Bible Commentaries

2 Chronicles 28:15 — (15) And arrayed . . . shod them.—And they clad them, and sandalled them. (For the miserable destitution of captives, see Isaiah 3:24; Isaiah 20:2; Isaiah 20:4, “naked and barefoot.”) Anointed them (sûk, usually intransitive, e.g., 2 Samuel 14:2). (Comp.

Psalms 147:9 — (9) Comp. Psalms 104:14; Psalms 145:15; Job 38:41; Luke 12:24. The proper attitude towards one who is thus “great to grant as mighty to make,” is not conceit of wisdom and strength, but humble dependence and trust.

Proverbs 28:8 — (8) He that by usury . . . increaseth his substance.—See above on Proverbs 6:1. He shall gather it for him that will pity the poor.—The “pound” is taken from him who knows not how to use it (Luke 19:24), and given to one who does. (Comp. 1 Samuel 15:28.)

Ecclesiastes 2:5 — (5) Orchards.—Rather, parks. The word, which occurs also in Song of Solomon 4:3, Nehemiah 2:8, is originally Persian, and passed into the Greek and into modern languages in the form of “paradise” (Luke 23:43; 2 Corinthians 12:4; and in LXX., Genesis

Jeremiah 26:13 — (13) Therefore now amend your ways . . .—The prophet’s apologia consists in repeating the substance of his message. He had not denounced an irreversible doom. He had held out the assurance of pardon on repentance. He had threatened only to bring about

Matthew 1:18 — (18) St. Matthew, for some reason or other, omits all mention of what St. Luke relates very fully, as to the events that preceded the birth of Jesus and brought about the birth at Bethlehem. Either he had not access to any document full and trustworthy,

Mark 16:9-20 — (9-20) Now when Jesus was risen early.—See Notes on Matthew 28:16-20. The history of the verses that follow is in every way remarkable. They are not found in two of the oldest MSS.—the Sinaitic and the Vatican—are marked as doubtful in many others,

Luke 12:42-46 — (42-46) Who then is that faithful and wise steward?—See Notes on Matthew 24:45-51. Here the words come as an answer to Peter’s question. The promise was spoken, not for the Twelve only, but for every faithful and wise steward. The words are as the germ

Luke 21:11 — (11) Famines and pestilences.—The mention of the latter is, as far as the best MSS. are concerned, a feature peculiar to St. Luke. Others, however, give the same combination in Matthew 24:7. The Greek nouns are all but identical in sound (limos = famine,

Luke 22:4 — (4) Chief priests and captains.—The latter term is used by St. Luke, and by him only in the New Testament, of the officers who presided over the Levite guardians of the Temple. Here and in Luke 22:52 it is used in the plural. In Acts 4:1; Acts 5:24,

Luke 6:24 — (24) But woe unto you that are rich!—Better, woe for you, the tone being, as sometimes (though, as Matthew 23:0 shows, not uniformly) with this expression, one of pity rather than denunciation. (Comp. Matthew 23:13; Mark 13:17; Luke 21:23.) We enter

John 13:16 — (16) The servant is not greater than his lord.—These words have already occurred in the earlier Gospels in another connection. (Comp. Note on Matthew 10:24, and Luke 6:40.) They occur again in this Gospel in John 15:20.

John 19:40 — (40) And wound it in linen clothes with the spices.—Comp. Notes on Luke 24:12. The same word does not occur, but the manner of the Jews to bury has been also illustrated in the Note on John 11:44.

Acts 26:23 — (23) That Christ should suffer.—Literally, that the Christ was passible—i.e., capable of suffering. The great body of the Jews had fixed their thoughts only on the prophetic visions of the glories of the Messiah’s kingdom. Even the disciples of Jesus

Acts 3:14 — (14) Ye denied the Holy One and the Just.—The language, though startlingly new to the hearers, had been partially anticipated. It had been used of the Christ by the demoniacs (Mark 1:24). The best MSS. give St. Peter’s confession in John 6:69 in the

Acts 4:9 — (9) If we this day be examined.—The word is employed in its technical sense of a judicial inter rogation, as in Luke 23:14. It is used by St. Luke and St. Paul (Acts 12:19; Acts 24:8; 1 Corinthians 2:14-15; 1 Corinthians 4:3-4), and by them only, in

2 Corinthians 12:19 — (19) Again, think ye that we excuse ourselves unto you?—Many of the best MSS. present the reading palai (long ago), instead of palin (again). In this case the sentence is better taken as an assertion, not as a question—”You are thinking, and have been

Philippians 2:14 — (14) Without murmurings and disputings.—St. Paul seems purposely to leave this precept in perfect generality, so as to apply to their relations both to God and man. We observe, however, that the word “disputings” is mostly used of objections and cavils

Judges 6:30 — (30) The men of the city said unto Joash.—It is difficult to conceive that these could have been Israelites (see on Judges 6:27). Bring out thy son, that he may die.—For the phrase, see Genesis 38:24; 1 Kings 21:10; Luke 19:27.

Judges 6:34 — (34) Came upon Gideon.—Literally, clothed Gideon. See Judges 3:10 (Othniel); Judges 11:29 (Jephthah); Judges 13:25 (Samson). This forcible figure is found also in 1 Chronicles 12:18 ( Amasai); 2 Chronicles 24:20 (Zechariah); Psalms 59:17; and in the