Bible Commentaries

Genesis 4:17 — Ptolomeo coloca en Susiana, (Calmet) quizás haya sido construido después del diluvio, en el mismo lugar. Josefo dice, Caín fue el primero que fortificó una ciudad; diseñándolo para un retiro, donde podría guardar los frutos de sus robos, Antigüedades 1. 3. Peirere funda su sistema mal concertado de Preadamitas, o de hombres existentes antes de Adán, en la historia de Caín ejerciendo la agricultura, construyendo una ciudad, &C.; como si hubiera alguna dificultad en suponer que las artes hubieran hecho

Genesis 43:16 — Víctimas: la sangre de la cual se ofreció primero a Dios, como él había designado, (cap. Xviii. 1; Levítico xvii. 5.) y la carne se trajo sobre la mesa. Si la idolatría era entonces común en Egipto, como supone Calmet, en oposición a Grocio, José no participó al menos en esa impiedad. &mdash- Al mediodía. Este era el momento de la comida principal

Matthew 23:37 — And thou wouldst not. Three truths may be gathered from these words of our Saviour: 1. They, who perish, perish by their own fault, because they refuse to listen to the voice of God calling them to salvation; 2. that man’s will is free, and that it is an error in man to lay all his wickedness to the charge of God, or of blind chance;

Luke 1:1 — That have been accomplished.[1] In the Protestant translation, of things most surely believed. They have followed Beza, and Erasmus: but other learned critics have shewn that the same Greek word often signifies to fulfil; and it is clearly proved by St. John Chrysostom. =============================== [BIBLIOGRAPHY] Completæ

Luke 9:4 — And depart[1] not from thence. In the ordinary Greek copies we find, and depart from thence. The sense appears, by the other evangelists, (Matthew x. 11. and Mark vi. 10.) that Christ gave this admonition to his disciples, not to change their lodging from house

John 17:5 — his eternal Father would make known to men, that glory, which it was decreed from eternity should be given him: that is, that all creatures should be made subject to him, even as he was man, and appointed to be judge of the living and the dead. See 1 Corinthians xv. 26; Ephesians i. 22. (Witham)

John 5:25 — when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God, seems rather to be signified the general resurrection at the end of the world; and though it be said, that now is the hour, this may be spoken of the last age of the world; and, as St. John says, (1 John ii. 18.) children, it is the last hour. In fine, some interpreters understand these words of a spiritual resurrection from sin, which Christ came to bring to the world. (Witham)

Acts 1:13-14 — Into an upper room, to be more retired in prayer. There they were persevering with one mind in prayer. These few words denote to us three dispositions to receive the Holy Ghost. 1. Prayer. 2. Perseverance in it. 3. To be of one mind, perfectly united in charity, and the love of one another. (Witham) --- This is the last mention that is made in Scripture of the blessed Virgin Mary. She lived the rest of her time with the Christians

Acts 5:2 — By fraud kept part.[1] Ananias, and his wife Saphira, had make a promise or vow, to put into the common stock the price of what they had to sell. When they had sold the field, they resolved by mutual consent to keep for their private use part of the money, and to bring in

1 Corinthians 12:28 — First apostles, &c. Here he sets down these gifts or graces in their order of dignity. 1. The apostles, blessed above others with all kinds of graces. 2. Prophets, who had the gift of interpreting of prophecies, and of knowing things to come. 3. Doctors, or teachers of the gospel, preferred before those who had the gift of miracles, or

Colossians 2:4 — That no man may deceive you.[1] He means those false teachers and vain philosophers, who deceived them by a sophistical way of reasoning, advancing in this manner their fabulous inventions; it is likely some disciples of Simon the magician. (Witham) --- The false teachers whom St.

