Bible Commentaries

Hosea 7:1 — idolatrous nations; and the ninth describes the sad consequence. The tenth verse reproves their pride and open contempt of God's worship; the eleventh reproves their foolish conduct in applying for aid to their enemies; (see 2 Kings 15:19; 2 Kings 17:4;) the twelfth and thirteenth threaten them with punishments; the fourteenth charges them with hypocrisy in their acts of humiliation; the fifteenth with ingratitude; and the image of the deceitful bow, in the sixteenth verse, is highly expressive

Zechariah 13:1 — conversion of the Jews, foretold in the preceding chapter, they are here promised the full pardon of their sins, and a deliverance from idolatry and false prophets, 1-6. Prophecy concerning the death of the Messiah, and the persecution of his disciples, 7. The remaining verses may refer to those Jewish converts to Christianity who survived the calamities which their country suffered from the Romans, 8, 9. NOTES ON CHAP. XIIIVerse Zechariah 13:1. In that day there shall be a fountain opened — This

Matthew 11:24 — Verse Matthew 11:24. But - it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom — γη σοδομων, the land of the Sodomites; i.e. the ancient inhabitants of that city and its neighbourhood.In Jude, Jude 1:7, we are told that these persons are suffering the vengeance of eternal fire. The destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah happened A. M. 2107, which was 1897 years before the incarnation. What a terrible thought is this! It will be more tolerable for certain

Matthew 21:7 — Verse Matthew 21:7. And put on them their clothes — Thus acknowledging him to be their king, for this was a custom observed by the people when they found that God had appointed a man to the kingdom. When Jehu sat with the captains of the army, and Elisha the prophet

Matthew 26:17 — Verse Matthew 26:17. Now the first day of the feast of unleavened bread — As the feast of unleavened bread did not begin till the day after the passover, the fifteenth day of the month, Leviticus 23:5-6; Numbers 28:16-17, this could not have been, properly, the first

Matthew 4:6 — other obstacles occur, she lifts up the child, and carries it over them, and then sets it down to walk again. Thus she keeps it in all its ways, watching over, and guarding every step it takes. To this St. Paul seems also to allude, 1 Thessalonians 2:7. We were gentle among you, even as a nurse cherisheth her children. Thus the most merciful God deals with the children of men, ever guarding them by his eye, and defending them by his power.

Matthew 7:26 — Verse Matthew 7:26. And every one that heareth - and doeth them not — Was there ever a stricter system of morality delivered by God to man, than in this sermon? He who reads or hears it, and does not look to God to conform his soul and life to it, and notwithstanding

Matthew 8:34 — c. What silly trifling is this! Some people's creeds will neither permit God nor the devil to work and, in several respects, hardly to exist. For he who denies Divine inspiration, will scarcely acknowledge diabolic influence. Matthew 8:16, and Luke 7:21.It is said, The whole city came out to meet Jesus. This means no more than all the inhabitants of that place, which, most probably, was no more than a small country village; or perhaps but a few houses. I have observed that the inhabitants of the

Luke 12:1 — CHAPTER XII. Christ preaches to his disciples against hypocrisy; and against timidity in publishing the Gospel, 1-5. Excites them to have confidence in Divine providence, 6, 7. Warns them against denying him, or betraying his cause, 8, 9. Of the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost, 10. Promises direction and support in persecution, 11, 12. Warns the people against covetousness, 13-15. Parable of the rich man who pulled down

John 12:1 — CHAPTER XII. Jesus sups at the house of Lazarus, and Mary anoints his feet, 1-3. Judas Iscariot finds fault, and reproves her, 4-6. Jesus vindicates Mary and reproves Judas, 7, 8. The chief priests consult to put Lazarus to death, because that through him many believed on Jesus, 9-11. He enters Jerusalem in triumph; the people meet him, and the Pharisees are troubled, 12-19. Greeks inquire after Jesus, 20-22. Our Lord's discourse

