Bible Commentaries

Acts 26:1 — compliment, in order to secure a favourable hearing, 1-3; gives an account of his education from his youth up, 4, 5; shows that the Jews persecuted him for his maintaining the hope of the resurrection, 6-8; states his persecution of the Christians, 9-11; gives an account of his miraculous conversion, 12-16; and of his call to the ministry, 16-18. His obedience to that call, and his success in preaching the doctrine of Christ crucified, 19-23. While he is thus speaking, Festus interrupts him, and

Acts 27:1 — They sail thence, and pass Cyprus, Cilicia, and Pamphylia, and come to Myra, 4, 5. They are transferred there to a ship of Alexandria going to Italy; sail past Cnidus, Crete, Salmone, and come to the Fair Havens, 6-8. Paul predicts a disastrous voyage, 9-11. They sail from the Fair Havens, in order to reach Crete, and winter there; but, having a comparatively favourable wind, they sail past Crete, and meet with a tempest, and are brought into extreme peril and distress, 12-20. Paul's exhortation and

Romans 4:5 — "Romans 1:17", and particularly under No. 7. It is also necessary to observe, that our translators render the verb λογιζομαι differently in different parts of this chapter. It is rendered counted, Romans 4:3; Romans 4:5; reckoned, Romans 4:4; Romans 4:9-10; imputed, Romans 4:6; Romans 4:8; Romans 4:11; Romans 4:22-24. Reckoned is probably the best sense in all these places.

Romans 9:15 — Verse Romans 9:15. For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy, c.] The words of God to Moses, Exodus 33:19, show that God has a right to dispense his blessings as he pleases for, after he had declared that he would spare the Jews of old, and continue them in the relation

Romans 9:23 — extensiveness of the Divine grace. They would not have the Gentiles admitted into the Church of God; but contradicted, and blasphemed, and rejected the Lord that bought them: thus, then, the extensiveness of the Divine grace occasioned their infidelity, Romans 9:33; Romans 10:3; Romans 11:11; Romans 11:12; Romans 11:15; Romans 11:28; Romans 11:30. Thus the Jews were diminished by that abundance of grace which has enriched the Gentiles. And so the grace of God was illustrated; or, so God made known the riches

1 Corinthians 15:8 — Verse 1 Corinthians 15:8. And last of all - of me also — It seems that it was essential to the character of a primitive apostle that he had seen and conversed with Christ; and it is evident, from the history of Saul's conversion, Acts 9:4-7, where see the notes, that Jesus Christ did appear to him; and he pleaded this ever after as a proof of his call to the apostleship. And it does not appear that, after this time, Jesus ever did make any personal discovery of himself to any one.As

1 Corinthians 4:9 — Verse 1 Corinthians 4:9. God hath set forth us the apostles last — This whole passage is well explained by Dr. Whitby. "Here the apostle seems to allude to the Roman spectacles, της των θηριομαχων, και μονομαχιας ανδροφονου, that of the Bestiarii and the gladiators,

2 Corinthians 1:23 — (not having heard as yet from them,) he proposed to delay his coming. It is plain, as several commentators have observed,1. That St. Paul's doctrine had been opposed by some of Corinth, 1 Corinthians 15:12. His apostleship questioned, 1 Corinthians 9:1-2, and 2 Corinthians 12:13.2. Himself despised, and treated as a person who, because of the consciousness he had of his own worthlessness, dared not to come, 1 Corinthians 4:18. His letters, say they, are weighty and powerful-full of boastings of

Ephesians 2:1 — CHAPTER II. The character of the Ephesians previously to their conversion to Christianity, 1-3. By what virtue they were changed, and for what purpose, 4-7. They were saved by faith, 8, 9. And created unto good works, 10. The apostle enters into the particulars of their former miserable state, 11, 12. And those of their present happy state, 13. Christ has broken down the middle wall of partition between the Jews and Gentiles, and proclaims

