Bible Commentaries

Ezekiel 35:12 — 12, 13. blasphemies . . . against . . . Israel . . . against me—God regards what is done against His people as done against Himself (Matthew 25:45; Acts 9:2; Acts 9:4; Acts 9:5). Edom implied, if he did not express it, in his taunts against Israel, that God had not sufficient power to protect His people. A type of the spirit of all the foes of God and His people (1 Samuel 2:3; Revelation 13:6).

Ezekiel 35:2 — 2. Mount Seir—that is, Idumea (Genesis 36:9). Singled out as badly pre-eminent in its bitterness against God's people, to represent all their enemies everywhere and in all ages. So in Isaiah 34:5; Isaiah 63:1-4, Edom, the region of the greatest enmity towards God's people, is the ideal scene of the final judgments of all God's foes. "Seir" means "shaggy," alluding to its rugged hills and forests.

Daniel 11:38 — 38. God of forces—probably Jupiter Capitolinus, to whom Antiochus began to erect a temple at Antioch [LIVY, 41.20]. Translate, "He shall honor the god of fortresses on his basis," that is, the base of the statue. NEWTON translates, "And the god 'Mahuzzim' (guardians, that is, saints adored as 'protectors' in the Greek and Roman churches) shall he honor." honour with gold, &c.—Compare Revelation 17:4 as to Antiochus' antitype, Antichrist.

Hosea 10 overview — CHAPTER 10 :-. ISRAEL'S IDOLATRY, THE SOURCE OF PERJURIES AND UNLAWFUL LEAGUES, SOON DESTINED TO BE THE RUIN OF THE STATE, THEIR KING AND THEIR IMAGES BEING ABOUT TO BE CARRIED OFF; A JUST CHASTISEMENT, THE REAPING CORRESPONDING TO THE SOWING. The prophecy was uttered between Shalmaneser's first and second invasions of Israel. Compare :-; also Hosea 10:6, referring to Hoshea's calling So of Egypt to his aid; also Hosea 10:4; Hosea 10:13.

Hosea 2:8 — 8. she did not know that I—not the idols, as she thought: the "lovers" alluded to in :-. which they prepared for Baal—that is, of which they made images of Baal, or at least the plate covering of them (Hosea 8:4). Baal was the Phoelignician sun-god: answering to the female Astarte, the moon-goddess. The name of the idol is found in the Phoelignician Hannibal, Hasdrubal. Israel borrowed it from the Tyrians.

Joel 1:18 — 18. cattle . . . perplexed—implying the restless gestures of the dumb beasts in their inability to find food. There is a tacit contrast between the sense of the brute creation and the insensibility of the people. yea, the . . . sheep—Even the sheep, which are content with less rich pasturage, cannot find food. are made desolate—literally, "suffer punishment." The innocent brute shares the "punishment" of guilty man (Exodus 12:29; Jonah 3:7; Jonah 4:11).

Obadiah 1:4 — 4. exalt thyself —or supply from the second clause, "thy nest" [MAURER] (Compare Job 20:6; Jeremiah 49:16; Amos 9:2). set . . . nest among . . . stars—namely, on the loftiest hills which seem to reach the very stars. Edom is a type of Antichrist (Isaiah 14:13; Daniel 8:10; Daniel 11:37). thence will I bring thee down—in spite of thy boast (Daniel 11:37- :), "Who shall bring me down?"

Zechariah 12:4 — 4. I will smite . . . horse—The arm of attack especially formidable to Judah, who was unprovided with cavalry. So in the overthrow of Pharaoh (Exodus 15:19; Exodus 15:21). open mine eyes upon . . . Judah—to watch over Judah's safety. Heretofore Jehovah seemed to have shut His eyes, as having no regard for her. blindness—so as to rush headlong on to their own ruin (compare Zechariah 14:12; Zechariah 14:13).

Zechariah 5:6 — 6. This is their resemblance—literally, "eye" (compare Ezekiel 1:4; Ezekiel 1:5; Ezekiel 1:16). HENGSTENBERG translates, "Their (the people's) eye" was all directed to evil. But English Version is better. "This is the appearance (that is, an image) of the Jews in all the land" (not as English Version, "in all the earth"), that is, of the wicked Jews. This—Here used of what was within the ephah, not the ephah itself.

John 1:9 — 9. lighteth every man, c.—rather, "which, coming into the world, enlighteneth every man" or, is "the Light of the world" ( :-). "Coming into the world" is a superfluous and quite unusual description of "every man"; but it is of all descriptions of Christ amongst the most familiar, especially in the writings of this Evangelist (John 12:46; John 16:28; John 18:37; 1 John 4:9; 1 Timothy 1:15, &c.).

