Bible Commentaries

Matthew 1:17 — mentioned simultaneously with the begetting of Jechonias, leaving him for the third period. This last, then, takes in from Jechonias to JESUS CHRIST inclusive. So that the three stand thus, according to the words of this verse: (1) ἀπὸ Ἀβραὰμ ἕως Δαυίδ . (2) ἀπὸ Δαυὶδ ἕως τ . μετ . Βαβ ., i.e. about the time when Josiah begat Jechonias. (3) ἀπὸ τ . μετ . Βαβ . (i.e. from Jechonias) ἕως τοῦ χριστοῦ . We may safely say, that the πᾶσαι does not , as Meyer, imply that Matthew intended to give the genealogy

Matthew 10:18 — to both bets of persecutors: αὐτοῖς , to them , i.e. the Jews (not the ἡγ . καὶ βασ . for they are in most cases Gentiles themselves), καὶ τοῖς ἔθν . It was a testimony in the best sense to Sergius Paulus, Acts 13:7 , but against Felix, Acts 24:25 ; and this double power ever belongs to the word of God as preached it is a δίστομος ῥομφαία (Revelation 1:16 ; Rev 2:12 ).

Matthew 14:13 — immediate consequence of his hearing of that occurrence. But this may well have been so: for (1) the disciples of John would be some days in bringing the news from Machærus to Capernaum, and the report mentioned in Mat 14:1 might reach Herod meantime; (2) the expression with which that report is introduced, ἐν ἐκείνῳ τῷ καιρῷ , extends it over a considerable space of time; and (3) the message which the disciples of John brought to our Lord might have included both particulars, the death of their Master,

Matthew 22:2 — 2. ] The householder of the former parable is the KING here, who ποιεῖ γάμους for his Son. γάμοι are not always necessarily ‘a marriage,’ but any great celebration, as accession to the throne, or coming of age, &c. See Esther 1:5 , LXX.

Matthew 22:4 — after the great sacrifice was offered . That thus the slaying of the Lord is not the doing of the invited , but is mentioned as done for the Feast , is no real difficulty. Both sides of the truth may be included in the parable, as they are in Acts 2:23 , and indeed wherever it is set forth. The discourse of Peter in that chapter is the best commentary on πάντα ἕτοιμα · δεῦτε εἰς τοὺς γ . Meyer well remarks that ‘ ἄριστον is not = δεῖπνον , but is the meal at noon with which the course of

Matthew 24:9-13 — 9 13. ] τότε , at this time, during this period, not ‘after these things have happened.’ De Wette presses this latter meaning, that he may find a contradiction to Luke 21:12 , πρὸ δὲ τούτων πάντων .… These words serve only definitely to fix the time of the indefinite τότε , here and in Matthew 24:10 . The τότε in Mat 24:14 is, from the construction of the sentence, more definite. For ἀποκτ . ὑμ . Luke has θανατώσουσιν

Matthew 25:10-12 — 10 12. ] We are not told that they could not buy that the shops were shut but simply that it was too late for that time . For it is not the final coming of the Lord to judgment, when the day of grace will be past , that is spoken of, except in so far as

Matthew 26:17 — feast. ποῦ θέλεις ] The ‘making ready’ would include the following particulars: the preparation of the guest-chamber itself (which however in this case was already done, see Mar 14:15 and note); the lamb already kept up from the 10th ( Exo 12:3 ) had to be slain in the fore-court of the temple (2 Chronicles 35:5 ; see also Jos. B. J. vi. 9. 3); the unleavened bread, bitter herbs, &c., prepared; and the room arranged. This report does not represent the whole that passed: it was the Lord

Matthew 5:8 — 8. καθ . τῇ καρδίᾳ ] See Psalms 24:4 ; Psalms 24:6 . It is no Levitical cleanness, nor mere moral purity, that is here meant: but that inner purity , which ( Act 15:9 ) is brought about τῇ πίστει , has its fruit ( 1Ti 1:5 ) in love; which is, as in καθαρὸν φῶς , καθαρὰ χαρά , &c.,

Matthew 6:27 — 27. ] These words do not relate to the stature , the adding a cubit to which (= a foot and a half) would be a very great addition, instead of a very small one, as is implied here, and expressed in Luke 12:26 , εἰ οὖν οὐδὲ ἐλάχιστον δύνασθε , κ . τ .

