Bible Commentaries

Matthew 19:11-12 — 11, 12. ] τὸν λόγον τοῦτον , this saying of yours , viz. οὐ συμφέρει γαμῆσαι . The γάρ in Mat 19:12 shews that the sense is carried on: see ch. Matthew 1:18 . Our Lord mentions the three exceptions , the οἷς δέδοται οὐ γαμῆσαι . 1. Those who from natural

Matthew 2:17 — understand of the full bearing of prophetic and typical words and acts. None of the expressions of this prophecy must be closely and literally pressed. The link of connexion seems to be Rachel’s sepulchre , which (Genesis 35:19 ; see also 1Sa 10:2 ) was ‘ in the way to Bethlehem; ’ and from that circumstance, perhaps, the inhabitants of that place are called her children . We must also take into account the close relation between the tribes of Judah and Benjamin, which had long

Matthew 5:16 — buildings, but to those who built them. The whole of this division of our Lord’s sermon is addressed to all His followers , not exclusively to the ministers of his word. All servants of Christ are the salt of the earth, the light of the world ( Php 2:15 ). And all that is here said applies to us all. But à fortiori does it apply, in its highest sense, to those who are, among Christians, selected to teach and be examples; who are as it were the towers and pinnacles of the city, not only not hid,

Matthew 9:5 — will give you to know in what direction the great under-currents of His love are setting, and that both are obedient to My word. From this, which I will now do openly and before you all, you may conclude that it is ‘no robbery’ (Philippians 2:6 , but see note there) upon my part to claim also the power of forgiving men their sins.” Trench on the Miracles, p. 206.

Luke 12:57 — therefore by the way take pains ( δὸς ἐργ ., da operam a Latinism: there is no reference to interest of money, as Thl., who also has the other interpretation, supposes) to be delivered from him (by repentance, and faith in the Son of God, see Psa 2:12 ), lest he drag thee to the judge ( κριτής who adjudges the case and inflicts the fine; that is, the Son, to whom all judgment is committed), and the judge deliver thee to the exactor (see Mat 13:41 ), and the exactor cast thee into prison ’

Luke 21:24 — 24. ] A most important addition, serving to fix the meaning of the other two Evangelists, see notes there, and carrying on the prophetic announcements, past our own times, even close to the days of the end. πεσοῦνται … αἰχμ ., viz. this people

John 17:17 — apart for Him was a long and gradual process, to be accomplished by conflicts, and the deeper sinking in of the Truth by the blows of affliction, and the purifying fire of the Spirit: in them it was strictly sanctification , the making holy: but (2) in HIM it was that pure and entire self-consecration by His submission to the Father’s holy will, the entire possession of His sinless humanity with the living and speaking Truth of God, which should be at the same time the efficient cause of

John 8:5 — these questions between the law of Moses and Jesus; but the synoptic Gospels often do. The command here mentioned is not to be found, unless ‘putting to death’ generally, is to be interpreted as = stoning: compare Exodus 31:14 ; Exodus 35:2 , with Numbers 15:35-36 , in which the special order given by God would sanction such a view. But the Rabbis taught “omne mortis supplicium in scriptura absolute positum esse strangulationem .” Tract. Sanhedr. ch. 10. (Lücke, De Wette.)

Acts 19:29 — 29. εἰς τὸ θέατρον ] The resort of the populace on occasions of excitement, as Wetst. shews by many instances. So Tacit Hist. ii. 80, ‘Tum Antiochensium theatrum ingressus, ubi illis consultare mos est .’ ‘Of the site of the theatre,

Acts 2:41 — Judaizing form of Christianity which afterwards proved so hostile to the true faith; while others, more deeply touched by the Holy Spirit, followed humbly the unfolding of that teaching by which He perfected the apostolic age in the doctrine of Christ. (2) Almost without doubt, this first baptism must have been administered, as that of the first Gentile converts was (see ch. Acts 10:47 , and note), by effusion or sprinkling, not by immersion . The immersion of 3000 persons, in a city so sparingly furnished

Acts 20:18 — only be discovered by a continuous and verbal study of his Epistles. I shall point out such instances of parallelism as I have observed, in the notes. The contents of the speech may be thus given: He reminds the elders of his conduct among them ( Act 20:18-21 ): announces to them his final separation from them ( Act 20:22-25 ): and commends earnestly to them the flock committed to their charge, for which he himself had by word and work disinterestedly laboured ( Act 20:26-35 ). ἀπὸ πρ . ἡμ

Acts 25:23 — 23. ] φαντασία is of frequent use in this sense in Polybius and later Greek writers. Herodotus uses the verb φαντάζεσθαι for ‘ superbire ,’ vii. 201: ὁρᾷς ὡς τὰ ὑπερέχοντα ζῶα κεραυνοῖ ὁ θεός , οὐδ ʼ ἑᾷ φαντάζεσθαι . See Wetst., who finely

