Bible Commentaries

Acts 26:5 — Acts 26:5 . προγιν . με : knowing me beforehand, i.e. , ἄνωθεν , from the beginning of my public education in Jerusalem. προγ .: twice elsewhere by Paul, Romans 8:29 ; Romans 11:2 , also in 1 Peter 1:20 , 2 Peter 3:17 . For ἀπʼ ἀρχῆς and ἅνωθεν cf. Luke 1:2-3 , and for the former also 2 Thessalonians 2:13 . ἀκριβ .: “the straitest sect,” R.V., on the double accusative in A.V. see Humphry, Commentary

Romans 11:33 — by the view of God’s Providence which pervades the whole discussion than by the one sentence in which it is summed up. βάθος : a universal figure for what is immeasurable or incalculable: cf. 1 Corinthians 2:10 , Revelation 2:24 , Ephesians 3:18 . The genitives πλούτου , σοφίας and γνώσεως are most simply construed as co-ordinate. For πλοῦτος used thus absolutely see Ephesians 3:8 , Philippians 4:19 . Perhaps the key to the meaning here is to be found in Romans 10:12 : what Paul adores is the

Romans 12:3-8 — Romans 12:3-8 . The duties of members of the Church as such: avoidance of self-exaltation, and mutual service in the measure of the gift bestowed on each. λέγω γάρ : the γὰρ indicates that “humility is the immediate effect of self-surrender to God” (Gifford).

Romans 6:3 — point is that no such division can be made. Unless there is a necessary connection between justification by faith and the new life, Paul fails to prove that faith establishes the law. The real argument which unites chaps. 3, 4 and 5 to chaps. 6, 7 and 8, and repels the charge of antinomianism, is this: justifying faith, looking to Christ and His death, really unites us to Him who died and rose again, as the symbolism of baptism shows to every Christian.

1 Corinthians 1:1 — he summoned to be herald and dispenser (1 Corinthians 1:17 ; 1 Corinthians 1:23 , 1 Corinthians 4:1 ), they receivers of God’s Gospel (1 Corinthians 1:26-31 ). The κλητοὶ are in P. identified with the ἐκλεκτοί (1 Corinthians 1:26 f., Romans 8:29 f.), not distinguished as in Matthew 20:16 . The thought of the “call” of God as assigning to each Christian man his status is prominent in this ep.: see 1Co 1:9 ; 1 Corinthians 1:24 ff., 1 Corinthians 7:17-24 . Σωσθέντης ὁ ἀδελφὸς is

1 Corinthians 1:18 — 1 Corinthians 1:18 . What P. asserted in 1 Corinthians 1:17 as intrinsically true, he supports by experience (1 Corinthians 1:18 ) and by Scripture (1 Corinthians 1:19 ), combining their testimony in 1 Corinthians 1:20 . ὁ λόγος γάρ , ὁ τοῦ σταύρου , “For the word,

1 Corinthians 10:1-2 — [1410] ); the phrase identifies the N.T. Church with “Israel” ( cf. Romans 4:1-2 ff., Romans 11:17 f., Galatians 3:7 ; Galatians 3:29 , Philippians 3:3 ; also Clem. ad Cor . 4); the fate of the fathers admonishes the children (Psalms 78:8 ; Psalms 95:9 , etc.; Matthew 23:29 ff., Hebrews 3:4 .). The point of the warning lies in the five-times repeated πάντες : “ All our fathers escaped by miracle from the house of bondage; all received the tokens of the Mosaic covenant; all

1 Corinthians 10:21-22 — the cup of demons ” the two together! “You cannot partake of the Lord’s table and the table of demons !” cf. the τίς μετοχή , κοινωνία , κ . τ . λ .; of. 2 Corinthians 6:14 ff., and other parls. The nouns forming the obj [1538] are anarthrous as being qualitative, the impossibility lying in the kind of the two cups; cf. note on 1 Corinthians 2:5 . “The Lord’s cup” is that received at His direction and signifying allegiance to Him; in 1 Corinthians 10:16

1 Corinthians 2:11 — , Romans 5:7 , Luke 11:13 ), and valid for the point in question. The Ap. ascribes to a man a natural πνεῦμα ( cf. 1 Corinthians 5:5 , 1 Thessalonians 5:23 ), which manifests itself in νοῦς and συνείδησις (Romans 2:15 ; Romans 7:25 , etc.; see Cr [382] on these terms), akin to and receptive of the Πνεῦμα Θεοῦ ; but not till quickened by the latter is the πνεῦμα ἀνθρώπου regnant in him, so that the man can be called πνευματικός (see note on 1 Corinthians 2:15 ). On οἶδεν , as diff [383] from ἔγνωκεν

1 Corinthians 5:10 — 1 Corinthians 5:10 gives the needful definition of the above injunction. οὐ πάντως is best understood as by Er [859] ( non omnino ), Cv [860] ( neque in universum ), Mr [861] , Bt [862] , Ed [863] , El [864] , as not absolutely, not altogether , οὐ negativing πάντως and making the inhibition a qualified one: “I did not altogether forbid your holding intercourse

