Bible Commentaries

Zechariah 12:3 — nature immovable, but a “stone,” a thing rolled up and down, moved, lifted, displaced, piled on others, in every way at the service and command of people, to do with it what they willed. So they thought of that “stone cut out without hands” Daniel 2:45; that “tried stone and sure foundation, laid in Zion” Isaiah 28:16; that “stone” which, God said in Zechariah, “I have laid” Zechariah 3:9; of which our Lord says, “the stone, which the builders rejected, is become the head of the corner” Luke 20:17;

Zechariah 12:8 — fall, who becomes as David, the great instance of one who fell, yet was raised. Daniel says of a like trial-time, “And some of those of understanding shall stumble, to try them and to purge and to make them white, to the time of the end” Daniel 11:35. Ribera: “Such care will God have of protecting the sons of the Church, when it shall be infested with persecutions, that he who shall have fallen through human infirmity, either deceived by heretics or overcome by fear of tortures, shall arise the

Zechariah 14:5 — i. p. 286). Interpositions of God even in man’s favor, are full of awe and terror. They are tokens of the presence of the all-holy among the unholy. Fear was an accompaniment of special miracles in the Gospel, not only among the poor Gadarenes Mark 5:15; Luke 8:25, or the people , but even the Apostles ; apart from the effect of the sight of angels on us who are in the flesh . It is then quite compatible, that the valley so formed should be the means of deliverance, and yet an occasion of terror

Zechariah 9:2 — of which he is speaking, those of Alexander.Although - Rather, “because she is very wise.” Man’s own wisdom is his foolishness and destruction, “as the foolishness of God” is his wisdom and salvation. God “taketh the wise in their own craftiness” Job 5:13. “For after that, in the wisdom of God, the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe” 1 Corinthians 1:21. Of the Hagarenes it is said, they “seek wisdom upon earth; none of these know

Zechariah 9:4 — thine understanding thou hast gotten thee riches, and hast gotten gold and silver into thy treasures: by the greediness of thy wisdom and by thy traffic thou hast increased thy riches, and thine heart is lifted up because of thy riches” Ezekiel 28:4-5. All wherein she relied, and so too the stronghold itself, God would smite in the sea. The sea was her confidence and boast. She said “I am a God; I sit in the seat of God, in the midst of the seas” Ezekiel 28:2.The scene of her pride was to be that

Malachi 2:10 — against the brethren, and wound their weak conscience, ye sin against Christ.” He speaks of the sin, as affecting those who did not commit it.Why do we deal treacherously? So Isaiah, before his lips were cleansed by the mystical coal, said Isaiah 6:5, “I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips,” and the high priest Joshua was shown in the vision, clothed with defiled garments; (Zechariah 3:3-4. See ab. pp. 354, 355) and the sin of Achan became the “sin of the

Matthew 5:14 — and as this was the case, they ought to be holy, harmless, and undefiled.Maundrell, Jowett, and others suppose that the Sermon on the Mount was delivered in the vicinity of the present city of Safed, or “the Horns of Huttin” (see the notes at Matthew 5:1), and that this city may have been in his eye, and may have been directly referred to by the Saviour when he uttered this sentiment. It would give additional force and beauty to the passage to suppose that he pointed to the city. Of this Dr. Thomson

Matthew 5:37 — and no refined conversation can consist with it. It is disgusting to the refined; abominable to the good; insulting to those with whom we associate; degrading to the mind; unprofitable, needless, and injurious in society; and awful in the sight of God.5. God will not hold the profane swearer guiltless. Wantonly to profane His name, to call His vengeance down, to curse Him on His throne, to invoke damnation, is perhaps of all offences the most awful. And there is not in the universe more cause of amazement

Mark 3:1-5 — sending the gospel to the destitute, and that does it not, is guilty, for he is practically doing evil; he is suffering evils to exist which he might remove. So the wicked will be condemned in the day of judgment because “they did it not,” Matthew 25:45. If this is true, what an obligation rests upon the rich to do good!Mark 3:5With anger - With a severe and stern countenance; with indignation at their hypocrisy and hardness of heart. This was not, however, a spiteful or revengeful passion; it was

Luke 1:68 — Blessed - See the notes at Matthew 5:3.Hath visited - The word here rendered “visited” means properly “to look upon;” then to look upon in order “to know the state of anyone;” then to visit for the purpose of “aiding those who need aid,” or alleviating misery. Compare Matthew 25:43. In

