Bible Commentaries

Matthew 12:40 — 40. ] If it be necessary to make good the three days and nights during which our Lord was in the heart of the earth, it must be done by having recourse to the Jewish method of computing time. In the Jerusalem Talmud (cited by Lightfoot) it is said “that a day and night together make up a עוֹנָה (a νυχθήμερον ), and that any part of such a period is counted as the whole.” See Genesis 40:13 ; Genesis 40:20 ; 1 Samuel 30:12-13 ; 2 Chronicles 10:5 ; 2 Chronicles 10:12 ; Hosea 6:2 .

Matthew 25:32 — 32. ] The expression πάντα τὰ ἔθνη implies all the nations of the world, as distinguished from the ἐκλεκτοί already gathered to Him , just as the Gentiles were by that name distinguished from his chosen people the Jews. Among these are “the other

Mark 1:1 — 1 . ἀρχὴ κ . τ . λ .] This is probably a title to what follows, as Matthew 1:1 , and not connected with Mark 1:4 , as Fritzsche and Lachm., nor with Mark 1:2 , as Meyer. It is simpler and gives more majesty to the exordium, to put a period at the end of Mark 1:1 , and make the citation from the Prophet a new and confirmatory title. Ἰης . χρ . ] of, as its author, or its subject, as the context may

Mark 3:20 — 20. πάλιν ] resumed from ch. Mark 2:2 . ὥστε μὴ δ . ] shewing that one of the αὐτοί is the narrator.

Luke 19:43 — 43. ] ὅτι declares, not ‘ the things hidden from thine eyes ,’ so that it should be rendered, ‘ namely, that the days shall come ,’ &c.: but the awful reason which there was for the fervent wish just expressed for, or because. χάρακα , a mound with palisades. The account of its being built is in Jos. B. J. ver. 6. 2. When the Jews destroyed this, Titus built a wall round them (ib. 12. 2), see Isaiah 29:2-4 , to which our Lord here tacitly refers.

Luke 3:2 — 2. ] ANNAS (= Ananus, Jos. Antt. xviii. 2. 2) the high-priest, was deposed by Valerius Gratus (U.C. 779), and after several changes, Joseph or Caiaphas (Joseph. as above), his son-in-law ( Joh 18:13 ), was made high-priest. It would appear from this verse

Acts 20:4 — 4. ἄρχι τ . Ἀσίας ] It is not hereby implied that they went no further than to Asia: Trophimus (ch. Act 21:29 ) and Aristarchus (ch. Act 27:2 ), and probably others, as the bearers of the alms from Macedonia and Corinth ( 1Co 16:3-4 ), accompanied him to Jerusalem. Σώπατρος Πύῤῥου Βεροιαῖος ] This mention of his father is perhaps made to distinguish him

Acts 9:2 — 2. ἐπιστολάς ] of authorization; written by the high priest (in this case, but not always, president of the Sanhedrim) in the name of πᾶν τὸ πρεσβυτέριον , ch. Acts 22:5 . εἰς Δαμασκόν ] DAMASCUS is probably the oldest existing city in the world.

1 Corinthians 2:12 — 12. ] ἡμεῖς δέ carries on the ἡμῖν δέ of 1 Corinthians 2:10 . τὸ πν . τ . κόσμ .] Not merely, the mind and sentiments of unregenerate mankind, ‘sapientia mundana et sæcularis,’ as Estius, al., but the Spirit (personally and objectively

1 Corinthians 5:2 — 2. ] καί often introduces a question, especially one by which something inconsistent or preposterous is brought out, see reff.: and note on 2 Corinthians 2:2 . πεφυς . ἐστέ ] Not, which would be absurd, at the occurrence of this crime , οὐκ ἐπὶ

