Bible Commentaries

Matthew 18:14 — 14. ] This verse sets forth to us the work of the Son as accomplishing the will of the Father; for it is unquestionably the Son who is the Good Shepherd, searching for the lost, Matthew 18:11 . For similar declarations see Ezekiel 18:23 ; Ezekiel 33:11 ; 2 Peter 3:9 . The inference from this verse is ‘then whoever despises or scandalizes one of these little ones, acts in opposition to the will of your Father in Heaven.’ Observe, when the dignity of the little ones was

Matthew 6:11 — ἰδιωτῶν συνηθείᾳ τέτριπται , ἀλλ ʼ ἔοικε πεπλάσθαι ὑπὸ τῶν εὐαγγελιστῶν . The derivations and meanings given may be thus classified (after Tholuck). I. ἐπί , εἶναι : and that, either (1) from the participle , as παρουσία , μετουσία , περιουσία , or (2) from the subst. οὐσία . Against both , an objection is brought that thus it would be ἐπούς ., not ἐπιούς .; but this is not decisive; we have ἔποπτος and ἐπίοπτος , ἐπιανδάνω , ἐπίουρα , &c. Against (2) it is alleged that adjectives from substantives

Mark 10:10-12 — 10 12. ] In Matt. this saying forms part of the discourse with the Jews . Here again Mark furnishes us with the exact circumstantial account of the matter. On the addition, Matthew 19:10-12 , see notes there. We may notice, that Mark omits Matt.’s

Mark 4:1-9 — same intermixture of absolute verbal identity and considerable divergence, as we have so often noticed: which is wholly inexplicable on the ordinary suppositions. In this case the vehicles of the parable in Matt. and Mark (see Matthew 13:1-3 ; Mar 4:1-2 ) bear a strong, almost verbal, resemblance. Such a parable would be carefully treasured in all the Churches as a subject of catechetical instruction: and, in general, in proportion to the popular nature of the discourse, is the resemblance stronger

Mark 7:21-22 — 21, 22. ] The καρδία is the laboratory and the fountain-head of all that is good and bad in the inner life of man: see Beck, biblische Seelenlehre, § 21.: Delitzsch, biblische Psychologie, Exodus 2:0 , § 12, pp. 248 ff. Matt.’s catalogue follows

Romans 12:1 — obtained διὰ τῶν οἰκτιρμῶν τοῦ θεοῦ , we are now enabled to be offered to God no longer by the shedding of blood, but as living sacrifices . This application of the figure of a sacrifice occurs in Philo, who (‘quod omnis probus liber,’ § 12, vol. ii., p. 457) describes the Essenes as οὐ ζῶα καταθύαντες , ἀλλ ʼ ἱεροπρεπεῖς τὰς ἑαυτῶν διανοίας κατασκευάζειν ἀξιοῦντες . See also Jos, Antt. xviii. 1. 5. τῷ θεῷ belongs to εὐάρεστον , not to παραστῆσαι . τὴν λογικὴν λατρ . ὑμ .] “This

1 Corinthians 15:1-2 — 1, 2 .] δέ transitional. γνωρίζω , not, as most Commentators, aft. Œc [65] , οἷον ὑπομιμνήσκω , nor as Rück., ‘ I direct your attention to ’ (both which meanings are inadmissible, from the usage of the word: see reff.), but as E. V. I declare

2 Corinthians 5:16 — 16. ] So that ( accordingly , consistently with our judgment expressed 2Co 5:15 ) we (in opposition to our adversaries, the false teachers: not general , of all Christians , as De W., but as yet spoken, as the emphatic position of ἡμεῖς shews, of the Apostle himself (and his colleagues?)) from this time (since this great

2 Corinthians 5:6-8 — 6 8. ] He returns to the confidence expressed in 2 Corinthians 5:1 ; that however this may be , whether this wish is to be fulfilled or not, he is prepared to accept the alternative of being denuded of the body, seeing that it will bring with it a translation to the presence of the Lord . Being

Galatians 1:7 — for it quite as well. The objection to his view is (1) that the meaning assigned to ὃ οὐκ ἔστιν ἄλλο is very harsh, taking the relative from its application to the concrete ( ἕτερον εὐαγγ .), and enlarging it to the abstract ( τὸ εὺαγγ . in general) (2) that the juxtaposition of ἕτερον and ἄλλο in one sentence seems to require, as in 1 Corinthians 15:40-41 , that the strict meaning of each should he observed. Others again (Winer, Olsh., &c.) refer the ὅ to the whole sentence from ὅτι &c. to εὐαγγέλιον

Colossians 2:8 — shall be (the future indicative expresses strong fear lest that which is feared should really be the case; so Aristoph. Eccles. 487, περισκοπουμένη κἀκεῖσε καὶ τἀκ δεξιᾶς , μὴ ξυμφορὰ γενήσεται τὸ πρᾶγμα . Hartung, ii. 138: see reff. and Winer, § 56. 2. b a ) any one Who (cf. τινὲς οἱ ταράσσοντες , ref. Gal. and note. It points at some known person) leads you away as his prey (Mey. connects the word in imagery with the foregoing περιπατεῖτε but this perhaps is hardly necessary after the disregard

