Bible Commentaries

Genesis 1:1 — commencement, in the manner in which it is now seen, but that it was created an empty chaos of heaven and earth. His language therefore may be thus explained. When God in the beginning created the heaven and the earth, the earth was empty and waste. (35) He moreover teaches by the word “created,” that what before did not exist was now made; for he has not used the term יצר, (yatsar,) which signifies to frame or forms but ברא, (bara,) which signifies

Genesis 10:1 — 1.These are the generations. If any one pleases more accurately to examine the genealogies related by Moses in this and the following chapter, I do not condemn his industry. (306) And some interpreters have not unsuccessfully applied their diligence and study to this point. Let them enjoy, as far as I am concerned the reward of their labors. It shall, however, suffice for me briefly to allude to those things which I deem more

Psalms 49:14 — reminded of this event, not only because corruption presses us downwards and obscures our faith, but because there are men who profanely argue against another life, from the continued course of things in the world, scoffing, as Peter foretold, (2 Peter 3:4,) at the promise of a resurrection, and pointing, in derision, to the unvarying regularity of nature throughout the lapse of ages. We may arm ourselves against their arguments by what the Psalmist here declares, that, sunk as the world is in darkness,

Psalms 8:2 — He now enters upon the proof of the subject which he had undertaken to discourse upon, (132) declaring, that the providence of God, in order to make itself known to mankind, does not wait till men arrive at the age of maturity, but even from the very dawn of infancy shines forth so brightly as is sufficient to confute all the ungodly, who,

Jeremiah 11:19 — bread, except by becoming rotten, would do no harm. But doubtless the Prophet speaks here metaphorically, as David does in Psalms 69:22, when he says, “They have put gall in my bread, and vinegar in my drink.” Jeremiah also, in Lamentations 3:15, complains that his food was mingled with poison. Similitudes of this kind often occur; for when the very food of man is corrupted, there is no more any support for life. The meaning then is, that his enemies had acted cruelly towards the Prophet,

Jeremiah 17:5 — first clause man is mentioned, and in the second flesh: and arm means power or help. The meaning is, that all are accursed who trust in man. But the word flesh is no doubt added in the second line by way of contempt, according to what is done in Isaiah 31:3, where the Prophet says, “The Egyptian is man and not God, flesh and not spirit.” He calls the Egyptians flesh by way of contempt, as though he had said that there was nothing strong or firm in them, and that the aid which the Jews

Jeremiah 29:26 — that he falsely alleged that the chief priest was chosen in the place of Jehoiada. That ye should be, he says: at first he addresses the high-priest, but now he includes also others, that ye should be the keepers, or the rulers of the house of God (223) For though the chief power was in the high-priest, yet as he could not alone undertake everything, it was necessary for him to have others connected with him. This is the reason why Shemaiah not only says that the high-priest was a ruler in the Temple

Jeremiah 36:30 — for no one after this time ever succeeded to the throne. But it may be asked, How can this prophecy agree with the promise, that the posterity of David should continue as long as the sun and moon shone as faithful witnesses in the heavens? (Psalms 89:37) God had promised that the kingdom of David should be perpetual, and that there would be some of his posterity to rule as long as the sun and moon shone in the heavens; but what does our Prophet mean now, when he says, that there shall not be a successor?

Hosea 1:11 — dignity; but because God would not make void his covenant, and because he had chosen them that they might be the first-begotten, as it has been already stated, and as they are also elsewhere called, ‘My first-begotten is Ephraim,’ (Jeremiah 31:9) We now then understand the order and arrangement of the Prophet, which is to be carefully noticed, and the more so, because interpreters confound all these things, and make no distinctions, when yet the Prophet has not here mingled together the

Micah 7:14 — why he called them the people of God was, because they must all have perished, unless it had been that it was necessary that what God promised to Abraham should be fulfilled, — ‘In thy seed shall all nations be blessed,’ (Genesis 12:3.) It was then the adoption of God alone which prevented the total destruction of the Jews. Hence he says emphatically, — O Lord, these are yet thy people; as though he said, — “By whom wilt thou now form a Church for thyself?”

