Bible Commentaries

Luke 1:54 — 1:55.This song properly consists of three parts.1. In the first part Mary praises God for what he had done for herself, Luke 1:46-50.2. In the second, she praises him for what he had done, and would do, against the oppressors of his people, Luke 1:51-53.3. In the third, she praises him for what he had done, and would do, for his Church, Luke 1:53-56.

Luke 12:30 — Verse 30. The nations of the world seek after — Or, earnestly seek, επιζητει from επι above, over, and ζητεω, I seek; to seek one thing after another, to be continually and eagerly coveting. This is the employment of the nations of this world, utterly

Luke 13:4 — Verse Luke 13:4. The tower in Siloam — This tower was probably built over one of the porticoes near the pool, which is mentioned John 9:7. See also Nehemiah 3:15.Debtors, οφειλεται, a Jewish phrase for sinners. Persons professing to be under the law are bound

Luke 13:6 — Verse Luke 13:6. A certain man] Many meanings are given to this parable, and divines may abound in them; the sense which our Lord designed to convey by it appears to be the following: -1. A person, τις, God Almighty.2. Had a fig tree, the Jewish Church.3. Planted

Luke 6:40 — The noun is used by the Greek medical writers to signify the reducing a luxated or disjointed limb. It sometimes signifies to repair or mend, and in this sense it is applied to broken nets, Matthew 4:21; Mark 1:19; but in this place, and in Hebrews 13:21; 2 Timothy 3:17, it means complete instruction and information. Every one who is thoroughly instructed in Divine things, who has his heart united to God, whose disordered tempers and passions are purified and restored to harmony and order; every

John 1:21 — construction of Malachi 4:5.Art thou that prophet? — the prophet spoken of by Moses, Deuteronomy 18:15, Deuteronomy 18:18. This text they had also misunderstood: for the prophet or teacher promised by Moses was no other than the Messiah himself. See Acts 3:22. But the Jews had a tradition that Jeremiah was to return to life, and restore the pot of manna, the ark of the covenant, c., which he had hidden that the Babylonians might not get them. Besides this, they had a general expectation that all the prophets

John 1:3 — Verse John 1:3. All things were made by him — That is, by this Logos. In Genesis 1:1, GOD is said to have created all things: in this verse, Christ is said to have created all things: the same unerring Spirit spoke in Moses and in the evangelists: therefore

John 19:25 — Verse 25. Mary the wife of Cleophas — She is said, in Matthew 27:56, (see the note there,) and Mark 15:40, to have been the mother of James the Less, and of Joses; and this James her son is said, in Matthew 10:3, to have been the son of Alpheus; hence it seems that Alpheus and Cleopas were the same person. To which may be added, that Hegesippus is quoted by Eusebius, Hist. Eccl. l. iii. c. 11, as saying that Cleopas was the brother of Joseph, the husband of

John 19:35 — Verse 35. He that saw it — Most probably John himself, who must have been pretty near the cross to have been able to distinguish between the blood and the water, as they issued from the side of our blessed Lord.And he knoweth — This appears to be

John 7:3 — Verse John 7:3. His brethren - said — It is generally supposed that these were the children of the sisters of his mother Mary; but some of the ancients have stated that Joseph had several children by a former wife. See the account of the evangelist prefixed

Acts 17:11 — attentively.2. They received this doctrine with readiness of mind: when the evidence of its truth appeared to them sufficiently convincing, they had too much dignity of mind to refuse their assent, and too much ingenuousness to conceal their approbation.3. They searched the Scriptures, i.e. of the Old Testament, to see whether these thing were so: to see whether the promises and types corresponded with the alleged fulfilment in the person, works, and sufferings of Jesus Christ.4. They continued in this

Acts 20:3 — Verse Acts 20:3. Abode three months — Partly, as we may suppose, at Corinth, at Athens, and in Achaia; from which place he is supposed to have sent his epistle to the Romans, because he continued longer here than at any other place, and mentions several of the

Acts 22:1 — CHAPTER XXII. Paul, in his address to the people, gives an account of his birth and education, 1-3. His prejudices against Christianity, 4, 5. And of his miraculous conversion, and call to the apostleship, 6-21. The Jews, hearing him say that God had sent him to preach the Gospel to the Gentiles, become exceedingly outrageous, and clamour for his

1 Corinthians 7:28 — virgin marry — Both the man and the woman have equal privileges in this case; either of them may marry without sin. It is probable, as there were many sects and parties in Corinth, that there were among them those who forbade to marry, 1 Timothy 4:3, and who might have maintained other doctrines of devils besides. These persons, or such doctrines, the apostle has in view when he says, They may marry and yet not sin.Trouble in the flesh — From the simple circumstance of the incumbrance of

Ephesians 1:6 — graciously favoured us through the Beloved, is at once more literal and more intelligible. Whitby, Macknight, and Wakefield translate the passage in nearly the same way.In the Beloved must certainly mean in Christ, who is termed God's beloved Son, Matthew 3:17; but several excellent MSS., such as D*EFG, the later Syriac, the AEthiopic, Vulgate, Itala, with several of the fathers, add, υιωαυτου, his beloved Son. This is the meaning, whether the reading be received or rejected.

Ephesians 3:2 — Verse Ephesians 3:2. If ye have heard of the dispensation — The compound particle ειγε, which is commonly translated if indeed, in several places means since indeed, seeing that, and should be translated so in this verse, and in several other places of the New

Ephesians 4:3 — Verse Ephesians 4:3. Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. — There can be no doubt that the Church at Ephesus was composed partly of converted Jews, as well as Gentiles. Now, from the different manner in which they had been brought up,

Ephesians 5:3 — Verse Ephesians 5:3. But fornication — It is probable that the three terms used here by the apostle refer to different species of the same thing. The word fornication, πορνεια, may imply not only fornication but adultery also, as it frequently does; uncleanness,

Philippians 2:8 — translated: Being made in the likeness of man, and was found in fashion as a man.He humbled himself — Laid himself as low as possible:1. In emptying himself-laying aside the effulgence of his glory.2. In being incarnate-taking upon him the human form.3. In becoming a servant-assuming the lowest innocent character, that of being the servant of all.4. In condescending to die, to which he was not naturally liable, as having never sinned, and therefore had a right in his human nature to immortality, without

1 Thessalonians 2:3 — Verse 1 Thessalonians 2:3. Our exhortation — The word παρακλησις has a very extensive meaning; it signifies not only exhortation and teaching in general, but also encouragement, consolation, and the like. When the apostles exhorted or admonished men, it was that they should