Bible Commentaries

Matthew 10:2 — 2. ] We have in the N.T. four catalogues of the Apostles: the present one, at Mark 3:16 , Luke 6:14 , Acts 1:13 . All seem to follow one common outline, but fill it up very differently. The following table will shew the agreements and differences Matthew

Matthew 13:16-17 — 16, 17. ] See ref. Prov. These verses occur again in a different connexion, and with the form of expression slightly varied, Luke 10:23-24 . It was a saying likely to be repeated. There it is μακάρ . οἱ ὀφθ . οἱ βλέποντες ἃ βλέπετε : and for δίκαιοι we have βασιλεῖς . On the fact that prophets, &c. desired to see those things, see 2 Samuel 23:5 ; Job 19:23-27 ; also Exodus 4:13 , and Luke 2:29-32 .

John 11:20 — 20. ] The behaviour of the two sisters is quite in accordance with their character, Luke 10:38-42 ; and thus we have a most interesting point of connexion between two Gospels so widely various in their contents and character. Stier thinks (John 11:19 , edn. 2), as also Trench (Mirr. 398, edn. 2), that Mary did not hear of the approach of Jesus, and that we must not bring the characters to bear on this case (?).

Acts 10:45 — 45 .] We do not read that Peter himself was astonished. He had been specially prepared by the vision: they had not . The λαλεῖν γλώσσαις here is identified with the λ . ἑτέραις γλ . of ch. Acts 2:4 , by the assertion of ch. Acts 11:15 , just cited; and this again with the ἐλάλουν γλώσσαις of ch. Acts 19:6 : so that the gift was one and the same throughout . On the whole subject, see note, ch. Acts 2:4 .

Acts 14:15 — 15. ματαίων ] viz. θεῶν [contrasted with θεὸν ζῶντα ]: the words of ref. 1 Thess. ἐπεστρέψατε πρὸς τὸν θεὸν ἀπὸ τῶν εἰδώλων , are remarkably like these. θεὸν ζῶντα , without the articles, is characteristic of Paul: see Romans 9:26 ; 2Co 3:3 ; 2 Corinthians 6:16 ; 1 Thessalonians 1:9 ; 1 Timothy 3:15 ; 1Ti 4:10 al. It also occurs Hebrews 3:12 ; Hebrews 9:14 ; Hebrews 10:31 ; Hebrews 12:22 ; Revelation 7:2 .

Acts 18:3 — Rabban Gamaliel saith, ‘He that hath a trade in his hand, to what is he like? He is like a vineyard that is fenced.’ ” C. and H. i. p. 58. The places where Paul refers to his supporting himself by his own manual labour are, ch. Acts 20:34 (Ephesus): 1 Corinthians 9:12 ff.; 2 Corinthians 7:2 (Corinth): 1 Thessalonians 2:9 ; 2 Thessalonians 3:8 (Thessalonica). In 2 Corinthians 11:9 , we learn that supplies were also brought to him at Corinth from Macedonia, i.e. Philippi, see Philippians

Acts 2:42-47 — 42 47 .] DESCRIPTION OF THE LIFE AND HABITS OF THE FIRST BELIEVERS. This description anticipates ; embracing a period extending beyond the next chapter. This is plain from Acts 2:43 ; for the miracle related in the next chapter was evidently the first which attracted any public attention: Acts 2:44-45 , again, are taken up anew at the end of chap. 4, where we have a very similar description, evidently applying to the same period.

Acts 7:29 — 29. Μαδιάμ ] So LXX, Exodus 2:15 , for מִדְיָן . Winer (Realw. ‘Midian’) supposes this Madian to have been a nomad detachment of the more settled Midianites, which at that time was encamped in the neighbourhood of Sinai and Horeb. For Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, is not found there, in Exodus 18:1 ff., but comes to visit Moses from a distance. See also Numbers 10:29 ff. υἱοὺς δύο ] Exodus 2:22 ; Exodus 4:20 ; Exodus 18:3 .

Acts 7:43 — with the head of an ox, and outstretched arms of a man, hollow; and human sacrifices (of children) were offered, by laying them in these arms and heating the image by a fire kindled within. The rigid prohibitions of the worship of Moloch (Leviticus 18:21 ; Lev 20:2-5 ) were openly transgressed by Ahaz, 2 Kings 16:3 ; by Manasseh, ib. 2 Kings 21:6 ; see also Acts 23:10 ; Jeremiah 7:31 ; Jeremiah 32:35 . In the kingdom of Israel this abomination had been long practised, see 2 Kings 17:17 ; Ezekiel 23:37

