Bible Commentaries

Exodus 25:2 — to the time in which I have thought fit to introduce this history, (114) although I would not pertinaciously contend with him, still I have not only a probable, but a sure reason for my opinion. For it appears to me that I clearly gather from Exodus 33:0, that the tabernacle was already built before Moses brought down the first tables from the Mount; for it is there said, that in token of their divorce, in order that the people might know that they were repudiated by God, Moses took the tabernacle

Exodus 32:31 — 31.And Moses returned unto the Lord This relation does not stand in its proper place, since, as we have already said, Moses does not exactly preserve the order of time. For we shall see in the next chapter that God refuses with respect to His angel what

Psalms 45:10 — wives which Solomon had. If it should be imagined from this that there may be several churches, the unity of Christ’s body will be rent in pieces. I admit, that as every individual believer is called “the temple of God,” (1 Corinthians 3:17, and 6:19,) so also might each be named “the spouse of Christ;” but properly speaking, there is only one spouse of Christ, which consists of the whole body of the faithful. She is said to sit by the side of the king, not that she exercises

Jeremiah 31:34 — Evangelio, que sería claramente evidente, que Dios debajo de él trata más generosamente con su pueblo, porque su verdad brilla como el sol al mediodía. Lo mismo que Isaías promete, cuando dice que todos se convertirían en discípulos de Dios. ( Isaías 54:13) Este fue, de hecho, el caso también bajo la Ley, aunque Dios le dio entonces una pequeña muestra de la doctrina celestial: pero a la venida de Cristo desplegó los tesoros de la sabiduría y el conocimiento, de modo que bajo El Evangelio allí es la perfección

Ezekiel 1:25 — Abrazo de buena gana la opinión de aquellos padres que dicen que este es el preludio de ese misterio que luego se mostró al mundo, y que Pablo ensalza magníficamente cuando exclama: "Grande es este misterio: Dios se manifiesta en la carne". ( 1 Timoteo 3:16.) La opinión de Jerome es dura, quien aplica estas palabras al mismo Padre. Porque sabemos que el Padre nunca estuvo vestido de carne humana. Si simplemente hubiera dicho, que Dios está aquí representado, no habría sido absurdo; que se elimine toda

Hosea 1:2 — to have retained in their minds the recollection of this oracle, ‘The Lord has chosen mount Zion, where he has desired to be worshipped; this,’ he said ‘is my rest forever; here will I dwell, for I have chosen it,’ (Psalms 132:13.) And this prediction, we know, had not been once or ten times repeated, but a hundred times, that it might be more firmly fixed in the hearts of men. Since, then, they ought to have had this truth fully impressed on their hearts, that the Lord

Micah 7:9 — much as they can, and also blaspheme his name when he chastises them: but they are not touched hitherto with the true feeling of penitence, so as to abhor themselves. Judas owned indeed that he had sinned, and freely made such confession, (Matthew 27:3.) Cain tried to cover his sin, but the Lord drew from him an unwilling confession, (Genesis 4:13.) They did not yet repent; nay, they ceased not to contend with God; for Cain complained that his punishment was too heavy to be borne; Judas despaired.

Zechariah 3:7 — in our version, and regard [מהלכים ] as a noun, signifying places to walk in, walkings. It is nowhere else found except in the singular number, [מהלך ], a walk, or a journey: Jonah 3:4; Ezekiel 42:4: but as a participle, signifying walking, we meet with it in Ecclesiastes 4:15, and in the singular number in Psalms 104:3 Vatables, Pagninus, and Castalio render it “incessus, vias, aditus,” words of similar import with

Zechariah 4:10 — whole people, who were chargeable with entertaining this wrong feeling; for all were cast down in their minds, because they thought that the work begun would be a sport to the ungodly, and would come to nothing, according to what we read in Nehemiah 3:12, that the old men wept, so that nearly all threw down their tools, and left off the building of the temple. We hence see that not a few despised the small beginnings, and that the minds of all the people were dejected, for they thought that they

