Bible Commentaries

Psalms 119:136 — Verse Psalms 119:136. Rivers of waters run down mine eyes — How much had this blessed man the honour of God and the salvation of souls at heart! O for more of that spirit which mourns for the transgressions of the land! But we are not properly convinced of the

Psalms 86:17 — for thou wilt answer me," Psalms 86:7.3. "There is none like unto thee," Psalms 86:8.4. "Nor any works like unto thy works," Psalms 86:8. This shall be amply proved: for5. "All nations," now worshipping idols, "shall be converted to thee," Psalms 86:9.6. "Because thou art great, and doest wondrous things," Psalms 86:10.On this reason, that there is none like God, - 1. He begs to be governed by his word and Spirit, Psalms 86:11.2. Promises to praise him for his great mercy, Psalms 86:12-13.III. He

Isaiah 2:19 — Verse Isaiah 2:19. Into the holes of the rocks - "Into caverns of rocks"] The country of Judea being mountainous and rocky, is full of caverns, as appears from the history of David's persecution under Saul. At En-gedi, in particular, there was a cave so large that David

Isaiah 62:6 — hasten the redemption of Sion. The image in this place is taken from the temple service in which there was appointed a constant watch, day and night, by the Levites: and among them this seems to have belonged particularly to the singers, see 1 Chronicles 9:33. Now the watches in the east, even to this day, are performed by a loud cry from time to time of the watchmen, to mark the time, and that very frequently, and in order to show that they themselves are constantly attentive to their duty. Hence the

Isaiah 8:12 — conjecture of Archbishop Secker, which he proposes with great diffidence, and even seems immediately to give up, as being destitute of any authority to support it. I will give it in his own words: - "Videri potest ex cap. v. 16, et hujus cap. 13, 14, 19, legendum קרש vel קדוש kadosh, eadem sententia, qua אלהינו Eloheynu, Hosea 14:3. Sed nihil necesse est. Vide enim Jeremiah 11:9; Ezekiel 22:25. Optime tamen sic responderent huic versiculo versiculi 13, 14."The passages of Jeremiah and Ezekiel above

Micah 1:1 — THE BOOK OF THE PROPHET MICAH Chronological Notes relative to this Book -Year from the Creation, according to Archbishop Usher, 3254. -Year of the Julian Period, 3964. -Year since the Flood, 1598. -Year from the vocation of Abram, 1171. -Year since the first celebration of the Olympic games in Elis by the Idaei Dactyli, 704. -Year from the destruction of Troy, according to the general computation of chronologers,

Matthew 17:5 — us that this was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord. See also Exodus 16:10; Exodus 40:33, c. Ezekiel 43:2, and 1 Chronicles 5:14. But it was generally in a thick, dark cloud, that God manifested himself under the law; see Exodus 19:9; Exodus 20:21. This might be designed as emblematical of the old covenant, which was but the shadow of the good things which were to come, Hebrews 10:1; and the cloud of light mentioned here, the emblem of that glorious display of God, in his Gospel,

Mark 9:49 — Verse Mark 9:49. For every one shall be salted with fire — Every one of those who shall live and die in sin: but there is great difficulty in this verse. The Codex Bezae, and some other MSS., have omitted the first clause; and several MSS. keep the first,

John 11:1 — Lazarus, 1. His sisters Martha and Mary send for Christ, 2. Our Lord's discourse with his disciples on this sickness and consequent death, 3-16. He arrives at Bethany four days after the burying of Lazarus, 17, 18. Martha meets Christ-their conversation, 19-27. She returns and Mary goes out to meet him, in great distress, 28-33. Christ comes to the grave-his conversation there, 34-42. He raises Lazarus from the dead, 43-46. The priests and Pharisees, hearing of this, hold a council, and plot his destruction,

John 2:14 — Verse John 2:14. Found in the temple those that sold oxen, c.] This is a similar fact to that mentioned Matthew 21:12 Mark 11:15; Luke 19:45. See it explained on Matthew 21:12. If it be the same fact, then John anticipates three years of time in relating it here; as that cleansing of the temple mentioned by the other evangelists took place in the last week of our Lord's life. Mr. Mann,