Romans 6:6 — 6. ] Knowing (recollecting) this, that our old man (former self, personality before our new birth opposed to καινός or νέος ἄνθρ ., καινὴ κτίσις , see Colossians 3:10 ; 2 Corinthians 5:17 ; Ephesians 4:22-24 , not merely the guilt of sin, nor the power of sin, but the man . The idea is not Jewish, as Tholuck has shewn: the passage quoted from the Sohar-chadasch not bearing the meaning commonly given to it, and if it

Romans 8:23 — 23 .] The text here is in inextricable confusion (see var. read.), but the sense very little affected. But (moreover) not only (the creation), but even ourselves, possessing (not ‘ who possess ,’ οἱ ἔχοντες , but ‘ though we possess

2 Corinthians 6:18 — 18. ] The citation continues, setting forth the blessings promised to those who do thus come out from heathendom. Various passages of the O. T. are combined. In 2 Kings 7:14 (LXX), we have ἐγὼ ἔσομαι αὐτῷ εἰς πατ ., κ . αὐτὸς ἔσται μοι εἰς υἱόν · the expression οἱ υἱοί μου and αἱ θυγατέρες μου is found Isaiah 43:6 ; and τάδε λέγει κύριος παντοκράτωρ begins the section from which the former clauses are taken, 2 Kings 7:8 (LXX).

Galatians 1:20 — 20 .] This asseveration (cf. 2Co 11:31 ) applies most naturally to the important fact just asserted his short visit to Jerusalem, and his having seen only Peter and James, rather than to the whole subject of the chapter. If a report had been spread in

Colossians 1:1 — 1 . διὰ θελήματος θεοῦ ] see on reff. καὶ Τιμόθεος ] as in 2 Corinthians 1:1 (see also Philippians 1:1 ; Philemon 1:1 , and 2Th 1:1 ). ὁ ἀδελφός ] see on 2 Corinthians 1:1 . On his presence with the Apostle at the time of writing this Epistle, see Prolegg. to Past. Epp. § i. 5. Chrys. (and similarly Thl.) says on ὁ ἀδελφός , οὐκοῦν καὶ αὐτὸς ἀπόστολος : but there seems no reason for this.

2 Thessalonians 2:6 — ‘now’ in our argument. We most not for a moment think of the ungrammatical rendering of Whitby, Masker., Heydenr., Schrader, OlSh., B.-Crus., and Wieseler, ‘ that which at present hinders ,’ which must be τὸ νῦν κατέχον : and for which 2 Thessalonians 2:7 , Romans 12:3 , 1 Corinthians 7:17 , are no precedent whatever, not presenting any case of inversion of an adverb from its emphatic place between an article and a participle. νῦν is a mere adverb of passage, and the stress is on

Titus 1:7 — 7 ff.] For it behoves an ( τόν , as so often (reff.), generic, the , i.e. every: our English idiom requires the indefinite article) overseer (see note, 1 Timothy 3:2 ; here most plainly identified with the presbyter spoken of before. So Thdrt.: ἐντεῦθεν δῆλον , ὡς τοὺς πρεσβυτέρους ἐπισκόπους ὠνόμαζον ) to be blameless, as God’s steward (see 1 Timothy 3:15 , to which image, that of a responsible servant and

Titus 2:6 — 6 ff.] The younger men in like manner exhort to be self-restrained (see above Titus 2:5 , and 1 Timothy 2:9 , note), shewing thyself (the use of σεαυτόν with παρέχεσθαι is somewhat remarkable, but borne out by Xen. in reff. The account of it seems to be, that παρέχεσθαι τύπον would be the regular expression for ‘to set an example,’

Philemon 1:1 — εὐαγγελίου , Philemon 1:13 . He does not designate himself as ἀπόστολος , or the like, as writing familiarly, and not authoritatively. Τιμόθ . ] see Prolegg. to 1 Tim. § i. 10. συνεργῷ ] for construction, see Romans 16:3 ; Romans 16:9 ; Romans 16:21 . We cannot say when or how, but may well infer that it was at Colossæ, in building up the church there, while the Apostle was at Ephesus: see Prolegg. to Col. § ii. 7. ἡμῶν ] Storr (cited in Koch) remarks, “In epistolarum inscriptione, quamvis

James 2:14-26 — 14 26 .] In close connexion with what has gone before, the Apostle sets forth that bare faith without works can never save a man . The following remarks of De Wette on the passage are important, and well condensed. They have been impugned by many, among

2 Peter 3:16 — escape from the supposed difficulty: for οἷς is correlative with τὰς λοιπὰς γραφάς , and must therefore designate some writings previously mentioned: or else the sentence is stultified) are some things difficult to understand (De W. especially refers to 2 Thessalonians 2:1 ff.: and it is not improbable that this may have been particularly in the Apostle’s mind. See note on 2 Timothy 2:18 . Grot. is clearly wrong in extending the list to difficulties about faith and works, &c.), which the ignorant