Mark 8:38

8:34-38 Frequent notice is taken of the great flocking there was to Christ for help in various cases. All are concerned to know this, if they expect him to heal their souls. They must not indulge the ease of the body. As the happiness of heaven with Christ, is enough to make up for the loss of life itself for him, so the gain of all the world in sin, will not make up for the ruin of the soul by sin. And there is a day coming, when the cause of Christ will appear as glorious, as some now think it mean and contemptible. May we think of that season, and view every earthly object as we shall do at that great day.

(38) Whosoever therefore. —Here St. Mark differs from St. Matthew, who omits these words, and agrees, though not quite verbally, with St. Luke. It is obvious that general as the words are, they had a special bearing on those who, like Peter, and probably the other disciples, had shown that they were “ashamed” of the words which had just been spoken. This adulterous and sinful generation.—The words are not found in St. Luke’s report, but they agree with language which our Lord had used before (Matthew 12:39; Matthew 16:4). Their force here lies in the contrast drawn between those from whose frown or scorn the disciples were now shrinking, and the bright hosts in whose presence the faithless should be put to shame when the Son of Man should come in His glory. They were to look on this picture and on that, and ask themselves which ordeal was the most terrible.

Mark 8:38 . Ἐπαισχυνθῇ , shall be ashamed ) in words and deeds. [ It is by the undaunted confession of Christ itself that His own life is brought into danger .—V. g.]— Με — ὁ Υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου , Me—the Son of Man ) concerning the present time, He speaks in the first person [ Me ]; concerning the future, in the third [ the Son of Man . λόγους , words ) of the cross [which carry with them the need of taking up a cross). The plural implies, that one may confess Christ in general, and yet be ashamed of this or that word, this or that saying of His; for instance, Matthew 5 This kind of shame must also be overcome.— ἐν τῇ γενεᾷ ταύτῃ in this generation ) To this there stands in antithesis the general assembly of the last day, which is spoken of presently after.— τῇ μοιχαλίδι καὶ ἁμαρτωλῷ , this adulterous and sinful ) which, as an adulteress , despises Christ :[2] as sinful , despises His words : and in consequence throws out in the way of those who confess Him all kinds of threats and promises. Such a crowd ought to be altogether despised. Who need fear them?—who regard them?— ὁ Υἱὸς ἀνθρώπου , the Son of Man ) He had just now said, Me and My words , not the Son of Man and His words ; but now He does not say, I, but the Song of Solomon of Man , which appellation has a peculiar connection with His glorious and visible Advent.

Luke 9:26 .— ἐπαισχυνθήσεται , shall regard as an object of shame ) with good reason: and so shall not acknowledge as His, but shall put away from Him.— τοῦ Πατρὸς , the Father ) Therefore His glory is, as of the Only-begotten of the Father, John 1:14 .— μετὰ τῶν ἀγγέλων τῶν ἁγίων ) This is the Greek reading, and that of the Goth . Version, etc. See App. Crit. Ed. ii. on this passage. O what shame! To be regarded as an object of shame in the presence of God the Father, of Christ, and of angels! [2] The true Husband and Bridegroom of the Church.—ED. and TRANSL.

Mark 8:38 reproduces the logion in Matthew 10:33 concerning being ashamed of Jesus, which does not find a place here in Mt.’s version. In Mt.’s form it is the outward ostensible act of denial that is animadverted on; here the feeling of shame, which is its cause— Mark 9:1 .— καὶ ἔλεγεν αὐτοῖς : with this phrase Mk. makes a new start, and turns the close of the Caesarea Philippi conversation into an introduction to the following narrative concerning the transfiguration, apparently suggesting that in the latter event the words found their fulfilment. This impression, if it existed, does not bind the interpreter.— ἀμὴν , introducing a solemn statement.— ἕως ἂν ἴδωσιν , etc.: the promised vision is differently described in the three accounts, as thus:— Till they see: the Son of Man coming in His Kingdom (Mt.). Till they see: the Kingdom of God come ( ἐληλυθυῖαν ) in power (Mk.). Till they see: the Kingdom of God (Lk.).

Verse 38. - Our Lord here looks onward to the day of judgment. Whosoever shall be ashamed of me . "Whosoever:" the word includes all, whatever their position or circumstances may be. "Shall be ashamed of me;" that is, shall deny my faith, or blush to confess me here. Of him shall the Son of man be ashamed ; that is, Christ will despise him, when he shall appear with power and great glory, in that sublime majesty which he gained by his death upon the cross. In this adulterous and sinful generation. It adds to the disgrace of being ashamed of Christ that the shame is manifested in the presence of the base and the worthless; and therefore our Lord exhibits the contrast between the mean and contemptible people in the presence of whom men are ashamed of him here, and the magnificent assemblage in whose presence he will be ashamed of them hereafter. The cross of Christ appeared to the great body of mankind to be shameful and contemptible. To the Jews it was a stumbling-block, and to the Greek's foolishness. Hence vast numbers, whether through shame or fear, did not dare to confess it, and still less to preach it. And therefore it is that St. Paul says ( Romans 1 :l6), "I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ." Mark 8:38

These words occurring twice in Matthew, Matthew 10:33 16:27 , have been before spoken to: See Poole on "Matthew 10:33" . See Poole on "Matthew 16:27" . Luke repeats them most perfectly, as here they are recorded. Mark expounds Luke’s words, where he saith that Christ shall come in his own glory, and in his Father’s, and of the holy angels. By the glory of the holy angels is meant no more than attended by the holy angels, according to Matthew 13:41 , and 1 Thessalonians 4:16 , and other scriptures. Matthew saith, Matthew 16:27 , For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works: and Matthew 10:33 , Whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven. There are two passions which prevail upon men to make them apostatize in a day of temptation, fear and shame. The first prevailed upon Peter, in the high priest’s hall. The second we find no instance of any good man guilty of in holy writ, and it most certainly argues a rotten and a corrupt heart. When men think it beneath their honour and quality to own the despised and maligned truth and ways of God, this is not only a denial of Christ, but the most inexcusable denial of him. Nor can any such persons look for any thing less at the hands of Christ, than that he should think it much more beneath his honour and dignity in the day of judgment to own them.

Ashamed of me - Ashamed to own attachment to me on account of my lowly appearance and my poverty. And of my words - My doctrines, my instructions. This adulterous and sinful generation - This age given to wickedness, particularly to adultery. In the glory of his Father - In the day of judgment. See the notes at Matthew 26:64. The meaning of this verse is, Whosoever shall refuse, through pride or wickedness, to acknowledge and serve Christ here, shall be excluded from his kingdom hereafter. He was lowly, meek, and despised; yet there was an inimitable beauty in his character even then. But he will come again in awful grandeur; not as the babe of Bethlehem, not as the man of Nazareth, but as the Son of God, in majesty and glory. They that would not acknowledge him here must be rejected by him there; they that would not serve him on earth will not enjoy his favor in heaven; they that would cast Him out and despise him must be cast out by him, and consigned to eternal, hopeless sorrow.