Bible Commentaries

Genesis 1:26 — 26.Let us make man (83) Although the tense here used is the future, all must acknowledge that this is the language of one apparently deliberating. Hitherto God has been introduced simply as commanding; now, when he approaches the most excellent of all his works, he enters

Genesis 15:6 — 6.And he believed in the Lord. None of us would be able to conceive the rich and hidden doctrine which this passage contains, unless Paul had borne his torch before us. (Romans 4:3.) But it is strange, and seems like a prodigy, that when the Spirit of God has kindled so great a light, yet the greater part of interpreters wander with closed eyes, as in the darkness of night. I omit the Jews, whose blindness is well known. But it

Exodus 25:8 — when we speak generally of the types. Now is described the form of the Ark and its covering: for the composition of the tabernacle, and its various parts, which Moses now only slightly adverts to, will be presently repeated at greater length in chapter 32. But, although the tabernacle was called God’s house, yet there was a more express image of His glory in the Ark of the Covenant; because the Law, whereby God bound the people to Himself, was there deposited. The material was shittim-wood, covered

Psalms 19:3 — 3.There is no language nor speech [where] their voice is not heard. This verse receives two almost contrary interpretations, each of which, however, has the appearance of probability. As the words, when rendered literally, read thus — No language,

Isaiah 6:10 — the stubbornness of the Jews. He does not indeed absolutely give the very words, but he states the meaning clearly enough. Therefore, says he, they could not believe, because Isaiah said, He hath blinded their eyes, and hardened their heart.(John 12:39 (97)) True, this prediction was not the cause of their unbelief, but the Lord foretold it, because he foresaw that they would be such as they are here described. The Evangelist applies to the Gospel what had already taken place under the law, and

Jeremiah 11:3 — speaking to you; Moses himself speaks, hear him.” By adding the pronoun demonstrative, “Hear ye the words of this covenant,” it is the same as though he had openly shewed them as by his finger, so that there was no room for any doubt. (31) He then upbraided them by pointing out the covenant, as though he had said, “What avails you to feign and to pretend that what we say is ambiguous, and to hold it as uncertain whether we are or not the servants of God? whether we speak by his

Jeremiah 15:16 — the word, but he was a faithful and true minister of God. He then says, that the word of God had been to him the joy and gladness of his heart; that is, that he delighted in that word, like David, who compares it to honey. (Psalms 19:11; Psalms 119:103) The same manner of speaking is used by Ezekiel,(Ezekiel 2:8 and Ezekiel 3:1;) for the Prophet is there bidden to eat the volume presented to him; and then he says that it was to him like honey in sweetness, for he embraced the truth with ardent desire,

Jeremiah 17:16 — now, as he had done before, leaving men he addresses his words to God; and this kind of apostrophe has more force than if he had charged them with perverseness. But I, he says, I have not hastened. Here interpreters differ; for אוף, auts, means sometimes to hasten, and sometimes to be slow, two contrary things. It signifies also to be careful and to abominate or to dislike; and so some render it here, “I have not disliked, so as not to become a pastor;” for מן

Jeremiah 9:24 — might know that they were not to glory in anything but in the knowledge of God. Now, the knowledge mentioned here produces two fruits, even faith and fear; for if we are fully, persuaded that there is propitiation with God, as it is said in Psalms 130:4 we recumb on him, and hesitate not to flee to him, and to place our salvation in his hand. This is one thing. Then faith brings fear, as it is said in the psalm referred to, “There is propitiation with thee, that thou mayest be feared.”