Romans 3:21 — manner, — “by not imputing to them their sins.” In like manner, in his Epistle to the Galatians, he puts the law in opposition to faith with regard to justification; for the law promises life to those who do what it commands, (Galatians 3:12;) and it requires not only the outward performance of works, but also sincere love to God. It hence follows, that in the righteousness of faith, no merit of works is allowed. It then appears evident, that it is but a frivolous sophistry to say, that

Galatians overview — authority of his Apostleship, except that, towards the close of the second chapter, he touches incidentally on his main point, the question of Man’s Justification, which, however, is avowedly and directly argued in the thirdChapter, Galatians 3:0. Although he appears in those two Chapters to have many objects in view, yet his sole object is to prove that He is equal to the highest apostles, and that there is no reason why he should not be considered to hold an equally honorable rank with any

Galatians 4:1 — clear, but has he not some appearance of contradicting himself? In the Epistle to the Ephesians he exhorts us to make daily progress “till we come to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.” (Ephesians 4:13.) In the first Epistle to the Corinthians he says, (1 Corinthians 3:2,) “I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able;” and shortly after this he compares the Galatians

Colossians 1:24 — perversely turns these things into occasions of rendering the servants of God the more contemptible. Farther, he encourages them by his example not to be intimidated by persecutions, and he sets forth to their view his zeal, that he may have greater weight. (329) Nay more, he gives proof of his affection towards them by no common pledge, when he declares that he willingly bears for their sake the afflictions which he endures. “But whence,” some one will ask, “arises this joy ?” From

Colossians 3:16 — teach one another Teaching is taken here to mean profitable instruction, which tends to edification, as in Romans 12:7 — He that teacheth, on teaching; also in Timothy — “All Scripture is profitable for teaching. ” (2 Timothy 3:16.) This is the true use of Christ’s word. As, however, doctrine is sometimes in itself cold, and, as one says, (450) when it is simply shewn what is right, virtue is praised (451) and left to starve, (452) he adds at the same time admonition,

1 Thessalonians 5:21 — that an audience should be given to false teachers, whose mouth he elsewhere teaches (Titus 1:11) must be stopped, and whom he so rigidly shuts out, and does not by any means set aside the arrangement, which he elsewhere recommends so highly (1 Timothy 3:2) in the election of teachers. As, however, so great diligence can never be exercised as that there should not sometimes be persons prophesying, who are not so well instructed as they ought to be, and that sometimes good and pious teachers fail to

1 Timothy 6:14 — commandment” would be nothing else than to discharge honestly the office committed to him. I certainly view it as referring altogether to the ministry of Timothy. Spotless and unblameable (129) Whether we consider the case or the termination (130) of the two Greek adjectives which are thus translated, they may apply either to the commandment given, or to the person of Timothy; but the meaning which I have assigned is much more appropriate. (131) Paul informs Timothy, that he must he wish to

Titus 3:4 — said to have appeared, when he exhibited a pledge of it, and gave actual demonstration, that not in vain did he so often promise salvation to men. “God so loved the world”, says John, “that he gave his only-begotten Son.” (John 3:16.) Paul also says in another passage, “Hereby God confirmeth his love towards us, that, while we were enemies, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8.) It is a customary way of speaking in Scripture, that the world was reconciled to God through

Hebrews 10:38 — 38.Now the just, etc. He means that patience is born of faith; and this is true, for we shall never be able to carry on our contests unless we are sustained by faith, even as, on the other hand, John truly declares, that our victory over the world is

Hebrews 7:3 — 3.Without father, etc. I prefer this rendering to that of “unknown father;” for the Apostle meant to express something more emphatic than that the family of Melchisedec was obscure or unknown. Nor does this objection disturb me, that the reality

Hebrews 9:28 — for others and not for himself; and therefore he opposes many to one. (161) But what does he mean by saying that Christ will appear without sin? Some say, without a propitiation or an expiatory sacrifice for sin, as the word sin is taken in Romans 8:3; 2 Corinthians 5:21; and in many places in the writings of Moses; but in my judgment he intended to express something more suitable to his present purpose, namely, that Christ at his coming will make it known how truly and really he had taken away sins,