John 4:37 — benefit. See instances of this proverb, Leviticus 26:16: Ye shall sow your seed in vain, for your enemies shall eat it. Micah 6:15: Thou shalt sow, but thou shalt not reap; thou shalt tread the olives, but not anoint thee with the oil. See also Hosea 7:9. The Greeks had the same proverb: Αλλοι μεν σπερουσι, αλλοι δ'αν αμησονται. So had the Latins: Aliis leporem excitasti. You have beat the bush, and another has found the hare. See the famous verses of Virgil beginning with, Sic vos non vobis, in which

Acts 2:44 — Jerusalem; all were lent gratis by the owners: Yoma, fol. 12. Megill. fol. 26. The same may be well supposed of their ovens, cauldrons, tables, spits, and other utensils. Also, provisions of water were made for them at the public expense; Shekalim, cap. 9. See Lightfoot here. Therefore a sort of community of goods was no strange thing at Jerusalem, at such times as these. It appears, however, that this community of goods was carried farther; for we are informed, Acts 2:45, that they sold their possessions

Acts 22:3 — this verse should be thus read and translated: but brought up in this city instructed at the feet of Gamaliel, according to the most exact manner, being exceedingly zealous for the law of our fathers, as ye all are this day.Born in Tarsus — Acts 9:11; and Acts 21:39.Feet of Gamaliel — See a full account of this man in Clarke's note on "Acts 5:34".It has been generally supposed that the phrase, brought up at the feet, is a reference to the Jewish custom, viz. that the disciples of the rabbins

Acts 25:13 — larger one, giving him the tetrarchy of Philip, which contained Trachonitis, Batanea, and Gaulonitis. He gave him, likewise, the tetrarchy of Lysanias, and the province which Varus had governed. Jos. Antiq. lib. xx. cap. 6, s. 1; Bell. lib. ii. cap. 19, s. 8. Nero made a farther addition, and gave him four cities, Abila, Julias in Peraea, Tarichaea and Tiberias in Galilee: Jos. Antiq. lib. xx. cap. 7, s. 4; Bell. lib. ii. cap 13, s. 2. Claudius gave him the power of appointing the high priest among

Acts 28:15 — there. It appears to have been a large town in the fourth century, as Optatus mentions Felix a Tribus Tabernis, Felix of the Three Taverns, as one of the Christian bishops.Thanked God, and took courage. — He had longed to see Rome; (see Romans 1:9-15;) and, finding himself brought through so many calamities, and now so near the place that he was met by a part of that Church to which, some years before, he had written an epistle, he gave thanks to God, who had preserved him, and took fresh courage,

Acts 8:26 — him implicit obedience. If he do his will, according to the present direction, he shall know, by the issue, that God hath sent him on an errand worthy of his wisdom and goodness. We have a similar instance of circumstantial direction from God in Acts 9:11: Arise, go into the street called Straight, and inquire in the house of Judas for one Saul of Tarsus, c. And another instance, still more particular, in Acts 10:5; Acts 10:6: Send men to Joppa, and call for one Simon, whose surname is Peter he lodgeth

Romans 14:1 — things indifferent, Christians should not condemn each other, 1. Particularly with respect to different kinds of food, 2-4. And the observation of certain days, 5, 6. None of us should live unto himself, but unto Christ, who lived and died for us, 7-9. We must not judge each other; for all judgment belongs to God, 10-13. We should not do any thing by which a weak brother may be stumbled or grieved; lest we destroy him for whom Christ died, 14-16. The kingdom of God does not consist in outward things,

Romans 15:9 — Verse Romans 15:9. And that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy — As the Jews were to glorify God for his truth, so the Gentiles were to glorify God for his mercy. The Jews received the blessings of the Gospel by right of promise, which promise God had

Romans 7:1 — long as he lives, 1. And a wife is bound to her husband only as long as he lives, 2, 3. Christian believers are delivered from the Mosaic law by Christ Jesus, and united to God, 5-7. By the law is the knowledge of sin, 8. But it gives no power over it, 9-11. Yet it is holy, just, and good, 12. How it convinces of sin, and brings into bondage, 13-24. No deliverance from its curse but by Jesus Christ, 25. NOTES ON CHAP. VII.The apostle having, in the preceding chapter, shown the converted Gentiles the

1 Corinthians 1:31 — Verse 1 Corinthians 1:31. According as it is written — In Jeremiah 9:23-24: Thus saith the Lord, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might; let not the rich man glory in his riches; but let him that glorieth glory in this: That he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the