Bible Commentaries

Matthew 12:27 — 27. ] The interpretation of this verse has been much disputed; viz. as to whether the casting out by the υἱοὶ Φαρισαίων ( scholars, disciples; see 2Ki 2:3 and passim) were real or pretended exorcisms. The occurrence mentioned Luk 9:49 does not seem to

Matthew 12:43 — strictly with what has preceded. This important parable, in the similitude itself, sets forth to us an evil spirit driven out from a man, wandering in his misery and restlessness through desert places, the abodes and haunts of evil spirits (see Isaiah 13:21-22 ; Isa 34:14 ), and at last determining on a return to his former victim, whom he finds so prepared for his purposes, that he associates with himself seven other fiends, by whom the wretched man being possessed, ends miserably. In its interpretation

Matthew 3:1 — take the connexion strictly as implying that Joseph dwelt there all the intermediate thirty years, the ἡμέραι ἐκεῖναι must be understood to mean that we take up the persons of the narrative where we left them; i.e. dwelling at Nazareth. See Exodus 2:11 , LXX. παραγίνεται ] Comes forward ‘makes his appearance.’ Euthym [19] asks the question, πόθεν ; and answers it, ἀπὸ τῆς ἐνδοτέρας ἐρήμου . But this can hardly be, owing to the ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ following. The verb is used absolutely. The

Luke 22:54 — 54. ] Matthew 26:57 . Mark 14:53 . Joh 18:13 . Our narrative leaves it undecided who this high-priest was , inasmuch as, ch. Luke 3:2 , Annas and Caiaphas are mentioned as high-priests. From John we find that it was Annas; who having questioned Jesus, sent Him bound to Caiaphas, before whom His trial took place. Luke omits this trial altogether or perhaps gives the substance of it in the account ( Luk 22:66-71 ) of the morning assembly of the Sanhedrim. See notes on Matt.

Luke 23:34 — 34. ] Spoken apparently during the act of the crucifixion , or immediately that the crosses were set up. Now first, in the fullest sense, from the wounds in His Hands and Feet, is His Blood shed, εἰς ἄφεσιν ἁμαρτιῶν ( Mat 26:28 ), and He inaugurates His intercessional office by a prayer for His murderers, ἄφες αὐτοῖς . This also is a fulfilment of Scripture, Isaiah 53:12 ; where the contents of our Luk 23:33-34 are remarkably pointed out. His teaching ended at Luke

John 13:35 — 35. ] πάντες , all the world, and the object is to be, not mere vain praise or display before the world, but that men may be attracted by the exhibition of the Spirit of Christ, and won over to Him. The world, notwithstanding this proof of His presence among them, shall hate them: see 1 John 3:10-15 . But among πάντες they themselves are also included brotherly love is the true sign to them of being children of God, 1 John 2:3-5 .

John 2:17 — 17. ] ἐμνήσθησαν , at the time , not afterwards, which would have been expressed, as in John 2:22 . But the very remembrance itself was prophetic. The καταφαγεῖν spoken of in that passion-Psalm, was the marring and wasting of the Saviour’s frame by His zeal for God and God’s Church, which resulted in the buffeting, the scourging,

John 4:54 — 54. ] The meaning of the Evangelist clearly is, that this was the second Galilæan miracle (see ch. John 3:2 , and Joh 4:45 ). But (1) how is that expressed in the words? The σημεῖα which He did at Jerusalem in the feast being omitted, the πάλιν δεύτερον σ . naturally carries the thoughts back to a former one related; and the clause added ( ἐλθὼν κ . τ . λ

John 6:43 — 43. ] Our Lord does not answer their objection, because it lay far from His present purpose to disclose aught of those mysteries which the answer must have indicated. It was not till the faith of the apostolic Christians was fully fixed on Him as the Son of God, and the outline of the doctrine of His Person was firmly sketched out, that the Spirit brought out those historical records which assure us of His supernatural conception (see Nitzsch, cited by Stier, iv. 244, edn. 2).

Acts 14:1 — 1. ] κατὰ τὸ αὐτό , together (reff.): ὁμοῦ , Hesych [75] : not, ‘ in the same manner ,’ as Wolf and others. [75] Hesychius of Jerusalem, cent y . vi. οὕτως ὥστε , as in E. V.; not ἐγένετο .… ὥστε …, as Vater. Ἑλλήνων ] Probably here these are the σεβόμενοι τὸν θεόν [see ch. Acts 13:43 ; Acts 13:50 ; Acts 16:14 ; Acts 17:4 ; Acts 17:17 ; Act 18:7 and ch. Act 10:2 reff.], those of the uncircumcised who were more or less attached to the Jewish religion.

Acts 2:40 — 40 .] The words cited appear to be the concluding and inclusive summary of Peter’s many exhortations, not only their general sense: just as if Act 2:36 had been given as the representative of his whole speech above. σώθητε is improperly rendered in E. V. ‘ save yourselves: ’ it is not (see Stier, R. A. i. 62) σώζετε ἑαυτούς , as in Luke 23:35 ; Luke 23:37 ; Luke 23:39 ; be saved , Lasset euch retten , is the true sense. σκολιᾶς see reff. Peter alludes to ref. Deut.

