Bible Commentaries

Song of Solomon 2:11 — works (Matthew 4:16). rain is over— (Hebrews 12:18-24; 1 John 2:8). Then first the Gentile Church is called "beloved, which was not beloved" (1 John 2:8- :). So "the winter" of estrangement and sin is "past" to the believer (Isaiah 44:22; Jeremiah 50:20; 2 Corinthians 5:17; Ephesians 2:1). The rising "Sun of righteousness" dispels the "rain" (2 Samuel 23:4; Psalms 126:5; Malachi 4:2). The winter in Palestine is past by April, but all the showers were not over till May. The time described here is

Song of Solomon 6:4 — 4. Tirzah—meaning "pleasant" (Hebrews 13:21); "well-pleasing" (Matthew 5:14); the royal city of one of the old Canaanite kings (Matthew 5:14- :); and after the revolt of Israel, the royal city of its kings, before Omri founded Samaria (1 Kings 16:8; 1 Kings 16:15). No ground for assigning a later date than the time of Solomon

Song of Solomon 8:10 — 10. The Gentile Church's joy at its free admission to gospel privileges (Acts 15:30; Acts 15:31). She is one wall in the spiritual temple of the Holy Ghost, the Hebrew Church is the other; Jesus Christ, the common foundation, joins them (Acts 15:31- :). breasts . . . towers—alluding to the silver palace, which the bridal virgins

Isaiah 15:5 — 5. My—The prophet himself is moved with pity for Moab. Ministers, in denouncing the wrath of God against sinners, should do it with tender sorrow, not with exultation. fugitives—fleeing from Moab, wander as far as to Zoar, on the extreme boundary south

Isaiah 16:1 — 1. lamb—advice of the prophet to the Moabites who had fled southwards to Idumea, to send to the king of Judah the tribute of lambs, which they had formerly paid to Israel, but which they had given up (2 Kings 3:4; 2 Kings 3:5). David probably imposed this tribute before the severance of Judah and Israel (2 Kings 3:5- :). Therefore Moab is recommended to gain the favor and protection of Judah, by paying it to the Jewish king. Type of the need of submitting to Messiah (Psalms

Isaiah 40:9 — 9. Rather, "Oh, thou that bringest good things to Zion; thou that bringest good tidings to Jerusalem." "Thou" is thus the collective personification of the messengers who announce God's gracious purpose to Zion (see on Isaiah 40:4); Isaiah 52:7 confirms this [Vulgate and GESENIUS]. If English Version be retained, the sense will be the glad message was first to be proclaimed to Jerusalem, and then from it as the center to all "Judea, Samaria, and the uttermost parts of the earth" (Luke 24:47;

Isaiah 48:6 — the deliverance from Babylon by Cyrus, new in contradistinction from former predictions that had been fulfilled (Isaiah 42:9 Isaiah 43:19). Antitypically, the prophecy has in view the "new things" of the gospel treasury (Song of Solomon 7:13; Matthew 13:52; 2 Corinthians 5:17; Revelation 21:5). From this point forward, the prophecies as to Messiah's first and second advents and the restoration of Israel, have a new circumstantial distinctness, such as did not characterize the previous ones, even of Isaiah.

Isaiah 48:8 — view, the sense of the words following is, "For I knew that, if I had not foretold the destruction of Babylon so plainly that there could be no perverting of it, thou wouldst have perversely ascribed it to idols, or something else than to Me" (Isaiah 48:5). Thus they would have relapsed into idolatry, to cure them of which the Babylonian captivity was sent: so they had done (Isaiah 48:5- :). After the return, and ever since, they have utterly forsaken idols. wast called—as thine appropriate appellation

Isaiah 50:10 — 10. Messiah exhorts the godly after His example (Isaiah 49:4; Isaiah 49:5; Isaiah 42:4) when in circumstances of trial ("darkness," Isaiah 42:4- :), to trust in the arm of Jehovah alone. Who is, c.—that is, Whosoever (Judges 7:3). obeyeth . . . servant—namely, Messiah. The godly "honor the Son, even as they honor the Father"

