LIBRARY OF PRINCETON JUL 18 2005 THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY BS 2341 .A23 1881 Bible. The pictorial New Testament THE PICTORIAL NEW TESTAMENT OF Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. TRANSLATED OUT OF THE GREEK. BEING THB VERSION SET FORTII IN A. D. 1611 COMPARED WITH THE MOST ANCIENT AUTHORITIES, AND REVISED A. D. 1881. WITH NOTES BY THE ABBOTTS. Rev. JOHN S. C. ABBOTT, D, D., LL. D., Rev. JACOB ABBOTT, D. D., REVISED AND ADAPTED TO THE NEW VERSION, BY Rev. LYMAN ABBOTT, D. D. Author of an Illustrated Commentary (in pour volumes); A Lite or Christ; A Dictionary of Religious Knowledge, etc., etc. Embracing also A HISTORY OF THE BE VISION, and valuable aids% to the Bible Student, compiled by the most learned Biblical Scholars and Eminent Divines. With Fifty-Four Full Page Maps and Engravings. TWELVE OF WHICH ILLUSTRATE THE PARABLES. NEW YORK! HENRY S. GOODSPEED & CO., 62 CLIFF STREET. CINCINNATI, O. : 19o WEST FIFTH STREET. CHICAGO, ILL. Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1881, By A. E. Goodspeed, In the Office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington, D. C LIBRARY OF PRINCETON JUL 1 8 2005 THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY jMxamnnmi jn.-tho PREFACE. A Volume of notes on the New Testament was prepared by my father and uncle, Jacob and John S. C. Abbott, a number of years ago. The original edition and an inter- leaved copy of the New Testament containing my father's preliminary manuscript notes, lie before me as I write. Their object was not to prepare a commentary for the Bible student, but a book of brief explanatory notes for the individual reader and for use in the home circle. "The notes them- selves," say the authors in their original preface, "as their designation in the title-page imports, are intended to ex- plain the text in the most concise and simple manner. The work is not meant to supersede the use of the excellent com- mentaries, more full and extended, which are now in circulation among the readers of the English version of the Scriptures, but to provide one, in addition to them, which, being more condensed in its form, is adapted to purposes for which the others were not designed." In preparing this revised edition of this volume at the publishers' request, adapting it to the New Kevision of the New Testament, I have endeavored to keep constantly in view the authors' original design, and to preserve as far as possible the brevity and the simplicity of the original work. The Old and the New Versions have been carefully compared ; every variation, however insignificant, has been noticed. With the copy of the New Version thus marked before me, I have gone carefully over the New Testament, examining every change in phraseology introduced by the Kevisers. Many of them are merely verbal and require no explanation and call for no com- ment. Some of them had been already anticipated by the authors in the original edition of these Notes. Changes in the Notes were sometimes, however, required by changes in the [ixl 15* x PREFACE. text ; or explanations in the original Notes, of archaic expres- sions, for example, were superseded by the improved text ; in these cases I have modified or omitted the original Notes. I have also incorporated in them explanations of the reasons which justify the more important changes introduced into the New Revision, whether in readings or in translation, and the results of later Biblical scholarship in interpretation of doubt- ful and difficult passages. In a few instances, where the views of the original authors differed from my own, as expressed in my " Illustrated Commentary on the New Testament," I have added a note, placing it in brackets and adding my initials ; but in general there is nothing to distinguish the work of the different authors who have contributed to the present volume. No pains or expense have been spared to secure accuracy and thoroughness. Several assistants have rendered valuable aid in the preliminary work of preparation. I am especially indebted to Samuel Austin Chapin, Jr., who, in addition to other valu- able assistance, has superintended the work of proof-reading and carrying the pages through the press. Whatever can contribute to the better understanding of the truths of God's Word deserves a universal welcome. No devout student of the New Testament can do otherwise than rejoice in the great additional light which the New Eevision throws on many portions of the Inspired Book ; and I hope and trust that this attempt to add to its value, by some brief interpretations and explanations, may aid, in the Providence of God, in its value in family prayers, private devotional reading and, Sunday school study. Lyman Abbott. CORNWALL-ON-HUDSON, N. Y., Augwt, 1881. REVISERS' PREFACE TO THE NEW VERSION OF THE NEW TESTAMENT. The English version of the New Testament here presented to the reader is a Eevision of the Translation published in the year of Our Lord 1611, and commonly known by the name of the Authorised Version. That Translation was the work of many hands and of several generations. The foundation was laid by William Tyndale. His translation of the New Testament was the true primary Version. The Versions that followed were either substantially reproductions of Tyndale's translation in its final shape, or revisions of Versions that had been themselves almost entirely based on it. Three successive stages may be recognised in this continuous work of authoritative revision : first, the publication of the Great Bible of 1539-41 in the reign of Henry VIII; next, the publication of the Bishop's Bible of 1568 and 1572 in the reign of Elizabeth ; and lastly, the publication of the King's Bible of 1611 in the reign of James I. Besides these, the Ge- nevan Version of 1560, itself founded on Tyndale's translation, must here be named ; which, though not put forth by authority, was widely circulated in this country, and largely used by King James' Translators. Thus the form in which the English New Testament has now been read for 270 years was the result of various revisions made between 1525 and 1611 ; and the present Revision is an attempt, after a long interval, to follow the exam- ple set by a succession of honoured predecessors. I. Of the many points of interest connected with the Trans- lation of 1711, two require special notice ; first, the Greek Text which it appears to have represented ; and secondly, the char- acter of the Translation itself. [XI] xii REVISERS' PREFACE. 1. With regard to the Greek Text, it would appear that, if to some extent the Translators exercised an independent judge- ment, it was mainly in choosing amongst readings contained in the principal editions of the Greek Text that had appeared in the sixteenth century. Wherever they seem to have followed a reading which is not found in any of those editions, their ren- dering may probably be traced to the Latin Vulgate. Their chief guides appear to have been the later editions of Stephanus and of Beza, and also, to a certain extent, the Complutensian Polyglott All these were founded for the most part on manu- scripts of late date, few in number, and used with little critical skill. But in those days it could hardly have been otherwise. Nearly all the more ancient of the documentary authorities have become known only within the last two centuries ; some of the most important of them, indeed, within the last few years. Their publication has called forth not only improved editions of the Greek Text, but a succession of instructive discussions on the variations which have been brought to light, and on the best modes of distinguishing original readings from changes introduced in the course of transcription. While therefore it has long been the opinion of all scholars that the commonly received text needed thorough revision, it is but recently that materials have been acquired for executing such a work with even approximate completeness. 2. The character of the Translation itself will be best esti- mated by considering the leading rules under which it was made, and the extent to which these rules appear to have been observed. The primary and fundamental rule was expressed in the following terms : — " The ordinary Bible read in the Church, commonly called the Bishop's Bible, to be followed, and as little altered as the truth of the Original will permit." There was, however, this subsequent provision : — " These translations to be 1. when they agree better with the text than the Bishops' Bible: Tindale's,. Matthew's, Coverdale's, Whitchurch's, Gen- eva." The first of these rules, which was substantially the same as that laid down at the revision of the Great Bible in the reign of Elizabeth, was strictly observed. The other rule was but partially followed. The Translators made much use of the Genevan Version. They do not, however, appear to have fre- quently returned to the renderings of the other Versions named REVISERS' PREFACE. xiii in the rule, where those Versions differed from the Bishops' Bible. On the other hand, their work shews evident traces of the influence of a Version not specified in the rules, the Rhemish, made from the Latin Vulgate, but by scholars conversant with the Greek Original. Another rule, on which it is stated that those in authority laid great stress, related to the rendering of words that admitted of different interpretations. It was as follows : — "When a word hath divers significations, that to be kept which hath been most commonly used by the most of the ancient fathers, being agree- able to the propriety of the place and the analogy of the faith." With this rule was associated the following, on which equal stress appears to have been laid : — "The old ecclesiastical words to be kept, viz., the word Church not to be translated Congrega- tion, &c." This latter rule was for the most part carefully ob- served ; but it may be doubted whether, in the case of words that admitted of different meanings, the instructions were at all closely followed. In dealing with the more difficult words of this class, the Translators appear to have paid much regard to traditional interpretations, and especially to the authority of the Vulgate ; but, as to the large residue of words which might properly fall under the rule, they used considerable freedom. Moreover they profess in their Preface to have studiously adopted a variety of expression which, would now be deemed hardly con- sistent with the requirements of faithful translation. They seem to have been guided by the feeling that their Version would secure for the words they used a lasting place in the language ; and they express a fear lest they should " be charged (by scoffers) with some unequal dealing towards a great number of good English words," which, without this liberty on their part, would not have a place in the pages of the English Bible. Still it can- not be doubted that they carried this liberty too far, and that the studied avoidance of uniformity in the rendering of the same words, even when occurring in the same context, is one of the blemishes in their work. A third leading rule was of a negative character, but was rendered necessary by the experience derived from former Ver- sions. The words of the rule are as follows : — "No marginal notes at all to be affixed, but only for the explanation of the Hebrew or Greek words which cannot without some circumlocu- xiv REVISERS' PREFACE. tioii so briefly and fitly be expressed in the text." Here again the Translators used some liberty in their application of the rule. Out of more than 760 marginal notes originally appended to the Authorised Version of the New Testament, only a seventh part consists of explanations or literal renderings; the great majority of the notes being devoted to the useful and indeed necessary purpose of placing before the reader alternative ren- derings which it was judged that the passage or the words would fairly admit. The notes referring to variations in the Greek Text amount to about thirty-five. Of the remaining rules it may be sufficient to notice one, which was for the most part consistently followed: — "The names of the prophets and the holy writers, with the other names of the text, to be retained, as nigh as may be, accordingly as they were vulgarly used.'' The Translators had also the lib- erty, in "any place of special obscurity," to consult those who might be qualified to give an opinion. Passing from these fundamental rules, which should be borne in mind by any one who woul 1 rightly understand the nature and character of the Authorised Version, we must call attention to the manner in which the actual work of the translation was carried on. The New Testament was assigned to two separate Companies, the one consisting of eight members, sitting at Ox- ford, the other consisting of seven members, sitting at West- minster. There is no reason to believe that these Companies ever sat together. They communicated to each other, and like- wise to the four Companies to which the Old Testament and the Apocrypha had been committed, the results of their labours ; and perhaps afterwards reconsidered them : but the fact that the New Testament was divided between two separate bodies of men involved a grave inconvenience, and was beyond all doubt the cause of many inconsistencies. These probably would have been much more serious, had it not been provided that there should lie a final supervision of the whole Bible, by selected members from Oxford, Cambridge, and Westminster, the three centres at which the work had been carried on. These supervisors are said by one authority to have been six in number, and by an- other, twelve. When it is remembered that this supervision was completed in nine months, we may wonder that the incongrui- ties which remain are not more numerous. REVISERS' PREFACE. xv The Companies appear to have been occupied in the actual business of revision about two years and three quarters. Such, so far as can be gathered from the rules and moSes of procedure, is the character of the time-honoured Version which we have been called upon to revise. We have had to study this great Version carefully and minutely, line by line : and the longer we have been engaged upon it the more we have learned to admire its simplicity, its dignity, its power, its happy turns of expression, its general accuracy, and, we must not fail to add, the music of its cadences, and the felicities of its rhythm. To render a work that had reached this high standard of excellence still more excellent, to increase its fidelity without destroying its charm, was the task committed to us. Of that task, and of the conditions under which we have attempted its fulfilment, it will now be necessary for us to speak. II. The present Ee vision had its origin in action taken by the Convocation of the Province of Canterbury in February, 1870, and it has been conducted throughout on the plan laid down in Eesolutions of both Houses of the Province, and, more particularly, in accordance with Principles and Eules drawn up by a special Committee of Convocation in the follow- ing May. Two Companies, the one for the revision of the Authorised Version of the Old Testament, and the other for the revision of the same Version of the New Testament, were formed in the manner specified in the Eesolutions, and the work was commenced on the twenty-second day of June, 1870. Shortly afterwards, steps were taken, under a resolution passed by both Houses of Convocation, for inviting the co-operation of American scholars ; and eventually two Committees were formed in America, for the purpose of acting with the two English Companies, on the basis of the Principles and Eules drawn up by the Committee of Convocation. The fundamental Eesolutions adopted by the Convocation of Canterbury on the third and fifth days of May, 1870, were as follows : — ' r 1. That it is desirable that a revision of the Authorised Version of the Holy Scriptures be undertaken. " 2. That the revision be so conducted as to comprise both xvi REVISERS' PREFACE. marginal renderings and such emendations as it may be found necessary to insert in the text of the Authorised Version. "3. That in the above resolutions we do not contemplate any new translation of the Bible, or any alteration of the lan- guage, except where in the judgment of the most competent scholars such change is necessary. " 4. That in such necessary changes, the style of the lan- guage employed in the existing Version be closely followed. " 5. That it is desirable that Convocation should nominate a body of its own members to undertake the work of revision, who shall be at liberty to invite the co-operation of any emi- nent for scholarship, to whatever nation or religious body they may belong." The Principles and Rules agreed to by the Committee of Convocation on the twenty-fifth day of May, 1870, were as follows : — "1. To introduce as few alterations as possible into the Text of the Authorised Version consistently with faithfulness. "2. To limit, as far as possible, the expression of such alterations to the language of the Authorised and earlier English Versions. "3. Each Company to go twice over the portion to be re- vised, once provisionally, the second time finally, and on prin- ciples of voting as hereinafter is provided. " 4. That the Text to be adopted be that for which the evi- dence is decidedly preponderating ; and that when the Text so adopted differs from that from which the Authorised Version was made, the alteration be- indicated in the margin. "5. To make or retain no change in the Text on the second final revision by each Company, except two thirds of those present approve of the same, but on the first revision to decide by simple majorities. "6. In every case of proposed alteration that may have given rise to discussion, to defer the voting thereupon till the next Meeting, whensoever the same shall be required by one- third of those present at the Meeting, such intended vote to be announced in the notice for the next Meeting. "7. To revise the headings of chapters and pages, para- graphs, italics, and punctuation. "8. To refer, on the part of each Company, when consid- REVISERS' PREFACE. xvii ered desirable, to Divines, Scholars, and Literary Men, whether at home or abroad, for their opinions.'' These rules it has been our endeavour faithfully and con- sistently to follow. One only of them we found ourselves un- able to observe in all particulars. In accordance with the seventh rule, we have carefully revised the paragraphs, italics, and punctuation. But the revision of the headings of chapters and pages would have involved so much of indirect, and indeed frequently of direct interpretation, that we judged it best to omit them altogether. Our communications with the American Committee have been of the following nature. We transmitted to them from time to time each several portion of our First Revision, and received from them in return their criticisms and suggestions. These we considered with much care and attention during the tinie we were engaged on our Second Revision. We then sent over to them the various portions of the Second Revision as they were completed, and received further suggestions, which, like the former, were closely and carefully considered. Last of all, we forwarded to them the Revised Version in its final form ; and a list of those passages in which they desire to place on record their preference of other readings and renderings will be found at the end of the volume. We gratefully acknowledge their care, vigilance, and accuracy ; and we humbly pray that their labours and our own, thus happily united, may be permitted to bear a blessing to both countries, and to all English-speaking people throughout the world. The whole time devoted to the work has been ten years and a half. The First Revision occupied about six years ; the Second, about two years and a half. The remaining time has been spent in the consideration of the suggestions from America on the Second Revision, and of many details and reserved questions arising out of our own labours. As a rule, a session of four days has been held every month (with the exception of August and September) in each year, from the commencement of the work in June, 1870. The average attendance for the whole time has has been sixteen each day; the whole Company consisting at first of twenty-seven, but for the greater part of the time of twenty-four members, many of them residing at great distances xviii REVISERS' PREFACE. from London. Of the original number four have been removed from us by death. At an early stage in our labours, we entered into an agreement with the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge for the con- veyance to them of our copyright in the work. This arrange- ment provided for the necessary expenses of the undertaking ; and procured for the Revised Version the advantage of being published by Bodies long connected with the publication of the Authorised Version. III. We now pass onward to give a brief account of the particulars o^ the present work. This we propose to do under the four heads of Text, Translation. Language, and Marginal Notes. 1. A revision of the Greek Text was the necessary founda- tion of our work ; but it did not fall within our province to construct a continuous and complete Greek text. In many cases the English rendering was considered to represent correct- ly either of two competing readings in the Greek, and then the question of the text was usually not raised. A sufficiently laborious task remained in deciding between the rival claims of various readings which might properly affect the translation. When these were adjusted, our deviations from the text pre- sumed to underlie the Authorised Version had next to be indicated, in accordance with the fourth rule ; but it proved inconvenient to record them in the margin. A better mode, however, of giving them publicity has been found, as the Univer- sity Presses have undertaken to print them in connexion with complete Greek texts of the New Testament. In regard of the readings thus approved, it may be observed that the fourth rule, by requiring that " the text to be adopted" should be "that for which the evidence is decidedly preponder- ating," was in effect an instruction to follow the authority of documentary evidence without deference to any printed text of modern times, and therefore to employ the best resources of criticism for estimating the value of evidence. Textual criti- cism, as applied to the Greek New Testament, forms a special study of much intricacy and difficulty, and even now leaves room for considerable variety of opinion among competent critics. Different schools of criticism have been represented among us, and have together contributed to the final result. In the REVISERS' PREFACE. xiv early part of the work every various reading requiring consider- ation was discussed and voted on by the Company. After a time the precedents thus established enabled the process to be safely shortened ; but it was still at the option of every one to raise a full discussion on any particular reading, and the option was freely used. On the first revision, in accordance with the fifth rule, the decisions were arrived at by simple majorities. On the second revision, at which a majority of two thirds was required to retain or introduce a reading at variance with the reading- presumed to underlie the Authorised Version, many readings previously adopted were brought again into debate, and either re-affirmed or set aside. Many places still remain, in which, for the present, it would not be safe to accept one reading to the absolute exclusion of others. In these cases we have given alternative readings in the margin, wherever they seem to be of sufficient importance or interest to deserve notice. In the introductory formula, the phrases " many ancient authorities," "some ancient authori- ties," are used with some latitude to denote a greater or lesser proportion of those authorities which have a distinctive right to be called ancient. These ancient authorities comprise not only Greek manuscripts, some of which were written in the fourth and fifth centuries, but versions of a still earlier date in different languages, and also quotations by Christian writers of the second and following centuries. 2. We now pass from the Text to the Translation. The charac- ter of the Eevision was determined for us from the outset by the first rule, " to introduce as few alterations as possible, consistently with faithfulness." Our task was revision, not re-translation. In the application, however, of this principle to the many and intricate details of our work, we have found ourselves con- strained by faithfulness to introduce changes which might not at first sight appear to be included under the rule. The alterations which we have made in the Authorised Ver- sion may be roughly grouped in five principal classes. First, alterations positively required by change of reading in the Greek Text. Secondly, alterations made where the Authorised Version appeared either to be incorrect, or to have chosen the less proba- ble of two possible renderings. Thirdly, alterations of obscure or ambiguous renderings into such as are clear and express in xx REVISERS' PREFACE. their import. For it has been our principle not to leave any translation, or any arrangement of words, which could adapt itself to one or other of two interpretations, but rather to ex- press as plainly as was possible that interpretation which seemed best to deserve a place in the text, and to put the other in the margin. There remain yet two other classes of alterations which we have felt to be required by the same principle of faithfulness. These are : Fourthly, alterations of the Authorised Version in cases where it was inconsistent with itself in the rendering of two or more passages confessedly alike or parallel. Fifthly, al- terations rendered necessary by consequence, that is, arising out of changes already made, though not in themselves required by the general rule of faithfulness. Both these classes of altera- tions call for some further explanation. The frequent inconsistencies in the Authorised Version have caused us much embarrassment from the fact already referred to, namely, that a studied variety of rendering, even in the same chapter and context, was a kin>d of principle with our pre- decessors, and was defended by them on grounds that have been' mentioned above. The problem we had to solve was to discrim- inate between varieties of rendering which were compatible with fidelity to the true meaning of the text, and varieties which in- volved inconsistency, and were suggestive of differences that had no existence in the Greek. This problem we have solved to the best of our power, and for the most part in the following way. Where there was a doubt as to the exact shade of meaning, we have looked to the context for guidance. If the meaning was fairly expressed by the word or phrase that was before us in the Authorised Version,, we made no change, even where rigid ad- herence to the rule of translating, as far as possible, the same Greek word by the same English word, might have prescribed some modification. There are however numerous passages in the Authorised Ver- sion in which, whether regard be had to the recurrence (as in the first three Gospels) of identical clauses and sentences, to the repetition of the same word in the same passage, or to the char- acteristic use of particular words by the same writer, the studied variety adopted by the Translators of 1611 has produced a de- gree of inconsistency that cannot be reconciled with the princi- REVISERS' PREFACE. xxi pie of faithfulness. In such cases we have not hesitated to in- troduce alterations, even though the sense might not seem to the general reader to be materially affected. The last class of alterations is that which we have described as rendered necessary by consequence ; that is, by reason of some foregoing alteration. The cases in which these consequential changes have been found necessary are numerous and of very different kinds. Sometimes the change has been made to avoid tautology ; sometimes to obviate an unpleasing alliteration or some other infelicity of sound ; sometimes, in the case of smaller words, to preserve the familiar rhythm ; sometimes for a con- vergence of reasons which, when explained, would at once be accepted, but until so explained might never be surmised even by intelligent readers. This may be made plain by an example. When a particular word is found to recur with characteristic frequency in any one of the Sacred Writers, it is obviously desirable to adopt for it some uniform rendering. Again, where, as in the case of the first three Evangelists, precisely the same clauses or sentences are found in more than one of the Gospels, it is no less neces- sary to translate them in every place in the same way. These two principles may be illustrated by reference to a word that perpetually recurs in St. Mark's Gospel, and that may be trans- lated either "straightway," "forthwith," or "immediately." Let it be supposed that the first rendering is chosen, and that the word, in accordance with the first of the above principles, is in that Gospel uniformly translated "straightway." Let it be further supposed that one of the passages of St. Mark in which it is so translated is found, word for word, in one of the other Gospels, but that there the rendering of the Authorised Version happens to be "forthwith" or "immediately." That rendering must be changed on the second of the above prin- ciples ; and yet such a change would not have been made but for this concurrence of two sound principles, and the con- sequent necessity of making a change on grounds extraneous to the passage itself. This is but one of many instances of consequential alterations which might at first sight appear unnecessary, but which never- theless have been deliberately made, and are not at variance ixii REVISERS' PREFACE. with the rule of introducing as few changes in the Authorised Version as faithfulness would allow. There are some other points of detail which it may be here convenient to notice. One of these, and perhaps the most im- portant, is the rendering of the Greek aorist. There are numer- ous cases, especially in connexion with particles ordinarily ex- pressive of present time, in which the use of the indefinite past tense in Greek and English is altogether different ; and in such instances we have not attempted to violate the idiom of our language by forms of expression which it could not bear. But we have often ventured to represent the Greek aorist by the English preterite, even where the reader may find some passing difficulty in such a rendering, because we have felt convinced that the true meaning of the original was obscured by the presence of the familiar auxiliary. A remarkable illustration may be found in the seventeenth chapter of St. John's Gospel, where the combination of the aorist and the perfect shews, be- yond all reasonable doubt, that different relations of time were intended to be expressed. Changes of translation will also be found in connexion with the aorist participle, arising from the fact that the usual peri- phrasis of this participle in the Vulgate, which was rendered necessary by Latin idiom, has been largely reproduced in the Authorised Version by "when" with the past tense (as for example in the second chapter of St. Matthew's Gospel), even where the ordinary participial rendering would have been easier and more natural in English. In reference to the perfect and the imperfect tenses but little needs to be said. The correct translation of the former has been for the most part, though with some striking excep- tions, maintained in the Authorised Version : while with regard to the imperfect, clear as its meaning may be in the Greek, the power of expressing it is so limited in English, that we have been frequently compelled to leave the force of the tense to be inferred from the context. In a few instances, where faithful- ness imperatively required it, and especially where, in the Greek, the significance of the imperfect tense seemed to be additionally marked by the use of the participle with the auxiliary verb, we have introduced the corresponding form in English. Still, in the great majority of cases we have been obliged to retain the REVISERS' PREFACE. xxiii English preterite, and to rely either on slight changes in the order of the words, or on prominence given to the accompany- ing temporal particles, for the indication of the meaning which, in the Greek, the imperfect tense was designed to convey. On other points of grammar it may be sufficient to speak more briefly. Many changes, as might be anticipated, have been made in the case of the definite article. Here again it was necessary to consider the peculiarities of English idiom, as well as the gen- eral tenor of each passage. Sometimes we have felt it enough to prefix the article to the first of a series of words to all of which it is prefixed in the Greek, and thus, as it were, to impart the idea of definiteness to the whole series, without running the risk of overloading the sentence. Sometimes, conversely, we have had to tolerate the presence of the definite article in our Version, when it is absent from the Greek, and perhaps not even grammatically latent ; simply because English idiom would not allow the noun to stand alone, and because the intro- duction of the indefinite article might have introduced an idea of oneness or individuality, which was not in any degree trace- able in the original. In a word, we have been careful to observe the use of the article wherever it seemed to be idiomatically possible : where it did not seem to be possible, we have yielded to necessity. As to the pronouns and the place they occupy in the sentence, a subject often overlooked by our predecessors, we have been particularly careful ; but here again we have frequently been baffled by structural or idiomatical peculiarities of the English language which precluded changes otherwise desirable. In the case of the particles we have met with less difficulty, and have been able to maintain a reasonable amount of consis- tency. The particles in the Greek Testament are, as is well known, comparatively few, and they are commonly used with precision. It has therefore been the more necessary here to preserve a general uniformity of rendering, especially in the case of the particles of causality and inference, so far as English idiom would allow. Lastly, many changes have been introduced in the rendering of the prepositions, especially where ideas of instrumentality or xxiv REVISERS' PREFACE. of mediate agency, distinctly marked in the original, had been confused or obscured in the translation. We have, however, borne in mind the comprehensive character of such prepositions as " of " and "by," the one in reference to agency and the other in reference to means, especially in the English of the seven- teenth century ; and have rarely made any change where the true meaning of the original as expressed in the Author- ised Version would be apparent to a reader of ordinary in- telligence. 3. We now come to the subject of Language. The second of the rules by which the work has been gov- erned, prescribed that the alterations to be introduced should be expressed, as far as possible, in the language of the Authorised Version or of the Versions that preceded it. To this rule we have faithfully adhered. We have habitually consulted the earlier Versions ; and in our sparing introduction of words not found in them or in the Authorised Version we have usually satisfied ourselves that such words were employed by standard writers of nearly the same date, and had also that general hue which justified their introduction into a Version which has held the highest place in the classical literature of our language. We have never removed any archaisms, whether in structure or in words, except where we were persuaded either that the meaning of the words was not generally understood, or that the nature of the expression led to some misconception of the true sense of the passage. The frequent inversions of the strict order of the words, which add much to the strength and variety of the Authorised Version, and give an archaic colour to many felicities of diction, have been seldom modified. Indeed, we have often adopted the same arrangement in our own alterations ; and in this, as in other particulars, we have sought to assimilate the new work to the old. In a few exceptional cases we have failed to find any word in the older stratum of our language that appeared to convey the precise meaning of the original. There, and there only, we have used words of a later date ; but not without having first assured ourselves that they are to be found in the writings of the best authors of the period to which they belong. In regard of proper names no rule was prescribed to us. In the case of names of frequent occurrence we have deemed it best REVISERS' PREFACE. xxv to follow generally the rule laid down for our predecessors. That rule, it may be remembered, was to this effect, "The names of the prophets and the holy writers, with the other names of the text, to be retained, as nigh as may be, accordingly as they were vulgarly used.7' Some difficulty has been felt in dealing with names less familiarly known. Here our general practice has been to follow the Greek form of names, except in the case of persons and places mentioned in the Old Testament : in this case we have followed the Hebrew. 4. The subject of the Marginal Notes deserves special atten- iion. They represent the results of a large amount of careful and elaborate discussion, and will, perhaps, by their very pres- ence, indicate to some extent the intricacy of many of the ques- tions that have almost daily come before us for decision. These Notes fall into four main groups : first, notes specifying such differences of reading as were judged to be of sufficient impor- tance to require a particular notice ; secondly, notes indicating the exact rendering of words to which, for the sake of English idiom, we were obliged to give a less exact rendering in the text ; thirdly, notes, very few in number, affording some explanation which the original appeared to require ; fourthly, alternative renderings in difficult or debateable passages. The notes of this last group are numerous, and largely in excess of those which were admitted by our predecessors. In the 270 years that have passed away since their labours were concluded, the Sacred Text has been minutely examined, discussed in every detail, and analysed with a grammatical precision unknown in the days of the last Revision. There has thus been accumulated a large amount of materials that have prepared the way for different renderings, which necessarily came under discussion. We have therefore placed before the reader in the margin other renderings than those which were adopted in the text, wherever such ren- derings seemed to deserve consideration. The rendering in the text, where it agrees with the Authorised Version, was sup- ported by at least one third, and, where it differs from the Authorised Version, by at least two thirds of those who were present at the second revision of the passage in question. A few supplementary matters have yet to be mentioned. These may be thus enumerated, — the use of Italics, the arrange- vxvi REVISERS' PREFACE. nit' at in Paragraphs, the mode of printing Quotations from the Poetical Books of the Old Testament, the Punctuation, and, last of all, the Titles of the different Books that make up the New Testament,— all of them particulars on which it seems desirable to add a few explanatory remarks. (a) The determination, in each place, of the words to be printed in italics has not been by any means easy; nor can we hope to be found in all cases perfectly consistent. In the earliest editions of the Authorised Version the use of a different type to indicate supplementary words not contained in the original was not very frequent, and cannot easily be reconciled with any settled principle. A review of the words so printed was made, after a lapse of some years, for the editions of the Authorised Version published at Cambridge in 1629 and 1638. Further, though slight, modifications were introduced at intervals between 1G3S and the more systematic revisions undertaken respectively by Dr. Paris in the Cambridge Edition of 1762, and by Dr. Blayney in the Oxford Edition of 1769. None of them however rest on any higher authority than that of the persons who from time to time superintended the publication. The last attempt to bring the use of italics into uniformity and consistency was made by Dr. Scrivener in the Paragraph Bible published at Cambridge in 1870-73. In succeeding to these labours, we have acted on the general principle of printing in italics words which did not appear to be necessarily involved in the Greek. Our tendency has been to diminish rather than to increase the amount of italic printing ; though, in the case of difference of readings, we have usually marked the absence of any words in the original which the sense might nevertheless require to be present in the Version ; and again, in the case of inserted pro- nouns, where the reference did not appear to be perfectly cer- tain, we have similarly had recourse to italics. Some of these cases, especially when there are slight differences of reading, are of singular intricacy, and make it impossible to maintain rigid uniformity. (b) We have arranged the Sacred Text in paragraphs, after the precedent of the earliest English Versions, so as to assist the general reader in following the current of narrative or argu- ment. The present arrangement will be found, we trust, to have preserved the due mean between a system of long portions, REVISERS' PREFACE. xxvn which lust often include several separate topics, and a system of frequent breaks which, though they may correctly indicate the separate movements of thought in the writer, often seriously impede a just perception of the true continuity of the passage. The traditional division into chapters, which the Authorised Version inherited from Latin Bibles of the later middle ages, is an illustration of the former method. These paragraphs, for such in fact they are, frequently include several distinct sub- jects. Moreover they sometimes, though rarely, end where there is no sufficient break in the sense. The division of chap- ters into verses, which was introduced into the New Testament for the first time in 1551, is an exaggeration of the latter method, with its accompanying inconveniences. The serious obstacles to the right understanding of Holy Scripture, which are interposed by minute subdivision, are often overlooked ; but if any one will consider for a moment the injurious effect that would be produced by breaking up a portion of some great standard work into separate verses, he will at once perceive how necessary has been an alteration in this particular. The arrangement by chapters and verses undoubtedly affords facilities for reference : but this advantage we have been able to retain by placing the numerals on the inside margin of each page. (c) A few words will suffice as to the mode of printing quo- tations from the Poetical Books of the Old Testament. Wherever the quotation extends to two or more lines, our practice has been to recognise the parallelism of their structure by arranging the lines in a manner that appears to agree with the metrical divisions of the Hebrew original. Such an arrangement will be found helpful to the reader ; not only as directing his attention to the poetical character of the quotation, but as also tending to make its force and pertinence more fully felt. We have treated in the same way the hymns in the first two chapters of the Gospel according to St. Luke. (d) Great care has been bestowed on the punctuation. Our practice has been to maintain what is sometimes called the heavier system of stopping, or, in other words, that system which, especially for convenience in reading aloud, suggests such pauses as Avill best ensure a clear and intelligent setting forth of the true meaning of the words. This course has rendered xxviii REVISERS' PREFACE. necessary, especially in the Epistles, a larger use of colons and semicolons than is customary in modern English printing. (e) We may in the last place notice one particular to which we were not expressly directed to extend our revision, namely, the titles of the Books of the New Testament. These titles are no part of the original text ; and the titles found in the most ancient manuscripts are of too short a form to be convenient for use. Under these circumstances, we have deemed it best to leave unchanged the titles which are given in the Authorised Version as printed in 1611. We now conclude, humbly commending our labours to Al- mighty God, and praying that his favour and blessing may be vouchsafed to that which has been done in his name. We recog- nised from the first the responsibility of the undertaking ; and through our manifold experience of its abounding difficulties we have felt more and more, as we went onward, that such a work ean never be accomplished by organised efforts of scholarship and criticism, unless assisted by Divine help. We know full well that defects must have their place in a work so long and so arduous as this which has now come to an end. Blemishes and imperfections there are in the noble Trans- lation which we have been called upon to revise ; blemishes and imperfections will assuredly be found in oar own Bevision. All endeavours to translate the Holy Scriptures into another tongue must fall short of their aim, when the obligation is imposed of producing a Version that shall be alike literal and idiomatic, faithful to each thought of the original, and yet, in the expres- sion of it, harmonious and free. While we dare to hope that in places not a few of the Xew Testament the introduction of slight changes has cast a new light upon much that was difficult and obscure, we cannot forget how often we have failed in express- ing some finer shade of meaning which we recognised in the original, how often idiom has stood in the way of a perfect ren- dering, and how often the attempt to preserve a familiar form of words, or even a familiar cadence, has only added another perplexity to those which already beset us. Thus, in the review of the work which we have been permit- ted to complete, our closing words must be words of mingled thanksgiving, humility, and prayer. Of thanksgiving, for the REVISERS' PREFACE. XXIX many blessings vouchsafed to us throughout the unbroken pro- gress of our corporate labours ; of humility, for our failings and imperfections in the fulfilment of our task ; and of prayer to Almighty God, that the Gospel of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ may be more clearly and more freshly shewn forth to all who shall be readers of this Book. Jerusalem Chamber, "Westminster Abbey, 11th November, 1880. — * — Our J^atfter | Wltjiet) art in 2|eatoen, j|al* Ti§| lofted be ttw name. Cl)p «S Kingdom come. Cljp toili tic ISS Done, as in tjeatien, 00 on eartl). S & m m ^BS ttie us ti)is dap pur dailp bread. &nd torgitoe us our Debts, as toe also Ijatoe torgitoen > our Debtors. &nd bring us not JR into temptation, but Deliver us from ttje etJtt one. Hr^ THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. MATTHEW. The author of this Gospel is the person mentioned (Matthew 9 : 9) as an officer of the customs under the Roman government, sta- tioned at Capernaum, on the shores of the Sea of Galilee. In Mark 2: 14, and in Luke 5: 27, 29, he is called Levi. His first interview with the Savior seems to have awakened a strong in- terest in his mind, and he began at once to employ his property, and his infleience as a public officer, in favor of the Savior's min- istry— entertaining Jesus and his followers publicly at his house, where he invited a large circle of subordinate officers of his ac- quaintance to meet him and listen to his instructions. These circumstances indicate that he was a man of some standing and consideration, in the class of officers to which he belonged. Matthew was afterwards chosen one of the twelve apostles, but of his subsequent history nothing is known. From statements made by very early writers, it r. generally supposed that he wrote his Gospel about thirty years after the death of Christ. 1 x The book of the 2 gen- eration of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham. 2 Abraham begat Isaac ; and Isaac begat Jacob ; and Jacob begat Judah 3 and his brethren ; and Judah begat Perez and Zerah of Tamar ; and Pe- rez begat Hezron ; and 1 Or, The genealogy of Jesus Christ 2 Or, birth: as in ver. 18. CHAPTER I. 1. The booh of the generation ; the account of the pedigree or ancestry. This genealogy dif- fers iu several respects from that Hezron begat 3Kam ; and 4 3 Ram begat Amminadab ; and Amminadab begat Nahslion ; and ISTahshon begat Salmon ; and Sal- 5 mon begat Boaz of Ra- hab ; and Boaz begat Obed of Ruth ; and Obed begat Jesse ; and Jesse 6 begat David the king. And David begat Solo- 3 Gr. Aram. of Luke. Matthew, it has been supposed, traces the lineal de- scent of Joseph ; Luke, that of Mary. There are other differ- ences difficult to account for. The son of David, the son [33] 34 S. MATTHEW. 1. 6^ mon of her that had been tthe wife of Uriah ; and Solomon begat Reho- boam ; and Rehoboam begat Abijah ; and Abi- 8 jah begat xAsa ; and *Asa begat Jehoshaphat ; and Jehosha*phat begat Jo- l'am ; and Joram begat 9 Uzziah ; and Uzziah begat Jotham ; and Jotham be- gat Abaz ; and Ahaz be- 10 gat Hezekiah ; and Heze- kiah begat Manasseh ; and Manasseh begat 2Amon ; and Anion 2begat 11 Josiah ; and Josiah begat Jechoniah and his breth- ren, at the time of the 'carrying away to Baby- lon. 12 And after the 'carrying away to Babylon, Jecho- niah begat 4Shealtiel ; 1 Gr. Asaph. 2 Gr. Amos. of Abraham; that is, descended from Abraham through the roy- al line of David. A certain de- gree of importance seems to be attached in the sacred Scriptures to the distinguished birth of the Savior. 16. Jesus, who is called Christ. Christ is the Greek translation of the Hebrew word Messiah, meaning the anointed King. It was a title of dignity, often ap- plied, in the early part of the Old Testament, to other mon- archs. In Daniel 9:25, it is used to designate the coming Redeemer; and. subsequently, it seems to have been reserved exclusively for this use. It must be kept in mind, therefore, that the p oper, personal name, by which the Saviour was known and 4Shealtiel begat Ze rubbabel ; and Zerubba- 13 bel begat Abiud ; and Abind begat Eliakim ; and Eliakim begat Azor ; and Azor begat Sadoc ; 14 and Sadoc begat Achim ; and Achim begat Eliud; and Eliud begat Eleazar ; J5 and Eleazar begat Mat- than ; and Mat than begat Jacob ; and Jacob begat ic Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ. So all the generations 17 from Abraham unto Da- vid are fourteen genera- tions ; and from David unto the 'carrying away to Babylon fourteen gene- rations ; and from the 'carrying away to Baby- 3 Or, removal to Babylon 4 Gr. Salathiec. during his life, was simply Jesus, (Matt. 1:21;) and that whether he was or was not the Messiah or Christ, was a question of fact for those who knew him to con- sider. On this distinction de- pend the point and meaning of such passages as John 1:41, 4:25, 9:22, and many similar expressions. This distinction is recognized in the New Version much more clearly than in the Old, because in the Newr the Greek article is translated where it occurs, and the title of Jesus is given as the Christ. 17. Fourteen generations ; that is, about fourteen generations, as enumerated above. Many of the actual generations are omitted in the catalogue, which is not by any means complete. -2. 1. S. MATTHEW. 35 Ion unto the Christ four- teen generations. 18 Now the 'birth 2of Je- sus Christ was on this wise : When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found with child of the 19 3Holy Gfhost. And Jo- seph her husband, being a righteous man, and not willing to make her a public example, was minded to put her away 20 privily. But when he thought on these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Jo- seph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife : for that which is "conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. 21 And she shall bring forth a son ; and thou shalt call his name Jesus ; for 1 Or, generation : as in ver. 1. 2 Some ancient authorities read of the Christ. 3 Or, Holy Spirit : and so throughout this book. 18. This wise; this manner. Had been betrothed; betrothal was a much move public and solemn ceremony with the Jews than it is with us. 20. An angel of the Lord; not Mangel of the Lord; a phrase thought by many commentators to be used in the Old Testament to refer to the Word or manifes- tation of God himself. Here simply a heavenly messenger is mpant. 22. Through the prophet. (Isa. it is he that shall save his people from their sins. Now all this is come to 22 pass, that it might be ful- filled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying, , Behold, the virgin 23 shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, And they shall call his name 5 Immanuel ; which is, being inter- preted, God with us. And Joseph arose from 24 his sleep, and did as the angel of the Lord com- manded him, and took unto him his wife ; and 25 knew her not till she had brought forth a son : and he called his name Jesus. Now when Jesus was 2 born in Bethlehem of Judsea in the days of Herod the king, behold, 6 wise men from the east 4 Gr. begotten. 5 Gr. Emmanuel. 6 Gr. Magi. Compare Esther i. 13; Dan. ii. 12. 7:14.) This prediction was re- corded more than seven centu- ries before its fulfilment. CHAPTER II. 1. Bethlehem ; a small village, six miles from Jerusalem. The inhabitants still point out the place where they suppose the Saviour was born. A church is erected over the spot. — Wise men; Magi — a sort of religious philosophers, from Persia or Ara- bia. 36 S. MATTHEW. 2. 1 came to Jerusalem, say- 2ing, ' Where is lie that is born King of the Jews 3 for we saw his star in the east, and are come to wor- 3 ship him. And when Herod the king heard it, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. 4 And gathering together l Or, Where is the King of the Jews that born? 3. Was troubled. This was old King Herod, the father and founder of the Herod family, of which three generations appear in the sacred history. He was a man of great talents, but dis- tinguished still more for his cru- elties and crimes. In the course of his life, he had brought many persons to a violent death, whom he had suspected of conspiring against his reign; and among others, his wife and several of his own sons. And now, though quite an old man, his jealous and suspicious temper was aroused by hearing that an infant king of the Jews had been born, — sup- posing that he was to be a tem- poral prince, and of course that his own throne w\as in danger. 4. Chief priests. The priests were divided into twenty-four classes; the leaders of these classes, and perhaps some others of particular distinction, were called chief priest. There was but one high 'priest. — Scribes; a class of men learned in theology and in the law, and often em- ployed as writers. Of the chief priests and scribes, there was composed a council of seventy- two men, called the Sanhedrim, which was the great council of the Jewish nation. — Where the Christ should be born. Herod was a Jew, and a believer in the Old all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Christ should be born. And they said unto him, 5 In Bethlehem of Judaea : for thus it is written 2by the prophet, 6 And thou Bethlehem, land of Judah, 2 Or, through Testament Scriptures; and he wished that those who were best acquainted with the subject, should inform him where, ac- cording to the divine predic- tions, the Messiah should appear. His conduct, in this instance, was not, therefore, an ordi- nary case of political cruelty towards a human rival, but a high-handed and deliber- ate act of hostility against the counsels of God. He calls upon the great religious tribunal of the nation t» consult the sacred records, and inform him, with official solemnity, what God in- tended to do, in order that he might adopt effectual measures, by means of violence and murder, to prevent its being done. That a man near seventy 3rears of age, and just ready to descend into the grave, should deliberately set himself at work to oppose, by open violence, designs which he himself recognized as divine, and which had stood so record- ed for seven hundred years, shows to what an extent human guilt and infatuation may some- times proceed. 5. The prophet. (Micah 5:2.) Quotations from the Old Testa- ment, in the New, give the sense, but in most cases, they do not give exactly the words, of 2 15. S. MATTHEW. 37 Art in no wise least among the princes of Judah : For out of thee shall come forth a gov- ernor, Which shall be shep- herd of my people Israel. 7 Then Herod privily called the ' wise men, and learned of them carefully 2 what time the star ap- speared. And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Gro and search out carefully concerning the young child ; and when ye have found 7ilm, bring me word, that I also may come and worship him. 9 And they, having heard the king, went their way ; and lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the 10 young child was. And when they saw the star, they rejoiced with ex- ceeding great joy. And 11 they came into the house and saw the young child 1 See note 6 on page 41. 11. Worshipped him ; prostrat- ed themselves before him, ac- cording to the Eastern custom of doing homage to kings. — Frank- incense ; a gum which, when burnt, produced a very fragrant smoke. — Myrrh; a very valu- able gum, used in embalming the dead. 15. And icas there, &c. The death of Herod took place two or three years after the birth of with Mary his mother ; and they fell down and worshipped him ; and opening their treasures they offered unto him gifts, gold and frankin- cense and myrrh. And 12 being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way. Now when they were 13 departed, behold, an angel of the Lord ap- peareth to Joseph in a cLieam, saying, Arise and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I tell thee : for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him. And he arose and 14 took the young child and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt ; and was there until the death 15 of Herod : that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, say- ing, Out of Egypt did* I 2 Or, the time of the star that appeared. Christ. — Through the prophet. (Hos. 11:1.) The declaration of God, in Hosea, was striking- ly applicable to this event. The sacred writers quote from the Old Testament, not only those passages which predict the events that they are recording, but those also which may be aptly applied to them, though orig- inally used with reference to other occurrences. 38 S. MATTHEW. 2 16— 16 call my son. Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the 'wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the male children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the borders thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had care- fully learned of the 1 wise [i men. Then was fulfilled that which was spoken 2 by Jeremiah the pro- phet, saying, ■3 A voice was heard in Raman, Weeping and great mourning, 1 Gr. Magi, 16. Mocked; deceived. — Male children. Not all the children as indicated in the old Version, but only the males, were slain by Herod, who only desired to make sure the killing of the sup- posed king. — In all the borders thereof. In the Old Version, the word coasts is used in the old English sense of the frontier border of a country. In the New Version, here and. else- where, the word borders is sub- stituted for the word coasts. 17. (Jer. 81:15.) 18. Ramah; a small town near Bethlehem. The king of Babylon overran Judea, assem- bled the Jewish captives in Ra- mah, and thence drove them, in chains, into Babylonish capti- vity. The prophet Jeremiah, in the passage here referred to, represents Rachel, the mother of Benjamin, as rising from t lie grave, and weeping over the woes of her descendants. The words are quoted here, not as Rachel weeping for her children ; And she would not be comforted, because they are not. But when Herod was 19 dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeareth in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, saying, Arise and 20 take the young child and his mother, and go into the land of Israel : for they are dead that sought the young child's life. And he arose and took 21 the young child and his mother, and came into the land of Israel. But 22 when he heard that 2 Or, through. prophetic language, originally re- ferring to this case, but as strik- ingly applicable to it. 22. And being learned of God; After old King Herod's death, his kingdom was divided. His son Archelaus reigned in Judea, the southern part, and an- other son, Herod Antipas, in Galilee, the northern part. Another portion still was as- signed to Philip. Archelaus was of a savage and ferocious disposition, like his father. Her- od Antipas was more mild, ad- dicted rather to pleasure than to bloodshed and cruelty. His whole treatment of John the Baptist shows this, except the last act, — beheading him, — and this was committed mainly at i!i" instigation of others, and under the excitement of wine. It was natural, therefore, that the parents of Jesus, knowing the characters of these princes, should feel it to be safest for them to return to their old home -3. 3. S. MATTHEW. 39 Arclielaus was reigning over Judsea in the room of his father Herod, he was afraid to go thither ; and being warned, of God in a dream, he withdrew into the parts of Galilee, 23 and came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth : that it might be fulfilled which was spoken 'by the prophets, that he should be called a Naza- rene. 3 And in those days com- 1 Or, through. in Nazareth, which was a retir- ed village among the mountains, within the dominions of Herod Antipas, a few miles from the Sea of Galilee. The Old Ver- sion implied that Joseph's action in turning aside into Galilee was despite the warning of God, whereas it was really in conse- quence of that warning, or rather in accordance with God's counsel. He was not warned against Archelaus, as this was a danger which the use of his own faculties enabled him to perceive. Divine interpositions are never to be looked for as a substitute for human prudence and forethought. 23. A Nazarene ; a proverbial term for one despised ; because Nazareth was an obscure and in- significant village. Thus Jesus, being of royal lineage, was a child of very high birth, but yet of very humble circumstances. In this two-fold aspect of the Saviour's worldly condition there may "be a design to teach us, on the one hand, not to set too high a value upon the worldly advan- tages of wealth, rank, and sta- tion, and, on the wholly to despise them eth John the Baptist, preaching in the wilder- ness of Judsea, saying, Repent ye ; for the king- 2 dom of heaven is at hand. For this is he that was 3 spoken of J by Isaiah the prophet, saying, The voice of one cry- ing in the wilder- ness, Make ye ready the way of the Lord, Make his paths straight. CHAPTER III. 1. In those days; during the remaining period of his infancy and youth, Jesus resided at Na- zareth. As John was but six months older than our Saviour, and as Jesus was about thirty years of age (Luke 3 : 23) when he commenced his public minis- try, a long period must have elapsed between the events men- tioned at the close of the last chapter, and those described in this and the succeeding verses. — Wilderness ; a solitary country region, remote from the villages and towns. 2. The kingdom of heaven ; the gospel dispensation, — the com- ing and kingdom of the Messiah. 3. Make ye ready the way of the Lord. As monarchs, on their journeys, were preceded by a herald, summoning the inhabi- tants of the provinces through which they were to pass, to pre- pare highways for the royal ret- inue, so John, the herald of the Messiah, called upon the people to prepare their hearts, by peni- tence and holy lives, for the spiritual religion of the Saviour and Kinsr about to be revealed. 40 S. MATTHEW. 3 4 4 Now John himself had his raiment of camel's hair, and a leathern gir- dle about his loins ; and his food was locusts and 5 wild honey. Then went out unto him Jerusalem, and all Judaea, and all the region round about C Jordan ; and they were baptized of him in the river Jordan, confessing 7 their sins. But when he saw many of the Phari- sees and Sadducees com- ing to his baptism, he said unto them, Ye off- spring of vipers, who warned you to flee from 8 the wrath to come \ Bring forth therefore fruit wor- 9 thy of x repentance : and think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones 1 Or, your repentance, 2 Or, in. 4. This was food and clothing of the most humble kind. The idea of the verse is, that, like his great prototype Elijah, John the Baptist led a life of extreme austerity and self-denial. 5. Jordan. The River Jordan is about one hundred miles in length, forming the eastern boundary of Palestine. 7. The Pharisees and Saddu- cees were two prominent relig- ious sects among the Jews. The Sadducees maintained the doc- trine that the soul of man per- ishes with the body. 9. The meaning is, Do not imagine that God regards you with favor because you are the to raise up children unto Abraham. And even now 10 is the axe laid unto the root of the trees : every tree therefore that bring- eth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. I indeed 11 baptize you 'With water unto repentance : but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not 'worthy to bear : he shall baptize you a with the Holy Ghost and with tire : whose fan 12 is in his hand, and he will thoroughly cleanse his threshing-floor ; and he will gather his wheat into the garner, but the chaff he will burn up with unquenchable fire. Then cometh Jesus 13 from Galilee to the Jor- dan unto John to be bap- tized of him. But John 14 3 Gr. sufficient. descendants of Abraham. From the very stones of the Jordan, God is able to raise up servants and friends. 11. The idea of the verse un- doubtedly is, that John per- formed merely an external rite, — the symbol and pledge of re- pentance,—but that the reality of new spiritual life was to be bestowed by the coming baviour. 12. Fan; a winnowing in- strument.— da mi r ; granary. 14. John would have hindered him. He did not actually forbid Christ to be baptized, as repre- sented in the Old Version. He simply made an objection, as i \- pressed in the rest of the verse. —3. 17. S. MATTHEW. 41 would have hindered him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and corn- west thou to me % But Je- sus answering said unto him, Suffer ! it now : for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he suffereth him. 16 And Jesus, when he was 1 Or, me. 2 Some ancient authorities omit vnto him. John did not yet know that Jesus was the Messiah. This fact was revealed to him by the descent of the Holy Spirit, after his baptism. (See John 1 : 31- 34.) His remark, therefore, in this verse, is of great interest, as showing how strong an impres- sion the private and personal character of the Saviour had made upon his friends and acquaint- ances, before he had commenced Iris public ministry. 15. To fulfil all righteousness ; to fulfil every duty which it be- longs to man to do — here the duty of making a public profes- sion of his religious faith and purpose. 16.. As a dove. But why in this form ? The Scripture use of this emblem will be our best guide here. "My dove, my un- defiled, is one," says the Song (6:9). This is chaste purity. Again, "Be ye harmless as doves," says Christ himself (Matt. 10:16). Farther, when we*ead in the Song (2: 14), " O my dove that art in the clefts of tiie rocks, in the secret places of the stairs (see Isaiah 60:8), let me see thy countenance, let me hear thy voice; for sweet is thy voice and thy countenance is comely," — it is shrinking mod- esty, meekness, gentleness, that is thus charmingly depicted. In 2* baptized, went up straight- way from the water : and lo, the heavens were open- ed 2 unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God de- scending as a dove, and coming upon him ; and 17 lo, a voice out of the heavens, saying, 3This beloved is my Son, 3 Or, This is my son ; my beloved in whom I am well pleased . Seech, xii. 18. a word, when we read (Psalm 68:13) "Ye shall be as the wings of a dove covered with silver, and her feathers with yellow gold," it is oeauteousness that is thus held forth. And was not such that "Holy, harm- less, undented One," the " Sep- arate from sinners"? And when with John 1 : 32-34 we compare the predicted descent of the Spirit upon Messiah (Isaiah 11:2), "And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon Aim," we cannot doubt that it was this permanent and perfect resting of the Holy Ghost upon the Son of God — now and thenceforward in his official capacity — that was here visibly manifested. 17. In whom I am ic ell pleased. This English is scarcely strong enough. "I delight," comes nearer, jierhaps, to that ineffable complacency which is manifest- ly intended ; and this is rather preferable, as it would imme- diately carry the thoughts back to that august Messianic proph- ecy to which the voice from heaven plainly alluded (Isa. 42:1). "Behold my Servant, whom I uphold; mine Elect, in WHOM MY SOUL DELIGHTETH." Was this voice heard by the bystanders ? From Matthew's form of it, one might suppose it so designed, but it would ap- 42 S. MATTHEW. 3. 17— in whom I am well pleased. 4 Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wil- derness to be tempted of 2 the devil. And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he afterward 3 hungered. And the temp- ter came and said unto him, If thou art the Son of God, command that these stones become 1 Gr. loaves. pear that it was not, and prob- ably only John heard and saw anything peculiar in the great baptism. Accordingly the words ' ' Hear ye Him " are not added as at the Transfiguration. CHAPTER IV. 1. Led up of the Spirit; by the guidance of the Holy Spirit. — To oe tempted of the devil. There is a certain mystery envel- oping the subject of the Saviour's temptation, which all the efforts of commentators and theologians have not been able to remove. Attempts have been made to give the whole passage a meta- phorical interpretation ; but such a construction can hardly be given, without violence, to a passage like this, occurring in regukr course, as a part of a plain, historical narrative. The sacred writer undoubtedly meant to be understood, and must have been understood at the time, as asserting literally that Jesus was assailed by an evil spirit, not human, but yet hav- ing a distinct personal existence. [We need not, however, neces- sarily suppose that Jesus was literally transferred first to a pinnacle of the temple, and afterwards to an exceeding higrh 'bread. But he answered 4 and said, It is written, Man shall not live by- bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth ont of the mouth of God. Then the devil takethhims into the holy city; and he set him on the "pinnacle of the temple, and saith6 unto him, If thou art the Son of God, cast thyself down : for it is written, 5 Gr. toing. mountain. The whole narrative must be regarded as a highly dramatic and pictorial account of an inward and spiritual con- flict. For explanation of differ- ent interpretations of this temp- tation see my commentary on Matthew. L. A.] 2. Fasted. It is not certain that this implies entire absti- nence from food, but only an abstinence from all except such casual and uncertain sustenance as the wilderness afforded. 3. The tempter came ; whether in bodily form or by inward sug- gestions is not indicated ; more probably the latter, as we read (Heb. 4: 15) that he was tempt- ed in all points like as we are. — If thou art the Sou or God; that is. the Messiah, as had been proclaimed by the voice from heaven (Matt. 3 : 17.) —Com- mand that these stones, &c. ; to satisfy his hunger. 4. It is written ; Deut. 8:3. 5. The holy city. Jerusalem was called the holy city, because the tempje was there, and it was the scene of all the great re- ligious solemnities of the na- tion. 6. Perhaps to make a public display of his miraculous powers. k 13. S. MATTHEW. He shall give his angels charge concerning thee : And on their hands they shall bear thee up, Lest haply thou dash thy foot against a stone. 7 Jesus said unto him, Again it is written, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord 8 thy God. Again, the devil taketh him unto an ex- ceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them ; 7. Deut. 6: 16, and Ex. 17:7. By a comparison of these pas- sages, the sin of tempting God would seem to be that of pre- sumptuously, or with an im- proper spirit, calling for or expecting miraculous interposi- tions from him. 8-10. The language here indi- cates a picture seen in the imagination rather than a literal view, for of course from no mountain could all the kingdoms of the world and the glory of them be seen. — It is written; the quotation is a free one. Deut. 6:13. 11. Angels came; either in visible form, or by presenting, invisibly, consolation and sup- port. 12. That John was delivered up. He was imprisoned by Herod ; for account of his imprisonment see Matt. 14:3-12. JX seems, from John 3 : 22-26, that Jesus had commenced his public min- istry before this time in Judea. He now retired to Galilee, a place of greater seclusion and safety. Galilee was the northern and he said unto him, 9 All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt" fall down and worship me. Then saith Jesus unto 10 him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve. Then the devil leavethii him ; and behold, angels came and ministered unto him. Now when he heard 12 that John was delivered up, he withdrew into Galilee ; and leaving Na- 13 province of Palestine, a retired, mountainous region, far less ex- posed to tumults and popular commotions than the region of Jerusalem : and it was very prob- ably on this account that Jesus, who was constantly taking pre- cautions to avoid occasioning public excitements, chose it as the scene of his ministrations for some time after the impris- onment of John. The narrative of Matthew from this place to 20:17, gives an account of the Saviour's journeys, discourses, and miracles among these quiet villages; and then it follows him to the more exciting scenes wit- nessed towards the close of his life, in Judea and Jerusalem. 13. Capernaum. The largest city of Galilee, on the western shore of the sea. It was in this maritime city that Peter and Andrew, James and John, dwelt in the occupation of fishermen. — In the borders of Zebulvn and Naphtali ; within the borders, that is, somewhere in the coun- try occupied by those two tribes. 44 S. MATTHEW. 4. 1:3- zareth, he came and dwelt in Capernaum, which is by the sea, in the borders of Zebulun and Naphtali : 14 that it might be fulfilled which was spoken ' by Isaiah the prophet, say- ing, 15 The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, a Toward the sea, be- yond Jordan, Galilee of the 'Gen- tiles, 16 The people which sat in darkness Saw a great light, And to them which sat in the region and shadow of death, To them did light spring up. 17 From that time began Jesus to preach, and to say, Repent ye ; for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. 18 And walking by the 1 Or, through 2 Gr. The way of the sea. 3 Gr. nations : and so elsewhere. 15. Galilee of the Gentiles. This region was the outskirt of the Jewish territory. The pop- ulation was much mixed with emigrants from the Gentile coun- tries around, and, as usual in such cases, it was probably de- graded and depraved. The des- ignation was at any rate one of reproach, to the mind of a Jew. 17. Kingdom of heaven; that spiritual kingdom of which Christ is the head, the establish- ment of which is commenced in this world, and is to be perfect- ed in the world to come. sea of Galilee, he saw two brethren, Simon who is called Peter, and An- drew his brother, casting a net into the sea ; for they were fishers. And 19 he saith unto them, Come ye after me, and I will make you fishers of men. And they straightway left 20 the nets, and followed him. And going on from 21 thence he saw other two brethren, 4James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets ; and he called them. And 22 they straightway left the boat and their father, and followed him. And Mesus went about 23 in all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the "gospel of the kingdom, and heal- ing all manner of disease and all manner of sick- 4 Or, Jacob : and so elsewhere. 5 Some ancient authorities read he. 6 Or, good tidings : and so elsewhere. . 18. These disciples had pre- viously seen Jesus, on the banks of the Jordan, when attending upon the preaching of John. (John 1:35-42.) 22. The loat — not a ship, as rendered in the Old Version; :t small fishing' boat which could be manned by oars, but was also provided with a sail, is meant. 23. Synagogues ; edifices erect- ed in the principal cities and towns, and used for religious worship, and for other ecclesias- tical purposes. -5. 6. S. MATTHEW. 45 ness among the people. 24 And the report of him went forth into all Syria : and they brought unto him all that were sick, holden with divers dis- eases and torments, 'pos- sessed with devils, and epilex3tic, and palsied ; 25 and he healed them. And there followed him great multitudes from Galilee and Decapolis and Jeru- salem and Judaea and from beyond Jordan. 5 And seeing the uiulti- 1 Or, demoniacs 24. Possessed with devils. Many have supposed that those pos- sessed with devils were persons afflicted with insanity, epilepsy, and other natural diseases, which were attributed in those days to the agency of evil spirits. It is to be observed, however, that demoniacs are here spoken of as a distinct class from lunatics. The American scholars proposed in all such passages as this to substitute for devil the word demon. This word unquestion- ably renders the original more accurately; the word in the Greek being a different one from that which is rendered devil in such passages as Matt. 4: 15; James 4:7; Rev. 2: 10; and the like. 25. Decapolis; a remote aud wild region on the north-eastern border of Lower Galilee, in- habited mostly by Gentiles. CHAPTER V. 1. He went up into the mountain ; i. e. the hill country. The moun- tain, in this and similar expres- sions, must not be pictured to tudes, he went up into the mountain : and when he had sat down, his dis- ciples came unto him : and he opened his mouth 2 and taught them, saying, Blessed are the poor in 3 spirit : for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. "Blessed are they that 4 mourn : for they shall be comforted. Blessed are the meek : 5 for they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are they that 6 2 Some ancient authorities transpose ver. 4 and 5. the mind as a single elevation of laud, but rather as a tract of varied scenery, in which eleva- tions, valleys, forests, cliffs, precipices, and lofty summits, combine to form extended re- gions of solitude and seclusion. When, therefore, Jesus is spoken of as going up into a mountain, we must not conceive of him as ascending a simple eminence, for the sake of a commanding posi- tion for addressing his followers, but as retiring with them to a region of solitude, for the sake of seclusion and safety. — Had sat. It was the custom of the Jews to sit when teaching. 3. Blessed; happy, highly favored. — Poor in spirit; those who are humble; lowly in mind; conscious of ignorance and un- worthiness. 5. Inherit the earth. The se- cure and tranquil possession of Palestine was used by the He- brew prophets as an image ex- pressive of the greatest felicity. Hence the words inherit the earth became a proverb, to denote the enjoyment of very great blessings. 46 S. MATTHEW. 5. 6- huuger and rliirsfc after righteousness: for they shall be filled. 7 Blessed are the merci- ful : for they shall obtain mercy. 8 Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God. 9 Blessed are the peace- makers : for they shall be called sons of God. 10 Blessed are they that have been persecuted for righteousness' sake : for theirs is the kingdom of 11 heaven. Blessed are ye when men shall reproach you, and persecute you, and say all manner of evil against you falsely, 12 for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad : for great is your reward in heaven : for so perse- 8. Pure in heart ; those who are not merely externally moral, but whose motives and thoughts are pure. — Shall see God; purity of heart is the condition of a true acquaintance and fellowship with God. 11. Falsely. The reproach which professing Christians sometimes incur is deserved. The blessing is pronounced only upon those who are falsely ca- lumniated. 13. Lost its savor; if the Christian character loses the life and spirit of piety. 15. Light a lamp, &c. The ancient Jewish lamp was ordi- narily a shallow vessel of oil with a wick floating in it, which was placed on a little stand for the purpose. The idea is that as cuted they the prophets which were before you. Ye are the salt of the 13 earth : but if the salt have lost its savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out and trodden under foot of men. Yei4 are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hid. Nei- 15 ther do men light a lamp, and put it under the bushel, but on the stand ; and it shine th unto all that are in the house. Even so let your light 16 shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heav - en. Think not that I came 17 men do not light a lamp to con- ceal its light, but that it may shine around, so Jesus kindles the light of truth in the hearts of the disciples, not that it may be concealed there, but that it may be used to enlighten and benefit mankind. 17. The lata or the prophets; the religious system revealed in the books of the Old Testament. — But to fulfil. The Saviour ful- filled the law of Moses, in re- spect to its moral requirements, not only by bringing out clearly to view, and strongly enforcing, their spiritual meaning and in- tent, but also by imparting to his disciples new spiritual life which gives them power to fulfil the spirit of God's law; and, in respect to its ceremonial pro- -5. 22. S. MATTHEW. 47 to destroy the law or the prophets : I came not to destroy, but to- fulfil. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass away from the law, till all things be accom- lQplished. Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least command- ments, and shall teach men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven : but whosoever shall do and teach them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. 20 For I say unto you, that except your righteous- 1 Many ancient authorities insert with- out cause. 2 An expression of contempt. , visions, by accomplishing, in his own person, the great reality which these rites and ceremonies were intended to prefigure. — Thus, by his instructions and example on the one hand, and by his sufferings and death on the other, all was fulfilled. 18. Jot; the name of the smallest Hebrew letter. — Tittle; point or corner of a letter. The idea is, not the smallest part. 21. To them of old time; not, as in the Old Version, by them of old time. The contrast is not between Christ and Moses as lawgivers, but between the world in its earlier ages, when it was necessarily in bondage under rules and regulations, and the world in its later age, when it is ushered into liberty by Christ. . 22. Brother; any fellow-being. ness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no wise enter into the kingdom of heaven. Ye have heard that it 21 was said to them of old time, Thou shalt not kill ; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgement: but I say unto 22 you, that every one who is angry with his brother 1 shall be in danger of the judgement ; and whoso- ever shall say to his brother, 2Raca, shall be in danger of the council ; and whosoever shall say, 3 Thou fool, shall be in danger 4of the 5hell of 3 Or, Moreh, a Hebrew expression of condemnation. 4 Gr. unto or into. 5 Gr. Gehenna of fire. — The judgment; an inferior court of the Jews. — Baca ; a term of opprobrious reproach, meaning woj-thless, senseless. — The council ; the superior court of the Jews, called the Sanhe- drim, which had jurisdiction over graver offences. This body is often alluded to in the New Testament. (Acts 5:27-41. 6: 12. 22 : 30.) — Thou fool The connection which this verse sus- tains to v. 21, shows that, in respect to all these expressions, the Saviour speaks of them only as used under the influence of angry, malicious, or revengeful feeling. He himself sometimes employed this last term in just re- buke of folly aud sin. (Matt. 23 : 19. )—Hell of fire. The reference is to a fire which was kept burning in the Vale of Gehenna for the purpose of destroying the offal 48 S. MATTHEW. 5. 23— 23 fire. If therefore thou art offering thy gift at the altar, and there remem- berest that thy brother hath aught against thee, 24 leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way, first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come 25 a nd offer th y gift. Agree with thine adversary quickly, whiles thou art with him in the way ; lest haply the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge ' deliver thee to the officer, and thou be cast into prison. 2G Verily I say unto thee, Thou shalt by no means come out thence, till thou have paid the last farth- ing. 27 Ye have heard that it was said, Thou shalt not 28 commit adultery: but I say unto you, that every one that looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery 1 Some ancient authorities omit deliver thee. of the city and the corpses of criminals. It is referred to by Christ as a symbol of future punishment. The meaning of the whole passage is, that the displeasure of God, and the ter- rible penalties of his law, are incurred by feelings of malice and anger, however slight may be the outward expression of them. 23, 24. The meaning is, that we cannot offer acceptable wor- ship to God, while, cherishing unkind or hostile feelings to- with her already in his heart. And if thy right 29 eye causeth thee to stum- ble, pluck it out, and cast it from thee : for it is profi table for thee that one of thy mem- bers should perish, and not thy whole body be cast into 2 hell. And if 30 thy right hand causeth thee to stumble, cut it off, and cast it from thee : for it is profitable, for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not thy whole body go into 2 hell. It was said 31 also, Whosoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of di- vorcement : but I say unto 32 you, that every one that putteth away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, maketh her an adulteress : and who- soever shall marry her when she is put away committeth adultery. 2 Gr. Gehenna. • wards a fellow man, or neglect- ing to make reparation for any injury which we may have done him. 25. That is, it is better to yield something of our rights than to incur the evils and dan- gers of contending for them. 29. Causeth thee to stumbles- becomes a means of temptation to sin. 32. MaTceth her an adulteress ; by tempting her; by placing her in a situation of exposure to temptation to sin. 5. 41. S. MATTHEW. 40 33 Again, ye have heard that it was said to them of old time, Thou shalt not forswear thyself, but shalt perform unto the 34 Lord thine oaths: but I say unto you, Swear not at all ; neither by the heaven, for it is the 35 throne of God ; nor by the earth, for it is the footstool of his feet ; nor 1 by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. 36 Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, for thou canst not make one hair 37 white or black. 2 But let 1 Or, toward 2 Some ancient authorities read But your speech shall be. 33. Unto the Lord thine oaths ; thine oaths taken in the name of the Lord. 34. Swear not at all ; that is, on ordinary occasions, in the common intercourse of society. All the precepts of this discourse relate to the conduct of indivi- duals in the private relations of life; and as verses 39-42 do not forbid the resistance and punish- ment of wicked men, by civil governments, neither does this prohibit calling upon God to witness the truth of declarations made in the administration of public justice, or on other sol- emn occasions. For the ex- ample of the apostles, see Rom. 1:9. 35. The great King ; Jehovah. 37. The evil one ; see note on Matt. 6:13. 38. An eye for an eye, &c. This verse was the rule of law for the guidance of the magis- trate in the punishment of offenders. The Saviour do< s not your speech be, Yea, yea ; Nay, nay : and whatso- ever is more than these is of 3 the evil one. Ye have heard that it 38 was said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth : but I say unto you, 39 Resist not 4him that is evil : but whosoever smi- teth thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the oth- er also. And if any man 40 would go to law with thee, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloke also. And whoso-4] ever shall 5 compel thee to 3 Or, evil: as in ver. 4 Cr, evil 5 Gr. imjiress. vi. 13. condemn it in this point of view, (v. 18,) but only prescribes an- other rule for individual action, in the private relations of life. 39. Resist not him that is evil ; bear injuries meekly, without retaliation. Like the foregoing precepts, this rule is intended to be applied to the private inter- course of society. The whole tenor of the Scriptures shows that it is the right and the duty of civil governments to exercise coercion, when necessary to re- strain or punish the wicked. Paul appealed to the Roman government when in danger, and accepted the protection of an armed escort. (Acts 23: 16- 33.) 41. Go with him twain. The officers of government, in trans- mitting despatches, could press any man into their service, to help them on their way. This often gave rise to great oppres- sion. Our Saviour teaches his disciples not to be eager to re- 50 S. MATTHEW. 5. 41 go one mile, go with him 42 twain. Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away. 43 Ye have heard that it was said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate 44 thine enemy: but I say unto you, Love your ene- mies, and pray for them 45 that persecute you ; that ye may be sons of your Father which is in heav- en : for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sendeth rain on the just and the unjust. 46 For if ye love them that love you, what reward have ye ? do not even the 4? 'publicans the same ? And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others ? do not even the Gentiles the same \ 48 Ye therefore shall be per- fect, as your heavenly Father is perfect. Take heed that ye do 6 not your righteousness before men, to be seen of them : else ye have no reward with your Father which is in heaven. When therefore thou 2 doest alms, sound not a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have received their reward. But when thou 3 doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth : that 4 thine alms may be in secret : and thy Father which see th in secret shall recompense thee. And when ye pray, yes shall not be as the hypo- crites : for they love to 1 That is, collectors, 01 renters of Boj/wn , taxes : and so elsewhere. sist the authority of the govern- ment, even when it is unjustly exercised. 48. Shall be perfect; perfect in respect to the extent of your benevolence and kindness; it must include all, the evil and unthankful as well as the grate- ful and the good. CHAPTER VI. 1. Tour righteousness — not as in the Old Version, your alms. This is intended as a general condemnation of ostentation and parade in acts of virtue ligion, there being subsequently three distinct applications of the principle; in v. 2-4, to the sub- ject of charity to the poor; v. 5-15, to prayer; and v. 16-18, to fasting. — Before men; osten- tatiously, seeking applause. 2. Sound a trumpet; make a parade, or endeavor in any way to attract the attention of others. —Synagogues, These edifices, and the courts connected with them, were used for various other purposes, besides public worship. — They have received their reward ; the praise of men, which is what they seek. 4. Shall recompense thee; not 6. 15. S. MATTHEW. 51 stand and pray in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men: Verily I say unto you, They have received 6 their reward. But thou, when thou prayest, enter 'into thine inner chamber, and having shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret, and thy Father which seeth in secret shall recompense 7 thee. And in praying use not vain repetitions, as the Gentiles do : for they think that they shall be heard for their much S speaking. Be not there- fore like unto them : for 1 your Father knoweth what things ye have need 1 Some ancient authorities read God you?' Father. 2 Gr. our bread for the coming day. 3 Or, evil necessarily openly, as expressed in the Old Version ; the recom- pense is often in the secret sense of divine favor, which fills the heart of the true child of God with joy. 7. Vain repetitions; long prayers full of sameness and rep- etition, and made through os- tentation • or spiritual pride. Protracted seasons of devotion, in extraordinary emergencies*, or in seasons of great trial or suf- fering, when the soul is ear- nest and sincere, are not con- demned. Our Saviour himself sometimes spent the night in prayer. 9. Hallowed be thy name ; may it be revered, — adored. 12. Debts ; sins, offences. of, before ye ask him. After this manner there- 9 fore pray ye : Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. 10 Thy will be done, as in heaven, so on earth. Give us this day 2ourii daily bread. And forgive 12 us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debt- ors. And bring us not 13 into temptation, but de- liver us from 3the evil one." For if ye forgive 14 men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if 15 ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. 4 Many authorities, some ancient, but with variation*, add For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen. Cherish towards us, in view of our sins, the same feelings that we cherish towards those who offend us — a fearful prayer to be offered by those who indulge in, an unforgiving spirit. 13. Bring us not into tempta- tion ; suffer us not to be exposed to heavy trials or afflictions, or to strong temptations to sin. — Evil one; Satan, the original author of all temptation. Comp. Matt. 13:38, John 8:44, and John 17 : 15. —From the Evil One, or, from the evil. The Old Ver-( sion was translated by men more familiar with the Vulgate, or( Latin version of the Bible, than with the original Greek. The Latin language contains no arti- cles, and following that trans- S. MATTHEW. 6. 16- ig Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance : for they disfigure their faces, that they may be seen of men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have received their 17 reward. But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thy head, and wash thy face ; isthatthoube not seen of men to fast, but of thy Father which is in secret : and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall re- compense thee. 1 Gr. dig through . lation, where the New Testament said the evil, the translators of the King James version said simply evil. Christ habitually treats the Evil One or Satan as the source or embodiment of all sin and wickedness. He there- fore here instructs us to pray to be delivered from Satan as the one from whom all evil proceeds. Com pare Ephes. 6: 12, and James 4:7. The reader will observe that the doxology to which he has been accustomed, "For Thine is the kingdom and power and the glory forever Amen," is omitted from this version. It was probably added subsequent- ly to Matthew's original Gospel, in order to make the prayer more useful in public service. It is not found in the most ancient manuscripts, nor noticed by the earliest fathers in their exposi- tion of the Lord's Prayer, nor is it found in the other version of the Lord's Prayer given in Luke 11:1-4. 16. Fast. When oppressed with grief, we have little appe- tite for food. Hence fasting is Lay not up for your- 19 selves treasures upon the earth, where moth and rust doth consume, and where thieves ' break through and steal: but 20 lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, t where neither moth nor' rust doth consume, and where thieves do not 1 break through nor steal : for where thy treasure is, 21 there will thy heart be also. The lamp of the 22 body is the eye : if there- fore thine eye be single, the natural expression of grief. If unfeigned sorrow for sin do not accompany it, it is of no avail. — Hypocrites; false pre- tenders to piety. — Disfigure their faces. Paleness and emaciation, and an air of dejection, are the consequences of long abstinence from food. The hypocrites en- deavored, in various ways, to assume such appearances. 17. Anoint thine head ; that is, as usual, this being then cus- tomary among the Jews. The meaning is, do nothing to make an outward display of penitence and mortification. 19. Moth mid rust. The treas- ures of wealthy persons, in an- cient times, consisted of accu- mulations of property in their own hands, much of which was of a perishable nature. (Josh. 22: S. Luke 12: 16-19.) Hence moths, rust, and thieves, were then the sources of insecurity. In modern limes, the dangers to which property is exposed, are still greater, though of a differ- ent kind. 22. The lam}) of tlie body ; that -6. 30. S. MATTHEW. 53 thy whole body shall be 23 full of light. But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If there- fore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is the darkness ! 24 No man can serve two masters : for either he will hate the one, and love the other ; or else he will hold to one, and de- spise the other. Ye can- not serve God and mam- 25 mon. Therefore I say unto you, Be not anxious for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink ; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than the food, and the body than the raiments 1 Or, age is, the instrument or organ on which the boay depends for light. — Single; in a healthy and perfect state. — Full of light; fully supplied with light. 23. Evil ; defective or diseas- ed.— If therefore the light, &c. The meaning of the whole pas- sage is this : As the whole body is in darkness if the light of the eye be extinguished, so, if the perception of divine truth is lost, the whole soul is involved in the deepest spiritual igno- rance and danger. 24. Hate the one; that is, be indifferent to him. The word hate is frequently used in a sense analogous to this. — Hold to the one; be devoted to his service. Desp ise ; disregard . — Mammon; a heathen deity, supposed to pre- side over riches. The idea is, Behold the birds of the 26 heaven, that they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns ; and your heavenly Fa- ther feedeth them. Are not ye of much more value than they? And 2? which of you by being- anxious can add one cu- bit unto his ' stature ? xVnd why are ye anxious 28 concerning raiment \ Con- sider the lilies of the field, how they grow ; they toil not, neither do 29 they spin : yet I say un- to you, that even Solo- mon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of 30 these. But if God doth so clothe the grass of the field, which to-day is, and to-morrow is cast in- you cannot serve God and also fix your hearts upon this world. 25. Be not anxious. This is a great improvement on the Old Version wThich rendered the pas- sage u take no thought for your life," etc. The Greek, literally rendered is — " be not divided or distracted in mind respecting your life." Christ's cure for care is a consecration of the whole life, the whole mind, and the whole soul to God and his service. 27. Unto his stature — or to his age. Measures of space are some- times employed by metaphor in speaking of life, as in Psalm 39 : 5, anxiety or care cannot add length to our days. 30. Cast into the oven ; with other dried herbage used as fuel. 54 S. MATTHEW. 6. 30— to the oven, shall let not much more clothe you, 0 ye of little faith % Be 31 not therefore anxious, saying, What shall we eat \ or, What shall we drink ? or, Wherewithal 32 shall we be clothed? For after all these things do the Gentiles seek ; for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. 33 But seek ye first his kingdom, and his righte- ousness ; and all these things shall be added un- 34 to you. Be not there- fore anxious for the mor- row : for the morrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof. 7 Judge not, that ye be Snot judged. For with what judgement ye judge, ye shall be judged : and 33. His kingdom and his right- eousness ; that holiness which will make you a member of Christ's spiritual kingdom. 34. The morrow will be anx- ious, &c. ; add not to the cares of to-day by anxious solicitude for the morrow. Each day brings with it cares enough of its own. CHAPTER VII. 1. Judge not. The forming of opinions respecting our fellow men is not forbidden, but pro nouncing a final and conclusive judgment upon Iheir character and their motives. 2. With what judgment ye judge, &c. ; that is, the calum with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured unto you. And why be- 3 holdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye ? Or how wilt 4 thou say to thy brother, Let me cast out the mote out of thine eye ; and lo, the beam is in thine own eye \ Thou hypocrite, 5 cast out first the beam out of thine own eye : and then shalt thou see clear- ly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye. Give not that which is 6 holy unto the dogs, nei- ther cast your pearls be- fore the swine, lest haply they trample them under their feet, and turn and rend you. Ask, and it shall be 7 given you ; seek, and ye niator will be calumniated ; he who unjustly condemns others, must expect to be himself con- demned. 3. Beholdest thou the mote, &c. The mote represents the small- er fail Its of our neighbor; the beam, greater and more serious ones of ourseh i 6. By that which is holy, and pearls, are meant the truths and doctrines of the Gospel; by dogs, and swine, debased and utterly profligate men. The sentiment is. that religious instruction is not to be urged upon men who are so sunk in depravity that tlicy will receive it with iinprc^ cnti ins and blasphemy. 3 . Ask ; that is, ask of God, —7 15. S. MATTHEW. 8 shall find ; knock, and it shall be opened unto you : for every one that asketh receiveth ; and he that seeketh findeth ; and to him that knocketh it 9 shall be opened. Or what man is there of you, who, if his son shall ask him for a loaf, will give him a 10 stone ; or if he shall ask for a fish, will give him a 11 serpent ? If ye then, being- evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask 12 him? All things there- 1 Some ancient authorities omit is the gate. The whole passage (7-11) offers to the Christian a strong assur- ance of favorable answers to sin- cere prayer. According to the usual custom of our Saviour in his instructions, the principle is stated in a broad and unquali- fied manner, on the presumption that the good sense and candor of the hearer would apply the qualifications to which all gen- eral statements are liable. The very illustration which the Saviour uses, shows that these limitations are implied. The great Father of all, like human parents, sometimes finds it best to deny the requests of his chil- dren, and often to answer them in unexpected ways. 12. This is the law, &c. ; that is, this principle is the founda- tion of all the detailed instruc- tions of the ancient Scriptures, in respect to the relative duties of man. 13, 14. By the narrow gate. — fore whatsoever ye would that men should do unto you, even so do ye also unto them : for this is the law and the prophets. Enter ye in by the nar-13 row gate : for wide ! is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to de- struction, and many be they that enter in there- by. 2For narrow is the 14 gate, and straitened the way, that leadeth unto life, and few be they that find it. Beware of false pro- 13 phets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly are ravening 2 Many ancient authorities read How narrow is the gate, &c Strait, in the Old Version, is used in the sense in which it is employed geographically in the phrase "The straits of Gibral- tar," and the like. The gate is represented as difficult to be entered. It requires watchful- ness and a constant struggle to resist temptation, and to live in obedience to the precepts of Christ. And there are compa- ratively very few who do thus live, and they are consequently here represented as travelling in an unfrequented path. The great multitude on the other hand give themselves up to sin. They are therefore represented by Christ as travelling the broad highway. 15. False proj.%ets ; false teach- ers of religion. — Who come to you in sheep's clothing ; who as- sume the appearance of piety. — Ravening wolves. They take more than the life; they destroy the soul. 56 S. MATTHEW. 7. 16 1G wolves. By their fruits ye shall know them. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles \ 17 Even so every good tree bringetli forth good fruit; but the corrupt tree bring- I8eth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring 19 forth good fruit. Every tree that bringetli not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the 20 fire. Therefore by their fruits ye shall know them. 21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the king- dom of heaven ; but he 1 Gr. demons. 16. Fruits; their conduct, and the effects of their preach- ing. The meaning is, that to expect that devout and holy lives would be produced by false religious teaching, is like looking for grapes to grow upon a thorn bush. The universal truth of this criterion has been proved by the experience of the Christian world for eighteen centuries, and the test is now as certain as ever. 19. Is hewn down and cast into the fire; that is, is to be terribly destroyed. This ex- pression, as well as all the other language which the Saviour uses in respect to the end of those who persist in impenitence and sin, shows that he looked for- ward, not to their ultimate res- toration to God and to happi- ness, but to their hopeless and final ruin. Thus, in verse 13, the broad way is represented as that doeth the will of my Father which is in hea- ven. Many will say to 22 me in that day, Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy by thy name, and by thy name cast out devils, and by thy name do many "mighty works 2 And 2:5 then will I profess unto them, I never knew you : depart from me, .ye that work iniquity. Every 24 one therefore which hear- eth these words of mine, and doeth them, shall be likened unto a wise man, which built his house up- on the rock : and the rain 23 descended, and the floods came, and the winds 2 Gr. powers. leading to destruction. In this case, the awful denunciation seems to be particularly applied to false teachers; to those who, to please their hearers, or for any other unworthy motive, preach what they secretly know is not true. They are trees pro- ducing corrupt and poisonous fruits, and they are destined to be hewn down and cast into the fire. 24-27. That is, the faith which manifests itself in obe- dience is the only faith which can save the soul. Our Saviour attached very little importance to ceremonial observances, but he gave new force and authority to moral law. The strictness of our obedience to this law, as Jesus illustrated and enforced it, is the test by which we are to judge of the true character of the faith which we profess to exercise. 111. m'Kii; i.;j: :::;!■;;':' ,.' f . J W: • « > —8. 2. S. MATTHEW. 59 blew, and beat upon that house ; and it fell not : for it was founded upon 26 the rock. And every one that heareth these words of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the 27 sand : and the rain de- scended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and smote upon that house ; and it fell : 28. Were astonished. This dis- course seems to have made at the time an impression upon those who listened to it, such as its character might have led us to expect. The clearness and simplicity of the aspects of truth which it presents, the force and elegance of its diction, and the beauty and appropriateness of its imagery, would combine to raise the sermon on the mount to the very highest rank, if we were to consider it simply as a human composition. And vast has been the influence, too, which it has exerted upon all that portion of the human race, to which the pen and the press have yet made it known; as it has now, for sixty successive generations, stood conspicuously before mankind, holding up to view the true tests and charac- teristics of virtue, — 'exposing hypocrisy, promoting feelings of filial affection towards God, and a calm and happy trust in his superintending providence, — quieting the anxieties of human life, and lightening its cares, — and, more than all, soothing the anguish of remorse for sin, by pointing out the means and the certainty of pardon. It is re- markable, too, that its princi- o and great was the fall thereof. And it came to pass, 28 when Jesus ended these words, the multitudes were astonished at his teaching: for he taught 29 them as one having au- thority, and not as their scribes. And when he was come 8 down from the mountain, great multitudes followed him. And behold, there 2 pies, new and startling as they were, when first announced, and hostile as they have ever been to the received maxims and estab- lished customs of society, have never been seriously assailed. They cannot be assailed; and there is a certain sublime confi- dence in the majesty of truth exhibited in the form of simple assertion, in which these great principles are left, unsustained by argument or authority. They are left to stand, self-supported, by the innate power of truth, and by the testimony of that in- corruptible witness, ever ready, in the human soul, to confirm, by its voice, the immutable and eternal distinctions between right and wrong. CHAPTER VIII. 2. A leper. The disease here intended was one of the most loathsome maladies to which the human frame is subject. It was highly contagious; and, though patients sometimes recovered, the disease was considered gen- erally incurable. — Worshipped Mm; prostrated himself before him, in token of respect and veneration. — Make me clean; heal me. Leprosy was regarded by the Law as an uncleanness. 60 S. MATTHEW. 3. 2^ came to him a leper and worshipped him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean. 3 And he stretched forth his hand, and touched him, saying, I will ; be thou made clean. And straightway his leprosy 4 was cleansed. And Jesus saith unto him, See thou tell no man ; but go thy way, shew thyself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded, for a. testimony unto them. 5 And when he was entered into Capernaum, there came unto him a centurion, beseeching 6 him, and saying, Lord, my 'servant lieth in the house sick of the palsy, grievously tormented. 7 And he saith unto him, I will come and heal him. 1 Or, boy. 2 Gr. sufficient. 3 Gr. with a word. 4 Some ancient authorities insert set : as in Luke vii. 8. 4. Show thyself to the priest. As the leprosy was a highly con- tagious disease, the leper was forbidden, by the law of Moses, to mingle with the community, until he had obtained the testi- mony of the priest, that he was really cured, according to the directions given in Lev., ch. 14. 5. Capernaum ; his residence at this time. Matt. 4: 13. — Cen- turion ; a Roman officer, com- manding about one hundred men. 0. Under authority; subject to authority. The idea of the cen- And the centurion an- 8 swered and said, Lord, I am not 'worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof : but only say 3the word, and my 'servant shall be healed. For 1 9 also am a man "under authority, having under myself soldiers : and I say to this one, Go, and he goeth ; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my 'servant, Do this, and he doeth it. And when Jesus heard it, 10 he marvelled, and said to them that followed, Verily I say unto you, 6I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel. And I say unto 11 you, that many shall come from the east and the west, and shall 7sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the 5 Gr. bondservant. 6 Many ancient authorities read With no man in Israel have I found so great faith. 7 Gr. recline. turion was, that, as he obeyed his superiors, and was obeyed by his subordinates, so were diseases subject to the Saviour's commands. 10. Faith; confidence in the Savior's power. — In Israel; among the people of Israel. This centurion was a Roman, — a Gentile. 11. The east and the icest ; from all countries. — And shall sit down with Abraham, &c. ; shall share with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the happiness of heaven. -8. 20. S. MATTHEW. 61 12 kingdom of heaven : but the sons of the kingdom shall be cast forth into the outer darkness : there shall be the weeping and 13 gnashing of teeth. And Jesus said unto the cen- turion, Go thy way ; as thou hast believed, so be it done unto thee. And the ' servant was healed in that hour. 14 And when Jesus was come into Peter's house, he saw his wife's mother 15 lying sick of a fever. And he touched her hand, and the fever left her ; and she arose, and ministered un- 16 to him. And when even was come, they brought unto him many 2 possessed 1 Or, boy 2 Or, demoniacs 3 Or, through 12. The sans of the kingdom; the Jews themselves, the actual children of Abraham, whom God had chosen as the founder and head of his kingdom. --Into the outer darlsness; a picture illus- trated by the Parable of the Marriage Feast, and the descrip- tion there of those who were cast out of the door when it was shut, (Matt. 25:10.) The weep- ing here represents the sorrow, the gnashing of teeth, the rage and hate, of those who are ex- cluded from the companionship of the pure and the holy in the heavenly state. 15. Ministered; waited upon, performed the necessary duties of hospitality towards her guests. 17. Isaiah; Tsa. 53:4. 18. The other side ; from Ca- with devils : and he cast out the spirits with a word, and healed all that were sick : that it might i\ be fulfilled which was spoken 3by Isaiah the prophet, saying, Himself took- our infirmities, and bare our diseases. Now when Jesus saw 18 great multitudes about him, he gave command- ment to depart unto the other side. And there 19 came 4a scribe, and said unto him, 'Master, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest. And Jesus 20 saith unto him. The foxes have holes, and the birds of the heaven have 6 nests; but the Son of man hath 4 Gr. one scribe. 5 Or, Teacher 6 Gr. lodging-places. pernaum, which was upon the western side of the lake. 20. The Son of man. The Savior very generally spoke of himself in this way; but com- mentators have found great difficulty in determining the import of the expression. The phrase is used, in four different modes in the Scriptures. 1. It is often employed in the Psalms and other similar- writings, meaning man generally, as in the passage, "Put not your trust in the son of man, " — and in many others. 2. It occurs frequently in the book of Ezekiel, as the mode by which the Divine Spirit addressed, the prophet, when directing him in regard to his prophetic communications ; as, "Thou, also, son of man, take thee a tile." &c. It is remark- 62 S. MATTHEW. 8. 20- not where to lay his head. 21 And another of the disci- ples said unto him, Lord, suffer me first to go and 22 bury my father. But Jesus saith unto him, Follow me ; and leave the dead to bury their own dead. 23 And when he was en- tered into a boat, his dis- 24 ci pies followed him. And behold, there arose a great tempest in the sea, insomuch that the boat was covered with the waves : but he was asleep. 25 And they came to him, 1 Or, demoniacs. able that this use of the expres- sion is confined to the prophet Ezekiel. 3. It is used three times in prophetic writings as a mode of designating the Messiah. (Dan. 7:13. Rev. 1:13. 14:14.) 4. It was the common expression used by our Saviour when speak- ing of himself; but it is notice- able that no instance in which he was addressed or personally designated in this way, by any other individual, is on record. It is, on the whole, most prob- able that Jesus adopted the expression from its use in Dan. 7:13, as a mode of distinctly designating himself as the Mes- siah, and 'yet as one less likely than others to excite suddenly the public attention. 21. Bury my father ; that is, wait until the close of his life. It would seem that this was merely an excuse. 22. Leave the dead ; that is, the spiritually dead — those indiffer- ent to their salvation. 23. A boat ; a sort of boat used for fishing upon the lake. and awoke him, saying, Save, Lord ; we perish. And he saith unto them, 26 Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith \ Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea ; and there was a great calm. And the men marvelled, 27 saying, What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him? And when lie was come 28 to the other side into the country of the Gadarenes, there met him two 'pos- sessed with devils, com- 24. Sea; Sea of Tiberias, called also the Sea of Galilee and Lake of Gennesareth. It is about twelve miles long and five broad. Lying imbosomed among mountains, it was exposed to sudden and violent tempests. 28. Gadarenes. Some manu- scripts have Oergesenes. The latter name wras derived from the town Gergesa, on the bor- ders of the lake; the former name from the city of Gadaia, three hours to the south of its southern shore. The region round about was know^n by the name of the latter city, which was its most important one. — Met him tico. Mark speaks of but one, having reference, prob- ably, to the principal speaker. There is no contradiction ; but impostors, in fabricating ac- counts, would have, guarded against such a difference. — The tombs. The sepulchres of the Jews were generally at some distance from the city, among the mountains,, and in solitudes. —9. 2. S. MATTHEW. 63 ing forth out of the tombs, exceeding fierce, so that no man could pass 29 by that way. And behold, they cried out, saying, What have we to do with thee, thou Son of God? art thou come hither to torment us before the 30 time? Now there was afar off from them a herd 31 of many swine feeding. And the 'devils besought him, saying. If thou cast us out, send us away into the herd of swine. 32 And he said unto them, Go. And they came out, and went into the swine : and behold, the whole 1 Gr. demons. 29. The fact that the demo- ni.'ics so immediately recognized Jesus as the Messiah, when he had not yet publicly announced himself as such, and the strong fears which they felt, have been regarded as convincing evidence that they were not persons af- flicted with ordinary diseases, but were really under a super- natural influence. 32. And they came out, &c. The whole of this phraseology seems inconsistent with the sup- position that the sacred writers regarded these as cases of insan- ity produced by ordinary causes, as some contend. And yet it must be admitted, that there are difficulties involved in the other supposition. We should not have expected such a course of action as this from spirits which must have been rational, however depraved. But, not- withstanding these difficulties, it seems impossible to deny that herd rushed down the steep into the sea, and perished in the waters. And they that fed them 33 fled, and went away into the city, and told every thing, and what was be- fallen to them that were "possessed with devils. And behold, all the city 34 came out to meet Jesus : and when they saw him, they besought Mm that he would depart from their borders. And he entered into a 9 boat, and crossed over, and came into his own city. And behold, they 2 brought to him a man 2 Or, demoniacs the sacred writers mean to rep- resent these effects as produced by the agency of spirits not hu- man. [For a full discussion of the whole question of demoniacal possession, see note thereon in my commentary on Matt. ch. 8. — L. A.] CHAPTER IX. 1. His own city ; Capernaum, on the shore of the Sea of Gali- lee, where he then resided. 2. Bed; a portable bed or mattress, on which the sick were borne. — Thy sins ~be forgiven thee. As all the sorrows and sufferings of human life are the effects and consequences of sin, our Saviour, by this reply, announces to the wretched patient effectual relief from his miseries; and also calm- ly takes his position as one en- titled to exercise, in his own name, the highest prerogatives of divinity. 64 S. MATTHEW. 9. ?- sick of the palsy, lying on a bed : and Jesus see- ing their faith said unto the sick of the palsy, 1 Son, be of good cheer ; thy sins are forgiven. 3 And behold, certain of the scribes said within themselves, This man 4blasphemeth. And Je- sus 2 knowing their thoughts said, Wherefore think ye evil in your 5 hearts? For whether is easier, to say, Thy sins are forgiven ; or to say, 6 Arise, and walk? But that ye may know that the Son of man hath "power on earth to for- give sins (then saith he to the sick of the palsy), Arise, and take up thy 1 Gr., Child. 2 Many ancient authorities read seeing. 3. Blasphemeth. They justly considered the power of forgiv- ing sins as the attribute of God. 6. The meaning is, he wrought the visible miracle of healing, in attestation of his claim to the possession of the invisible power of forgiving sin. 8. They were afraid. The immediate disclosure of God at first awakens in the soul the feeling of fear. 9. Sitting at the place of toll ; i. e., to gather toll for the Ro- man government from those that crossed the sea. 10. Publicans and sinners. The publicans mentioned in the New Testament were persons employ- ed by the government, or hy farm- ers of the revenue, acting under au- thority of the government, to col- lect customs and taxes. They bed, and go unto thy house. And he arose, 7 and departed to his house. But when the 8 multitudes saw it, they were afraid, and glorified God, which had given such 3 power unto men. And as Jesus passed 9 by from thence, he saw a man, called Matthew, sit- ting at the place of toll : and he saith unto him, Follow me. And he arose, and followed him. And it came to pass, 10 as he 4 sat at meat in the house, behold, many pub- licans and sinners came and sat down with Jesus and his disciples. Andil when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto his 3 Or, authority 4 Gr. reclined : and so always. were generally held in great de- testation, not only on account of their usual depravity of charac- ter, but also because it was ex- ceedingly humiliating to the proud spirit of the Jews, to be compelled to pay taxes to their heathen masters, whom they both hated and despised. The feeling, however, with which the publicans were regarded, was, in part, a prejudice; and in some cases, perhaps, as, for instance, in that of Matthew, wholly so. There is no evi- dence that he was not always a man of uprightness and integri- ty. That the office was in it si If innocent, seems to be implied by the directions which John the Baptist gave for the perform- ance of its duties. (Luke 3: 12, 13.) —9. 21. S. MATTHEW. 65 disciples, Why eateth your ' Master with the publicans and sinners ? 12 But when he heard it, he said, They that are 2 whole have no need of a physician, but they that 13 are sick. But go ye and learn what this meaneth, I desire mercy, and not sacrifice : for I came not to call the righteous, but sinners. y Then come to him the disciples of John, saying, I Why do we and the Pharisees fast 3oft, but thy disciples fast not? 15 And Jesus said unto them, Can the sons of the bride-chamber mourn, as long as the bridegroom is with them \ but the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken away from them, and 16 then will they fast. And no man putteth a piece of undressed cloth upon 1 Or, Teacher 2 Gr, strong. 3 Some ancient authorities omit oft. 13. I desire mercy, and not sacrifice ; (Hosea 6:6;) that is, God is far better pleased with the exercise of kindness and good will between man and man, than by punctiliousness in the observance of rites and forms. 15. The meaning is, that, as Jesus was yet with his disciples, expressions of mourning and sorrow would be inappropriate. Their days of mourning were to come. 16, 17. Undressed; garments in the East were made both of an old garment ; for that which should fill it up taketh from the garment, and a worse rent is made. Neither do men put new 17 wine into old Wine- skins : else the skins g burst, and the wine is spilled, and the skins per- ish : but they put new wine into fresh wine-skins, and both are preserved. While he spake these 18 things unto them, behold there came 5a ruler, and worshipped him, saying, My daughter is even now dead : but come and lay thy hand upon her, and she shall live. And Je-19 sus arose, and followed him, and so did his dis- ciples. And behold, a 20 woman, who had an issue of blood twelve years, came behind him, and touched the border of his garment : for she said 21 within herself, If I do 4 That is, skins used as bottles. 5 Gr. one ruler. leather and of cloth; the leather which had not been dressed, the cloth which had not been fulled, i. e., soaked and cleansed in water, would shrink, and so tear away the old and weak cloth or leather of the old garment. — Wine - skins were made of leather, and, when old and rigid, were easily ruptured by the fer- mentation of new wine. 20. An issue of olood ; a hem- orrhage. The account of this cure is given more fully in Mark 5 : 22-43, and Luke 8: 41-56. 66 S. MATTHEW. 9. 21— but touch his garment, I shall be ' made whole. 22 But Jesus turning and seeing her said, Daugh- ter, be of good cheer ; thy faith hath 2 made thee v whole. And the woman was ' made whole from 23 that hour. And when Jesus came into the rul- er's house, and saw the flute-players, and- the crowd making a tumult, 24 he said, Give place : for the damsel is not dead, but sleepeth. And they laughed him to scorn. 25 But when the crowd was put forth, he entered in, and took her by the hand : and the damsel 1 Or, saved 2 Or, saved thee 23. The flute-players and the crowd; i. e., professional mourners who were employed in the East and in some other countries in the funerals of the wealthy. 24. Sleepeth. Our Saviour often used language which seemed dark and mysterious until a sub- sequent event explained it. For example, see Luke 9:4o, John 2:19. In this instance, the event showed that he meant by his expression that the extinc- tion of life was not final, but that, as in case of sleep, the lost animation was to be restored. The extraordinary assertion served to call the attention of the company strongly to what he was about to do, and the event immediately explained its meaning. 25. Entered; with Peter, James, and John, and the fa- arose. And sthe fame 26 hereof went forth into all that land. And as Jesus passed by 27 from thence, two blind men followed him, crying out, and saying, Have mercy on us, thou son of David. And when he was 28 come into the house, the blind men came to him : and Jesus saith unto them, Believe ye that I am able to do this ? They say unto him, Yea, Lord. Then touched he their 29 eyes, saying, According to your faith be it done unto you. And their eyes were opened. And Jesus "strictly charged them, 3 Gr. this fame. 4 Or, sternly ther and mother of the maiden. (Mark 5:37, 40.) 27. Son of David ; one of the titles by which the Jews were accustomed to designate the Messiah. (Matt. 21:9.) 30. The Saviour seems often to have given directions with a view of limiting the publicity of his most remarkable miracles, in order to keep the popular ex- citement which they occasioned within clue bounds. Since the Jews expected the Messiah to head their armies, and expel the Ro- mans from .their territories, there was danger, if he became sud- denly known as the Messiah, be- fore he had corrected their erro- neous views of the nature of his reign, that popular insurrections and bloodshed might ensue. On one occasion, this result was narrowly escaped. Compare John G : 15. 10. 4 S. MATTHEW. 67 saying, See that no man 31 know it. But they went forth, and spread abroad his fame in all that land. 32 And as they went forth, behold, there was brought to him a dumb man pos- 33sessed with a 'devil. And when the 'devil was cast out, the dumb man spake : and the multitudes mar- velled, saying, It was never so seen in Israel. 34 But the Pharisees said, 2By the prince of the 3devils casteth he out 3devils. 35 And Jesus went about all the cities and the villa- ges, teaching in their syna- gogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of disease and all manner of 36 sickness. But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compas- sion for them, because they were distressed and 1 Gr. demon. 2 Or, In 35. The gospel of the kingdom ; the gospel or good news of the kingdom of Christ. — All manner of disease and all manner of sick- ness ; not as in the Old Version, every sickness and every disease, but every kind of sickness and disease. There was none, how- ever apparently incurable, which could resist his command. 36. Were distressed ; not as in the Old Version, fainted. What moved Christ's compassion was not the physical weariness, but the perplexity and distress of 3* scattered, as sheep not having a shepherd. Then 37 saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labour- ers are few. Pray ye 38 therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he send forth labourers into his harvest. And he called unto him 10 his twelve disciples, and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of disease and all manner of sickness. Now the names of the 3 twelve apostles are these : The first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother ; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother ; Philip, and 3 Bartholomew ; Thomas, and Matthew the pub- lican : James the son of Alphseus, and Thaddseus ; \ Simon the 4Canansean, 4 and Judas Iscariot, who 3 Gr. demons. 4 Or, Zealot. See Luke vi. 15; Acts i. the people, produced by their want of compassionate spiritual instructors. 37. Many people were ready to receive the gospel, while there were but few to communicate it to them. CHAPTER X. 1. The manner in which the cases of demoniacs are here spo- ken of as entirely distinct from cases of disease of every kind, is important as evidence of the view in which this sacred writer regarded them. 68 S. MATTHEW. 10. 4— 5 also 'betrayed him. These twelve Jesus sent forth, and charged them, saying, Go not into any way of the Gentiles, and enter not into any city of the 6 Samaritans : but go rather to the lost sheep of the 7 house of Israel. And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is 8 at hand. Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out "devils : freely ye received, freely 9 give. Get you no gold, nor silver, nor brass in 10 your "purses ; no wallet for your journey, neither two coats, nor shoes, nor staff: for the labourer is 11 worthy of his food. And into whatsoever city or village ye shall enter, search out who in it is 1 Or, delivered him up : and so always. 2 Gr. demons. 5. That is, they were not to go out of Palestine, but to confine their labors to the Jews. 7. They were not to say that Jesus was the Messiah ; this fact was very slowly and cautiously made known until after the Sa- viour's resurrection. They were to say that the kingdom of heaven was at hand. 10. Wallet; a leathern bag, in which shepherds, and travelers of an humble class, carried their provisions. These particulars were not meant to be minutely insisted upon, but were only in- tended to convey more forcibly the general idea that they were to go without preparation, and to rely upon the spontaneous hospitality of the worthy. worthy ; and there abide till ye go forth. And as 12 ye enter into the house, salute it. And if the house 13 be worthy, let your peace come upon it : but if it be not worthy, let your peace return to you. And who- 14 soever shall not receive you, nor hear your words, as ye go forth out of that house or that city, shake off the dust of your feet. Verily I say unto you, It 15 shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgement, than for that city. Behold, I send you 16 forth as sheep in the midst of wolves : be ye there- fore wise as serpents, and 'harmless as doves. But 17 beware of men : for they 3 Or, simple 4 Gr. girdles. 12. House ; family. 13. Your -peace; your bene- diction. 15. In the day of judgment. Sodom and Gomorrah had both been destroyed by fire from hea- ven, and the gloomy waters of the Dead Sea were spread over the place where these cities stood. Our Saviour, therefore, instead of representing that the sufferings of this life are the sole penalty of human guilt, taught that even Sodom and Gomorrah were awaiting a terrible retribu- tion to come. 17. Councils ; courts of just ice. These directions, particularly those which follow, apply not peculiarly to the first mission of the apostles, but to their whole —10. 28. S. MATTHEW. 69 will deliver yon up to councils, and in their synagogues they will 18 scourge you ; yea and be- fore governors and kings shall ye be brought for my sake, for a testimony to them and to the Gren- 19 tiles. But when they de- liver you up, be not anx- ious how or what ye shall speak : for it shall be given you in that hour 20 what ye shall speak. For it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father that speaketh in 21 you. And brother shall deliver up brother to death, and the father his child : and children shall rise up against parents, and Jcause them to be put 22 to death. And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that en dure th to the end, the same shall be saved. 23 But when they persecute 1 Or. put then 2 Or, teacher to death subsequent ministry, — especially to that exercised after our Sa- viour's death, as is evident from the last clause of v. 28. They do not seem to have been arraigned before the civil authorities at all, upon their first mission. 19. Be not anxious how or what ye shall speak. Observe there is no authority in this verse, as thus correctly translated, for the idea that a teacher of the Gospel is to make no preparation for the work of instruction, but is to trust to immediate inspiration. you in this city, flee into the next : for verily I say unto you, Ye shall not have gone through the cities of Israel, till the Son of man be come. A disciple is not above 24 his 2master, nor a 'ser- vant above his lord. It 25 is enough for the disciple that he be as his 'master, and the 'servant as his lord. If they have called the master of the house "Beelzebub, how much more shall they call them of his household ! Fear 26 them not therefore : for there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; and hid, that shall not be known. What I tell you 27 in the darkness, speak ye in the light : and what ye hear in the ear, proclaim upon the house-tops. And 28 be not afraid of them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the 3 Gr. bondservant. 4 Beelzebul : and so elsewhere. 23. Till the Son of man be come ; the proper interpretation of this language has given rise to a great deal of difficulty and discussion. The meaning probably is that they should continue their min- istry in Palestine until the truth that Jesus was the Messiah was made manifest to them by his resurrection, and the descent of the Holy Ghost at Pentecost. 27. In the darkness; private- ly.— Upon the house-tops ; in the most public manner. The house tops were used for proclamation. 70 S. MATTHEW. 10. 2S- soul : but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in ag'hell. Are not two spar- rows sold for a farthing I and not one of them shall fall on the ground with- 30 out your Father : but the very hairs of your head 31 are all numbered. Fear not therefore ; ye are of more value than many 32 sparrows. Every one therefore who shall con- fess 2me before men, 3him will I also confess before my Father which is in 33 heaven. But whosoever shall deny me "before men, him will I also deny be- fore my Father which is in heaven. 34 Think not that I came to 4send peace on the earth : I came not to 4send peace, but a sword. 35 For I came to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in 1 Gr. Gehenna. 2 Gr. inme. 3 Gr. in h im. 4 Gr. cast. 35, 36. That is, these will be the effects or consequences of my coming. 38. That is, he who is not ready to bear any privation or suffering, in which fidelity to the Saviour's cause involves him. 39. He that JiTideth his life shall lose it ; i. e., he that is selfishly concerned in studying how to secure his own happiness fails. law : and a man' s foes 36 shall be they of his own household. He that lov- 37 eth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me : and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. And he that doth 38 not take his cross and follow after me, is not worthy of me. He that 39 5findeth his Tife shall lose it ; and he that Toseth his 6life for my sake shall find it. He that receiveth you 40 receiveth me, and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me. He 41 that receiveth a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet's reward ; and he that re- ceiveth a righteous man in the name of a righte- ous man shall receive a righteous man's reward. And whosoever shall give 42 to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only, in the name 5 Or, found 6 Or, soul 7 Or, lost while he who unselfishly forgets himself in endeavoring to serve others gains peace and joy. 42. These little ones ; these my disciples, men of humble sta- tion, not great in the estimation of the world. Any act of kind- awards them, ns disciples, however small the benefit, shows a spirit of love to Christ, and shall not lose its reward. 11. 11. S. MATTHEW. 71 . of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward. 11 And it came to pass, when Jesus had made an end of commanding his twelve disciples, he de- parted thence to teach and preach in their cities. 2 Now when John heard in the prison the works of the Christ, he sent by 3 his disciples, and said unto him, Art thou he that cometh, or look we 4 for another? And Jesus answered and said unto them, Go your way and tell John the things which ye do hear and 5 see : the blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised up, and the poor have 'good tidings 6 preached to them. And 1 Or, the gospel. CHAPTER XI. 2. l?i the prison. The circum- stances of John's imprisonment are stated Matt. 14 : 3, 4. 3. He that cometh ; the prom- ised Messiah. 6. None occasion of stumbling in me; i. e., shall not be tempt- ed to reject me, because my character and mission are lowly. Christ intimates, apparently, that Jonn was in danger of do- ing this. John had believed himself the forerunner of a mighty prince and Saviour. B.ut bis career, which had commenced so auspiciously, had been sud- blessed is he, whosoever shall find none occasion of stumbling in me. And 7 as these went their way, Jesus began to say unto the multitudes concern- ing John, What went ye out into the wilderness to behold \ a reed shaken 8 with the wind % But what went ye out for to see % a man clothed in soft raiment f Behold, they that wear soft raiment are in kings' houses. 2But wherefore 9 went ye out % to see a prophet ? Yea, I say unto you, and much more than a prophet. This is he, of whom it is 10 written, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, Who shall prepare thy way before thee. Verily I say unto you, n 2 Many ancient authorities read But what went ye out to see ? a prophet? denly brought to a close ; his followers were scattered, he was suffering himself a wearisome and hopeless confinement, and the personage on whom his hopes had been resting was ap- parently taking no steps tending to the open establishment of hi3 reign. It was not surprising, therefore, that the faith of his disciples, and perhaps even his own, began to falter, and to give place to feelings of despondency and mistrust. 7. A reed, &c. ; representing a man of light and fickle mind. 8. A man clothed, &c. ; a man n S. MATTHEW. 11. 11- Among them that are born of women there hath not arisen a greater than John the Baptist : yet he that is 'but little in the kingdom of heaven is greater than 12 he. And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth vio- lence, and men of vio- lence take it by force. 13 For all the prophets and the law prophesied until 14 John. And if ye are willing to receive Ht, this is Elijah, which is to 15 come. He that hath ears 3to hear, let him hear. But whereunto shall I liken this genera- 16 tion \ It is like unto children sitting in the 1 Gr. lesser. 2 Or, him 3 Some ancient authorities omit to hear 4 Gr. beat the breast. of feeble and effeminate charac- ter, uuable to bear trials and hardships. 12. The meaning is, that ever since the commencement of the preaching of John the Baptist, great mutitudes had flocked to- gether with the utmost zeal and ardor, desiring to be received in- to the kingdom of the Messiah. 13-15. These verses perhaps contain the most direct intima- tion that Jesus was himself the Messiah which he had yet made. He always spoke of this subject with great reserve and caution. — 1 his is Elijah which is to come ; that is, not Elijah himself in person, (John 1:21,) but the forerunner of Christ, who was marketplaces, which call unto their fellows, and say, We piped unto you, 17 and ye did not dance ; we wailed, and ye did not 4mourn. For John 13 came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, He hath a 5devil. The 19 Son of man came eating and drinking, and they say, Behold, a gluttonous man, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners ! And wisdom 6is justified by her Vorks. Then began he to up- 20 braid the cities wherein most of his 8mighty works were done, because they repented not. Woe unto 21 thee, Chorazin ! woe unto thee, Bethsaida ! for if the "mighty works had 5 Gr. demon. 6 Or, was t Many ancient authorities read chil- dren : as in Luke vii. 35. 8 Gr. powers. designated by that name. (Luke 1:17.) 16-19. The sentiment is, that the people of that generation were like wayward children, whom nothing would please. They were alike dissatisfied with the austere virtues and stern demeanor of John the Baptist, and with the mild and gentle character of the Saviour. — Ni it) r eating nor drinking; that i.-, practising rigid fasts and self- mortification. — Wisdom is justi- fied by her icorks ; i. c., the spirit of divine wisdom is recognized in the works done by the chil- dren of God, however widely they may differ from one another in the methods of their working. -11 i. S. MATTHEW. 73 been done in Tyre and Sidon which were done in yon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. saHowbeit I say unto you, it shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the day of judgment, than 23 for you. And thou, Capernaum, shalt thou be exalted unto heaven? thou shalt 'go down unto Hades : for if the 2mighty works had been done in Sodom which were done in thee, it would have re- mained until this day. 24Howbeit I say unto you, that it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgement, than for thee. 25 At that season Jesus answered and said, I "thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, 1 Many ancient authorities read be brought down. 2 Gr.]xnve?*s. 23. And thou, Capernaum, shalt thou be exalted unto heaven ? Thou shalt go down unto Hades. The meaning is not, as indicated in the Old Version, that Caper- naum had been greatly exalted, and should be greatly punished; Christ addressed himself to the feeling of pride in the citizens of Capernaum;, and his address is equally applicable, doubtless, to many proud and haughty communities in our day. "Dost thou expect," he said, " a great exaltation ? On the contrary, you are to be utterly destroyed." This prophecy in the case of Capernaum has been so literally that thou didst hide these things from the wise and understanding, and didst reveal them unto babes : yea, Father, 4for so it was 26 well-pleasing in thy sight. All things have been de-27 livered unto me of my Father : and no one knoweth the Son, save the Father ; neither doth any know the Father, save the Son, and he to whom- soever the Son willeth to reveal Mm. Come unto 28 me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take 29 my yoke upon you, and learn of me ; for I am meek and lowly in heart : and ye shall find rest un- to your souls. For my 30 yoke is easy, and my bur- den is light. At that season Jesus 12 went on the sabbath day 3 Or, prai&>. 4 Or, that fulfilled, that its very site is a matter of uncertainty. 25. At that season ; not at that time; i. e., not on the same occasion, but at that period of his ministry. — Babes ; persons of humble character and station. 29. Take my yoke upon you ; submit to my authority. He speaks not as their Teacher merely, but as their Master and Lord. CHAPTER XII. 1. Of corn ; of grain, such as barley or wheat. Indian corn was not known in Palestine in the time of Christ. n S. MATTHEW. 12. 1— through the cornfields ; and his disciples were an 1 hungred, and began to pluck ears of corn, and to 2 eat. But the Pharisees, when they saw it, said unto him, Behold, thy dis- ciples do that which it is not lawful to do upon the 3 sabbath. But he said unto them, Have ye not read what David did, when he was an hungred, and they that were with 4 him ; how he entered in- to the house of God, and 'did eat the shew-bread, which it was not lawful for him to eat, neither for them that were with him, but only for the 5 priests ? Or have ye not read in the law, how that on the sabbath day the priests in the temple pro- fane the sabbath, and are 6 guiltless \ But I say unto you, that 2one greater than the temple is here. 7 But if ye had known what this meaneth, I de- sire mercy, and not sacri- fice, ye would not, have 1 Some ancient authorities read tlmj did eat. 4. The house of God; the tabernacle, which preceded the temple. 5. Prof one the Sabbath ; per- form labor, which, under other circumstances, would be a profa- nation of the Sabbath. 7. Mercy, and not sacrifice ; mercy, rather than sacrifice; that is, the spirit of piety, rather condemned the guiltless. For the Son of man is 8 lord of the sabbath. And he departed thence, 9 and went into their syna- gogue : and behold, a 10 man having a withered hand. And. they asked him, saying, Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath day % that they might accuse him. And he said 11 unto them, What man shall there be of you, that shall have one sheep, and if this fall into a pit on the sabbath day, will he not lay hold on it, and lift it out? How much 12 then is a man of more value than a sheep ! Wherefore it is lawful to do good on the sabbath day. Then saith he toi3 the man, Stretch forth thy hand. And he stretched it forth ; and it was restored whole, as the other. ButtbePha-i4 risees went out, and took counsel against him, how they might destroy him. And Jesus perceiving it is 2 Gr. a greater thing. than a rigid tenaciousness in re- gard to its forms. 8. The Saviour seems to place his defence of the act of the dis- ciples in travelling and gather- ing food on the Sabbath, on the ground of a dispensation from the usual obligations of the day, made on his authority, as the Messiah. —12 26. S. MATTHEW. 75 withdrew from thence : and many followed him ; and he healed them all, 16 and charged them that they should not make 17 him known : that it might be fulfilled which was spoken 'by Isaiah the prophet, saying, 18 Behold, my servant whom I have chosen ; My beloved in whom my soul is well pleas- ed : I will put my Spirit upon him, And he shall declare judgement to the Gentiles. 19 He shall not strive, nor cry aloud ; Neither shall any one hear his voice in the streets. 20 A bruised reed shall he not break, And smoking fiax shall he not quench, 1 Or, through 2 Or, a demoniac 16. Make him known;, make known the place of his retreat, and thus betray him to the an- ger and violence of his enemies. 17. Isa. 42: 1-4. 19. During the whole of our Saviour's ministry, we observe the most constant efforts to allay the popular excitement, and to avoid every scene which could lead to tumult or commotion. On the occasion on which this passage is quoted, lie had re- treated from a threatened dis- turbance (v. 15) to the solitudes of the mountains, to teach quiet- ly there those who were disposed Till he send forth judgement unto vic- tory. And in his name shall 21 the Gentiles hope. Then was brought unto 22 him 2 one possessed with a devil, blind and dumb : and he healed him, inso- much that the dumb man spake and saw. And all 23 the multitudes were amazed, and said, Is this the son of David? But24 when the Pharisees heard it, they said, This man doth not cast out 3 devils, but 4by Beelzebub the prince of the 3 devils. And knowing their 25 thoughts he said unto them, Every kingdom di- vided against itself is brought to desolation ; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand: and if 26 Satan casteth out Satan, 3 Gr. demons. 4 Or, in to come to him. 20. The bruised reed and smoking flax are emblems of helplessness, dejection, and sor- row. The images are expressive of the mildness and gentleness with which Jesus instils truth into the minds of his followers, and of the tender care which he exercises in sustaining the weak, restoring the fallen, and raising the dejected and desponding. — Till lie send forth judgment unto victory ; till the truth which he proclaims is victorious. 23. The son of David; the promised Messiah. 70 S. MATTHEW. 12. 2(5— he is divided against himself ; how then shall 27 his kingdom stand? And if I 'by Beelzebub cast out 2 devils, ' by whom do your sons cast them out 1 therefore shall they be 28 your judges. But if I £by the Spirit of God cast out 2 devils, then is the kingdom of God 29 come upon you. Or how can one enter into the house of the strong man, and spoil his goods, ex- cept he first bind the strong man f and then he 30 will spoil his house. He that is not with me is 1 Or, in. 2 Gr., demons. 27. Your sons; persons of your sect or party. It seems that there were such, who claim- ed the power of dispossessing evil spirits. 28. The Spirit of God; the power of God, in this case, as is proved bv the phraseology in Luke 11:20. 29. Enter into the house of the itrong man ; or strong one, i. e. Satan. The argument is, that to expel evil spirits from the places where they had established them- selves, evinces a power stronger than that which those spirits ordinarily obeyed. 31. Blasphemy against the Spirit. The sin which the Phar- isees had been committing was that of maliciously and stub- bornly ascribing to Satan those works which they well knew could only be performed by di- vine power. 32. Against the Son of man ; against Jesus, considered as the Son of man. Such were thecir- against me ; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth. Therefore 1 31 say unto you, Every sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven 3 unto men ; but the blasphemy against the Spirit shall not be forgiven. And whoso- 32 ever shall speak a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him ; but whosoever shall speak against the Holy Spirit, it shall not be for- given him, neither in this 4 world, nor in that which is to come. Either make 33 the tree good, and its 3 Some ancient authorities read unto tfOumen. 4 Or, age cumstances of his lowly birth and humble condition, that the ordinary worldliness and sin of the human heart might be suffi- cient to blind men to his claims; and consequently the rejection of them, at that time, was not an unpardonable sin. But maledic- tions against the Holy Ghost, that is, against the divine power by which these miracles were performed, (v. 28,) implied an altogether extraordinary guilt. It was a direct, deliberate, and wilful opposition to the counsels and authority of God. — Neither in this world nor in that which is to come; a phrase plainly intend- ed to express, in the strongest possible manner, the idea of eternal and hopeless ruin. [For a discussion of the nature of blasphemy against the Holy Ghost see my commentary on Matt, on this passage. L. A.] 33. They 1. id attributed the Saviour's efforts in relieving the sick and the suffering, to the -12. 43, S. MATTHEW. 