Bible Commentaries

Matthew 13:38 — , but repeated again and again. In the parable the Lord gathers as it were the whole human race into one lifetime , as they will be gathered in one harvest, and sets that forth as simultaneous, which has been scattered over the ages of time. But (2) as applying principally to the βασ . τ . οὐρ . which lay in the future and began with the Lord’s incarnation, the parable sets forth to us the universal sowing of GOOD SEED by the Gospel: it sows no bad seed: all this is done by the enemy,

Luke 3:23 — 23. ] Jesus was about thirty years old when He began (His ministry); not, ‘began to be about,’ &c., which is ungrammatical, ἀρχόμενος τῆς εἰς τὸν λαὸν ἀναδείξεως αὐτοῦ , ἤτοι τῆς διδασκαλίας , Euthym [35] , so also Orig [36] , Bengel, Kuin.,

John 18:28 — 28. κ . αὐτοὶ οὐκ εἰσῆλθ . ] I have already discussed the difficulties attending the subject of our Lord’s last Passover, in the note on Matthew 26:17-19 . I will add here some remarks of Friedlieb’s, Arch. der Leid. § 30. “The

Acts 1:18 — 18. ] This verse cannot be regarded as inserted by Luke ; for, 1. the place of its insertion would be most unnatural for an historical notice; 2. the μὲν οὖν forbids the supposition; 3. the whole style of the verse is rhetorical, and not narrative, e.g. οὗτος , μισθοῦ τῆς ἀδικίας . The ἐκτήσατο χωρίον does not appear to agree with the account in Matthew 27:6-8 ; nor, consistently with common

Acts 18:21 — 21. ] The omission of the words here inserted in rec., δεῖ με πάντως τὴν ἑορτὴν τὴν ἐρχομένην ποιῆσαι εἰς Ἱεροσόλυμα , seems necessitated on the principle of being guided in doubtful cases by the testimony of our most ancient MSS. The text thus produced

Romans 11:16-24 — 16 24. ] Such a restoration of Israel was to be expected from a consideration of their destination and history. This is set forth in similitudes, that of the root and branches being followed out at some length, and their own position, as engrafted Gentiles,

Galatians 4:24 — 24 .] which things (on ὅς and ὅστις see Ellic.’s note: here ἅτινα seems to enlarge the allegory beyond the mere births of the two sons to all the circumstances attending them) are allegorical : i.e. to be understood otherwise than according to

1 Timothy 3:13 — for themselves (emphatic besides the service they are rendering to the church) a good standing-place (viz. at the great day: cf. ch. 1 Timothy 6:19 , ἀποθησαυρίζοντας ἑαυτοῖς θεμέλιον καλὸν εἰς τὸ μέλλον , ἵνα ἐπιλάβωνται τῆς ὄντως ζωῆς : and Daniel 12:3 (Heb. and E. V.), where however the metaphor is different. The interpretations of βαθμόν , a step , or place to stand on (in LXX, the threshold , or step, before a door; see reff.), have been very various. (1) Ambr., Jer., Pel., Thl., Erasm.,

1 Timothy 5:13 — ‘an ellipsis of οὖσαι for εἶναι .’ Bloomf., a mistake of which such a scholar could not be capable.” Ellic. edn. 1), al.; a harsh construction, but, it is said, not without example: however, the only one cited is from Plato, Euthyd. p. 276 b: οἱ ἀμαθεῖς ἄρα σοφοὶ μανθάνουσι , where the word σοφοί does not occur in Bekker’s text, and seems on critical grounds very suspicious. Still, I conceive that the present sentence will admit of no other construction, on account of the emphatic

Hebrews 10:1 — 1 .] For ( γάρ connects with the whole passage ch. Hebrews 9:24-28 ; hitherto has been shewn the impossibility of Christ’s offering being repeated as were those of the law: now is to be shewn its absolute perfection as compared with those of the law) the law, having (as it has; the participle has a ratiocinative

