Bible Commentaries

Matthew 8:2 — 2. ] This same miracle is related by St. Luke without any mark of definiteness, either as to time or place, καὶ ἐγένετο , ἐν τῷ εἶναι αὐτὸν ἐν μιᾷ τῶν πόλεων .… In this instance there is, and can be, no doubt that the transactions are identical:

Mark 11:20-26 — 20 26. ] The answers are very similar to those in Matt., but with one important addition here, viz. Mark 11:25-26 : see Matthew 6:14 , and 1 Timothy 2:8 . The connexion here seems to be, ‘Though you should aim at strength of faith, yet your faith should not work in all respects as you have seen me do, in judicial anger condemning the unfruitful and evil; but you must forgive .’

Luke 11:16 — 16. ] This is not mentioned here by Matt., but further on in the discourse, Luke 11:38 . No distinction (Gresw.) can be drawn between σημ . and σημ . ἐξ οὐρ ., for (1) our Lord answers the demand in both places by the same reply , the sign of Jonas, see also Matthew 16:1-4 ; and (2) the ordinary Jewish idea attached to σημ . would imply ἐξ οὐρ ., see notes on Matthew 16:1 .

Luke 13:2-3 — 2, 3. ] Our Lord perceives this to be their reasoning they did not express it, as is plain by the δοκεῖτε ὅτι … He does not deny that all the Galilæans were sinners, and deserved God’s judgments, but that these were pre-eminently so . The ὁμοίως (the force of which is lost in the E. V., ‘ likewise ’) should be rendered in like manner, as indeed the Jewish people did perish by the sword of the Romans.

Luke 4:18 — 18. πνεῦμα κ . ] See Isaiah 11:2 ; Isaiah 42:1 . οὗ εἵν . ] because, = יִעַן . αἰχμ . ἄφ . ] See ch. Luke 13:12 ; Luke 13:16 . τυφλ . ἀν . ] See John 9:39 . The Hebrew words thus rendered by the LXX, לַאֲסוּרִים פְּקַח־קוֹהַ , signify, ‘ to those who are bound, the opening of prison: ’ so that we have here the LXX and literal rendering both included, and the latter expressed in the LXX words of Isaiah 58:6 .

Luke 6:36 — 36. ] οἰκτίρμ . = τέλειοι Matthew 5:48 , which last is the larger description, comprehending in it charity and mercy: see note there. Luke 6:37 f. = Matthew 7:1-2 . The saying is much enriched and expanded here; perhaps it was so uttered by our Lord on some other occasion; for the connexion is very strict in Matt., and would hardly bear this expansion of what is not in that place the leading idea.

John 1:2 — 2. ] In order to direct the mind to the difference (in unity) between this λόγος and ὁ θεός , John recalls the reader’s attention to the two first clauses of John 1:1 , which he now combines, in order to pass on to the creative work , which distinctly belongs to the λόγος . Thus also this verse fixes the reference of αὐτοῦ in John 1:3 , which might otherwise, after the mention of θεός , have seemed ambiguous.

Acts 25:15 — 15. ] It seems more probable that the unusual word καταδίκη should have been changed to δίκην , especially as κατά precedes, than the converse. Luke never uses δίκη , except as personified , ch. Acts 28:4 ; and in the only two places besides where it occurs in the N. T. (2 Thessalonians 1:9 ; Jud 1:7 ), it has the sense of condemnation or punishment ; and in neither place is there any various reading.

Acts 26:5 — 5. ἀκριβεστάτην ] See ch. Acts 22:3 ; κατὰ ἀκρίβειαν τοῦ πατρῴου νόμου . Jos. (B. J. i. 5. 2) calls the Pharisees σύνταγμά τι Ἰουδαίων δοκοῦν εὐσεβέστερον εἶναι τῶν ἄλλων , καὶ τοὺς νόμους ἀκριβέστερον ἀφηγεῖσθαι . The use of the term finds another example in Ephesians 5:15 , βλέπετε πῶς ἀκριβῶς περιπατεῖτε , which command it illustrates. θρησκεία ] ἡ λατρεία · ὅθεν καὶ ἑτερόθρησκος , ἑτερόδοξος . Suidas. We have an instance here of αἵρεσις used in an indifferent sense.

1 Corinthians 11:8 — 8. ] γάρ gives the reason of the former assertion γυνὴ δόξα ἀνδρός , viz. that the man is not (emphasis on ἐστιν , which prevents the ἐκ having a figurative sense, of dependence : ‘takes not his being,’ in the fact of his original creation . The propagation of the species is not here in view) out of the woman, but the woman out of the man (compare Genesis 2:23 , κληθήσεται γυνή , ὅτι ἐκ τοῦ ἀνδρὸς αὐτῆς ἐλήφθη ).