Jeremiah 20:7 — enticed" or "persuaded me," namely, to undertake the prophetic office, "and I was persuaded," that is, suffered myself to be persuaded to undertake what I find too hard for me. So the Hebrew word is used in a good sense (Jeremiah 1:19- :, Margin; Proverbs 25:15; Hosea 2:14). stronger than I—Thou whose strength I could not resist hast laid this burden on me, and hast prevailed (hast made me prophesy, in spite of my reluctance) (Jeremiah 1:5-7); yet, when I exercise my office, I am treated with derision

Ezekiel 18:8 — 8. usury—literally, "biting." The law forbade the Jew to take interest from brethren but permitted him to do so from a foreigner (Exodus 22:25; Deuteronomy 23:19; Deuteronomy 23:20; Nehemiah 5:7; Psalms 15:5). The letter of the law was restricted to the Jewish polity, and is not binding now; and indeed the principle of taking interest was even then sanctioned, by its being allowed in the case

Ezekiel 45:21 — of the law is to give place to its spirit, those outward rites of Judaism having no intrinsic efficacy, but symbolizing the spiritual truths of Messiah's kingdom, as for instance the perfect holiness which is to characterize it. Compare 1 Corinthians 5:7; 1 Corinthians 5:8, as to our spiritual "passover," wherein, at the Lord's supper, we feed on Christ by faith, accompanied with "the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth." Literal ordinances, though not slavishly bound to the letter of the law,

Hosea 1:11 — 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 34:6; Ezekiel 34:23). Though "appointed" by the Father (Ezekiel 34:23- :), Christ is in another sense "appointed" as their Head by His people, when they accept and

Hosea 5:2 — 2. revolters—apostates. profound—deeply rooted [CALVIN] and sunk to the lowest depths, excessive in their idolatry (Hosea 9:9; Isaiah 31:6) [HENDERSON]. From the antithesis (Hosea 5:3), "not hid from me," I prefer explaining, profoundly cunning in their idolatry. Jeroboam thought it a profound piece of policy to set up golden calves to represent God in Dan and Beth-el, in order to prevent Israel's heart from turning again to David's

Malachi 3:10 — 10. (Proverbs 3:9; Proverbs 3:10). storehouse— (Proverbs 3:10- :, Margin; compare 1 Chronicles 26:20; Nehemiah 10:38; Nehemiah 13:5; Nehemiah 13:12). prove me . . . herewith—with this; by doing so. Test Me whether I will keep My promise of blessing you, on condition of your doing your part (Nehemiah 13:12- :). pour . . . out—literally, "empty out": image from a vessel completely

Matthew 1:21 — breaking down of the middle wall of partition, the saved people embraced the "redeemed unto God by His blood out of every kindred and people and tongue and nation." from their sins—in the most comprehensive sense of salvation from sin (Revelation 1:5; Ephesians 5:25-27).

Matthew 5:28 — which follow—as they most certainly were intended for all, whether married or unmarried—seem to confirm this. As in dealing with the sixth commandment our Lord first expounds it, and then in the four following verses applies His exposition (Matthew 5:21-25), so here He first expounds the seventh commandment, and then in the four following verses applies His exposition (Matthew 5:21-40.5.25- :).

Mark 5:22 — memorable occasion when he made a feast to his Lord, we conclude that here the right order is indicated by the First Evangelist alone. Jairus by name—or "Jaeirus." It is the same name as Jair, in the Old Testament (Numbers 32:41; Judges 10:3; Esther 2:5). and when he saw him, he fell at his feet—in Matthew (Esther 2:5- :), "worshipped Him." The meaning is the same in both.

Mark 5:23 — "My daughter is even now dead"—"has just expired." The news of her death reached the father after the cure of the woman with the issue of blood: but Matthew's brief account gives only the result, as in the case of the centurion's servant (Matthew 8:5, c.). come and lay thy hands on her, that she may be healed and she shall live—or, "that she may be healed and live," according to a fully preferable reading. In one of the class to which this man belonged, so steeped in prejudice, such faith would

Romans 3:13 — parts of Scripture passages which speak of depravity as it affects the different members of the body as if to show more affectingly how "from the sole of the foot even to the head there is no soundness" in us. throat is an open sepulchre— (Psalms 5:9); that is, "What proceeds out of their heart, and finds vent in speech and action through the throat, is like the pestilential breath of an open grave." with their tongues they have used deceit— (Psalms 5:9); that is, "That tongue which is man's