Bible Commentaries

Matthew 13:35 — 35. ὅπως πλ . ] in order that &c., not ‘ so that thus ,’ or ‘ and in this way ’ (?) as Webst. and Wilk., here, or any where else. See note on ch. Matthew 1:22 . The prophet , according to the superscription of Psalms 78:1-72 , is Asaph, so called 2 Chronicles 29:30 , LXX. The former clause of the citation is identical with the LXX; the latter = φθέγξομαι προβλήματα ἀπ ʼ ἀρχῆς , LXX. When we find De Wette,

Matthew 16:14 — 14. ] It is no contradiction to this verdict that some called him the Son of David (ch. Matthew 9:27 ; Matthew 12:23 ; Mat 15:22 ); for either these were or were about to become His disciples, or are quoted as examples of rare faith, or as in ch. Matthew 12:23 , it was the passing doubt on the minds of the multitude, not their settled opinion. The

Matthew 23:4 — 4. ] The warning was, imitate them not for they do not themselves what they enjoin on others. And this verse must be strictly connected with Matthew 23:3 . The φορτία then are not, as so often misinterpreted (even by Olshausen, i. 834), human traditions and observances, but the severity of the law , which they enforce on others, but do not observe (see Rom 2:21-23 ): answering to the βαρύτερα τοῦ

Matthew 25:3-4 — patience, supplied with the oil of the Spirit, now comes in the difference between the wise and foolish: the one made no provision for the supply of this the others did . How so? The wise ones gave all diligence to make their calling and election sure (2 Peter 1:10 ; 2Pe 1:5-8 ), making their bodies, souls, and spirits (their vessels , 2Co 4:7 ) a means of supplying spiritual food for the light within, by seeking, in the appointed means of grace, more and more of God’s Holy Spirit. The others

Matthew 26:2 — 2. μετὰ δύο ἡμ . ] This gives no certainty as to the time when the words were said: we do not know whether the current day was included or otherwise. But thus much of importance we learn from them: that the delivery of our Lord to be crucified, and

Matthew 26:20-25 — 20 25. ] JESUS, CELEBRATING THE PASSOVER, ANNOUNCES HIS BETRAYER. Mark 14:17-21 . Joh 13:21 ff. Our Lord and the twelve were a full Paschal company; ten persons was the ordinary and minimum number. Here come in (1) the expression of our Lord’s

Mark 3:21 — 21. ] Peculiar to Mark. οἱ παρ ʼ αὐτοῦ = his relations, beyond a doubt for the sense is resumed in Mark 3:31 : see reff. ἐξῆλθ . (perhaps from Nazareth , or, answering to John 2:12 , from Capernaum ), set out: see ch. Mark 5:14 . They heard

Mark 5:41 — ; Mark 14:36 . Talitha, in the ordinary dialect of the people, is a word of endearment addressed to a young maiden: = κοράσιον . So that the words are equivalent to Rise, my child. On the nom. with the article standing as a vocative, see Winer, § 29. 2. Bernhardy, Syntax, p. 67, remarks that the idiom had originally something harsh in it, being used only in emphatically imperative addresses. This however it lost, as the present use and that in Luke and Luk 12:32 sufficiently shew.

Luke 11:5 — 5. ] Now follows a parable on continuing instant in prayer, of the same nature as that in ch. Luke 18:2 ff. In both parables, the argument is ‘à fortiori:’ “if selfish man can be won by prayer and importunity to give, and unjust man to do right, much more certainly shall the bountiful Lord bestow, and the righteous Lord do justice.”

Luke 12:54-59 — 54 59. ] REPROACHES FOR BLINDNESS TO THE SIGNS OF THE TIMES. The connexion of this with the foregoing is natural and close. ἀπὸ τοῦ νῦν ( Luk 12:52 ), the distinction shall begin to be made; the discord and division between those who discern τὸν καιρὸν τοῦτον ( Luk 12:56 ) and those who do not. Our Lord then turns to the crowd ( καί . He not only said to the disciples the foregoing, but also

Luke 8:14 — frigid in the extreme; but ὑπό belongs to συνπνίγονται , and πορευόμενοι (which Meyer contends would have no meaning in this case) is in its ordinary sense of going their way, namely, after having heard the word: see for this usage of πορεύομαι Matthew 2:8 ; Matthew 9:13 ; Mat 11:4 alli [68] . (but not Mark, except Mark 16:10 ff., where see note), and Luke 7:22 ; Luk 9:13 alli [69] . freq. It is surprising that such a critic as Meyer should have upheld so absurd an interpretation as that impugned above.

