Bible Commentaries

Ephesians 1:19 — efficiency of God in which we have our security for the realisation of the hope however new, and the possession of the inheritance however rich in its glory. Ἐνέργεια , which in the NT is never used but of superhuman power whether Divine (Ephesians 3:7 ; Ephesians 4:16 ; Colossians 1:29 ; Colossians 2:12 ) or Satanic (2 Thessalonians 2:9 ), denotes power as efficiency, operative, energising power. Κράτος is power as force, mastery , power as shown in action : ἰσχύς is power as inherent , power

Ephesians 2:5 — with Him, so that the resurrection of the future which we await will be simply the application to the individual of what was accomplished once for all for the whole of His members then. It must be admitted that the analogous passage in Colossians 2:12-13 , which associates the quickening with the forgiveness of trespasses and the blotting out of the hand-writing of ordinances, on the whole favours that interpretation. Looking, however, to the express and particular description of the worldly walk and

Ephesians 4:29 — word”. λόγος = word , in the sense of a saying, speech or utterance . σαπρός , lit. rotten or worn out and unfit for use, and then worthless, bad ( e.g. , qualifying trees, fruit, fish as the opposite of καλός , Matthew 7:17 ; Matthew 12:33 ; Matthew 13:48 ; Luke 6:43 , etc.). Here it does not seem to mean filthy , but, as the following clause, ἀγαθός , κ . τ . λ ., suggests, bad, profitless, of no good to any one . Some, however, give it the more specific sense, = foul , as including

Ephesians 4:7 — Ephesians 4:7 . ἑνὶ δὲ ἑκάστῳ ἡμῶν ἐδόθη ἡ χάρις : but unto each one of us was given the grace . For ἡμῶν some few authorities (including, however, B) read ὑμῶν . After ἡ χάρις some few insert αὕτη ( [367] 2 , 31, etc.). The article before χάρις is omitted in [368] [369] 1 [370] [371] , etc., but inserted in [372] [373] [374] [375] 3 [376] , etc. The evidence is pretty evenly balanced. Hence WH bracket ἡ ; TRV retain it; LTr omit it. The article defines

Ephesians 5:16 — καιρὸν ἁρπάζειν of Plut. ( Philop. , 15) are but partial analogies. In the NT the verb ἐξαγοράζειν has at times the sense of redeeming , ransoming one from another by payment of a price, and so it is applied to Christ’s vicarious death (Galatians 3:13 ; Galatians 4:5 ). It has the sense of ransoming occasionally in profane Greek ( e.g. , Diodor., 36, 1, p. 530). Hence some take the idea here to be that of redeeming , as from the power of Satan (Calv.), or from the power of evil men (Beng.);

Ephesians 5:29 — appropriate here, especially in view of the following affirmation regarding Christ, and as it is in 1 Thessalonians 2:7 . καθὼς καὶ ὁ Κύριος [ Χριστὸς ] τὴν ἐκκλησίαν : even as the Lord [ Christ ] also the Church . For the Κύριος of the TR (with [671] 3 [672] [673] , etc.) read with the best critics Χριστός , which is given in [674] [675] [676] [677] 1 [678] , 17, and most Versions and Fathers. That is, “even as Christ also nourisheth and cherisheth the Church” a broad statement of Christ’s

Philippians 1:7 — infin. ἐν τ . καρδίᾳ . Perhaps it is best (with Zahn) to take κ . here not so much as the seat of the softer feelings, but rather as the abode of the stronger thoughts, resolutions, etc. A regular Greek usage. Cf. 1 Corinthians 2:9 , 2 Corinthians 3:15 ; 2 Corinthians 4:6 et al. Thus the whole expression would almost be equiv. to “I know that you,” etc.; cf. ἄσβεστον ὑμῶν περιφέρω τὴν μνήμην (Thdrt [51] ). His love is expressed in the next verse. Evidently ἔν τε τοῖς δεσμ . κ . τ

Philippians 4:10 — letter. The very fact of his accepting a present from them showed his confidence in their affection. This was indeed his right, but he seldom laid claim to it. No doubt the delicacy of his language here is due (so also Hilgenfeld, ZwTh. , xx., 2, pp. 183 184) to the base slanders uttered against him at Corinth and in Macedonia (1 Thessalonians 2:5 ), as making the Gospel a means of livelihood (see 1 Corinthians 9:3-18 , 2 Corinthians 11:8-9 , Galatians 6:6 , and Schûrer, ii., 1, pp. 318 319). ἤδη ποτέ

Hebrews 11:36 — Hebrews 11:36 . ἕτεροι δέ … introducing a different class of victories achieved by faith, although ἐμπαιγμῶν καὶ μαστίγων , “mockings and scourgings” were endured by the martyrs who have just been mentioned ( 2Ma 7:7 ; 2Ma 7:1 ). πεῖραν ἔλαβον , see

Hebrews 5:2 — Wendland’s ed., vol. i. 142) in which he puts ἀπάθεια first and μετριοπάθ . second; and to the numerous exx. cited by Wetstein and Kypke, add Nemesius, De Natura Hominis , cxix., where the word is defined in relation to grief. Josephus ( Ant. , xii. 3, 2) remarks upon the striking self-restraint and moderation ( μετριοπαθησάντων ) of Vespasian and Titus towards the Jews notwithstanding their many conflicts.] If the priest is cordially to plead with God for the sinner, he must bridle his natural disgust

