Bible Commentaries

Matthew 11:30 — which Christ gives is yet to be viewed as a yoke and a burden, seen on this its painful side, of conflict and sorrow: but it is a light yoke; the inner rest in the soul giving a peace which passeth understanding, and bearing it up against all. See 2 Corinthians 4:16 .

Matthew 12:28 — 28. ] ἐν πνεύματι θ . = ἐν δακτύλῳ θ ., Luke; see Exodus 8:19 . ἔφθασεν ] emphatic in position: but merely, has come upon you: not in the more proper sense of φθάνω , ‘is already upon you,’ i.e. ‘before you looked for it,’

Matthew 18:16 — in case of an adjustment, preventing publicity; but in the other event, providing sufficient legal witness . See reff. and John 8:17 . ῥῆμα , not thing , but word , as always. Cf. St. Paul’s apparent reference to these words of our Lord, 2 Corinthians 13:1 .

Matthew 21:32 — 32. ] ὁδῷ δικ ., not only in the way of God’s commandments, so often spoken of, but in the very path of ascetic purity which you so much approve; yet perhaps it were better to let the simpler sense here be the predominant one, and take δικαιοσύνης

Matthew 24:13 — destruction of Jerusalem, should be preserved from it. No Christian, that we know of, perished in the siege or after it: see below. But it has ulterior meanings, according to which τέλος will signify, to an individual, the day of his death (see Rev 2:10 ), his martyrdom, as in the case of some of those here addressed, to the Church, endurance in the faith to the end of all things . See Luke 21:19 , and note.

Matthew 26:1-2 — 1, 2. ] FINAL ANNOUNCEMENT OF HIS SUFFERINGS, NOW CLOSE AT HAND. (Mark 14:1 .Luke 22:1; Luke 22:1 .) The public office of our Lord as a Teacher having been now fulfilled, His priestly office begins to be entered upon. He had not completed all his discourses, for He delivered, after this, those contained in John 14:1-31 ; John 15:1-27 ; John 16:1-33 ; Joh 17:1-26 but not in public ; only to the inner circle of his disciples. From this point commences THE NARRATIVE OF HIS PASSION.

Matthew 27:43 — 43. ] See Psalms 22:7-8 . This is not according to the LXX, which has ἤλπισεν ἐπὶ κύριον · ῥυσάσθω αὐτόν , σωσάτω αὐτόν , ὅτι θέλει αὐτόν . This is omitted by Mark and Luke. θέλειν τινά for amare aliquem , occurs in reff. Ps. We have θέλειν with an accus. of the thing

Matthew 5:2 — 2. ἀνοίξας τὸ στ . αὐ . ] as in reff., a solemn introduction to some discourse or advice of importance. αὐτούς ] i.e. τοὺς μαθητάς . The discourse (see Matthew 5:13-14 ; Matthew 5:20 ; Matthew 5:48 ; ch. Matthew 6:9 ; Mat 7:6 ) was spoken directly

Mark 15:1-5 — 1 5. ] JESUS IS LED AWAY TO PILATE, AND EXAMINED BY HIM. Matthew 27:1-2 ; Matthew 27:11-14 .Luke 23:1-5; Luke 23:1-5 .John 18:28-38; John 18:28-38 . Our account is very nearly related to that in Matt.: see notes there. The ὅλον τὸ σ . is a touch of accuracy. From ch. Mar 14:53 we know that πάντες were assembled.

Mark 15:21 — 21. Ἀλεξάνδρου κ . Ῥούφου ] It is quite uncertain whether Alexander be identical with either of the persons of that name mentioned Acts 19:33 ; 1 Timothy 1:20 ; 2 Timothy 4:14 , or whether those, or any two of them represent one and the same person.

Mark 16:9 — 9. ] πρώτῃ σαββάτου = μία σαββάτων Mark 16:2 , and is remarkable as occurring so soon after it (see Luk 18:12 ). ἀφ ʼ ἧς ἐκβ .… ] This notice, coming so late, after the mention of Mary Magdalene in Mark 16:1 , is remarkable. The instances quoted by De Wette to shew that the unexpected introduction

Mark 3:17 — 17. ] Βοανηργές = בְּנֵי רֶגֶשׁ , Sheva being expressed by οα in Aramaic (Meyer, from Lightf.), perhaps on account of their vehement and zealous disposition , of which we see marks Luke 9:54 ; Mark 9:38 ; Mark 10:37 ; see also 2 John 1:10 ; but this is uncertain. ὀνόματα , since both bore the name, and the Hebrew word is plural. There is an interesting notice of the catalogues of the Apostles, and the questions arising out of them, in the Lectures of Bleek on the three