1 Corinthians 4:14 — 14. οὐκ ἐντρέπων ] not as one who shames you , see reff., and ch. 1 Corinthians 6:5 ; 1 Corinthians 15:34 , and for the force of the participle, ch. 1 Corinthians 2:1 . νουθετῶ contrasts with ἐντρέπων γράφω , the construction being purposely adopted, to set in a more vivid light the paternal intention: I am not writing these things ( 1Co 4:8-13 ) as shaming you, but I am admonishing you as my beloved children .

2 Corinthians 3:12 — 12. ἐλπίδα ] viz. that expressed by ἔσται ἐν δόξῃ , 2 Corinthians 3:8 ; the hope of the ultimate manifestation of exceeding glory as belonging to his ministration. παῤῥησίᾳ ] πρὸς τίνα , εἰπέ μοι · πρὸς τὸν θεόν , ἢ πρὸς τοὺς μαθητάς ; πρὸς ὑμᾶς τοὺς

Galatians 1:15 — 15 .] It was God’s act, determined at his very birth (cf. especially Act 13:2 ), and effected by a special calling: viz., that on the road to Damascus, carried out by the instrumentality of Ananias, To understand καλέσας of an act in the divine Mind, as Rückert, is contrary to our Apostle’s usage of the word, cf. Galatians 1:6 ; Rom 8:30 al. This calling first took place, then the revelation, as here.

1 Timothy 2:9 — 9 .] So also ( ὡσαύτως , by the parallel passage, Titus 2:3 , seems to be little more than a copula, not necessarily to refer to the matter which has been last under treatment) I will that women (without the article, the reference to τοὺς ἄνδρας above is not so pointed: i.e. we need not imagine that the reference

2 Timothy 2:1 — in contrast to those who had been ashamed of and deserted him), my child, be strengthened (reff. The pres . indicates an abiding state, not a mere insulated act, as παράθου below. The verb is passive, not middle: see reff., and Fritzsche on Rom 4:20 ) in the grace which is in Christ Jesus ( τουτέστι διὰ τῆς χάριτος τοῦ χριστοῦ , Chrys. But more than that: the grace of Christ, the empowering influence in the Christian life, being necessary for its whole course and progress, is regarded as the

Titus 2:3 — 3 .] The aged women (= πρεσβύτεραι , 1 Timothy 5:2 , there being in this case here no official term to occasion confusion) likewise (after the same general pattern, to which the separate virtues above mentioned belong) in deportment (cf. Porphyr. de abst. in Wetst., τὸ δὲ σεμνὸν κἀκ τοῦ καταστήματος

Hebrews 2:1 — mediator of the New Covenant, is far above all the angels, who were the mediators of the former Covenant) it behoves us ( ταύτην τὴν διαφορὰν ἐπισταμένους , Thdrt.: δεῖ , of moral necessity arising from the previous premises: so Matthew 18:33 ; Mat 25:27 ; 2Ti 2:6 al. There is no stress on ἡμᾶς according to the reading of the text) to give heed ( προσέχειν usually in the classics is transitive, with τὸν νοῦν following: so e. g. Aristoph. Nub. 566, ὦ σοφώτατοι θεαταί , δεῦρο τὸν νοῦν προσέχετε

Hebrews 8:2 — 2 .] minister ( λεῖτον ἐκάλουν οἱ παλαιοὶ τὸ δημόσιον , ὅθεν λειτουργεῖν τὸ εἰς τὸ δημόσιον ἐργάζεσθαι ἔλεγον . Schol. in Demosth. Lept. The LXX use the verb and subst. to express the Heb. שֵׁרֵת and מְשָׁרֵת , in reference to the sacerdotal service

1 John 3:6 — ὁ ἐν αὐτῷ μένων . Grot. is better this time, “qui vero amore Christo conjungitur;” but this is not enough. This a man might be to an earthly friend: but could not be said ἐν αὐτῷ μένειν . See the sense expanded in the note on ch. 1 John 2:24 . Nothing short of personal immanence in the personal Christ will satisfy the words: a living because He lives, and as receiving of His fulness) sinneth not (nor again is this to be tamed down, as has been done by far more and better interpreters

Revelation 2:1-7 — 1 7 .] THE EPISTLE TO THE CHURCH AT EPHESUS. See Prolegg. § iii. 7. To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: These things saith he that holdeth fast (cf. Revelation 2:25 , ch. Rev 3:11 ) the seven stars in his right hand (cf. Joh 10:28 ), He that walketh in the midst of the seven candlesticks of gold (assertions of Christ’s being the Lord, the Governor and the Upholder of His Church, agreeably to the vision