Bible Commentaries

Romans 12:1 — new world of realities to which the soul is introduced by the Christian revelation on which Christian morality depends. It is relative to that world, and would become unreal along with it. διὰ τῶν οἰκτιρμῶν : for the substantive see 2 Corinthians 1:3 (= רַחֲמִים , which has no singular). διὰ in such expressions ( cf. 1 Corinthians 1:10 , 2 Corinthians 10:1 ) indicates that in which the motive is found: Winer, p. 477. The mercies are those which God has shown in the work of redemption through Christ,

1 Corinthians 12:28 — Corinthians 12:28 expounds the μέλη ἐκ μέρους . οὓς μὲν ( cf. 8 ff.) should be followed by οὒς δέ ; but πρῶτον intervening suggests δεύτερον , τρίτον in the sequel “instead of a mere enumeration P. prefers an arrangement in order of rank” (Wr [1939] , pp. 710 f.); and this mode of distinction in turn gives place to ἔπειτα , at the point where with δυνάμεις abstract categories (as in 1 Corinthians 12:8 ff.) are substituted for the concrete a striking instance of P.’s mobility of style; the

1 Corinthians 14:33 — 1 Corinthians 14:33 . The apophthegm of 1 Corinthians 14:32 exemplifies the universal principle of order in God’s works; cf. the deduction drawn in 1 Corinthians 11:3 . God’s gift of the Spirit submits itself to the receiver’s will, through whose direction

1 Corinthians 15:33-34 — 1 Corinthians 15:33-34 deliver Paul’s judgment upon the situation: the disbelief in the Resurrection declared in the Cor [2458] Church is of a piece with its low ethics (1 Corinthians 3:1 ff., 1 Corinthians 4:18 to 1 Corinthians 5:2 ) and its heathen intimacies

2 Corinthians 13:13 — 2 Corinthians 13:13 . ἡ χάρις τοῦ κ . κ . τ . λ .: the Grace of the Lord Jesus Christ (his concluding salutation in Rom., 1 Cor., Gal., Phil., Philm., 1 and 2 Thess.), and the Love of God (see on 2 Corinthians 5:14 ), and the Fellowship of the Holy Spirit (as at

2 Corinthians 4:10-11 — 2 Corinthians 6:9 ). πάντοτε τὴν νέκρωσιν κ . τ . λ .: always bearing about in the body the dying of Jesus, that the Life also of Jesus may be manifested in our body; for we which live are ever being delivered over to death ( cf. 2 Corinthians 11:23 below) for Jesus’ sake, that the Life also of Jesus may be manifested in our mortal flesh . The key to the interpretation of 2 Corinthians 4:10 is to observe that 2 Corinthians 4:11 is the explanation of it ( ἀεὶ γὰρ κ . τ . λ .); the two verses

2 Corinthians 8:6-7 — collection, during the Mission from which he has now returned, so he would also complete in you this grace also, i.e. , the grace of liberal giving in addition to the graces of repentance and goodwill which rejoiced him so much to observe (2 Corinthians 7:13-14 ). ἐπιτελεῖν is to bring to a successful issue a work already begun; see 2 Corinthians 5:11 below. ἀλλʼ ὥσπερ κ . τ . λ .: yea rather ( ὥσπερ having an ascensive force as at 2 Corinthians 1:9 , 2 Corinthians 5:7 being strictly parallel to and explanatory

Ephesians 2:1 — Ephesians 2:1 . καὶ ὑμᾶς ὄντας νεκρούς : and you, being dead . The construction is broken, the writer turning off into two relative sentences (Ephesians 2:2-3 ) before he introduces his leading verb. His original statement is taken up again, as some think, at the καὶ ὄντας νεκρούς of Ephesians 2:5 (Griesb., Rück., etc.). But the resumption begins rather with the ὁ δὲ Θεὸς of Ephesians 2:4 (Mey., Ell., etc.).

Ephesians 5:8 — these Ephesians were now “light in the Lord,” it was not for themselves only but for others. They were called to live a life beseeming those to whom Christian enlightenment and purity had become their proper nature; cf. Luke 16:8 ; John 12:36 ; 1 Thessalonians 5:5 . Nothing is to be made of the absence of the article here in contrast with τοῦ φωτὸς of Ephesians 5:2 , the general practice being to insert or omit the article in the case of the governed noun according as the governing noun

Philippians 4:8 — the phrase ἡ εἰρήνη τ . Θ . (Philippians 4:7 ) in a new form ὁ Θ . τῆς εἰρήνης (Philippians 4:9 ). The peace of God will be the guardian of their thoughts and imaginations, only they must do their part in bending their minds to worthy objects. Lft [33] . and Ws [34] . have elaborate classifications of Paul’s list of moral excellences. It is not probable, in the circumstances, that any such was before the Apostle’s mind. τὸ λοιπόν is probably used to show that he is hastening to a close.

