Bible Commentaries

Ezekiel 16:3 — which thou didst derive far more of thy innate characteristics than from the virtues of those thy progenitors ( :-). an Amorite . . . an Hittite—These, being the most powerful tribes, stand for the whole of the Canaanite nations (compare Joshua 1:4; Amos 2:9), which were so abominably corrupt as to have been doomed to utter extermination by God (Leviticus 18:24; Leviticus 18:25; Leviticus 18:28; Deuteronomy 18:12). Translate rather, "the Amorite . . . the Canaanite," that is, these two tribes

Ezekiel 20:7 — 7. Moses gives no formal statement of idolatries practised by Israel in Egypt. But it is implied in their readiness to worship the golden calf (resembling the Egyptian ox, Apis) (Exodus 32:4), which makes it likely they had worshipped such idols in Egypt. Also, in Leviticus 17:7, "They shall no more offer their sacrifices unto devils (literally, seirim, 'he-goats,' the symbol of the false god, Pan), after whom they have gone awhoring."

Ezekiel 8:15 — court," immediately before the door of the temple of Jehovah, between the porch and the altar, where the priests advanced only on extraordinary occasions (Joel 2:17), twenty-five men (the leaders of the twenty-four courses or orders of the priests, 1 Chronicles 24:18; 1 Chronicles 24:19, with the high priest, "the princes of the sanctuary," 1 Chronicles 24:19- :), representing the whole priesthood, as the seventy elders represented the people, stood with their backs turned on the temple, and their faces towards

Daniel 10 overview — the epilogue. The tenth chapter unfolds the spiritual worlds as the background of the historical world (Job 1:7; Job 2:1; Zechariah 3:1; Zechariah 3:2; Revelation 12:7), and angels as the ministers of God's government of men. As in the world of nature (John 5:4; Revelation 7:1-3), so in that of history here; Michael, the champion of Israel, and with him another angel, whose aim is to realize God's will in the heathen world, resist the God-opposed spirit of the world. These struggles are not merely symbolical,

Daniel 8:12 — for Onias the high priest administered the laws in godliness at the time (2 Maccabees 3:1). Therefore the "transgression" must refer to that of the Jews hereafter restored to Palestine in unbelief. the truth—the worship of the true God. Isaiah 59:14, "Truth is fallen in the street." practised, and prospered—Whatever he undertook succeeded (Daniel 8:4; Daniel 11:28; Daniel 11:36).

Hosea 1:11 — 11. Judah . . . Israel . . . together— (Isaiah 11:12; Isaiah 11:13; Jeremiah 3:18; Ezekiel 34:23; Ezekiel 37:16-24). one head—Zerubbabel typically; Christ antitypically, under whom alone Israel and Judah are joined, the "Head" of the Church (Ephesians 1:22; Ephesians 5:23), and of the hereafter united kingdom of Judah and Israel (Jeremiah 34:5; Jeremiah

Haggai 1:11 — of His wrath (2 Kings 8:1 Psalms 105:16). The contrast is striking between the prompt obedience of these material agencies, and the slothful disobedience of living men, His people. drought—Hebrew, Choreb, like in sound to Chareeb, "waste" (Haggai 1:4; Haggai 1:9), said of God's house; implying the correspondence between the sin and its punishment. Ye have let My house be waste, and I will send on all that is yours a wasting drought. This would affect not merely the "corn," c., but also "men" and "cattle,"

Zechariah 2:4 — 4. this young man—So Zechariah is called as being still a youth when prophetically inspired [GROTIUS]. Or, he is so called in respect to his ministry or service (compare Numbers 11:27; Joshua 1:1) [VATABLUS]. Naturally the "angel that talked with" Zechariah

Zechariah 6:7 — fourth world kingdom, Rome, which is to continue down to the second advent of Christ. Hence they "walk to and fro through the earth," counterworking Satan's "going to and fro in the earth" (Job 1:7; 2 Thessalonians 2:8; 2 Thessalonians 2:9; 1 Timothy 4:1), in connection with the last awful development of the fourth world kingdom. Their "fleetness" is needed to counteract his restless activity; their red color implies the final great carnage (Ezekiel 39:1-29; Revelation 19:17; Revelation 19:18; Revelation

Matthew 13:13 — hear not; neither do they understand—They "heard," for He taught them who "spake as never man spake"; but they "heard not," for they took nothing in, apprehending not the soul-penetrating, life-giving words addressed to them. In Mark and Luke (Mark 4:12; Luke 8:10), what is here expressed as a human fact is represented as the fulfilment of a divine purpose—"that seeing they may see, and not perceive," &c. The explanation of this lies in the statement of the foregoing verse—that, by a fixed law

Matthew 6:27 — you, however anxiously you vex yourselves about it, can add so much as a step to the length of your life's journey?" To compare the length of life to measures of this nature is not foreign to the language of Scripture (compare Psalms 39:5; 2 Timothy 4:7, &c.). So understood, the meaning is clear and the connection natural. In this the best critics now agree.