2 Corinthians 3:1 — 2 Corinthians 3:1 . ἀρχόμεθα πάλιν ἑαυτοὺς συνιστ .: are we beginning again ( sc. , as, for instance, in 1 Corinthians 9:15 ; 1Co 14:18 ; 1 Corinthians 15:10 , or possibly he alludes to 2 Corinthians 1:12 above; cf. chap. 2 Corinthians 5:12 , 2 Corinthians 10:18 below) to commend ourselves? His opponents seem to have made this charge, which he is careful to repudiate again (2 Corinthians

2 Corinthians 5:1 — 2 Corinthians 5:1 . οἴδαμεν γὰρ κ . τ . λ .: for (in explanation of 2 Corinthians 4:17 ) we know, sc. , we Christians ( cf. Romans 7:14 , 1 Corinthians 8:1 ), that if our earthly ( ἐπίγειος as contrasted with ἐπουράνιος ; see reff.) tabernacle-house be dissolved , etc. Despite the fact that he was himself a σκηνοποιός (Acts 18:3 ), this is the only place where St. Paul employs any of the terms correlative

Galatians 3:16 — Galatians 3:16 . The clause καὶ τῷ σπέρματι αὐτοῦ is quoted from God’s promises to Abraham in Genesis 13:15 ; Genesis 17:8 with only the necessary change of the second person σου into αὐτοῦ . The original promise was limited to the possession of the promised land, but was coupled with a perpetual covenant between God and the seed of Abraham: I will be their God, Thou shalt

Ephesians 4:30 — seal, the sphere or element in which it takes effect. On the sealing see on Ephesians 1:13 above. εἰς ἡμέραν ἀπολυτρώσεως : unto the day of redemption . εἰς is most simply taken as = with a view to . ἀπολύτρωσις , as in Ephesians 1:14 , Luke 21:28 , Romans 8:23 , is the redemption of the future, and here specifically that redemption in its completeness and finality. The gen. is the gen. of temporal relation , = the day on which redemption will take effect, or manifest itself; cf. ἡμέρα ὀργῆς

Philippians 1:18 — Philippians 1:18 . There seems little doubt that we should read πλὴν ὅτι , as there would be a tendency to omit either word to simplify the sense. Ws [39] holds that πλήν was inserted because copyists did not notice that ὅτι is causal, introducing a protasis. But it

Philippians 1:3 — . τ . Θ . ἐπί . Cf. 1 Corinthians 1:4 , εὐχαριστῶ τῷ Θεῷ … ἐπὶ τῇ χάριτι … τῇ δοθείσῃ ὑμῖν ; Papyr. Lond. , xiii., κομισαμένη τὴν παρά σου ἐπιστολὴν παρʼ Ὥρου … ἐπὶ μὲν τῷ ἐρρῶσθα [ ί ] σε εὐθέως τοῖς Θεοῖς εὐχαρίστουν (quoted by Dsm [27] , BS [28] , p. 210). A word condemned by the grammarians, but in common use from the time of Polyb., and found in modern Greek as ὐκαριστῶ (Hatz., Einleit. , p. 285). ἐπὶ πάσῃ τῇ μνείᾳ ὑμῶν . These words have been the subject of much discussion. No doubt ἐπί

Philippians 1:5 — Philippians 1:5 . On what does ἐπί depend? Surely it follows χαρᾶς of preceding clause (so Chr [38] , Th. Mps [39] ) rather than εὐχαριστῶ of Philippians 1:3 . It is, at least, awkward to take ἐπί twice with the same verb. μ . χαρᾶς has an emphatic position. Now he gives the reason for his joy. τῇ κοινωνίᾳ . At the first glance κ . seems to refer

Philippians 2:1 — Ephesians 4:1 , 1 Corinthians 1:10 , is in favour of the former. No doubt the idea of encouragement and stimulus is implied. This is an exhortation in Christ. That itself must gain for it a favourable reception. παραμ . Only here in N.T. Once in LXX, Wis 3:18 . Almost equiv. to παρκλ ., but having a suggestion of tenderness involved. It springs from his love towards them. κοιν . πνεύματος . The community of believers is the body of Christ. The Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Christ, is the unifying Principle

Colossians 2:20 — στοιχείων τοῦ κόσμου . The use of ἀπὸ with ἀποθν . expresses more strongly than the dative (as in Romans 6:2 ) the completeness of the severance, and adds the idea of escape from the dominion of the personal powers. On στ . τ . κ . see note on Colossians 2:8 . ὡς ζῶντες ἐν κόσμῳ . For the death of the Christian with Christ includes his crucifixion to the world (Galatians 6:14 ). The world is ruled by these angels; but Christians belong to the world to come ( cf. τ . μελλόντων , Colossians 2:17 ), which,

1 Timothy 5:17 — Epist . 29), presbyteri doctores . It must be added that Hort rejects the distinction between (2) and (3) ( Christian Ecclesia , p. 196). ὁ διδάσκων and ὁ παρακαλῶν were possessors of distinct and recognised charismata (Romans 12:7 ; 1 Corinthians 12:8 ; 1 Corinthians 12:28-29 ; 1 Corinthians 14:6 ). προεστῶτες : See note on 1 Timothy 3:4 . διπλῆς τιμῆς : Remuneration is a better rendering of τιμή than pay , as less directly expressive of merely monetary reward. Liddon suggests the rendering