Bible Commentaries

Matthew 18:8-9 — Matthew 18:8-9 . These verses are one of Mt.’s dualities, being found with some variations in the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 18:29-30 ). Repetition perhaps due to use of two sources, but in sympathy with the connection of thought in both places. Since the offender is the greater loser in the end, it is worth his while to take precautions against being an offender.

Matthew 21:24 — Matthew 21:24 . esus replies by an embarrassing counter-question as to the ministry of the Baptist. λόγον ἔνα , hardly: one question for your many (Beng.) rather: a question, or thing, one and the same ( cf. for εἶς in this sense Genesis 41:25-26 ; 1 Corinthians 3:8 ; 1 Corinthians 11:5 ), an analogous question as we should say; one answer would do for theirs and for His.

Mark 8:17 — Mark 8:17 . γνοὺς : He does notice, however, and administers a sharp rebuke for their preoccupation with mere temporalities, as if there were nothing higher to be thought of than bread . πεπωρωμένην , in a hardened state; the word stands in an emphatic position. For the time the Twelve are wayside hearers, with hearts like a beaten path, into which the higher truths cannot sink so as to germinate.

Mark 8:25 — Mark 8:25 . A second touch brings better vision, so that διέβλεψεν , and he was now restored to full use of his eyes; the result being permanent perfect vision ἐνέβλεπεν , imperfect. διέβλεψεν points to the first act of distinct seeing. τηλαυγῶς ( τῆλε , αὐγή here only), shining from afar. He saw distant objects distinctly as if they were near; did not need to go near them to see them.

Mark 8:28 — Mark 8:28 . οἱ δὲ εἰπαν α . λέγοντες , they said, saying; tautology, somewhat like the vulgar English idiom: He said, says he; fixing attention on what is said. Ἰωάννην τ . Β .: the accusative depending on λέγουσιν οἱ ἄνθρωποί σε εἰναι understood. This infinitive construction passes into direct speech in the last clause: ὅτι εἷς ( εἶ ) τ . προφητῶν . The opinions reported are much the same as in Mark 6:14-15 .

Mark 8:4 — Mark 8:4 . πόθεν , whence? This adverb was used by the Greeks, in speaking of food, in reference to the source of supply πόθεν φάγητε = “unde cibum petituri sitis”. Examples in Kypke, Raphel, Palairet. ἐπʼ ἐρημίας , in a desert. The scene of the first feeding is a desert place also (chap. Mark 6:32 ). But in that case food was purchasable within a reasonable distance; not so here.

Luke 23:14 — Luke 23:14 . ἀποστρέφοντα , turning away (the people from their allegiance). In Acts 3:26 , of turning men from their iniquities. ἐνώπιον ὑ ἀνακρίνας , having made an inquiry in your presence . In John, Pilate’s inquiry is private. “He says this,” remarks Pricaeus, “lest they should think he was setting Jesus free by favour or intrigue” ( gratiâ ant ambitu ). ἀνακρίνας is used absolutely here as in Acts 24:8 .

John 8:26 — John 8:26 . πολλὰ ἔχω … “many things have I to speak and to judge about you,” some of which are uttered in the latter part of this chapter. ἀλλʼ ὁ πέμψας … But however hard for you to receive these things are what are given me to say by Him that sent me, and therefore I must speak them; and not to you only but to the world εἰς τὸν κόσμον .

Acts 13:6 — Acts 13:6 . διελθόντες δὲ ( ὅλην ) τὴν ν .: “and they made a missionary progress through the whole island,” Ramsay, St. Paul , pp. 72 and 384, and “Words demoting Missionary Travel in Acts,” Expositor , May, 1896; on ὅλην , see critical notes. Ramsay gives nine examples in Acts of this use of διέρχεσθαι or διελθεῖν with the accusative of the region traversed, the only other

Acts 17:11 — Thessalonian Jews; see Ramsay, Church in the Roman Empire , pp. 154, 160, 163, on the less favourable attitude of Codex Bezæ to the Berœans than the T.R., and critical note; see also above on Acts 13:50 . προθ .: another word only in Luke and Paul, cf. 2Co 8:11-12 ; 2 Corinthians 8:19 ; 2 Corinthians 9:2 ; not in LXX, but once in Sir 45:23 , frequent in classical Greek. τὸ καθʼ ἡμέραν : indicates that St. Paul made a lengthy stay at Berœa also, cf. Luke 11:3 ; Luke 19:47 , but elsewhere without the article,

Acts 17:24 — 14:15 . In the LXX κόσμος is never used as a synonym of the world, i.e. , the universe (but cf. Proverbs 17:6 , Grimm, sub v. ), except in the Apocryphal books, where it is frequently used of the created universe, Wis 7:17 ; Wis 9:3 ; 2Ma 7:23 ; 2Ma 8:18 ; 4Ma 5:25 (24), etc., Grimm, sub v. , and Cremer, Wörterbuch . οὗτος : “He being Lord of heaven and earth,” R.V., more emphatic and less ambiguous than A.V., “seeing that”. ὑπάρχων “being the natural Lord” (Farrar),