Titus 1:6 — Without crime. See the like qualifications, 1 Timothy iii. (Witham) --- These words if taken in their strictest meaning, do not seem to have all the force St. Paul meant them to have. For it is not sufficient that a bishop be free from great crimes; he ought, moreover to lead such a life as to

Hebrews 3:14 — effected, how comes it that we are so attached to this earth, how can we hazard for such a mere trifle such immense felicity? =============================== [BIBLIOGRAPHY] Initium substantiæ ejus, Greek: ten archen tes upostaseos. See Chap. xi. 1. Est fides sperandarum substantia rerum, Greek: elpizomenon upostasis. ====================

James 1:1 — himself this title in those to the Thessalonians, to the Philippians, to Philemon, or to the Hebrews. --- To the twelve tribes, which are dispersed. Literally, which are in the dispersion. That is, to the Jews converted in all nations. --- Greetings.[1] Literally, salvation. Which comprehendeth much the same as, when St. Paul says, grace, peace, mercy, &c. (Witham) =============================== [BIBLIOGRAPHY] Salutem, Greek: chairein, salvari, salvos esse.

Judith 3:1 — the great king, lay before thee; use us as thou thinkest best," &c. These proposals were made by those on the sea-coast, from Sidon and Tyre to Ascalon, from whom Holofernes took "the choicest men," being received with honour, ver. 10. (Haydock) --- Syria, &c. These are not specified in the Greek. --- Sobal, or Soba, (1 Kings xiv. 47.) near Damascus, where Ptolemy (v.) places Samoulis. --- Lybia seems too remote, and had not been attacked: some therefore would read Lycia, or

Sirach 3:38 — express the certainty of the event of the things foretold. (Challoner) (Calmet) --- Most of the Fathers prove Christ’s divinity from this text. (Worthington) See Tertullian, contra Prax. 6.; St. Cyprian, contra Jud. ii. 5.; Eusebius, Dem. vi. 19. --- If we explain it of wisdom, it comes to the same purpose, as Christ is the wisdom of God, 1 Corinthians i. 30. Compare Proverbs viii. 30., Ecclesiasticus xxiv. 12., and Wisdom ix. 10., which no one ever suspected to be interpolated. (Calmet) (Preface)

Baruch 15:23 — independent and powerful island near Asia Minor. --- Pamphylia, in Cilicia, beyond Taurus. --- Lycia had been freed from the Rhodians, by the Romans. --- Alicarnassus, an ancient town of Caria, opposite to the isle of Coo. --- Side, in Pamphylia, ver. 1. Grotius conjectures we should read, "Sidon." --- Aradus, near the coasts of Syria. --- Rhodes, famous for its Colossus. --- Phaselis, a maritime town near Lycia. --- Gortyna, a city of Crete, which was then an independent island. --- Gnidus,

Letter of Jeremiah 11:21 — different from that of the Hebrews, followed by the writer of the first book of Machabees. However by this date, as well as by other circumstances, it appears that the expedition of Lysias, mentioned in this chapter, is different from that recorded [in] 1 Machabees vi. 16. (Challoner) --- Dioscorus. Syriac, "the last of Tisri." Greek, "Jupiter of Corinth," which is more unintelligible. There was no month called Dioscorus among the Greeks. (Calmet) --- It might be put for Dius, (Grotius)

Letter of Jeremiah 6:7 — Sacrifices. Greek, "each month, to the sacrifice (and feast) of entrails," (Haydock) which were given back to him who presented the victim. (Grotius) --- The eastern kings celebrated their birth-days; Epiphanes did it every month, 1 Machabees i. 61., and Matthew xiv. 6. --- About. Greek, "to follow the march;" Greek: pompeuein. (Calmet) --- Protestants, "to go in procession to Bacchus, carrying ivy." Ward (Err. p. 114) reads Greek: pompaduein, and refers the

Letter of Jeremiah 9:13 — Not like. Because his repentance was not for the offence committed against God, but barely on account of his present sufferings. (Challoner) --- For these he really grieved, 1 Machabees vi. 11. Yet was not sorry for the offence against God and men. So the damned acknowledge that their punishments are inflicted on account of their sins, yet have not true repentance. (Worthington) --- In like manner Esau repented for the loss