Acts 26:2 — 2 .] There is no force in Meyer’s observation, that by the omission of the art. before Ἰουδαίων , Paul wishes to express that the charges were made by some, not by all of the Jews. That omission is the one so often overlooked by the German critics (e.g. Stier also here), after a preposition . See Middl. ch. vi. § 1, and compare κατὰ Ἰουδαίους in the next verse, of which the above cannot be said. μέλλων contains the ground of ἥγημαι , in that I am to defend myself .

1 Corinthians 15:54 — come to pass really be . The citation is from the Heb. with this difference, that the active, ‘ He (Jehovah) abolishes ,’ בִּלַּע , is made passive, and לָנֶצַח , ‘ for ever ,’ is rendered (as elsewhere by the LXX, e.g. ref. 2 Kings, but not here) εἰς νῖκος . εἰς ν . ‘ so as to result in victory . Wetst. quotes from the Babbis, ‘In diebus ejus (Messiæ) Deus S. B. deglutiet mortem.’

1 Corinthians 3:7 — 7. ] ἐστίν τι , either ‘ is any thing to the purpose ,’ as in λέγειν τι , &c., or absol. is any thing : which latter is best: compare εἰ καὶ οὐδέν εἰμι , 2 Corinthians 12:11 . ἀλλ ʼ ὁ αὐξ . θεός , scil. τὰ πάντα ἐστί , to be supplied from the negative clauses preceding. Theophylact remarks: ὅρα πῶς ἀνεπαχθῆ ποιεῖ τὴν ἐξουδένωσιν τῶν προεστώτων ἐν Κορίνθῳ σοφῶν κ . πλουσίων , ἑαυτὸν κ . Ἀπολλὼ κατὰ

1 Corinthians 7:18 — Was any one called in circumcision , i.e. circumcised at the time of his conversion. ἐπισπάσθω ] By a surgical operation; see Theophyl., Wetst., Winer, Realwörterbuch, art. Beschneidung, Jos. Antt. xii. 5. 1; 1Ma 1:15 ; Celsus de Re Medica, vii. 25 (in Wetst.). The practice usually was adopted by those who wished to appear like the Gentiles, and to cast off their ancient faith and habits. Among the Christians a strong anti-Judaistic feeling might lead to it. περιτεμνέσθω ] See Galatians 5:2

Ephesians 1:13 — See Colossians 1:5 , and, above all, Joh 17:17 ), (viz.) the Gospel of your salvation (the Gospel whose contents, whose good tidings are your salvation: not a genitive of apposition, as Harl., cf. the expressions εὐαγγ . τῆς χάριτος τ . θεοῦ , Acts 20:24 , τῆς εἰρήνης , ch. Ephesians 6:15 , τ . βασιλείας , Matthew 9:35 , Ἰησοῦ χριστοῦ , Mar 1:1 ); in whom (belongs to Christ , as the former ἐν ᾧ not to λόγον nor to εὐαγγέλιον , nor is ἐν ᾧ to be taken with πιστεύσαντες , see below: but with ἐσφραγίσθητε

Colossians 4:15 — brethren. The var. readings, αὐτοῦ , αὐτῆς , appear to have arisen from the construction (see below) not being understood, and the alteration thus having been made to the singular, but in various genders, αὐτῶν refers to τῶν περὶ Νυμφᾶν : cf. Xen. Mem. i. 2. 62, ἐάν τις φανερὸς γένηται κλέπτων τούτοις θάνατός ἐστιν ἡ ζημία : and see Bernhardy, p. 288; Kühner ii. § 419 b. On the ἐκκλησία spoken of, see note, Romans 16:5 .

1 Timothy 6 overview — careful observer the thread of connexion is very plain. I have endeavoured to indicate it as we pass on. Such a thread being detected, the idea of Schleierm. (partly approved by De W.) of its being a clumsy compilation out of the Epistles to Titus and 2 Tim. hardly requires refutation.

Hebrews 8:11 — (LXX-A πλησίον ), saying Know (Heb. דְּעוּ , plural: “Know ye”) the Lord: because all shall know ( εἰδήσω is properly an Ionic future of εἴδω , but used, at least in its aoristic form εἴδησα , by the Attics also, e. g. Aristot. de Anima i. 2 (so Lobeck: but I cannot find it). See Lobeck, Phryn. p. 743, where more examples are given, but none of the Attic use of εἰδήσω : nor does this fut. seem to occur elsewhere either in the LXX or N. T.) me, from the small (one) (the Heb. bears out the

Hebrews 9:1 — sanctuaries, one into which the Levitical priests entered, and the other into which Christ is entered, it is certain that the signification must be local only. As regards the meaning of κοσμικόν , it must not be taken with Homberg as = κόσμιον , 1Ti 2:9 ; 1 Timothy 3:2 , for both usage and the art. are against this: nor again, with Theodor.-mops., Thdrt., Œc.(alt.), Grot., Wetst., Hammond, as σύμβολον τοῦ κόσμου : nor again as Kypke, “toto terrarum orbe celebratum,” as Jos. B. J. iv.