John 13:33 — καθὼς εἶπ . ] “Noluit discipulis citius hoc dicere: infidelibus dixit citius.” Bengel. But naturally the two clauses, ‘Ye shall seek Me and not find Me, and shall die in your sins,’ also spoken to the Jews (ch. John 7:33 ; Joh 8:21 ), are here omitted: and by this omission the connexion with Joh 13:34 is supplied; ‘Ye shall be left here: but, unlike the Jews, ye shall seek Me and shall find Me, and the way is that of Love, to Me, and to one another (so Stier, ver. 140 ff.

John 14:30 — supposed: cf. Grotius: “q. d., temporis angustiæ abripiunt verba.” ὁ τ . κόσ . ἄρχων ] i.e. Satan: not, Satan in Judas, but Satan himself , with whom the Lord was in conflict during His passion: see Luke 4:13 (and note), and Luke 22:53 . ἐν ἐμοὶ οὐκ ἔχ οὐδ . ] “Nullum scilicet omnino peccatum.” Aug [203] ibid. 2. This is the only true interpretation: has nothing in Me no point of appliance whereon to fasten his attack. But Meyer well observes, that this is rather

John 17:1-26 — 1 26. ] HIS LOVE IN THE GLORIFICATION OF THE SON OF GOD. The parting prayer of the Lord Jesus: and herein, for Himself (1 5): for His disciples (6 19): for all believers, that they may be one (20, 21), that they may be glorified in the completion of

John 17:10 — Mine is Thine;’ for that we may all say, that all we have is God’s. But this is a far greater thing, that He inverts this and says, ‘All Thine is Mine.’ This can no creature say before God.” Luther, Stier, v. 418, edn. 2. The E. V., ‘All Mine are Thine,’ &c., gives the erroneous impression that persons only are meant, whereas it is all things , in the widest meaning, the Godhead itself included , of which this is asserted. ἐν αὐτοῖς , not ‘

John 3:19 — 19. ] The particular nature of this decided judgment is now set forth, that the Light (see ch. John 1:4-5 ; John 1:7 , and notes) is come into the world ( ἐλήλυθεν , in reference perhaps to ἐλήλυθας , Joh 3:2 ), and men (= ὁ κόσμος , men in general; an awful revelation of the future reception of the Gospel) loved (the perversion of the affections and will is the deepest ruin of mankind) the darkness (see note on ch. John 1:5 ; = the state of sin and unbelief)

John 5:30 — 30. ] Here begins (see Stier, iv. 195, edn. 2) the second part of the discourse , but bound on most closely to the first ( Joh 5:23 ), treating of the testimony by which these things were substantiated, and which they ought to have received . This verse is, however, perhaps rather a point of

John 6:37 — ipsum, Filium , veniunt, ii masculino genere vel etiam plurali numero describuntur, omnis , vel illi . Pater Filio totam quasi massam dedit, ut omnes quos dedit unum sint; id universum Filius singulatim evolvit, in exsecutione. Hinc illud in xvii. 2, ut omne quod dedisti ei, det eis vitam æternam.” See also 1 John 5:4 . See further on πᾶν ὃ δίδωσίν μοι ὁ πατήρ , John 6:44 . οὐ μὴ ἐκβ . ἔξω does not refer here to the office of the Son of God as Judge; but is another way of expressing

John 8:3 — 3. ] John does not usually connect with δέ , more commonly with οὖν : but δέ is found thus used here , John 8:1-3 , (5, where the conjunction of δὲ … δέ is not in St. John’s manner, see Galatians 2:20 ,) 6 (twice v. r.), 7, 9, 10, 11 (twice v. r.). Thence, there is not one δέ of mere connexion ( Joh 8:35 is no exception) through the remaining forty-eight verses of the chapter. Nor does he ever mention οἱ γραμματεῖς elsewhere, but usually calls

John 8:51 — and obedience of faith. θεωρεῖν θάν ., as γεύεσθαι θαν ., is a Hebraism for to die , see reff., and must not be pressed to mean, ‘shall not feel (the bitterness of) death,’ in a temporal sense, as has been done by Stier (iv. 433, edn. 2). The death of the body is not reckoned as death , any more than the life of the body is life , in our Lord’s discourses: see ch. John 11:25-26 , and notes. Both words have a deeper meaning.