Bible Commentaries

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.

Matthew 26:6-13 — Matthew 26:6-13 . Anointing in Bethany (Mark 14:3-9 , cf. John 12:1-11 ). Six days before Passover in John; no time fixed in Mt. and Mk. Certainly within Passion week. The thing chiefly to be noted is the setting of this pathetic scene, between priestly plotting and false discipleship. “Hatred and baseness on either hand and true love in the midst” ( Training of the Twelve ).

Mark 10:15 — Mark 10:15 answers to Matthew 18:3 . As Jesus gave several lessons on humility and kindred virtues, in Capernaum, here, and on the way to Jericho (Mark 10:35 f.), it is not to be wondered at if the sayings spoken in the several lessons got somewhat mixed in the tradition. It does not greatly matter when they were uttered. The thing to be thankful for is their preservation.

Mark 15:3 — Mark 15:3 . πολλά : either an adverb = much, or the accusative after κατηγόρουν . As to the matter of these accusations vide on Mt. But to what end, when Jesus had confessed that He was King; giving Himself away, so to speak? The Sanhedrists must have seen from Pilate’s manner, a smile on his face perhaps, that he did not take the confession seriously. For the reason of this vide on Mt.

Luke 12:56 — Luke 12:56 . ὑποκριταί seems too strong a term to apply to the people, and more appropriate to a Pharisaic or professional audience (Matthew 16:3 ). Raphel, after Erasmus Schmidt, translates harioli , weather prophets, citing a passage from Lucian in support of this sense. This is certainly one meaning of the word ( vide Passow), but, as Hahn remarks, the usage of the N.T. does not support it here.

Luke 6:3 — Luke 6:3 . οὐδὲ , for Mk.’s οὐδέποτε and Mt.’s οὐκ = not even; have ye so little understood the spirit of the O. T.? (De Wette). The word might be analysed into οὐ , δὲ , when it will mean: but have ye not then read this? So Hofmann, Nösgen, Hahn. ὁπότε , here only in N. T., if even here, for many good MSS. have ὅτε (W.H [61] ). [61] Westcott and Hort.

Luke 6:40 — Luke 6:40 . The connection here also is obscure; the adage might be taken as directed against the conceit of scholars presuming to criticise their teachers, which is checked by the reminder that the utmost height that can be reached by the fully equipped ( κατηρτισμένος , a Pauline word, 1 Corinthians 1:10 , cf. 2 Timothy 3:17 , ἐξηρτισμένος ) scholar is to be on a level with his teacher.

Acts 25:7 — Acts 25:7 . περιέστησαν : if we add αὐτόν , see critical note, “stood round about him,” i.e. , Paul, R.V., “periculum intentantes,” Bengel. ( Cf. John 11:42 , Jdt 5:22 , omit 1 .) πολλὰ καὶ βαρέα : “many and (indeed) heavy,” etc., Winer-Moulton, lix., 3, perhaps as in Matthew 23:23 , weighty, of great moment. αἰτιάματα φέρ ., see critical note. ἀιτίαμ . in Æschylus and Thucydides. For καταφέροντες , Acts 26:10 , cf. Deuteronomy 22:14 .

Romans 4:16-22 — Romans 4:16-22 . The Apostle can now develop, without further interruption or digression, his idea of the representative (and therefore universal) character of Abraham’s justification. The New Testament cannot be said to subvert the Old if the method of justification is the same under both. Nay, it establishes the Old (Romans 3:31 ). This is the point which is enforced in the closing verses of chap. 4.

Romans 6:2 — Romans 6:2 . μὴ γένοιτο , cf. Romans 3:4 . οἵτινες ἀπεθάνομεν τῇ ἁμαρτίᾳ : the relative is qualitative: “we, being as we are persons who died to sin”. For the dative, see Romans 6:10-11 , and Winer, p. 263. To have died to sin is to be utterly and for ever out of any relation to it. πῶς ἔτι ζήσομεν ; how after that shall we live in it? impossible.