Ephesians 3:14 — land? They would not be permitted so to do. Is God then to be treated with less respect than a fellow mortal? Paul kneeled in praying, Acts 20:36; Acts 21:5. Stephen kneeled when he was stoned, Acts 7:60. And Peter kneeled when he raised Tabitha, Acts 9:40.Many parts of this prayer bear a strict resemblance to that offered up by Solomon, 2 Chronicles 6:1, c., when dedicating the temple: He kneeled down upon his knees before all the congregation of Israel, and spread forth his hands towards heaven 2

1 Timothy 1:18 — exhortation, and to comfort. See 1 Corinthians 14:3. This is a very sober and good sense of the passage.War a good warfare — The trials and afflictions of the followers of God are often represented as a warfare or campaign. See Isaiah 40:2; 1 Corinthians 9:7; 2 Corinthians 10:4; and see the reasons of this metaphorical form of speech, in Clarke's notes on "Ephesians 6:13".

1 Timothy 2:1 — CHAPTER II. Prayer, supplication, and thanksgiving, must be made for all men; because God wills that all should be saved, 1-4. There is but one God and one Mediator, 5-7. How men should pray, 8. How women should adorn themselves, 9, 10. They are not suffered to teach, nor to nor to usurp authority over men, 11-14. How they may expect to be saved in child-bearing, 15. NOTES ON CHAP. II.Verse 1 Timothy 2:1. I exhort - that, first of all — Prayer for the pardon of sin, and

Hebrews 1:4 — inheritance that Christ possesses a more excellent name than angels, but as God: he has it naturally and essentially; and, as God manifested in the flesh, he has it in consequence of his humiliation, sufferings, and meritorious death. See Philippians 2:9.

Hebrews 1:9 — Verse Hebrews 1:9. Thou hast loved righteousness — This is the characteristic of a just governor: he abhors and suppresses iniquity; he countenances and supports righteousness and truth.Therefore God, even thy God] The original, δια τουτο εχρισε σε ὁ Θεος, ὁ

Hebrews 12:9 — Verse Hebrews 12:9. We have had fathers of our flesh — The fathers of our flesh, i.e. our natural parents, were correctors; and we reverenced them, notwithstanding their corrections often arose from whim or caprice: but shall we not rather be in subjection to the

Hebrews 2:1 — The use we should make of the preceding doctrine, and the danger of neglecting this great salvation, 1-4. The future world is not put in subjection to the angels, but all is under the authority of Christ, 5-8. Jesus has tasted death for every man, 9. Nor could he accomplish man's redemption without being incarnated and without dying; by which he destroys the devil, and delivers all that believe on him from the fear of death and spiritual bondage, 10-15. Christ took not upon him the nature of angels,

Hebrews 6:9 — Verse Hebrews 6:9. But, beloved — Here he softens what he had before said; having given them the most solemn warning against apostasy, he now encourages them to persevere, commends the good that is in them, and excites them to watchfulness and activity.Better things

Hebrews 9:10 — Verse Hebrews 9:10. In meats and drinks, and divers washings — He had already mentioned eucharistic and sacrificial offerings, and nothing properly remained but the different kinds of clean and unclean animals which were used, or forbidden to be used, as articles

Hebrews 9:7 — Verse Hebrews 9:7. But into the second — That is, the holy of holies, or second part of the tabernacle, the high priest alone, once every year, that is, on one day in the year only, which was the day on which the general atonement was made. The high priest could

James 2:1 — the Gospel of Christ, 1-4. God has chosen the poor, rich in faith, to be heirs of his kingdom, even those whom some among their brethren despised and oppressed, 5, 6. They should love their neighbour as themselves, and have no respect of persons, 7-9. He who breaks one command of God is guilty of the whole, 10, 11. They should act as those who shall be judged by the law of liberty; and he shall have judgment without mercy, who shows no mercy, 12, 13. Faith without works of charity and mercy is dead;