Matthew Poole and continuators on Mark 9:16

16 And he asked the scribes, What question ye with them.

When Christ came down from the Mountain of Transfiguration, to his Disciples, which he had left at the Foot of the Mountain, he saw a great Multitude got together about them, and discerned some Scribes (Companions of the Pharisees and Teachers of the Law) mixing themselves with his Disciples, and Arguing with them. They had often attempted our Saviour to no purpose, but their own shame and Confusion, in his absence they fall in with his Disciples, who were yet raw in the Faith, over them they hope to get a great Conquest. The Evangelist doth not plainly tell us what the subject matter of their Discourse was. Tho there be no question but the Scribes in this Discourse pursued their Design to expose, and vilify Christ, and his Disciples, and to that purpose taking advantage of our Saviours absence discoursed with them about many Things, yet Mr. Calvin doth (not improbably) judge that a great part of their Discourse, was about our Saviours Casting out of Devils, and their Power in that thing derived from him, they being at the present non-plust, and not able to exert that Power in the casting out of a Devil, with which one was possessed, who in our Saviours Absence was brought to them. That which maketh this probable, is not only that this Act of our Saviour more troubled and Gall'd them than any other, and put them to that miserable Refuge, (out of which our Saviour had lately beaten them) to say, That he cast out Devils, by Beelzebub the Prince of Devils, but also that when our Saviour coming in to the timely Rescue of his Disciples, aske's the Scribes. What Question you among your selves, it is said.

Marginal references: Or, among your selves.