John 2:21 — 21. temple of his body—in which was enshrined the glory of the eternal Word. (See on :-). By its resurrection the true Temple of God upon earth was reared up, of which the stone one was but a shadow; so that the allusion is not quite exclusively to Himself, but takes in that Temple of which He is the foundation, and all believers are the "lively stones." (1 Peter 2:4; 1 Peter 2:5).

Acts 10:4 — 4. What is it, Lord?—language which, tremulously though it was uttered, betokened childlike reverence and humility. Thy prayers and thine alms—The way in which both are specified is emphatic. The one denotes the spiritual outgoing of his soul to God, the other its practical outgoing to men. are come up for a memorial before God—that is, as a sacrifice well-pleasing unto God, as an odor of a sweet smell ( :-).

Acts 12:5 — 5, 6. prayer was made without ceasing—rather, "instant," "earnest," "urgent" (Margin); as in Luke 22:44; Acts 26:7; 1 Peter 4:8 (see Greek). of the church unto God for him—not in public assembly, for it was evidently not safe to meet thus; but in little groups in private houses, one of which was Mary's (Acts 12:12). And this was kept up during all the days of unleavened bread.

1 Corinthians 15:56 — 56. If there were no sin, there would be no death. Man's transgression of the law gives death its lawful power. strength of sin is the law—Without the law sin is not perceived or imputed (Romans 3:20; Romans 4:15; Romans 5:13). The law makes sin the more grievous by making God's will the clearer (Romans 5:13- :). Christ's people are no longer "under the law" (Romans 6:14).

1 Corinthians 9:2 — 2. yet doubtless—yet at least I am such to you. seal of mine apostleship—Your conversion by my preaching, accompanied with miracles ("the signs of an apostle," Romans 15:18; Romans 15:19; 2 Corinthians 12:12), and your gifts conferred by me (2 Corinthians 12:12- :), vouch for the reality of my apostleship, just as a seal set to a document attests its genuineness (John 3:33; Romans 4:11).

Galatians 4 overview — CHAPTER 4 :-. THE SAME SUBJECT CONTINUED: ILLUSTRATION OF OUR SUBJECTION TO THE LAW ONLY TILL CHRIST CAME, FROM THE SUBJECTION OF AN HEIR TO HIS GUARDIAN TILL HE IS OF AGE. PETER'S GOOD WILL TO THE GALATIANS SHOULD LEAD THEM TO THE SAME GOOD WILL TO HIM AS THEY HAD AT FIRST SHOWN. THEIR DESIRE TO BE UNDER THE LAW SHOWN BY THE ALLEGORY OF ISAAC AND ISHMAEL TO BE INCONSISTENT WITH THEIR GOSPEL LIBERTY.

Ephesians 3:4 — 4. understand my knowledge—"perceive my understanding" [ALFORD], or "intelligence." "When ye read," implies that, deep as are the mysteries of this Epistle, the way for all to understand them is to read it (2 Timothy 3:15; 2 Timothy 3:16). By perceiving his understanding of the mysteries, they, too, will be enabled to understand. the mystery of Christ—The "mystery" is Christ Himself, once hidden, but now revealed (Colossians 1:27).

2 Timothy 3:1 — 1. also—Greek, "but." last days—preceding Christ's second coming (2 Peter 3:3; Judges 1:18). "The latter times," 1 Timothy 4:1, refer to a period not so remote as "the last days," namely, the long days of papal and Greek anti-Christianity. perilous—literally, "difficult times," in which it is difficult to know what is to be done: "grievous times." shall come—Greek, "shall be imminent"; "shall come unexpectedly" [BENGEL].

Titus 2:4 — 4. to be sober—Greek, "self-restrained," "discreet"; the same Greek as in Titus 2:2, "temperate." (But see on Titus 2:2; compare Note, Titus 2:2- :). ALFORD therefore translates, "That they school (admonish in their duty) the young women to be lovers of their husbands," &c. (the foundation of all domestic happiness). It was judicious that Titus, a young man, should admonish the young women, not directly, but through the older women.

Revelation 22:9 — 9. Literally, "See not"; the abruptness of the phrase marking the angel's abhorrence of the thought of his being worshipped however indirectly. Contrast the fallen angel's temptation to Jesus, "Fall down and worship me" (Matthew 4:9). for—A, B, Vulgate, Syriac, Coptic, ANDREAS, and CYPRIAN omit "for"; which accords with the abrupt earnestness of the angel's prohibition of an act derogatory to God. and of—"and (the fellow servant) of thy brethren."