Bible Commentaries

Matthew 11:21 — Matthew 11:21 . Χοραζίν , Βηθσαϊδάν : the former not again mentioned in Gospels, the latter seldom ( vide Mark 6:45 ; Mark 8:22 ; Luke 9:10 ), yet scenes of important evangelic incidents, probably connected with the synagogue ministry in Galilee (Matthew 4:23 ). The Gospels are brief records of a ministry crowded with events. These two towns may be named along with Capernaum

Matthew 14:31 — Matthew 14:31 . ἐδίστασας : again in Matthew 28:17 , nowhere else in N. T., from δίς , double, hence to be of two minds, to doubt ( cf. δίψυχος , James 1:8 ).

Matthew 15:32 — Matthew 15:32 . σπλαγχνίζομαι , with ἐπὶ as in Matthew 14:14 , Mark 8:2 , with περὶ in Matthew 9:36 . In the first feeding Christ’s compassion is moved by the sickness among the multitude, here by their hunger. ἡμέραι τρεῖς : that this is the true reading is guaranteed by the unusual construction, the accusative

Matthew 2:15 — the stay in Egypt cannot have been long, only a few months, prohably, before the death of Herod (Nösgen). ἵνα πληρωθῇ : another prophetic reference, this time proceeding directly from the evangelist; Hosea 11:1 , given after the Hebrew, not the Sept [8] , which for בְנִי has τέκνα αὐτοῦ . The oracle states a historical fact, and can therefore only be a typical prophecy. The event in the life of the infant Jesus may seem an insignificant fulfilment. Not so did it appear to the evangelist. For him all

Mark 2:8 — Mark 2:8 . εὐθὺς ἐπιγνοὺς : Jesus read their thoughts at once , and through and through ( ἐπὶ ). τῷ πνεύματι , by His spirit , as distinct from the ear, they having said nothing.

Mark 6:8 — Mark 6:8 . εἰ μὴ ῥάβδον μόνον : vide in Matthew, ad loc. χαλκόν : no mention of gold and silver, brass the only money the poor missionaries were likely to handle.

Mark 8:32 — Mark 8:32 . παρρησίᾳ : He spoke the word plainly , unmistakably. This remark was rendered almost necessary by the choice of the word διδάσκειν in Mark 8:31 . Mt.’s δεικνύειν implies παρρησίᾳ . This word (from πᾶς , ῥῆσις ) in ordinary Greek usage means

Luke 8:40 — Luke 8:40 . On the western side (Mark 5:21 ). Lk. still follows Mk. closely, mentioning the cordial welcome given Jesus on His arrival on the Galilean shore, and proceeding to narrate the incidents of the woman with a flux, and Jairus’ daughter. ὁ ὄχλος

Luke 8:46 — Luke 8:46 . ἐγὼ ἔγνων : Lk. puts into the mouth of Jesus what in Mk. is a remark of the narrator. Vide notes on this incident in Mt. and Mk.

John 8:3 — John 8:3 . ἄγουσι δὲ οἱ γραμματεῖς … κατειλημμένην . The scribes and the Pharisees, who in the synoptics regularly appear as the enemies of Jesus, bring to Him a woman taken in adultery. In itself an unlawful thing to do, for they had a court in which the

John 8:6 — John 8:6 . τοῦτο δὲ … αὐτοῦ . “And this they said tempting Him,” hoping that His habitual pity would lead Him to exonerate the woman. [“Si Legi subscriberet, videri poterat sibi quodammodo dissimilis,” Calvin. προσεδόκων ὅτι φείσεται

Acts 22:20 — “martyrs” because such an honourable name only belonged to the true and faithful Witness, or to those who had sealed their testimony by constancy to the end, and they feared lest they should waver: Euseb., Hist. , v., 2. καὶ αὐτὸς , cf. Acts 8:13 , Acts 15:32 , Acts 21:24 , Acts 24:15-16 , Acts 25:22 , Acts 27:36 , here it is placed in sharp contrast to the preceding words about Stephen (with whose witness he was now identified). On καὶ αὐτὸς as characteristic of Luke in his Gospel and Acts

Acts 26:9 — Acts 26:9 . ἐγὼ μὲν οὖν : the words may be taken as simply resuming the narrative of the Apostle’s life which he had commenced in Acts 26:4-5 , the three succeeding verses forming a parenthesis, or as an answer to the question of Acts 26:8 , the real antithesis to μὲν οὖν , Acts 26:9 , and the narrative, Acts 26:9-11 , being found in Acts 26:12 and what follows. On μὲν οὖν see Rendall, Acts , Appendix, p. 163, and also Page on Acts 2:41 , Acts , pp. 94, 95; see also critical note above.

