Bible Commentaries

Exodus 25:2 — 2.Speak unto the children of Israel. If any caviller should raise a question as 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

Jeremiah 30:21 — the people: how this took place it is well known. But Isaiah had foretold what his successor here confirms, saying, “Come forth shall a shoot from the root (or stem) of Jesse, and a rod shall spring up from the root of his tree.” (Isaiah 11:1) He calls it there the house of Jesse, which was a private house: he would have dignified the favor with a more glorious name, had he mentioned David; but as there was then no kingdom, he refers to Jesse; for as David came forth as an unknown rustic

Ezekiel 4:4 — lo tanto, se pone el nombre de Israel, las doce o trece tribus se comprenden sin excepción; pero cuando hay comparación, Israel significa solo las diez tribus, o ese reino adúltero que estableció a Jeroboam como rey después de la muerte de Salomón. ( 1 Reyes 12:20.) Dado que, tanto Israel como Judá son tratados aquí, de ninguna manera es adecuado que la profecía hable de todo el pueblo y mezcle la tribu de Judá con el resto. Luego, el evento en sí disipa muchas nubes y deja todo espacio para la controversia:

Jonah 4:2 — persuaded that God is merciful. Jonah then seems here to reason very absurdly when he says, that he withdrew himself from his office, because he knew that God was merciful. But how did he know this? By the law of God; for the passage is taken from Exodus 33:1, where is described that remarkable and memorable vision, in which God offered to Moses a view of himself: and there was then exhibited to the holy Prophet, as it were, a living representation of God, and there is no passage in the law which expresses

Acts 12:20 — 20.A worthy (761) history, which doth not only show, as it were in a glass, what end is prepared for the enemies of the Church, but also how greatly God hateth pride. The Scripture saith that “God resisteth the proud,” (1 Peter 5:5.) God himself did show

Acts 20:26 — ordered at his pleasure. So shall it come to pass that the inventions of men shall have none entrance into the Church of God. Again, mortal man shall not be so bold as to mangle the Scripture and to pull it in pieces, that he may diminish − (431) this or that at his pleasure, that he may obscure something and suppress many things; but shall deliver whatsoever is revealed in the Scripture, though wisely and seasonably for the edifying of the people, yet plainly and without guile, as becometh

Romans 4:20 — whether the Lord was able to perform what he had promised. What is properly to inquire or to search into anything, is to examine it through diffidence or mistrust, and to be unwilling to admit what appears not credible, without thoroughly sifting it. (146) He indeed asked, how it could come to pass, but that was the asking of one astonished; as the case was with the virgin Mary, when she inquired of the angel how could that be which he had announced; and there are other similar instances. The saints

Romans 8:10 — 10.But if Christ be in us, etc. What he had before said of the Spirit he says now of Christ, in order that the mode of Christ’s dwelling in us might be intimated; for as by the Spirit he consecrates us as temples to himself, so by the same he dwells

1 Corinthians 11:17 — previously noticed was but a mild and gentle admonition, because the Corinthians sinned in ignorance, so that it was proper that they should readily be forgiven. Paul, too, had praised them in the outset, because they had faithfully kept his enactments. (1 Corinthians 11:2.) Now he begins to reprove them more sharply, because they offended more grievously in some things, and not through ignorance. 17. But, in warning you as to this, I do not praise. (644) For I translate it in this way, because Paul

1 Corinthians 11:25 — are not merely outward signs of profession before men, but are inwardly, too, helps to faith. This do, as often as ye drink Christ, then, has appointed a two-fold sign in the Supper. What God hath joined together let not man put asunder. (Matthew 19:6.) To distribute, therefore, the bread without the cup, is to man Christ’s institution. (696) For we hear Christ’s words. As he commands us to eat of the bread, so he commands us to drink of the cup To obey the one half of the command

2 Corinthians 1:8 — thereby the more abundantly appear. Since the time of his sending them the former epistle, he had been exposed to great dangers, and had endured violent assaults. The probability, however, is that he refers here to the history, which Luke relates in Acts 19:23, though in that passage he does not so distinctly intimate the extent of the danger. As, however, he states that the whole city was in a tumult, (Acts 19:29,) it is easy from this to infer the rest. For we know what is the usual effect of a popular

2 Corinthians 11:6 — 6.But though I am rude There was one thing (814) in which he might appear, at first view, to be inferior — that he was devoid of eloquence. This judgment, (815) therefore, he anticipates and corrects, while he acknowledges himself, indeed, to be rude and unpolished in speech, while at the

2 Corinthians 6:16 — 16.What agreement hath the temple of God with idols? Hitherto he has in general terms prohibited believers from associating with the wicked. He now lets them know what was the chief reason, why he had prohibited them from such an association — because

Galatians 4:6 — that the Spirit is the earnest and pledge of our adoption, and gives to us a well-founded belief that God regards us with a father’s love. “Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spiritin our hearts.” (2 Corinthians 1:22.) “Now he that hath wrought us for the self-same thing is God,who also hath given unto us the earnest of the Spirit.”(2 Corinthians 5:5.) But it will be objected, do not wicked men, too, carry their rashness so far as to proclaim that

Ephesians 6:9 — down what is lawful according to the Divine appointment, and how far they, too, are debtors to their servants. Do the same things to them. “Perform the duty which on your part you owe to them.” What he calls in another Epistle, (τὸ δίκαιον καὶ τὴν ἰσότητα) that which is just and equal, (169) is precisely what, in this passage, he calls the same things, (τὰ

Colossians 3:16 — 16.Let the word of Christ dwell. He would have the doctrine of the gospel be familiarly known by them. Hence we may infer by what spirit those are actuated in the present day, who cruelly (449) interdict the Christian people from making use of it, and

1 Thessalonians 1:4 — thing itself, or in the disposition of the Thessalonians. I am rather inclined to think that the meaning is, that Paul’s gospel had been confirmed by solid proofs, (500) as though God had shewn from heaven that he had ratified their calling. (501) When, however, Paul brings forward the proofs by which he had felt assured that the calling of the Thessalonians was altogether from God, he takes occasion at the same time to recommend his ministry, that they may themselves, also, recognize him and

2 Timothy 1:8 — he confers upon us, and, indeed, upon all, (for there is no Christian that ought not to reckon himself a witness of Christ,) but chiefly pastors and teachers, as Christ said to the apostles, — “Ye shall be witnesses to me,” (Acts 1:8.) Accordingly, the more hateful the doctrine of the gospel is in the world, the more earnestly should they labor to confess it openly. When he adds, nor of me; by this word he reminds Timothy not to refuse to be his companion, as in a cause common

Titus 3:4 — 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 7:9 — also, etc. He advances farther, and says, that even Levi himself, who was then in the loins of Abraham, was not exempt from the same subordination; for Abraham, by paying tithes, made himself and his posterity inferior to the priesthood of Melchisedec. (117) But here one, on the other hand, may say, that in the same way Judas also of whose seed Christ was born, paid tithes. But this knot can be easily untied, when one considers two things which are settled beyond all dispute among Christians: first,