Luke 4:22 — 22. ] ἐμαρτ . αὐ ., bore witness to him (that it was so). The λόγοι τ . χ . must be the discourse of which Luk 4:21 is a compendium. ἔλεγ . ] i.e. πάντες , not τινές . While acknowledging the truth of what He said, and the power with which He said it, they wondered, and were jealous of Him, as being the son of Joseph asking πόθεν τούτῳ ταῦτα : see Mark 6:2-4 . Between this verse and the next, the ἐσκανδαλίζοντο ἐν αὐτῷ is implied, for that is in a tone of reproof.

Luke 7:18-35 — 18 35. ] MESSAGE OF ENQUIRY FROM THE BAPTIST: OUR LORD’S ANSWER, AND DISCOURSE TO THE MULTITUDES THEREON. Matthew 11:2-19 . The incident there holds a different place, coming after the sending out of the Twelve in ch. 10; but neither there nor here is it marked by any definite note of time. πάντων τούτων here may extend very wide: so may τὰ ἔργα τοῦ χριστοῦ in Matt. On the common parts, see notes on Matt., where I have discussed at length the probable reason of the enquiry.

Luke 8:3 — 3. ] Prof. Blunt has observed in his Coincidences, that we find a reason here why Herod should say to his servants ( Mat 14:2 ), ‘This is John the Baptist,’ &c., viz. because his steward’s wife was a disciple of Jesus, and so there would be frequent mention of Him among the servants in Herod’s court. This is Herod Antipas. Johanna is mentioned again

1 Thessalonians 2:13 — &c. Seeing that He is thus calling you, your thorough reception of His word is to us a cause of thanksgiving to Him. That διὰ τοῦτο is made thus ‘to refer to a mere appended clause’ (Ellic.) is no objection: see above on 1 Thessalonians 2:9 . It is surely not possible with Jowett, to refer διὰ τοῦτο ‘to the verses both before and after.’ καὶ ἡμεῖς ] We also , i.e. as well as πἀντες οἱ πιστεύοντες ἐν τῇ Μακεδ . κ . ἐν τῇ Ἀχ ., ch. 1 Thessalonians 1:7 . παραλαβόντες …

1 Timothy 3:8 — class, besides here, only Philippians 1:1 , where, as here, they follow the ἐπίσκοποι . Phœbe, Romans 16:1 , is a διάκονος of the church at Cenchrea. The term or its cognates occur in a vaguer sense, but still indicating a special office, in Romans 12:7 ; 1 Peter 4:11 . The connexion of the ecclesiastical deacons with the seven appointed in Acts 6:0 . is very doubtful: see Chrysostom’s and Œe.’s testimony, distinguishing them, in note there. But that the ecclesiastical order sprung out

James 5:3 — effect of judgment begun, not of want of use, the rust of them is a token what shall happen to yourselves: in the consuming of your wealth, you see depicted your own), and shall eat ( φάγεται is a well-known future, contracted from φαγήσεται : cf. John 2:17 , and the prophecy ref. 4 (2) Kings, καταφάγονται οἱ κύνες τὰς σάρκας Ἰεζαβέλ ) your flesh (plur. in reff. Huther remarks that in almost all the places cited, the same verb is used with the noun) as fire (i. e. as fire devours the flesh; which

1 Peter 3:1 — 1 .] In like manner (i. e. after the same general principle, enounced in ch. 1 Peter 2:13 , as the οἰκέται in their relation) wives ( γυν ., as οἱ οἰκέται , ch. 1 Peter 2:18 , οἱ ἄνδρες , 1 Peter 3:7 , is vocative. This is decisively shewn by ὑμῶν below, as in 1 Peter 3:7 . By the context γυναῖκες is shewn to be wives ) [ by being

2 Peter 1:19 — Apostle may have omitted them: but even supposing that, it is further against the view, that if such be the force of the comparative, the thought is not at all followed up in the ensuing verses. We come then to the other possible force of the comparative: 2. that it is used as comparing the prophetic word with something which has been mentioned before, as being firmer, more secure than that other. And if so, what is that other? The most obvious answer is, the voice from heaven: and this is at first sight