Hebrews 10:22 — 22 .] let us approach ( προσέρχεσθαι , see ref., = ἐγγίζειν τῷ θεῷ ch. Hebrews 7:19 , and is a word belonging to worship. So that the participial clauses which follow are best regarded as both belonging to προσερχώμεθα , since they also describe requisite

Hebrews 9:15 — transgressions under the first covenant, they who have been called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance (first, the object of the new covenant is an eternal inheritance , cf. τὰ μέλλοντα ἀγαθά , Hebrews 9:11 , ἡ οἰκουμένη ἡ μέλλουσα , ch. Hebrews 2:5 ; and therefore the idea of inheritance having once come in, gives to διαθήκη that shade of meaning which is deepened and insisted on below, viz. that of a TESTAMENTARY covenant or arrangement. Then, going backwards from κληρονομίαν , ἐπαγγελίαν

James 4:5 — hypothetical alternative, the assumption of which negatives itself) do ye think that the Scripture saith in vain, The Spirit that He (God) placed in us (viz. when the Spirit descended on the church. We have κατοικίζω somewhat similarly used Æsch. Prom. 250, τυφλὰς ἐν τοῖς θνητοῖς ἐλπίδας κατῴκισα ) jealously ( πρὸς φθόνον , as πρὸς βίαν and the like: see below) desireth (us for his own)? These words connect naturally with the foregoing. We are married to one, even God, who has implanted in us His

James 5:16 — de confessione sacramentali” [here, as in so many other cases, the much-vaunted unity of Roman interpreters embracing the most opposite opinions]. The supplication of a righteous man (i. e. of one who shews his faith by his works, see ch. Jam 2:24 ) availeth much in its working (i. e. worketh very effectually. Much doubt has arisen about the meaning and reference of ἐνεργουμένη . It is usually taken as in E. V., “the effectual fervent prayer,” as an epithet to δέησις , setting

1 Peter 5:5 — Wetst. The Schol. in ms. 16 says, ἀντὶ τοῦ ἐνειλήσασθε , περιβάλεσθε , ἢ ἀναστείλασθε . In Hesych., the κομβολύτης is explained to be a βαλαντιότομος . There is a very complete and learned dissertation on this passage in the Fritz-schiorum Opuscula, pp. 259 275, containing all the literature of the subject. The result there is, “omnes lectores, oratione in eos conversa, admonet, ut quemadmodum servi heris se modeste submittunt (the ἐγκόμβωμα being a servile garment or apron), ita unus alteri tanquam

Revelation 13:11-18 — OF THE FIRST. It may be well to premise a few remarks, tending to the right understanding of this portion of the prophecy. 1) These two beasts are identical as to genus: they are both θηρία , ravaging powers, hostile to God’s flock and fold. 2) They are diverse in origin. The former came up out of the sea: that is, if we go back to the symbolism of Daniel, was an empire, rising up out of confusion into order and life: the latter comes out of the earth: i. e. we may not unreasonably say, arises

Revelation 14:1-5 — his hundred and forty-four thousand . And I saw, and beheld the Lamb (viz., the same which before was seen in the midst of the throne, ch. Rev 5:6 al.) standing upon (see on this accus., when the super-position is first mentioned, note, ch. Rev 4:2 ) the mount Sion (as in ch. 11, the holy city is introduced as the seat of God’s true Church and worship, so by a similar figure (not the same, for thus Mount Sion would be outside the ναός , and thus given to the Gentiles) the holy mountain

Revelation 14:17-20 — 17 20 .] The vintage of wrath . And another angel (the ἄλλος may perhaps refer to the three angels who have already appeared in this vision: or, which is more probable, referring to the last-mentioned Agent, may be a general term, not necessarily implying

Revelation 16:17-21 — 17 21 .] And the seventh poured out his vial upon the air (the consequences are presently seen), and there came forth a voice out of the temple from the throne (the voice, as in Revelation 16:1 , of God Himself. This is rendered even more certain here

Revelation 18:4-20 — 4 20 .] Warning to God’s people to leave her, on account of the greatness of her crimes and coming judgments ( Rev 18:4-8 ); lamentations over her on the part of those who were enriched by her ( Rev 18:9-20 ). And I heard another voice out of heaven