Romans 15:26 — question, but here as in many places with the idea that it was a spontaneous and cordial resolution (though it had been suggested by Paul): see chap. Romans 10:1 (Fritzsche’s note there), Luke 12:32 , Galatians 1:15 , 1 Corinthians 1:21 , 1Th 2:8 ; 1 Thessalonians 3:1 . κοινωνίαν τινὰ : τινὰ marks the in-definiteness of the collection. It was no assessment to raise a prescribed amount, but “some contribution,” more or less according to will and circumstances. For κοινωνίαν in this

Romans 5:17 — shall reign in life ,” not “life shall reign in or over us”. The future in βασιλεύσουσιν is no doubt logical, but it refers nevertheless to the consummation of redemption in the Messianic kingdom in the world to come. Cf. Romans 8:17 ; Romans 8:21 , Col 3:3 f., 2 Timothy 2:12 .

2 Corinthians 1:13 — 12:3 ; συνκρίνω , ἀνκρίνω , 1 Corinthians 2:13-14 ; ἐργαζόμενοι … περιεργαζόμενοι , 2 Thessalonians 3:11 ; cf. for other illustrations 1 Corinthians 7:31 ; 1Co 11:31 ; 1 Corinthians 12:2 , Philippians 3:2 , Ephesians 5:15 , and chaps 2 Corinthians 4:8 , 2 Corinthians 10:12 below. ἀλλʼ ἤ is equivalent to “except”; cf. Job 6:5 , Isaiah 42:19 . ἐλπίζω δὲ ὅτι κ . τ . λ .: and I hope that ye will acknowledge unto the end, sc. , unto the day of the Lord’s appearing (as in 1 Corinthians

2 Corinthians 1:20 — 2 Corinthians 1:20 . ὅσαι γὰρ ἐπαγγελίαι κ . τ . λ .: for how many soever be the promises of God, in Him is the Yea . Not only was Christ a διάκονος περιτομῆς … εἰς τὸ βεβαιῶσαι τὰς ἐπαγγελίας τῶν πατέρων (Romans 15:8 ), but He is Himself, in His own Person, the true fulfilment and recapitulation of them all ( cf. Galatians 3:8 ). διὸ καὶ διʼ αὐτοῦ τὸ Ἀμήν κ . τ . λ .: wherefore also through Him is the “Amen,” to the glory of God, through us . The reading

Hebrews 8:1-6 — Hebrews 8:1-6 . The idea of Christ’s priesthood, merely suggested in Hebrews 1:3 , expressly affirmed in Hebrews 2:17 , has been from Hebrews 4:14 onwards enlarged upon and illustrated. It has been shown that Christ is a priest, called by God to this office

1 John 5:1-2 — brotherhood . And faith in the Incarnation ( ὅτι Ἰησοῦς ἐστιν ὁ Χριστός ) is an inspiration for both. πιστεύων corresponds to πίστις (1 John 5:4 ). The lack of a similar correspondence in English is felt here as in many other passages ( e.g. , Matthew 8:10 ; Matthew 8:13 ; Matthew 9:28-29 ). Latin is similarly defective: “omnis qui credit ,” “ fides nostra”.

2 John 1:1 — according to the Greek idiom, when a man speaks of himself in the third person, he passes immediately to the first. Cf. Plat. Euthyphr . 5 A: οὐδέ τῳ ἂν διαφέροι Εὐθύφρων τῶν πολλῶν ἀνθρώπων , εἰ μὴ τὰ τοιαῦτα πάντα ἀκριβῶς εἰδείην . Soph. Aj. , 864 65. The construction is found in loose English; cf. Thackeray, Barry Lyndon , chap. xviii. “I was a man who never deserved that so much prosperity should fall to my share”. ἐν ἀληθείᾳ (see note on 1 John 1:8 ) defines the Elder’s