77 fruit good ; or make the tree corrupt, and its fruit corrupt : for the tree is 14 known by its fruit. Ye offspring of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speak- 35eth. The good man out of his good treasure bringeth forth good things : and the evil man out of his evil treasure bringeth forth evil 36 things. And I say unto you, that every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of 37 judgement. For by thy words thou shalt be justi- fied, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned. 38 Then certain of the scribes and Pharisees answered him, saying, 'Master, we would see a assign from thee. But he answered and said unto 1 Or, Teacher 2 Or, sea-monster influence of Satan — the very per- sonification of malice and wick- edness. This was making good fruit come from a very bad tree. 34. Offspring of vipers. The meaniug is interpreted by John 8:44. 36. Idle word; every word that adds nothing to the happi- ness or usefulness of others. 37. By thy words ; that is, as well as by actions. The mean- ing is that, though men express their feelings of anger and injus- tice only by words they are guilty, them, An evil and adul- terous generation seeketh after a sign ; and there shall no sign be given to it but the sign of Jonah the prophet : for as Jonah 40 was three days and three nights in the belly of the 2whale ; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. The men of 41 Nineveh shall stand up in the judgement with this generation, and shall con- demn it : for they repent- ed at the preaching of Jonah ; and behold, 3a greater than Jonah is here. The queen of the 42 south shall rise up in the judgement with this gen- eration, and shall con- demn it: for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon ; and behold, 3a greater than Solomon is here. But the nnclean43 spirit, when 4he is gone 3 Gr. more than. 4 Or, it 38. A sign; a sign from heav- en; some stupendous miracle to prove his divine mission, more imposing than the miracles which he had performed upon the sick. 40 The marginal rendering sea-monster is undoubtedly more accurate than whale. 42. Queen of the south; the queen of Sheba. (1 Kings, 10 : 43-45. Waterless places, i.e., dry and desert places, which the Jews believed to be the abode of evil spirits. The meaning of 78 S. MATTHEW. 12 -43— out of the man, passeth through waterless places, seeking rest, and findeth 44 it not. Then 'he saith, I will return into my house whence I came out ; and when 'he is come, 'he findeth it empty, swept, 45 and garnished. Then goeth 'he, and taketh with "himself seven other spirits more evil than "himself, and they enter in and dwell there : and the last state of that man becometh worse than the first. Even so shall it be also unto this evil genera- tion. 46 While he was yet speaking to the multi- tudes, behold, his mother and his brethren stood without, seeking to speak 47 to him. 3And one said unto him, Behold, thy mother and thy brethren stand without, seeking to 48 speak to thee. But he answered and said unto him that told him. Who is my mother 2 and who 1 Or. it. 2 Or, itself this parable is, that guilt and sin may be suspended from ac- tion for a time, in the human heart, while they are not de- stroyed. And then, after a temporary respite, the disease returns with greater violence than ever. The direct applica- tion is to the Jewish nation, from which the evil spirit of Idolatry had been cast out, but which had not been filled with any true spirit of love for God. are my brethren? And 49 he stretched forth his hand towards his disci- ples, and said, Behold, my mother and my brethren ! For whosoever 50 shall do the will of my Father which is in heav- en, he is my brother, and sister, and mother. On that day went Jesus 13 out of the house, and sat by the sea side. And 2 there were gathered unto him great multitudes, so that he entered into a boat, and sat ; and all the multitude stood on the beach. And he spake to 3 them many things in pa- rables, saying, Behold, the sower went forth to sow; and as he sowed, 4 some seeds fell by the way side, and the birds came and devoured them: and others fell upon the 5 rocky places, where they had not much earth : and straightway they sprang up, because they had no deepness of earth : and 6 3 Some ancient authorities omit rer. 47. 46. Brethren. Compare Matt. 13 : 55, and 27 : 56. They were alarmed for his safety — so great was the excitement against him, — and came, accordingly, to con- duct him away (Mark 3 : 21, 31,) but could not get in to speak to him, on account of the crowd. CHAPTER XIII. 1. Seaside; the shore of the Sea of Tiberias. —13. 17. S. MATTHEW. 79 when the sun was risen, they were scorched ; and because they had no root, 7 they withered away. And others fell upon the thorns ; and the thorns grew up, and choked 8 them : and others fell upon the good ground, and yielded fruit, some a hundredfold, some sixty, 9 some thirty. He that hath ears1, let him hear. 10 And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speak est thou unto them 11 in parables % And he an- swered and said unto them, Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not 12 given. For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have abundance : but whoso ever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that which he hath. 13 Therefore speak I to them in parables ; because see- ing they see not, and 1 Some ancient authorities add here, 11. Mysteries; the spiritual truths of the Scripture, which are always a mystery to the un- spiritual. 15. Lest at any time,. &c. ; that is, their eyes and ears were wil- fully closed against the truth. The sentiment of this answer of our Saviour's, the meaning of which is rendered still more plain by the parallel passages, (Mark 4: 11, 12; Luke 8: 10,) is, hearing they hear not, neither do they under- stand. And unto them is 14 fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall in no wise understand ; And seeing ye shall see, and shall in no wise perceive : For this people' s heart 15 is waxed gross, And their ears are dull of hearing, And their eyes they have closed ; Lest haply they should perceive with their eyes, And hear with their ears, And understand with their heart, And should turn again, And I should heal them. But blessed are your 16 eyes, for they sQ,e ; and your ears, for they hear. For verily I say unto 17 and in verse. 43, to hear : as in Mark iv. 9 ; Luke viii. 8. that, while divine truth is so re- vealed that the docile and spir- itually minded, and all really desirous to learn of him, can easily understand it, yet it is so presented that the captious, the proud, and the evil-minded, may hear and not understand. A veil covers and conceals the spiritual meaning, though it is a veil easily to be removed by all who wish to remove it. 80 S. MATTHEW. 13. 17- you, that many prophets and righteous men de- sired to see the things which ye see, and saw them not; and to hear the things which ye hear, and heard them not. 18 Hear then ye the parable 19 of the sower. When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and under- standeth it not, then cometh the evil one, and snatcheth away that which hath been sown in his heart. This is he that was sown by the way 20 side. And he that was sown upon the rocky places, this is he that heareth the word, and straightway with joy re- 21 ceiveth it ; yet hath he not root in himself, but endureth for a while ; and when tribulation or per- secution ariseth because of the word, straightway 22 he stumbleth. And he that was sown among the thorns, this is he that heareth the word ; and the care of the 'world, and the deceitfulness of 1 Or, age 2 Or, darnel 18. Hear ye; hear ye the ex- planation. 19. This is he that was sown by the way side ; not, as in the Old Version, " He that received seed by the way side." That which is sown and that which is pro- duced from the seed sown, are in the spiritual as in the physi riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruit- ful. And he that was 23 sown upon the good ground, this is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it ; who verily beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. Another parable set he 24 before them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man that sowed good seed in his field : but while men 2b slept, his enemy came and sowed 2tares also among the wheat, and went away. But when 26 the blade sprang up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also. And the "servants of the 27 householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst thou not sow good seed in thy field ? whence then hath it tares? And he 28 said unto them, 4An enemy hath done this. And the 'servants say unto him, Wilt thou 3 Gr. bondservants. 4 Gr. A man that is an enemy. cal realm identical. The word sown is not a mere word, it is a conviction of the heart, which is transferred from the teacher to the pupil, and this produces in | the pupil the life of the teacher. 21. Straightway he stumbleth ; is led to abandon the Gospel and give up his faith. —13. 38. S. MATTHEW. 81 then that we go and 29 gather them up? But he saith, Nay ; lest haply while ye gather up the tares, ye root up the 30 wheat with them. Let , both grow together until the harvest : and in the time of the harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather up first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them : but gather the wheat into my barn. 31 Another parable set he before them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is like unto a grain of mus- tard seed, which a man took, and sowed in his 32 field: which indeed is less than all seeds ; but when it is grown, it is greater than the herbs, and becometh a tree, so that the birds of the heaven come and lodge in the branches thereof. 33 Another parable spake 1 The word in the Greek denotes the Hebrew seah, a measure containing nearly a peck and a half. 32. It is greater than the herbs. The mustard plant is a bush which sometimes grows to a considerable height, and attracts birds in great numbers by its seeds, which grow in pods. 33. The idea intended by both these similitudes is, that the Re- deemer's kingdom, though des- tined to be great and widely extended at last, was to com- mence by small beginnings, and in a noiseless and unobtrusive manner, — entirely contrary to the prevailing expectations among the Jews. he unto them ; The king- dom of heaven is lik* unto leaven, which a woman took, and hid in three 'measures of meal, till it was all leavened. All these things spake 34 Jesus in parables unto the multitudes ; and without a parable spake he nothing unto them : that it might be fulfilled 35 which was spoken 2by the prophet, saying, I will open my mouth in parables ; I will utter things hid^ den from the founda tion of the world. Then he left the multa-30 tudes, and went into the house : and his disciples came unto him, saying, Explain unto us the par- able of the tares of the field. And he answered 37 and said, He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man ; and the field is 28 2 Or, through 3 Many ancient authorities omit of the world. 36. The house; the house in which he dwelt in Capernaum. — His disciples. His especial fol- lowers. 38. Sons of the kingdom — sons of the evil one. The change from the language of the Old Version " Children of the king- dom " to the language of the New Version " Sons of the king- dom," does not indicate any change in the real teaching of the passage, the word sons be- ing used here as in many other passages of the New Testament. Rom. 8 : 14, for example, ifa 83 S. MATTHEW. 13. 38- the world ; and the good seed, these are the sons of the kingdom ; and the tares are the sons of the 39 evil one ; and the enemy that sowed them is the devil : and the harvest is 'the end of the world ; and the reapers are 40 angels. As therefore the tares are gathered up and burned with fire ; so shall it be in 'the end of the 41 world. The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his king- dom all things that cause stumbling, and them that 42 do iniquity, and shall cast them into the fur- nace of fire : there shall be the weeping and gnash- 4:5 ing of teeth. Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the king- dom of their Father. He that hath ears, let him hear. 44 The kingdom of heaven is like unto a treasure hidden in the field; which a man found, and hid; and 1 Or, the consummation of the age 2 Or, for joy thereof really equivalent to sons and daughters. 38-43. It would seem impos- sible to teacli more plainly than it is taught in Christ's language, that there is a day of judgment and retribution, and that those who shall then be condemned will find themselves involved in hopeless and eternal ruin. 52. Every acribe who hath been in his joy ho goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field. Again, the kingdom of 43 heaven is like unto a man that is a merchant seeking goodly pearls: and having 40 found one pearl of great price, he went and sold all that he had, and bought it. Again, the kingdom of 47 heaven is like unto a 3net, that was cast into the sea, and gathered of every kind : which, when it was 48 filled, they drew up on the beach; and they sat down, and gathered the good into vessels, but the bad they cast away. So shall 49 it be in 'the end of the world : the angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from among the righteous, and shall cast 50 them into the furnace of fire : there shall be the weeping and gnashing of teeth. Have ye understood all 51 these things % They say unto him, Yea. And he 5 2 3 Gr. drag-net. made a disciple to the kingdom of The meaning is not, as implied in the Old Version, ev- ery well instructed teacher of the Gospel, but every teacher who has become a disciple of Christ. The scribes in the time of Christ taught merely the tra- ditional theology derived from past ages; Christ says that the Christian teachers are not to dis- 1UE -14. 3. S. MATTHEW. 85 said unto them, Therefore every scribe who hath been made a disciple to the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is a householder, which bring- eth forth out of his trea- sure things new and old. 53 And it came to pass, when Jesus had finished these parables, he de- 54 parted thence. And com- ing into his own country he taught them in their synagogue, insomuch that they were astonished, and said, Whence hath this man this wisdom, and these 'mighty works ? Is not this the carpenter's 55 son? is not his mother called Mary? and his brethren, James, and Joseph, and Simon, and 56 Judas? And his sisters, 1 Gr. poivers. regard the teachings of the past, but they are also to be ready to receive new forms and phases of truth as they shall be taught by God's providence or by a better scholarship, or a riper Christian experience. 54. His own country; Nazareth. 55. [His brethren; the question whether near relatives, perhaps cousins, or real brethren, is in- tended by this and other similar references in the New Testament has been very hotly discussed. For reasons which I have given fully in my commentary on Matt, on this passage, I have no doubt that the word brethren is to be taken in its literal sense, and that Jesus had both brothers and sisters. L. A.] are they not all with us? Whence then hath this man all these things ? And 57 they were 'offended in him. But Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not without honour, save in his own country, and in his own house. And he 58 did not many 'mighty works there because of their unbelief. At that season Herod 14 the tetrarch heard the report concerning Jesus, and said unto his ser- vants, This is John the 2 Baptist ; he is risen from the dead ; and therefore do these powers work in him. For Herod had laid 3 hold on John, and bound him, and put him in pris- on for the sake of Hero- dias, his brother Philip's 2 Gr. caused to stumble. CHAPTER XIV. 1. Herod the tetrarch; son of Herod the Great, the old king who reigned at the time of our Saviour's birth. Upon his death, his kingdom was divided among his sons. Herod Antipas, here referred to, ruled over Galilee. Heard the report concerning Jesus; i. e., the report of the miracles which he was doing. 3, 4. Herod had enticed away his brother Philip's wife, and married her, wrhile her lawful husband was still living. He was not of so cruel and blood- thirsty a disposition as his father, but it required great moral cour- age in- John, to reprove any member of the Herod family for such a crime, 86 S. MATTHEW, H. 3- 4 wife. For John said un- to him, It is not lawful for thee to have her. 5 And when he would have put him to death, he feared the multitude, be- cause they counted him 6 as a prophet. But when Herod's birthday came, the daugh ter of Herodias danced in the midst, and 7 pleased Herod. Where- upon he promised with an oath to give her what- soever she should ask. 8 And she, being put for- ward by her mother, saith, Give me here in a charger the head of John 9 the Baptist. And the king was grieved ; but for the sake of his oaths, and of them which sat at meat with him, he com- • manded it to be given ; 10 and he sent, and behead- ed John in the prison. 11 And his head was brought in a charger, and given to the damsel : and she brought it to her mother. 12 And his disciples came, and took up the corpse, and buried him ; and they went and told Jesus. 1 Or, by land 8. And she being put forward ; i. e., urged on by her mother. 13. He went over the Sea of Galilee, perhaps to some portion of its eastern shore, which was little inhabited, and where he was safe from Herod. — On foot; that is. the people went to the same place by land, going round the northern snore. Now when Jesus heard 13 it, he withdrew from thence in a boat, to a desert place apart : and when the multitudes heard thereof, they fol- lowed him 'on foot from the cities. And he came 14 forth, and saw a great multitude, and he had compassion on them, and healed their sick. And 15 when even was come, the disciples came Co him, saying, The place is des- ert, and the time is al- ready past ; send the multitudes away, that they may go into the vil- lages, and buy themselves food. But Jesus said 16 unto them, they have no need to go away ; give ye them to eat. And they 17 say unto him, We have here but five loaves, and two fishes. And he said, 18 Bring them hither to me. And he commanded ihei9 multitudes to \sit down on the grass ; and he took the Hve loaves, and the two fishes, and look- ing up to heaven, he blessed, and brake and 2 Gr. redine. 14-15. The place is desert ; not necessarily barren, but un- inhabited.— The time is already past ; the day is gone ; night is at hand. 19. Blessed. It seems to have been often the custom of the Saviour to implore the divine blessing upon food, before par- taking of it. -14. 29. S. MATTHEW. 87 gave the loaves to the disciples, and the disci- ples to the multitudes. 20 And they did all eat, and were filled : and they took up that which re- mained over of the brok- en pieces, twelve baskets 21 full. And they that did eat were about five thou- sand men, beside women and children. 22 And straightway he constrained the disciples to enter into the boat, and to go before him unto the other side, till he should send the multi- 23tudes away. And after he had sent the multi- tudes away, he went up into the mountain apart to pray : and when even was come, he was there 1 Some ancient authorities read teas 22. Constrained. There was but one boat, and the disciples seem to have been unwilling to leave Jesus without any appa- rent means of rejoining them. But the crisis was one of consi- derable excitement and danger, and special precautions to effect the quiet dispersion of the peo- ple seem to have been rendered necessary by the high state of excitement which prevailed among them, as is stated John 6 : 14, 15, John the Baptist, the great favorite of the people, had just been murdered by Her- od; and Jesus himself was seeking, in these solitudes, a refuge from his cruelty. These facts, in connection with the miracle, produced such an ex- citement in this assembly, as to alone. But the boat 'was 24 now in the midst of the sea, distressed by the waves ; for the wind was contrary. And in the 25 fourth watch of the night he came unto them, walk- ing upon the sea. And 20 when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, say- ing, It is an apparition; and they cried out for fear. Bu t straigh tway Jesus 27 spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer ; it is I ; be not afraid. And Peter 28 answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee upon the waters. And he said, 29 Come. And Peter went down from the boat, and walked upon the waters, many furlongs distant from the land. lead them to form the design of forcing Jesus to head them in an insurrection against Herod's authority. Under these circum- stances, it is not surprising that the disciples were reluctant to leave their Master in such a place, and the object of such an excitement, and without any apparent means of returning across the lake to his friends. 25. The fourth watch ; near the morning. The ni^ht was divided into four watches. 26. It is an apparition. This word instead of spirit is used in the New Version, because the Greek word is a very different one from that ordinarily render- ed spirit in the New Testament. What is meant here is a ghost or spectre. 88 S. MATTHEW. 14. 29 30 'to come to Jesus. But when he saw the wind2, he was afraid ; and begin- ning to sink, he cried out, saying, Lord, save me. 31 And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and took hold of him, and saith unto him, O thou of little faith, where- fore didst thou doubt? 32 And when they were gone up into the boat, the wind 33 ceased. And they that were in the boat wor- shipped him, saying, Of a truth thou art the Son of God. 34 And when they had crossed over, they came to the land, unto Gennes- 35aret. And when the men of that place knew him, they sent into all that re- gion round about, and brought unto him all that 86 were sick ; and they be- sought him that they might only touch the 1 Some ancient authorities read and came. 2 Many ancient authorities add strong. 23. Worshipped him ; prostrat- ed themselves in homage before him. — Son of God; the expected Messiah. CHAPTER XV. 2. Tradition of the elders; rules and precepts not recorded in the Scriptures, but handed down orally, or by tradition, from former times. The Phari- sees had many such traditions, to which they attached ideas of great value; an 1 by moans of them, as our Saviour shows, they often virtually annulled the feo- border of his garment: and as many as touched were made whole. Then there come to 15 Jesus from Jerusalem Pharisees and scribes, saying, Why do thy dis- 2 ciples trangress the tradi- tion of the elders? for they wash not their hands when they eat bread. And he answered 3 and said unto them, Why do ye also trans- gress the commandment of God because of your tradition \ For God said, 4 Honour thy father and thy mother : and, He that speaketh evil of father or mother, let him 3die the death. But ye say, 5 Whosoever shall say to his father or his mother, That wherewith thou mightest have been pro- fited by me is given to God ; he shall not honour 6 his father4. And ye have 3 Or, surely die 4 Some ancient authorities add or his mother. uisitions of the written word of God. 4. Let him die the death ; a phrase of intensity, — let him surely die. (Exodus 21 :17; Lev. 2:9.) 5, 6. Observe how much clear- er the New Version makes this passage than the old one, which was indeed hardly intelligible. The Rabbinical traditions author- ized a son to refuse to give his parents whatever they stood in need of from him, by oojng through a form of consecrating it to God, — i5. 20. S. -MATTHEW. 89 made void the 'word of Grod because of your tra- 7dition. Ye hypocrites, well did Isaiah prophesy of you, saying, 8 This people honoureth me with their lips ; But their heart is far from me. 9 But in vain do they worship me, Teaching as tlieir doc- trines the precepts of men. 10 And he called to him the multitude, and said unto them, Hear, and under- 11 stand: Not that which entereth into the mouth defile th the man : but that which proceedeth out of the mouth, this I2defileth the man. Then came the disciples, and said unto him, Knowest thou that the Pharisees were 'offended, when they 13 heard this saying? But 1 Some ancient authorities read laiv. 8. The phrase draiceth nigh unto me with their mouth, was added in the Old Version prob- ably by some copyist, who de- sired to make the quotation cor- respond more literally with the language of Isaiah. This phrase is omitted, however, in Mark's report, (Mark 7: 6,) and by the best manuscripts in Matthew. 9. Doctrines; the duties of re- ligion.— Precepts of men; these pretended traditions, which were merely human inventions. 11. Referring to the charge made by the Pharisees in v. 2. The Pharisees taught that sin he answered and said, Every 3plant which my heavenly Father planted not, shall be rooted up. Let them alone : they are blind guides. And if theH blind guide the blind, both shall fall into a pit. And Peter answered and 15 said unto him, Declare unto us the parable. And 16 he said, Are ye also even yet without understand- ing ? Perceive ye not, 17 that whatsoever goeth in- to the mouth passeth in- to the belly, and is cast out into the draught? But the things which 18 proceed out of the mouth come forth out of the heart ; and they de- file the man. For out of ia the heart come forth evil thoughts, murders, adul- teries, fornications, thefts, false witness, railings : these are the things which 20 2 Gr. caused to stumble. 3 Gr. planting. consisted mainly in the neglect of prescribed rites, and the con- tracting of outward and cere- monial impurities. Jesus shows that moral and spiritual corrup- tion and impurity is what they ought to be most anxious to shun. 13. Every plant, &c. These traditions were of human origin. 14. Let them alone. Christ very rarely entered into direct controversy with false teachers ; he taught the truth, leaving the teachers of error generally alone, in which respect his example is to be followed by his disciples. 90 S. MATTHEW. 15. 20- defile the man : but to eat with unwashen hands de- file th not the man. 2i Arid Jesus went out thence, and withdrew into the parts of Tyre and 22Sidon. And behold, a Canaanitish woman came out from those borders, and cried, saying, Have mercy on me, 0 Lord, thou son of David ; my daughter is grievously 23"'>exed with a 'devil. But he answered her not a word. And his disciples came and besought him, saying, Send her away ; for she crieth after us. *4But he answered and said, I was not sent but unto the lost sheep of the 25 house of Israel. But she came and worshipped him, saying, Lord, help 1 Gr. demon. 21. Went out thence; from near Capernaum. — Tyre and Sidon ; important cities on the coast of the Mediterranean, be- yond the limits of the Jewish countries. He retired to this distant region for concealment and safety; but he could not be hid. (Marl? 7:24.) 22. Thou son of David. By this address she seems to have expressed her belief that he was the promised Messiah. 24. Of the house of Israel ; the Jews. Our Saviour's ministry was confined almost entirely to the Jews. It was not until the time of our Saviour's ascension, that the disciples were com- manded to go into all the world, and preach the Gospel to every me. And he answered 26 and said, It is not meet to take the children's "bread and cast it to the dogs. But she said, Yea, 27 Lord : for even the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters' table. Then Jesus an- 28 swered and said unto her, O woman, great is thy faith : be it done unto thee even as thou wilt. And her daughter was healed from that hour. And Jesus departed 29 thence, and came nigh unto the sea of G-alilee ; and he went up into the mountain, and sat there. And there came unto him 30 great multitudes, having with them the lame, blind, dumb, maimed, and many others, and 2 Or, loaf. creature. 26. Meet ; suitable or proper. The blessings of the Saviour's ministry were designed, special- ly, for the Jewish nation ; and this woman was a foreigner. The reason why Christ confined his personal ministry to the Jews is explained in Mark: "Let the children first be rilled." 27. Yea, Lord: for even the dogs eat of the crumbs. She ac- quiesces in Christ's declaration, and gives as the reason, first, that the dog's food is that which the children cast away, or pass by in indifference; as it is not needful to deprive the children to sup- ply the dogs, so it is not needful to deprive Israel to give her the blessing which sh« asked. —16. 3. S. MATTHETf . SI they cast them down at his feet ; and he healed 31 them: insomuch that the multitude wondered, when they saw the dumb speaking, the maimed whole, and the lame walking, and the blind seeing : and they glori- fied the G-od of Israel. 82 And Jesus called unto him his disciples, and said, I have compassion on the multitude, because they continue with me now three days and have nothing to eat : and I would not send them away fasting, lest haply they faint in the way. 83 And the disciples say unto him, Whence should we have so many loaves in a desert place, as to fill so 84 great a multitude ? And Jesus saith unto them, How many loaves have ye? And they said, Seven, and a few small 35 fishes. And he com- manded the multitude to 1 The following words to the end of ver. 3, are omitted hy some of the most 37. Of the broken pieces ; not, as in the Old Version, broken meat. The fragments of both the bread and the fishes are in- tended. 39. Magadan ; somewhere on the shore of the Sea of Galilee, but its site is unknown. CHAPTER XVI. 1. A sign from heaven ; some great prodigy in the heavens, more stupendous and imposing than the miracles of healing sit down on the ground ; and he took the seven 36 loaves and the fishes ; and he gave thanks and brake, and gave to the disciples, and the disci- ples to the multitudes. And they did all eat, and 37 were filled : and they took up that which remained over of the broken pieces, seven baskets full. And 38 they that did eat were four thousand men, be- side women and children. And he sent away the 39 multitudes, and entered into the boat, and came into the borders of Mag- adan. And the Pharisees and 18 Sadducees came, and tempting him asked him to shew them a sign from heaven. But he answered 2 and said unto them, 'When it is evening, ye say, It will be fair | weather: for the heaven is red. And in the morn- 3 ing, It loill be foul weather ancient and other important authorities. which he was accustomed to perform. This was tbe second time that such a demand had been made. (Matt. 12: 38-45.) — Tempting; that is, the pro- posal was made as a sort of chal- lenge, with evil and unfriendly designs. 3. The idea is, that, if they would pay the same careful and candid attention to the predic- tions of the prophets, compared with the character and ministry of Christ, which it had been 92 S. MATTHEW. 16. 3— to-day : for the heaven is red and lo wring. Ye know how to discern the face of the heaven ; but ye cannot discern the 4 signs of the times. An evil and adulterous gener- ation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given unto it, but the sign of Jonah. And he left them, and departed. " 5 And the disciples came to the other side and forgot to take 'bread. 6 And Jesus said unto them, Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees 1 and Sadducees. And they reasoned among them- selves, saying, 3We took 1 Gr. loaves. 2 Or, It is because we took no bread. necessary to exercise in regard to the weather, in order to learn that redness of the sky in the evening indicated serenity, while in the morning it portended rain, they would have easily been satisfied. 4. The sign of tlie prophet Jonah; S.S it had been previously ex- plained. (Matt. 12:40.) 5. Forgot to tale bread, etc. This and similar passages indi- cate that a regular and system- atic arrangement was made for supplying the wants of Jesus and his disciples when on their journeys, (see Matt. 15:34, John 12:6.) although the pecuniary means by which the supplies were obtained, were probably the gifts of friends. (Luke 8: 3.) A different system was adopted for the twelve and the seventy who were sent out. (Matt. 10: 9- 11.) They went only two and no 'bread. And Jesus 8 perceiving it said, O ye of little faith, why reason ye among yourselves, be- cause ye have no 'bread ? Do ye not yet perceive, 9 neither remember the five loavesof the fivethousand, and how many 3baskets ye took up 3 Neither the 10 seven loaves of the four thousand, and how many "baskets ye took up I How is it that ye do notil perceive that I spake not to you concerning 'bread \ But beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sad- ducees. Then understood 12 they how that he bade them not beware of the 3 Basket in ver, 9 and 10 represents dif- ferent Greek words. two; and there was, therefore, a greater propriety in their relying upon the hospitality of friends, than in the case of the larger company that attended the Sa- vior. We see, therefore, in the different arrangements made in the two cases, a delicate regard, on the part of Jesus, to the ordi- nary usages and proprieties of life. 7. They supposed he might have meant that, by taking no supply, they had left themselves dependent, perhaps, upon the Pharisees and Sadducees for bread. 9-12. Beware of the leaven; he simply reiterates his caution without explaining, and haves them to ponder its meaning. — Of the teaching; not merely of the doctrine or thing taught, but of the spirit and method of the teaching. -16. 20. S. MATTHEW. 93 leaven of ''bread, but of the leaching of the Phari- sees and Sadducees. 13 Now when Jesus came into the parts of Ca3sarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Who do men say 2that the Son of 14 man is '( And they said, Some say John the Baptist-; some, Elijah : and others, Jeremiah, or 15 one of the prophets. He saith unto them, But who 16 say ye that lam? And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the 17 living God. And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-Jonah : for 1 Gr. loaves. 2 Many ancient authorities read thai I the Son of man am. See Mark viii. 27; 13. Jesus had never openly and directly acknowledged him- self as the Messiah. The time had not come. It would have led, probably, to an insurrection. His caution on this point is strikingly manifest in Matt. 11 : 2-6. 10 : 7, John 2 : 23,' 24.— Goisarea Philippi ; a city in the northern part of Judea, near Mount Lebanon. 14. Elijah. The Jews under- stood Mai. 4:5, as predicting that Elijah would rise, in per- son, from the dead, as the fore- runner of Christ. The prophecy was, however, fulfilled in John the Baptist, who came in the spirit and power of Elijah. 16. The Christ; the promised Messiah. 17. Bar-jona; the son of Jona kest thou me concern- ing that which is good \ One there is who is good ; but if thou wouldst enter into life, keep the com- I8mandments. He saith unto him, Which? And Jesus said, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false wit- loness, Honour thy father 1 Or, TeacJier 2 Some ancient authorities read Good Master. See Mar1; x. 17; Luke xviii. 18. 17. [There is some uncertainty respecting the true reading of this passage ; that which is given in the margin is that given by Mark and Luke, and seems to me the better one. Christ asks him ' 'Why callest thou me good ?" in order to test his real meaning. His language was probably not that of devout reverence for the Master, but only that of social civility, and it is to be observed, in confirmation of this opinion, that he makes no reply to Christ's question as to his meaning. L. A.] 21, 22. Christ's method of dealing with this self-satisfied young man is an example to the Christian teacher in dealing with sell-satisfied moralists yenerally. He simply refers him to the di- and thy mother : and, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. The young man saith un-20 to him, All these things have I observed : what lack I yet? Jesus said 21 unto him, If thou wouldest be perfect, go, sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalfc have treasure in heaven : and come, follow me. But when the young man 22 heard the saying, he wenc away sorrowful : for he was one that had great possessions. And Jesus said unto his 23 disciples, Verily I say unto you, It is hard for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of heaven. And again I say unto 24 3 Some ancient authorities read, Why callest thou me good ? None is good save one. even Ood. See Mark x. 18 ; Luke xviii. 19. vine law, and tells him to keep all the commandments as a con- dition of entering into life. If any one should keep all the com- mandments, this would be enough, and he would enter into life; he would not need a Savior, for lie would have committed no sins from which he would need to be saved. The young man, however, confesses his own con- sciousness of sin by the question 1 ' What lack I yet ?" and his an swer to Christ's direction shows that he had not that kind of supreme love which would lead him to do as James and John, and Peter and others had done, for- sake all to follow his Lord. 24. A strong mode of express- ing extreme difficulty. -20. 6. S. MATTHEW. 103 you, It is easier for a camel to go through a needle's eye, than for a rich man to enter into the 25 kingdom of God, And when the disciples heard it, they were astonished exceedingly, saying, Who 26 then can be saved ? And Jesus looking upon them said to them, With men this is impossible ; but with God all things are 27 possible. Then answered Peter and said unto him, Lo, we have left all, and followed thee ; what then 28 shall we have? And Je- sus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, that ye which have fol- lowed me, in the re- generation when the Son of man shall sit on the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. 29 And everyone that hath left houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother,1 or children, or 1 Many ancient authorities add or wife: as in Luke xviii. 29. 26. With God, &c. The power of God alone can change the heart. 28. In the regeneration, — ye also shall sit, &c. ; in the kingdom of Christ ye shall be advanced to stations of high responsibility and honor. 30. Shall be last ; in receiving the rewards and honors prom- ised that are first in their own lands, for my name's sake, shall receive s a hundredfold, and shall inherit eternal life. But30 many shall be last that are lirst ; and first that are last. For the king- 20 dom of heaven is like unto a man that is a householder, which went out early in the morning to hire labourers into his vineyard. And when he 2 had agreed with the la- bourers for a penny a day, he sent them into his vineyard. And he 3 went out about the third hour, and saw others standing in the market- place idle ; and to them 4 he said, Go ye also into the vineyard, and Avhat- soever is right I will give you. And they went their way. Again he 5 went out about the sixth and the ninth hour, and did likewise. And about 6 the eleventh hour he went out, and found oth- ers standing ; and he 2 Some ancient author ties read mani- fold. 3. See marginal note on ch\ xviii. 28. estimation or in that of the world. CHAPTER XX. 2. A penny a day; the common rate of wages. 3. Third hour; that is, after three of the hours of labor had expired. 5. About the sixth and ninth hour ; at noon and in the middle of the afternoon. 104 S. MATTHEW. 20.6 saith unto them. Why stand ye here all the day 7 idle? They say unto him, Because no man hath hired us. He saith unto them, Go ye also 8 in to the vineyard. And when even was come, the lord of the vineyard saith unto his steward, Call the labourers, and pay them their hire, beginning from the last unto the 9 first. And when they came that were hired about the eleventh hour, they received every man 10 a 'penny. And when the first came, they sup- posed that they would receive more ; and they likewise received every 11 man a 'penny. And when they received it, they murmured against the householder, saying, 12 These last have spent but one hour, and thou hast made them equal unto us, which have borne the burden of the day and 13 the a scorching heat. But he answered and said to 1 Sec marginal note on ch. xviii. 28. 14. It is my will to give ; the money was his own, and he chose to use it by giving it in this way. 15. Is thine eye evil? are you dissatisfied and envious ? 1G. The words "for ninny be called but few chosen/' con- tained in the Old Version, are wanting in the most ancient manuscripts. one of them, Friend, I do thee no wrong : didst not thou agree with me for a 'penny? Take up 14 that which is thine, and go thy way ; it is my will to give unto this last, even as unto thee. Is it 15 not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own ? or is thine eye evil, because I am good ? So u the last shall be first, and the first last. And as Jesus was go-17 ing up to Jerusalem, he rook the twelve disciples apart, and in the way he said unto them, Behold, 18 we go up to Jerusalem ; and the Son of man shall be delivered unto the chief priests and scribes ; and they shall condemn if him to death, and shall deliver him unto the Gen- tiles to mock, and to scourge, and to crucify : and the third day he shall be raised up. Then can.';, to him the 20 mother of the sons of Zebedee with her sons, 2 Or, hot wind 19. And shall deliver him to the Gentiles ; to the Roman gov- ernment ; not having authority themselves to put him to death. For the fulfilment, see 27: 1, 2. — He shall be raised up ; by the power of God. 20. The mother of the sons of Zehedee ; Salome, the mother of James and John. -20. 31. S. MATTHEW. 105 worshipping Mm, and asking a certain thing of 21 him. And he said unto her, What wouldest thou? She saith unto him, Com- mand that these my two sons may sit, one on thy right hand, and one on thy left hand, in thy 22 kingdom. But Jesus an- swered and said, Ye know not what ye ask. Are ye able to drink the cup that I am about to drink ? They say unto 23 him, We are able. He saith unto them, My cup indeed ye shall drink : but to sit on my right hand, and on my left hand, is not mine to give, but it is for them for whom it hath been pre- 24 pared of my Father. And when the ten heard it, they were moved with in- dignation concerning the 25 two brethren. But Jesus 1 Or, servant 22. Drink of the cup, &c. ; share the sufferings which I must endure. 26. Your minister ; your serv- ant. The idea is that although, in the estimation of the world, greatness is considered as imply- ing elevation above others, and the exercise of authority and power over them, — yet, in the kingdom of Christ, it consists in unostentatious and humble efforts to promote their happi- ness and welfare. 29. Jericho ; a large town west of the Jordan, about twenty miles north-east from Jerusalem. called them unto him, and said, Ye know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. Not26 so shall it be among you: but whosoever would be- come great among you shall be your 'minister ; and whosoever would be 27 first among you shall be your "servant: even as 28 the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many. And as they went out 29 from Jericho, a great mul- titude followed him. And 30 behold, two blind men sitting by the way side, when they heard that Jesus was passing by, cried out, saying, Lord, have mercy on us, thou son of David. And the 31 2 Gr. bondservant. 30-34. Luke, in describing ap- parently the same case, speaks of only one blind man, and rep- resents the occurrence as taking place on their approach to Jer- richo, instead of when leaving it. (Luke 18 : 35-43.) Minute diversities in the circumstances of a narrative are not uncommon among the sacred writers, al- though this is one of the most striking instances. In the case of ordinary witnesses, such dis- crepancies are universally con- sidered as proving the honesty and independence of the testi- mony. 106 S. MATTHEW. 20. 31 multitude rebuked them, that they should hold their peace: but they cried out the more, say- ing, Lord, have mercy on us, thou son of David. 32 And Jesus stood still, and called them, and said, What will ye that I should do unto you? 33 They say unto him, Lord, that our eyes may be 34 opened. And Jesus, being moved with compassion, touched their eyes : and straightway they received their sight, and followed him. 21 And when they drew nigh unto Jerusalem, and came unto Bethphage, unto the mount of Olives, then Jesus sent two dis- 2ciples, saying unto them, Go into the village that is over against you, and straightway ye shall find an ass tied, and. a colt with her : loose I7iem, and bring them unto me. 3 And if any one say aught unto you, ye shall say, The Lord hath need of them ; and straightway 4 he will send them. Now this is come to pass, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken 'by the prophet, saying, 1 Or, through CHAPTER XXI. 1. Bethphage; a small village. — Mount of Olives; a high but extended and cultivated emi- nence near Jerusalem. Tell ye the daughters of Ziou, Behold, thy King cometh unto thee, Meek, and riding upon an ass, And upon a colt the foal of an ass. And the disciples went, 6 and did even as Jesus ap- pointed them, and7 Drought the ass, and the colt, and put on them their garments ; and he sat thereon. And the 8 most part of the multi- tude spread their gar- ments in the way ; and others cut branches from the trees, and spread them in the way. And 9 the multitudes that went before him, and that fol- lowed, cried, saying, Ho- sanna to the son of David : Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord ; Hosanna in the highest. And when he was comeio into Jerusalem, all the city was stirred, saving, Who is this? And then multitudes said, This is the prophet, Jesus, from Nazareth of Galilee. And Jesus entered into 12 the temple 2of God, and cast out all them that sold and bought in the 2 Many ancient authorities omit God. 2. The village that is over against you ; Bethany, a village near Bethphage. 12. The temple. This was an edifice of great extent as well as —21. 24. S. MATTHEW. 10? temple, and overthrew the tables of the money- changers, and the seats of them that sold the 13 doves ; and he saith unto them, It is written, My house shall be called a house of prayer : but ye make it a den of robbers. 14 And the blind and the lame came to him in the temple : and he healed 15 them. But when the chief priests and the scribes saw the wonder- ful things that he did, and the children that were crying in the temple and saying, Hosanna to the son of David ; they were moved with indig- 16 nation, and said unto him, Hearest thou what these are saying \ And Jesus saith unto them, Yea : did ye never read, Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast perfected praise ? 17 And he left them, and went forth out of the city to Bethany, and lodged there. 18 Now in the morning as he returned to the city, 19 he hungered. And see- ing 'a lig tree by the way side, he came to it, and 1 Or, a single magnificence, and one of its outer courts had gradually be- come a mart for buying and sell- ing such articles as were used for sacrifices and other services of the place. [found nothing thereon, but leaves only ; and he saith unto it, Let there be no fruit from thee henceforward for ever. And immediately the fig tree withered away. And when the 20 disciples saw it, they marvelled, saying, How did the fig tree immedi- ately wither away % And 21 Jesus answered and said unto them, Verily I say unto you, If ye have faith, and doubt not, ye shall not only do what is done to the fig tree, but even if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou taken up and cast into the sea, it shall be done. And all things, whatso-22 ever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive. And when he was come 23 into the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came unto him as he was teaching, and said, By what au- thority doest thou these things % and who gave thee this authority \ And 24 Jesus answered and said unto them, I also will ask you one Question, 2 Gr. word. 13. It is written ; Isa. 56: 7. 19. This curse upon the bar- re fi^-tree was perhaps intend- ed as emblematic of the doom of tne Jewish nation, or of all those who are unfruitful in the service of God. 108 S. MATTHEW. 21. 24- which if ye tell me, I likewise will tell you by what authority I do these 25 things. The baptism of John, whence was it? from heaven or from men \ And they reasoned Avith themselves, saying, If we shall say, From heaven ; he will say unto us, Why then did ye not 26 believe him? But if we shall say, From men ; we fear the multitude ; for all hold John as a pro- 27phet. And they answered Jesus, and said, We know not. He also said unto them, Neither tell I you by what authority I do 28 these things. But what think ye? A man had two sons ; and he came to the first, and said, 'Son, go work to-day in 29 the vineyard. And he answered and said, I will not : but afterward he repented himself, and 1 Gr. Child. 25. The baptism of John ; that is, the public ministry of John. 27. Neither tell I yon, &c. They were thus referred to the testimony of John, whose au- thority they did not dare openly to reject. 31. The publicans and har- lots, who without making pro- fessions of sanctity repent and forsake their sins, go in before you, who are forward and zeal- ous in your profession, but do not really obey the will of God. They were like the first son in *he parable; the chief priests and •iders like the second. went. And he came to 30 the second, and said like- wise. And he answered and said, I go, sir : and went not. Whether of 31 the twain did the will of his father? They say, The first. Jesus saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, that the publi- cans and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before yon. For John 32 came unto you in the way of righteousness, and ye believed him not : but the publicans and the harlots believed him : and ye, when ye saw it, did not even repent yourselves afterward, that" ye might believe him. Hear another parable : 33 There was a man that wras a householder, which planted a vineyard, and set a hedge about it, and digged a winepress in it, and built a tower, and let 32. In the icay of righteousness ; practising and teaching the way of righteousness. 33-41. The husbandmen, in this parable, represent the Jew- ish people; the vineyard, with all the conveniences attached to it, denotes the privileges and blessings which they enjoyed. The servants sent were the prophets; the son, Jesus Christ, who thus seems to be distin- guished, in a marked manner, from all the mere human mes- sengers sent from heaven to man. Tt is thus an incidental as- sertion of his own divinity. lUViV *Ua§ —22. 2. S. MATTHEW. Ill it out to husbandmen, and went into another coun- 34 try. And when the season of the fruits drew near, he sent his 'servants to the husbandmen, to re- 35 ceive 2his fruits. And the husbandmen took his 'servants, and beat one, and killed another, and 36 stoned another. Again, he sent other 'servants more than the first: and they did unto them in 37 like manner. But after- ward he sent unto them his son, saying, They will 38 reverence my son. But the husbandmen, when they saw the son, said among themselves, This is the heir ; come, let us kill him, and take his inheri- 39tance. And they took him, and cast him forth out of the vineyard, and killed him. When there- fore the lord of the vine- yard shall come, what will he do unto those husband- 41 men % They say unto him, He will miserably destroy those miserable men, and will let out the vineyard unto other husbandmen, which shall render him 1 Gr. bondservants. % Or, the fruits of it. 42. Did ye never read? (Ps. 118: 22.) Christ is the stone, re- jected by the Jews, but, in the councils of God, made the great foundation of the Christian tem- ple. 44. The two clauses of this verse constitute a sort of paral- the fruits in their seasons. Jesus saith unto them, 42 Did ye never read in the scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, The same was made the head of the corner: This was from the Lord, And it is marvellous in our eyes ? Therefore say I unto you, 43 The kingdom of God shall be taken away from you, and shall be given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof. 3And he 44 that falleth on this stone shall be broken to pieces; but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will scatter him as dust. And when 45 the chief priests and the Pharisees heard his par- ables, they perceived that he spake of them. And 46 when they sought to lay hold on him, they feared the multitudes, because they took him for a prophet. And Jesus answered 22 and spake again in parables unto them, saying, The kingdom of 2 3 Some ancient authorities omit ver. 44. lelism ; and we are not necessarily to look for any distinction in the meaning of them. Both clauses express the idea that whoever sets himself in opposition to the cause of Christ only insures his own utter and remediless de- struction. 112 S. MATTHEW. 22. 2-* heaven is likened unto a certain king, which made a marriage feast for his 3 son, and sent forth his 'servants to call them that were bidden to the mar- riage feast ; and they 4 would not come. Again he sent forth other 'ser- vants, saying, Tell them that are bidden, Behold, I have made ready my dinner : my oxen and my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready: come to the marriage feast. 5 But they made light of it, and went their ways, one to his own farm, another 6 to his merchandise: and the rest laid hold on his 'servants, and entreated them shamefully, and 7 killed them. But the king was wroth; and he sent his armies, and de- stroyed those murderers, and burned their city. 8 Then saith he to his 'servants, The wedding is 1 Gr. bondservants. CHAPTER XXII. 3. And they would not come. The idea is, that this refusal to join in a celebration made in honor of the prince, was an ex- pression of dislike and opposi- tion to his own and his father's government and authority, and was punished as such. The par- able represents the repeated invi- tations which were addressed at first to the Jews, to receive and honor Jesus, the Son of God, — their refusal, and their punish- ment,— and the subsequent ad- mission of the Gentiles, in their stead, to the privileges of Chris- ready, but they that were bidden were not worthy. Go ye therefore unto the 9 partings of the highways, and as many as ye shall find, bid to the marriage feast. And those 'servants io went out into the high- ways, and gathered to- gether all as many as they found, both bad and good: and the wedding was filled with guests. But whenn the king came in to behold the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding-garment : and 12 he saith unto him. Friend, how earnest thou in hither not having a wedding- garment ? And he was speechless. Then the king 13 said to the "servants, Bind him hand and foot, and cast him out into the outer darkness ; there shall be the weeping and gnashing of teeth. For many are 14 called, bnt few chosen. . Then went the Phari- 2 Or, minister* tianity. 9. The parting* of the highways ; i. e., the open squares where the people would be likelv to assem- ble. i\. By appearing in an un- suitable dress on such an occa- sion, he evinced an utter want of all real attachment and resp< ct for his sovereign, lie represents the insincere professor of reli- gion, who intrudes in to the church of Christ, without being clothed with the spirit of true, heartfelt piety. 14. Bath >r chosen; chosen and led to come. 22 31. S. MATTHEW. 113 sees, and took counsel how they might ensnare 16 him in his talk. And they send to him their disciples, with the Hero- dians, saying, 'Master, we know that thou art true, and teaches t the way of God in truth, and carest not for any one : for thou regardest not the person 17 of men. Tell us there- fore, What thinkest thou ? Is it lawful to give tribute unto Caesar, or 18not? But Jesus per- ceived their wickedness, and said, Why tempt ye 19 me, ye hypocrites \ Shew me the tribute money. And they brought unto 20 him a 2penny. And he saith unto them, Whose is this image and super- scription? They say un- to him, Caesar's. Then saith he unto them, Render therefore unto Caesar the things that are Caesar's ; and unto God the things that are God's. 22 And when they heard it, they marvelled, and left him, and went their way. 23 On that day there 1 Or. Teacher 2 See marginal note on ch. xviii. 28. 3 Gr. saying. 4 Gr. shall perform the duty of a Ms- 16. Herodians ; the partisans of Herod. 18. Their wickedness. Had he decided against paying tribute, they would have accused him of treason. came to him Sadducees, 3 which say that there is no resurrection : and they asked him, saying, ' Mas- 24 ter, Moses said, If a man die, having no children, his brother 4shall marry his wife, and raise up seed unto his brother. Now there were with us 25 seven brethren : and the first married and deceas- ed, and having no seed left his wife unto his brother ; in like manner 26 the second also, and the third, unto the 'seventh. And after them all the 27 woman died. In. the resurrection therefore 28 whose wife shall she be of the seven ? for they all had her. But Jesus an- 29 swered and said unto them, Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God. For in the resurrection 30 they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are as angels 6in heaven. But as touching 31 the resurrection of the dead, have ye not read that which was spoken band's brother to his wife. Compare Dent. xxv. 5. 5 Gr. seven. 6 Many ancient authorities add of God. 24. Moses said ; Deut. 25 : 5, 6. — Seed; children. 29. Ye do err ; in imagining the future life to be similar, in its circumstances and relations, to the present. 114 S. MATTHEW. 22. 31— unto you by God, saying, 32 1 am the God of Abra- ham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Ja- cob ? God is not the God of the dead, but of the B3 living. And when the multitudes heard it, they were astonished at his teaching. 34 But the Pharisees, when they heard that he had put the Sadducees to silence, gathered them- 35 selves together. And one of them, a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting 3Ghim, 'Master, which is the great commandment 37 in the law % And he said i 1 Or, Teacher 32. The argument is, that God would not have said, I am the God of Abraham, &c. , if the persona referred to were no longer in existence. 33. Teaching ; not as in the Old Version, at his doctrine, for the doctrine of the immortality was generally believed among the Jews at the time of Christ ; but at his teaching, i.e., at the skill and power with which he convinced the Sadducees of their error, out of that portion of the Old Testament, the first five books, which they themselves accepted as divine. 35. Tempting Mm. The ques- tion was not asked for the sake of information, but as a question, to see what sort of answer he would give to it. The question, which was the most important of the laws of God, was one greatly discussed by the differ- ent schools among the Pharisees. unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This 38 is the great and first com- mandment. 2 And a sec- 39 ond like unto it is this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On 40 these two commandments hangeth the whole law, and the prophets. Now while the Phari-4l sees were gathered to- gether, Jesus asked them a question, saying, What 42 think ye of the Christ ? whose son is he? They say unto him, The son of 2 Or, And a second is like unto it, Thou shalt love, &c. 39. A second ; not as in the Old Version, the second, as though these were two separate commandments. Christ selects from all the laws of Moses a second one which he puts next in importance to the law of love toward God. 40. Hangeth; is dependent upon. — The whole law and the prophets ; the whole of the Old Testament scripture. All duties are included in these two prin- ciples of love to God and love to man. 42-45. The Jews supposed that the Messiah would be an earthly monarch, making Jeru- salem the metropolis of an empire of undefined extent and grandeur. This question was intended to show them how lit- tle they understood the real nature and the true dignity of the Messiah's kingdom, as fore- told in the Old Testament. —23. 9. S. MATTHEW. 115 43 David. He saith unto them, How then doth David in the Spirit call him Lord, saying, 44 The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, Till I put thine ene- mies underneath thy feet? 45 Tf David then calleth him Lord, how is he his son ? 46 And no one was able to answer him a word, nei- ther durst any man from that day forth ask him any more questions. 23 Then spake Jesus to the multitudes and to his 2 disciples, saying, The scribes and the Pharisees 3 sit on Moses' seat : all things therefore whatso- ever they bid you, these 1 Many ancient authorities omit and CHAPTER XXIII. 2. Sit on Moses1 seat ; succeed him as teachers of the law of God. 5. Phylacteries ; strips of parchment, upon which were written passages of Scripture, and worn ostentatiously upon the forehead or arm. — Borders of their garments; as directed Num. 15 : 38, 39. The Phari- sees made them very large, to impress the people with an idea of their great sanctity. 6. The subject of censure here is ostentation and parade, and excessive ambition. The lan- guage is not to be understood as condemning the just and proper distinctions of society, whether civil, social, or religious, as the do and observe : but do not ye after their works ; for they say, and do not. Yea, they bind heavy 4 burdens ' and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men's shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with their finger. But all theirs works they do for to be seen of men : for they make broad their phylac- teries, and enlarge the borders of their gar- ments, and love the chief place at feasts, and the 6 chief seats in the syna- gogues, and the saluta-7 tions in the marketplaces, and to be called of men, Rabbi. But be not ye 8 called Eabbi : for one is your teacher, and all ye are brethren. And call 9 grievous to be borne. whole tenor of the NewTestament shows. In Luke 14 : 10, the honorable regard of our fel- low men, in the social inter- course of life, is represented as a good, and admirable directions are given to enable us to secure it. 8. All ye are brethren; that is, in respect to authority. This meaning the context plainly requires, and the passage would seem to be decisive against the supposition that any one of the apostles was invested with supreme authority over the rest, as the Roman Catholic church contends. 9. Call no man your father. This is to be interpreted on the same principle with the other 116 S. MATTHEW. 23. 9~ no man your father on the earth : for one is your Father, ' which is in 10 heaven. Neither be ye called masters : for one is your master, even the 11 Christ. But he that is 2 greatest among you shall 12 be your "servant. And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be humbled ; and whosoever shall hum- ble himself shall be ex- alted. 13 But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites ! because ye shut the kingdom of heaven 4 against men : for ye enter not in your- selves, neither suffer ye them that are entering in to enter.5 15 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypo- crites ! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte ; and when he is become so, ye make him twofold more a son of 6 hell than yourselves. 16 Woe unto you, ye blind 1 Or. the heavenly, 2 Gr. greater. 3 < >r. i n\ i lister 4 (jr. be/ore. 5 Some authorities insert here, or after ter. 12, ver. 14. Woe unto you, scribes and P/uuist?*, hypocrites/ for ye deoeur verses. It forbids only an an reasonable and excessive sub- serviency to human authority, not a proper reverence for age and honorable standing. See 1 Tim. 5 : 1. 13. Shut up, &c. ; by oppo- sing the instructions of Christ, guides, which say, Who- soever shall swear by the 7 temple, it is nothing ; but whosoever shall swear by the gold of the 7 tem- ple, he is 8a debtor. Yen fools and blind : for whether is greater, the gold, or the 7 temple that hath sanctified the gold? And, Whosoever 18 shall swear by the altar, it is nothing ; but whoso- ever shall swear by the gift that is upon it, he is 8 a debtor. Ye blind: 19 for whether is greater, the gift, or the altar that sanctifieth the gift ? He 20 therefore that sweareth by the altar, sweareth by it, and by all things thereon. And he that 21 sweareth by the 'temple, sweareth by it, and by him that dwelleth there- in. And he that swear- 22 eth by the heaven, swear- eth by the throne of God, and by him that sitteth thereon. Woe unto you, scribes 23 widows^ hou8\ b, < Vt n while for a p ye mala long prayers: therefor* ye shall rrealer condemnation. See Mark, xii. 40; Luke xx. 47. 6 Gr. Gehenna. 7 Or, sanctuary: as in ver. 35. 8 Or, bound by his oath and teaching false views of reli- gion. 15. Proselyte ; convert to their opinions. 16-22. By these subterfuges the Pharisees attempted fco evade the sanctity of an oath. 23. Tithe ; tenth part, payable -23. 35. S. MATTHEW. 117 and Pharisees, hypo- crites ! for ye tithe mint and 'anise and cummin, and have left undone the weightier matters of the law, judgement, and mer- cy, and faith : but these ye ought to have done, and not to have left the 24 other undone. Ye blind guides, which strain out the gnat, and swallow the camel. 25 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypo- crites ! for ye cleanse the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full from extor- 26tion and excess. Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first the inside of the cup and of the platter, that the outside thereof may become clean also. 27 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypo- crites ! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which outwardly appear beautiful, but inwardly are full of dead men's bones, and of all unclean- 28ness. Even so ye also 1 Or, dill. as a tax, according to the law of Moses. (Lev. 27: 30-33.)— Mint, anise, cumin; herbs of little value. 24. Which strain out the gnat. The old version strain at a gnat was a misprint. What Christ condemns is that kind of scru- pulousness which makes one very particular about little mat- outwardly appear righte- ous unto men, but in- wardly ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity. Woe unto you, scribes 29 and Pharisees, hypo- crites ! for ye build the sepulchres of the pro- phets, and garnish the tombs of the righteous, and say, If we had been 30 in the days of our fathers, we should not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets. Wherefore ye witness to 31 yourselves, that ye are sons of them that slew the prophets. Fill ye up 32 then the measure of your fathers. Ye serpents, ye 33 offspring of vipers, how shall ye escape the judge- ment of 'hell 3 There- 34 fore, behold, I send unto you prophets, and wise men, and scribes : some of them shall ye kill and crucify ; and some of them shall ye scourge in your synagogues, and persecute from city to city : that upon you may 35 come all the righteous 2 Gr. Gehenna. ters and indifferent respecting great sins. 25. Full from extortion and excess. The soul is compared to a vessel into which an evil and poisonous mixture has been poured. 33. The judgement of hell; i.e., being cast out and utterly de- stroyed. 118 S. MATTHEW. 23. 35— blood shed on the earth, from the blood of Abel the righteous unto the blood of Zachariah son of Barachiah, whom ye slew between the sanctuary 36 and the altar. Verily I say unto yon, All these things shall come upon this generation. 37 O Jerusalem, Jerusa- lem, which killeth the prophets, and stoneth them that are sent unto her ! how often would I have gathered thy chil- dren together, even as a hen gathereth her chick- ens under her wings, and 38 ye would not! Behold, your house is left unto 39 you 'desolate. For I say unto you, Ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed is be that cometh in the name of the Lord. 24 And Jesus went out 1 Some ancient authorities omit deso- late. 36. All these things ; the judg- ments incurred by all these crimes. — Upon this generation ; for by deeds similar to those committed by their fathers, they made the guilt and responsibil- ity of them their own. — The whole of this denunciation is characterized by a tone of calm, yet Stern and terrible displeasure, consistent only with the idea that Jesus looked upon these men as having readied their final decision, and as involved in hopeless and irreconcilable hos- tility to God. '-Fill ye up, then, the measure of your fa- thers." It is the language of from the temple, and was going on his way; and his disciples came to him to shew him the build- ings of the temple. But 3 he answered and said unto them, See ye not all these things '. verily I say unto yon, There shall not be left here one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down. And as he sat on the 3 mount of Olives, the dis- ciples came unto him pri- vately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be % and what shall be the sign of thy "coming, and of "the end of the world % And Jesus answered and 4 said unto them, Take heed that n ) man lead you astray. For many 5 shall come in my name, saying, I am the Christ ; and shall lead many astray. And ye shall 6 2 Gr. -presence. 3 Or, the consummation of the age. utter abandonment; such as would be addressed only to those to whom no hope re- mained of pardon and salvation. 38. Tour house, &c. A deso- lated house or home is a mourn- ful and strikitag image of utter and irretrievable ruin. CHAPTER XXIV. 3. Mount of Olives; an exten- sive elevation of cultivated land situated east of Jerusalem, and commanding a view of the whole city. .""». Tn my mime; claiming to b< the Messiah. (5, 7. There was a literal fill- -24. 22. S. MATTHEW. 119 hear of wars and rumours of wars : see that ye be not troubled : for these things must needs come to pass; but the end is 7 not yet. For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against king- dom : and there shall be famines and earthquakes 8 in divers places. But all these things are the be- 9 ginning of travail. Then shall they deliver you up unto tribulation, and shall kill you : and ye shall be hated of all the nations for my name's 10 sake. And then shall many stumble, and shall deliver up one another, and shall hate one an- il other. And many false prophets shall arise, and shall lead many astray. 12 And because iniquity shall be multiplied, the love of the many shall wax 13 cold. But he that endure th to the end, the same shall 14 be saved. And 'this gos- pel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole 1 Or, these good tidings 2 Gr. inhabited earth. filment of these predictions just before the destruction of Jeru- salem. 10. Stumble ; apostatize, through fear of persecution. 14. In the whole world. Be- fore the destruction of Jerusa- lem, the Gospel had been preached through all the regions of the then known world. 15. The abomination of clesola- 2 world for a testimony unto all the nations ; and then shall the end come. When therefore ye see 15 the abomination of des- olation, which was spoken of 3by Daniel the prophet, standing in 4the holy place (let him that r e a d e t h understand), then let them that are in 16 Judpea flee unto the mountains: let him that 17 is on the housetop not go down to take out the things that are in his house: and let him that 18 is in the field not return back to take his cloke. But woe unto them that 19 are with child and to them that give suck in those days! And pray 20 ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on a sabbath : for then shall 21 be great tribulation, such as hath not been from the beginning of the world until now, no, nor ever shall be. And except 23 those days had been shortened, no flesh would 3 Or, through 4 Or, a holy place tion ; the abominable and deso- lating armies of the Roman em- pire. (Dan. 9 : 27.) — The holy place; the precincts of Jerusa- lem. 16-21. These expressions are figurative, — representing, by lively images, the terrible urgen- cy of the danger. 22. The elect ; the chosen peo- ple of God. 120 S. MATTHEW. 24. 22- have been saved : but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened. •^3 Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is the Christ, or, Here ; believe 34 Ht not. For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders ; so as to lead astray, if possible, even 25 the elect. Behold, I have told you before- 26 hand. If therefore they shall say unto you, Be- hold, he is in the wilder- ness ; go not forth : Be- hold, he is in the inner chambers ; believe 'it not. 27 For as the lightning cometh forth from the east, and is seen even unto the west; so shall be the 3coming of the 28 Son of man. Whereso- ever the carcase is, there will the 'eagles b e gathered together. 1 Or, him 2 Or, them 3 Gr. presence. 4 Or, vultures. 24. So as to lead astray. This -will be their object, but it is not implied that they will be suc- cessful in it. 26. The icilderness — inner chamber*. The false Christs would .neet their followers in solitudes and secret chambers, for fear of the government. 27. And is seen even unto the West. This seems to imply that the coming of the Messiah re- ferred to in this passage will be sudden, startling, and of such a But immediately, after 2d the tribulation of those days, the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken : and then 30 shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And lie shall send forth 31 his angels 5with 6a great so and. of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other. Now from the fig tree 32 learn her parable : when her branch is now become tender, and putteth forth its leaves, ye know that 5 Many ancient authorities read with a great trumpet, and the// shall gather, d-c. 6 Or, a trumpet of grail sound kind as to be observed by all classes, and different, therefore, from that gradual manifestation of Christ as the Messiah, which is accomplished through the preaching of the Gospel. 28. The meaning is, wherever there is corruption there the judgments of God will be in- flicted. 29-31. The connection in which this passage occurs, and especially the statement in v. 34, which brings within short limits -24. 43. S. MATTHEW. 121 t3 the summer is nigh ; even so ye also, when ye see all these things, know ye that 'he is nigh, even at 84 the doors. Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass away, till all these things be accom- 85plished. Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away. 36 But of that day and hour knoweth no one, not even the angels of heaven, "neither the Son, but the 37 Father only. And as were the days of Noah, so shall be the 'coming of the Son 38 of man. For as in those days which were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying 1 Or, it. 2 Many authorities, some ancient, omit neither the Son. the time assigned for the fulfil- ment of the prophecy, is thought by many to indicate that it was intended only to describe, in sublimely figurative language, great political and social revolu- tions, which would attend and follow the destruction of the Jewish state, and the rapid spread of Christianity which would ensue. Some think, how- ever, that the language can only be referred to the general judg- ment at the end of the world. By the word immediately, (v. 29.) they understand suddenly; and by the expression this generation shall not pass, (v. 34,) that the Jews, considered as a distinct people, shall not cease to exist. By this means the apparent lim- itation of time is removed. [For reasons which I have stated at length in my commentary on and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark, and 39 they knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall be the "coming of the Son of man. Then shall two 40 men be in the field; one is taken, and one is left : two women shall belt grinding at the mill ; one is taken, and one is left. Watch therefore: for ye 42 know not on what day your Lord cometh. 4But43 know this, that if the master of the house had known in what watch the thief was coming, he would have watched, and would not have suffered 3 Gr. presence. 4 Or, But this ye know Matthew, I regard this as a pro- phetic history, beginning with the destruction of Jerusalem and ending with the second coming of Christ. L. A.] 33. He is nigh; that is, the reign of the Messiah is near, — the open establishment of the Redeemer's kingdom on earth. 36. While there is some un- certainty respecting the words "neither the Son," which arc omitted by many manuscripts of Matthew, there is no doubt whatever that these words be- long to Mark's account, (Mark 15: 32,) and therefore no reason to doubt that they were uttered by Christ. 41. Mill; hand-mill, — such as were used in those days. 43. The master of the house; the master of the house — that is, of a house attacked by robbers. 123 S. MATTHEW. 24. 43— his house to be 'broken 44 through. Therefore be ye also ready : for in an hour that ye think not the Son 45 of man cometh. Who then is the faithful and wise "servant, whom his lord hath set over his household, to give them their food in due season \ 46 Blessed is that 'servant whom his lord when he cometh shall find so do- 47ing. Verily I say unto you, that he will set him over all that he hath. 48 But if that evil 'servant shall say in his heart, My 49 lord tarrieth ; and shall begin to beat his fellow- servants, and shall eat and drink with the so drunken ; the lord of that "servant shall come in a day when he expecteth not, and in an hour when 51 he knoweth not, and shall 3cut him asunder, and ap- point his portion with the hypocrites : there shall be the weeping and gnashing of teeth. 25 Then shall the king- dom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their 4 lamps, and 1 Gr. digged rhrough. 2 Gr. boiidmrcant. CHAPTER XXV. 1. Went forth; according to the custom in the marriage cere- monies of the East, to meet and escort the bridegroom, with lighted torches, to the house where the ceremony was to be ir^rforiaed. went forth to meet the bridegroom. And live of 2 them were foolish, and five were wise. For the 3 foolish, when they took their 'lamps, took no oil with them: but the wise 4 took oil in their vessels with their "lamps. Now 5 while the bridegroom tar- ried, they all slumbered and slept. But at mid-G night there is a cry, Be- hold, the bridegroom ! Come ye forth to meet him. Then all those vir- 7 gins arose, and trimmed their 4 lamps. And the 8 foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil ; for our 4 lamps are going out. But the wise an- 9 swered, saying, Perad- venture there will not be enough for us and you : go ye rather to them that sell, and bay for your- selves. And while theyio went away to buy, the bridegroom came ; and they that Avere ready went in with him to the marriage feast : and the door was shut. After- u ward come also the other virgins, saying, Lord, 3 Or, severely scourge him 4 Or, torches 8. Are going out ; not, as in the Old Version, are gone out. The oil was beginning to fail, and the lamps to burn dim. The meaning is, that apparent piety, which is not constantly supplied by divine grace, is always liable to fail in the hour of trial, espe- cially of death. —25. 25. S. MATTHEW. 123 12 Lord, open to us. But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I 13 know you not. Watch therefore, for ye know not the day nor the hour. 14 For it is as when a man, going into another country, called his own 'servants, and delivered unto them his goods. 15 And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one ; to each according to Ms several ability ; and lie went on his journey. 16 Straightway lie that re- ceived the five talents went and traded with them, and made other 17 five talents. In like man- ner lie also that received the two gained other two. 18 But he that received the one went away and dig- ged in the earth, and hid 19 his lord's money. Now after a long time the lord of those l servants com- eth, and maketh a reck- 20oning with them. And he that received the five talents came and brought 1 Gr. bondservants. 14. It is as when; i. e., the kingdom of heaven is illustrated by the parable which follows. 15. A talent; the silver tal- ent is variously estimated at from $1,500 to $2,250. 21. Into the joy of thy lord; into a participation in his hap- ness. other five talents, saying, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five talents : lo, I have gained other five talents. His lord said 21 unto him, Well done, good and faithful "ser- vant : thou hast been faithful over a few things, 1 will set thee over many things : enter thou into the joy of thy lord. And 22 he also that received the two talents came and said, Lord, thou deliver- edst unto me two talents : lo, I have gained other two talents. His lord 23 said unto him, Well done, good and faithful 2 servant ; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will set thee over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord. And 24 he also that had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art a hard man, reaping where thou didst not sow, and gathering where thou didst not scatter : and I was afraid, 25 and went away and hid thy talent in the earth : 2 Gr. bondservant. 24. It is noticeable that our Lord makes the man who had received the one talent, the un- faithful servant, in order to show us that, though our means of usefulness may be circum- scribed, we'are under an obliga- tion, none the less imperious, faithfully to improve them. 124 S. MATTHEW. 25. 25-^ ]o, thou hast thine own. 26 But his lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful 'ser- vant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I did 27 not scatter ; thou ought- est therefore to have put my money to the bank- ers, and at my coming I should have received back mine own with in- 28terest. Take ye away therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him that hath the ten talents. 29 For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance : but from him that hath not, even that which he hath shall be taken away. 30 And cast ye out the un- profitable ' servant into the outer darkness : there shall be the weeping and gnashing of teeth. 31 But when the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the angels with him, then shall he sit on the throne of his 32 glory : and before him shall be gathered all the nations : and he shall separate them one from another, as the shepherd separateth the sheep from 38 the 2 goats : and he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the a goats on 34 the left. Then shall the 1 Gr. bondservant. 2 Gr. kids. King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom pre- pared for you from the foundation of the world : for I was an hungred, and 35 ye gave me meat : I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink : I was a stranger, and ye took me in; naked, 36 and ye clothed me : I was sick, and ye visited me : I was in prison, and ye came unto me. Then 37 shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee % or a thirst, and gave thee drink \ And 38 when saw we thee a stranger, anc1 took thee in % or naked, and clothed thee? And when saw we 39 thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee \ And the 40 King shall answer and say unto them, Yerily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it unto one of these I my brethren, even these least, ye did it unto me. Then shall he say also 41 unto them on the left hand, 3 Depart from me, ye cursed, into the eternal fire which is prepared for the devil and his angels : for I was an hungred, and 42 l ye gave me no meat : T I was thirsty, and ye gave jihe no drink: I was a43 stranger, and ye took me 3 Or, Depart from me under a 20. This language is to be regarded as ironical j >ve are not to suppose that Christ teaches that God is a hard master. -26. 6. S. MATTHEW. 125 not in ; naked, and ye clothed me not ; sick, and in prison, and ye visited 44 me not. Then shall they also answer, saying, Lord, when saw thee an hungred, or a thirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not 45 minister nnto thee ? Then shall he answer them, saying, Yerily I say nnto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not unto one of these least, ye did it not unto 46 me. xlnd these shall go away into eternal punish- ment ; but the righteous into eternal life. 26 And it came to pass, when Jesus had finished 45. Our Saviour teaches, by the preceding instructions, that a heart of kindness and compas- sion, and a sincere regard for the welfare and happiness of others, totally diverse from the spirit of unfeeling selfishness which reigns generally in the world, is necessaiy to prepare us for heaven. By what means past sins were to be remitted, and the human heart formed in- to the new image which he thus describes, was more fully ex- plained by his apostles, after he had risen. In fact, in all our Saviour's conversation and in- structions, it seems to have been his design simply to bring this image of moral excellence to view, and to give it a permanent and conspicuous position before mankind. This was a necessary preliminary step. The way was afterwards revealed, through the writings and preaching of the apostles, by which this new spir- itual condition was to be at- all these words, he said unto his disciples, Ye 2 know that after two days the passover cometh, and the Son of man is deliver- ed up to be crucified. Then were gathered to- 3 gether the chief priests, and the elders of the peo- ple, unto the court of the high priest, who was call- ed Caiaphas ; and they 4 took counsel together that they might take Je- sus by subtilty, and kill him. But they said, Not 5 during the feast, lest a tumult arise among the people. Now when Jesus was 6 in Bethany, in the house tained, — viz., by reliance upon the death of Christ, as an expia- tion for past sins, and upon the power of the Divine Spirit to work the great change in the desires and tendencies oi the soul. 46. Eternal punishment — eter- nal life. The same word is used in the original Greek in charac- terizing the punishment and the life; in this respect the present version much more accurately represents the original than did the Old Version. CHAPTER XXVI. 2. Passover ; a feast celebrated by the Jews for one week, com- mencing at the fifteenth of their month Nisan, which was early in the spring. It was instituted to commemorate the passing over of the dwellings of the Israelites by the angel sent to destroy the first-born among the Egyptians. (Ex. 12:3-17.) 6. Bethany ; a small village 128 S. MATTHEW. 26. 6~ 7 of Simon the leper, there came unto him a woman having ' an alabaster cruse of exceeding pre- cious ointment, and she poured it upon his head, 8 as he sat at meat. But when the disciples saw it, they had indignation, saying, To what purpose 9 is this waste ? For this . ointment might have been sold for much, and 10 given to the poor. But Jesus perceiving it said unto them, Why trouble ye the woman \ for she hath wrought a good 11 work upon me. For ye have the poor always with you ; but me ye 12 have not always. For in that she 2 poured this 1 Or, a flask 2 Gr. cast. near Jerusalem, where Lazarus resided. 7. Alabaster; a species of stone resembling marble. — Ointment ; a fragrant oil. 12. According to the customs of the Jews, it was a suitable preparation, though not so in- tended by Mary. 15. Thirty pieces of silver. This sum is usually estimated at between fifteen and twenty dollars. The value of money was, however, so very different then from what it now is, that it is impossible to estimate with accuracy the real value of the bribe. If labor was then but a penny a day, (Matt. 20: 2,)— the word penny designating, as it does in that case, a Roman coin of about the value of eighteen cents. — and if all other things ointment upon my bod}r, she did it to prepare me for burial. Verily I say 13 unto you, Wheresoever 3 this gospel shall be preached in the whole world, that also which this woman hath done shall be spoken of for a memorial of her. Then one of the twelve, 14 who was called Judas Is- cariot, went unto the chief priests, and said, 15 What are ye willing to give me, and I will de- liver him unto you? And they weighed unto him thirty pieces of silver. And from that time he 16 sought opportunity to deliver him unto them. Now on the first clayil 3 Or, these good tidings were in proportion, — fifteen dollars, in those days, might have been equal to about one hundred now. 16. Sought opportunity. They did not dare to take him openly, by day, for fear of the people; and at night, he was accustomed to retire to places which were unknown to the persons whom they wished to send to arrest him. 17. Unleavened bread. During the eight days set apart for the solemnities connected with the celebration of the passover, bread made without leaven was to be used, in commemoration of the haste and confusion at- tending the flight from Egypt, when there was no time for the proper preparation of the bread. (Ex. 12:33, 34. 13; 0-10. ) -26. 31. S. MATTHEW. 127 of unleavened bread the disciples came to Jesus, saying, Where wilt thou that we make ready for thee to eat the passover % 18 And he said, Go into the city to such a man, and say unto him, The * Mas- ter saith, My time is at hand; I keep the pass- over at thy house with 19 my disciples. And the disciples did as Jesus ap- pointed them ; and they made ready the passover. 20 Now when even was come, he was sitting at meat with the twelve 21 2 disciples ; and as they were eating, he said, Verily I say unto you, that one of you shall be- 22 tray me. And they were exceeding sorrowful, and began to say unto him every one, Is it I, Lord % 23 And he answered and said, He that dipped his hand with me in the dish, the same shall betray me. 24 The Son of man goeth, even as it is written of him : but woe unto that man through whom the Son of man is betrayed ! good 1 Or, Teacher 2 Many authorities, some ancient, omit disciples. 3 Gr. for him if that man. 4 Or, a loaf i 25. Thou hast said ; it is so. 28. Of the covenant ; i. e., the new covenant in the Gospel; for although the word new\$ omitted here, it is found in some manu- scripts, and in all manuscripts were it 'for that man if he had not been born. And Judas, which be- 25 trayed him, answered and said, Is it I, Rabbi % He saith unto him, Thou hast said. And as they were eating, Jesus took "bread, 26 and blessed, and brake it ; and he gave to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body. And he took 5 a cup, and gave thanks, and gave to 27 them, saying, Drink ye all of it ; for this is my blood of 6the "covenant, which 28 is shed for many unto remission of sins. But 1 29 say unto you, I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom. And when they had sung a hymn, they went 30 out to the moun t of Olives. Then saith Jesus unto 31 them, All ye shall be "offended in me this night : for it is written, 1 will smite the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered 5 Some ancient authorities read tht CM}}. 6 Or, the testament 7 Many ancient authorities insert net*. 8 Gr. caused to stumble. on Luke's account, so that it was probably used — Unto remis- sion of sins ; release both from the power and from the penalties of sin. This is the object of the new covenant in the Gospel. 128 S. MATTHEW. 26. 31— 82 abroad. But after I am raised up, I will go^ be- fore you into Galilee. 33 But Peter answered and said unto him, If all shall be 'offended in thee, I will never be 'offended. 34 Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, that this night, before the cock crow, thou shalt 35 deny me thrice. Peter saith unto him, Even if I must die with thee, yet will I not deny thee. Likewise also said all the disciples. 36 Then cometh Jesus with them unto 2a place called Gethsemane, and saith unto his disciples, Sit ye here, while I go 1 Gr. Caused to stumble 36. Gethsemane; a garden or grove on the western declivity of the Mount of Olives. 37. Sons of Zebedee ; James and John. 38. 39. These manifestations of suffering indicate something mysterious and peculiar in the mental anguish thus expressed. The nature of it is yeiled, in a great measure, from our view; but it has been always supposed by tbe Christian church, that these are a part of those suffer - Ings by which the dying Re- deemer made expiation for hu- man sin. 40. It is shown, in a very striking manner, how entirely hum nit, was the nature with which the Divine Word was clothed, in becoming flesh, (John 1-11.) by the strong desire of the sufferer to relieve the sense yonder and pray. And 37 he took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebe- dee, and began to be sorrowful and sore trou- bled. Then saith he unto 38 them, My soul is exceed- ing sorrowful, even unto death : abide ye here, and watch with me. And he 39 went forward a little, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass away from me : nevertheless, not as I will, but as thou wilt. And he cometh 40 unto the disciples, and hndeth them sleeping, and saith unto Peter, What, could ye not watch 2 Gr. an enclosed piece of ground. of loneliness and terror that op- pressed him, on this dreadful night, by the feeling that friends were near, watching against the impending danger, though he well knew that it was a danger which there was no hope or pos- sibility of averting. To find, in the mere presence and sympathy of friends, an illusion of safety, which beguiles and soothes the heart, while the reason sees too clearly that this presence and sympathy can be of no real avail, is peculiarly and distinctively human. And when we consider thus the nature of the support which the vigilant interest of his friends would have afforded the solitary sufferer, a deep and mel- ancholy meaning is imparted to the Lord's gentle reproach, "Gould ye not watch with me one hour ?" -26. 55. S. MATTHEW. 129 with, me one hour ? 41 'Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation : the spirit indeed is will- ing, but the flesh is 42 weak. Again a second time he went away, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if this cannot pass away, except I drink it, thy will be done. 43 And he came again and found them sleeping, for their eyes -were heavy. 44 And he left them again, and went away, and prayed a third time, say- ing again the same 45 words. Then cometh he to the disciples, and saith unto them, Sleep on now, and take your rest : be- hold, the hour is at hand, and the Son of man is betrayed unto the hands 46 of sinners. Arise, let us be going: behold, he is at hand that betray eth me. 47 And while he yet spake, lo, Judas, one of the twelve, came, and with him a great multi- tude with swords and staves, from the chief priests and elders of the 1 Or, Watch ye, and pray that ye enter not 48. Kiss ; according to the customary mode of salutation. 50. The reading of the Old Version was, wherefore art thou come; either reading is a possi- ble one. 51. One of 'them ; Peter. (John people. Now he that 48 betrayed him gave them a sign, saying. Whom so -49 ever I shall kiss, that is he : take him. And straightway he came to Jesus, and said, Hail, Rabbi; and kissed 2him. And Jesus said unto him, 50 Friend, do that for which thou art come. Then they came and laid hands on Jesus, and took him. And behold, one of them 51 that were with Jesus stretched out his hand, and drew his sword, and smote the 3 servant of the high priest, and struck off his ear. Then saith 52 Jesus unto him. Put up again thy sword into its place : for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword. Or thinkest thou that 1 53 cannot beseech my Father, and he sha il even now send me more than twelve legions of angels % How then should the 54 scriptures be fulfilled, that thus it must be? In 55 that hour said Jesus to the multitudes, Are ye come out as against a 2 Gr. kissed Mm much. 3 Gr. bondservant. 18:10.) It is remarkable that any of the disciples of Jesus should go armed, though it was not an uncommon practice among the Jews in their clay. Robbers infested the passes in the neigh- borhood of Jerusalem. 130 S. MATTHEW. 26. 55— robber with swords and staves to seize me ? I sat daily in the temple teach- ing, and ye took me not. 56 But all this is come to pass, that the scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled. Then all the disciples left him and fled. 57 And they that had taken Jesus led him away to the liouse of Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and the elders were gathered together. 58 But Peter followed him afar off, unto the court of the high priest, and en- tered in, and sat with the officers, to see the end. 59 Now the chief priests and the whole council sought false witness against Jesus, that they might GO put him to death; and they found it not, though many false witnesses 61 came. But afterward came two, and said, This man said, I am able to destroy the 'temple of God, and to build it in 1 Or, sanctuary : as in ch. xxiii, 35 ; xxvii. 5. 57. Were gathered ; for prelim- inary consultation and the ex- amination of the prisoner. The regular meeting of the council took place some hours after- wards, in the morning, (27:1. Luke 22:66,) and was held probably in or adjoining the temple. (27:5.) 60. None so agreed together that they could found a convic- tion upon their testimony. three days. And the high 62 priest stood up, and said unto him, Answerest thou nothing \ what is it which these witness against ■ thee? But Jesus held his63 peace. And the high i^riest said unto him, I adjure thee by the living God, that thou tell us whether thou be the Christ, the Son of God. Jesus saith unto him, 64 Thou hast said : never- theless I say unto you, Henceforth ye shall see the Son of man sitting at the right hand of power, and coming on the clouds of heaven. Then the high 65 priest rent his garments, saying, He hath spoken blasphemy : what further need have we of wit- nesses ? behold, now ye have heard the blas- X>hemy : what think ye % They answered and said, 66 He is "worthy of death. Then did they spit in his 67 face and buffet him : and some smote him 3with the palms of their hands, say- 2 Or. liable to. 3 'Or, ait h rods 61. This was a false interpre- tation put upon his language, as recorded John 2 : 11). That they knew very well what the Saviour's real meaning was, is rendered probable from their own acknowledgment, in the next chapter, v. 63. 66. Worthy of death; i. e., to die. 67. They; the soldiers and attendants who had the prisoner is. chaste. 27. 4. S. MATTHEW. 131 esing, Prophesy unto us, tli ) u Christ : who is he that struck thee \ 69 Now Peter was sitting without in the court : and a maid came unto him, saying, Thou also wast with Jesus the Galilsean. 70 But he denied before them all, saying, I know not what thou sayest. 71 And when he was gone out into the porch, an- other maid saw him, and saith unto them that were there, This man also was with Jesus the Nazarene. 72 And again he denied with an oath, I know not the 73 man. And after a little while they that stood by came and said to Peter, Of a truth thou also art one of them ; for thy speech bewrayeth thee. 74 Then began he to curse 69. Without; i. e., in the court-yard of the high priest's house, while probably the ex- amination went on in an apart- ment within the house, but opening upon this court-yard. 73. Thy speech. They meant that his provincial dialect be- trayed him to be a Galilean. CHAPTER XXVII. 2. Pwitius Pikite. Thus far Jesus had been in the hands of the Jewish authorities. In conquered countries, the native tribunals are generally preserved, though they are restricted to the exercise of subordinate functions. Thus the Sanhedrim, the great Jewish and to swear, I know not the man. And straight- way the cock crew. And 75 Peter remembered the word which Jesus had said, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. And he went out, and wept bitterly. Now when morning 27 was come, all the chief priests and the elders of the people took counsel against Jesus to put him to death : and they bound 2 him, and led him awTay, and delivered him up to Pilate the governor. Then Judas, which be- 3 trayed him, when he saw that he was condemned, repented himself, and brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders, saying, I have sinned in 4 council, before which Jesus was first taken, though they had power to arrest and to try him, could inflict upon him only inferior punishments. The in- stance of Stephen, whose life was taken by a Jewish court, (Acts 6 : 12-7 : 60,) and some other cases, have led some to doubt whether the power to in- flict capital punishments was ab- solutely and entirely taken away from the Jews. At any rate, the Jewish authorities seem to have considered that, in this case, the assent of the Roman governor, alone, could sanction crucifixion. (See John 18 : 31.) 132 S. MATTHEW. 27. t- that I betrayed ' innocent blood. But they said, What is that to us 8 see 5 thou to U. And he cast down the pieces of silver into the sanctuary, and departed ; and he went away and hanged him- Gself. And the chief priests took the pieces of silver, and said, It is not lawful to put them into the 2 treasury, since it is 7 the price of blood. And they took counsel, and bought with them the potters field, to bury 8 strangers in. Wherefore that field was called, The field of blood, unto this 9 day. Then was fulfilled 1 Many ancient authorities read right- eous. 2 Gr. corban as. that is, sacred treasury. Compare Mark vii. 11. 5. Into the sanctuary. Only the priests were allowed to enter the in tier or priests' court. Judas probably stood without and threw the money into this court or. sanctuary. It has been sup- posed by some that the conster- nation which Judas manifested when he saw the fruits of what lie had done, proves that he did not anticipate these fatal conse- quences, when he conducted the officers to the retreat of the Saviour. But this is by no means certain. It is the very nature of crime, that a deed should be undertaken deliberately, and with hardened unconcern, which, toJten done, overwhelms the soul with remorse and horror. ' 9. The only passage now extant in the prophetical writ- i ings of the Old Testament, to that which was spoken 3 by Jeremiah the pro- phet, saying, And 4 they took the thirty pieces of silver, the price of him that was priced, 5 whom certain of the children of Israel did price ; and 10 6 they gave them for the potter's field, as the Lord appointed me. Now Jesus stood before n the governor: and the governor asked him, saying, Art thou the King of the Jews \ And Jesus said unto him, Thou sayest. And when he 12 was accused b}^ the chief priests and elders, he answered nothing. Then 13 3 Or. through 4 Or, I took 5 Or, whom they priced on tJie part of the son* <>/ Israel 6 Some ancient authorities read I gave. which this allusion can refer, is found, not in Jeremiah, but in Zechariah. (Z-ch. 11: 13, 13.) Many ingenious explanations of this difficulty have been offered by the learned, but they are merely conjectural. 11. Art thou the King, &c. They had changed the accusa- tion. They knew that Pilate would pay no attention to the charge of blasphemy which they had brought against Jesus before the Sanhedrim. They, therefore, changed the issue, and accused him dow of treasonable designs against the Roman Government. John (18: 33-38) records the Saviour's triumphant defence against this charge, by which defence Pilate was satisfied of his- innocence, though fiually consenting to his death. -27. 25. S. MATTHEW. 133 saith Pilate unto him, Hearest thou not how many things they witness 14 against thee \ And he gave him no answer, not even to one word : insomuch that the governor mar- is veiled greatly. Now at 1 the feast the governor was wont to release unto the multitude one pris- oner, whom they wTould. 16 And they had' then a notable prisoner, called 17Barabbas. When there- fore they were gathered together, Pilate said unto them, Whom will ye that I release unto you % Barabbas, or Jesus which 18 is called Christ? For he knew that for envy they had delivered him up. 19 And while he was sitting on the judgement-seat, his wife sent unto him, saying, Have thou nothing to do with that righteous man : for I have suffered many things this day in a dream 20 because of him. Nowt the 1 Or, a' feast 18. Envy ; envy of his popu- larity and religious influence among the people. 21. Whether of the twain; which of the two. 24. A tumult. Popular tu- mults were always greatly dreadtd by Roman officers. They feared not only the danger which they themselves, perso- nally, and their immediate administration, incurred, but also the displeasure of the im- chief priests and the elders persuaded the mul- titudes that they should ask for Barabbas, and destroy Jesus. But the2t governor answered and said unto them, Whether of the twain will ye that I release unto you % And they said, Barabbas. Pi- 22 late saith unto them, What then shall I do unto Jesus which is called Christ \ They all say, Let him be crucified. And he 23 said, Why, what evil hath he done? But they cried out exceedingly, saying, Let him be crucified. So 24 when Pilate saw that he prevailed nothing, but rather that a tumult was arising, he took water, and washed his hands before the multitude, say- ing, I am innocent 2of the blood of this righteous man: see ye to it. And 25 all the people answered and said, His blood be on us, and on our children. 2 Some ancient authorities read of this blood : see ye &c. perial government at Rome, by which the rulers of the provinces were held to a very severe responsibility for the preserva- tion of public order. Pilate, therefore, after resisting the popular animosity against Jesus, till he found himself upon the eve of a tumult, dared to go no farther, but yielded, though solemnly protesting against the injustice of the sentence of death, which he himself rendered, 134 S. MATTHEW. 27. 26— 36 Then released lie unto them Barabbas: but Jesus he scourged and delivered to be crucified. 27 Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the ' palace, and gathered unto him the whole "band. 28 And they 'stripped him, and put on him a scarlet 20 robe. And they plaited a crown of thorns and put it upon his head, and a reed in his right hand ; and they kneeled down before him, and mocked him, saying, Hail, King 30 of the Jews! And they spat upon him, and took the reed and smote him 31 on the head. And when they had mocked him, they took off from him the robe, and put on him his garments, and led him away to crucify him. 1 Gr. Pmtorium. t Or, cohort See Mark xv. 16. 27. Into thex>alace ; either the tower of Autonia, which adjoined the temple, and was used as a sort of barracks for the Roman soldiers, or the palace of Herod, which had been converted into the residence of the Roman governor. 28. A scarlet robe ; in mockery of his claims as king. One of the emblems of royalty among the Romans was a peculiar pur- ple color, of a light and brilliant hue, and hence sometimes called scarlet. The word purple is used by .Mark and John. 32. Siinon ; very probably known as a friend of Jesus. At first, Jesus himself bore the And as they came out, 32 they found a man of Gy- rene, Simon by name: him they 'compelled to go with them, that he might bear his cross. And 33 when they wTere come unto a place called Gol- gotha, that is to say, The place of a skull, they gave 34 him wine to drink min- gled with gall : and when he had tasted it, he would not drink.' And when 35 they had crucified him, they parted his garments among them, casting lots: and they sat and watched 36 him there. And they set 37 up over his head his ac- cusation .written, this is JE8TTS THE KING OF THE jews. Then are there 38 crucified with him two robbers, one on the right hand, and one on the left. 3 Some ancient authorities read clothed. 4 Gr. impressed. cross. (John 19 : 17.) Why they compelled this stranger to re- lieve him does not appear, — un- less we suppose that Jesus was so exhausted with his sufferings, that he could bear the heavy burden no farther. 34. Mark says, wine mingled with myrrh, but the difference is purely verbal. Probably this drink was offered to Christ by .some more merciful than the rest, to stupefy him, and so deaden the pain. 3G. They watched him ; to pre- vent his being released by his friends. 38. Two robbers ; a much better representation of the original •YtfE PARABLE ; uc \JUMERCIFUL Spr. V ^ 11/1 ^ .V. • "-All —27. 52. S. MATTHEW. 137 39 And they that passed by railed on him, wagging 40 their heads, and saying, Thou that destroyed the 'temple, and buildest it in three days, save thy- self : if thou art the Son of God, come down from 41 the cross. In like man- ner also the chief priests mocking him, with the scribes and elders, said, 42 He saved others ; "himself he cannot save. He is the King of Israel ; let him now come down from the cross, and we will believe 43 on him. He trusteth on God ; let him deliver him now, if he desire th him : for he said, I am the Son 44 of God. And the robbers also that were crucified with him cast upon him the same reproach. 45 Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the 3land until the 1 Or, sanctuary 2 Or, can he not save himself? 3 Or, earth 4 Or, why didst thou forsake me ? 5 Many ancient authorities add And than the word thieves of the Old Version. They were probably members of some of the maraud- ing bands of brigands, which infested Palestine at the time of Christ. 42. He saved others; by his miracles of healing. 45. The ninth hour ; about the middle of the afternoon. 46. Eli, &c. ; Hebrew words. 47. Either misled by the sound, and not understanding the Hebrew tongue, or purpose- ninth hour. And about 4^ the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabach- thani ? that is, My God, my God, 4why hast thou forsaken me? And some 47 of them that stood there, when they heard it, said, This man calleth Elijah. And straightway one of 48 them ran, and took a sponge, and filled it with vinegar, and put it on a reed, and gave him to drink. And the rest said, 49 Let be ; let us see whether Elijah cometh to save him.5 And Jesus cried 50 again with a loud voice, and yielded up his spirit. And behold, the veil of 51 the 'temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom ; and the earth did quake ; and the rocks wrere rent ; and the tombs 5v were opened ; and many another took a spear and pierced his side, and there came out water and blood. See John xis. 34. ly misinterpreting his words, in derision. 50. And Jesus cried again with a loud voice; saying, ."It is finished," — a shout of exultation and victory, not the expiring cry of pain. — Yielded up his spir- it; died. 51. The veil was rent ; in token of the final abrogation of the sacred solemnities which that veil had concealed, by the con- summation of the great sacrifice for sin, which they had fore- shadowed. , 138 S. MATTHEW. 27. 52^ bodies of the saints that had fallen asleep were 53 raised ; and coming forth out of the tombs after his resurrection they entered into the holy city and ap- 54peared unto many. Now the centurion, and they that were with him watch- ing Jesus, when they saw the earthquake, and the things that were done, feared exceedingly, say- ing, Truly this was xthe 55 Son of God. And many women were there behold- ing from afar, which had followed Jesus from Gali- lee, ministering unto him: 56 among whom was Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of a James and Joses, and the mother of the sons of Zebedee. .57 And when even was come, there came a rich man from ' Arimathsea, named Joseph, who also himself was Jesus' disci- 58 pie: this man went to Pilate, and asked for the body of Jesus. Then Pi- 1 Or, a son of God 53. The holy city; Jerusalem. 55. Followed Jesus from Gali- lee ; that is, had been his com- panions on his last journey to Jerusalem. 56. James. This was James Burnamed the less. — Sons of Zebe- dee; James the greater and John. Their mother is called Salome, in Mark 15 :40. 57. Joseph. He was a mem- ber of the coiwcil by which Je- late commanded it to be given up. And Joseph 59 took the body, and wrap- ped it in a clean linen cloth, and laid it in his 60 own new tomb, which he had hewn out in the rock : and he rolled a great stone to the door of the tomb, and departed. And Mary Magdalene 61 was there, and the other Mary, sitting over against the sepulchre. Now on the morrow, 62 which is the day after the Preparation, the chief priests and the Pharisees were gathered together unto Pilate, saying, Sir, 63 wo remember that that deceiver said, while he was yet alive, After three days I rise again. Com- 64 mand therefore that the sepulchre be made sure until the third day, lest haply his disciples come and steal him away, and say unto the people, He is risen from the dead : and the last error will be sus had been condemned ; al- though he had himself opposed his condemnation. (Luke 23 : 50, 51.) 61. The other Mary ; the moth- er of James and Joses. 63. This indicates that they had understood what Jesus meant, by the language record- ed in John 2 : 19j on which they founded their false accusation of blasphemy. (Matt. 26 : 61.) -28. 8. S. MATTHEW. 139 65 worse than the first. Pi- late said unto them, * Ye have a guard : go your way, 2 make it as sure as 66 ye can. So they went, and made the sepulchre sure, sealing the stone, ! the guard being with them. 28 Kow late on the sab- bath day, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the 2 sepulchre. And behold, there was a great earth- quake ; for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled away the stone, 8 and sat upon it. His ap- 1 Or, Take a guard 2 Gr. make it sure, as ■ know. 66. They little thought that by these precautions they were only taking measures for put- ting beyond question the reality of the subsequent resurrection. CHAPTER XXVIII. 1. As it began to dawn ; that is, as it was growing light, for Mark says that it was about sun- rise,— unless, in fact, there were two several parties to the sepul- chre, as has sometimes been supposed. There were several others besides the two named here, who visited the sepulchre. (Luke 24:10.) They went to anoint the body. They had never understood the predic- tions which the Saviour had ut- tered respecting his resurrection. 2. There was ; that is, there was before they came; for the other evangelists say that they found the stone rolled away. pearance was as light- ning, and his raiment white as snow: and for 4 fear of him the watchers did quake, and became as dead men. And the an- 5 gel answered and said un- to the women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which hath been crucified. He is not 3 here ; for he is risen, even as he said- Come, seethe place 3 where the Lord lay. And go quick- 7 ly, and tell his disciples, He is risen from the dead ; and lo, he goeth before you into Galilee ; there shall ye see him : lo, I have told you. And 9 they departed quickly 1 Many ancient authorities read wheri he lay. 4. The w atelier s ; the watch mentioned 27 : 66. 6. The Lord. This form of expression seems to imply that the angels recognized Jesus as their Lord, as well as the Lord of the disciples. 8. There is a very remarkable diversity in the accounts given by the several evangelists of the circumstances attending the an- nouncement to the disciples of the Savior's resurrection — a di- versity extremely perplexing to those who cannot trust the sa- cred writers any further than they can scrutinize and prove their testimony. (Compare Matt. 28:1. Mark 16:1-8. Luke 24:1-12. John 20:1-18.) Many ingenious attempts have been made to harmonize these ac- counts, and to combine them, by means of conjectural emenda- tions and additions, into one 140 S. MATTHEW. 28. 8— from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to bring his disciples word. 9 And behold, Jesus met them, saying, All hail. And they came and took hold of his feet, and wor- 10 shipped him. Then saith Jesus unto them, Fear not : go tell my brethren that they depart into Galilee, and there shall they see me. 11 Now while they were going, behold, some of the guard came into the city, and told unto the chief priests all the things that were come to 12 pass. And when they were assembled with the elders, and had taken counsel, they gave large money unto the soldiers, 13 saying, Say ye, His dis- 1 Or, come to a hearing before the gov- self -consistent narrative. The only result, however, of these efforts is to show that the ac- counts are not irreconcilable. Unbelief does not feel itself an- swered by them, and is not silenced; and faith, having other ground to rest upon, which is of the most solid character, pre- fers, in regard to such difficul- ties, to wait for future and com- plete solutions, rather than to rely upon explanations that can never be more than hypotheti- cal. See note on John 20: 18. 14. The governor's ; Pilate's. — Mid you of care ; not merely as in the Old Version, secure you, but relieve you of all perplexity and trouble. ciples came by night, and stole him away while we slept. And if this 'come 14 to the governor' s ears, we will persuade him, and rid you of care. So they 15 took the money, and did as they were taught : and this saying was spread abroad among the Jews, and continuetJt until this day. But the eleven dis-16 ciples went into Galilee, unto the mountain where Jesus had appointed them. And when they 17 saw him, they wor- shipped Mm: but some doubted. And Jesus 18 came to them and spake unto them, saying, All authority hath been given unto me in heaven and on earth. Go ye there- 19 16. Into Galilee. Jesus had several other interviews with his disciples, both in Galilee and in the vicinity of Jerusalem, as is related by the other evangelists. — Unto the mountain ; into a se- cluded place among the moun- tains. 17. Some doubted. Thomas was one who doubted. He was uncertain whether it was really Jesus in bodily presence, or an apparition. 19. And make disciples of all the nations. The meaning of this commission is, first, that Chris- tians are to go into all na- tions, endeavoring to make dis- ciples or pupils of the Lord Jesus Christ ; these disciples are -28. 20. S. MATTHEW. 141 fore, and make disciples of all the nations, baptiz- ing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy 20 Ghost : teaching them to 1 Gr. all the days. not merely to be baptized, with the use of the formula, in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost, but by baptism are to be brought into fellowship with and alle- giance to the Father, Son and Spirit; finally, having thus ac- cepted Christ as their Master, and consecrated themselves to observe all things what- soever I commanded yon : and lo, I am with you alway, even 2unto the end of the world. 2 Or, the consummation of the age God the Father, the Son and the Spirit, they will be ready to learn Christ's commandments. It is generally true that no one is prepared to understand Christ's teaching until he has become as a little child in his desire to learn of Christ, and to be filled with the spirit of Christ. THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. MARK. A certain disciple, by the name of Mark, is several times alluded to in the book of the Acts, and in the Epistles. It was to his mother's house that Peter went, on the night when he was de- livered from prison by the angel, and where Rhoda came to the door to hearken when he knocked. (Acts 12: 12-17.) The cir- cumstances of this case indicate that his mother was, at that time, an ardent, decided, and prominent friend of the Chris- tians. In Acts 12: 25, we are told that Barnabas and Paul took this Mark or John with them, when they left Jerusalem to go to Antioch; and that he set out with them afterwards from Antioch, to accompany them on their excursion through Asia Minor. (Acts 13:5.) At Pamphylia, however, he left them, and returned to Jerusalem, (13:13;) for what reason it is not stated ; but we learn that Paul was very much dissajtisfied with him on this account, for he refused, very strenuously, to be associated with him in another such an enterprise. (15: 36-40.) They were, however, afterwards reconciled to each other ; for, when Paul was a prisoner at Rome, he sent for Mark to come to him there, with Timothy,— speaking of him with an expression of confidence in his ministry. (2 Tim. 4: 11.) And, afterwards, Paul alludes to him repeatedly, as being with him at Rome. (Col. 4:10. Phil. 24.) This individual is, undoubtedly, the same with the author of the Gospel before us. John is a Hebrew name; Marl, or Marcus, is Roman. It was cus- tomary for those Jews who had much intercourse with Greeks and Romans, to assume Greek or Roman names; as Saul, He- brew; Paul, or Paulus, Roman; Simon, Hebrew; Peter, or Petros, Greek. This Gospel is more brief and condensed than the others, and has, in some respects, the appearance of an abridgment, or compila- tion, from Matthew and Luke. It omits many things which might be supposed to be of particular interest to the Jews, such as the genealogy and the childhood of Jesus, quotations from the prophets, &c. ; and it inserts occasionally explanations of Jewish manners and customs, as if it were written for circulation among a foreign people. As Mark went to Rome, and spent S. MARK. 143 some time there, it has been supposed that his work was written there, and intended for that people. Some of the early Christian writers say that Mark was associated with the apostle Peter, in many of his travels and labors; and that this Gospel was written under Peter's supervision and sanc- tion. There seems to be nothing in the New Testament to con- firm this idea, except that Peter once alludes to Mark, (1 Pet. 5: 13,) calling him a son; meaning, probably, a convert through his instrumentality. The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, 'the Son of God. Even as it is written 2in Isaiah the prophet, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, Who shall prepare thy way; 1 Some ancient authorities omit the Bon, of God. ' CHAPTER I. 1. The new dispensation was considered as commencing in the preaching of John the Bap- tist. The law and the prophets were until John. (Luke 16 : 16.) 3. Make ye ready the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. This prediction is quoted in all the four Gospels, showing that it was regarded as a great out- standing one, and the predicted forerunner as the connecting link between the old and the new economies. Like the great ones of the earth, the Prince of peace was to have his immediate ap- proach proclaimed and his way prepared ; and the call here — taking it generally — is a call to put out of the way whatever would obstruct his progress and hiuder his complete triumph, whether those hindrances were public or personal, outward or The voice of one cry- 3 ing in the wilder- ness, Make ye ready the way of the Lord, Make his paths straight ; John came, who baptized 4 in the wilderness and preached the baptism of 2 Some ancient authorities read in the prophets. inward. Levelling and smooth- ing are here the obvious figures whose sense is conveyed in the first words of the proclamation, "Make ye ready the way of the Lord.'1'' The idea is that every obstruction shall be so removed as to reveal to the whole world the salvation of God in him whose name is the "Saviour." 4. Baptism of rej^entance ; that is, baptism as a public pledge and profession of repentance. There is a peculiar appropriate- ness in the application of water as a symbol of inward purifica- tion; but the real value of the rite consists in its being the form by which the convert, in a public and solemn manner, calls upon his fellow-men to witness that he abandons his sins and returns to God. Baptism has no efficacy in itself. It is simply the public profession of a princi- 144 S. MARK. 1. repentance unto remis- 5sion of sins. And there went out unto him all the country of Judaea, and all they of Jerusalem ; and they were baptized of him in the river Jordan, confessing their 6 sins. And John was clothed with camel' s hair, and had a leathern girdle about his loins, and did eat locusts and wild 7 honey. And he preached, saying, . There cometh after me he that is mightier than I, the latchet of whose shoes I am not 'worthy to stoop 8 down and unloose. I baptized you "with water; but he shall baptize you 2with the 3Holy Ghost. 9 And it came to pass in those days, that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized of John *in the Jordan. 10 And straightway coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens rent asunder, and the Spirit as a dove descending 1 Gr. sufficient. 2 Or, in pie by a symbolical act, instead of by words. 6. The ordinary food and clothing of the more destitute classes of society. 9. Nazareth ; a village situated back among the hills, at a dis- tance from the lake. It was the place where his parents resided. It would seem that he remained upon him: and a voice n came out of the heavens, Thou art my beloved Son, in thee I am well pleased. An d sfcra igh t way t b e 12 Spirit drive th him forth into the wilderness. And 13 he was in the wilderness forty days tempted of Satan ; and he was with the wild beasts ; and the angels ministered unto him . Now after that John 14 was delivered up, Jesus came into Galilee, preach- ing the gospel of God. and saying, The time is 15 fulfilled, and the king- dom of God is at hand : repent ye, and believe in the gospel. And passing along by 16 the sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew the brother of Simon casting a net in the sea : for they were fishers. And Jesus said unto 17 them, Come ye after me, and I will make you to become fishers of men. And straightway they 18 3 Or. Holy Spirit: and so throughout this liook. 4 Gr. into. at home with them until this time. 12. Drirrth him; that is, influ- enced him to go. 1:!. Ministered unto him; at- tended upon him, — to supply his wants, and to restore his strength and spirits after the temptation. 15. Thi time-: that is. (he time predicted by the prophets. — 1. 29. S. MARK. 145 left the nets, and fol- 19 lowed him. And going on a little further, he saw James the son of Zebe- dee, and John his bro- ther, who also were in the boat mending the 20 nets. And straightway he called them : and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants, and went after him. 21 And they go into Capernaum ; and straight- way on the sabbath day he entered into the syna- 22gogue and taught. And they were astonished at his teaching : for he taught them as having authority, and not as the 23 scribes. And straight- way there was in their synagogue a man with 24 an unclean spirit ; and he cried out, saying, 1 Or, it 2 Or, convulsing 3 Some ancient authorities read when 19. James and John were afterwards very prominent among the apostles. Peter, James, and John are often al- luded to, as the special friends and companions of the Savior. John wrote the Gospel which is called by his name. James was beheaded by one of the Herod s. (Acts 12 : 1, 2.) There was another James among the twelve. 20. Hired servants. This shows that they were not very poor, as is often supposed. The disciples returned to their home again after this, and Jesus with them as their guest, v. 29 ; comp. 6* What have we to do with thee, thou Jesus of Nazareth ? art thou come to destroy us ? I know thee who thou art, the Holy One of God. And 25 Jesus rebuked ' him,, say- ing, Hold thy peace, and come out of him. And 26 the unclean spirit, 2 tear- ing him and crying with a loud voice, came out of him. And they were all 27 amazed, insomuch that they questioned among themselves, saying, What is this? a new teaching! with authority he com- mandeth even the un- clean spirits, and they obey him. And the re- 28 port of him went out straightway everywhere into all the region of Galilee round about. And straightway, "when 29 they were come out of he ivas come out of the synagogue, he came &c. also v. 35 and 36, which show that Jesus spent the night in their dwelling. — It is remark- able that, after the series of ex- citing scenes to which these dis- ciples were now introduced had been brought to a close by the crucifixion of their Master, we find them again returning to their early home, and to their wonted occupations, (John 21 : 1-14,) though only for a short time. 21 . Capernaum ; a port on the lake. 23. A man with an unclean spirit; a demoniac. 26. Tearing him; producing violent convulsions. 146 S. MARK. 1.29— the synagogue, they came into the house of Simon and Andrew, with James 30'.indJohn. Now Simon's wife's mother lay sick of a fever ; and straightway 31 they tell him of her : and he came and took her by the hand, and raised her up ; and the fever left her, and she ministered unto them. 32 And at even, when the sun did set, they brought unto him all that were sick, and them that were 1 possessed with devils. 33 And all the city was gathered together at the 34 door. And he healed many that were sick with divers diseases, and cast out many 2 devils ; and he suffered not the 2 devils to speak, because they knew him.3 35 And in the morning, a great while before day, 1 Or, demoniacs 2 Gr. demons. 3 Many ancient authorities add to be he rose up and went out, and departed into a des- ert place, and there pray- ed. And Simon and 36 they that were with him followed after him ; and 37 they found him, and say unto him, All are seeking thee. And he saith unto 38 them, Let us go elsewrhere into the next towns, that I may preach there also ; for to this end came I forth. And he w^ent into 39 their synagogues through- out all Galilee, preaching and casting out 2 devils And there cometh to 40 him a leper, beseeching him, 4 and kneeling down to him, and saying unto him, If thou wilt, thou canst make me clean. And being moved with 41 compassion, he stretched forth his hand, and touched him, and saith unto bim, I will ; be Christ See Luke iv. 41. 4 Some ancient authorities omit and kneeling doivn to him. 31. Ministered unto them; waited upon them as guests. 32. When the sun did set. The fame of the miracle performed in the synagogue, and of that at the house of Simon, produced great public excitement; but as it was the Sabbath, the people would not bring other sick persons to be healed until the sun went down, and the Sabbath had come to a close. 34. Tney knew that he was the Messiah. Jesus often en- deavored to moderate the public excitement, by restraining the desire of those who had been the subjects of his most aston- ishing miracles, to proclaim them to others. — Because they Tcneio him. It is remark able that the demoniacs seemed always to recognize Jesus as the Mes- siah. 35. Went out ; that is, out of Simon's house, where he had spent the night. 38. Let us go, &c. ; meaning that they would not go back into Capernaum, but into some of the other towns. 40. Make me clean ; heal me. —2.3. S. MARK. 147 42 thou made clean. And straightway the leprosy departed from him, and 43 he was made clean. And he ' strictly charged him, and straightway sent him 44 out, and saith unto him, See thou say nothing to any man: but go thy way, shew thyself to the priest, and offer for thy cleansing the things which Moses command- ed, for a testimony unto 45 them. But he went out, and began to publish it much, and to spread abroad the 2 matter, inso- 1 Or, sternly 2 Gr. word. 3 Gr. he. much that 8 Jesus could no more openly enter in- to 4 a city, but was with- out in desert places : and they came to him from every quarter. And when he entered 2 again into Capernaum after some days, it was noised that he was 6in the house. And many were 2 gathered together, so that there was no longer room for them, no, not even about the door : and he sx)ake the word unto them. And they come, 3 bringing unto him a man 4 Or, the city 5 Or, at home 44. For a testimony unto them. The law required that, when a leper supposed himself healed, he should report himself to the priest, in order that the reality of the cure might be ascertained, and certain ceremonies per- formed, by which he was to be released from the restrictions of ceremonial uncleanness. The leprosy was a very inveterate and terrible disease; and every precaution was taken to prevent its spread. The point of interest in this case seems to be, that the person healed was a leper. It appears to have been the first case of the kind which had oc- curred; and hence the great ex- citement which it occasioned. 45. Gould no more openly enter, &c. It was to prevent the evils arising from such wide-spread and high excitement, that Jesus often charged those whose cases were most remarkable, not to speak publicly of the circum- stances of their cure. — Desert places ; solitary places, away from habitations. CHAPTER H. 1. After some days ; during which there was time for the excitement to subside. 2. And he spake the word unto them. The word here rendered spake, is not the same as that elsewhere translated preached, the latter signifying the act of a herald proclaiming news. The teaching here mentioned was probably in the inner court of a private house. The build- ings constituting an ancient dwelling of the better class, were generally arranged in a square, so as to bring the yard or court in the centre, which was thus enclosed and protected. This is still the case in countries wThere the people do not feel se- cure from public commotions and acts of violence. 3. Borne of four. Palsy is a disease which renders the patient :48 S. MARK. 2.3— sick of the palsy, borne 4 of four. And when they could not 'come nigh unto him for the crowd, they uncovered the roof where he was : and when they had broken it up, they let down the bed whereon the sick of the 5 palsy lay. And Jesus seeing their faith saith unto the sick of the pal- sy, 2Son, thy sins are for- 6 given. But there were certain of the scribes sit- ting there, and reasoning 7 in their hearts, Why doth this man thus speak ? he blasphemeth : who can forgive sins but 8 one, even God? And straightway Jesus, per- ceiving in his spirit that they so reasoned within themselves, saith unto them, Why reason ye these things in your 9 hearts ? Whether is eas- ier, to say to the sick of 1 Many ancient authorities read bring him unto him. peculiarly helpless. A consider- able portion of the body is deprived, in a great measure, of the power of sense and motion. 4. Uncovered the roof ; removed such a portion as to allow of letting the patient down into the court. 9. The reasoning of the Saviour seems to be this, — that to per- form a miraculous cure was as truly an exercise of divine power, as to forgive sins ; but as the former act only could be made evident to the senses, they ought to be satisfied by seeing him the palsy, Thy sins are forgiven ; or to say, Arise, and take up thy bed, and walk? But that ye mayio know that the Son of man hath 3power on earth to forgive sins (he saith to the sick of the palsy). In say unto thee, Arise, take up thy bed, and go Unto thy house. And he arose, 12 and straightway took up the bed, and went forth before them all ; inso- much that they were all amazed, and glorified God, saying, We never saw it on this fashion. And he went forth 13 again by the sea side ; and all the multitude re- sorted unto him, and he taught them . And as he 14 passed by, he saw Levi the son of Alphseus sitting at the place of toll, and he saith unto him, Fol- low me. And he arose and followed him. And 15 2 Gr. Child. 3 Or, authority exercise the one, that he possessed power to perform the other. 11. Thy led; the small couch or mattress on which he was borne. 14. Levi. This collector i3 called Matthew, by the other evangelists. (Matt. 9: 9.) — The place of toll; the office where he transacted the business of col- lecting the taxes or customs of this port. 15. Levi, or Matthew, seems to have been possessed of prop- erty, and to have had many —2. 22. S. MARK. 149 it came to pass, that he was sitting at meat in his house, and many publi- cans and sinners sat down with Jesus and his disci- ples: for there were many, and they followed him. 16 And the scribes 2of the Pharisees, when they saw that he was eating with the sinners and publicans, said unto his disciples, 3He eateth 4and drinketh with publicans and sin- I7ners. And when Jesus heard it, he saith unto them, They that are 5whole have no need of a physician, but they that are sick : I came not to call the righteous, but sinners. 18 And John's disciples and the Pharisees were fasting : and they come 1 See marginal note on Matt. v. 46. 2 Some ancient authorities read and the Pharisees. 3 Or, How is it that he eateth.. sinners? other officers either associated with him in his business, or acting under him. 17. Whole; well. The words to repentance, inserted in the Old Version, are wanting in the best manuscripts, and were probably added from Luke by some scribe to make the meaning clearer. 18. Were fasting ; or perhaps, as in the Old Version, used to ■^ast. The meaning may either be that they were observing a fast at this particular time, or simply that they were accustom- ed to keep fasts, which the dis- ciples of Christ did not do. 19. Sojis of the bride- chamber ; companions of the bridegroom ; and say unto him, Why do John's disciples and the disciples of the Phari- sees fast, but thy disci- ples fast not ? And Jesus 19 said unto them, Can the sons of the bride-chamber fast, while the bridegroom is with them ? as long as they have the bridegroom with them, they cannot fast. But the days will 20 come, when the bride- groom shall be taken away from them, and then will they fast in that day. No man seweth apiece of 21 undressed cloth on an old garment : else that which should fill it up taketh from it, the new from the old, and a worse rent is made. And no man put- 22 teth new wine into old 6wine-skins : else the wine . 4 Some ancient authorities omit and drinketh. 5 Gr. strong. 6 That is, skins used as bottles. persons answering to our modern groomsmen. 20. The meaning is, that, while Christ was with his disci- ples, it was proper for them to rejoice, and not to mourn. The days for mourning and fasting would come when he should be taken away. 21. Undressed cloth; cloth which had not been fulled. — Taketh from it ; shrinks and draws the old, so that it is easily torn again, and made worse than before. See note on Matt. 9: 16, 17. 22. Burst the sMns ; by its fer- mentation. The ancient bottles were made of skins, which, when new, were elastic, would yield 150 S. MARK 2. 22- will burst the skins, and the wine perisheth, and the skins : but they put new wine into fresh wine- skins. 23 And it came to pass, that he was going on the sabbath day through the cornfields ; and his dis- ciples 1 began, as they went, to pluck the ears of 24 corn. And the Pharisees said unto him, Behold, why do they on the sab- bath day that which is not 25 lawful ? • And he said unto them, Did ye never read what David did, when he had need, and was an hungred, he, and they 26 that were with him ? How he entered into the house of God 2when Abiathar was high priest, and did eat the shewbread, which it is not lawful to eat save 1 Gr. began to make their tvay pluck- ing. to expansion, and not easily tear ; but when they became old they became stiff and unyield- ing. The meaning of the two parables is that we are not to attempt to confine new spiritual experience in old forms or me- thods of expression, but are to allow each new experience to wTork out for itself its own ex- pression. 23. Availing themselves of a permission given in Deut. 23 : 24, 25. 26. 1 Sam. 21 : 2-6. It was in fact Ahimeh-ch who gave David the bread. Saul after- wards slew him for this act, and then Abiathar, his son, succeed- for the priests, and gave also to them that were with him? And he said 27 unto them, The sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath : so that the Son of man is 28 lord even of the sabbath. And he entered again 3 into the synagogue ; and there was a man there which had his hand with- ered. And they watched 2 him, whether he would heal him on the sabbath day ; that they might accuse him. And he saith 3 unto the man that had his hand withered, "Stand forth. And he saith unto 4 them, Is it lawful on the sabbath day to do good, or to do harm % to save a life, or to kill \ But they held their peace. And 5 when he had looked round 2 Some ancient authorities read in the days of Abiathar the high priest. 3 Gr. Arise into the midst. ed him. Abiathar was more prominent as a public character, and thus his name is used to des- ignate the historical period at which the event occurred. 27. The doctrine taught is, that ceremonial laws are not. like moral precepts, of perpetual and unchanging obligation. In great emergencies, they yield to the necessity of relieving human suffering. CHAPTER III. 1. Withered; wasted awTay by disease. 5. With anger ; with an ex- pression of displeasure upon his counteuauce. — At the hardening 3. 15. S. MARK. 151 about on them with anger, being grieved at the hardening of their heart, he saith unto the man, Stretch forth thy hand. And he stretched it forth : and his hand was re- c stored. And the Pharisees went out, and straightway with the Herodians took counsel against him, how they might destroy him. 7 And Jesus with his disciples withdrew to the sea : and a great multitude from Galilee followed: 8 and from Judsea, and from Jerusalem, and from Idumsea. and beyond Jordan, and about Tyre and Sidon, a great multi- tude, hearing 1 what great things he did, came unto 9 him. And he spake to his disciples, that a little boat should wait on him 1 Or, all the things that he did 2 Gr. scourges. 3 Gr. fell. 4 Some ancient authorities add w7iom also he named apostles. See Luke vi. 13. of their heart ; not, for the hard- ness of their hearts, as in the Old Version; but because they were deliberately hardening their hearts against him. 6. The Herodians. The Herod who ruled over Judea, when Christ was born, died a year or two after that event. His son, Herod Antipas, who beheaded John the Baptist, now governed Galilee and some other coun- tries, but not Judea. The He- rodians were adherents of the family of Herod, and a political party rather than a religious sect. because of the crowd, lest they should throng him : for he had healed many ; 10 insomuch that as many as had 2 plagues 3 pressed upon him that they might touch him. And the 11 unclean spirits, whenso- ever they beheld him, fell down before him, and cried, saying, Thou art the Son of God. And he 12 charged them much that they should not make him known. And he goeth up into 13 the mountain, and calleth unto him whom he him- self would: and they went unto him. And he 14 appointed twelve,4 that they might be with him, and that he might send them forth to preach, and to have authority to 15 cast out 'devils: and 6Si-ie 5 Gr. demons. 6 Some ancient authorities insert and he appointed twelve. 7. The sea ; of Galilee. 10. Plagues; diseases of any kind. 13. Into the mountain; i. e., the highlands or hill country which surrounded the Sea of Galilee, and extended to a point south of Jerusalem, and consti- tuted the centre or backbone of Palestine. 16. It is noticeable that Peter's name is placed first upon the list. Then follow James and John, — and Judas comes last. They seem thus to take preced- ence somewhat according to the standing which their talents and 152 S. MARK. 3. le- mon he surnamed Peter ; 17 and James the son of Zebedee, and John the brother of James ; and them he surnamed Boa- nerges, which is, Sons of 18 thunder : and Andrew, and Philip, and Bartholo- mew, and Matthew, and Thomas, and James the son of Alphas us, and ThaddaBus, and Simon 19 the 'Canansean, and Judas Iscariot, which also be- trayed him. 20 And he cometh 2 into a house. And the multi- tude cometh together again, so that they could not so much as eat bread. 21 And when his friends heard it, they went out 1 Or, Zealot. See Luke vi. 15; Acts i. piety gave them. They who oc- cupy prominent positions in the church, should learn humility from the fact, that the highest on the catalogue of the apostles was the one who afterwards de- nied his Master. 17. Boanerges ; a title expres- sive of the power and energy of their eloquence. In forming our opinions on the subject of ren- dering honors to the eminent, are we to take into consideration the fact that Jesus seems to have given to two of his disciples an honorary title of distinction ? 18. James the son of Alpheus. His father's name is given to dis- tinguish him from the other James, the son of Zebedee. In theological writings, the former is generally called James the greater, and the latter James the less. James the less is supposed to lay hold on him : for they said, He is beside himself. And the scribes 22 which came down from Jerusalem said, He hath Beelzebub, and 3 By the prince of the 4 devils cast- eth he out the 4 devils. And he called them unto 23 him, and said unto them in parables, How can Sa- tan cast out Satan? And 24 if a kingdom be divided against itself that king- dom cannot stand. And 25 if a house be divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand. And if Satan hath risen 26 up against himself, and is divided, he cannot stand, but hath an end. 2 Or, home 3 Or, Li 4 Gr., demons. to have written the Epistle called by his name. — Simon the Cananwin. He is called by Luke, Simon the Zealot. He is thus particularly designated to distinguish him from Simon Peter. 21. To lay hold on him; to take him away from the danger which they supposed him to be in. — They said; his friends thought that he was carried away by his excitement and his enthusiasm, and they desired to get him away from the crowd to some quiet, retired place. In the following verses, 22-30, there is an account of a very different impression which the scribes at- tempted to produce; viz., that lie was possessed by an evil spirit, and was casting out devils by the Prince of devils. -3. 34 S. MARK. 153 27 But no one can enter into the house of the strong ma?i, and spoil his goods, except he first bind the strong man ; and then he will spoil his house. 28 Verily I say unto you, All their sins shall be forgiven unto the sons of men, and their blasphe- mies wherewith soever they shall blaspheme : 29 but whosoever shall blas- pheme against the Holy Spirit hath never forgive- ness, but is guilty of an 30 eternal sin : because they 27. The strong man ; meaning Satan, — with whom they had accused him of being in league. 29, 30. Is guilty of an eternal sin. This is undoubtedly the correct reading ; the Old Version had is in danger of eternal dam- nation. The meaning of the passage is to be interpreted by such texts as John 3:19; Rev. 22:11. It is possible for one so to resist all the loving and be- nign influences with which God in his love and mercy surrounds him, that he is finally given over to hopeless and irredeemable sin. (See Matt. 12: 31, 32.) The sin of the Pharisees consisted in this, — that when they knew that it was the divine power which they saw imbodied in the person of Jesus, they ascribed the effects to the agency of evil spirits; it was thus a direct and deliberate opposition to the cause of God, as such. Most of the sins and blasphemies of mankind arise from the violence of human passions, uncontrolled by the authority of God, but without any positive hostility directed expressly and intention - said, He hath an unclean spirit. And there come his 31 mother and his brethren ; and, standing without, they sent unto him, call- ing him. And a multi- 32 tude was" sitting about him ; and they say unto him, Behold, thy mother and thy brethren without seek for thee. And he 33 answereth them, and saith, Who is my mother and my brethren? And 34 looking round on them which sat round about ally towards him. But when the human soul assumes an attitude of known and wilful opposition to the cause of God, from ma- lignant feeling directed against this cause and its Author, it goes to the extreme limit of human guilt, and incurs the terrible de- nunciation which Jesus here pro- nounced against such sins. 31. There come; that is, in consequence of the excitement against him expressed in the pre- ceding verses. — Standing with- out; the pressure of the crowd preventing their coming in to him. 34. This seems to have been a calm expression of confidence that he had then nothing to fear. He was surrounded by friends, as well as beset by enemies. In studying this incident, the read- er must remember that the mother and the brethren came to interfere with and prevent Christ's continuance of his work as a saviour of sinners. They were the friends who went out to lay hold on him, because they thought he was beside him- self. 154 S. MARK. 3.3< him, he saith, Behold, my mother and my bre 35 thren ! For whosoevei shall do the will of God, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother. 4 And again he began to teach by the sea side. And there is gathered unto him a very great multitude, so that he entered into a boat, and sat in the sea ; and all the multitude were by 2 the sea on the land. And he taught them many things iu parables, and said unto them in his 3 teaching, Hearken : Be- hold, the sower went 4 forth to sow : and it came to pass, as he sowed, some seed fell by the way side, and the birds came 5 and devoured it. And other fell on the rocky ground, where it had not much earth ; and straight* CHAPTER IV. 1. The sea-side; on the shores of the Sea of Galilee. — There is gathered unto him. In many places the New Version gives a present tense where the Old Ver- sion gave a past tense. It thus not only more accurately repre- sents the original, but also rep- resents the facts in a more pic- torial and striking manner. — Sat in the sea; in a boat upon the water. 4. The sower went forth to mc : not merely a sower." In the Old Testament, God is compared to a^ sower of seed. (See Isaiah 55: 10.) — The rocky ground; i. e., way it sprang up, be- cause it had no deepness of earth: and when the 6 sun was risen, it was scorched ; and because it had no root, it withered away. And other fell 7 among the thorns, and the thorns grew up, and choked it, and it yielded no fruit. And others fell 8 into the good ground, and yielded fruit, grow- ing up and increasing ; and brought forth, thirty- fold, and sixtyfold, and a hundredfold. And he 9 said, Who hath ears to hear, let him hear. And when he was alone, io they that were about him, with the twelve asked of him the parables. Andu he said unto them, Unto you is given the mystery of the kingdom of God : but unto them that are without, all things are the places where the underlying rock came close to the surface, leaving only a very light cover- ing of soil. On this whole para- ble and its interpretation, see notes on same parable in Matt, ch. 13. 10. Wfon he was (done; after the public discourse was ended, and he was alone with his friends. 11. Them that are without; those who had assembled, from various motives, to listen to what the Saviour said, but who did not join themselves cordially to him. so as to be admitted to his confidence. —4. 22. S. MARK. 155 12 done in parables ; that seeing they may see, and not perceive ; and hear- ing they may hear, and not understand ; lest haply they should turn again, and it should be 13 forgiven them. And he saith unto them, Know ye not this parable ? and how shall ye know all the 14 parables ? The sower issoweth the word. And these are they by the way side, where the word is sown ; and when they have heard, straightway cometh Satan, and taketh away the word which hath been sown in 16 them. And these in like manner are they that are sown upon the rocky places, who, when they have heard the word, straightway receive it 17 with joy ; and they have no root in themselves, but 1 Or, age 12. Such has been the dispen- sation of divine truth in all ages of the world, that the higher spiritualities of religion, though accessible to all who really seek them, are covered by a veil from the open gaze of the profane. It is so down to the present hour. Many listen to the preaching of the gospel all their lives, to whose minds any actual conception of the nature of redemption from sin, by the Son of God, never penetrates. Divine Providence seems design- edly so to arrange the dispensa- tion of truth, that, seeing, sinners may, if they choose, not see, and hearing, not hear. endure for awhile ; then, when tribulation or per- secution ariseth because of the word, straightway they stumble. And 18 others are they that are sown among the thorns ; these are they that have 19 heard the word, and the cares of the 1 world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful. And those are they that 20 were sown upon the good ground ; such as hear the word, and accept it, and bear fruit, thirty fold, and sixtyfold, and a hundredfold. And he said unto them, 21 Is the lamp brought to be put under the bushel, or under the bed, and not to be put on the stand? For there is nothing hid, 22 14. That is, the sower repre- sents the preacher of divine truth. 15. Taketh away the word. The truth passes away from their minds, by the agency of Satan, and is forgotten. 