Bible Commentaries

Matthew 23:2 — 2. ] Moses’ seat is the office of judge and lawgiver of the people: see Exodus 2:13-25 ; Deuteronomy 17:9-13 . Our Lord says, ‘In so far as the Pharisees and Scribes enforce the law and precepts of Moses, obey them: but imitate not their

Mark 11:11 — 11. ] See Matthew 21:12 , and notes on Mark 11:1 . Also on John 2:13-18 . I am by no means certain that the solution proposed in the notes on Matt. is the right one, but I cannot suggest a better. When Mark, as here, relates an occurrence throughout, with such signs of

John 15:18 — 18. ] See ch. John 7:7 . γινώσκετε , most probably imperative , know ye .… The assertion of their knowledge of the fact would in all likelihood be conveyed in the past tense, οἴδατε , or ἔγνωτε , or ἐγνώκατε : cf. for the imperative, ch. Luke 24:43 ; Luke 10:11 ; Luke 12:39 ; Galatians 3:7 ; Hebrews 13:23 ; for the indicative, ch. John 14:17 : Acts 20:34 ; 2 Corinthians 8:9 ; Philippians 2:22 ; 1 John 2:29 (see note there); John 4:2 ; for both combined, Matthew 24:32-33 [217] ; for the past

John 5:8 — 8. ] The ἆρον τ . κρ . σου has been treated (Stier, iv. 168, edn. 2: Trench, Mir. 251, edn. 2) as making a difference between the man lame from his birth in Acts 3:8 , who walked and leaped and praised God; and this man, who, since sin had been the cause of his disease ( Joh 5:14 ), is ordered to carry his bed, “a

Acts 14:23 — 23. χειροτ . ] ‘ cum suffragiis creassent ,’ Erasm.: not necessarily as the meaning of the word conventionally, which had passed to any kind of appointment, see ch. Acts 10:41 ; but by the analogy of ch. Acts 6:2-6 . See ref. 2 Cor. The

Romans 12:10 — φιλαδελφία . προηγούμενοι ] “invicem prævenientes,” latt. μὴ μένε φιλεῖσθαι παρ ʼ ἑτέρου , ἀλλ ʼ αὐτὸς ἐπιπήδα τούτῳ καὶ κατάρχου , Chrys.: similarly Syr., Theophyl., Erasm., Luther: or, = ἀλλήλους ἡγούμενοι ὑπερέχοντας ἑαυτῶν , Philippians 2:3 ; so Origen, Theodoret, Grot.: or, as in ref. 2 Macc. ‘ setting an example to,’ ‘going before ,’ which however does not seem to apply here, unless we render τῇ τιμῇ , ‘ in yielding honour :’ ‘in giving honour:

Romans 16:7 — fellow-countrymen , or relations . Aquila and Priscilla were Jews: so would Maria be, and probably Epænetus, being an early believer. If so, the word may have its strict meaning of ‘ relations .’ But it seems to occur Romans 16:11 ; Rom 16:21 in a wider sense. συναιχμ .] When and where, uncertain. ἐπίσημοι ἐν τ . ἀποστ .] Two renderings are given: (1) ‘ of note among the Apostles ,’ so that they themselves are counted among the Apostles: thus the Greek ff. ( τὸ ἀποστόλους

Romans 5:3 — future), but glorying in (not amidst ; the θλ . is the ground of triumph) [ our ] tribulations, knowing (because we know) that tribulation works endurance (supposing, i.e. we remain firm under it), and endurance, approval (of our faith and trust, 2 Corinthians 2:9 ; 2 Corinthians 9:13 ; not, ‘ proof ’ ( δοκιμασία ), as Grot.; nor ‘ experience ,’ as E. V., ‘ δοκιμή est qualitas ejus, qui est δόκιμος .’ Bengel, the result of proof), and approval (fresh) hope;

Romans 6:4 — ‘then:’ q. d. “You grant my last position: Well then,” …) buried with Him ( καθάπερ ἔν τινι τάφῳ τῷ ὕδατι καταδυόντων ἡμῶν τὰς κεφαλὰς ὁ παλαιὸς ἄνθρωπος θάπτεται , καὶ καταδὺς κάτω κρύπτεται ὅλως καθάπαξ , Chrys. on John 3:0 . Hom. xxv. 2, vol. viii. p. 151) by means of our baptism into (His) death ( τοῦ βαπτ . εἰς τὸν θάνατον belong together, not συνετάφ . εἰς τ . θ ., which would hardly bear any sense. The absence of the art. before εἰς is no objection to this; it is unnecessary,