John 21:7 — Verse John 21:7. His fisher's coat — Or, his upper coat. επενδυτην, from επι, upon, and ενδυω, I clothe; something analagous to what we term a great coat or surtout.He was naked — He was only in his vest. γυμνος, naked, is often used to signify the absence

John 4:10 — to the inhabitants both of the east and of the west, is always meant spring water, in opposition to dead, stagnant water contained in ponds, pools, tanks, or cisterns; and what our Lord means by it is evidently the Holy Spirit, as may be seen, John 7:38-39.As water quenches the thirst, refreshes and invigorates the body, purifies things defiled, and renders the earth fruitful, so it is an apt emblem of the gift of the Holy Ghost, which so satisfies the souls that receive it that they thirst no more

John 5:28 — Armenian, Chrysostom, Damascenus, Theophylact, Euthymius, and others; which is found also in some very good MSS. Theophylact says that the common method of reading this, which he highly objects to, was the invention of Paul of Samosata. In John 5:26-27, our Lord, speaking of himself as envoy of God, said, the Father had given him to have life in himself, so that, like any of the ancient prophets, he could vivify others; and that he had given him authority to execute judgment, probably referring to

John 7:26 — feast, and who heard Christ attentively, being ignorant of the designs of the rulers, &c., against him.Our Lord addresses himself in this discourse principally to his enemies. The strange Jews were those who were astonished when Christ said, John 7:20, that they sought to kill him, having no such design themselves, and not knowing that others had. And the Jews of Jerusalem were those who, knowing the disposition of the rulers, and seeing Christ speak openly, no man attempting to seize him, addressed

Acts 1:7 — Verse Acts 1:7. The times or the seasons — χρονουςηκαιρους. Times here may signify any large portion of a period, aera, or century-such as an Olympiad, lustrum or year; and seasons, the particular part, season, or opportunity in that period, c., in which it

Acts 19:1 — CHAPTER XIX. Paul, coming to Ephesus, finds certain disciples who had not received the gift of the Holy Ghost, knowing only the baptism of John, but receive it through the imposition of his hands, 1-7. He preaches for three months in the synagogues, 8. Many being hardened, he leaves the synagogues, and teaches daily in the school of Tyrannus for two years, 9, 10. He works many miracles, 11, 12. Account of the vagabond exorcist Jews, and the seven

Romans 13:7 — Verse Romans 13:7. Render therefore to all their dues — This is an extensive command. Be rigidly just; withhold neither from the king nor his ministers, nor his officers of justice and revenue, nor from even the lowest of the community, what the laws of God and

Romans 15:1 — but his neighbour, after the example of Christ, 1-3. Whatsoever was written in old times was written for our learning, 4. We should be of one mind, that we might with one mouth glorify God, 5, 6. We should accept each other as Christ has accepted us, 7. Scriptural proofs that Jesus Christ was not only the minister of the circumcision, but came also for the salvation of the Gentiles, 8-12. The God of hope can fill us with all peace and joy in believing, 13. Character of the Church of Rome, 14. The

Romans 5:10 — resurrection to life, is the grand proof that he has accomplished whatever he had purposed in reference to the salvation of man.2. This may be also understood of his life of intercession: for it is written. He ever LIVETH to make INTERCESSION for us, Hebrews 7:25. Through this life of intercession at the right hand of God we are spared and blessed.3. And it will not be amiss to consider that, as our salvation implies the renovation of our nature, and our being restored to the image of God, so, σωθησομεθα

1 Corinthians 5:9 — of this, and contends that the conclusion drawn by some, viz. that it refers to some epistle that is lost, is not legitimately drawn from any premises which either this text or antiquity affords. The principal evidence against this is 2 Corinthians 7:8, where εν τη επιστολη, the same words as above, appear to refer to this first epistle. Possibly the apostle may refer to an epistle which he had written though not sent; for, on receiving farther information from Stephanas, Fortunatus, and Achaicus,