Bible Commentaries

Luke 1:74 — 74, 75. That he would grant us, &c.—How comprehensive is the view here given! (1) The purpose of all redemption—"that we should serve Him"—that is, "the Lord God of Israel" ( :-). The word signifies religious service distinctively—"the priesthood of the

John 1:4 — light—knowledge, integrity, intelligent, willing subjection to God, love to Him and to their fellow creatures, wisdom, purity, holy joy, rational happiness—all this "light of men" has its fountain in the essential original "life" of "the Word" (1 John 1:5-7; Psalms 36:9).

John 8:24 — 24. if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins—They knew well enough what He meant (Mark 13:6, Greek; compare Matthew 24:5). But He would not, by speaking it out, give them the materials for a charge for which they were watching. At the same time, one is irresistibly reminded by such language, so far transcending what is becoming in men, of those ancient declarations of

Acts 7:2 — 2-5. The God of glory—A magnificent appellation, fitted at the very outset to rivet the devout attention of his audience; denoting not that visible glory which attended many of the divine manifestations, but the glory of those manifestations themselves,

Acts 7:5 — 2-5. The God of glory—A magnificent appellation, fitted at the very outset to rivet the devout attention of his audience; denoting not that visible glory which attended many of the divine manifestations, but the glory of those manifestations themselves,

Romans 1:5 — 5. By whom—as the ordained channel. we have received grace—the whole "grace that bringeth salvation" ( :-). and apostleship—for the publication of that "grace," and the organization of as many as receive it into churches of visible discipleship. (We

1 Corinthians 1:27 — the wise by effecting through His instruments, without human wisdom, that the worldly wise, with it, cannot effect, namely, to bring men to salvation. chosen . . . chosen—The repetition indicates the gracious deliberateness of God's purpose (James 2:5).

1 Corinthians 12:4 — varieties of spiritual endowments peculiar to the several members of the Church: compare "dividing to every man severally" (1 Corinthians 12:11). same Spirit—The Holy Trinity appears here: the Holy Spirit in this verse; Christ in 1 Corinthians 12:5; and the Father in 1 Corinthians 12:6. The terms "gifts," "administrations," and "operations," respectively correspond to the Divine Three. The Spirit is treated of in 1 Corinthians 12:7, c. the Lord, in 1 Corinthians 12:12, c. God, in 1 Corinthians

1 Corinthians 16:24 — Christ Jesus, and therefore embraced "all" who loved Him. The subscription represents the Epistle as written from Philippi. :- shows it was written at Ephesus. BENGEL conjectures that perhaps, however, it was sent from Philippi (1 Corinthians 16:5), because the deputies of the Corinthians had accompanied Paul thither. From Ephesus there was a road to Corinth above Philippi.

1 Corinthians 6:15 — 15. Resuming the thought in :-, "the body is for the Lord" (1 Corinthians 12:27; Ephesians 4:12; Ephesians 4:15; Ephesians 4:16; Ephesians 5:30). shall I then—such being the case. take—spontaneously alienating them from Christ. For they cannot be at

1 Corinthians 9:25 — 25. striveth—in wrestling: a still more severe contest than the foot race. is temperate—So Paul exercised self-denial, abstaining from claiming sustenance for the sake of the "reward," namely, to "gain the more" (1 Corinthians 9:18; 1 Corinthians 9:19). corruptible—soon withering,

2 Corinthians 8:5 — 5. And this they did, not as we hoped—Translate, "And not as we hoped (that is, far beyond our hopes), but their own selves gave they first to the Lord." "First," not indicating priority of time, but first of all, above all in importance. The giving of themselves

Galatians 3:6 — 6. The answer to the question in Galatians 3:5 is here taken for granted, It was by the hearing of faith: following this up, he says, "Even as Abraham believed," c. (Genesis 15:4-6 Romans 4:3). God supplies unto you the Spirit as the result of faith, not works, just as Abraham obtained justification

1 Thessalonians 3:6 — 6. Join "now" with "come"; "But Timotheus having just now come from you unto us" [ALFORD]. Thus it appears (compare Acts 18:5) Paul is writing from Corinth. your faith and charity— (1 Thessalonians 1:3; compare 1 Thessalonians 1:3- :, whence it seems their faith subsequently increased still more). Faith was the solid foundation: charity the cement which held together the

1 Thessalonians 4:2 — spirit, and feeling it desirable that they should understand he spake with divine authority. He seldom uses the term in writing subsequently, when his authority was established, to other churches. 1 Corinthians 7:10; 1 Corinthians 11:17; 1 Timothy 1:5 (1 Thessalonians 4:18, where the subject accounts for the strong expression) are the exceptions. "The Lord" marks His paramount authority, requiring implicit obedience.

2 Timothy 4:5 — 5. I am no longer here to withstand these things; be thou a worthy successor of me, no longer depending on me for counsel, but thine own master, and swimming without the corks [CALVIN]; follow my steps, inherit their result, and the honor of their end [ALFORD].

Titus 1:8 — 8. lover of hospitality—needed especially in those days (Romans 12:13; 1 Timothy 3:2; Hebrews 13:2; 1 Peter 4:9; 3 John 1:5). Christians travelling from one place to another were received and forwarded on their journey by their brethren. lover of good men—Greek, "a lover of (all that is) good," men or things (Philippians 4:8; Philippians 4:9). sober—towards one's self;

James 4:10 — alone is worthy to be exalted: recognizing His presence in all your ways, the truest incentive to humility. The tree, to grow upwards, must strike its roots deep downwards; so man, to be exalted, must have his mind deep-rooted in humility. In 1 Peter 5:6, it is, Humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, namely, in His dealings of Providence: a distinct thought from that here. lift you up—in part in this world, fully in the world to come.

James 4:7 — 7. Submit to . . . God—so ye shall be among "the humble," :-; also James 4:10; 1 Peter 5:6. Resist . . . devil—Under his banner pride and envy are enlisted in the world; resist his temptations to these. Faith, humble prayers, and heavenly wisdom, are the weapons of resistance. The language is taken from warfare. "Submit" as a good soldier

1 John 2:28 — is not as to the fact, but the time. appear—Greek, "be manifested." we—both writer and readers. ashamed before him—literally, "from Him"; shrink back from Him ashamed. Contrast "boldness in the day of judgment," :-; compare 1 John 3:21; 1 John 5:14. In the Apocalypse (written, therefore, BENGEL thinks, subsequently), Christ's coming is represented as put off to a greater distance.