Bible Commentaries

Psalms 127:1 — PSALM CXXVII The necessity of God's blessing on every undertaking, without which no prosperity can be expected, 1, 2. Children are a heritage from the Lord, 3, 4. A fruitful wife is a blessing to her husband, 5. NOTES ON PSALM CXXVIIThe Hebrew, Chaldee, and Vulgate attribute this Psalm to Solomon. The Syriac says it is "A Psalm of David concerning Solomon; and that it was spoken also concerning Haggai and Zechariah, who forwarded the building of the temple."

Isaiah 1:8 — from the heat by day, and the cold and dews by night, for the watchman that kept the garden or vineyard during the short season the fruit was ripening, (see Job 27:18,) and presently removed when it had served that purpose. See Harmer's Observ. i. 454. They were probably obliged to have such a constant watch to defend the fruit from the jackals. "The jackal," (chical of the Turks,) says Hasselquist, (Travels, p. 227,) "is a species of mustela which is very common in Palestine, especially during

Isaiah 21:11 — longer wait to be gracious, but will cut you off as cumberers of the ground.2. But if you will inquire seriously how you are to escape God's judgments, inquire ye.3. There is still a door of hope; continue to pray for mercy.4. Return from your iniquities.5. Come to God, through Christ, that ye may obtain salvation.

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

Zechariah 2:8 — which spoiled you, that they may fall under grievous calamities, and be punished in their turn. On Babylon a great calamity fell, when besieged and taken by the Persians.The following note I received from a sensible and pious correspondent: -Zechariah 2:5. "For I, saith the Lord, will be unto her a wall of fire round about, and will be the glory in the midst of her.Zechariah 2:8. "For thus saith the Lord of hosts, who hath sent me, the future glory (or the glory which is to come) unto the nations which

Matthew 10:23 — the destruction predicted by Christ should take place. But this is very far from being the truth, as there were not less than forty years after this was spoken, before Jerusalem was destroyed: τελειων και μανθαναντων are used by the Septuagint. 1Co 25:8, for those who teach and those who learn. And τοις τελειοις is used by the apostle, 1 Chronicles 2:6, for those who are perfectly instructed in the things of God. Ovid has used the Latin perficio, which answers to the Greek τελειοω in exactly the

Matthew 13:44 — God,1. As our only treasure, and value it above all the riches in the world.2. Search for it in the Scriptures, till we fully understand its worth and excellence.3. Deeply ponder it in the secret of our souls.4. Part with all we have in order to get it.5. Place our whole joy and felicity in it; and6. Be always convinced that it must be bought, and that no price is accepted for it but the blood of the covenant; the sufferings and death of our only Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

Matthew 19:6 — the same instant both enlightens and warms them.4. This chain is not iron nor brass, (to intimate that the marriage union is a state of thraldom or slavery,) but it is a chain of pearls, to show that the union is precious, beautiful, and delightful.5. They hold a dove, the emblem of conjugal fidelity, which they appear to embrace affectionately, to show that they are faithful to each other, not merely through duty, but by affection, and that this fidelity contributes to the happiness of their lives.6.

Matthew 5:3 — Verse Matthew 5:3. Blessed are the poor in spirit, c.] Or, happy, μακαριοι from μα or μη, not, and κηρ, fate, or death: intimating, that such persons were endued with immortality, and consequently were not liable to the caprices of fate. Homer, Iliad i, 330, calls

Mark 5:26 — without exposing her to shame and contempt.2. It was an inveterate disorder; it had lasted twelve years.3. It was continual; she appears to have had no interval of health.4. Her disorder was aggravated by the medicines she used - she suffered much, c.5. Her malady was ruinous both to her health and circumstances - she spent all that she had.6. She was now brought to the last point of wretchedness, want, and despair she was growing worse, and had neither money nor goods to make another experiment to

John 15:26 — Verse John 15:26. But when the Comforter is come — John 14:16.Ver. John 15:26-27. He shall testify and ye also shall bear witness] He shall bear his testimony in your souls, and ye shall bear this testimony to the world. And so they did, by their miracles,

John 16:11 — Jesus, who, as some think, is intended here by the ruler of this world: see John 14:30. Others think that Satan is meant whose usurped power over the world was now to be greatly restrained, and by and by totally destroyed: see John 12:31; Colossians 2:15; Revelation 11:15; Revelation 12:10-11. Perhaps our Lord's meaning is, that as a most astonishing judgement, or punishment, was now about to fall upon the Jews, in consequence of their obstinate infidelity, the Holy Ghost, by the ministry of the apostles,

John 17:3 — Pearce's remark here is well worthy the reader's attention: -"What is said here of the only true God seems said in opposition to the gods whom the heathens worshipped; not in opposition to Jesus Christ himself, who is called the true God by John, in 1 John 5:20."The words in this verse have been variously translated:1. That they might acknowledge thee, and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent, to be the only true God.2. That they might acknowledge thee, the only true God, and Jesus, whom thou hast sent, to

John 2:8 — μεθυω, from μεθυ, wine, which, from μετα θυειν, to drink after sacrificing, signify not only to inebriate, but to take wine, to drink wine, to drink enough: and in this sense the verb is evidently used in the Septuagint, Genesis 43:34; Song of Solomon 5:1; 1 Macc. 16:16; Haggai 1:6; Ecclus. 1:16. And the Prophet Isaiah, Isaiah 58:11, speaking of the abundant blessings of the godly, compares them to a watered garden, which the Septuagint translate, ως κηπος μεθυων, by which is certainly understood,

John 5:47 — Verse John 5:47. But if ye believe not his writings, c.] If you lay them not to heart - if you draw not those conclusions from them which their very letter, as well as their spirit, authorizes you to draw, how shall ye believe my words, against which ye have taken

Acts 17:18 — suffering and dying, but afterwards raised to the throne of God. This would appear to them tantamount with the deification of heroes, &c., who had been thus honoured for their especial services to mankind. Horace expresses this in two lines, 2 Epist. i. 5:- Romulus, et Liber pater, et cum Castore Pollux, Post ingentia facta, deorum in templa recepti. "Romulus, father Bacchus, with Castor and Pollux, for their eminent services, have been received into the temples of the gods."

Acts 17:5 — Verse Acts 17:5. The Jews which believed not, moved with envy, took unto them — Instead of this sentence, the most correct MSS. and versions read simply, προσλαβομενοι δε οἱ Ιουδαιοι. But the Jews taking, c., leaving out the words, ζηλωσαντες, απειθουντες, which

Acts 19:14 — such power, he set at a little distance a cup of water, and commanded the demon, as he went out of the man, to overturn it; and, when this was done, the skill and wisdom of Solomon were showed very manifestly." Joseph. ANTIQ. book viii. cap. 2, sect. 5. Whiston's edition.That there were such incantations among the Jews we know well, and that there are still such found, and that they are attributed to Solomon; but that they are his remains to be proved; and could this even be done, a point remains

Acts 2:44 — in one time, Acts 3:1; or in one place, Acts 2:1; or in one thing. The last of these three senses seems to be the most proper here; for it is not probable that the believers, who were then 3000 in number, Acts 2:41, besides the 120 spoken of Acts 1:15, were used all to meet at one time, or in one place, in Jerusalem." See Bp. Pearce.And had all things common — Perhaps this has not been well understood. At all the public religious feasts in Jerusalem, there was a sort of community of goods.

Romans 14:1 — CHAPTER XIV. In 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