Galatians 1:3 — Galatians 1:3 . The apostolic blessing is here as elsewhere summed up in the comprehensive words grace and peace . These include the lifegiving power of the spirit as well as the assurance of God’s forgiving love in Christ and peace with an accusing conscience. This verse affirms once more the co-operation of the Father with the Son in devising and carrying out the scheme of man’s redemption.

1 Thessalonians 2:12 — 1 Thessalonians 2:12 . ἀξίως in this connection (see references) was a familiar ethnic phrase. C. Michel (in his Recueil d’inscriptions grecques , 1900, 266, 413) quotes two pre-Christian instances with τῶν θεῶν . εἰς τὸ , κ . τ . λ ., grammatically meaning either the object or the content of the solemn charge ( cf. Moulton, 218 f.). The ethic is dominated by the eschatology, as in 1 Thessalonians 3:13 , 1 Thessalonians 5:23 .

2 Thessalonians 3:13 — 2 Thessalonians 3:13 . ὑμεῖς δέ , whoever else drops out of the ranks of industrious, steady Christians. μὴ ἐγκ ., implying that they had not begun to grow slack (Moulton, 122 f.). Perhaps with a special allusion to the presence of people who abused charity; generous Christians must not forego liberality and help, arguing that it is no use to succour any because some will take advantage of the church’s largess.

Hebrews 3:18 — Hebrews 3:18 . τίσι δὲ ὤμοσε .… “And to whom swore He that they should not enter into His rest, but to them that obeyed not?” The real cause of their exclusion from the rest prepared for them was their disobedience. Cf. especially the scene recorded in Numbers 14:0 . where Moses declares that as ἀπειθοῦντες Κυρίῳ they were excluded from the land. At the root of their disobedience was unbelief.

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.

1 Peter 3:10-12 — 1 Peter 3:10-12 = Psalms 34:12-17 a. introduced by mere γάρ as familiar. The lips of Christians who wish to love life must be free from cursing and from guile as were Christ’s ( cf. Isa. apud ii. 23). If Jehovah is to hear their petition as He heard Christ’s they also must turn from evil and do good ( cf. ἀγαθοποιεῖν above) seeking peace within and without the Church.

1 Peter 3:5 — 1 Peter 3:5 . ποτε refers vaguely to O.T. history as part of αἱ … θεόν . References to the holy women of the O.T. are rare in N.T. and this appeal to their example illustrates the affinity of Peter to Heb. (Hebrews 11:11 ; Hebrews 11:35 ). Hannah is the obviously appropriate type ( cf. Luke 1:0 with 2 Samuel 1 f.); but Peter is thinking of the traditional idealisation of Sarah.

Revelation 17:2 — Revelation 17:2 . Tyre’s commercial intercourse with the nations (Isaiah 23:17 ) and Assyria’s political intrigues, by which her statecraft fascinated and seduced other states (Nahum 3:4 ) are both described by the same figure. Local and national cults, as a rule, were left undisturbed by the Romans; and indeed Oriental superstitions often reacted powerfully on Rome itself. But fresh conquests meant the extension of Rome’s intoxicating and godless suzerainty.

Revelation 19:1 — Revelation 19:1 . Here only in N.T. (after the ruin of sinners, as Psalms 104:35 ) the liturgical hallelujah of the psalter and synagogue worship occurs. In Revelation 19:1 ; Revelation 19:3 ; Revelation 19:6 it stands as usual first, an invocation = “praise Jah”; but in Revelation 19:4 it is responsive, as in Pss. 104 5., 115 117. (the latter being sung at the passover; cf. Revelation 19:7 ).

Revelation 4:6 — tradición arcaica (coloreada por ideas egipcias y asirias) , pretende retratar el éter, claro y tranquilo, resplandeciente e inmóvil. La fantasía rabínica comparó el piso brillante del templo con el cristal, y el cielo cálido del este se asemeja (en Job 37:18 ) a un espejo fundido, seco y bruñido. El cielo es una especie de templo glorificado ( 1 Reyes 7:23 , el mar en el templo salomónico se copia del tanque oblongo o redondo que representaba el océano en cada templo babilónico, mientras que la tierra