Mark 3:11 — 11. ὅταν … ἐθεώρουν ] See ref. The indic. is sometimes found with ὅταν in the N.T., see Revelation 4:9 , but generally amidst variety of readings: Matthew 10:19 ; Mark 11:25 ; Luke 13:28 ; Romans 2:14 . Meyer thus accounts for it that in later Greek the ἅν became completely attached to the ὅτε , and the whenever was treated as merely an expression of time so that in German it would not be menn sie Jhn irgend sahen ,

Mark 7:3 — 3. πυγμῇ ] This word has perplexed all the Commentators. Of the various renderings which have been given of it, two are excluded by their not being grammatical (1) that which makes it mean ‘ up to the elbow ’ (Euthym [26] and Thl.); ‘ including the hand as far as the wrist ’ Lightf.: (2) ‘ having clenched the hand,’ ‘facto pugno ’ (Grot. and others). [26] Euthymius Zigabenus, 1116 The two meanings between which our choice lies

Luke 7:14 — 14. ] The σορός (= λάρναξ , Jos. Antt. xv. 3. 2) was an open coffin . There was something in the manner of our Lord which caused the bearers to stand still. We need not suppose any miraculous influence over them. All three raisings from the dead are wrought with words of power, ‘Damsel, arise,’

Luke 8:30 — Rabbinical writings. The fact of many dœmons having entered into this wretched man, sets before us terribly the utter break-up of his personal and rational being. The words will not bear any figurative rendering, but must be taken literally (see Luk 8:2 of this chap., and ch. Luke 11:24 ff.); viz. that in the same sense in which other poor creatures were possessed by one evil spirit (see note on [71] Matt.), this man, and Mary Magdalene, were possessed by many . [71] When, in the Gospels, and in

Luke 9:43-44 — contrast with ὑμεῖς of Luke 9:44 . τοὺς λ . τ ., not (Meyer), ‘ the foregoing discourses and wonders: ’ that would give no sense, for the disciples were thinking exclusively of those already: nor strictly (Stier, but corrected in edn. 2) ‘ what I am about to tell you ,’ so that τοὺς λ . τ . should be [76] with τὸ ῥῆμα below: but these sayings, of which this was now the second; ‘these intimations which I make to you from time to time respecting My sufferings and

Galatians 2:1 — 1 . διὰ δεκατ . ἐτῶν ] First, what does this διὰ imply? According to well-known usage, διὰ with a genitive of time or space signifies ‘through and beyond:’ thus, ὁ μὲν χρόνος δὴ διὰ χρόνου προὔβαινέ μοι , Soph. Philoct. 285, διὰ δέκα ἐπάλξεων πύργοι ἦσαν μεγάλοι , Thuc. iii. 21, and then τῶν πύργων ὄντων δι ʼ ὀλίγου : see reff., and Bernhardy, Syntax, p. 235. Winer, Gramm. edn. 6, § 51. (The instrumental usage, διὰ δακρύων , διὰ νυκτός , &c. is derived from this, the

Philippians 4:3 — 3 .] ναί assumes the granting of the request just made, and carries on farther the same matter, see Phm 1:20 and note; but does not conjure , as Grot., al. γνήσιε σύνζυγε ] true (‘ genuine :’ true, as distinguished from counterfeit: lit. of legitimate worth ( γενήσιος )) yoke-fellow . Who is intended, it is quite impossible to say. Various

Hebrews 2:7 — also Calvin: “Tot decoribus ornatos esse dicit ut eorum conditio divina et cœlesti gloria non longe sit inferior.” But when De W. goes on, in treating of מְעַט , to say that some understand it, with the LXX , of time , and refers to Heb 2:6-7 to confirm this, I must venture to doubt, though I find the same very generally assumed (e. g. by Calvin, “Videtur apostolus verba trahere in diversum sensum quam intellexerit David. Nam βραχύ τι videtur ad tempus referre ut sit paulisper

Hebrews 8:5 — the construction, see below) the delineation ( ὑπόδειγμα cannot as in ch. Heb 4:11 mean, a pattern, or example: but must be taken, less usually but more strictly as answering to ὑποδεικνύναι , ‘oculis subjicere,’ here and in ch. Hebrews 9:23 , as meaning a suggestive representation, or sketch. So Thl., ὑποδείγματα , τουτέστιν ἀμυδρὰ δείγματα καὶ οἷον σκιαγραφήματα τὰ ἐν τῇ παλαιᾷ ὑποδειχθέντα τῷ Μωυσεῖ . It corresponds to δειχθέντα σοι in the following citation) and shadow (‘adumbration,’

1 John 2:19 — They went out from among us, but they were not of us (it is plain that the prep. ἐξ must in this sentence be taken in two different meanings: first, with ἐξῆλθαν , in the mere local reference, and even so our Lord Himself uses the expression, John 8:42 , ἐγὼ γὰρ ἐκ τοῦ θεοῦ ἐξῆλθον καὶ ἥκω , words which are varied, John 13:3 , by ἀπό , and Joh 16:27 by παρά . And in John 13:3 , the local meaning is stamped as the true one by the addition of καὶ πρὸς τὸν θεὸν ὑπάγει . On the other hand, ἐκ with εἶναι