21. Bed; the couch upon which it was customary to re- cline at meals. 22. There is nothing hid ; i.e., the object of Christ in seeming to vail the truth in the form of parables, was to make that truth clearer and plainer to those who, if it had been stated in any other form, would not have re- ceived it ; in fact, the hiding of the truth under parables, has 156 S. MARK. 4. 22— save that it should be manifested ; neither was anything made secret, but that it should come 23 to light. If any man hath ears to hear, let him hear. 24 And he said unto them, Take heed what ye hear : with what measure ye mete it shall be measured unto you : and more shall 25 be given unto you. For he that hath, to him shall be given : and he that hath not, from him shall be taken away even that which he hath. 26 And he said, So is the kingdom of God, as if a man should cast seed 27 upon the earth ; and should sleep and rise night and day, and the seed should spring up and grow, heknowethnot 28 how. The earth 'beareth fruit of herself ; first the blade, then the ear, then the full corn in the ear. 1 Or, yieldeth 2 Or, alloweth made it manifest in all ages and to all understandings. 25. In other words, the farther you advance in knowledge and piety, the more easy and rapid will be your progress. 27. Sleep, and rise night and day ; that is, as usual, — pursu- ing his usual vocations, without having upon his mind any care' in regard to the vegetation of his seed. 28, 29. So with the disciples as preachers of the gospel. Their duty would be to sow the seed, and to gather into the churches those in whose hearts But when the fruit !is29 ripe, straightway he 3put- teth forth the sickle, be- cause the harvest is come. And he said, How shall 30 we liken the kingdom of God % or in what parable shall we set it forth \ 4It 31 is like a grain of mustard seed, which , when itis sown upon the earth, though it be less than all the seeds that are upon the earth, yet when it is sown, grow- 32 eth up, and becometh greater than all the herbs, and putteth out great branches; so that the birds of the heaven can lodge under the shadow thereof. And with many such 33 parables spake he the word unto them, as they were able to hear it : and 34 without a parable spake he not unto them : but privately to his own dis- ciples he expounded all things. Or, sencleth forth 4 Gr. As unto. the Spirit of God causes it to vegetate. As they cannot by their own power make the word which they preach effectual, they have no responsibility in regard to its reception. 30, 31. How shall ice? What parable? The meaning appears to be, If you cannot understand these parables, in what form, or by what story can I set forth the truth so that you will under- stand it? Les8;i.e., very small. 33. As they were aUe to hear it; according to the capacity of his hearers to understand and profit by his instructions. —5.4. S. MARK. 157 35 And on that day, when even was come, he saith unto them, Let us go over unto the other side. 36 And leaving the multi- tude, they take him with them, even as he was, in the boat. And other boats 37 were with him. And there arise th a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the boat, insomuch that the boat 38 was now filling. And he himself was in the stern, asleep on the cushion : and they awake him, and say unto him, 'Master, cares t thou not that we 39 perish? And he awoke, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there 40 was a great calm. And 1 Or, Teacher 36. Other boats, which the rest of the company took, in order to follow him. 37. A great storm. Lakes sit- uated in mountainous regions are very much exposed to sudden Btorms. — Was now filling ; not, as in the Old Version, was full. 41. They feared exceedingly ; that is, they were impressed with wonder and awe. CHAPTER V. 1. The other side; the eastern side, which Jesus visited com- paratively seldom. It wasabout five miles across the lake.— Country of the Gerasenes ; the same as the countrv of the Gada- he said unto them, Why are ye fearful? have ye not yet faith? And they 41 feared exceedingly, and said one to another. Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him? And they came to the 5 other side of the sea, into the country of the Gera- senes. And when he was 2 come out of the boat, straightway there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit, who had his dwell- 3 ing in the tombs : and no man could any more bind him, no, not with a chain ; because that he had been 4 often bound with fetters and chains, and the chains had been rent asunder by him and the fetters renes, Matt. >8. The Old Version used here the word Ga- darenes, and there is consider- able uncertainty as to the correct reading, though none as to the locality referred to. 2. The tombs. The tombs in the countries around the Medi- terranean were very remarkable. They consisted of natural or arti- ficial excavations, often of great extent. In later times, they have often become the dens of robbers. — A man. Matthew mentions two men. (Matt. 8 : 28.) Luke and Mark seem to speak only of the one whose case was most extraordinary. 3. Gould any more bind him ; could bind him securely, with the ordinary chains used for such a purpose. 158 S. MARK. 5.4- broken in pieces : and no man had strength to tame 5 him. And always, night and day, in the tombs and in the mountains, he was crying out, and cutting 6 himself with stones. And when he saw Jesus from afar, he ran and worship - 7ped him ; and crying out with a loud voice, he saith, What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of the Most High God? I adjure thee by God, tor- 8 ment me not. For he said unto him, Come forth, thou unclean spirit, out of 9 the man. And he asked him, What is thy name? 8. For he said ; he had said. 9. Legion. Certain large divi- sions of the Roman army were called legions. 11. On the mountain side ; not nigh unto the mountains ; they were on the slope leading down to the sea, and ran down this slope into the sea. 13. There have been great differences of opinion, and much discussion, in respect to the na- ture of the cases of demoniacal possession described in the New Testament; many persons having maintained that they were cases of natural, though severe, dis- ease, and that the language re- ferring them to the agency of evil spirits is only the figurative phraseology of Hebrew writers, — the case here described being, according to this idea, only a case of violent insanity. The subject is doubtless attended with serious difficulties, for it is not easy to account for such proceedings as are here related, on the supposition that intelli- And he saith unto him, My name is Legion ; for we are many. And he 10 besought him much that he would not send them away out of the country. Now there was there onli the mountain side a great herd of swine feeding. And they besought him, 12 saying, Send us into the swine, that we may enter into them. And he gave 13 them leave And the unclean spirits came out, and entered into the swine: and the herd rushed down the steep into the sea, in number about two thousand ; and gent beings from another world were the actors; and yet the language in which the events are described seems incapable of any other interpretation. The re- ferring of these sufferings to the power of evil spirits does not, however, exclude the supposi- tion of disease. The sacred writers evidently regarded these unhappy objects of the Savior's compassion as laboring under mental or bodily maladies: the distinction is, that they refer these maladies to a supernatural and evil agency. There are strong indications of insanity, for example, in this case. The description of the condition of the patient, (3-5,) the incoher- ency of some of his answers, and, above all, the expression in his right mind, in v. 15, conspire to show that this unhappy sufferer was in a state of maniacal frenzy, — though the source of this in- sanity is plainly ascribed to the agency of infernal beings. -5. 26. S. MARK. 159 they were choked in the 14 sea. And they that fed them fled, and told it in the city, and in the country. And they came to see what it was that had 15 come to pass. And they come to Jesus, and behold 'him that was possessed with devils sitting, clo- thed and in his right mind, even him that had the legion : and they were 16 afraid. And they that saw it declared unto them how it befell 'him that was possessed with devils, and concerning the swine. 17 And they began to be- seech him to depart from 18 their borders. And as he was entering into the boat, he that had been pos- sessed with "devils be- sought him that he might 19 be with him. And he suffered him not> but saith unto him, Go to thy house unto thy friends, and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee, and how he had mercy on 20 thee. And he went his 1 Or, the demoniac 19. If he had gone with Jesus, his presence and his story would have done very much to increase the public agitation and the con- sequent pressure of the crowd. These excitements the Saviour showed himself constantly de- sirous to moderate and allay. 21. The other side; that is, back to the western side, where he ordinarily resided. way, and began to publish in Decapolis how great things Jesus had done for him: and all men did marvel. And when Jesus had 21 crossed over again in the boat unto the other side, a great multitude was gathered unto him : and he was by the sea. And there cometh.22 one of the rulers of the synagogue, Jairus by name ; and seeing him, he falleth at his feet, and 23 beseecheth him much, saying, My little daugh- ter is at the point of death : I pray thee, that thou come and lay thy hands on her, that she may be "made whole, and live. And he went with 24 him ; and a great multi- tude followed him, and they thronged him. And a woman, which 25 had an issue of blood twelve years, and had 26 suffered many things of many physicians, and had spent all that she 2 Gr. demons. 3 Or, saved 23. The details of the case of the daughter of Jairus ate stated quite differently, but net incon- sistently, by Matthew. (9:18.) Such reconcilable diversities, in ordinary testimony, are consid- ered as adding to its strength, by proving its independence. Minute agreement indicates col- lusion. 160 S. MARK. 5. 26— had, and was nothing bettered, but rather grew 27 worse, having heard the things concerning Jesus, came in the crowd be hind, and touched his 28 garment. For she said, If I touch but his gar- ments, I shall be ' made 29 whole. And straightway the fountain of her blood was dried up ; and she felt in her body that she was healed of her "plague. 30 And straightway Jesus, perceiving in himself that the power 'proceeding from him had gone forth, turned him about in the crowd, and said, Who touched my garments ? 31 And his discijjles said unto him, Thou seest the multitude thronging thee, and say est thou, Who 82 touched me \ And he 1 Or, saved 2 Gr. scourge. 3 Or, saved thee 27. Hewing heard the things concerning Jesus; not as in the Old Version, heard of Jesus, but heard the fame of the miracles which he had wrought. 29. She felt in her body. Not only was the disorder healed, but the debility and exhaustion which it had occasioned were at once removed. She felt not only freed from the disease, but vigorous and strong again. 30. There is a slight but sug- gestive difference between the New and the Old Version, in the rendering of this verse; accord- ing to the New Version. Jesus lierceived in himself that the looked round about to see her that had done this thing. Bat the wo- 33 man fearing and trem- bling, knowing what had been done to her, came and fell down before him, and told him all the truth. And he said unto 34 her, Daughter, thy faith hath 3made thee whole ; go in peace, and be whole of thy "plague. While he yet spake, 35 they come from the ruler of the synagogue's 7wuse, saying, Thy daughter is dead : why troublest thou the "Master any further 1 But Jesus, 5not heeding 36 the word spoken, saith unto the ruler of the synagogue, Fear not, only believe. And he 37 suffered no man to follow with him, save Peter, and 4 Or, Teacher 5 Or, overhearing power which he was wont to exert in the healing of the sick had gone forth from him. What is clear, in either reading, is that this healing was accom- plished by the conscious forth- putting of his power. 34. Thy plague ; thy disease. 35. Jesus had hitherto per- formed no greater miracle than to heal the diseases of the living. They supposed, therefore, that the death of the patient removed her from his power. 36. Not h<> ding the word spoken ; he heard it, but he paid no attention to it; he disre- garded it. /VZX-E -X^-£ TEN VI^^X V\ -6. 3. 8. MARK. 163 James, and John the 38 brother of James. And they come to the house of the ruler of the syna- gogue ; and he beholdeth a tumult, and many weeping and wailing 39 greatly. And when he was entered in, he saith unto them, Why make ye a tumult, and weep? the child is not dead, but 40sleepeth. And they laughed him to scorn. But lie, having put them all forth, taketh the fa- ther of the child and her mother and them that were with him, and goeth in where the child was. 41 And taking the child by the hand, he saith unto her, Talitha cumi ; which is, being interpreted, Damsel, I say unto thee, 42 Arise. And straightway the damsel rose up, and 1 Some ancient authorities insert the. 38. The tumult. Neighbors, friends, and hired mourners were accustomed to express their sympathy, on such occasions of domestic sorrow, by loud lamen- tations. 30. The child is not dead, &c. ; bur spirit has not finally left the body, but is to be restored again. 40. And them that were with Mm ; Peter, James, and John, — the first among the apostles, and the Savior's most intimate and confidential friends. (v. 37.) 41. Talitha- cumi ; words of a Hebrew dialect, spoken at this time in Judea. Why the origi- nal words are quoted in this and on some other particular occa- 7 walked ; for she was twelve years old. And they were amazed straightway with a great amazement. And he 43 charged them much that no man should know this : and he commanded that something should be giv- en her to eat. And he went out from 6 thence ; and he cometh into his own country; and his disciples follow him. And when the sab- 2 bath was come, he began to teach in the synagogue: and 'many hearing him were astonished, saying, Whence hath this man these things \ and, What is the wisdom that is given unto this man, and what mean such '"mighty works wrought by his hands? Is not this the 3 carpenter, the son of 2 Gr. powers. sions, as 15:34, does not ap- pear. CHAPTER VI. 1. His oton country ; the region of Nazareth. 2. What is the wisdom. — What mean such mighty works? Two things astonished the people — the wisdom of Christ's teaching, and the greatness of his mira- cles ; neither would have pro- duced the necessary impression upon them without the other. 3. The carpenter. Matthew (13-55) says the carpenter's son. It would seem, from Mark's expression, that Jesus had been accustomed to labor with his 104 S. MARK. 6.3— Mary, and brother of James, and Joses, and Judas, and Simon? and are not his sisters here 4 with us? And they were 'offended in him. And Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not without honour, save in (lis own country, and among bis own kin, and 5 in his own house. And he could there do no 'mighty work, save that he laid his hands upon a few sick folk, and healed 6 them. And he marvelled because of their unbelief. And he went round 1 Gr. caused to stumble. 2 Gr. power. father. — Brother — sisters. These words are often used in the Scriptures to express any near relative, as in Gen. 13: 8, where Abraham and Lot are said to be brethren. [But for reasons fully stated in my commentary on Matt. ch. 13, I believe here real brethren and sisters are meant. L. A.] 5. That is, they brought very few to be healed ; and he would not force his miracles upon them. 7. By two and two ; that they might render to each other mutual assistance and sympathy, 8, 9. That is, that they should go as they were, without making special preparations for the ex- pedition. That the directions were not meant to be insisted upon literally and strictly, is evident from the fact that the accounts differ, in regard to the particulars, in the different evangelists. (Comp. Matt. 10: 10, in respect to shoes and about the villages teach- ing. And he called unto him 7 the twelve, and began to send them forth by two and two; and he "gave them authority over the unclean spirits; and he 8 charged them that they should take nothing for their journey, save a staff only ; no bread, no wal- let, no 'money in their *purse; but to go shod 9 with sandals : and, said he, put not on two coats. And he said unto them, 10 Wheresoever ye enter into a house, there abide 3 Gr. brass. 4 Gr. girdle. staves.) The wallet was a leather bag or wallet for provi- sions— such as shepherds used. 11. These directions (7-11) resulted from a wise regard to the circumstances of the case, and a deliberate forethought in providing for the future, in the surest and best way. They were not, as might perhaps be sup- posed, an abandonment of pru- dential considerations, under a blind dependence upon the prov- idence of God. So great and general was the interest then felt throughout Galilee, iu the ministry and miracles of Jesus, that there could be, under those circumstances, no safer or surer reliance for support than the spontaneous hospitality of those interested in the cause. "We observe that this, though the earliest apostolic practice, is not to be considered as a model for imitation in modern times. Many of the ecclesiastical arrange- ments of Jesus and his apostles —6. 19. S. MARK. 165 till ye depart thence. 11 And whatsoever place shall not receive you, and they hear you not, as ye go forth thence, shake off the dust that is under your feet for a testimony 12 unto them. And they went out, and preached that men should repent. 13 And they cast out many 'devils, and anointed with oil many that were sick, and healed them. 14 And king Herod heard thereof ; for his name had become known : and 2he said, John 3the Bap- tist is risen from the dead, and therefore do 1 Gr. demons. 2 Some ancient authorities read they. were particularly adapted to their times and circumstances; and, in the same manner, the arrange- ments which we make must often be accommodated to ours. For a testimony unto them ; or, as in the Old Version, against them. It was to be a solemn and striking indication to the people themselves, that the apos- tles were not really dependent on the people, or personally in- jured by the want of hospitality shown them. — The words in the Old Version, " Verily I say un- to you it shall be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgement, than for that city," are wanting in the best manuscripts, and were probably added by Mark from the fuller report in Matt, ch. 10. 14. Men who have the least faith have often the greatest superstition ; and there is no more fruitful source of supersti- tious fears than remorse for crimes. these powers work in him. But others said, 15 It is Elijah. And others said, It is a prophet, even as one of the pro- phets. But Herod, whenic he heard thereof, said, John, whom I beheaded, he is risen. For Herod 1? himself had sent forth and laid hold upon John, and bound him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife : for he had married her. For John 18 said unto Herod, It is not lawful for thee to have thy brother's wife. And 19 Herodias set herself 3 Gr. the Baptize?'. 15. The prophet Elijah was expected as the forerunner of Christ. It is a prophet even as one of the prophets ; i.e., not the prophet for whom all are wait- ing, but only some prophet like those who have gone before. 17. We learn, from the secu- lar histories of those times, that this was Herod Antipas, the son of the old king. He had en- ticed away from his brother Philip, who was then living in poverty and obscurity, his wife Herodias, who was the daughter of another, brother, and. of course the niece of both her husbands. The name of the daughter who danced was Sa- lome; a common Hebrew name at that time. 19. Herodias set herself against him ; this is a much better inter- pretation of the original than the Old Version, had a quarrel against Mm, for it takes two to make a quarrel. 1G6 S. MARK. 6. 19- against him, and desired to kill him ; and she 20 could not ; for Herod- feared John, knowing that he was a righteous man and a holy, and kept him safe. And when he heard him, he 'was much perplexed ; and he heard him gladly. 21 And when a convenient day was come, that Herod on his birthday made a sapper to his lords, and the "high captains, and the chief men of Galilee ; 22 and when 3the daughter of Herodias herself came in and danced, 4she pleased Herod and them that sat at meat with him ; and the king said unto the damsel, Ask of me whatsoever thou wilt, and I will give it thee. 23 And he sware unto her, 1 Many ancient authorities read did many things. 2 Or, military tribune*. Or. chiliarclis. 3 Some ancient authorities read his 20. Kept him safe ; not, as in tlie Oil Version, observed him. The meaning is, that Herod pro- tected John from the murderous designs of Herodias. — Was much perplexed; this is a better read- ing than that of the Old Ver- sion, given also in the margin, 11 did many things." Herod was perplexed between his supersti- tious fears of the prophet, and bis desire for a life of ease and sensual pleasure. 21. Galilee. Herod succeed- ed to a part only of his father's ancient dominion. 23. The extravagance of this promise is accounted for by Whatsoever thou shalt ask of me, I will give it thee, unto the half of my kingdom. And she went 24 out, and said unto her mother, What shall I ask \ And she said, The head of John 5the Baptist. And she came in straight- 25 way with haste unto the king, and asked, saying, I will that thou forthwith give me in a charger the head of John 5the Bap- tist. And the king was 26 exceeding sorry ; but for the sake of his oaths, and of them that sat at meat, he would not re- ject her. And straight- 27 way the king sent forth a soldier of his guard, and commanded to bring his head : and he went and beheaded him in the prison, and brought his 28 daughter Herodias. 4 Or, it 5 Gr. the Baptizer. the fact that it was doubtless made under the excitement of wine. 20. Them that sat at meat. They were glad to have the re- prover of their sins slain, espe- cially as it could be done by means of the crime of another. 27. A soldier of his guard. ; one of the special force, retained for the service of the prince's person, and serving both as a detective and a body guard. 28. The damsel gave it to her mother. These were worthy de- scendants of a monster, who could order the execution of all the infants of a village, to secure —6. 39. S. MARK. 167 head in a charger, and gave it to the damsel ; and the damsel gave it to 29 her mother. And when his disciples heard there- of, they came and took up his corpse, and laid it in a tomb. 30 And the apostles gather themselves together unto Jesus ; and they told him all things, whatsoever they had done, and what- soever they had taught. 31 And he saith unto them, Come ye yourselves apart into a desert place, and rest a while. For there were many coming and going, and they had no leisure so much as to eat. 32 And they went away in the boat to a desert place 33 apart. And the people saw them going, and many knew them, and they ran there together 'on foot from all the cities, and outwent them. 34 And he came forth and 1 Or. by land 2 See marginal note on Matt, xviii. 28. the death of one innocent bnbe. The story of the whole Herod family, for several generations, as given by contemporary writ- ers, presents one continued scene of intrigue, cruelty, incest, adul- tery, and murder, to which the history of the world will scarce afford a parallel. 32. A solitary place, upon the shores of the lake; not barren, for they sat down (v. 39) upon the green grass. 37. Two hundred pennyworth, saw a great multitude, and he had compassion on them, because they were as sheep not having a shepherd : and he be- gan to teach them many things. And when the 35 day was now far spent, his disciples came unto him, and said, The place is desert, and the day is now far spent : send them 36 away, that they may go into the country and vil lages round about, and buy themselves somewhat to eat. But he answered 37 and said unto them, Give . ye them to eat. And they say unto him, Shall we go and buy two hundred "pennyworth of bread, and give them to eat ? And he saith unto them, 38 Hoav many loaves have ye? go and see. And when they knew, they say, Five, and two fishes. And he commanded them 39 that all should 3 sit down 3 Gr. recline. The denominations and the value of money have so entirely changed since those times, that we cannot fix upon any sum of modern currency as correspond- ing to the amount here named. It would be equivalent to about two hundred dollars in our own time, — a penny being a day's wages. 38. Have ye? that is. in the common supply, prepared for the Savior and his immediate disciples. 168 S. MARK. 6. 39— by companies upon the 40 green grass. And they sat down in ranks, by hun- 4idreds, and by fifties. And he took the live loaves and the two fishes, and looking up to heaven, he blessed, and brake the loaves ; and he gave to the disciples to set before them ; and the two iishes divided he among them 42 all. And they did all eat, 43 and were rilled. And they took up broken pieces, twelve basketfuls, and also of the fishes. 44 And they that ate the loaves were five thousand men. 45 And straightway he constrained his disciples to enter into the boat, and to go before him unto the other side to Beth- saida, while he himself sendeth the multitude 40 away. And after he had taken leave of them, he departed into the moun- 47 tain to pray. And when 40. By hundreds, and by fifties ; in irregular groups, — from fifty to a hundred together. 45. He constrained his disciples. They were unwilling to leave liim, but he wished to be alone. There might have been some difficulty, too, in effecting the quiet dispersion of the people, as appears from John's account of this case. (John G: 14, 15.) 48. And seeing them. The lake was five miles across, on the average, and about ten in the widest place. From his elevated even was come, the boat was in the midst of the sea, and he alone on the land. And seeing them 48 distressed in rowing, for the wind was contrary unto them, about the fourth watch of the night he cometh unto them, walking on the sea ; and lie would have passed by them : but they, when 49 they saw him walking on the sea, supposed that it was an apparition, and cried out : for they all 50 saw- him, and were trou- bled. But he straight- way spake with them, and saith unto them, Be of good cheer : it is I ; be not afraid. And he went 5} up unto them into the boat ; and the wind ceased : and they were sore amazed in them- selves; for they under- 52 stood not concerning the loaves, but their heart was hardened. And when they had 53 position Jesus could perhaps overlook the whole surface of the water. — The fourth watch; not far from three o'clock. The watches were of three hours eaeh. 49. An apparition. See Matt. 14: 26 and note there. 50. Were troubled ; were afraid. 52. Sore amazed; very much amazed. 53. And moored to the shore; i. e., drew their boat upon the beach and fastened it with a rope, not merely, as in the Old Version, drew it to the shore, -7.6. S. MARK. 169 'crossed over, they came to the land unto Grenne- saret, and moored to the 64 shore. And when they were come out of the boat, straightway the 55peovle knew him, and ran round about that whole region, and began to car- ry about on their beds those that were sick, where they heard he was. 56 And wheresoever he en- tered, into villages, or into cities, or into the country, they laid the sick in the marketplaces, and besought him that they might touch if it were but the border of his garment : and as many as touched 2him were made whole. 7 And there are gathered together unto him the Pharisees, and certain of the scribes, which had 1 Or, crossed over to the land, they came "into Gennesaret. 2 Or, it 3 Or, common 4 Or, up to the elbcnv Gr. with 54. The people knew him ; that is, the people on that side : the intelligence of his arrival was immediately spread in all direc- tions. CHAPTER VII. 2. The washing here referred to was not a measure of cleanli- ness, but a ceremonial rite. 3. Diligently ; literally, with the fist. The Rabbinical rules required the rubbing of the open palm with the closed fist in the ceremony of washing. 3, 4. The occurrence of these come from Jerusalem, and 2 had seen that some of his disciples ate their bread with 'defiled, that is, unwashen, hands. For 3 the Pharisees, and all the Jews, except they wash their hands 4 diligently, eat not, holding the tra- dition of the elders: and 4 when they come from the marketplace, except they 5wash themselves, they eat not : and many other things there be, which they have received to hold, 6 washings of cups, and pots, and brasen ves- sels7. And the Pharisees 5 and the scribes ask him, Why walk not thy disciples according to the tradition of the elders, but eat their bread with 3 defiled hands? xAnd he 6 said unto them, Well did Isaiah prophesy of you 5 Gr. baptize. Some ancient authori- ties read sprinkle themselves. 6 Gr. baptizings. 7 31 any ancient authorities add and couches. and similar explanations of the customs of the Jews, confirms the opinion that Mark prepared his narrative at Rome, and for the use of Roman Christians. — The washing of cups, &c. ; that is, as a ceremonial rite. 5-7. Walk; that is, act, — re- gulate their conduct. — Tradition of the elders; rules of action handed down from ancient times, but not contained in the Word of God. — Teaching as their doc- trines the precepts of men; i.e., substituting the precepts of men for the commands of God in their 170 S. MARK. 7. 6— hypocrites, as it is writ- ten, This people honoureth me with their lips, But their heart is far from me. 7 But in vain do they worship me, Teaching as their doctrines the precepts of men. 8 Ye leave the command- ment of God, and hold fast the tradition of men. ©And he said unto them, Full well do ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your 10 tradition. For Moses said, Honour thy father and thy mother ; and, He that speaketh evil of father or mother, let him ' die the 11 death: but ye say, If a man shall say to his father or his mother, That where- with thou mightest have* been profited by me is i 1 Or, furely die 2 Many ancient authorities insert ver. teaching. This claim of the Pharisees for the authority of human traditions, seems to have been quite analogous to that of those branches of the church, in modern times, which insist upon certain principles and practices on the authority of the early church, though the Scriptures themselves do not enjoin them. 10. Speaketh evil, is used in opposition to Tumor; the mean- ing is, whoso dishonors them or wilfully injures them in any way. 11. Corban; consecrated to Corban, that is to say, Given to God ; ye no 12 longer suffer him to do aught for his father or his mother ; making void the 13 word of God by your tradition, which ye have delivered : and many such like things ye do. And 14 he called to him the mul- titude again, and said unto them, Hear me all of you, and understand : there is nothing from 15 without the man, that going into him can defile him : but the things which proceed out of the man are those that defile the man.2 And when he was 17 entered into the house from the multitude, his disciples asked of him the parable. And he saithl8 unto them, Are ye so without understanding also % Perceive ye not, that whatsoever from 16, If any man hath ears to hear, let him hear. God ; that is, a son might de- prive his parents of any thing which he ought justly to render to them, by going through an empty ceremony of consecrating it to God. This was in reality nullifying one of the most sacred moral laws of Jehovah, under pretence of rendering him honor ; and it was, therefore, a striking instance of the hypo- crisy of the Pharisees, and of their making the word of God of none effect through their tra- dition. 18. Cannot defile him; spirit- ually. -7. 27. S. MARK. in without goeth into the man, it cannot defile him ; 19 because it goeth not into his heart, but into his belly, and goeth out into the draught % This he said, making all meats 20 clean. And he said, That which proceedeth out of the man, that defile th the 21 man. For from within, out of the heart of men, 'evil thoughts proceed, 22 fornications, thefts, mur- ders, adulteries, coverings, wickednesses, deceit, las- civiousness, an evil eye, railing, pride, foolishness: 23 all these evil things pro- ceed from within, and defile the man. 1 Gr. thoughts that are evil. 2 Some ancient authorities omit and Sidon. 19. It goeth not into his heart ; it does not reach or affect the moral feelings. — This he said making all meats clean. This i ' Mark's explanation of the mean- ing of Christ. He thus taught that there is no longer any difference in the Gospel between clean and unclean meats. Cer- tain meats were declared by the Old Testament law to be unclean, and their use was forbidden ; perhaps for reasons connected with health in a warm climate. 23. The whole passage is a very clear and striking exposure of the ignorance, or the hypo- crisy, implied in ascribing spiritual importance and efficacy to external forms. 24 . Ty re an d Sidon ; th e r egi o n of these cities was north of Galilee, near the Mediterranean j Sea. He went away from the | And from thence he 24 arose, and went away into the borders of Tyre 2 and Sidon. And he entered into a house, and would have no man know it : and he could not be hid. But 25 straightway a woman, whose little daughter had an unclean spirit, having heard of him, came and fell down at his feet. Now the woman was a 26 3 Greek, a Syrophcenician by race. And she be- sought him that he would cast forth the 4 devil out of her daughter. And he 27 said unto her, Let the children first be filled : for it is not meet to take 3 Or, Gentile 4 Gr. demon. scene of excitement which his ministry had produced in Gali- lee, d^ .rous. apparently, of a seasr of retirement and»rest. - P . A Greek; of Greek de- scent. 27. The Saviour did not use the word dogs as an ejjithet to be applied to this woman, but only as a part of the metaphor, or figure, by which he illustrated his position in respect to her and her nation. He says that, as it would not be proper to give the food intended for the children of a family to the dogs, so it is doubtful whether he ought to bestow upon the Gentile nations those miraculous benefits which he was sent to communicate to God's own chosen people. This was very different from applying the term to her as an oppro- brious epithet. Hence the point 172 S. MARK. 7. 27— the children's 'bread and 28 cast it to the dogs. But she answered and saith unto him, Yea, Lord : even the dogs under the table eat of the children's 29 crumbs. And he said unto her, For this saying- go thy way ; the 2 devil is gone out of thy daughter. 30 And she went away unto her house, and found the child laid upon the bed, and the 2 devil gone out. 31 And again he went out from the borders of Tyre, and came through Sidon unto the sea of Galilee, through the midst of the borders of Decapolis. 32 And Ihey bring unto him one that was deaf, and had an impediment in his speech ; and they be- seech him to lay his hand 33 upon him. And he took him aside from the mul- titude privately, at, ^ put his fingers into his U's, and he spat, and toucned 34his tongue; and looking up to heaven, he sighed, 1 Or, loaf and beauty of her reply, — that the dogs were not to be entirely neglected, but might at least re- ceive some small share. 31. Decapolis was a retired district on the eastern shore of the Sea of Galilee. In going there, our Savior seems to have intcMided to avoid those regions about the lake which he had previously visited. and saith unto him, Eph- phatha, that is, Be open- ed. And his ears were 35 opened, and the bond of his tongue was loosed, and he spake plain. And 36 he charged them that they should tell no man : but the more he charged them, so much the more a great d«^al they publish- ed it. And they were 37 beyond measure aston- ished, saying, He hath done all things well : he maketh even the deaf to hear, and the dumb to speak. In those days, when 8 there was again a great multitude, and they had nothing to eat, he called unto him his disciples, and saith unto them, 1 2 have compassion on the multitude, because they continue with me now three days, and have nothing to eat: and if 1 3 send them away fasting to their home, they will faint in the way ; and 2 Gr. demon. 33, 34. Commentators have been unable to assign any suffi- cient reason for the ceremonies which Jesus, in some cases like this, performed upon those whose diseases he cured. 35. The lond of his tongue ; the difficulty, whatever it was. CHAPTER Vin. 2. Nothing; nothing at all sufficient. —8. 17. S. MARK. 173 some of them are come 4 from far. And his disci- ples answered him, Whence shall one be able to fill these men with 'bread here in a desert 5 place? And he asked them, How many loaves have ye ? And they said, 6 Seven. And he com- mandeth the multitude to sit down on the ground : and he took the seven loaves, and having given thanks, he brake, and gave to his disciples, to set before them ; and they set them before the 7 multitude. And they had a few small fishes: and having blessed them, he commanded to set these also before them. 8 And they did eat, and were filled : and they took up, of broken pieces that remained over, seven 9 baskets. And they were about four thousand : and 10 he sent them away. And 1 Gr. loaves. 2 Some ancient authorities read be- 10. Dalmanutha ; a town whose location is now not known. 11. The miracles which Jesus had hitherto performed had re- lated to the private wants and sufferings of human life ; the Pharisees now asked him for some great prodigy, something visibly affecting the course of nature, — a sign from 'heaven. 12. Unto this generation ; that is, men of this captious and ca- villing spirit. The people of that day, who were disposed straightway he entered I into the boat with his disciples, and came into the parts of Dalmanutha. And the Pharisees 11 came forth, and began to question with him, seek- ing of him a sign from heaven, tempting him. And he sighed deeply in 12 his spirit, and saith, Why doth this generation seek a sign % verily I say unto you, There shall no sign be given unto this gene- ration. And he left them, 13 and again entering into the boat departed to the other side. And they forgot to take 14 bread ; and they had not in the boat with them more than one loaf. And 15 he charged them, saying, Take heed, beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod. And they reasoned one 16 with another, 2 saying, 3 We have no bread. " And 17 cause they had no bread. 3 Or, It is because we have no bread candidly to consider his doings, had a sign abundantly sufficient to satisfy their minds. 14. It seems that Jesus had adopted the plan of a regular system of arrangements for the supply of food for himself and his disciples, while travelling; although, when he sent his apos- tles forth, for reasons applicable particularly to that case, he re- quired them to depend upon the hospitality of their friends. 15. The leaven ; that is, the spirit. 174 S. MARK. 8. 17- Jesus perceiving it saith unto them, Why reason ye, because ye have no bread? do ye not yet perceive, neither under- stand ? have ye your 18 heart hardened \ Having eyes, see ye not \ and having ears, hear ye not ? and do ye not remember? 19 When I brake the five loaves among the five thousand, how many 'baskets full of broken pieces took ye up \ They say unto him, Twelve. 20 And when the seven among the four thousand, how many 'basketfuls of broken pieces took ye up ? And they say unto 1 Basket in ver. 19 and 20 represents 21. Do ye not yet understand? This incident affords a striking illustration of how little able the apostles were at first to under- stand the poetic and spiritual teachings of their Master, and how utterly impossible there- fore it is that they should have invented his character or the sayings which are attributed to him. 22-26. This is one of the very few accounts which Mark only has given. Nearly the whole of his Gospel, with some variations of phraseology, may be found in those of Matthew and Luke. — Bethsaida ; a town south of Capernaum, the birthplace of Philip. Andrew, and Peter. 23. Out of the village. On ac- count of the increasing hostility of the seribes and Pharisees, Je- sus seems to have thought it best to be more and more cau- him, Seven. And he said 21 unto them, Do ye not yet understand % And they come unto 22 Bethsaida. An d they bring to him a blind man, and beseech him to touch him. And he took hold 23 of the blind man by the hand, and brought him out of the village ; and when he had spit- on his eyes, and laid his hands upon him, he . asked him, Seest thou aught? And he looked 24 up, and said, I see men ; for I behold them as trees, walking. Then again he 25 laid his hands upon his eyes ; and he looked different Greek words. tious in his movements, and in the performance of his miracles. At this time, moreover. Christ had finished his ministry in Gali- lee, and was endeavoring to secure a quiet retreat, in order to give in private fuller instruc- tion to his immediate apostles. — It appears from v. 2G, that the man did not live within the town; and he therefore took him out beyond its limits, and cured him, and then directed him to go immediately home. We are left entirely uninformed in regard to the reasons for the ceremonies, and the successive steps by which this cure was performed. 24. Forms indistinct, — men appearing like trees, except that they were moving. 25. He looked steadfastly ; i. e., he made an earnest endeavor to see, and in this very endeavor found his sight restored. —8. 34. S. MARK. 175 stedfastly, and was re- stored, and saw all things 26 clearly. And he sent him away to his home, saying, Do not even enter into the village. 27 And Jesus went forth, and his disciples, into the villages of Csesarea Phi- lippi : and in the way he asked his disciples, siy- ing unto them, Who do 28 men say that I am % And they told him, saying, John the Baptist : and others, Elijah ; but others, One of the prophets. 29 And he asked them, But who say ye that I am ? Peter answereth and saith unto him, Thou art the 30 Christ. And he charged 26. Do not even enter into the the object of this pro- hibition was to prevent any pub- licity being given to this mir- acle. 27. Cesarea Philippi ; a city now desolate, situated in the extreme north of Palestine. 28. Hitherto Jesus seems never to have claimed, or even openly admitted, that he was the Mes- siah. The disciples had been left to form their own judgment in respect to his person and character. 30. To avoid producing pub- lic commotions. For an idea of the excitability of the public mind on this subject see John 6 : 15, where they were going to take him by force to make him king. 31. He explained these things that they might not now, upon his tacit acknowledgment of his Messiahship, begin to form ex- them that they should tell no man of him. And 31 he began to teach them, that the Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders, and the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. And he spake 32 the saying openly. And Peter took him, and be- gan to rebuke him. But 33 he turning about, and seeing his disciples, re- buked Peter, and saith, Get thee behind me, Satan : for thou mindest not the things of God, but the things of men. And he called unto him 34 the multitude with his pectations of worldly power and grandeur. — After three days ; on the third day. 33. Turning about and seeing his disciples; i. e., seeing the effect which had been produced upon them by Peter's speech. — Get thee behind me, Satan; a strong expression of disapprov- al.— Thou mindest not ; dost not consider, art not disposed toward the things of God. 34-36. The multitude. The foregoing conversation had been a confidential one between Jesus and the disciples alone. We notice how naturally the course of remark which he addressed to the people at large, flowed from the subject of the private con- versation which he had held with his immediate followers. — Forfeit his life. The Old Ver- sion was lose his own soul. (See note on Matt. 16 : 26.) The doc- trine of the passage is, that who- 176 S. MARK. 8. 34— disciples, and said unto them, If any man would come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow 35 me. For whosoever would save his 'life shall lose it ; and whosoever shall lose his ' life for my sake and the gospel's 36 shall save it. For what doth it profit a man, to gain the whole world, 37 and forfeit his l life \ For what should a man give in exchange for his ' life % 38 For whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of man also shall be ashamed of him, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy 9 angels. And he said un- to them, Verily I say un- to you, There be some here of them that stand by, which shall in no wise 1 Or, soul ever becomes the follower of Jesus Christ, must expect, not worldly prosperity and honor, but self-denial, trial, and suffer- ing. He must be prepared to put life, and all that is dear in life, at hazard ; but then he will, in the end, secure what is of inconceivably greater value, — the salvation of the soul. CHAPTER IX. 1. The kingdom of God cornea with power ; that is, Christianity openly established and rapidly spreading. taste of death, till they see the kingdom of God come with power. And after six days 2 Jesus taketh writh him Peter, and James, and John, and bringeth them up into a high mountain apart by themselves : and he was transfigured be- fore them : and his gar- 3 ments became glistering, exceeding white ; so as no fuller on earth can whiten them. And there 4 appeared unto them Elijah with Moses : and they were talking with Jesus. And Petero answereth and saith to Jesus, Rabbi, it is good for us to be here : and let us make three taber- nacles ; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elijah. For he wist 6 not what to answer; for they became sore afraid. And there came a cloud 7 2 Or, booths 2. Transfigured; changed in appearance. 3. Fuller ; the workman who conducted the fiuishing process- es in the manufacture of cloth. 5. Tabernacles; tents; in this case, perhaps, such "structures for shelter as might be made from branches of trees. 6. He wist not, &c. The mean- ing is, that Peter, zealous, and eager to speak and to act on all occasions, brought forward his offers of service, though so much agitated as scarcely to know what he was proposing. —9. 18. S. MARK. 177 overshadowing t li e m : and there came a voice out of the cloud, This is my Jbeloved Son : hear &ye him. And suddenly looking round about, they saw no one any more, save Jesus only with themselves. .9 And as they were com- ing down from the moun- tain, he charged them that they should tell no man what things they had seen, save when the Son of man should have risen again from the JQ dead. And they kept the saying, questioning among themselves what the rising again from the li dead should mean. And they asked him, saying, 'The scribes say that Elijah must first come. 12 And he said unto them, Elijah indeed cometh first, and restoreth all 1 Or, How is it that the scribes say .. . come ? 9. On all occasions Jesus evinced a strong desire that the fact that he was the long-expect- ed Messiah, should not be gen- erally made known during his life. His course in this respect shows us that the principle, which is sometimes strongly urged, viz., that the truth should always be made known, at all hazards, was not sanction- ed by his example: 10. Questioning, &c. It seems that they did not very distinctly understand, after all, what Jesus had disclosed to them in ch. 8:31. things: and how is it written of the Son of man, that he should suffer many things and be set at nought % But I say 13 unto you, that Elijah is come, and they have also done unto him whatso- ever they listed, even as it is written of him. And when they came 14 to the disciples, they saw a great multitude about them, and scribes questioning with them. And straightway all the 15 multitude, when they saw him, were greatly amazed, and running to him saluted him. And 16 he asked them, What question ye with them % And one of the multitude 17 answered him, 2 Master, I brought unto thee my son, which hath a dumb spirit; and wheresoever 18 it taketh him, it 3 dashetfi. 2 Or, Teacher 3 Or, rendeth him 11. First come ; that is, before the Messiah. 12. And. restoreth all things; that is, he was to revive the re- ligious spirit of former times, or, as it is expressed elsewhere, to turn the hearts of the fathers unto the children. 13. Listed ; chose. He refer- red to John the Baptist, whom Herod had beheaded. 14. A great multitude ; attract- ed by the case of the child men- tioned below. 15. Greatly amazed ; surprised to see him returning, as they did not know where he had gone. 178 S. MARK. 9. 18- liim down : and he foametk, and grindeth his teeth, and pineth away : and I spake to thy disciples that they should cast it out ; and 19 they were not able. And he answereth them and saith, 0 faithless genera- tion, how long shall I be with you ? how long shall I bear with you \ bring 20 him nnto me. And they brought him unto him : and when he saw him, straightway the spirit 3 tare him grievously ; and he fell on the ground, and wallowed foaming. 21 And he asked his father, How long time is it since this hath come nnto him ? 22 And he said, From a child. And oft-times it hath cast him both into the fire and into the waters, to destroy him : I5ut if thoa canst do any- thing, have compassion 23 on us, and help us. And Jesus said unto him, If 1 Or, convulsed 2 Many ancient authorities add with tears. 20. These are the symptoms of a disease called epilepsy. In the different cases recorded, various maladies, mental and bodily, are described as result- ing from the demoniacal influ- ence. 22-23. The language here ex- presses much more graphi- cally and accurately the original than it was expressed in the Old Version. 26. Torn him much; agitated thou canst ! All things are possible to him that believe th. Straightway 24 the father of the child cried out, and said*2, I believe ; help thou mine unbelief. And when 25 Jesus saw that a multi- tude came running to- gether, he rebuked the unclean spirit, saying unto him, Thou dumb and deaf spirit, I com- mand thee, come out of him, and enter no more into him. And having 26 cried out, and ' torn him much, he came out : and the child became as one dead ; insomuch that the more part said, He is dead. But Jesus took 27 him by the hand, and raised him up ; and he arose. And when he was 28 come into the house, his disciples asked him privately, 3 saying \ We could not cast it out. And he said unto them. 29 This kind can come out 3 Or, How is it that we could not east it out? him with strong convulsions. 29. Save by prayer. The reader will observe that the words and fasting, added in the Old Version, are not found in the New Version, in cither (if the accounts of this incident; they were probably added by some copyist at an early day, to give sanction to the practice of fasting, to which great impor- tance was attached by the church. —9. 43. S. MARK. 179 by nothing, save by- prayer1. 30 And they went forth from thence, and passed through Galilee ; and he would not that any man 31 should know it. For he taught his disciples, and said unto them, The Son of man is delivered up into the hands of men, and they shall kill him ; and when he is killed, after three days he shall 32 rise again. But they un- derstood not the saying, and were afraid to ask him. 33 And they came to Ca- pernaum : and when he was in the house he asked them, What were ye rea- 34soning in the way? But they held their peace : for they had disputed one with another in the way, who was the 2great- 35 est. And he sat down, and called the twelve ; and he saith unto them, If any man would be first, he shall be last of all, 1 Many ancient authorities add and fasting. 2 Gr. qreater. 3 Or, Teacher 31. Is delivered ; is to be de- livered. 32. Were afraid to ask him. This and similar expressions show in that the intercourse of Jesus with his apostles they re- garded him with habitual vener- ation. 35. Minister ; that is, servant. 36, 37. Receiveth not me ; i. e., not merely me. The meaning of and minister of all. And 36 he took a little child, and set him in the midst of them : and taking him in his arms, he said unto them, Whosoever shall 37 receive one of such little children in my name, re- ceiveth me : and whoso- ever receiveth me, receiv- eth not me, but him that sent me. John said unto him, 38 'Master, we saw one cast- ing out 'devils in thy name : and we forbade him, because he followed not us. But Jesus said, 39 Forbid him not : for there is no man which shall do a "mighty work in my name, and be able quick- ly to speak evil of me. For he that is not against 40 us is for us. For whoso- 41 ever shall give you a cup of water to drink, "be- cause ye are Christ's, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward. And whosoever 42 shall cause one of these 4 Gr. demons. 5 Gr. power. 6 Gr. in name that ye are. these verses is that true spiritual greatness is humility, and a low- liness of mind, like the unas- suming gentleness of children. 39. And be able quickly to speak evil of me ; the very fact that one has been doing work for Christ prevents him from imme- diately putting forth his influence against Christ. 42. Shall cause one of these little 180 S. MARK. 9. 42— little ones that believe 'on me to stumble, it were better for Mm if 2a great millstone were hanged about his neck, and he were cast into the 43 sea. And if thy hand cause thee to stumble, cut it off : it is good for thee to enter into life maimed, rather than having thy two hands to go into 3hell, into the unquench- 45 able fire.4 And if thy foot cause thee to stum- ble, cut it off : it is good for thee to enter into life halt, rather than having thy two feet to be cast 47 into 3hell. And if thine eye cause thee to stum- ble, cast it out : it is good for thee to enter into the kingdom of (rod with one 1 Many ancient authorities omit on me. 2 Gr. a millstone turned by an ass. 3 Gr. Gehenna. 4 Ver. 44 and 46 (which are identical ones to stumble; i. e., to fall into temptation and sin. 43-48. This language is ob- viously figurative. The mean- ing is, give up every thing, how- eve/ dear, which proves a temp- tation to sin, and a snare to the soul. A similar passage is re- corded by Matthew as a part of the sermon on the mount. (Matt. 5:29, 30.) 49. [A difficult passage : the original commentary says that no satisfactory explanation has ever been given of it. Fire, however, is employed in the New Testament as a symbol for discipline and suffering. The miming seems to me to be that, as every sacrifice under the Old eye, rather than having two eyes to be cast into 3hell ; where their worm 48 dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. For every 49 one shall be salted with lire5. Salt is good : but if the salt have lost its saltness, wherewith will ye season it? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace one with another. And he arose from 10 thence, and cometh into the borders of Judsea and beyond Jordan : and mul- titudes come together unto him again ; and, as he was wont, he taught them again. And there 2 came unto him Pharisees, and asked him, Is it lawful for a man to put away Ms wife % tempting him. And 3 with ver. 48) are omitted by the best an- cient authorities. 5 Many ancient authorities add and every sacrifice shall be salted with salt. See Lev. ii. 13. Testament dispensation was re- quired to be salted, (see Lev. 2 : 13,) so every Christian must be prepared to become a living sac- rifice, (Rom. 12 : 1 ;) prepared by fiery trial for his work on earth, and for glory with Christ here- after. If he would be partaker of Christ's life, he must also be conformed to his death. See Eph. 3:9-11. L. A.] CHAPTER X. 1. This was on his way to Jerusalem by a retired and cir- cuitous route, and probably im- mediately after his ministry in the region beyond Jordan, of which Luke gives the principal account. -10. 14. S. MARK. 181 he answered and said unto them, What did Moses command you \ And they 4 said, Moses suffered to write a bill of divorce- ment, and to put her away. 5 But Jesus said unto them, For your hardness of heart he wrote you this 6commandment. But from the beginning of the crea- tion, Male and female 7 made he them. For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, 1 and shall cleave to his £wife ; and the twain shall become one iiesh : so that they are no more twain, 9 but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put 1 Some ancient authorities omit and 4. Referring to a regulation of the Jewish code, recorded Deut. 24 : 1-4. The Savior here speaks of the Mosaic law as regulating the mode of doing that which was in itself contrary to the will of God. It is often necessarily so with laws that are municipal in their character. The guide, in the establishment of them, is not altogether what is absolute- ly right but what is expedient and practicable, in the existing state of things. Hence it is often necessary to restrain and regulate what it is impossible to prevent. 7. 8. The words And said are to be understood at the com- mencement of these verses; for the verses are quoted from Gen. 12 : 24, as the language used by Jehovah, expressive of his orig- inal design in regard to the' asunder. And in the 10 house the disciples asked him again of this matter. And he saith unto them, 11 Whosoever shall put away his wife, and marry another, committeth adul- tery against her: and if 12 she herself shall put away her husband, and marry another, she committeth adultery. And they brought unto 13 him little children, that he should touch them : and the disciples rebuked them. But when Jesus 14 saw it, he was moved with indignation, and said unto them, Suffer the little children to come unto me ; forbid them shall cleave to his ivife. sexes. The Savior resumes his own remarks at v. 9. The argu- ment is, that the law which the Pharisees quoted was a munici- pal regulation, adapted to cir- cumstances ; but that for the true principle which was to decide the question in a moral point of view, they must go back to the declaration of God himself, made at the original institution of the ordinance of marriage. — Twain; two. 11, 12. That is, from ordina- ry causes, such as disagreement or change of feeling. That the Savior did not here include cases of great crime, is evident from the form of the question, Matt. 9:3, and also from the answer, as recorded Matt. 19: 9. 13. Touch them ; lay his hands upon them in benediction. 182 S. MARK. 10. 14— not: for of such is the 15 kingdom of God. Verily I say unto you, Whoso- ever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall in no wise enter therein. 16 And he took them in his arms, and blessed them, laying his hands upon them. 17 And as he was going forth "into the way, there ran one to him, and kneeled to him, and asked him, Good 'Master, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life \ 18 And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good \ none is good save 19 one, even God. Thou knowest the command- ments, Do not kill, Do not commit adultery, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Do not de- fraud, Honour thy father 1 Or, on his way 15. As a little child ; with do- cility and an humble mind. 17. There ran one — kneeled — Good Master. For explanation of the meaning of this incident, see note on Matt. 19: 17. There would seem to be no impropriety in the words themselves, Good Master, as a mode of accosting the Savior, under any view of his character, 21. Although the most inju- rious effects upon society would result from the operation of a general rule which should make it the duty of the wealthy to distribute their property among the poor, still the requisition and mother. And he said 20 unto him, "Master, all these things have I ob- served from my youth. And Jesus looking upon 21 him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest : go, sell whatso- ever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven : and come, fol- low me. But his counte-22 nance fell at the saying, and he went away sor- rowful : for he was one that had great posses- sions. And Jesus looked 23 round about, and saith unto his disciples, How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God ! And 24 the disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus answereth again, and saith unto them, Chil- 2 Or, Teacher seems a very appropriate one to tender to a man, who, thinking that he had fully kept the moral law of God, came to a divinely- commissioned teacher, and in- sisted upon having some way pointed out by which he might attain to some superior and ex- traordinary moral excellence. We must remember also that Christ required of this young man nothing more than he had required of the other apostles, who had forsaken all to follow him. To have had in their lit- tle band one wealthy man, would have inevitably given rise to heart-burning and difficulties. -10. 34. S. MARK. 188 dren, how hard is it *for them that trust in riches to enter into the kingdom 25 of God ! It is easier for a camel to go through a needle's eye, than for a rich man to enter into the 26 kingdom of God. And the}^ were astonished ex- ceedingly, saying 2unto him, Then who can be 27 saved? Jesus looking upon them saith, With men it is impossible, but not with God: for all things are possible with 28 God. Peter began to say unto him, Lo, we have left all, and have fol- 29 lowed thee. Jesus said, Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or mother, or father, or children, or lands, for my sake, and 30 for the gospel's sake, but he shall receive a hun- 1 Some ancient authorities omit for them that trust in riches. 2 Many ancient authorities read among 25. Some have maintained that camel should be cable ; and others that the Needle's Eye was a narrow gate leading into Jeru- salem. Such attempts to dimi- nish the incongruity of the image are vain, as the very object of the proverb is. to pre- sent a picture of incongruity and impossibility. The expression occurs in this form in other writings of those times, and is doubtless correct as it stands. 27. The meaning is, that, al- though it transcends human dredfold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions ; and in the Vorld to come eternal life. But many that are si first shall be last ; and the last first. And they were in the 32 way, going up to Jerusa- lem ; and Jesus was go- ing before them : and they were amazed ; 4and they that followed were afraid. And he took again the twelve, and began to tell them the things that were to happen unto him, saying, Behold, we go 33 up to Jerusalem ; and the Son of man shall be delivered unto the chief priests and the scribes ; and they shall condemn him to death, and shall deliver him unto the Gentiles: and they shall 34 3 Or, age 4 Or, but some as they followed were power to change the fixed cha- racteristics of avarice and selfishness to benevolence and piety, there is no limit to the control exercised over the heart by the Spirit of God. 30. With persecutions. The service of Christ brings with it, in this life, great trials and sa- crifices, as well as new and higher enjoyments. 32. Amazed; anxious and afraid, in regard to the dangers which they were about to incur. 184 S. MARK. 10. 34 mock him, and shall spit upon him, and shall scourge him, and shall kill him ; and after three days he shall rise again. 35 And there come near unto him James and John, the sons of Zebe- dee, saying unto him, 'Master, we would that thou shouldest do for us whatsoever we shall ask 36 of thee. And he said unto them, What would ye that I should do for 37 you ? And they said un- to him, Grant unto us that we may sit, one on thy right hand, and one on thy left hand, in thy 38 glory. But Jesus said unto them, Ye know not what ye ask. Are ye able to drink the cup that I drink \ or to be baptized with the baptism that I 39am baptized with ? And they said unto him, We are able. And Jesus said unto them, The cup that 1 Or, Teacher 2 Or, servant 35. Their mother came with them. (Matt. 20:20.) 37. In thy glory ; not in heav- en, but in the administration of his kingdom upon earth, which they expected was soon to be es- tablished. 38. Are ye able to drmk, &c. ; are you prepared to share the sorrows and sufferings which I shall have to endure ? 42. They which are accounted, &c. ; that is, among men gener- ally, those which are accounted most prominent and influential, I drink ye shall drink ; and with the baptism that I am baptized withal shall ye be baptized : but 40 to sit on my right hand or on my left hand is not mine to give : but it is for them for whom it hath been prepared. And 41 when the ten heard it, they began to be moved with indignation concern- ing James and John. And Jesus called them 42 to him, and saith unto them, Ye know that they which are accounted to rule over the Gentiles lord it over them ; and their great ones exercise authority over them. But43 it is not so among you : but whosoever would be- come great among you, shall be your ■ minister : and whosoever would be 44 hrst among you, shall be 3 servant of all. For 45 verily the Son of man came not to be ministered 3 Gr. bondservant. exercise lordship and command over others, and thus compel others . to execute their will. Whereas, (v. 43,) in the king- dom of Christ, he who would be the greatest, must sacrifice his own will to promote the welfare and happiness of others. 45. Came not to be ministered unto, but to minister; not to make others labor to promote his own happiness, but that he might himself suffer privation and pain to promote theirs. —11. 4. S. MARK. 185 unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ran- som for many. 46 And they come to Jericho : and as he went out from Jericho, with his disciples and a great multitude, the son of Timseus, Bartimseus, a blind beggar, was sitting 47 by the way side. And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out, and say, Jesus, thou son of David, 48 have mercy on me. A nd many rebuked him, that he should hold his peace : but he cried out the more a great deal, Thou son of David, have mercy on me. 49 And Jesus stood still, and said, Call ye him. And they call the blind man, saying unto him, Be of good cheer : rise, he 50calleth thee. And he, casting away his garment, sprang up, and came to 51 Jesus. And Jesus an- swered him, and said, 1 See John xx. 16. 2 Or, saved thee 46. To Jericho; approaching gradually towards Jerusalem. 50. His garment ; his outer garment. Sprang up ; a much more vivid rendering of the original than the Old Version lie rose. CHAPTER XI. The closing scenes of the Sa- viour's ministry were now rapidly drawing near. This public entry into Jerusalem took place only five days before the passover, What wilt thou that I should do unto thee % And the blind man said unto him, 'Rabboni, that I may receive my sight. And Jesus said unto him, 52 Go thy way ; thy faith hath "made thee whole. And straightway he re- ceived his sight, and followed him in the way. And when they draw 11 nigh unto Jerusalem, unto Bethphage and Bethany, at the mount of Olives, he sendeth two of his dis- ciples, and saith unto 2 them, Go your way into the village that is over against you : and straight- way as ye enter into it, ye shall find a colt tied, whereon no man ever yet sat ; loose him, and bring him. And if any one say 3 unto you, Why do ye this % say ye, The Lord hath need of him ; and straight- way he 3will send him 4 back hither. And they 4 went away, and found a 3 Gr. sendeth. 4 Or, again which was followed by the cru- cifixion. (John 12:1, 12.) 1. Bethpthage and Bethany ; hamlets situated at a short dis- tance from Jerusalem, upon the declivities of the Mount of Olives. The word Beth means house, and it enters largely into the composition of Hebrew names. The mountain was an extensive elevation of land, ris- ing into several summits, which overlooked Jerusalem itself and a wide horizon. 186 S. MARK. 11. 4- colt tied at the door without in the open street; 5 and they loose him. And certain of them that stood there said unto them, What do ye, loosing the 6 colt ? And they said unto them even as Jesus had said : and they let them 7 go. And they bring the colt unto Jesus, and cast on him their garments ; and he sat upon him. 8 And many spread their garments upon the way ; and others x branches, which they had cut from 9 the fields. And they that went before, and they that followed, cried, Hosanna; Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord : 1 Gr. layers of leaves. 8. Many. Jesus had been at Jerusalem before, and was known in these villages. His coming at this time renewed the interest they had felt in him, and awakened general enthusi- asm. 10. They considered Jesus the Messiah, but they thought that he had come, not to save them from their sins, but to restore the kingdom of David; that is, to bring back the nation to independence and prosperity. Their words, as rendered in this version, indicate very clearly the spirit with which they welcomed Jesus. 11. When he had looked, &c. ; silently observing the abuses which he was to rebuke so de- cisively on the following day. 13. For it icas not the season of Ogs. There is an obvious diffi- culty in making this statement Blessed is the kingdom 10 that cometh, the kingdom of our father David : Hosanna in the highest. And he entered intoii Jerusalem, into the temple ; and when he had looked round about upon all things, it being now eventide, he went out unto Bethany with the twelve. And on the morrow, 12 when they were come out from Bethany, he hun- gered. And seeing a fig 13 tree afar off having leaves, he came, if haply he might find anything thereon : and when he came to it, he found nothing but leaves ; for it was not the season of harmonize with the rest of the narrative; for Jesus would cer- tainly have known when to have expected fruit. Commentators have attempted to avoid the difficulty by understanding this clause to mean that the time for gathering figs had not yet passed; and also by considering it as connected with the first clause of the verse, thus: He came, if haply he might find anything thereon, for the time oi^ gather- ing figs had not yet passed; and when he came to it, &c. Tha interpretation is ingenious, but cannot be said to be entirely satisfactory. There seems to be something mysterious in the whole story of the destruction of the fig-tree, unless Jesus in- tended to typify by it the de- struction of Jerusalem, as a pun- ishment for its ingratitude and sins. <$ -pi OF T/ff r% MATT. XXV. - '0 ... •ill -11. 25. S. MARK. 189 14 figs. And lie answered and said unto it, No man eat fruit from thee hence- forward for ever. And his disciples heard it. 15 And they come to Jeru- salem : and he entered into the temple, and be- gan to cast out them that sold and them that bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the money-changers, and the seats of them 16 that sold the doves ; and he would not suffer that any man should carry a vessel through the tem- 17 pie. And he taught, and said unto them, Is it not written, My house shall be called a house of prayer for all the na- tions % but ye have made 18 it a den of robbers. And the chief priests and the scribes heard it, and sought how they might destroy him : for they feared him, for all the multitude was astonished at his teaching. 1 Gr. whenever evening came. And 'every evening 2he 19 went forth out of the city. And as they passed by 20 in the morning, they saw the fig tree withered away from the roots. And 21 Peter calling to remem- brance saith unto him, Rabbi, behold, the fig tree which thou cursedst is withered away. And 22 Jesus answering saith un- to them, Have faith in God. Verily I say unto 23 you, Whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou taken up and cast into the sea ; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that what he saith cometh to pass ; he shall have it. Therefore I say unto you, 24 All things whatsoever ye pray and ask for, believe that ye have received them, and ye shall have them. And whensoever 25 ye stand praying, for- give, if ye have aught against any one ; that 15. Into the temple; into one of the outer courts or apartments of it. This merchandise con- sisted of animals and a kind of money, used in the sacrifices and the other services of the place. 18. At his teaching ; not, as in the Old Version, his doctrine; it was not so much what he said as his manner and spirit, that as- tonished them. 19. He did not merely, as the Old Version implied, go out of 8 2 Some ancient authorities read they . the city that evening, but every evening during this last week in Jerusalem, he went out of the city, spending the night either with friends in Bethany, or on the hill-side, sleeping, as the Jews often did in that mild climate, upon the ground. It was not safe for him to remain in Jerusalem over night, and he was finally taken at night, in his place of retreat, being betrayed by one of his disciDles. 190 S. MARK. 11. 25— your Father also whicli is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.1 27* And they come again to Jerusalem : and as he was walking in the tem- ple, there come to him the chief priests, and the scribes, and the elders ; 28 and they said unto him, By what authority doest thou these things ? or who gave thee this authority 29 to do these things % And Jesus said unto them, I will ask of you one "ques- tion, and answer me, and I will tell you by what authority I do these so things. The baptism of John, was it from heaven, or from men ? answer me. 31 And they reasoned with themselves, saj-ing, If we shall say, From heaven ; he will say, Why then did ye not believe him % 32sBut should we say, From 1 Many ancient authorities add rer. 26 But if ye do not forgive, neither willyotir Father which is in Iieaven forgive your trespasses. 2 Gr. word. 28. Alluding to his decided measures for expelling the traders from the temple. • 30. The baptism of John ; the preaching and ministry of John. CHAPTER Xn. 1. A pit for the wine-press ; a cistern dug in the earth or hewn out of the rock. Usually there were two, the grapes being trod- den out in one and the juice run off into the other. — And built a tower ; a watch-tower. The vineyard thus tarefully prepared men — they feared the people : 4for all verily held John to be a pro- phet. And they answered 33 Jesus and say, We know not. And Jesus saith unto them, Neither tell I you by what authority I do these things. And he began to speak 12 unto them in parables. A man planted a vineyard, and set a hedge about it, and digged a pit for the winepress, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into another country. And at the season he 2 sent to the husbandmen a 5 servant, that he might receive from the husband- men of the fruits of the vineyard. And they took 3 him, and beat him, and sent him away empty. And again he sent unto 4 them another 6 servant ; 3 Or, But shall rve say, From men ? 4 Or, for all held John to be a propliet indeed. 5 Gr. bondservant. for the operations of the hus- bandmen represents the Jewish nation, which had been provided with many safeguards against the moral dangers which sur- rounded it, and with every in- ducement to be faithful in the service of God. Instead, how- ever, of rendering him the obe- dience and the honor which u-ere his due, they treated the prophets and the other messen- gers of heaven, successively sent to them, in the manner de- scribed in the text. —12. 17. S. MARK. 191 and him they wounded in the head, and handled 5 shamefully. And he sent another ; and him they killed : and many others ; beating some, and killing 6 some. He had yet one, a beloved son : he sent him last unto them, say- ing, They will reverence 7 my son. But those husbandmen said among themselves, This is the heir ; come, let us kill him, and the inheritance 8 shall be ours. And they took him, and killed him, and cast him forth out of 9 the vineyard. What there- fore will the lord of the vineyard do \ he will come and destroy the husbandmen, and will give the vineyard unto 10 others. Have ye not read even this scripture ; The stone which the builders rejected, The same was made the head of the corner : 11 This was from the Lord, And it is marvellous in our eyes \ 1 Or, Teacher 10. Ps. 118:22, 23. 13. Herod Antipas, son of the old king, was at this time reign- ing over Galilee. 14. They supposed that, by thus complimenting his inde- pendence and moral courage, they should induce him to de- And they sought to lay 12 hold on him ; and they feared the multitude ; for they perceived that he spake the parable against them : and they left him, and went away. And they send unto 13 him certain of the Phari- sees and of the Herodians, that they might catch him in talk. And when 14 they were come, they say unto him, 'Master, we know that thou art true, and carest not for any one : for thou regardest not the person of men, but of a truth teaches t the way of God : Is it- lawful to give tribute unto CaBsar, or not ? Shall we give, or shall we not give? But he, 15 knowing their hypocrisy, said unto them, Why tempt ye me % bring me a 2 penny, that I may see it. And they brought it. 16 And he saith unto them, Whose is this image and superscription % And they said unto him, Csesar's. And Jesus said unto them, 17 Render unto Csesar the 2 See marginal note on Matt, xviii. 28. clare openly against paying trib- ute to the Roman government, and thus expose himself to the charge of treason. This charge, in fact, they did afterwards pre- fer. (Luke 23:2.) A proposal which is introduced by flattery usually conceals a snare, 192 S. MARK. 12. 17-- things that are Cesar's, and unto God the things that are God's. And they marvelled greatly at him. 18 And there come unto him Sadducees, which say that there is no resur- rection ; and they asked 19 him, saying, 'Master, Moses wrote unto us, If a man's brother die, and leave a wife behind him, and leave no child, that his brother should take his wife, and raise up seed unto his brother. 20 There were seven breth- ren : and the first took a wife, and dying left no 21 seed; and the second took her, and died, leav ing no seed behind him ; and the third likewise : 22 and the seven left no seed. Last of all the 23 woman also died. In the resurrection whose wife shall she be of them % for the seven had her to wife. 24 Jesus said unto them, Is it not for this cause that ye err, that he know not 1 Or, 2 Or, Teacher The Lord is our God , the Lord 20. No seed; no children. 26. In the account of Moses' interview with God at the burn- ing busli, recorded in Ex. 3:6. 27. The argument is, that he would not call himself the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, if these patriarchs had- really ceased to exist. He would have said to Moses, "Iwasthe Grfcl of Abraham," &c. The Saddu- the scriptures, nor the power of God ? For when 25 they shall rise from the dead, they neither marry, nor are given in marriage ; but are as angels in heaven. Butas touching26 the dead, that they are raised ; have ye not read in the book of Moses, in the place concerning the Bush, how God spake unto him, saying, 1 am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob % He is not 27 the God of the dead, but of the living : ye do greatly err. And one of the scribes 28 came, and heard them questioning together, and knowing that he had answered them well, asked him, What commandment is the first of all % Jesus answered, 29 The first is, Hear, O Israel; 2The Lord our God, the Lord is one : and thou shalt love the 30 Lord thy God "with all thy heart, and ' with all is one 3 Gr. from. cees admitted the authority of the Old Testament scriptures, but they denied that the immor- tality of the soul was taught there; and, in fact, the allusions to this doctrine are far less frequent and unequivocal, in those scriptures, than we should have expected to find them. 29, 30. Deut. 6:4, 5. —12. 41. S. MARK. 193 31 thy soul, and 1 with all thy mind, and 'with all thy strength. The second is this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. 32 There is none other com- mandment greater than these. And the scribe said unto him, Of a truth, 2 Master, thou hast well said that he is one ; and there is none other but 33 he : and to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbour as himself, is much more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices. 34 And when Jesus saw that he answered discreetly, he said unto him, Thou art not far from the king- dom of God. And no man after that durst ask him any question. 35 And Jesus answered and said, as he taught in the temple, How say the scribes that the Christ is 1 Gr. from. 2 Or, Teacher 3 Sonie ancient authorities read under- neath thy feet. 35. That the Christ ; that is. the expected Messiah. Those whom he was addressing did not acknowledge that he was liimself the Christ. 36. In the Holy Spirit ; by in- spiration. (Ps. 110:1.) 37. The argument is that Da- vid speaks of the coming Mes- siah as greatly his superior, and as sitting at the right hand of God; while the scribes consid- the son of David % David 36 himself said in the Holy Spirit, The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, Till I make thine enemies 3 the foot- stool of thy feet. David himself calleth 37 him Lord ; and whence is he his son % And 4 the common people heard him gladly. And in his teaching he 38 said, Beware of the scribes, which desire to walk in long robes, and to Jiave salutations in the marketplaces, and chief 39 seats in the synagogues, and chief places at feasts: they which d e v o u r 40 widows' houses, 6and for a pretence make long- prayers ; these shall re- ceive greater condemna- tion. And he sat down over 41 against the treasury, and 4 Or, the great multitude - 5 Or, even while for a pretence they make ered him only as a human descendant of David, and as coming to reign with similar earthly power. 40.. Greater condemnation; not, as in the Old Version, greater damnation. The meaning is that hypocrisy, which often prevents men from being con- demned on earth, increases the displeasure and condemnation with which God beholds their character. 194 S. MARK. 12. 41— beheld how the multitude cast ' money into the treasury : and many that were rich cast in much. 42 And there came 2a poor widow, and she cast in two mites, which make a 43 farthing. And he called unto him his disciples, and said unto them, Verily I say unto you, This poor widow cast in more than all they which are casting into the trea- 1 Gr. brass. 2 Gr. one. 44. The Saviour meant simply to call the attention of the dis- ciples to the fact that the liber- ality of a gift depends not upon its intrinsic value, but upon its relation to the means of the giver. He says nothing to jus- tify the neglect of prudence and discretion in acts of benevolence. It is not even certain that he meant to .express any opinion in regard to the propriety of the gift in this case. He simply says that this widow did more than they all. Whether, in her circumstances, it was her duty to do so much, seems to be left undecided. We are taught by this incident that they whose means are small should not be discouraged from doing what they can, since God regards, not the amount of the gift, but the disposition and feelings of the giver. But, then, on the other hand, this passage should not be employed as a means of urging the poor and the depressed to distress themselves by exertions which it is not their duty to make. CHAPTER XIII. 1. The original temple of Sol- sury : for they all did 44 cast in of their super- fluity ; but she of her want did cast in all that she had, even all her liv- ing. And as he went forth 13 out of the temple, one of his disciples saith unto him, 3 Master, behold, what manner of stones and what manner of buildings ! And Jesus 2 said unto him, Seest thou 3 Or, Teacher omon was destroyed at the time of the captivity. On the return of the Jews, it was rebuilt upon a more moderate scale, as de- scribed in the books of Ezra and Nehemiah; and it had been en- larged and ornamented by Herod the Great, a' short time before our Saviour's coming; so that at this time it exhibited great mag- uificence and splendor. — Build- ings. The temple did not con- sist of one single structure. There was a great central edi- fice, containing the sanctuary and the Hcly of Holies; and around this there was a vast arrangement of walls, courts, colonnades, and passages, so that the whole presented a very im- posing spectacle. The plans of the temple which are often met witli are of use in expanding the general ideas of the reader to proper conceptions of the mag- nitude and extent of the edifice; but they cannot be depended upon in detail. 2. There shall not oe left, &c. ; that is, it shall be utterly de- stroyed. The expression is prob- ably not intended to mean that literally every single stone should be separated from the rest. —13. 12. S. MARK. 195 these great buildings ? there shall not be left here one stone upon an- other, which shall not be thrown down. 3 And as he sat on the mount of Olives over against the temple, Peter and James and John and Andrew asked him pri- 4vately, Tell us, when shall these things be % and what shall be the sign when these things are all about to be accom- 5plished? And Jesus be- gan to say unto them, Take heed that no man 6 lead you astray. Many shall come in my name, saying, I am he; and shall lead many astray. 7 And when ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars, be not troubled : these things must needs come to pass ; but the end 8 is not yet. For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against 3. The Mount of Olives ; east of Jerusalem. The buildings of the temple were in full view from it. 4. What shall he the sign ; i. e. , what indications shall precede the final accomplishment of the prophecy of the destruction of Jerusalem. The discourse which follows is much more fully re- ported in Matthew. 9. Councils were Jewish tri- bunals, which were allowed by the Romans to exercise jurisdic tion in certain cases. The syna- gogue was also used for other kingdom: there shall be earthquakes in divers places ; there shall be famines : these things are the beginning of travail. But take ye heed to 9 yourselves : for they shall deliver you up to coun- cils ; and in synagogues shall ye be beaten ; and before governors and kings shall ye stand for my sake, for a testimony unto them. And the gos-io pel must first be preached unto all the nations. And 11 when they lead you to judgement, and deliver you up, be not anxious beforehand what ye shall speak : but whatsoever shall be given you in that hour, that speak ye : for it is not ye that speak, but the Holy Ghost. And 13 brother shall deliver up brother to death, and the father his child; and children shall rise up against parents, and purposes than religious worship. Its officers had a certain degree of ecclesiastical power; and it was often a place of trial and punishment for various offen- ces. 11. Be not anxious oeforehand. Christ does not, as the Old Ver- sion seemed to represent, forbid forethought and preparation, but he relieves his disciples in every exigency in life from anxiety and burdening care. The words neither premeditate were added here in the Old Ver- sion. 196 S. MARK. 13. 12— 'cause them to be put to 13 death. And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake : but he that endure th to the end, the same shall be saved. 14 But when ye see the abomination of desolation standing where he ought not (let him that readeth understand), then let them that are in Judsea flee unto the mountains : 15 and let him that is on the housetop not go down, nor enter in, to take any- thing out of his house : 16 and let him that is in the field not return back to 17 take his cloke. But woe unto them that are with child and to them that give suck in those days ! 18 And pray ye that it be 19 not in the winter. For those days shall be tribu- lation, such as there hath not been the like from the beginning of the crea- tion which Gfod created until now, and never shall 20 be. And except the Lord 1 Or, put them to death 14. Abomination of desolation. This is a Hebrew mode of ex- pression, equivalent to terrible desolator or destroyer, — refer- ring to the Roman army stand- ing about Jerusalem. The prophet Daniel makes three al- lusions to the presence of this destroyer at the holy city. (Dan. 9:27. 11:31. 12:11.) 20. Had shortened; should shorten. 24-27. This passage has given had shortened the days, no flesh would have been saved : but for the elect's sake, whom he chose, he shortened the days. And 21 then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is the Christ ; or, Lo, there ; be- lieve *it not: for there 22 shall arise false Christs and false prophets, and shall shew signs and won- ders, that they may lead astray, if possible, the elect. But take ye heed: 23 behold, I have told you all things beforehand. But in those days, after 24 that tribulation, the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars 25 shall be falling from heaven, and the powers that are in the heavens shall be shaken. And 26 then shall they see the Son of man coming in clouds with great power and glory. And then 27 shall he send forth the angels, and shall gather 2 Or, him rise to much discussion among commentators. The language itself is such as seems intended to describe the final judgment at the end of the world ; while the manner in which it is intro- duced by the expression, "In those days," at the commence- ment of the 24th verse, and still more decisively the declaration in the 30th verse, seem clearly to show that the passage relates to events which took place in —13. 34. S. MARK. 197 together his elect; from the four winds, from the uttermost part of the earth to the uttermost part of heaven. 28 Now from the fig tree learn her parable : when her branch is now become tender, and putteth forth its leaves, ye know that 29 the summer is nigh ; even so ye also, when ye see these things coming to pass, know ye that 1 he is nigh, emu at the doors. 1 Or, it Verily I say unto yon, no This generation shall nor pass away, until all these things be accomplished. Heaven and earth shall 31 pass away : but my words shall not pass away. But 33 of that day or that hour knoweth no one, not even the angels in heaven, nei- ther the Son, but the Father. Take ye heed, 33 watch 2and pray : for ye know not when the time is. It is as when a man, 34= 2 Some ancient authorities omit and pray . the time of the apostles. If this latter is the case, the language is evidently highly figurative, and is intended to exhibit in the 24th and 25th verses, the terri- ble commotions of the times ; in the 26th, the power and energy with which the cause of Chris- tianity was to be advanced; and in the 27th, the rapid gathering in of "converts from all countries and legions. If, on the other hand, this passage is to be con- sidered as referring to the final judgment, it becomes necessary to suppose, as some commenta- tors have done, that the sacred writer has omitted some portion of our Saviour's remarks, or trans- posed the order of them in such a way that this prediction seems to be included, with the rest, as the subject of the general statement in v. 30, when, in fact, if the omissions were supplied. or the order restored, it would appear that it was not so. It is difficult, however, to admit the possibility of such omissions or alterations, without impeaching the faithfulness, or at least the historical infallibility, of the 8* record. [In my opinion the prophecies of Christ recorded in this chapter and in the corre- sponding narratives of Matthew and Luke, cannot be regarded as having received their com- plete fulfilment in the destruc- tion of Jerusalem, and it is very clear to me that the apostles, Paul especially, were looking forward to a further fulfilment. I have discussed this question at length in my commentary on Matthew, and will only say here that the general declaration in v. 30, This generation shall not pass away until all these things be completed, refers, in my opinion, to the Jewish race or nation, who have been very marvellously, not to say miracu- lously, preserved, despite their dispersion, through all these ages, until the end shall come. Their very preservation is itself a testimony to the truth of these prophecies, and points to their final fulfilment in the second coming of Christ. L. A.] 34. Authority to Ms servants ; to each one his proper charge. 198 S. MARK. 13. 34— sojourning in another country, having left his house, and given authori- ty to his ' servants, to each one his work, com- manded also the porter 85 to watch. Watch there- fore : for ye know not when the lord of the house cometh, whether at even, or at midnight, or at cockcrowing, or in 66 the morning ; lest com- ing suddenly he find you 37 sleeping. And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch. 14 Now after two days was the feast of the pass- over and the unleavened bread : and the chief priests and the scribes sought how they might take him with subtilty, 2 and kill- him : for they said, Not during the feast, lest haply there shall be a tumult of the people. 1 Gr. bondservants. 2 Or, a flask 3 Gr. pistic nard, pistic being perhaps CHAPTER XIV. 1. After two days teas, &c. ; was to be ; that is, it was to take place in two days after this time. 3. A woman. This was Mary, the sister of Lazarus, who was serving at the table, her brother Lazarus being present as a guest. (John 12: 2.) Her name is not mentioned by Mark, apparently because he had not given any previous account of Lazarus or of the family. — Brake the ~box ; opened it, by breaking the seals or coverings. And while he was in 3 Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he sat at meat, there came a woman having 2 an ala- baster cruse of ointment of 'spikenard very costly ; and she brake the cruse, and poured it over his head. But there were 4 some that had indigna- tion among themselves, saying, To what purpose hath this waste of the ointment been made \ For 5 this ointment might have been sold for above three hundred 4 pence, and giv- en to the poor. And they murmured against her. But Jesus said, Let her alone ; why trouble ye her? she hath wrought a good work on me. For 7 ye have the poor always with you, and whenso- ever ye will ye can do them good : but me ye have not always. She8 ■ a local name. Others take it to mean genuine ; others, liquid. 4 See marginal note on Matt, xviii. 28. 8. She hath anointed my body beforehand ; not as in the Old Version, she is come aforehand to anoint my body ; for she did not at all realize what she was doing. Christ, foreseeing that the prep- aration of his body for the tomb would not be completed, pathetically refers to this anoint- ing as something that would take the place of the completion of the preparations which ac- companied burial among the Jews. —14. 18. S. MARK. 199 hath done what she could : she hath anoint- ed my body aforehand 9 for the burying. And verily 1 say unto you, Wheresoever the gospel shall be preached throughout whe whole world, that also which this woman hath done shall be spoken of for a memorial of her. 10 And Judas Iscariot, 'he that was one of the twelve, went away unto the chief priests, that he might deliver him unto them. 11 And they, when they heard it, were glad, and promised to give him money. And he sought how he might conve- niently deliver him unto them. \% And on the first day of unleavened bread, when they sacrificed the pass- over, his disciples say ui\to him, Where wilt 1 Gr. the one of the twelve. 10. Judas Iscariot was the one chiefly dissatisfied with the honor which Mary had paid to Jesus. (John 12: 4, 5.) 11. Conveniently ; secretly, at tiight, when he was alone, so that he should not be rescued by the populace. 12. The feast of unleavened bread was to commemorate the sudden departure of the Israel- ites from Egypt, when, in the haste and confusion of their flight, they were obliged to use bread prepared without leaven. It commenced on the day ol the thou that we go and make ready that thou may est eat the passover ? And he 18 sendeth two of his dis- ciples, and saith unto them, Go into the city, and there shall meet you a man bearing a pitcher of water : follow him ; and 14 wheresoever he shall enter in, say to the goodman of the house, The "Master saith, Where is my guest- chamber, where I shall eat the passover with my dis- ciples % And he wiiriiim- 15 self shew you a large npper room furnished and ready : and there make ready for us. And 16 the disciples went forth, and came into the city, and found as he had said unto them : and they made ready the passover. And when it was even- 17 ing he cometh with the twelve. And as they 3 sat 18 and were eating, Jesus 2. Or, Teacher 3 Gr. reclined. passover, — in this case on Fri- day,— and continued seven days. (Ex. 12:11-43.) 13. Into the city ; Jerusalem. 13-16. Special precautions were necessary in order that the place where Jesus was to eat the passover might be concealed; otherwise the solemn services of the last supper might have been broken in upon by a band of armed men. — Good man of the house ; the master of the house, the man whom they met with the pitcher being a servant. 200 S. MARK. 14. 18— said, Yerily I say unto you, One of you shall betray me, eoen he that 19eateth with me. They began to be sorrowful, and to say unto him so one by one, Is it I I And he said unto them, It is one of the twelve, he that dippeth with me in the 21 dish. For the Son of man £oeth, even as it is written of him : but woe unto that man through whom the Son of man is be- wrayed ! good were it ! for that man if he had not been born. 22 And as they were eating, he took "bread, and when he had blessed, he brake it, and gave to them, and said, Take ye : 23 this is my body. And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave 1 Gr. for him if that man. 2 Or, a loaf 3 Or, the testament 18. Even he that eateth with me. To betray a guest who has bro- ken bread at your table, is con- sidered in the East the very ■worst kind of treachery. 21. That is, the event must »ake place, as predetermined in the sovereign counsels of God, — but woe to the wicked agent through whose instrumentality the work is done. This is a very strong and remarkable as- sertion of the great moral truth, that the sovereignty of God is absolute and entire over every event that comes to pass, while yet it does not shield the guilty from moral responsibility for the part they perform in the accom- to them : and they all 24 drank of it. And he said unto them, This is my blood of 3the 4 covenant, which is shed for many. Yerily I say unto you, 1 25 will no more drink of the fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God. And when they had 26 sung a hymn, they went out unto the mount of Olives. And Jesus saith unto 27 them, All ye shall be "offended: for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered abroad. How- 28 beit, after I am raised up, I will go before you into Galilee. But Peter said 29 unto him, Although all shall be 'offended, yet 4 Some ancient authorities insert new. 5 Gr. caused to stumble. plishment of his designs. The calm decision with which the principle is asserted in reference to so very strong a case, directly involving, as it does, t}ie great difficulty of difficulties in moral philosophy, makes this one of the most remarkable passages in the sacred Scriptures. The Son of man goeth, as it is written of him, but woe unto him by whom he is betrayed. 25. The meaning here intend- ed by the Savior is supposed to have been, that with this inter- view his social intercourse with his disciples would close, not to be resumed again until he should meet them in heaven. 14. 44. S. MARK. 201 30 will not I. And Jesus saith unto him, Verily I say unto thee, that thou to-day, even this night, before the cock crow twice, shalt deny me 31 thrice. But he spake exceeding vehemently, If I must die with thee, I will not deny thee. And in like manner also said they all. 32 And they come unto 'a place which was named Gethsemane : and he saith unto his disciples, Sit ye 33 here, while I pray. And he taketh with him Peter and James and John, and began to be greatly amazed, and sore trou- 34 bled/ And he saith unto them, My soul is exceed- ing sorrowful even unto death : abide ye here, 35 and watch. And he went forward a little, and fell on the ground, and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass away 36 from him. And he said, Abba, Father, all things are possible unto thee ; remove this cup from me : howbeit not what I will, 37 but what thou wilt. And he cometh, and findeth them sleeping, and saith 1 Gr. an enclosed piece of ground. 32. Gethsemane; on the de- clivity of the Mount of Olives, •ast of Jerusalem. 33. Greatly amazed; over- unto Peter, Simon, sleepest thou \ couldest thou not watch one hour % 2 Watch and pray, that 38 ye enter not into tempta- tion : the spirit iudeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. And again he 39 went away, and prayed, saying the same words. And again he came, and 40 found them sleeping, for their eyes were very heavy ; and they wist not what to answer him. And he cometh the third 41 time, and saith unto them, Sleep on now, and take your rest : it is enough ; the hour is come ; behold, the Son of man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. Arise, 42 let us be going : behold, he that betrayeth me is at hand. And straightway, while 43 he yet spake, cometh Judas, one of the twelve, and with him a multitude with swords and staves, from the chief priests and the scribes and the elders. Now he that be- 44 trayed him had given them a token, saying, Whomsoever I shall kiss, that is he : take him, and 2 Or, Watch ye, and pray that ye enter not whelmed with a mysterious and bewildering horror. (Luke 22:44.) 40. Wist not ; knew not. 202 S. MARK. H. 44— lead him away safely. 45 And when he was come, . straightway he came to him, and saith, Rabbi ; 46 and 'kissed him. And they laid hands on him, 47 and took him. But a certain one of them that stood by drew his sword, and smote the 2 servant of the high priest, and struck 48 off his ear. And Jesus answered and said unto them, Are ye come out, as against a robber, with swords and staves to 49 seize me ? I was daily with you in the temple teaching, and ye took me not : but this is done that the scriptures might 1 Gr. kissed him much. 47. It was Peter ; John re- cords his name. 51. A certain young man ; who, hearing the tumult as this party passed his dwelling, came out in a night dress to learn the cause. 54. Into tlie court of the high priest. Probably into the open court-yard within the high priest's palace. There was a strange mixture of boldness and of timidity in Peter's plan ot following the officers and their prisoner at a distance, and coming into the palace after a brief interval, with the air of an unconcerned spectator of the ! dings. As it was dark when Jesus was apprehended, ho probably supposed that his fea- tures would not be recognized again, notwithstanding the prom- inent part which he had taken in resisting the arrest. They be fulfilled. And they 50 all left him, and fled. And a certain young 51 man followed with him, having a linen cloth cast about him, over his naked body: and they lay hold on him ; but he 52 left the linen cloth, and fled naked. And they led Jesus 53 away to the high priest : and there come together with him all the chief priests and the elders and the scribes. And Peter 54 had followed him afar off, even within, into the court of the high priest ; and he was sitting with the officers, and warming 2 Gr. bondservant. who know how easily men of truth are sometimes surprised into falsehood in unexpected and trying emergencies, will not wonder much, considering the circumstances of the case, at Peter's denial. If, as was prob- ably the fact, he went into the hall assuming the air and man- ner of a stranger, he placed himself in a false position, and then was drawn into false dec- larations to avoid detection. We can never resort to conceal- ment or disguise without expo- sing ourselves to the most imminent moral dangers. — In the light of the fire. A graphic touch indicating that we have here an account that comes from an eye- witness, and showing also how Petri's face was recognized. The fire was made of coals (John 18: 18), probably in a portable brazier in the court. 14. 76. S. MARK 203 himself in the light of the 55jire. Now the chief pries ts and the whole council sought witness against Jesus to put him to death ; and found it not. 56 For many bare false wit- ness against him, and their witness agreed not 57 together. And there stood up certain, and bare false witness against 58 him, saying, We heard him say, I will destroy this ' temple that is made with hands, and in three days I will build another made without hands. 59 And not even so did their witness agree to- eogether. And the high priest stood up in the midst, and asked Jesus, saying, Answerest thou nothing? what is it which these witness against 61 thee? But he held his peace, and answered nothing. Again the high priest asked him, and saith unto him, Art thou 1 Or, sanctuary 2 Gr. liable to. 53. Jesus had used language like this (John 2: 19,) referring, however, not to the temple, but to his own body. 63. Rent his clothes; with affected abhorrence of the blas- phemy. 65. Received him icith Mows of their hands ; a singular expres- sion ; the meaning must be, treated him or welcomed him, with blows of the hand. 66. Beneath the court; the the Christ, the Son of the Blessed ? And J e s u s 62 said, I am : and ye shall see the Son of man sitting at the right hand of power, and coming with the clouds of heaven. And the high priest rent 63 his clothes, and saith, What further need have we of witnesses? Ye 64 have heard the blas- phemy : what think ye ? And they all condemned him to* be "worthy of death. And some began 65 to spit on him, and to cover his face, and to buffet him, and to say unto him, Prophesy : and the officers received him with 3 blows of their hands. And as Peter was be- 66 neath in the court, there cometh one of the maids of the high priest ; and 67 seeing Peter warming himself, she looked upon him, and saith, Thou also wast with the Nazarene, 3 Or, strokes of rods apartment in which the mock trial of Jesus was being carried on was probably a room raised ;i little above the court-yard, and opening out upon it, so that Christ could hear the denials of Peter, and Peter could see the reproachful glances of Christ. — One of the maids. She had ad- mitted him at John's request ; and it seems she recognized him afterwards. (John 18: 16, 17.) 204 S. MARK. 14. 67— eseoen Jesus. But be de- nied, saying, ! I neither know, nor understand what thou sayest : and he went out into the 2 porch ; 8 and the cock 69 crew. And the maid saw him, and began again to say to them that stood by, This is one of them. 70 But he again denied it. And after a little while again they that stood by said to Peter, Of a truth thou art one of them ; for thou art a Galilsean. 71 But he began to curse, and to swear, I know not this man of whom ye 72 speak. And straightway the second time the cock crew. And Peter called to mind the word, how that Jesus said unto him, Before the cock crow twice, thou shalt deny me thrice. 4 And when 1 Or, I neither know, nor understand : thou, what sayest thou ? 2 Gr. forecourt. 70. He was identified by his Galilean dialect. See Matt. 26 :73. 72. Galled to mind, &c. He was reminded of it by a look from the Saviour. CHAPTER XV. 1. Held a consultation ; to ar- range a plan for taking Jesus before the Roman government, and securing his condemnation there. Either they had not the legal right to inflict a capital punishment, or eke, if they had the right, as some have main- tained, they may have feared the people, and considered it more he thought thereon, he wept. And straightway in the 15 morning the chief priests with the elders and scribes, and the whole council, held a consulta- tion, and bound Jesus, and carried him away, and delivered him up to Pilate. And Pilate asked 2 him, Art thou the King of the Jews? And he answering saith unto him, Thou sayest. And the 3 chief priests accused him of many things. And 4 Pilate again asked him, saying, Answerest thou nothing ? behold how many things they accuse thee of. But Jesus no5 more answered anything ; insomuch that Pilate marvelled. Now at 5the feast he6 used to release unto them 3 Many ancient authorities omit and t/ie cock- <-r< w. 4 Or, And he began to weep. 5 Or, a feast prudent to devolve upon the Roman authorities the task- of carrying such a sentence into execution. 2. Art thou, &c. ; referring to their accusation, Luke 23 : 2. 5. Jesus ?io more answered any- thing : lie answered fully Pi lute's first questioning (John 18: 33- 38), but after this made no re- sponse to ' the accusations brought against him, because their was no honest endeavor to ascertain and act according to the truth. 6. He used to release ; vraa accustomed to releage. -15. 21. S. MARK. 205 one prisoner, whom they 7 asked of him. And there was one called Barabbas, lying bound with them that had made insurrec- tion, men who in the in- surrection had committed 8 murder. And the multi- tude went up and began to ask him to do as he was wont to do unto 9 them. And Pilate an- swered them, saying, Will ye that I release un- to you the King of the 10 Jews? For he perceived that for envy the chief priests had delivered him 11 up. But the chief priests stirred up the multitude, that he should rather re- lease Barabbas unto them. 12 And Pilate again answer- ed and said unto them, What then shall I do un- to him whom ye call the 13 King of the Jews? And they cried out again, 14 Crucify him. And Pi- late said unto them, Why, what evil hath he done? But they cried 1 Or, palace 15. Wishing to content the people. He made every effort to save Jesus, as is more particu- larly related by the evangelist John. At last, dreading a tumult, (Matt. 27: 24,) and afraid, perhaps, of being him- self accused before the Roman emperor, (John 19: 12,) he re- luctantly yielded. 21. It has been noted as an interesting confirmation of the out exceedingly, Crucify him. And Pilate, wish- 15 ing to content the multi- tude, released unto them Barabbas, and delivered Jesus, when he had scourged him, to be cru- cified. And the soldiers led 16 him away within tbe court, which is the * Prse- torium ; and they call to- gether the whole aband. And they clothe him with 17 purple, and plaiting a crown of thorns, they put it on him ; and they be- 18 gan to salute him, Hail, King of the Jews ! And 19 they smote his head with a reed, and did spit upon him, and bowing their knees worshipped him. And when they had 20 mocked him, they took off from him the purple, and put on him his gar- ments. And they lead him out to crucify him. And they 'compel one 21 passing by, Simon of Cy- rene, coming from the 2 Or, cohort 3 Gr. impress. genuineness of the Gospels, that Mark is the only evangelist who mentions that Simon was the father of Alexander and Rufus ; as it was very natural that he should do, since he is supposed to have written at Rome, and for the use of Romans ; and one of these persons, at least, seems to have resided there, (Rom. 16:13.) 206 S. MARK. 15. 31- country, the father of Alexander and Rufus, to go with them, that he might bear his cross. 22 And they bring him unto the place Golgotha, which is, being inter- preted, The place of a 23 skull. And they offered him wine mingled with myrrh : but he received 24 it not. And they crucify him, and part his gar- ments among them, cast- ing lots upon them, what each should take. 25 And it was the third hour, and they crucified 26 him. And the super- scription of his accusa- tion was written over, THE KING 0on his left.1 And they that passed by railed on him, wragging their heads, and saying, Ha ! thou that destroy est the 2 tem- 1 Many ancient authorities insert ver. 28 And the scripture was fulfilled, irhich saith, And he was reckoned xvith trans- gressors. See Luke xxii. 37. 23. It is supposed that this Was a medicated drink, given to blunt sensibility to pain. 25. The third hour ; nine o'clock in the morning. 27. Two robbers; not, as in the Old Version, thieves; they were probably members of one of the bands of brigands which greatly infested Palestine at this time. They had probably been condemned before; and reserved pie, and buildest it in three days, save thyself, 30 and come down from the cross. In like manner 31 also the chief priests mocking him among themselves with the scribes said, He saved others ; 3 himself he can- not save. Let the Christ, 32 the King of Israel, now come down from the cross, thai we may see and believe. And they that were crucified with him reproached him. And when the sixth 33 hour was come, there wras darkness over the whole 4 land until the ninth hour. And at the ninth 34 hour Jesus cried, with a loud voice, Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani ? which is, being interpreted, My God, my God, 5why hast thou forsaken me ? And 35 some of them that stood by, when they heard it, said, Behold, he calleth 2 Or, sanctuary 3 Or, can he not save himself? 4 Or, earth 5 Or, why didst thou forsake mif for the occasion of this pass- over, for execution, that their punishment might be more pub- lic. There had been three cri- minals, it seems, thus reserved, including Barabbas, who was released. 32. They that were crucified with him. This was true, in fact, of only one of them. (Luke 23: 39-41.) 34. Ps. 22: 1. -15. 46. S. MARK. 207 36 Elijah. And one ran, and filling a sponge full of vinegar, put it on a reed, and gave him to drink, saying, Let be ; let us see whether Elijah cometh to take him down. 37 And Jesus uttered aloud voice, and gave up the 38 ghost. And the veil of the ' temple was rent in twain from the top to the 39 bottom. And when the centurion, which stood by over against him, saw that he 2 so gave up the ghost, he said, Truly this man was 3the Son of God. to And there were also wo- men beholding from afar : among whom were both Mary Magdalene, and ,Mary the mother of James the 4less and of 41 Joses, and Salome ; who, when he was in Galilee, followed him, and minis- 1 Or, sanctuary 2 Many ancient authorities read so cried out, and gave ttj) the ghost. 3 Or, a son of God 36. A reed, perhaps the stem of the plant called hyssojj. (John 19: 29.) 37. And Jesus uttered a loud voice. If this statement con- tained all the information upon this subject communicated to us, we might have supposed that the exclamation was one of pain, — the last, expiring cry. But, as John tells us that the expression uttered was, "It is finished," and as Luke adds also that with a loud voice he commended his spirit into the hands of God, the dying excla- mation seems to assume the character of an expression of tered unto him ; and many other women which came up with him unto Jerusalem. And when even was 42 now come, because it was the Preparation, that is, the day before the sab- bath, there came Joseph 43 of Arimathsea, a council- lor of honourable estate, who also himself was looking for the kingdom of God ; and he boldly went in unto Pilate, and asked for the body of Jesus. And Pilate mar- 44 veiled if he were already dead : and calling unto him the centurion, he asked him whether he 'had been any while dead. And when he learned it 45 of the centurion, he granted the corpse to Jo- seph. And he bought a 46 linen cloth, and taking 4 Gr. little. 5 Many ancient authorities read were already dead. triumphant joy that the great and glorious consummation had at last arrived. 39. The centurion ; the officer who commanded at the execu- tion.— He so gave up the ghost ; the centurion was greatly im- pressed with the manner of Christ's death, and the trium- phant outcry which immediately preceded it. 40. Salome; the mother of James and John, the sons of Zebedee. 42. On the day now called Friday. The Jewish Sabbath was the seventh day of the week. 208 S. MARK. 15. <±6— him down, wound him in the linen cloth, and laid him in a tomb which had been hewn out of a rock ; and he rolled a stone against the door of the 47 tomb. And Mary Mag- dalene and Mary the mother of Joses beheld where he was laid. 16 And when the sabbath was past, Mary Magda- lene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, bought spices, that they might come and anoint 2 him. And very early on the first day of the week, they come to the tomb when the sun was risen. 3 And they were saying among themselves, Who shall roll us away the stone from the door of 4 the tomb % and looking up, they see that the stone is rolled back : for it was exceeding great. 5 And entering into the tomb, they saw a young man sitting on the right 1 The two oldest Greek manuscripts, and some other authorities, omit from ver. 9 to the end. Some other authorities CHAPTER XVI. 2. They came, &c. ; perhaps at different times and in differ- ent parties ;~for it would Beem that the incidents which oc- curred to Mary Magdalene (John 20: 2-18) were very different from those which attended the visit of the other Galilean women. (Luke 21 : 1-9.) 5. A young man ; that is, the appearance of a young man. side, arrayed in a white robe ; and they were amazed. And he sairlie nn to them, Be not amazed : ye seek Jesus, the JNTazarene, which hath been crucified : he is risen ; he is not here : behold, the place where they laid him ! But go, 7 tell his disciples and Pe- ter, He goeth before you into Galilee : there shall ye see him, as he said unto you. And they went 8 out, and lied from the tomb ; for trembling and astonishment had come upon them : and they said nothing to any one ; for they were afraid. 'Now when he was 9 risen early on the first day of the week, he ap- peared first to Mary Mag- dalene, from whom he had cast out seven 2devils. She went and told them 10 that had been with him, hare a different ending to the GospeL 2 Gr. demon*. 7. And Pete)' ; that is, partic- ularly Peter, who, remembering his denial of his Lord, might fear, perhaps, that he was not, included in this invitation to meet him again. — As he said a ni" you. Before his death. Jesus had signified his intention to meet his disciples in Galilee after his resurrection. (Matt, 26: 32.) 16. 20— S. MARK. 209 as they mourned and 11 wept. And they, when they heard that he was alive, and had been seen of her, disbelieved. 12 And after these things he was manifested in an- other form unto two of them, as they walked, on their way into the coun- 13 try. And they went away and told it unto the rest : neither believed they them. 14 And afterward he was manifested unto the eleven themselves as they sat at meat ; and he up- braided them with their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they be- lieved not them which had seen him after he was 15 risen. And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to the whole crea- 1 Gr. demons. 20. The question whether this passage, beginning at verse 19, properly belongs to Mark's Gos- pel, or is an addition of a later hand, is one on "which Biblical crTtics differ. The probability, however, is that Mark's Gospel, as originally written by him, was either abruptly broken off by some accident, or its close was early lost, and that these last verses, from the 9th to the 20th, were added at a very early day, probably during the first tion. He that believethiG and is baptized shall be saved ; but he that disbe- lieveth shall be con- demned. And these signs 17 shall follow them that be- lieve : in my name shall they cast out 'devils ; they shall speak with 2new tongues ; they shall 18 take up serpents, and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall in no wise hurt them ; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover. So then the Lord Jesus, 19 after he had spoken unto them, was received up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God. And they went forth, and 20 preached everywhere, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word by the signs that fol- lowed. Amen. 2 Some ancient authorities omit new. century, to give completion to the book, the material for the passage being found in passages in the other Gospels, the authen- ticity of which is not questioned by any one. For a fuller state- ment of the reasons for and against supposing this passage to have been written by Mark himself, see my commentary on Mark. All the incidents here recorded are found narrated in a different form in the other Gospels. — L. A. THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. LUKE. There are several incidental allusions to the person and history of the author of this Gospel in the New Testament; and, in ad- dition to this, the most ancient Christian writers give some in- formation respecting him, which, they inform us, was handed down to them by early tradition. From these two sources have been derived the following facts, which are generally consid- ered, by Christian scholars, as satisfactorily ascertained. His name, though it is not mentioned in the Gospel itself, was Luke. He was a physician, probably of Antioch, in Syria; of the Jewish religion, though perhaps descended from a Greek family. After his conversion to Christianity, he became the intimate friend and companion of Paul. He accompanied him on some of his most important journeys, and thus enjoyed fre- quent intercourse with the most prominent of the early Chris-, tians, and possessed peculiar facilities for becoming acquainted with the history of the early church, and for obtaining accurate information in regard to the life and sayings of Jesus Christ. He accordingly wrote this Gospel, and also the book of the Acts. The considerations which led him to do this are stated in a few introductory verses prefixed to those books. Both this Gospel and the book of the Acts are addressed to TTieo- philus, who is supposed to have been some individual of rank, but of whose person and history nothing is known. This ad- dress to Theophilns, however, ought, probably, to be consid- ered in the light of an inscription or dedication; as the whole plan and structure of both works indicate that they were in- tended for general use, and not as mere private communications to a single individual. 1 Forasmuch as many have taken in hand to CHAPTER I. 1. Many have taken in hand to draw up a narrative. The refer- ence is probably to fragmentary [210] draw up a narrative con- cerning those matters writings giving some accounts of Christ's miracles and teachings, of which there were probably many in the apostolic age, which -1. 5 S. LUKE. 211 which have been ! fulfilled 2 among us, even as they delivered them unto us, which from the beginning were eyewitnesses and 3 ministers of the word, it seemed good to me also, having traced the course of all things accurately from the first, to write unto thee in order, most 1 Ox, fully established 2 Gr. words. have since been lost. — Which have teen fulfilled among us ; not, as in the Old Version, surely Re- lieved among us. Luke refers to the fact that the events in Christ's life were a fulfilment of Old Testament prophecy. 3. We learn from this intro- duction that the inspiration of the sacred writers was not a divine illumination and impulse, which revealed to them, super- naturally, in all cases, a knowl- edge of the facts, or which made them the mere passive instru- ments for recording words which the Holy Spirit dictated; but that it was rather of the nature of a superintendence and con- trol over the exercise of their Own memory and judgment, and powers of investigation and ex- pression. Even Luke's deter- mination to write his history, was his own determination; "it seemed good to me." And he felt qualified for the work on account of the facilities which he enjoyed for acquiring a cor- rect knowledge of the facts by the exercise of his own mental powers. This being true in re- spect to inspired men, of course those uninspired religious teach- ers, of all ages, who expect such an influence from the Holy Spir- it as shall render unnecessary their own personal efforts for excellent Theophilus ; that thou mightest know 4 the certainty concerning the 2 things 'wherein thou wast instructed. There was in the days 5 of Herod, king of Judsea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the course of Abijah : and he had a 3 Or, which thou wast taught by tvord of mouth mental cultivation, and for the acquisition of knowledge, very greatly err. 3, 4. Having traced tlie course of all things ; not, as in the Old Version, having had a perfect understanding ; i. e., from the first, but having prepared him- self to write his history by a personal and careful research. — Wherein thou least instructed; taught by word of mouth. Luke's object was to give fuller information to Theophilus con- cerning matters about which he had known something already from tradition. 5. Herod. Judea had been conquered by the Romansa short time before this, and held in imperfect subjugation, until, at length, Herod, who was ap- pointed to the government of it, completed the conquest, and induced the Roman emperor to grant it to him as a kingdom; and he had been reigning over it now, in great power and splendor, for more than thirty years. He acquired great cele- brity for his political and mili- tary talents, his influence with the Roman government, the energy of his administration, the violence of his passions, and for his cruelties and his crimes. He is called in history Herod the Great. The individuals me*- 213 S. LUKE. 1.5— wife of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was 6 Elisabeth. And they were both righteous be- fore God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord 7 blameless. And they had no child, because that Elisabeth was barren, and they both were now l well stricken in years. 8 Now it came to pass, while he executed the priest's office before God in the order of his course, 9 according to the custom of the priest's office, his lot was to enter into the 2 temple of the Lord and 10 burn incense. And the whole multitude of the 1 Gr. advanced in their days. tioned in the subsequent parts of the Scripture history, under the name of Herod, were his descendants. — Of the course of Abijah. In 1 Chron. 24: the arrangement of the priests into courses is given, and in the tenth verse the course of Abijah is mentioned as the eighth in order. 7. Stricken; advanced. 9. The description of the altar of incense, and of the institution of the rite, is contained in Ex. 30:1-8. Burning the incense in the temple was a duty of the highest interest and solemnity. The number of priests was so large that the falling of the lot to any individual was an impor- tant event in his life. He was to go alone into one of the most magnificent apartments in the world, and one which was con- nected, in the mind of every people were praying with- out at the hour of in- cense. And there ap-ll peared unto him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense. And Zacha-12 rias was troubled when he saw him, and fear fell upon him. But the an- 13 gel said unto him, Fear not, Zacharias : because thy supplication is heard, and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John. Andu thou shalt have joy and gladness ; and many shall rejoice at his birth. For 15 he shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and he 2 Or, sanctuary Jew, witli associations of the deepest religious veneration and awe. There he was to perform a most solemn ceremony, — to burn incense, in the very ante- chamber, and almost in the pres- ence of Jehovah, while thou- sands were waiting without in silence and solemnity. Thus this first announcement of the approach of the Messiah was made at a time and in a place in keeping with the moral grandeur of the events involved in the an- nunciation. 11, 12. There is something mysterious in the strange, un- earthly terror, with which the idea of any communication from the world of spirits is associated in the minds of men, in all ages of the world, and under every variety of circumstance. "What had Zacharias to fear ? 15. No wine nor strong drink ; THE EXECUTION OF JOHN THE BAPTIST. — 1. 23. S. LUKE. 215 shall drink no wine nor 'strong drink; and he shall be filled with the 2 Holy Ghost even from 16 bis mothers womb. And many of the children of Israel shall he turn unto 17 the Lord their God And he shall 3go before his face in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts >f the fathers r to the children, and the disobedient to walk in the wisdom of the just ; to make ready for the Lord a people prepared is for him. And Zacharias said unto the angel, Whereby shall I know this? for I am an old man, and my wife 4 well 19 stricken in years. And the angel answering said unto him, I am Gabriel, that stand in the pres- 1 Gr. sikera. 2 Or, Holy Spirit : and so throughout this book. 3 Some ancient authorities read come that is, like the ancient proph- ets, he shall lead a life of abste- miousness and self-denial. There is probably a reference here to what is known as the Nazarite vow. (See Num. ch. 6.) 17. Elijah. The meaning is, With the boldness and energy which characterized the prophet Elijah. — To turn the hearts, &c. ; to bring back again the religious spirit of the fathers to the pres- ent generation. 19. The name Gabriel is men- tioned in Dan. 8 : 16, and in 9:21. 20. Silent; that is, deaf and 1 ence of God ; and I was sent to speak unto thee, and to bring thee these good tidings. And be- 20 hold, thou slialt be silent and not able to speak, until the day that these things shall come to pass, because thou believedst not my words, which shall be fulfilled in their season. And the people 21 were waiting for Zacha- rias, and they marvelled 5 while he tarried in the 6 temple. And when he 22 came out, he could not speak unto them : and they perceived that he had seen a vision in the 6 ten^le : and he contin- ued making signs unto them, and remained dumb. And it came to 23 pass, when the days of his ministration were fulfill- nigh before Ms face: 4 Gr. advanced in her days. 5 Or, at his tarrying 6 Or, sanctuary dumb : the same words being used in this case as are employed to denote this class in other parts of the New Testament. Accord- ingly, in verses 62 and 63, we see that his friends communicat- ed with him by signs, implying that he could not hear. 21. And the people were waiting for Zacharias ; i. e., while this interview between Zacharias and the angel took place. 22. He continued malting signs unto them; he remained dumb during the rest of this period of his ministration. 23. Ministration; service in the temple. 216 S. LUKE. 1. 23— ed, he departed unto his house. 24 And after these days Elisabeth his wife con- ceived ; and she hid her- self live months, saying, 25 Thus hath the Lord done unto me in the days wherein he looked upon me, to take away my reproach among men. 26 Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth, 27 to a virgin betrothed to a man wnose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's 28 name was Mary. And he came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art 'highly favoured, the 29 Lord is with thee2. But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this might be. 30 And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary : for thou hast found "favour 31 with God. And behold, 1 Or, endued with grace 2 Many ancient authorities add art thou among women. See ver. 42 3 Or, graee 4 Gr. -unto the ages. 25. To be childless was a sub- ject of reproach among the Jews, though very unjustly. 26. The scene now changes to a distant part of the country. Nazareth was in Galilee, fifty or sixty miles from Jerusalem. 29. That is, what this saluta- tion should mean. 35. The reading given in the thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name Jesus. He shall be 82 great, and shall be called the Son of the Most High: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David : and 33 he shall reign over the house of Jacob 4for ever ; and of his kingdom there shall be no end. And 34 Mary said unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man ? And the angel answered 35 and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Most High shall overshadow thee : where- fore also 5that which 6is to be born "shall be called holy, the Son of God. And behold, Elisabeth thy 36 kinswoman, she also hath conceived a son in her old age : and this is the sixth month with her that "was called barren. For no 37 word from God shall be 5 Or, the holy thing which is to be born shall be called the Son of God. G Or, is begotten 7 Some ancient authorities insert of thee. 8 Or, is margin is substantially that of the Old Version. 36. Kinswoman ; not necessa- rily cousin, as in the Old Version; the nature of the relationship is not indicated by the original. 37. The difference in phrase- ology here between the New and Old Versions is considerable, but the meaning is really the same ; 1. 49. S. LUKE. 217 38 void of power. And Mary said, Behold, the 'hand- maid of the Lord ; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her. 39 And Mary arose in these days and went into the hill country with haste, into a city of Judah; 40 and entered into the house of Zacharias and 41 saluted Elisabeth. And it came to pass, when Elisabeth heard the salu- tation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb ; and Elisabeth was filled with 42 the Holy Ghost ; and she lifted up her voice with a loud cry, and said, Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of 43 thy womb. And whence is this to me, that the 1 Gr. bondmaid. 2 Or, believed that there shall t no word or promise of God is ever ineffectual. 38. Handmaid means servant; so that Mary's reply is an ex- pression of entire submission to the divine will. 39. The country in the neigh- borhood of Jerusalem was called the hill-country. 40. Saluted; that is, addressed her, with expressions of affec- tionate recognition. 43. That is, Why is it that I receive the honor of a visit from the mother of the Saviour ? 41). Thus far the words of Mary's song express the feelings awakened in her heart by the circumstances of her own partic- ular case. There is something mother of my Lord should come unto me? For 44, behold, when the voice of thy salutation came into mine ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy. And 45 blessed is she that "be- lieved ; for there shall be a fulfilment of the things which have been spoken to her from the Lord. And Mary said, 40 My soul doth magnify the Lord, And my spirit hath 4? rejoiced in God my Saviour. For he hath looked 48 upon the low estate of his 'handmaiden : For behold, from henceforth all gene- rations shall call me blessed. For he that is mighty 49 3 Gr. bondmaiden. sublime in the feelings with which this youthful maiden looks forward to her approach- ing maternity. Her mind dwells not upon the love, the caresses, the thousand charms and fasci- nations of infancy and child- hood, on which the heart of a mother might have been expect- ed to rest. She seems to over- look all these, and, as if from a high moral elevation, she sur- veys the vast consequences to \ her nation and to her race, which were to result from the approaching change in her own private condition. The remain- ing verses of the song are gen- eral expressions of adoration and praise, for the power and 218 S. LUKE. 1. 49— hath done to me great things ; And holy is his name. 50 And his mercy is unto generations and gene- rations On them that fear him. 51 He hath shewed strength with his arm ; He hath scattered the proud 'in the imagi- nation of their heart. 52 He hath put down princes from their thrones, And hath exalted them of low degree. 53 The hungry he hath filled with good things ; And the rich he hath sent empty away. 51 He hath holpen Israel his servant, That he might remem- ber mercy 55 (As he spake unto our fathers) 1 Or, by providence of God. The reader will rind a very striking similar- ity between this hymn of thanks- giving and that of Hannah, as recorded in 1 Sam. ch. 2. 54, 55. The object of this vis- itation was a fulfilment of the prophecies of mercy made to the fathers through the ancient prophets. 58. Kinsfolk; not necessarily cousins, as in the Old Version. 59. Circumcise. This was a religious ceremony, performed, Toward Abraham and his seed for ever. And Mary abode with 56 her about three months, and returned unto her house. Now Elisabeth's time 57 was fulfilled that she should be delivered ; and she brought forth a son. And her neighbours and 58 her kinsfolk heard that the Lord had magnified his mercy towards her ; and they rejoiced with her. And it came to pass 59 on the eighth day, that they came to circumcise the child ; and they would have called him Zacha- riasj after the name of his father. And his mo- 60 ther answered and said, Not so ; but he shall be called John. And they 61 said unto her, There is none of thy kindred that is called by this name. And they made signs to 62 his father, what he would according to the law of Moses, as a rite essential to the admis- sion of any one to the Jewish communion. It was pci formed upon infant children of Jewish parents, when they were eight d;iys old; and upon those who had not been thus circumcised in infancy, at the time of their conversion to Judaism, at what- ever period of their lives this might be. 60. As had been directed by -4. 76. S. LUKE. 219 63 have Mm called. And lie asked for a writing tablet, and wrote, saying, His name is John. And they 64 marvelled all. And his mouth was opened imme- diately, and his tongue loosed, and he spake, 65 blessing God. And fear came on all that dwelt round about them : and all these sayings were noised abroad throughout all the hill country of 66 Judaea. And all that heard them laid them up in their heart, saying, What then shall this child be \ For the hand of the Lord was with him. 67 And his father Zacha- rias was filled with the Holy Ghost, and prophe- sied, saying, 68 Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel ; For he hath visited and wrought redemp- tion for his people, 69 And hath raised up a 63. Writing tablet ; writing tablets were made in various ways, — with a surface of some yielding substance, as wax or lead, on which the writing was traced with an iron point. 64. The prediction being now completely fulfilled, the dumb- ness was removed. 65. Fear ; a feeling of wonder and awe. 69. The horn was, among the Hebrews, a symbol of power. — In the house of his servant David; that is, in his family ; among his descendants. horn of salvation for us In the house of his servant David (As he spake by the 70 mouth of his holy prophets which have been since the world began), Salvation from our7l enemies, and from the hand of all that hate us ; To shew mercy to- 72 wards our fathers, And to remember his holy covenant ; The oath which he 73 sware unto Abraham our father, To grant unto us that 74 we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies Should serve him without fear, In holiness and right- 75 eousness before him all our days. Yea and thou, child, 76 shalt be called the 7 1 . Salvation from our enemies ; this carries us back to and qual- ifies and explains the salvation referred to in verse 69. 72. To shew mercy towards our fathers ; by showing it to their children. 76. It is interesting to observe how the natural feelings and partialities of the father are here merged in the higher emotions of inspiration and prophecy. With his own infant son before him, his only son, the child of his old age, and on an occasion the most exciting to a father's 220 S. LUKE. 1. 76- propliet of the Most High : For thou shalt go be- fore the face of the Lord to make ready his ways ; 77 To give knowledge of salvation unto his people In the remission of their sins, 78 Because of the 'tender mercy of our God, 'Whereby the day- spring from on high 9 shall visit us, n To shine upon them that sit in darkness and the shadow of death ; 1 Or, heart of mercy 2 Or, Wherein 3 Many ancient authorities read hath feelings, — the burden of his song is the great blessings which are to come upon the world through the instrumentality of (mother child, yet to be born. It is only in conclusion that he turns to his own son, and then to assign him the comparatively humble part of going before the face of the Lord, to prepare his ways. 78. Dayspring ; the dawTn of a better day. 80. Waxed strong in spirit; in- creased in intellectual energy. — In the deserts ; that is, probably, he lived in retirement in a part of Judea called the desert, until he commenced his public preach- ing by the Jordan, as recorded by Matthew and by John. His whole life was that of an ascetic and recluse. CHAPTER IT. 1. Cesar Augustus; the Roman emperor. Cesar was the family name, and Augustus an honora- To guide our feet into the way of peace. And the child grew, 80 and waxed strong in spirit, and was in the deserts till the day of his shewing unto Is- rael. Now it came to pass 2 in those days, there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all 4 the world should be enrolled. This was 2 the first enrolment made when Quirinius was governor of Syria. And all wTent to enrol 3 themselves, every one to visited vs. 4 Gr. the inhabited earth. or illustrious. These names were applied, in succession, to a long line of monarchs. The first was Julius Cesar, the great competi- tor of Pompey. The one here spoken of was Octavianus Cesar. The one in power when Paul ap- pealed unto Cesar, wTas Noro. The Claudius, who com -landed, all Jews to depart out of Rome, (Acts 18: 2,) was a Cesar.— All the icorld ; probably the whole country of the Jewrs. 2. Should he enrolled; not, as in the Old Version, to be taxed. What is implied in the original is the taking of a census, proba- bly as a step preliminary to ac- tual taxation. The .lews were compelled to submit t<> these ex- actions of the Romans, much against their will. Hence the odium in which the publicans, or tax-gatherers, were held; and also the peculiar point of the question put to our Saviour, on one occasion, — whether it was lawful to pay tribute to Cesar. I OniriniiiG who ffnmirnnr of Sttvi<» 2. 11 S. LUKE. £21 4 his own city. And Joseph also went up from Gali- lee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, to the city of David, which is called Bethle- hem, because he was of the house and family of 5 David ; to enrol himself with Mary, who was betrothed to him, being 6 great with child. And it came to pass, while they were there, the days were fulfilled that she should 7 be delivered. And she brought forth her first- born son ; and she wrapped him in swad- dling clothes, and laid 1 Ox, night watches for a period of five years, begin- ning six years subsequent to the birth of Christ. This fact has presented some difficulty, be- cause it is here implied that the enrolment under Quirinius took place at the time of Christ's birth. It is, however, quite probable that Quirinius held office in Syria prior to his being made governor, and that he pre- pared the enrolment at that time. — L. A.] 4. It is interesting to observe how the fulfilment of the sim- ple prophecy that Christ should be born in Bethlehem, depended upon the political movements of the greatest power on the globe. Thus we see that all the affairs of human life are connected and intertwined, so as to form one vast and complicated system, all of which is under the complete control of the providence of God. The long journey from Nazareth, made in order that him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. And there were shep-8 herds in the same coun- try abiding in the field, and keeping 'watch by night over their flock. And an angel of the Lord 9 stood by them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them : and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto 10 them, Be not afraid ; for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which shall be to all the people : for there is born to youll this day in the city of Joseph and Mary might present themselves for enrolment in the city of David, served to make the fact' very conspicuous and prominent, that Jesus was de- scended from the royal family. 7. All the arrangements of the ancients, in respect to travelling, were so totally different from ours, that we can now form but a very imperfect idea of the pre- cise situation of Mary and the infant, from the words used to describe it in the text. All the circumstances of their history conspire to show that, though in humble life, they were by no means in very poor and destitute circumstances, as is sometimes supposed. 8. Flocks were kept in ancient times, not by means of fences or enclosures, but by shepherds, who watched them in open pas- ture grounds. 9. Glory of the Lord ; a super- natural light. 223 S. LUKE. 2. 11— David a Saviour, which la is 'Christ the Lord. And this is the sign unto you ; Ye shall find a babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, and lying in a 13 manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heav- enly host praising God, and saying, 14 Glory to God in the highest, And on earth 'peace among 3men in whom he is well pleased. 15 And it came to pass, when the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this 4 thin": that is come to pass, which the Lord 1 Or, Anointed Lord 2 Many ancient authorities read peace, geod pleasure among m n. 14. The Old Version read, And on earth, peace, good will toward men. Scholars are not agreed fully respecting either the proper reading or the proper translation of this passage. Ac- cording to the Old Version, the angels bring a promise of good, will from God toward men; ac- cording to the New Version, peace is God's gift to those men in whom he is well pleased. 20. It cannot now be positive- ly ascertained in what part of the year the birth of the Saviour took place. In the absence of all certain information, how- ever, the night before the 25th of December has been fixed upon, by a sort of common con- hath made known unto us. And they came with 16 haste, and found both Mary and Joseph, and the babe lying in the manger. And when they 17 saw it, they made known concerning the saying which was spoken . to them about this child. And all that heard it is wondered at the things which were spoken unto them by the shepherds. But Mary kept all these 19 "sayings, pondering them in her heart. And the 20 shepherds returned, glori- fying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, even as it was spoken un- to them. And when eight days 21 were fulfilled for circum- 3 Gr. men of good pleasure. 4 Or, saying 5 Or, thing* sent, and is celebrated in various ways, throughout almost all Christendom, as the anniversary of the Saviour's birthniglit. Even the year itself i> not definitely ascertained; probably, however, lie was born four years before the time indicated by our chro- nology, i. e., B. C. 4. 21, 22. The law, in respect to those transactions, is recorded in Lev. 12. For an account of the original consecration of all the first-born to God's service, Bee Ex. 1:5:1, 2; also 14, 15. Afterwards the tribe of Levi was substituted for the first-born, in the service of the sanctuary, as shown in Num. 8:lo-l>s, and provision wr.s made for redeem- —2. 35. S. LUKE. %n cising him, his name was called Jesus, which was so called by the angel be- fore he was conceived in 22 the womb. And when the days of their purifi- cation according to the law of Moses were fulfill- ed, they brought him up to Jerusalem, to present 23 him to the Lord (as it is written in the law of the Lord, Every male that openeth the womb shall be called holy to the 24 Lord), and to offer a sacrilice according to that which is said in the law of the Lord, A pair of turtledoves, or two young 25 pigeons. And behold, there was a man in Jeru- salem, whose name was Simeon ; and this man was righteous and de- vout, looking for the con- solation of Israel : and the Holy Spirit was upon 26 him. And it had been revealed unto him by the Holy Spirit, that he should not see death, be- fore he had seen the 27 Lord's Christ. And he came in the Spirit into 1 Gr. bondservant. 2 Gr. Master. iug the first-born, Num. 18: i5, 16. 33. Marvelling; that is, they were deeply impressed and affected. 34. 7* set for the falling, &c. The Saviour's coming shall be the occasion on which many shall 9* the temple : and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, that they might do concerning him after the custom of the law, then he received 28 him into his arms, and blessed God, and said, Now lettest thou thy 29 'servant depart, 0 'Lord, According to thy word, in peace ; For mine eyes have 30 seen thy salvation, Which thou hast pre- 31 pared before the face of all peoples ; A light for 3revelation 33 to the Gentiles, And the glory of thy people Israel. And his father and his 3s mother were marvelling at the things which were spoken concerning him ; and Simeon blessed them, 34 and said unto Mary his mother, Behold, this child is set for the falling and rising up of many in Israel ; and for a sign which is spoken against ; yea and a sword shall 35 pierce through thine own 3 Or, the unveiling of the Gentiles fall into grievous sins, while others shall be raised, by means of it, to a new life of holiness and spiritual joy. — A sign, &c. ; a mark for hatred and obloquy. 35. A sword, &c. This re- fers to the sufferings which Mary was to endure through her til S. LUKE. 2. 35- soul 5 that thoughts out of many hearts may be 36 revealed. And there was one Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher (she was 'of a great age, hav- ing lived with a husband seven years from her vir- 37ginity, and she had been a widow even for four- score and four years), which departed not from the temple, worshipping with fastings and suppli- cations night and day. 38 And coming up at that very hour she gave thanks 1 Gr. advanced in many days. affection and sympathy for her son. — That thoughts out of many hearts, &c. This, of course, refers back, beyond the paren- thesis, to the last words of the preceding verse. It shows us that Jesus did not force himself upon men, as their king. He presented himself before man- kind, unarmed and defenceless, that men might be perfectly free to receive or to reject him ; so that their conduct might be the true index of the thoughts of their hearts. Christianity itself stands in much the same attitude at the present day. It is left exposed and defenceless to the attacks of unbelievers, in many points in which, it would seem, it might have been easily guarded. While there is ample evidence to satisfy those honestly desirous of knowing and doing the will of God, there are abundant materials out of which excuses may be fabricated for rejecting it, by all those who wish to find them. While, there- unto G-od, and spake of him to all them that were looking for the redemp- tion of Jerusalem. And 39 when they had accom- plished all things that were according to the law of the Lord, they return- ed into Galilee, to their own city Nazareth. And the child grew, 40 and waxed strong, "filled with wisdom : and the grace of God was upon him. And his parents went 41 every year to Jerusalem at the feast of the pass- 2 Gr. becoming full of wisdom. fore, we do all in our power to relieve honest doubts, we should not be too eager to answer the objections and difficulties made by cavilling unbelievers. Every thing in the providence of God, as indicated by the circum- stances of our Saviour's mission, by his preaching, and by the present condition of the argu- ment for Christianity, shows that it is his design that those who wish to find excuses for re- jecting Christ, should have the opportunity ; so that the thoughts of men's hearts may be freely re- vealed. 37. Night and day ; that is, with habitual constancy. 39. The flight of Joseph and Mary into Egypt, as recorded by Matthew, took place before their return to Nazareth. It is not easy to account for Luke's omitting all mention of so im- portant a transaction, when we remember the words of his pref- ace. (Luke 1 : 3.) 41. For an account of the in- 2. 51. S. LUKE. 225 42 over. And when he was twelve years old, they went up after the custom 43 of the feast; and when they had fulfilled the days, as they were re- turning, the boy Jesus tarried behind in Jeru- salem ; and his parents 44 knew it not ; but sup- posing him to be in the company, they went a day's journey; and they sought for him among their kinsfolk and ac- 45 quaintance : and when they found him not, they returned to Jerusalem, 46 seeking for him. And it came to pass, after three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the 1 Or, teachers *" - 2 Gr. Child. stitution and mode of celebrat- ing thepassover, see Ex. 12, and Levit. 