Mark 13:25 — grandeur of this language carries the mind over the head of all periods but that of Christ's Second Coming, nearly every expression will be found used of the Lord's coming in terrible national judgments: as of Babylon (Luke 21:26- :); of Idumea (Isaiah 34:1; Isaiah 34:2; Isaiah 34:4; Isaiah 34:8-10); of Egypt (Ezekiel 32:7; Ezekiel 32:8); compare also Psalms 18:7-15; Isaiah 24:1; Isaiah 24:17-19; Joel 2:10; Joel 2:11, &c. We cannot therefore consider the mere strength of this language a proof that

John 2:11 — "manifested forth the glory" of His entire Mission. (3) As Christ countenanced our seasons of festivity, so also that greater fulness which befits such; so far was He from encouraging that asceticism which has since been so often put for all religion. (4) The character and authority ascribed by Romanists to the Virgin is directly in the teeth of this and other scriptures.

Acts 27:2 — (Acts 19:29) and as a "Thessalonian" accompanying the apostle from Ephesus on his voyage back to Palestine (Acts 19:29- :). Here both these places are mentioned in connection with his name. After this we find him at Rome with the apostle (Colossians 4:10; Philemon 1:24).

Acts 9:27 — and he being Hellenistic Jews and eminent in their respective localities, they may very well have been acquainted with each other before this [HOWSON]. What is here said of Barnabas is in fine consistency with the "goodness" ascribed to him (Acts 11:24), and with the name "son of consolation," given him by the apostles (Acts 4:36); and after Peter and James were satisfied, the disciples generally would at once receive him. how he had seen the Lord . . . and he—the Lord. had spoken to him—that is,

Romans 11:1 — tribe of Benjamin— (Philippians 3:5), that tribe which, on the revolt of the ten tribes, constituted, with Judah, the one faithful kingdom of God (Philippians 3:5- :), and after the captivity was, along with Judah, the kernel of the Jewish nation (Ezra 4:1; Ezra 10:9).

Romans 11:5 — by Israel is not so appalling in extent as one would be apt to think: There is now, as there was then, a faithful remnant; not however of persons naturally better than the unbelieving mass, but of persons graciously chosen to salvation." (See 1 Corinthians 4:7; 2 Thessalonians 2:13). This establishes our view of the argument on Election in 2 Thessalonians 2:13- :, as not being an election of Gentiles in the place of Jews, and merely to religious advantages, but a sovereign choice of some of Israel itself,

Romans 3:13 — breath of an open grave." with their tongues they have used deceit— (Psalms 5:9); that is, "That tongue which is man's glory (Psalms 16:9; Psalms 57:8) is prostituted to the purposes of deception." the poison of asps is under their lips— (Psalms 140:3): that is, "Those lips which should 'drop as an honeycomb,' and 'feed many,' and 'give thanks unto His name' (Song of Solomon 4:11; Proverbs 10:21; Hebrews 13:15), are employed to secrete and to dart deadly poison."

1 Corinthians 11:23 — of such conduct from the dignity of the holy supper. I—Emphatic in the Greek. It is not my own invention, but the Lord's institution. received of the Lord—by immediate revelation (Galatians 1:12; compare Acts 22:17; Acts 22:18; 2 Corinthians 12:1-4). The renewal of the institution of the Lord's Supper by special revelation to Paul enhances its solemnity. The similarity between Luke's and Paul's account of the institution, favors the supposition that the former drew his information from the apostle,

1 Corinthians 7:25 — the Lord: yet . . . my judgment—I have no express revelation from the Lord commanding it, but I give my judgment (opinion); namely, under the ordinary inspiration which accompanied the apostles in all their canonical writings (compare 1 Corinthians 7:40; 1 Corinthians 14:37; 1 Thessalonians 4:15). The Lord inspires me in this case to give you only a recommendation, which you are free to adopt or reject—not a positive command. In the second case (1 Corinthians 7:10; 1 Corinthians 7:11) it was a positive command;