Zechariah 13:2 — discharges the office of a pastor. Let us proceed - (170) [עצבים ], from [עצב ], to work, to labor, because of the labor taken to form and adorn them. As to the “names,” see Exodus 23:13; Deuteronomy 12:3; Psalms 16:4. — Ed (171) Or, “the spirit which pollutes,” or, “the polluted spirit.” It is rendered “the unclean ([ακαθαρτον ]) spirit,”

Zechariah 14:5 — saints, as I think, he understands the angels; for to include the holy patriarchs and kings, would seem unnatural and far-fetched: and angels, we know, are called saints or holy in other places, as we have seen in the third chapter of Habakkuk (Habakkuk 3:1); and they are called sometimes elect angels. In short, the Prophet shows, that the coming of God would be magnificent; he would descend, as it were, in a visible manner together with his angels, that men’s minds might be roused into admiration

Malachi 3:1 — yet his covenant shall not be in vain.” The design of what is announced is like that of the declaration made elsewhere, “Though men are perfidious and false, yet God remains true, and cannot depart from his own nature.” (Numbers 23:19.) God then does here gloriously triumph over the Jews, and alleges his own covenant in opposition to their disgraceful slanders, because their wicked murmurings could not hinder him to accomplish his promises and to perform in due time what they

John 15:16 — will enlarge the Church, so that new fruit will be seen to spring up after our death. When he says, your fruit, he speaks as if it had been obtained by their own industry, though Paul teaches that they who plant or water are nothing, (1 Corinthians 3:7.) And, indeed, the formation of the Church is so excellent a work of God, that the glory of it ought not to be ascribed to men. But as the Lord displays his power by the agency of men, that they may not labor in vain, he is wont to transfer to them

John 20:17 — el segundo es que todos los que se esfuerzan por ir a él deben librarse de los afectos terrenales de la carne, como Pablo exhorta: Si habéis resucitado con Cristo, busca lo que está arriba, donde Cristo se sienta a la diestra de Dios, ( Colosenses 3:1.) Pero ve a mis hermanos. Algunos limitan la palabra hermanos a los primos y parientes (199) de Cristo, pero, en mi opinión, incorrectamente; porque ¿por qué debería haberles enviado a ellos en lugar de a los discípulos? Ellos responden, porque

Acts 15:2 — упование, мучили беспокойством несчастные души. Затем речь шла о весьма важном деле: о лишении верующих свободы, купленной Христовой кровью. Хотя внутренняя свобода Духа была у отцов общей с нами, мы все же знаем, чему учит Павел (Galatians 4:1,Galatians 4:3). А именно: их заключили под детоводительство закона, так что они мало отличались от рабов. Мы же после пришествия Христова, разрешенные от водительства закона, словно по окончании опеки, действуем много свободнее. Третий порок этого учения состоял

1 Corinthians 4:15 — where is the man to be found who acts in such a manner as to show that he is a father ? (261) There remains another question of greater difficulty: As Christ forbids us to call any one father upon earth, because we have one Father in heaven, (Matthew 23:9,) how does Paul dare to take to himself the name offather ? I answer, that, properly speaking, God alone is the Father, not merely of our soul, but also of our flesh. As, however, in so far as concerns the body, he communicates the honor of his paternal

Galatians 4:1 — palabras de Pablo es claro, pero ¿no parece que se contradice a sí mismo? En la Epístola a los Efesios, nos exhorta a progresar diariamente. "Hasta que lleguemos a un hombre perfecto, a la medida de la estatura de la plenitud de Cristo". ( Efesios 4:13.) En la primera Epístola a los Corintios dice: ( 1 Corintios 3:2,) "Te he alimentado con leche, y no con carne: porque hasta ahora no podías soportarlo, ni ahora puedes hacerlo;" y poco después, compara a los gálatas con los niños. ( Gálatas 4:19) En

Hebrews 11:6 — that this is what must be really believed, and not held merely as a matter of opinions; for even the ungodly may sometimes entertain such a notion, and yet they do not come to God; and for this reason, because they have not a firm and fixed faith. (213) This then is the other part of faith by which we obtain favor with God, even when we feel assured that salvation is laid up for us in him. But many shamefully pervert this clause; for they hence elicit the merits of works, and the conceit about deserving.

Hebrews 2:13 — 13. Confiaré en él o confiaré en él. Como esta oración se encuentra en Salmo 18:2, probablemente fue tomada de ese lugar; (44) y Paul, en Romanos 15:9, aplica otro verso a Cristo respetando el llamado de los gentiles. Además de esto, se puede decir