23. 49. Wist ye not ; knew ye not. — In my Father's house. The original is literally in the things of my Father ; the New Version represents more accurately the significance than did the Old Version, about my Father's busi- ness. The meaning is this — How is it that you could not find me ? Did you not suppose that I should be at my Father's ? — meaning that the temple, the house of God, his Father, was his natural and proper home, and the place where they should have expected to find him. We must suppose that his being left behind by his parents was not designed on his part, both be- cause he at once returned with his parents when found, and also because his remaining at midst of the *'doctors, both hearing them, and asking them questions : and all that heard him 47 were amazed at his under- standing and his answers. And when they saw him, 48 they were astonished : and his mother said unto him, 2 Son, why hast thou thus dealt with us? behold, thy father and I sought thee sorrowing. And he 49 said unto them, How is it that ye sought me? wist ye not that I must be sin my Father' s house % And 50 they understood not the saying which he spake unto them. And he went 51 down with them, and came to Nazareth ; and 3 Or, about my Father's business Gr. in the things of my Father. Jerusalem intentionally, without his parents' knowledge or con- sent, could hardly be reconciled with his duty as a son. It was his principle, as he expressed it, to fulfil all righteousness ; that is, to perform faithfully all the du- ties arising out of the human re- lations which he sustained. 51. The peculiar character of Mary's feelings towards her in- fant son is beautifully intimated to us in these and similar ex- pressions, which show the strong affection of the mother, repress- ed and controlled by the myste- rious sacred ness with which the subject of it was invested. She observes everything, watches everything, but is silent in re- spect to what she sees, laying it up in her heart. It seems as if the sacred writers perceived the peculiar dramatic interest of her position; for every allusion to 226 S. LUKE. 2.51— lie was subject unto them: and his mother kept all these 'sayings in her heart. 52 And Jesus advanced in wisdom and 'stature, and in 'favour with God and men. 3 Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Ti- berius Cresar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judaea, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip tet- 1 Or, things her is in keeping with it, and heightens the effect. Wherever she appears, — on this occasion, at the marriage in Cana of Gali- lee, in her attendance upon Jesus in his journeyings, and at his last hour, standing by his side, at the cross, — we seem to see in her look, her attitude, her tone of voice, and in the mean- ing of the few wrords she utters, that mingling of maternal pride and maternal anxiety, — of moth- erly fondness for a son, and of religious veneration for a Sa- viour,— which we might almost have supposed to have been in- consistent with each other. Si- lent, unobtrusive, and retiring, but ever watchful, ever at hand, we know not which most to ad- mire, the ardent affection which kept her near her son, even in his greatest dangers, or the sin- gular quietness of spirit and re- serve, through which she always keeps, in every scene, a position so becoming to the gentleness and modesty of woman. It is not surprising that in the dark and superstitious ages of the church, she was almost worship- ped as divine. CHAPTER III. rarch of the region of Ituraia, and Trachonitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene, in the high- priesthood of A n n a s 2 and Caiaphas, the word of God came unto John the son of Zacharias in the wilderness. And he 3 came into all the region round about Jordan, preaching the baptism of repentance unto remission of sins ; as it is written in 4 2 Or, age Or, grace vided after his death. — A te- trarch is a ruler over a portion of a kingdom, possessing, in some respects, kingly powers. A governor, in the New Testament, is the ruler of a provi?ice, which was more directly dependent upon the government of Rome. Judea and the adjoining coun- tries, which, in the days of Herod the Great, constituted a kingdom, were now separated, and Judea itself was a province. 2. There is historical evidence that it was Caiaphas who actual- ly held the office of high priest from this time to a period be- yond the crucifixion ; but Annas, his father-in-law, seems to have been in some way connected with him in the duties of the office. (See John 18:13 and 24.) Probably the Jews did not recognize the act of the Roman government in substituting Cai- aphas for Annas, and still con- tinued to regard the latter as their real high priest. — Thetcord of God ; special communications from the Holy Spirit. 3. The baptism of repentance. The baptism of John was the symbol and pledge of repent- ance. 4. Isaiah 40 : 3-5. —3. 15. S. LUKE. 257 the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet, The voice of one cry- ing in the wilderness, Make ye ready the way of the Lord, Make his paths straight. 5 Every valley shall be filled, And every mountain and hill shall be brought low ; And the crooked shall become straight, And the rough ways smooth ; 6 And all flesh shall see the salvation of God. 7 He said therefore to the multitudes that went out to be baptized of him, Ye offspring of vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? 8 Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of 1 repent- ance, and begin not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father : for I say un- to you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abra- 1 Or, your repentance 2 See marginal note on Matt. v. 46. 3 Or, Teacher 7. Offspring of vipers. We learn from Matt. 3 : 7, that it was to the Pharisees and Saddu- cees that this severe language was applied. 12. Publicans ; officers appoint- ed to collect the taxes. 14. Neither exact anything wrongfully ; or, as in the Old Version, neither accuse any false- ham. And even now is 9 the axe also laid unto the root of the trees : every tree therefore that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. And 10 the multitudes asked him, saying, What then must we do ? And he answered 11 and said unto them, He that hath two coats, let him impart to him that hath none ; and he that hath food, let him do likewise. And there came 12 also 2 publicans to be bap- tized, and they said unto him, 3 Master, what must we do ? And he said un- 13 to them, Extort no more than that which is ap- pointed you. And 4 sol- 14 diers also asked him, saying, And we, what must we do % And he said unto them, Do violence to no man, neither "exact anything wrongfully ; and be content with your wages. And as the people were 15 in expectation, and all- men reasoned in their 4 Gr. soldiers on service. 5 Or. accuse any one ly. The meaning is substantial- ly the same, since false accusa- tions were a customary method of exacting hush-money from the wealthy. 15. The evangelist John states that the Jews sent special mes- sengers from Jerusalem to put this question to him. (John 1-J19.) 228 S. LUKE. 3 15— hearts concerning John, whether haply he were 16 the Christ; John an- swered, saying unto tbem all, I indeed baptize you with water ; but there cometli he that is mightier than I, the latchet of whose shoes I am not J worthy to unloose : he shall baptize you "with the Holy Ghost and with it lire: whose fan is in his h a n dv throughly t o cleanse his threshing floor, and to gather the wheat into his garner ; but the chaff he will burn up with unquenchable fire. 18 With many other ex- hortations therefore preached he 'good tid- 1 Gr. sufficient. 17. Fan; an agricultural in- strument, by which the chaff was separated from the wheat. — Gaimer ; granary. 18. The language here which more literally renders the Greek than did that of the Old Ver- sion, implies that John's preach- ing was not severe and threaten- ing, but was a preaching of glad tidings in prophecy of the coming of the Saviour. 19. 20. This event took place some time afterwards. It is in- serted here in order to complete what Luke had to say of the bold and fearless character of John, as a preacher, and to show how his public ministrations were brought to a close. p 23. Not, as in the Old Ver- sion: Jesus was beginning to be about thirty veins of ago. but he was about thirty years of age at t.hf> hpcri nnin tr n( Viic miniotrw ings unto the people ; but 19 Herod the tetrarch, being reproved by him for Herodias his brother's wife, and for all the evil things which Herod had done, added yet this 20 above all, that he shut up John in prison. Now it came to pass, 21 when all the people were baptized, that, Jesus also having been baptized, and praying, the heaven was opened, and the Holy 22 « Ghost descended in a bodily form, as a dove, upon him, and a voice came out of heaven, Thou art my beloved Son ; in thee I am well pleased. And Jesus himself, 23 when he began to teach, Or, in 3 Or, the gospel 23-38. In comparing thii genealogical table with those contained in the Old Testament and in Matthew, extensive dis- crepancies are found, many of which are explained by the fol- lowing considerations: 1. be- tween Jesus and David, Matthew is supposed by some to follow the line of Joseph, and Luke, on leaving the name of Joseph, to ascend in the line of Mary's ancestors; by others, Mat 1 hew is supposed to trace the descent from Solomon through one son, Luke through another. 2. Mat- thew begins the line with Abra- ham,— Luke carries it back to Adam. 3. In some cases, inter- mediate names are omitted in one table, while they are insert- ed in the other. Besides the discrepancies which these prin- ciples will account for, there are nfliore TxrViir»V\ + hr» rp«pnrph and 4. 4, S. LUKE. 229 was about thirty years of age, being the son (as was supposed) of Joseph, the 24 5072- of Heli, the son of Matthat, the son of Levi, the son of Melchi, the son of Jannai, the son of 25 Joseph, the son of Matta- thias, the son of Amos, the 5072, of Nahum, the 5072, of Esli, the son of 26]Naggai, the son of Maath, the son of Mattathias, the 5072 of Semein, the son of Josech, the son of Joda, 27 the 5072 of Joanan, the 5072- of Rhesa, the 5072 of Zerubbabel, the son of 1 Shealtiel, the 507i of Neri, 28 the 507i of Melchi, the 5072 of Addi, the 5072 of Cosam, the 5072 of Elmadam, the 29 5072, of Er, the son of Jesus, the son of Eliezer, the 5072 of Jorim, the 5072 of Matthat, the 5072 of 30 Levi, the 5072 of Symeon, the 5072 of Judas, the 5072 of Joseph, the son of Jonam, the 5072 of Eliakim, si the son of Melea, the 5072 of Menna, the 5072 of Mattatha, the son of Nathan, the 5072, of David, 82 the 5072 of Jesse, the 5072 of Obed, the 5071 of Boaz, the 5072 of "Salmon, the 38 son of Nahshon, the 5072 1 Gr. Salathiel. 2 Some ancient authorities write Sala. 3 Many ancient authorities insert the 90ix of Admin : and one writes Admin ingenuity of learned men have yet been unable to explain. CHAPTER IV. 4. The -words but by every word of Amminadab, "the son of 'Ami, the 5072 of 33 Hezron, the 5072 of Perez, the son of Judah, the son of Jacob? the 5072 of Isaac. 84 the 5071 of Abraham, the son of Terah, the 5072- of Nahor, the 5072 of Serng, 35 the 5072- of Reu, the 5072 of Peleg, the 5072, of Eber, the 5072 of Shelah, the 5072 36 of Cainan, the 5072, of Arphaxad, the 5072 of Shem? the 5072 of Noah, the son of Lamech, the 37 5072, of Methuselah, the 5072 of Enoch, the son of Jared, the 5072 of Mahala- leel, the 5071 of Cainan, the son of Enos, the 507288 of Seth, the 5072 of Adam, the 5072, of God. And Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan, and was led 5by the Spirit in the wilderness during forty days, being tempt ed of the devil. And he 3 did eat nothing in those days : and when thev were completed, he hun- gered. And the devils said unto him, If thm art the Son of God, com- mand this intone that it become 6bread. And .) which refers to the conduct of the Israelites at Massah or Meri- bah, (Ex. 17: 0, 7f) it stems that the expression tempt God is ap- plied to the sin of presumptu- ously calling for or expecting miraculous interpositions from him. 13. There have been great dis- putes among the learned whether the sacred writers intended us to understand, in this ease, that the spirit of evil appeared in :i visible form, and with an audi- ble voice, to lead Jesus astray, or whether the temptation wa3 urged in the mode in which en- ticements to sin are ordinarily presented to the human mind, — by inward suggestions. There -4. 18. S. LUKE. 231 temptation, he departed from Mm 'for a season. 14 And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee : and a fame went out concerning hin through all the region 15 round about. And he taught in their syna- gogues, being glorified of all. 16 And he came to Naza- reth, where he had been 1 Or, until are very serious difficulties at- tending the settlement of this question ; but it is less important than might be supposed, as all the moral aspects and bearings of the case are the same on either supposition. In order to appre- ciate the nature and severity of this trial, we must remember that Jesus was strictly a man, and that he partook of all the natural feelings of the human heart; and now, as he was about to enter upon a very pub- lic career as a man, he found himself mysteriously partaking of the divine nature, and clothed with divine authority, and placed, moreover, in a position which opened before him pros- pects of the greatest magnifi- cence and splendor, if he would take advantage of the circum- stances in which he was placed, and wield the supernatural powers with which he was clothed, to protect himself from injury, to gratify his own de- sires, and to attain' earthly dominion, instead of giving himself up to a life of sorrow and suffering, and to an agoniz- ing death, for the redemption of man. These seem to have been the suggestions which struggled for the mastery over him in the brought up : and he en- tered, as his custom was, into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up to read. And 17 there was delivered unto him 2the book of the pro- phet Isaiah. And he opened the book, and found the place where it was written, The Spirit of the Lord 18 is upon me, 2 Or, a roll 3 Or, roll dark season of his trial. We have too indistinct ideas of the reality of his manhood fully to realize the greatness and severity of the struggle. 15. Glorified of all; highly commended and approved as a preacher. How long this period of his ministry continued, dur- ing which he regularly officiated in the synagogues on the Sab- bath, enjoying a high degree of public approbation and favor, we are not informed. It was a very remarkable period of his life. 16. As his custom was ; an in- dication that Christ observed the Sabbath day as a day of public worship. 17. The look, The books in ancient times, as, in fact, they are now in Jewish synagogues, were rolls of parchment or vel- lum. 18. Anointing was the ancient form of induction to high and solemn offices. This passage is found in Isa. 61: 1, 2. The words, he hath, sent me to heal the broken-hearted, contained in the Old Version, are wanting in the best manuscripts, and were prob- ably inserted to make the pas- sage here correspond with the original prophecy in Isaiah. 232 S. LUKE. 4. 18— because he anointed me to preach 2good tidings to the poor : He hath sent me to proclaim release to the captives, And recovering of sight to the blind, To set at liberty them that are bruised, 19 To proclaim the ac- ceptable year of the Lord. 20 And he closed the 3book, and gave it back to the attendant, and sat down : and the eyes of all in the synagogue were fastened 21 on him. And he began to say unto them, To-day hath this scripture been fulfilled in your ears. 22 And all bare him wit- ness, and wondered at the words of grace which pro- ceeded out of his mouth : 1 Or, Wherefore 2 Or, the gospel and they said, Is not this Joseph's son? And he 23 said unto them, Doubt- less ye will say unto me this parable, Physician, heal thyself : whatsoever we have heard done at Capernaum, do also here in thine own country. And he said, Verily I say 24 unto you, No prophet is acceptable in his own country. But of a truth 25 I say unto you, There were many widows in Israel in the days of Eli- jah, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, when there came a great famine over all the land; and unto 26 none of them was Elijah sent, but only to 4Za- rephath, in the land of Sid on, unto a woman that was a widow. And there 27 3 Or, roll 4 Gr. Sarepta. 20. The attendant ; an officer of the synagogue who had charge of the books and building. 21. To-day hath this scripture teen fidfilled in your ears ; i. e., by his own preaching. This language poiuts him out very clearly as the Messiah, foretold by the Old Testament prophets; 22. It is not meant that they interrupted the exercises to say this aloud. The phraseology is only a pointed mode of repre- senting that this was the prevail- ing impression upon their minds, — that is, surprise that the un- taught son of their 1mm Me townsman Joseph, should preach with such power. 25. According to the account here referred to, (1 Kings 17: 8 to 18: 1.) it was three years. The addition of the six months to the duration of the drought in this verse, and in James, (5 : 17.) is generally explained by including the ordinary dry sea- son of those climates, which preceded the drought. 26. The meaning is, that he was not sent to any of the widows in Israel, but to a Zido- nian widow, a Gentile. 27. Elisha. None of the leper* ' Israel were cleansed, i)iit a Syrian leper was cleansed. (See 2 Kings, 5 :) -4. 38. S. LUKE. 233 were many lepers in Israel in the time of Elisha the prophet ; and none of them was cleansed, but only Naaman the Syrian. 28 And they were all filled with wrath in the syna- gogue, as they heard 29 these things; and they rose up, and cast him forth out of the city, and led him unto the brow of the hill whereon their city was built, that they might throw him down 30 headlong. 3ut he pass- ing through the midst of them went his way. 31 And he came down to Capernaum, a city of Galilee. And he was teaching them on the sab- 32 bath day: and they were astonished at his teach- ing ; for his word was 63 with authority. And in the synagogue there was a man, which had a spirit of an nnclean 'devil ; and 1 Gr. demon. 2 Or, Let alone 28. They were highly pleased with the commencement of the discourse, but exceedingly irri- tated and angry at its close. They could not endure this calm but plain assertion of the abso- lute sovereignty of God, in dis- pensing and in withholding his favors, both in regard to Jew and Gentile, according to his own good pleasure. 31. Down to Capernaum. Na- zareth was situated among the hills, back from the lake, while Capernaum was upon its shore. — He was teaching them ; i. e., he he cried out with a loud voice, 2Ah ! what have we 34 to do with thee, thou Jesus of Nazareth % art thou come to destroy us? I know thee who thou art, the Holy One of God. And Jesus rebuked 35 him, saying, Hold thy peace, and come out of him. And when the Jdevil had thrown him down in the midst, he came out of him, having done him no hurt. And amazement 36 came upon all, and they spake together, one with another, saying, What is 3this word % for with au- thority and power he commandeth the unclean spirits, and they come out. And there went 37 forth a rumour concern- ing him into every place of the region round about. And he rose up from 38 the synagogue, and en- tered into the house of 3 Or, this word, that with authority., come out ? was accustomed to teach them on the Sabbath day. — Teaching ; not doctrine, as in the Old Ver- sion ; not what he taught, but the power and spirit of his teaching, awakened their as- tonishment. 38. Simon. This was Simon Peter, the apostle. Bethsaida was his original residence, and Capernaum the place where his wife's mother resided. —Holden with a great fever ; a graphic ex- pression indicating the effect of the fever, in making her, as it were, a prisoner on her bed. 234 S. LUKE. 4. 38— Simon. And Simon's wife's mother was liolden with a great fever; and they besought him for her. 39 And he stood over her, and rebuked the fever ; and it left her : and imme- diately she rose up and ministered unto them. 40 And when the sun was setting, all they that had any sick with divers dis- eases brought them unto him ; and he laid his hands on every one of 1 Gr. demons. 41. In speaking of the general phenomena of nature, the sacred writers, no doubt, often em- ployed the modes of expression commonly in ■ e in their day, without intending any inspired sanction of the philosophical opinions on which such expres- sions were based. On this prin- ciple, it has been maintained that the cases of demoniacal possession which are referred to in the New Testament, were simply cases of insanity, or of other natural disease, in speak- ing of which the evangelists used the language indicating a supernatural agency, either in a figurative sense, or else in ac- commodation to the ideas of their day ; and one of the main grounds for this opinion is, that the symptoms detailed in the various cases which are recorded, correspond very precisely with the symptoms of certain natural diseases. Now, it is doubtless true that not only the symptoms detailed, but many expressions used in narrating the events con- nected with these cases, indicate clearly that the sacred writers regarded the demoniacs as dis- eased. In one instance, in fact, them, and healed them. And 'devils also came out 41 from many, crying out, and saying, Thou art the Son of God. And rebuk- ing them, he suffered them not to speak, be- cause they knew that he was the Christ. And when it was day, 42 he came out and went into a desert place: and the multitudes sought after him, and came unto him, and would have a sufferer is described by one evangelist (Matt. 17: 15, 16) as an epileptic, brought to be cured; and by another (Luke 9: 38-40) as possessed with a devil. The question, therefore, is not, as it has sometimes been consid- ered, whether the evangelists regarded the demoniacs as dis- eased, but whether they in- tended really to refer their evident mental and bodily maladies to the influence of in- fernal beings. And, in this view of the subject, it must be admitted that the sacred writers ascribe so distinct and positive a personality to the agencies producing these sufferings, and connect these agencies so direct- ly with that invisible world in regard to which it would seem the special object of inspiration to instruct them, that we cannot safely deviate from a strict con- struction of their language. 42. Would have stayed him; the Old Version s&y&stayed him. The change illustrates one of the advantages of that accuracy of translation which the New Ver- sion affords. The context shows that they did not stay him, although they attempted so to do. —5. 8. S. LUKE. 235 stayed him, that he should not go from them. 43 But he said unto them, I must preach the 'good tidings of the kingdom of God to the other cities also : for therefore was I sent. 44 And he was preaching in the synagogues of aGalilee. 5 Now it came to pass, while the multitude pressed upon him and heard the word of God, that he was standing by the lake of Gennesaret ; 2 and he saw two boats standing by the lake : but the fishermen had gone out of them, and were 3 washing their nets. And he entered into one of the boats, which was Simon' s, and asked him to put out 1 Or, gospel 44. He was jireaching, i. e., the events here narrated by Luke occurred during the period of his ministry in Galilee. CHAPTER V. 1. The Lake of Gennesaret, or Sea of Galilee, was about thir- teen miles long, and from four to six broad, and was surrounded by a beautifnl and romantic country, which was inhabited by a simple-minded people. The whole region has become sacred, as the scene of our Savior's childhood and youth, and of his early public ministrations. His labors in this secluded but busy and populous province, some- times among the fishermen upon tie shores of the lake, and a little from the land. And he sat down and taught the multitudes out of the boat. And 4 when*he had left speak- ing, he said unto Simon, Put out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught. And Simon 5 answered and said, Mas- ter, we toiled all night, and took nothing : but at thy word I will let down the nets. And when they 6 had this done, they in- closed a great multitude of fishes ; and their nets were breaking ; and they 7 beckoned unto their part- ners in the other boat, that they should come and help them. And they came, and filled both the boats, so that .they began to sink. But Simon Pe-8 2 Very many ancient authorities read Judcea. sometimes in the villages, or in the solitudes of the neighboring mountains, contrast strongly with the more public and ex- citing scenes of the closing year of his life, among the crowds and imposing magnificence of Jerusalem. 3. Simon's. This was Simon Peter. His residence was Beth- saida. — To put out a little, &c. ; so that he might be relieved from the pressure of the crowd, and address them as they stood upon the shore. 6. Were breaking; began to break in some places. 7. Began to sink ; to sink near to the water's edge, so as to be in danger of being overturned. 8. Depart from me, This was 236 S. LUKE. 5. 8- ter, when he saw it, fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, Depart from me ; for I am a sinful man, 0 9 Lord. For he was amazed, and all that were with him, at the draught of the fishes which they had 10 taken ; and so were also James and John, sons of Zebedee, which were part- ners with Simon. And Jesus said unto Simon, Fear not ; from hence- forth thou shalt 'catch 11 men. And when they had brought their boats to land, they left all, and followed him. 12 And it came to pass, while he was in one of 1 Gr. take alive. only an expression of humility and self-abasement. Peter, far from desiring to be separated from Christ, left all, and fol- lowed him. 10. We are not to suppose that these words are all that was said. They express the substance of what was, perhaps, a long conversation. 12. This city was Capernaum, according to Mark, (2: 1.) — a city where Jesus was then resid- ing, (Matt. 9:1,) having remov- ed from Nazareth, (Matt. 4:13,) to be safe from Herod Antipas. — Leprosy. In order to prevent the spread of this dreadful dis- ease by contagion, those afflicted with it were subjected to great restrictions and privations, — being cut off, in a great measure, from direct intercourse with others, and thus rendered wretched and almost hopeless outcasts from society. The di- the cities, behold, a man full of leprosy : and when he saw Jesus, he fell on his face, and besought him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean. And he stretched 13 forth his hand, and touch- ed him, saying, I will ; be thou made clean. And straightway the leprosy departed from him. And 14 he charged him to tell no man : but go thy way, and shew thyself to the priest, and offer for thy cleansing, according as Moses commanded, for a testimony unto thorn. But so much the morels went abroad the report rections in regard to their exam- ination by the priests, and the rules and restrictions which they were to observe, are given in Lev. ch. 13 and 14. — Fell on Ms face ; that is, prostrated himself before him. 14. Show thyself to the ])riest, &c. The directions in respect to the ceremonies to be perform- ed by such lepers as should recover from the disease, in or- der to relieve them from their disabilities and restrictions, and restore them to their standing in society, are given in Lev. 14: 1- 32. From among the great number of miracles which Jesus performed at this time, it seems to have been only those which had something marked to distin- guish them, that were particu- larly recorded. The distinguish- ing circumstance in this case, perhaps, was, that the disease was the leprosy. —5. 27. S. LUKE. 237 concerning him : and great multitudes came together to hear, and to be healed of their infirmi- 16 ties. But he withdrew himself in the deserts, and prayed. 17 And it came to pass on one of those days, that he was teaching; and there were Pharisees and doctors of the law sitting by, which were come out of every village of (Mi- lee and Judaea and Jeru- salem : and the power of the Lord was with him 18^0 heal.. And behold, men bring on a bed a man that was palsied : and they sought to bring him in, and to lay him 19 before him. And not finding by what way they might bring him in because of the multitude, they went up to the housetop, and let him down through the tiles with his couch into the 20 midst before Jesus. And seeing their faith, he said, Man, thy sins are 21 forgiven thee. And the 1 Gr. that he should heal. Many an- cient authorities read that he should heed them. 17. Out of every village, &c. ; that is, from all parts of the country. 19. The construction of the ancient houses was very different from that of ours. They were made with flat roofs, and some- times with a court in the middle, partly or wholly uncovered. scribes and the Pharisees began to reason, saying, Who is this that speak- eth blasphemies? Who can forgive sins, but God alone? But Jesus per- 22 ceiving their reasonings, answered and said unto them, 2What reason ye in your hearts? Whether 23 is easier, to say, Thy sins are forgiven thee ; or to say, Arise and walk? But that ye may know 24 that the Son of man hath 3power on earth to forgive sins (he said unto him that was palsied), I say unto thee, Arise, and take up thy couch, and go unto thy house. And 25 immediately he rose up before them, and took up that whereon he lay, and departed to his house, glorifying God. And 26 amazement took hold on all, and they glorified God ; and they were fill- ed with fear, saying, We have seen strange things to-day. And after these things 27 he went forth, and beheld 2 Or, Why 3 Or, authority 23. The meaning is this: Is not divine power required as truly to heal the sick by a mira- cle as to forgive sin ? 27. Levi is supposed to be an- other name for Matthew. (See Matt. 9:9.) He was a collector of the customs, or duties, at this port, on the lake. The practice 238 S. LUKE. 5. 27- a publican, named Levi, sitting at the place of toll, and said unto him, Fol- 28 low me. And he forsook all, and rose up and fol- 29 lowed him. And Leyi made him a great feast in his house : and there was a great multitude of pub- licans and of others that were sitting at meat with 30 them. And 'the Phari- sees and their scribes murmured against his disciples, saying, Why do ye eat and drink with the publicans and sin- 31 ners ? And Jesus an- swering said unto them, They that are whole have no need of a physician ; 1 Or, the Pharisees and the scrips was for men of property to pay a specific sum to the government for the right to collect a certain tax or custom. Then, in collect- ing the tax, they employed sub- ordinate officers of various grades. By this system the government realized the money at once, and were saved all at- tention to details; and the con- tractor made a profit, as the sum which he paid was less than the expected proceeds of the tax. But the people suffered, as the system exposed them to cruel extortions from unprincipled and interested collectors of the tax. From the nature of the business, the most r >ugh and unfeeling men wou'd he most efficient and successful in it; the publicans were consequently taken from the most degraded classes <>f society, and were ob- jects of general detestation. but they that are sick. I am not come to call the 32 righteous but- sinners to repentance. And they 33 said unto him, The disci- ples of John fast often, and make supplications ; likewise also the disci- ples of the Pharisees ; but thine eat and drink. And Jesus said unto 34 them, Can ye make the sons of the bride-chamber fast, while the bride- groom is with them ? But 35 the days will come ; and when the bridegroom shall be taken away from them, then will they fast in those days. And he 36 spake also a parable un- among them 29. Levi appears to have been a man of standing and consider- ation among his class. 30. Their scribes, &c. ; the scribes and Pharisees of the place. —Eat and drink icit/t, &c. ; associate with. 34. The sons of the bride-cham- ber ; the groomsmen. 35. That is, when Jesus, whom he had in the verse before rep- resented as a bridegroom, shall be taken away from his disciples. 36. The new cloih referred to was such as would shrink and draw t!n- edges of the old mate- rial, so as very soon to produce a worse rent than it was intend- ed to repair. The meaning is, If one should put a piece of new cloth into an old garment, he would both rend the new, spoil- ing that, and would not help the old. sine- that also would be rent by the shrinking of the new. U'jitf/j '»| 6. 6. S. LUKE. 24l to them ; No man rend- eth a piece from a new garment and putteth it upon an old garment ; else lie will rend the new, and also the piece from the new will not agree 37 with the old. And no man putteth new wine in- to old 'wine -skins ; else the new wine will burst the skins, and itself will be spilled, and the skins 38 will perish. But new wine must be put into 39 fresh wine-skins. And no man having drunk old wine desire th new : for he saith, The old is 2good. 6 Now it came to pass on a 3sabbath, that he was going through the corn- fields ; and his disciples plucked the ears of corn, 1 That is, skins used as bottles. 2 Many ancient authorities read better. 37. Bottles ; made ©f leather, which, when old, were rigid and unyielding, and easily burst by the fermenting of new wine. Both these examples are intend- ed as only striking cases of in- congruity and unfitness, to give point and emphasis to the decla- ration of the unsuitableness of fasting and mourning under the circumstances in which the Sa- viour and his disciples were placed. The general lesson of the parable is against all at- tempts to patch old and worn- out systems with partial and temporary reformations. 39. The meaning is, that the Jews, who had been accustomed to the old order of things, could not be expected at once to accept a new ; they would think the old was good enough. and did eat, rubbing them in their hands. But 2 certain of the Pharisees said, Why do ye that which it is not lawful to do on the sabbath day % And 3 Jesus answering them said, Have ye not read even this, what David did, when he was an hun- gred, he, and they that were with him; how he 4 entered into the house of God, and did take and eat the shewbread, and gave also to them that were with him ; which it is not lawful to eat save for the priests alone? And he said unto them, 5 The Son of man is lord of the sabbath. And it came to pass on 6 another sabbath, that he 3 Many ancient authorities insert sec- ond-first. CHAPTER VI. 1. Com. The corn of Judea consisted of what are called the smaller grains, as wheat and bar- ley. 3. What David did, &c. When pressed with hunger, on an emergency described 1 Sam. 21 : 1-6, the sacred prohibitions of the tabernacle service were waived in his favor, and he took the holy bread for food. 4. Shewbread. For a descrip- tion of shewbread, and the table on which it was kept during the wanderings of the Israelites, see Ex. 25:23-30. Solomon after- wards made a more costly table, (1 Kings 7:48,) David having provided the gold. (1 Chron. 28:16.) This bread was pre- pared once a week. (1 Chron. 9:32.) 5. Is Lord of the Sabbath ; tkat 242 S. LITKE. re- entered into the syna- gogue and taught: and there was a man there, and his right hand was 7 withered. And the scribes ii nd the Pharisees watch- ed him, whether he would heal on the sabbath; that they might find how 8 to accuse him. But he knew their thoughts ; and he said to the man that had his hand withered, Rise up, and stand forth in the midst. And he arose and stood forth. 1 Or, foolishness is, as David, the anointed king of Israel, was lord of the sacred preparations of the tabernacle. 7. Watched him. They were silenced before, but not con- vinced; and they watched an opportunity to renew the dis- cussion. 8. Observe the bold and de- cided manner in which he met the question. 11. They were filled with mad- ness. In all ages, men are prone to hate those who expose their errors, especially if these errors are of the nature of superstitious feelings and observances. It is not surprising that they were exasperated at so public and overwhelming a rebuke for their hypocrisy in placing punctili- ousness in the performance of an external rite, above obedience to the spiritual precepts of God's law. 12. All night in prayer. This seems to have been in reference to the appointment and com- mission of the twelve apostles, which was to take place in the morning. It must be remem- bered that the climate was mild And Jesus said unto them, 9 I ask you, Is it lawful on the sabbath to do good, or to do harm % to save a life, or to destroy it ? And 10 he looked round about on them all, and said unto him, Stretch forth thy hand. And he did so : and his hand was restored. But they were filled withil 'madness; and communed one with another what they might do to Jesus. And it came to pass in 12 these days, that he went and salubrious, and that the mountainous country about the Sea of Galilee was a region of great beauty and interest, as well as of retirement and solitude. Prayer, too, includes all forms' of communion with God — medi- tation and praise as well as sup- plication. We must, theiefore, not conceive of this night of prayer as one spent in austere exposure, anxiety, and gloom. It was doubtless a season of peace and joy, — of thanksgiving and praise, — of happy contem- plation of the vast consequences which were to flow from the great work of salvation which had been so successfully begun, — of heartfelt compassion for man, and devout communion with God. These religious emo- tions were doubtless heightened by the impression which the sol- emn glories of the night must have made upon a mind so alive to all natural and moral beauty. At such a time, all the objects in nature, — the cliffs, the ra- vines,— the chasms, the preci- pices,— the gray rocks, the dark forests, — all wrapped in shadow —6. 19. S. LUKE. 243 out into the mountain to pray ; and he continued all night in prayer to God. 13 And when it was day, he called his disciples : and he chose from them twelve, whom also he 14 named apostles ; Simon, whom he also named Peter, and Andrew his brother, and James and John, and Philip and 15 Bartholomew, and Mat- thew and Thomas, and James the son of Alphseus, and Simon which was 16 called the Zealot, and i Or, brother. See Jude 1. and obscurity, assume a peculiar expression of dread sublimity and awe; and the vast expanse of magnificence and brilliancy above, subdued by distance, beams upon the observer, the very type and symbol of eter- nity. No one who has not ex- perienced the effect, can con- ceive of the solemn sublimity of midnight among forests and mountains. 13. The meaning of the word apostles is, persons sent, — mes- sengers. 15. The Zealot ; the Zealots were a fraction of the Jews who advocated with great fierceness the literal observance of the Mosaic ritual. Simon originally belonged to this faction. 17. A level place ; not, as in the Old Version, in the 'plain. This more literal translation re- lieves the Gospels of one incon- sistency, which has given rise to great perplexity to Bible scholars. Matthew 5:1 repre- sents the sermon as delivered in the mountain, i. e., the hill Judas the xson of James, and Judas Iscariot, which was the traitor ; and he n came down with them, and stood on a level place, and a great multitude of his disciples, and a great number of the people from all Judsea and Jerusalem, and the sea coast of Tyre and Sidon, which came to hear him, and to be healed of their diseases; and they ?3 that were troubled with unclean spirits were healed. And all the mul- id titude sought to touch country. Luke, as formerly translated, represented it as de- livered in the plain, and some scholars even suppose that two sermons were delivered: one on the mountain to the apostles, and the other in the plain to the multitude. The fact, however, probably was that Christ, after spending the night in prayer on one of the peaks, came down to a level spot among the hills, which afforded a convenient place for the gathering of the congregation, to whom he was to speak. In this audience were both a great multitude of hia disciples, i. e., those who were already inclined to be pupils, and were listening with a sin- cere desire for instruction, and a great number of others, who were drawn simply by curi- osity, or, perhaps, by desire foi healing. — Tyre and Sidon. These cities were north of Galilee, on the Mediterranean. They have not been mentioned before as reached by the fame of Jesus. 2U S. LUKE. 6. 19- him : for power came forth from him, and healed them all. 20 And he lifted up his eyes on his disciples, and said, Blessed are ye poor : for yours is the kingdom 21 of God. Blessed are ye that hunger now : for ye shall be filled. Blessed are ye that weep now : for 22 ye shall laugh. Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and re- proach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man's sake. 23 Rejoice in that day, and leap/br joy : for behold, your reward is great in heaven : for in the same manner did their fathers 24 unto the prophets. But woe unto you that are rich ! for ye have received 25 your consolation. Woe unto you, ye that are full 20. This discourse is given more fully in Matthew, begin- ning at the fifth chapter. 24. This is not spoken of rich men universally. Abraham, David, and Joseph of Arimathca. were rich men. The language is simply an energetic expression of the hopeless condition of those who have earthly riches only, for their portion. 26. This is to be understood in the same manner as the above. Jesus himself, while preaching in Galilee, enjoyed, for some time, a high degree of public popularity and honor. Both now ! for ye shall hunger. Woe unto you, ye that laugh now ! for ye shall mourn and weep. Woe 26 unto you, when all men shall speak well of you ! for in the same manner did their fathers to the false prophets. But I say unto you 27 which hear, Love your enemies, do good to them that hate you, bless them 28 that curse you, pray for them that despitefully use you. To him that 29 smiteth thee on the one cheek offer also the other ; and from him that taketh away thy cloke withhold not thy coat also. Give to every one 30 that asketh thee ; and of him that taketh away thy goods ask them not again. And as ye would 31 that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise. And if ye love 33 wealth and a good name are, in themselves, highly desirable. 20. Be of a yielding and for- giving disposition, and not eager to contend for your rights. It is not meant to require, always and absolutely, passive submis- sion to insult and injury. The apostle Paul appealed to the military force of the country for protection when his life was in danger. 30. Another strong mode of expression. Tt is simply intend- ed to urge, in a very emphatic manner, the duty of disinterest- edness and universal good will. -6. 42. S. LUKE. 245 them that love you, what thank have ye \ for even sinners love those that 33 love them. And if ye do good to them that do good to you, what thank have ye ? for even sinners 34 do the same. And if ye lend to them of whom ye hope to receive, what thank have ye? even sinners lend to sinners, to receive again as much. 35 But love your enemies, and do them good, and lend, 1 never despairing ; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be sons of the Most High : for he is kind toward the 36 unthankful and evil. Be ye merciful, even as your 37 Father is merciful. And judge not, and ye shall not be judged: and con- demn not, and ye shall not be condemned : re- lease, and ye shall be re- 1 Some ancient authorities read de- spairing of no man. 35. Never despairing; the meaning is interpreted by the marginal reading, despairing of no man, and by Paul's exhorta- tion in Gal. 6:9, Let us not ~be weary in well-doing. 37. Release and ye shall ~be re- leased. This is a more accurate translation of the original than the Old Version, Forgive and ye shall ~be forgiven. A general spirit of charity and considera- tion for others, in all their short- comings, is implied. 38. Mete ; measure. 40. Every one when he is perfect- leased : give, and it shall 38 be given unto you ; good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, shall they give into your bosom. For with what measure ye mete it shall be measured to you again. And he spake also a 39 parable unto them, Can the blind guide the blind ? shall they not both fall into a pit ? The disciple 40 is not above his 2 master : but every one when he is perfected shall be as his 2 master. And why be- 41 holdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Or how canst 42 thou say to thy brother, Brother, let me cast out the mote that is in thine eye, when thou thyself beholdest not the beam 2 Or, teacher ed shall be as his master. This is one of those changes of transla- tion which brings out much more clearly the spiritual mean- ing of the original. The Chris- tian, however imperfect he may be here, shall eventually be made partaker of the divine nature, an heir of God, and a joint heir with the Lord Jesus Christ. 41. The meaning is, Why do you watch for and condemn your brother's smaller faults, while you are insensible to far greater ones of your own. £46 S. LUKE. 6. 42— that is in thine own eye ? Thou hypocrite, cast out first the beam out of thine own eye, and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote that is in 43 thy brothers eye. For there is no good tree that bringeth forth corrupt fruit ; nor again a cor- rupt tree that bringeth 44 forth good fruit. For each tree is known by its own fruit. For of thorns men do not gather figs, nor of a bramble bush 45 gather they grapes. The good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good ; and the evil man out of the evil trea- sure bringeth forth that which is evil : for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh. 46 And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say ? 4T Every one that cometh unto me, and heareth my 1 Many ancient anthorities read/or it hifi h" n founded upon the rock; as in Matt. vii. 2:>. 43. No good tree ; i. e., it is a universal rule that nothing good can produce evil, and nothing evil can produce good. 46. Call ye me Lord, Lord ; that is, by professions acknowl- edge my authority, while you do not obey my commands. CHAPTER VII. 1. Inthe ear* <>/ tlif jHople. This discourse was listened to by a words, and doeth them, I will shew you to whom he is like: he is like a 48 man building a house, who digged and went deep, and laid a founda- tion upon the rock : and when a flood arose, the stream brake against that house, and could not shake it : ■ because it had been well builded. But 49 he that heareth, and doeth not, is like a man that built a house upon the earth without a foundation ; against which the stream brake, and straightway it fell in ; and the ruin of that house was great. After he had ended all 7 his sayings in the ears of the people, he entered into Capernaum. And a certain cen-2 turion's 2 servant, who was 3 dear unto him, was sick and at the point of death. And when he 3 heard concerning Jesus, 2 Gr. bondservant. 3 Or, precious to him Or, honourable with him large concourse of people, as is stated more fully in the account given by Matthew. ( Matt. 1 : 25. 5:1. 8:1.) •J. At the point of death; a better translation than ready to d',,, which might be thought to imply that he was prepared for (lentil. 3. The peculiar point and interest of this story consist in the fact that the centurion was a —7. 13. S. LUKE. 247 he sent unto him elders of the Jews, asking him that he would come and 4 save his ' servant. And they, when they came to Jesus, besought him earnestly, saying, He is worthy that thou shouldest do this for him : 5 for he loveth our nation, and himself built us our 6 synagogue. And Jesus went with them. And when he was now not far from the house, the cen- turion sent friends to him, saying unto him, Lord, trouble not thyself : fori am not 2worthy that thou shouldest come 7 under my roof : where- fore neither thought I myself worthy to come unto thee : but 3 say the word, and my "servant 8 shall be healed. For I also am a man set under authority, having under myself soldiers : and I say to this one, Go, and he goeth ; and to an- 1 Gr, bondservant. 2 Gr. siifficient. 3 Gr. say with a word. foreigner, a Roman officer, un- der Herod Antipas, who, as such, occupied a peculiar posi- tion in regard to the Jews. These officers were often haugh- ty and oppressive; but this cen- turion seems to have been a de- vout man, and just and benefi- cent towards the people whom he assisted to govern. Under these circumstances, it was natural for him not to apply directly to Ch list himself, but to ask the friendly mediation of other officers, of other, Come, and he cometh ; and to my ' ser- vant, Do this, > and he doeth it. And when 9 Jesus heard these things, he marvelled at him, and turned and said unto the multitude that followed him, I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel. And they that were sent, 10 returning to the house, found the 'servant whole. And it came to passu 5soon afterwards, that he went to a city called Nain ; and his disciples went with him, and a great multitude. Now is when he drew near to the gate of the city, be- hold, there was carried out one that was dead, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow : and much people of the city was with her. And when the Lord saw 18 her, he had compassion on her, and said unto 4 Or, boy 5 Many ancient authorities read on th4 next day. Christ's own nation, with whom he must have been, from the nature of the case, on friendly and familiar terms. How true to nature, and to the circumstan^ ces of the case, is the plea which they urged, in the 4th and 5th verses. 9. In Israel. The centurion was a Gentile. 11. A city called Nain. Villa- ges of very inconsiderable size were, in those days, walled in, and called cities. 248 S. LUKE. 7. 13— U her, Weep not. And he came nigh and touched the bier : and the bearers stood still. And he said, Young man, I say unto 15 thee, Arise. And he that was dead sat up, and be- gan to speak. And he gave him to his mother. 16 And fear took hold on all: and they glorified God, saying, A great pro- phet is arisen among us : and, God hath visited his 17 people. And this report went forth concerning him in the whole of Ju- daea, and all the region round about. 18 And the disciples of John told him of all 19 these things. And John calling unto him 'two of his disciples sent them to the Lord, saying, Art thou he that cometh, or 20 look we for another \ And when the men were come unto him, they said, John the Baptist hath sent us unto thee, saying, Art thou he that cometh, or 21 look we for another \ In that hour he cured many of diseases and 2plagues 1 Gr. certain two. 2 Gr. scourges. 14. ToucJied the bier ; laid his hand upon it, signifying that they should put it down. 18. It seems that his disciples had access to him in the prison. 19. He that cometh ; the prom- ised Messiah. — Or look ire; are we to expect ? Zi "27. Iu these questions, Christ contrasts John the Baptist and evil spirits ; and on many that were blind he bestowed sight. And he 23 answered and said unto them, Go your way, and tell John what things ye have seen and heard ; the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, the poor have 3good tidings preached to them. And blessed is he, 23 whosoever shall find none occasion of stumbling in me. And when the messen- 24 gers of John were depart- ed, he began to say unto the multitudes concern- ing John, What went ye out into the wilderness to behold % a reed shaken with the wind? But what 25 went ye out to see? a man clothed in soft rai- ment % Behold, they which are gorgeously ap- parelled, and live deli- cately, are in kings' courts. But what went 26 ye out to see \ a prophet i Yea, I say unto you, and much more than a pro- 3 Or, the gospel with those persons and objects which ordinarily attract public attention and admiration. John drew men to him not by his complacent yielding to every breath of public sentiment, nor by his display of gorgeous attire, but by the high, pure, ami spir- itual quality of his teaching as a prophet, 7. 37. S. LUKE. 249 27phet. This is he of whom it is written, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, Who shall prepare thy way before thee. 28 1 say nnto you, Among them that are born of women there is none greater than John: yet he that is 'but little in the kingdom of God is 29 greater than he. And all the people when they ' heard, and the publicans, justified God, "being bap- tized with the baptism of 30 John. But the Phari- sees and the lawyers re- jected for themselves, the counsel of God, 3being not baptized of him. 3lWhereunto then shall I liken the men of this generation, and to what 1 Gr. lesser. 2 Or, having been 3 Or, not having been 29, 30. These verses are a con- tinuation of the Saviour's re- marks. The meaning is, that the mass of the nation, and even the publicans, acknowledged John as a prophet, and glorified God by their repentance. He was rejected only by the Phari- sees and lawyers, who, acting against themselves, resisted God's gracious designs for their salvation. 3 1 . The men of this generation ; the Pharisees and lawyers, who were not satisfied with either Jesus or John. 32. That sit in the market- place ; where they had gone to jplay. — Piped ; made lively . 10* are they like % They are 32 like unto children that sit in the marketplace, and call one to another ; which say, We piped un- to you, and ye did not dance ; we wailed, and ye did not weep. For 33 John the Baptist is come eating no bread nor drinking wine ; and ye say, He hath a 4devil. The Son of man is come 34 eating and drinking ; and ye say, Behold, a glut- tonous man, and a wine- bibber, a friend of publi- cans and sinners! And 35 wisdom 5is justified of all her children. And one of the Phari-36 sees desired him that he would eat with him. And he entered into the Phari- see's house, and sat down to meat. And behold, a 37 4 Gr. demon. 5 Or, was music. The idea is, that the Jews were like discontented Children, of whom their play- mates complained that they would not be pleased with any- thing ; they would neither play wedding nor funeral. The cere- monies of both these occasions, in ancient times, were such as children would be very likely to imitate in their plays. 33. Eating no bread, &c ; that is, leading an austere and soli- tary life. 34. Eating and drinking ; that is, in respect to his habits of social intercourse, living like other men. 35. Is justified ; is recognized and honored. _ 250 S. LUKE. 7. 37- woman which was in the city, a sinner ; and when she knew that he was sitting at meat in the Pharisee's house, she brought 'an alabaster 38 cruse of ointment, and standing behind at his feet, weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears, and wiped them with the hair of her head, and s kissed his feet, and anointed them with the 39 ointment. .Now when the Pharisee which had bidden him saw it, he spake within himself, saying, This man, if he were 3a prophet, would have perceived who and what manner of woman this is which toucheth him, that she is a sinner. 40 And Jesus answering said 1 Or, a flask 2 <;r. Jawed much. •i Some ancient authorities read the 38. WethUfeetj 6zc. It seems that the woman, partaking of the excitement which our Sa- viour's presence and preaching produced among the multitude, and overwhelmed with contri- tion for her past sins, and full of grateful feeling at the offers of forgiveness, came in, and prostrated herself at his feet, as he was reclining at the table, and kissed them, in token of adoration and gratitude. While in this posture, the Saviour's feet were wet with her tears, and covered with her hair. What- ever of impropriety there might have' been in the act,— and the strong excitement of her feel- ings, taken in connection with unto him, Simon, I have somewhat to say unto thee. And he saith, 'Master, say on. A cer-41 tain lender had two debtors: the one owed five hundred 5 pence, and the other fifty. When 42 they had not wherewith to pay, he forgave them both. Which of them therefore will love him most ? Simon answered 43 and said, He, I suppose, to whom he forgave the most. And he said unto him, Thou hast rightly judged. And turning to 44 the woman, he said unto Simon, Seest thou this woman % I entered into thine house, thou gavest me no water for my feet : but she hath wetted my feet with her tears, and prophet. See John i. 21, 25. 4 Or, Teacher 5 See marginal note on Matt, xviii. 28. the probable freedom of her past habits of life, might easily have carried her beyond the bounds of decorum, — Jesus does not censure it, but represents her action in the figurative lan- guage of washing his feet with her tears and wiping them with her hair. Though scrupulously attentive himself to all the pro- prieties of life, he pitied the anguish of mind which led to this apparent violation of them in her, and took the unhappy sinners part against the censori- ous Pharisee, by language which put upon her conduct a favor- able and yet a just construction. 41. A certain lender ; i. e., a money lender. -8. 5. S. LUKE. 251 wiped them with her hair. 45Thougavest me no kiss: but she, since the time I came in, hath not ceased 46 to ! kiss my feet. My head with oil thou didst not anoint : but she hath anointed my feet with 47 ointment. Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins, which are many, are for- given ; for she loved much : but to whom little is forgiven, the same 48loveth little. And he said unto her, Thy sins 49 are forgiven. And they that sat at meat with him began to say "within themselves, Who is this that even forgiveth sins % 50 And he said unto the woman, Thy faith hath saved thee 8 And ; go in peace. it came to pass 1 Gr. kiss much. 2 Or, among 3 Or, gospel soon afterwards, that he went about through cities and villages, preaching and bringing the 3 good tidings of the kingdom of God, and with him the twelve, and certain 2 women which had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities, Mary that was called Magdalene, from whom seven "devils had gone out, and Joanna the 3 wife of Chuza Herod's steward, and Susanna, and many others, which ministered unto 5 them of their substance. And when a great mnlti-4 tude came together, and they of every city re- sorted unto him, he spake by a parable : The sower 5 went forth to sow his seed : and as he sowed, 4 Gr. demons. 5 Many ancient authorities read him. CHAPTER VIII. 1. Through cities and villages ; still, however, remaining in the region of the Sea of Galilee. %, Magdalene ; of Magdala. 3. Herod'' s.. This was Herod Antipas, the son of old King Herod, and the tetrarch of this part of his father's dominions. — Of their substance ; of their property. This and other allu- sions show that Jesus did not throw himself upon the local and casual charity of the people among whom he travelled, but made, himself, a proper provision for the wants of his company, from the contributions of known and tried friends. From Luke 9:13, it seems that they were accustomed to travel with sup- plies of provisions and money. Perhaps Philip at one time, (John 6: 5,) and certainly Judas afterwards, acted as treasurer and steward. In the same way, we ought, in all our religious enterprises, to make provision ourselves, in the most systematic and business-like manner, for all the wants which the most active sagacity can foresee; and never make faith a substitute for forethought, or expect aid, from divine interpositions, in emergencies which might have been ^provided for by prudential arrangements of our own. 4. The soicer ; i. e. , Christ him- self. Compare Isaiah 55: 10, 11. 252 S. LUKE. 8. 5- some fell by the way side ; and it was trodden under foot, and the birds of the heaven devoured 6 it. And other fell on the rock ; and as soon as it- grew, it withered away, because it had no mois- Tture. And other fell amidst the thorns ; and the thorns grew with it, 8 and choked it. And other fell into the good ground, and grew, and brought forth fruit a hundredfold. As he said these things, he cried, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear. 9 And his disciples asked him what this parable 10 might be. And he said, Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God : but to the rest in par- ables ; that seeing they may not see, and hearing they may not understand. 11 Now the parable is this : The seed is the word of 6. On the rock ; on a rocky or ledgy place, where the earth was very shallow. 10. That seeing they may not see, &c. ; that is, that while enough is exhibited to them to invite their attention, they may still be left at liberty to shut their eyes to the truth, if they choose. There is nothing more striking in the government of God, than the reserve in the communication of religious truth, which seems to have marked the divine administra- tion iu all ages of the world. God. And those by the 12 way side are they that have heard ; then cometh the devil, and taketh away the word from their heart, that they may not believe and be saved. And those on the 13 rock are they which, when they have heard, receive the word with joy ; and these have no root, which for a while believe, and in time of temptation fall away. And that which fell 14 among the thorns, these are they that have heard, and as they go on their way they are choked with cares and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to per- fection. And that in the 15 good ground, these are such as in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, hold it fast, and bring forth fruit with patience. And no man, when he 10 The higher spiritualities of* re- ligion are not forced upon the attention of unwilling minds; there is a veil which conceals the sacred interior from all, except- ing those who find in their hearts an honest desire to know and do the will of God, which leads them in. 16. Lamp. The ancients used, not candles, but lamps of very simple construction, consisting of a little vessel, filled with oil, with a wick floating upon the top. — Bed; the seat or couch upon which it was customary to 8. 25— S. LUKE. 253 hath lighted a lamp, cov- ereth it with a vessel, or putteth it under a bed; but putteth it on a stand, that they which enter in 17 may see the light. For nothing is hid, that shall not be made manifest ; nor anything secret, that shall not be known and 18 come to light. Take heed therefore how ye hear: for whosoever hath, to him shall be given ; and whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that which he 'think- eth he hath. 19 And there came to him his mother and brethren, and they could not come at him for the crowd. 20 And it was told him, Thy mother and thy brethren stand without, desiring 21 to see thee. But he an- swered and said unto them, My mother and my 1 Or, seemeth to have recline at meals. 17. The meaning of the two verses is, These truths which I reveal to you, with caution and reserve, are not to be suppressed and buried in oblivion, but to be gradually extended, until they shall be universally known and acknowledged. 18. That is, high degrees of knowledge and piety tend con- stantly to increase, while feeble attainments tend to diminish, and are in danger of being lost entirely. 19. His brethren are enumerat- ed Mark 6:3. It would appear I brethren are these which hear the word of God, and do it. Now it came to pass 01122 one of those days, that he entered into a boat, him- self and his disciples ; and he said unto them, Let us go over unto the other side of the lake : and they launched forth. But as they sailed he fell 23 asleep : and there came down a storm of wind on the lake ; and they were filling with toater, and were in jeopardy. And 24 they came to him, and awoke him, saying, Mas- ter, master, we perish. And he awoke, and re- buked the wind and the raging of the water : and they ceased, and there was a calm. And he said 25 unto them, Where is your faith ? And being afraid they marvelled, saying from Mark 3:21-35, that they were alarmed for his personal safety, fearing violence from the crowd, and that they wished to withdraw him from the dan- ger. 21. His answer is a striking expression of his confidence that he had nothing to fear, 22. On one of those days ; i. e., at this period of his ministry — The lake; of Galilee. 23. They were filling ; not, as in the Old Version, were filled with water. If the boat had been filled, it would inevitably have sunk. 254 S. LUKE. 8. 25— one to another, Who then is this, that lie command- eth even tne winds and the water, and they obey him 1 2G And they arrived at the country of the 'Gerasenes, which Is over against Ga- 27lilee. And when he was come forth upon the land, there met him a certain man ont of the city, who had "devils ; and for a long time lie had worn no clothes, and abode not in any house, but in the 28 tombs. And when he saw Jesus, he cried out, and fell down before him, and with a loud voice said, What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of the Most High God? I beseech thee, torment me 20 not. For he commanded the unclean spirit to come (/ut from the man. For Oftentimes it had seized l Many ancient authorities read Ger- grverm ; others, Gadarenes : and so in 26. Gerasenes. A different lame for the same country de- scribed by Matt, as the country of the Gadarenes. 27. A certain man. Matthew (8:28) says two. Luke seems to speak only of the one with whom the converation was par- ticularly held. Such circum- stantial dissimilarities in the narratives of independent wit- nesses are considered, in courts of justice, as adding to the force of testimony; indicating, as they do, the absence of collusion. 29. Was kept ; had been kept. 31, Into the abyss; the phrase him : and he was kept under guard, and bound with chains and fetters ; and breaking the bands asunder, he was driven of the 4devil into the deserts. And Jesus asked him, 30 What is thy name % And he said, Legion ; for many "devils were entered into him. And they in- 31 treated him that he would not command them to de- part into the abyss. Now 32 there was there a herd of many swine feeding on the mountain : and they in treated him that he would give them leave to enter into them. And he gave them leave. And the 33 "devils came out from the man, and entered into the swine : and the herd rushed down the steep into the lake, and were choked. And when they 34 that fed them saw what ver. 37. S Or, of a long time 2 Gr. demons. 4 Gr. demon. the deep, used in the Old Ver- sion, conveyed to many English readers the idea of the sea. The meaning is, however, here, the place of departed spirits. (See Rev. 9:12.) 33. It seems to be impossible to frame any conceivable hy- pothesis which will explain why intelligent beings, however ma- licious and depraved, should act such a part as appears to be here ascribed to them; and, on the other hand, language so definite, and of such a nature, is scarcely susceptible of any other than a literal interpretation. ^8. 47. S. LUKE. 255 had come to pass, they fled, and told it in the city and in the country. 35 And they went out to see what had come to pass ; and they came to Jesus, and found the man, from whom the 'devils were gone out, sitting, clothed and in his right mind, at the feet of Jesus : and 36 they were afraid. And they that saw it told them how he that was possessed with 'devils wras 372made whole. And all the people of the country of the Gerasenes round about asked him to depart from them ; for they were hold- en with great fear : and he entered into a boat, 38 and returned. But the man from whom the 'devils were gone out prayed him that he might be with him : but he sent 39 him away, saying, Re- turn to thy house, and declare how great things God hath done for thee. And he went his way, publishing throughout the whole city how great things Jesus had done for him. 40 And as Jesus returned, the multitude welcomed 1 Gr. 2 Or, saved 3 Some ancient authorities omit had 45. The question Sayest thou who touched me? is wanting him ; for they were all waiting for him. And 41 behold, there came a man named Jairus, and he was a ruler of the syna- gogue : and he fell down at Jesus' feet, and be- sought him to come into his house ; for he had an 42 only daughter, about twelve years of age, and she lay a dying. But as he went the multitudes thronged him. And a woman having 43 an issue of blood twelve years, which 3 had spent all her living upon phy- sicians, and could not be healed of any, came be- 44 hind him, and touched the border of his gar- ment : and immediately the issue of her blood stanched. And Jesus 45 said, Who is it that touched me ? And when all denied, Peter said, 4 and they that were with him, Master, the multi- tudes press thee and crush thee. But Jesus 46 said, Some one did touch me : for I perceived that power had gone forth from me. And when the 47 woman saw that she was not hid, she came trem- spent all her living upon physicians, and 4 Some ancient authorities omit and they that were with him. here in the best manuscripts, but is reported in Mark's narra- tive. (Mark 5: 31.) 256 S. LUKE. 8. 47 bling, and falling down before him declared in the presence of all the people for what cause she touched- him, and how she was healed immedi- 48ately. And he said unto her, Daughter, thy faith hath 'made thee whole ; go in peace. 49 While he yet spake, there cometh one from the ruler of the syna- gogue's 7iouse, saying, Thy daughter is dead ; trouble not the 2 Master. 50 But Jesus hearing it, an- swered him, Fear not: only believe, and she shall be 3made whole. 51 And when he came to the house, he suffered not any man to enter in with him, save Peter, and John, and James, and the father of the maiden 1 Or, saved thee 2 Or, Teacher 56. The preaching and mira- cles of the Saviour produced a great excitement, — so great as sometimes to occasion serious inconvenience and difficulty. (Mark 1:45.) He often found it necessary, therefore, to im- pose limits to the degree of pub- licity which was to be given to some of the transactions which were most likely to act strongly upon the public mind. Some- times he encouraged giving pub- licity to a miraculous cure, as in v. 39, just before this transac- tion, when he was upon the other side of the lake, and in a more retired and quiet region. Now, however, the circum- and her mother. And 52 all were weeping, and be- wailing her : but he said, Weep not ; for she is not dead, but sleejjeth. And 53 they laughed him to scorn, knowing that she was dead. But he, tak-54 ing her by the hand, called, saying, Maiden, arise. And her spirit re- 55 turned, and she rose up immediately : and he commanded that some- thing be given her to eat. And her parents 56 were amazed: but he charged them to tell no man what had been done. And he called the 9 twelve together, and gave them power and authority over all 4 devils, and to cure diseases. And he 2 sent them forth to preach the kingdom of God, and 3 Or„ saved 4 Gr. demons. stances were different; for he had returned to the Galilean side, where there was already a great popular excitement; the crowd having been actually waiting for him upon the shore, when he came over. (v. 40.) CHAPTER IX. 2. T<> preach the kingdom of God; probably to proclaim the approach of the Messiah's king- dom, but not to make known the fact that Jesus was himself the Messiah. This knowledge was only communicated very cautiously, even to his disci- ples, until after the resurrec- tion. 9. 12. S. LUKE. 257 3 to heal • the sick. And he said unto them, Take nothing for your journey, neither staff, nor wallet, nor bread, nor money ; neither have two coats. 4 And into whatsoever house ye enter, there abide, and thence depart. 5 And as many as receive you not, when ye depart from that city, shake off the dust from your feet for a testimony against 6 them. And they de- parted, and went through- out the villages, preach- ing the gospel, and heal- ing everywhere. 7 Now Herod the tetrarch heard of all that was done : and he was much perplexed, because that it was said by some, that John was risen from the 8 dead ; and by some, that Elijah had appeared ; and by others, that one of the old prophets was 1 Some ancient authorities omit the 3. Staff ; walking staves. — Wallet ; a leathern bag for provi- sions. 7. It was said oy some. Ac- cording to Matthew and Mark, it was Herod himself who said that John the Baptist had risen. (Matt. 14: 1, 2. Mark 6: 14.) The influence of inspiration did not produce minute uniformity in the ac counts of the sacred writers. Like those of other human witnesses, their state- ments often vary in the details. 9. And Herod 3aid, The word risen again. And Herod 9 said, John I beheaded : but who is this, about whom I hear such things \ And he sought to see him. And the apostles, when 10 they were returned, de- clared unto him what things they had done. And he took them, and withdrew apart to a city called Bethsaida. Bat 11 the multitudes perceiving it followed him : and he welcomed them, and spake to them of the kingdom of God, and them that had need of healing he healed. And is the day began to wear away ; and the twelve came, and said unto him, Send the multitude away, that they may go into the villages and country round about, and lodge, and get victuals : for we are here in a desert place. sick. said, in this, as in a great many other similar cases, refers not so much to his words as to his state of mind. He said to him- self, as it were. The thoughts and designs of the heart are often, in such cases, clothed in language by the historian. 11. He welcomed them; not, merely, as in the Old Version, received them. Although he was seeking retirement he welcomed the intrusion which gave him an opportunity to speak of the kingdom of God to the people. 258 S. LUKE. 9. IS- 15 But he said unto them, Give ye them to eat. And they said, We have no more than five loaves and two fishes ; except we should go and buy food 14 for all this people. For they were about live thou- sand men. And he said unto his disciples, Make fhem 'sit down in com- panies, about fifty each. 15 And they did so, and made them all ' sit down. 16 And he took the five loaves and the two fishes, and looking up to heaven, he blessed them, and brake ; and gave to the disciples to set before the 17 multitude. And they did eat, and were all filled : and there was 1 Gr. reditu. 18. Alone ; away from the multitudes. 20. We ourselves associate so strongly with every portion of the Saviour Y; life the idea that he was the Messiah, that it is difficult for us to realize that, thus far, there had been no posi- tive evidence brought before the minds of the disciples that he was really the promised Re- deemer. Even this conversation does not seem to contain an ab- solute and direct acknowledg- ment of it. John the Baptist had before sent some of his dis- ciples to put the question to him, but they received an indi- rect answer. (Luke 7:19-23.) The demoniacs were in some cum s disposed to proclaim him as the Christ, or Messiah; but he always suppressed their in- taken up that which re- mained over to them of broken pieces, twelve baskets. And it came to pass, as 18 he was praying alone, the disciples were with him: and he asked them, say- ing, Who do the multi- tudes say that I am ? And they answering said, 19 John the Baptist ; but others say, Elijah ; and others, that one of the old prophets is risen again. And he said unto 20 them, But who say ye that I am \ And Peter answer- ing said,The Christ of God. But he charged them, 21 and commanded them to tell this to no man; say- 22 ing, The Son of man must tentions; so that, hitherto, a great uncertainty had hung over the minds of the disciples in re- spect to the person and charac- ter of their Master; and, from subsequent remarks made by the apostles, it would appear that all doubt on this subject was not even now entirely removed. 21-26. See note on parallel passage, Matt. 16 : 25, 26. By these remarks, — addressed first (v. 22) to the disciples and then (v. 23-26) to all his followers, Jesus intends to check the worldly and ambitious aspira- tions which they might have been forming, now that they began really to believe that their Master was the Messiah ; — sup- posing, too, that the kingdom of the Messiah was to be estab- lished in great outward splendor. 9. 35. S. LUKE. 259 suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and the third day be raised up. 23 And he said unto all, If any man would come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. 24 For whosoever would save his ! life shall lose it ; but whosoever shall lose his 'life for my sake, the 25 same shall save it. For what is a man profited, if he gain the whole world, and lose or forfeit his own 26 self % For whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words, of him shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in his own glory, and the glory of the Father, and 27 of the holy angels. But I tell you of a truth, There be some of them that stand here, which shall in no wise taste of death, till they see the kingdom of Gfod. 2^ And it came to pass about eight days after these sayings, he took with him Peter «ind John 1 Or, soul 2 Or, departwe 24. Would save his life; will seek to save it by sacrificing his duty. — Shall lose hi* life; be willing to lose it. 28. About eight days ; a com- mon expression for a week. 32. Whether the marginal reading or the reading of the text is adopted here,, the m.m.- and James, and went up into the mountain to pray. And as he was praying, 29 the fashion of his coun- tenance was altered, and his raiment became white and dazzling. And be- 30 hold, there talked with him two men, which were Moses and Elijah; who 31 appeared in glory, and spake of his "decease which he was about to accomplish at Jerusalem. Now Peter and they that 32 were with him were heavy with sleep : but 3 when they were fully awake, they saw his glory, and the two men that stood with him. And it came 33 to pass, as they were parting from him, Peter said unto Jesus, Master, it is good for us to be here : and let us make three 4 tabernacles ; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elijah : not know- ing what he said. And 34 while he said these things, there came a cloud, and overshadowed them : and they feared asthey entered into the cloud. And a voice 35 came out of the cloud, 3 Or, having remained awake 4 Or, booths cation is the same ; the disciples had not been asleep. The notion suggested by some sceptical critics that it was a dream, is refuted by the fact that all three saw the vision. A simul- taneous dream by three persons was never hesud oL 260 S. LUKE. 9. 35— saying, This is 1mj Son, my chosen : hear ye him. 36 And when the voice 2came, Jesus was found alone. And they held their peace, and told no man in those days any of the things which they had seen. 37 And it came to pass, on the next day, when they were come down from the mountain, a great multi- 38 tude met him. And be- hold, a man from the multitude cried, saying, "Master, I beseech thee to look upon my son ; for he is mine only child : 39 and behold, a spirit taketh him, and he suddenly criethout ; and it 4teareth him that he foameth, and it hardly departeth from him, bruising him sorely. 40 And I besought thy dis- ciples to cast it out ; and 1 Many ancient authorities read my Son. See Matt. xvii. 5 : Mark 36. My son, my chosen; this reading is sustained by the best manuscripts, while that of the margin agrees with the other reports of the transfiguration in Matt, and Mark. — And they held their j>cace ; having been en- joined to do so by Jesus himself, while they were coming down tiic mountain. (Matt. 17: 9.) ::?. On the next day, when they were come down. This form of expression, and the disposition to sleep manifested by the three apostles, as mentioned in v 32, seems to imply that the trans- figuration took place at night. It is not wonderful that the sub- lime circumstances of the scene they could not. And 41 Jesus answered and said, 0 faithless and perverse generation, how long shall 1 be with you, and bear with you % bring hither thy son. And as he was 42 yet a coming, the 5 devil 6 dashed him down, and 7 tare him grievously. But Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit, and healed the boy, and gave him back to his father. And 43 they were all astonished at the majesty of God. But while all were mar- velling at all the things which he did, he said un- to his disciples, Let 44 these words sink into your ears : for the Son of man shall be delivered up into the hands of men. But they understood not 45 this saying, and it was 2 Or, waspast 5 Gr. demon. 3 Or, Teacher 6 Or, rent him 4 Or, convulseth 7 Or, convulsed should have strongly affected, the ardent feelings of the apostle Peter. He alludes to the event long afterwards, (2 Peter 1 : 16- 18,) in language which shows that it made a deep and lasting impression upon his mind. 39. A spirit taketh him. In the account given by Matthew, this patient is spoken of as a lunatic. (Matt. 17: 15.) — It teareth him; agitates him with strong convulsions. 43. At tlw majesty of God ; the original implies, not merely as in the Old Version the mighty power, but also the glory of God. 45. That they should not per- —9. 52. S. LUKE. 261 concealed from them, that they should not per- ceive it : and they were afraid to ask him about this saying. 46 And there arose a rea- soning among them, which of them should be 47 'greatest. But when Je- sus saw the reasoning of their heart, he took a lit- tle child, and set him by his side, and said unto 48 them, Whosoever shall receive this litttle child in my name receiveth me : and whosoever shall re- ceive me receiveth him that sent me : for he that 2 Gr 'V . let ceive it; it was not intended that the disciples should fully under- stand the facts concerning the crucifixion and resurrection, be- fore these events occurred. The object of the prophecy was rather to reassure their hearts and prepare thein for the events when they did occur. — They were afraid to ash him, &c. This and similar expressions, occa- sionally occurring, evince the deep reverence with which Jesus was regarded by his disciples, and the reserve which he main- tained in his daily intercourse with them. And yet he was nearly of the same age with them, and they were by no means certain that he was the Messiah. 46. The claim of the Catholic church for the supremacy of the pope, rests in a great measure on the alleged official supremacy of Peter over the other apostles, — the Roman pontiff being consi- dered his successor. But this is least among you all, the same is great. And John answered 49 and said. Master, we saw one casting out 3devils in thy name ; and we for- bade him, because he fol- loweth not with us. Bat 50 Jesus said unto him, Forbid Mm not: for he that is not against you is for you. And it came to pass, 51 when the days 4were well- nigh come that he should be received up, he sted- fastly set his face to go to Jerusalem, and sent 52 messengers before his 3 Gr. demons. 4 Gr. were being fulfilled. verse seems to indicate that, thus far at least, no such preeminence of any one of their number was understood by the apostles themselves. 48. Least among you; most lowly aud childlike in spirit. 51. When the days were well- nigh come, &c. ; that is, towards the close of his life, long after the occurrences mentioned above. The incident seems to be narrated here, out of the order of time, for the purpose of introducing it, in connection with the other cases here related, in which the disciples were re- proved by the Saviour. The passage 37-42 censures their want of faith; 46-48 reproves ambition; 49, 50, intolerance; and 51-56, resentment and an- ger. 52. Samaritans. The nearest route from Galilee to Jerusalem led through Samaria. 262 S. LUKE. 9. 52- face : and they went, and entered into a village of the Samaritans, to make 53 ready for him. And they did not receive him, be- cause his lace was as though he were going to 54 Jerusalem. And when his disciples James and John saw this, they said, Lord, wilt thou that we bid lire to come down from heaven, and con- 55sume them1? But he turned, and rebuked 56 them2. And they went to another village. 57 And as they went in the way, a certain man said unto him, I will fol- low thee whithersoever 1 Many ancient authorities add even as Elijah did. 2 Some ancient authorities add and said, Te know not what manner of spirit 53. There was a bitter theo- logical controversy between the Jews and the Samaritans, on the question whether Jerusalem, or a mountain, in Samaria, was the proper place for the national worship. (For other allusions to tins controversy, see John 4:0, 19.) Such contention and hatred, for such a cause, seem to us, at this day. sufficiently ab- surd. We have, however, an abundance of controversies of our own. of the same character; --disputes destroying the spirit of Christianity, in a merciless war about the forms in which it Bhould be imbodied. 54-50. When we find in our hearts that our feelings towards those who oppose Christianity itself, or that particular form of it with which we are ourselves identified, are assuming the J thou goest. And Jesus 58 ' said unto him, The foxes have holes, and the birds I of the heaven have 3nests ; I but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head. And he said unto another, 59 Follow me. But he said, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father. But he said unto him, 60 Leave the dead to bury their own dead ; but go thou and publish abroad the kingdom of God. And another also said, 61 I will follow thee, Lord ; but first suffer me to bid farewell to them that are at my house. But Jesus G2 said unto him, JNro man, ye (7/ e of. Some, but fewer, add also For the Son of man came not to destroy men's lives, but to save them. 3 Gr. lodging-places. character of resentment or ill will, we may see the spirit which actuates us reflected here. The Old Version contained the clauses added here in the mar- gin. They are wanting in many of the ancient manuscripts, but are regarded by some scholars as probably belonging to the original gospel of Luke, because they are in spirit so like the character of Christ. 57-62. [This incident has given rise to some perplexity in the minds of Bible students. A thoughtful study of the passage, however, will show, in the spirit of these would-be disciples, the reasons why they were turned back by Jesus,- the first being presumptuous and precipitate, the second procrastinating and delaying, and the third irresolute and uncertain. The practical -10. 10, S. LUKE. 263 having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is lit for the king- dom of God. 10 Now after these things the Lord appointed sev- enty 'otherSjand sent them two and two before his face into every city and place, whither he himself 2 was about to come. And he said unto them, The harvest is plenteous, but the labourers are few : pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he send forth labourers 3 into his harvest. Gfo your ways : behold, I send you forth as lambs in the 4 midst of wolves. Carry no purse, no wallet, no shoes : and salute no man 5011 the way. And into 1 Many ancient authorities add and tivo : and so in ver. 17. lesson is, that he who would follow Christ must count the cost, and then decide to follow him now and at whatever cost. — L. A.] CHAPTER X. 4. And salute no man on the way. This, and the other di- rections given were not intended to be interpreted strictly and literally. This is proved by the fact that the expressions differ as recorded by the different evangelists, and are even incon- sistent with each other, if press- ed to a strict interpretation. The meaning is, that they were to go as they were, without making any special preparation, and that they were to give their time and attention wholly to whatsoever house ye shall 2 enter, first say, Peace be to this house. And if a 6 son of peace be there, your peace shall rest upon 3 him : but if not, it shall turn to you again. And 7 in that same house remain, eating and drinking such things as they give : for the labourer is worthy of his hire. Go not from house to house. And into 8 whatsoever city ye enter, and they receive you, eat such things as are set before you : and heal the 9 sick that are therein, and say unto them, The king- dom of God is come nigh unto you. But into what- 10 soever city ye phall enter, and they receive you not, go out into t*ie streets 2 Or, enter first, say 3 Or, it their work, and not engage in social enjoyments, and in the in- terchange of the courtesies of society, in the places they should visit. The object of this mission seems to have been to dissemi- nate generally some authentic knowledge of the Saviour's per- son and charactei as a messenger from heaven, and to call the attention of the community to the coming of the Messiah. They were not, however, in- structed to say that Jesus was himself the Messiah. Like many of the other measures adopted by Jesus and the apostles, this mission of the seventy was suited to a local and temporary purpose, and is of course not of binding authority as a model f wr imitation. 264 S. LUKE. 10. lO- 11 thereof and say, Even the dust from your city, that cleave th to our feet, we do wipe off against you : howbeit know this, that the kingdom of God is 12 come nigh. I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable in that day for Sodom, than for that city. 13 Woe unto thee, Chorazin ! woe unto thee, Bethsaida ! for if the 'mighty works had been done in Tyre and Sidon, which were done in you, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and 14 ashes. Howbeit it shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the judge- loment, than for you. And thou, Capernaum, shalt thou be exalted unto heaven? thou shalt be brought down unto Ha- le des. He that heareth you heareth me ; and he that rejecteth you rejecteth me ; and he that rejecteth me rejecteth him that sent me. 17 And the seventy re- turned with joy, saying, Gr. powers. ~ Gr. demons. 1 :!. Chorazin and Bethsaida ; villages in Galilee, where our Saviour had performed many of his mighty works. — Tyre and Sidon ; Gentile cities north of Palestine, on the shores of the Mediterranean. 15. See note on parallel pas- sage, Matt. 11: 23. 21. In the Holy S^rit ; the Lord, even the devils are subject unto us in thy name. And he said unto 18 them, I beheld Satan fallen as lightning from heaven. Behold, I have 19 given you authority to tread upon serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy : and nothing shall in any wise hurt you. Howbeit in 20 this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you ; but rejoice that your names are written in heaven. In that same hour he 21 rejoiced 2 in the Holy Spirit, and said, I4 thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou didst hide these things from the wise and understanding, and didst reveal them unto babes : yea, Father; 6for so it was well-pleasing in thy sight. All things have 22 been delivered unto me of my Father : and no one knoweth who the Son is, save the Father ; and who the Father is, save the 3 Or, by 5 Or. that 4 Or, praise meaning probably is that the thanksgiving uttered was the result of a special inspiration from his Heavenly Father. 22. Willeih t<> rtveal him; other passages teach us very clearly that Christ wills to reveal the Father to all who come to him desiring abetter knowledge of God. 3 < •-3 o H OQ I .-10. 33. S. LUKE. ft ^67 Son, and lie to whomso- ever the Son willeth to 23 reveal him. And turning to the disciples, he said privately, Blessed are the eyes which see the things 24 that ye see : for I say unto yon, that many prophets and kings desired to see the things which ye see, and saw them not ; and to hear the things which ye hear, and heard them not. 25 And behold, a certain lawyer stood up and tempted him, saying, 'Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? 26 And he said unto him, What is written in the law ? how readest thou ? 27 And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God 'with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all 1 Or, Teacher 25. A certain lawyer ; the word does not mean, as with us, an advocate or practitioner at the bar, but one versed in the laws of the Old Testament and the Rabbinical rules. 29. Desiring to justify himself; that is, in respect to the question which he had asked ; to show that there was really some diffi- culty in it, and that it was not so easily solved as the Saviour's first answer might appear to in- dicate. 30. The road from Jerusalem to Jericho led through a wild and mountainous country, in- fested with robbers. 31. By chance. It is a morbid 11 thy mine! » and thy neigh- bour as thyself. And he 28 said unto him, Thou hast answered right : this do, and thou shalt live. But 29 he, desiring to justify himself, said unto Jesus, And who is my neigh- bour? Jesus made an- 30 swer and said, A certain man was going down from Jerusalem to Jeri- cho ; and he fell among robbers, which both strip- ped him and beat him, and departed, leaving him half dead. And by 31 chance a certain priest was going down that way : and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. And in like 32 manner a Levite also, when he came to the place, and saw him, pass- ed by on the other side. But a certain Samaritan, 33 2 Gr. from. conscientiousness which scruples to use such expressions as acci- dentally and oy chance in common conversation. They have a dis- tinct and very proper meaning, and one which does not at all conflict with the idea of the constant and universal control of the overruling providence of God. 33. A certain Samaritan. The peculiar point of this parable consists in representing the priest and the Levite, persons of great reputation for sanctity among the Jews, as passing the wounded traveller, without com- passion ; while it was a Samari- tan, a man whose whole nation 268 S. LUKE. 11. 33— as he journeyed, came where he was : and when he saw him, he was mov- 34 ed with compassion, and came to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring on them oil and wine ; and he set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took 35 care of him. And on the morrow he took out two lpence, and gave them to the host, and said, Take care of him ; and whatso- ever thou spendest more, I, when I come back again, will repay thee. 36 Which of these three, thinkest thou, proved neighbour unto him that fell among the robbers % 37 And he said, He that shewed mercy on him. And Jesus said unto him, Go, and do thou likewise. 38 Now as they went on 1 See marginal note on Matt, xriii. 28. 2 Gr. distracted. 3 A few ancient authorities read were considered sinners and heretics, that stopped to relieve him. 35. Two pence. The denomi- nations and the value of money were so different in ancient times from the present, that such ex- pressions give us no idea of the amount intended. The true way of estimating the value of any sum of money, in any age of the world, is to ascertain its re- lation to the prices of food and clothing, and the other common necessaries of life. The apostles spoke of two hundred pence as their way, he entered in- to a certain village : and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house. And she had 39 a sister called Mary, which also sat at the Lord's feet, and heard his word. But Martha was 40 "cumbered about much serving ; and she came up to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister did leave me to serve alone \ bid her therefore that she help me. But the Lord an- 41 swered and said unto her, 3Martha, Martha, thou art anxious and troubled about many things : 4but42 one thing is needful : for Mary hath chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her. And it came to pass, as 11 he was praying in a cer- Martlia, Martha, thou art troubled: Mary hath chosen dtc. 4 Many ancient authorities read but few things are needful, or one. the sum required to buy suffi- cient food to supply, for one oc- casion, the wants of five thou- sand men. Two pence would, in that proportion, have pro- vided once for fifty ; which shows that the sum was sufficient for the emergency. 38. As they went ; that is, once as they were travelling. — A cer- tain village ; Bethany. (John 11: 1.) 40. Cumbered ; busy and bur- dened. CHAPTER XL 1. The forms of prayer which -11. 1 S. LUKE. 269 tain place, that when he ceased, one of his disci- ples said unto him, Lord, teach us to pray, even as John also taught his dis- 2ciples. And he said unto them, When ye pray, say, 'Father, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom 3 come.2 Give us day by 4 day 3our daily bread. And forgive us our sins ; for we ourselves also forgive every one that is indebted to us. And bring us not into temptation.4 5 And he said unto them, Which of you shall have a friend, and shall go 1 Many ancient authorities read Our Father, which art in heaven. See Matt. vi. 9. 2 Many ancient authorities add Thy will be done, as in heaven, so on earth. John taught his disciples, would have possessed peculiar interest, as the earliest forms under the Christian dispensation; but they have not been preserved. 4. In this passage, 2-4, Jesus prescribes a form; on other oc- casions he used extemporaneous prayer. Both are proper modes of addressing the Supreme Be- ing. A form is suitable for oc- casions of the same kind, often recurring; and the relief which it affords, in respect to intellec- tual effort, is in many cases needed; — as in the daily devo- tions of a child, and sometimes in the religious services of a family. It has great advantages, too, as well as disadvantages, as a mode of public worship, on the Sabbath. There are, how- ever, constantly occurring, exi- gencies in which the soul is urged to express its desires in its own spontaneous language. unto him at midnight, and say to him, Friend, lend me three loaves ; for 6 a friend of mine is come to me from a journey, and I have nothing to set before him ; and he from 7 within shall answer and say, Trouble me not : the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed ; I cannot rise and give thee? I say unto 8 you, Though he will not rise and give him, because he is his friend, yet be- cause of his importunity he will arise and give him 5as many as he needeth. See Matt. vi. 10. 3 Or. our bread for the coming day. 4 Many ancient authorities add but de/ictr us from the evil one (ox, from evil). See Matt. vi. 13. 5 Or, whatsoever things Both, therefore, are proper modes of prayer; and both are adopted, though in different degrees and proportions, by all denominations of Christians. Between the form of this prayer, as reported here and as reported by Matthew in the Sermon on the Mount, there are very con- siderable changes, this being much more abbreviated. As the reader will see by the marginal notes here some manuscripts give the report of the Lord's prayer in Luke very much as it is given in Matthew, and there is no doubt that Matthew's report is the more accurate of the two. 5. At midnight ; in the night. Travellers were accustomed to avoid the heat of the day, and extend their journey late into the evening or night. 7. With me in bed; that is, my children, as well as myself, are in bed. 270 S. LUKE. 11.9— And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you ; seek, and ye shall find ; knock, and it shall be 10 opened unto you. For every one that asketh re- ceiveth ; and he that seeketh findeth ; and to him that knocketh it 11 shall be opened. And of which of you that is a father shall his son ask 'a loaf, and he give him a stone ? or a fish, and he for a fish give him a ser- 12 pent ? Or if he shall ask an egg, will he give him 13a scorpion? If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your heavenly Fa- ther give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him \ 14 And he was casting out a 2devil which was dumb. 1 Some ancient authorities omit a loaf, and he give him a stone ? or. 2 Gr. demon. 13. If ye then, being evil; that is, if men, unfeeling and selfish as human nature is, &c. — The Holy Sjnrit. This expression seems to imply that Jesus con- sidered it of course that these earnest requests of his disciples would be for spiritual favors. There cannot, in fact, be this eager and unhesitating importu- nity, in asking for temporal mercies, or for deliverance from temporal ills. There will always be, in a soul imbued with a right spirit, a certain reserveand qualification, — If it be possible, — or, Nevertheless, not my will, but thine, be done. And it came to pass, when the adevil was gone out, the dumb man spake ; and the multitudes mar- velled. But some of them 15 said, By 'Beelzebub the prince of the 'devils cast- eth he out 4devils. And 16 others, tempting Mm, sought of him a sign from heaven. But he, know- 17 ing their thoughts, said unto them, Every king- dom divided against itself is brought to desolation ; 5and a house divided against a house falleth. And if Satan also is di-18 vided against himself, how shall his kingdom stand % because ye say that I cast out 'devils 3by Beelzebub. And if 1 3by 19 Beelzebub cast out 4devils, by whom do your sons cast them out? therefore 3 Or, In 4 Gr. demons. 5 Or, and house falleth upon house. 14. Which was dumb ; that is, it made the man dumb. 16. Sought of him, &c. They pretended to consider the cures which he had effected as not satisfactory evidence of his di- vine mission, and they accord- ingly challenged him to bring to pass some great prodigy in the heavens, in order to dis- play his power more conspicuous iy. 17. The verses which follow, to v. 22, arc the Saviour's reply to the allegations in the loth verse. The reply to the requisi- tion made in the 16th is con- tained in 29-32. -11. 30, S. LUKE. 271 shall they be your judges. 20 But if I by the finger of God cast out 'devils, then is the kingdom of God 21 come upon you. When the strong man fully armed guardeth his own court, his goods are in 22 peace : but when a stronger than he shall come upon him, and over- come him, he taketh from him his whole ar- mour wherein he trusted, and divide th his spoils. 23 He that is not with me is against me ; and he that gathereth not with me 24scattereth. The unclean spirit when 2he is gone out of the man, passeth through waterless places, seeking rest ; and finding none, 2he saith, I will turn back unto my house 25 whence I came out. And when he is come, 2he find- eth it swept and gar- 26nished. Then goeth 2he, 1 Gr. demons. 21, 22. That is, the power of Satan could not be thus encoun tered and destroyed, but by an enemy, and an enemy stronger than the one thus overcome. 23. This seems to be a prover- bial expression, meaning, gener-. ally, that they who act in opposition to one another, are enemies, not friends. In this view^, its application to what precedes is obvious. 24-26. The class of sufferers here alluded to were sometimes, it would seem, apparently reliev- ed by the acts of exorcists, and perhaps by medical treatment; but then it often occurred, in and taketh to Mm seven other spirits more evil than 'himself ; and they enter in and dwell there : and the last state of that man becometh worse than the first. And it came to pass, as 27 he said these things, a certain woman out of the multitude lifted up her voice, and said unto him, Blessed is the womb that bare thee, and the breasts which thou didst suck. But he said, Yea rather, 28 blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it. And when the multi-29 tudes were gathering to- gether unto him, he be- gan to say, This genera- tion is an evil generation : it seeketh after a sign ; and there shall no sign be given to it but the sign of Jonah. For even 30 as Jonah became a sign Or, it 3 Or, itself such cases, that after a short interval of rest and composure, the demoniacal frenzy would re- turn with new and more terrible violence than before. So Jesus predicted that the Jewish na- tion, upon which his ministry produced a temporary good effect, would soon abandon itself to obduracy and wickedness again. 29 . Seeketh after ,a sign. See v. 16. 30. This was an allusion to the Saviour's descent into the tomb, which could not have been fully understood until after his ascension. 272 S. LUKE. 11. 30— unto the Ninevites, so shall also the Son of man 31 be to this generation. The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgement with the men of this generation, and shall condemn them: for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon ; and behold, 'a greater than 32 Solomon is here. The men of Nineveh shall stand up in the judgement with this generation, and shall condemn it : for they repented at the preaching of Jonah ; and behold, Ja greater than Jonah is here. 33 ]So man, when he hath lighted a lamp, putteth it in a cellar, neither under the bushel, but on the stand, that they which enter in may see 84 the light. The lamp of 1 Gr. more than. 31. For the narrative here referred to, see 1 Kings 10. 34-36. As the light of the body comes through the eye, so the light of the soul comes through the understanding. When, therefore, the under- standing is warped and depraved by wicked prejudices, as it was with these Jews, who had per- verted all that Jesus had said, and misrepresented all that he had done, the whole soul is necessarily involved in darkness and error. An eye tingle repre- sents an understanding free, honest, candid, — willing to see, thy body is thine eye : when thine eye is single, thy whole body also is full of light ; but when it is evil, thy body also is full of darkness. Look 35 therefore whether the light that is in thee be not darkness. If there- 36 fore thy whole body be full of light, having no part dark, it shall be wholly full of light, as when the lamp with its bright shining doth give thee light. Now as he spake, a 37 Pharisee asketh him to 2 dine with him : and he went in, and sat down to meat. And when the 38 Pharisee saw it, he mar- velled that he had not first washed before 2 din- ner. And the Lord said 39 unto him, Now do ye Pharisees cleanse the out- side of the cup and of 2 Gr. breakfast.' and to know and admit the truth. The revisers have wisely changed candle to lamp, — can- dles being rarely, if ever, used in the East. 37. Asketh him to dine »r',th him ; with no friendly feelings, however, as would seem from the conversation which ensued. 39. But yourinward j>"rf, &c. ; that is, the inward part of the cup and the platter. Themean- ing is, that within they were filled with the fruits of injustice and wickedness. This is evi- dent from the phraseology of tin; parallel passage. (Matt. 23:20, 26.) -11. 49. S. LUKE. 273 the platter ; but your in- ward part is full of ex- tortion and wickedness. 40 Ye foolish ones, did not he that made the outside make the inside also \ 4lHowbeit give for alms those things which 'are within ; and behold, all things are clean unto you. 42 But woe unto you Pharisees ! for ye tithe mint and rue and every herb, and pass over judge- ment and the love of Gfod : but these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone. 43 Woe unto you Pharisees ! for ye love the chief seats in the synagogues, and the salutations in the 44 marketplaces. Woe un- to you ! for ye are as the tombs which appear not, 1 Or, ye can 40. Foolish ones; literally thoughtless ones: the word is different fr<3m that used in Matt. 5 : 22, and does not imply bitter- ness and contempt. 41. There is some difficulty about the proper explanation of this verse, which is only partial- ly relieved by the clearer and more accurate translation ^iven by the revisers. The meaning, however, appears to be, that charity out of a pure and sincere heart is more acceptable before God than any strictness of adherence to forms and ceremo- nies. 42. Tithe mint, &c. ; ye are very scrupulous in paying tithes and the men that walk over them know it not. And one of the lawyers 45 answering saith unto him, "Master, in saying this thou reproaches t us also. And he said, Woe unto 46 you lawyers also ! for ye lade men with burdens grievous to be borne, and ye yourselves touch not the burdens with one of your fingers. Woe unto 47 you ! for ye build the tombs of the prophets, and your fathers killed them. So ye are wit- 48 nesses and consent unto the works of your fathers : for they killed them, and ye build their tombs. Therefore also said the 49 wisdom of God, I will send unto them prophets and apostles ; and some of them they shall kill 2 Or, Teacher on garden herbs of trifling value. 45. In saying this ; that is, not particularly by the last denunci- ation, but by the whole course of his remarks. 47-49. There is considerable difficulty in the interpretation of this passage, and commentators are not agreed respecting it. It would appear, however, from a comparison of this with the parallel passage, (Matt. 23 : 29- 31,) that the meaning is, that, while they hypocritically pro- fessed to venerate the memory of the prophets, their whole conduct showed that they par- took of the spirit which led their fathers to slay them. 274 S. LUKE. 11. 49- 50 and persecute; that the blood of all the prophets, which was shed from the foundation of the world, may be required of this 51 generation : from the blood of Abel untu the blood of Zachariah, who perished between the al- tar and the 'sanctuary : yea, T say unto you, it shall be required of this 52 generation. Woe unto you lawyers ! for ye took away the key of know ledge : ye entered not in yourselves, and them that were entering in ye hindered. 53 And when he was come out from thence, the scribes and the Pharisees began to "press upon Mm vehemently, and to pro- voke him to speak of 543many things; laying wait for him, to catch 1 Gr. house. 2 Or, set themselves vehemently against him 51. Zachariah ; evidently, from the connection, one of the last of the prophets that had been slain ; perhaps the person mentioned 2 Chron. 24: 20, 21.— It shall he required of this generation ,; that is, by perpetrating similar deeds, they had involved themselves in one common guilt with their fathers. 53. And when he was come out from them ; there is some uncer- tainty respecting the text. Ac- cording to the reading adopted by the revisers here, the mean- ing is, when Christ came out something out of his mouth. In the mean time, when 12 the many thousands of the multitude were gath- ered together, insomuch that they trode one upon another, he began to "say unto his disciples first of all, Beware ye of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. But 2 there is nothing covered up, that shall not be re- vealed : and hid, that shall not be known. Wherefore whatsoever ye 3 have said in the darkness shall be heard in the light ; and what ye have spoken in the ear in the inner chambers shall be proclaimed upon the housetops. And I say 4 unto you my friends, Be not afraid of them which kill the body, and after 3 Or, more 4 Gr. the myriads of. 5 Or, say unto his disciples, First of all beware ye from dining with the Pharisee. — ToyrovoTce him; i. e., to en- deavor to provoke him. CHAPTER XII. 1. In the mean time, when, &c. ; that is, at ;i time, when. The evangelists do not observe the same order in arrangiug the accounts which they give. The various instructions contained in this chapter are recorded by the other evangelists as having been given, respectively, on several different occasions. — Leaven ; spirit. —12. 14. S. LUKE. 275 that have no more that 5 they can do. But I will warn you whom ye shall fear : Fear him, which after he hath killed hath 'power to cast into 2hell ; yea, I say unto you, Fear 6 him. Are not five spar- rows sold for two far- things % and not one of them is forgotten in the 7 sight of God. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not : ye are of more value than many sparrows. 8 And I say unto you, Every one who shall con- fess 3me before men, 4him shall the Son of man also confess before the angels 9 of Gfod : but he that de- nieth me in the presence of men shall be denied in 1 Or, authority 2 Gr. Gehenna. 7. Fear not; that is, be not anxious about the result, when in situations of danger; leave it for God to decide. The ground of the Christian's peace of mind is not an assurance that his life will certainly be preserved, but that, although it may be lost, it can be lost only by God's direc- tion. In sickness, in a storm at sea, or in a besieged city, he can never be sure but that his summons, as well as that of others, is about to come. His composure and happiness, there- fore, rest, not on a groundless presentiment that he shall live, but on a conviction that it is God who will decide whether he •hall live or die. In regard to the sparrows, it is not said that J J* the presence of the angels of God. And every oneio who shall speak a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him : but unto him that blas- phemeth against the Holy Spirit it shall not be for- given. And when they 11 bring you before the synagogues, and the rul- ers, and the authorities, be not anxious how or what ye shall answer, or what ye shall say : for 12 the Holy Spirit shall teach you in that very hour what ye ought to say. And one out of the 13 multitude said unto him, 'Master, bid my brother divide the inheritance with me. But he said 14 3 Gr. in me. 5 Or, Teacher 4 Gr. in him. they are always saved, but that not one of them is forgotten. 10. The Holy Ghost. From the connection in which this ap- pears, in Matt. 12 : 32. where the circumstances which led to it are particularly detailed, it would seem that the sin which is made the subject of this ter- rible denunciation, is that of as- suming towards Almighty God an attitude of direct and open hostility and defiance. See note there. 14. It was plainly improper for him to attempt to turn the authority of an inspired prophet of God, as he must have consid- ered the Saviour, into an in- strument for accomplishing his own private and pecuniary encU,. 276 S. LUKE. 12. x unto him, Man, who made me a judge or a di- I5vider over you ? And he said unto them, Take heed, and keep your- selves from all covetous- ness : 'for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth. 16 And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plen- tifully : and he reasoned within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have not where to be- 18 stow rav fruits ? And he said, This will I do : I will pull down my barns, and build greater ; and there will I bestow all my corn and my goods. 19 And I will say to my 'soul, 2Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years ; take thine ease, eat, drink, be merry. 20 Bur God said unto him, Thou foolish one, this night 3is thy 'soul re- 1 Gr. for not in a man's abundance consisteth his life, from the things which iseth. 15. A man's life ; his welfare, his happiness. 20. Thou foolish one; as in ch. 11:40, thou thoughtless one. 22. Be not anxious ; a rnuch better translation of the original than the Old Version, take no thought. See note on Matt. 6: 25. 25, 26. The meaning is, that ;!"• vital principle is, after all, quired of thee; and the things which thou hast prepared, whose shall they be? So is he that 21 layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God. And he said unto his 22 disciples, Therefore I say unto you, Be not anxious for your "life, what ye shall eat ; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. For the 4life is 23 more than the food, and the body than the rai- ment. Consider the ra-24 vens, that they sow not, neither reap ; which have no store-chamber nor barn ; and God feedeth them : of how much more value are ye than the birds ! And" which of you 25 by being anxious can add a cubit unto his & stature % If then ye are not able to 26 do even that which is least, why are ye anxious concerning the rest % Con- 27 sider the lilies, how they they toil not. 2 Or, life 3 < Jr. Oie.y require thy soul. 4 Or, soul 5 Or, age in the power of God alone; and, while we are industrious and faithful in doing what we can to preserve life, and secure the comfortable enjoyment of it, we must still feel that we are at God's disposal, and that the great weight of responsibility- rests not upon ourselves, but upon him, -12. 39. S. LUKE. 277 neither do they spin ; yet I say unto you, Even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one 28 of these. But if God doth so clothe the grass in the field, which to-day is, and to-morrow is cast into the oven ; how much more shall he clothe you, O ye 29 of little faith % And seek not ye what ye shall eat, and what ye shall drink, neither be ye of doubtful 30 mind. For all these things do the nations of the world seek after: but your Father knoweth that ye have need of these things. 31 Howbeit seek ye 'his king- dom, and these things shall be added unto you. 32 Fear not, little flock ; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the 33 kingdom. Sell that ye have, and give alms ; make for yourselves pur- ses which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth not, where no thief draweth near, nei- 1 Many ancient authorities read the kingdom of God. 28. Into the oven ; as fuel. 32. The kingdom ; the peace and happiness of Christ's spirit- ual kingdom. 33. Sell that ye have ; so far as, in the exercise of prudence and sound discretion, is found nec- essary to relieve the wants of the destitute. 35. Be girded about. From the peculiar nature of the Orien- tal dress,, girding the loins bo- ther moth destroyeth. For where your treasure 34 is, there will your heart be also. Let your loins be girded 35 about, and your lamps burning; and be ye your- 36 selves like unto men looking for their lord, when he shall return from the marriage feast ; that, when he cometh and knocketh, they may sl .lightway open unto him. Blessed are those 37 a servants, whom the lord when he cometh shall find watching: verily I say unto you, that he shall gird himself, and make them sit down to meat, and shall come and serve them. And if he shall 38 come in the second watch, and if in the third, and find t?iem so, blessed rire those servants. ' B u 1 39 know this, that if the master of the house had known in what hour the thief was coming, he would have watched, and 2 Gr. bondservants. 3 Or, But this ye know came a necessary preliminary to the performance of labor or service. (See v. 37; also John 13:4.) The meaning is, "be always prepared." 38. The third watch ; near the morning. 39. This is a new metaphor, entirely distinct from what pre- cedes, and illustrating, by a different example, the necessity , of faithful Christian vigilance. 276 S. LUKE. 12. unto him, Man, who made me a judge or a di- 15 vider over you ( And lie said unto them, Take heed, and keep your- selves from all covetous- ness : 'for a man's life eon sis te th not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth. 16 And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plen- 17tifully: and he reasoned within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have not where to be- 18 stow my fruits ? And he said, This will I do : I will pall down my barns, and build greater ; and there will I bestow all my corn and my goods. 19 And I will say to my 'soul, 2Soal, thou hast much goods laid up for many years ; take thine ease, eat, drink, be merry. 20 Bur God said unto him, Thou foolish one, this 'is thy 2soul re- night 1 Gr. for not in a man's abundance consisteik his /if e, from the things which h- p08S68$eth. 15. A mail's life ; his welfare. Ins happiness. 20. Thou foolish one; ns in ch. 11:40, thou thoughtless one. 22. Be not anxious; a much better translation. of the original than the Old Version, take no thought. See note on Matt. 6: 25. •■2-"">. 26. The meaning is, that i!i<' vital principle is, after all, quired of thee ; and the things wdiich thou hast prepared, whose shall they be? So is he that21 layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God. And he said unto his 22 disciples, Therefore I say unto you, Be not anxious for yo ur Tife, what ye shall eat ; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. For the 4life is 23 more than the food, and the body than the rai- ment. Consider the ra-24 vens, that they sowT not, neither reap ; which have no store-chamber nor barn ; and God feedeth them : of how much more value are ye than the birds ! And which of you 25 by being anxious can add a cubit unto his & stature % If then ye are not able to 26 do even that which is least, why are ye anxious concerning the rest % Con- 27 sider the lilies, how they grow: they toil not, 2 Or, life 'A (Jr. they require thy soul. 4 < )r, soul 5 Or, age in the power of God alone; and, while we are industrious and faithful in doing what we can to preserve life, and secure the comfortable enjoyment of it, we must still feel that we are at God's disposal, and that the great weight of responsibility- rests not upon ourselves, but upon him. -12. 39. S. LUKE. 277 neither do they spin ; yet I say unto you, Even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one 28 of these. But if God doth so clothe the grass in the field, which to-day is, and to-morrow is cast into the oven ; how much more shall he clothe you, O ye 29 of little faith? And seek not ye what ye shall eat, and what ye shall drink, neither be ye of doubtful 30 mind. For all these things do the nations of the world seek after: but your Father knoweth that ye have need of these things. 31 Howbeit seek ye 'his king- dom, and these things shall be added unto you. 32 Fear not, little flock ; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the 33 kingdom. Sell that ye have, and give alms ; make for yourselves pur- ses which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth not, where no thief draweth near, nei- 1 Many ancient authorities read the kingdom of God. 28. Into the oven ; as fuel. 32. The kingdom ; the peace and happiness of Christ's spirit- ual kingdom. 33. Sell that ye have ; so far as, in the exercise of prudence and sound discretion, is found nec- essary to relieve the wants of the destitute. 35. Be girded about. From the peculiar nature of the Orien- tal dress,, girding the loins be- ther moth destroyeth. For where your treasure 34 is, there will your heart be also. Let your loins be girded 35 about, and your lamps burning; and be ye your- 36 selves like unto men looking for their lord, when he shall return from the marriage feast ; that, when he cometh and knocketh, they may sl :ightway open unto him. Blessed are those 37 8 servants, whom the lord when he cometh shall find watching : verily I say unto you, that he shall gird himself, and make them sit down to meat, and shall come and serve them. And if he shall 38 come in the second watch, and if in the third, and find t?tem so, blessed ats those servants. B u 1 39 know this, that if the master of the house had known in what hour the thief was coming, he would have watched, and 2 Gr. bondservants. 3 Or, But this ye know came a necessary preliminary to the performance of labor or service. (See v. 37; also John 13:4.) The meaning is, "be always prepared." 38. The third watch ; near the morning. 39. This is a new metaphor, entirely distinct from what pre- cedes, and illustrating, by a different example, the necessity , of faithful Christian vigilance, 280 S. LUKE. 13. 1— son which told him of the Gralilseans, whose blood Pilate had mingled 2 with their sacrifices. And he answered and said un- to them, Think ye that these Gralilseans were sin- ners above ail the Grali- lseans, because they have 3 suffered these things ? I tell you, Nay : but, ex- cept ye repent, ye shall all in like manner perish. 4 Or those eighteen, upon whom the tower in Si- loam fell, and killed them, think ye that they were 'offenders above all the men that dwell in 5 Jerusalem \ I tell you, ]STay : but, except ye re- pent, ye shall all likewise perish. 6 And he spake this par- able ; A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard ; and he came seeking fruit thereon, and 7 found none. And he said 1 Gr. debtors. expressions of abhorrence for this act of violence perpetrated against his countrymen, which might be made the means of in- volving him in difficulty with the Roman government. Instead of this, he simply deduces from the case a great moral truth, which is aptly illustrated by it, namely, that the calamities of this life are not to be understood a- tests of guilt. 3. hi like manner ; also. 4. Siloam; a fountain near the walls of the city of Jerusa- lem. The tower might have unto the vinedresser, Be- hold, these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and find none : cut it down ; why doth it also cumber the ground? And he answering saith 8 unto him. Lord, let it alone this year also, till I shall dig about it, and dung it: and if it bear 9 fruit thenceforth, well; but if not, thou shalt cut it down. And he was teaching in 10 one of the synagogues on the sabbath day. Andii behold, a woman which had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years ; and she was bowed together, and could in no wise lift her- self up. And when Jesus 12 saw her, he called her, and said to her, Woman, thou art loosed from thine infirmity. And he 13 laid his hands upon her : and immediately she was been a part of the wall. (Neh. 3:15.) 9. This parable is intended further to illustrate the truth expressed before, by showing that they who are spared while others perish, are often spared only in mercy, and in hope of their repentance. 11. A spirit of infirmUy. This was a case, apparently, of spina] distortion; produced, according to the literal import of this lan- guage, by the agency of an evil spirit. So (v. 10) she is spoken of as bound by Satan. —13. 25. S. LUKE. 281 made straight, and glori- 14 tied God. And the ruler of the synagogue, being moved with indignation because Jesus had healed on the sabbath, answered and said to the multitude, There are six days in which men ought to work : in them therefore come and be healed, and not on the da y of the sab- 15 bath. But the Lord an- swered him, and said, Ye hypocrites, doth not each one of you on the sabbath loose his ox or his ass from the 'stall, and lead him away to 16 watering? And ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan had bound, lo, these eighteen years, to have been loosed from this bond on the day of 17 the sabbath % And as he said these things, all his adversaries were put to shame : and all the multi- tude rejoiced for all the glorious things that were done by him. 1 Gr. inanqer. 2 See marginal note on Matt. xiii. 33. 17. All the multitude. We observe that the common people seem every where to have been friendly to the Saviour. It was the Jewish rulers who were his enemies. 19-21. And thus the king- dom of Christ, from small and unnoticed beginnings, shall ex- tend itself over the earth. He said therefore, Un-18 to what is the kingdom of God like \ and where- unto shall I liken it \ It 19 is like unto a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and cast into his own garden ; and it grew, and became a tree ; and the birds of the heaven lodged in the branches thereof. And again he 20 said, W hereunto shall I liken the kingdom of God? It is like unto2i leaven, which a woman took and hid in three 2 measures of meal, till it wras all leavened. And he went on his 22 way through cities and villages, teaching, and journeying on unto Jeru- salem. And one said un-23 to him, Lord, are they few that be saved ? And he said nnto them, Strive 24 to enter in by the narrow door : for many, I say un- to yon, shall seek to enter in, and shall not be 3able. When once the master of 25 the house is risen up, 3 Or, able, ivhen once 24. Strive; make earnest ex- ertions. The original Greek word is one used to describe that kind of struggle in which those engaged who were con- tending for a prize in the public games in Greece and Rome. 25-27. The sentiment plainly is, that many persons will be disappointed in their expecta- 282 S. LUKE. 13. 21 and hath shut to the door, and ye begin to stand without, and to knock at the door, say- ing, Lord, open to us ; and he shall answer and say to you, I know you 26 not whence ye are ; then shall ye begin to say, We did eat and drink in thy presence, and thou didst 27 teach in our streets ; and he shall say, I tell you, I know not whence ye are ; depart from me, all ye 28 workers of iniquity. There shall be the weeping and gnashing of teeth, when ye shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets, in the kingdom of God, and yourselves cast forth 29 without. And they shall come from the east and west, and from the north 1 Gr. recline. tions of admission to the king- dom of heaven at last, because, although they may have been professed friends of the Saviour, they never really imbibed his spirit or obeyed his commands. If the punctuation indicated by the margin is adopted, then the passage will read that many will seek to enter in, but will not be able, after the master of the house has shut the door; i. e., after the opportunity for repent- ance has passed away. 30. There are last ; those who enjoy few spiritual privileges, and who are little esteemed in this life. 31. They said this not as and south, and shall 'sit down in the kingdom of God. And behold, there 30 are last which shall be first, and there are first which shall be last. In that very hour there 31 came certain Pharisees, saying to him, Get thee out, and go hence : for Herod would fain kill thee. And he said unto 32 them, Go and say to that fox, Behold, I cast out 2 devils and perform cures to-day and to-morrow, and the third day I am perfected. Howbeit 1 33 must go on my way to- day and to-morrow and the day following : for it cannot be that a prophet perish out of Jerusalem. O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, 34 which killeth the pro- phets, and stoneth them 2 Gr. demons. friends, but in a hostile and threatening manner. 32. That fox. This was Herod Antipas, the son of Herod the Great, and the one who slew John the Baptist. He did not possess the savage energy of his father, but as usual with those who are trainee) up under the immediate pressure of a merciless despotism, he was crafty, cun- ning, and indirect in his aims, though in heart unprincipled and cruel. — To-day and, to-mor- row, &c. lie meant that he must go on with his labors of kind- ness and love for a little time longer, and that then his work; would be done, —14. 10. S. LUKE. 283 that are sent unto her ! how often would I have gathered thy children to- gether, even as a hen gathereth her own brood under her wings, and ye 35 would not ! Behold, your house is left unto you desolate : and I say unto you, Ye shall not see me, until ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord. 14- And it came to pass, when he went into the house of one of the rulers of the Pharisees on a sab- bath to eat bread, that they were watching him. 2 And behold, there was before him a certain man which had the dropsy. 3 And Jesus answering spake unto the lawyers and Pharisees, saying, Is it lawful to heal on the 4 sabbath, or not? But they held their peace. And he took him, and 1 Many ancient authorities read a son. See ch. xiii. 15. 35. These words might have been considered as a prediction of the events related in Matt. 21 : 7-9, were it not that Mat- thew records the words as spo- ken after that time. (Matt. 23: 37-39.) As it is, there is a difficulty in regard to their inter- pretation, unless we suppose, as some critics do, that the words here were inserted by Luke, out of their place, and are more correctly reported by Matthew. CHAPTER XIV. 1. To eat bread y to dine or to healed him, and let him go. And he said unto 5 them, W hich of you shall have ' an ass or an ox fallen into a well, and will not straightway draw him up on a sabbath day ? And they could not an- 6 swer again unto these things. And he spake a parable 7 unto those which were bidden, when he marked how they chose out the chief seats ; saying unto them, When thou arts bidden of any man to a marriage feast, 2 sit not down in the chief seat ; lest haply a more honour- able man than thou be bidden of him, and he 9 that bade thee and him shall come and say to thee, Give this man place ; and then thou shalt begin with shame to take the lowest place. But when 10 thou art bidden, go and 2 Gr. recline not. sup. This seems to have been an entertainment where there were many invited guests ; as appears from allusions in v. 3, 7, 12, 15, &c. The whole conver- sation takes its turn from the circumstances of the occasion; the images and illustrations be- ing drawn from entertainments and invitations to guests. 10. Then shalt thou have glory, &c. This shows that it was not our Saviour's design, in these instructions, to teach men to be indifferent to the respect and 284 S. LUKE. 14. 10— sit down in the lowest place ; that when he that hath bidden thee cometli. he may say to thee, Friend, go up higher : then shalt thou have glory in the presence of all that sit at meat with 11 thee. For every one that exalte th himself shall be humbled ; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted. 12 And he said to him also that had bidden him, When thou makest a din- ner or a supper, call not thy friends, nor thy bre- thren, nor thy kinsmen, nor rich neighbours ; lest haply they also bid thee again, and a recompense 13 be made thee. Bat when thou makest a feast, bid the poor, the maimed, 14 the lame, the blind: and thou shalt be blessed ; because they have not wherewith to recompense thee : for thou shalt be recompensed in the resur- rection of the just. 1 Gr. bondservant. honorable regard of their fellow- men, but to show them the true way to attain it, — namely, by modest and unassuming deport- ment, and by treating others witli respect. 12-14. That is, the kindness and hospitality, which the weal- thy have it in their power to bestow, are not to be regarded as Christian virtues, except when they arc rendered to those who cannot make any return. And when one of them 15 that sat at meat with him heard these things, he said unto him, Blessed is he that shall eat bread in the kingdom of G-od. But 16 he said unto him, A cer- tain man made a great supper ; and he bade many: and he sent forth 17 his * servant at supper time to say to them that were bidden, Come ; for all things are now ready. And they all with one 18 consent began to make excuse. The first said unto him, I have bought a field, and I must needs go out and see it : I pray thee have me excused. And another said, I have i 9 bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to prove them : I pray thee have me ex- cused. And another said, 20 I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come. And the 'servant 21 came, and told his lord these things. Then the master of the house being 1G. A great supper. This supper represents the kingdom of God, to which the guest had alluded, in the preceding verse; so that the parable is a rejoinder to his remark, and is intended to show that the Jews, who were first invited, would reject the blessedness which this guest had spoken of, and that then the in- vitation would be extended to other nations. — Bade; invited, —14. 33. S. LUKE. 285 angry said to his ! ser- vant, Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in hither the poor and maimed and blind and 22 lame. And the 'servant said, Lord, what thou didst command is done, and yet there is room. 23 And the Lord said unto the ' servant, Go out into the highways and hedges, and constrain them to come in, that my house 24 may be filled. For I say unto you, that none of those men which were bidden shall taste of my supper. 25 Now there went with him great multitudes : and he turned, and said 26 unto them, If any man cometh unto me, and .hateth not his own father, and mother, and wife, and children, and bre- thren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple. 1 Gr. bondservant. Whosoever doth not bear 27 his own cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple. For which of 28 you, desiring to build a tower, doth not first sit down and count the cost, whether he have where- with to complete it? Lest 29 haply, when he hath laid 2C foundation, and is not able to finish, all that be- hold begin to mock him, saying, This man began 30 to build, and was not able to finish. Or what king, 31 as he goeth to encounter another king in war, will not sit down first and take counsel whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him that cometh against him with twenty thousand ? Or else, while 32 the other is yet a great way off, he sendeth an ambassage, and asketh conditions of peace. So 33 therefore whosoever he be of you that renounceth not all that he hath, he 23. And constrain them; this better represents the true spirit of the original than the Old Version, compel them. The re- luctance of the poor to come to a rich man's feast, would be overcome not by violence but by earnest persuasion. 26. Hateth not his father, &c. ; be not willing to give up his dearest earthly friends. [It rather seems to me that Christ expresses here in a very strong and emphatic manner, the feel- ing which we ought to entertain toward any endeavor to divert us from following after Christ, no matter how dear the friend may be who makes the endeavor. His language here is interpreted by his own feeling toward Peter when Peter endeavored to dis- suade him from his passion and death. See Matt. 1G: 23. L. A.] 28. Build a tower; commence any great undertaking. 29. Mock, him; ridicule him. 33. Andj therefore, whoever 286 S. LUKE. 15. 33- cannot be my disciple. 34 Salt therefore is good : but if even the salt have lost its savour, wherewith 35 shall it be seasoned? It is lit neither for the land nor for the dunghill : men cast it out. He that hath ears to hear, let him hear. 15 Now all the publicans and sinners were drawing near unto him for to hear 2 him. And both the Pharisees and the scribes murmured, saying, This man receive th sinners, and eateth with them. 3 And he spake unto them this parable, say- 4ing, What man of you, having a hundred sheep, and having lost one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until 5 he find it % And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, 6 rejoicing. And when he cometh home, he calleth together his friends and his neighbours, saying un- to them, Rejoice with me, 1 Gr. drachma, a coin eight pence. worth about will become the disciple of Christ, must consider how much is involved in the change. 34. Salt, without its savor, denotes the form and semblance of piety without its spirit. CHAPTER XV. 1. Were drawing near; i. e., for I have found my sheep which was lost. I say 7 unto you, that even so there shall be joy in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine righteous persons, which need no repentance. Or what woman havings ten 2 pieces of silver, if she lose one piece, doth not light a lamp, and sweep the house, and seek diligently until she find it % And when she 9 hath found it, she calleth together her friends and neighbours, saying, Re- joice with me, for I have found the piece which I had lost. Even so, I say 10 unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of Gfod over one sinner that repenteth. And he said, A certain n man had two sons : and 12 the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of "tliy substance that falleth to me. And he divided unto them his living. And not 13 2 Gr. the. were accustomed to draw near to him. 3. He spake unto them this parable, &c, in order to explain and illustrate the nature of the interest which he felt in the publicans and sinners who were disposed to listen to him. 13. Gathered all together ; the property of various kinds which 15. 27. & LUKE. 287 many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far coun- try ; and there he wasted his substance with riotous 14 living. And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that country ; and he- began 15 to be in want. And he went and joined himself to one of the citizens of that country ; and he sent him into his fields to feed 16 swine. And he would fain have been filled with 'the husks that the swine did eat : and no man gave 17 unto him. But when he came to himself he said, How many hired servants of my father' s have bread enough and to spare, and I perish here with hun- 18ger ! I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heav- 19 en, and in thy sight: I am no more worthy to be called thy son : make me as one of thy hired ser- ao vants. And he arose, and came to his father. But while he was yet afar off, 1 Gr. the pods of the carob tree. 2 Gr. kissed him much. 3 Some ancient authorities add make his father had bestowed upon him. 25. The elder son represents the Pharisees, and indeed all who are possessed of the Phari- saic spirit of pride and self-satis- his father saw him, and was moved with com- passion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and "kissed him. And the son said 21 unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight : I am no more worthy to be called thy son3. But the 22 father said to his "ser- vants, Bring forth quickly the best robe, and put it on him ; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet: and bring 23 the fatted calf, and kill it, and let us eat, and make merry : for this my 24 son was dead, and is alive again ; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry. Now his 25 elder son was in the field : and as he came and drew nigh to the house, he heard music and dancing. And he called to him 26 one of the "servants, and inqu ired what these things might be. And he 27 said unto him, Thy broth- er is come ; and thy father hath killed the fatted calf, because he hath re- ceived him safe and me as one of thy hired servants. See ver. 19. 4 Gr. bondservants. faction in their own righteous- ness. One important object of the parable is to teach us the spirit with which we should re- ceive sinners when they truly repent of their sins and desire to reform. 288 S. LUKE. 15. 27 28 sound. But he was an- gry, and would not go in : and his father came out, 29 and intreated him. But he answered and said to his father, Lo, these many years do I serve thee, and I never trans- gressed a commandment of thine : and yet thou never gavest me a kid, that I might make merry 30 with my friends : but when this thy son came, which hath devoured thy living with harlots, thou killed st for him the fatted 31 coif. And he said unto 1 Gr. Child. 32. The story of the prodigal son stands prominent, if not foremost, among the parables of our Saviour. So touching, so simple, so true to nature, and coming home so closely to the experience and the feelings of every parent and child, and also placing, as it does, in so clear a light, those traits in the divine character on which the fate of every sinner depeuds, it is, per- haps, the greatest of all writ ten compositions. The subject which it is the last and highest attain- ment in theology to understand, — the mercy of God in the for- giveness of sin, — it places, once for all, in such a position, that the whole world can see, and the very humblest understand it ; and yet the sublime and affect- ing truth is so protected by its very defencelessness, that the most determined unbeliever can- not make it the subject of either question or cavil. In every age, it has touched and awakened the careless, raised the despair- ing, and established the penitent him, 4 Son, thou art ever with me, and all that is mine is thine. But it 22 was meet to make merry and be glad : for this thy brother was dead, and is alive again; and was lost, and is found. And he said also unto 16 the disciples, There was ;i certain rich man, which had a steward ; and the same was accused unto him that he was wasting his goods. And he called 2 him, and said unto him, What is this that I hear of thee % render the ac- in hope and happiness ; and perhaps the page on which the parable is recorded has exerted more influence upon mankind than any other page that ever was penned. CHAPTER XVI. 1. This parable of the unjust steward has given a great deal of perplexity to Bible students, largely owing to some unfortu- nate expressions in the transla- tion of the Old Version. These are removed in the New Version, and the whole parable is made very much more intelligible. It was, and still is, customary in the East for large land-owners to give their property and business affairs almost entirely into the charge of stewards, who collected the rents, dealt with the tenants, and accounted to the land owner from time to time. Here, as elsewhere in the New Testament, God is compared to such a land- owner, and man to a steward. 2. Render the account ; pre- pare tne accounts ior settlement. -16. 10. S. LTJKE. 289 Count of thy stewardship ; for thou canst be no 8 longer steward. And the steward said within him- self, What shall I do, see- ing that my lord taketh away the stewardship from me ? I have not strength to dig ; to beg I 4 am ashamed. I am re- solved what to do, that, when I am put out of the stewardship, they may receive me into their 5 houses. And calling to him each one of his lord' s debtors, he said to the first, How much owest thou unto my lord ? And he said, A hundred ' meas- 6 ures of oil. And he said unto him, Take thy 2bond, 1 Gr. baths, the bath being a Hebrew measure. See Ezek. xlv. 10, 11, 14. 2 Gr. writings. 3 Gr. cors, the cor being a Hebrew 4. I have not strength to dig ; i. e., he had not the physical ability to earn his living by hard labor. 6, 7. The measure of oil or bath contained about sixty pints. The measure of wheat a little over eleven bushels. The value would be considerably over one hundred dollars in each c:ise. — Thy bond, or writing; the tenant was to alter the agree- ment specifying the amount of oil and wheat which he was to pay for rent, so as to reduce the rent ; this was ordinarily paid not in money, but in products of the soil. The oil here men- tioned is oil from the olive, which was extensively used by the Jews for food, and for various other purposes. 8. His lord commended; not, as and sit down quickly and write fifty. Then said he 7 to another, And how much owest thou ? And he said, A hundred 'meas- ures of wheat. He saith unto him, Take thy 2bond, and write fourscore. And * his lord commended 4the unrighteous steward be- cause he had done wisely : for the sons of this "world are for their own genera- tion wriser than the sons of the light. And I say 9 unto you, Make to your- selves 6 friends by means of the mammon of im- righ t eousness ; that, when it shall fail, they may receive you into the eter- nal tabernacles. He thatlC measure. See Ezek. xlv. 14. 4 Gr. the steward of unrighteousness. 5 Or, age 6 Gr. out of. the 6M Version seemed to im- ply, Christ praised the unjust steward. As a part of the para- ble, Christ said that the landlord praised the steward for having done shrewdly, though dishon- estly. It was his shrewdness only, in thus employing his power, while it lasted, to secure favors for himself when it should be gone, that his lord praised. 9. Friends by means of the mam- mon oj unrighteousness. Here again the meaning is much clear- er in the New Version than in the Old. Wealth is to be used by its possessors as a means of making friends who will receive them, and bear witness to their benevolence, when the wealth itself shall be forever gone. — The eternal tabernacles ; the hea- venly home. 290 S. LUKE. 16. 10— is faithful in a very little is faithful also in much : and he that is unrighteous in a very little is unrighteous 11 also in much. If therefore ye have not been faith- ful in the unrighteous mammon, who will com- mit to your trust the true 12 riches? And if ye have not been faithful in that which is another's, who will give you that which 13 is 'your own? No 2 ser- vant can serve two mas- ters : for either he will hate the one, and love the other ; or else he will hold to one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon. 14 And the Pharisees, who were lovers of money, heard all these things ; and they scoffed at him. 15 And he said unto them, Ye are they that justify yourselves in the sight of men ; but God knoweth your hearts : for that which is exalted among men is an abomination in 1 Some ancient authorities read our own,. 2 Gr. household-servant. 11. In the unrighteous mammon ; that is, in the care of money. 15. Is an abomination ; that is, is often abomination. 10-18. The connection be- tween these remarks and those which precede is not obvious. Matthew records them as having been spoken on different occa- the sight of God. Theic law and the prophets were until John : from that time the gospel of the kingdom of God is p reached, and every man entereth violently into it. But it is easier for heaven 17 and earth to pass away, than for one tittle of the law to fall. Every one 18 that putteth away his wife, and marrieth an- other, committed! adul- tery : and he that mar- rieth one that is put away from a husband com- mitteth adultery. Now there was a cer 19 tain rich man, and he was clothed in purple and fine linen, "faring sump- tuously every day : and 20 a certain beggar named Lazarus was laid at his gate, full of sores, and 21 desiring to be fed with the crumbs that fell from the rich man's table ; yea, even the dogs came and licked his sores. And it 22 came to pass, that the 3 Or, living in mirth and splendour every day •ions, (Matt. 11:11 5: 18. 19: 9,) where their meaning and connection are obvious. 18. Putteth away his wife; that is, for ordinary causes. (Matt. 19:9.) 19. Purple; worn only by per- sons of very high rank. 20. 21. A very graphic de- scription of extreme helplessness and misery. 22. Abraham's bosom ; into his presence and society. —16. 31. S. LUKE. 293 beggar died, and that he was carried away by the angels into Abraham' s bo- som : and the rich man also died, and was buried. 23 And in Hades he lifted up his eyes, being in tor- ments, and seeth Abra- ham afar off, and Lazarus 24 in his bosom. And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue ; for I am in anguish in this flame. 25 But Abraham said, 'Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and Lazarus in like manner evil things : but now here he is comforted, and thou $6 art in anguish. And 2be- 1 Gr. Child. 23. In Hades ; not in Hell, but in the place of the dead. This is represented according to the Jewish belief of that time, as divided into a place of punish- ment and reward, where the righteous and the wicked await- ed the day of general judgment. 31. The meaning is, that the change necessary to prepare the soul for heaven is a change in the affections and feelings of the heart; and any extraordinary revelations from heaven, or mar- vels of any kind, though they might produce wonder or alarm, would have no tendency to awaken love. — We must not allow the material images, which our Saviour uses in this parable, to fix themselves permanently in 12 side all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed, that they which would pass from hence to you may not be able, and that none may cross over from thence to us. And he said, 1 27 pray thee therefore, fa- ther, that thou wouldest send him to my father's house; for I have five 28 brethren ; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment. But 29 Abraham saith, They have Moses and the prophets : let them hear them. And he said, Nay, 80 father Abraham : but if one go to them from the dead, they will repent. And he said unto him, If 31 they hear not Moses and 2 Or, in all these things our minds, and give form to our conceptions of the world of spirits. In this our present state of being, we can form no eorrect ideas of that world. The Saviour teaches, in this parable, only certain spiritual truths, employing very striking imagery to give vividness and emphasis to the expression of them. These truths are, 1. That the condi- tions of men in this life do not correspond with their characters, and will often be reversed in the world to come; 2. That the ruin in which the sinner will then find himself involved is a per- manent ruin, admitting of no restoration or remedy; and, 3. That the change necessary to prepare the impenitent for heav- 294 S. LUKE. 16. 