Bible Commentaries

Zechariah 3:9 — Verse Zechariah 3:9. For behold the stone that I have laid — Alluding no doubt to the foundation stone of the temple: but this represented Christ Jesus: "Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a STONE, a tried stone, a precious CORNER STONE, a SURE FOUNDATION,"

Zechariah 4:2 — Verse Zechariah 4:2. A candlestick all of gold — This candlestick is formed in some measure after that of the sanctuary, Exodus 25:31-32: but in that of the sanctuary there was no bowl, nor seven pipes, nor seven lamps, nor the two olive trees. The two olive trees were to supply the bowl with oil; the bowl was to communicate the oil to the seven pipes; and the seven pipes were to

Malachi 3:1 — people for their hard and profane speeches against the conduct of Providence, and declares God will one day make a fearful and final distinction between the righteous and the wicked, whose different characters are in the mean time carefully recorded, 13-18. NOTES ON CHAP. IIIVerse Malachi 3:1. Behold, I will send my messenger — מלאכי Malachi, the very name of the prophet. But this speaks of John the Baptist. I, the Messiah, the Seed of God, mentioned above, will send my messenger, John the Baptist.He

Malachi 4:2 — Verse Malachi 4:2. You that fear my name — The persons mentioned in the sixteenth verse of the preceding chapter, ye that look for redemption through the Messiah. Malachi 3:16The Sun of righteousness — The Lord Jesus, the promised Messiah; the Hope of Israel.With healing in his wings — As the sun, by the rays of light and heat, revives, cheers, and fructifies the whole creation, giving, through God, light and

Matthew 10:10 — the following MSS. and versions have ραβδους, staves, and CEFGKLMPS. V. ninety-three others, Coptic, Armenian, latter Syriac, one of the Itala, Chrysostom, and Theophylact. This reading is of great importance, as it reconciles this place with Luke 9:3, and removes the seeming contradiction from Mark 6:8 as if he had said: "Ye shall take nothing to defend yourselves with, because ye are the servants of the Lord, and are to be supported by his bounty, and defended by his power. In a word, be like men

Matthew 10:2 — anciently used to signify a person commissioned by a king to negotiate any affair between him and any other power or people. Hence αποστολοι and κηρυκες, apostles and heralds, are of the same import in Herodotus. See the remarks at the end of chap. Matthew 3:0.It is worthy of notice, that those who were Christ's apostles were first his disciples; to intimate, that men must be first taught of God, before they be sent of God. Jesus Christ never made an apostle of any man who was not first his scholar or disciple.

Matthew 13:1 — CHAPTER XIII. Christ teaches the multitudes out of a ship, they standing on the shore, 1, 2. The parable of the sower, 3-9. He gives his reasons for speaking in parables, 10-17. Explains the parable of the sower, 18-23. Parable of the tares and the wheat, 24-30. Of the grain of mustard seed, 31, 32. Of the leaven, 33. The prophecy fulfilled by this mode of teaching, 34,

Matthew 17:3 — Verse Matthew 17:3. Moses and Elias — Elijah came from heaven in the same body which he had upon earth, for he was translated, and did not see death, 2 Kings 2:11. And the body of Moses was probably raised again, as a pledge of the resurrection; and as Christ is

Matthew 24:5 — The FIRST sign is false Christs.Verse Matthew 24:5. For many shall come in my name —1. Josephus says, (War, b. ii. c. 13,) that there were many who, pretending to Divine inspiration, deceived the people, leading out numbers of them to the desert, pretending that God would there show them the signs of liberty, meaning redemption from the Roman power: and that an Egyptian

Matthew 26:1 — CHAPTER XXVI. Christ predicts his being betrayed and crucified, 1, 2. The chief priests, scribes, and elders consult about his death, 3-5. A woman anoints his head at Bethany, at which the disciples are offended, but Christ vindicates her conduct, 6-13. Judas, for thirty pieces of silver, engages with the chief priests to betray him, 14-16. He eats a passover with his disciples, and