Colossians 1:21 — of your state of mind,” for which διά with the accusative would have been expected. But it is much simpler to take διαν . as dative of the part affected, and ἐχθ . as active, hostile to God in your mind. διανοία (used only here and Ephesians 2:3 ; Ephesians 4:18 by Paul) means the higher intellectual nature, but specially on the ethical side; it is usually in the LXX the translation of “heart”. Cremer defines it as “the faculty of moral reflexion”. ἐν τ . ἔργοις τοῖς

Colossians 1:5 — urged that a love of this calculating kind is foreign to Paul, but Cf. 2 Corinthians 9:6 , Galatians 6:9 . ἐν τ . οὐρανοῖς . Cf. the reward or treasure in heaven (Matthew 5:12 ; Matthew 6:20 ; Matthew 19:21 ), the citizenship in heaven (Philippians 3:20 ), the inheritance reserved in heaven (1 Peter 1:4 ). ἣν προηκούσατε . The reference in προ . is disputed. Bengel and Klöpper think it means before the writing of this letter; Meyer, Hofmann and Haupt before its fulfilment. But more probably it is

1 Timothy 1:2 — vocation, others fail to do so. γνήσιος (and γνησίως , Philippians 2:20 ) is only found in the N.T. in Paul. See reff. It might be rendered lawful, legitimate , as γυνή γνησία means “lawful wife” (Moulton and Milligan, Expositor , vii., vi. 382). Dean Bernard ( comm. in loc .) cites an interesting parallel from Philo ( de Vit. Cont . p. 482, ed. Mangey), where “the young men among the Therapeutae are described as ministering to their elders καθάπερ υἱοὶ γνήσιοι .” τέκνῳ ἐν

1 Timothy 4:5 — supports the explanation given of 1 Timothy 4:4 , and helps to determine the sense in which λόγος θεοῦ is used. The food lying before me at this moment, which to some is ἀπόβλητος , is sanctified here and now by the εὐχαριστία . See 1 Corinthians 10:30 . λόγος θεοῦ and ἔντευξις (see note on 1 Timothy 2:1 ) are in some sense co-ordinate (almost a hendiadys), and together form elements in a εὐχαριστία . If St. Paul had meant by λόγος θεοῦ , the general teaching of Scripture, or the particular text,

2 Timothy 4:16 — “the message was fully proclaimed, and all the Gentiles heard it”. This would agree with the circumstances of the trials before Felix and Festus, a direct result of which was that Paul was enabled to “bear witness also at Rome” (Acts 23:11 ). On this view, the apostle would be recalling a signal past instance in which God had overruled evil for good. On the other hand, it is a fatal objection to this reference of the phrase that when he was at Cæsarea he seems to have been kindly treated

Hebrews 1:5 — Psalms 89:7 ; Job 1:6 ). But this was not used in its strict sense but merely as expressive of indefinite greatness, nor was it addressed to any individual. εἶπεν , the subject unexpressed, as is common in citing Scripture (2 Corinthians 6:2 ; Galatians 3:16 ; Ephesians 4:8 , etc.). Winer and Blass supply ὁ θεός , others ἡ γραφή . Warfield, who gives the fullest treatment of the subjectless use of λέγει , φησί , and sucb words ( Presb. and Ref. Rev. , July, 1899) holds that either subject may be supplied,

Hebrews 10:26 — must not be overlooked. Cf. τῶν ἀκουσίων ἁμαρτημάτων καταφυγὴν εἶναι τοὺς βωμούς , Thuc. 4:98. Wilful sin, continued in, means apostasy, repudiation of the covenant. Cf. Hebrews 6:6 , καὶ παραπεσόντας , and Hebrews 5:2 , τοῖς ἀγνοοῦσιν , and Hebrews 3:12 . Apostasy can only occur μετὰ τὸ λαβεῖν … a condition which is explained in detail in chap. 6. Without this preceding knowledge of the covenant its wilful repudiation is impossible. Those spoken of in Hebrews 10:25 , as having abandoned meeting

Hebrews 4:16 — grace”. προσέρχεσθαι is used in a semi-technical sense for the approach of a worshipper to God, as in LXX frequently. Thus in Leviticus 21:17 it is said of any blemished son of Aaron οὐ προσελεύσεται προσφέρειν τὰ δῶρα τοῦ Θεοῦ αὐτοῦ , and in the 23rd ver. ἐγγιεῖ is used as an equivalent, cf. Hebrews 7:19 . The word is found only once in St. Paul, 1 Timothy 6:3 , and there in a peculiar sense; but in Heb. it occurs seven times, and generally in its more technical sense, Hebrews 7:25 , Hebrews

James 1:6 — else, embodies much ancient material, the Rabbis constantly insist on the need of faith as being that which is “perfect trust in God”; the měch ûsarê ’amanah , i.e. , “those who are lacking in faith,” ( cf. Matthew 6:30 , ὀλιγόπιστοι = קטני אמונה ) are held up to rebuke; it is said in Sotah , ix. 12 that the disappearance of “men of faith” will bring about the downfall of the world. Faith therefore, in the sense in which it is used in this Epistle, was

1 John 1:8-10 — astray” ( cf. Matthew 18:12 ). ἡ ἀλήθεια , in Johannine phraseology not simply “der Wahrheitssinn, die Wahrhaftigkeit der Selbstprüfung und der Selbsterkenntniss” (Rothe), but the revelation of “the True God” (ver. 20; John 17:3 ), which came “through Jesus Christ” (John 1:17 ), Himself “the Truth” (John 14:6 ). Nearly equivalent to ὁ λόγος (1 John 1:10 ). The Truth is a splendid ideal, never realised here, else it would cease to be an ideal; always