31—* the prophets, neither will 1 they be persuaded, if one rise from the dead. 17 And he said unto his disciples, It is impossi- ble but that occasions of stumbling should come : but woe unto him, through whom they 2 come ! It were well for him if a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he were thrown into the sea, rather than that he should cause one of these little ones to stum- 3ble. Take heed to your- selves : if thy brother sin, rebuke him ; and if he re- 4 pent, forgive him. And if he sin against thee sev- en times in the day, and seven times turn again to thee, saying, I repent ; thou shalt forgive him. 5 And the apostles said unto the Lord, Increase our faith. And the Lord 6 said, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye 1 Gr. bondservant. en, is a moral change, which can be produced only by moral influences. CHAPTER XVII. 1. Occasions of stumbling; temptations. — Unto him, &c. ; that is, unto him who tempts or entices others to sin. 2. Cause one of these little ones to stumble ; lead anyone of the humble disciples of Christ away into sin. 3. Rebuke Mm; that is, state your complaint frankly to him; and not, as is usual, go toothers, would say unto this syca- mine tree, Be thou rooted up, and be thou planted in the sea ; and it would have obeyed you. But 7 who is there of you, hav- ing a 'servant plowing or keeping sheep, that will say unto him, when he is come in from the field, Come straightway and sit down to meat ; and wills not rather say unto him, Make ready wherewith I may sup, and gird thy- self, and serve me, till I have eaten and drunken ; and afterward thou shalt eat and drink ? Doth he 9 thank the 'servant be- cause he did the things that were commanded ? Even so ye also, when ye 10 shall have done all the things that are com- manded you, say, We are un proli table "servants; we have done that which it was our duty to do. And it came to pass, H 2 Gr. bondservants. when he is absent, with your censures and reproaches. 6. Faith as a grain of mttstard- seed ; that is, a very small degree of faith. 9. The words I trow not are added in the Old Version, but are wanting in the best manu- scripts. Christ asks the ques- tion, but leaves his hearers to answer it in their own minds. 10. We have done that; we have done only that, &c. 11. Samaria lay between Gali- lee and Judea. —17. 24. S. LUKE. 295 'as they were on the way to Jerusalem, that he was passing 'through the midst of Samaria and 12 Galilee. And as he en- tered into a certain vil- lage there met him ten men that were lepers, 13 which stood afar off : and they lifted up their voices, saying, Jesus, Master, have mercy on U us. And when he saw them, he said unto them, Go and shew yourselves unto the priests. And it came to pass, as they went, they were cleansed. 15 And one of them, when he saw that he was heal- ed, turned back, with a loud voice glorifying 16 God; and he fell upon his face at his feet, giv- ing him thanks : and he 17 was a Samaritan. And Jesus answering said, Were not the ten cleansed? but where are 1 Or, as he was 2 Or, between 3 Or, There xcere none found, stranger. .save this 12. Stood afar off. Lepers ■were required to avoid commu- nication with others on account of the contagiousness of their disease. 14. Show yourselves, &c. ; for examination. The leper, when healed, was required to go to the priest, to have his cure offi- cially ascertained. 20. With observation ; with cir- cumstances of pomp and cere- mony. 21. Is within you. It is a spir- itual kingdom, having its seat the nine? 'Were there 18 none found that returned to give glory to God, save this 'stranger? And he 19 said unto him, Arise, and go thy way : thy faith hath 'made thee whole. And being asked by 20 the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God cometh, - he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with ob- servation: neither shall 21 they say, Lo, here ! or, There ! for lo, the king- dom of God is "within you. And he said unto the 22 disciples, The days will come, when ye shall de- sire to see one of the days of the Son of man, and ye shall not see it. And they 23 shall say to you, Lo, there ! Lo, here ! go not away , nor follow after them: for as the lightning, when 24 it lighteneth out of the 4 Or, alien 5 Or, saved thte 6 Or, in the midst of you in the feelings and affections of the soul. 23-27. [These verses, it seems to me, are probably a condensed and imperfect report of the dis- course, more fully reported by Matthew, in ch. 24, and contain references both to the destruc- tion of Jerusalem and also to the second coming of Christ and the end of the world. See notes on Matthew. L. A.] 24. And thus the kingdom of Christ is a spiritual light, springing up in the minds of 296 S. LUKE. 17. 24- one part under the heav- en, shine tli unto the other part under heaven ; so shall the Son of man 25 be 'in his day. But first must he suffer many things and be rejected of 26 this generation. And as it came to pass in the days of Noah, even so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man. 27 They ate, they drank, they married, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noah en- tered into the ark, and the flood came, and de- 28 stroyecl them all. Like- wise even as it came to pass in the days of Lot ; they ate, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they build- 29 ed; but in the day that Lot went out from Sodom it rained lire and brim- stone from heaven, and 30 destroyed them all: after the same manner shall it 1 Some ancient authorities omit in his day. 2 Or, soul 3 Gr. save it alive. be in the day that the Son of man is revealed. In that day, he which 31 shall be on the housetop, and his goods in the house, let him not go down to take them away : and let him that is in the field likewise not return back. Remember Lot's 32 wife. Whosoever shall 33 seek to gain his 2life shall lose it : but whosoever shall lose Ms Hife shall 'preserve it. I say unto 34 you, In that night there shall be two men on one bed ; the one shall be taken, and the other shall be left. There shall 35 be two women grinding together ; the one shall be taken, and the other shall be left.4 And they 37 answering say unto him, Where, Lord \ And he said unto them, Where the body is, thither will the 5eagles also be gath- ered together. 4 Some ancient authorities add ver. .36 There shall be two men in the field ; the '•dl be taken, and the other »h all be left. 5 Or, vultures men, so that those who seek it need not look far away, but will see it at once within the m and around them. 27. They ate, they drank, &c; that is, they lived at ease, and in fancied security. 30, After the same manner shall it be; that is, the coining of the Son of man, by which is mi-ant the establishment of the Redeemer's spiritual kingdom upon the earth, shall be attend- ed with a period of great and sudden calamity to the Jews. The result corresponded with this and similar predictions. Thegreal historical event which, perhaps, more than any other, attended and marked the early establishment of Christianity, was the .lest ruction of Jerusa- lem, and the ruin of the Jewish state,— accompanied by circum- stances of confusion and terror graphically exhibited by the images presented in the remain- ing verses of the chapter. 18. 14. S. LUKE. 297 18 And he spake a parable unto them to the end that they ought .always to pray, and not to faint ; 2 saying, There was in a city a judge, which feared not God, and regarded not 3 man: and there was a widow in that city ; and she came oft unto him, saying, 'Avenge me of 4 mine adversary. And he would not for a while : but afterward he said within himself, Though I fear not God, nor regard 5 man ; yet because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest she 2wear me out by her con- 6tinual coming. And the Lord said, Hear what "the unrighteous judge saith. 7 And shall not God avenge his elect, which cry to him day and night, and he is long suffering over 8 them ? I say unto you, that he will avenge them 1 Or, Do me justice of: and so inver. 5, 7, 8. 2 Gr. bruise. 3 Gr. the judge of unrighteousness. CHAPTER XVIII. 1. To faint; to be discour- aged. 5. Avenge her ; hear and judge her cause. — Wear me out ; liter- ally, beat or bruise me. 7. His own elect; his own chosen friends. — Bear long with them ; delay long to answer their prayers. 8. The meaning of this para- ble is, that if even an unjust judge can be made to listen to the petitions of a poor widow, much more a just God and lov- ing Father will attend to the speedily. Howbeit when the Son of man cometh, shall he find 4faith on the earth ? And he spake also this 9 parable unto certain which trusted in them- selves that they were righteous, and set 6all others at naught : Two 10 men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. The Pharisee 11 stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as the- rest of men, extor- tioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. I fast twice in the week ; 12 I give tithes of all that I get. But the publican, 13 standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote his breast, saying, God, 6be merciful to me 7a sinner. I say unto you, 14 4 Or, the faith 5 Gr. the rest. 6 Or, be propitiated 7 Or, the sinner cry of his children. 11. The Pharisees were a very proud and self-complacent class of men, who had a high reputa- tion for sanctity. The publicans or tax-gatherers, on the other hand, were despised. 12. Of all that 1 get ; not, as in the Old Version, of all that 1 possess. It was one tenth of the income, not of the property, which the Old Testament re- quired to be given to religious purposes. 14. Justified ; in the sight of God. 298 S. LUKE. 18. 41- This man went down to his house justified rather than the other : for every one that exalteth himself shall be humbled; but he that humbleth himself shall be exalted. 15 And they brought unto him also their babes, that he should touch them: but when the disciples saw it, 16 they rebuked them. But Jesus called them unto him, saying, Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not : for of such is the 17 kingdom of God. Verily I say unto you, Whoso- ever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall in no wise enter therein. 18 And a certain ruler asked him, saying, Good 1 Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life I 19 And Jesus said unto him, AVhy callest thou me good ? none is good, save 20 one, even God. Thou knowest the command- ments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Honour thy 1 Or, Teacher 1G. For of such, &c. Child- hood is docile, lowly-minded, contented, and happy, and thus is an emblem of the Christian character. 18-23. This incident is re- lated in language slightly varied in Matt. 19: 16-22, and in Mark father and mother. And 21 he said, All these things have I observed from my youth up. And when 2a Jesus heard it, he said unto him, One thing thou lackest yet : sell all that thou hast, and distribute unto the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven : and come, follow me. But when he heard 2 s these things, he became exceeding sorrowful ; for he was very rich. And 24 Jesus seeing him said, How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God ! For 25 it is easier for a camel to enter in through a needle' s eye, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God. And they that 26 heard it said, Then who can be saved '( But he said, 27 The things which are im- possible with men are possible with God. And 28 Peter said, Lo, we have left 2our own, and followed thee. And he said unto 29 them, Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or wife, or brethren, or parents, or 2 Or, our oxvn homes 10: 17. The difficulties which arise in the interpretation of this incident are considered in the notes on Matt, and Mark. 24. And Jesus seeing Mm; i. e., looking upon him and ob- serving his sadness. -19. 2. S. LUKE. 109 children, for the kingdom 30 of God's sake, who shall not receive manifold more in this time, and in the 1 world to come eternal life. 31 And he took unto him the twelve, and said unto them, Behold, we go up to Jerusalem, and all the things that are written 2 by the prophets shall be accomplished unto the 82 Son of man. For he shall be delivered up unto the Gentiles, and shall be mocked, and shamefully entreated, and spit upon : 83 and they shall scourge and kill him : and the third day he shall rise 34 again. And they under- stood none of these things ; and this saying was hid from them, and they perceived not the things that were said. 35 And it came to pass, as he drew nigh, unto Jericho, a certain blind man sat by 86 the way side begging : and hearing a multitude going by, he inquired what this 1 Or, age 31. Shall be accomplished unto the Son of man; i. e., the various prophecies of his suffer- ings and death should be ful- filled. 32. The Gentiles. The Romans were the Gentiles to whose power Jesus was delivered. (Luke 23: 1, 2.) 34. Was hid from them; its meaning was not understood. 39. Rebujced him; they thought it unseemly that a king who was going to establish the king- meant. And they told 37 him, that Jesus of Naza- reth passeth by. And he 33 cried, saying, Jesus, thou son of David, have mercy on me. And they that 39 went before rebuked him, that he should hold his peace: but he cried out the more a great deal, Thou son of David, have mercy on me. And Jesus 40 stood, and commanded him to be brought unto him : and when he was come near, he asked him, What wilt thou that 141 should do unto thee % And he said, Lord, that I may receive my sight. And 42 Jesus said unto him, Receive thy sight: thy faith hath "made thee whole. And immediately 43 he received his sight, and followed him, glorifying God : and all the people, when they saw it, gave praise unto God. And he entered and was 19 passing through Jericho. And behold, a man called a 2 Or, through 3 Or, saved thee dom of God, which they thought would immediately appear, should be appealed to by a blind beggar. 42. Hath made thee whole ; or, as in the Old Version, and in the margin, hath saved thee; i. e., from thy blindness. Christ does not here refer to a spiritual salvation. CHAPTER XIX. 2. Chief publican ; a head officer of the customs or taxes. 300 S. LUKE. 19. 2— by name Zacchsens ; and he was a chief publican, 3 and he was rich. And he sought to see Jesus who he was; and could not for the crowd, because he was 4 little of stature. And he ran on before, and climbed up into a sycomore tree to see him : for he was to 5 pass that way. And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up, and said unto him, Zacchaeus, make haste, and come down; for to-day I must abide at thy 6 house. And he made haste, and came down, and received him joyfully. 7 And when they saw it, they all mnrmnred, say- ing, He is gone in to lodge with a man that is a sinner. 8 And Zacchaeus stood, and said unto the Lord, ' 1 Gr. bondservant*. 7. A sinner. It seems that he had been habitually guilty of injustice and extortion in his office. 8. I give to the poor ; I restore Mm fourfold : that is, I will do so. It was a promise of imme- diate and entire amendment of life, t he result, probably, of con- versation with the Saviour not recorded. If I have wrongfully exacted aught of any man ; i. e., whatever I have wrongfully taken I will restore. 11. Was immediately to appear; should immediately be estab- lished, as a worthy kingdom, at Jerusalem, whither they were going. 12. A kingdom ; that is, kingly authority. Such cases were not Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have wrong- fully exacted aught of any man, I restore fourfold. And Jesus said unto him, 9 To-day is salvation come to this house, forasmuch as he also is a son of Abraham. For the Son of 10 man came to seek and to save that which was lost. And as they heard these 11 things, he added and spake a parable, because he was nigh to Jerusalem, and because they sup- posed that the kingdom of God was immediately to appear. He said there- 12 fore, A certain nobleman went into a far country, to receive for himself a kingdom, and to return. And he called ten 'ser-is uncommon under the Roman emperors. Men who, by heredi- tary succession, or in other ways, acquired claims to the govern- ment of a province, or a country, went to Rome to be invested with authority, and then return- ed to enter upon their adminis- tration. Of course, during such an absence, plots were often formed against them, as repre- sented in v. 14. 13. The ten servants represent the disciples and followers of Jesus, who received the commu- nications of divine truth from him, as a sacred treasure, which they were bound to improve and to disseminate in a faTthful manner, during his approaching absence from them. — Trade yt ^19. 25. S. LUKE. 301 vants of his, and gave them ten 'pounds, and said unto them, Trade ye therewith till I come. But his citizens hated him, and sent an ambassage after him, saying, We will not that this man reign 15 over ns. And it came to pass, when he was come back again, having re- ceived the kingdom, that he commanded these "ser- vants, unto whom he had given the money, to be called to him, that he might know what they had gained by trading. 16 And the first came before him, saying, Lord, thy pound hath made ten 17 pounds more. And he said unto him, Well done, thou good 3servant: be- cause thou wast found faithful in a very little, have thou authority over 18 ten cities. And the second came, saying, Thy pound, Lord, hath made five 1 MiJia, here translated a pound, is equal to one hundred drachms. Seech, xv. 8. 2 Gr. bondservants. herewith ; the Old Version reads, Occupy till I come. In the old English, occupy is sometimes used in the sense of employ, — and that is undoubtedly the meaning here. 14. But his citizens ; the people of the province over whom he was to reign. They represent the Jews generally. 17. Hate thou authority, &c. ; that is, having been faithful to the trust reposed in them by the -12* pounds. And he said unto 19 him also, Be thou also over five cities. And 20 4another came, saying, Lord, behold, here is thy pound, which I kept laid up in a napkin: for 1 21 feared thee, because thou art an austere man : thou takest up that thon lay- edst not down, and reap- est that thou didst not sow. He saith unto him, 22 Out of thine own mouth will I judge thee, thou wicked 'servant. Thou knewest that I am an austere man, taking up that I laid not down, and reaping that I did not sow; then wherefore gavest23 thou not my money into the bank, and 5I at my coming should have re- quired it with interest? And he said unto them 24 that stood by, Take away from him the pound, and give it unto him that hath the ten pounds. And 25 3 Gr. bondservant. 4 Gr. the other. 5 Or, I should have gone and required prince in his private capacity, they were promoted to stations of authority under his govern- ment when he became invested with power. 23. With interest; the Old Version read usury, that being, in old English, synonymous with interest, and not having, two centuries ago, the meaning now attached to it, of exorbitant or illegal interest. S. LUKE. 19. 25— they said unto him, 6ord, 26 he hath ten pounds. I say unto you, that unto avery one that hath shall be given; but from him that hath not, even that which he hath shall be taken 27 away from him. Howbeit these mine enemies, which would not that I should reign over them, bring hither, and slay them before me. 28 And when he had thus spoken, he went on be- fore, going up to Jerusa- lem. 29 And it came to pass, when he drew nigh unto Bethphage and Bethany, at the mount that is call- ed the mount of Olives, he sent two of the disci- 80 pies, saying, Go your way into the village over against vou; in the which as ye enter ye shall find a colt tied, whereon no man ever yet sat : loose him, and bring him. si And if any one ask you, Why do ye loose him \ thus shall ye say, The Lord hath need of him. 1 Gr. powvi. 27. The general idea of the parable is, that Jesus was not then about to establish his king- dom, as they had supposed. (v. 11.) He wm going to leave the world for a time, to reappear again, at a future day, fully invested with power. In the meantime, he was to leave in the hands of his friends and follow- ers the revelations of divine And they that were sent 33 went away, and found even as he had said unto them. And as they were 33 loosing the colt, the own- ers thereof said unto them, Why loose ye the colt ? And they said, 34 The Lord hath need of him. And they brought 35 him to Jesus : and they threw their garments upon the colt, and set Jesus thereon. And as 36 he went, they spread their garments in the way. And as he was 37 now drawing nigh, even at the descent of the mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the 'mighty works which they had seen ; saying, 38 Blessed is the King that cometh in the name of the Lord : peace in heav- en, and glory in the high- est. And some of the 39 Pharisees from the mul- titude said unto him, "Master, rebuke thy dis- 2 Or, Teacher truth which he had made, as a private trust, for the faithful exercise of which they would be called to a strict account, when he should come again in power. A parable somewhat similar to thi3 in form, but yet very different in its iutent and import, was given by our Saviour on another occa- sion, as recorded Matt. 25 : 14-30. 28. Going up to Jerusalem. Up ^20. 2. S. LUKE. SOS 40 eiples. And he answered and said, I tell you that, if these shall hold their peace, the stones will cry out. 41 And when he drew nigh, he saw the city and 42 wept over it, saying, 'If thou hadst known in this day, even thou, the things which belong unto peace ! but now they are hid 43 from thine eyes. For the days shall come upon thee, when thine enemies shall cast up a 2bank about thee, and compass thee round, and keep thee in on every side, 44 and shall dash thee to the ground, and thy chil- dren within thee ; and they shall not leave in thee one stone upon an- other ; because thou knewest not the time of thy visitation. 45 And he entered into 1 Or, 0 that thou hadst known from Jericho, which stood near- ly six hundred feet below the level of the Mediterranean, while Jerusalem is some two thousand feet above the Mediterranean. 43, 44. A graphic prophetic description of the siege and de- struction of Jerusalem. 45. And he entered into the temple ; on the following day, as is distinctly stated by Mark, (11:12, 15;) so that the buyers and sellers, in submitting to this - ejection, were not overawed by the multitude which followed Jesus, but they yielded volunta- tis temple, and began to cast out them that sold, saying unto them, It is 46 written, And my house shall be a house of prayer : but ye have made it a den of robbers. And he was teaching 47 daily in the temple. But the chief priests and the scribes and the principal men of the people sought to destroy him : and they 48 could not find what they might do ; for the people all hung upon him, listen- ing. And it came to pass, 20 on one of the days, as he was teaching the people in the temple, and preach- ing the gospel, there came upon him the chief priests and the scribes with the elders ; and they 2 spake, saying unto him, . Tell us : By what au- thority doest thou these 2 Gr. palisade. rily, from consciousness of wrong, and through veneration for the personal character of Jesus, whom they doubtless re- garded as a prophet. 48. Hung upon him ; a very graphic description of their en- tranced interest in and attention to his words. CHAPTER XX. 2. These things ; referring, per- haps, both to his public teach- ing in the temple, and to his expulsion of the buyers and sellers. 304 S. LUKE. 20.2- things ? or who is he that gave thee this authority '. 3 And he answered and said unto them, I also will ask you a 'question ; 4 and tell me : The baptism of John, wras it from heaven, or from men \ And they reasoned with 5 themselves, saying, If we shall say, From heaven ; he will say, Why did ye not believe him ? But if we shall say, From men ; 6 all the people will stone us : for they be persuaded that John was a prophet. 7 And they answered, that they knew not whence 8 it was. And Jesus said unto them, Neither tell I you by what authority I do these things. 9 And he began to speak unto the people this par- able : A man planted a vineyard, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into another country for 10 a long time. And at the season he sent unto the husbandmen a 2 servant, that they should give him of the fruit of the vine- $ Gr. word. 2 Gr. bondservant. 14. That the inheritance may U ours; after they had killed the heir they would seize on his inheritance ; it would not be theirs except as violence would give them possession of it. 16. God forbid. They meant by this exclamation, not to ob- ject to the punishment of 6uch husbandmen, in the imaginary yard : but the husband- men beat him, and sent him away empty. And 11 he sent yet another "ser- vant : and him also they beat, and handled him shamefully, and sent him away empty. And he 12 sent yet a third : and him also they wounded, and cast him forth. And 13 the lord of the vineyard said. What shall I do ? I will send my beloved son : it may be they will reverence him. But when 14 the husbandmen saw him, they reasoned one with another, saying, This is the heir : let us kill him, that the inheritance may be ours. And they cast 15 him forth out of the vineyard, and killed him. What therefore will the lord of the vineyard do unto them? He will 16 come and destroy these husbandmen, and will give the vineyard unto others. And when they heard it, they said, s God forbid. But he looked 17 upon them, and said, 3 Gr. Be it not so. case, but to express their dissent in respect to the religious truth intended by it, viz., that the Messiah would be rejected by the Jewish people, and that they would consequently be de- stroyed. Hence the force of the Saviour's reply in the two suc- ceeding verses. —20. 31. S. LUKE. 305 What then is this that is written, The stone which the builders rejected, The same was made the head of the corner % 18 Every one that falleth on that stone shall be broken to pieces ; but on whom- soever it shall fall, it will scatter him as dust. 19 And the scribes and the chief priests sought to lay hands on him in that very hour ; and they feared the people : for they perceived that he spake this parable against 20 them. And they watched him, and sent forth spies, which feigned themselves to be righteous, that they might take hold of his speech, so as to deliver him up to the rule and to the authority of the 21 governor. And they asked him, saying, 'Master, we know that thou sayest and teaches t rightly, and acceptest not the person of any, but of a truth teachest the wav 22 of God: Is it lawful for us to give tribute unto 1 Or, Teacher 18. It will scatter him as dust. A more graphic representation of the utter destruction that would come upon them even than that of the Old Version, it will grind him to powder. 20. Righteous; men honestly desirous of instruction. [They Caesar, or not? But he 23 perceived their craftiness, and said unto them, Shew 24 me a 2 penny. Whose image and superscription hath it? And they said, Caesar's. And he said 25 unto them, Then render unto Csesar the things that are Caesar's, and un- to God the things that are God's. And they 26 were not able to take hold of the saying before the people: and they mar- velled at his answer, and held their peace. And there came to him 27 certain of the Sadducees, they which say that there is no resurrection ; and they asked him, saying, 'Master, Moses wrote un-28 to us, that if a man's brother die, having a wife, and he be childless, his brother should take the wife, and raise up seed unto his brother. There 29 were therefore seven bre- thren : and the first took a wife, and died child- less ; and the second ; 30 and the third took her ; and likewise the seven 31 also left no children, and 2 See marginal note on Matt, xviii. 28. were seeking some excuse for accusing him to the Roman governor, Pilate.] 22. Is it lawful, &c. They hoped to lead him to say some- thing which the Roman govern- ment might consider seditious or treasonable. 806 S. LUKE. 20. 31 32 died. Afterward the 33 woman also died. In the resurrection therefore whose wife of them shall she be ? for the seven had 34 her to wife. And Jesus said unto them, The sons of this 'world marry, and are given in marriage : 35 but they that are ac- counted worthy to attain to that 'world, and the re- surrection from the dead, neither marry, nor are 36 given in marriage: for neither can they die any more : for they are equal unto the angels ; and are sons of God, being sons 37 of the resurrection. But that the dead are raised, even Moses shewed, in the place concerning the Bush, when he calleth the Lord the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of 38 Jacob. Now he is not the God of the dead, but of the living : for all live 39 unto him. And certain of the scribes answering said, "Master, thou hast 40 well said. For they durst 1 Or, age 2 Or, Teacher 37. In the place concerning the Bush; i. e., in the passage in the Old Testament, relating the interview between Moses and God at the burning bush. Ex. 3:2-6. 38. Unto him ; that is, in his view. When men die, they die only to those who survive them. In the sight of God, they con- not any more ask him any question. And he said unto them, 41 How say they that the Christ is David's son \ For David himself saitii42 in the book of Psalms, The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, Till I make thine ene-43 mies the footstool of thy feet. David therefor th calleth 44 him Lord, and how is he his son ? And in the hearing of 45 all the people he said unto his disciples, Beware 46 of the scribes, which de- sire to walk in long robes, and love salutations in the marketplaces, and chief seats in the syna- gogues, and chief places at feasts; which devour47 widows' houses, and for a pretence make long prayers : these shall re- ceive greater condemna- tion. And he looked up, 3and 21 saw the rich men that 3 Or, and saw them that.. treasury, and they were Hch. tinue to live, changing only the scene of existence. 47. Greater condemnation, the guilt of their actual ungodliness being aggravated by their hypo- critical pretensions to piety. CHAPTER XXI. 1. Gifts; the object of this contribution, it is supposed, was 21. 12- S. LUKE. 307 were casting their gifts 2 into the treasury. And he saw a certain poor widow casting in thither 3 two mites. And he said, Of a truth I say unto you, This poor widow cast in 4 more than they all : for all these did of their superfluity cast in unto the gifts : but she of her want did cast in all the living that she had. 5 And as some spake of the temple, how it was adorned with goodly stones and offerings, he 6 said, As for these things which ye behold, the days will come, in which there shall not be left here one stone upon an- other, that shall not be 7 thrown down. And they asked him, saying, 'Mas- ter, when therefore shall these things be ? and what shall he the sign when these things are 1 Or, Teacher to sustain the expenses of the religious services of the temple. 3. Cast in more than they all ; has made a greater effort and sacrifice. The poor, however, as well as the rich, arc bound to exercise prudence and sound discretion in making religious or charitable contributions. 4. Of their superfluity ; not merely as in the Old Version, of their abundance. They gave, as people are very apt to do, What they really had no use for. 6. Not one stone upon another ; about to come to pass ? And he said, Take heeds that ye be not led astray : for many shall come in my name, saying, Iam^; and, The time is at hand : go ye not after them. And when ye shall hear 9 of wars and tumults, be not terrified : for these things must needs come to pass first ; but the end is not immediately. Then said he unto them, 10 Nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom : and 11 there shall be great earth- quakes, and in divers places famines and X3esti- lences ; and there shall be terrors and great signs from heaven. But be- 12 fore all these things, they shall lay their hands on you, and shall persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues and prisons, "bringing you be- fore kings and governors 2 Gr. you being brought. a phrase indicating complete and utter destruction. 7. This discourse, 7-36, is more fully reported in Matt. ch. 24. See notes there. There is a great difference of opinion among commentators, respecting its proper interpretation. Some regard its prophecies as com- pletely fulfilled at the destruc- tion of Jerusalem, others think it is prophetic of a second coming of Christ, and of events which are to accompany, or im- mediately precede, that coming. 308 S. LUKE. 21. 12— 13 for my name's sake. It shall turn unto you for a 14 testimony. Settle it there- fore in your hearts, not to meditate beforehand 15 how to answer : for I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which all your adversaries shall not be able to withstand or to 16 gainsay. But ye shall be delivered up even by par- ents, and brethren, and kinsfolk, and friends ; and some of you 'shall they cause to be put to 17 death. And ye shall be hated of all men for my 18 name's sake. And not a hair of your head shall 19 perish. In your patience ye shall win your 2souls. 20 But when ye see Jeru- salem compassed with armies, then know that her desolation is at hand. 21 Then let them that are in Judsea flee unto the mountains ; and let them that are in the midst of her depart out ; and let not them that are in the 1 Or, shall they put to death 2 Or, lives 3 Or, earth 13. That is, it was to be in that way that the disciples were to give their testimony to the gospel. 18. Nothing really valuable to them should be lost or de- stroyed; but, amidst all these trials and dangers, their ulti- mate welfare and happiness were perfectly secure. 19. The Old Version read, in your patience lessens ye your country enter therein. For these are days of 22 vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled. Woe unto them 23 that are with child and to them that give suck in those days ! for there shall be great distress upon the 3land, and wrath unto this people. And 24 they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led captive into all the nations : and Jeru- salem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, un- til the times of the Gen- tiles be fulfilled. And 25 there shall be signs in sun and moon and stars ; and upon the earth dis- tress of nations, in per- plexity for the roaring of the sea and the billows ; men 'fainting for fear, 26 and for expectation of the things which are com- ing on 5the world : for the powers of the heav- ens shall be shaken. And 27 then shall they see the 4 Or, erpirinq 5 Gr. the inhabited earth. souls; the New Version gives, it will be seen, a different signifi- cance to the text. The mean- ing is that the Christian wins his life not by attempting to avoid trouble, but by patiently enduring it. 2o-28. [For reasons which I have stated in my commentary on Luke, I believe these verses describe the signs which shall accompany the second coining of Christ. L. A.] 22. L S. LUKE. 309 Son of man coming in a cloud with power and 28 great glory. But when these things begin to come to pass, look up, and lift up your heads; because your redemption draweth nigh. 29 And he spake to them a parable : Behold the fig tree, and all the trees : 30 when they now shoot forth, ye see it and know of your own selves that the summer is now nigh. 31 Even so ye also, when ye see these things coming to pass, know ye that the kingdom of God is nigh. 32 Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass away, till all things 33 be accomplished. Heav- en and earth shall pass away : but my words shall not pass away. 34 But take heed to your- selves, lest haply your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that day come on you suddenly as 35 a snare : for so shall it 32. [ This generation shall not pass away ; i. e., the Jewish na- tion shall not pass away. See note on Matt. 24: 34. L. A.] 34. Come on you suddenly as a snare. Christians are warned to be watchful that the coming of the Lord may not find them un- prepared, as it will find the un- converted. 36. Watch ye at every season ; not literally always, but in all come upon all them that dwell on the face of all the earth. But watch ye 36 at every season, making supplication, that ye may prevail to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man. And every day he was 37 teaching in the temple ; and every night he went out, and lodged in the mount that is called the mount of Olives. And 38 all the people came early in the morning to him in the temple, to hear him. Now the feast of un-22 leavened bread drew nigh, which is called the Pass- over. And the chiefs priests and the scribes sought how they might put him to death; for they feared the people. And Satan entered into 3 Judas who was called Iscariot, being of the number of the twelve. And he went away, and 4 communed with the chief priests and captains, how he might deliver him unto times, both of prosperity and adversity. 37. Every night he went out, &c. ; for safety, to avoid the conspiracies which might be formed against his life. CHAPTER XXII. 4. Captains ; that is, officers of the temple, (v. 52.) — Com- muned with ; consulted with them privately. 310 S. LUKE. 22.4 5 them. And they were glad, and covenanted to 6 give him money. And he consented, and sought opportunity to deliver him unto them 'in the absence of the multitude. ■? And the day of un- leavened bread came, on which the passover must 8 be sacrificed. And he sent Peter and John, say- ing, Go and make ready for us the passover, that 9 we may eat. And they said unto him, Where wilt thou that we make 10 ready ? And he said unto them, Behold, when ye are entered into the city, there shall meet you a X Or, without tumult 7. Unleavened bread was used for seven days, in connection with the celebration of the pass- over, in commemoration of the haste in which the children of Israel fled from Egypt, which prevented the proper prepara- tion of bread. (Ex. 12:14-20, 34.) 11. The good man of the house ; the master of the house, the other being a servant. — The Master. This expression seems to imply that the person thus applied to was a disciple. 12. FurnUlinJ. Many rooms were undoubtedly thus prepared in Jerusalem to accommodate the great number of strangers that were accustomed to resort to the city on such occasions. 13. 14. These verses convey the impression very strongly, that it was the passover which Jesus celebrated at this time with his disciples, on what we man bearing a pitcher of water ; follow him into the house whereinto he goeth. And ye shall say 11 unto the goodman of the house, The "Master saith unto thee, Where is the guest-chamber, where I shall eat the passover with my disciples? And he will 12 shew you a large upper room furnished : there make ready. And they 13 went, and found as he had said unto them : and they made ready the passover. And when the hour was 14 come, he sat down, and the apostles with him. And he said unto them, 15 With desire I have desired 2 Or, Teacher should call Thursday evening, as he was crucified on the fol- lowing day, which was the day before the Jewish Sabbath, — our Saturday. But, from several allusions in John's Gospel, par- ticularly John 13: 1, 29; 18:28; 19: 14, it would seem the pass- over was not celebrated by the Jews till the following day. that is, Friday. Several ingenious hypotheses have been advanced by the learned to account for this discrepancy. It is, perhaps, on the whole, most probable that the allusions in John refer, not to the eating of the paschal lamb, which took place on the first evening, but to the services of the remaining seven days, during which the feast of the passover continued. Some, not satisfied with this explanation, suppose that Jesus anticipated the time one day, on account of his approaching crucifixion. -22. 25 S. LUKE. 311 to eat this passover with 16 you before I suffer: for I say unto you, I will not eat it, until it be fulfilled in the kingdom of God. 17 And he received a cup, and when he had given thanks, he said, Take this, and divide it among your- 18 selves: for I say unto you, I will not drink from henceforth of the fruit of the vine, until the king- dom of God shall come. 19 And he took J bread, and when he had given thanks, he brake it, and gave to them, saying, This is my body 2 which is given for you : this do in re- 20membrance of me. And the cup in like manner 1 Or, a loaf 2 Some ancient authorities omit which is given for you . . .which is poured out for 20. This cup is the new cove- nant; that is, the wine, repre- senting blood, is the symbol of the new covenant, by which God grants remission of sins through the atoning sufferings of Jesus. The Roman Catholic church understands the expressions, "This is my body," and " This is my blood," (Mark 14:24,) literally, and maintain that when the bread and wine are conse- crated by their priests, they be- come really and truly the body and blood of Christ, although to the senses they remain as before. They accordingly sometimes bear their consecrated elements in processions, and pay divine honors to them. 22. In all ages of the world, the Gordian knot of moral phil- osophy has been the seeming incompatibility of an absolute after supper, saying, This cup is the new 3 covenant in my blood, even that which is poured out for you. But behold, the 21 hand of him that betray- eth me is with me on the table. For the Son of 22 man indeed goeth, as it hath been determined : but woe unto that man through whom he is betrayed! And they be- 23 gan to question among themselves, which of them it was that should do this thing. And there arose also a 24 contention among them, which of them is ac- counted to be 4greatest. And he said unto them, 25 you. 3 Or, testament 4 Gr. greater. overruling power on the part of the Creator, with the moral accountability of man. How can everything that comes to pass be prearranged by the power and purpose of God, while yet the moral responsibility of the hu- man acts, by which his will is accomplished, rests with guilty instruments alone ? Yet Jesus calmly states the fact that it is so, in this, the strongest case imaginable. 24. This is the third occasion on which a similar controversy arose. (See Matt. 20: 20-28. Luke 9:46-48.) As the disci- ples must have referred to Christ's kingdom on earth, the fact that these discussions arose seems to be wholly inconsistent with the idea that Jesus assign- ed the official superiority to Peter, as some contend. 312 S. LUKE. 22. 25— The kings of the Gentiles have lordship over them ; and they that have au- thority over them are 26 called Benefactors. But ye shall not be so : but he that is the greater among you, let him be- come as the younger : and he that is chief, as he 27 that doth serve. For whether is greater, he that 'sitteth at meat, or he that serveth ? is not he that 'sitteth at meat ? but I am in the midst of you as he that serveth. 28 But ye are they which have continued with me 29 in my temptations; and 2I appoint unto you a kingdom, even as my Fa- ther appointed unto me, 30 that ye may eat and drink at my table in my king- dom ; and ye shall sit on 1 Gr. reclineth. 2 Or, / appoint unto you, even as my 28. Temptations; trials and Bufferings. 30. That is, be associated with their Redeemer in sacred enjoy- ments and trusts. 31. Sifting, being performed by a rough and violent shaking, is a proper emblem of any ma- levolent injury. 32. When once thou hast turned again. The phraseology of the Old Version, when thou art con- verted, was misleading, because it might give to the reader the impression that Peter was not then a Christian. Christ, fore- seeing Peter's denial, urges him, when he has repented of that sin, to use his own experience of thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel. Simon, Simon, behold, 31 Satan 3asked to have you, that he might sift you as wheat : but I made sup- 32 plication for thee, that thy faith fail not : and do thou, when once thou hast turned again, srab- lish thy brethren. And 33 he said unto him, Lord, with thee I am ready to go both to prison and to death. And he said, 1 34 tell thee, Peter, the cock shall not crow this day, until thou shalt thrice deny that thou knowest me. And he said unto them, 35 When I sent you forth without purse, and wal- let, and shoes, lacked ye anything? And they said, Nothing. And he 36 Father appointed unto me a kingdom, that ye may eat and drink &c. 3 Or, obtained you by asking weakness and restoration, as a means of strengthening others. 35, 36. And he that hath nom; i. e., no purse, not as in the Old Version, no sword. The lan- guage of Christ is figurative. The first mission of the disciples was a peaceful one, and pursued through a region where they everywhere found friends, on whose hospitality they could safely rely. Now, however, Jesus teaches them, by this strong, figurative language, that they were about to enter upon a service full of difficulty and danger, in which they would hive to put in requisition all their resources and means of 22. 46 S. LUKE 313 said unto them, But now, he that hath a imrse, let him take it, and likewise a wallet : 'and he that hath none, let him sell his cloke, and buy a 37 sword. For I say unto you, that this which is written must be fulfilled in me, And he was reck- oned with transgressors : for that which concerneth me hath 'fulfilment. 38 And they said, Lord, be- hold, here are two swords. And he said unto them, It is enough. 39 And he came out, and went, as his custom was, unto the mount of Olives ; and the disciples also fol- lowed him. And when he was at the place, he said unto them, Pray that ye enter not into tempta- 1 Or, and he that hath mo sivord, let him sell his cloke, and buy one. 2 Gr. end. self-protection, referring, how- ever, under a figure taken from military life, undoubtedly to moral measures alone ; though his disciples seem to have un- derstood him literally. 38. It is enough; not they are enough ; that is, he did not refer to the swords which they presented, but only terminated the conversation, finding, appa- rently, that they were not iu a state of mind to understand his meaning. 44. Became as it icere great drops of Mood ; not mere drops of perspiration, but drops of a bloody perspiration, produced by the great agony of the 8;. This language seems un- equivocally to represent the Re- deemer to us in the light of a great sacrifice offered for sin. 30. Of whom I said ; as stated in v. 15. 31. I leneio him not ; that is, as the Messiah. It is evident, from Matt. 3 : 14, 15, that Jesus was personally known to John when he came to be baptized; as, in fact, considering the relation subsisting between their moth- ers, arising out of the circum- 330 s. joiin. 1. 33- him not : but lie that sent me to baptize ' with water, he said unto me, Upon whomsoever thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and abiding upon him, the same is he that baptiz- eth 2 with the Holy Spirit. 34 And I have seen, and have borne witness that this is the Son of Gfod. 35 Again on the morrow John was standing, and 36 two of his disciples ; and he looked upon Jesus as he walked, and saith, Behold, the Lamb of God ! 37 And the two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus. 38 And Jesus turned, and beheld them following, and saith unto them, What seek ye ? And they said unto him, Rabbi (which is to say, being interpreted, 2 Master), 39 where abides t thou ? He saith unto them, Come, and ye shall see. They came therefore and saw where he abode ; and they abode with him 1 Or, in 3 That is, Anointed. 2 Or, Teacher stances related by Luke, (1 : & 2:) must almost necessarily have been the case. He knew him, however, only as a devout and holy man, until after the baptis- mal ceremony was performed ; when it was revealed to him that he was the Messiah, in the manner specified in the two fol- lowing verses. — But that, &c. The meaning is, that he knew that day : it was about the tenth hour. One of 40 the two that heard John speak, and followed him, was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother. He find- 41 eth first his own brother Simon, and saith unto him, We have found the Messiah (which is, being interpreted, 'Christ). He brought him unto Jesus. Jesus looked upon him, 42 and said, Thou art Simon the son of 4John : thou shalt be called Cephas (wrhich is by interpre- tation 5Peter). On the morrow he was 43 minded to go forth into Galilee, and he findeth Philip : and Jesus saith unto him, Follow me. Now Philip wras from 44 Bethsaida, of the city of Andrew and Peter. Philip findeth Nathanael, 45 and saith unto him, We have found him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph. And Nathanael46 4 Gr. Joanes : called in Matt. xvi. 17 Jonah. 5 That is, Bock or Stone. only that the Messiah, was about to appear. 39. The tenth hour; the latter part of the afternoon. 43. Into Galilee, where he had another interview with Peter and A iid rew. and called them to be Ills disciples, as related Matt. 4:18-20, and more particularly Luke 5:1-11. 46. Nazareth was an obscure —2.5. S. JOHN. 331 said unto him, Can any good tiling come out of Nazareth ? Philip saith unto him, Come and see. 47 Jesus saw Nathanael coming to him, and saith of him, Behold, an Israel- ite indeed, in whom is no 48 guile ! Nathanael saith unto him, Whence knowest thou me? Jesus answered and said unto him, Before Philip called thee, when thou wast under the fig tree, I saw 49 thee. Nathanael answered him, Rabbi, thou art the Son of God ; thou art King 50 of Israel. Jesus answered and said unto him, Be- cause I said unto thee, I saw thee underneath the fig tree, believest thou \ village of Galilee, and the whole region was held in very little esteem. It was remote from Jerusalem, thinly peopled, mounntainous, and wild; and connected, in many ways, with the various Gentile nations around it. 51. What Jesus intended by this declaration, and when and how it was fulfilled, is not known. Some commentators regard the language as figura- tive, supposing it to mean only that Nathanael should see Jesus, in various circumstances of life, the object of the special protec- tion of Heaven. This does not, however, seem to be a very nat- ural construction. CHAPTER II. 1. Carta of Galilee; not far from Capernaum. 2. Bidden: invited. thou shalt see greater things than these. And 51 he saith unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Ye shall see the heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and de- scending upon the Son of man. And the third day there 2 was a marriage in Cana of Galilee ; and the mo- ther of Jesus was there ; and Jesus also was bid- % den, and his disciples, to the marriage. And when 3 the wine failed, the mo- ther of Jesus saith unto him, They have no wine. And Jesus saith unto her, 4 Woman, what have I to do with thee % mine hour is not yet come. His 5 3. When the wine failed. The deficiency in the supply indicated that the scene of the occurrence was in humble life; and yet, when all the circumstances of the invitation to this wedding are considered, they show that Mary's condition was not one of absolute poverty and destitution, as is sometimes supposed. 4. Woman. According to the usage of those times, this was a respectful and proper mode of address. There is some difficulty in the interpretation of Christ's language here, which seems to imply a refusal and yet evidently was not understood as a refusal, for she directed the servants to do his bidding. 5. Whatsoever, &c. The moth- er of Jesus appears to have been in expectation of some extraor- dinary interposition from hev son on this occasion; but what 332 S. JOHH. 2.5- mother saith unto the servants, Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it. 6 Now there were six water- pots of stone set there after the Jews' manner of purifying, containing two or three firkins apiece. 7 Jesus saith unto them, Fill the waterpots with water. And they filled them up to the brim. 8 And he saith unto them, Draw out now, and bear unto the 'ruler of . the feast. And they bare it. 9 And when the ruler of the feast tasted the water 2 now become wine, and knew not whence it was (but the servants which had drawn the water iOknew), the ruler of the feast calleth the bride- groom, and saith unto 1 Or, steward were the particular grounds of this expectation does not appear, for no previous instance of the exercise of his miraculous powers had occurred. 6. After the Jews' manner, &c. The ceremonial ablutions en- joined by Jewish laws and usages, required, in an entertain- ment t<* which many guests were invited, a large quantity of water. These vases seem to have been used as reservoirs, furnish- ing, when filled, a sufficient sup- ply at hand. Clauses of expla- nation, like this, occurring fre- quently in John's Gospel, corro- borate the supposition that it was written, or at least intended to be read, beyond the limits of Judea. him, Every man setteth • on first the good wine ; and when men have drunk freely, then that which is worse : thou hast kept the good wine until now. This beginning of his 11 signs did Jesus in Cana of Galilee, and manifested his glory ; and his dis- ciples believed on him. After this he went down 12 to Capernaum, he, and his mother, and his brethren, and his disciples : and there they abode not many days. And the passover of the 13 Jews was at hand, and Jesus wrent up to Jeru- salem. And he found in 14 the temple those that sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the changers of money sitting: and he made a 15 2 Or, that it had become 8. The ruler of the feast ; the person who presided at the table. 10. Have druixk freely ; so that the taste is less critical. 12. Capernaum; a large town upon the shores of the Lake of Galilee. — JSti brethren. This ex- pression is used to designate some near relatives of Jesus, par- ticularly James the Less and Joses. 14. Lithe temple ; in one of the courts, or outer enclosures of the temple. The oxen, sheep, and doves, were for sacrifices. The changers of money were men who furnished the kind of coin necessary for offerings. (Ex. 30:13.) 15. A scourge of cords; as an ^2. 25. S. JOHK 333 scourge of cords, and cast all out of the temple, both the sheep and the oxen ; and he poured out the changers' money, and overthrew their tables ; 16 and to them that sold the doves he said, Take these things hence ; make not my Father's house a house o f merchandise. 17 His disciples remembered that it was written, The zeal of thine house shall 18 eat me up. The Jews therefore answered and said unto him, What sign shewest thou unto us, seeing that thou doest 19 these things ? Jesus an- swered and said unto them, Destroy this tem- ple, and in three days I 20 will raise i t up , The Jews 1 Or, sanctuary emblem, not an instrument, of authority. Such a scourge, as a weapon of offence against num- bers, would be useless; so that the buyers and sellers are to be understood as yielding, not to force, but to the authority which Jesus assumed as a prophet — an authority always held by the Jews in the highest veneration. 16. An expulsion of the buy- ers and sellers from the temple, very similar to this, is described by the other evangelists as tak- ing place near the close of our Saviour's ministry. (Matt. 21:12. Luke 19:45, 46.) It is not quite certain whether Jesus performed this work twice, or whether this is the same transac- tion, related, as is often the case in St. John's history, out of the therefore said, Forty and six years was this ' temple in building, and wilt thou raise it up in three days ? But he spake of the 21 1 temple of his body. When therefore he was 22 raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that he spake this ; and they believed the scripture, and the word which Jesus had said. Now when he was in 23 Jerusalem at the pass- over, during the feast, many believed on his name, beholding his signs which he did. But Jesus 24 did not trust himself unto them, for that he knew all men, and because he 25 needed not that any one should bear witness con- order of time. \Y . Shall eat me up ; consume me; meaning that he was wholly absorbed in zeal for the honor of the house of God. 18. What sign ; what proof that you are entitled to the authority of a prophet, which you assume. 20. Some have supposed that Jesus indicated by a gesture that he referred to his own body, and that the Jews wilfully per- verted his meaning. But this is a conjecture which, instead of improving, destroys the force and beauty of the reply. It was undoubtedly intended as an enigma which time was to ex- plain ; for it is clear, from v. 22, that even his disciples did not, understand him0 334 S. JOHN. 2. 25— cerning ' man ; for he himself knew what was in man. 3 Now there was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the 2 Jews: the same came un- to him by night, and said to him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from Grod : for no man can do these signs that thou doest, except 3 Gfod be with him. Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born 2anew, he cannot see the kingdom of God. 4 Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be 1 Or, a man ; for. . . the man 2 Or, from above CHAPTER III. 2. By night ; secretly, for fear of his associates and friends. 3! Jesus answered, &c. There is no apparent connection be- tween the reply of Jesus and the words of Nicodemus. Un- doubtedly much of the conver- sation was omitted. — Be born anew; altogether and entirely changed in the temper and dis- position of the mind. 4. How can a man, &c. We are not to suppose that Nicode- mus seriously understood our Lord as using the language in its literal signification ; but, not knowing precisely what he did intend, he employs these ex- pressions as an emphatic mode of asking an explanation. In fact, the Saviour's reply, seems to indicate, not so much that Nicodemus misunderstood what he muiut to say, as that he "was born when he is old ? can he enter a second time into his mother's womb, and be born? Jesus an- 5 s we red, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and the Spirit, he cannot en- ter into the kingdom of God. That which is borne of the flesh is flesh ; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel 7 not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born 'anew. 3The wind bloweth where 8 it listeth, and thou near- est the voice thereof, but knowest not whence it cometh, and whither it goeth : so is every one 3 Or, The Spirit breatheth surprised at its extraordinary im- port. 5. Of water and the Spirit. Water is emblematical of the public profession of repentance, and the Spirit is the agent that produces the inward change. The meaning, therefore, is, that an entire change in the spiritual condition of the soul must be openly avowed and truly expe- rienced, to fit the sinner for the kingdom of heaven. 6. The meaning seems to be, that the qualities which are in- herited by natural birth are earthly and sensual, and that nothing less than a great change, to lie wrought only by the Holy Spirit, will make man heavenly- minded and pure. 8. Wiere it listeth; where it will. — Thou hearest, &c. ; that is, we see the effect produced, but w cannot understand the op- eration of the cause. —3. 19. S. JOHN. 335 that is born of the Spirit. 9 Nicodemus answered and said nnto him, How can 10 these things be \ Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou the teacher of Israel, and understand- n est not these things % Ye li- ly, verily, I say unto thee, We speak that we do know, and bear witness of that we have seen ; and ye receive not our wit- 12 ness. If I told you earth- ly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you heavenly 13 things ? And no man hath ascended into heaven, but he that descended out of heaven, even the Son of man, 'which is in 14 heaven. And as Moses lifted up the serpent in 1 Many ancient authorities omit which is in heaven. 10. He ought to have known them, for the power of God, in respect to the renewal of the heart, is often recognized in the Old Testament, especially in the book of Psalms. 14. Be lifted up.. It is uncer- tain whether the meaning is exalted in honor, as expressed Matt. 28:18, or whether the reference is to his being raised upon the cross in ignominy, as in John 12:32-34. 15. The reading of the margin is that of the Old Version. There is really very little difference in the spiritual significance of the two, since it is by believing in Christ that we have life in and through Christ. 16. With the fifteenth verse appears to end on: Saviour's conversation with ^sicodemus; the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up : that whosoever 15 2believeth may in him have eternal life. For God so loved the 16 world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believe th on him should not perish, but have eternal life. For 17 God sent not the Son into the world to judge the world ; but that the world should be saved through him. He that believe this on him is not judged : he that believeth not hath been judged already, be- cause he hath not believed on the name of the only begotten Son of God. And 19 this is the judgment, that the light is come into the 2 Or, believeth in him may have the remarks which follow, to v. 21, inclusive, being probably the comments made by John upon the conversation ; for they resemble very much, both in sentiment and diction, the com- position of the evangelist, while they are unlike the sayings of the Saviour. Other similar cases of this character hereafter occur. For evidence of the effect which this conversation, and the Sa- viour's ministry in general, pro- duced on Nicodemus, see John 7:50, 51. 19:39. 19. The judgment ; the ground upon which they are judged. Judgment here is equivalent to adverse judgment, or, as in the Old Version, condemnation. Com- pare verses 19 : 20, 21 with 1 : 1- 14, for evidence that these are the remarks of the evangelist, ar,A not of JfSllS. S3G S. JOHN. 3. 19— world, and men loved the darkness rather than the light ; for their works 20 were evil. For every one that 'doeth ill hateth the light, and cometh not to the light, lest his works 21 should be "reproved. But lie that doeth the truth cometh to the light, that his works may be made manifest, 3that they have been wrought in God. 22 After these things came Jesus and his disciples into the land of JudaBa ; and there he tarried with S3 them, and baptized. And John also was baptizing in iEnon near to Salim, because there 4 was much water there : and they came, and were baptized. 24 For John was not yet 25 cast into prison. There 1 Or, practiseth 2 Oi, convicted 22. From ch. 4:2, it appears that Jesus himself did not ad- minister the rite of baptism. 24. For John. was not yet cast into prison. From the first three Evangelists one would naturally conclude that our Lord's public ministry only began after the Baptist's imprisonment. But here, about six months, prob- ably, after our Lord had entered upon bis public ministry, we find the Baptist still :it his work of preaching and baptizing. How much longer this contin- ued cannot be determined with certainty; but probably not very long. For the great importance of this little verse for the right harmonizing of the Gospels, and arose therefore a ques- tioning on the part of John's disciples with a Jew about purifying. And they came unto 26 John, and said to him, Rabbi, he that was with thee beyond Jordan, to whom thou hast borne witness, behold, the same baptizeth, and all men come to him. John an- 27 swered, and said, A man can receive nothing, ex- cept it have been given him from heaven. Ye 28 yourselves bear me wit- ness, that I said, I am not the Christ, but, that I am sent before him. He that hath the bride 29 is the bridegroom: but the friend of the bride- groom, which standeth and heareth him,rejoiceth 3 Or, because 4 Gr. were many icaten determining the probable dura- tion of our Lord's ministry, see on Matt. iv. 12. 26. They expected to have ex- cited a feeling of displeasure in the mind of John, that Jesus, who had been among his disci- ples, and was baptized by him, and indebted to him for a public testimonial in his favor, should now be advancing beyond John in popular regard. 29. This my joy • that is, the joy of the friend of the bride- groom. John means to say that he rejoiced in the success and celebrity of the Saviour's min- istry, instead of regarding it, as his disciples had anticipated, with envy and chagrin. -4. 1. S. JOHN. 337 greatly because of the bridegroom's voice: this my joy therefore is ful- 30 filled. He must increase, but I must decrease. 31 He that cometh from above is above all : he that is of the earth is of the earth, and of the earth he speaketh : 1 he that cometh from heaven 32 is above all. What he hath seen and heard, of that he beareth witness ; and no man receiveth his J3 witness. He that hath received his witness hath set his seal to this, that 1 Some ancient authorities read he that cometh from heaven beareth witness 31. It has been considered uncertain whether the words which follow, to the end of the chapter, are a continuation of the conversation of John the Baptist, or the remarks of St. John, the author of this Gospel. On the one hand, there is noth- ing to mark a transition ; but, then, on the other hand, the re- maining verses exhibit striking- ly the style and mode of expres- sion characteristic of the evan- gelist. It is, perhaps, most probable that they are intended to represent the general senti- ments of the speaker, but clothed in language by the writer, — and thus exhibiting the peculiarities of his diction. — He that is of the earth, is of the earth. This seems like a tautological expression; the meaning, however, is not, as in the Old Version, that every man who comes from the earth is earthly in his nature, but that, since John the Baptist was earth- born he could speak only of that which an earthly experience God is true. For he 34 whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God : for he giveth not the Spirit by measure. The Father loveth the 35 Son, and hath given all tilings into his hand. He 36 that belie veth on the Son hath eternal life ; but he that 2obeyeth not the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abideth on him. When therefore the 4 Lord knew how that the Pharisees had heard that Jesus was making and of what he hath seen and heard. 2 Or, believeth not. taught him, while Christ, being incarnate, descended from heav- en, could speak directly of spir- itual things, which transcend all human aud earthly experience. 32. And no man receiveth, &c. ; a remark more likely to be made by John the evangelist, when writing his history long after our Saviour's death, and when he had been so decidedly reject- ed by the Jews, than by John the Baptist, just at the com- mencement of his ministry, when, as it is expressed in v. 26, all men were coming unto him. 34. By measure ; the words unto him were added by the translators in the Old Version, but they weaken the sense of the original. The meaning is that God always gives in abundance. Compare Eph. 3 : 20. CHAPTER IV. 1. How that the Pharisees had heard, &c. ; and were conse- quently beginning to manifest feelings of envy and opposition. 338 S. JOHN. 4. 1— baptizing more disciples 2 than John (although Jesus himself baptized not, but his disciples), 3 he left Judaea, and de- parted again into Galilee. 4 And he must needs pass 5 through Samaria. So he cometh to a city of Sa- maria, called Sy char, near to the parcel of ground that Jacob gave to his 6 son Joseph: and Jacob's 1 well was there. Jesus therefore, being wearied with his journey, sat 2 thus by the ' well. It was about the sixth hour. 1 Gr. spring : and bo in ver. 14 ; but not in ver. 11, 12. 2 Or, as he was 3. Into Galilee ; as a place of greater retirement and safety. \ 4. Samaria; a country lying between Judea and Galilee. 6. JacoVs well. This well is not mentioned in the Old Testa- ment, but its memory has been preserved from the time of our Saviour to the present day. It is an object of great interest to travellers in Palestine. It is near the foot of Mount Gerizim, on the great road from Jerusa- lem to Galilee. The city of Sychar, called, in the Old Testa- ment, Shechem, afterwards, by the Romans, Neapolis, and now Nabulus, lies about half an hour's walk from the well, by a road passing westerly up a narrow valley between Gerizim and Ebal. At the foot of the moun- tain, east of the well, there ex- tends, for miles, a very fertile plain, whose harvests may have suggested the image in v. 35. The lower part of the well is excavated in the solid rock, the There cometh a woman 7 of Samaria to draw water : Jesus saith unto her, Give me to drink. For 8 his disciples were gone away into the city to buy food. The Samaritan 9 woman therefore saith unto him, How is it that thou, being a Jew, askest drink of me, which am a Samaritan woman % (3 For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.) Jesus 10 answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give 3 Some ancient authorities omit For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans. mouth being covered with a vaulted chamber of solid mason- ry. Some hundred years after Christ, as if fearing that the place might be forgotten, the Christians built a monumental church over the spot, to per- petuate its memory. The church has long since crumbled away and disappeared; but the simple subterranean architecture, which it was intended to commem- orate, remains apparently un- changed.— Thus; therefore, on that account. — The sixth hour ; noon. 8. Food, — intending to eat it at the well in the open air. 9. No dealings; no friendly dealings, of the nature of social intercourse. There was a bitter religious controversy between them, as specified in v. 20. 10. The gift of God ; which she was then receiving ; that is, the favor bestowed upon her in granting her this interview. 4. 22. S. JOHN. 339 nie ^o drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water. 11 The woman saith unto him, 'Sir, thou hast no- thing to draw with, and the well is deep : from whence then hast thou 12 that living water ? Art thou greater than our fa- ther Jacob, which gave us the well, and drank thereof himself, and his sons, and his cattle? 13 Jesus answered and said unto her, Every one that drinketh of this water 14 shall thirst again : but whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst ; but the water that I shall give him shall become in him a well of water springing up unto eternal 15 life. The woman saith unto him, Sir, give me this water, that I thirst ( 1 Or, Lord 14. A well of icater, springing Tip, &c. ; that is, a fountain of perpetual life, peace, and happi- ness. 15. All the way hither ; the wells in Palestine are often quite a distance from the village, and the painful and burdensome duty of going out to the well, and bringing back the water, is de- volved upon the women as a part of their household work. 19. Her faith rested on some- what insufficient grounds, — as there are many modes by which a stranger might have become hot, neither come all the way hitherto draw. Jesusio saith unto her, Go, call thy husband, and como hither. The woman an- 17 swered and said unto him, I have no husband. Jesus saith unto her, Thou saidst well, I have no husband: for thou hastis had five husbands; and ho whom thou now hasfc is not thy husband : this hast thou said truly. The 19 woman saith unto him, 1 Sir, I perceivo that thou art a project. Our fa- 20 thors worshipped in this mountain ; and ye say, that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship. Jesus saith 21 unto her, Woman, be- lieve me, the hour comet h, when neither in this mountain, nor in Jerusa- lem, shall ye worship the Father. Ye worship that 23 which ye know not ; we accidentally acquainted with the circumstances of her life. It is important that we should be- lieve not only right, but for right reasons. 20. In this mountain; Mount Gerizim. It is interesting, though melancholy, to see how entirely all the great spirituali- ties of religion arc thrown out of her view, by the prominence of this question of her sect, — ■ a mere question of ritual. — To worship ; referring to public national worship. 22. Ye worship that which yo 340 S. JOHN. 4. 22—" worship that which wo know : for salvation is 23 from the Jews. But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worship- pers shall worship the Father in spirit and truth : Jfor such doth the Father seek to be his 24 worshippers. 2God is a Spirit : and they that worship him must wor- ship in spirit and truth. 25 The woman saith unto him, I know that Mes- siah cometh (which is called Christ) : when he is come, he will declare 26 unto us all things. Jesus saith unto her, I that speak unto thee am lie. 27 And upon this came his disciples ; and they marvelled that he was speaking with a w^oman; yet no man said, What seek est thou \ or, Why speakest thou with her? 28 So the woman left her waterpot, and went away 1 Or, for such the Father also seeketh. 2 Or, God is spirit hww not; i. e., their worship was an ignorant, superstitious, and unintelligent worship. This verse indicates the contrast be- tween Pagan and Christian worship, the one being paid to an unknown God, the other to a God whose nature has been revealed. 27. With a woman ; not as in the Old Version, the woman. The disr-iples were surprised that Christ should condescend f into the city, and saith to ! the men, Come, see a 29 man, which toid me all things that ever I did : can this be the Christ? They went out of the 30 city, and were coming to him. In the mean while 31 the disciples prayed him, saying, llabbi, eat. But 32 he said unto them, I have meat to eat that ye know not. The disciples there- 33 fore said one to another. Hath any man brought him aught to eat ? Jesus 34 saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to accomplish his work. Say not ye, There are yet 35 four months, and then cometh the harvest ? be- hold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fiefds, that they are 3 white already unto harvest. lie that 36 reapeth receiveth wages, and gathereth fruit unto 3 Or, white unto harvesC. Already he thai reapeth &c. to give instruction to a woman, for the women were thought by Jewish Rabbis to be incapable of receiving religious instruc- tion. Their household duties did not permit them to become theologians. 33. Lift vp your eyes, &c. ; that is. survey the moral and sp. ritual condition of the world, the image being drawn, per- haps, from the appearance of the fertile plain, spread out be- fore them. ■4. 47. S. JOHN. 41 life eternal ; that he that soweth and he that reap- eth may rejoice together. 37 For herein is the saying true, One soweth, and 38 another reapeth. I sent you to reap that whereon ye have not laboured : others have laboured, and ye are entered into their labour. 39 And from that city many of the Samaritans believed on him because of the word of the woman, who testified, He told me all things that ever I did. 40 So when the Samaritans came unto him, they be- sought him to abide with them : and he abode 41 there two days. And many more believed be- 42 cause of his word ; and they said to the woman, Now we believe, not be- cause of thy speaking : 1 Or, Tcing^s officer 38. Others have labored , &c. ; the prophets and other religious teachers of the Jews, whose in- structions might be considered as preparatory to the publication of the gospel of Christ. 39. In the suburbs of Nabu- lus, at the foot of Gerizim, travellers still find a small rem- nant of the Samaritans, adher- ing, as tenaciously as ever, to the tenets and customs of their fathers. They retain their an cient copies of the Pentateuch, their synagogue, and their priests; and they continue to ascend, four times a year, in solemn processions, to offer for we have heard for ourselves, and know that this is indeed the Saviour of the world. And after the two days 43 he went forth from thence into Galilee. For Jesus 44 himself testified, that a prophet hath no honour in his own country. So 45 when he came into Gali- lee, the Galilasans re- ceived him, having seen all the things that he did in Jerusalem at the feast : for they also went unto the feast. He came therefore again 46 unto Cana of Galilee, where he made the water wine. And there was a certain mobleman, whose son was sick at Caper- naum. When he heard 47 that Jesus was come out of Judsea into Galilee, he went unto him, and be- sacrifices among the sacred ruins upon the summit of the mountain. 44. In his own country. Naza- reth was the home of Joseph and Mary. The statement that a prophet hath no honor in his own country, appears to be in- serted in explanation of the statement following, that the Galileans received him because of the works performed in Jeru- salem. His metropolitan repu- tation gave him a reputation in Galilee. 47. Unto him ; that is, he came up from Capernaum to Cana. 342 S. JOHN. 4 47 sought him. that he would come down, and heal his son ; for he was at the 48 point of death. Jesus therefore said unto him, Except ye see signs and wonders, ye will in no 49 wise believe. The 'noble- man saith unto him, 2Sir, come down ere my child 50 die. Jesus saith unto him, Go thy way ; thy son liveth. The man be- lieved the wrord that Je- sus spake unto him, and 51 he went his way. And as he was now going down, his Servants met him, saying, that his son 5-2 lived. So he inquired of them the hour when he began to amend. They 1 Or, king's officer 2 Or, Lord 3 Gr, bondservant*. 51. Going down ; to Caper- naum, his residence, which was upon the shore of the lake. CHAPTER V. 1. A feast ; perhaps the pass- over. 2. Porches. These seem to have been small erections for the accommodation of the sick that resorted to the water. 3. 4. The Old Version con- tained the words added in the margin, which were undoubtedly inserted by some very ancient copyist, for the purpose of ex- plaining wiiy these cripples were waiting in the porches about the Pool. The external as wTell as the internal evidence is against its authenticity, and it is rejected by nearly all the best scholars, said therefore unto him, Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him. So the father knew that 53 it teas at thaf hour in which Jesus said unto him, Thy son liveth : and himself believed, and his whole house. This is 54 again the second sign that Jesns did, having come out of Judaea into Galilee. After these things there 5 was 4a feast of the Jews ; and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. Now there is in Jernsa-2 lem by the sheep gate a pool, which is called in Hebrew 5Bethesda, hav- ing live porches. In these 3 4 Manv ancient authorities read the feast. 5 Some ancient authorities read Beth- saida, others Bethzatha. though it probably correctly states what was the popular be- lief among the Jews at the time. The original note on this pas- sage is worth inserting here, as* an indication of one of the reasons for believing that the passage itself is no part of the inspired narrative. "That God would really thus miraculously interpose, to throw down, from time to time, a single loon among a company of cripples, to be seized by the most forward, selfish, and eager, leaving those most discouraged, helpless, and miserable, to be overwhelmed again and again with bitter dis- appointment, is a supposition not admissible. The periodical agitations observed in the water were produced, perhaps, by a THE PARABLE 5. 18. S. JOHK. 345 lay a multitude of them that were sick, blind, halt, 5 withered1. And a certain man was there, which had been thirty and eight years in his infirmity. 6 When Jesus saw him ly- ing, and knew that he had been now a long time in that case, he saith unto him, Wouldest thou be 7 made whole ? The sick man answered him, 2 Sir, I have no man, when the water is troubled, to put me into the pool : but while I am. coming, an- other steppeth down be- 8 fore me. Jesus saith un- to him, Arise, take up thy 9 bed, and walk. And straightway the man was made whole, and took up his bed and walked. 10 Now it was the sabbath on that day. So the Jews said unto him that was cured, It is the sab- bath, and it is not lawful for thee to take up thy 1 Many ancient authorities insert, wholly or in part, waiting for the moving of the water: 4 for an angel of the Lord went down at certain seasons into the pool, and bubbling up, at intervals, from the fountain, as is not unusual with springs to "which medical virtues are attributed ; and the popular belief respecting them is stated, apparent^, in order to explain the reply of the sick man to Jesus in v. 7." 1 3. Had conveyed himself a way, to avoid the danger of a tumult. 16. And for this cause did the Jews persecute Jesus. It was with this design that they inquired, 14 bed. But he answered 11 them, He that made me whole, the same said un- to me, Take up thy bed, . and walk. They asked 12 him, Who is the man that said unto thee, Take up thy bed, and walk? But 13 he that was healed wist not who it was : for Jesns had conveyed himself away, a multitude being in the place. Afterward 14 Jesus findeth him in the temple, and said unto him, Behold, thou art made whole : sin no more, lest a worse thing befall thee. The man went 15 away, and told the Jews that it was Jesus which had made him whole. And for this cause did 16 the Jews persecute Jesns, because he did these tilings on the sabbath. But Jesus answered them, 17 My Father worketh even until now, and I work. For this cause therefore 18 troubled the water : whosoever then first after the troubling of the water stepped in was made whole, with whatsoever disease he washolden. 2 Or, Lord (v. 12 ;) but the man, in giving them the information, did not intend this result. He spoke (v. 15) to honor Jesus, not to be- tray him, as is indicated by the form of his expression. If the latter had been his design, he would have told the Jews that it was Jesus who directed him to take up his bed and walk, not that it was Jesus who had made him whole. 1 8 . Called God his own Fa ther; 346 S. JOHN. 5. 18— the Jews sought the more .to kill him, because he not only brake the sab- bath, but also called God his own Father, making himself equal with God. 19 Jesus therefore an- swered and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father doing : for what things soever he doeth, these the Son also doeth 20 in like manner. For the Father loveth the Son, and sheweth him all things that himself doetji : and greater works than these will he shew him, 21 that ye may marvel. For as the Father raise th the dead and quickeneth them, even so the Son also quickeneth whom he not merely Said that Goduas his Father. The original implies a special or particular claim of sonship. It may be rendered freely, had spoken of God, as par- ticularly hi* Father. 19. Can do nothing of himself . Not merely nothing counter to the will of the Father, but^Son nothing independent of the Father ; all that he does he does as a manifestation of the Father, and by the power which the Father imparts to him. 20. Greater works than these; greater miracles than Christ had yet done he would do through the power of the Father work- ing in him, in order that men might glorify the Son, and the will. For neither doth 2* the Father judge any man, but he hath given all judgement unto the Son ; that all may honour 23 the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which sent him. Verily, verily, I say un-24 to you, He that heareth my word, and believeth him that sent me, hath eternal life, and cometh not into judgement, but hath passed out of death into life. Verily, verily, 25 I say unto you, The hour cometh, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God ; and they that hear shall live. For as 26 the Father hath life in himself, even so gave he to the Son also to have Father through the Son. 21. To quid-en is to restore the dead to life. 24. Oat of death; spiritual death. — Qomfith not into judge- ment ; not merely Cometh not into condemnation. He is not judged; he is accounted as a of God, through Christ, without trial, judgment, or con- demnation, as the Prodigal Son was accepted without any pre- vious trial. 25. The dead ; the spiritually dead. The sense in which the term is used is fixed by the >ast clause of the preceding verse. 26. To horc: life ; to have- bht power of giving life. —5. 37. S. JOHtf. 347 27life in himself: and he gave him authority to execute judgement, be- cause he is 'the Son of 28 man. Marvel not at this : for the hour cometh, in which all that are in the tombs shall hear his voice, 29 and shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life ; and they that have 2 done ill, unto the resur- rection of judgement. 30 I can of myself do nothing : as I hear, I judge : and my judgement is righteous ; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of him that 31 sent me. If I bear witness of myself, my witness is 32 not true. It is another that beareth witness of 1 Or, a son of man 27. Because he is the Son of man; that is, the Messiah; the phrase " the Son of man " being one of the forms of expression known among the Jews as a designation of the Messiah. 28. Marvel not at this ; at what was said in v. 25, in respect to the power of the Son to bestow spiritual life ; for. as he proceeds to say, the time is coming when those who are literally dead shall be raised by his voice; the ex- pression, " all that are in the graves," referring to those whose bodies are dead. 30. Of myself ; separate from and independent of the Father. The idea is, that all the aims and designs of the Father and of the Son are one and inseparable, as the remaining clauses show. — As I hear ; that is, perceive and me ; and I know that the witness which he wit- nesseth of me is true. Ye have sent unto John, 33 and he hath borne witness unto the truth. But the 34 witness which I receive is not from man : bowb* it I say these things, that ye may be saved. He was 35 the lamp that burnetii and shineth : and ye were willing to rejoice for a season in his light. But 36 the witness which I have is greater than that of John : for the works which the Father hath given me to accomplish, the very works that I do, bear witness of me, that the Father hath sent me. And the Father which 37 sent me, he hath borne 2 Or, practised understand the will of the Fa- ther. 31. If Is &c. ; meaning that such an objection might be ad- vanced by his enemies. 32. Another ; not John, men- tioned in the next verse, — for he says (v. 34) that he will not ap- peal to the testimony of John, — but the Father, as stated below <*. 36.) 34. The witness which I receive is not from man ; that is, my claim to be the Messiah, the Son of the living God, depends not on human testimony, but on the witness of the Spirit of God. Compare Matt. 16:17. 37. Ye have neither heard his voice, &c. ; that is. You have not been willing to listen to him, or to see him, nor (v. 38) to obey his word. 348 S. JOHtt. 5. 37— witness of me. Ye have neither heard his voice at any time, nor seen his 38 form. And ye have not his word abiding in you : for whom he sent, him ye 39 believe not. 'Ye search the scriptures, because ye think that in them ye have eternal life ; and these are they which bear 40 witness of me; and ye will not come to me, that 41 ye may have life. I receive 42 not glory from men. But I know you, that ye have not the love of God in 43 yourselves. I am come in my Father' s name, and ye receive me not : if another 1 Or, Search the samphires 39. The rendering of this pas- sage is much better in the New Version than in the Old. The reading of the latter is given in the margin. Christ did not ex- hort the Pharisees to search the Scriptures; they were already great students of the Scripture. He declared that in all their Scripture study they failed to find the witness of Christ, or to come to him to whom the Scrip- tures pointed them. The prac- tical lesson to us is, that it is of no avail to study the Bible, un- less, as a result of that study, we come to the Saviour, whom the Bible reveals to us. 43. Another shall come; some false Christ. 44. From the only God ; not as in the Old Version, From God only. The reference is to such passages as Ex. 8:10; 9:14; 20:3; etc. shall come in his own name, him ye will receive. How can ye believe, which 44 receive glory one of another, and the glory that cometh from 2the only God ye seek not % Think not that I will 45 accuse you to the Father : there is one that accuseth you, even Moses, on whom ye have set your hope. For if ye believed Moses, 46 ye would believe me ; for he wrote of me. But if 47 ye believe not his writings, how shall ye believe my words ? After these things Je-6 sus went away to the 2 Some ancient authorities read the only one. 45. Moses; referring to the prediction of Moses in respect to the Messiah, which they would not receive. — On whom ye have set your hope. The Pharisees built all their hope of God's approval, and of eternal life, on a strict observance of the Mosaic Law. CHAPTER VI. 1-21. The other evangelists have also given accounts of these transactions. (Matt, 14:13-34. Mark G : 30-53. Luke 9 : 10-17.) There arc only two or three other instances, with the exception of the events connected with the closing scenes of the Saviour's life, in which John narrates in- cidents which the other evange- lists have recorded. 1. Went away; probably to avoid the hostility of Herod, as it was immediately after he had beheaded John the Baptist. (Matt. 14:12, 13.) 6. 15. S. JOHN. 349 other side of the sea of Galilee, which is the sea 2 of Tiberias. And a great multitude followed him, because they beheld the signs which he did on 3 them that were sick. And Jesus went up into the mountain, and there he 1 sat with his disciples. 4 Now the passover, the feast of the Jews, was at 5 hand. Jesus therefore lifting up his eyes, and seeing that a great multi- tude cometh unto him, saith unto Philip, Whence are we to buy 'bread, that 6 these may eat \ And this he said to prove him : for he himself knew what he 7 would do. Philip an- swered him, Two hundred 'pennyworth of 'bread is not sufficient for them, that every one may take 8 a little. One of his dis- ciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, saith un- 9 to him, There is a lad here, which hath five bar- ley loaves, and two fishes : hut what are these among 10 so many? Jesus said, Make the people sit down. 1 Gr. loaves. 2 See marginal note on Matt, xviii. 28. 9. A lad here; perhaps an at- tendant employed to carry pro- visions. 14. The Prophet; meaning the Messiah, as appears by their de sign of raising an insurrection against Herod, to make him king in his stead, Now grass there the was much place. So in the men sat down, in number about five thou- sand. Jesus therefore 11 took the loaves ; and having given thanks, he distributed to them that were set down ; likewise also of the fishes as much as they would. And when 12 they were filled, he saith unto his disciples, Gath- er up the broken pieces which remain over, that nothing be lost. So they 13 gathered them up, and filled twelve baskets with broken pieces from the five barley loaves, which remained over unto them that had eaten. When 14 therefore the people saw the 3sign which he did, they said, This is of a truth the prophet that cometh into the world. Jesus therefore per- 15 ceiving that they were about to come and take him by force, to make him king, withdrew again into the mountain him- self alone. And when evening 16 3 Some ancient authorities read signs. 16-21. The variations in the narrative here make the account much more pictorial, as well as a more accurate representation of the original, than did the lan- guage of the OKI Version. The disciples entered into a boat, not into a ship; the sea was still 350 S. JOHN. 6. 15 came, his disciples went 17 down unto the sea ; and they entered into a boat, and were going over the sea unto Capernaum. And it was now dark, and Jesus had not yet 18 come to them. And the sea was rising by reason of a great wind that blew. 19 When therefore they had rowed about five and twenty or thirty fur- longs, they behold Jesus walking on the sea, and drawing nigh unto the boat : l and they were 20 afraid. But he saith un- to them, It is I ; be not 21 afraid. They were will- ing therefore to receive him into the boat : and straightway the boat was at the land whither they were going. 22 On the morrow the multitude which stood on the other side of the sea saw that there was none other 'boat there, save one, and that Jesus en- tered not with his disci- ples into the boat, but that his disciples went 1 Gr. little boat. rising, when they perceived Christ. At first they would have avoided him, but after he spoke, they were willing to receive him. 17. Jesus had not yet come to them ; having remained behind to allay the excitement among the people. 22, On the other side ; that is, away alone (howbeit there 23 came "boats from Tibe- rias nigh unto the place where they ate the bread after the Lord had given thanks) : when the mul- 24 titude therefore saw that Jesus was not there, nei- ther his disciples, they themselves got into the "boats, and came to Ca- pernaum, seeking Jesus. And when they found 25 him on the other side of the sea, they said unto him, Rabbi, when earnest thou hither? Jesus an- 26 swered them and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Ye seek me, not be- cause ye saw signs, but because ye ate of the loaves, and were filled. Work not for the meat 27 which perisheth, but for the meat which abideth unto eternal life, which the Son of man shall give unto you : for him the Father, even God, hath sealed. They said there- 28 fore unto him, What must we do, that we may work the works of God % 2 Gr. little boats. on the side where the miracle had been performed. 25. When earnest thou hither ? as there had been no boat in which he could have been con- veyed from the opposite shore; though John says, (v. 23.) that other boats afterwards arrived, in which they themselves proba- bly embarked. —6. 44. S. JOHN. 351 A, 29 Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of Grod, that ye be- lieve on him whom 'he 30 hath sent. They said therefore unto him, What then doest thou for a sign, that we may see, and believe thee % what *l workest thou ? Our fa- thers ate the manna in the wilderness ; as it is written, He gave them bread out of heaven to 32 eat. Jesus therefore said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, It was not Moses that gave you the bread out of heaven ; but my father giveth you the true bread out of 33 heaven. For the bread of -God is that which com- eth down out of heaven, and giveth life unto the 34 world. They said there- fore unto him, Lord, ever- more give us this bread. 35 Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life : he that cometh to me shall not hunger, and he that believeth on me shall 86 never thirst. But I said unto you, that ye have seen me, and yet believe 1 Or, he sent 30. They said ; they and others of the people of Capernaum, who, perhaps, had not witnessed the miracle of feeding the five thousand. 32. The meaning is, Moses did not give the manna; it was given bv God; and was a type or not. All that which the 37 Father giveth me shall come unto me ; and him that cometh fo me I will in no wise cast out. For 38 I am come down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me. And 3d this is the will of him that sent me, that of all that which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up at the last day. For this is 40 the will of my Father, that every one that be- holdeth the Son, and be- lieveth on him, should have eternal life ; and 8 1 will raise him up at the last day. The Jews therefore mur-41 mured concerning him, because he said, I am the bread which came down out of heaven. And they4» said, Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know % how doth he now say, I am come down out of heaven \. Jesus an- 43 swered and said unto them, Murmur not among yourselves. ]STo man can 44 2 Or, that 1 should raise him up prophecy of that spiritual food which God gives to the believer, through Christ. 35. Shall not hunger and — never thirst ; never suffer the want of spiritual food. — To come unto Christ, and to believe on him, are the same. 352 S. JOHN. 6 44 — come to me, except the Father which sent me draw him : and I will raise him up in the last day. 45 It is written in the pro- , phets, And they shall all be taught of God. Every one that hath heard from the Father, and hath learned, cometh unto me. 46]S"ot that any man hath seen the Father, save he which is from God, he hath seen the Father. 47 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believe th 48 hath eternal life. I am 49 the bread of life. Your fathers did eat the manna in the wilderness, and 50 they died. This is the bread which cometh down out of heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not 51 die. I am the living bread which came down out of heaven : if any man eat of 1 Gr. true meat. 45. Every one that hath heard, etc. The Pharisees heard, for they had the revelation of God, but they did not learn that which Grod would teach them. 47. The words on me are added in the Old Version, butare want- ing in the best manuscripts. The meaning appears to be: he that has faith has eternal life; a faith which may be, and some- times is, exercised by those who have never known Christ. (See Rom. 2:7, and Isaiah 55:67.) 51. Which I will give, &c. ; referring to the sacrifice of him- self upon the cross. 53. Eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood; in a this bread, he shall live for ever : yea and the bread which I will give is my flesh, for the life of the world. The Jews therefore 52 strove one with another, saying, How can this man give us his flesh to eat? Jesus therefore said unto 53 them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood, ye have not life in yourselves. He that eateth my flesh 54 and drinketh my blood hath eternal life ; and I will raise him up at the last day. For my flesh 55 is1 meat indeed, and my blood is 2 drink indeed. He that eateth my flesh 56 and drinketh my blood abideth in me, and I in him. As the living Father 57 sent me, and I live be- 2 Gr. true drink. spiritual sense; that is, become thoroughly imbued with the spiritual influences arising out of the instructions, the example, the dying sufferings, and more than all the direct personal and abiding presence of the Re- deemer. See John 15: 4, &c. — Ye have not life in yourselves; i. e., ye have not in you the spring or source of eternal life. 56. This explains what Christ means by the metaphor of eating his flesh and drinking hisblood. It is spiritual participation with him, not a physical eating of his body to which he refers. This is made yet more clear by the next verse. -6. 70. S. JOHN. 353 cause of the Father ; so he that eatefch me, lie also shall live because of me. 53 This is the bread which came down out of heaven : nut as the fathers did eat, and died: he that eateth t iiis bread shall live for 50 ever. These thing's said he in 'the synagogue, as lie taught in Capernaum. 60 Many therefore of his disci p] es, when they heard tin's j said, This is a hard saying ; who can hear 2it % 61 But Jesus knowing in himself that his disciples murmured at this, said unto them, Doth this cause you to stumble? 62 What then if ye should hold the Son of man ascending where lie was 63 before? It is the spirit that quickeneth ; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I have spoken 1 Or, a synagogue 59, In the synagogue; either as an address to a congregation, at public worship, or in conver- sation with bystanders. The synagogue was a place of gene- ral resort on all occasions, and the synagogue service was in some respects less formal than public religious instruction is in our Sabbath service. 60. A hard saying; i. c., a harsh or repulsive saying. 63. It is the spirit that quick- eneth ; it is spiritual food which gives true and real life ; the flesh — -that is, what relates to the body— is of little value. 67. Would ye aho, &c. ; that is, Do you wish or desire to go unto you are spirit, and are life. But there are 64 some of you that believe not. For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not, and who it was that - should betray him. Andes he said, For this cause have I said unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it be given unto him of the Father. Upon this many of his 66 disciples went back, and walked no more with him. Jesus said therefore unto 67 the twelve, Would ye also go away? Simon Peter 68 answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou 3 hast the words of eternal life. And we have be- 69 lieved and know that thou art the Holy One of God. Jesus answered them, 70 Did not I choose you the Or, him 3 Or, hast words away ? The Jews were expect- ing a temporal kingdom, and when Christ disappointed this expectation, and told them that he had come to give to them spiritual life, and that, through sacrifice and suffering, a great many who were at first attracted to be his disciples, abandoned him. Christ evidently felt this abandonment keenly, and pathe- tically asked his chosen twelve, whether they also wrould desert him. 69. The Holy One of God ; i. e. , the Messiah. The difference in language between the old Ver- sion and the New is due to a difference in the manuscripts, 354 S. JOHN. 6. 70- twelve, and one of you is tin devil ? Now he spake of Judas the son of Simon Iscariot, for he it was that should betray him, being one of the twelve, 7 And after these things Jesus walked in Galilee : for he would not walk in Judsea, because the Jews 2 sought to kill him. Now the feast of the Jews, the feast of tabernacles, was 3 at hand. His brethren therefore said unto him. Depart hence, and go into JudaBa, that thy disciples also may behold thy works which thou doest. 4 For no man doeth any- thing in secret, 'and himself seeketh to be 1 Some ftiio-'.ent authorities read and *eeketh it (0 U known openly. the reading of the New Version oeiag adopted by the best scholars. 71. The son of Simon Iscariot. The name Iscariot is also else- where applied to Judas himself. The meaning, probably, is a man of Kerioth, which was a town of Judea. CHAPTER VII. 1. Walked in Galilee; contin- ued there, — as it was in Gali- lee that the occurrences de- scribed in the last chapter took place. — The Jews sought to hill him. They formed the design when he was in Jerusalem, as stated 5: 16-18. 2. Feast of Tabernacles ; an annual celebration commemora- tive of the dwelling of the Israelites in tents or tabernacles. It was held in the autumn, the passover occurring in the spring. known openly. If thou doest these things, mani- fest thyself to the world. For even his brethren did 5 not believe on him . Jesus 6 therefore saith unto them, My time is not yet come ; but your time is alway ready. The world cannot 7 hate you ; but me it hateth, because I testify of it, that its works are evil. Go ye up unto the 8 feast: I go not up 2yet unto this feast ; because my time is not yet ful- filled. And having said 9 these things unto them, he abode still in Galilee. But when his brethren 10 were gone up unto the feast, then went he also 2 Many ancient authorities omit yet. It continued several days, (v. 37,) during which time the peo- ple assembled at Jerusalem, and lived in tents and booths, and imitated the modes of life and usages of their fathers in the wilderness, as particularly de- scribed in Neh. 8: 13-18. For other allusions to this feast in the Old Testament, see Lev. 23: 34-30. Dent. 16: 13-15. 3. His brethren ; his younger brothers, sons of Joseph and Mary. 4 . Man i fest thyself to the tcorld. Galilee was a retired and mount- ainous region, and thinly peo- pled, while Jerusalem was the great centre of movement and attraction. C. Tour time is alway ready. The meaning is. that they might go in safety at any time, as they were not, like him, objects of hate and conspiracy. ~7. 23. S. JOHN. 355 up, not publicly, bat as 11 it were in secret. The Jews therefore sought him at the feast, and said, 12 Where is he \ And there was much murmuring among the multitudes concerning him : some said, He is a good man ; others said, ISTot so, but he leadeth the multitude 13 astray. Howbeit no man spake openly of him for fear of the Jews. 14 But when it was now the midst of the feast Jesus went up into the 15 temple, and taught. The Jews therefore marvelled, saying, How knoweth this man letters, having 16 never learned ? Jesus therefore answered them, and said, My teaching is not mine, but his that 17 sent me. If any man willeth to do his will, he 1 Gr. demon. 11. Jews ; Jewish rulers. The state of opinion among the com- mon people is described in the next verse. The expression the Jews is used in this manner re- peatedly by John, as, for exam- ple, in v. 13, where it is limited, by its connection, to this signi- fication. 17. The New Version makes the meaning of this important and oft- quoted text much clearer than it was before. He that purposes in his heart to do God's will, shall know of Christ's teaching, whether it is of divine or of human origin. He who is not determined to do God's will shall know of the teach- ing, whether it be of God, or whether I speak from myself. He that speaketh 18 from himself seeketh his own glory : but he that seeketh the glory of him that sent him, the same is true, and no un- righteousness is in him. Did not Moses give you 19 the law, and yet none of you doeth the law % Why seek ye to kill me % The 20 multitude answered, Thou . hast a ' devil : who seeketh to kill thee % Jesus answered and said 21 unto them, I did one work, and ye all 2 marvel. For this cause hath Moses 22 given you circumcision (not that it is of Moses, but of the fathers) ; and on the sabbath ye circum- cise a man. If a man re- 23 ceiveth circumcision on 2 Or, marvel because of this. Moses hath given you circumcision is not in a condition of mind to form any judgment respecting the divine claims of Christianity. 18. He that speaJceth from him- self; that is, of his own accord and on his own responsibility. 20. Thou hast a devil. The people, not knowing the secret plots which the rulers had formed, attributed his fears to a disordered mind, produced, as they supposed, by an evil spirit. 21. Marvel; express surprise and displeasure. 22. Not — of Moses ; not origi- nally instituted by Moses, though by him enacted into law. 23. The reference is to tha 356 S. JOHN. 7. 23— the sabbath, that the law of Moses may not be broken ; are ye wroth with me, because I made a man every whit whole on the sabbath ? 24 Judge not according to appearance, but judge righteous judgement. 25 Some therefore of them of Jerusalem said, Is not this he -whom they seek 26 to kill? And lo, he speaketh openly, and they say nothing unto him. Can it be that the rulers indeed know that 27 this is the Christ \ How- beit we know this man whence he is : but when the Christ cometh, no one knoweth whence he 28 is. Jesus therefore cried in the temple, teaching and saying, Ye both know me, and know whence I am ; and I am not come of myself, but he that sent me is true, 29 whom ye know not. I know him ; because I am from him, and he sent 1 Gr. of. healing of the impotent man at the pool of Bethesda, recorded in cli. 5. 26. Can it he? The failure of the rulers to carry out their de- signs, notwithstanding-the bold- ness of Christ, leads the people to question whether the rulers may not secretly believe that he is the Messiah. 27. Whence he is ; his parentage and origin. me. They sought there- 80 fore to take him : and no man laid his hand on him, because his hour was not yet come. But of the 31 multitude many believed on him ; and they said, When the Christ shall come, will he do more signs than those which this man hath done? The 32 Pharisees heard the multi- tude murmuring these tilings concerning him ; and the chief priests and the Pharisees sent officers to take him. Jesus there- 33 fore said, Yet a little while am I with you, and I go unto him that sent me. Ye shall seek me, 34 and shall not find me : and where I am, ye can- not come. The Jews 35 therefore said among themselves, Whither will this man go that we shall not find him ? will he go unto the Dispersion 'among the Greeks, and teach the Greeks ? What 36 is this word that he said, 30. His hour; the time pre- determined for his sufferings and death. 31. But of the multitude; in contrast with the rulers. 33. Jesus therefore said; unto the people. 35. Unto the Dispersion, &c. ; i. e., unto the Jews who were dispersed throughout the Grecian world. 36. What is this word; what is the meaning of it. -7, 52. S. JOHN. 357 Ye shall seek me, and shall not find me : and where I am, ye cannot come ? 37 Now on the last day, the great day of the feast, Jesns stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let- him come nnto me, 38 and drink. He that be- lie veth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. 89 But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believed on him were to receive : l for the Spirit was not yet given; be- cause Jesus was not yet 40 glorified. Some of the multitude therefore, when they heard these words, said, This is of a truth 41 the prophet. Others said, This is the Christ. But some said, What, doth the Christ come out of 42 Galilee? Hath not the scriptures said that the Christ cometh of the seed of David, and from Bethlehem, the village 43 where David was? So there arose a division in the multitude because of 1 Some ancient authorities read for the Holy Spirit was not yet given. 38. Shall jflow, &c. ; an image very similar to that expressed 4: 14. 42. They supposed that Jesus had been born where he had resided from infancy, in Naza- reth of Galilee. 49. This multitude ; the com- him. And some of them 44 would have taken him ; but no man laid hands on him. The officers therefore 45 came to the chief priests and Pharisees ; and they said unto them, Why did ye not bring him \ The officers answered, 4G Never man so spake. The Pharisees therefore 47 answered them, Are ye also led astray? Hath48 any of the rulers believed on him, or of the Phari- sees? But this multitude 49 which knoweth not the law are accursed. Nico-50 demus saith unto them (he that came to him be- fore, being one of them), Doth our law judge a 51 man, except it first hear from himself and know what he doeth ? They 52 answered and said unto him, Art thou also of Galilee? Search, and 2see that out of Galilee arise th no prophet. 3[And they went every 53 man unto his own house : 2 Or, see : for out of Galilee &c. 3 Most of the ancient authorities omit mon people, whom they looked down upon with contempt. 52. Ariseth no prophet; no prophet has ever arisen. 53. The Mount of Olives; an extended elevation of land, east of Jerusalem, where there were several retired villages. 358 S. JOHN. 8. 1— 8 but Jesus went unto the 2 mount of Olives. And ear(y in the morning he came again into the tem- ple, and all the peox)le came un to him ; and he sat down, and taught & them. And the scribes and the Pharisees bring a woman taken in adul- tery ; and having set her 4 in the midst, they say unto him, 'Master, this woman hath been taken in adultery, in the very 5 act. Now in the laAV Moses commanded us to stone such : what then 6 sayest thou of her % And this they said, 'tempting him, that they might have whereof to accuse him. But Jesus stooped down, and with his linger John vii. 53 — viii. 11. Those which con- tain it vary much from each other. CHAPTER VIII. 5. Now in the law. Lev. 20: 10. This law had, however, been a dead letter for a long time. 7. Without sin ; pure in respect to the charge which they had brought against the woman. 9. Eldest; those of highest rank and dignity. — Alone ; alone in the place where the accusers had stood. Other spectators probably remained around. [11. "Whether this passage (vers. 1-11) was really writ- ten by John or not, is a ques- tion upon which Biblical crit- ics differ. As stated in the margin, most of the ancient manuscripts do not contain it, and in those manuscripts which do contain it, there are great variations of form and expres- sion. Moreover, the style and wrote on the ground. But 7 when they continued ask- ing him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her. And again he stooped 8 down, and with his fin- ger wrote on the ground. And they, when they 9 heard it, went out one by one, beginning from the eldest, even unto the last : and Jesus was left alone, and the woman, where she was, in the midst. And Jesus lifted up him- 10 self, and said unto her, Woman, where are they \ did no man condemn thee? And she said, Noll man, Lord. And Jesus said, Neither do I con- 1 Or, Teacher 2 Or, trying character of the narrative in the original is strikingly unlike John. On the other hand, the act is very like Jesus. It is impossible to believe that any monk could have conceived this incident, and have added it to the narrative, while it is quite probable that monkish copyists might have thought it to contain ■ dangerous and loose teaching, and so have either altered it or left it out altogether. The most probable opinion is, that the story was a tradition, perhaps originally a part of one of the lost Gospels, and was added to John's Gospel either in his life- time or shortly after his death. For a full discussion of this whole question, see my Com- mentary on John. — L. A.] —8. 25. S. JOHN. 359 demn thee : go thy way ; from henceforth sin no more.] *2 Again therefore Jesus spake unto them, saying, I am the light of the world : he that folio we th me shall not walk in the darkness, but shall have 13 the light of life. The Pharisees therefore said unto him, Thou bearest witness of thyself; thy 14 witness is not true. Jesus answered and said unto them, even if I bear wit- ness of myself, my wit- ness is true ; for I know whence I came, and whither I go ; but ye know not whence I come, 15 or whither I go. Ye iudge after the flesh ; I 16 judge no man. Yea and if I judge, my judgement is true ; for I am not alone, but I and the Fa- 17ther that sent me. Yea and in your law it is written, that the witness 18 of two men is true. I am he that beareth witness of myself, and the Father that sent me beareth wit- 1 Or, I am 13. Is not true; not to be relied upon. 17. In your law; referring, probably, to Deut. 19:15. 20. The treasury ; a public court within the enclosures of the temple. — Because his hour was not yet come; — and in the ness of me. They said id therefore unto him, Where is thy Father? Jesus answered, Ye know neither me, nor my Fa- ther : if ye knew me, ye would know my Father also. These words spake 20 he in the treasury, as he taught in the temple : and no man took him ; because his hour was not yet come. He said therefore again 21 unto them, I go away, and ye shall seek me, and shall die in your sin : whither I go, ye cannot come. The Jews there- 22 fore said, Will he kill himself, that he saith, Whither I go, ye cannot come? And he said un-23 to them, Ye are from be- neath ; I am from above : ye are of this world ; I am not of this world. 1 24 said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins : for except ye be- lieve that 'I am he, ye shall die in your sins. They said therefore un-25 to him, Who art thou ? Jesus said unto them, 2 Even that which I have 2 Or, How is it that I even speak to you at all ? meantime, the evil passions of his enemies were entirely under divine regulation and control. 24. In the phrase I am there is a reference to Exodus 3: 14. See verse 58. 25. Scholars are not agreed ;r> the interpretation of this venrs, 360 S. JOHN. 8. 25-; also spoken unto you 26 from the beginning. I have many things to speak and to judge con- cerning you : howbeit he that sent me is true ; and the things which I heard from him, these speak 1 27'nnto the world. They perceived not that he ^pake to them of the Fa- 28 1 her. Jesus therefore said, When ye have lifted up the Son of man, then shall ye know that 3 1 am he, and that I do nothing of myself, but as the Father taught me, I speak 29 these things. And he that sent me is with me ; he hath not left me alone ; for I do always the things that are pleasing to him. 30 As lie spake these things, many believed on him. 31 Jesus therefore said to those Jews which had be- lieved him, If ye abide in my word, then are ye 32 truly my disciples ; and ye shall know the truth, 1 Gr. into. 2 Or, lam Or, lam he: and 1 do 3 Or, hath noplace in you two of the most commonly re- ceived renderings, being those given in the text and in the margin. Christ does not seem a direct answer to their question . 31. If ye abide. Many, who had for a time believed on him, afterwards left him, and went away, as is stated John 6 : 66. 33. Seed; descendants. — Never — in bondage. Their pride and and the truth shall make you free. They answered 33 unto him, We be Abra- ham's seed, and have never yet been in bond- age to any man : how say est thou, Ye shall be made free? Jesus an- 34 swered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Every one that commit- teth sin is the bondser- vant of sin. And the bond- 35 servant abideth not in the house for ever : the son abideth for ever. If 36 therefore the Son shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed. I know 37 that ye are Abraham's seed ; yet ye seek to kill me, because my word "hath, not free course in you. I speak the things38 which I have seen with *my Father : and ye also do the things which ye heard from your father. They answered and said39 unto him, Our father is Abraham. Jesus saith 4 Or, the Father : do ye alto therefore the things which ye heard from the Fa- ther. self-conceit blinded them to their political as well as to their moral condition; for their whole na- tion had long been under the iron yoke of the Romans. The distinctive characteristic of a Pharisee was an absurd and boundless self-complacency, which nothing could disturb. 37. Hath not free course in you; i. e., makes no progress in jyou. -8. 53. S. JOHN. 361 unto them, If ye 'were Abraham's children, aye would do the works of 40 Abraham. But now ye seek to kill me, a man that hath told you the truth, which I heard from God : this did not Abra- 41 ham. Ye do the works of your father. They said unto him, We were not born of fornication ; we have one Father, even 42 God. Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love me : for I came forth and am come from God ; for neither have I come of myself, but he sent 43 me. Why do ye not 'understand my speech? Even because ye cannot 44 hear my word. Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your fa- ther it is your will to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and 4stood not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. "When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own : for he is a liar, and the 1 Gr. are. 2 Some ancient authorities read ye do the works of Abraham. 3 Or, know 4 Some ancient authorities read stand- 43. Cannot hear ; will not re- ceive. 44. Stood not in the truth ; he was in high position, but be- cause truth was not his founda- tion, he did not stand. 46. Convicteth me of sin; not father thereof. But be- 45 cause I say the truth, ye believe me not. Which 46 of you convicteth me of sin ? If I say truth, why do ye not believe me \ He 47 that is of God heareth the words of God : for this cause ye hear them not, because ye are not of God. The Jews an- 48 swered and said unto him, Say we not well that thou art a Samari- tan, and hast a 6devil \ Jesus answered, I have 49 not a 6devil ; but I hon- our my Father, and ye dishonour me. But 1 50 seek not mine own glory : there is one that seeketh and judgeth. Yerily, 51 verily, I say unto you, If a man keep my word, he shall never see death. The Jews said unto him, 52 Now we know that thou hast a 6devil. Abraham is dead, and the pro- phets ; and thou sayest, If a man keep my word, he shall never taste of death. Art thou greater 53 than our father Abra- 5 Or, When one speaketh a lie, he speak- eth of his own : for his father also is a liar. 6 Gr. demon. convinceth, as in the Old Version. The meaning is, Who of you can prove me guilty of any sin, a question which infidelity has never yet been able to answer. 51. Shall never see death; that is, shall enjoy eternal life and happiness. 362 S. JOHN. 8. 53— ham, which is dead ? and the prophets are dead : whom makest thou thy- 84 self { Jesus answered, If I glorify myself, my glory is nothing : it is my Fa- ther that glorifieth me ; of whom ye say, that he 55 is your God ; and ye have not known him : but I know him ; and if I should say, I know him not, I shall be like unto you, a liar : but I know him, and keep his word. t*6 Your father Abraham re- joiced Ho see my day ; and he saw it, and was <*7glad. The Jews there- fore said unto him, Thou art not yet fifty years old, and hast thou seen <*8 Abraham? Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily > I say unto you, 1 Or, fftat !iC should see 2 Gr. aas born . 3 Or, uas hidden, and went &c. 56. To see my day ; to foresee it. 5*7. Hast thou seen Abraham ? He had not said that he had seen Abraham, but that Abra- ham saw his day. They wilfully perverted his words. 58. The marginal reading is more accurate — Before Abraham icas, I am. There is an im- plied reference to the name which Jehovah gave to himself, in Ex. 3: 14, and this appears to have been seen and understood by the Jews, for they saw in the words a claim of divinity. CHAPTER IX. 1. And as he passed by; or, was Before Abraham awas, I am. They took up stones 5» therefore to cast at him : but Jesus shid himself, and went out of the tem- ple4. And as he passed by, he 9 saw a man blind from his birth. And his disciples 2 asked him, saying, Rabbi, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he should be born blind? Jesus 3 answered,]S"eitherdid this man sin, nor his parents : but that the works of God should be made manifest in him. We must work 4 the works of him that sent me, while it is day : the night cometh, when no man can work. When 5 I am in the world, I am the light of the world. When he had thus spo-« 4 Many ancient authorities add and going through the midst of them went his way, and so passed by. passing by, not necessarily at this time'. It does not seem prob- able that, while he was escaping from the mob, he would have stopped to heal a blind man, or, indeed, that he could have done so without being overtaken by the mob. 3. Neither did this man sin, nor his parents ; that is, as the cause of his blindness. 4. While it is day ; while I have opportunity. This seems to be mentioned as a reason why he should not postpone relieving the blind man on account of its being the Sabbath, (v. 14.) 6, 7. We are left entirely un- informed in respect to the ob- —9. 20. S. JOHN. 363 ken, h*9 spat on the ground, and made clay of the spittle, 'and anointed 7 his eyes with the clay, and said urto him, Go, wash in the pool of Siloam (which, is by interpreta- tion, Sent). He went away therefore, and washed, 8 and came seeing. The neighbours therefore, and they which saw him afore- time, that he was a beggar, said, Is not this he that 9 sat and begged? Others said, It is he: others said, No, bnt he is like him. 10 He said, I am lie. They said therefore nnto him, How then were thine eyes 11 opened ? He answered, The man that is called Jesns made clay, and an- ointed mine eyes, and said nnto me, Go to Siloam, and wash : so I went away and washed, and I re- lSceived sight. And they said nnto him, Where is lie ? He saith, I know not. 13 They bring to the Phar- isees him that aforetime 14 was blind. Now it was the sabbath on the day when Jesns made the clay, and opened his eyes. Again therefore the 15 Pharisees also asked him how he received his sight. And he said unto them, He put clay upon mine eyes, and I washed, and do see. Some therefore 16 of the Pharisees said, This man is not from God, because he keepeth not the sabbath. But others said, How can a man that is a sinner do such signs? And there was a division among them. They say 17 therefore unto the blind man again, What sayest thou of him, in that he opened thine eyes ? And he said, He is a prophet. The Jews therefore did 18 not believe concerning him, that he had been blind, and had received his sight, until they called the parents of him that had received his sight, and asked them, saying, Is 19 this your son, who ye say was born blind? how then doth he now see ? His par- 20 ents answered and said, 1 Or, and with the day thereof anointed his eyes ject and design of these meas- ures. We observe, however, that, by thus doing something mmself which might be consid- ered as wor,k, and requiring some action on the part of the patient, he came more directly into collision with the supersti- tious punctiliousness of the Ph?~is^es» ir> respect to the ob- servance of the Sabbath day. — Siloam; a fountain and basin of water 'in Jerusalem, very highly esteemed. 8. A beggar ; the best manu- scripts have here the word beggar ; not, as in the Old Ver- sion, the word blind. 16. A sinner ; an impostor. 3G4 S. JOHN 9. 20- AVe know that this is our son, and that he was born 21 blind: but how he now seeth, we know not ; or who opened his eyes, we know not : ask him ; he is of age ; he shall speak 22 for himself. These things said his parents, because they feared the Jews : for the Jews had agreed al- ready, that if any man should confess him to be Christ, he should be put out of the synagogue. 23 Therefore said his par- ents, He is of age ; ask 24 him. So they called a second time the man that was blind, and said unto him, Give glory to God, We know that this man 25 is a sinner. He therefore answered, Whether he be a sinner, I know not : one thing I know, that, where- as I was blind, now I see. 26 They said therefore unto him, What did he to thee l how opened he thine eves? 27 He answered them, I told you even now, and ye did not hear: wherefore would 22. Be put out of the syna- gogue ; by excommunication, which was a very much more serious penalty in its conse- quences than it is in our time. 23. Thus referring them to their son, in order to avoid the responsibility of expressing an opinion themselves. 24. Give glory to God ; thai is, fear God, and confess that this is an imposture. Sec Jos £9, for a similar expression. 27. Did not hear ; did not re- ye hear it again ? Would ye also become his disciples? And they 28 reviled him, and said, Thou art his disciple ; but we are disciples of Moses. We know that 29 God hath spoken unto Moses : but as for this man, we know not whence he is. The man answered 30 and said unto them, Why, herein is the marvel, that ye know not whence he is, and yet he opened mine eyes. We know that 31 God heareth not sinners : but if any man be a wor- shipper of God, and do his will, him he heareth. Since the world began it 32 was never heard that any one opened the eyes of a man born blind. If this 33 man were not from God, he could do nothing. They 34 answered and said unto him, Thou wast alto- gether born in sins, and dost thou teacli us \ And they cast him out. Jesus heard that they 35 had cast him out ; and gard it. 30. Herein is the marvel; not, merely, a marvellous thing. He speaks as though the unbelief of the Pharisees was stranger even than the miraculous cure. 34. Born in sins; born marked with visible token., as they sup- posed, of the divine displeasure. — Cast him out; i. e., they ex- communicated him. 35. And finding him ; the im- plication is that Jesus looked for him, and hunted him out, -10. 4. S. JOHN. 366 finding him, lie said, Dost thou believe on *the 36 Son of Gfod \ He answered and said, And who is he, Lord, that I may believe 37 on him \ Jesus said un- to him, Thou hast both seen him, and he it is that speaketh wdth thee. 88 And he said, Lord, I be- lieve. And he worshipped 89 him. And Jesus said, For judgement came I into this world, that they which see not may see ; and that they which see 40 may become blind. Those of the Pharisees which were with him heard these things, and said unto him, Are we also 41 blind? Jesus said unto 1 Many ancient authorilk Son of man. read the , 36. Who is he, Lord ? perhaps not La owing that Jesus was the one who had restored him ; for, as he had not seen him before, he could not now have recog- nized him, except by his voice. 39. Which see not ; which think they see not; that is, are aware of their blindness and ignorance. — They which see ; think they see. — Become blind; convinced of their ignorance, and made humble and lowly-- minded. 41. If ye were blind; con- scious of your blindness and ig- norance. CHAPTER X. 1. He that enter eth not by the door ; that is, by Christ, (v. 7.) The condemnation is applied to those religious teachers, who, like the Pharisees, are destitute of the spirit of Christ, and teach them, If ye were blind, ye would have no sin ; but now ye say, We see : your sin remaineth. Yerily, verily, I say 10 unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the fold of the sheep, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. But 2 he that entereth in by the door is 2the shepherd of the sheep. To him the 3 porter openeth ; and the sheers hear his voice : and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out. When 4 he hath put forth all- his own, he goeth before them, and the sheep fol- 2 Or, a salvation otherwise than through him. Climbing up some other way, refers to spiritual charac- teristics, not to a want of com- pliance with the forms of organ- ization and office; for the Phari- sees were punctilious, in the extreme, in respect to the latter. | 2. The shepherd of the sheep; the marginal reading is unques- tionably the correct one, a shep- herd of the sheep. The meaning is, that whoever enters into Christ's fold, is thereby appoint- ed to become a shepherd of others. It is illustrated by Christ's instruction** to Peter in John 21-; 15-17. 3. The porter ; the person em- ployed to keep the door of the fold. 4. When he hath put forth all his own ; the true shepherd neg- lects none, leaves none behind. 366 S. JOHN. 10. 4— low him : for they know 5 his voice. And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him : for they know not the voice 6 of strangers. This ' par- able spake Jesus unto them ; but they under- stood not what things they were which he spake unto them. 7 Jesus therefore said unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep. 8 All that came before me are thieves and robbers : but the sheep did not hear 9 them. I am the door : by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and go out, and shall find pasture. io The thief cometh not, but that he may steal, and kill, and destroy : I came 1 Or, proverb 8. This verse is somewhat dif- ficult of construction, and very difficult of interpretation; for many revered and inspired teachers came before Christ, Moses, Isaiah, &c. Perhaps the moaning is, All who have put themselves before me; i. e., above me. 0. Pasture; food, spiritual support. 10. This verse strikingly con- trasts true and false religious teaching. False religions pre- vent spiritual life, the true reli- gion promotes it. 12. Hireling; that is, a man employed for wages, and influ- enced chiefly by his expected that they may have life, and may 2have it abundantly. I am the 11 good shepherd : the good shepherd layeth down his life for the sheep. He 12 that is a hireling, and not a shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, be- holdeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth, and the wolf snatcheth them, and scattereth them: hejleethis because he is a hireling, and careth not for the sheep. I am the good 14 shepherd ; and I know mine own, and mine own know me, even as the 15 Father knoweth me, and I know the Father ; and I lay down my life for the sheep. Ancf other sheep 16 I have, which are not of this fold : them also I 2 Or, hare abundance reward. Io. The New Version makes the meaning of this passage much clearer than it was before. Christ knows his own, and his own know him, in the same way in which the Father knows Christ, and Christ knows the Father. The knowledge is that of sympathy and love. Compare John 17: 21. 16. Of this fold ; the Jewish nation. — OneJiocA; one nhepherd ; not one fold, one shepherd, as in the Old Version. "Not one exclusive inclosure of an outward church," says Dean Allord; " but one flock, all knowing the one shepherd, and known of him." 10. 29^ S. JOHK 367 tiiust 'bring, and they shall hear my voice ; and "they shall become one flock, one shepherd. 17 Therefore doth the Fa- ther love me, because I lay down my life, that I 18 may take it again. No one 3 taketh it away from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have 4 power to lay it down, and I have * power to take it again. This command- ment received I from my Father. 19 There arose a division again among the Jews be- cause of these wrords. 20 And many of them said, He hath a 6 devil, and is mad ; why hear ye him % 21 Others said, These are not the sayings of one pos- sessed with a 5 devil. Can a 6 devil open the eyes of the blind % 1 Or, lead 2 Or, there shall be one flock 3 Some ancient authorities read took it away. 4 Or, right 18. This commandment; this power. 22. The feast of the dedication. This feast commemorated the renovation and purifying of the temple, after it had been deso- lated and polluted by foreign armies. 23. Solomon' 's porch ; an exten- sive piazza, or covered walk, on the eastern side of the temple. 24. How long dost thou hold us in suspense; a more accurate rendering of the original than the Old Version, how long dost thou make us to doubt. They "And it was the feast of 22 the dedication at Jeru- salem : it was winter ; and 23 Jesus was walking in the temple in Solomon's porch. The Jews there- 24 fore came round about him, and said unto him, How long dost thou hold us in suspense % If thou art the Christ, tell us plainly. Jesus answered 25 them, I told you, and ye believe not : the works that I do in my Father's name, these bear witness of me. But ye believe 26 not, because ye are not of my sheep. My sheep hear 27 my voice, and I know them, and they follow me : and I give unto them 28 eternal life ; and they shall never perish, and no one shall snatch them out of my hand. 7My Father, 29 which hath given them 5 Gr. demon. 6 Some ancient authorities read Ac that time teas the feast. 7 Some ancient authorities read That which my Father hath given unto me. desired to make Christ declare himself distinctly. What effect would have been produced by such a declaration, is very clear from their outbreak against him, as guilty of blasphemy, when in his trial before the council he declared himself to be the Mes- siah, the Son of the living God. 26. The words, as I said unto you, are added in the Old Ver- sion. 29. I and the Father are one. This is even a stronger and more emphatic declaration of Christ's power and authority, than the 368 S. JOHtf. 10. 29 unto me, is greater than all ; and no one is able to snatch Hhem out of the 30 Father's hand. I and the 31 Father are one. The Jews took up stones again to 32 stone him. Jesus an- swered them, Many good works have I shewed you from the Father ; for which of those works do 33 ye stone me? The Jews answered him, For a good work Ave stone thee not, but for blasphemy ; and because that thou, being a man, makest thyself 34 God. Jesus answered them, Is it not written in your law, I said, Ye are 35 gods? If he called them gods, unto whom the word of GUm~ came (and the scripture cannot be bro- 36 ken), say ye of him, whom the Father 2 sanctified and sent into the world, Thou blasphemest ; because I said, I am the Son of God ? 1 Or, aught erroneous rendering of the Old Version, I and my Father. 34. Ps. 82 : 6. 35. Unto iclwm the word of God tame ; that is, the commission of God ; meaning those commission- ed by him to execute his will. — Cannot be broken ; caunot be pro- nounced wrong. 36. Sanctified ; consecrated to the work, viz., of redemption. In the reply of our Saviour con- tained in this and in th<' two preceding verses, we observe that he neither affirms nor de- If I do not the works of 37 my Father, believe me not. But if I do them, though 38 ye believe not me, believe the works : that ye may know and understand that the Father is in me, and I in the Father. They 39 sought again to take him : and he went forth out of their hand. And he went away 40 again beyond Jordan into the place where John was at the first baptizing ; and there he abode. And 41 many came unto him; and they said, John indeed did no sign : but all things whatsoever John spake of this man were true. And 42 many believed on him there. Now a certain man was 11 sick, Lazarus of Bethany, of the village of Mary and her sister Martha. And it was that Mary 3 which anointed the Lord 2 Or, consecrated nies the charge advanced against him by the Pharisees, (v. 33,) of making himself divine. He shows that his language is to be justified, on any supposition which may be made in regard to his character. CHAPTER XT. 1. Bethany; a village near Jerusalem. — Mary and her sister Martha. They are mentioned Luke 10:38-42. 2. Which anointed the lA)rd, &c. ; afterwards, as narrated 12:3-9. —11. 16. S. JOHN. 371 with ointment, and wip- ed his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus 3 was sick. The sisters therefore sent unto him, saying, Lord, behold, he whom thou lovest is sick. 4 Bat when Jesus heard it, he said, This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be 5 glorified thereby. Now Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus. 6 When therefore he heard that he was sick, he abode at that time two days in the place where 7 he was. Then" after this he saith to the disciples, Let us go into Judaea 8 again. The disciples say unto him, Rabbi, the Jews were but now seek- ing to stone thee; and goest thou thither again \ 9 Jesus answered, Are there not twelve hours in the day \ If a man walk in the day, he stumbleth 1 Gr. be saved. 6. He abode,. &c. ; to allow time for the results of the sickness of Lazarus to be fully developed. 8. Seeking to stone thee; as de- scribed 10: 31, and 39. 9. Are there not twelve hours, &c. The meaning seems to be that man may go forward in the discharge of his duty, at the proper time for its performance, safely and without fear. There is a light which will protect and guide him. It is when he at- tempts to walk in the night, — 15 not, because he seeth the light of this world. Butio if a man walk in the night, he stumbleth, be- cause the light is not in him. These things spake 11 he : and after this he saith unto them, Our friend Lazarus is fallen asleep ; but I go, that I may awake him out of sleep. The disciples 13 therefore said unto him, Lord, if he is fallen asleep, he wrill 'recover. Now 13 Jesus had spoken of his death : but they thought that he spake of taking rest in sleep. Then Jesus 14 therefore said unto them plainly, Lazarus is dead. And I am glad for your 15 sakes that I was not there, to the intent ye may believe ; neverthe- less let us go unto him. Thomas therefore, who is 16 called 2Didymus, said un- to his fellow-disciples, Let us also go, that we may die with him. 2 That is, Twin. that is, to go where, or to do what, he ought not, — that he must expect to stumble and fall. 15. That I was not there ; to heal him of his sickness, instead of, as now, restoring him from the dead. 16. Didymus; the twin. — That ice may die with him ; with Jesus, who, he supposed, was going into the extreme of dan- ger, Bethany being very near to Jerusalem. 373 S. JOHN. % 17— r 17 So when Jesns came, lie found that he had been in the tomb four days a*l- 18 ready. Now Bethany was nigh unto Jerusalem, about fifteen furlongs off ; 19 and many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary, to console them concerning their brother. 20 Martha therefore, when she heard that Jesus was coming, went and met him : but Mary still sat si in the house. Martha therefore said unto Jes Lord, if thou hadst been j here, my brother had not 22 died. And even now I know that, whatsoever thou shalt ask of God, 23 God will give thee. Jesus saith unto her, Thy bro- ther shall rise again. 24 Martha saith unto Mm, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection 25 at the last day. Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that belie veth on me, though he die, yet shall 26 he live: and whosoever liveth and believeth on 1 Or, Tier sister, saying secretly me shall never die. Be- lievest thou this I She 97 saith unto him, Yea, Lord: I have believed that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, even he that cometh into the world. And when she 28 had said this, she went away, and called Mary 'her sister secretly, say- ing, The ^Master is here, and calleth thee. And 29 she, when she heard it, arose quickly, and went unto him. (Now Jesus 30 was not yet come into the village, out was still in the place where Martha met him. ) The Jews then 31* which were with her in the house, and were com- forting her, when they saw Mary, that she rose up quickly and went out, followed her, supposing that she was going unto the tomb to Veep there. Mary therefore, when she 33 came where Jesus was, and saw him, fell down at his feet, saying unto him, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had 20. Still sat in the house ; not mt still. The meaning is simply that she remained in the house. Martha was the more active, Mary the more quiet of the two sisters. Compare Luke 10:38- 42. 22. Ecennow, &c. This is not to be understood as an intiina- 2 Or, Teacher 3 Gr. wail. tion from Martha that Lazarus might be restored to life, as is evident from the conversation which follows. The meaning is, that even now she did not doubt his power, although he had not been present to exercise it, in saving her brother. -11. 39. S. JOHN. 373 33 not died. When Jesns therefore saw her 1 weep- ing, and the Jews also 'weeping which came with her, he 8 groaned in the spirit, and 8 was troubled, 34 and said, Where have ye laid him ? They say unto him, Lord, come and see. wept. The Jews therefore said, Behold 37 how he loved him ! But some of them said, Could 1 Gr. wailing. % Or, was moved with indignation in the spirit «J«nu " 33. He groaned in the spirit, and was troubled. This account of Jesus being so overwhelmed with grief, at the grave of a friend, whom he knew that he was in a few moments going to recall again to life, is one of those representations appearing at first view at variance with probability and the laws of the human mind, but, on closer examination, found to be entirely in accord- ance with them, which consti- tute a strong internal evidence of the honest historical fidelity of these narratives. Imagination would have pictured the Sa- viour, under such circumstances as these, calm, composed, and, in consequence of his anticipa- tion of the result, rising above all the emotions and sufferings of the scene. But this idea would rest on a superficial view. Grief is not of the nature of re- gret, as for a loss or a disappoint- ment. It is a form of affection. It is love, as modified, when the object of it lies silent, cold, and lifeless, — a victim of the merci- less destroyer. Grief may be mingled with regret for a loss, and with many other painful feelings; but it is, in its own not this man, which open- ed the eyes of him that was blind, have caused that this man also should not die? Jesus therefore 38 again 4groaning in himself cometh to the tomb. Now it was a cave, and a stone lay "against it. Jesus 39 saith, Take ye away the • stone. Martha, the sister of him that was dead, saith unto him, Lord, by 3 Gr. troubled himself. 4 Or, being moved with indignation in himself 5 Or, upon nature, distinct from them all; and it rises spontaneously at the simple contemplation of a be- loved object, dead, whatever may be the other circumstances that attend the bereavement. A mother, while dying herself, will mourn the death of her infant child, though, by the event, she expects to preserve, not lose, its society. And so the feelings of Jesus would naturally be as strongly moved to grief by this event, and by witnessing the scene of suffering and sorrow which it occasioned, as if he had been a Sadducee, and supposed that his lost friend had been blotted out of existence forever. In the pictures which the sa- cred writers have drawn, there are many such touches as this, so profoundly true to nature, in fact, and yet so apparently un- natural, that they would have required far greater knowledge and art than these simple his- torians possessed, for their in- vention, as elements of interest in a fabricated story. 39. Four days. If we allow one day for the messenger to go to the place beyond Jordan, where Jesns was, and one day 374 S. J0I1X. 11. 39— this time lie stinketh : for lie ha tli been dead four 40 days. Jesus saith unto her, Said I not unto thee, that, if thou believedst, thou shouldest see the 41 glory of God? So they took away the stone. And Jesus lifted up his ryes, and said, Father, I thank thee that thou 43lieardestme. And I knew that thou nearest me al- Avays : but because of the multitude which standeth around I said it, that they may believe that thou 4:3 didst send me. And when he had thus spoken, lie cried with a loud voice, 44 Lazarus, come forth. He that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with 'grave-clothes; and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, and let him go. 43 Many therefore of the Jews, which came to Mary and beheld tnat 1 Or, grarebands for Jesus to come to Bethany, ii will appear that Lazarus must have died about the time that the messenger left him. 44. Bound hand and foot ; en- tirely enveloped in grave- clothes. 50. Ye know nothing at all. He paid this in reply, probably, to Bpeakers in the council who had opposed putting Jesns to death. Hi' meant that it was bettrr that Jesus should die. whether he were guilty or not, gathered a council, said, What do we? which he did, believed on him. But some of 46 them went away to the Pharisees, and told them the things which Jesus had done. The chief priests there- 47 fore and the Pharisees and for this man doeth many signs. If we let him thus 48 alone, all men will believe on him : and the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation. But a certain one 49 of them, Caiaphas, being high priest that year, said unto them, Ye know 50 nothing at all, nor do ye take account that it is expedient for you that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation perish not. Now this he said not of 51 himself : but being high priest that year, he pro- phesied that Jesus should die for the nation ; and 52 2 Many ancient nntliorities read the things which /< rather than that the displeasure of the Romans should be in- curred, and the whole nation be destroyed. 51. That is, he was led by the divine Spirit t<> utter word- sus- ceptible of a prophetic interpre- tation,—so different from the meaning winch he intended to convey. It is not -incredible that Gh>d should overrule such an ntterance of such a speaker so ;is to make it unconsciously prophetic. -12. 6. S. JOHtf, 375 not for the nation only, but that he might also gather together into one the children of God that 53 are scattered abroad* So from that day forth they took counsel that they might put him to death. 54 Jesus therefore walked no more openly among the Jews, but departed thence into the country near to the wilderness, into a city called Ephraim ; and there he tarried with the disciples. 55 Now the passover of the Jews was at hand : and many went up to Jerusa lem out of the country before the passover, to 56 purify themselves. They sought therefore for Je- sus, and spake one with another, as they stood in the temple, What think ye? That he will not 57 come to the feast? Now the chief priests and the Pharisees had given com- 1 See marginal note on Mark xiv. 3. CHAPTER XII. 1. The passover ; the passover during which he was crucified. 2. There ; in Bethany, but not at the house of Mary and Mar- tha. It was at the house of Simon the leper, as we learn from Matt. 26 : 6. Martha came to aid in the service, and Laza- rus, whose case had attracted great attention, as stated below, (v. 9-11,) was also there, prob- ably as the head of the household. 6. The statement of John is not merely that Judas had the bag, and bare, or carried what mandment, that, if any man knew where he was, he should shew it, that they might take him. Jesus therefore sixdays!2 before the passover came to Bethany, where Laza- rus was, whom Jesus raised from the dead. So 2 they made him a supper there: and Martha served; but Lazarus was one of them that sat at meat with him. Mary 3 therefore took a pound of ointment of Spikenard, very precious, and an- ointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair : and the house was filled with the odour of the ointment. But 4 Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples, which should betray him, saith, Whys was not this ointment sold for three hundred 2 pence, and given to the poor \ Now this he said, 6 not because he cared for 2 See marginal note on Matt, xviii. 28. was put therein ; but that, hav- ing the bag, he took away— or purloined what was put therein, and this was the reason why he wished the ointment sold, and the money put into the bag-, because it would give him an- other opportunity to indulge his thievish propensities. This bag was one in which was carried the money provided for the use of Jesus and his immediate fol- lowers. The sums necessary for these purposes seem to have been furnished by the contribu- tions of friends. (Luke 8: 3.) 376 S. JOHN. 12. 6— the poor ; but because he was a thief, and having the 'bag 'took away what was put therein. 7 Jesus therefore said, 'Suffer her to keep it against the day of my 8 burying. For the poor ye have always with you ; but me ye have not al- ways. 9 The common people therefore of the Jews learned that he was there : and they came, not for Jesus' sake only, but that they might see Lazarus also, whom he had raised from the dead. 1 Or, box 2 Or, carried what vas put therein 3 Or, Let her alone : it was that she 7, 8. John's account only par- tially reports the words of Christ. For a full report, exam- ine the account of the other two Evangelists, Matthew and Mark. The language, Suffer her to keep it /<( inst the day of my ourying, which is somewhat different from that of the Old Version, must probably be regarded as prophetic. Mary, by pouring out the ointment on the feet of Jesus, had, in a certain poetic sense, preserved it for his burial. Owing to the peculiar circum- stances of the case, she could no: have used it in anointing his body after his death. 8. It seems, from Matt. 20: 14, that it was immediately after this supper that Judas went to the priests, and made the ar- raugement for betraying Christ to them. It might have been under the influence of the irrita- tion produced by this incident. '.'. 'J'ln common people, tJierefore, of the Jews ; the original implies But the chief priests took 10 counsel that they might put Lazarus also to death ; because that by reason of ll him many of the Jews went away, and believed on Jesus. On the morrow 4 a great 13 multitude that had come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to ' Jerusalem, took the branches of the 13 palm trees, and went forth to meet him, and cried out, Hosanna : Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel. might Keep it 4 Some ancient authorities read the common people. the multitude, or commonalty, in contrast with the rulers and chief priests. 10. The other three evangelists do not mention the raising of Lazarus from the dead. It has been supposed that they might have omitted to notice it, for fear of increasing the hostility of the Jews towards him, and putting his life in greater dan- ger; whereas John did not write his history until so many years had elapsed that the danger had passed away. 13. Branches of the palm-trees. The palm-tree was a tall tree, with a single stem, which was surmounted with a tuft of feathery ramifications, six or eight feet long, and called some- times branches and sometimes leaves. They were used in marches and processions as the emblems of rejoicing and victo- rv. — Even the King of Israel; they evidently regarded Jesus as the promised King or Messiah. -12. 26. S. JOHN. sn 14 And Jesus, having found a young ass, sat thereon ; 15 as it is written, Fear not, daughter of Zion : behold, thy King cometh, sitting 16 on an ass's colt. These things understood not his disciples at the first : but when Jesus was glori- fied, then remembered they that these things were written of him, and that they had done these 17 things unto him. The multitude therefore that was with him when he called Lazarus out of the tomb, and raised him from the dead, bare wit- 18ness. For this cause also the multitude went and met him, for that they heard that he had done 19 this sign. The Pharisees therefore said among themselves, l Behold how ye prevail nothing : lo, the world is gone after him. 1 Or, ye behold 14. The manner in 'which the ass was procured is detailed particularly Luke 19 : 29-35. 16. Understood not; that is, did not perceive them to be in fulfilment of prophecy. 17. Bare witness; testified publicly to the facts. 18. Met him; went out to meet him, as stated v. 13. 20. The feast; the passover (v. 1.) 