Matthew 26:2 — signal benefits vouchsafed to the Israelites were,1. The deliverance from the slavery of Egypt; to commemorate which they kept the feast of unleavened bread, and the passover.2. The giving of the law; to commemorate which, they kept the feast of weeks.3. Their sojourning in the wilderness, and entrance into the promised land; to commemorate which, they kept the feast of tabernacles.See these largely explained, Exodus 23:14; Leviticus 23:2-40.The Son of man is betrayed, (rather delivered up,) to be

Matthew 5:5 — readings in Professor Griesbach's edition. The present arrangement certainly is most natural:1. Poverty, to which the promise of the kingdom is made.2. Mourning or distress, on account of this impoverished state, to which consolation is promised. And3. Meekness established in the heart by the consolations received.

Matthew 8:26 — most troubled and disconsolate soul. Prayer and faith, if sincere, shall be heard, though they may be weak.1. That our imperfections may not hinder us from praying to God.2. That we may be persuaded it is not our merits which make our prayers effectual.3. That we may offer them up with great humility: and,4. That we may be fully united to Christ, without which union there is no salvation.There was at first a great agitation; then a great calm. Thus God ever proportions the comfort to the affliction.

Luke 1:58 — banished, and the giver and receiver are both convinced that compliments and good wishes mean-nothing. He who does not endeavour to take a sincere part in his neighbour's prosperity will soon feel ample punishment in the spirit of jealousy and envy.3. It is a duty of religion, which should be fulfilled with piety. These neighbours and relatives saw that God had magnified his mercy towards Elisabeth, and they acknowledged his hand in the work. God is the dispenser of all good-he distributes his favours

John 11:50 — account. His maxim was, it is better to sacrifice one man than a whole nation. In politics nothing could be more just than this; but there are two words to be spoken to it: First, The religion of God says, we must not do evil that good may come: Romans 3:8. Secondly, It is not certain that Christ will be acknowledged as king by all the people; nor that he will make any insurrection against the Romans; nor that the Romans will, on his account, ruin the temple, the city, and the nation. This Caiaphas

John 12:28 — and I will continue to glorify thee at thy death, by unexampled prodigies, and thy resurrection shall be the completion of thy glory and of thy elevation."Christ was glorified:1st. By the prodigies which happened at his death.2. In his resurrection.3. In his ascension, and sitting at the right hand of God.4. In the descent of the Holy Ghost on the apostles. and5. In the astonishing success with which the Gospel was accompanied, and by which the kingdom of Christ has been established in the world.

John 15:6 — having no longer any right or title to him or to his salvation.2. He is withered - deprived of all the influences of God's grace and Spirit; loses all his heavenly unction; becomes indifferent, cold, and dead to every holy and spiritual word and work.3. He is gathered - becomes (through the judgment of God) again united with backsliders like himself and other workers of iniquity; and, being abandoned to his own heart and Satan, he is,4. Cast into the fire - separated from God's people, from God himself,

John 3:19 — Verse John 3:19. This is the condemnation — That is, this is the reason why any shall be found finally to perish, not that they came into the world with a perverted and corrupt nature, which is true; nor that they lived many years in the practice of sin, which

Acts 2:42 — employment of the primitive and apostolic Church.1. They were builded up on the foundation of the prophets and apostles, Jesus Christ himself being the corner stone.2. They continued steadfastly in that doctrine which they had so evidently received from God.3. They were separated from the world, and lived in a holy Christian fellowship, strengthening and building up each other in their most holy faith.4. They were frequent in breaking bread; in remembrance that Jesus Christ died for them.5. They continued

Acts 3:6 — Verse Acts 3:6. Silver and gold have I none — Though it was customary for all those who entered the temple to carry some money with them, for the purposes mentioned above, yet so poor were the apostles that their had nothing to give, either to the sacred treasury,