Mark 9:33

33 ¹They came to Capernaum; and when He was in ²the house, He began to question them, "What were you discussing on the way?"

Mark 9:33 Meaning and Commentary

Mark 9:33

And he came to Capernaum
Where he met with the collectors of the tribute money, and paid it to them, as related by Matthew, ( Matthew 17:24 ) , though Mark takes no notice of it. The Vulgate Latin and the Syriac versions, read in the plural number, "they came"; Christ and his twelve apostles; and which is the sense of the words, read in the singular number; for Christ came not alone, but with his disciples:

and being in the house;
of Simon and Andrew, very likely where he used to be when at Capernaum:

he asked them, what was it that ye disputed among yourselves by the
way?
Whilst in their journey from Caesarea Philippi, to Galilee; or as they travelled through the parts of Galilee to Capernaum. This question Christ put, not as ignorant of what had passed among them, but in order to have the case laid before him; that he might reprove them for their pride and ambition, and have an opportunity of teaching them humility, and of informing them of the nature of his kingdom, and subjects; concerning which, they had entertained very wrong notions. The phrase "among yourselves", is omitted in the Vulgate Latin and Arabic versions, but stands in the Syriac, Persic, and Ethiopic.

Mark 9:33 In-Context

31 For He was teaching His disciples and telling them, "The Son of Man is to be delivered into the hands of men, and they will kill Him; and when He has been killed, He will rise three days later."

32 But they did not understand this statement, and they were afraid to ask Him.

33 They came to Capernaum; and when He was in the house, He began to question them, "What were you discussing on the way?"

34 But they kept silent, for on the way they had discussed with one another which of them was the greatest.

35 Sitting down, He called the twelve and said to them, "If anyone wants to be first, he shall be last of all and servant of all."

Cross References

• 1. Mark 9:33-37: {Matthew 18:1-5; Luke 9:46-48}
• 2. Mark 3:19

Footnotes

• [a]. Lit "had come"