Bible Commentaries

Exodus 23:17 — Three times in the year all thy males shall appear before the Lord GOD. All thy males. — The females are not required to appear, because they were weak, and not so fit for travel. They were also the housekeepers, and sanctified in their husbands. Howbeit many of them came up to these feasts, as Hannah, 1 Samuel 2:19 and the Virgin Mary. Luke 2:41 And this was well accepted as a freewill offering.

Exodus 28:33 — And [beneath] upon the hem of it thou shalt make pomegranates [of] blue, and [of] purple, and [of] scarlet, round about the hem thereof; and bells of gold between them round about: Pomegranates of blue. — These hanging intermixed with bells, signified the sweet and comfortable effects of Christ’s doctrine; Mr Jackson. by which we come to be clothed with Christ’s righteousness, and "from his fulness to receive even grace for grace." John 1:16

Exodus 7:12 — For they cast down every man his rod, and they became serpents: but Aaron’s rod swallowed up their rods. And they became serpents. — Not really such, but in appearance only. The devil’s miracles are mere impostures, phantasms, delusions. And this was the first plague that God inflicted upon Pharaoh. Swallowed up their rods. — That is, their dragons. So hath Christ, who is life essential, swallowed up death in victory. 1 Corinthians 15:55

Leviticus 24:2 — Command the children of Israel, that they bring unto thee pure oil olive beaten for the light, to cause the lamps to burn continually. Beaten for the light. — Ministers must beat their brains, and bend their utmost endeavours to "give light to them that sit in darkness, and in the shadow of death, and to guide their feet into the way of peace": as that "burning and shining light," the Baptist, did. Luke 1:79

Leviticus 9:3 — And unto the children of Israel thou shalt speak, saying, Take ye a kid of the goats for a sin offering; and a calf and a lamb, [both] of the first year, without blemish, for a burnt offering; Take ye a kid of the goats for a sin offering. — Quia gravis odor peccati. The smell of sin is grievous; it offendeth all God’s senses, yea, his very soul. Isaiah 1:12-13 , …

Numbers 18:22 — Neither must the children of Israel henceforth come nigh the tabernacle of the congregation, lest they bear sin, and die. Neither must the children. — But only God’s kinsmen, the priests and Levites, as they are called, Leviticus 10:3 according to some translations, or his nigh ones. So in the New Testament, others are called God’s children, God’s servants, God’s people: ministers only are called God’s men. 1 Timothy 6:11 2 Timothy 3:17

Numbers 23:11 — And Balak said unto Balaam, What hast thou done unto me? I took thee to curse mine enemies, and, behold, thou hast blessed [them] altogether. What hast thou done unto me. — Hereby it appears that Balak, in serving of God by building altars and offering sacrifices, did but serve himself upon God; as Ephraim bore "fruit to himself"; Hosea 10:1 and "Did ye fast to me, even to me?" Zechariah 7:5

Deuteronomy 13:10 — And thou shalt stone him with stones, that he die; because he hath sought to thrust thee away from the LORD thy God, which brought thee out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage. To thrust thee away. — By force, not of arms, but of arguments; as the Valentinians, Qui prius persuadebant quam docebant. Tertull. Thus Jeroboam is said to have driven Israel from following the Lord. 1 Kings 14:16

Deuteronomy 18:18 — I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him. And he shall speak unto them. — Christ is that palmoni hammedabbar Daniel 10:5-6 that excellent speaker that spake with authority, and so as never man spake, being "mighty in word and deed." See my "True Treasure," p. 1.

Deuteronomy 19:3 — Thou shalt prepare thee a way, and divide the coasts of thy land, which the LORD thy God giveth thee to inherit, into three parts, that every slayer may flee thither. Thou shalt prepare thee a way. — A direct, plain, fair highway: such a way must ministers prepare and pave for their people to Christ, the true asylum, by giving them "the knowledge of salvation by the remission of their sins." Luke 1:76-77

Romans 1:31 — unmerciful: Implacable — That will not hear of a truce, much less of a peace. Nihil se libentius facere dictitabat Caesar, quam supplicibus ignoscere. (Caesar. Comment.) And surely, as any one is more manly, he is more merciful, as David, 2 Samuel 1:12 . And, on the contrary, the basest natures are most vindictive; neither will they ever be heartily reconciled. Their reconciliations are vulpinae amicitiae, fox-like friendships.

1 Corinthians 11:3 — But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God. The head of the woman is man — Were it not an ill sight to see the shoulders above the head, the woman usurp authority over the man αυθεντειν , 1 Timothy 2:12 . A prudent wife commands her husband by obeying, as did Livia.

1 Corinthians 7:19 — Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but the keeping of the commandments of God. But the keeping of the commandment — This is that bonum hominis, good of man, Micah 6:8 , that totum hominis, the whole of man,Ecclesiastes 12:13; Ecclesiastes 12:13 , that one thing necessary, that is better than sacrifice, 1 Samuel 15:22 . Mallem obedire, quam miracula facere, saith Luther; I had rather obey than be able to do miracles.

1 Corinthians 7:22 — For he that is called in the Lord, being a servant, is the Lord’s freeman: likewise also he that is called, being free, is Christ’s servant. For he that is called — See a parallel place to this, James 1:9-10 . Our preferment in Christ should make us hold up our heads, but not too high, And be cheerful, but not also scornful. Laeti simus in Domino, sed caveamus a recidivo. Bern.

Galatians 3:16 — Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ. Which is Christ — Mystical Christ, that is, whole Christ; for he accounts not himself complete without his members, who are therefore called his fulness, Ephesians 1:23 . Caput et corpus, unus est Christus, saith Augustine, the head and members make but one Christ.

Galatians 6:2 — Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ. Bear ye one another’s burdens — When after reprehension sin is become a burden, set to your shoulder, and help to lift it off. "Support the weak, be patient toward all," 1 Thessalonians 5:14 . Nature hath taught the deer to help one another in swimming, the cranes one another in flying; one stone bears up another in buildings contrived by art, …

Ephesians 4:15 — But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: But speaking the truth — Or, doing the truth, as the Vulgate hath it, αληθευοντες . Truthifying, or following the truth, as one rendereth it. St John bids, love in truth, 1 John 3:18 . St Paul, speak or do the truth in love. And again, let all your things be done in love.

Joshua 16:10 — And they drave not out the Canaanites that dwelt in Gezer: but the Canaanites dwell among the Ephraimites unto this day, and serve under tribute. And they drave not out. — Which is nothing for their commendation; but discovereth either their cowardice or covetousness, or both. But the Canaanites dwell, … — See Trapp on " Joshua 16:3 " They would not yield: so that Pharaoh was forced to fire their town. 1 Kings 9:16

2 Timothy 1:18 — The Lord grant unto him that he may find mercy of the Lord in that day: and in how many things he ministered unto me at Ephesus, thou knowest very well. The Lord — That is, God the Father "grant he may find mercy of the Lord," that is, of God the Son, as "Jehovah from Jehovah," Genesis 19:24 . That he may find — For his care in finding out me, 2 Timothy 1:17 .

Revelation 16:18 — And there were voices, and thunders, and lightnings; and there was a great earthquake, such as was not since men were upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake, and so great. And there were voices — A description of the last judgment, when heaven and earth shall conspire together for the punishment of the wicked. See Matthew 24:36-41 ; Matthew 24:50-51 2 Peter 3:10-12 2 Thessalonians 1:8 .