1 Corinthians 8:2-3 — 2, 3. ] The general deductions, (1) from a profession of knowledge , and (2) from the presence of love , in a man: expressed sententiously and without connecting particles, more, as Meyer observes, after the manner of St. John in his Epistles. On the

2 Corinthians 2:12-17 — 12 17 .] HE PROCEEDS (after the digression) TO SHEW THEM WITH WHAT ANXIETY HE AWAITED THE INTELLIGENCE FROM CORINTH, AND HOW THANKFUL HE WAS FOR THE SEAL OF HIS APOSTOLIC MINISTRY FURNISHED BY IT. The only legitimate connexion is that with 2 Corinthians

2 Corinthians 4:14 — Ἰησοῦ is not necessarily figurative, as Meyer; even in the passages where a figurative sense is the prevailing one, it is only as built upon the fact of a literal ‘raising with Christ,’ to be accomplished at the great day: see Ephesians 2:6 ; Colossians 3:1 ; Colossians 3:3 ; 1Th 5:10 ) and present us with you (i.e. as in Jude 1:24 , τῷ δυναμένῳ … στῆσαι κατενώπιον τῆς δόξης αὐτοῦ ἀμώμους ἐν ἀγαλλιάσει …, and in reff., at the day of His coming ). Meyer’s objection to the meaning

Galatians 1:2 — 2. ἀδελφοί ] Who these were, may best be inferred by the Apostle’s usage in the addresses of other Epistles, where we have Σωσθένης ὁ ἀδελφός ( 1Co 1:1 ), Τιμόθεος ὁ ἀδ . (1 Chronicles 1:1; 1 Chronicles 1:11 Chronicles 1:1 . Phm 1:1 ). They were

Colossians 1:3 — 3 .] We (I and Timotheus. In this Epistle, the plural and singular are too plainly distinguished to allow us to confuse them in translating: the plural pervading ch. 1., the singular ch. 2., and the two occurring together in ch. Colossians 4:3-4 , and the singular thenceforward. The change, as Mey. remarks, is never made without a pragmatic reason) give thanks to God the Father ( πατήρ , like ἥλιος , γῆ ,&c. is anarthrous, as indeed

Colossians 3:1 — 1 .] If then (as above asserted, ch. Colossians 2:12 ; Colossians 2:20 ; the εἰ implies no doubt of the fact, but lays it down as ground for an inference, see ch. Colossians 2:20 , and cf. Xen. Mem. i. 5. 1) ye were raised up together with Christ (not as E. V. ‘ are risen :’ the allusion,

James 1:12 — 12 .] We now return to the suffering and tempted Christian, who has his μακαρισμός , and a possession more precious and more sure than worldly wealth. Blessed is the man (no stress on ἀνήρ , cf. James 1:7-8 ; Jam 1:20 ) who endureth (the emphasis is

James 2:11 — Commit not murder; now if thou committest no adultery ( οὐ , and not μή , because the attention is fixed on the fact of no committal of adultery having taken place. It corresponds, in fact , to μὴ μοιχεύσῃς above in prohibition. See Winer, § 55. 2, c. d : and cf. ch. James 1:23 ; Jam 3:2 ; 1Co 16:22 ), but committest murder, thou hast become a transgressor of the law . (Various fanciful reasons have been given for the selection of these two commandments: “because these two were punished

1 Peter 5:4 — 4 .] and (then) ( καί of the result of something previously treated, as Matthew 26:55 ; Joh 10:16 al. fr.: see Winer, § 53. 3) when the chief Shepherd (see ch. 1 Peter 2:25 ; Hebrews 13:20 ; and compare Ezekiel 34:15-16 ; Ezekiel 34:23 ; Mat 25:32 ) is manifested (used by St. Peter, as ἀποκαλύπτω , in a double reference, to Christ’s

1 John 2:20-21 — 20, 21 .] The Apostle puts them in mind, in an apologetic form, of the truth which they as Christians possessed, and the very possession of which, not the contrary, was his reason for thus writing to them. This reminiscence carries at the same time with

1 John 4:3 — 3 b .] This has been already virtually explained on ch. 1 John 2:18 . And this is the ( spirit ) (so nearly all the Commentators supply the ellipsis, and rightly. Episcopius, Valla, Zeger, the R.-Cath. Mayer, and Huther, render it, this is “proprium antichristi.” But this would not surely be τὸ τοῦ