21. We would see Jesus. It is uncertain with ' what design; perhaps from curiosity, — as he had acquired great celebrity by Now there were certain 20 Greeks among those that went up to worship at the feast : theso. therefore 21 came to Philip, which was of Bethsaida of Gali- lee, and asked him, say- ing, Sir, we would see Jesus. Philip cometh 22 and telleth Andrew 1 An- drew cometh, and Philip, and they tell Jesus. And 23 Jesus answereth them, saying, The hour is come, that the Son of man should be glorified. Verily, verily, I say un- 24 to you, Except a grain of wheat fall into the earth and die, it abideth by it- self alone ; but if it die, it beareth much fruit. He that loveth his 2 life 35 loseth it ; and he that hateth his 2life in this world shall keex> it unto life eternal. If any man 2« serve me, let him follow me ; and where I am, 2 Or, soul the raising oi Lazarus, and by his triumphant entry into Jeru- salem ; or perhaps from a desire to enter into his service, regard- ing him as a prince about to assume power. 24-26. The intent of this reply seems to be. that his kingdom was about to be established, not by a demonstration of power and splendor, but by his suffer- ings and death, — events which would involve his followers in danger and distress; and that, consequently, whoever wished to enter into his service must 378 S. JOHK. 12. 20— there shall also my ser- vant be : if any man serve me, him will the Fa- 27 ther honour. Now is my soul troubled: and what shall I say % Father, save me from this 'hour. But for this cause came 28 1 unto this hour. Father, glorify thy name. There came therefore a voice out of heaven, saying, I have both glorified it, and will glorify it agr.in. 29 The mul titucie* therefore, that stood by, OJici heard it, said that it had thundered : others uaici, An angel hath spoken to 30 him. Jesus answered and said, This voice hr.th not come for my sake, 31 but f or your sakes. Now is 2 the judgement of this world : now shall the 1 Or, hour t 2 Or, a judgment expect to follow him into the^c triab. 27. For this causa; for the very purpose of enduring these sufferings. 30. Hath not come for my sake; i. e., it did not come to give assurance ic Jesus of his Father's presence, bat to give a testimony which the people might recognise. 31. Now is; is :ipproaching. 34. This Son of Man, We observe that this expression is not contained in what Jesus had said, as reported above. And undoubtedly, in all these cases, it is only the substance of the dialogue which the sacred writers record. It is possible, however, in this case, that they prince of this world be cast out. And I, if I be 3* lifted up 3from the earth, will draw all mm unto myself. But this he said, 31 signifying by what man- ner of death he should die. The multitude there- 34 fore answered him, We have heard out of the law that the Christ abideth for ever : and how sayest thou, The Son of man must be lifted up ? who is this Son of man X Jesus 35 therefore said unto them, Yet a little while is the light 4 among you. Walk vvdiile ye have the light, L m4- darkness overtake you not : and he that walketh in the darkness knoweth not whither he goeth. While ye have 36 the light, believe on the 3 Or, out of 4 Or, in may refer to a preceding con- versation. (3: 14.) 35. Yet a little while is the light among you; or, as in the margin, in- you. Christ is thought by some commentators to refer here to himself as the light, in which case his meaning is, Be not spiritually slothful, while I remain with you ; by others he is thought to refer to the light of the moral judgment or conscience, in which case the meaning is, Walk according to your own moral judgment or conscience, for if you disregard it, darkness will come upon you, you will cease to have its guidance. 36. Hid himself from them, by retiring to a private retreat upon —12. 48. S. JOHN. IM light, that ye may be- come sons of light. These things spake Jesus, and he departed and 'hid himself from 37 them. But though he had done so many signs before them, yet they 38 believed not on him : that the word of Isaiah the prophet might be ful- filled, which he spake, Lord, who hath be- lieved our report ? And to whom hath the arm of the Lord been revealed ? 39 For this cause they could not believe, for that Isaiah said again, 40 He hath blinded their eyes, and he hardened their heart ; Lest they should see with their eyes, and perceive with their heart, And should turn, And I should heal them. 41 These things said Isaiah, because he saw his glory; 1 Or, was hidden from then the Mount of Olives, or ir the gardens at its base, where he was accustomed to go, from this time, at night, for safety, and where he was safe from appre- hension, until Judas, who knew the place, conducted the soldiers thither, and betrayed him. 39, 40. A great many attempts have been made to put some construction upon these words, which will limit, in some de- gree, the absolute control which and he spake of him. Nevertheless even of the 4a rulers many believed on him ; but because of the Pharisees they did not confess *it, lest they should be put out of the synagogue : for they loved 43 the glory of men more than the glory of God. And Jesus cried and 44 said, He that believe th on me, believeth not on me, but on him that sent me. And he that beholdeth45 me beholdeth him that sent me. I am come a4« light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me may not abide in the darkness, And if any 4? man hear my sayings, and keep them not, I judge him not : for I came not to judge the world, but to save the world. He 48 that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my sayings, hath one that judgeth him : the word that I spake, the same shall judge him in the last day. 2 Or, him it seems to imply, on the part of -Jehovah, over all the acts and emotions of man. These at- tempts are not, "however, very successful. It is far easier to decide that some such mitigating construction is required, by our ideas of moral philosophy, than it is to find one, and satisfy our minds that the words will honestly bear it. 47. And keep them not ; doth not obey them. 380 s. joiin. 12. 49— 49 For I spake not from myself; but the Father which sent me, he hath given me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak. 50 And I know that his com- mandment is life eternal : the things therefore which I speak, even as the Father hath said unto me, so I speak. 13 Now before the feast of the passover, Jesus know- ing that his hour was come that he should de- part out of this world unto the Father, having loved his own which were in the world, he loved 2 them 'unto the end. And during supper, the devil having already put into the heart of Judas Is- cariot, Simon's son, to 3 betray him, Jesus, know- ing that the Father had given all things into his 1 Or, to the uttermost 49. I spake not from myself ; Christ's teachings are divine, because they are given to him by the Father. CHAPTER XIII. 1. Now "before the feast of the passover ; that is, at the com- mencement of it. 2. During supper ; not, as in the Old Version, supper being ended. The washing of the feet probably followed immediately after the contest between the disciples as to which of them should have the first places at the table. (Luke 22: 24-30.) After washing the disciples' feet, hands, and that he came forth from God, and goeth unto God, riseth4 from supper, and layeth aside his garments ; and he took a towel, and girded himself. Then he 5 poureth water into the bason, and began to wash the disciples' feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded. So he cometh to Simon 6 Peter. He saith unto him, Lord, dost thou wash my feet? Jesus 7 answered and said unto him, What I do thou knowest not now ; but thou shalt understand hereafter. Peter saith 8 unto him, Thou shalt never wash my feet. Je- sus answered him, If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me. Simon 9 Peter saith unto him, Lord, not my feet only, Christ sat down at the table, and the supper proceeded, (v. 12. 4. His garments ; his outer garments. — Girded himself ; after the manner of a servant. 5. To wash, &c. This was a customary office to be performed for guests, at an entertainment, by servants. The only thing remarkable in the case was, that the service should have been performed, for this compaay, by one who was their Lord and Master, and possessed, too, of such a consciousness of personal dignity as U expressed in v. 8. —13. 2o; S. JOHN. 381 but also my hands and 10 my head. Jesus saith to him, He that is bathed needeth not 'save to wash his feet, but is clean every whit : and ye are 11 clean, but not all. For he knew him that should betray him ; therefore said he, Ye are not all clean. 12 So when he had wash- ed their feet, and taken his garments, and 2sat down again, he said unto them, Know ye what I 13 have done to you? Ye call me, 3 Master, and, Lord : and ye say well ; 14 for so I am. If I then, the Lord and the 3Master, have washed your feet, ye also ought to wash 15 one another's feet. For I have given you an ex- ample, that ye also 1 Some ancient authorities omit save, and his feet. 2 Gr. reclined. 3 Or, Teacher 4 Gr. bondservant. 10. He that is lathed, &c. ; this ■whole act of Christ's must be regarded as intended to illus- trate spiritual truth. The mean- ing here is, that as the man who has been bathed needs only to wash his feet to cleanse them from subsequent soiling, so, spiritually, he who has been cleansed from guilt by faith in Christ, thereafter simply needs from day to day, to be freed from the pollution -which is contracted as he journeys through the world. 12. Know ye ; understand ye. 14. Ye also ought to wash one should do as I have done to you. Verily, verily, lie say unto you, A 4 servant is not greater than his lord ; neither * one that is sent greater than he that sent him. If ye 17 know these things, bless- ed are ye if ye do them. I speak not of you all : 1 18 know whom I 8 have chosen: but that the scripture may be fulfill- ed, He that eateth T my bread lifted up his heel against me. From hence- 19 forth I tell you before it come to pass, that, when it is come to pass, ye may believe that 8I am he. Verily, verily, I say 20 unto you, He that receiv- eth whomsoever I send receive th me ; and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me. 5 Gr. an apostle. 6 Or. chose 7 Many ancient authorities read hit bread with me. 8 Or, I am another's feet. He meant, by this symbolical act, to teach them that they ought not to be ambi- tious and aspiring, each endeav- oring to rise above the rest, but humble, lowly-minded, in honor preferring one another. There was a tendency, at this time, to the former spirit, in the minds of the disciples. (Luke 22: 24.) 18. He that eateth my bread; or, as in the margin, his bread with me; but the language of the New Version brings out a little more clearly the treachery of Judas Iscariot. The passage here referred to is found Ps. 41 : 382 S. JOHN. 13. 21- 21 When Jesus had thus said, he was troubled in the spirit, and testilied, and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, that one of you shall betray me. 22 The disciples looked one on another, doubting of 23 whom he spake. There was at the table reclining in Jesus' bosom one of his disciples, whom Jesus 24 loved. Simon Peter there- fore beckoneth to him, and saith unto him, Tell us who it is of whom he 25speaketh. He leaning back, as he was, on Je- sus' breast saith unto him, Lord, who is it? 26 Jesus therefore answer- eth, He it is, for whom I shall dip the sop, and 1 Or, box 21. Testified; openly declared what he had only intimated be- fore, ill verses 18 and 19. 23. Beclin ing in Jesus' oosom ; in the East, at this time, people reclined on a couch at meals, and John, who was next to Je- sus, naturally rested upon him. — One — whom Jesus loved. John often speaks of himself in these terms. It is noticeable that the other evangelists do not allude to his enjoying, in any special manner, the Saviour's regard. 24. Beckoneth ; made a signal. — Tell us irho, &c. Peter ima- gined that John would know or could easily ascertain, being next to Jesus. John did not know, but turned and put the question to Jesus. 85. Saith unto him; that is, give it him. So when he had dipped the sop, he taketh and giveth it to Judas, the son of Simon iscariot. And after the 27 sop, then entered Satan into him. Jesus there- fore saith unto him, That thou doest, do quickly. Now no man at the table 28 knew for what intent he spake this unto him. For 29 some thought, because Judas had the 'bag, that Jesus said unto him, Buy what things we have need of for the feast ; or, that he should give something to the poor. He then 30 having received the sop went out straightway : and it was night. When therefore he was 31 privately. 26. Jesus therefore answereth ; that is, to John, in such a manner that the others did not hear. 27. That thou doest, do quickly. During the preceding conversa- tion, Judas must have been in a state of great anxiety and fear, — being, however, still uncertain how far his designs were really known. This last remark left him no longer any hope of con- cealment; but the detection pro- duced irritation and anger, not repentance. Dreading, prob- ably, an open exposure before all the disciples, he seems to have hastened away, in a fit of desperation, to enter at once upon the execution of his do- sign. -14. 9. S. JOHN. 383 gone out, Jesus saith, 3lSrow ] is the Son of man glorified, and God 'is 32 glorified in him ; and God shall glorify him in him- self, and straightway shall he glorify him. 33 Little children, yet a little while I am with you. Ye shall seek me : and as I said unto the Jews, Whi- ther I go, ye cannot come ; so now I say unto 34 you. A new command- ment I give unto you, that ye love one another ; 2 even as I have loved you, that ye also love one 35 another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another. 36 Simon Peter saith un- to him, Lord, whither goest thou? Jesus an- swered, Whither I go, thou canst not follow me now ; but thou shalt fol- 87 low afterwards. Peter saith unto him, Lord, why cannot I follow thee even now % I will lay down my life for thee. 38 Jesus answereth, Wilt thou lay down thy life for me? Yerily, verily, 1 Or, was 2 Or, even as I loved you, that ye also may love one another 3 Or, believe in God 33. As- 1 said unto the Jews; John 7: 33, 34. 8:21. 36. Whither, &c. ; referring to what Jesus had said. (v. 33.) 38. The cock shall not crow. Mark and Luke say before the cock crow twice. The meaning I say unto thee, The cock shall not crow, till thou hast denied me thrice. Let not your heart be 14 troubled : s ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father' s house are 2 many 4 mansions ; if it were not so, I would have told you ; for I go to pre- pare a place for you. And if I go and pre- 3 pare a place for von, I come again, and will re- ceive you unto myself ; that where I am, there ye may be also. 5And4 whither I go, ye know the way. Thomas saith 5 unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest ; how know we the way? Jesus saith unto him, 1 6 am the way, and the truth, and the life : no ono cometh unto the Fa- ther, but by Gme. If ye 7 had known me, ye would have known my Father also : from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him. Philip saith unto 8 him, Lord, shew us the Father, and it sufficeth us. Jesus saith unto him, 9 Have I been so long time 4 Or, abiding -places 5 Many ancient authorities read And whither 1 go ye know, and the way ye know. 6 Or, through of both expressions is simply as if he had said, "Thou shalt deny me thrice before the morn- ing." CHAPTER XIV. 7. Have seen him; seen him in Christ. S84 S. JOHN, 14. 9— with you, and dost thou not know me, Philip 2 he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; how sayest thou, Shew io us the Father ? Believes t thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me ? the words that I say unto you I speak not from myself : but the Father abiding in me li doeth his works. Believe me that I am in the Fa- therland the Father in me: or else believe me for the 12 very works' sake. Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also ; and greater works than these shall he do ; because I go unto 13 the Father. And what- soever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glori- 14 tied in the Son. If ye shall ask 'me anything in my name, that will I 15 do. If ye love me, ye 1 Many ancient authorities omit me. 2 Gr. make request of. 3 Or, Advocate Or, Helper Gr. Para- 12. Greater works; greater achievements in extending and establishing the Redeemer's kingdom; for the word tcorks seems to refer, here, not to mir- acles, but to efforts in general, made to bring men to repentance and salvation. 18. I will not leave you deso- late; the margin gives the meaning still more accurately — trphcm. The burden of Christ's will keep my command- ments. And I will 2 pray 16 the Father, and he shall give you another 'Com- forter, that he may be with you for ever, evenW the Spirit of truth : whom the world cannot receive ; for it beholdeth him not, neither knoweth him : ye know him ; for he abide th with you, and shall be in you. I will not leave you 18 4 desolate: I come unto you. Yet a little while, 19 and the world beholdeth me no more ; but ye be- hold me : because I live, 5 ye shall live also. In 20 that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you. He that hath my 21 commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me : and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself unto him. Judas (not Iscariot)23 4 Or, orphans 5 Or, and ye shall live teaching in these his last words with his disciples, is, that they shall have with them an ever- present and helpful God as their Saviour. 19. Ye oehold nu ; ye shall see me. — Shall live; shall be pre- served and protected. 21. Hath ; receiveth. 22. What is come to pass that thou wilt manifest? &c. This ques- tion is not, as it was represented -14. 28. S. JOHN. 385 saith unto him, Lord, what is come to pass that thou wilt manifest thy- self unto us, and not un- 23 to the world % Jesus an- swered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my word : and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with 24 him. He that loveth me not keepeth not my words : and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father's who sent me. 1 Or, Advocate Or, Helper Gr. Para- by the Old Version, How is it that thou wilt manifest thyself unto us? It is the expression, not of a mere curiosity, but of amazement and perplexity. What has happened, he says in effect, that you abandon a pub- lic manifestation to the world of the Messiah, for which all pious Jews have been looking ? 23. Jesus does not appear to reply directly to the question of Judas. 24. Not mine ; not mine alone. 27. Peace I learn with you. This was the customary Hebrew form of farewell, and, of course, like other such forms, was used ordinarily without much regard to its import and signification. Jesus says that he pronounces the benediction, not as the world ordinarily do, that is, as a mere form, but that he truly invokes upon them a real peace. It was, however, peace of mind, not peace in regard to external circumstances ; for perhaps twelve men never came together who had to pass through so many exciting scenes of persecu- These things have 1 25 spoken unto you, while yet abiding with you. JBut the 'Comforter, even2% the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said unto you. Peace I leave with you ;27 my peace I give unto you : not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be fearful. Ye heard how 1 28 clete. tion, trial, suffering, and world- ly tribulation, in every form, as these disciples, to whom Jesus thus, at midnight, in their soli- tary chamber, promised this peculiar peace, and which he left them as his legacy. All these trials Jesus foresaw, and frankly foretold, chap. 15:18- 21; 16: 1-4; and more distinctly still, 16 : 32-33. This last prom- ise was fulfilled ; and nothing is more striking, in the subsequent history of the apostles, than the contrast between the perils, dan- gers, and agitations, of their condition, on the one hand, and the calm contentment and hap- piness of their hearts on the other. They enjoyed, at all times, a certain deep-seated re- pose and calmness of soul, which could not be reached or disturbed by external agitations. 28. If ye loved me, ye would have rejoiced, &c. The meaning seems to be, that they would re- joice in his approaching reunion with the Father, by which he would again be restored to the position of greatness and majes- 386 S. JOHN. 14. 28- said to you, I go away, and I come unto you. If ye loved me, ye would have rejoiced, because I go unto the Father: for the Father is greater than 29 1. And now I have told you before it come to pass, that, when it is come to pass, ye may be- 30lieve. I will no more speak much with you, for the prince of the world cometh : and he Si hath nothing in me ; but that the world may know that I love the Father, and as the Father gave me commandment, even so I do. Arise, let us go hence. ty, which he had left to assume the office of Mediator for man. (Comp. 17:5.)— The Father is greater than I. Jesus Christ, as speaking and acting upon earth, in the execution of his media- torial office, was in no sense equal with the Father. It was the Word which was God. But Jesus Christ, in whom this Word was mysteriously conjoined with human nature, always assumed the position of obedience and submission, which is plainly recognized in all his allusions to the Father, and is here distinct- ly declared. It is true that, in one passage, (10:30,) he says, " I and my Father are one;" but the sense in which he intended to be understood is made clear in eh. 17: 11, 22, when he prays that the same oneness which joins him, as Mediator, with the Father, may unite the disciples with him. CHAPTER XV. 1. The conversation which I am the true vine, and 15 my Father is the hus- bandman. Every branch a in me that beareth not fruit, he taketh it away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he cleans- eth it, that it may bear more fruit. Already ye 3 are clean because of the word which I have spoken unto you. Abide in me, 4 and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine ; so neither can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye 5 are the branches s He that abide th in me, and I in him, the same beareth follows is supposed by some to have taken place between Jesus and his disciples, on their walk, near midnight, from Jerusalem towards the Mount of Olives. — The hushaiulnian ; the cultivator, who has planted the vine. 2. Taketh away — cleanseth. These images are taken from the practice of the cultivator, who prunes away the barren branches, and endeavors to pro- mote the health and thrift of those that are fruitful, by purg- ing them of whatever is injuri- ous, as moss, insects, and por- tions decayed. 3. Already ye are clean ; like the bianch of the vine purified, as mentioned above. 4. Except it abide in th. remain connected with the vine, so a- to draw from it nourish- ment and support. 5. Jpor apart from me ye can do nothing ; this expresses more ele.irly than the Old Version that idea of separation from ^15. 19. s. jontt. 387 mucli fruit : for apart from me ye can do 6 nothing. If a man abide not in me, lie is ,cast forth as a branch, and is withered ; and they gath- er them, and cast them into the fire, and they 7 are burned. If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask what- soever ye will, and it shall be done unto you. 8 Herein 'is my Father glorified, 2 that ye bear much fruit ; and so shall 9 ye be my disciples. Even as the Father hath loved me, I also have loved yon : abide ye in my 10 love. If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love ; even as I have kept my Fa- ther1 s commandmen ts, and abide in his .love. 11 These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may 12 be fulfilled. This is my commandment, that ye love one another, even as 1 Or, was 2 Many ancient authorities read that ye bear much fruit, and be my disciples. Christ, which is involved in the original. 9. Even as the Father hath loved me; Christ's lovo for the disciples is like the Father's love for Christ. 11. And that your joy may he fulfilled; not merely full, but as Alford explains, ''uplifted and ennobled, even to fulness;" i. e. , I have loved you. Great- 13 er love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. Ye are my friends, if ye 14 do the things which I command you. No Ion- 15 ger do I call you 3 ser- vants ; for the 'servant knoweth not what his lord doeth : but I have called you friends ; for all things that I heard from my Father I have made known unto you. Ye did not choose me, 16 but I chose you, and ap- pointed you, that ye should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should abide : that what- soever ye shall ask of the Father m my na may give it you things I that ye another. he These 17 command you, may love one If the world 18 hateth you, 5ye know that it hath hated me be- fore it hated you. If yei9 were of the world, the world would love its own : but because ye are not of 3 Gr. bondservants. 4 Gr. bondservant. 5 Or, 'know ye to the extreme of their capabili- ty and satisfaction. 12. Even as 1 have loved you ; Christ's love for us in the pat- tern, which we are to imitate in our love for one another. See Eph. 4:32. 15. The servant Icnoweth not, &c. ; is not intrusted with a knowledge of his master's de- signs. 388 S. JOHN. 15. 19— the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hat- 20eth you. Remember the word that I said unto you, A J servant is not greater than his lord. If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you ; if they kept my word, they will keep yours also. 21 But all these things will they do unto you for my name's sake, because they know not him that 22 sent me. If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin: but now they have no excuse for their sin. 23 He that hatoth me hateth 24 my Father also. If I had not done among them the works which none other did, they had not had sin : but now have they both seen and hated both 25 me and my Father. But this cometh to pass, that the word may be fulfilled that is written in their law, They hated me with- 26 out a cause. But when the 2 Comforter is come, whom I will send unto 1 Gr. bondservant. 3 Or, Advocate Or, Helper Gr. Para- clete. 22. They had not had sin ; such aggravated sin. 25. In their law ; in their Scriptures, often called the law. Expressions similar to the quo- tation here made, are found Psalma 35: 19, and G9: 4, though the language is somewhat varied. you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which 3proceedeth from the Father, he shall bear witness of me: 4and ye 27 also bear witness, because ye have been with me from the beginning. These things have 1 16 spoken unto you, that ye should not be made to stumble. They shall put 2 you out of the syna- gogues : yea, the hour cometh, that whosoever killeth you shall think that he offereth service unto God. And these 3 things will they do, be- cause they have not known the Father, nor me. But these things 4 have I spoken unto you, that when their hour is come, ye may remember them, how that I told you. And these things I said not unto you from the beginning, because I was with you. But now 5 1 go unto him that sent me ; and none of you asketh me, Whither go- est thou ? But because 1 6 have spoken these things 3 Or, goeth forth frotn 4 Or, and bear ye also ivitness CHAPTER XVI. 1. These things ; the premoni- tions which he had given them in respect to the trials and sufferings that were impending over them. — Be made to stumble; surprised and disheartened, at the onset of unexpected cala- mities. —16. 16. S. JOHN. 389 unto you, sorrow hath 7 tilled your heart. Never- theless I tell you the truth ; it is expedient for you that I go away : for if I go not away, the 1 Comforter will not come unto you ; but if I go, I will send him unto you. 8 And he, when he is come, will convict the world in respect of sin, and of righteousness, and of 9 judgement: of sin, because 10 they believe not on me: of righteousness, because I go to the Father, and ye 11 behold me no more; of judgement, because the prince of this world hath 12 been judged. I have yet many things to say unto 1 Or, Advocate Or, Helper Gr. Para- 8. Convict; teach, convince. 10. Because I go to the Father. The meaning seems to be that the Holy Spirit was to instruct the world in respect to right- eousness, that is, the nature of the duty which the law of God requires, since Jesus himself, who had made this, in its various branches, the great sub- ject of all his teaching, was about to leave the world, and of course his instructions must be closed. Many commentators have supposed that by the word righteousness Jesus refers to his own innocence of the charges against him, but as the sin men- tioned in the preceding verse is the sin of others, if the right- eousness mentioned here were his own, a pronoun would be required to change the subject, to which the words would re- spectively have pertained. That you, but ye cannot bear them now. Ho wbeit l % when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he shall guide you into all the truth : for he shall not speak from himself ; but what things soever he shall hear, these shall he speak : and he shall de- clare unto you the things that are to come. He 14 shall glorify me : for he shall take of mine, and shall declare it unto you. All things whatsoever the 15 Father hath are mine : therefore said I, that he taketh of mine, and shall declare it unto you. A 16 little while, and ye be- hold me no more ; and clete. is, it should have been "to con- vince the world of their sin and of my righteousness." It seems clear, therefore, that all the words, sin, righteousness, and judgment, should be understood in their general sense, and that the- meaning of the tenth verse is, that the Holy Spirit was to urge upon men the nature and the obligation of moral duty, since the instructions of Jesus were now to be closed. 11. The prince of this world; Satan, spoken of in the scrip- tures as the origin and repre- sentative of human wickedness. 13. He shall not speak from himself ; that is, he shall nofc make anew and independent re- velation, diverse from what the Saviour had taught. 16. The words Because I go to the Father are added in the Old Version, but are wanting in 390 S. JOHK. 16. 16— again a little while, and 17 ye shall see me. Some of his disciples therefore said one to another, What is this that he saith unto us, A little while, and ye behold me not; and again a little while, and ye shall see me : and, Because I go to the Fa- rther S They said there- fore, What is this that he saith, A little while ? We know not what he saith. 19 Jesus perceived that*they were desirous to ask him, and he said unto them, Do ye inquire among yourselves concerning this, that I said, A little while, and ye behold me not, and again a little while, and ye shall see 20 me ? Verily, verily, I say unto you, that ye shall weep and lament, but the world shall rejoice : ye shall be sorrowful, but yonr sorrow shall be turn- 21 ed into joy. A woman when she is in travail hath sorrow, because her hour is come : but when she is delivered of the child, she 1 Or, ask me no question 2 Or, parables some of the best manuscripts. There is a contrast between the two verbs behold and see, which is entirely ignored in the Old Version. It is indicated in the New, but cannot be expressed as clearly in the English as it is in the Greek. The "meaning is, A little while and ye shall see me remembereth no more the anguish, for the joy that a man is born unto the world. And ye therefore 22 now have sorrow : but I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no one tak- eth away from you. And 23 in that day ye shall ' ask me nothing. VerK,;, ver- ily, I say unto you, If ye shall ask anything of the Father, he will give it you in my name. Hither- 24 to have ye asked nothing in my name : ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be fulfilled. These things have 1 25 spoken unto you in " pro- verbs : the hour cometh, when I shall no more speak unto you in 'pro- verbs, but shall tell you plainly of the Father. In 26 that day ye shall ask in my name : and I say not unto you, that I will 3 pray the Father for you; for 27 the Father himself loveth you, because ye have loved me, and have be- lieved that I came forth 3 Gr. make request of. no more with the bodily eyes, but after a little while ye shall have a spiritual perception of me, — a prophecy fulfilled after the descent of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. 18. We hruno not what he saith; we cannot understand it. 25. In proverbs; obscurely. 17. 8. S. JOHN. 391 28 from the Father. I came out from the Father, and am come into the world : again, I leave the world, and go unto the Father. 29 His disciples say, Lo, now speakest thon plainly, and speakest no proverb. 30 Now know we that thou knowest all things, and needest not that any man should ask thee : by this we believe that thou earnest forth from God. 31 Jesus answered them, Do 32 ye now believe % Behold, the hour cometh, yea, is come, that ye shall be scattered, every man to his own, and shall leave me alone : and yet I am not alone, because the 33 Father is with me. These things have I spoken unto you, that in me ye may have peace. In the world ye have tribulation : but be of good cheer ; I have overcome the world. 17 These things spake Jesus ; and lifting up his eyes to heaven, he said, Father, the hour is come ; glorify thy Son, that the 1 Or, parable 32. The event corresponded, with this prediction, as recorded Matt. 26:56. CHAPTER XVII. 2. The New Version more nearly conforms to the original, which could be literally rendered only by an uncouth form of speecli . It is literally that unto the all which thou hast given to Son may glorify thee : even as thou gavest him a authority over all flesh, that whatsoever thou hast given him, to them he should give eternal life. And this is life eternal, 3 that they should know thee the only true God, and him whom thou didst send, even Jesus Christ. I glorified thee on the 4 earth, having accom- plished the work which thou hast given me to do. And now, 0 Father, 5 glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was. 1 6 manifested thy name unto the men whomthou gavest me out of the world : thine they were, and thou gavest them to me ; and they have kept thy word. Now they know that all 7 things whatsoever thou hast given me are from thee : for the words which 8 thou gavest me I have given unto them ; and they received them, and knew of a truth that I him, to them he should give eternal life. 3. This is life eternal; not merely the way and means to the attainment of life eternal; spir- itual knowledge and spiritual life are so far the same, that they cannot be separated ; neither is possible, or indeed oonceivable, without the other. 392 S. JOHN. 17. 8- came fortli from tliee, and they believed that thou » didst send me. I 'pray for them : I 'pray not for the world, but for those whom thou hast given me ; for 10 they are thine: and all things that are mine are thine, and thine are mine : and I am glorified in them. it And I am no more in the world, and these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep them in thy name which thou hast given me, that they may be one, even as 13 we are. While I was with them, I kept them in thy name which thou hast given me : and I guarded them, and not one of them perished, but the son of perdition ; that the scripture might 13 be fulfilled. But now I 1 Gr. make request. 2 Gr. out of. come to thee ; and these 11. No more in the world; no more to remain in it. Accord- ing to the best reading Christ prays, not as in the Old Version, Iceep those icltom thou hast given me, but, keep them in thy name, which thou hast entrusted to me; i. e., preserve them in and by thy paternal care, for the name stands here as elsewhere, for all which the name repre- sents. 12. Christ declares that he lias preserved in safety his dis- ciples by the guardianship which he has exercised over them. This truth was not as well rep- resented by the Old Version. things speak in the world, that they may have my joy fulfilled in themselves. I have given 14 them thy word ; and the world hated them, be- cause they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. I 'pray 15 not that thou shouldest take them 2from the world, but that thou sho aides t keep them 2 from 3 the evil one. They 16 are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. 'Sanctify them in thei7 truth : thy word is truth. As thou didst send me 18 into the world, even so sent I them into the world. And for their 19 sakes I ' sanctify myself, that they themselves also may be sanctified in truth. 3 Or, evil 4 Or, Consecrate which translated two different Greek wTords by the same English word kept. 15. Take them from the world ; that is, from the dangers and sufferings which wrere threaten- ing them. — From the evil one; i. e., from Satan, whom Christ treats as the author of all real evil. 19. Sanctify myself ; conse- crate myself; that is, to the work of redemption. — In truth ; not truly; but by means of the truth. The disciple is sanctified as he lives in the truth, and shows forth the truth by hia life. -18. 2. S. JOHN. 393 20 Neither for these only do I 'pray, but for them also that believe on me 21 through their word ; that they may all be one ; even as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be in us : that the world may be- lieve that thou didst send 22 me. And the glory which thou hast given me I have given unto them ; that they may be one, 23 even as we are one ; I in them, and thou in me, that they may be perfect- ed into one ; that the world may know that thou didst send me, and lovedst them, even as 24 thou lovedst me. Father, 2that which thou hast giv- en me, I will that, where I am, they also may be with me ; that they may 1 Gr. make request. 2 Many ancient authorities read those 21. That they ah* may oe in us. We observe that Jesus, in all the conversations which he held with his disciples, on the night before he was betrayed, separates himself from men, and joins his name always with that of the Father — My Father will love him, and we will come unto him. (14:23.) The Comforter — whom the Father will send in my name. (26.) When the Com- forter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father. (15 : 26.) Thus the antithesis is be- tween all men, good and bad, on the one hand, and himself in behold my glory, which thou hast given me : for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world. 0 righteous Fa- 25 fcher, the world knew thee not, but I knew thee; and these knew that thou didst send me; and l2« made known unto them thy name, and will make it known ; that the love wherewith thou lovedst me may be in them, and I in them. When Jesus had 18 spoken these words, he went forth with his dis- ciples over the 3 brook 4Kidron, where was a garden, into the which he entered, himself and his disciples. Now Judas 2 also, which betrayed him, knew the place : for Jesus oft-times resorted thither whom. 3 Or, ravine Gr. winter-torrent. 4 Or, of the Cedars conjunction with the Father on the other. When we consider the unassuming meekness and modesty which marked the Sa- viour's character, this seems wholly inconsistent with the idea that he regarded himself as a mere human messenger from heaven. 24. Where I am; am to be. The language of the Old Ver- sion was smoother and simpler, Father, I will that they also whom thou hast given me, le with me where I am. The language of the New Version more literally follows the Greek. 394 S. JOHN. 18. 2— 8 with his disciples. Judas then, having received the 1 band of soldiers, and offi- cers from the chief priests and the Pharisees, cometh thither with lanterns and torches a n d weapons. 4 Jesus therefore, knowing all the things that were coining upon him, went forth,and saithunto them, 5 Whom seek ye ? They answered him, Jesus of JNTazareth. Jesus saith unto them, I am he. And Jndas also, which be- trayed him, was standing G with them. When there- fore he said unto them, I am he. they went back- ward, and fell to the 7 ground. Again therefore he asked them, Whom keek ye \ And they said, 8 Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus answered, I told you that I am he : if therefore ye seek me, let these go 9 their way : that the word might be fulfilled which 1 Or, cohort 2 Gr. bondservant* CHAPTER XVIII. 4-6. The other evangelists give a very different account of the circumstances which attend- ed the apprehension of Jesus. We can reconcile them by sup- posing that Jesus advanced in order to surrender himself, and Judas in order to betray him, simultaneously, and that John relates one circumstance, and the three remaining evangelists ther. b. These; his disciples who he sj)ake, Of those whom thou hast given me I lost not one. Simon Peter 10 therefore having a sword drew it, and struck the high priest's "servant, and cut off his right ear. Now the "servant's name was Malclms. Jesus there- 11 fore said unto Peter, Put up the sword into the sheath : the cup which the Father hath given me, shall I not drink it? So the 'band and the 12 3 chief captain, and the officers of the Jews, seized Jesus and bound him, and led him to Annas 13 first ; for he was father in law to Caiaphas, which was high priest that year. Now Caiaphas was he 14 which gave counsel to the Jews, that it was ex- pedient that one man should die for the people. And Simon Peter fol-15 lowed Jesus, and so did another disciple. Now 3 Or, military tribune Gr. chUiarch. were with him. 9. John 17: 12. 10. Malchus. John is the only evangelist who gives thie ser- vant's name. There are two other illusions to his acquaintance with the high priest's family, in v. 16, and v. 20. 13. Annas was before this time the high priest, but he had been deposed. He was a man of considerable distinction, still ling a preal d< gree of in- fluence, and retaining his title of office. SPS THE PARABLE .vO^Vy OF 'THE K^C UNJUST STEWARD. L% 9 A \ LUKE XVI. \ 'I |lt I'll ^ B> ^ /2 ^ « 3 m i-- . ^ /vX /*> J its? m ^ .^-: yL^> V *ijtf£ Wl M 3 ^ \. £ * „ I H V g JOHN. 397 that disciple was known unto the high priest, and entered in with Jesus into the court of the high 10 priest; but Peter Avas standing at the door with- out. So the other disciple, which was known unto the high priest, went out and spake unto her that kept the door, and 17 brought in Peter. The maid therefore that kept the door saith unto Peter, Art thou also one of this man' s disciples \ He saith, 18 1 am not. Now the 'ser- vants and the officers were standing there, having made 2 a fire of coals ; for it was cold ; and they were warming themselves: and Peter also was with them, standing and warming himself. 19 The high priest there- fore asked Jesus of his disciples, and of his teach 20 ing. Jesus answered him, 1 Gr. bondservants. 2 Gr. afire oj charcoal. 18. This fire of coals, or of charcoal, as indicated by the marginal reading, was probably made in a portable stove or bra- zier in the open courtyard of the high priest's house. 20. The meaning is, that the open and public manner in which Jesus had always taught, was sufficient proof that he enter- tained no treasonable designs. 23. If I have spoJcenevil; mean- ing in the public instruction which he had given, as mention- ed in v. 20, 21. 16 I have spoken openly to the world ; I ever taught in 3 synagogues, and in the temple, where all the Jews come together ; and in secret spake I nothing. Why askest thou me ? ask 21 them that have heard me, what I spake unto them : behold, these know the things which I said. And 22 when he had said this, one of the officers stand- ing by struck Jesus 4 with his hand, saying, An- swerest thou the high priest so ? Jesus answered 23 him, If I have spoken evil, bear witness of the evil : but if well, why smitest thou me? Annas 24 therefore sent him bound unto Caiaphas the high priest. ISTow Simon Peter was 25 standing and warming himself. They said there- fore, unto him, Art thou also one of his disciples \ 3 Gr. synagogue. 4 Or, with a rod 24. Annas therefore sent him bound unto Caiaphas] the high priest; the reading of the Old Version was, Annas had sent him bound unto Caiaphas. Either reading is grammatically possi- ble. According to the Old Ver- sion, Christ had been previously sent from the house of Annas to the house of Caiaphas. It is not, however, possible for us now to determine the precise order in which the various events con- nected with the arrest, trial, and crucifixion of Christ, occurred* 308 S. JOHN. 18. 25— He denied, and said, I am 26 not. One of the ' servants of the high priest, being a kinsman of him whose ear Peter cut off, saith, Did not I see thee in the 37 garden with him? Peter therefore denied again: and straightway the cock crew. 28 They lead Jesus there- fore from Caiaphas into the 2 palace : and it was early ; and they them- selves entered not into the 8 palace, that they might not be defiled, but might eat the passover. 29 Pilate therefore went out unto them, and saith, What accusation bring 1 Gr. bondservants. 26. Saith; about an hour afterwards. (Luke 22: 59.) 28. Into the palace, or Hall of Judgment, literally prsetorium, the name given among the Ro- mans to the headquarters of the Roman governor; in this case either the palace of King Herod or the tower of Antonia. — De- filed ; ceremonially; this judg- ment-haH being the scat of a Roman, and of course Gentile tribunal. Their unwillingness to enter affords a strange illus- tration of the compatibility of ex- cessive punctiliousness in the out- ward forms of religion, with the most complete moral corruption. These whited sepulchres, with hearts full of envy, hatred and murder, could not go into a Roman building, lest they should be defiled. — The pass- on r ; that is, probably the re- maining sacrifices and fi the paschal week; for, according ye against this man ? They answered and said 30 unto him, If this man were not an evil-doer, we should not have delivered him up unto thee. Pilate 31 therefore said unto them, Take him yourselves, and judge him according to your law. The Jews said unto him, It is not lawful for us to put any man to death : that the word of 32 Jesus might be fulfilled, which he spake, signify- ing by what manner of death he should die. Pilate therefore enter- 33 ed again into the 'palace, and called Jesus, and said unto him, Art thou 2 Gr. Prmtorium. to Luke 22: 7, 13, 14, 15, the evening on which the paschal lamb was to be eaten, was the evening preceding. 31. It is not lawful, &c. The case of Stephen has been thought to render it doubtful whether the Jewish tribunals were abso- lutely prohibited from inflicting capital punishment, in all cases, and it has been suggested that the Jews here only meant that they were not allowed to punish by crucifixion, which was the object that they had determined upon effecting, if possible. But in the case of Stephen, the exe- cution, though in a certain s< nse sanctioned by the Sanhedrim, was really the act of a lawless mob. The declaration of the Jews here is, according to the opinion of the best scholars, to be taken literally. This view is confirmed by Josephus. ^-19. 5. S. JOHN. 399 the King of the Jews? 34 Jesus answered, Sayest thou this of thyself, or did others tell it thee 35 concerning me? Pilate answered, Am I a Jew? Thine own nation and the chief priests delivered thee unto me : what hast 36 thou done ? Jesus an- swered, My kingdom is not of this world : if my kingdom were of this world, then would my 1 servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews : but now is my kingdom not from 37 hence. Pilate therefore said unto him, Art thou a king then? Jesus an- swered, 2Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end have I been born, and to this end am I come into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my 38 voice. Pilate saith unto him, What is truth ? 1 Or, officers : as in yer. 3, 12, 18, 22. 2 Or, 'Thou sayest it, because I am a 36. The argument used here by the Saviour is, that though he might have called himself a king, yet the whole tenor of his life, and the peaceable demeanor of his followers, showed that his kingdom was a spiritual king- dom; that is, that he claimed to be a king only in a figurative sense. 37. Henreth my voice ; obeyeth me; is my subject. The mean- ing is, thac what he called his And when he had said this, he went out again unto the Jews, and saith unto them, I find no crime in him. But ye have a 39 custom, that I should re- lease unto you one at the passover : will ye there- fore that I release unto you the King of the Jews ? They cried out therefore 40 again, saying, Not this man, but Barabbas. Now Barabbas was a robber. Then Pilate therefore 19 took Jesus, and scourged him. And the soldiers 2 plaited a crown of thorns, and put it on his head, and arrayed him in a pur- ple garment ; and they 3 came unto him, and said, Hail, King of the Jews ! and they struck him 3 with their hands. And 4 Pilate went out again, and saith unto them, Behold, I bring him out to you, that ye may know that I find no crime in him. Jesus therefore came out, 5 king. 3 Or, with rods kingdom was only a spiritual kingdom, comprising all those that love the truth. CHAPTER XIX. 2. Purple garment ; some rude garment, probably of a reddish color, which, like the reed for a sceptre, might represent, for the purposes of their mockery, the imperial purple. 5. Behold the man ! He hoped that they would have been satis* 400 S. JOHN. 19. 5~ wearing the crown of thorns and the purple garment. And Pilate saith unto them, Behold, 6 the man ! When there- fore the chief priests and the officers saw him, they cried out, saying, Crucify Mm, crucify him. Pilate saith unto them, Take him yourselves, and cruci- fy him : for I find no crime 7 in him. The Jews an- swered him, We have a law, and by that law he ought to die, because he made himself the Son of 8 God. When Pilate there- fore heard this saying, he 9 was the more afraid ; and he entered into the ' pal- ace again, and saith unto Jesus, Whence art thou \ But Jesus gave him no 10 answer. Pilate therefore saith unto him, Speakest thou not unto me ? know- est thou not that I have "power to release thee, and have 2 power to cru- 11 cify thee ? Jesus answer- ed him, Thou wouldest have no 8 power against 1 Gr. Pmiorium. 2 Or, authority tied with the sufferings which lie had endured, and would con- sent to his release. 6. Take him yourselves, &c. This was not intended as a seri- ous proposal, but was an ex- pression of Pilate's indignation at the cruel wrong which they iusisted on committing. 7. By that law. They had not mentioned this charge, at first, in making out their accusation me, except it were given thee from above : there- fore he that delivered me unto thee hath greater sin. Upon this Pilate 13 sought to release him : but the Jews cried out, saying, If thou release this man, thou art not Csesar' s friend : every one that maketh himself a king 3 speaketh against Csesar. When Pilate 13 therefore heard these words, he brought Jesus out, and sat down on the judgment-seat at a place called The Pavement, but in Hebrew, G-abbatha. Now it was the Prepara-14 tion of the passover : it was about the sixth hour. And he saith unto the Jews, Behold, your King ! They therefore cried out, 15 Away with him, away with him, crucify him. Pilate saith unto them, Shall I crucify your King 1 The chief priests answered, We have no king but CaBsar. Then 16 therefore he delivered 3 Or, opposeth Ccesar before Pilate, supposing that he would be more easily influenced by a charge of sedition. 13. When Pilate — heard these words; and finding that the popular excitement was begin- ning to be uncontrollable. (Matt. 27: 24.) 16. Unto them; that is, to their will. One of Pilate's cen- turions had charge of the exe- cution. —19. 23. S. JOHN. 401 him unto them to be crucified. 17 They took Jesus there- fore : and he went out, bearing the cross for him- self, unto the place called The place of a skull, which is called in He- 18 brew Golgotha : where they crucified him, and with him two others, on either side one, and Jesus 19 in the midst. And Pilate wrote a title also, and put it on the cross. And there was written, jesus OF NAZARETH, THE KING 20 of the jews. This title therefore read many of the Jews : ' for the place 1 Or, for the place of the city where Je- sus xoas crucified was nigh at hand 19. This inscription is record- ed by the evangelists in the following forms : — " This is Jesus the King of the Jews," . . Matt. "The King of the Jews,". Mark 1* This is the King of the Jews, ". '. . Luke Simon Peter; to his house in the city. 14. Turned herself back ; to go home. 16. In llelrew; in the Hebrew —20. 23. S. JOHN. 405 saith unto him in Hebrew, Kabboni ; which is to 17 say, ' Master. Jesus saith to her, 2 Touch me not ; for I am not yet ascend- ed unto the Father : but go unto my brethren, and say to them, I ascend un- to my Father and your Father, and my God and 18 your God. Mary Mag- dalene cometh and telle th the disciples, I have seen the Lord ; and how thai he had said these things unto her. 19 When therefore it was evening, on that day, the first day of the week, and 1 Or, Teacher This explanation, which is re- stored in the New Version, indi- cates that the language ordinarily made use of between Christ and his disciples was not the He- brew, but the Greek. 18. As has already been re- marked, several hypotheses have been framed, by ingenious scholars, to combine the various incidents related by the differ- ent evangelists, as having oc- curred in the vicinity of the sepulchre on the morning of the resurrection, into one harmoni- ous narrative. These hypoth- eses are all framed on the sup position that the scene was one of great excitement ; that many persons must have been going and returning in different groups and parties, — some, perhaps, visiting the sepulchre several times, — and that, consequently, a considerable number and va- riety of incidents would occur there ; and that each of the evan- when the doors were shut where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in the midst, and saith un- to them, Peace be unto you. And when he had 20 said this, he shewed unto them his hands and his side. The disciples there- fore were glad, when they saw the Lord. Jesus 21 therefore said to them again, Peace be unto you : as the Father hath sent me, even so send I you. And when he had said 22 this, he breathed on them, and saith unto 2 Or, Take not hold on me » gelists, instead of describing fully what took place, has only related such incidents as were particularly reported to him. On this view of the subject, it has not been found difficult to frame hypotheses by which the various incidents related are combined into one connected narrative, the seeming omissions and connecting links being sup- plied by conjecture. These hy- potheses are, however, of little value, except to show that the accounts can he reconciled, and so are not inconsistent. Farther than this, there can be no valu- able end attained by framing hypotheses, which rest, of course, wholly on conjecture. 19. Jesus came. Just before he appeared, however, the dis- ciples from Emmaus came into the assembly, giving an account of what they had seen. (Luke 24:33.) 21. Again ; after supping with them. (Luke 24: 41.) 406 S. JOHN. 20. 23 them, Receive ye the 23 ' Holy Ghost : whose so- ever sins ye forgive, they are forgiven unto them ; whose soever sins ye re- tain, they are retained. 24 But Thomas, one of the twelve, called 3Didymus, was not with them when 25 Jesus came. The other disciples therefore said unto him, We have seen the Lord. But he said unto them, Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe. 26 And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them. Jesus cometh, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you. 27 Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, 1 Or, Holij Spirit 2 That is, Twin. 28. My Lord and my God. It cannot be doubted that these terms were both applied by Thomas personally to the Sa- viour. The attempts to give some other construction to such expressions are now generally abandoned by those who are unwilling to admit, on any evi- dence, the inference which flows from them. They find it to be easier to take the ground that the apostles themselves were in error, than to force unnatural constructions upon language so unequivocal as that which they often used. and see my hands ; and reach hither thy hand, and put it into my side : and be not faithless, but believing. Thomas an- 28 swered and said unto him, My Lord and my God. Jesus saith unto 29 him, Because thou hast seen me, 3thou hast be- lieved : blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed. Many other signs there- 30 fore did Jesus in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book : but these are 31 written, that ye may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God ; and that believing ye may have life in his name. After these things Jesus 21 manifested himself again to the disciples at the sea of Tiberias ; and he mani- fested himself on this 3 Or, hast thou believed ? 30. Signs ; proofs of the reali- ty of his resurrection. CHAPTER XXI. 1. At the Sea of Tiberias ; in Galilee, and thus wc find that, after all the exciting scenes of the life, death, and resurrection of the Saviour were passed, these disciples return to their old home and their early occu- pations. It was, however, only for a very brief season ; for they soon went back to Jerusalem again, where they remained un- til they were endued with power from on high, to preach th« gospel. —21. 14. S. JOHN. 407 2 wise. There were to- gether Simon Peter, and Thomas called ' Didymus, and Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, and the sons of Zebedee, and two other of 3 his disciples. Simon Peter saith nnto them, I go a fishing. They say unto him, We also come with thee. They went forth, and entered into the boat ; and that night they took 4 nothing. But when day was now breaking, Jesus stood on the beach : how- beit the disciples knew not that it was Jesus. 5 Jesus therefore saith unto them, Children, have ye aught to eat? They an- eswered him, No. And he said unto them, Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and ye shall find. They cast therefore, and now they were not able to draw it for the multitude 7 of fishes. That disciple therefore whom Jesus loved saith unto Peter, It is the Lord. So when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he girt his coat about him (for he was 1 That is, Twin. 2 Gr. a fire of charcoal. 4-8. It is remarkable that a circumstance very similar to this is recorded Luke 5 : 4-8, as oc- curring at an early part of our Saviour's ministry. 11. Drew; that is, with the help of the others. 12. Come, and IreaTc your fast ; naked), and cast himself into the sea. But the 8 other disciples came in the little boat (for they were not far from the land, but about two hundred cubits off), drag- ging the net full of fishes. So when they got out 9 upon the land, they see 2 a fire of coals there, and sfish laid thereon, and 4 bread. Jesus saith unto 10 them, Bring of the fish which ye have now taken. Simon Peter therefore 11 went 9up, and drew the net to land, full of great fishes, a hundred and fifty and three : and for all there were so many, the net was not rent. Jesus 12 saith unto them, Come and break your fast. And none of the disciples durst inquire of him, Who art thou \ knowing that it was the Lord. Jesus 13 cometh, and taketh the 4 bread, and giveth them, and the fish likewise. This is now the third time 14 that Jesus was manifested to the disciples, after that he was risen from the dead. 3 Or, a fish 5 Or, aboard 4 Or, a loaf they had been fishing all night without eating, and must, there- fore, have been very hungry. The fact that Christ himself kindled the fire of coals, and prepared the meal for his disci- ples, is significant of his sympa- thy for them in their hunger. ■408 s. joiin. 21. IS- 15 So when they had broken their fast, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of l John, 2 lovest thou me more than these % He saith unto him, Yea, Lord ; thou knowest that 1 3 love thee. He saith unto him, Feed 16 my lambs. He saith to him again a second time, Simon, son of 1 John, * lovest thou me ? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord ; thou knowest that 1 3love thee. He saith unto him, 17 Tend my sheep. He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of 'John, 1 lovest thou me ? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, 3 Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things ; thou 'know- est that I 3love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep. 18 Verily, verily, I say unto thee, When thou wast 1 Gr. Joanes. See ch. i. 42, margin. 2, 3 Love in these places represents two different Greek words. 15, 16. It is impossible to represent the significance of this conversation between Christ and Peter, in the English, except by. a, paraphrase. As is noted in the margin, lore in these verses rep- resents two different Greek words. Christ asked Simon Peter, Lovest thou me? Twice Simon Peter answered, Tea, Lord, thou knowest I have an af- young, thou girdedst thy- self, and walkedst whi- ther thou wouldest : but when thou shalt be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee, and carry thee whither thou wouldest not. Now this 19 he spake, signifying by what manner of death he should glorify God. And when he had spoken this, he saith unto him, Fol- low me. Peter, turning 20 about, seeth the disciple whom Jesus loved follow- ing ; which also leaned back on his breast at the supper, and said, Lord, who is he that betrayeth thee ? Peter therefore 21 seeing him saith to Jesus, Lord, 6and what shall this man do % Jesus saith 22 unto him, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee 1 follow' thou me. This saying 23 therefore went forth among the brethren, that 4 Or, perceivest 5 Gr. and this man, what ? fection for thee. The third time Christ accepted Peter's word, and said, Hast thou affection for me? and Peter was grieved be- cause he said the third time, Hast thou an affection for me? seeming to doubt even this hum- ble claim of a once self-confi- dent and proud disciple. 20. The disriple whom Jesus loved ; John, the author of this Gospel. —21. 25. S. JOHN. 409 that disciple should not die : yet Jesus said not unto him, that he should not die ; but. If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee ? 24 This is the disciple which beareth witness of these things, and wrote these things : and we know that his witness is true. And there are also 25 many other things which Jesus did, the which if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself would not contain the books that should be written. THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES. Although there is not attached to this book any designation of the author, yet very early and unanimous tradition attributes it to Luke, the companion of Paul in his later travels, and the writer of the Gospel which bears his name. The allusion to a former treatise, and to Theophilus, contained in the first verse, and the use of the first person in the narrative of the travels of Paul, towards the close of the history, abundantly confirm the suppo- sition. The book could not have been written until after Paul's imprison- ment at Rome, since it brings down the history to that event; and it is supposed that it must have been written soon after the expiration of the two years, commencing at that period, which are mentioned at the conclusion of the last chapter, or it would have carried the history farther. Where, and under what cir- cumstances Luke wrote the book, there are no means of ascer- taining. 1 The j former treatise I made, O Theophilus, con- cerning all that Jesus be- gan both to do and to 2 teach, until the day in which lie was received up, after that he had given commandment through the 2Holy Ghost unto the apostles whom he had 1 Or. first. 2 Or, Holy Spirit : and so throughout this book. CHAPTER I. 1. The former treatise ; the Gospel of Luke. (See Luke 1 : 1-4.) _ 3. Passion ; suffering, refer- ring here to the Saviour's cruci- [410] chosen : to whom he also 3 shewed himself alive after his passion by many proofs, appearing unto them by the space of forty days, and speaking the tilings concerning the kingdom of God : and, 4 being assembled togeth- er with them, he charged 3 Or. presented. 4 Or, eating with them fixion. 4. Promise of the Father; pro- mised gift of the Holy Spirit, which was to be sent from the Father, according to the promis* recorded in John 14: 10-20. 1. 14- rHE ACTS. 411 them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, said he, 5 ye heard from me : for John indeed baptized with water ; but ye shall be baptized 'with the Holy Ghost not many days hence. 6 They therefore, when they were come together, asked him, saying, Lord, dost thou at this time restore the kingdom to 7 Israel ? And he said un- to them, It is not for you to know times or seasons, which the Father hath 2 set within his own au- 8thority. But ye shall receive power, when the Holy Grhost is come upon you : and ye shall be my witnesses both in Jerusa- lem, and in all Judaea and Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the 9 earth. And when he had said these things, as they were looking, he was taken up ; and a cloud received him out of their 1 Or, in 2 Or, appointed by 5. Baptized with the Holy Ghost; abundantly imbued ^with its in- fluences. 6. Restore the kingdom to Israel; as in the days of David and So- lomon, when Israel was governed by its own kings, instead of being, as in our Saviour's time, subject to the rule of a foreign power. This question shows what were still the ideas of the sight. And while theyio were looking stedfastly into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel ; which also said, Ye menu of Galilee, why stand ye looking into heaven ? this Jesus, which was receiv- ed up from you into hea- ven, shall so come in like manner as ye beheld him going into heaven. Then returned they urn 12 to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is nigh unto Jeru- salem, a sabbath day's journey off. And when is they were come in, they went up into the upper chamber, where they were abiding ; both Peter and John and James and An- drew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Mat- thew, James the son of Alphseus, and Simon the Zealot, and Judas the 3 son of James. These 14 all with one accord con- tinued stedfastly in prayer, 4 with the women, 3 Or, brother. See Jude 1. 4 Or, with certain women apostles in respect to the nature of the redemption which Christ was to procure. 13. These are the names of the eleven remaining apostles. 14. Mary the mother of Jesus. From this time Mary the mother of Jesus disappears from the sacred history. — And with his brethren. On the catalogue of the apostles there are three 412 THE ACTS. 1.14— and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brethren. 15 And in these days Peter stood up in the midst of the brethren, and said (and there was a multi- tude of 'persons gathered together, about a hun- l6dred and twenty), Bre- thren, it was needful that the scripture should be fulfilled, which the Holy Ghost spake before by the mouth of David con- 1 Gr. names. names, James, and Simon, and Judas, corresponding with three of the names used in Matt. 13: 5o, and in Mark 6:3, to desig- nate what are there called the brethren of Jesus. These indi- viduals may have been the same, though the statement made in John 7: 5, that his brethren did not believe on him, and the manner in which they are spoken of here, as distinct from the apostles, iudicate that different individuals were intended in these two cases. The names were very common names among the Jews. A more full account of the state of this question is given in the introductory re- marks to the Epistle of James. 15. Peter stood up. Peter was one of the first called among the apostles, (Matt. 4: 18,) and his name is always placed at the head of the catalogue; he was prominent among his brethren during the lifetime of Christ: he was one of the first to believe and to acknowledge that Jesus was the Messiah, as recorded Matt. 10:16,— and on that oc- ca8ion Jesus spoke of him as in some peculiar sense the founda- cerning Judas, who was guide to them that took Jesus. For he was num- 17 bered among us, and re- ceived his "portion in this ministry. (Now this man 18 obtained a field with the reward of his iniquity ; and falling headlong, he burst asunder in the midst, and all his bowels gushed out. And it be- 19 came known to all the dwellers at Jerusalem ; insomuch that in their 2 Or, lot lion of the future church; (v. 17-19;) and now, after the as- cension, he appears among the disciples as their acknowledged leader. It is on these grounds that the Roman Catholics main- tain that he was constituted by Christ the head of the church, and claim for his supposed suc- cessors, the popes of Rome, supreme ecclesiastical jurisdic- tion throughout the world. But there is no evidence that Peter's preeminence was official. la this case he does not act; he only proposes action. He does not appoint; he simply recom- mends an election. 18. Obtained a field ; there is some obscurity in the Scripture accounts of the death of Judas; according to Matthew the field was purchased by the priests, not by Judas himself. Peter here does not say that Judas purchased it, but obtained it. His language is ironical: he rep- resents Judas Iscariot as procur- ing for himself the field in which he met his horrible and mysterious death, because it was procured with the money paid to him as a reward for his treachery. -2.1. THE ACTS. 413 language that field was called Akeldama, that is, 20 The field of blood.) For it is written in the book of Psalms, Let his habitation be made desolate, And let no man dwell therein : and, His ' office let another take. 21 Of the men therefore which have companied with us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and went out 2 among us, 22 beginning from the bap- tism of John, unto the day that he was received up from us, of these must one become a witness 1 Gr. overseership. 2 Or, over 22. Become a witness with us of Ms resurrection ; an object per- taining exclusively to that time, and showing that the apostolical office was not intended to be a permanent one. Accordingly -we do not learn that any subse- quent vacancies in the number of the twelve were filled. 23. And they put forward ; that is, the assembly of one hundred and twenty disciples appointed them. It does not appear that the apostles acted as such at all in this case ; the election seems to have been made by the disciples general- ly. And yet, on some subse- quent occasions, the apostles ap- pear to exercise a certain official power. (Acts 6:2. 3,) — Put forward two ; that is, they agreed upon two prominent candidates, but, for some reason or other, [with us of his resurrec- tion. And they put for- 23 ward two, Joseph called JBarsabbas, who was sur- named Justus, and Mat- thias. And they prayed, 24 and said, Thou, Lord, which knowest the hearts of all men, shew of these two the one whom thou hast chosen, to take the 25 place in this ministry and apostleship, from which Judas fell away, that he might go to his own place. And they gave 26 lots 3 for them : and the lot fell upon Matthias ; and he was numbered with the eleven apostles. And when the day of 2 Pentecost 4was now come, 3 Or, unto 4 Gr. was being fulfilled. it was not clear to the assembly which should be selected; and they agreed, accordingly, to ap- peal solemnly to the decision of the lot. Had it been their de- sign entirely to refer the subject of filling the vacant office to the Lord, the lot should obviously have been unrestricted, — as in the cases of Achan, (Josh. 7: 14-18,) Saul, (1 Sam. 10: 19-21,) and Jonathan, (1 Sam. 14:40- 42.) CHAPTER II. 1. The day of Pentecost; the fiftieth day; that is, the day after the expiration of seven weeks from the Passover. It was celebrated by the Jews as the anniversary of the giving of the law on Mount Sinai. It would seem (comp. 1 : 3) that there was an interval of eight or ten days between the ascen- 4U THE ACTS. 2.1- they were all together in 2 one place. And suddenly there came from heaven a sound as of the rushing of a mighty wind, and it filled all the house where 8 they were sitting. And there appeared unto them tongues 'parting asunder, like as of fire ; and it sat upon each one of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. 5 Now there were dwell- ing at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, from every nation under heaven. 6 And when this sound was heard, the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every man heard them speaking in his own lan- 7guage. And they were 1 Or, parting among them Or, (fis- sion of Christ and this occasion, as he continued to appear to his disciples for forty days, and the day of Pentecost was the fiftieth. 2. House; apartment or hall. 3. The original implies not that there were cloven tongues of fire, but that a fiery appear- ance suddenly presented itself, and then, parting asunder, rested on each one in the assembly. 5. From every nation under heaven ; that is, from a great many of the neighboring na- tions, to which the Jews had emigrated. G. When this sound was heard ; all amazed and marvelled, saying, Behold, are not all these which speak Galilseans \ And how 8 hear we, every man in our own language, wherein we were born % Parthians 9 and Medes and Elamites, and the dwellers in Meso- potamia, in Judsea and Cappadocia, in Pontus and Asia, in Phrygia and 10 Pamphylia, in Egypt and the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and sojourners from Rome,both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and 11 Arabians, we do hear them speaking in our tongues the mighty works of God. And they were all amazed, 13 and were perplexed, say- ing one to another, What meaneth this % But oth- 13 ers mocking said, They are filled with new wine. But Peter, standing up 14 tributing themselves i. e., when the noise of the rushing mighty wind was heard. This is the meaning adopted by the Revisers, though some scholars adopt that implied in the Old Version, viz. : when the rumor of the fiery appearance and the speaking in various tongues was noised abroad through the city. 8. In our own language ; the differences were those of differ- ent dialects of the Greek lan- guages, as spoken in the various provinces described in the fol- lowing verses. 13. New wine; or sweet wine; evidently an intoxicating bever- age is implied. -2. 23. THE ACTS. 415 with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and spake forth unto them, saying, Ye men of Judsea, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and give ear unto my 15 words. For these are not drunken, as ye sup- pose ; seeing it is but the third hour of the day ; lebut this is that which hath been spoken 'by the prophet Joel ; 17 And it shall be in the last days, saith God, I will pour forth of my Spirit upon all flesh : And your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, And your young men shall see visions, And your old men shall dream dreams : 18 Yea and on my "ser- vants and on my "handmaidens in those days Will I pour forth of 1 Or, through 2 Gr. bondmen. 15. Third hour; about nine o'clock in the morning. 16. Joel ; Joel 2 : 28-32. 17. 18. Prophesy, — see visions, — dream dreams. These are metaphorical expressions, deno- ting, in a general manner, all special communications from the Spirit of God. 19, 20. These, also, are figura- tive expressions, referring, as some think, to the portentous events which preceded the de- my Spirit ; and they shall prophesy. And I will shew won- 19 ders in the heaven above, And signs on the earth beneath ; Blood, and fire, and vapour of smoke : The sun shall be 20 turned into dark- ness, And the moon into blood, Before the day of the Lord come, That great and notable day : And it shall be, that 21 whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved. Ye men of Israel, hear 22 these words : Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God unto you by 4 mighty works and won- ders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, even as ye yourselves know ; him, 23 3 Gr. bondmaidens. 4 Gr. powers. struction of Jerusalem ; as others think, to phenomena which will attend the second coming of Christ. 23. By the hand of lawless men ; although the crucifixion of Christ was preceded by a certain form of trial, the rules of Jewish courts were violated in the trial before the High Priest, and the condemnation of Christ was ex- torted from Pilate by a mob. — The bold assertion in this verse 416 THE ACTS. 2. 23— being delivered up by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye by the hand of Maw- less men did crucify and 24 slay: whom God raised up, having loosed the pangs of death : because it was not possible that he should be holden of 25 it. For David saith con- cerning him, I beheld the Lord al- ways before my face ; For he is on my right hand, that I should not be moved : 26 Therefore my heart was glad, and my tongue rejoiced ; Moreover my flesh also shall a dwell in hope: 27 Because thou wilt not leave my soul in Hades, Neither wilt thou give thy Holy One to see corruption. 28 Thou madest known 1 Or, men without the law 2 Or, tabernacle 3 Or, in thy presence of the precedent and entire con- trol which God exercises even over the events accomplished by the greatest human wickedness, strikingly accords with the dec- laration of Christ on a similar occasion. (Luke 22: 22.) The human mind will probably ever continue to speculate in vain upon this subject. No one has yet resolved the theoretical diffi- culties in which it is involved, — although, practically, no diffi- culty arises from it whatever. unto me the ways of life; Thou shalt make me full cZ gladness 3with thy countenance. Brethren, I may say 29 unto you freely of the patriarch David, that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us unto this day. Being 30 therefore a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins 4he would set one upon his throne; he 31 foreseeing this spake of the resurrection of the Christ, that neither was he left in Hades, nor did his flesh see corruption. This Jesus did God raise 32 up, 6 whereof we all are witnesses. Being there- 33 fore 6by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath poured 4 Or, one should sit 5 Or, of whom 6 Or, at 25. The quotation here made is from Ps. 16: 8-11. 27. Hades; i. e., the place of the dead. 29. He both died and was bu rit dy &c. ; and of course the above language cannot apply to him. 30. Of the fruit of his loins ; of his descendants. 31. Of the Christ; i.e., of the Messiah. 33. Poured forth this ; the spir- itual influence which had awak- ened their wonder. -2. 44. THE ACTS. 417 forth this, which ye see 34 and hear. For David as- cended not into the hea- vens: but he saith him- self, The Lord saith unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, 35 Till I make thine ene- mies the footstool of thy feet. 36 Let 'all the house of Israel therefore know assuredly, that God hath made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom ye cru- cified. 37 Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and the rest of the apostles, Brethren, 38 what shall we do? And Peter said unto them, Repent ye, and be bap- tized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ unto the remission of your sins ; and ye shall 1 Or, every house 2 Or, having received 3 Or, in fellowship 34. Ascended not, &c. ; has not risen from the grave. 36. Peter, in the foregoing speech, as he is addressing a Jewish audience, builds his ar- gument on the predictions of the Old Testament Scriptures, in ■which they believed. 38. Unto the remission of your sins ; the remission of sin is the result of sincere repentance and of baptism, as a public confession of sin, and of Christ as a Saviour from sin. 39. The words unto him arc receive the gift of the Holy Grhost. For to you 39 is the promise, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call unto him. And with many other 40 words he testified, and exhorted them, saying, Save yourselves from this crooked generation. They 41 then 2 that received his word were baptized : and there were added unto them in that day about three thousand souls. And they continued sted-42 fastly in the apostles' teaching and 3 fellowship, in the breaking of bread and the prayers. And fear came upon 43 every soul : and many wonders and signs were done *by the apostles6. And all that believed 44 were together, and had all things common; and 4 5 4 Or, through 5 Many ancient authorities add in Je- rusalem ; and great fear was upon all. not found in the Old Version, and are wanting in some manu- scripts; but they do not really change the significance of the verse. 40. Crooked ; perverse, wicked. 42. In the apostles1 teaching; i. e., in receiving and obeying their teaching. 44. Had all things common ; as explained below. 45. And parted them to all, &c. ; that is, they sold their goods for the purpose of distributing to the poor, so far as there was 418 THE ACTS. 2.45— they sold their posses- sions and goods, and parted them to all, ac- cording as any man had 46 need. And day by day, continuing stedfastly with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread at home, they did take their food with glad- ness and singleness of 47 heart, praising GJ-od, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added 'to them day by day those that were being saved. 3 Now Peter and John were going np into the temple at the hour of prayer, being the ninth 2 hour. And a certain man that was lame from his 1 Gr. together. need ; and they did this so freely that they might be said to have all things common. The idea which has been sometimes enter- tained, that the early Christians adopted the principle of a com- munity of goods, as the basis of their system of social polity, is clearly erroneous. All the allu- sions to the subject of property which occur hereafter in this book and in the Epistles, show that the title to property contin- ued to be held personally, by in- dividuals, and was not vested in the church. Hence the rich and the poor are constantly spoken of, and contributions are taken up in the churches when requir- ed. 46. At home ; i. e., in private. Their religion was not merely a public worship in the temple. mother's womb was car- ried, whom they laid daily at the door of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms of them that entered into the temple; who seeing 3 Peter and John about to go into the temple, asked to receive an alms. And 4 Peter, fastening his eyes upon him, with John, said, Look on us. And 5 he gave heed unto them, expecting to receive some- thing from them. But 6 Peter said, Silver and gold have I none ; but what I have, that give I thee. In the name of Je- sus Christ of Nazareth, walk. And he took him 7 by the right hand, and but also a home religion. 47. Having favor with all the joeople. A truly good man will or- dinarily be respected and belov- ed by the community. His firm principle will command respect, and his kindness and sympathy secure affection. It is a mistake to suppose that a Christian who is faithful must necessarily and al- ways be the object of popular dis- like. — Those that were being saved ; a more literal translation of the original than the Old Version, u such as should be saved." The meaning is, that those only were received into the church who gave evidence that they accepted salvation through Jesus Christ. CHAPTER III. 1. Ninth hour ; about three o'clock in the afternoon. —3. 15. THE ACTS. 419 raised him up : and im- mediately his feet and his ankle-bones received 8 strength. And leaping up, he stood, and began to walk ; and he entered with them into the tem- ple, walking, and leap- ing, and praising God. 9 And all the people saw him walking and prais- loingG-od: and they took knowledge of him, that it was he which sat for alms at the Beautiful Gate of the temple : and they were filled with wonder and amazement at that which had hap- pened unto him. 11 And as he held Peter and John, all the people ran together unto them in the 1 porch that is called Solomon's, greatly 1 Or, portico 2 Or, thing 3 Or, Child : and so in ver. 26 ; iv. 27, 10. They took knowledge of him; i. e., they recognized him as the one that had been sitting for alms at the gate. 11. Held ; detained. 12. Why fasten ye your eyes on lis; a graphic representation of the original, and of the earnest- ness with which the people gazed on the apostles as they saw the lame man walking and leaping, and praising God. Nothing can be more striking than the change which the day of Pentecost seems to have produced upon the traits of character manifested by the apostles. It seems to have inspired them with new in- telligence, as well as with new energy. The courage, the deci- wondering. And when 12 Peter saw it, he answered unto the people, Ye men of Israel, why marvel ye at this 2 man ? or why fasten ye your eyes on us, as though by our own power or godliness we had made him to walk % The God of Abraham, 13 and of Isaac, and of Ja- cob, the God of our Fa- thers, hath glorified his 3 Servant Jesus ; whom ye delivered up, and denied before the face of Pilate, when he had determined to release him. But ye 14 denied the Holy and Righteous One, and ask- ed for a murderer to be granted unto you, and 15 killed the 4 Prince of Life ; whom God raised from the dead ; B whereof 30. See Matt. irii. 18 ; Is. xlii. 1 ; lii. 13; liii. 11. 4 Or, Author 5 Or, of whom sion, the moral dignity, and power, that mark the position which Peter now assumes, and which henceforth seem to char- acterize the measures and de- meanor of all the apostles, are strongly contrasted with the timidity, the indecision, and the perpetual misconceptions, which had marked their con- duct and conversation before. 13. His Servant Jesus; not as in the Old Version, Son. Here, as in other parallel passages, (see verse 26, ch. 4: 27, 30,) the reference is not to the sonship of Christ, but rather to the obe- dience which, as the servant of the Father, the Messiah rendered upon earth. 420 THE ACTS. 3. 15— iSwe are witnesses. And 'by faith in his name hath his name made this man strong, whom ye be- hold and know : yea, the faith which is through him hath given him this perfect soundness in the 17 presence of you all. And now, brethren, I wot that in ignorance ye did it, as did also your rulers. 18 But the things which God foreshewed by the mouth of all the pro- phets, that his Christ should suffer, he thus 19 fulfilled. Repent ye therefore, and turn again, that your sins may be blotted out, that so there may come seasons of re- freshing from the pres- 20^ice of the Lord; and that hs may send the Christ who hath been ap- pointed for you, even 21 Jesus : whom the heaven 1 Or, on the ground of 2 Or, as he raised up me 16. It was the name or power of Christ which had healed the lame man by means of the man's exercise of faith in that name. 17. I wot; I am aware. Ob- serve the gentleness, as well as fidelity, with which Peter re- proves this sin. 19. Refreshing; spiritual re- newal. The difference here be- tween the New Version and the Old is important. The Old Ver- sion read, that your sins may 1e Hotted out when the times of re- freshing shall come, and he shall send Jesus Christ. This implied that the work of divine forgive- must receive until the times of restoration of all things, whereof God spake by the mouth of his holy prophets which have been since the world began. Moses indeed said, 22 A prophet shall the Lord God raise up unto you from among your breth- ren, 2like unto me; to him shall ye hearken in all things whatsoever he shall speak unto you. And it shall be, that 23 every soul, which shall not hearken to that pro- phet, shall be utterly de- stroyed from among the people. Yea and all the 24 prophets from Samuel and them that followed after, as many as have spoken, they also told of these days. Ye are the2o sons of the prophets, and of the covenant which God 3 made with your 3 Gr. covenanted. ness would be accomplished or perfected only on some future occasion, in a Second Coming of Christ. But the meaning is, as represented in the New Version, Peter exhorts the people to re- pent, that a spiritual refreshment or a revival may be given to them, and that Christ may be restored to them. Repentance of sin is this condition of receiv- ing spiritual blessing. 21. Restoration, *&c. ; accom- plishment of all things which, &c. 22. This passage is found m Dent. 18: 15-19: —4. 10. THE ACTS. 423 fathers, saying unto Abraham, And in thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed. 26 Unto you first God, hav- ing raised up his Servant, sent him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from your iniqui- ties. 4 And as they spake un- to the people, ' the priests and the captain of the temple and the Sadducees 2 came upon them, being sore troubled because they taught the people, and proclaimed in Jesus the resurrection from the 3 dead. And they laid hands on them, and put them in ward unto the morrow: for it was now 4 eventide. But many of them that heard the word believed ; and the number of the men came to be about five thousand. 5 And it came to pass on 1 Some ancient authorities read the chief priests. 26. To bless you in turning away every one of you from your iniqui- ties. Here, for the first time, we have eyidence that the apos- tles had arrived at a full under- standing of the real nature of the redemption which Jesus Christ came to procure. Their erroneous ideas, which had con- tinued even after the resurrec- tion, (Acts 1 : 6,) seem to have been now forever removed. — His Servant; not bis son. See verse 13. 17. the morrow, that their rulers and elders and scribes were gathered to- gether in Jerusalem ; and 6 Annas the high priest was there, and Caiaphas, and John, and Alexander, and as many as were of the kindred of the high priest. And when they 7 had set them in the midst, they inquired, By what power, or in what name, have ye done this \ Then 8 Peter, filled with the Holy Ghost, said unto them, Ye rulers of the 9 people, and elders, if we this day are examined concerning a good deed done to an impotent man, 2 by what means this man is 3 made whole; be it 10 known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, 2 Or, in whom 3 Or, saved CHAPTER IY. 2. Sore troubled ; not grieved, but displeased, angry. The Sadducees did not believe in a resurrection. 8. In ward ; in confinement. 4. Five thousand. This may, perhaps, include the converts made before. 6. Annas. He had been high priest, and still retained the title. Caiaphas was his son-in- law, and was then high priest. —John and Alexander ; influen- tial members of the Sanhedrim. 424 THE ACTS. 4. 10—' even in -him doth this man stand here before n you whole. He is the stone which was set at nought of you the builders, which was made the head of the corner. 12 And in none other is there salvation : for neither is there any other name under heaven, that is given among men, where- in we must be saved. 13 Now when they beheld the boldness of Peter and John, and had perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled ; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with 14 Jesus. And seeing the man which was healed standing with them, they could say nothing against 15 it. But when they had commanded them to go aside out of the council, they conferred among 16 themselves, saying, What shall we do to these men ? for that indeed a not- able 'miracle hath been wrought through them, is manifest to all that dwell in Jerusalem ; and 17 we cannot deny it. But that it spread no further 1 Or, this name 2 Gr. kign. among the people, let us threaten them, that they speak henceforth to no man in this name. And 18 they called them, and charged them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus. Buti9 Peter and John answered and said unto them, Whether it be right in the sight of God to heark- en unto you rather than unto God, judge ye: for 20 we cannot but speak the things which we saw and heard. And they, when 21 they had further threatened them, let them go, finding nothing how they might punish them, because of the people ; for all men glorified God for that which was done. For the man was more 22 than forty years old, on whom this 'miracle of healing was wrought. And being let go, they 23 came to their own com- pany, and reported all that the chief priests and the elders had said unto them. And they, when 24 they heard it, lifted up their voice to God with one accord, and said, 0 "Lord, 4thou that didst 3 Or, MasUr 4 Or, thou art he that did make IS. Took knowledge of them, Ac. They recognized them as haying been among the followers «f Jesus when he was alive. 21. Because of the people. They feared creating a tumult among the people. —4. 33. THE ACTS. 425 make the heaven and the earth and the sea, and all 25 that in them is : 'who by the Holy Ghost, by the mouth of our father David thy servant, didst say, Why did the Gentiles rage, And the peoples a im- agine vain things % 26 The kings of the earth set themselves in ar- ray, And the rulers were gathered together, Against the Lord, and against his 'Anointed: 27for of a truth in this city against thy holy Servant Jesus, whom thou didst anoint, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, were gathered 28 together, to do whatso- ever thy hand and thy counsel foreordained to 1 The Greek text in this clause is somewhat uncertain. 25. Ps. 2: 1, 2. — Imagine vain things ; vainly imagine that they could contend against God. 25, 26. The variations in these verses from the Old Version are due chiefly to differences in the text, which is somewhat uncer- tain. 27. Didst anoint ; invested with power. 28. We observe that the apos- tles constantly gather strength and encouragement, in all their trials, from the reflection that every event that takes place is only the fulfilment of God's pre- determined plan. However _great the philosophical difficulty in- come to pass. And now, 2d Lord, look upon their threatenings : and grant unto thy 4 servants to speak thy word with all boldness, while thou 30 stretchest forth thy hand to heal ; and that signs and wonders may be done through the name of thy holy Servant Jesus. And 31 when they had prayed, the place was shaken wherein they were ga- thered together ; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness. And the multitude of 32 them that believed were of one heart and soul : and not one of them said that aught of the things wThich he possessed was his own ; but they had all things common. And 33 2 Or, meditate 4 Gr. bondservants. 3 Gr. Christ. volved in it, they clearly believ- ed that his sovereign purposes cover and control even those events which are accomplished by crime. This belief, in the decided form in which they held and expressed it, appears very obviously to be the foundation of the undaunted courage, and boundless confidence in God, which they displayed. 30. Thy holy Servant; not Child. Seech. 3: 13, note. 32. All things common; that is, their property was surrender- ed, so far as was necessary, with the utmost readiness and free- dom. 426 THE ACTS. 4. 33— with great power gave the apostles their witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus' : and great grace was upon them all. 84 For neither was there among them any that lacked : for as many as were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the prices of the 85 things that were sold, and laid them at the apostles' feet : and distribution was made unto each, according as any one had need. 36 And Joseph, who by the apostles w7as sur- named Barnabas (which is, being interpreted, Son of 2 exhortation), a Levi^e, a man of Cyprus by race, 37 having a field, sold it, and brought the money, and laid it at the apostles' feet. 5 But a certain man nam- ed Ananias, with Sap- phira his wife, sold a 2 possession, and kept back part of the price, his 1 Some ancient authorities add Ch)-ist. 2 Or, convolution 34. Sold them ; so far as there was any occasion. There is abundant proof, in the subse- quent narrative, that property was still generally held as a private possession. 36. A Levite. Very few of the priests or Levites had hitherto rus ; an island in the Mediter- ranean. CHAPTER V. %. Brought a certain 'part ; pre- wife also being privy to it, and brought a certain part, and laid it at the apostles' feet. But^Peter3 said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thy heart to 3 lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land? Whiles it re 4 mained, did it not remain thine own % and after it was sold, w^as it not in thy power ? How is it that thou hast conceived this thing in thy heart \ thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God. And 5 Ananias hearing these words fell down and gave up the ghost : and great fear came upon all that heard it. And the 4young6 men arose and wrax>ped him round, and they car- ried him out and buried him. And it was about the 7 space of three hours after, when his wife, not knowing what was done, 3 Or, deceive 4 Gr. younger. tending that it was the whole. 3. To lie to the Holy Ghost; by attempting a fraud upon thoso who were under the special in- fluences of the Holy Spirit. 4. Whiles it remained, &c. These questions imply that whatever sacrifices of property were thus made were entirely voluntary. 6. Wrapped hirn round; in preparation for burial. —5. 21. THE ACTS. 427 8 came in. And Peter an- swered unto her, Tell me whether ye sold the land for so much. And she said, Yea, for so much. 9 But Peter said unto her, How is it that ye have agreed together to tempt the Spirit of the Lord? behold, the feet of them which have buried thy husband are at the door, and they shall carry thee 10 out. And she fell down immediately at his feet, and gave up the ghost : and the young men came in and found her dead, and they carried her out and buried her by her 11 husband. And great fear came upon the whole church, and upon all that heard these things. 12 And by the hands of the apostles were many signs and wonders wrought among the peo- ple ; and they were all with one accord in Solo- l3mon's porch. But of the rest durst no man join himself to them : howbeit the people magnified 14 them ; 'and believers were 1 Or, and there were the more added to 13. Of the rest ; that is, be- sides the common people men- tioned in the last clause of the verse. The meaning is, the common people magnified him, but of the rest, that is, of the higher classes, durst no man, &c. the more added to the Lord, multitudes both of men and women; inso-15 much that they even car- ried out the sick into the streets, and laid them on beds and couches, that, as Peter came by, at the least his shadow might overshadow some one of them. And there also 16 came together the multi- tude from the cities round about Jerusalem, bring- ing sick folk, and them that were vexed with un- clean spirits : and they were healed every one. But the high priest rose 17 up, and all they that were with him (which is the sect of the Saddu- cees), and they were fill- ed with jealousy, and 18 laid hands on the apos- tles, and put them in public ward. But an an- 19 gel of the Lord by night opened the prison doors, and brought them out, and said, Go ye, and 20 stand and speak in the temple to the people all the words of this Life. And when they heard 21 them, believing on the Lord 17. They that were with him; his associates and partisans. — Were filled with jealousy ; they were jealous of the popularity of the apostles, and this explains their wrath and indignation. 20. Of this Life ; of this salva- tion; that is, salvation from sin by Jesus Christ. 428 THE ACTS. 5. 21— this, they entered into the temple about day- break, and taught. But the high priest came, and they that were with him, and called the council to- gether, and all the senate of the children of Israel, and sent to the prison- house to have them 22 brought. But the officers that came found them not in the prison ; and they returned, and told, 23 saying, The prison-house we found shut in all safe- ty, and the keepers stand- ing at the doors : but when we had opened, we found no man within. 24Xow when the captain of the temple and the chief priests heard these words, they were much perplex- ed concerning them whereunto this would 25 grow. And there came one and told them. Be- ll old, the men whom ye put in the prison are in the temple standing and teaching the people. 26 Then went the captain with the officers, and brought them, but with- out violence ; for they 1 Or. at, J Some ancient authorities add in him. 8 Gr. sayings. 26. Feared the people. We are often reminded, by such expres- sions as this, of the veneration and regard which the people entertained for the apostles. 28. This man'* blood. This contemptuous mode of designat- f eared the people, lest they should be stoned. And when they had 27 brought them, they set them before the council. And the high priest ask ed them, saying, We 28 straitly charged you not to teach in this name : and behold, ye have fill- ed Jerusalem with your teaching, and intend to bring this man's blood upon us. But Peter and 29 the apostles answered and said, We must obey God rather than men. The 30 God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew, hanging him on a tree. Him did God exalt 'with 31 his right hand to be 2l Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Is- rael, and remission of sins. And we are witnesses2 of 82 these 3 things ; * and so is the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him. But' they, when they 33 heard this, were cut to the heart, and were minded to slay them. But there stood up one 34 in the council, a Pharisee, 4 Some ancient authorities read and God hath given (he Holy Ghost to them that obey him. ing the Saviour shows that their feelings towards him remained unchanged. 31. With his right hand ; by his supreme power. 34. Gamaliel. One or two prominent men of this uame ap- 6. 1. THE ACTS. 429 named Gamaliel, a doctor of the law, had in honour of all the people, and commanded to put the men forth a little while. 35 And he said unto them, Ye men of Israel, take heed to yourselves as touching these men, what 36 ye are about to do. For before these days rose up Theudas, giving himself out to be somebody ; to whom a number of men, about four hundred, join- ed themselves : who was slain ; and all, as many as obeyed him, were dispers- ed, and came to nought. 37 After this man rose up Judas of Galilee in the days of the enrolment, and drew away some of the people after him ; he also perished ; and all, as many as obeyed him, were scattered abroad. 88 And now I say unto you, Refrain from these men, and let them alone : for if this counsel or this 1 Gr. Hellenists. pear in the secular history of those times. Gamaliel was the name of the early instructor of Paul. (Acts 22:3.) 37. Drew aioay, &c. ; in an attempt, probably, to resist the tax. 40. To him they agreed ; that is, so far as to spare the lives of their prisoners. CHAPTER VI. 1. Grecian Jews; that is, those who, having been born work be of men, it will be overthrown: but if it 39 is of God, ye will not be able to overthrow them ; lest haply ye be found even to be fighting against c God. And to him they 40 agreed : and when they had called the apostles unto them, they beat them and charged them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. They therefore departed 41 from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonour, for the Name. And every 42 day, in the temple and at home, they ceased not to teach and to preach Jesus as the Christ. Now in these days, 6 when the number of the disciples was multiply- ing, there arose a mur- muring of the * Grecian Jews against the He- brews, because their wid- ows were neglected in the and educated in the Grecian countries around Palestine, spoke the Greek language, used a Greek version of the Scrip- tures, and conformed in many respects to Greek customs, though by parentage and in their religion they were Jews. — Daily ministration; the daily distribution of money or food to the needy. 2. Serve tables; attend to sec- ular business. The tables re- ferred to were not tables spread 430 THE ACTS. e.i— 2 daily ministration. And the twelve called the mul- titude of the disciples un- to them, and said, It is not 'lit that we should t forsake the word of God, 3 and "serve tables. 3 Look ye out therefore, breth- ren, from among you seven men of good report, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may appoint over this busi- ness. But wre will con- tinue stedfastly in pray- 1 Gr. pleasing. 2 Or, minister to tables with food, but such as were used in receiving and paying money. For another allusion to such tables, see John 2: 15. 4. Ministry of the word; pub- lic religious instruction. 5. These are nearly all Gre- cian names; indicating either that they were appointed to take charge of the distribution to the Grecian portion of the church only; or else, if their charge was general, that special exertion was made to conciliate those who had complained, by making the appointments main- ly from their own number. — A proselyte ; a man born a Gen- tile, and converted to the Jewish faith. 6. They laid their hands on them; ordained them by that ceremony. Joshua was inducted into office in the same way by Moses, (Num. 27:23. Deut. 34: 9,) which shows it to have been a very ancient custom among the Jews. The laying on of hands, even in the apostles' time, was not the peculiar and distinctive ceremony of ordina- tion, as it is now; for it was used on almost any occasion of er, and in the ministry of the word. And the say- 5 ing pleased the whole multitude : and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Par- menas, and Nicolas a pro- selyte of Antioch : whom 6 they set before the apos- tles : and when they had prayed, they laid their hands on them. 3 Some ancient authorities read But, brethren, look ye out from among you. religious solemnity. (Acts 8 : 17. 9: 17. 28: 8.) This account of the appointment and ordination of deacons has given rise to a great deal of speculation and discussion among those of all denominations who look to the practices of the early Christians for models of church organiza- tion and government, binding on the followers of the Saviour in all subsequent times. Va- rious systems have been de- duced from this narrative, each made oat by the help of many inferences and much conjecture. But, in fact, the appointment of these officers, made to meet an emergency so peculiarly local and temporary, seems too narrow a foundation for such a super- structure as a system of eccle- siastical polity of permanent and universal obligation. It would seem that, if the apostles had intended to found an order of ministry which was to continue through all ages, and remain permanently the same among all the nations of the earth, — under every degree of civilization, and every variety of political condi- tion,— instead of ingrafting -7.4. THE ACTS. 431 7 And the word of God increased ; and the num- ber of the disciples mul- tiplied in Jerusalem ex- ceedingly ; and a great company of the priests were obedient to the faith. 8 And Stephen, full of grace and power, wrought great wonders and signs 9 among the people. But there arose certain of them that were of the synagogue called the syn- agogue of the Libertines, and of the Cyrenians, and of the Alexandrians, and of them of Cilicia and Asia, disputing with Ste- lophen. And they were not able to withstand the wisdom and the Spirit by 11 which he spake. Then they suborned men, which said, We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses, and 12 against God. And they stirred up the people, and the elders, and the scribes, and came upon their plan upon an incident like this, they would have formed it expressly and deliberately, and •would have laid down its regu- lations in comprehensive and general terms. 9. These are different classes of Jews from the countries around, but resident then in Jerusalem. The names general- ly denote the places from which they came. 10. The preaching of Stephen seems not to have been by virtue of his office of deacon, as that him, and seized him, and brought him into the council, and setup falsel3 witnesses, which said, This man ceaseth not to speak words against this holy place, and the law : for we have heard him 14 say, that this Jesus of Nazareth shall destroy this place, and shall change the customs which Moses delivered unto us. And all that sat in the 15 council, fastening their eyes on him, saw his face as it had been the face of an angel. And the high priest 7 said, Are these things so % And he said, 2 Brethren and fathers, hearken. The God of glory appeared unto our father Abraham, when he was in Mesopotamia, be- fore he dwelt in Haran, and said unto him, Get 3 thee out of thy land, and from thy kindred, and come into the land which I shall shew thee. Then 4 office was constituted expressly for the service of tables, that is, for attending to the secular busi- ness connected with money and accounts. 11. Suborned ; procured by bribery. 15. Fastening their eyes on him; a graphic description of their intent gaze. — Sato his face, &c. It beamed with an expression of holy peace and joy. CHAPTER VII. 4. When his father was dead. 432 THE ACTS. 7. 6— came lie out of the land of the Chaldseans, and dwelt in Haran : and from thence, when his fa- ther was dead, God re- moved him into this land, wherein ye now dwell : b and he gave him none in- heritance in it, no, not so much as to set his foot on : and he promised that he would give it to him in possession, and to his seed after him, when as 6 yet he had no child. And God spake on this wise, that his seed should so- journ in a strange land, and that they should bring them into bondage, and entreat them evil, 7 four hundred years. And the nation to which they shall be in bondage will I judge, said C 1: and after that shall they come forth, and serve me 8 in this place. And ho gave him the covenant of circumcision : and so Abraham begat Isaac, and circumcised him the eighth day ; and Isaac Ix'jat Jacob, and Jacob The twelve patriarchs. And the patriarchs, mov-9 ed with jealousy against Joseph, sold him into Egypt : and God was with him, and delivered 10 him out of all his afflic- tions, and gave him fa- vour and wisdom before Pharaoh king of Egypt ; and he made him gover- nor over Egypt and all his house. Now there 11 came a famine over all Egypt and Canaan, and great affliction : and our fathers found no sus- tenance. But when Ja- 12 cob heard that there was I corn in Egypt, he sent forth our fathers the first time. And at the second 13 time Joseph was made known to his brethren ; and Joseph's race became manifest unto Pharaoh. And Joseph sent, and 14 called to him Jacob his father, and all his kin- dred, threescore and fif- teen souls. And Jacob 15 went down into Egypt ; \ and he died, himself, and our fathers ; and they 16 were carried over unto Shechem, and laid in the By a comparison of Gen. 11: 2G, 11 : 33, and 12: 4, it would seem that Abraham's father must have been alive at tlii 3 time. There are many such apparent discre- pancies between the statements made in this discourse, and those in the. books of Genesis and Ex- odus, of which only conjectural explanations can be given. 7. Judge j punish. 9. The patriarchs ; Joseph's brethren. 14. Threescore and Jift Moses says seventy. (Gen. 46: 27.) 10. From Gen. 23: 16, it would S'-em that Abraham pur- chased lifs burial-field of Ephron. In Gen. 33: IS, 19, there is an account of Jacob's buying a burying-place in Syehem, of the 7. 29. THE ACTS. 433 tomb that Abraham bought for a price in sil- ver of the sons of ' Ha- 17 mor in Shechem. But as the time of the promise drew nigh, which God vouchsafed unco Abra- ham, the people grew and multiplied in Egypt, 18 till there arose another king over Egypt, which 19 knew not Joseph. The same dealt subtilly with our race, and evil en- treated our fathers, that athey should cast out their babes to the end 20 they might not 3 live. At which season Moses was born, and was 4 exceed- ing fair ; and he was nourished three months in his father's house; 21 and when he was cast out, Pharoah's daughter took him up, and nour- ished him for her own 22 son. And Moses was in- structed in all the wis- dom of the Egyptians ; and he was mighty in his 1 Gr. Emmor. 2 Or, he 3 Gr. be preserved alive. sons of Emmor, there called Hamor. This is another of the instances in which Stephen's account appears not to corres- pond with the Mosaic history, and of which no satisfactory ex- planation has yet been given. The necessity of finding such explanation depends upon the question whether we consider such an address as that of Ste- phen, so inspired as necessarily to be free from all errors. Such words and works. But 23 when he was well-nigh forty years old, it came into his heart to visit his brethren the children of Israel. And seeing one 24 of them suffer wrong, he defended him, and aveng- ed him that was oppress- ed, smiting the Egyptian : and he supposed that his 25 brethren understood how that God by his hand was giving them 6 deliver- ance ; but they under- stood not. And the day 26 following he appeared unto them as they strove, and would have set them at one again, saying, Sirs, ye are brethren ; why do ye wrong one to another % But he that did his neigh- 27 bour wrong thrust him away, saying, Who made thee a ruler and a judge over us % Wouldest thou 28 kill me, as thou killedst the Egyptian yesterday ? And Moses fled at this 39 saying, and became a so- 4 Or, fair unto God 5 Or, salvation a slip in a name, whether made originally by Stephen, or by the reporter, or by some subsequent copyist, does not in the least im- pair the moral effect of his ar- gument. 17. The promise ; to give the land of Canaan to the descendants of Abraham. 25. Was giving them deliver- ance; i. e., that this was his purpose in smiting the Egyp- tian. 434 THE ACTS. 7. 29— iourner in the \and of Midian, where he begat 30 two sons. And when forty years were fulfilled, an angel appeared to him in the wilderness of mount Sinai, in a flame of fire in 31 a bush. And when Moses saw it, he wondered at the sight : and as he drew near to behold, there came a voice of the Lord, 32 1 am the God of thy fa- thers, the God of Abra- ham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob. And Moses trem- bled, and durst not be- 33 hold. And the Lord said unto him, Loose the shoes from thy feet : for the place whereon thou stand- 34 est is holy ground. I have surely seen the af- fliction of my people which is in Egypt, and have heard their groan- ing, and I am come down to deliver them : and now come, I will send thee in- 35 to Egypt, This Moses whom they refused, say- 1 Gr. redeemer. 2 Or, as he raised up me 30. An angel. This expression is employed to represent any of the visible forms by which God made communications to men. God himself, being a spirit, is necessarily invisible. See v. 38, •where even the voice which held communication with Moses upon Mount Sinai, is represented as that of an angel. (Comp. Ex. 19:18-21.) 33. Loose the shoes. To re- move the shoes or sandals from ing, Who made thee a ruler and a judge? him hath God sent to be both a ruler and a ' deliverer with the hand of the an- gel which appeared to him in the bush.' This 36 man led them forth, hav- ing wrought wonders and signs in Egypt, and in the Red sea, and in the wilderness forty years. This is that Moses, which 37 said unto the children of Israel, A prophet shall God raise up unto you from among your breth: ren, 2 like unto me. This 38 is he that was in the 3 church in the wilderness with the angel which spake to him in the mount Sinai, and with our fa- thers : who received liv- ing oracles to give unto us : to whom our fathers 39 would not be obedient, but thrust him from them, and turned back in their hearts unto Egypt, say- 40 ing unto Aaron, Make 8 Or, congregation the feet, was a token of respect or of reverence. 34. / have surely seen. The repetition is to give emphasis to the declaration. 38. This is he; that is, this Moses is he, — the expression re- ferring to what is said at the commencement of the preceding verse. — The church in the wilder- ness ; the children of Israel. — Living ; life-giving. 40. We wot not ; we know not. — 1. 46. THE ACTS. 435 us gods which shall go before us : for as for this Moses, which led us forth out of the land of Egypt, we wot not what is be- 41 come of him. And they made a calf in those days, and brought a sacrifice unto the idol, and rejoic- ed in the works of their 42 hands. But God turned, and gave them up to serve the host of heaven ; as it is written in the book of the prophets, Did ye offer unto me slain beasts and sacri- fices Forty years in the wilderness, 0 house •of Israel? 43 And ye took up the tabernacle of Moloch, 1 Gr. Jesus. 41. Rejoiced; that is, with festivities of religious worship, mentioned in Ex. 32 : 6. 43. There is no account in the Mosaic history of the particular forms of idolatrous worship, to which these allusions refer. The passage appears to be a quo- tation from Amos, 5 : 25, 26, through the Greek version then in use, — with some differences, however, in the phraseology. The language of the prophet must be regarded as that of severe irony, and is so inter- preted by Stephen here. The tabernacle of God in which the Hebrews gloried was like that of Moloch, and their worship like that of Remphan. For pride and self-complacency make all worship vain. 44. The tabernacle of the testi- And the star of the god Rephan, The figures which ye made to worship them : And I will carry you away beyond Baby- lon. Our fathers had the taber- 44 nacle of the testimony in the wilderness, even as he appointed who spake unto Moses, that he should mako it according to the figure that he had seen. Which also our fathers, 45 in their turn, brought in with 'Joshua when they entered on the possession of the nations, which God thrust out before the face of our fathers, unto the days of David; who found 46 mony. The tabernacle was the sacred tent, under which the ark containing the covenant made by Jehovah with his peo- ple, accompanied by visible tokens of his presence, was re- ceived. It was hence called the tabernacle of the testimony, as containing the testimony or witness- of God's promised pro- tection and blessing. 45. Joshua, the successor of Moses. In the Old Version, Je- sus ; Jesus is the Greek, and Joshua the Hebrew form. — Pos- session of the nations; Canaan; Unto the days of David. ; that is, it was kept until his days. • 46. That is, nsked permission to build another habitation, re- ferring to the temple which David desired to build, and which was built by his son Solo- mon. 43(5 THE ACTS. 7. 46— favour in the sight of God, and asked to find a habita- tion for the God of Jacob. 47 But Solomon built him a 48 house. Howbeit the Most High dwelleth not in houses made with hands ; as saith the prophet, 49 The heaven is my throne, And the earth the foot- stool of my feet : What manner of house will ye build me ? saith the Lord : Or what is the place of my rest ? 50 Did not my hand make all these things 1 51 Ye stiifnecked and un- circumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost : as your fathers did, so do ye. 52 Which of the prophets did not your fathers per- secute? and they killed them which shewed be- 1 Or, as the ordinance of angels Gr. 53. Ye irho received the law as it teas ordained by angels; i. e., through the ministry of angels. [Here Stephen's historical narra- tive suddenly terminates. This summary of the Jewish history could not have served him as a defence, nor was his purpose in the speech to defend himself. He selects from the well-known facts of Jewish history those which illustrate and enforce the truth that the blessing of God had not been confined to the Jews; that the temple was not essential to the worship of God, and that worship might continue after its destruction, as it existed fore of the coming of the Righteous One ; of whom ye have now become betrayers and murderers ; ye who received the law 51 1 as it was ordained by angels, and kept it not. Now when they heard 54 these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed on him with their teeth. But he, be- 55 ing full of the Holy Ghost, looked up sted- fastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God, and said, Behold, I see 56 the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God. But they cried out with 57 a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and rushed up- on him with one accord ; and they cast him out of 58 the city, and stoned him : unto ordinances of angels. before the temple was built; that throughout their history the Jewish nation had resisted and rejected God's ministers; and that it was not therefore inconsistent with their past his- tory and character to teach that they had now rejected the Mes- siah himself. The speech breaks off abruptly, partly because of a violent interruption by the council, more probably because of an outburst of indignation on Stephen's part at the unbelief and malice of the Jewish rulers. L. A.] 58. Their garments ; that is, such as it was necessary to put -8. 5. THE ACTS. 437 and the witnesses laid down their garments at the feet of a young man 59 named Saul. And they stoned Stephen, calling upon the Lord, and say- ing, Lord Jesus, receive 60 my spirit. And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said 8 this he fell asleep. And Saul was consenting unto his death. And there arose on that day a great persecution against the church which was in Jerusalem ; and they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judaea and Samaria, except the apostles. And devout 2 men buried Stephen, and made great lamentation over him. But Saul laid 3 waste the church, enter- ing into every house, and haling men and women committed them to prison. They therefore thai 4 were " scattered abroad went about preaching the word. And Philip went 5 down to the city of Sa- maria, and proclaimed unto them the Christ. off in order to leave the arms free. The throwing of the stones was to be commenced by the witnesses. —Saul; after- wards called Paul. This is the first mentiou of his name. 59. Lord Jesus, receive my spir- it. The example of Stephen, in addressing his dying prayer to Jesus Christ, has had deservedly great influence, as evidence of the light in which the person of the Redeemer was then re- garded. CHAPTER VIII. The book of the Acts has been considered divisible into three parts_the first, containing an account of the doings of the church at Jerusalem after our Saviour's ascension; the second, -which begins at the eighth chap- ter, narrating the general his- tory of the church in Judea, after its dispersion from Jerusa- lem; and the third, from the beginning of the thirteenth chapter to the end of the book, containing the personal history of Paul. This division is con- venient for some purposes, though there is no reason to sup- pose that the author of the book had it, himself, particularly in mind. 1. There arose on that day ; i. e., the martyrdom of Stephen was the beginning of a wide- spread persecution against the disciples. 3. Laid waste the church ; the original verb is used of wild beasts or hostile armies ravaging a country. — Ealing; seizing. He acted under authority from the chief priests, as he states in his defence before Agrippa. (Acts 26 : 10.) 5. Philip. There was an apos- tle, (Matt. 10:3,) and also one of the seven deacons, (Acts 6: 5,) of the name of Philip. It would seem, from v. 14, that this individual was not one of the apostles; it is inferred, therefore, that Philip the deacon is here intended. 438 THE ACTS. 8. 6— 6 And the multitudes gave heed with one accord un- to the things that were spoken by Philip, when they heard, and saw the 7 signs which he did. 'For from many of those which had unclean spirits, they came out, crying with a loud voice : and many that were palsied, and that were lame, were 8 healed. And there was much joy in that city. 9 But there was a certain man, Simon by name, which before time in the city used sorcery, and amazed the 'people of Samaria, giving out that himself was some great! one : to whom they all | to gave heed, from the least j to the greatest, saying, j This man is that power of \ God which is called j 11 Great. And they gave heed to him, because that j of long time he had; amazed them with his sorceries. But when they t a believed Philip preaching good tidings concerning the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women. And 13 Simon also himself be- jlieved: and being bap- | tized, he continued with Philip ; and beholding signs and great * miracles wrought, he was amazed. Now when the aj)ostl^sl4 which wTere at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent unto them Pe- ter and John : who, when 15 they were come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost : for as yet 16 he was fallen upon none of them : only they had been baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus. Then laid they their 17 hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost. 1 Or, For many of those which had itn- 2 Gr. nation, clean spirit* that cried with a loud voice 3 Gr. powers, cameforlh 9. Used sorcery; pretended to possess supernatural powers. 10. That power of God which is called the Great; i. e., the great one. This indicates how- audacious and extravagant were his claims. 15. For them; for the Samari- tan converts. This account of the visit of Peter and John to the new converts, supported by other cases somewhat similar, which are hereafter recorded, is regarded by the Episcopal church as giving Scriptural authority for their rite of con- firmation. — Receive the Holy Ghost. There is some difficulty in determining how much is im- plied in "receiving the Holy Ghost," in the various connec- tions in which the expression occurs. It would seem that, in this case, it must have been at- tended by some visible and ex- traordinary manifestation, in order to attract so strongly tht attention of Simon. -8. 31. THE ACTS. 439 18 Now when Simon saw that through the laying on of the apostles' hands the - Holy Ghost was giv- en, he offered them 19 money, saying, Give me also this power, that on whomsoever I lay my hands, he may receive 20 the Holy Ghost. But Peter said unto him, Thy silver perish with thee, because thou hast thought to obtain the gift of God 21 with money. Thou hast neither part nor lot in this 'matter: for thy heart is not right before 22 God. Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray the Lord, if perhaps the thought of thy heart shall be for- 23 given thee. For I see that thou 3 art in the gall of bitterness and in the 24 bond of iniquity. And Simon answered and said, Pray ye for me to the Lord, that none of the things which ye have spoken come upon me. 25 They therefore, when they had testified and spoken the word of the 1 Some ancient authorities omit Holy 2 Gr. word. 20. Thy silver perish with thee ; an expression of strong detesta- tion at so base a proposal. 27. Ethiopia ; a part of Africa, south of Egypt. — Eunuch; a name denoting a certain class of Lord, returned to Jeru- salem, and preached the gospel to many villages of the Samaritans. But an angel of the 26 Lord spake unto Philip, saying, Arise, and go 'toward the south unto the way that goeth down from Jerusalem unto Gaza : the same is desert. And he arose and went : 27 and behold, a man of Ethiopia, a eunuch of great authority under Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was over all her treasure, who had come to Jerusalem for to worship ; and he was re- 28 turning and sitting in his chariot, and was reading the prophet Isaiah. And 29 the Spirit said u n t o Philip, Go near, and join thyself to this chariot. And Philip ran to him, 30 and heard him reading- Isaiah the prophet, and said, Understandest thou what thou readesU And 31 he said, How can I, except some one shall guide me % And he besought Philip to come up and sit with 3 Or, wilt become gall (or, a gall root of bitterness and a bond of iniquity. " 4 Or, at noon high officers of state, connected with the royal household. 28. Isaiah. He was reading, undoubtedly, a Greek transla- tion, which had been made at Alexandria, and was then much' iu use. 440 THE ACTS. 8. 32— 32 him. Now the place of the scripture which he was reading was this, He was led as a sheep to the sla lighter ; And as a lamb before his shearer is dumb, So he openeth not his mouth : 33 In his humiliation his judgement was taken away : His generation who shall declare ? For his life is taken from the earth. 1 Some ancient authorities insert, wholly or in part, ver. 37 And Philip said, If thou believest with all thy heart, 32. Was this; Isa. 53: 7, 8. The quotation being made from the Alexandrian translation, varies, in its phraseology, from our text, which was translated from the Hebrew. One cannot but wonder that this, of all pre- dictions of the Messiah's suffer- ings in the Old Testament the most striking, should have been that which the eunuch was read- ing before Philip joined him. He could hardly miss to have heard at Jerusalem of the suffer- ings and death of Jesus, and of the existence of a continually increasing party who acknow- ledged him to be the Messiah. But his question to Philip, whether the prophet in this pas- sage meant himself or some other man, clearly shows that he had not the least idea of any connection between this predic- tion and those facts. 34. / pray thee. The respect with which he here addresses Philip was prompted by his reverence for one whom he perceived to be his superior in And the eunuch answered 34 Philip, and said. I pray thee, of whom speaketh the prophet this \ of: him- self, or of some other? And Philip opened his 35 mouth, and beginning from this scripture, preached unto him Jesus. And as they went on the 36 way, they came unto a certain water ; and the eunuch saith, Behold, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized V And he commanded the 38 thou mayest. And he answered and said, 1 believe that Jesus Christ is the So/t of God. divine things, his own worldly position sinking before this. 35. And Philip opened his mouth. See on Matthew 5:2. Began at the same Scripture, founding on it as his text, preached unto him Jesus, show- ing him to be the glorious Burden of this wonderful pre- diction, and interpreting it in the light of the facts of his his- tory. 87. Behold here is water; more simply, " Behold water! " As if already, his mind filled with light and his soul set free, he was eagerly looking out for the first water in which he might seal his reception of the truth, and be enrolled among the visi- ble disciples of the Lord Jesus. — What doth hinder me to le bap- tized t Philip had probably told him that this was the ordained sign and seal of discipleship. The Old Version contained the additional words inserted here in the margin. There is no doubt, however, that these words are not a part of the orig- -9. 5. THE ACTS. 441 chariot to stand still : and they both went down into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he i 9 baptized him. And when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip ; and the eunuch saw him no more, for he went on 40 his way rejoicing. But Philip was found at Azotus: and passing through he preached the gospel to all the cities, till he came to Csesarea. 9 But Saul, yet breathing threatening and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the inal narrative; they are wanting in the best manuscripts, and are declared not genuine by Dr. Hackett in his Commentary on the Acts. 39. Caught away Philip; led or induced him to go away. That is, he immediately with- drew, under the guidance of the Spirit. 40. Azotus ; a city on the sea- coast, about thirty miles north of Gaza, — the Ashdod of the Old Testament. — Cesarea. Ca?sarea was then the capital of Judea, being the residence of the Ro- man governors. It was a large seaport on the Mediterranean, about sixty miles north of Azo- tus. CHAPTER IX. 2. Damascus ; a city of great power and splendor, more than a hundred miles from Jerusalem, and in another province. Saul's design of pursuing the Christians who had fled from Jerusalem, to such a distance, and into another high priest, and asked of % him letters to Damascus unto the synagogues, that if he found any that were of the Way, whether men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. And as he journeyed, it 3 came to pass that he drew nigh unto Damas- cus : and suddenly there shone round about him a light out of heaven: and 4 he fell upon the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me \ And he said, Who art 5 thou, Lord? And he said, I am Jesus whom jurisdiction, in order to strike a decisive blow against them in this great city, evinces the bold- ness and energy of his character. — Unto the synagogues ; that is, to the Jewish authorities in Da- mascus, the officers of the syna- gogues. 5. The Old Version added here the following sentence : It is hard for thee to kick against the pricks ; and he, trembling and astonished, said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do ; and the Lord said unto him. These words are wanting, however, in the best manu- scripts, and are not regarded as genuine by the best scholars. There is therefore no authority for the statement that Saul trembled and was astonished, — an addition probably made by some copyist. But the fact that the voice from heaven said, It is hard for thee to kick against the pricks, or the goads, is testified to by Paul in his address before Agrippa, ch, 26; 14, 15. 442 THE ACTS. 9.5- 6 tliou persecutest : but rise, and enter into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do. 7 And the men that journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing the 'voice, but beholding no 8 man. And Saul arose from the earth ; and when his eyes were opened, he saw nothing ; and they led him by the hand, and brought him into Damas- cus. And he was three days without sight, and did neither eat nor drink. 10 Now there was a certain disciple at Damascus, named Ananias ; and the Lord said unto him in a vision, Ananias. And he said, Behold, I am here, 11 Lord. And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go to the street which is called Straight, and in- quire in the house of 1 Or, sound 7. Hearing the voice. In some cases, where God is said to have spoken to men, the communica- tion appears to have been made, not by audible words, but by inward suggestion; and hence it sometimes been supposed that the dialogue here recorded represents the train of reflection which was awakened in Saul's mind by this event, and that the voice here spoken of was some sound, not articulate, which accompanied the light. The language, however, which Paul uses in Acts 22 : 9, where he says that his companions did not Judas for one named Saul, a man of Tarsus : for behold, he prayeth ; and he hath seen a mania named Ananias coming in, and laying his hands on him, that he might re- ceive his sight. But 13 Ananias answered, Lord, I have heard from many of this man, how much evil he did to thy saints at Jerusalem : and here 14 he hath authority from the chief priests to bind all that call upon thy name. But the Lord 15 said unto him, Go thy way : for he is a 2chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles and kings, and the children of Israel : for I will shew him how 16 many things he must suffer for my name's sake. And Ananias de-17 parted, and entered into 2 Gr. vessel of election. hear — that is, did not under- stand— the voice of Mm which spake to him, and in 26: 14, where he says that the words which he heard were in the He- brew language, seems to be utter- ly inconsistent with this inter- pretation. The accounts are plainly intended to convey the idea that this was actually a personal interview between the determined persecutor and the Lord Jesus Christ. 11. Tarsus; a large city of Cilicia, in Asia Minor, the birth- place of Saul. 17. This and many other cases —9. 28. THE ACTS. 443 the house ; and laying his hands on him said, Brother Saul, the Lord, even Jesus, who appeared unto thee in the way which thou earnest, hath sent me, that thou mayest receive thy sight, and be filled pwith the Holy 18 Ghost/' And straightway there fell from his eyes as it were scales, and he received his sight; and he arose and wras bap- 19 tized ; and he took food and was strengthened. And he was certain days with the disciples which 20 were at Damascus. And straghtway in the syna- gogues he proclaimed Jesus, that he is the Son 21 of God. And all that heard him were amazed, and said, Ts not this he that in Jerusalem made havock of them which called on this name ? and he had come hither for this intent, that he might bring them bound before 22 the chief priests. But Saul increased the more show that the ceremony of lay- ing on of haDds was not a dis- tinctive ceremony, exclusively peculiar to ordination. It would seem not to have been considered essential as a mode of induction to the ministerial office, as is evident from the cases of Mat- thias, Paul, and Apollos, who do not appear to have been thus ordained ; and it was often used on other occasions. 22. In strength ; in confidence I in strength, and con- | founded the Jews which dwelt at Damascus, prov- ing that this is the Christ. And when many days 23 were fulfilled, the Jews took counsel together to kill him: but their plot 24 became known to Saul. And they watched the gates also day and night that they might kill him : but his disciples took him 25 by night, and let him down through the wall, lowering him in a basket. And when he wTas come 26 to Jerusalem, he assayed to join himself to the disciples : and they were all afraid of him, not be- lieving that he was a disciple. But Barnabas 27 took him, and brought him to the apostles, and declared unto them how he had seen the Lord in the way, and that he had spoken to him, and how a t Damascus he had preached boldly in the name of Jesus. And he 28 was with them going in and ability. 25. Through the wall ; that is, through a window in the wall. Sometimes, where the house is built directly along the city wall, bay-windows are made in the wall, extending beyond it. 26. To Jerusalem. This was a long time afterwards; for it must have been during this in- terval that Paul went to Arabia, as he states in Gal. 1 : 17. 4U THE ACTS. 9. 28— and going out at Jeru- 29salem, preaching boldly in the name of the Lord : and he spake and dis- puted against the 'Grecian Jews ; but they went 30 about to kill him. And when the brethren knew it, they brought him down to Cresarea, and sent him forth to Tarsus. 31 So the church through- out all Judsea and Galilee and Samaria had peace, being 'edified ; and, walk- ing 3in the fear of the Lord and 3in the comfort of the Holy Ghost, was multiplied. 32 And it came to pass, as Peter went throughout all parts, he came down also to the saints which dwelt 33 at Lydda. And there he found a certain man 1 Gr. Hellenists. 2 Gr. buikled up. 29. See note on ch. 6: 1. 30. To Cesarea ; in order that he might embark at that place, it being a noted seaport. 31. The church throughout all Judce'i and Galilee. The Old Version had churches — the New Version follows the best manu- scripts. The difference is im- portant only in its bearing on the question whether the churches at this period were in- dependent of one another, or were unite 1 in one organization, like the Presbyterian or Epis- copal churches of our own time. 32. Lydda; a large village, between Jerusalem and Cesarea. 34. It is worthy of notice that, in this and in all similar cases, the power by which the named iEneas, which had kept his bed eight years ; for he was palsied. And 34 Peter said unto him, iEneas, Jesus Christ healeth thee: arise, and make thy bed. And straightway he arose. And all that dwelt at 35 Lydda and in Sharon saw him, and they turned to the Lord. Now there was at Joppa 36 a certain disciple named Tabitha, which by inter- pretation is called Dor- cas : this woman was full of good works and alms- deeds which she did. And it came to pass in 37 those days, that she fell sick, and died : and when they had washed her, they laid her in an upper chamber. And as Lydda 38 3 Or, by 4 That is, Gazelle. miracle was performed, is ascribed directly to the Lord Jesus Christ. 35. Sharon ; a fertile and pop- ulous tract of country near to Lydda. 36. Joppa; a large seaport, south of Cesarea, and nearly op- posite to Jerusalem. On ac- count of this its situation in re- spect to Jerusalem, and other circumstances, the place has been much celebrated, in modern times, under the name of Jaffa. The name Talitha is of Hebrew origin; Dorcas is Greek.- AlfM- deeds ; deeds of kindness to the poor. 38. The language here is much more graphic than in the Old Version. -10. 8. THE ACTS. 445 was nigh unto Joppa, the disciples, hearing that Peter was there, sent two men nnto him, intreating him, Delay not to come 39 on unto us. And Peter arose and went with them. And when he was come, they brought him into the upper chamber : and all the widows stood by him weeping, and shewing the coats and garments which Dorcas made, while she 40 was with them. But Peter put them all forth, and kneeled down, and prayed ; and turning to the body, he said, Tabitha, arise. And she opened her eyes ; and when she saw Peter, she sat up. 41 And he gave her his hand, and raised her up ; and calling the saints and widows, he presented her 42 alive. And it became known throughout all Joppa: and many be- 43lieved on the Lord. And it came to pass, that he abode many days in Joppa with one Simon a tanner. 10 Now there was & certain 1 Or, cohort CHAPTER X. 1. Cesarea was a large sea- port, and the residence of the Roman governors. — Centurion ; a captain, commander of about one hundred men. — Italian land ; a part of the army which had been brought into the country from Italy, man in Csesarea, Corne- lius by name, a centurion of the band called the Italian ^and, a devout 2 man, and one that feared God with all his house, who gave much alms to the people, and prayed to God alway. He saw in a 3 vision openly, as it were about the ninth hour of the day, an angel of God coming in unto him, and saying to him, Cornelius. And he, fastening his 4 eyes upon him, and being affrighted, said, What is it, Lord % And he said unto him, Thy prayers and thine alms are gone up for a memorial before God. And now send men 5 to Joppa, and fetch one Simon, who is surnamed. Peter: he lodgeth with 6 one Simon a tanner, whose house is by the sea side. And when the angel that 7 spake unto him was de- parted, he called two of his household - servants, and a devout soldier of them that waited on him continually ; and havings rehearsed all things unto 3. Openly ; distinctly. — Ninth hour ; about the middle of the afternoon. 4. Fastening his eyes upon him, and oeing affrighted; a graphic picture of his appearance, startled as he was by the vision. — Gone up for a memorial; are remembered. 446 THE ACTS. 10. 8— them, lie sent them to Joppa. 9 Now on the morrow, as they were on their jour- ney, and drew nigh unto the city, Peter went up upon the housetop to pray, about the sixth 10 hour: and he became hungry, and desired to eat: bur while they made ready, he fell into a n trance ; and he beholdeth the heaven opened, and a certain vessel descending, as it were a great sheet, let down by four corners 12 upon the earth: wherein were all manner of four- footed beasts and creep- ing things of the earth and fowls of the heaven. 13 And there came a voice to him, Rise, Peter ; kill 14 and eat. But Peter said, Xot so, Lord ; for I have never eaten anything that is common and un- 15 clean. And a voice came unto him again the second time, What Grod hath cleansed, make not thou 10 common. And this was done thrice: and straight- way the vessel was re- ceived up into heaven. 9. The sixth hour ; noon. 12. All manner, &c. ; mingled promiscuously, without regard to the distinction of clean and unclean, made by the Jewish laws. (Lev. 11 : 2-27. Deut. 14: 3-20. ) - 14. Common and unclean; Now while Peter was it much perplexed in him- self what rlie vision which he had seen might mean, behold, the men that were sent by Cornelius, having made inquiry for Simon's house, stood be- fore the gate, and called 18 and asked whether Simon, which was sur named Peter, were lodging there. And while Peter thought 19 on the vision, the Spirit said unto him, Behold, three men seek thee. But arise, and get thee 20 down, and go with them, nothing doubting : -for I have sent them. And 21 Peter went down to the men, and said, Behold, I am he whom ye seek : what is the cause where- fore ye are come? And 22 they said, Cornelius a centurion, a righteous man and one that feareth God, and well reported of by all the nation of the Jews, was warned of God by a holy angel to send for thee into his house, and to hear words from thee. So he called them 23 in and lodged them. animals forbidden by the Mosaic law. 17. Was much perplexed; the Old Version read, doubted in A This is one of those numerous instances in which a very slight change of phraseolo- gy gives a much clearer inter- pretation of the original. JESUS HEALING THE BLIND. Gr. Zeus. confidence in the Lord. — Bare witness; by enabling them to perform miracles. 5. An onset; that is, a plan arranged for an onset or as- sault. 11. In the 8]->eech of Lycaonia ; which, it appears, Paul did not understand; so that he was not aware of their design until they bad. in nart rnrriprl if infn effect. in part, carried it into 'made whole, said withio a loud voice, Stand up- right on thy feet. And he leaped up and walked. And when the multitudes ll saw what Paul had done, they lifted up their voice, saying in the speech of Lycaonia, The gods are come down to us in the likeness of men. And 12 they called Barnabas, 'Jupiter ; and Paul, 'Mer- cury, because he was the chief speaker. And the 13 priest of a Jupiter whose temple was before the city, brought oxen and gar- lands unto the gates, and would have done sacrifice with the multitudes. But 14 when the apostles, Bar- nabas and Paul, heard of it, they rent their garments, and sprang forth among the multi- tude, crying out and 15 saying, Sirs, wrhy do ye these things ? We also are men of like 4 passions with you, and bring you good tidings, that ye 3 Or. Hermes. 4 Or, nature 12. Jupiter — Mercury ; promi- nent deities worshipped in those times. Jupiter was the supreme god, and Mercury the god of eloquence, — the attendant and messenger of Jupiter. 13. Gates ; the gates or doors of the building in which the apostles then were. 15. From these rain things; i. e., from these vain and pro- fitless gods. —14. 22. THE ACTS. 403 should turn from these vain things unto the living God, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea, and all that in 16 them is: who in the generations gone by suffered all the nations to walk in their own ways. 17 And yet he left not him- self without witness, in that he did good, and gave you from heaven rains and fruitful seasons, filling your hearts with 18 food and gladness. And with these sayings scarce restrained they the multi- tudes from doing sacrifice unto them. 16, 17. That is, he left them to themselves, without any spe- cial revelation ; while yet there was sufficient evidence of his existence and character, in the visible creation, if they had been disposed to be guided by it. 19. Having persuaded the multi- tudes ; not necessarily the same individuals as those who had been ready to regard the apostles as gods. It is very probable that there was a suppressed and secret hostility before, which the influ- ence of these Jews concentrated and strengthened, and brought out into action, while the others withdrew. And generally, in fact, the fluctuations of the popular will, so proverbial for their frequency and suddenness, arise not from reversals of opin- ion in the same parties, but from alternations of ascendancy, in respect to opposite and con- tending ones. In our Saviour's case, for example, when the populace shouted "Hosanna" But there came Jews 19 thither from Antioch and Iconium : and having per- suaded the multitudes, they stoned Paul, and dragged him out of the city, supposing that he was dead. But as the 20 disciples stood ro u n d about him, he rose up, and entered into the city ; and on the morrow he went forth with Barnabas to Derbe. And when they 21 had preached the gospel to that city, and had made many disciples, they returned to Lystra, and to Iconium, and to Antioch, confirming the 22 on one day, and l{ Crucify him" on another, we are not necessa- rily to suppose that the same individuals were changed from friends to enemies, but only that friends were predominant while he was entering Jerusalem in triumph, and enemies when he was brought in as a criminal. Very slight circumstances are sometimes sufficient, in such cases, to turn the scale, — to throw one party, hitherto promi- nent, into discouragement and inaction, and to bring up an- other, hitherto overawed and restrained, to ascendency and power. 21. Had made many disciples; not merely had taught many. The original implies that many, under their teaching, became disciples of Christ. — Lystra, etc. ; the very cities from which they had just been expelled. 22. Through many tribulations ; referring to the exposure and suffering which they had just been called to endure, 464 THE ACTS. 14. 22— souls of the disciples, ex- horting them to continue in the faith, and that through many tribula- tions we must enter into 23 the kingdom of God. And when they had appointed for them elders in every church, and had prayed with fasting, they com- mended them to the Lord, on whom they had 24 believed. And they pass- ed through Pisiclia, and 25 came to Pamphylia. And when they had spoken the word in Perga, they went down to Attalia ; 26 and thence they sailed to Antioch, from whence they had been committed to the grace of God for the work which they had 27 fulfilled. And when they 23. Appointed for them elders; instituted officers with such duties and powers as the circum- stances here required. There is nothing here to indicate how these elders were selected ; whether this selection was made, in the first instance, by the apostles, or ratified by them after a selection by the churches, or whether the selection was made by the apostles and the churches working together, is not indicated. There has been a great deal of discussion, be- tween different branches of the modern church, on the question whether religious teachers ought to be elected by the church, or nppointed by superior ecclesias- tical officers. If it had been intended that either practice should be considered an essential were come, and had gath- ered the church together, they rehearsed all things that God had done with them, and how that he had opened a door of faith unto the Gentiles. And they tarried no little 28 time with the disciples. And certain men came 15 down from Judaea and taught the brethren, say- ing, Except ye be cir- cumcised after the cus- tom of Moses, ye cannot be saved. And when Paul 2 and Barnabas had no small dissension and questioning with them, the bretJtren appointed that Paul and Barnabas, and certain other of them, should go up to Jeru- salem unto the apostles feature in the future administra- tion of the church, the mode in this, and in other similar cases, would have been more distinctly specified. 26. From whence they had been committed, &c. ; as related Acts 13:1-4. CHAPTER XV. 1. Came down from Judcrn > to Antioch. — Except ye b* cir- cumcised ; referring to the Gen- tile converts. Their meaning was, that they must become Jews as well as Christians, and conform to the Mosaic institu- tions.- They regarded Chris- tianity as only the end and con- summation of Judaism, — the exclusive inheritance of those who had been, or who were willing to become, a part of the great family of Abraham. —15, 10. THE ACTS. 465 and elders about this 3 question. They therefore, being brought on their way by the church, pass- ed through both Phoenicia and Samaria, declaring the conversion of the Gentiles: and they caused great joy unto all the 4 brethren. And when they were come to Jerusalem, they were received of the church and the apostles and the elders, and they rehearsed all things that God had done with them. 5 But there rose up certain of the sect of the Phari- sees who believed, saying, It is needful to circum- cise them, and to charge them to keep the law of Moses. 6 And the apostles and the elders were gathered 1 Gr. from early days. 3. Phoenicia and Samaria; provinces which will be seen by the map to be intermediate between Antioch and Jerusa- lem. 5. Them ; the Gentile con- verts. 