Bible Commentaries

Matthew 5:14 — Matthew 5:14 . Τὸ φῶς τοῦ κόσμου ] As the natural light illumines the world, which in itself is dark, so are ye intended to spiritually enlighten humanity . Christ is principaliter the Light (John 1:4 ; John 9:8 ; John 9:12 , al .); the disciples

Acts 6:10-11 — Acts 6:10-11 . The σοΦία is to be explained, not of the Jewish learning, but of the Christian wisdom (Luke 21:15 ; and see on Ephesians 1:8 ; Ephesians 1:17 ), to which the Jewish learning of the opponents could not make any resistance. Comp. 1 Corinthians

1 Corinthians 11:3 — 1 Corinthians 11:3 . “After this general acknowledgment, however, I have still to bid you lay to heart the following particular point.” And now, first of all, the principle of the succeeding admonition. Respecting θέλω … εἰδέναι , comp

2 Corinthians 6:7 — 2 Corinthians 6:7 . The enumerations hitherto made related generally to the conduct and character of God’s servants; now the stream, swelling ever more boldly, passes over to the province of the teacher’s work , and pours itself forth

Ephesians 1:23 — Ephesians 1:23 gives information ( ἥτις , ut quae , denotes the attribute as belonging to the nature of the ἐκκλησία ; see Kühner, II. p. 497) as to the relation in which the church stands to this Head given to it. It is the body of the Head. τὸ

Ephesians 3:17 — Ephesians 3:17 . Κατοικῆσαι κ . τ . λ .] Parallel to δυνάμει κραταιωθῆναι , etc., which “ declarat, quale sit interioris hominis robur,” Calvin. According to Rückert, something different from what forms the object of the first petition

Ephesians 4:11 — Ephesians 4:11 . [214] And he has , etc. From the general πληροῦν τὰ πάντα , Ephesians 4:10 , there is now brought into prominence in reference to the church , with a retrospective glance at Ephesians 4:7 , the special point with which the apostle

Ephesians 4:16 — Ephesians 4:16 . Harmony of what is said, Ephesians 4:15 , for all individuals , with the objective relation of Christ to the whole as the organism growing by way of unity out of Christ. Comp. Colossians 2:19 . From whom the whole body, becoming

Ephesians 5:1-2 — Ephesians 5:1-2 . If Paul has just said καθὼς καὶ ὁ Θεὸς ἐχαρίσατο ὑμῖν , he now, on the ground of these words ( οὖν ), sums up under one head the duty of love expressed in detail, Ephesians 4:32 , and that as imitation of God by a loving walk, such

Ephesians 5:26 — Ephesians 5:26 . Aim , which Christ had in view in giving up Himself for the church, and therewith continued statement of the pattern of love given by Him . ἵνα αὐτ . ἁγ . κ . τ . λ .] “ in order to sanctify it, after having cleansed it through

Ephesians 6:11 — Ephesians 6:11 . What they are to do in order to become thus strong, in connection with which the figurative discourse represents the readers as warriors (comp. 2 Corinthians 10:4 ; 1 Thessalonians 5:8 ; Romans 6:13 ; Romans 6:23 ; Romans 13:12 ; 1Ti

Ephesians 6:12 — Ephesians 6:12 . I am warranted in saying πρὸς τὰς μεθοδ . τοῦ διαβόλου ; for we have not the wrestling with feeble men , but we have to contend with the diabolic powers . This contrast Paul expresses descriptively , and with what rhetorical power

Ephesians 6:15 — Ephesians 6:15 . And the service which the ὑποδήματα , the military sandals , Xen. Anab. iv. 5. 14 [Josephus, B. J . vi. 1. 8] ( caligae , compare the Heb. סְאוֹן , Isaiah 9:4 ; see Gesenius, Thes. II. 932; Bynaeus, de calc. Hebr. p. 83 f.), render

Ephesians 6:18 — Ephesians 6:18 . After Paul has, Ephesians 6:14-17 , placed before his readers in what armour they are to stand forth, he shows yet further how this standing ready for the combat must be combined with prayer : “with prayer and entreaty of every

Philippians 2:10 — Philippians 2:10 f. Ἵνα ] This exaltation, Philippians 2:9 , was to have, in accordance with the divine purpose, general adoration and confession as its result, a continuation of the contrast with the previous state of self-renunciation and humiliation.

Colossians 1:1-2 — Colossians 1:1-2 . Διὰ θελήμ . Θεοῦ ] see on 1 Corinthians 1:1 . Comp. 2 Corinthians 1:1 ; Ephesians 1:1 . καὶ Τιμόθ .] see on 2 Corinthians 1:1 ; Philippians 1:1 . Here also as subordinate joint-author of the letter , who at the same time may have

Colossians 2:6 — Colossians 2:6 f. From the warning given in Colossians 2:4 and having its ground assigned in Colossians 2:5 , follows ( οὖν ) the positive obligation to make Christ, as He had been communicated to them through the instruction which they had received,

Colossians 4:3 — Colossians 4:3 . Comp. Ephesians 6:19 f. ἅμα καὶ περὶ ἡμ .] while your prayer takes place at the same time also (not merely for yourselves, for others, and about whatever other affairs, but at the same time also) for us , includes us also. This ἡμῶν

1 Thessalonians 5:5 — 1 Thessalonians 5:5 , first positively, and then negatively with a general reference to all Christians. υἱοὶ φωτός ] sons of the light , and υἱοὶ ἡμέρας , sons of the day , are Hebraisms: being a concrete mode of expression, in order to represent

Revelation 2:1 — Revelation 2:1 . Ephesus, vying with Smyrna (Revelation 2:8 ) and Pergamos (Revelation 2:12 ) for the precedence in Asia, is called πρώτη μητρόπολις [906] (first metropolis). But neither does this political relation determine the precedency of the three