2 Corinthians 1:1 — 1. διὰ θελ . θεοῦ ] see 1 Corinthians 1:1 , note. Τιμόθεος ὁ ἀδ .] So of Sosthenes, 1 Corinthians 1:1 ; ‘ one of οἱ ἀδελφοί ;’ but perhaps in this case with peculiar emphasis: see 1 Corinthians 4:17 ; 1 Timothy 1:2 ; 1 Timothy 1:18 ; 2 Timothy 2:1 . On his being with Paul at this time, see Prolegg. to this Epistle, § ii. 4. σὺν τ . ἁγ . πᾶσιν .… ] This, and the Epistle to the Galatians, were circular letters to all the believers in the respective countries:

Galatians 1:5 — cordis flectere debemus.” Luther. In ἡ δόξα , the glory κατ ʼ ἐξοχήν , or ‘the glory which is His,’ the article is probably inserted for solemnity. “In this and similar forms of doxology, excepting the angelic doxology, Luke 2:14 , and that of the multitude, Luke 19:38 , δόξα regularly takes the article when used alone: see Romans 11:36 ; Romans 16:27 ; Ephesians 3:21 ; Philippians 4:20 ; 2 Timothy 4:18 ; Heb 13:21 ; 2 Peter 3:18 . When joined with one or more substantives,

Philippians 4:2-9 — 2 9 .] Concluding exhortations to individuals (2, 3), and to all (4 9).

Colossians 4:2-6 — 2 6 .] SPECIAL CONCLUDING EXHORTATIONS: and 2 4 .] to prayer ; see Romans 12:12 ; 1 Thessalonians 5:17 .

2 Thessalonians 1:1-2 — ΠΡΟΣ ΘΕΣΣΑΛΟΝΙΚΕΙΣ Β 1, 2 .] ADDRESS AND GREETING. On 2 Thessalonians 1:1 , see 1 Thessalonians 1:1 , note.

1 Timothy 1:2 — 2 . γνησίω τ . ] Cf. Acts 16:1 ; 1 Corinthians 4:14-17 ; and Prolegg. to this Epistle, § i. 1 ff. γνησίῳ , true, genuine cf. Plato, Politic. p. 293, οὐ γνησίας οὐδ ʼ ὄντως οὔσας … ἀλλὰ μεμιμημένας ταύτην . ἐν πίστει ] When Conyb. says, “ ‘

James 2:15-16 — 15, 16 .] The quality, and unprofitableness, of such faith shewn , as in James 2:2-3 , by a familiar example .

1 Peter 3:16 — the same subject, that of behaviour under persecution, is afterwards carried on, 1 Peter 3:17 , than with De Wette and Steiger to regard these words as taking up the former part of 1Pe 3:15 ), that in the matter in which ( ἐν ᾧ , see note on ch. 1Pe 2:12 ) ye are spoken against (see var. readd.) they who traduce (ref. Aristotle, Rhet. ii. 2, gives the idea of ἐπηρεασμός : ἔστιν ὁ ἐπηρεασμὸς ἐμποδισμὸς ταῖς βουλήσεσιν , οὐχ ἵνα τι αὑτῷ , ἀλλ ʼ ἵνα μὴ ἐκείνῳ . If so, when applied to words, it will

1 John 2:3-11 — 3 11 .] This communion with God consists, secondly, in keeping His commandments, and especially the commandment to love one another . No new division of the Epistle begins, as in Sander: 1Jn 2:3 is closely joined to ch. 1 John 1:5-6 , which introduced the first conditional passage 1Jn 1:7 to 1 John 2:2 . The great test of communion with God, walking in the light, first requires that we confess our sins: next requires that we keep His commandments.

1 John 2:7-11 — beginning: the old commandment is the word which ye heard (on the right understanding of this verse, very much depends. The great question is, To what commandment does ἐντολή refer? Does it point forward to the commandment of brotherly love, in 1 John 2:9 , or back to that of walking as Christ walked, in 1Jn 2:6 ? One or other of these views has generally been taken decidedly, and exclusively of the other. The former view has been upheld by Aug [17] , Bed [18] , Œc., Thl., Luther, Calv., Grot., Wolf,