Luke 16:19 — the narrative is to be collected from the previous conversation. He had taught the danger of the love of money Luke 16:1-2; the deceitful and treacherous nature of riches Luke 16:9-11; that what was in high esteem on earth was hateful to God Luke 16:15; that people who did not use their property aright could not be received into heaven Luke 16:11-12; that they ought to listen to Moses and the prophets Luke 16:16-17; and that it was the duty of people to show kindness to the poor. The design of the

Luke 19:41-44 — it from the approach of an enemy. This was done at the siege of Jerusalem. Josephus informs us that Titus, in order that he might compel the city to surrender by “famine,” built a wall around the whole circumference of the city. This wall was nearly 5 miles in length, and was furnished with thirteen castles or towers. This work was completed with incredible labor in ten days. The professed design of this wall was “to keep” the city “in on every side.” Never was a prophecy more strikingly accomplished.Shall

Luke 23:43 — Lazarus, Luke 16:19-31. It is the chief glory of this state and of heaven to be permitted to see Jesus Christ and to be with him: “Thou shalt be with me.” “I desire to depart and to be with Christ,” Philippians 1:23. See also Revelation 21:23; Revelation 5:9-14.

Luke 24:13 — “Two of them.” Two of the disciples. The name of one of them was “Cleopas,” Luke 24:18. Many have supposed that the other was Luke, and that he omitted his own name from modesty. Others have supposed that it was Peter. See Luk 24:34; 1 Corinthians 15:5. There is no evidence to guide us here. Dr. Lightfoot has shown that “Cleopas” is the same name as “Alpheus,” who was the father of the apostle James, Matthew 10:3.Emmaus - In regard to the locality of Emmaus, it seems quite probable that it is the

John 1:3 — Genesis 2:4; Isaiah 48:7; in the Septuagint.By him - In this place it is affirmed that “creation” was effected by “the Word,” or the Son of God. In Genesis 1:1, it is said that the Being who created the heavens and the earth was God. In Psalms 102:25-28, this work is ascribed to Yahweh. The “Word,” or the Son of God, is therefore appropriately called “God.” The work of “creation” is uniformly ascribed in the Scriptures to the Second Person of the Trinity. See Colossians 1:16; Hebrews 1:2, Hebrews

John 17:17 — Sanctify them - This word means to render pure, or to cleanse from sins, 1Th 5:23; 1 Corinthians 6:11. Sanctification in the heart of a Christian is progressive. It consists in his becoming more like God and less attached to the world; in his getting the ascendency over evil thoughts, and passions, and impure desires; and in his

John 2:19 — and ‘destroy’ my body.” Here was therefore a distinct prediction both of his death and the cause of it. The word “temple,” or “dwelling,” was not unfrequently used by the Jews to denote the “body” as being the residence of the spirit, 2 Corinthians 5:1. Christians are not unfrequently called the temple of God, as being those in whom the Holy Spirit dwells on earth, 1 Corinthians 3:16-17; 1 Corinthians 6:19; 2 Corinthians 6:16. Our Saviour called his body a temple in accordance with the common use

John 5:24 — heareth my word - To “hear,” in this place, evidently denotes not the outward act of hearing, but to receive in a proper manner; to suffer it to make its proper impression on the mind; to obey. The word “hear” is often used in this sense, Matthew 11:15; John 8:47; Acts 3:23. Many persons outwardly hear the gospel who neither understand nor obey it.My word - My doctrine, my teaching. All that Jesus taught about Himself, as well as about the Father.On him that sent me - On the Father, who, in the plan

John 5:37 — sufficient evidence of his divine mission, but they had disregarded it. The first thing that he notices is that they had not heard his voice. The word “hear,” in this place, is to be understood in the sense of “obey” or listen to. See the notes at John 5:25. The voice of God means his commands or his declarations, however made; and the Saviour said that it had been the “characteristic” of the Jews that they had not listened to the voice or command of God. As this had been their general characteristic,

Acts 1:7 — showing them that certain signs would precede his coming, and then by saying Matthew 24:36, “But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.” God has uniformly reproved a vain curiosity on such points, 1Th 5:1-2; 2 Peter 3:10; Luke 12:39-40.The times or the seasons - The difference between these words is, that the former denotes any time or period that is indefinite or uncertain; the later denotes a fixed, definite, or appropriate time. They seem to be