Bible Commentaries

Psalms 119:17 — GIMEL. (17) Deal bountifully . . . that I may live.—Comp. Psalms 13:3; Psalms 13:6; Psalms 116:7-8, where we see, as here, the same connection between this Hebrew word and preservation from death. Life is connected with obedience to the Divine law throughout the Bible (Leviticus 18:5; Deuteronomy 6:24; Psalms 41:1-2; Luke 10:28).

Isaiah 13:10 — (10) The constellations thereof.—The noun in the singular (kesîl, foolhardy, or impious) is translated as Orion in Job 9:9; Amos 5:8. It is significant, as pointing to some widely-diffused legend, that the Persian name for the constellation is Nimrod

Matthew 5:1 — V. (1) What is known as the Sermon on the Mount is obviously placed by St. Matthew (who appears in the earliest traditions connected with his name as a collector of our Lord’s “Oracles” or discourses) in the fore-front of his record of His work, as

Deuteronomy 28:6 — (6) When thou comest in . . . and when thou goest out.—These words may apply to the details of life, or they may have a further meaning, as the eisodus of Christ was His entrance into this world’s labour, and His exodus His departure (Acts 13:24; Luke 9:31). Rashi says, “So that thy departure from the world shall be like thine entrance into it, sinless.” (The Jews, as a whole, do not believe in original sin.)

Mark 8:34-38 — (34-38) And when he had called the people.—See Notes on Matthew 16:24-28. The “calling the people,” or better, the multitude, to hear what involved the apparent failure of His mission announced in the preceding verses is an addition to St. Matthew’s narrative. It is confirmed by St. Luke’s “He said unto all” (Luke 9:23).

Luke 19:44 — (44) And shall lay thee even with the ground.—See Note on Matthew 24:2. What is there said of the Temple, is here repeated of the city as a whole, and describes a general demolition of everything that could be demolished. So Josephus (Wars, viii. 1,

Luke 21:29 — (29) And all the trees.—The addition is peculiar to St. Luke. It confirms the impression that the words, which were spoken just before the Passover, when the flush of spring-tide life was seen in every grove and forest, were suggested by what met the eye of the disciples on the Mount of Olives. (See Note on Matthew 24:32.) One such tree, we know, had been found in full foliage (Matthew 21:19).

Luke 22:24 — (24) And there was also a strife among them.—The incident that follows is peculiar to St. Luke. The noun which he uses for “strife” does not occur elsewhere in the New Testament, but the corresponding adjective meets us in the “contentious” of 1 Corinthians

Luke 24:2 — (2) And they found the stone rolled away .—The narrative is less vivid and detailed than St. Mark’s; possibly, we may believe, because St. Luke’s report may have come, not from one of the Maries, but from Joanna (named in Luke 24:10). or Susanna, who were less prominent, and might only have heard of what had passed from others.

Luke 24:36 — (36) Jesus himself stood in the midst of them.—The account agrees with that in John 20:19, who adds the fact that the doors of the room had been closed for fear of the Jews. The mode of appearance in both Gospels suggests the idea, as in Luke 24:31,

Luke 3:19-20 — (19-20) But Herod the tetrarch.—See Notes on Matthew 14:3-5. St. Luke’s anticipation of the close of the Baptist’s history supplies a curious instance of an arrangement which was obviously deliberate. It seemed to him better to complete the account

Luke 6:17 — (17) And he came down with them, and stood in the plain.—We are again confronted with harmonistic difficulties. In St. Matthew (Matthew 10:0) the mission of the Twelve is followed by a full discourse on their Apostolic work and its perils. Here it is

Luke 6:47-49 — (47-49) Whosoever cometh to me .—See Notes on Matthew 7:24-27. Here again the all but verbal reproduction of the parable shows the impression which its repetition had left on the minds of men. The variations, however, are not without significance. St.

John 21:13 — (13) Jesus then cometh—i.e., from the place where they had seen Him to the “fire of coals.” And taketh bread, and giveth them.—Better, . . . the bread—i.e., the bread of John 21:9. Again (comp. John 20:22) we are reminded of the words used at the Last Supper. (Comp. Note on Luke 24:30.) And fish likewise.—Better, and the fish likewise—i.e., the fishes of John 21:9-10.

Acts 1:16 — (16) Men and brethren.—Better, brethren only, the word being used as in the LXX. of Genesis 13:8. The tone of St. Peter’s speech is that of one who felt that his offence had been fully forgiven, and that he was now restored by the charge given him,

Acts 1:4 — (4) And, being assembled together with them.—The MSS. present two forms of the participle: one with the meaning given in the English version, the other, but inferior reading, with the sense of “dwelling together with” the disciples. The Vulgate, convescens, “eating with,” probably rests on a mistaken etymology of the Greek term. The whole verse is in substance a repetition of Luke 24:49, where see Notes.

Acts 12:14 — (14) She opened not the gate for gladness.—The slave, it would seem, had shared the anxiety and borne her part in the prayers of the Church; and the eager desire to tell the good news that their prayers had been answered overpowers her presence of mind. There is something characteristic of the writer in this analysis of a state of consciousness. (See Note on Acts 12:9, and Luke 24:14.)

2 Corinthians 11:33 — (33) Through a window in a basket . . .—On the mode of escape, see Notes on Acts 9:24-25. So the spies escaped from the house of Rahab (Joshua 2:15), and David from the pursuit of Saul (1 Samuel 19:12). The word which St. Paul uses for “basket” (sarganè) implies, perhaps, a more vivid personal recollection, as meaning specifically a rope-work hamper. St. Luke employs the more general term, spuris. (See Note on Matthew 15:32.)

James 1:9 — (9) Let the brother of low degree rejoice in that he is exalted (or, better, in his exaltation).—There is no praise from the plain St. James for the pride which apes humility, nor the affectation which loves to be despised. If it please God to “exalt,”

Judges 16:11 — (11) New ropes.—As in Judges 15:13. That never were occupied.—“Occupied” is an old word for “used.” (See Exodus 38:24, “All the gold that was occupied for the work;” Luke 19:13; Hebrews 13:9; “Like a new bright silver dish never occupied “—Ascham, Schoolmaster.) Here, again, Samson distantly touches on the consecration which is the secret of his strength.