Ezekiel 3:18 — at his own discretion. When, therefore, God sends forth his servants, he does not resign that power, for still the supreme authority remains with himself: because there is one lawgiver, as James says, who can save and destroy. (James 4:12; Ezekiel 13:19.) And elsewhere Ezekiel reproves the false prophets, because they keep alive the souls which were dying, and slay the souls not devoted to death. For we know that proud men always tyrannize over the conscience when they take upon themselves the prophetic

Micah 3:8 — teach the word are sent to carry on a contest. It is therefore not enough to teach faithfully what God commands, except we also contend: and though the wicked may violently rise up against us, we must yet put on a brazen front, as it is said in Ezekiel 3:8; nor must we yield to their fury, but preserve invincible firmness. Since then we have a contest with the devil, with the world, and with all the wicked, that we may faithfully execute our office, we must be furnished with this courage of which Micah

Habakkuk 2:2 — género, y se representa la frase, "espérelo", "espérelo ,” ὑπομεινον αὐτον; y con respecto a lo que sigue," para el que viene (ἐρχομενος) vendrá". Pero [חזון] es el género masculino; está en otro lugar conectado con verbos en ese género. Ver 1 Samuel 3:1; Ezequiel 12:22. De hecho, todo el tenor del pasaje no admite ninguna otra construcción. Es probable que este error haya hecho que Eusebio y Agustín apliquen este verso a Cristo, y algunos a Nabucodonosor, en un sentido típico. — Ed.

Zephaniah 1:2 — es muy expresivo y denota la forma de la ruina que les esperaba a los judíos. Fueron "reunidos" y conducidos al cautiverio. Los dos versículos pueden ser literalmente traducidos, - 2. Reuniones Reuniré todo Desde la faz de la tierra, dice Jehová; 3. Reuniré al hombre y lo mejor; Recogeré el pájaro del cielo y los peces del mar, Y los escollos junto con los impíos; Y los cortaré, junto con el hombre, Desde la faz de la tierra, dice Jehová. —Ed.

Malachi 1:11 — Jews that the Gentiles would become allied to them; so does Zechariah, “In that day lay hold shall ten men on the skirt of the garment, and will say to a Jew, Be thou our leader; for the same God with thee will we worship.” (Zechariah 8:23.) It would have been then the highest honor to the Jews had they become teachers to all nations, so as to instruct them in true religion. So also Isaiah says, that is, that those who were before aliens would become the disciples of the chosen people,

Malachi 2:9 — And not unwisely does Gregory apply a custom under the law to this subject; for we know that appended to the priest’s dress were bells; and it is distinctly commanded by Moses, that the priest should not go forth without this sound, (Exodus 28:35.) Gregory, as I have said, accommodated this to teaching — “Woe,” he says, “to us, if we go forth without sound, that is, if we boast that we are pastors, and in the meantime are dumb dogs; for nothing is less tolerable than

Matthew 16:19 — promise that he will give to Peter what he appeared to have formerly given him by making him an Apostle? But this question has been already answered, (442) when I said that the twelve were at first (Matthew 10:5) nothing more than temporary preachers, (443) and so, when they returned to Christ, they had executed their commission; but after that Christ had risen from the dead, they then began to be appointed to be ordinary teachers of the Church. It is in this sense that the honor is now bestowed for the

Matthew 23:37 — 37.Jerusalem, Jerusalem. By these words, Christ shows more clearly what good reason he had for indignation, that Jerusalem, which God had chosen to be his sacred, and — as we might say — heavenly abode, not only had shown itself to be unworthy

Matthew 26:39 — 39. Y se adelantó un poco. Hemos visto en otros pasajes, que para excitarse a sí mismo a una mayor seriedad de oración, el Señor oró en ausencia de testigos; porque cuando nos retiramos de la mirada de los hombres, logramos mejor recobrar nuestros sentidos,

Matthew 4:1 — least equally illustrious with those which were bestowed on Moses, that the majesty of the Gospel might not be inferior to that of the Law. If God bestowed singular honor on a doctrine which was “the ministration of death,” (2 Corinthians 3:7,) how much more honor is due to the doctrine of life? And if a shadowy portrait of God had so much brightness, ought not his face, which appears in the Gospel, to shine with full splendor? Such also was the design of the fasting: for Christ abstained

Acts 2:38 — 38.Peter said Hereby we see that those do never go away empty which ask at the mouth of the Lord, and do offer themselves unto him to be ruled and taught; for that promise must needs be true, Knock, and it shall be opened unto you, (Matthew 7:7.) Therefore,