God could be just, and yet justify sinners. He did not come upon earth merely to teach, and preach, and work miracles. He came to make satisfaction for sin, by His own blood and suffering on the cross. Let us never forget this. The incarnation, and example, and words of Christ, are all of deep importance. But the grand object which demands our notice in the history of His earthly ministry, is His death on Calvary. Let us mark, in the second place, in these verses, the ambition and love of pre-eminence which the apostles exhibited. "By the way they disputed among themselves who was the greatest." How strange this sounds! Who would have thought that a few fishermen and publicans could have been overcome by envious rivalry, and the desire of supremacy?
And being in the house - That is, Peter’s house, where he ordinarily lodged. This has been often observed before.
The words behind it
16 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Καὶ | kai | And | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| ἦλθον | elthon | they came | G2064 → | 628 times |
| εἰς | eis | to | G1519 → | 1755 times |
| Καφαρναούμ· | kapharnaoum | Capernaum; | G2584 → | 16 times |
| καὶ | kai | And | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| ἐν | en | in | G1722 → | 2738 times |
| τῇ | tea | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| οἰκίᾳ | oikia | house | G3614 → | 93 times |
| γενόμενος | genomenos | having been | G1096 → | 667 times |
| ἐπηρώτα | eperota | He was asking | G1905 → | 56 times |
| αὐτούς· | autous | them; | G846 → | 5565 times |
| τί | ti | What | G5101 → | 563 times |
| ἐν | en | on | G1722 → | 2738 times |
| τῇ | tea | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ὁδῷ | hodo | way | G3598 → | 101 times |
| διελογίζεσθε; | dielogizesthe | were you discussing? | G1260 → | 16 times |
ΚαὶAnd
kaiG2532 →9120 times
ἦλθονthey came
elthonG2064 →628 times
εἰςto
eisG1519 →1755 times
Καφαρναούμ·Capernaum;
kapharnaoumG2584 →16 times
καὶAnd
kaiG2532 →9120 times
ἐνin
enG1722 →2738 times
τῇthe
teaG3588 →19766 times
οἰκίᾳhouse
oikiaG3614 →93 times
γενόμενοςhaving been
genomenosG1096 →667 times
ἐπηρώταHe was asking
eperotaG1905 →56 times
αὐτούς·them;
autousG846 →5565 times
τίWhat
tiG5101 →563 times
ἐνon
enG1722 →2738 times
τῇthe
teaG3588 →19766 times
ὁδῷway
hodoG3598 →101 times
διελογίζεσθε;were you discussing?
dielogizestheG1260 →16 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Hebrews 4:13Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight; everything is uncovered and exposed before the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.
it leads to
- 1 Corinthians 4:5
Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait until the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of men’s hearts. At that time each…
- Psalms 33:13–15
The LORD looks down from heaven; He sees all the sons of men.
- Proverbs 15:3
The eyes of the LORD are in every place, observing the evil and the good.
- Ecclesiastes 12:14
For God will bring every deed into judgment, along with every hidden thing, whether good or evil.
- Jeremiah 17:10
I, the LORD, search the heart; I examine the mind to reward a man according to his way, by what his deeds deserve.
- 1 Corinthians 4:5
Through
John 21:17Jesus asked a third time, “Simon son of John, do you love Me?” Peter was deeply hurt that Jesus had asked him a third time, “Do you love Me?” “Lord, You know all things,”…
it leads to
- John 13:38
“Will you lay down your life for Me?” Jesus replied. “Truly, truly, I tell you, before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.
- John 13:38
Through
John 2:25He did not need any testimony about man, for He knew what was in a man.
it leads to
- John 13:11
For He knew who would betray Him. That is why He said, “Not all of you are clean.”
- Matthew 9:4
But Jesus knew what they were thinking and said, “Why do you harbor evil in your hearts?
- John 13:11
Where this verse is studied
About Mark
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on 11 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Bede, On the Gospel of Mark; Bede, Catena Aurea by Aquinas; J. C. Ryle, Expository Thoughts on the Gospels, Mark; J.C. Ryle, Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: Mark (lightly modernized text, Grace Gems edition); Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; Jerome, Catena Aurea by Aquinas; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Pseudo-Jerome, Catena Aurea by Aquinas and Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on Mark.