Bible Commentaries

Acts 19:4 — repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus. John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance — That is, he taught the doctrine of repentance: See Trapp on " Acts 19:5 " It is not to be thought that those were by Paul re-baptized who were formerly baptized by John; for if that had been necessary, Christ would have baptized his disciples again: but he baptized none himself, John 4:1-2 ; and they baptized not

Acts 22:23 — And as they cried out, and cast off their clothes, and threw dust into the air, And as they cried — A graphic description of their unreasonable rage and rout. Well might our Saviour say, Beware of men acted and agitated by the devil, Matthew 10:17 ; and St Paul pray to be delivered from absurd and wicked men, 2 Thessalonians 3:2 , as bad as those beasts that he encountered at Ephesus, 1 Corinthians 15:32 . Let a bear robbed of her whelps meet a man rather than a fry of furious fools in their

Romans 14:1 — weaknesses, … Bucer rejected none, though different in some opinions, in whom he found aliquid Christi, anything of Christ, whose weaklings are to be handled with all tenderness. (Haymo.) But not to doubtful — Make him not question sick, 1 Timothy 6:4 . Wring not men’s consciences, you may hap to break the wards if you do.

Romans 14:21 — It is good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor any thing whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or is made weak. It is good neither to eat, … — It will be no grief of heart (as Abigail once told David in another case, 1 Samuel 25:31 ) to have forborne in case of scandal. A great grief it would be if by some rash word we should betray a brother, or smite out the eye of our dearest child; should we then destroy the life of grace in another by our unadvised walking?

Romans 8:15 — For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. The spirit of bondage — Δουλειας , as 2 Timothy 1:7 , Δειλειας . The law will convince the judgment; but it is the gospel that convinceth the lust and the affection, and so sendeth us to treat with God as a Father, by fervent prayer. The Spirit is

Romans 9:33 — As it is written, Behold, I lay in Sion a stumblingstone and rock of offence: and whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. — See Trapp on " 1 Peter 2:6 " Shall not be ashamed — That is, shall be confirmed, comforted, established. The Scripture loves to speak with the least in promising good to God’s people: or else by way of exclamation, "Oh how great is thy goodness

2 Corinthians 12:18 — I desired Titus, and with him I sent a brother. Did Titus make a gain of you? walked we not in the same spirit? walked we not in the same steps? In the same spirit — Who worketh with his own tools only, and is ever like himself in all the saints; through whose whole course godliness runs, as the woof doth through the web, as the spirit doth through the body. In the same steps — With an upright foot, Galatians 2:14 ; in Christ,Colossians 2:6; Colossians 2:6 ; as Christ, 1 John 2:6 .

2 Corinthians 12:21 — me among you, and that I shall bewail many which have sinned already, and have not repented of the uncleanness and fornication and lasciviousness which they have committed. That have not repented — Impenitence maketh sin mortal, saith St John, 1 John 5:16 , or rather immortal, as saith St Paul,Romans 2:5; Romans 2:5 . It is not the falling into the water that drowns, but lying in it. God’s people may sink once and again to the bottom, but the third time they rise and recover by repentance.

2 Corinthians 2:1 — their grief. It is no pleasure to him to fling daggers, to speak millstones, to preach damnation, … But there is a cruel leniency, as was that of Eli to his sons; and evil men must be sharply rebuked, that they may be sound in the faith, Titus 1:13 .

2 Corinthians 4:3 — But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: To them that are lost — It is a sign of a reprobate goat,John 8:43; John 8:43 ; John 8:47 "Sensual, having not the Spirit," Judges 1:19 . The devil holds his black hand before their eyes, that they may fall blindling into hell. Herein he dealeth as the eagle, which setting on the hart, saith Pliny, lights upon his horns, and there flutters up and down, filling his eyes with dust

Galatians 4:19 — My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you, Till Christ be formed — That you may seek for salvation by him alone. Together with the word there goes forth a regenerating power, James 1:18 . It is not a dead letter and empty sound, as some have blasphemed. Only let us not, as Hosea’s unwise son, stay in the place of breaking forth of children, proceed no further than to conviction; much less stifle those inward workings for sin,

Galatians 5:25 — If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. If we live in the spirit — Spiritual men only are heirs of life, 1 Peter 3:7 , all others are dead in trespasses. Let us walk — Walk orderly, by line and by rule, march in rank, στοιχωμεν . Life consists in action. Life, saith the philosopher, is such a faculty as

Ephesians 1:13 — In whom ye also trusted , after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, After that ye believed — They, 1. Heard. 2. Believed. 3. Were sealed, i.e. full assured. Assurance is God’s seal; faith is our seal God honours our sealing to his truth by his sealing by his Spirit. We yield first the consent and assent of faith, and then God puts his seal to

Ephesians 5:8 — For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light: For ye were sometimes darkness — Which hath in it (as Mr Dugard well noteth): 1. Error. 2. Terror. 3. Inconsistency with light. 4. Impossibility of reducing itself to light. But now are ye light — Semper in sole sita est Rhodos, saith Sylvius. The saints are always in the sunshine. Walk as children of light — A godly

Ephesians 6:5 — your heart, as unto Christ; Servants, be obedient — The centurion was happy in his servants: and no marvel, for he was a loving master. See Trapp on " Matthew 8:6 " And observe here that inferior duties are first described; because, 1. They are less willing to subject themselves. 2. They should be readier to perform duty than to expect it. 3. Hereby they shall win upon their superiors, who will lie the heavier upon them if there be strife who shall begin. (Bernard.)

Philippians 4:1 — — What heart melting language is here! Ministers must woo hard for Christ, and speak fair, if they will speak to purpose: "though I might be much bold in Christ to enjoin thee, yet for love’s sake I rather beseech thee," Philemon 1:8-9 . How often are men fain to sue for that which is their own; and how heart glad if by fair entreaties they can gather up their debts!

Colossians 1:18 — And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence. And he is the head — See the note on Ephesians 1:22 . Angels are under Christ as a head of government, of influence, of confirmation, not of redemption, as we. (Elton.) The firstborn from the dead — sc. of those that rise to eternal life. Others rose, but to die again, and by virtue of his resurrection;

Colossians 1:9 — cause we also, since the day we heard it , do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; In all wisdom and spiritual — See Trapp on " Ephesians 1:8 " There you have the same expression. And indeed this Epistle hath many passages common with that, and seemeth to have been written soon after that, cum adhuc qua ad Ephesios scripserat, in animo haererent, while the things that he had written

Colossians 3:3 — For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. For ye are dead — Crucified to the world, as Paul,Galatians 6:14; Galatians 6:14 , weaned as a child from the breasts, or rather botches of the world, as David, Psalms 131:2 . Dead also in regard of daily miseries, Isaiah 26:19 ; 1 Corinthians 15:31 . And your life is hid — As the pearl is hid, till the shell

1 Peter 2:11 — Queridos hermanos, os suplico , como extranjeros y peregrinos , que os abstengáis de las concupiscencias carnales, que luchan contra el alma; Ver. 11. Como peregrinos y forasteros ] Excelente Justino Mártir describe a los cristianos de su tiempo: habitan en sus propios países, dice, pero como forasteros; participan de todo como ciudadanos y, sin embargo, sufren todo como extranjeros; toda tierra