6. The elders; the leading and influential men. That the assembly was numerous, is shown by allusions in v. 12, 22, and 23. Perhaps these expres- sions, especially that in v. 23, where the brethren particularly are mentioned, imply that the disciples generally were con- vened; as there is no evidence that the body of believers was very large at this time in Jeru- salem, for a very considerable proportion of the early converts together to consider of this matter. And when 7 there had been much questioning, Peter rose up, and said. unto them, Brethren, ye know how that 'a good while ago God made choice among you, that by my mouth the Gentiles should hear the word of the gospel, and believe. And God, 8 which knoweth the heart, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us ; and he made no dis-9 tinction between us and them, cleansing their hearts by faith. Now 10 therefore why tempt ye God, that ye should put a yoke upon the neck of t h e disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were residents of other places; and of those who belonged to the city, the persecution had driven many away. The account, however, leaves the constitution of the council uncertain, and has led, consequently, to eager discussion between those advo- cates of the different systems of ecclesiastical polity, who feel bound to discover models in the Acts for the institutions and customs which they find pre- vailing in their respective com- munions. 7. God made choice, &c. ; re- ferring to the circumstances re- lated in Acts 10. 9. Faith ; that is, simply by faith in Christ, without requiring of them obedience to the cer%* monial law, 466 THE ACTS. 15. lo- 11 were able to bear? But we believe that we shall be saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, iu like manner as they. 12 And all the multitude kept silence; and they hearkened unto Barnabas and Paul rehearsing what signs and wonders God had wrought among the 13 Gentiles by them. And after they had held their peace, James answered, saying, Brethren, hearken un- 14 to me : Symeon hath re- hearsed how first God did visit the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for 15 his name. And to this agree the words of the prophets; as it is written, 10 After these things I will return, And I will build again the tabernacle o f David, which is fallen ; 1 Or. who doeth these things which were knotvn 11. Through the grace, &c. ; and not by our Jewish ceremo- nies. 13. Jam en ; James the less, — James the brother of John having been slain. (12: 1,2.) 14. Symeon; Peter. 18. The difference between Hie Old Version and the New at this point is due to a difference of manuscripts. The variations are not material. 20. That is, while they were held excused from positive acts of conformity with the Jewish ceremonial law, they were bound And I will build again the ruins thereof, And I will set it up : That the residue of 17 men may seek after the Lord, And all the Gentiles, upon whom my name is called, Saith the Lord, 'who maketh these things known from the be- 18 ginning of the world. Wherefore my judgement 19 is, that Ave trouble not them which from among the Gentiles turn to God ; but that we a write unto 20 them, that they abstain from the pollutions of idols, and from fornica- tion, and from what is strangled, and from blood. For Moses from genera- 21 tions of old hath in every city them that preach him, being read in the syn- agogues every sabbath. 2 Or, enjoin them to abstain from all those prac- tices of paganism, which were either immoral in themselves, or were held, in peculiar abhorrence by Jews. Thus the Jews were not to impose the burdens of their ceremonial law upon the Gentile converts, nor were the Gentile converts to do any thing which should countenance idol- atry, or shock the feelings of their Jewish brethren. 21. The meaning seems to be, 4 'As a Christian church, we neither enjoin nor condemn Judaism. We leave it to its —15. 29. THE ACTS. 467 22 Then it seemed good to the apostles and the elders, with the whole church, to choose men out of their company, and send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas ; namely, Judas called Barsabbas, a n d Silas, chief men among the 23 brethren : and they wrote thus by them, The apos- tles and the elder brethren unto the brethren which are of the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and 24 Cilicia, greeting : Foras- much as we have heard that certain * which went out from us have troubled you with words, sub- verting your souls ; to whom we gave no com- 1 Some ancient authorities omit which own established means of de- fence and dissemination." 23. The apostles, and the elder brethren. There is no more re- markable trait in the character of the apostles than the scrupu- lousness with which they refrain from the assumption of eccle- siastical authority over the church. Men were never placed in circumstances more favorable for forming, or for the means of executing, ambitious designs. Notwithstanding the high per- sonal influence which they must necessarily have possessed, they are always very slow to assume the exercise of any great official authority. They call meetings for consultation; they suggest; they propose ; but it is the whole body of disciples that decide and act. (Acts 1; 15, 21, 22, mandment ; it seemed 25 good unto us, having come to one accord, to choose out men and send them unto you with our beloved Barnabas and ' Paul, men that have2G hazarded their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. We have 27 sent therefore Judas and Silas, who themselves also shall tell you the same things by word of mouth. For it seemed good to the 28 Holy Ghost, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these nec- essary things ; that ye 20 abstain from things sacrificed to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and went out. 23. 6: 2, 3.) In the remark- able case here recorded, they do not assume that they are to de- cide the question. They call a meeting ; they consult ; they argue; they state facts ; and they admit of counter arguments and statements, and then the deci- sion, when it is made, goes forth in the name of the apostles, and elder brethren. — The change from the Old Version, which read, the apostles, and the elders, and the brethren, is suggestive, because it indicates even less ecclesiasti- cal authority in this Council than was indicated in the read- ing of the Old Version. 24. Certain which went out from us ; as is related v. 1. 28. To the Holy Ghost, and to us ; to us under the guidance of the Holy Ghost. 468 THE ACTS. 15. 29- from fornication ; from which if ye keep your- selves, it shall be well with you. Fare ye well. 30 So they, when they were dismissed, came down to Antioch; and having gathered the mul- titude together, they de- 31 livered the epistle. And when they had read it, they rejoiced for the Jcon- 32 solation. And Judas and Silas, being themselves also prophets, 'exhorted 1 Or, exhortation 2 Or, comforted 31. The narrative contained in the preceding verses of this chapter, has been the subject of a great deal of discussion, this council being claimed by the ad- vocates of various systems of ecclesiastical polity, as the orig- inal model of the institutions •which they respectively defend; the arguments on all sides being built on inferences drawn from the few and doubtful intima- tions given in the account, — and, where these fail, on imagi- nation and conjecture. If it had been intended as a model, it is impossible to doubt that its constitution and rules of pro- cedure -would have been more definitely detailed. He who reads the narrative without a point to carry, will see in it only an informal and an unpremedi- tated meeting for consultation, arising out of a peculiar and unique emergency, — without any idea, on the part of the actors, that they were establish- ing any precedent either for themselves or for others; far less that they were founding a sys- tem to extend over all the na- the brethren with many words, and confirmed them. And after they 33 had spent some time there, they were dis- missed in peace from the brethren unto those that had sent them forth.3 But Paul and Barnabas 35 tarried in Antioch, teach- ing and preaching the word of the Lord, with many others also. And after some days 36 Paul said unto Barnabas, 3 Some ancient authorities insert, with variations, ver. 34 But it seemed good unto Silas to abide there. tions of Christendom, and to endure for all periods of time. It seems to have been simply a consultation, conforming, in its arrangements, to the situation of the parties interested, and to the nature of the emergency which called it forth. The apostles laid down no definite system of ecclesiastical organiza- tion, but adapted measures to emergencies, and instituted such forms of organization as were suited to their circumstances, and to the ideas of their age. The successive generations of Christians, in all branches of the church, have followed the apostolical example in this re- spect; and though, in theory, some profess to follow closely the original models, in practice, all agree in modifying their forms as required by the various exigencies of nations, and by the changes resulting from the lapse of time. 32. Prophets; preachers. 33. The marginal reading is added here in the Old Version, on the authority of some ancient manuscripts. —16. 5. THE ACTS. 469 Let us return now and visit the brethren in every city wherein we proclaim- ed the word of the Lord, and see how they fare. 37 And Barnabas was mind- ed to take with them John also, who was called 38 Mark. But Paul thought not good to take with them him who withdrew from them from Pam- phylia, and went not with 39 them to the work. And there arose a sharp con- tention, so that they part- ed asunder one from the other, and Barnabas took Mark with him, and sail- ed away unto Cyprus ; 40 but Paul chose Kilas, and went forth, being com- mended by the brethren to the grace of the Lord. 41 And he went through Syria and Cilicia, con- firming the churches. 16 And he came also to 38. And went not with them ; as related Acts 13: 13. 39. A sharp contention. The historian leaves us uninformed in regard to the merits of this controversy. It is uncertain whether Paul was unreasonable or Mark unfaithful. Paul was afterwards reconciled to Mark, and sent for him to come to Rome. (2 Tim. 4:11.) The dis- position of Barnabas to judge more leniently than Paul, in this case, may have arisen from the fact that Mark was his relative. (Col. 4 : 10.) 40. Silas; one of those who had been sent from Jerusalem Derbe and to Lystra : and behold, a certain disciple was there, named Timothy, the son of a Jewess which believed ; but his father was a Greek. The same was 2 well reported of by the brethren that were at Lystra and Iconium. Him 3 would Paul have to go forth with him ; and he took and circumcised him because of the Jews that were in those parts : for they all knew that his father was a Greek. And 4 as they went on their way through the cities, they delivered them the decrees for to keep, which had been ordained of the apostles and elders that were at Jerusalem. So 5 the churches were strengthened in the faith, and increased in number daily. with the letter, (v. 27.) CHAPTER X VI. 1. Derbe and to Lystra. He had visited these cities before, and been exposed to great danger through the hostility of the Jews. 3. And circumcised him. Al- though a Gentile convert was under no obligation to submit to this rite, still he was at liberty to do so, if he judged it expe- dient on any account. 4. Decrees ; relating to the duties of Gentile converts, as expressed in the letter contained in the last chapter. , - 470 THE ACTS. 16. 6— 6 And they went through the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been forbidden of the Holy Ghost to speak 7 the word in Asia ; and when they were come over against Mysia, they assayed to go into Bithy- nia ; and the Spirit of Jesus suffered them not ; 8 and passing by Mysia, they came down to Troas. 9 And a vision appeared to Paul in the night ; There was a man of Macedonia standing, beseeching him, and saying, Come over into Macedonia, and help to us. And when he had seen the vision, straight- way we sought to go forth into Macedonia, conclud- ing that God had called us for to preach the gos- pel unto them. 11 Setting sail therefore from Troas, we made a straight course to Samo- tnrace,and the day follow- 7. The words, of Jesus, are not ft? the Old Version, but un- doubtedly belong to the original text. 10. We. Here Luke, the author of this history, first uses a form of expression implying* that he was Paul's companion in those journeys. 11. Togo to Macedonia 't was necessary to cross the Egean Sea. — Samwthrace ; an island in that sea. — tfeapolis ; a port of Mace- donia. t f.rst f. the district ; i. e., tli i ost 'important city of that district ing to Neapolis ; and 12 from thence to Philippi, which is a city of Mace- donia, the first of the dis- trict, a Roman colony : and we were in this city tarrying certain days. And on the sabbath day 13 we went forth without the gate by a river side, where we supposed there was a place of prayer ; and we sat down, and spake unto the women which were come to- gether.. And a certain 14 woman named Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira, one that worshipped God, heard us : whose heart the Lord opened, to give heed un- to the things which were spoken by Paul. Andis when she was baptized, and her household, she besought us, saying, If ye have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house, and abide IS. By a river side. Philippi was remote from Jerusalem, and the few Jews who resided there appear to have had only this place of retirement and prayer, instead of the customary syna- gogue, within the city.— When we supposed there was a place of prayer; perhaps some slight structure indicated a gathering- place for the few Jews that were in Philippi. 14. Of Thyatira; from Thya- tira. Her residence at this time was at Philippi. (v. 15.) 15. Her household; her family. —16. 25. THE ACTS. 471 there. And she con- strained us. 16 And it came to pass, as we were going to the place of prayer, that a certain maid having 'a spirit of divination met us, which brought her masters much 17 gain by soothsaying. The same following after Paul and us cried out, saying, These men are 3 servants of the Most High God, which proclaim unto you 3 the way of salvation. 18 And this she did for many days. But Paul, being sore troubled, turned and said to the spirit, I charge thee in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her. And it came out that very hour. 19 But when her masters saw that the hope of their gain was 4 gone, they laid hold on Paul and Silas, and dragged them into 1 Gr. a spirit, a Python. 2 Gr. bondservants. 16. The place of prayer ; men- tioned in v. 13. — Soothsaying. It scarcely need be said that these powers of divination weie pre- tended. Paul treats the case as one of demoniacal possession. 22. Rent their garments off them ; that is, the clothes of Paul and Silas, preliminary to the punishment. The case is differ- ent from that recorded Matt. 26 : 65, where the judge rent his own clothes as an expression of affected abhorrence for the prisoner's guilt. — To beat them with rods ; the fasces or rods of the Roman lictor, which consist- the marketplace before the rulers, and when they 20 had brought them unto the 'magistrates, they said, These men, being Jews, do exceedingly trouble our city, and set 21 forth customs which it is not lawful for us to re- ceive, or to observe, being Romans. And the multi-22 tude rose up together against them : and the "magistrates rent their garments off them, and commanded to beat them with rods. And when 23 they had laid many stripes upon them, they cast them into prison, charging the jailor to keep them safely : who, 24 having received such a charge, cast them into the inner prison, and made their feet fast in the stocks. But about mid- 25 night Paul and Silas were 3 Or, a way 5 Gr. prmtors. 4 Gr. come out. ed of a number of rods cut from the elm or birch tree, and bound together with thongs. 24. Stocks; a wooden instru- ment, with holes, into which the feet were secured in a constrain- ed and painful position. Under these circumstances prisoners could not sleep. It is necessary to observe this, in order to un- derstand the full force of the statement, that at midnight Paul and Silas were occupied in sing- ing praises. 25. The language in the New Version is much more graphic than that of the Old. While 472 THE ACTS. 16. 25- praying and singing hymns unto (iod, and the prisoners were listening 26 to them ; and suddenly there was a great earth- quake, so that the founda- tions of the prison-house were shaken : and im- mediately all the doors were opened ; and every one's bands were loosed. 27 And the jailor being roused out of sleep, and seeing the prison doors open, drew his sword, and was about to kill himself, supposing that the pris- 28 oners had escaped. But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, Do thyself no harm : for we are all 29 here. And he called for lights, and sprang in, and, trembling for fear, fell down before Paul and bo Silas, and brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? i Some ancient authorities read God. 2 Gr. a table. Paul and Silas were praying and singing, and the other persons were listening, the earthquake suddenly came. 27. Was about to kill himself; dreading the terrible punishment which he might have incurred. 31. And thou shalt he saved. The brevity, simplicity, and directness of this reply are, in the circumstances, singularly beautiful. Enough at that mo- ment to have his faith directed simply to the Saviour, with the assurance that this would bring to his sou', the needed and And they said, Believe on 31 the Lord Jesus, and thou shalt be saved, thou and thy house. And they 32 spake the word of ' the Lord unto him, with all that were in his house. And he took them the 83 same hour of the night, and washed their stripes; and was baptized, he and all his, immediately. And he brought them up 34 into his house, and set 2 meat before them, and rejoiced greatly, with all his house, 'having be- lieved in God. But when it was day, 35 the 4magist rates sent the 5 Serjeants, saying, Let those men go. And the 36 jailor reported the words to Paul, saying, The 4 magistrates have sent to let you go : now there- fore come forth and go in peace. But Paul said 3"; 3 Or, having believed God 4 Gr. prmtors. 5 Gr. lictors. sought salvation, — the how being a matter for after teaching. 33. Was baptised. Probably at the same fountain, since it took place "straightway," the one washing the stripes on his part being immediately succeeded by the baptism of the keeper "and all his " on theirs. 37. That are Romans. The Roman laws gave to Roman citi- zens muny peculiar and exclusive privileges, and the government, punished severely any infraction of them. Over the natives of tL»e conquered provinces, the THE RAISING OF LAZARUS. -17. 5. THE ACTS. 475 unto them, They have beaten us publicly, un- condemned, men that are Romans, and have cast us into prison ; and do they now cast us oat privily ? nay verily ; but let them come themselves 88 and bring us out. And the ' Serjeants reported these words unto the 2 magistrates : and they feared, when they heard that they were Romans ; 39 and they came and be- sought them ; and when they had brought them out, they asked them to go away from the city. 40 And they went out of the prison, and entered into the house of Lydia : and when they had seen the brethren, they 3 comforted them, and departed. 17 Now when they had passed through Amphi- polis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, 1 Gr. lictors. 2 Gr. prcetors. magistrates exercised a far more arbitrary and irresponsible power. This privilege of Roman citizenship pertained not merely to Rome, but to many other places, on which the freedom had been conferred ; and it might be purchased by indivi- duals for money. See the dia- logue between Paul and the Roman chief captain. (Acts 22 : 25-29.) — And bring us out. They demanded this as an act of pub- lic acknowledgment that they had been unjustly condemned. 19 where was a synagogue of the Jews : and Paul, 2 as his custom was, went in unto them, and for three 4 sabbath days rea- soned with them from the scriptures, opening and 3 alleging, that it behoved the Christ to suffer, and to rise " again from the dead ; and that this Jesus, whom, said he, I proclaim unto you, is the Christ. And some of 4 them were persuaded, and consorted with Paul and Silas ; and of the devout Greeks a great multitude, and of the chief women not a few. But the Jews, beings moved with jealousy, took unto them certain vile fellows of the rabble, and gathering a crowd, set the city on an uproar : and assaulting the house of Jason, they sought to bring them forth to the 3 Or, exhorted 4 Or, weeks CHAPTER XVn. 1. Thessalonica ; a large city of Macedonia. — Where teas a sy- nagogue, &c. Few places so re- mote from Jerusalem had a syna- gogue for the Jews. 3. It behoved ; that is, accord- ing to the Jewish Scriptures. — Whom, said Tie, I proclaim unto you; the word I referring to Paul. 4. Consorted with; united with. 5. Jason; at whose house the apostles were entertained as 476 THE ACTS. 17. 5— 6 people. And when they found them not, they dragged Jason .and cer- tain brethren before the rulers of the city, crying, These that have turned 1 the world upside down are come hither also ; 7 whom Jason hath receiv- ed: and these all act con- trary to the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, one Jesus. 8 And they troubled the multitude and the rulers of the city, when they 9 heard these things. And when they had taken se- curity from Jason and the rest, they let them go. 10 And the "brethren im- mediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto Bercea : who when they were come thither went into the synagogue of the 11 Jews. Now these were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, ex- 1 Gr. the inhabited earth. guests. — Vile fellows of the rab- ble; the original implies the ruder country folk who had come into market. 9. Taken security ; made a satisfactory arrangement in some way. for insuring the termina- tion of the difficulty. 1 1 . Whether these th ings were so ; that is, whether, according to the predictions of the Scriptures, the Messiah was to suffer death, and then be restored to life amining the scriptures daily, whether these things were so. Many of 12 them therefore believed ; also of the Greek women of honourable estate, and of men, not a few. Bat 13 when the Jews of Thessa- lonica had knowledge that the word of God was proclaimed of Paul at Beroea also, they came thither likewise, stirring up and troubling the mul- titudes. And then im-14 mediately the brethren sent forth Paul to go as far as to the sea: and Silas and Timothy abode there still. But they that 15 conducted Paul brought him as far as Athens : and receiving a command- ment unto Silas and Timothy that they should come to him with all speed, they departed. Now while Paul waited 16 for them at Athens, his spirit was provoked with- in him, as he beheld the again, as Paul contended, (v. 3.) 12. Greek women of honorable estate; women of Greek birth occupying an honorable position in the community, and probably proselytes to the Jewish faith, else they would not have search- ed the Jewish Scriptures. 16. Full of idols ; not, as in the Old Version, wholly given to idolatry. The multitude of idol9 and temples which crowded the streets is indicated. -17. 19. THE ACTS. 477 17 city full of idols. So he reasoned in the syna- gogue with the Jews and the devout persons, and in the market place every day with them that met 18 with him. And certain also of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers encountered him. And some said, What would 1 Gr. demons. 17. Reasoned; argued. — Market- place; the foruni; a place of great public resort, in which assemblies of various kinds were often held. 18. Epicurean and Stoic ; two prominent sects of philosophers. The doctrine of the Epicureans was, that the true end and aim of life was enjoyment, and that the test aud the essence of phi- losophy was to carry human happiness to the highest point, and to give it the most perma- nent and uninterrupted charac- ter; the rules of virtue were inculcated as the best means to this end. The philosophers of this class saw no evidence of any future state, or of the existence of any divine being to whom they were accountable. Their theory, therefore, was, that every man should aim to secure for himself and for others the high- est degree of rational and sub- stantial pleasure in the present state, and all possible exemption from pain. The Stoics, on the other hand, believed in the existence of God, and in a future state, and in the moral account- ability of man; and they held up an ideal of virtue, which they maintained was the highest good, and should be the end and aim of human efforts, without this babbler say ? other some, He seemeth to be a setter forth of strange 1 gods : because he preach- ed Jesus and the resur- rection. And they took 19 hold of him, and brought him 2unto 3 the Areopa- gus, saying, May we know what this new which is spo- teaching is, 2 Or. before 3 Or, the hill of Mars regard to the pain or the pleasure which might attend the pursuit. While, therefore, the Epicureans taught men to value enjoyment, and to seek for it through all the safe avenues by which it might be attained, the Stoics inculca- ted indifference and insensibility to sensations of pain and pleas- ure, and supreme devoted ness to the principles of a stern and inflexible virtue. The terms Epicurean and Stoic have gradu- ally acquired, in modern times, opprobrious significations; and the ordinary representations of the two systems, made to set off, by contrast, the superiority of Christianity, are caricatures, which convey no just idea of the intent and meaning of their originals. They were both right, and both wrong; for Christianity shows us that virtue and happi- ness, one and indivisible, con- stitute the highest and only good, and the proper end and aim of being. 19. Areopagus; or Mars-hill: the two words are synonymous; a public part of the city, — the seat of an august tribunal. Whether Paul was taken before this court as a party accused, or only invited to address an assembly in or near the edifice, is uncertain. 478 THE ACTS. 17. 20— 20 ken by thee? For thou bringest certain strange things to our ears : we would know therefore what these things mean. 21 (Now all the Athenians and the strangers so- journing there ' spent their time in nothing else, but either to tell or to hear some new thing.) 22 And Paul stood in the midst of the Areopagus, and said, Ye men of Athens, in all things I perceive that 1 Or, had leisure for nothing else 2 Or, religious 21. Strangers sojourning there. Athens was a city celebrated throughout the world for its wealth, its refinement, and its high intellectual character. It was consequently a place of great resort. 22. Superstitious; that is, very religiously disposed. That the expression is to be under- stood in a good sense, meaning deeply interested in what re- lates to the spiritual world and the divine character, the follow- ing verses plainly show. 23. The changes in phraseo- logy made by the New Version in the report of this sermon of Paul to the Athenians, make its meaning clearer. Paul does not commence his address by repro- bating the superstition of the Athenians, as in the Old Ver- sion he seemed to do, but by stating as a fact witnessed by all the monuments about him, the exceeding religiousness of the people. This reference to their religious character opens the way for him to speak of. not their devotion, but the objects of ye are somewhat "super- stitious. For as I passed 23 along, and observed the objects of your worship, I found also an altar with this inscription, 3 to an unknown god. What therefore ye worship in ignorance, this set I forth unto you. The God that 24 made the world and all things therein, he, being Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in 4 temples made with hands ; neither 25 is he served by mens' 3 Or, TO THE UNKNOWN GOB. 4 Or, sanctuaries their worship, among which was an altar inscribed to aw unknown god, not to the unknown, as though it were erected to some special deity. The probability is that this inscription was an expression of that prayer after knowledge of the true God, of which there are many other manifestations in pagan history and literature, and it was to this desire for a knowledge of God that Paul addressed himself in his sermon. 23. What therefore, &c. The method which Paul adopted in instructing these pagans was to elevate and correct their own vague a: ul erroneous conceptions of the Divinity, — not to attack and denounce them. It is worthy of very serious consideration, how far and in what cases this example ought to be followed, in respect to the instruction of pagan nations, at the present day. 25. As though he needed any thing. In his sacrifices to the Lr<«K the heathen worshipper imagined that he was supplying their wants. -17. 34. THE ACTS. 479 hands, as though he needed anything, seeing he himself giveth to all life, and breath, and all 26 things ; and he made of one every nation of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, having determined their ap- pointed seasons, and the bounds of their habita- 27 tion ; that they should seek God, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he is not far from each one of 28 us : for in him we live, and move, and have our being ; as certain even of your own poets have said, For we are also his off- 29 spring. Being then the offspring of God, we ought not to think that 1 the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and device 30 of man. The times of 1 Or, that which is divine 2 tome ancient authorities read de- clareth to men. 26. And he made of one every nation of men; Paul assumes the common parentage of the human race. — Their appointed seasons, and the bounds of their habitation; i. e., both the duration of their national life, and the limits of their territory. 28. Modern scholars have found an expression like the one quoted here in several of the Greek poets then known and read at Athens. 30. God overlooked; a much ignorance therefore God overlooked ; but now he 2 commandeth men that they should all every- where repent ; inasmuch 31 as he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge 3the world in right- eousness 4by 6the man whom he hath ordained ; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead. Now when they heard 32 of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked ; but others said, We will hear thee concerning this yet again. Thus Paul went 33 out from among them. But certain men clave 34 unto him, and believed : among whom also was Dionysius the Areo- pagite, and a woman named Damaris, others with them. 3 Gr. the inhabited earth. 4 Gr. in. 5 Or, a man and better and truer interpretation of the original than the phrase- ology of the Old Version, winked at. — That they should all every- where repent. The point of Paul's exhortation is not the duty of repentance, for that was not new, but the universali- ty of the message, repent and believe, which under the Gospel was to be carried into all the world. 34. The Areopagite ; a mem- ber of the council of Areo- pagus, 480 THE ACTS. 18. 1— 18 After these things he departed from Athens, and came to Corinth. 2 And he found a certain Jew named Aqirila, a man of Pont us by race, lately come from Italy, with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had commanded all the Jews *to depart from Rome : and he came 3 unto them; and because he was of the same trade, he abode with them, and they wrought ; for by their trade they were 4 ten tmakers. And he rea- soned in the synagogue every sabbath, and ' per- suaded Jews and Greeks. 5 But when Silas and Timothy came down from Macedonia, Paul wras con- strained by the wTord, testifying to the Jews that Jesus was the Christ. 6 And when they opposed themselves, and blas- phemed, he shook out his raiment, and said un- to them, Your blood be upon your own heads ; I 1 Gr. taught to persuade. 2 Or, railed CHAPTER XVIII. 1. Corinth was another of the most celebrated cities of Greece. 2. Claudius ; the Roman em- peror. 5. But when Silas and Timothy came down, &c. ; as directed by Paul. (17: 15.)— Paul was con- strained by the word; the mean- ing is not quite clear; perhaps constrained or compelled to give himself wholly to the preaching am clean : from hence- forth I will go unto the Gentiles. And he de-7 parted thence, and went into the house of a cer- tain man named Titus Justus, one that wor- shipped God, whose house joined hard to the syna- gogue. And Crispus, the 8 ruler of the synagogue, 3 believed in the Lord with all his house : and many of the Corinthians hear- ing believed, and wrere baptized. And the Lord 9 said unto Paul in the night by a vision, Be not afraid, "but speak, and hold not thy peace: for 10 I am with thee, and no man shall set on thee to harm thee : for I have much people in this city. And he dwelt there a year 11 and six months, teaching the word of God among them. But when Gallio was 12 proconsul of Achaia, the Jewrs with one accord rose up against Paul, and 3 Gr. believed the Lord. of the word. 9, 10. Paul seems to allude to the anxiety and fear which he suffered on this occasion in his first letter to the Corinthian Christians. (1 Cor. 2: 1-3.) 1 2. Proconsul of Achaia ; the magistrate appointed by the Romans to the government of t he province of Achaia, of which Corinth was the capital. — Rose up ; raised a tumult. —18. 23. THE ACTS. 481 brought him before the 13 judgement-seat, saying, This man persuade th men to worship God contrary 14 to the law. But when Paul was about to open his mouth, Gallio said unto the Jews, If indeed it were a matter of wrong or of wicked villany, 0 ye Jews, reason would that I should bear with 15 you: but if they are questions about words and names and your own law, look to it yourselves ; I am not minded to be a judge of these matters. 16 And he drave them from 17 the judgement-seat. And they all laid hold on Sosthenes, the ruler of the synagogue, and beat him before the judgement- seat. And Gallio cared for none of these things. 18 And Paul, having tar- 17. Sosthenes; he having been probably a prominent actor in the tumult. It is a remarkable instance of the revolutions in personal character and position, which Christianity often effects, that Sosthenes, who appears on this occasion as the representa- tive of so violent a hostility to the Christian name, and who, we should have supposed, would have been rendered, by this public beating, exasperate and irreconcilable, afterwards has his name joined with that of Paul, in one of the Epistles, as his fellow-Christian, companion, and friend. (ICor. 1:1.) 18. He had a vow. For the regulations respecting such a ried after this yet many days, took his leave of the brethren, and sailed thence for Syria, and with him Priscilla and Aquila ; having shorn his head in Cenchrese : for he had a vow. And they came to 19 Ephesus, and he left them there : but he himself entered into the syna- gogue, and reasoned with the Jews. And when 20 they asked him to abide a longer time, he con- sented not ; but taking 21 his leave of them, and saying, I will return again unto you, if God will, he set sail from Ephesus. And when he 22 had landed at Csesarea, he went up and saluted the church, and went down to Antioch. And 23 having spent some time there, he departed, and vow, see Num. 6. Paul, being a Jew, continued himself to conform to the usages of the Jewish law, though the Gentile converts were not required to submit to them. 19. Ephesus; a large and wealthy city, on the western coast of Asia Minor. 21. The Old Version repre- sented what was very probably one reason why he would not tarry longer, his purpose being to keep the passover at Jerusa- lem. The revisers have appa- rently considered this clause as an addition at a later date, inserted for the purpose of explaining Paul's course. 22. The church ; at Jerusalem. 482 THE ACTS. 18. 23— went through the region of Gralatia and Phrygia in order, stablishing all the disciples. 24 Now a certain Jew named Apollos, an Alex- andrian by race, 'a learned man, came to Ephesus ; and he was mighty in the scriptures. 25 This man had been in- structed in the way of the Lord ; and being fervent in spirit, he spake and taught care- fully the things concern- ing Jesus, knowing only 26 the baptism of John : and he began to speak boldly in the synagogue. But when Prise ill a and Aquila heard him, they took him unto them, and expounded unto him the way of God more care- 27 fully. And when he was minded to pass over into Achaia, the brethren en- couraged him, and wrote to the disciples to receive him : and when he was 1 Or, an eloquent man 2 Gr. taught by word of mouth. 3 Or, helped much through grace them 24. Ephesus; where Paul had left Aquila and Priscilla, as stated Acts 18: 19. 25. The things concerning Jesus ; \. e., the story of Christ's life. The original, as indicated by the margin, implies that his knowl- edge was derived from oral tradition. 27. Into Achaia ; to the city of Corinth. There are frequent allusions to Apollos in Paul's writings to the Corinthians. come, he 'helped them much which had believed through grace : for he 28 powerfully confuted the Jews, 4 and that publicly, shewing by the scriptures that Jesus was the Christ. And it came to pass, 19 that, while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul having passed through the upper country came to Ephesus, and found certain disci- ples : and he said unto 2 them, Did ye receive the Holy Ghost when ye be- lieved % And they said unto him, Nay, we did not so much as hear whether 5 the Holy Ghost was given. And he said, 3 Into what then were ye baptized % And they said, 4 Into John's baptism. And Paul said, John baptized with the bap- tism of repentance, say- ing unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on which had believed 4 Or, shewing publicly 5 Or, there is a Holy Ghost CHAPTER XIX. 2, 3. These disciples had accepted Christ as the Messiah, on the teaching of Apollos, who had simply told them the facts respecting the life and death of Jesus; but they knew nothing about Pentecost and the gift of the Holy Ghost. The marginal reading is that of the Old Ver- sion, and either is a legitimate rendering of the original. 19. 16. THE ACTS. 483 5 Jesus. And when they heard this, they were bap- tized into the name of the 6 Lord Jesus. And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them ; and they spake with tongues, 7 and prophesied. And they were in all about twelve men. 8 And he entered into the synagogue, an d spake boldly for the space of three months, reasoning and persuading as to the things concerning the 9 kingdom of God. But when some were harden- ed and disobedient, speaking evil of the Way before the multitude, he departed from them, and separated the disciples, reasoning daily in the 10 school of Tyrannus. And this continued for the space of two years ; so that all they which dwelt 1 Gr. powers. 9. The Way. This word is sometimes used in the New Testament, without any qualify- ing word, as equivalent to the Christian life. In that case it is spelt in the New Version as here, with a capital, being treated as a proper noun. — Reasoning ; pub- licly defending Christianity. In consequence of the opposition made by the Jews, he withdrew from the synagogue with those who adhered to him, and after- wards held his religious assem- blies in the apartment of a private individual. in Asia heard the word of the Lord, both Jews and Greeks. And God 11 wrought special 'miracles by the hands of Paul : insomuch that unto theia sick were carried away from his body handker- chiefs or aprons, and the diseases departed from them, and the evil spirits went out. But certain 13 also of the strolling Jews, exorcists, took upon them to name over them which had the evil spirits the name of the Lord Jesus, saying, I adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preach- eth. And there were 14 seven sons of one Sceva, a Jew, a chief priest, which did this. And the 15 evil spirit answered and said unto them, Jesus I 2know, and Paul I know ; but who are ye % And the 16 man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, 2 Or, recognise 10. Ada ; Asia Minor. Ephe- sus was a place of great resort for the whole country. 13. Strolling ; wandering; having no settled residence. 15. And the evil spirit answered and said. They who suppose that the cases of demoniacal possession were cases of common insanity, understand that this maniac had heard of Paul and Jesus through the long-continued preaching of the former in that community. The form of ex- pression, however, certainly indicates that Luke considered *sn evil BDirit as the real actor. 484 THE ACTS. 19. 16— and mastered both of them, and pre vailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded. 17 And this became known to all, both Jews and Greeks, that dwelt at Ephesus ; and fear fell upon them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus 18 was magnified. Many also of them that had believed came, confess- ing, and declaring their 19 deeds. And not a few of them that practised 1 curious arts brough t their book ; together, and burned them in the sight of all : and they counted the price of them, and found it fifty thousand 20 pieces of silver. So mightily grew the word of the Lord and pre- vailed. 21 Now after these things were ended, Paul pur- posed in the spirit, when he had passed through Macedonia and Achaia, 1 Or, magical 17. Fear ; wondor and awe. 19. Curious arts; arts of divination, necromancy, and imposture. — Books; rolls and parchments with pretended mag- ical inscriptions. — Fifty thou- sand pieces of silver; drachms; equivalent to between *8,000 and $10,000. 21. It was during this resi- dence at Ephesus that Paul probably wrote the First Epistle to go to Jerusalem, say- ing, After I have been there, I must also see Eome. And having sent 22 into Macedonia two of them that ministered unto him,Timothy and Erastus, he himself stayed in Asia for a while. And about that time 23 there arose no small stir concerning the Way. For 24 a certain man named Demetrius, a silversmith, which made silver shrines of 2 Diana, brought no little business unto the craftsmen ; whom he ga- 25 thered together, with the workmen of like occupa- tion, and said, Sirs, ye know that by this busi- ness we have our wealth. And ye see and hear, that 26 not alone at Ephesus, but almost throughout all Asia, this Paul hath persuaded and turned away much people, saying that they be no gods, which are made with hands: and not only is 27 2 Gr. Artimi*. to the Corinthians, as is more fully shown in the introduction to that book. 24. Silver shrines of Diana; silver models of the temple of Diana, a most magnificent edifice at Ephesus, celebrated all over the world. 27. But also, &c. They who, in public contests and discus- sions, are secretly contending for their own private ends, generally —19. 35. THE ACTS. 485 there danger that this our trade come into disrepute; but also that the temple of the great goddess 5 Diana be made of no account, and that she should even be deposed from her magnificence, whom all Asia and 2the 28 world worshippeth. And when they heard this, they were filled with wrath, and cried out, saying, Great is 'Diana 29 of the Ephesians. And the city was filled with the confusion : and they rushed with one accord into the theatre, having seized Gaius and Aristar- chus, men of Macedonia, Paul's companions in 30 travel. And when ParVL was minded to enter in unto the people, the dis- ciples suffered him not. a* And certain also of the "chief officers of Asia, 1 Gr. Artemis. 2 Gr. the inhabited earth. 3 Gr. Asiarchs. cloak their designs under pre- tended zeal for the cause of vir- tue and religion. — Be deposed from her magnificence; that which Demetrius feared has been brought about, and not only is the temple of Diana long since destroyed, but her worship has also entirely disappeared. 29. The theatre; a large edi- fice, used for public assemblages of all sorts. 30. Was minded to enter in; desirous of at least sharing the danger of his friends, even though he might not be able to being his friends, sent unto him, and besought him not to adventure him- self into the theatre. Some therefore cried one 32 thing, and some another : for the assembly was in confusion ; and the more part knew not wherefore they were come together. 4And they brought Alex- 33 ander out of the multi- tude, the Jews putting him forward. And Alex- ander beckoned with the hand, and would have made a defence unto the people. But when they 34 perceived that he was a Jew, all with one voice about the space of two hours cried out, Great is 1 Diana of the Ephesians. And when the townclerk35 had quieted the multi- tude, he saith, Ye men of Ephesus, what man is there who knoweth not 4 Or, And eome of the multitude in- structed Alexander. avert it. 31. Chief officers of Asia; officers who were elected by the cities of the province of Asia to preside over their games and re- ligious festivals. 33. Who Alexander was, and what was the motive of the Jews in endeavoring to secure for him a hearing, is not known. 35 . Which fell dow nfrom Jupi- ter. Such a legend was in cir- culation among the people. The great temple was built to receive the image which thus de- scended, 486 , THE ACTS. 19. 35— how that the city of the Ephesians i s temple- keeper of the great 1 Diana, and of the image which fell down from 86 'Jupiter? Seeing then that these things cannot be gainsaid, ye ought to be quiet, and to do 87 nothing rash. For ye have brought hither these men, which are neither robbers of temples nor blasphemers of our god- 88 dess. If therefore Deme- trius, and the craftsmen that are with him, have a matter against any man, ' the courts are open, and there are proconsuls: let them accuse one another. 39 But if ye seek any thing about other matters, it shall be settled in the 40 regular assembly. For indeed we are in danger to be * accused concerning this day's riot, there being no cause/or it : and as touching it we shall 1 Gr. Artemis. 2 Or, heaven 3 Or, court days are kept 4 Or, accused of riot concerning this 36. Gainsaid ; called in ques- tion. 38. Proconsuls; the* magis- trates appointed to try such causes. 39. In the regular assembly ; a meeting answering somewhat to an American town meeting, held either on stated occasions, or on special call, for the transaction of business in the Greek cities. CHAPTER XX. 8. Spent three month* there; not be able to give account of this concourse. And 41 when he had thus spoken, he dismissed the as- sembly. And after the uproar 20 was ceased, Paul having sent for the disciples and exhorted them, took leave of them, and departed for to go into Macedonia. And when he had gone z through those parts, and had given them much ex- hortation, he came into Greece. And when he 3 had spent three months there, and a plot was laid against him by the Jews, as he was about to set sail for Syria, he deter- mined to return through Macedonia. And there 4 accompanied him 5as far as Asia Sopater of Be- roea, the son of Pyrrhus ; and of the Thessalonians, Aristarchus and Secun- dus ; and Gaius of Derbe, and Timothy ; and of day 5 Many ancient authorities omit as far as Asia. probably in the city of Corinth. It was during this residence at Corinth that Paul is supposed to have written his Epistle to the Romans. See the introductory remarks prefixed to that Epistle. — Through Macedoitia ; so as to avoid their ambuscade, by tak- ing this circuitous route. The direct route to Antioch would have been across the Egean Sea to Ephesus, instead of around it , through Macedonia and Troas. —20. 17. THE ACTS. 487 Asia, Tychicus and Tro- 5phimus. But these1 had gone before, and were waiting for us at Troas. 6 And we sailed away from Philippi after the days of unleavened bread, and came unto them to Troas in five days ; where we tarried seven days. 7 And upon the first day of the week, when we were gathered together to break bread, Paul dis- coursed with them, in- tending to depart on the morrow ; and prolonged his speech until midnight. 8 And there were many lights in the upper cham- ber, where we were gath- 9 ered together. And there sat in the window a cer- tain young man named Eutychus, borne down with deep sleep ; and as Paul discoursed yet long- er, being borne down by his sleep he fell down from the third story, and 10 was taken up dead. And Paul went down, and fell on him, and embracing him said, Make ye no 1 Many ancient authorities read came, and rvere tvaiting. 2 Or, on foot 5. Troas; near the head of the Egean Sea, on the eastern side. 6. The days of unleavened bread. It seems that the pass- over occurred while they were there, and during its continu- ance their journey was suspend- ed. ado ; for his life is in him. And when he wasil gone up, and had broken the bread, and eaten, and had talked with them a long while, even till break of day, so he departed. And they brought the 12 lad alive, and were not a little comforted. But we, going before 13 to the ship, set sail for Assos, there intending to take in Paul : for so had he appointed, intending himself to go 2by land. And when he met us at 14 Assos, we took him in, and came to Mitylene. And sailing from thence, 15 we came the following day over against Chios ; and the next day we touched at Samos ; and 3 the day after we came to Miletus. For Paul had 16 determined to sail past Ephesus, that he might not have to spend time in Asia ; for he was hasten- ing, if it were possible for him, to be at Jerusalem the day of Pentecost. And from Miletus he 17 8 Many ancient authorities injert hav- ing tarried at Trogyllium. 7. The first day of the week, ; the Christian Sabbath ; the Jew- ish Sabbath being on the seventh day. 16. Past Ephesus; leaving it on the left. To have touched at Ephesus, would have taken them somewhat out of their course. 488 THE ACTS. 20. 18 sent to Ephesus, and call- ed to him the ' elders of 18 the church. And when they were come to him, he said unto them, Ye yourselves knowT, from the first day that I set foot iu Asia, after what manner I was with 19 you all the time, serving the Lord with all lowli- ness of mind, and with tears, and with trials which befell me by the 20 plots of the Jews: how that I shrank not from declaring unto you any- thing that was profitable, and teaching you public- ly, and from house to 21 house, testifying both to Jews and to Greeks re- pentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord 22 Jesus 2 Christ. And now, behold, I go bound in the spirit unto Jerusalem, 1 Or, -presbyters 2 Many ancient authorities omit Christ. 22. Bound in the spirit; urged or impelled by the spirit. 24. There is some uncertainty ■as to the true reading of this text, which accounts for the difference between the Old and the New Version. 28. The substitution here of the word bishop for the word orrrxeer, which Avas used in the Old Version, is sustained by no 1 - iiuthority than Dean Ali'ord. He says, speaking of the Old Version, "the English Tersion has hardly dealt fairly in this cas.- with the sacred text, in the rendering of overseers, for it ought there, as in all other not knowing the things that shall befall me there : save that the Holy Ghost 23 testifieth unto me in every city, saying that bonds and afflictions abide me. But I hold not my life of 24" any account, as dear un- to myself, 3so that I may accomplish my course, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify the gos- pel of the grace of God. And now, behold, I know 25 that ye all, among whom I went about preaching the kingdom, shall see my face no more. Where- 26 fore T testify unto you this day, that I am pure from the blood of all men. For I shrank not from de-27 elating unto you the whole counsel of God. Take heed unto your- 28 selves, and to all the ■i Or. in comparison of accomplishing my course places, to have been bishops.'1'' The substitution of the word bishops is important only as it indicates, what was undoubtedly true, that the various words bishop, elder, pastor, teacher, angel of the church, and the like, were in apostolic times often used interchangeably, and with- out any idea of technical preci- sion and strictness in their ap- plications; and this shows that they were employed, like ordi- nary words of discourse, as gen- eral terms of designation. — not as the technical titles of office. To attempt to make out from these primitive institutions any 21. 1. THE ACTS. 489 flock, in the which the Holy Ghost hath made yon ' bishops, to feed the church of aGod, which he 3 purchased with his 29 own blood. I know that- after my departing grievous wolves shall enter in among you, not 30 sparing the flock ; and from among your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away the dis- 31 ciples after them. Where- fore watch ye, remember- ing that by the space of three years I ceased not to admonish every one night and day with tears. 32 And now I commend you to 2God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you the inheritance among all them that are 33 sanctified. I coveted no 1 Or. overseers 2 Manj' ancient authorities read the nice system, which shall be adapted to modern wants, and conformed to modern ideas, is to mistake altogether the nature of all primitive institutions, which are essentially provisional, extemporaneous, informal, and changeable. — Of God. In many of the most ancient copies of the New Testament, the reading is, "The church of the Lord," as in the margin. But the question which is the correct reading is uncertain. 29. Grievous wolves ; cruei enemies, persecutors. 30. From among your own selves; that is, false teachers from with- in the church. man's silver, or gold, or apparel. Ye yourselves 34 know that these hands ministered unto my ne- cessities, and to them that were with me. In all 35 things I gave you an ex- am pie, howr that so labour- ing ye ought to help the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, It is more blessed to give than to receive. And when he had thus 36 spoken, he kneeled down, and prayed with the \\ all. And they all wept 37 sore, and fell on Paul's neck, and kissed him, sorrowing most of all foi 38 the word which he had spoken, that they should behold his face no more. And they brought him on his wray unto the ship. And when it came to 21 Lord. 3 Gr. acquired. 35. These words are not re- corded by any of the evangelists among the sayings of the Sa- viour. 36. jn.na wnen he had thus spoken. The reader who pos- sesses a heart of true sensibility, will not fail to be affected by the manner in which the most sublime, and also the most delicate and tender, traits of the Christian character are blended in the expression of this solemn farewell. We see in it a strong assertion of conscious rectitude, made in a spirit of humility and lowliness of mind ; a determined and undaunted courage, tinged 490 THE ACTS. 21. 1- pass that we were parted from them, and had set sail, we came with a straight course unto Cos, and the next day unto Khodes, and from thence 2 unto Patara : and having found a ship crossing over unto Phoenicia, we went 3 aboard, and set sail. And wh^n we had come in sight of Cyprus, leaving it on the left hand, we sailed unto Syria, and landed at Tyre : for there the ship was to unlade her 4 b urden . And having found the disciples, we tarried there seven days : and these said to Paul through the Spirit, that he should not set foot in 5 Jerusalem. And when it came to pass that we had accomplished the days, we departed and went on our journey; and they all, with wives and children, brought us on our way, till we were out of the city : and kneeling down on the beach, we prayed, 1 Or, some with the depression and sadness awakened by dark forebodings of future danger; and feelings of peaceful and quiet' happiness, beaming through and overcom- ing mournful recollection.-; of the past, and the sadness of a final separation. Thus the tender sensibilities, and the calm but indomitable courage and energy of the great apostle's character, are here seen in a and bade each other fare- 6 well ; and we went on board the ship, but they returned home again. And when we had fin- 7 ished the voyage from Tyre, we arrived at Ptole- mais ; and we saluted the brethren, and abode with them one day. And on 8 the morrow we departed, and came unto Csesarea : and entering into the house of Philip the evan- gelist, who was one of the seven, we abode with him. Now this man had four 9 daughters, virgins, which did prophesy. And as 10 we tarried there ' many days, there came down from Judsea a certain prophet, named Agabus. And coming to us, and 11 taking Paul's girdle, he bound his own feet and hands, and said, Thus saith the Holy Ghost, So shall the Jews at Jeru- salem bind the man that owneth this girdle, and shall deliver him into the combination which Christianity alone is able to produce. CHAPTER XXI. 4. That he should not set foot ; that is, warned him of the danger of going. 8. Seven ; seven deacons. 9. Prophesy. This word, as very often used in such a connec- tion, denotes, here, publicly preaching the gospel. 10. Ayabus ; mentioned before, 11; 28. 21. 23. THE ACTS. 491 hands of the Gentiles. 12 And when we heard these things, both we and they of that place besought him not to go up to 13 Jerusalem. Then Paul answered, What do ye, weeping and breaking my heart? for I am ready not to be bound only, but also to die at Jerusa- lem for the name of the 14 Lord Jesus. And when he would not be per- suaded, we ceased, say- ing, The will of the Lord be done. 15 And after these days we 1 took up our baggage, and went up to Jerusa- lem. And there went with us also certain of the disciples from Csesa- rea, bringing with them one Mnason of Cyprus, an early disciple, with whom we should lodge. 17 And when we were come to Jerusalem, the brethren received us 1 Or, made ready 15. We took up our baggage, or, as in the margin, made it ready ,' i. e., packed it up in bundles upon mules or horses, for the journey to Jerusalem. Carriages was used in the Old Version, •where it had the old English meaning — that which is carried. 16. With whom ice should lodge ; that is, at Jerusalem. 18. James. James seems to have occupied a prominent place among the Christians at Jerusa- lem at this time. There is a tradition that the church at that gladly. And the day f ol- 18 lowing Paul went in with us unto James ; and all the elders were present. And when he had saluted 19 them, he rehearsed one by one the things which God had wrought among the Gentiles by his min- istry. And they, when 20 they heard it, glorified God ; and they said unto him, Thou seest, brother, how many 3 thousands there are among the Jews of them which have be- lieved ; and they are all zealous for the law: and 21 they have been informed concerning thee, thatthou teachest all the Jews which are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, telling them not to cir- cumcise their children, neither to walk after the customs. What is it 22 therefore ? they will cer- tainly hear that thou art come. Do therefore this 23 2 Gr. myriads. place was officially under his charge. (See Acts 12: 17. 15: 13.) 20. How many thousands there are among the Jeics, &c. ; i.e., how many thousands still retain- ing their Jewish faith and worship, who yet believed that Jesus was the promised Messiah. James desired Paul to placate these Jewish Christians. 21. That thou teachest, &c. This was not true. Paul had taught that the Gentiles them- selves were not bound to obey 492 THE ACTS. 21. 23— that we say to thee : We have four men which have a vow on them ; 24 these take, and purify thyself with them, and be at charges for them, that they may shave their heads : and all shall know that there is no truth in the things where- of they have been in- formed concerning thee ; but that thou thyself also walkest orderly, 25 keeping the law. But as touching the Gentiles which have believed, we 1 wrote, giving judgement that they should keep themselves from things sacrificed to idols, and 1 Or, enjoined Many ancient author- ities read sent. the laws of Moses, as a condition of admission to the Christian church; but he had not inter- fered at all with the continued observance of these laws by the Jews themselves. — To 'walk after the customs ; to observe the cus- toms of the Jewish law. 24. Purify thyself irith them, &c. ; that is, they proposed that he should publicly engage in the performance of a Jewish rite, in order that the people might see that he still, himself, adhered to the Jewish law. It is very doubtful, however, whether it was wise for Paul to accede to this proposal. Assuming appear- ances for the sake of effect, is generally very unsafe policy. It places us in false positions, which are very apt to end in disastrous results, as, in fact, was the case in tins instance. We must judge of such an act as this in the from blood, and from what is strangled, and from fornication. Then 26 Paul 3 took the men, and the next day purifying himself with them went into the temple, declar- ing the fulfilment of the days of purification, un- til the offering was offer- ed for every one of them. And when the seven 27 days were almost com- pleted, the Jews from Asia, when they saw him in the temple, stirred up all the multitude, and laid hands on him, crying 28 out, Men of Israel, help : This is the man, that teacheth all men every- 2 Or, took the men the next day, and purifying himself &c. history of Paul, upon its own merits, and not consider it sanc- tioned by his inspiration. Inspi- ration can be claimed only for the writings of the apostles. In their acts they were liable to err, as well as Moses, or David, or anv other of the sacred penmen. (See 23: 3-5.) For the law relating to the ceremonies refer- red to in this transaction, see Num. 6: 13-21. 25. We wrote, &c. ; on the oc- casion of the council, as record- ed Acts 15. — Giving judgement ; there is some authority in the manuscripts for the words in- serted here in the Old Version, that they observe no such thing, but that they should, &c. 26. Declaring the fulfilment; i. e., explaining to the ministers of the temple what he had corn* to fulfil. —21. 38. THE ACTS. 493 where against the people, and the law, and this place : and moreover he brought Greeks also into the temple, and hath de- 39 filed this holy place. For they had before seen with him in the city Trophi- mus the Ephesian, whom they supposed that Paul had brought into the tem- 30 pie. And all the city was moved, and the peo- ple ran together : and they laid hold on Paul, and dragged him out of the temple : and straight- way the doors were shut. 31 And as they were seeking to kill him, tidings came up to the 'chief captain of the "band, that all Jeru- salem was in confusion. 32 And forthwith he took soldiers and centurions, and ran down upon them : and they, when they saw the chief captain and the soldiers, left off beating 1 Or, military tribune Gr. chiliarch - and so throughout this book. 30. The doors were shut; the gates of the temple, — closed by those "who had charge of them, from fear of the tumult. 31. The chief captain. There was a tower near /he temple, called the tower if Antonia, where a Roman military force was stationed, especially on all the public festal occasions of the Jews, to guard against public disturbances. The chief captain here ' mentioned was the com- mander of this guard. His name, as afterwards appears, was Claudius Lysias. The gov- Paul. Then the chief 33 captain came near, and laid hold on him, and commanded him to be bound with two chains ; and inquired who he was, and what he had done. And some shouted one 34 thing, some another, among the crowd : and when he could not know the certainty for the up- roar, he commanded him to be brought into the castle. And when he 35 came upon the stairs, so it was, that he was borne of the soldiers for the violence of the crowd ; for 36 the multitude of the peo- ple followed after, crying out, Away with him. And as Paul was about 37 to be brought into the castle, he saith unto the chief captain, May I say something unto thee % And he said, Dost thou know Greek? Art thou 38 2 Or, cohort ernor of Judea, whose name was Felix, resided at Cesarea. 34. Into the castle; the castle or tower of Antonia. 35. Stairs; leading up the rock on which the castle was built. 37. Dost thou know Greek? Paul probably asked the question in the Greek tongue, at whieh the chief captain was surprised, as it was a mark of cultivation and refinement to understand that language. 38. The, Egyptian. The Egyp- tian here referred to was, per- 494 THE ACTS. 21. 38— not then the Egyptian, which before these days stirred up to sedition and led out into the wilder- ness the four thousand men of the Assassins % 39 But Paul said, I am a Jew, of Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of no mean city : and 1 beseech thee, give me leave to spjeak unto 40 the people. And when he had given him leave, Paul, standing on the stairs, beckoned with the hand unto the people ; and when there was made a great silence, he spake unto them in the Hebrew language, saying, 22 Brethren and fathers, hear ye the defence which I now make unto you. 2 And when they heard that he spake unto them in the Hebrew language, they were the more quiet : and he saith, 3 I am a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city, at the feet of Gamaliel, instructed according to the strict manner of the haps, one of those false Christs predicted by Jesus, in Mark 13: o, 0. — Of the Assassins; a band of robbers so called, of whose depredations history gives some account. 40. In the Hebrew language. Though he had spoken to the officer in Greek, he addressed the populace in the Hebrew, that being the language of the great mass of the inhabitants of law of our fathers, being zealous for God, even as ye all are tins day: and 4 I persecuted this Way unto the death, binding and delivering into pris- ons both men and wo- men. As also the high 5 priest doth bear me wit- ness, and all the estate of the elders : from whom also I received letters unto the brethren, and journeyed to Damascus, to bring them also which were there unto Jerusa- lem in bonds, for to be punished. And it came 6 to pass, that, as I made my journey, and drew nigh unto' Damascus, about noon, suddenly there shone from heaven a great light round about me. And I fell unto the 7 ground, and heard a voice saying unto me, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me ? And I answrer- 8 ed, Who art thou, Lord % And he said unto me, I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom thou persecutest. And they that were with 9 Jerusalem. CHAPTER XXII. 2. The Hebreto language; which was their native tongue. 3. At the feet of Gamaliel; under the instruction of Gama- liel. 4. This Way ; those believing in this way; that is, the Chris- tians. 9. Htard not the voice ; under- stood it not. That they did 22. 22. THE ACTS. 495 me beheld indeed the light, but they heard not the voice of' him that 10 spake to me. And I said, What shall I do, Lord I And the Lord said unto me, Arise, and go into Damascus ; and there it shall be told thee of all things which are appoint- 11 ed for thee to do. And when I could not see for the glory of that light, being led by the hand of them that were with me, I came into Damascus. 12 And one Ananias, a de- vout man according to the law, well reported of #by all the Jews that dwelt 13 there, came unto me, and standing by me said unto me, Brother Saul, receive thy sight. And in that very hour I 'looked up 14 on him. And he said, The Grod of our fathers hath appointed thee to know his will, and to see the Righteous One, and to hear a voice from his 15 mouth. For thou shalt be a witness for him un- 1 Or, received my sight and looked hear the sound, is stated in the original account of the transac- tion. (Acts 9:7.) 12. According to the law ; the Jewish law. 14. The Righteous One; Je- sus. 16. Wash away thy sins. The water used in baptism, has, of course, no actual efficacy in re movdngsin; and yet baptism is to all men of what thou hast seen and heard. And 16 now why tamest thou % arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on his name. And 17 it came to pass, that, when I had returned to Jerusalem, and while I prayed in the temple, I fell into a trance, and 18 saw him saying unto me, Make haste, and get thee quickly out of Jerusalem : because they will not re- ceive of thee testimony concerning me. And 1 19 said. Lord, they them- selves know that I im- prisoned and beat in every synagogue them that believed on thee : and when the blood of 20 Stephen thy witness was shed, I also was standing by, and consenting, and keeping the garments of them that slew him. And 21 he said unto me, Depart : for I will send thee forth far hence unto the Gen- tiles. And they gave him 22 upon him something more than a mere ceremony. Considered as an act by which the soul publicly ac- knowledges Ood, &,nd becomes committed to his service, it has a powerful influence in pro- moting inward purification. 22. They gave him audience; they listened to Mm. — Unto this word ; his speaking of the Gen- tiles as the objects of God's favorable regard. 496 THE ACTS. 22. 22- audience nnto this word ; and the}' lifted up their voice, and said, Away with such a fellow from the earth : for it is not fit 23 that he should live. And as they cried out, and threw off their garments, and cast dust into the air, 24 the chief captain com- manded him to be brought into the castle, bidding that he should be ex- amined by scourging, that he might know for what cause they so shouted 25 against him. And when they had tied him up 'with the thongs, Paul said unto the centurion that stood by, Is it lawful for you to scourge a man that is a Roman, and un- 26 condemned? And when (he centurion heard it, he went to the chief captain, and told him, saying, What art thou about to do 2 for this man is a 27 Roman. And the chief captain came, and said unto him, Tell me, art 1 Or, for 24. Examined by scourging ; a common mode of extorting con- fessions in those days, though forbidden in the case of Roman citizens. 2G. The alarm of the centu- rion is more clearly expressed here than in the phraseology of the Old Version. _ 28. A Hainan born ; born in a city, Tarsus, upon which, per- haps, as a city, these privileges thou a Roman ? And he said, 5Tea. And the chief 28 captain answered, With a great sum obtained I this citizenship. And Paul said, But I am a Ro- man born. They then 29 which were about to ex- amine him straightway departed from him : and the chief captain also was afraid, when he knew that he was a Roman, and because he had bound him. But on the morrow, de- 30 siring to know the cer- tainty, wherefore he was accused of the Jews, he loosed him, and com- manded the chief priests and all the council to come together, and brought Paul down, and set him before them. And Paul, looking sted- 23 fastly on the council, said. Brethren,. I have lived before God in all good conscience until this day. And the high priest 2 Ananias commanded had been conferred ; or else en- titled to them personally through his parents. CHAPTER XXIII. 1. Looking sted/astly ; looking around upon the Mfembly with an air of confidence and con- scious innocence, 2. Offended at so bold and decided an assertion of his in- nocence. -23. 9. THE ACTS. 497 them that stood by him to smite him on the 3 mouth. Then said Paul unto him, God shall smite thee, thou whited wall : and sittest thou to judge me according to the law, and commandest me to be smitten contrary to 4 the law? And they that stood by said, Revilest thou God's high priest? 5 And Paul said, I wist not, brethren, that he was high priest : for it is written, Thou shalt not speak evil of a ruler of 6 thy people. But when Paul perceived that the 3. Thou whited wall; thou hypocrite. Ananias did, in fact, afterwards come to a vio- lent and miserable death, by the hands of assassins. 5. I wist not — that he was high priest. He was not high priest officially, though he had held the office at a former period, and still retained the title. On this account it may have been that there was nothing in his dress, or in his situation in the assem- bly, to designate his rank. 6. Touching the hope, &c. Here was another artifice, (21 : 26;) for, although what Paul said was strictly true, as he had actually met with opposition on this account, still it was not this, but other and very different charges, (21 : 28. 22: 22,) which had been the exciting cause of the present tumult; so that, at this time, such a statement was adapted to give a false impres- sion. The conduct of Paul in this, and in the former case, has generally been approved, — the one part were Sadducees, and the other Pharisees, he cried out in the coun- cil, Brethren, I am a Pharisee, a son of Phari- sees : touching the hope and resurrection of the dead I am called in ques- tion. And when he had 7 so said, tli ere arose a dis- sension between the Phari- sees and Sadducees : and the assembly was divided. For the Sadducees say that 8 there is no resurrection, neither angel, nor spirit : but the Pharisees confess both. And there arose a 9 great clamour : and some cases having been regarded as examples of commendable adroitness. But whether it was best to resort to these indirect measures, rather than to take the bold and perfectly honest course usually characteristic of him, ought not to be considered as settled simply by the fact that he did resort to them. He was liable to fall into error and sin in his conduct and measures, as well as all other inspired men. We observe that no permanent good resulted from the artifices in either case. 8. No resurrection ; no future existence. 9. The words added in the Old Version, let us not fight against God, are wantiug in the best manuscripts. The Phari- sees refer to Paul's account on the preceding day of his conver- sion and the vision in the tem- ple, and then the "debate is broken off by the violence of the tumult which ensues. 498 THE ACTS. 23. 9— of the scribes of the Pharisees' part stood up, and strove, saying, We find no evil in this man : and what if a spirit hath spoken to him, or an 10 angel? And when there arose a great dissension, the chief captain, fearing lest Paul should be torn in pieces by them, com- manded the soldiers to go down and take him by force from among them, and bring him into the castle. li And the night follow- ing the Lord stood by him, and said, Be of good cheer: for as thou hast testified concerning me at Jerusalem, so must thou bear witness also at Rome. 12 And when it was day, the Jews banded togeth- er, and bound themselves under a curse, saying that they would neither eat no/ drink till they had 13 killed Paul. And they were more than forty which made this con- 1 Or, having come in upon them, and 11. At Rome; thus implying that he was to be rescued from the danger which threatened him, and enabled to execute his purpose of going to Rome. (19: 21.) 12. Under a curse; under an oath. 15. And we, &q. ; that is, they ■were to lay wait for him and assassinate him on the way. 17. Thus Paul appealed to a spiracy. And they came 14 to the chief priests and the elders, and said, We have bound ourselves un- der a great curse, to taste nothing until we have killed Paul. Now there- 15 fore do ye with the coun- cil signify to the chief captain that he bring him down unto you, as though ye wTould judge of his case more exactly : and we, or ever he come near, are ready to slay him. But Paul's sister's son 16 heard of their lying in wait, ! and he came and entered into the castle, and told Paul. And Paul 17 called unto him one of the centurions, and said, Bring this young man unto the chief captain : for he hath something to tell him. So he took 18 him, and brought him to the chief captain, and saith, Paul the prisoner called me unto him, and asked me to bring this young man unto thee, he entered <&c. military man for protection, which, if granted, he knew must necessarily be military. His example is of no absolutely binding authority, but the case shows, at least, how he understood the gospel in respect to the right of human governments to exercise such powers, for the purposes of public and private protection. —23. 28. THE ACTS. 501 who hath something to 19 say to thee. And the chief captain took him by the hand, and going aside asked him private- ly, What is that thou 20 hast to tell me ? And he said, The Jews have agreed to ask thee to bring down Paul to-mor- row unto the council, as though thou wo tildes t in- quire somewhat more ex- actly concerning him. 21 Do not thou therefore yield unto them : for there lie in wait for him of them more than forty men, which have bound themselves under a curse, neither to eat nor to drink till they have slain him : and now are they ready, looking for the 22 promise from thee. So the chief captain let the young man go, charging him, Tell no man that thou hast signified thsese 1 Some ancient authorities omit 1 23. As far as Cesar ea ; in order to remove him effectually from the scene of clanger. The foot-soldiers were only to accom- pany him a part of the way, un- til he should have reached a safe distance from the city. 24. The governor ; the gov- ernor of Judea, a successor of Pilate. 25. After this form; the letter appears to be a copy of the orig- inal. 27. Having learned that he was a Roman. Lysias misrepresented 20 things to me. And he 23 called unto him two of the centurions, and said, Make ready two hundred soldiers to go as far as Csesarea, and' horsemen threescore and ten, and spearmen two hundred, at the third hour of the night : and he bade them 24 provide beasts, that they might set Paul thereon, and bring him safe unto Felix the governor. And 25 he wrote a letter after this form : Claudius Lysias unto 26 the most excellent gover- nor Felix, greeting. This 27 man was seized by the Jews, and was about to be slain of them, when I came upon them with the soldiers, and rescued him, having learned that he was a Roman. And de-gg siring to know the cause wherefore they accused him, i I brought him down brought him down unto their council. the facts in his own favor. He speaks as if his taking Paul was a rescue prompted by his zeal to protect the rights of a Roman citizen. By this means, he thought he should exhibit him- self in a favorable light before the governor; whereas the fact was that he arrested Paul as a criminal, and was going to put him to the torture, when he ac- cidentally learned that he was a Roman. (22:24-30.) 28. And desiring to know; that is, in order that I might know, 502 THE ACTS. 23. 29— 29 unto their council : whom I found to be accused about questions of their law, but to have nothing laid to his charge worthy of death or of bonds. 30 And when it was shewn to me that there would be a plot against the man, I sent him to thee forth- with, charging his accus- ers also to speak against him before thee.1 81 So the soldiers, as it was commanded them, took Paul, and brought him by night to Anti- 32 patris. But on the morrow they left the horsemen togo with him, and returned to the castle : 33 and they, when they came to Ceesarea, and delivered the letter to the governor, presented Paul also ;54 before him. And when he had read it, he asked of what province he was ; 1 Many ancient authorities add Fare- well. 29. Of bonds; imprisonment. 32. And returned; as the prisoner was now so far from the city as to be out of immediate danger. In Herod's palace ; in a place of confinement connected with it. This hall was a cele- brated public edifice erected by Herod. CHAPTER XXI V. 1. Came down; to Cesarea. — Orator ; advocate. Tertullus, judging from his name, was a Roman: and he was employed, probably, on account of his ac- quaintance with the language and when he understood that he was of Cilicia, 1 38 will hear thy cause, said he, when thine accusers also are come: and he commanded him to be kept in Herod's 'palace. And after five days the 24 high priest Ananias came down with certain elders, and with an orator, one Tertullus ; and they in- formed the governor against Paul. And when % he was called, Tertullus began to accuse him, saying, Seeing that by thee we enjoy much peace, and that by thy providence evils are corrected for this nation, we accept it in all 8 ways and in all places, most excellent Felix, with all thankfulness. But, that I be not further 4 tedious unto thee, I intreat thee to hear us of 2 Gr. Prcetorium. and forms of procedure used at the Roman tribunals. 2, 3. Contemporaneous history represents Felix as base and ty- rannical, though efficient in his government. The obsequious- ness of this orator's introduction contrasts strongly with the honest dignity of that of Paul, (v. 10.) — Evils are corrected for this nation; some instances of the subduing of bauds of robbers are reported by history under the administration of Felix, enough to give a sort of foundation to the flattery of Tertullus. ■24. 14. THE ACTS. 503 thy clemency a few words. 5 For we have found this man a pestilent fellow, and a mover - of insur- rections among all the Jews throughout 'the world, and a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes : 6 who moreover assayed to 8 profane the temple: on whom also we laid hold :2 from whom thou wilt be able, by examining him thyself, to take know- ledge of all these things, whereof we accuse him. 9 And the Jews also joined in the charge, affirming that these things were , so. 10 And when the gover- nor had beckoned unto him to speak, Paul an- swered. 1 Gr. the inhabited earth. 2 Some ancient authorities insert and we would have judged him according to our law. 7 But the chief captain Lysias 6. The Old Version contained the words added here in the margin. 8. According to the Old Ver- sion Tertullus represents the ac- cusers as the witnesses on whom he will rely; according to the New Version he practically ad- mits that he has no witnesses, and asks Felix to examine Paul, for himself; and as Felix pro- ceeds at once to call on Paul for his defence, without hearing from any witnesses against him, and as the Jews from Asia, who first stirred up the tumult against Paul, were evidently not present to testify against him, (see ver. 19,) the latter interpretation Forasmuch as I know that thou hast been of many years a judge unto this nation, I do cheer fully make my defence : seeing that thou canst 11 take knowledge, that it is not more than twelve days since I went up to worship at Jerusalem: and neither in the temple 12 did they find me disput- ing with any man or stir- ring up a crowd, nor in the synagogues, nor in the city. Neither can 13 they prove to thee the things whereof they now accuse me. But this 1 14 confess unto thee, that after the Way which they call 3a sect, so serve I the God of our fathers, believing all things which came, and with great violence took him away out of our hands, 8 commanding his accusers to come before thee. 3 Or, ' must be regarded as the more reasonable one. 11. The whole of Paul's address before Felix is much more graphically rendered in the New Version than in the Old. — Twelve days. In carefully reckoning the days enumerated in the course of the narrative, from the time of Paul's arrival at Jerusalem, we make more than twelve, unless we consider the five mentioned 24: 1 as com- mencing, not at the time of Paul's arrival at Cesarea, but at that of his apprehension by Lysias. 12. This is in reply to the charge made by Tertullus. (v. 5.) 504 THE ACTS. 24.14— are according to the law, and which are written in 15 the prophets: having hope toward God, which these also" themselves 'look for, that there shall be a resurrection both of the just and unjust. 16 Herein do I also exercise myself to have a con- science void of offence toward God and men al- 17 way. Now "after many years I came to bring alms to my nation, and. 18 offerings: 3 amidst which they found me purified in the temple, with no crowd, nor yet with tumult: but there were certain Jews from Asia — 19 who ought to have been here before thee, and to make accusation, if they had aught against me. 20 Or else let these men themselves say what wrong-doing they found, when I stood before the 21 council, except it be for this one voice, that I cried standing among them, Touching the resur- 1 Or, accept 2 Or, some 3 Or, in presenting which 17. After many years ; after an absence of many years. 18. Purified; engnged in the duties pertaining to ceremonial purification. 19. Who ought, &c. ; meaning the Jews from Asia who made the original charge. 23. Should have indulgence; that is, should not be kept in close confinement. — To minister rection of the dead I am called in question before you this day. But Felix, having more 22 exact knowledge concern- ing the Way, deferred them, saying, When Lysias the chief captain shall come down, I will determine your matter. And he gave order to the 23 centurion that he should be kept in charge, and should have indulgence ; and not to forbid any of his friends to minister unto him. But after certain days, 24 Felix came with Drusilla, 4 his wife, wrhich was a Jewess, and sent for Paul, and heard him concern- ing the faith in Christ Jesus. And as he rea-25 soned of righteousness, and 5 temperance, and the judgement to come, Felix was terrified, and an- swered, Go thy way for this time ; and when I have a convenient season, I will call thee unto me. He hoped withal that 26 4 Gr. his own wife. 5 Or, self-control unto him ; to attend upon him, and administer to his comfort. 24. Drusill't ; the daughter of Herod Agrippa. Felix had enticed her away from her hus- band, who was still living, as is related by the historians of those times. 26. Communed with ; conversed with, — intimating to him, in these conversations, that he or -25. 11. THE ACTS. 505 money would be given him of Paul: wherefore also he sent for him the oftener, and communed 27 with him. But when two years were fulfilled, Felix was succeeded by Porcius Festus ; and de- siring to gain favour with the Jews, Felix left Paul in bonds. 25 Festus therefore, 'hav- ing come into the pro- vince, after three days went up to Jerusalem 2 from Csesarea. And the chief priests and the prin- cipal men of the Jews informed him against Paul ; and they besought 3 him, asking favour against him, that he would send for him to Jerusalem ; laying wait to kill him 4 on the way. Howbeit Festus answered, that Paul was kept in charge at Caesarea, and that he himself was about to de- 5 part thither shortly. Let them therefore, saith he, which are of power among you, go down with me, and if there is anything amiss in the man, let them accuse him. 6 And when he had tar- ried among them not 1 Or, having entered upon his province his friends, by paying a sum of money, might secure his release. CHAPTER XXV. 3. Laying wait ; designing to employ men to lie in wait. more than eight or ten days, he went down unto Csesarea ; and on the morrow he sat on the judgement-seat, and com- manded Paul to be brought. And when he? was come, the Jews which had come down from Jerusalem stood round about him, bringing against him many and grievous charges, which they- could not prove ; while Paul said in his 8 defence, Neither against the laws of the Jews, nor against the temple, nor against Caesar, have I sinned at all. But Festus, 9 desiring to gain favour with the Jews, answered Paul, and said, Wilt thou go up to Jerusalem, and there be judged of these things before me? But 10 Paul said, I am standing before Caesar's judge- ment-seat, where I ought to be judged : to the Jews have I done no wrong, as thou also very well know-- est. If then I am a wrong- 11 doer, and have committed any thing worthy of death, I refuse not to die : but if none of those things is true, whereof 10. I am staii ding, &c. ; mean- ing that, as a Roman citizen, he was entitled to trial before Ro- man tribunals. 11. Unto them ; unto the Jew§. 506 THE ACTS. 25. 11- these accuse me, no man can 'give me up unto them. I appeal unto 12 Caesar. Then F e s t u s, when lie had conferred with the council, answer- ed. Thou hast appealed unto Caesar : unto Caesar shalt thou go. 13 JSTow when certain days were passed, Agrippa the king and Bernice arrived at Ca3sarea, 2and saluted 14 Festus. And as they tarried there many days, Festus laid Paul's case before the king, saying, There is a certain man left a prisoner by Felix : 15 about whom, when I was at Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews informed me, asking for sentence 16 against him. To whom I answered, that it is not the custom of the Romans to give up any man, be- fore tha t the accused have the accusers face to face, and have had opportunity 1 Gr. grant me by favour : and so in ver. 16. 2 Or, having saluted 13. Agrippa ; culled in history Agrippa the younger, the son of the Herod Agrippa who put James to death. (Acts 12: 1, 2.) When his father died, he was too young to succeed him, and accordingly a succession of offi- cers, called in this history governors, were sent from Rome to administer the affairs of Judea. Agrippa had now arrived at maturity, and had been invested with the government of some to make his defence con- cerning the matter laid against him. When there- 17 fore they were come to- gether here, I made no delay, but on the next day sat down on the judgement-seat, and com- manded the man to be b r o u g h t. Concerning 18 whom, when the accusers stood up, they brought no charge of such evil things as I supposed ; but had certain questions 19 against him of their own 3 religion, and of one Jesus, who was dead, whom Paul affirmed to be alive. And I, being 20 perplexed how to inquire concerning these things, asked whether he would go to Jerusalem, and there be judged of these matters. But when Paul 21 had appealed to be kept for the decision of 4the emperor, I commanded him to be kept till I should send him to Caesar. 3 Or. supers/'/ /ion 4 Gr. the Augustus. countries north of Judea. Ber- nice was Agrippa's sister, liv- ing with him, however, as his wife. 20. And I, heing perplexed limn 10 inquire, &c. ; all such matters seemed to a Roman governor like Festus, matters of entire indifference and unconcern, about which he neither knew nor cared aught. 21. The Emperor; Augustus Caesar. -26. 5. THE ACTS. 507 22 And Agrippa said unto Festus, I also 'could wish to hear the man myself. To-morrow, saith he, thou shalt hear him. 23 So on the morrow, when Agrippa was come, and Bernice, with great pomp, and they were entered into the place of hearing, with the chief captains, and the principal men of the city, at the command of Festus Paul was 24 brought in. And Festus saith, King Agrippa, and all men which are here present with us, ye behold this man, about whom all the multitude of the Jews made suit to me, both at Jerusalem and here, cry- ing that he ought not to 25 live any longer. But I found that he had com- mitted nothing worthy of death : and as he himself appealed to 2 the emperor X determined to send him. 2fi Of whom I have no certain thing to write unto my lord. Wherefore I have brought him forth before you, and specially before 1 Or, was wishing 2 Gr. the Augustus. 22. / also could loish ; or as in the margin, was wishing. Agrip- pa had probably heard of Paul before, and was curious to see and hear him. 23. With great pomp. This was iu the same city where his father had incurred a miserable destruction as a punishment for pride. thee, king Agrippa, that, after examination had, I may have somewhat to write. For it seemeth to 27 m e unreasonable, i n sending a prisoner, not withal to signify the charges against him. And Agrippa said unto 28 Paul, Thou art permitted to speak for thyself. Then Paul stretched forth his hand, and made his defence : I think myself happy, a king Agrippa, that I am to make my defence before thee this day touching all the things whereof I am accused by the Jews : % especially be- 8 cause thou art expert in all customs and questions which are among -the Jews : wherefore I be- seech thee to hear me patiently. My manner of 4 life then from my youth up, which was from the beginning among mine own nation, and at Jeru- salem, know all the Jews ; having knowledge of me 5 from the first, if they be 3 Or, because thou art especially expert 26. Wherefore I have brought him forth, &c. This was a false statement, made for effect on the assembly. The true reason for this second public arraign- ment was to gratify Agrippa's curiosity and love of parade. CHAPTER XXVI. 3. Because thou art expert] &c. ; Agrippa being himself a Jew. 50S THE ACTS. 26.5— willing to testify, how that after the straitest sect of our religion I lived 6 a Pharisee. And now I stand here to be judged for the hope of the promise made of God un- 7 to our fathers ; unto which promise our twelve tribes, earnestly serving God night and day, hope to attain. And concern- ing this hope I am accused by the Jews, 0 king ! 8 Why is it judged in- credible with you, if God ©doth raise the dead? I verily thought with my- self, that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of loXazareth. And this I also did in Jerusalem : and I both shut up many of the saints in prisons, having received authority from the chief priests, and when they were put to death, I gave my vote 11 against them. And pun- ishing them oftentimes 1 Or, On which errand 6. To he judged; am upon trial. — The hope of the promise, «fcc. ; meaning the promise that a Messiah was to come. His be- lief that Jesus was the Messiah — that is, his belief in the re- alization of that hope — had been the true origin of the difficulty. 7. Our twelve tribes. Such phraseology was still used to denote the Jewish nation. though ten of the tribes had long before been scattered and in all the synagogues, I strove to make them blaspheme ; and being exceedingly mad against them, I persecuted them even unto foreign cities. 'Whereupon as I jour- 12 neyed to Damascus with the authority and com- mission of the chief priests, at midday, Oi3 king, I saw on the wTay a light from heaven, above the brightness of the sun, shining round about me and them that journeyed with me. And when we 14 were all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice saying unto me in the Hebrew language, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me ? it is hard for thee to kick against 2the goad. And I said, Who 15 art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest. But arise, and stand upon 16 thy feet : for to this end have I appeared unto 2 Gr. goads. lost. 11. Blaspheme; abjure Christ. 14. Against the goad ; a pro- verbial expression found both in Roman and Greek literature, and derived from the resistance of an ox kicking against the goad with which he is driven. The meaning is here that Paul found in his own conscience a conti- nual remonstrance against the course which lie was pursuing in persecuting the Christians. —26. 26. THE ACTS. 509 thee, to appoint thee a minister and a witness both of the things 'where- in thou hast seen me, and of the things wherein I will appear unto thee ; 17 delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom I 18 send thee, to open their eyes, 3 that they may turn from darkness to light, and from the pow- er of Satan unto God, that they may receive re- mission of sins and an inheritance among them that ' are sanctiiied by I9faithinme. Wherefore, 0 king Agrippa, I was not disobedient unto the 20 heavenly vision : but de- clared both to them of Damascus first, and at Jerusalem, and through- out all the country of Ju- daea, and also to the Gen- tiles, that they should repent and turn to God, 1 Many ancient authorities read which thou hast seen. 2 Or, to turn them 22. To small and great; to high and low. 23. There is some uncertainty respecting the proper translation of the Greek here, and some difference between the Old and New Versions. The meaning, however, is, that Paul simply declares the fulfilment of the prophecies of the Old Testament, in proclaiming a Messiah, who has suffered, and by his resur- rection from the dead has pro- claimed light to the people of Israel and also to the Gentiles. doing works worthy of "repentance. For this 21 cause the Jews seized me in the temple, and assay- ed to kill me. Having 22 therefore obtained the help that is from God, I stand unto this day testi- fying both to small and great, saying nothing but what the prophets and Moses did say should come; *how that the23 Christ 6must suffer, and 4 how that he first by the resurrection of the dead should proclaim light both to the people and to the Gentiles. And as he thus made 24 his defence, Festus saith with a loud voice, Paul, thou art mad ; thy much learning doth turn thee to madness. But Paul 25 saith, I am not mad, most excellent Festus ; but speak forth words of truth and soberness. For 26 3 Or, their repentance 4 Or. if Or, whether 5 Or, is subject to suffering 24. With a loud voice; in order that the whole assembly might hear the taunt.— Thou art mad ; the same word is used in the original by Festus as by Paul in his reply / am not mad, and this connection between the language of Festus and that of Paul is lost in the Old Version, but observed in the New. 26. The ling; Agrippa. — Knoweth of these things ; of the facts respecting the death and resurrection of Christ, and Paul'g conversion. 510 THE ACTS. 26. 26— the king knoweth of these things, unto whom also I speak freely : for I am persuaded that none of these things is hidden from him ; for this hath not been done in a cor- 27ner. King Agrippa, be- lievest thou the prophets? I know that thou belie v- 23 est. And Agrippa said unto Paul, With but little persuasion thou wouldest fain make me a 29 Christian. And Paul sa id, I would to God, that whether with little or with much, not thou only, but also all that hear me this day, might become such as I am, ex- cept these bonds. 1 Or, cohort 28, 29. There can hardly be a doubt that the New Version much more accurately represents the spirit of Agrippa's reply than did the Old Version. He was not almost persuaded to be a Christian, his response to Paul was not that of a wavering and hesitating nature, he was a hard, selfish, and unscrupulous man, who sneered at Paul's spir- itual earnestness as a little per- suasion. —Except these bonds ; ex- cept being a prisoner, — loiuls denoting, in this case, simply int, as it is not probable that lie was actually bound, lie v. i- confined with chaius at first, by Lysias, (21: 33;) but when it appeared that he was a Itoman citizen, they were removed. (22: 2K. 30.) CHAPTER XXVII. This description of Paul's *ea voyage, with its romantic And the king rose up. 30 and the governor, and Bernice, and they that sat with them : and wheri3l they had withdrawn, they spake one to an- other, saying, This man doeth nothing wTorthy of death or of bonds. And 32 Agrippa said unto Festus, This man might have been set at liberty, if he had not appealed unto Caesar. And when it was de-27 termined that we should sail for Italy, they de- livered Paul and certain other prisoners to a cen- turion named Julius, of the Augustan x band. And embarking in a ship 2 perils and its providential es- cape, is very graphically nar- rated. The language of the original is much more pictorial than that of the English ver- sions in either form, but is much more graphically repre- sented in the New Version than in the Old. The variations are, however, in many instances^ minute, and would only be no- ticed by the student who should compare the two versions .one with the other. For a more careful study of this chapter see my commentary' on the Acts, with map and illustrations there, Le win's "Life and Epistles of St. Paul," and James Smith's volume on the "Voyage and Shipwreck of St. Paul." 1. Augustan hand; a body of the Roman army, — this name being a title of distinction. 2. Adramyttium ; a seaport in —27. 10. THE ACTS. 511 of Adramyttium, which was about to sail unto the places on the coast of Asia, we put to sea, Aristarchns, a Macedoni- an of Thessalonica, being 3 with ns. And the next day we touched at Sidon : and Julius treated Paul kindly, and gave him leave to go unto his friends and ' refresh him- 4 self. And putting to sea from thence, we sailed under the lee of Cyprus, because the winds were 5 contrary. And when we had sailed across the sea which is off Cilicia and Pamphylia, we came to Myra, a city of Lycia. 6 And there the centurion found a ship of Alex- 1 Gr. receive attention. the province of Asia. — About to sail unto the places on the coast of Asia ; i. e., Asia Minor. The ship was probably a coasting vessel, going only as far as Asia Minor, touching at the various ports along the coast. Perhaps it was the design to journey from Adramyttium to Rome by land. At all events the centu- rion transferred his prisoners to another vessel when he reached Myra in Lycia. — Aristarchns ; a companion of Paul, who had come to Jerusalem with him. (19:29. 20:4.) He is al- luded to afterwards, (Phil. 24,) as Paul's fellow-laborer at Rome ; and also, on another occasion, (Col. 4:10,) as his fellow-pris- oner. 4. Under the lee of Cyprus; andria sailing for Italy ; and he put us therein. And when we had sailed 7 slowly many days, and were come with difficulty over against Cnidus, the wind not a further suffer- ing us, we sailed under the lee of Crete, over against Salmone ; and 8 with difficulty coasting along it we came unto a certain place called Fair Havens ; nigh whereunto was the city of Lasea. And when much time 9 was spent, and the voy- age was now dangerous, because the Fast was now already gone by, Paul admonished them, and 10 said unto them, Sirs, I perceive that the voyage 2 Or, suffering us to get then probably between Cyprus and the coast of Cilicia. 6. Alexandria; in Egypt. There was an extensive commer- cial intercourse, in those days, between Egypt and Rome, as a great deal of grain from the valley of the Nile was con- sumed in Rome. (See v. 38.) 7. Under the lee of Crete ; the wind appears to have been in a north-westerly direction. The ship sought the shelter of the Island of Crete. This whole chapter should be read with a map before the reader. 9. Much time was spent; their progress having been impeded by the contrary winds before alluded to. 10. 1 perceive ; I am convinced. — Of our lives; that is, that it will endanger our lives. 512 THE ACTS. 27. 10- will be with injury and much loss, not only of the lading and the ship, but also of our n lives. But the centurion gave more heed to the master and to the owner of the ship, than to those things which were spoken 12 by Paul. And because the haven was not com- modious to winter in, the more part advised to put to sea from thence, if by any means they could reach Phoenix, and winter there ; which is a haven of Crete, looking ' north- 13 east and south-east. And when the south wind 1 Gr. dotvn the south-west wind and down the north-west wind. 12. Looking north-east and south-east ; the Old Version read, toward the south-west and north- west. In fact, the harbor lies open to the east, and is perfectly protected from westerly and north-westerly winds. The exact meaning of the Greek is given in the margin. Dr. Houson ex- plains it by saying that to the sailor the harbor looks from the water toward the land which encloses it, which in this case would be in the direction of south-west and north-west. 14. Called Euraquiloj an east wind was Euros, - a north-east wind Equilus. This was Eura- quilo; i. e., east north-east. 15. In modern times, the position of greatest safety for a ship in a storm of moderate violence, is for it to lie nearly head to the gale, presenting, so to speak, its shoulder to' the winds and waves. By a peculiar blew softly, supposing that they had obtained their purpose, they weighed anchor and sailed along Crete, close in shore. But after noH long time there beat down from it a tempestuous wind, which is called Euraquilo : and when the 15 ship was caught, and could not face the wind, we gave way to it, and were driven. And run-io ning under the lee of a small island called 2 Cauda, we were able, with difficulty, to secure the boat: and when they 17 had hoisted it up, they 2 Many Clauda. ancient authorities read action of the wind upon a sail placed in a particular position, the ship is retained in this pos- ture by the very force of the storm which it is resisting. "When, however, the fury of the tempest passes beyond a certain point, this position of compara- tive safety must be abandoned. The mariner then allows the ship to be carried round by the wind, and she flies away before the tempest, entirely at its mercy. The language here used seems exactly adapted to describe these effects. 16. Cauda; a small island south of Crete. We icere able tcith difficulty to secure the boat ; which before this time had probably been left towing behind. 17. Under girding; some meas- ure adopted, in those days, to strengthen the ship, in order to enable her better to resist the 27. 28. THE ACTS. 513 used helps, under-gird- ing the ship ; and, fear- ing lest they should be cast upon the Syrtis,they lowered the gear, and so 18 were driven. And as we laboured exceedingly with the storm, the next day they began to throw the freight overboard ; ia and the third day they cast out with their own hands the ' tackling of the 20 ship. And when neither sun nor stars shone upon us for many days, and no small tempest lay on tis, all hope that we should be saved was now 21 taken away. And when they had been long with- . out food, then Paul stood forth in the midst of them, and said, Sirs, ye should have hearkened unto me, and not have set sail from Crete, and have gotten this injury 22 and loss. And now 1 ex- hort you to be of good 1 Or, furniture straining produced by the sea. — They lowered the gear ; not, as in the Old Version, stroke sail. On the contrary, the sail must have been set: for apparently the vessel was brought round, with her head or shoulder to the gale, in the manner described in note 15. The protection afforded by the island of Cauda enabled the sailors to accomplish this change in the ship's position. Exactly what was lowered is not clear — probably something con- nected with the upper and main- sails. cheer : for there shall be no loss of life among you, but only of the ship. For 23 there stood by me this night an angel of the God whose I am, whom also I serve, saying, Fear not, 24 Paul ; thou must stand before Caesar : and lo, God hath granted thee all them that sail with thee. Wherefore, sirs, 25 be of good cheer: for I believe God, that it shall be even so as it hath been spoken unto me. How- 26 beit we must be cast upon a certain island. But when the four- 27 teenth night was come, as we were driven to and fro in the sea of Adria, about midnight the sail- ors surmised that they were drawing near to some country; and they 28 sounded, and found twen- ty fathoms : and after a little space, they sounded again, and found fifteen 18, 19. First, they threw over a part of the freight, and then some of the tackling — perhaps some of the heavy spars. 24. Hath granted thee, &c. ; that is, for his sake all the others were to be saved. 27. Sea of Adria ; the Adriatic Sea. — Surmised that they were draining near, &c. ; by certain signs, familiar to seamen, such as the appearing of birds, or of floating plants, or a change in the color of the water. 28. Modern investigations 514 THE ACTS. 27. 28— 29 fathoms. And fearing lest haply we should be cast ashore on rocky . ground, they let go four anchors from the stern, and ' wished for the day. 30 And as the sailors were seeking to flee out of the ship, and had lowered the boat into the sea, un- der colour as though they would lay out anchors 31 from the foreship, Paul said to the centurion and to the soldiers, Except these abide in the ship, 32 ye cannot be saved. Then the soldiers cut away the ropes of the boat, and let 33 her fall off. And while the day was coming on, Paul besought them all to take some food, say- ing, This day is the four- teenth day that ye wait and continue "fasting, having taken nothing. 34 Wherefore I beseech you to take some food : for this is for your safety : for there shall not a hair perish from the head of 1 Or, prayed 2 Some ancient authorities read about three score and sixteen souls. shovy that the soundings here, and the general description of the harbor, correspond exactly to that of St. Paul's bay in the Island of Malta. 33. Having taken nothing ; almost nothing, — nothing at all adequate to the demands of nature. 39, 40. Several inaccuracies in the Old Version are here cor- any of you. And when 35 he had said this, and had taken bread, he gave thanks to God in the presence of all : and he brake it, and began to eat. Then were they all 36 of good cheer, and them- selves also took food. And we were in all in the 37 ship 2 two hundred three- score and sixteen souls. And when they had eaten 38 enough, they lightened the ship, throwing out the wheat into the sea. And when it was day, 39 they knew not the land : but they perceived a cer- tain bay with a beach, and they took counsel whether they could 3drive the ship upon it. And 40 casting off the anchors, they left them in the sea, at the same time loosing the bands of the rudders ; and hoisting up the fore- sail to the wind, they made for the beach. But 41 lighting upon a place where two seas met, they 3 Some ancient authorities read bring the ship safe to shore. rected. What they discovered was a beach on which they could safely run the ship ; they did not take vp the anchors, but cut the anchor chains or ropes, leaving the anchors in the sea, and they hoisted not the main- sail but the Joresail to the wind. — They hneio not the land. They ascertained afterwards that it was the island now called Malta. -28. 9. THE ACTS. 515 ran the vessel aground ; and the foreship struck and remained immove- able, but the stern began to break up by the vio- 42lence of the warns. And the soldiers' counsel was to kill the prisoners, lest any of them should swim 43 out, and escape. .But the centurion, desiring to save Paul, stayed them from their purpose ; and com- manded that they which could swim should cast themselves overboard, and get first to the land : 44 and the rest, some on planks, and some on other things from the ship. And so it came to pass, that they all escaped safe to the land. 28 And when we were escaped, then we knew that the island was called 21Melita. And the bar- barians shewed us no common kindness : for they kindled a fire, and received us all, because of the present rain, and 8 because of the cold. Bat w^hen Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks, and laid them on the fire, a viper came out 2 by reason of the heat, and fastened 1 Some ancient authorities read Meli- tene. CHAPTER XXVIII. 4. A murderer. They, of course, considered all the pris- oners as convicts; and this oc- currence led them to suppose on his hand. And when 4 the barbarians saw the beast hanging from his hand, they said one to another, No doubt this man is a murderer, whom, though he hath escaped from the sea, yet Justice hath not suffered to live. Howbeit he shook off the 5 beast into the fire, and took no harm. But they 6 expected that he would have swollen, or fallen down dead suddenly : but when they were long in expectation, and beheld nothing amiss come to him, they changed their minds, and said that he was a god. Now in the neighbour- 7 hood of that place were lands belonging to the chief man of the island, named Publius ; who re- ceived us, and entertained us three days courteously. And it was so, that the 8 father of Publius lay sick of fever and dysentery : unto whom Paul entered in, and prayed, and lay- ing his hands on him healed him. And when 9 this was done, the rest also which had diseases in the island came, and were 2 Or, from the heat that Paul had been guilty of some peculiarly atrocious crime. 7. The chief man of the island ; probably a Roman magistrate stationed there. 5i : THE ACTS. 28. 10— 10 cured : who also honoured us with many honours ; and when we sailed, they put on board such things as we needed. n And after three months we set sail in a ship of Alexandria, which had wintered in the island, whose sign was ' The Twin 12 Brothers. And touching at Syracuse, we tarried 13 there three days. And from thence we 2made a circuit, and arrived at Rhegium: and after one day a south wind sprang up, and on the second day we came to Puteoli : 14 where we found brethren, and were in treated to tarry with them seven days : and so we came to 15 Rome. And from thence the brethren, when they heard of us, came to meet us as far as The Market of Appius, and The Three Taverns : whom when Paul saw, he thanked God, and took courage. 1 Gr. Dioscuri. 2 Some ancient authorities read cast loose. 3 Some ancient authorities insert the centurion delivered the prisoners to the 11. The Twin Brothers; these were Castor and Pollux, the twin sons of Jupiter, regarded by the Romans as patrons of the sailors. Their figures were probably carried one on either side of the prow. 1 2. Syracuse ; a celebrated city on the Island of Sicily. 13. Made a circuit; sailed cir- cuitously.— Pitieoli j on the coast And when we entered 16 into Rome, Taul u as suf- fered to abide by himself with the soldier that guarded him. And it came to pass, 17 that after three days he called together 'those that were the chief of the Jews : .and when they were come together, he said unto them, I, breth- ren, though I had done nothing against the peo- ple, or the customs of our fathers, yet was delivered prisoner from Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans : who, when they 18 had examined me, de- sired to set me at liberty, .because there was no cause of death in me. But when the Jews spake 19 against it, I was con- strained to appeal unto Csesar ; not that I had aught to accuse my na- tion of. For this cause 20 therefore did I 5intreat you to see and to speak captain of the praetorian gvard : but. 4 Or, those that were of the Jews first 5 Or, call for you, to see and to speak vfith you of Italy. 14. Where we found brethren. This shows how extensively the Christian religion had already been disseminated. 15. The Market of Appius ; a small town, 43 miles from Jeru- salem.— The Three Taverns; a well-knowm station ten miles from the Market of Appius. 20. The reading of the Old —28. 30. THE ACTS. 517 with me : for because of the hope of Israel I am bound with this chain. 21 And they said unto him. We neither received let- ters from Judsea concern- ing thee, nor did any of the brethren come hither and report or speak any 22 harm of thee. But we desire to hear of thee what thou thinkest : for as concerning this sect, it is known to us that everywhere it is spoken against. 23 And when they had appointed him a day, they camo to him into his lodging in great number ; to whom he expounded the matter, testifying the kingdom of God, and persuading them concern- ing Jesus, both from the law of Moses and from the prophets, from morn- 24ing till evening. And * some believed the things which were spoken, 'and 25 some disbelieved. And when they agreed not among themselves, they departed, after that Paul had spoken one word, 1 Or, through 2 Some ancient authorities insert Ver. £9 And when he had said these zcords, Version is that of the margin. The difference between the two is not material. — The hope of Israel. The Messiah was the hope of Israel. It was Paul's belief in Jesus as the Messiah which had awakened the hostil- ity of the Jews.— Th is chain; the chain by which he was Well spake the Holy Ghost ' by Isaiah t h e prophet unto your fathers, saying, 26 Go thou unto this peo- ple, and say, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall in no wise understand ; And seeing ye shall see, and shall in no wise perceive : For this people's heart 27 is waxed gross, And their ears are dull of hearing, And their eyes they have closed ; Lest haply they should perceive with their eyes, And hear with their ears, And understand with their heart, And should turn again, And I should heal them. Be it known therefore 28 unto you, that this sal- vation of God is sent un- to the Gentiles : they will also hear.2 And he abode two 80 the Jews departed, having much disput- ing among themselves. bound to the soldier who kept him, according to the custom of guarding such prisoners at Rome. 22. This sect; the sect of Christians. 28. The Old Version contains verse 29, as giveu herp. i'"1 th* margin. 518 THE ACTS. 28. 31. .whole years in his own hired dwelling, and re- ceived all that went in 31 unto him, preaching the of God, and kingdom teaching the things con- cerning the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness, none forbidding him. The history of the doings of the apostles here abruptly termi- nates, and it has been supposed by some, that Luke, who ac- companied Paul to Home at this time, wrote this history there, bringing the narrative down to the time when he wrote, and that the Theophilus whom he mentions in his introduction, was a Roman. The supposition that he was at Rome, or that he had Roman readers particularly in mind when writing, is some- what confirmed by the minute allusions to the geography of the vicinity of the city, v: 'he fifteenth verse of the last chapter. THE EPISTLE OF PAUL THE APOSTLE TO THE ROMANS. At the time of the first establishment of the Christian religion, the Roman power was at its meridian. Nearly the whole of the then known world was under its sway, almost all countries having been reduced to the condition of provinces, or else to that of subject kingdoms, governed in subordination to the Roman emperor, or to the Roman senate. Hence the imperial city was at that time the great centre of intercommunication, of wealth, of influence, and of all civil and military power. The apostle Paul commenced his career in a province remote from this central seat of power. His various travels, however, brought him gradually nearer and nearer to it, as the tendency of his progress was always, through the native boldness and energy of his character, from places more quiet and obscure to those more noted, populous, and powerful, — from Antioch to Ephesus, — from Ephesus to Macedon, Athens, and Corinth; and the farther he advanced, the more evident it became that he would not be satisfied with the extent of his missionary labors, until he should have reached the imperial metropolis itself, and proclaimed his message of salvation among the palaces of tho Ccsars. A distinct expression of his design to visit Rome is recorded in Acts 19: 21. He was at that time going into Greece, but in such circumstances as prevented his then extending his journey into Rome, as he was at that time under the necessity of return- ing to Judea to execute a certain commission which he had undertaken from the Christians in Macedonia and Achaia to those in Jerusalem. After accomplishing this object, he in- tended to carry into effect his design of visiting Rome ; and, in the mean time, he wrote this Epistle to the Roman church, in- forming them of his long-cherished intention of visiting them, (Rom. 1: 10-13. 15: 23-28,) and communicating such instruc- tions as were adapted to their condition. The Epistle is sup- posed to have been written during Paul's residence at Corinth, on the occasion referred to in Acts 20 : 2, 3. [519] 520 ROMANS. We learn from secular history, that, as might have been expected, there was a considerable Jewish population at Rome in the times of the apostles. Some of these Roman Jews seem to be mentioned as present at Jerusalem at the day of Pentecost. (Acts 2: 10.) It was probably through these individuals, or by some other channel which the frequent intercourse maintained between the metropolis and the provinces provided, that Chris- tianity had found its way to Rome, and a church had been planted there. This church consisted of both Jewish and Gen- tile converts. Between these two classes of Christian converts there was always a tendency to jealousy and dissension. The Jew had been accustomed to regard his nation as the favored people of God, and to attach great importance to the various rites and ceremonies which had descended to him from his fathers. He was, consequently, much inclined to insist, that the Gentile convert should not only become c Christian, but a Jew also ; that is, that he should come under the various obliga- tions of tho Mosaic law, as well as seek salvation through Jesus Christ. The Gentile, on the other hand, looked with contempt upon what he considered tho narrowness of mind, bigotry, and slavery to ceremony and form, which often characterized his Israelitish brother; and ho seems often to have been inclined to adopt practices for the purpose of showing his superiority to such ideas, which could not fail of wounding the feelings of the Jew. The Epistle to the Romans will be found to be exactly adapted to this state of things. In fact, it may be said to consist, essen- tially, of a treatise upon the nature of salvation by Christ, in its relation to the Gentile and tho Jew; showing that it is equally indispensable to the one and to the other, and presenting the subject in such aspects as should lead the Jew to entertain more just and liberal feelings towards his Gentile brother, and the Gentile to be more considerate and kind in respect to the pre- possessions and long-established habits of the Jew. The Epistle to the Romans has the reputation of being the most difficult book in the New Testament; but, after all, the difficul- ty seems to be. in many cases, a difficulty in receiving the doctrine of the apostle, rather than in understanding it. In enforcing the entire dependence of both Jew and Gentile upon the mere mercy of God for all hope of salvation, the writer has occasion to take very high ground in regard to the prerogatives exercised by Jehovah in the control of the moral world; and Christian philosophers, of all ages, in marking the confines of divine power, in respect to the character and acts of free and account- ROMANS. 331 able creatures, have been disposed to draw the lines differently from the apostle. In fact, he draws no lines at all. He surren- ders the reins entirely into the hands of Jehovah, and invests him with a sovereignty that is complete and illimitable, tracing back all things to an origin in him ; while the philosophers, on the other hand, deem it necessary that some acts should be al- lowed to originate in man. They cannot conceive of freedom and accountableness, without something like independence and contingency. The difficulty would seem to be, therefore, so far as this subject is concerned, not so much in understanding what the apostle would say, as in reconciling it with what men are apt to regard as incontrovertible principles of moral philosophy. The Epistles of Paul are placed together in the sacred canon, im- mediately after the historical books, and they arc arranged, nofc according to the dates under which they were written, but ac- cording to their comparative length; those addressed to churches in one series, and the Epistles to individuals, namely to Timo- thy, Titus, and Philemon, in another. The Epistle to the He- brews, which, though generally attributed to Paul, docs not, in the introduction or conclusion of it, bear his name, is not in- cluded in the series, but is inserted by itself, at the close of it. Then follow the Epistles of James, Peter, John, and Jude, ar- ranged on the same principle with those of Paul. 1 Paul, a 'servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated un- 2 to the gospel of God, which he promised afore 8 by his prophets in the 1 Gr. bondservant. 2 Or, through CHAPTER I. 1. An apostle. Paul was not in fact one of the twelve apos- tles. The original number were appointed long before his con- version ; and, as the office appears not to have been intended to be perpetual, we do not learn that any vacancies, after that occa- sioned by the death of Judas, were filled. Paul, however, generally assumes the title, in holy scriptures, concern- 8 ing his Son, who was born of the seed of David according to the flesh, who was "declared to be 4 the Son of God 4 with 3 Gr. determined. 4 Or, in his writings, inasmuch as, like the apostles, he received his commission to go forth as a preacher of the gospel, directly from the Saviour. — Separated; set apart, consecrated. 3. Of the seed of David ; of the family of David. — According to the flesh ; in respect to earthly parentage. 4. According to the Spirit of holiness. A great degree of un- 522 ROMANS. 1. 4— power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection of the dead ; neven Jesus Christ our Lord, through whom we received grace and apos- tleship, unto obedience 1 of faith among all the nations, for his name's 6 sake: among whom are ye also, called to be Jesus 7 Christ's: to all that are in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints : Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 8 First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for 1 Or, to the faith certainty lias been felt among commentators in respect to the precise import of the term Spirit of holiness, as used in this con- nection; and, in fact, also in respect to the other clauses of this verse. Some consider this expression as referring to the Holy Spirit, others to the divine Word which became flesh in the person of Jesus. (John 1:1, 14 ) Others still understand it to denote those spiritual influ- ences affused, by the Saviour, after his resurrection, upon the apostles, and other members of the early church. In fact, in regard to the whole verse, the best authorities among commen- tators express their opinions of •ecific sense in which its I clauses are to be under '-. Li h great hesitation. Its general import is clear, viz., that who, in respect to his powers and station, was ad ant of David, was pro- d the Son of God by you all, * that your faith is proclaimed throughout the whole world. For 9 God is my witness, whom I serve in my spirit in the gospel of his Son, how unceasingly I make men- tion of you, always in my prayers making request, 10 if by any means now at length I may be prospered 3 by the will of God to come unto you. For 111 long to see you, that I may impart unto you some spiritual gift, to the end ye may be established; that is, that I with you 12 may be comforted in you, Or, because 3 Gr. in. divine indications of the highest and most unquestionable charac- ter. 5. Unto obedience ; the object of the dispensation of the gospel is to promote obedience. — Of faith, or to the faith ; a spiritual, and not merely a legal or exter- nal, obedience. 10. Now at length. Paul was, at this time, about proceeding to Jerusalem, intending imme- diately afterwards to visit Rome. (Acts 19:21.)—/ may be pros- pered— to come unto you; the prayer of the apostle was not that he might have, as in the Old Version, a prosperous journey, but that he might be so guided by the providence of God as to be prospered in the accomplish- ment of his long-felt desire to visit Rome. 12. This reading expr more clearly than the Old Ver- sion the meaning of the origi- nal. Paul realized in his own experience that the teacher of -1. 18. KOMANS. 52$ each of us by the other's faith, both yours and 13 mine. And I would not have you ignorant, bre- thren, that oftentimes I purposed to come unto you (and was hindered hitherto), that I might have some fruit in you also, even as in the rest 14 of the Gentiles. I am debtor both to Greeks and to Barbarians, both to the wise and to the 15 foolish. So, as much as in me is, I am ready to preach the gospel to you 1 Gr. from. spiritual truth is comforted and built up as truly as he that is taught. 14. I am debtor; that is, I am under obligations of duty. — To Greeks and to Barbarians ; to civilized aud uncivilized; that is, to all. 15. As much as in me is ; so far as I have power and oppor- tunity. 16. To the Jew first, and also to the Greek ; a mode of expres- sion strikingly adapted to the state of feeling among those ad- dressed, rendering, as it does, to the Jew the honor of respect- ful mention as the special ob- ject of divine regard, but yet placing the Gentile on an equal footing, in fact, as a partaker of the benefits of the gospel. It is the language cf truth and of conciliation combined ; salvation to all that believe, — to the Jew first, — that is, specially, prom- inently,— but also to the Greek. While it distinctly extends to the one class all the blessings and privileges of the gospel, it does so by a form of expression also that are in Eome. For I am not ashamed of 16 the gospel : for it is the power of God unto salva- tion to every one that believeth ; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. For therein is 17 revealed a righteousness of God 1 by faith unto faith : as it is written, But the righteous shall live ' by faith. For 2 the wrath of God 18 is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of 2 Or, a wrath which treats with respect the long-cherished feelings and pre- possessions of the other. 17. Therein ; that is, in the gospel, which was named in the beginning of the preceding verse. — A righteousness of God; a righteousness in the sight of God; that is, justification; or, God's righteousness; that is, his own pure and holy character, which is revealed to faith and accepted by faith. See note on ch. 3: 21-26. — By faith unto faith; an expression, the speci- fic interpretation of which, in this connection, is not settled. The general idea of the passage is clear, — that in the gospel is revealed the way by which the sincere believer is justified and saved. — As it is written; Hab. 2:4. 18. The icrath of God; the displeasure of God. — Who hold down the truth ; that is, hold it back, make it of none effect. The meaning of the original was not at all expressed by the Old Version, Who hold the truth in unrighteousness. 524 ROMANS. 1. 18— men, who 'hold down the 19 truth in unrighteousness ; because that which may be known of God is manifest in them ; for God mani- 20 tested it unto them. For the invisible things of him since the creation of the world are clearly seen, being perceived through the things that are made, even his ever- lasting power and di- vinity ; 2 that they may 21 be without excuse : be- cause that, knowing God, they glorified him not as God, neither gave thanks ; but became vain in their reasonings, and their senseless heart w a s 22darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, 23 they became fools, and changed the glory of the incorruptible God for the likeness of an image of corruptible inan, and of birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things. 24 Wherefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts unto unclean- ness, that their bodies should be dishonoured 25 among themselves : for that they exchanged the 1 Or, hold the truth 2 Or, so that, they are 8 Gr. unto the ages. 21. Knowing God; had the means of knowing him. 25. The truth of God: the truth in respect to God. truth of God for a lie, and worshipped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed "for ever. Amen. For this cause God 26 gave them up unto "vile passion : for their women changed the natural use into that "which is against nature: and likewise als< 27 the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another, men with men working unseemli- ness, and receiving in themselves that recom- pense of their error which was due. And even as they 28 'refused to have God in their knowledge, God gave them up unto a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not fitting; being filled 29 with all unrighteousness, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness ; full of envy, murder, strife, de- ceit', malignity ; whisper- ers, backbiters, 6 hateful 30 to God, insolent, haugh ty, boastful, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, without under- :;i standing, covenant- 4 Gr. passions of dishonour. 5 Gr. did not approve. 6 Or, haters of God 28. Not fitting ; not right. 29. Whisperers; secret slaa derers. " IT IS FINISHED ! " —2. 3. ROMANS. 527 breakers, without natural affection, unmerciful : 32 who, knowing the ordi- nance of God, that they which practice such things kare worthy of death, not only do the same, but also consent with them that practice them. 2 Wherefore thou art without excuse, 0 man, whosoever thou art that judgest : for wherein thou 1 Gr. the other. 32. Not only do the same, out also consent, &c. ; that is, they were not merely led, by the power of temptation, to the oc- casional commission of sin, but it was their deliberate and settled purpose to love and encourage iniquity. A blacker catalogue of sins and of crimes than that here recorded, could scarcely be penned; and yet all history es- tablishes the justice of everyone of these charges, as expressing the prevailing characteristics of pagan morality, in every age. The shocking details of the evi- dence cannot be presented to a virtuous Christian community, nor are those who are accus- tomed to the social influences of Christianity, capable of fully realizing the truth, when the evidence is placed before them. CHAPTER II. 1. The Jews would readily admit these charges against the pagan nations; and though they themselves incurred the same guilt, more or less openly, yet they considered themselves as protected from the divine dis- pleasure by their strict adher- ence to the Mosaic ceremonial. 21 judgest 'another, thou condemnest thyself ; for thou that judgest dost practice the same things. 2 And we know that the 2 judgement of God is ac- cording to truth against them that practice such things. And reckonest3 thou this, 0 man, who judgest them that practice such things, and doest the same, that thou shalt escape the judgement of 2 Many ancient authorities read For. Thus, while open iniquity char- acterized the pagan, secret cor- ruption, coupled with a malig- nant censoriousness, was the type of Jewish siu. The object of the apostle, therefore, now, after having exhibited the wretched condition of the pagan world, is to show the Jews, without, however, at first dis- tinctly naming them, that, not- withstanding their self-satisfac- tion and censoriousness, they were involved substantially in the same guilt and danger, and that their ceremonial observ- ances would have no efficacy in saving them, since God will judge men by their inward char- acter, and not by the outward rites which they perform. This, the general meaning and design of the chapter, is clear. The logical connection of it with what precedes, as indicated by the first word Wherefore, is ob- scure; for what is said in this chapter does not appear to be at all of the nature of an inference from the statements of the former one. The word Moreover would seem to express the kind of connection which actually exists between the two sections of the discourse. 528 ROMANS. 2.3- 4 God? Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and long- suffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repent- sance \ but after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up for thyself wrath in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgement 6 of God ; who will render to every man according to 7 his works : to them that by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honour and incorruption, eternal 8 life : but unto them that are factious, and obey not the truth, but obey 1 Or, righteous 4. The riches of his &c. The Jews always regarded themselves as the special ob- jects of the divine compassion and favor. 6. According to his works ; not according to the rites and cere- monies which he may have ob- served or neglected. The inten- tion of this and of the following verses was to show the Jew, what is still more pointedly ex- pressed in the concluding verses of the chapter, that his condi- tion in the sight of God, and his hopes of final salvation, would depend upon his personal character, and not upon any outward relations which he might sustain to the Mosaic in. 7. Eternal life ; he will render to them eternal life. s. F<- tious ; acting from party •pi 'it, and not from a desire of obeying God's wiU. — Wrath cud unrighteousness, shall be wrath and indignation, tribulation and anguish, 9 upon every soul of man that worketh evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Greek ; but glory and 10 honour and peace to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Greek : for there is no respect of 11 persons with God. For 12 as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law : and as many as have sinned under law shall be judged by law ; for not the IS hearers of a law are 'just before God, but the doers indignation ; that is, he will render to them wrath and indig- nation. 9. Of the Jew first, &c.\ mean- ing that with the priority in respect to privilege and honor, which the Jew enjoyed, there was connected the priority in punishment if he disobeyed. 12. As hare sinned without law ; without the revealed law. — Shall also perish without laic ; shall be condemned, without, however, being held amenable to the requirements of revela- tion. 13. For not the hearers of a law are just, &c. Paul lays down a general principle that men are not accounted worthy before God from possessing a knowl- of what is right, but from obeying that knowledge, as far as they possess it; the immediate application was, of course, to the Jews, but it is equally applicable —2. 20. ROMANS. 529 of a law shall be 'justified : 14 for when Gentiles which have no law do by nature the things of the law, these, having no law, are a law unto themselves ; 15 in that they shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their con- science bearing witness therewith, and their "thoughts one with an- other accusing or else ex- 16 cusing them ; in the day when God 3 shall judge the secrets of men, ac- 1 Or, accounted righteous 2 Or, ?'easonings 3 Or, jv.dgeth 4 Or, a law to all who possess a knowledge of God's will. 14. Having no laic; hav- ing not the written law. — Bo by nature ; that is, under the influ- ence of the natural conscience. 15. The work of the law; the work or duty required by the law. — Their conscience bearing witness. All the writings of the ancient pagans show, most de- cisively, that, notwithstanding the great prevalence of practical iniquity, there was a clear and universal understanding among them of the great distinctions between right and wrong. The vices and crimes enumerated by the apostle, though everywhere practised, were still everywhere understood to be vices and crimes. As such, they were denounced by the philosophers, satirized by poets, and forbidden by the laws; and thus there is abundant evidence that when the people committed such in- iquity themselves, or encouraged it in others, they did or encour- aged what they distinctly and certainly knew to be wrong. cording to my gospel, by Jesus Christ. But if thou bearest the 17 name of a Jew, and rest- est upon 4the law, and gloriest in God, and 18 knowest &his will, and 6 appro vest the things that are excellent, being instructed out of the law, and art confident that 19 thou thyself art a guide of the blind, a light of them that are in dark- ness, 7 a corrector of the 20 foolish, a teacher of babes, 5 Or, the Will 6 Or, provest the things that differ 7 Or, an instructor 16. In the day, &c. ; referring back, apparently, to the last clause of v. 12, the intervening verses being parenthetical. — The secrets of men; their secret and real characters. — My gospel; the gospel which I preach. 17. The apostle having intro- duced, in a gentle and cautious manner, the principles which show the impossibility that there can be any saving efficacy in a mere ecclesiastical position, now proceeds to give these principles a more direct application to the ideas of the Jews. — But if thou bearest the name of a Jew ; i. e. , wiiat if thou dost ! The title of Jew was considered by those to whom Paul was writing as high- ly honorable. In modern times, very different associations have become connected with the name. — Upon the law; in the Mosaic law. — Gloriest in God; boast of the favor of God. 20. The form of knowledge, and of the truth; i. e., the outward form, without any inward and spiritual appreciation of, and obedience to it. 530 ROMANS. 2. 20— having in the law the form of knowledge and 21 of the truth ; thou there- fore that teachest an- other, teachest thou not thyself? thou that preachest a man should not steal, dost thou steal ? 22 thou that sayest a man should not commit adultery, dost thou com- mit adultery ? thou that abhorrest idols, dost thou 23 'rob temples? thou who gloriest in 2the law, through thy transgres- sion of the law dis- honourest thou God % 24 For the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you, 25 even as it is written. For circumcision indeed profiteth, if thou be a doer of the law : but if thou be a transgressor of the law, thy circumcision is become uncircumcision. 26 If therefore the uncircum- 1 Or, commit sacrilege 24. The name of God, &c. ; that is, Your notorious depravity makes Jehovah, whom you pro- fess to serve, the object of re- proach and contumely among the Gentiles. 25. Circumcision ; the symbol and token of membership of the Jewish church. The meaning is, that to be a descendant of Abmham, and one of God's chosen people, is an advantage, provided the heart and conduct correspond with the privileges enjoyed. 28. Which w one outwardly ; cision keep the ordi- nances of the law, shall not his uncircumcision be reckoned for circum- cision \ and shall not the 27 uncircumcision which is by nature, if it fulfil the law, judge thee, who with the letter and circum- cision art a transgressor of the law ? For he is 28 not a Jew, which is one outwardly ; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh : but he is a Jew, which is 29 one inwardly ; and cir- cumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, not in the letter ; whose praise is not of men, but of God. What advantage then 3 hath the Jew ? or what is the profit of circum- cision % Much every way : 2 first of all, that they were intrusted with the oracles of God. For what if 3 some were without faith \ 2 Or, a law that is, merely outwardly. CHAPTER III. 1. What advantage, &c. The discussion, for a consid* ruble part of this chapter, appears to take the form of a dialogue, a very common form of discussion, both in ancient and modern times. 2. The oracles of God; divine communications which were made, in various forms, to the Jewish people. 3. The rhetorical repetition of a word as here, of faith, was —3. 12. ROMANS. 531 shall their want of faith make of none effect the faithfulness of God? 4 ' God forbid : yea, let God be found true, but every man a liar ; as it is written, That thou mightest be justified in thy words, And mightest prevail when thou comest into judgement. 5 But if our unrighteous- ness commendeth the righteousness of God, what shall we say ? Is God unrighteous who visiteth with wrath % (I speak after the manner 6 of men.) God forbid: for then how shall God 7 judge the world? 2But if the truth of God 1 Gr. Be it not so : and so elsewhere. 2 Many ancient authorities read For. common with the apostle Paul, but its effect was largely lost in the Old Version, in which the same Greek word was often ren- dered by different English words, as was the case in the translation of this passage. 4. Mightest j)revail ; appear to be in the right. 5. Commendeth the righteousness of God; is the means of exalt- ing it, setting it in a clear point of view. — Who visiteth with wrath ; who inflicts punishment. 6. For then how shall God judge the world; that is, on the suppo- sition referred to above, — if hu- man sin must not be punished on account of its being the occa- sion of exalting the righteous- ness of God. 8. Whose condemnation ; mean- through my lie abounded unto his glory, why am I also still judged as a sin- ner ? and why not (as 8 we be slanderously re- ported, and as some affirm that we say), Let us do evil, that good may come \ whose condemnation is just. What then ? 3are we in 9 worse case than they? No, in no wise : for we before laid to the charge both of Jews and Greeks, that they are all under sin ; as it is written, 10 There is none right- eous, no, not one ; There is none that un- 11 derstandeth, There is none that seeketh after God ; They have all turned is 3 Or, do xce excuse ourselves? ing the condemnation of those who are guilty of the slanderous report above referred to. 9. Are ice in tcorse case than they t the Old Version read, are we oetter? Scholars differ re- specting the proper rendering of the passage, though the general meaning is clear. The apostle puts the question only to answer it by showing that both Greeks and Jews are alike under con- demnation, and needing salva- tion. 10. The passage which fol- lows, to v. 19, is composed of several distinct quotations, taken from various parts of the Old Testament, principally from the book of Psalms, and applied here by the apostle as descrip- tive of the moral condition of 532 ROMANS. 3. 12— aside, they are to- gether become un- profi table ; There is none that doe th good, no, not so much as one : 13 Their throat is an open sepulchre ; With their tongues they have used de- ceit : The poison of asps is under their lips : 14 Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitter- ness : 15 Their feet are swift to shed blood ; 1 Gr. out of. the Jews. The language is con- siderably varied from the origi- nals. 19. To them that are under the law ; meaning that the language of the above quotations is to be considered as descriptive of the character of the Jews. — And all the world may he brought under the judgement of God ; not, as in the Old Version, may become guilty, but may be proved to be guilty and so without excuse. There has been much theological dispute in respect to the native character of man ; but it seems to have been in great measure a war of words. Among all those who have enjoyed much oppor- tunity for a practical acquaint- ance with human nature, as it develops itself on the great theatre of life, there is pretty general agreement in respect to the selfishness, the duplicity, the falseness, and the absence of all honest regard for the will or law of God, which prevail every- where in this world of corrup- tion and sin. The great ques- Bestruction and mis- 1ft ery are in their ways ; And the way of peace 17 have they not known : There is no fear of 18 God before their eyes. Now we know that 19 what things soever the law saith, it speaketh to them that are under the law ; that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may be brought under the judge- ment of God: because 20 1 by s the works of the law shall no flesh be 'jus- tified in his sight : for 2 Or, works of law 3 Or, accounted righteous tion seems to have been to deter- mine in what phraseology the notorious facts shall be theo- logically generalized. 20. By the works of the law shall no flesh be justified in his sight. There has been some dis- cussion, among commentators, whether, by the expression the late, in these chapters, Paul means to designate moral obli- gation in general, or the particu- lar requirements of the Jewish system; for in some cases he appears to use the term in one of these senses, and in other cases in the other sense. The explanation seems to be, that he employed the term in both senses, considering them as, in the view of his readers, one and the same. For, in the mind of a Jew, fidelity to the system of commands, moral and ritual, which were comprehended in the Mosaic code, was, in fact, the measure and sum of all moral obligation. The two ideas which, under the Christian dispensa- tion, have become so distinct, -3. 27. ROMANS. 533 1 through the law cometli the knowledge of sin. 21 But now apart from the law a righteousness of God hath been mani- fested, being witnessed by the law and the pro- saphets ; even the right- eousness of God through faith 2in Jesus Christ unto all 3 them that be- lieve ; for there is no dis- 23 tinction ; for all have sin- ned, and fall short of the 24 glory of God ; being jus- tified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus : 1 Or, through law 2 Or, of 3 Some ancient authorities add and upon ail. 4 Or, purposed were in those days, and in Jew- ish minds, identical. — For through the law cometh the knowl- edge of sin ; that is. the law of God, instead of being a protec- tion and a shield, only reveals more fully the universal delin- quency and guilt. 21-26. [I should give to this passage and to Paul's entire teaching on the subject of justi- fication by faith a somewhat different interpretation from that afforded here in the notes. God's righteousness seems to me to be his own character, which he imparts to the believer who accepts Jesus Christ as the mani- festation or disclosure of God, and who through faith in Christ enters into sympathetic personal relations with God as his Fa- ther, seeking to be conformed to the image of Christ, and to prove by his own life and char- whom God * set forth 5 to 25 be a propitiation, through 6 faith, by his blood, to shew his righteousness, because of the passing over of the sins done aforetime, in the forbear- ance of God ; for the 26 shewing, / say, of his righteousness at this present season : that he might himself be 7just, and the 7justifier of him that 8hath faith "in .Jesus. Where then is the glory- 27 ing ? It is excluded. By what manner of law \ of works % Nay : but by 5 Or, to be propitiatory 6 Or, faith in his blood 7 See ch. ii. 13, margin. 8 Gr. is of faith. 9 Or, of acter what is the acceptable and perfect will of God. — L. A.] 21. A righteousness of God ; a righteousness which God attri- butes to the believer in his justi- fication through faith. — Hath been manifested ; is revealed or made known in the gospel. — Being witnessed; having been witnessed, that is, predicted. 22. For there is no distinction; that is, none among the differ- ent classes of men, in respect to their need of this justifica- tion. 24. By his grace; by his favor. 25. A propitiation; an expi- atory sacrifice. — Faith by his blood. Blood is the symbol of death. The meaning is, faith in his death, as an expiation for sin. — His righteousness; the righteousness with which he in- vests the believer, in justifying him through faith. 534 ROMANS. 3. 28- 28a law of faith. ' We reckon therefore that a man is justified by faith apart from atlie works of 29 the law. Or is God the God of Jews only ? is he not the God of Gentiles also? Yea, of Gentiles 30 also : if so be that God is one, and he shall justify the circumcision 3 b y faith, and the uncircum-' 31 cision "through faith '( Do ! we then make 5the law of none effect 'through faith? God forbid : nay, we es- tablish 5the law. 4 AVhat then shall we say 6that Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh, hath found I 2 For if Abraham was justi- fied 3 by works, he hath whereof to glory ; but 1 Many ancient authorities read For we reclon. 2 Or, works of law 3 Gr. out of. CHAPTER IV. 1. Hathfound; hath obtained. The meaning is, ""What advan- tages arc derived by the Jews through the Abrahamic covenant and ritual ?" 2. But not toward God; that is. he has no cause to glory be- fore God. The meaning appears to be that, however high a. d honorable the character and mem- ory of Abraham might be in timation of men, in the eye of Qod lie was a sinner. — to be saved, like other men, by grace. 4. Of grace; of favor. — T>ut ~ justly due. 5. But to him that worketh not ; to him who lias no meritorious works on which he can rely. not toward God. For 3 what saith the scripture ? And Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned unto him for righteous- ness. Now to him that 4 worketh, the reward is not reckoned as of grace, but as of debt. But too him that worketh not, but believeth on him that jnstineth the ungodly, his faith is reckoned for righteousness. Even as 6 David also pronounce th blessing upon the man, unto whom God reckon- eth righteousness apart from works, saying, 7 Bl essed are they whose iniquities are forgiv- en, And whose sins are covered. 4 Or, through the faith 5 Or, law 6 sjume ancient authorities read of Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh? G. Even as David also pronoun* eth ; that is, David in a similar manner describeth. — Unto whom God reckoneth righteousness apart from works; whom God justi- fies and saves, though he has not performed his duty. The force of the passage quoted from Da- vid in the two following verses, in respect to its application to the apostle's argument, appears to be this. — that it represents spiritual blessedness as consisting in the pardon of sin, and not in the reward of goodness; and this sustains the position that Paul has been aiming to establish, viz., that human salvation is. in all cases, dependent on grace, — that is, on undeserved favor, — and not on merit. —4. 13. ROMANS. 