Acts 28:21 — 21. ] It may seem strange that they had received no tidings concerning him. But, as Meyer well remarks, (1) before his appeal, the Jews in Judæa had no definite reason to communicate with the Jews in Rome respecting him, having no expectation that Paul,

Acts 6:3 — 3. ἐπισκ . οὖν ] The similarity to ref. Gen. seems to shew that the look ye out of the E. V. is the right rendering. μαρτυρουμένους ] For this use of the pass. not found in the Gospp., compare besides reff., Jos. Antt. iii. 2. 5, τὸν στρατηγὸν Ἰησοῦν ἐνεγκωμίαζε , μαρτυρούμενον ἐφ ʼ οἶς ἔπραξεν ὑπὸ παντὸς τοῦ στρατοῦ and Marc [42] Antonin. vii. 62, συνεχῶς ἐφιστάναι , τίνες εἰσὶν οὗτοι , ὑφ ʼ ὧν μαρτυρεῖσθαι θέλεις . [42] Marcus Monachus, 390 ἑπτά ] Some have supposed

Romans 3:2 — 2. ] πολύ answers the first question of Romans 3:1 , but takes no account of the second, as it is virtually included in the first. Nor can it be properly regarded as answered in ch. Romans 4:1 ff. (see there). κατὰ πάντα τρ . ] not merely omnino

1 Corinthians 15:36 — but may imply an appeal to the objector’s own experience (as Billr. in Dr. Peile): ‘ thou say this, who art continually witness of the process, &c.?’ And let it be remembered that we have another σπείρειν below, 1 Corinthians 15:42-44 , which may be set against thy sowing . I retain therefore the stop at ἄφρων (nom. for voc. as freq. See Luke 12:20 ; Mark 9:25 ; Luke 8:54 , al., and Winer, edn. 6, § 29. 2), and the emphasis on σύ . The similitude was used by our Lord of His own

1 Corinthians 15:51 — rendering of the words which is philologically allowable (the ordinary one, regarding πάντες ( μὲν ) οὐ as = οὐ πάντες ( μέν ), we shall not all sleep, being inadmissible, here and in other instances where it has been attempted, see Winer, edn. 6, § 26. 1), is this, ‘ we all (viz. as in 1 Thessalonians 4:15 , ἡμεῖς οἱ ζῶντες οἱ περιλειπόμενοι εἰς τὴν παρουσίαν τοῦ κυρίου , in which number the Apostle firmly believed that he himself should be, see 2 Corinthians 5:1 ff. and notes) shall not

1 Corinthians 2:7 — here hinted at, explaining ἐν μυστ ., “non propalam et passim apud omnes, quia non omnes ea capiunt, sed … secreto et apud pauciores, scilicet eos qui spirituales et perfecti sunt,” Est.), which has been (hitherto) hidden (see Romans 16:25 ; ref. Col.): which God foreordained (nothing need be supplied, as ἀποκαλύπτειν , or the like, after προώρισεν ) before the ages (of time) to ( in order to , the purpose of this preordination) our glory (our participation in the things which He

1 Corinthians 6:3 — Chrys. as before, understands that the bad angels will be condemned by comparison with us, ὅταν γὰρ αἱ ἀσώματοι δυνάμεις αὐταὶ ἔλαττον ἡμῶν εὑρεθῶσιν ἔχουσαι τῶν σάρκα περιβεβλημένων , χαλεπώτερον δώσουσι δίκην . p. 138. But see above on 1 Corinthians 6:2 . μήτιγε , to say nothing of , ‘ ut omittam :’ so Demosth. p. 24. 23, οὐκ ἔνι δ ʼ αὐτὸν ἀργοῦντα οὐδὲ τοῖς φίλοις ἐπιτάττειν ὑπὲρ αὐτοῦ τι ποιεῖν , μή τί γε δὴ τοῖς θεοῖς . See Hartung, Partikellehre, ii. 155. βιωτικά , matters relating

1 Corinthians 8:4 — 4 .] The subject is resumed, and further specified by the insertion of τῆς βρώσεως . οὖν resumes a broken thread of discourse: so Plato, Apol. p. 29, ὥστε οὐδ ʼ εἴ με ἀφίετε … εἴ μοι πρὸς ταῦτα εἴποιτε , &c.… εἰ οὖν με , ὅπερ εἶπον , ἐπὶ τούτοις ἀφίοιτε … See Hartung, Partikellehre, ii. 22. We know that there is no idol in the world, i.e. that the εἴδωλα of the heathen (meaning not strictly