Hebrews 7:1 — and the verb μένει , there are inserted five historical facts taken from Genesis 14:0 , with their interpretation. [On the historicity of Genesis 14:0 , see Buchanan Gray in Expositor , May, 1898, and Driver, Authority and Archaeology , pp. 45 and 73. See also Beazley’s Dawn of Modern Geography , ii. 189; and esp., Boscawen’s First of Empires , c. vi.] βασιλεὺς Σαλήμ , the description given in this verse is taken verbatim [with the needed grammatical alterations] from Genesis 14:17-19

Hebrews 7:2 — spoil]. The startling conclusion which this act carried with it is specified in Hebrews 7:4-10 . The offering of a tithe of the spoils to the gods was a custom of antiquity. See Wetstein for examples and especially Arnold’s note on Thucydides, 3:50. “Frequently the ἀναθήματα were of the nature of ἀπάρχαι , or the divine share of what was won in peace or war.… The colossal statue of Athena Promachos on the Athenian Acropolis hill was a votive offering from a tithe of the booty taken at

Hebrews 9:24 — an ἀντίτυπον , answering to the type. But as here used with τῶν ἀληθ ., ἀντίτυπα (in agreement with ἅγια ) must mean what we usually speak of as a type, that which corresponds to and prefigures. In the only other instance of its occurrence, 1 Peter 3:21 , it has the converse meaning, the reality of baptism which corresponds to or is the antitype of the deluge. The ἀντίτυπα are contrasted with αὐτὸν τὸν οὐρανόν , heaven itself [ αὐτὸν in contrast to the mere likeness or copy] the ultimate reality,

James 3:9 — James 3:9 . ἐν αὐτῇ : this is Hebrew usage, cf. εἰ πατάξομεν ἐν μαχαίρῃ , Luke 22:49 ; ἀποκτεῖναι ἐν ῥομφαίᾳ , Revelation 6:8 . εὐλογοῦμεν : this use is Hellenistic. Both in speaking and writing the Jews always added the words ברו־ הוא (“Blessed [be]

James 4:17 — ποιήσας πρὸς τὸ θέλημα αὐτοῦ δαρήσεται πολλάς . With καλὸν ποιεῖν cf. Galatians 6:9 , τὸ δὲ καλὸν ποιοῦντες μὴ ἐνκακῶμεν . ἁμαρτία αὐτῷ ἐστιν : for the converse of this, namely, doing what is wrong in ignorance in which case it is excusable see Acts 3:17 , “And now, brethren, I wot that in ignorance ye did it, as did also your rulers”; 1 Timothy 1:13 , “… howbeit, I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief”. It is, however, quite possible that we have in these

1 Peter 5:1 — with the duties of the station of life in which you are called. πρεσβυτέρους , not merely older men as contrasted with younger (1 Peter 5:5 ), but elders , such as had been appointed by Paul and Barnabas in the Churches of Southern Asia (Acts 14:23 ). The collective τῶν κλήρων (1 Peter 5:3 ) and the exhortation, shepherd the flock (1 Peter 5:2 ) prove that they are the official heads of the communities addressed. Similarly St. Paul bade the elders of the Church (Acts 20:17 ) at Ephesus take

1 John 5:16 — Preacher, or to such as had profited by him”. (2) A decisive apostasy, a deliberate rejection. This was the case of those heretics. They had abcured Christ and followed Antichrist. This is what Jesus calls ἡ τοῦ Πνεύματος βλασφημία (Matthew 12:31-32 = Mark 3:28-30 ). It inflicts a mortal wound on the man’s spiritual nature. He can never be forgiven because he can never repent. He is “in the grip of an eternal sin ( ἔνοχος αἰωνίου ἁμαρτήματος )”. Cf. Hebrews 4:4-6 . This is

Jude 1:13 — Jude 1:13 . κύματα ἄγρια θαλάσσης ἐπαφρίζοντα τὰς ἑαυτῶν αἰσχύνας . Cf. Cic. Ad Hercnn. iv. 55, spumans ex ore scelus . The two former illustrations, the reefs and the clouds, refer to the specious professions of the libertines and the mischief they caused;

Revelation 2:14 — Aboth, Revelation 2:19 ), an evil eye, a proud spirit, and a sensual soul. Contemporary opponents of Gnostic tendencies evidently found it an effective weapon to employ O.T. analogies or identifications such as this or the similar ones in 2 Timothy 3:8 , Jude 1:2 . In the Hexateuch (JE = Numbers 25:1-5 , [901] =Numbers 25:6-18 , 31; Numbers 8-16, Joshua 13:22 ) Balaam is represented as a magician who prompts the Moabite women to seduce the Israelites into foreign worship and its attendant sensualism;

Revelation 2:24 — Revelation 2:24 . To know “the depths” of the divine being and counsel was a characteristic claim of the Ophites and the later Gnostics; cf. Iren. adv. Haer. ii. 22, 1 (qui profunda bythi adinuenisse se dicunt; cf. 3), and Tertullian’s sarcastic description ( adv. Vàlent . 1), “Eleusinia Ualentiniana fecerunt lenocinia. sancta silentio magno, sola taciturnitate coelestia. Si bona fide quaeris, concreto uultu, suspenso supercilio Altum est aiunt.”