1 Thessalonians 4:15 — i.e. by direct revelation from Him made to me. τουτέστιν , οὐκ ἀφ ʼ ἑαυτῶν , ὰλλὰ παρὰ τοῦ χριστοῦ μαθόντες λέγομεν , Chr.: ἐκ θείας ἡμῖν ἀποκαλύψεως ἡ διδασκαλία γεγένηται , Thdrt. That St. Paul had many special revelations made to him, we know from 2 Corinthians 12:4 . Cf. also Galatians 1:12 ; Eph 3:3 ; 1 Corinthians 11:23 ; 1 Corinthians 15:3 , and notes. ἡμεῖς οἱ ζῶντες ] Then beyond question, he himself expected to be alive, together with the majority of those to whom he was writing, at the

1 Timothy 3:11 — 11.] (The) women in like manner (who are these? Are they (1) women who were to serve as deacons, deaconesses? or (2) wives of the deacons? or (3) wives of the deacons and overseers? or (4) women in general? I conceive we may dismiss (4) at once, for Chrys.’s reason: τί γὰρ ἐβούλετο μεταξὺ τῶν εἰρημένων παρεμβαλεῖν τι περὶ γυναικῶν ; (3) upheld by Calv., Est.,

2 Timothy 1:8 — Surely, granting that such is the primary constructional inference from the words, it would be just in keeping with the delicate tact of the Apostle, to use such form of admonition, when in fact the blame had been already partly incurred. See note on 2Ti 1:1 ) the testimony of our Lord (i.e. the testimony which thou art to give concerning our Lord, gen. objective: not ‘ the testimony which He bore ,’ gen. subjective, as Corn.-a-lap., al., nor, as Chrys. (apparently), ‘ the martyrdom

2 Timothy 4:14 — πρώτου φανέντος μετάλλου . διὸ καὶ ὁ Ἥφαιστος χαλκεὺς ἐλέγετο , καὶ χαλκεύειν τὸ οἱανοῦν ἐλατὴν ὕλην σφύρᾳ παίειν . Similarly the Etymol. (ib.), ἀπὸ γὰρ τοῦ πρώτου φανέντος μετάλλου πάντας τοὺς δημιουργοὺς ἐκάλουν οὕτως οἱ παλαιοί . See ref. Gen., and 2 Chronicles 24:12 . Perhaps the same with the Alexander of 1 Timothy 1:20 , where see note. There is nothing here said, inconsistent with his being an Ephesian resident. It has been indeed supposed that he was at Rome, and that the following caution

Hebrews 10:11 — the priesthood, and indeed of all Israel. In treating of the Head of so compact a system as the Jewish priesthood it is clearly allowable, if any where, to bring in the principle, “qui facit per alterum, facit per se.” See ch. Hebrews 7:27 , where the very same καθ ʼ ἡμέραν is predicated of the ἀρχιερεύς ) standeth (see reff. No priest nor other person might sit in the inner court of the temple, except the king. There is perhaps more than a fortuitous contrast to ἐκάθισεν below. So

James 1:11 — προσέταξεν ὁ θεὸς ( κύριος ὁ θ . Α ) πνεύματι καύσωνι (- νος ΑΒ [4] ): see Winer, Realw. art. “Wind.” But καύσων in ref. Matt. and Isaiah 49:10 , is evidently only heat : and considering, 1. the relation between that Gospel and St. James , , , 2. that the LXX, when the Kadim is intended, almost always add ὁ ἄνεμος or τὸ πνεῦμα , I prefer the other meaning, the arid scorching which accompanies the increasing power of the sun), and dried up the grass, and the flower thereof fell away (all from

James 1:5 — you aim at it, that you are lacking in the very first requisite) if any of you ( εἰ is not “ quandoquidem ,” as Estius, but εἴ τις is as usual ‘if any,’ and nearly = ὃστις ἄν ) is deficient in ( of , gen. as in ch. Jam 2:15 ) wisdom ( τὸ αἴτιον τοῦ τελείου ἔργου σοφίαν λέγει , Œc. Huther quotes from the Etym. Mag., γνῶσις μὲν ἐστὶ τὸ εἰδέναι τὰ ὄντα · σοφία δέ , καὶ τὸ τὰ ὄντα γινώσκειν καὶ τὸ τὰ γνωστὰ πράττειν . For what is meant by wisdom here, see ch. Jam 3:15-17

2 Peter 2:4 — 4 .] First historical proof: the punishment of the apostate angels . Cf. Jude 1:6 . For (connect with the position immediately preceding, οἷς τὸ κρῖμα κ . τ . λ .) if God spared not angels having sinned (how, is not here specified; but Jude, 2 Peter 2:6 , is more particular: see note there. ἁμαρτησάντων , anarthrous, is not = τῶν ἁμ ., “that sinned:” but carries a ratiocinative force, giving the reason of οὐκ ἐφείσατο : “for their sin”), but casting them into hell

3 John 1:2-4 — 2 4 .] Wish that Caius may prosper, as his soul prospers: and ground of this latter assertion . Beloved (the repetition of ἀγαπητέ is due perhaps more to the fact that the direct address begins here, than to any specific motive, such as the supposed