Bible Commentaries

Ezekiel 3:20 — him with apprehensions of his dangerous state, I will require, &c. (Origin; St. Jerome) --- Remembered. Ingratitude caused the fruits of virtue to decay, and former crimes to revive, in some sense. (St. Thomas, [Summa Theologiae] iii. p. q. 88. a. 1.) (Matthew v. 26.) (Calmet)

Micah 1:10 — the house of dust (in Hebrew Haphra) to be the proper name of a city. (Challoner) --- With tears. Hebrew, "at all," (Protestants; Haydock) "in Acco," or Ptolemais, (Reland) or Bochim, (Haydock) a place near Jerusalem, Judges ii. 1. But no reference to this place, or to "the Enakim," (who appear in some copies of the Septuagint) seems to be made. --- Of dust. Samaria, ver. 6. (Calmet)

Haggai 2:13 — them, to have this effect. (Haydock) --- Those who had touched the dead, rendered both holy and common things unclean for others. There were two sorts of sanctified meat: the victims for sin, which the priests on duty alone could eat, (Leviticus vii. 1, 6.) and the peace-offerings, of which all who were clean might partake, Leviticus xix. The former alone sanctified what they touched. Both must be burnt if they touched any thing unclean, while ordinary food in the same predicament might be consumed

Zechariah 14:16 — festivals, and merit great rewards, while infidels shall remain barren and devoid of eternal happiness. (Worthington) --- We have no solemnity of tabernacles; but Gentiles keep the Epiphany in thanksgiving for their vocation to God’s admirable light, 1 Peter ii. 9. (Calmet)

Zechariah 14:2 — I will gather, &c. This seems to be a prophecy of what was done by Antiochus, (Challoner) or of the last siege, (Worthington) by the Romans. (St. Jerome; Theodoret; Eusebius, Dem. vi. 18.) (Calmet) --- Vespasian collected numerous forces. (Josephus, Jewish Wars iii. 1.) --- Titus had six legions and many auxiliaries, Arabs, &c. (Tacitus, Hist. v.) --- Various nations composed their army. (Worthington) --- Rifled, or demolished.

Matthew 12:4 — The house of God was then at Nobe. In St. Mark, the high priest is called Abiathar. See Chap. ii. 26. To this difficulty some answer, that the father and son bore these two names, Achimelec and Abiathar. This they attempt to prove from 2 Kings viii. 19, and 1 Paralipomenon xxiv. 3. Others say that Abiathar, son of Achimelec, was present, and sanctioned the action of his father, thus making it his own. Others again contend, that it ought to have been translated, in the chapter called Abiathar, instead

Matthew 7:18 — unchangeably good or bad. See St. Augustine, lib. ii. de Serm. Domini in Monte. chap. xxiv. p. 232. Non potest esse nix calida, cum enim calida esse cæperit, non jam eam nivem, sed aquam vocamus. See also St. John Chrysostom Greek: om kg, pag. 168. linea 1. Edit. Savil. ====================

Mark 14:24 — death and passion, with more lively sentiments of devotion than they who believe it to be mere bread and wine. The outward forms of bread and wine, which remain in the Eucharist, are chiefly designed to signify or represent to us three things; viz. 1. The passion of Christ, of which they are the remembrance; 2. the body and blood of Christ, really, though sacramentally present, of which they are the veil; and 3. everlasting life, of which they are the pledge. --- N. B. In speaking of the real presence

Mark 6:13 — persons in danger of death: and which is fully expressed by St. James, in his Catholic Epistle. Chap vi. The Council of Trent says this sacrament was instituted in St. Mark, and published in the Epistle of St. James. (Council of Trent, session xiv. canon 1.) (Witham)

Luke 1:6 — blame.[3] Not that in the sight of God they were exempt even from all lesser failings, which are called venial faults; but only from such sins as might make them forfeit the grace and favour of God. (Witham) --- Three things are here to be noticed: 1. that good men do keep all God’s commandments, which some moderns declare to be impossible; 2. that men are justified not by imputation only of Christ’s justice, nor by faith alone, but by walking in the commandments; 3. that keeping and

Acts 1:3 — This is a fact which cannot be denied, and that it should have been brought about by twelve poor illiterate fishermen, without miracles, would be the greatest of all miracles, far beyond the reach of all human means. (St. John Chrysostom, hom. i. chap. 1. on Acts.) --- "And speaking of things pertaining to the kingdom of God," as we read in the Greek, and in the Protestant version, that is, pertaining to the Church, which is the kingdom of God, Greek: ta peri tes basileias tou theou, which

1 Corinthians 8:10 — In the idol’s temple.[1] It does not seem likely that any Christians would go to eat with idolaters in their very temples, of things offered to their idols: so that we may rather understand any place where infidels and Christians eat together, and where it happened that some

2 Corinthians 11:25 — Thrice I suffered shipwreck. This was before the shipwreck in his voyage to Rome, by which we make take notice, that St. Luke, in the Acts, omits a great many things relating to St. Paul; as also when he adds,[1] a night and a day I was in the depth of the sea. We do not read expressed in the Greek, of the sea; but the Greek word is observed to imply the same: and so it is understood by St. John Chrysostom who gives these two expositions; first, that he was

2 Corinthians 11:7 — transform themselves, that they might be thought the apostles of Christ, insinuating themselves into their favour, and receiving at least presents from them, which St. Paul would not do, though it was but reasonable that he should live by the gospel. See 1 Corinthians chap. ix. (Witham)

2 Corinthians 4:4 — In whom the God of this world hath blinded the minds of unbelievers.[1] Thus the words are placed, both in the Latin and Greek text, so that the true God seems to be called the God of this world, as he is elsewhere called the God of heaven, the God of Abraham. God, says St. John Chrysostom, blinded, that is, permitted

1 Thessalonians 4:6 — That no man overreach, nor deceive his brother in business.[1] The Protestant and Mr. N. even in their translations, add, in any matter, because some expound it of frauds and circumventions in any kind of business. But this addition of any, should be left out, seeing the best interpreters expound it of a prohibition

2 Timothy 4:5 — the true construction. (Witham) --- An evangelist; a diligent preacher of the gospel. (Challoner) --- Fulfil thy ministry.[4] So even Dr. Wells, in his amendments to the Protestant translation, which hath, make full proof of thy ministry. See Luke I. 1. See also St. John Chrysostom on this place. --- Be sober. There is nothing for this in the Greek, nor in St. John Chrysostom. The Latin interpreter seems to have added it, as being contained in the other Greek words in this verse. (Witham) =============================== [BIBLIOGRAPHY] Ministerium

2 Timothy 4:8 — of justice, which the Lord, the just judge, will render to me. These words confirm the Catholic doctrine, that good works performed with the assistance of God’s grace, deserve and are meritorious of a reward in heaven: it is what is signified, 1. by a crown of justice, 2. from a just judge, 3. which he will render or give as a reward. Yet we own with St. Augustine that we have no merit, but what is also a gift of God from his grace and mercy, and grounded on his promises. (Witham) --- "A

Hebrews 10:1 — The law having a shadow [1] of the good things to come. The apostle continues till the 19th verse to shew the insufficiency of the former law, as to the redemption and salvation of mankind. By the good things to come, some understand heaven itself, and the happiness of the elect

Hebrews 9:22 — St. Paul speaks here of legal purifications and remissions, which (ver. 10.) he calls carnal justices and ordinances, (ver. 13.) purifying the flesh. How then, it may be asked, were sins remitted under the law? I answer, by true repentance, joined with faith and hope in the promised Messias. As to the cleansings and expiations