1 Corinthians 2:12 — 1 Corintios 1:23 , en contraste con el σοφοὶ y δυνατοὶ del mundo. El κόσμος cuyo “espíritu” la App. “ no recibió”, es aquella cuya “sabiduría Dios ha reducido a locura” ( 1 Corintios 1:20 .), cuyos “príncipes crucificaron al Señor” ( 1 Corintios 2:8 ), su espíritu es ampliamente concebido como el poder animando al mundo en su antipatía hacia Dios ( cf. 2 Corintios 4:4 ; Efesios 2:2 ; Juan 12:31 , etc., 1 Juan 4:1-6 ). Otros (Est., Cv [385], Bz [386], Hn [387], Sm [388]) leen la frase en un

1 Corinthians 5:11 — sentido lógico (no temporal) de νῦν (o νυνί): “Pero ahora , después de esto, como ahora aparecen las cosas (debes entender que) escribí”, etc. , esta ἔγραψα repitiendo así la anterior. Νυνὶ δὲ tiene el mismo sentido temporal enfático en 2 Corintios 8:11 ; Efesios 2:13 . ἐάν τις ἀδελφὸς ὀνομαζόμενος, “si alguno lleva el nombre de hermano ”, el punto de la regla enmendada, que P. por escrito antes aparentemente se había dejado al sentido común de sus lectores, pero se ve obligado a hacerlo explícito.

2 Corinthians 6:6-7 — sólo la castidad, sino la pureza de intención y de pensamiento en general ( cf. cap. 2 Corintios 7:11 ; Santiago 3:17 ; 1 Juan 3:3 ), en conocimiento, sc. , de las cosas divinas (el λόγος γνώσεως es uno de los dones del Espíritu, 1 Corintios 12:8 ), en la paciencia (una gracia especialmente necesaria para un misionero cristiano; en Romanos 2:4 ; Romanos 9:22 ; 1 Timoteo 1:16 , S. Pablo habla del μακροθυμία de Dios, pero generalmente lo aplica al hombre; ver Proverbios 25:15 ), en bondad

Galatians 2:8 — Galatians 2:8 . ἐνεργήσας . When this verb is applied to the work of the Spirit in the hearts of men, the preposition ἐν is added to it. The absence of ἐν before Πέτρῳ and ἐμοί indicates that this verse is not describing the work of grace in the hearts of Peter and Paul, but the work of God for them, i.e. , for the furtherance of the Gospel which they preached.

1 Thessalonians 5:5 — 1 Thessalonians 5:5 . The present age is utter night ( שֶׁכֻּלּוֹ לַיְלָה ), as contemporary rabbis taught; the age to come is all day. Meantime faith is to be held fast through this night ( cf. passages quoted in Schlatter’s die Sprache u. Heimat des vierten Evangelisten , 17, 18). υἱοὶ φ . καὶ ὑ . ἡμέρας is a stronger and Semitic way of expressing the thought of “belonging to” ( cf. 1 Thessalonians 5:8 ).

Hebrews 8:7-13 — Hebrews 8:7-13 . A justification of the establishment of a better covenant, on the grounds (1) that the first covenant was not faultless; (2) that Jeremiah had predicted the introduction of a new covenant ( a ) not like the old, but ( b ) based upon better promises; and (3) that even in Jeremiah’s days the first covenant was antiquated by the very title “new” ascribed to that which was then promised.

2 Peter 2:13 — in 2 Peter 2:15 , who never received his promised hire from Balak (Numbers 24:11 ). Death deprives the false teachers of all their reward. For significance of the name “Balaam,” in connexion with the false teachers, see Introduction, p. 118. ἡδονὴν in N.T. only in a bad sense, cf. Luke 8:14 , Titus 3:3 , James 4:1-3 . τρυφή only in N.T. in Luke 7:25 where it is used of “delicate living,” a luxurious life, but with no special blame attached. The word is also used of gifts of

2 Peter 2:13 — 2:15 , quien nunca recibió su salario prometido de Balac ( Números 24:11 ). La muerte priva a los falsos maestros de toda su recompensa. Para conocer el significado del nombre “Balaam”, en relación con los falsos maestros, véase Introducción, p. 118. ἡδονὴν en el NT sólo en un mal sentido, cf. Lucas 8:14 ; Tito 3:3 ; Santiago 4:1-3 . τρυφή solo en el NT en Lucas 7:25 donde se usa para referirse a una “vida delicada”, una vida lujosa, pero sin culpa especial. La palabra también se usa para

3 John 1:11 — 3 John 1:11 . A warning against evil example. The pres. participles ἀγαθοποιῶν , κακοποιῶν denote continuance in and practice of good or bad. See note on 1 John 3:6 . ἐκ τοῦ Θεοῦ , “a child of God” ( cf. 1 John 3:10 ). Observe the gentleness of the Apostle: the natural antithesis of ἐκ τοῦ Θεοῦ would be ἐκ τοῦ διαβόλου (1 John 3:8 ), but he says οὐχ ἑώρακεν τὸν Θεόν .