Bible Commentaries

Micah 7:1 — with as the early fig of best quality in the advanced season, or the cluster after the vintage, 1, 2. He then reproves and threatens in terms so expressive of great calamities as to be applied in the New Testament to times of the hottest persecution, 3-6. See Matthew 10:35-36. Notwithstanding which a Jew is immediately introduced declaring, in the name of his captive people, the strongest faith in the mercy of God the most submissive resignation to his will, and the firmest hope in his favour in future

Habakkuk 3:13 — Verse Habakkuk 3:13. Thou wentest forth for the salvation of thy people — Their deliverance would not have been effected but through thy interference.For salvation with thine anointed — That is, with Joshua, whom God had anointed, or solemnly appointed to

Malachi 1:1 — THE BOOK PROPHET MALACHI Chronological Notes relative to this Book -Year from the Creation, according to Archbishop Usher, 3607. -Year from the vocation of Abram, 1524. -Year since the destruction of Troy, 787. -Year since the commencement of the kingdom of Israel by the Divine appointment of Saul to the regal dignity, 698. -Year from the division of Solomon's monarchy into

Matthew 12:3 — Verse Matthew 12:3-4. Have ye not read what David did — The original history is in 1 Samuel 21:1-6.When he was an hungered — Here hearken to Kimchi, producing the opinion of the ancients concerning this story in these words: "Our rabbins of blessed memory

Matthew 5:1 — CHAPTER V. Christ begins his sermon on the mount, 1, 2. The beatitudes, 3-12. The disciples the salt of the earth, and light of the world, 13-16. Christ is not come to destroy, but confirm and fulfil, the Law and the Prophets, 17-19. Of the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, 20. Interpretation of the precepts relative

Luke 10:1 — CHAPTER X. Christ appoints seventy disciples to go before him, two by two, to preach, heal, c., 1-12. Pronounces woes on Chorazin and Capernaum, 13-16. The seventy return, and give account of their mission, 17-20. Christ rejoices that the things which were hidden from the wise and prudent had been revealed unto babes, and shows the great privileges of the Gospel, 21-24. A lawyer inquires how he

Luke 6:30 — Verse 30. Ask them not again. — Or, Do not beg them off. This probably refers to the way in which the tax-gatherers and Roman soldiers used to spoil the people. "When such harpies as these come upon your goods, suffer the injury quietly, leaving yourselves

John 13:8 — Verse John 13:8. If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me. — Thou canst not be my disciple unless I wash thee. It is certain Christ did not mean to exclude him from the apostolic office, if he should persist, through the deepest reverence for his Master,

John 14:12 — blood.Some account for the greater works thus:1. The very shadow of Peter healed the diseased, Acts 5:15.2. Diseases were cured, and demons cast out, by applying to the persons handkerchiefs and aprons that had before touched the body of Paul, Acts 19:12.3. By the word of Peter, Ananias and Sapphira were struck dead, Acts 5:5; Acts 5:9-10.4. Elymas the sorcerer was struck blind by the word of Paul, Acts 13:11.5. Christ only preached in Judea, and in the language only of that country; but the apostles

Acts 18:1 — CHAPTER XVIII. Paul, leaving Athens, comes to Corinth, meets with Aquila and Priscilla, and labours with them at tent-making, 1-3. He preaches, and proves that Jesus was the Christ, 4, 5. The Jews oppose and blaspheme; and he purposes to go to the Gentiles, 6. Justus, Crispus, and several of the Corinthians believe, 7, 8. Paul has a vision, by which he is greatly comforted, 9,

Acts 23:1 — CHAPTER XXIII. Paul defending himself before the high priest, he commands him to be smitten on the mouth, 1, 2. Paul sharply reproves him, and, being reproved for this by one of the attendants, accounts for his conduct, 3-5. Seeing that the assembly was composed of Pharisees and Sadducees, and that he could expect no justice from his judges, he asserts that it was for his belief in the resurrection that he was called in question, on which the Pharisees declare in his

Romans 5:7 — the just, who render to every man his due; or rather, they who neither give nor take.2. The second class is made up of those who say, "what is mine, is thine; and what is thine, is mine." These are they who accommodate each other, who borrow and lend.3. The third class is composed of those who say, "What is mine, is thine; and what is thine, let it be thine." These are the pious, or good, who give up all for the benefit of their neighbour.4. The fourth class are those who say, "What is mine, is mine;

1 Corinthians 1:12 — 1:12. Every one of you saith — It seems from this expression that the whole Church at Corinth was in a state of dissension: they were all divided into the following sects1. Paulians, or followers of St. Paul;2. Apollonians, or followers of Apollos;3. Kephians, or followers of Kephas;4. Christians, or followers of Christ.See the introduction, sec. v.The converts at Corinth were partly Jews and partly Greeks. The Gentile part, as Dr. Lightfoot conjectures, might boast the names of Paul and Apollos;

1 Corinthians 12:3 — Verse 1 Corinthians 12:3. No man speaking by the Spirit of God — It was granted on all hands that there could be no religion without Divine inspiration, because God alone, could make his will known to men: hence heathenism pretended to this inspiration; Judaism had it

1 Corinthians 15:23 — Verse 23. But every man in his own order — The apostle mentions three orders here:1. Christ, who rose from the dead by his own power.2. Them that are Christ's; all his apostles, martyrs, confessors, and faithful followers.3. Then cometh the end, when the

1 Corinthians 15:42 — temimim, the perfect: those who, with integrity, walk in the ways of God, and do not curiously pry into his dispensations.""The fourth is for קדושים kedoshim, the holy ones; those who are the excellent of the earth, in whom is all God's delight." Psalms 16:3."The fifth is for בעלי תשובה baaley teshubah, the chief of the penitents; who have broken through the brazen doors, and returned to the Lord.""The sixth is for תינוקות של בית רבן tinukoth shel beith raban, the scholars and tender ones; who have not

2 Corinthians 8:24 — their own consciences in the matter of alms! But who will be able to hear the upbraidings of Christ at the time of death and judgment? No man can waste without injustice, or neglect without sin, those things of which he is only the dispenser and steward.3. God has not settled an equality among men by their birth to the end that this equality might be the work of his grace. He has put the temporal portion of the poor into the hands of the rich, and the spiritual portion of the rich into the hands of the

Ephesians 2:13 — Verse 13. Ye who sometimes were far off — To be far off, and to be near, are sayings much in use among the Jews; and among them, to be near signifies,1. To be in the approbation or favour of God; and to be far off signifies to be under his displeasure.

Hebrews 4:3 — Verse Hebrews 4:3. For we which have believed do enter into rest — The great spiritual blessings, the forerunners of eternal glory, which were all typified by that earthly rest or felicity promised to the ancient Israelites, we Christians do, by believing in Christ

Hebrews 7:27 — sin, and a daily sacrifice offered by the priests, at whose head was the high priest, for their own sins and the sins of the people. The Jews held that a priest who neglected his own expiatory sacrifice would be smitten with death. (Sanhedr., fol. 83.) When they offered this victim, they prayed the following prayer: "O Lord, I have sinned, and done wickedly, and gone astray before thy face, I, and my house, and the sons of Aaron, the, people of thy holiness. I beseech thee, for thy name's sake,