Bible Commentaries

Isaiah 14:19 — Verse Isaiah 14:19. Like an abominable branch - "Like the tree abominated"] That is, as an object of abomination and detestation; such as the tree is on which a malefactor has been hanged. "It is written," saith St. Paul, Galatians 3:13, "Cursed is every man that hangeth on a tree," from Deuteronomy 21:23. The Jews therefore held also as accursed and polluted the tree itself on which a malefactor had been executed, or on which he had been hanged after having been put to death by

Ezekiel 21:3 — Verse Ezekiel 21:3. Behold, I am against thee — Dismal news! When God is against us, who can be for us?And will draw forth my sword — War.And will cut off from thee — The land of Judea.The righteous and the wicked. — All shall be removed from thee.

Joel 3:1 — their import to any events prior to the commencement of the Christian era. The whole prophecy is delivered in a very beautiful strain of poetry; by what particular events are referred to is at present very uncertain, 1-21. NOTES ON CHAP. IIIVerse Joel 3:1. For, behold, in those days — According to the preceding prophecy, these days should refer to Gospel times, or to such as should immediately precede them. But this is a part of the prophecy which is difficult to be understood. All interpreters

Matthew 13:8 — Verse Matthew 13:8. Good ground — Where the earth was deep, the field well ploughed, and the brambles and weeds all removed. See more on Matthew 13:18, c., and see on Luke 8:15.Some a hundred-fold. — For the elucidation of this text, I beg leave to introduce

Matthew 23:37 — Verse Matthew 23:37. O Jerusalem, Jerusalem —1. It is evident that our blessed Lord seriously and earnestly wished the salvation of the Jews.2. That he did every thing that could be done, consistently with his own perfections, and the liberty of his creatures,

Matthew 27:1 — In the morning, Christ is bound and delivered to Pontius Pilate, 1, 2. Judas, seeing his Master condemned, repents, acknowledges his transgression to the chief priests, attests Christ's innocence, throws down the money, and goes and hangs himself, 3-5. They buy the potter's field with the money, 6-10. Christ, questioned by Pilate, refuses to answer, 11-14. Pilate, while inquiring of the Jews whether they would have Jesus or Barabbas released, receives a message from his wife to have nothing to

Matthew 6:11 — the food given them the preceding evening to serve for their breakfast or dinner the next day. But as this was not sufficient for the whole day, they were therefore obliged to depend on the providence of God for the additional supply. In Luke 15:12-13, ουσια signifies, what a person has to live on; and nothing can be more natural than to understand the compound επιουσιος, of that additional supply which the traveller needs, to complete the provision necessary for a day's eating, over and above what

Matthew 6:24 — degrees of inclusion and exclusion, in which neither the justice nor mercy of God are honoured!Ye cannot serve God and mammon. — ממון mamon is used for money in the Targum of Onkelos, Exodus 18:21; and in that of Jonathan, Judges 5:19; 1 Samuel 8:3. The Syriac word ממונא mamona is used in the same sense, Exodus 21:30. Dr. Castel deduces these words from the Hebrew אמן aman, to trust, confide; because men are apt to trust in riches. Mammon may therefore be considered any thing a man confides in.

Luke 1:1 — THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. LUKE. -Usherian year of the World, 3999. -Alexandrian year of the World, 5497. -Antiochian year of the World, 5487. -Constantinopolitan AEra of the World, 5503. -Rabbinical year of the World, 3754. -Year of the Julian Period, 4708. -AEra of the Seleucidae, 307. -Year before the Christian

Luke 13:7 — Verse Luke 13:7. Behold these three years — From this circumstance in the parable, it may be reasonably concluded that Jesus had been, at the time of saying this, exercising his ministry for three years past; and, from what is said in Luke 13:8, of letting

John 1:9 — springs from this Logos, the eternal reason. Some of the most eminent rabbins understand Isaiah 60:1, Rise and shine, for thy LIGHT is come, of the Messiah who was to illuminate Israel, and who, they believe, was referred to in that word, Genesis 1:3, And God said, Let there be LIGHT; and there was light. Let a Messiah be provided; and a Messiah was accordingly provided. See Schoettgen.That cometh into the world. — Or, coming into the world - ερχομενον εις τον κοσμον: a common phrase among

John 4:6 — which is given to the word in the ancient Greek writers. See Raphelius, Wetstein, and Pearce. It is probably a mere expletive, and is often so used by Josephus. See several examples in Rosenmuller.The sixth hour. — About twelve o'clock: John 1:31. The time is noted here:1. To account for Christ's fatigue-he had already travelled several hours.2. To account for his thirst-the sun had at this time waxed hot.3. To account for the disciples going to buy food, John 4:8, because this was the ordinary

Acts 11:23 — Verse Acts 11:23. Had seen the grace of God — That is, had seen the effects produced by the grace of God. By the grace of God, we are to understand:1. His favour.2. The manifestations of that favour in the communication of spiritual blessings. And,3. Principles

Acts 2:9 — the ten tribes remained in this country till his time; that "there were countless myriads of them there, and that it was impossible to know their numbers." - Μυριαδες απειροι, και αριθμῳ γνωσθηναι μη δυναμεναι. See Ant. lib. xv. c. 2, s. 2, and c. 3, s. 1; Bell. Jud. lib. i. c. 1, 2. This interpretation, however ingenious, does not comport with the present Greek text. Some imagine that ιουδαιαν is not the original reading; and therefore they have corrected it into Syriam, SYRIA; Armeniam, ARMENIA;

Romans 12:19 — That emperor's edict probably died with him, if it were not repealed before, and then the Jews and Christians (if the Christians were also expelled) returned again to Rome; for Aquila and Priscilla were there when Paul wrote this epistle, Romans 16:3, which was in the fourth year of Nero, successor to Claudius.

1 Corinthians 16:4 — these things; neither have I written these things that it should be so done unto me; for it were better for me to die, than that any man should make my glorying, i.e. my professions of disinterestedness, void.' (1 Corinthians 9:14; 1 Corinthians 9:15.)"3d. He repeatedly proposes that there should be associates with himself in the management of the public bounty; not colleagues of his own appointment, but persons elected for that purpose by the contributors themselves. 'And when I come, whomsoever ye

1 Corinthians 2:6 — them, that they joined these two under the same curse: Cursed is he that breeds hogs; and cursed is he who teaches his son Grecian wisdom. Bava Kama, fol. 82.2. Jewish wisdom; that of the scribes and Pharisees, who crucified our Lord, 1 Corinthians 2:8.3. The Gospel, which is called the wisdom of God in a mystery, 1 Corinthians 2:7.4. The wisdom, του αιωνος τουτου, of this world; that system of knowledge which the Jews made up out of the writings of their scribes and doctors. This state is called העולם

1 Corinthians 3:15 — Verse 1 Corinthians 3:15. If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss — If he have preached the necessity of incorporating the law with the Gospel, or proclaimed as a doctrine of God any thing which did not proceed from heaven, he shall suffer loss-all

Philippians 2:30 — Verse Philippians 2:30. For the work of Christ — Preaching the Gospel, and ministering to the distressed.He was nigh unto death — Having laboured far beyond his strength.Not regarding his life — Instead of παραβουλευσαμενος τη ψυχη, not regarding his life,

James 3:18 — Verse James 3:18. And the fruit of righteousness is sown — The whole is the principle of righteousness in the soul, and all the above virtues are the fruits of that righteousness.Is sown in peace — When the peace of God rules the heart, all these virtues