Bible Commentaries

John 11:48 — been already confounded; and his last miracles were so incontestable that they could no longer cry out, He is a deceiver.Both our place and nation. — Literally, this place, τον τοπον: but that the temple only is understood is dear from Acts 6:13-14; Acts 2:0 Macc. 1:14; 2:18; 3:18; 5:16, 17; 10:7; where it is uniformly called the place, or the holy place, because they considered it the most glorious and excellent place in the world. When men act in opposition to God's counsel, the very evils

John 13:2 — Verse John 13:2. And supper being ended — Rather, δειπνου γενομενου, while supper was preparing. To support this new translation of the words, it may be remarked that, from John 13:26; John 13:30, it appears that the supper was not then ended: nay, it is probable

John 19:31 — Verse 31. It was the preparation — Every Sabbath had a preparation which began at the ninth hour (that is, three o'clock) the preceding evening. Josephus, Ant. b. xvi. c. 6, s. 2, recites an edict of the Emperor Augustus in favour of the Jews, which orders,

John 21:14 — evangelists are collated, we shall find that this was the seventh time in which he had manifested himself after he arose from the dead.1st. He appeared to Mary of Magdala, Mark 16:9; John 20:15-16.2ndly, To the holy women who came from the tomb. Matthew 28:9.3dly, To the two disciples who went to Emmaus, Luke 24:13, c.4thly, To St. Peter alone, Luke 24:34.5thly, To the ten, in the absence of Thomas, John 20:19.6thly, Eight days after to the eleven, Thomas being present John 20:26.7thly, To the seven, mentioned

John 21:22 — apostles, died in the year 67, which, says Calmet, was six years before the destruction of Jerusalem; and that John survived the ruin of that city about thirty years, he being the only one of the twelve who was alive when the above desolation took place.3. St. Augustin, Bede, and others, understood the passage thus: If I will that he remain till I come and take him away by a natural death, what is that to thee? follow thou me to thy crucifixion. On this it may be observed, that all antiquity agrees that

John 8:6 — any thing before or after this; and what he wrote at this time we know not. On this the pious Quesnel makes the following reflections:-"1. Since Jesus Christ never wrote but once that we hear of in his whole life; 2. since he did it only in the dust; 3. since it was only to avoid condemning a sinner; and, 4. since he would not have that which he wrote so much as known; let men learn from hence never to write but when it is necessary or useful; to do it with humility and modesty; and to do it on a

Acts 1:1 — ACTS OF THE APOSTLES. -Usherian year of the world, 4033. -Alexandrian aera of the world, 5531. -Antiochian year of the world, 5521. -Constantinopolitan year of the world, 5537. -Year of the aera of the Seleucidae, 341. -Year of the Spanish aera, 67. -Year of the Christian aera, 29. -Year of the Paschal

Acts 2:24 — expression means, the dissolving of those bonds or obligations by which those who enter into the region of the dead are detained there till the day of the resurrection; and this is supposed to be the meaning of חבלי מות chebley maveth, in Psalms 116:3, or חבלי שאול chebley sheol, in Psalms 18:5, and in 2 Samuel 22:6, to which, as a parallel, this place has been referred. But Kypke has sufficiently proved that λυειν τας ωδινας θανατου, signifies rather to REMOVE the pains or sufferings of death. So

Acts 5:3 — Verse Acts 5:3. Why hath Satan filled thine heart — The verb πληροειν, which we translate to fill, Kypke has showed by many examples to signify, to instigate, excite, impel, c., and it was a common belief, as well among the heathens as among the Jews and Christians,

Acts 7:53 — Verse 53. By the disposition of angels — εις διαταγας αγγελων. After all that has been said on this difficult passage, perhaps the simple meaning is, that there were ranks, διαταγαι, of angels attending on the Divine Majesty when he gave the law: a circumstance

Romans 13:3 — Verse Romans 13:3. For rulers are not a terror to good works — Here the apostle shows the civil magistrate what he should be: he is clothed with great power, but that power is entrusted to him, not for the terror and oppression of the upright man, but to overawe

Romans 6:4 — incorporated into Christ by baptism is also denoted by our being planted, or rather, grafted together in the likeness of his death; and Noah's ark floating upon the water, and sprinkled by the rain from heaven, is a figure corresponding to baptism, 1 Peter 3:20-21; but neither of these gives us the same idea of the outward form as burying. We must be careful, therefore, not to lay too much stress on such circumstances. Drowning among the ancients was considered the most noble kind of death; some think that

1 Corinthians 2:14 — Spirit of God, so the former is one who is without that influence.The apostle did speak of those high and sublime spiritual things to these animal men; but he explained them to those which were spiritual. He uses this word in this sense, 1 Corinthians 3:1; 1 Corinthians 9:11; and particularly in verse 1 Corinthians 2:15 of the present chapter: He that is spiritual judgeth all things. 1 Corinthians 2:15But the natural man-The apostle appears to give this-as a reason why he explained those deep spiritual

1 Corinthians 2:3 — Verse 1 Corinthians 2:3. I was with you in weakness — It is very likely that St. Paul had not only something in his speech very unfavourable to a ready and powerful elocution, but also some infirmity of body that was still more disadvantageous to him. A fine appearance

1 Corinthians 3:9 — Verse 1 Corinthians 3:9. For we are labourers together with God — We do nothing of ourselves, nor in reference to ourselves; we labour together in that work which God has given us to do, expect all our success from him, and refer the whole to his glory. It would perhaps

2 Corinthians 3:5 — Verse 2 Corinthians 3:5. Not that we are sufficient of ourselves — We do not arrogate to ourselves any power to enlighten the mind or change the heart, we are only instruments in the hand of God. Nor was it possible for us apostles to think, to invent, such a scheme

Ephesians 4:29 — obscene word or conversation.1. Useless, particularly that which has been rendered so by old age and corruption.2. Putrid, impure; so Aristophanes in Lysistrat., p. 859, calls a bad woman σαπραεμοισυλουτρονωσαπρα. Tune, Spurca! balneum mihi parabis?3. Calumnious, or reproachful; whatever has a tendency to injure the name, fame, or interest of another.In short, it appears to mean any word or thing obscene, any thing that injures virtue, countenances vice, or scoffs at religion. In the parallel place,

Colossians 4:1 — CHAPTER IV. The duty of masters to their servants, 1. Continuance in prayer recommended, to which watchfulness and thanksgiving should be joined, 2. And to pray particularly for the success of the Gospel, 3, 4. Directions concerning walking wisely, redeeming of time, and godly conversation, 5, 6. He refers them to Tychius and Onesimus, whom he sends to them for particulars relative to his present circumstances, 7-9. Mentions the salutations of several

2 Thessalonians 1:10 — world was. In reference to this we may apply those words of St. John: "Beloved, now are we the sons of God; and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that when he shall appear we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is." 1 John 3:2.Instead of τοις πιστευουσιν, them that believe, τοις πιστευσασιν, them that have believed, is the reading of ABCDEF, many others, the later Syriac, Slavonic, Vulgate, and Itala, with most of the Greek fathers. This reading is undoubtedly genuine.Because

2 Thessalonians 2:1 — he gives an awful description; as well as of his pernicious success among men, and the means which he would use to deceive and pervert the world; and particularly those who do not receive the love of the truth, but have pleasure in unrighteousness, 3-12. He thanks God for their steadfastness; shows the great privileges to which they were called; and prays that they may be comforted and established in every good word and work, 13-17. NOTES ON CHAP. II.Verse 2 Thessalonians 2:1. We beseech you - by