535 8 Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not reckon sin0 9 Is this blessing then pro- nounced upon the cir- cumcision, or upon the uncircumcision also? for we say, To Abraham his faith was reckoned for 10 righteousness. How then was it reckoned? when he was in circumcision, or in uncircumcision ? Not in circumcision, but 11 in uncircumcision : and he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of 1 Or, through law 9. Is this blessing then, &c. Having thus shown that the Jews, or, as he expresses it, the circumcision, are entirely de- pendent on the mercy of God, he proceeds to prove that the uncircumcision, that is, the Gen- tiles, are not excluded from this mercy, by showing that Abra- ham enjoyed the gracious ac- ceptance of God, before the rite of circumcision was performed. 11. And he received the sign of circumcision, &c. ; that is, cir- cumcision, far from being the cause of his acceptance with God, was the seal and conse- quence of it. The Jews attached ideas of great spiritual efficacy to their religious rites. We see precisely the same tendency in the human mind at the present day. The peculiar religious ob- servances pertaining to our re- spective branches of the Christian church, which have descended to us from our fathers, and which we have been accustomed to re- gard from infancy with feelings of solemnity and awe, come at last to be invested in our minds the righteousness of the faiih which he had while he was in uncircumcision : that he might be the fa- ther of all them that be- lieve, though they be in uncircumcision, that righteousness might be reckoned unto them ; and 12 the father of circumcision to them who not only are of the circumcision, but who also walk in the steps of that faith of our father Abraham which he had in uncircumcision. For not : through the law 13 with a certain s]}i ritual efficacy of their own. They lose the character of a symbol and a seal, and assume that of an intrinsic effectiveness, until, at length, we regard them as forming a pale, beyond which, like the Jew of old, we can scarcely be- lieve that there is any salvation. — That he might le the father ; the type or exemplar. The meaning of this clause, and of the next verse, clearly is, that Abra- ham, through his acceptance with God previous to his circumcision, was constituted the father of all believers of every age or nation, and that, by the ceremonial ob- servances afterwards instituted, he became the spiritual repre- sentative and head of the Jewish communion; although only those of that communion can consider him as truly their father, who follow his example in the inward spirit of their minds, as well as in outward ceremonies. 13. For not through the law teas the promise to Abraham. There is quite a difference here between the Old and the "Nrw Versions; i36 ROMANS. 4. 13— was the promise to Abra- ham or to his seed, that he should be heir of the world, but through the righteousness of faith. 14 For if they which are of the law be heirs, faith is made void, and the prom- ise is made of none effect : 15 for the law worketh wrath ; but where there is no law, neither is there 16 transgression. For this cause it is of faith, that it may be according to grace ; to the end that the promise may be sure to all the seed ; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham, who is the fa- rther of us all (as it is written, A father of many nations have I made thee) before him whom he be- lieved, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and 1 Many ancient authorities omit now. as rendered here, the meaning is: the promise was made to Abraham, not because of his obedience to the law. but be- cause of his faith, his acceptance of and seeking after God. 1 I . The promise is made of none effect; made unmeaning, since it was originally based upon faith, and not obedience. 15. The law worketh wrath ; by demanding the punishment of transgression. 10. ft is of faith; meaning that salvation is of faith.— To graee ; favor. 17. Who quickeneth the dear], &c. ; who has all power to ac- calleth the things that are not, as though they were. Who in hope be- 18 lieved against hope, to the end that he might be- come a father of many nations, according to that which had been spoken, So shall thy seed be. And 19 without being weakened in faith he considered his own body ' now as good as dead (he being about a hundred years old), and the deadness of Sarah's womb : yea, looking unto 20 the promise of God, he wavered not through un- belief, but waxed strong through faith, giving glory to God, and being 21 fully assured that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform. Wherefore also it was 22 reckoned unto him for righteousness. Now it 23 was not written for his complish his promises. 18. Who; referring to Abra- ham.— Against hope; against all apparent evidence. 19. He considered his own body now as good as dead. At the time the promise was made to him, he had no reason to think it possible that he should have a child; yet, in spite of his reason, he accepted and trusted in the promise of God. 20. Looking unto the promise of God, he wavered not ; as it were, he fastened his eyes on the promise, and held to his expec- tation because of that prom- ise. —5. 7. ROMANS. 537 sake alone, that it was 24 reckoned unto him ; but for our sake also, unto; whom it shall be reckon ed, who believe on him ; that raised Jesus our Lord | 25 from the dead, who was delivered up for our tres- passes, and was raised for our justification. 5 Being therefore justi- fied 'by faith, 2 let us have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ ; 2 through whom also we have had our access 3 by faith into this grace wherein we stand ; and 1 Gr. out of. 2 Some ancient authorities read we have. 3 Some ancient authorities omit by faith. 25. We are not probably to attempt to separate the two clauses of this verse, and to give to each its distinct signification: the form of construction seems to be only rhetorical. The mean- ing is, as if it were written, " Who died and rose again, that we might be justified and saved." CHAPTER V. 1. Let us have peace; or, as in the Old Version, we have peace. In the one case we must read it as Paul's exhortation, in the other as the expression of his own personal experience. 2. We have had our access by faith. He speaks as one who has already come into personal relations with God as a Saviour and Father, and is standing in these relations as the Prodigal Son after he had come to his home. This he does by faith, which is represented, not as an "let us 5 rejoice in hope of the glory of God. And 3 not only so, but Met us also 'rejoice in our tribu- lations: knowing that tribulation worketh pa- tience ; and patience, 4 probation ; and proba- tion, hope : and hopes putteth not to shame ; because the love of God hath been shed abroad in our hearts through the 7 Holy Ghost which was given unto us. For while 6 we were yet weak, in due season Christ died for the For scarcely 7 uneodlv 4 Or, we rejoice 5 Gr. glory. 6 Or, we also rejoice 7 Or, Holy Spirit : and so throughout this book. act by which the soul can merit a reward, but only as a way by which it may gain access to favor. Pardon is a gift. Faith in the repenting sinner does not make him deserve it ; it is only a neces- sary prerequisite to render him a proper object of its bestowal. It is very plain that a man cannot properly be forgiven for past rebellion against God, unless he is now ready to turn to him with feelings of confidence and love. Faith is, therefore, the prelimi- nary to salvation, rendered neces- sary by the very nature of the case ; not the merit by which salvation is earned. Thus it is, in the language of this passage, the mode by which we gain ac- cess to the grace wherein we stand. 5. Will not deceive and dis- appoint us. 6. In a helpless and hopelesi condition. 538 ROMANS. 5. 7- for a righteous man will one die : for perad venture for ' the good man some one would even dare to 8 die. But God commend- eth his own love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died 9 for as. Much more then, being now justified 3 by his blood, shall we be saved from the wrath of 10 God through him. For if, while we were ene- mies, Ave were reconciled to God through the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, shall we be saved 2 by his life ; 11 and not only so, 3 but we 1 Or, that uhich is good 2 Gr. in. (also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation. Therefore, as through 12 one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin ; and so death passed unto all men, for that all sinned : — for until the law sinia was in the world : but sin is not imputed when there is no law. Never- 14 theless death reigned from Adam until Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the like- ness of Adam's trans- 3 Gr. but also glorying. 10. By his Ufe ; by bis living power. The idea is, that, since he redeemed us from past sins in the hour of his humiliation and death, he certainly will not abandon us, now that, he lives and reigns in the exercise of such exalted powers and domin- ion. 11. The reconciliation; the word atonement was used in the Old Version, but in the sense of •iliation— i. e., being made one with God. 12. Through one man ; that is, Adam, whose transgression in Eden was the introduction of sin and misery in the world. 13. Until the law ; during the interval which elapsed from Adam to the giving of the Mosaic law. — When there is no law ; that is, no law at all ; for there was, during all this time, a law of nature, by which men were rendered accountable. 14. Death reigned, &e. ; thus showing that, as Paul had main- tained in the first chapter, God regarded these generations of men as amenable to a law writ- ten upon their hearts. — That had not sinned after the likeness, &c. ; that is, being without a revela- tion, they did not. like Adam, and like the Jews who lived after Moses, break laws distinctly promulgated from God. They sinned only against the light of nature. Still they sinned, and were subjected to death, the penalty of sin; and their case is accordingly included in this survey of the consequences which ensued from the trans- gression of Adam. — A figure of him that teas to come; Jesus Christ. Figure means, in this case, type. The representing Christ as the antitype of Adam, seems to furnish the key to the meaning of this passage, -5. 18. ROMANS. 539 gression, who is a figure of him that was to come. 15 But not as the trespass, so also is the free gift. For if by the trespass of the one the many died, much more did the grace of God, and the gift by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, abound un- 16 to the many. And not as through one that sinned, so is the gift : for the judgement came of one unto condemnation, but the free gift came of 1 Gr. an act of righteousness. (12-21,) which has always been considered one of great dif- ficulty. The general design of the parallel drawn between Jesus and Adam, appears to be, to show that the redemption by Christ, was not a mere Jewish redemption, — the counterpart and consummation of the Mosaic law, — as the Jewish Christians were prone to consider it, but that it had far wider connections and bearings. It was the coun- terpart and remedy for evils introduced by Adam, and affect- ing the whole human race; and as the consequences of his trans- gression brought spiritual ruin and death upon all nations, even though they had not, like Adam, sinned against a revealed law, — the remedy, now at length pro- vided, must not be limited to the Jews, but must be regarded as coextensive, in its applicability, with the ruin which it was in- tended to repair. If, through the greatness of the divine dis- pleasure against sin, the trans- gression of Adam, the head, and in some sense the representative, many trespasses unto 'justification. For if, by 17 the trespass of the one, death reigned through the one ; much more shall they that receive the abundance of grace and 2 of the gift of righteous- ness reign in life through the one,- even Jesus Christ. So then as 18 through one trespass the judgement came unto all men ' to condemnation ; even so through one act of righteousness the free 2 Some ancient authorities omit of the gift. of the human family, was allowed, in its results, to involve all his descendants in ruin, — much more would God, who is more ready to pardon than to punish, give to the offers of salvation by Christ a similar extension. This general idea is expressed in various forms in the verses which follow, but with a certain degree of reserve and indirectness in all, prompted, apparently, by a de- sire, which the apostle had manifested already in other cases, not to come too abruptly into collision with the prejudices of the Jews. Some of the verses (15, 16) exhibit contrasts; others, (17-19,) analogies; but both con- trasts aud analogies, answer the purpose intended, namely, to show that salvation by Christ was correlative to the ruin of the fall, and so. coextensive with it in respect to its influences, being intended to afford the offer of salvation to the whole human family. 18. Even so through one act of righteousness ; not merely by the righteousness of One. The lif« 540 ROMANS. 5. 18— gift came unto all men to justification of life. 19 For as through the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners, even so through the obedience of the one shall the many be made right- >us. And ' the law came in beside, that the tres- 1 Or, law and death of Christ are treated here as one completed act of obedience and love. 19. As through the one mail's disobedience the many were made sinners. This, and similar ex- pressions in the preceding verses, bring np the subject of the con- nection between the sin of Adam and the moral ruin of his pos- terity,— a subject in regard to which different branches of the Christian church still entertain very different opinions. One class contends that the whole human race is considered by Je- hovah as involved in the guilt which was incurred by their common ancestor, who is to be considered as their head and representative; that it becomes all men to cherish feelings of abasement and sorrow in view of their first parent's sin, t;iking to themselves, as his children, a share of the gnilt of it; and that all individuals enter the world with this burden, in fact, resting upon them, and with a sinful constitution of character, inherited through the stock from which they spring. To others this view of the subject seems entirely inadmissible. They cannot allow that the sin of one generation can bring any Surden of accountability for it «oon another; or that there can de any relation of cause and ef- pass might abound ; but where sin abounded, grace did abound more exceedingly : that, as sin 21 reigned in death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eter- nal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. What shall we say 6 feet between the sinful charac- ters of men at the present day, and that of Adam, — choosing, rather than admit such a suppo- sition, to leave the invariable and universal corruption of hu- man nature entirely unexplained. Tiiis controversy will probably not soon be settled. Elements appear to be necessarily involved in the discussion which tran- scend the human faculties. At any rate, we must admit that, thus far, that mysterious and hidden cause, which, seemingly like an hereditary taint, de- scends from generation to gen- eration, leading in all ages, in all climes, and under every va- riety of the human condition, to substantially the same moral re- sults, has eluded and baffled all the attempts which have been made to fix and define it. 20. The law came in beside; i. e., the revealed law, given through Moses, was added to make clearer and more evident the guilt of man. — Where sin abound- ed, &c. ; that is, under the Mo- saic law. The apostle seems here to admit that, after all, the redemption of Christ was spe- cially offered to the Jews, and was to be particularly efficacious for their salvation. CHAPTER VI. 1. Shall tee continue in sin, &c. ; that is, will this doctrine -6. 10. ROMANS. 541 then ? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may 2 abound? God forbid. We who died to sin, how shall we any longer live 3 therein % Or are ye igno- rant that all we who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his 4 death % We were buried therefore with him through baptism into death : that like as Christ was raised from the dead through the gl°ry of the Father, so we also might walk in newness of life. 5 For if we have become J united with him by the 1 Or, united with the likeness., .with of the free pardon of the sinner, lead men to continue unconcern- ed in sin, relying for impunity on the abundance of divine grace ? The substance of the answer contained in the subse- quent verses is, that it will not, since, by the connection of the believer with Christ, a moral change takes place, which in a great measure destroys his love for sin. 3. We?-e baptized into his death. The idea expressed in this pas- sage seems to be this, — that, by the union of the believer with Christ, represented by the rite of baptism by which it is con- summated, he undergoes a change analogous to the death and resurrection of Christ; for, as Christ, at his crucifixion, brought one life, — that is, his life as mortal man, — to a close, and by his resurrection com- menced a new life, as it were, — that is, his immortality, — so the believer closes his life of sin, and commences a new spiritual likeness of his death, we shall be also by the like- ness of his resurrection ; knowing this, that our 6 old man was crucified with him, that the body of sin might be done away, that so we should no longer be in bondage to sin ; for he that hath 7 died is justified from sin. But if we died with 8 Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him ; knowing that Christ 9 being raised from the dead dieth no more ; death no more hath do- minion over him. For 10 the likeness. existence. Thus he becomes dead to sin and alive to God. (v. 11.) That this is the meaning, appears to be distinctly stated in v. 4. 4. Buried. Those who consi- der immersion the only proper mode of baptism, attach great importance to this expression, as an incidental indication that the mode was the one present to the apostle's mind. 5. If we have become united, &c. ; not planted together, as in the Old Version. The meaning is that if we follow Christ in his life of self-sacrifice for others, we shall also be lifted up by him into newness of spiritual life here, and into eternal life here- after to share his glory with him. 6. Our old man; the unholy propensities of the natural heart. 7.' From sin; considered as a master ; for death always sets the bondman free from his servi- tude. 542 ROMANS. 6. 10— 1 the death that he died, he died unto sin 2once: but 'the life chat he liveth, 11 he liveth unto God. Even so reckon ye also your- selves to be dead unto sin, but alive unto God in Christ Jesus. 12 Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey the lusts thereof : 13 neither present y o u r members unto sin as "instruments of unright- eousness ; but present yourselves unto God, as alive from the dead, and your members as "instru- ments of righteousness 14 unto God. For sin shall have not dominion over you : for ye are not 1 Or, in that 2 Gr. once for all. 3 Or, iceapons 14. Shall not have dominion over you ; make you the victim of its remorse and its penalties. — Not under law ; not dependent upon having fulfilled the law for salvation, but upon grace, that is, mercy. 15. Shall we sin? shall we go on sinning, without scruple, be- cause we are delivered, as stated iu the preceding verse, from the retributive power of siu ? 16. His servants ye are, &c. The meaning is, that it is vain for us to imagine that we can escape the scourge and torment of sin, through divine grace, while we yield ourselves up to the guilty indulgences of it in our practice; for, by the very fact of our continuing in the practice of sin, we Bhow that we under law, but under grace. What then? shall we 15 sin, because we are not under law, but under grace ? God forbid. Know 16 ye not, that to whom ye present yourselves as 4 servants unto obedience, his 4 servants ye are whom ye obey ; whether of sin unto death, or of obe- dience unto righteous- ness? But thanks be to 17 God, b that, whereas ye were 'servants of sin, ye became obedient from the heart to that 6 form of teaching whereunto ye were delivered ; and be- 18 ing made free from sin, ye became 4 servants of righteousness. I speak 19 4 Gr. bondservants. 5 Or, that rje were., .but ye became 6 Or, pattern are still under the dominion of sin, and not in a state of grace. Whichever master we choose to follow in our lives and conversa- tion, his ire are. 17. That whereas ye icere ; the pardoned sinner, looking back and remembering how he was once under dominion to sin, may well give thanks to God for the emancipation from sin, which has been brought to him through Jesus Christ. — Whereunto ye were delivered ; Christ sets free from sin that he may bring us into allegiance to the truth, as it is in him. 19. After the manner of men ; as usual among men ; that is, plainly, and with illustrations drawn from common life. -7.4. ROMANS. 543 after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh : for as ye presented your members as servants to unclean- ness and to iniquity unto iniquity, even so now present your members as servants to righteousness 20 unto sanctification. For when ye were - servants of sin, ye were free in re- gard of righteousness. 21 What fruit then had ye at that time in the things whereof ye are now ashamed ? for the end of those things is death. 22 But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto sanctifi- cation, and the end eter- 23nal life. For the wages of sin is death ; but the 1 Gr. bondsey^vants. 20. When ye were servants of sin, ye were free in regard of right- eousness ; i. e., while you were living a sinful life you did not consider the law of God; now that you are living a godly life be equally free from the domin- ion of your sinful nature. CHAPTER VII. 1. 1 speak to men that Jcnoio the law; meaning that the illus- tration was drawn from, the pro- visions of the Jewish law in respect to marriage. — The law hath dominion, &c. ; the apostle asserts the general principle that the obligations of law are brought to an -end by death, and he illustrates this principle by a special instance, taken from the law of marriage. free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Or are ye ignorant, 7 brethren (for I speak to men that know 2 the law), how that the law hath dominion over a man for so long time as he liveth % For the woman that hath 2 a husband is bound by law to the husband while he liveth ; but if the hus- band die, she is discharg- ed from the law of the husband. So then if, 3 while the husband liveth, she be joined to another man, she shall be called an adulteress : but if the husband die, she is free from the law, so that she is no adulteress, though she be joined to another man. Wherefore, my 4 2 Or, law Then he uses the principle thus illustrated to enforce the teach- ing of the preceding chapter, that if a man is dead unto sin, through Jesus Christ he should be absolutely free from the power of sin. 2. The woman, &c. The point of analogy in this comparison seems to be this, — that the con- nection of the accountable agent with the claims and penalties of law, is like that of husband and wife — one which only death can sever. The death, however, which frees the believer from his terrible responsibility, is that spiritual change which takes place when he is uuited to Christ, — when lie dies to sin, and begins to live unto right- eousness. 544 ROMANS. 7. 4- brethren. ye also were made dead to the law through the body of Christ ; that ye should be joined to another, even to him who was raised from the dead, that we might bring forth fruit 5 unto God. For when we were in the flesh, the 'sinful passions, which were through the law, wrought in our members to bring forth fruit unto 6 death. But now we have been discharged from the law, having died to that wherein we were holden ; so that we serve in new- ness of the spirit, and not in oldness of the letter. 7 What shall we say 1 Gr. passions of sins. 7.2 Hoicbeit, I had not known coveting, &c. ; that is, the law, instead of being in itself sin, is the great means of exposing sin. The meaning appears to be: I should have had no experience of the sin of coveting, and should have known no remorse for it, had I not first known the law, Thou shalt not covet. 8. Sin, finding occasion, etc. ; that is, it was not the law which is to be held accountable for the evil effects which result, from its promulgation to the soul, but the sinfulness of the heart, tak- ing occasion by the law, — the evil propensities being aroused by the opposition with which the prohibitions of the law con- fronted them. • '. T ir,/S alive ; free from any- special or aggravated outward then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Howbeit, I had not known sin, except through 9 the law : for I had not known 3 coveting, except the law had said, Thou shalt not 3 covet: but sin, finding occasion, 8 wrought in me through the commandment all manner of 3 coveting : for apart from 2the law sin is dead. And I was alive 9 apart from 2the law once : but when the command- ment came, sin revived, and I died ; and the 10 commandment, which was unto life, this I found to be unto death : for sin, 11 finding occasion, through the commandment be- 2 Or, lust Or, law guilt. — Apart from the Jaw ; at the period, whenever that period might have been, befor.e the re- quirements of the divine law had been clearly brought to my mind. — Sin revived ; was aroused to a state of activity, as explain- ed in the two preceding verses. — And I dud ; was involved in open guilt and ruin. This last expression has sometimes been understood to refer to the hu- mility and self-abasement pro- duced by conviction of sin, under a just appreciation of the divine law; but such a state of mind is spiritually good, whereas the whole context shows that the effect here spoken of, as resulting from the exhibition of the law, was an evil effect. This seems to be placed beyond question by the two following verses. 7. 21. ROMANS. 545 guiled me, and through y2 it slew me. So that the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and 13 righteous, and good. Did then that which is good become death unto me ? God forbid. But sin, that it might be shewn to be sin, by working death to me through that which is good ; — that through the commandment sin might become exceeding sinful. 14 For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin. 15 For that which I 'do I know not : for not what I would, that do I practise; but what I hate, that I do. 1 Gr. work. 12. So that the law is holy ; that is, since the aggravation of human guilt, resulting from the exhibition of the law, is to be charged to sin, that is, to the sinfulness of the heart, and not to the law. 14. But I arjf, carnal ; that is, man is carnal. The idea seems to be that the law itself is holy ; it is the man who is to be charged with the sin which the exhibition of the law develops. The pronoun / continues to be used through the remainder of the chapter, as representing hu- man nature; though some sup- pose that renewed, and others that unrenewed, human nature is denoted. The language is easily susceptible of an interpre- tation adapted to either supposi- tion- but the latter seems most in accordance with the general design of the apostle in this But if what I would not, it that I do, I consent unto the law that it is good. So now it is no more 1 17 that 'do it, but sin which dwelleth in me. For 1 18 know that in me, that is, in my flesh, dwelleth no good thing : for to will is present with me, but to '"do that which is good is not. For the good which 19 I would I do not : but the evil' which I would not, that I practise. But if 20 what I would not, that I do, it is no more I that 'do it, but sin which dwelleth in me. I find 21 then 2the law, that, to me who would do good, evil 2 Or, in regard of the law discussion, which is, to show the utter inefficacy of the law to sanctify and save those who are under its dominion. We may, therefore, understand the pas- sage which follows, to the close of the chapter, as representing the fruitless struggles and the difficulties which would be en- countered in an attempt made by one possessing the sinful na- ture of man, to secure his salva- tion by the law. 15. For that ichich I do, I know not. " In the state of which the apostle is speaking," says Mr. Jowett, "the mind knows not, from very distraction, what it does. It is darkened, as in the confusion of a storm, or in the din and cloud of battle." 20. It is no more I, &c. ; that is, in doing it, I am, as it were, under the bondage and coercion of sin. 146 ROMANS. 7. 21— 22 is present. For I delight 'in the law of God after 23 the inward man : but I see a different law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into cap- tivity 'under the law of sin which is in my mem- 24bers. 0 wretched man that I am ! who shall de- liver me out of 3the body 25 of this death? 4I thank 1 Gr. with. 2 Gr. in. Many ancient authorities read to. 22. 1 delight, &c. They who interpret this passage as above explained, consider this expres- sion, and the others which imply feelings of approbation towards the law of God, as in v. 16, 25, &c, as referring to the approving testimony borne by conscience in favor of the excellence of the law, even in wicked men. Others think that these expres- sions prove that the subject of this description must be a soul renewed. The question in re- gard to the true interpretation of the passage is admitted to be a very difficult one. 25. [This seventh chapter of Romans, especially the latter part of it. is confessedly very difficult of interpretation. It is best explained by experience. The apostle portrays — whether really describing his own expe- rience or an imaginary one is not material — the life of one who begins to realize what the law of God, that is, of true good- ness and righteousness, requires of him, but having a nature still uiuler the dominion of evil an ,: -a. 4. ROMANS. 553 or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or 36 sword? Even as it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long ; We were accounted as sheep for the slaughter. 37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquer- ors through him that 38 loved us. For I am per- suaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things 3Q to come, nor powers, nor 1 Or, creation believer is united to God, The meaniug of the whole passage, then, will be, that the believer has no cause to fear for his ulti- mate safety. His present state of reconciliation with God is not accidental, and it will not be temporary. It is the result of the long-settled purpose of God. It is a work which God has un- dertaken; he will accomplish what he has begun ; and Jesus, their Redeemer, who once gave his life for their ransom, will, now that he has risen to majesty and power, never forsake them, in any of the darkest and most discouraging times of trial which they may be called to endure. 38. Nor angels, &c. ; that is, no power whatever, visible or invisible. CHAPTER IX. 3. For I could wish that I myself were anathema from Christ. The word anathema is a Greek word, signifying set apart or devoted, and strictly speaking signifies 22 height, nor depth, nor any other 'creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. I say the truth in Christ, 9 I lie not, my conscience bearing witness with me in the Holy Ghost, that 1 2 have great sorrow and unceasing pain in my heart. For I could 2wish 3 that I myself were ana- thema from Christ for my brethren's sake, my kinsmen according to the flesh : who are Israelites ; 4 whose is the adoption, 2 Or, pray anything set apart for God; more commonly, however, from being used to indicate animals set apart for •sacrifice, it came to in- dicate persons set apart to death, and so grew to be synonymous with "accursed," and was used in devoting idolaters to destruc- tion, and in the Jewish church in the sentence of excommunica- tion. Here the meaning is, I could wish myself to be sacri- ficed, if, by my sacrifice, I could save the Israelites. It would seem to be unnecessary to in- quire for any definite and precise meaning to be attached to the phrase, accursed from Christ ; for the language was doubtless not intended to present an idea seriously entertained, but only as a strong express' jn indicating deep anxiety and earnest desire. 4. The adoption; adoption as the chosen people of God. — The glory ; the visible manifestation of the divine presence over the ark. (Ex. 13: 21, 22. 25: 22.) 554 ROMANS. 9. and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the ser- vice of God, and the 5 promises ; whose are the fathers, and of whom is Christ as concerning the flesh, ' who is over all, God blessed 2 for ever. 6 Amen. But it is not as though the word of God hath come to nought. For they are not all Israel, which are of 1 Some modern interpreters place a full stop after flesh, and translate He who is God over all be (is) blessed for ever : or, — The covenants; those which God made with the patriarchs. — The service of God; the di- vinely instituted rites of public worship. 5. The fathers ; the patriarchs. — As concerning the flesh ; in re- spect to human parentage. — God blessed for ever. It is unusual for the sacred writers to identify the Redeemer in so direct and un- qualified a manner with the su- preme Divinity: because they generally speak of him in his mediatorial capacity, in which he occupies a position subordi- nate to the Father. (See partic- ularly 1 Cor. 15: 24-28.) This case is, however, not solitary, as will appear by referring to Phil. 2: 6. Tit. 1:3. 2: 18. Various attempts have been made to de- tach the last part of the verse from what precedes, so as to give the doxology an independent in- terpretation. But the construc- tion of the passage in the origi- nal resists these attempts; and they are admitted by those who make them not to be satisfactory. [Their reading of the passage is given in the margin. L. A.] 6. Not as though, &c. ; that is, his solicitude, as expressed Israel : neither, because 7 they are Abraham's seed, are they all children : but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called. That is, 8 it is not the children of the flesh that are children of God ; but the children of the promise are reckoned for a seed. For 9 this is a word of promise, According to this season will I come, and Sarah shall have a son. Andio He who is over all is God, blessed for ever. Others punctuate, flesh, who is over all. God be (is) blessed for ever. 2 Gr. unto the ages. above, did not arise from fear lest the promises of God should not be fulfilled. — Not all Israel which are of Israel ; they are not all the true children of God which are of the Jewish nation. 7. But, In Isaac, &c. The general argument commenced here, and coming to its result in v. 18, is this, — that as God, in constituting the Hebrew nation in ancient times, made a selec- tion, for reasons not revealed, of some of the descendants of the patriarchs to the exclusion of others, so does he now choose from among mankind whomso- ever he will as objects of spirit- ual mercy. This first illustration is taken from the case of Isaac, who was chosen to theexclusiou of Ishmael, (Gen. 17: 19-21,) and of Abraham's six sons, whose mother was Keturah. (Gen. 25: 1, 2.) 8. Children of the' flesh ; nat- urally descended. — Itisnot, k.c. ; that is, not necessarily. — The chil- dren of the promise; those con- templated in the divine councils, as included in the intent of the promise. 10. By one. In the case of Abraham, the children rejected —9. 17. ROMANS. 555 not only so ; but Rebecca also having conceived by one, even by our father 11 Isaac — for the children being not yet born, neither having done any- thing good or bad, that the purpose of God ac- cording to election might stand, not of works, but 12 of him that calleth, it was said unto her, The elder shall serve the younger. 13 Even as it is written, Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated. were children of another moth- er, which might have been con- sidered as the ground of the dis- tinction; but, in the case of Esau and Jacob, a selection was made between two whose par- entage on both sides was the same. 1 1 . According to election ; ac- cording to his own choice and determination. — Not of works, &c. ; that is, the supremacy of Jacob over Esau was not a re- ward for any good works which he performed, but it rested sole- ly on the decision of God, adopt- ed for other reasons, and before either of the subjects of it were born. 12. The elder; Esau.— Shall serve ; be subject to. 13. Loved; chose. — Hated ; rejected. 15. This passage is to be found in Ex 33:19. 16. The meaning is, that di- vine favors are never earned by the spontaneous exertions of man; they are bestowed gratu- itously by the mercy of God. We must not consider this verse as implying that men may hon- What shall we say 14 then % Is there unright- eousness with God ? God forbid. For he saith to 15 Moses, I wiirhave mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compas- sion on whom I have com- passion. So then it is not 16 of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that hath mercy. For the scripture saith 17 unto Pharaoh, For this very purpose did I raise thee up, that I might estly strive, and yet fail of ob- taining the favor of God, but that they do not strive for it. The expression is, as if we were to say, " The fertility of Egypt is not of rain, but of the over- flowing of the Nile." This does not imply that rain, if it were to descend, would not produce fer- tility,— but that it does not de- scend,— and so the land is de- pendent upon another source. So in this case; if men were honestly to attempt to do their duty and please God, they would doubtless -please him; but they do not make the attempt, — and so their salvation rests entirely on his mercy. 17, 18. This is, perhaps, the most striking of the numerous passages, occurring in the Scrip- tures, in which it is asserted that the control of Almighty God is absolute and entire over all the moral conduct of his creatures, whether evil or good —a control so absolute and en- tire, that if, in the course of his administration, he deems it ex- pedient to exhibit to the uni- verse a spectacle of sin and its 556 ROMAKS. 9. 17— shew in thee my power, and that my name might be published abroad in 18 all the earth. So then he consequences, he can do so, — while yet the moral responsibi- lity and ill desert of the sin rests solely with the being who com- mits it. Such a doctrine awakens very different feelings in differ- ent minds. Some repose in quiet and submissive confidence under the absolute and boundless moral sovereignty with which it invests Jehovah. Others find it utterly irreconcilable with what they regard as plain principles of justice, and the very state- ment of it seems to awaken in their minds feelings of abhor- rence and detestation. Many classes of excellent Christians endeavor to soften this doctrine by allowing to the power of Je- hovah an efficient control over all the right and lioly desires and acts of hi. creatures, while they limit and qualify in various ways, his agency in respect to those that are wrong; for the minds of mankind at large are found to acquiesce much more readily in assigning to God a direct agency in the production of holiness, than in that of sin. It is, however, somewhat doubt- ful whether the real difficulty is much alleviated, in a philosophi- cal point of view, by this man- agement; for we cannot easily conceive how one kind of moral conduct or character can be determined by a superior power, consistently with the freedom of the agent, rather than another; that is to say, if God can pro- duce penitence in David's heart, which shall yet be wholly Da- vid's peni fence, and for which David only shall be morally re- sponsible, it is difficult to show any reason why the same kind f hath mercy on whom he will, and whom he will he hardeneth. Thou wilt say then un- 19 of moral power, operating re- versely, may not produce obdu- racy in Pharaoh's heart, which shall be wholly Pharaoh's ob- duracy, and for which Pharaoh alone is morally accountable. There is a great difference be- tween the two cases, in respect to the readiness with which the mind is willing to admit such a power; but it would probably not be easy to establish between them any philosophical distinc- tion. The difficulty seems in- surmountable to human powers in either case. But, then, we must consider that, whatever difficulties may attend this sub- ject, they seem to be involved in the very idea of a divinity really supreme. And, even if we re- linquish the idea of a divinity, and substitute,- as in that case we must, the control of steadily- acting laws, mental and corpo- real, over the phenomena of matter and mind, — the doctrine of philosophical necessity takes the place of that of the personal sovereignty of Jehovah, and it is, to say the least, quite as in- tractable in respect to its con- sistency with human freedom. The difficulties, then, it would seem, cannot, on any hypoth- esis, be either solved or avoided. The result is, that the only way in which the mind can be really at peace on this subject is hum- bly to acquiesce in our incapa- city to fathom this gulf, in theory, and then practically to yield our full and cordial as- sent, on the one hand, to the dictates of conscience, which testify that we are entirely un- restrained in our moral conduct, and so accountable for it, — and, —9. 27. ROMANS. 557 to me, Why doth he still find fault ? For who withstandeth his will % 20 Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why didst 21 thou make me thus % Or hath not the potter a right over the clay, from the same lump to make one part a vessel unto honour, and another unto 22 dishonour \ What if Gfod, willing to shew his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering ves- sels of wrath fitted unto 23 destruction : 'and that he might make known the riches of his glory upon vessels of mercy, which 1 Some ancient authorities omit and. on the other, to the word of God, asserting that Jehovah is supreme, and that his providence includes and controls all that takes place under his reign. 20. Who art thou, &c. It is remarkable that, while the diffi- culties which occur in the dis- cussion of other subjects, in the word of God, are often fully explained, in this instance no attempt is made to answer the objector. He is simply silenced, 21. Hath not the potter a right over the clay ? What Paul as- serts in his argument is not that the Maker has the power, r.s the Old Version represented it, but that he has the right to do what he will with that which he has made, and that the thing which Jie has made cannot complain, he afore prepared unto glory, even us, whom he 24 also called, not from the Jews only, but also from the Gentiles ? As he saith25 also in Hosea, I will call that my people, which was not my people ; And her beloved, which was not be- loved. And it shall be, ihat%\ in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not my people, There shall they be called sons of the living God. And Isaiah crieth con &7 cerning Israel, If tli t number of the children (,f Israel be as the sand jf the sea, it is the renimnt because the Maker has not nade something different. 25. Hosea 2: 23.— And f tr Be- loved; meaning, I will chillier Beloved; that is, I wil! make her so; referring to the Gentiles, who were originally no: among the chosen people of God, but were now received under the Christian dispensation. 27. In the few preceding verses, the apost/.e has been showing that som-j Gentiles were to be saved : ha now proceeds to say that some Jews would not be saved. — The remnant ; a rem- nant only; that is, not the wnole. , The passage, v. 27 and 28, is quoted from Isa. 10:22, 23, find is to be understood as a threatening of judgment de- nounced by Isaiah against the Jews, 558 ROMANS. 9. 27— 28 that shall be saved : for the Lord will execute Ms word upon the earth, finishing it and cutting it 39 short. And, as Isaiah hath said before, Except the Lord of Sabaoth had left us a seed, AVe had become as Sodom, and had been made like unto Go- morrah. 30 What shall we say then \ That the Gentiles, which followed not after righteousness, attained to righteousness, even the 1 Or, Because, doing it not by faith, but as it were by works, they stumbled 28. The variation here from the Old Version is due to a dif- ference in manuscripts, the best of which omit the words omit- ted here. The Old Version read He loill finish the icorh and cut it short in righteousness ; because a short work will the Lord make up- on the earth. The probability is that Paul quoted, as he often did. freely, and that the quota- tion was changed by some copy- ist, in order to make it conform to the original passage in Isaiah, eh. 10:22, 23. In any reading, however, the variation between the Old Testament prophecy and the quotation here is very con- siderable. Jowett gives the in- terpretation well: "The mean- ing is that few out of many Israelites should be saved, for that God was judging them as of old he judged their fathers, and they were living in the latter days and the time was short." 29. Said before; viz., 1-9.— The Lord of' Sabaoth ; the Lord of hosts. — A seed; a remnant. — righteousness which is of faith: but Israel, follow- 31 ing after a law of right- eousness, did not arrive at that law. Wherefore ( 32 'Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by works. They stumbled at the stone of stumbling; even as it is 33 written, Behold, I lay in Zion a stone of stumbling and a rock of offence : And he that believeth on ahim shall not be put to shame. Brethren, my heart's 10 2 Or, it We had become as Sodom; that is, we should have been utterly destroyed. The idea is that, so far were the Jews from being of course secure of the favor of God, they are in one case repre- sented by the prophet as just escaping absolute extermina- tion. 30. Righteousness; justifica- tion. 31. Israel ; i. e., the truly pious and godly in Israel, who really followed after the law of righteousness, desiring to be- come acceptable before God, but they did not arrive at that law, because they sought it not by faith, that is, by entering into sympathetic personal relations with God as his children, but by works, that is, by endeavoring to earn his favor by various ritu- alistic observances. 32. The stone of stumbling; the one described in the quotation contained in the next verse. 33. As it is written; in Isa. 8; 14, and 28: 16. —10. 12. ROMANS. 559 'desire and my t implica- tion to God is for them, that they may be saved. 2 For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to 3 knowledge. For being ignorant of God's right- eousness, and seeking to establish their own, they did not subject them- selves to the righteous- 4ness of God. For Christ is the end of the law unto righteousness to every 5 one that believeth. For Moses writeth that the man that doeth the right- eousness which is of the law shall live thereby. 6 But the righteousness which is of faith saith thus, Say not in thy heart, Who shall ascend into heaven ? (that is, to bring * Christ down:) or, Who 1 Gr. good pleasure. 2 Or, that CHAPTER X. 3. God's righteousness ; the way in which God will really justify the sinner. 5. Lev. 18:5. The quotation is intended to show that obedience, that is perfect obedience, which the apostle had before proved to be unattainable, was the only condition on which men could be saved by the law. 6, 7, 8. (See Deut. 30:11-14.) The first clause in each verse is quoted from that passage; the last expresses the application which Paul makes of the lan- guage to salvation by Christ. shall descend into the abyss? (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead.) But what saith it? The 8 word is nigh thee, in thy mouth, and in thy heart : that is, the word of faith, which we preach : 2be- 9 cause if thou shalt 3con- fess with thy mouth Jesus as Lord, and shalt believe in thy heart that God raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved : for with the heart man 10 believeth unto righteous- ness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the scrip- 11 ture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be put to shame. Fori* there is no distinction between Jew and Greek : for the same Lord is Lord of all, and is rich unto all 3 Some ancient authorities read confess the word with thy mouth, that Jesus is Lord. The idea is, that salvation by faith in Christ is ready at hand, and is freely offered to all. The abyss is here equivalent to the place of future punishment. 9, 10. We are thus taught that the faith of the believer must not only be heartfelt and sincere, but it must be openly avowed. . 11. Whosoever ; whether Gen- tile or Jew. — Put to shame ; dis- appointed. 11. The phraseology brings out the meaning more clearly here than in the Old Version. The same One is Lord of Jl, both Jew and Greek, and is alike rich unto all. 560 ROMANS. 10. 12 13 that call upon him : for, Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. 14 How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him whom they have not heard I and how shall they hear without a 15 preacher? and how shall they preach, except they be sent \ even as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that bring 'glad tidings of good things ! 16 But they did not all hearken to the 2 glad tid- ings. For Isaiah saith, Lord, who hath believed 17 our report? So belief comelh of hearing, and hearing by the word of 1 Or, a gospel 2 Or, gospel 13. Shall call upon the name of the Lord ; shall look to Jesus, and rely upon him, instead of upon their own goad deeds. 15. How leant if ul are the feet; how welcome is the coining. The quotation is from Isaiah 52: 7, and gives only the sub- stance of the thought there. 16. They did not all hearken to the glad tidings ; not merely they have not all obeyed, but they have not listened to or received the word. It has been with them like the seed sown by the wayside. 17. So lelief cometh of hearing ; the word, generally translated both in the Old and New Ver- sions faith, is here rendered lelief, to connect it with the Christ, But I say, Did 18 they not hear I * Yea, verily, _ Their sound went out into all the earth, And their words unto the ends of 3 the world. But I say, Did Israel not 19 know? First Moses saith, I will provoke you to jealousy with that which is no nation, With a nation void of understanding will I anger you. And Isaiah is very bold, 20 and saith, I was found of them that sought me not ; I became manifest un- to them that asked not of me. But as to Israel he saith, 21 All the day long did I Gr. the inhabited earth. previous quotation from Isaiah. — By the word of Christ ; by the public preaching of the word of God. 18. Their sound ; the voices of the preachers of the Gospel. The language is quoted from Ps. 10: 4. and Is her.' employed to express the extensive promul- gation which the gospel had re- ceived. 19. Did Israel not hwio? Did they not know that the favor of God which they rejected was to be bestowed on the Gentile na- tions ? — Thai which is no nation; the Gentiles. — Void of under- standiri'j ; a people despised. 21. The object of the apostle, throughout this chapter, is to show that the gospel is equally —11. 7 ROMANS. 561 spread out my hands un- to a disobedient and gain- saying people. 11 I say then, Did God cast off his people \ God forbid. For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of 2 Benjamin. God did not cast off his people which he foreknew. Or wot ye not what the scripture saith, 'of Elijah ? how he pleadeth with God against 3 Israel, Lord, they have killed thy prophets, they have digged down thine 1 Or, in open to the Gentiles as to the Jews. He shows this by show- ing its simplicity ; for it requires simply faith in Christ as a risen and living Saviour, and a confes- sion of him: by the direct decla- ration of the Old Testament, that whosoever believeth on him shall not be put to shame ; and by the declaration of Moses and Isaiah, that God will provoke the Israel- ites by the manifestation of his mercy to the Gentiles, and that he will be sought of, and will become manifest to them, even while Israel is turning a deaf ear to his entreaty. ) CHAPTER XI. 3. The passage referred to is found in 1 Kings 19: 10, 14, 18. 5. The election of grace ; the election of favor or mercy. 6. Some manuscripts add as the Old Version, but if it be of works, then is it no more grace; otherwise worh is no more icork. The meaning is, that salvation must either be fully merited, or else bestowed in mercy. It can- not be partially merited. For altars : and I am left alone, and they seek my life. But what saith the 4 answer of God unto him? I have left for myself seven thousand men, who have not bowed the knee to Baal. Even so then at 5 this present time also there is a remnant ac- cording to the election of grace. But if it is by 6 grace, it is no more of works : otherwise grace is no more grace. What 7 then ? That which Israel seeketh for, that he ob- unless the law is fully obeyed, it is broken, and the reward of transgression, not that of obe- dience, is deserved. 7. Israel ; Israel in general. — Seeketh for ; looketh for, that is, the justification which he ex- pects on account of his alleged obedience of the law. — Were hardened. Some interpret this as equivalent to "hardened themselves," in order to avoid the necessity of supposing any agency on the part of Jehovah in respect to the moral character of wicked men. But the ex- pression in the next verse. "God has given them the spirit of slumber," seems very unequi- vocal. They, however, who cannot submit to the doctrine which it seems to teach, shelter themselves from it by snyiug that God is represented in the Scrip- tures as doing that which he does not interpose to prevent. And it must be conceded that this interpretation is confirmed by the form in which the passage originally occurs in the book from which It is quoted here. 562 ROMANS. 11. 17— tained not ; but the elec- tion obtained it, and the 8 rest were hardened; ac- cording as it is written, God gave them a spirit of stupor, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear, unto this very day. 9 And David saith, Let their table be made a snare, and a trap, And a stumbling-block, and a recompense un- to them : 10 Let their eyes be dark- ened, that they may not see, And bow thou down their back alway. ill say then, Did they stumble that they might fall > God forbid : but by their * fall salvation is come unto the Gentiles, for to provoke them to 12 jealousy. Now if their 1 Or, trespass (Deut. 29: 4.) The Lord hath not given you a heart to perceive, and eyes to see, and ears to hear. 11, 12. The rejection of the gospel by the Jews, under the preaching of the apostles, almost everywhere resulted in turning the apostles to the Gentiles, and was thus the occasion of pro- moting the wider extension of Christianity. — Their fulness; their general acceptance of the gospel. 18. I glorify my ministry ; not as in the Old Version, mine office. The meaning is not that he places great emphasis on his ap- pointment to an office in the church as apostle, but that he fall is the riches of the world, and their loss the riches of the Gentiles; how much more their fulness % But I speak to you 13 that are Gentiles. Inas- much then as I am an apostle of Gentiles, I glorify my ministry: if 14 by any means I may Tjro- voke to jealousy them that are my flesh, and may save some of them. For if the casting away 15 of them is the reconciling of the world, what shall the receiving of them be, but life from the dead? And if the first fruit is 16 holy, so is the lump : and if the root is holy, so are the branches. But if 17 some of the branches were broken off, and thou, being a wild olive, wast grafted in among counts that service of the Gen- tiles honorable, which the Jews disesteemed and despised ; he glories in serving the outcast. 14. My flesh ; my kinsmen. 16. The him]); the whole mass. The meaning is, that, in- asmuch as now a small portion of the Jewish nation believed in Christ, so the time would come when all would be brought into his kingdom. 17. And thou; referring, ob- viously, to the Gentile convert. — The root of the fatness ; the strength and sustenance derived from the root. 18. It is not thou that hear est the root, but the root thee. The mean- -11. 17. ROMANSL 663 them, and didst become partaker with them lof the root of the fatness of 18 the olive tree ; glory not over the branches : but if thou gloriest, it is not thou that bearest the root, but the root thee. 19 Thou wilt say then, Branches were broken off, that I might be grafted 20 in. Well ; by their un- belief they were broken off, and thou standest by thy faith. Be not high- 21 minded, but fear : for if God spared not the nat- ural branches, neither 22 will he spare thee. Be- hold then the goodness and severity of God : to- ward them that fell, se- verity ; but toward thee, God' s goodness, if thou continue in his goodness : otherwise thou also shalt 23 be cut off. And they also, if they continue not in their unbelief, shall be grafted in : for God is able to graft them in 24 again. For if thou wast 1 Many ancient authorities read of the root and of the fatness. ing is, that the Christian church, to which the Gentile convert was admitted, being built upon the foundation of the Jewish church, the Gentile should not cherish feelings of pride and superiority in respect to his Jewish brother. 21. Neither will he spare thee; i. e., if thou art guilty of the same unbelief. 23. They also; the unbeliev- ing Jews. cut out of that which is by nature a wild olive tree, and wast grafted contrary to nature into a good olive tree: how much more shall these, which are the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree % For I would not, breth-2a ren, have you ignorant of this mystery, lest ye be wise in your own con- ceits, that a hardening in part hath befallen Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in ; and 26 so all Israel < shall be saved : even as it is written, There shall come out of Zion the Deliverer ; He shall turn away Un- godliness from Jacob : And this is 3 my cov- 27 enant unto them, When I shall take away their sins. As touching the gospel, 28 they are enemies for your sake : but as touching the election, they are be- 2 Gr. ungodlinesses. 3 Gr. the covenant from me. 25. The fulness of the Gentiles; the Gentiles generally. 26. And so; and then. 28. They are enemies; God treats them as enemies ; that is, the Jewish people are, for a time, rejected, and the Gentiles received in their stead ; but still God will ultimately restore them, out of regard to the promises which he made to their, fr^tier*. 564 ROMANS. 12. 2— loved for the father's 39 sake. For the gifts and the calling of God are ' with- 30 out repentance. For as ye in time past were dis- obedient to God, but now have obtained mercy by mi their disobedience, even so have these also now been disobedient, that by the mercy shewn to you they also may now obtain 32 mercy. For God hath shut up all unto disobe- dience, that he might have mercy upon all. 38 O the depth 2of the riches 3 both of the wis- dom and the knowledge of God ! how unsearch- able are his judgements, and his ways past tracing 1 Gr. not repented of. 2 Or, of the riches and the wisdom &c. 3 Or, both of wisdom &c. 4 Gr. nntothe ages. 29. Without repentance; that is, on the part of God. He will, at all events, faithfully fulfil the promises which he makes. 30, 31. The Old Version had unbelief where the New Version has disobedience. The original Greek involves both ideas, i. e., that kind of disobedience which comes of a stubborn and resolute determination not to believe. 32. That he might have mercy ; with the design of finally having mercy, &c. 33-36. Thus, in the conclu- sion of the doctrinal part of the Epistle, the writer expresses what may be regarded as the leading sentiment which he has been inculcating through the whole, viz., that no man can come to God with any merits of out ! For who hath known 34 the mind of the Lord 2 or who hath been his coun- sellor ? or who hath first 35 given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again? For of him, and 36 through him, and unto him, are all things. To him be the glory 4 for ever. Amen. I beseech you there- 12 fore, brethren, by the mercies of God, to pre- sent your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, 6 accept- able to God, which is your "reasonable 'service. And be not fashioned ac-^ cording to this B world ; but be ye transformed by the renewing of your 5 Gr. well-pleasing. 6 Or, spiritual 7 Or, worship 8 Or, age his own, or any claim what- ever for recompense or reward; but that, as God's goodness and mercy alone originate all blessings, temporal, spiritual, and eternal, so his power and will are supreme in directing the disposal of them. CHAPTER XH. 1. Your bodies; yourselves. — > A living sacrifice; wholly de- voted to the service of God. 2. Be not fashioned according to this world ; i. e., do not form your character and order your conduct according to the fashion of this world, in order to com- ply with what is customary and with what it expects of you. The remedy for such conformity to the world is indicated by the -12. 8. ROMANS. 565 mind, that ye may prove what is x the good and 8 acceptable and perfect will of God. 3 For I say, through the grace that was given me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think ; but so to think as to think soberly, according vas God hath dealt to each man a measure of faith. 4 For even as we have many members in one body, and all the members have 1 Or, the will of God, even the thing which is good and acceptable and perfect next clause: Be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind ; not changed by any external conformity to rules and regula- tions, which touch mere be havior, but by an inward change of heart and affections. The word rendered renewing really signifies a new creating. — Prove; exemplify. 5. One of another ; one with another, as Paul himself explains it more fully in 1 Cor. ch. 12. No member can do properly his work for Christ without the co- operation of others working to the same great end, but in differ- ent methods. 6. The word prophecy, in the New Testament, generally refers to the public preaching of the gospel, in the exercise of the higher spiritual gifts. The speci- fications which follow, to v. 8, are to be understood as referring not to distinct and separate of- fices, as has been sometimes supposed, but to the different classes of duties which devolved upon the various individuals of not the same office : so 5 we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and severally members one of another. And having 6 gifts differing according to the grace that was giv- en to us, whether pro- phecy, let us prophesy according to the propor- tion of 3 our faith ; or 7 ministry, let us give our- selves to our ministry ; or he that teacheth, to his teaching ; or he that ex- 8 horteth, to his exhorting : he that giveth, let Mm do 2 Gr. well-pleasing. 3 Or, the faith the church, arising either from offices which they held, or from their peculiar characteristics or positions. The general meaning is that, whatever may be the peculiar duties which the indi- vidual is called upou to per- form, according to his talents or position or circumstances, he should give himself cheerfully to the work, feeling that he is thus cooperating with all his breth- ren, and that his brethren are cooperating with him. The student will do well to compare this passage throughout with the Old Version. The meaning of the original is in many in- stances given more clearly in the New Version. 7. Ministry ; the service of others, especially, perhaps, the service of the church in respect to its temporal concerns. 8. With liberality; or, as in the margin, with singleness of heart. In the one case freedom of giving would be the idea ex- pressed ; in the other, giving simply from pur© benevolence, 566 ItOMANS. 12. 8— it with ' liberality ; lie that ruleth, with dili- gence ; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness. 9 Let love be without hy- pocrisy. Abhor that which is evil ; cleave to 10 that which is good. In love of the brethren be tenderly affectioned one to another ; in honour preferring one another ; 11 in diligence not slothful ; fervent in spirit ; serving 12 s the Lord; rejoicing in hope ; patient in tribula- tion ; continuing sted- 13 fasti y in prayer; com- municating to the neces- 1 Gr. singleness. 2 Some ancient authorities read the opportunity. and not as the Pharisees, who sound a trumpet before them -when they do their alms. 9. Without hypocrisy ; or, as in the Old Version, without dissimu- lation. The petty insincerities of common life, the false pre- tence which characterizes so much of what passes for cour- tesy, the apostle condemns. 10. The meaning- here appears to be, not, as in the Old Version, be Mmlly affectioned one to an- other with brotherly love, but, as in the New Version, in love of the brethren be tenderly affectioned. What the apostle has in mind is the spirit of tenderness and sympathy which should bind together all the various members of the household of faith. The word here rendered tenderly affectioned, is used commonly of the family affection. In honor preferring eating animal food, lest they might sometimes eat the flesh of animals which had been offered in sacrifice to idols, and thus, as they supposed, be sharer* ic th« -14. 8. KOMANS. 569 3 herbs. Let not Mm that eateth set at nought him that eateth not ; and let not him that eateth not judge him that eateth : for God hath received 4him. Who art thou that judgest the ' servant of another? to his own lord he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be made to 5 stand ; for the Lord hath power to make him stand. One man esteemeth one day above another : an- other esteemeth every 1 Gr. household-servant. sin of idolatry, or in other re- spects violate the Mosaic require- ments in regard to ceremonial uncleanness. (See v. 14.) This subject is treated fully in 1 Cor. 8. There was also a disposition, manifested quite early in the history of the church, to ima- gine that voluutary penances and privations, and especially a rigid self-denial in the use of food, was either the mark that indi- cated, or the means to acquire, peculiar sanctity. Which of these two ideas is the one re- ferred to by the apostle here has been considered uncertain. It would seem altogether probable that it was the former, for it is treated as the harmless prejudice of a weak-minded man, which the former was, while the latter is the seed and germ of the most dangerous fanaticism. — Herbs ; vegetables. 3. Set at nought him, &c. ; re- gard him with contempt, as weak and narrow-minded. — Judge him, &c. ; condemn him as guilty of idolatry. 4. The meaning appears to be that not only we have no right censoriously to judge fellow day alike. Let each man be fully assured in his own mind. He that re- 6 garde th the day, re- gardeth it unto the Lord : and he that eateth, eateth unto the Lord, for he giveth God thanks ; and he that eateth not, unto the Lord he eateth not, and giveth God thanks. For none of us 7 liveth to himself, and none dieth to himself. For whether we live, we 8 live unto the Lord ; or Christians, because God is the only judge; but we need not be anxious nor afraid for them, if they are sincere disciples of Christ, for God is able to pre- serve them even in ways that seem to us dangerous. 5. The days here referred to were probably the various fasts and feasts of the Jewish law. — Let each man, &c. ; that is, let every one do what he thinks right, without molestation from others. 6. The meaning of the apostle is, since each one, in regard to these outward observances, goes forward in what he deems his duty, under the influence of an honest desire to please aud obey God, he ought not to be con- demned. The Old Version added, he that regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not re- gard it. There appears to be. however, no good authority for this addition, which is supposed to have been added to the text, in order to make this port of the verse conform to the latter part, He eateth not, and giveth God thanks. 8. Whether we live — whether we 570 KOMAXS. 14. 8— whether we die, we die unto the Lord : whether we live therefore, or die, 9 we are the Lord' s. For to this end Christ died, and lived again, that he might be Lord of both the dead and the living. io But thou, why dost thou judge thy brother ( or thou again, wThy dost thou set at nought thy brother ? for we shall all stand before the judge- llment-seat of God. For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, to me every knee shall bow, And every tongue shall 'confess to God. 12 So then each one of us shall give account of him- self to God. 13 Let us not therefore judge one another any 1 Or, give praise die; that is, in all the circum- stances and avocations of life. 9. Lived again; i. e., rose from the dead. He passed through all human experiences, life, death, and that resurrection which he prepared for his fol- lowers, in order that in all these experiences he might be seen to be their Lord and Master, and that in them all his disciples might be followers of him. 11. To me every knee shall bow ; to me only, meaning that Chris- tians, in such cases as this, are responsible to God, and not to one another. 13. That no man put a stum- bling-block, &c. ; put in the way more : but judge ye this rather, that no man put a stumblingblock in his brother's way, or an oc- casion of falling. I know, 14 and am persuaded in the Lord Jesus, that nothing is unclean of itself : save that to him who ac- counteth any thing to be unclean, to him it is un- clean. For if because of 15 meat thy brother is grieved, thou walkest no longer in love. Destroy not with thy meat him for whom Christ died. Let not then your good 16 be evil spoken of : for the 17 kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Ghost. For he that here- 18 in serveth Christ is well- pleasing to God, and ap- of another that which will lead him to stumble and fall into sin. 14. To him it is unclean ; i. e., a man may be mistaken in his conception of duty; but if he goes against his own conscience, he is doing wrong; to do wyhat one thinks to be wrong, is wrong. 15. Thy meat ; thy food. 17. Is not eating and drinking. Piety does not consist in out- ward and oeremonial observan- ces. 18. Serveth Christ; takes such a course as he supposes will be acceptable to Christ, whatsoever it may be. -15. 5. ROMANS. 571 19 proved of men. So then 1 let us follow after things which make for peace, and things whereby we may edify one another. 20 Overthrow not for meat's sake the work of God. All things indeed are clean ; howbeit it is evil for that man who eateth 21 with offence. It is good not to eat flesh, ncr to drink wine, nor to do any thing whereby thy bro- 22 1 h e r stumbleth2, The faith which thou hast, have thou to thyself be- fore God. Happy is he that judge th not himself in that which he 3ap- 23proveth. But he that doubteth is condemned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith ; and what- 1 Many ancient authorities read we follow. 2 Many ancient authorities add or is offended, or is weak. 19. Edify one another ; encour- age and aid one another in Christian progress. 20. Overthroio not for meat's sake the work of God ; the work of building men up into a holy and godly life is God's work. We are to beware lest by our careless disregard of their con- scientious scruples, even when they are most mistaken, we overthrow that work by leaving them to do that winch to them seems to be wrong. — All things indeed are clean ; that is, there is really no moral contamination to be contracted from food. — With offence; under such circumstan- ces us to occasion offence; i. e., to be a means of tempting him- soever is not of faith is sin4. Now we that are strong 15 ought to bear the infirm- ities of the weak, and not to please ourselves. Let 2 each one of us please his neighbour for that which is good, unto edifying. For Christ also pleased 3 not himself ; but, as it is written, The reproaches of them that reproached thee fell upon me. For 4 whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that through patience and through comfort of the scriptures we might have hope. Now the God 5 of patience and of com- fort grant you to be of the same mind one with 3 Or, putteth to the test 4 Many authorities, some ancient, in- sert here ch. xvi. 25—27. self or others into sin. 23. Is condemned ; that is, he is in the wrong. The meaning is, that, if he does what is really innocent, when he supposes it not to be so, he incurs guilt and condemnation. CHAPTER XV. 1. Not to please ourselves ; not to act merely with reference to pleasing ourselves. 3. Since Christ endured re- proach and suffering for us, we ought to have a kind and tender regard for each other. 5. Of comfort; not consola- tion. To console is to cheer or relieve in suffering; to comfort is to give strength to endure his suffering. Here God is spoken 572 ROMANS. 15. another according to 6 Christ Jesus: that with one accord ye may with one month glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. 7 Wherefore receive ye one another, even as Christ also received ' you, to the 8 glory of God. For I say that Christ hath been made a minister of the circumcision for the truth of God, that he might confirm the promises giv- 9 en unto the fathers, and that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mer- cy ; as it is written, Therefore will 1 2 give praise unto thee among the Gentiles, And sing unto thy name. 10 And again he saith, Rejoice, ye Gentiles, with his people. 11 And again, 1 Some ancient authorities read us. of as the God of comfort. The comforter is not one who merely relieves our distress, but who conies in answer to our want, a present God in every time of need to give us strength accord- ing to our day. — According to Christ J* ■■<>'* ; in accordance with the Spirit manifested by him. G. With one month ; with one mind and one voice. 8. A minister of the circumci- sion ; of the JewMi people. In his mission to this world, he fulfilled the designs and prom- ises of God in respect to the Praise the Lord, all ye Gentiles ; And let all the peoples praise him. And again, Isaiah saith, 12 There shall be the root of Jesse, And he that ariseth to rule over the Gen- tiles ; On him shall the Gen- tiles hope. Now the God of hope fill 13 you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, in the power of the Holy Ghost. And I myself also am 14 persuaded of you, my brethren, that ye your- selves are full of good- ness, rilled with all know- ledge, able also to ad- monish one another. But 15 I write the more boldly unto you in some meas- ure, as putting you again 2 Or, tonfess Jews. 9. And that the Gentiles, &c. ; that is, he came for the benefit of the Gentiles also, that they might find mercy in God, in ac- cordance with what was always his design, as is shown from the passages quoted in the verses which follow. 13. Believing; i. e., in a life of faith; a life of walking with and trusting in a present helpful &od. 15. The grace; the trust or commission, viz., the one meii- tioned in the next verse. -15. 24. ROMANS. 573 in remembrance, because of the grace that was giv- 16 en me of God, that T should be a minister of Christ Jesus unto the Gentiles, 'ministering the gospel of God, that the offering up of the Gen- tiles might be made ac- ceptable, being sanctified 17 by the Holy Ghost. I have therefore my glory- ing in Christ Jesus in things pertaining to God. 18 For I will not dare to speak of any 2 things save those which Christ wrought through me, for the obedience of the Gen- tiles, by word and deed, 19 in the power of signs and wonders, in the power of 3 the Holy Ghost ; so that from Jerusalem, and round about even unto Illyricum, I have 4 fully preached the gospel of 1 Gr . ministering in sacrifice. 2 Gr. of those things which Christ wrought not through me. Christ; yea, "making it 20 my aim so to preach the gospel, not where Christ was already named, that I might not build upon another man's founda- tion ; but, as it is written, 21 They shall see, to whom no tidings of him came, , And they who have not heard shall un- derstand. Wherefore also I was 22 hindered these many times from coming to you : but now, having no more 23 any place in these regions, and having these many years a longing to come unto you, whensoever I go 24 unto Spain (for I hope to see you in my journey, and to be brought on my way thitherward by you, if first in some measure I shall have been satisfied 17. J have therefore my glory- ing; he has been speaking throughout this letter those things which would bring upon him the scorn of the Jews. He sets over against their scorn this glorying in Christ Jesus. — Per- taining to God ; to the kingdom of God. 19. Illyricum was beyond Macedonia, towards the north. 22. Wherefore ; that is, on account of having been engaged in giving the publication of the gospel the greatest possible ex- tension. 23. No more any place; that is, none specially requiring his 3 Many ancient authorities read Spirit of God. One reads the Spirit. 4 Gr. fulfilled. 5 Gr. being ambitious. m presence and labors. 24. The addition of the words I will come to you make the meaning of the apostle here much clearer, though they are wanting in many of the ancient manuscripts, aud are therefore omitted from the present ver- sion, though found in the old one. The meaning of the apos- tle is, I have longed to see you for many years, and intend to pay you a passing visit on my way to Spain, which will not be yet. for I am now going to carry the contributions to Jeru- salem.— Thitherward ; towards Spain. 574 ROMANS. 15. 24— 25 with your company) — but now, / say, I go unto Jerusalem, ministering 26 unto the saints. For it hath been the good pleasure of Macedonia and Achaia to make a , certain contribution for the poor among the saints that are at Jerusalem. 27 Yea, it hath been their good pleasure ; and their debtors they are. For if the Gentiles have been made partakers of their spiritual things, they owe it to them also to minister unto them in carnal 28 things. When therefore I have accomplished this, and have sealed to th^m this fruit, I will go on by 29 you unto Spain. And I know that, when I come unto you, I shall come in the fulness of the blessing of Christ. 30 Now I beseech you, brethren, by our Lord 1 Or, deaconess 25. Ministering unto the mints; to minister to their wants, by carrying a contribution. The circumstances of this contribu- tion are referred to in Acts 24 : IT. 1 Cor. 16:1-4. 2 Cor. chap. 8: 9. 28. Sealed to them ; secured to them. 32. Find rest; that peculiar experience of rest and refresh- ment which comes through con- genial spiritual companionship. CHAPTER XVI. 1. A servant of the church. A Jesus Christ, and by the love of the Spirit, that ye strive together with me in your prayers to God for me; that I may be 31 delivered from them that are disobedient in Judaea, and that my ministration which / have for Jeru- salem may be acceptable to the saints ; that I may 32 come unto you in joy through the will of God, and together with you find rest. Now the God 33 of peace be with you all. Amen. I commend unto you 16 Phoebe our sister, who is a 'servant of the church that is at Cenchrese: that 2 ye receive her in the Lord, worthily of the saints, and that ye assist her in whatsoever matter she may have need of you : for she herself also hath been a succourer of many, and of mine own self. class of female officers is sup- posed to have existed in the early Christian church. The name here translated Servant COT- responds to the word deaconess. — Oenchfea, This was the east- ern port of Corinth, — that is, the one communicating with the Egean Sea, — and Avas at a dis- tance of a few miles from the city. The mention of Phebe as the bearer of the Epistle, con- firms the Supposition that this Epistle was written while Paul was at Corinth. 16. 17. ROMANS. 575 3 Salute Prisca and Aquila my fellow- workers 4 in Christ Jesus, who for my life laid down their own necks ; unto whom not only I give thanks, but also all the churches 5 of the Gentiles : and salute the church that is in their house. Salute Epaenetus my beloved, who is the firstfruits of 6 Asia unto Christ. Salute Mary, who bestowed much labour on you. 7 Salute Andronicus and xJunias, my kinsmen, and my fellow-prisoners, who are of note among the apostles, who also have been in Christ before me. 8 Salute Ampliatus my be- 9 loved in the Lord. Salute Urbanus our fellow- worker in Christ, and 10 Stachys my beloved. Sa- lute Apelles the approved in Christ. Salute them which are of the/iousehold 11 of Aristobulus. Salute 1 Or, Junia 3. Prisca and Aquila. The circumstances attending Paul's first acquaintance with them are stated Acts. 18: 2, 3. They were then at Corinth. It ap- pears that they had now returned to Rome. 4. Laid doicn their own necks.; exposed themselves to the most imminent dangers. 5. The church that is in their house. It is uncertain whether this is to be understood as refer- ring to the Christian members of their family, or to a religious Herodion my kinsman. Salute them of the house- hold of Narcissus, which are in the Lord. Salute 12 Tryphsena and Tryphosa, who labour in the Lord. Salute Persis the beloved, which laboured much in the Lord. Salute Rufusi3 the chosen in the Lord, and his mother and mine. Salute Asyncritus, Phle-14 gon, Hermes, Patrobas, Hermas, and the brethren that are with them. Sa- lute Philologus and Julia, 15 Nereus and his sister, and Olympas, and all the saints that are with them. Salute one another with 16 a holy kiss. All the churches of Christ salute you. Now I beseech you, 17 brethren, mark them which are causing the divisions and occasions of stumbling, contrary to the 2 doctrine which ye learned : and turn away 2 Or, teaching assembly accustomed to convene in their house. A similar ex- pression is used in connection with them in 1 Cor. 16: 19. — The first fruits of Asia ; i. e., Asia Minor. 7. My kinsmen ; meaning, perhaps, his fellow-countrymen. Fellow-prisoners. They had been joined with him at some one of the numerous occasions on which Paul had been imprisoned. 13. His mother and mine; in- timating that she had been a mother to him in kindness and regard. 576 ROMANS. 16. 17- 18 from them. For they that are such serve not our Lord Christ, but their own belly ; and by their smooth and fair speech they beguile the hearts 19 of the innocent. For your obedience is come abroad unto all men. I rejoice therefore over you : but I would have you wise unto that which is good, and simple unto 20 that which is evil. And the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. 21 Timothy my fellow- worker saluteth you ; and Lucius and Jason and Sosipater, my kinsmen. 22 1 Tertius, 3 who write the epistle, salute you in the 23 Lord. Gaius my host, 1 Or, who xcrite the epistle in the Lord, salute you 2 Some ancient authorities insert here ver. 24 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. A?nen, and omit the like words in ver. 20. and of the whole church, saluteth you. Erastus the treasurer of the city saluteth you, andQuartus the brother." 3 Now to him that is 25 able to stablish you ac- cording to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery which hath been kept in silence through times eternal, but now is mani-26 tested, and 4by the scrip- tures of the prophets, according to the com- mandment of the eternal God, is made known un- to all the nations unto obedience 5of faith; to 27 the only wise God, through Jesus Christ, c to whom be the glory 7 for ever. Amen. 3 Some ancient authorities omit ver. 25—27. Compare the end of ch. xiv. 4 Gr. through. 5 Or, to the 'faith 6 Sumo- ancient authorities omit to whom. 7 Gr. unto the ages. 18. Their own belly; their own earthly and carnal propen- sities. 21. Timothy; who was at this time Paul's companion, as ap- pears from Acts 20: 4. — Lucius ; probably Luke, the author of one of the Gospels, and of the book of the Acts, who includes him- self in Paul's company at this time in narrating his history. (Acts 20:5.) There was, how- ever, another Lucius, a Cyrenian, mentioned Acts 13: 1. 22. 1 Tertius; i. e., he wrote at Paul's dictation, acting as his amanuensis. — Who wrote the epis- tle ; at Paul's dictation. The forms of the letters, and the na- ture of the writing materials, employed in ancient times, made writing much more laborious then, than it is now. Paul seems generally to have employed an amanuensis. 33. My host ; at Corinth. For some further account of Gaius, see 1 Cor. 1: 14. The Third Epistle of John was addressed to an individual of this name. JI H , (■> \ 111' ' -16. 27. ROMANS. 579 The Old Version adds here on the authority of some manu- scripts, the grace of our Lord Je- sus Christ be with you all. Amen. The Old Version has append- ed to the Epistle the following note: "Written to the Romans from Covin thus, and sent by Phebe, sevvant of the chuvch at Cenchrea." Many of the Epis- tles have notes of this sort ap- 23 pended to them, evidently by a later hand, as of course they could not have originally formed a part of the Epistle. When and by whom they were added, is not known. They are not considered as forming a part of the inspired volume, and are, accordingly, omitted in the New Version. THE FIRST EPISTLE TO THE CORINTHIANS. In ancient times, the city of Corinth was celebrated throughout the world for its wealth and magnificence, and also for its extraor- dinary wickedness. In the days of the apostles, however, its wealth and grandeur had greatly declined, while its excessive corruption was, perhaps, as is usual in the old age of vice, more hopeless than ever. The city was in this condition when the apostle Paul reached it in his travels, and commenced the public preaching of the gospel there, under the circumstances recorded Acts 18: 1-18. The church, thus established, afterwards fell, it seems, into a state of considerable disorder. This ought not, in fact, to be consid- ered strange; for it is a great mistake to suppose that Christian- ity will effect the sudden and entire delivery of the soul from the excesses of sin. Previous habits of outward virtue have a vast influence on the consistency and steadiness of subsequent piety; and they who have been saved from the greatest lengths of de- pravity, should feel that they are in the greatest danger of re- lapse. It has, accordingly, always been found extremely difficult to maintain a high standard of moral excellence in a church which has been raised from, and is still surrounded by, a general corruption in the community. The church at Corinth fell into such a state as to occasion the apostle great solicitude and pain. They wrote to him, it seems, stating some of the difficulties under which they were laboring. Of others he heard by report, (1: 11. 5: 1,) and this Epistle is the message of admonition, reproof, and solemn warning, which the case required. When the intelligence which called for this Epistle reached Paul, he was about two hundred miles from Corinth, across the Egean Sea, at Ephesus. This appears from various circumstantial allu- sions contained in the Epistle itself, which will be noticed as they occur in the text. He was then intending to remain there some time longer, as he states in this Epistle, (16: 8;) but he was driven away by the sudden excitement which arose through the means of Demetrius, and the manufacturers of shrines for Diana, as recorded Acts 19: 23-41. On leaving Ephesus, Paul [580J -1.1. I. CORINTHIANS. 581 went to Macedonia, where he met Titus on his return from Cor- inth, who informed him of the favorable effect which this Epistle had produced. It was on the receipt of this intelligence from Titus, that the Second Epistle was written to the Corinthian church, as will be more fully explained in the introduction pre- fixed to it. The subjects of this Epistle, as might have been expected from the preceding statement of facts, are, first, the evils and disorders which Paul had learned were prevailing in the church at Cor- inth; and, secondly, the various points on which they had asked his opinion in the letter which they had written to him. The first part extends to the commencement of the seventh chapter, and the second occupies most of the remainder of the book. There seems to be an allusion, in 5: 9, to a previous letter which Paul had written; but no other information, in respect to any such work, has come down to us from ancient times. 1 Paul, called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ 1 Gr. the brother. CHAPTER I. 1. And Sosthenes. In Acts 18: 12-17, an account is given of an attempt made by the Jews at Corinth, to induce the Roman deputy to inflict punishment upon Paul for the offence of preaching Christianity; wThich attempt not only failed, but a reaction was produced in Paul's favor, so strong that the popu- lace arose and took summary vengeance upon those who had made the attempt, — publicly beating a ruler of the synagogue, named Sosthenes, whom they appear to have regarded as the leader and representative of the hostility against Paul. It would seem that this Sosthenes after- wards became a Christian, and was now the apostle's friend and companion. His prominent po- sition as ruler of the synagogue at Corinth, and the personal in- fluence which would naturally through the will of God, and Sosthenes , our bro- be connected with it, were very probably the reason why his name was joined with that of the apostle in this communica- tion. From the fact that the name is so joined, we may draw an important inference in respect to the nature of the authority which Paul assumed over the church at Corinth in this letter of reproof, viz., that it was per- sonal, not official; an authority which he exercised in virtue of his character and station, and not that of ecclesiastical juris- diction over the church, in a technical sense. For it is only in the former case that the join- ing of any other name, however highly esteemed, with his own, could be admissible at all. It would be a great addition to the strength of friendly reproofs and warnings, from one entitled by his character and position to offer them, while it would be 582 I CORINTHIANS. 1. i- 2ther, unto the church of God which is at Corinth, even them that are sanc- tified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all that call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ in every place, their Lord and ours : 3 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 4 I thank ' my God al- ways concerning you, for the grace of God which 1 Some ancient authorities omit my. plainly irregular in a document intended to panouucethe decis- ions and dir ections of an official superior. 2. Called to he saints ; that is, made so by the spontaneous grace of God. — With all, &c. This clai\se is connected with the wor i called. It does not mean t**at the Epistle was ad- dressee' to all other followers of Christ but that they are all called to be saints. The inten- tion ' i the apostle seems to be, to remind the Corinthian Chris- tian?, at the outset, that they, "\° well as all others, everywhere, "vho are looking to Jesus for sal- tation,, were chosen and called by the Spirit of God, and trans- formed into the new image by his power. — Their Lord and ours These expressions, repre- senting the whole community as one sxtended brotherhood, are evidently an appropriate intro- duct:op to an Epistle addressed to a church which was to be re- proved for its internal dissen- sions 5. Enriched in him; in Jesus Cr^.'t, — In all utt "ranee, and in ml» bmyu/ledgc ; th\t is, in all the was given you in Christ Jesus; that in every 5 thing ye were enriched in him, in all a utterance and all knowledge ; even 6 as the testimony of Christ wTas confirmed in you : so 7 that ye come behind in no gift ; waiting for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ; who shall 8 also confirm you unto the end, that ye be unre- proveable in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Gr. word. inward and outward traits and manifestations of piety. 6. The testimony of Christ; the evidence of the gospel of Christ. — Confirmed in you ; made clear and convincing to your minds. 7. So that ye come behind in; are deficient in. No church had been more highly favored in re- spect to its spiritual blessings. — Waiting for the revelation; this was the marginal reading of the Old Version. The meaning was expressed in the text of the Old Version, they were "waiting for the coming of the Lord. The Messiah seemed to the apostle Paul to be unrevealed, hidden from the great mass by his hu- mility and death, and lie was looking for some new demon- stration and disclosure, which it is evident that he anticipated would come, if not in his own generation, at least very soon thereafter. 8. Confirm you unto the end ; keep you unto the end. Having begun the work, he will carry it on, and make your salvation sure. — In the day of our Lord Jesus Christ; when he shall com* to ju;lge the world. -1. 16. I. CORINTHIANS. 583 9Gfod is faithful, through whom ye were called into the fellowship of bis Son Jesns Christ our Lord. 10 Now I beseech you, brethren, through the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you ; but that ye be perfected together in the same mind and in the 11 same judgement. For it hath been signified unto me concerning you, my brethren, by them icliich are of the household of 1 Or, Christ is divided, crucified for you ? Was Paul 9. God is faithful ; that is, to complete what he begins, as had been promised in the preceding verse. 10. Speak the same thing; be harmonious. 11. Ghloe ; probably a Chris- tian matron residing at Corinth. 12. Apollos. He was a very able advocate of Christianity, who preached in Corinth soon after Paul left that place. (Acts 18:24— 19:1.)— Cephas; one of the names by which Peter was designated. (John 1 : 42.) There is no reason, perhaps, to suppose that there were defined parties in the Corinthian church under these names, this language being probably intended only to ex- press the general prevalence of a spirit of dissension arising out of the various personal prefer- ences of individuals. 13. The meaning seems to be, Can you divide your one Master, Christ, so as to make of him many masters, to lead you in separate divisions? — or, Will Chloe, that there are con- tentions among you. Now this I mean, that 12 each one of you saith, I am of Paul ; and I of Apollos ; and I of Cephas ; and I of Christ. 'Is Christ 13 divided % was Paul cruci- fied for you % or were ye baptized into the name of Paul ? 2 1 thank God that 14 I baptized none of you, save Crispus and Gaius ; lest any man should say 15 that ye were baptized into my name. And I bap- 16 tized also the household of Stephanas : besides, I 2 Some ancient authorities read. I give thanks that. you leave your Saviour, and place yourselves under mere hu- man leaders ? 14. Crispus. He is mentioned, in Acts 18: 8, as a distinguished convert. Gaius was another prominent member of the Corin- thian church, mentioned in Rom. 16:23, as the one with whom Paul lodged. 15. Into my name; i. e.. as though the name of Paul could bring that salvation which is afforded only in the name, that is, by the grace and power, of Christ. That very thing against which Paul warned the Corin- thians has occurred since in the division of the Christian church into sects or schools, each called after the name of its own found- er, as Wesleyans, Calvinists, Ar- miniaus, and the like. 16. Household ; family. — I know not, &c. ; that is, I do not recollect. When he mentioned Crispus and Gaius in the 14th verse, he seems to have supposed that they were all, though the 584 I CORINTHIANS. 1.16- k n o w not whether I 17 baptized any other. For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel : not in wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made void. 18 For the word of the cross is to them that are perishing foolishness; but unto us which are being saved it is the power of 19 God. For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, And the prudence of the prudent will 1 reject. 20 Where is the wise ? where is the scribe \ where is the disputer of this 1 Or, age 2 Gr. thing preached. case of the family of Stephanas afterwards occurred to him. This circumstance, as well as his not being entirely sure that there might not have been even one or two other cases, shows that the nature of the inspiration of the sacred writers was such that it did not interfere with or sus- pend the ordinary operations of the mind. Its province was to direct and to guide, not to super- sede, the natural faculties. 17. Wisdom of words; the power of eloquence and philos- ophy.— Lest the cross of Christ, &c. ; lest he should cease to de pend upon the simple presenta- tion of the great fact that a Sa- viour had died for sinners. 18. The ward of the cross ; the preaching of the death of Christ 1 world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For seeing 21 that in the wisdom of God. the world through its wisdom knew not God, it was God's good pleasure through the foolishness of the "preaching to save them that believe. Seeing 22 that Jews ask for signs, and Greeks seek after wisdom: but we preach 23 'Christ crucified, unto Jews a stumblingblock, and unto Gentiles foolish- ness ; but unto 4 them that 24 are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God. Because the 25 foolishness of God is wiser 3 Or, a Messiah 4 Gr. the called themselves. upon the cross, as a sacrifice for sin. — Is to them that are perish- ing, foolishness; that is, it seems so to them. 19. Isa. 29:14. 20. Where is the wise f ichere U the scribe.- What have these philosophers and learned men accomplished towards the moral improvement of man- kind ? 21. Wisdom; by their own wisdom. 22. Signs; some portentous prodigy, as evidence of the Mes- siahship of Christ. — The Greeks 8eelc after wisdom; they are in- terested in nothing but acutely- defined schemes of philosophy. 25. The foolishness of Ood; that which appears to men to be foolishness. -2. 3. I. CORINTHIANS. 585 than men ; and the weak- ness of God is stronger than men. 26 For l behold your call- ing, brethren, how that not many wise after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, 2 are 27 called : but God chose the foolish things of the world, that he might put to shame them that are wise ; and God chose the weak things of tho world, that he might put to shame the things that are 28 strong ; and t h e base things of tho world, and the things that are de- spised, did God choose, yea 3 and the things that are not, that he might bring to nought the i Or, ye behold 2 Or, have part therein 3 Many ancient authorities omit and. 4 Or, both righteousness and sanctified- 26. Your calling ; that is, the nature of the Christian calling, in respect to the condition of the subjects of it, as specified below. — After the flesh; in the estimation of mankind. 27. That he might put to shame, etc. ; the meaning is not merely, as in the Old Version, God selected foolish and weak things to confound wise and mighty ones, but he selected as his instruments those who seemed to the world weak and foolish, in order that he might thus put to shame those instru- ments which the world regards as wise and mighty. The vic- tims of Christianity have proved how much stronger is love than force, and moral influence than things that are : that no 29 llesh should glory before God. But of him are ye 30 in Christ Jesus, who was made unto us wisdom from God, 4and righteous- ness and sanctilication, and redemption : that, 31 according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord. And I, brethren, when 2 I came unto you, came not with excellency of 'speech or of wisdom, proclaiming to you the 6 mystery of God. For 1 2 determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified. And I was 2 with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much tio» and ?\ o Or, word 6 Many ancient authorities read Us^r mony. military power. 28. Things that are not; which are of no consideration. 30. Of him are ye in Christ Jesus ; that is, your being in Christ is the work of God, and the glory of it is to be given to him, and not to any human in- strument. CHAPTER II. 1. When I came unto you; meaning when he first went to Corinth, and commenced preach- ing the gospel there, as related Acts 18:1-18. 3. The anxiety which Paul suffered on his first visit to Cor- inth is alluded to in the account in the Acts. (18; 9, 10.) 58G I. CORINTHIANS. 2. 3- 4 trembling. And my 1 speech and my 2 preach- ing were not in persua- sive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power : 5 that your faith should not 3 stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God. 6 Howbeit we speak wis- dom among the * perfect : yet a wisdom not of this * world, nor of the rulers of this 5 world, which are 7 coming to nought: but we speak Grod's wisdom 1 Or, word 2 Gr. thing preached. 3 Gr. be. 4. In demonstration of the Spir- it, and of power ; that is, with power and energy imparted by the influences of the Holy Spir- it. 6. The meaning is that, though he had presented only the sim- plest elements of Christianity to the people of Corinth, in first planting the gospel among them, still there were higher truths re- vealed, which he was accus- tomed to present to those who had made more advanced at- tainments in religious knowl- edge.— Nor of the rulers of this world; that is, not the wisdom held in estimation by the princes of this world. By the riders of this world may, very probably, be intended the leading influ- ences and authorities by which the sentiment of the world is governed. — Which are coming to nought; the power of the mili- tary rule of the Romans and the philosophical thought of the Grecians was already beginning to decay, though neither its decay nor the growing power of in a mystery, even the wisdom that hath been hidden, which God fore- ordained before the worlds unto our glory : which none of the rulers 8 of this world knoweth : for had they known it, they would not have cru- cified the Lord of glory : but as it is written, a Things which eye saw not, and ear heard not, And which entered not into the heart of man, 4 Or, fullgrown 5 Or, age : and bo in ver. 7, 8 ; but not in ver. 12. Christianity was perceived by the great body of the people at the time. 7. In a mystery ; in the gos- pel which was kept a mystery, that is, which remained unknown for many ages. — Unto our glory; to our advantage and honor, who are permitted to enjoy its blessings. 8. Known it ; that is, the gos- pel,— the truth that Jesus was the Messiah, the Saviour of men. 9. Eye saw not, and ear heard not. Where this citation is taken from is uncertain. Some scholars suppose it to be from a lost book; others, a paraphrase from Isaiah 52: 15, or 64: 4; the latter is very near in general meaning to the passage here. That meaning is not, as is often imagined, that heaven contains more than the eye hath seen or the imagination conceived, but that spiritual experience in this life affords more than can be seen, or heard, or intellectually conceived. The apostle Paul -3.3. I. CORINTHIANS. 587 Whatsoever things God prepared for them that love him. 10 l But unto us God revealed 2 them through the Spirit : for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep 11 things of God. For who among men knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of the man, which is in him ? even so the things of God none know- eth, save the Spirit of 12 God. But we received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God ; that we might know the things that are freely given to us by God. 13 Which things also we speak, not in words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Spirit teacheth ; 3 * comparing spiritual things with spir- 1 Some ancient authorities read For. 2 Or, it 3 Or, combining goes on, in the next verse, to say that God has already revealed them through the Spirit. The passage is analogous, therefore, to such declarations as that of Christ in John 14: 17. 11. The meaning of the origi- nal is more clearly expressed than in the Old Version. As no man is able to fathom the expe- rience of his fellow-men, so no one can expect, by searching, to find out, intellectually, the spiritual nature of God. God is to be known sympathetically and spiritually, not intellectu- ally. 1*2. Spirit of the world; worldly itual. Now the natural 14 man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God : for they are foolish- ness unto him ; and he cannot know them, be- cause they are spiritually 5 judged. But he that is 15 spiritual 6 judge th all ' things, and he himself is 6 judged of no man. For 16 who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he should instruct him \ But we have the mind of Christ. And I, brethren, could 3 not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, as unto babes in Christ. I fed you with 2 milk, not with meat ; for ye were not yet able to bear it: nay, not even now are ye able ; for ye 3 are yet carnal : for where- 4 Or, interpreting spiritual things to spiritual men 5 Or, examined 6 Or, examineth wisdom. 14. Receiveth not ; compre- hendeth not. 15. Judgeth all things ; under- standeth all things, that is, all spiritual truths. — Is judged of no man; his character and motives are not appreciated or under- stood by mankind in general. 10. Who? what natural man ? — Instruct him; instruct the spiritual man. — The mind of Christ; the revealed will of Christ. CHAPTER HI. 2. With milk; with merely the elementary principles of Chris- tianity, 588 as I. CORINTHIANS. 3.3— there is among you jealousy and strife, are ye not carnal, and walk after the manner of men? 4 For when one saith, I am of Paul ; and another, I am of Apollos ; are ye 5 not men ? What then is Apollos? and what is Paul ? Ministers through whom ye believed ; and each as the Lord gave to 6 him. I planted, Apollos watered ; but God gave 7 the increase. So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth ; but God that giveth the increase. 'Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one : but each shall receive his own reward according to 9 his own labour. For we are God' s fellow- workers : ye are God's l husbandry, God's building. io According to the grace of God which was given 1 Gr. tilled land. 5. Ministers; servants, subor- dinate instruments. 6. It will be seen by the account in Acts 18:24, 27, 28, that Apollos commenced his ministry in Corinth, after Paul had left it. 8. Are one ; they have one end and aim. 9. Ye are God's husbandry; that is, although Paul and Apollos had been employed as laborers in the field, it was upon (tod i hat they had really to de- pend for their spiritual life and unto me, as a wise master- builder I laid a founda- tion; and another buildeth thereon. But let each man take heed how he buildeth thereon. Foril other foundation can no man lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. But if any man 12 buildeth on the founda- tion gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay, stub- ble ; each man's work 13 shall be made manifest : for the day shall declare it, because it is revealed in fire ; "and the lire itself shall prove each man's work of what sort it is. If any man's work shall 14 abide which he built thereon, he shall receive a reward. If any man's 15 work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss : but he himself shall be saved ; yet so as through fire. Know ye not that ye are 16 Or. and each man's work, of what sort it is, the fire shall 2>rove it. growth. 12. Gold, silver, &c. In other words, whatever materials he may incorporate in the Christian edilice, whether valuable and permanent, or destructible and worthless, the true character of his work would be revealed in a future day. 13. Revealed in fire ; tried and exposed by the terrible scrutiny of the great day. 1 5. Yet so as tJirouahfire ; with difficulty, — as one escapes from a burning building. I. CORINTHIANS 589 a 'temple of God, and thai the Spirit of God dwelleth 17 in you? If any man de- stroyeth the 'temple of God, him shall God de- stroy ; for the 'temple of God is holy, 'which tem- ple ye are. 18 Let no man deceive himself. If any man thinketh that he is wise among you in this Hvorld, let him become a fool, that 19 he may become wise. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He that taketh the wise in their 20 craftiness : and again, 1 Or, sanctuary 17. It is difficult to express in the English the play upon the words here, which was wholly lost in the Old Version, but is indicated in the New Version, — God requites like with like. 18. If any man thinketh, &c. : not, as in the Old Version, if any man seemeth to he wise. A man may appear wise to others because he really possesses wis- dom; but if he thinks himself to be wise, it is because of his self- conceit, and the first lesson which he has to learn is that of the imperfection of his own knowledge, and his need of learning wisdom from above, with meekness and docility. 19. It is written; Job 5 : 13. 20. Ps. 94: 11. 21. Let no one glory in men. The apostle thus brings his train of remark to a conclusion which bears directly upon the great cause of their dissensions, —their excessive personal predi- The Lord knoweth the reasonings of the wise, that they are vain. Wherefore let no one 21 glory in men. For all things are yours; whether 22 Paul, or Apollos, or Ce- phas, or the world, or life, or death, or things pres- ent, or things to come ; all are yours ; and ye are 23 Christ's; and Christ is God's. Let a man so account 4 of us, as of ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God. Here, moreover, it is re- 2 quired in stewards, that 2 Or, and such are ye 3 Or, age lections for the various individ- uals who had been the instru- ments of bringing them the gos- pel. 23. Ye are Christ's ; that is, ye do not belong to Paul and to Apollos, &c.,a8 one might sup- pose from your undue and inor- dinate interest in such human leaders; ye are Christ's. — And Christ is CooVs; you owe, there- fore, no spiritual allegiance to any but to Christ and to God. CHAPTER IV. 1. So account of us, &c. ; re- gard us not as masters and lead- ers of different sects, but simply as the servants of Christ. — Stew- ards of the mysteries. Stewards are persons intrusted with a charge. The apostles were stew- ards of the mysteries of God, inasmuch as they were intrusted with the charge of divine truth, which had been a mystery, having been, till then, withheld from mankind. 590 I CORINTHIANS. 4.2— a man be found faithful. 8 But with me it is a very small thing that I should be 'judged of you, or of man's 'judgement: yea, I 'judge not mine own 4 self. For I know no- thing against myself ; yet am 1 not hereby justified : but he that 4 judgeth me sis the Lord. Wherefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who will both bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and make manifest the counsels of the hearts ; and then shall each man have his praise from God. 1 Or, examined 2 Gr. day. 4. I Jcnow nothing against my- self ; not, as in the Old Version, oy myself. This passage which ■was very obscure in the Old Ver- sion, is made clear by the New one. The fact that a man knows nothing against himself, does not prove that he is free from offence. His approbation may be due to the imperfections of his own moral judgment; the Lord alone trieth the heart. 5. The counsels of the hearts ; their secret characters and de- signs.— His praise from God; if deserved. The meaning is, that God will then pronounce a just sentence upon every man, ac- cording to his true character, as it shall then appear. 6. 1 have in a figure transferred to myself and Apollos. The meaning is, that he had spoken particularly of himself and of Apollos in his remarks upon the manner in which they ought to Now these things, 6 brethren, I have in a figure transferred to my- self and Apollos for your sakes ; that in us ye might learn not to go be- yond the things which are written ; that no one of you be puffed up for the one against the other. For who maketh thee to 7 differ? and what hast thou that thou didst not receive? but if thou didst receive it, why dost thou gloiy, as if thou hadst not received it. Already are ye filled, al-8 ready ye are become rich, ye have reigned without 3 Or, examine 4 Or, exa/nineth regard their religious teachers, (3:21—4: 5;) but In iutended j the instructions which he had given to be of general applica- tion.— That ye might learn not to J go, &c. The meaning of this verse is made much clearer by the New Version, and the admo- nition of the apostle has a direct practical bearing upon very many of the metaphysical and snbtlc refinements of theology, which do go beyond that which is written or revealed. — In us; as examples. S. Already are ye filled, &c. ; in your own ideas and estima- tion.— I would ye did reign; ii reality and truth; that is, that their spiritual condition was as elevated and prosperous as they imagined. In this and the verses which follow, (8-13,) the apostle contrasts the condition of spiritual ease and satisfaction which some of the vain and —4. 17. I. CORINTHIANS. 591 us : yea and I would that ye did reign, that we also might reign with 9 you. For, I think, God hath set forth us the apostles last of all, as men doomed to death : for we are made a spec- tacle unto the world, 'and to angels, and to men. 10 We are fools for Christ's sake, but ye are wise in Christ ; we are weak, but ye are strong ; ye have glory, but we have dis- 11 honour. Even unto this present hour we both hun- ger, and thirst, and are naked, and are buffeted, and have no certain dwell- I2ingplace ; and we toil, working with our own hands : being reviled, we bless ; being persecuted, 1 Or, both to angels and men self -conceited teachers of the Corinthian church appeared to enjoy, with the toils and hard- ships, and the humble self- denial, which characterized the lives of the true and devoted servants of Jesus. 10. We are fools ; are willing to be so esteemed. — Ye are wise ; esteem yourselves wise. The whole language of this paragraph is that of severe and bitter irony. 15. I leg at you. Paul was the first to preach the gospel in Cor- inth, and founded the church there, as has already been ex- plained. 16. Therefore ; on account of the peculiar relation which he sustained to the church as its spiritual father. We observe we endure ; being de- is famed, we intreat : we are made as the 2 tilth of the world, the offscour- ing of all things, even until now. I write not these things 14 to shame you, but to ad- monish you as my beloved children. For though ye 15 should have ten thousand tutors in Christ, yet haoe ye not many fathers : for in Christ Jesus I begat you through the gospel. I beseech you therefore, 16 be ye imitators of me. For this cause have I sent 17 unto you Timothy, who is my beloved and faithful child in the Lord, who shall put you in remem- brance of my ways which be in Christ, even as I 2 Or, refuse that the apostle does not rest his claim to be heard on his holding over them any official supremacy. — Be ye imitators of me ; that is, in attending to and obeying these instructions. 17. Timothy. The first account of Timothy is given in Acts 16 : 1-3. He had been at Corinth with Paul on his first visit there. (18: 5.) When this letter was written, he was at Ephesus with Paul, as appears from the account in Acts 19: 21, 22, whence it is stated that Paul sent him forward to Macedonia, with directions, probably, as is here implied, to go on to Corinth. Still, as ap- pears from auother expression in this Epistle, (16: 10,) it was not quite certain that he would reach Corinth. 592 I. CORINTHIANS. 4. 17— teach every wliere in every 18 church. Now some are puffed up, as though I were not coming to you. 19 But I will come to you shortly, if the Lord will ; and I will know, not the word of them which are puffed up, but the power. 20 For the kingdom of God is not in word, but in 21 power. What will ye ? shall I come unto you with a rod, or in love and a spirit of meekness I 5 It is actually reported that there is fornication among you, and such for- nication as is not even among the Gentiles, that one of you hath his fa- 1 Or, are ye puffed up ? 2 Or, did ye not rather mourn., .you ? 18. Puffed up; with pride and self-importance, assuming an undue influence and authority. 20. In word; in professions and pretences. The sense is, that the religion of Christ is not to be established by empty boastings, but by that spiritual power which God alone confers. 21. With a rod; with severe reproof. CHAPTER V. 1. That there is fornication ; that is, a case of fornication. — His father's wife; his step- mother. Such a marriage was universally considered, even among the heathen nations, as criminal. 4. And my spirit ; I being with you in spirit, exercising the power with which Christ has invested me. 5. To deliver such a one unto Satan for the destruction of the ther's wife. And 'ye ares puffed up, and 2did not rather mourn, that he that had done this deed might be taken away from among you. For I verily, 3 being absent in body but present in spirit, have al- ready, as though I were present, judged him that hath so wrought this thing, in the name of our 4 Lord Jesus, ye being gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus, to de- 5 liver such a one unto Sa- tan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord 3Jesus. Your 6 3 Some ancient authorities omit Je- flesh. Some suppose that this expression refers to a miraculous power with which the apostles were invested, and which Paul here intended to authorize the Coriuthian church to employ, for the punishment of this crim- inal, by subjecting him to bodily disease and suffering, through the agency of Satan, in judgment for his sin. Others suppose that the phrase delivering him to Satan is a figurative expression, meaning his excommunication from the church, which would be removing him from the king- dom of Christ, into the visible kingdom of Satan; and that by the destruction of the flesh, is meant the subduing and eradi- cating of those fleshly lusts, which had caused him to sin. 0. Tour glorying; your self- complacency, and satisfaction with your condition, while such —5. 11. I CORINTHIANS. 693 glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the 7 whole lump % Purge out the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, even as ye are unleavened. For our passover also hath been sacrificed, even 8 Christ : wherefore let us 'keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sin- cerity and truth. 1 Gr. keep festival. 2 Or, not at all meaning the fornica- a sin remains unpunished. — Leaven. The Jews, in keeping the passover, were required to use only unleavened bread, the better to commemorate the haste and confusion in which they left Egypt, and which prevented the preparation of bread in the usual manner. From the very nature of leaven, tending, as it does, so strongly to disseminate itself, it was necessary to avoid admitting the smallest quantity into the mixture from which the bread was to be prepared. Hence leaven, as a prohibited thing which had a powerful ten- dency to spread from small beginnings until it pervaded the whole mass, became an apt em- blem of sin, and is often so made use of by many of the sacred writers. 7. As ye are unleavened ; re- quired to be unleavened, that is, pure. — Our passover even . . . Christ. It was only at the time of the passover that the Jews were required to abstain from the use of leaven. The sacrifice of Christ is therefore represented I wrote unto you in my 9 epistle to have no com- pany with fornicators ; 2not altogether with theio fornicators of this world, or with the covetous and extortioners, or with idol- aters ; for then must ye needs go out of the world: but 3now I write unto you 11 not to keep company, if any man that is named a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a re viler, or a drunk- ard, or an extortioner; tors &c. 3 Or, as it is, I wrote as a passover, to complete the figure. 9. In my epistle; apparently referring to some former Epistle, now lost. 10. Not altogether, &c. The sense is, that he did not mean to cut them off from all comrnuni- j cation with vicious men, who were of this world, — that is, who were not of the church, — and whose vices, of course, did not compromise the purity and char- acter of the church ; but only, as is explained in the next verse, from every such one, who is called a brother; that is, who, being joined with them in name, would bring upon them the re- proach of his sins. Thus it seems that special precautions are necessary to avoid counte- nancing the sins of those who make pretensions to piety. 11. No, not to eat. By thus refusing all intercourse with him, they were to show the world that they utterly dis- avowed and reprobated his doings. In those times, there was no other mode by which so dis- 594 I. CORINTIIIAXS. 5. 11— with such a one no, not 12 to eat. For what have I to do with judging them that are without ? Do not ye judge them that are 13 within, whereas them that are without God judgeth ? Put away the wicked man from among yourselves. 6 m Dare any of you, hav- ing a matter against ' his neighbour, go to law be- fore the unrighteous, and 2 not before the saints ? Or know ye not that the saints shall judge the world? and if the world is judged by you, are ye unworthy2 to judge the 1 Gr. the other. 2 Gr. of the (smallest tribunals. tinct and effectual a disavowal could be made. 12. Without; without the church. 13. The wicked man ; viz., the person of whom be had been speaking in the former part of the chapter. What is said in 2 Cor. 2: 5-10 is generally consid- ered as referring to this case; and, if so, it shows that the discipline here enjoiued was successful in bringing the sinner to repentance and reformation. CHAPTER "VI. 1. The unrighteous ; heathen tribunals. — The saints; Christian tribunals. 2. Shall judge the world. There are various allusions in the sa- cred writings founded upon the idea that, when Christ should appear upon the earth to estab- lish his final kingdom, his peo- ple should be elevated to sta- tions of trust and responsibility, And associated with him in the administration nf his govern- ment, (Comp. Matt. 19; 28. 2 smallest matters \ Know % ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more, things that pertain to this life \ If then ye have ' to 4 judge things pertaining to this life, 4 do ye set them to judge who are of no account in the church ? Is say this to move you to shame. Is it so, that there cannot be found among you one wise man, who shall be able to de- cide between his brethren, but brother goeth to law 6 with brother, and that before unbelievers \ Nay, 7 already it is altogether, 3 Gr. tribunals pertaining to. 4 Or, set them. ..church. Tim. 2: 12. Rev. 3: 21.) 3. That we shall judge angels /. a still stronger expression than the preceding, in regard to the future advancement of the faith- ful servants of Christ. 4. Set them to judge who are of no account. The meaning may- be, as represented in the Old Version, au ironical exhortation to appoint as judges those least esteemed in the church ; or it may be, as represented in the New Version, an inquiry why the Corinthians set them to judge who are of no account in the church; i. e., the heathen, by referring to them the questions at issue for determination. The context seems to indicate this meaning as the more probable one. 7. The meaning is that tho having of a mere law suit is an evidence of defect. It would be better to suffer wrong, rather than to have any controversy. If. however, they must have con- troversies, let them be settled -6. 17. L CORINTHIANS. 595 1 a defect in -you, that ye have lawsuits one with another. Why not rather take wrong? why not rather be defrauded ? 8 Nay, bat ye yourselves do wrong, and defraud, and that your brethren. 9 Or know ye not that the unrighteous shall not in- herit the kingdom of God % Be not deceived : neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effem- inate, nor abusers of 10 themselves with men, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall in- herit the kingdom of God. 11 And such were some of you : but ye 2were washed, but ye were sanc- tified, but ye were justi- fied in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, and in the Spirit of our God. 1 Or, a loss to you by amicable arbitration before some brethren iu the church. This is wise and practical coun- sel for the settlement of differ- ences in the churches of our own time. 12, 13. These verses are somewhat obscure. The obscu- rity, however, is partially cleared tip if we consider the lack of clear moral discrimination at the time when Paul wrote. He had maintained that it was the right and liberty of the Christian to decide for himself all moral questions, and that there was no harm in eating meat which had been offered to idols. He con- ceives an objector citing these All things are lawful 12 for me ; but not all things are expedient. All things are lawful for me ; but I will not be brought under the power of any. Meats 13 for the belly, and the belly for meats : but God shall bring to nought both it and them. But the body is not for fornication, but for the Lord ; and the Lord for the body; and 14 God both raised the Lord, and will raise up us through his power. Know 15 ye not that your bodies are members of Christ? shall I then take away the members of Christ, and make them members of a harlot ? God forbid. Or know ye not that he 16 that is joined to a harlot is one body? for, The twain, saith he, shall be- come one iiesh. But he 17 2 Gr. icashed yourselves. positions against him now, and maintaining that, upon the same principle, the wicked person might decide to marry his fa- ther's widow. Paul replies to this objector, in these verses. God, he says, made meats for the belly and the belly for meats; but he did not form the body to be given up to the dominion of its propensities and passions, but to be consecrated to the service of the Lord Jesus Christ. 16. The twain, saith he, &c. This was originally spoken of the union between the husband and wife, (Gen. 2:24,) but is here applied to a different case. 596 I. CORINTHIANS. 6. 18- that is joined unto the 18 Lord is one spirit. Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is with- out the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own 19 body. Or know ye not that your body is a ' tem- ple of the 'Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have from Gfod ? and ye 20 are not your own ; for ye were bought with a price : glorify God therefore in your body. 7 Now concerning the things whereof ye wrote : It is good for a man not 2 to touch a woman. But, because of fornications, let each man have his 1 Or, sanctuary 18. Is without the body ; is not & sin directly against his own body. 20. The Old Version added and in their spirits which are GodJs, but these words are want- ing in the best manuscripts, .and were probably inserted by some copyist in order to make the exhortation more complete. CHAPTER VII. 1. The apostle now proceeds to consider the subjects on which the Corinthian church had asked his instructions in their letter to him. The first is the question of marriage. In very early times, a disposition manifested itself in the church to make a virtue of celibacy. — It is good; it is in itself very well. This seems to have been said in concession to those who argued for celibacy, own wife, and let each woman have her own husband. Let the hus- 3 band render unto the wife her due : and likewise also the wife unto the husband. The wife hath not power 4 over her own body, but the husband: and likewise also the husband hath not power over his own body, but the wife. Defraud ye not one the 5 other, except it be by consent for a season, that ye may give yourselves unto prayer, and may be together again, that Satan tempt you not because of your incontinency. But 6 this I say by way of permission, not of com- 2 Or, Holy Spirit as in what follows he enjoins or at least recommends the married state on all. (v. 2.) 3. The meaning of the passage is, that they are not to nullify the marriage tie by living in separation. 5. Defraud ye not, &c. ; that is, in respect to the obligations of the marriage state. — Of your incontinency; to your incon- tinency, that is, to lead you into sin. 6. By permission, not of com- mandment; that is, he does not absolutely require marriage in all cases. Those who desired to marry were at perfect liberty to do so ; they were not to be for- bidden. The antithesis is in v. 10, where he says that, if any were already married, they wefe absolutely required to continue in that state. 7. 15. I. CORINTHIANS. 597 7 mandment. ' Yet I would that all men were even as I myself. Howbeit each man hath his own gift from God, one after this manner, and another after that. 8 Bat I say to the un- married and to widows, It is good for them if they 9 abide even as I. But if they have not continency, let them marry : for it is better to marry than to 10 burn. But unto the married I give charge, yea not I, but the Lord, That the wife depart not 11 from her husband (but and if she depart, let her remain unmarried, or el-e be reconciled to her 1 Many ancient authorities read For. 7. Even as 1 myself ; that is, single. (See 1 Cor. 9:5.) The preference which Paul seems to express here for a single life, in the cases of those for whom such a life was safe, has been made by the Roman Catholic church the ostensible foundation of the rule by which they enjoin celibacy in the clergy. History, however, shows that the real ground on which that practice is sustained, is that, by such a system, a body of men is per- petuated in the various countries over which that church extends, who, being bound to the social community by few ties, are the more effective and subservient as instruments of ecclesiastical power. Unmarried priests are like unmarried soldiers, which every military commander pre- fer?. husband); and that the husband leave not his wife. But to the rest say 12 I, not the Lord : If any brother hath an unbeliev- ing wife, and she is content to dwell with him, let him not leave her. And the woman which 13 hath an unbelieving hus- band, and he is content to dwell with her, let her not leave her husband. For the unbelieving 14 husband is sanctified in the wife, and the un- believing wife is sanctified in the brother : else were your children unclean ; but now are they holy. Yet if the unbelieving 15 departeth, let him depart : 12. An unbelieving icife; who is not a Christian. 14. In the brother ; this is one of those cases where the New Version, by rendering literally the Greek, impairs its real mean- ing. The Greek is literally as rendered here, but the meaning of the phrase in the brother is undoubtedly in her Christian husband. In chap. 9: 5, the revisers have given themselves greater liberty, and have freely rendered the phrase " a wife a sister" by the paraphrase "a wife that is a believer." — Now are they holy ; that is, the chil- dren of the church are holy, being brought within its pale by being of Christian parentage on either side. 15. Is not tinder bondage. The meaning seems to be that the Christian is not bound in such 598 I. CORINTHIANS. 7.15- the brother or the sister is not under bondage in such cases : but God hath 16 called 'us in peace. For how knowest thou, 0 wife, whether thou shalt save thy husband % or how knowest thou, O husband, whether thou shalt save 17 thy wife? Only, as the Lord hath distributed to each man, as God hath called each, so let him walk. And so ordain I in 18 all the churches. Was any man called being circumcised? let him not become uncircu incised. Hath any been called in uncircumcision? let him 19 not be circumcised. Cir- cumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is no- thing ; but the keeping of the commandments of 20 God. Let each man abide 1 Many ancient authorities read you. cases, that is, in those mentioned above, (v. 12—14,) to sunder the domestic tie, but may live in peace with au unbelieving part- ner. 17. Hath distributed to each man ; hath given him his lot. 18. Let him not become uncir- cvrnrined; let him remain a Jew. It was a great question in the early church whether a Gentile convert must embrace Judaism as well as Christianity. A council was held at Jerusalem on this question, as described in Acts 15. 21. Care not for it; be not unhappy and depressed on ac- count of it, that is, on account of your condition of bondage. — in that calling wherein he was called. Wast thou 21 called being a bond- servant? care not for it : 3 but if thou canst become free, use it rather. For 22 he that was called in the Lord, being a bond- servant, is the Lord's freedman : likewise he that was called, being free, is Christ's bond- servant. Ye were bought 23 with a price ; become not bondservants of men. Brethren, let each man, 24 wherein he was called, therein abide with God. Now concerning vir- 25 gins I have no command- ment of the Lord : but I give my judgement, as one that hath obtained mercy of the Lord to be faithful. I think there- 26 fore that this is good by 2 Or, nay, even if Use it rather ; seek it, prefer it. Freedom is better if you have opportunity to acquire it. 23. 'Become not bondservants of men ; a general caution address- ed to all, against too great sub- serviency to human authority, suggested by the subject which the apostle had been discussing. 2'!. The present distress; time of distress, that is. of impending pel Mention and calamity. This expression indicates that the in- clination of the apostle's mind towards a preference for celi- bacy, manifest in this chapter, had reference to the circum- stances of danger and persecu- tion peculiar to those timen.— < So to be ; to be single. -7. 30 I. CORINTHIANS. 590 reason of the present dis- tress, namely, that it is good for a man 'to be as 27 he is. Art thou bound unto a wife % seek not to be loosed. Art thou loosed from a wife ? seek 28 not a wife. But and if > thou marry, thou hast not sinned ; and if a vir- gin marry, she hath not sinned. Yet such shall have tribulation in the . flesh : and I would spare 29 you. But this I say, brethren, the time "is shortened, that hence- forth both those that have wives may be as though they had none ; 30 and those that weep, as though they wept not ; and those that rejoice, as though they rejoiced not ; and those that buy, as though they possessed 31 not; and those that use the world, as not 'abusing it : for the fashion of this 1 Gr. so to be. 2 Or, is shortened henceforth, that both those &c. 3 Or, using it to the full 4 Or, wife, and is divided. So also the wife and the virgin ; she that is no- 28. Shall have tribulation. Marriage would obviously in- crease the distress and suffering in a time of persecution. — I would spare you; I wish to save you as far as possible from the sufferings to which you will be exposed, 32. Free from cares ; free from the anxious cares which, in such times as those, must attend the charge of a family. world passeth away. But 32 I would have you to be free from cares. He that is unmarried is careful for the things of the Lord, how he may please the Lord : but he that is 33 married is careful for the things of the world, how he may please his 4wife. And there is a difference 34 also between the wife and the virgin. She that is unmarried is careful for the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and in spirit : but she that is married is careful for the things of the world, how she may please her husband. And 35 this I say for your own profit ; not that I may cast a 5 snare upon you, but for that which is seemly, and that ye may attend upon the Lord without distraction. But 36 if any man thinketh that married is cartful &c. Many ancient authorities read wife, and is divided. So also the woman that is unmarried and ■ in is careful d-c. 5 Or, constraint Gr. noose. 35. Not that I may cast a snare upon you ; expose you to tempta- tion by constraining you to live unmarried. 86. That he lehaveth himself unseemly toicard his virgin daugh- ter ; that is, that he wrongs her by putting a constraint upon her inclinations to enter into the marriage state. The general sense of the passage (36-38j is, that if the father find the 600 I. COUIXTHIAXS. 7. 36— he behave th himself un- seemly toward his 'virgin daur/hter, if she be past the flower of her age, and if need so require th, let him do what he will ; he sinneth not ; let them 3? marry. But he that standeth stedfast in his heart, having no neces- sity, bat hath power as touching his own will, and hath determined this in his own heart, to keep his own 'virgin daughter, 38 shall do well. So then both he that giveth his 1 Or. virgin (omitting daughter) affections of a daughter so fixed, that to prohibit her marriage would be an injury to her, it is proper to allow the marriage to take place; though it would be better for her, in such a time of persecution and trial, if she would consent to remain single. 39. Only in the Lord ; only to one who is a Christian. The Christian widow was not to marry a heathen idolater. It has sometimes been maintained that this direction forbids a Christian female, at the present day, to marry any one not truly pious; but this is a very wide extension of its meaning. As, in all Christian lands, and among all forms of communion, the young females who give evidence of sincere piety far outnumber those of the other sex, and that from the influence of causes per- manent and universal, the doc- trine that they must not marry beyond the limit above pre- scribed, necessarily consigns a very large proportion of the females of the church, probably own 'virgin daughter in marriage doeth well ; and he that giveth her not in marriage shall do better. A wife is bound for so 89 long time as her husband liveth ; bat if the hus- band be 2 dead, she is free to be married to whom she will ; only in the Lord. But she is happier 40 if she abide as she is, after my judgement : and I think that I also have the Spirit of God. Now concerning things 8 sacrificed to idols : we 2 Gr. fallen asleep. more than half, to celibacy. And as the human race is equally divided between the sexes, the celibacy of any num- ber of Christian females must necessarily occasion the celibacy of an equal number of the other sex. It is easy to see, therefore, that such a rule, besides not being here enjoined, would greatly impede the extension and establishment of Christianity in the world. In fact, one of the most powerful means of its ex- tension is the influence of a pious mother upon her children, in cases where her efforts are not aided by the cooperation of the father. 40. If she abide as she is ; abide unmarried. CHAPTER VIII. 1. The apostle here proceeds to consider another of the sub- jects which the Corinthian Christians had brought to his notice in their letter to him. Among the heathen nations in those days, animals were offered in sacrifice to idols, and then, I. CORINTHIANS. 601 know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puifeth up, but love 'edi- 2 fieth. If any man think- eth that he knoweth any thing, he knoweth not yet as he ought to know ; 3 but if any man loveth God, the same is known 4 of him. Concerning there- fore the eating of things sacrificed to idols; we know that no idol is any- thing in the world, and 1 Gr. buUdeth up. after some part of the flesh had been consumed by fire, the re- mainder was restored to the owner for use as food, and sent to the markets for sale ; or feasts in honor of the false deity were prepared from it, in or near the temple. Now, many of the Jews supposed that if they ate food which had been thus offered to idols, even ignorantly, they were partakers of the sin of idolatry. This was an excessive and un- necessary scrupulousness; for one is not responsible for any accidental connection he may have, in such a case, with any wicked system or practice, un- less his acts exert a direct and appreciable influence in encour- aging or sustaining it. Hence the direction given in 1 Cor. 10: 25. On the other hand, the Gentile converts sometimes went to the other extreme, and be- cause they knew, as they ex- pressed it, that an idol was nothing, they seem to have often done what greatly offended the consciences of their Jewish brethren. Hence such directions as 8: 9-13 and 10: 28. This subject was often the occasion of discussion and difficulty in the that there is no God but one. For though there 5 be that are called gods, whether in heaven or on earth ; as there are gods many, and lords many ; yet to us there is one God, G the Father, of whom are all things, and we unto him ; and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things, and we through him. Howbeit in all men 7 there is not that know- early church, (Acts 15 : 20. Rom. 14:) and it is always set- tled on this admirable principle, viz., that very little intrinsic importance is to be attached to such outward and ceremonial transactions, but that still every one is to regulate his conduct, in respect to them, so as care- fully to guard against doing any violence to the feelings, or even to the prejudices, of a Christian brother. — Have knowledge; think we have knowledge, as is shown to be the meaning by what fol- lows.— Knowledge puffeth up; vain confidence in our opinions does so. 3. Is known of him; is made to know, that is, is taught by him. 5. Gods many, and lords many; that is, in the mythology of the heathen nations. 6. Through whom; by whose agency. As the great Mediator, Jesus Christ, is here, as else- where, represented as the vice- gerent of Gocl, sitting at his right hand, and administering his moral and providential go- vernment. 7. That knowledge. Here the word knowledge is used in it§ 002 I. CORINTHIANS. 8. % ledge : but some, being used until now to the idol, eat aso/"a thing sacrificed to an idol ; and their con- science being weak is de- 8 filed. But meat will not commend us to God : neither, if we eat not, 'are we the worse ; nor, if we eat, 2are we the better. 9 But take heed lest by any means this 'liberty of yours become a stum- blingblock to the weak. 10 For if a man see thee which hast knowledge sitting at meat in an idol' s temple, will not his con- science, if he is weak, 4be emboldened to eat things 11 sacrificed to idols? For 'through thy knowledge he that is weak perisheth, the brother for whose 1 Gr. do we lack. 2 Gr. do we abound. 3 Or, power ordinary sense, and not as in the first verse. — Being used until now to the idol ; the meaning is clearer than in the Old Version. Some being accustomed to idol- atry, and being, therefore, trou- bled by the fact that meat had been offered to an idol, offend their own consciences in eating it. 10. Which hast knowledge; whose mind is enlightened in regard to the moral indifference of the act. — Be emboldened to eat, &c. ; and thus led to sin by doing what he supposes to be wrong. 11-13. While the translation here makes no real change in the meaning, it brings out the mean- ing much more clearly than did the Old Version, because it rep- sake Christ died. And 12 thus, sinning against the brethren, and wounding their conscience when it is weak, ye sin against Christ. Wherefore, if 18 meat maketh my brother to stumble, I will eat no flesh for evermore, that I make not my brother to stumble. Am I not free 1 am I 9 not an apostle? have I not seen Jesus our Lord ? are not ye my work in the Lord ? If to others I am 2 not an apostle, yet at least I am to you : for the seal of mine apostleship are ye in the Lord. My de- 3 fens^ to them that exam- ine me is this. Have we 4 no right to eat and to drink ? Have we no right 5 4 Gr. bebuildedup. 5 Gr. in. resents much more clearly the strength and intensity of the apostle's feeling. CHAPTER X. 1. The subject here changes, this chapter consisting of the apostle's vindication of himself, and of the elevation and disin- terestedness of his motives, against certain aspersions which, it would seem, (v. 3,) had been cast upon him by some persons at Corinth. 2. Are ye ; the church at Cor- inth having been founded through his ministry. 3. That examine me ; that call in question my conduct. 4. To eat and to drink ; that is, at the charge of the church. 5. The brethren of thr T.'e are chastened among these offenders in judg- ment for their sins. 31. If we discerned ourselves ; if we were in the habit of dis- cerning our own condition rightly, we should not be liable to incur judgments from God. It is impossible in English to preserve the play on the words which characterizes the Greek here. CHAPTER XII. 1-3. The connection of these verses with the chapter which follows seems to be this: You must not confine your apprecia- tion of spiritual gifts to any one class. When you were without fehe Spirit of God, you were worshipping dumb idols. The simple acknowledgment of Je- sus as your Lord and Master is a gift of the Holy Spirit, an evi- dence that he has been bestowed, and all these gifts of the Spirit, from the least to the largest, must he humbly recognized and appreciated by you. -12. 15. I. CORINTHIANS. 615 4 Now there are diversi- ties of gifts, but the same 5 Spirit. And there are di- versities of ministrations, 6 and the same Lord. And there are diversities of workings, but the same God, who worketh all 7 things in all. But to each one is given the manifes- tation of the Spirit to 8 profit withal. For to one is given through the Spirit the word of wisdom ; and to another the word of knowledge, according to 9the same Spirit : to another faith, in the same 10 Spirit ; and to another gifts of healings, in the one Spirit ; and to another workings of 'miracles; and to another prophecy ; and 1 Gr. powers. 4-6. There are diversities of gifts — of ministrations — of work- ings. We are not, probably, to attempt to draw any nice dis- tinctions of meaning between these several clauses. The gen- eral idea is, that the Christian church ought not to be rent by unholy divisions ; for though, in the details of the functions which it exercises, there is much diversity, still there is but one Father, one Lord Jesus Christ, and one Holy Spirit, on which all centre and depend. 7. To each one is given, &c. ; in all these divergences of mani- festation, the Spirit is given, and to each one for his own profit and for that of his breth- ren. 8. The word of wisdom; a fo another discernings of spirits : to another divers kinds of tongues ; and to another the interpretation of tongues: but all these 11 worketh the one and the same Spirit, dividing to each one severally even as he will. For as the body is one, 12 and hath many members, and all the members of the body, being many, are one body ; so also is Christ. For in one Spirit 13 were we all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether bond or free ; and were all made to drink of one Spirit. For the body is 14 not one member, but many. If the foot shall 15 wise and prudent mind or char- acter. 10. Workings of miracles ; that is. miraculous power in general; one form of such power having been specified before. — Discern- ings of spirits. This expression seems to refer to a power of dis- cerning the designs and motives of men, which the apostles sometimes exercised. (Acts 5: 1-10. 13 : 9-11.) — Tongues; languages. — All these worketh, &c. The meaning is, that one and the self-same Spirit worketh all these ; that is, it produces them. 12. Members; limbs and or- gans.— Christ; the body of Christ; that is, the church. 13. Baptized; initiated, — bap- tism being the ceremony of initiation. 616 i. CORINTHIANS. 12. 15— say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body ; it is not 'therefore 16 not of the body. And if the ear shall say, Because I am not the eye, 1 am not of the body ; it is not therefore not of the body. 17 If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing ? If the whole were hearing, where were 18 the smelling? But now hath God set the members each one of them in the body, even as it pleased 19 him. And if they were all one member, where 20 were the body \ But now they are many members, 21 but one body. And the eye cannot say to the hand, I have no need of thee : or again the head to the feet, I have no need 32 of you. Nay, much rather, those members of the body which seem to be more feeble are neces- 23 sary : and those parts of the body, which we think to be less honourable, 1 Or, put on ■ 2 Or, glorified 8 Or, members each in his part 22. More feeble ; more delicate. — Are necessary. The words much more, at the commence- ment of the verse, are to be connected with the word neces- sary. The more delicate vital organs are more necessary than the others. 23. We bestow more abundant honor; by the clothing with which we adorn and cover them. upon these we 'bestow more abundant honour ; and our uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness; whereas our 24 comely parts have no need : but God tempered the body together, giving more abundant honour to that part which lacked ; that there should be no 25 schism in the body ; but that the members should have the same care one for another. Andwhether26 one member suffereth, all the members suffer with it ; or one member is 2 honoured, all the mem- bers rejoice with it. Now 27 ye are the body of Christ, and 3 severally members thereof. And God hath 28 set some in the church, first apostles, secondly prophets, thirdly teach- ers, then * miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, 5 governments, diver s kinds of tongues. Are 29 all apostles? are all prophets? are all teach- 4 Gr. powers. 5 Or, uise counsels 25. No schism; no division. 27. The whole church is the body of Christ; each member of the church is a member of that body, having his own function and place in it. 28. Prophets; preachers. — Helps; offices of assistance and cooperation. — Governments ; of- fices of direction. 29. Are all} &c. ; can all be. ' —13. 3. I. CORINTHIANS. 617 ers ? are all workers of 80 ' miracles ? have all gifts of healings ? do all speak with tongues? do all in- 31 terpret % But desire earn- estly the greater gifts. And a still more excellent way shew I unto you. 13 If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am become sounding 1 Gr. powers. 31. And a still more excellent way shew I unto you ; that is, I will proceed to point out what is better than these gifts, viz., the grace of love, as explained in the following chapter. CHAPTER Xm. [The Revisers have been sub- jected to some criticism, because they have substituted here the word love for the word charity. Love, however, is the word em- ployed in rendering this chapter by Alford, Stanley, Conybeare, Ellicott, Wordsworth, and, in- deed, by nearly all Biblical scholars. It is very certain that the word charity does not ade- quately represent the meaning of the original, charity meaning either that disposition of heart which inclines one to think favorably of their fellow-men, or liberality to the poor. The same Greek word is generally rendered elsewhere in the New Testament love, and it is neces- sary to render it by the same word here, in order to connect the grace which the apostle here describes with that on which everywhere else so great stress is laid. The way in which the word came to be used here in the Old Version, was this ; The brass, or a clanging cym- bal. And if I have the 2 gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge ; and if I have all faith, so as to re- move mountains, but have not love, I am noth- ing. And if I bestow alia my goods to feed the poor, and if I give my body 2to be burned, but 2 Many ancient authorities read that I may glory. Latin translation of the New Testament used here the word charitas. Wyckliffe, who trans- lated from the Latin, knowing nothing of the Greek, adopted the word charity, following the Latin. Tyndale, who translated from the Greek, used the word love throughout this chapter, and Cranmer, in his Bible, and the Reformers in the Genevan Bible, followed Tyndale. The Roman Catholic version, however, went back to the Vulgate, and used the word charity, and the authors of the King James version did the same, they being really more familiar with the Latin than with the Greek New Testament. The changes in the phraseology of the 13th chapter, made by the New Version, are so con- siderable that I have substi- tuted throughout my own notes for those of the Original Edi- tion of this commentary. L. A.] 1-3. In these verses, the apos- tle places love above all other gifts and graces. Eloquence, inspired teaching, theological knowledge, miracle - working faith, great apparent generosity in giving, and self-denial, carried even to martyrdom, — all these gifts are worthless, except as they proceed from a spirit of genuine love. 618 I. CORINTHIANS. 13. 3 have not love, it profiteth 4me nothing. Love suit er- eth long, and is kind ; love envieth not ; love vaunteth not itself, is not 5 puffed up, doth not be- have itself unseemly, seeketh not its own, is not provoked, taketh not G account of evil ; rejoiceth not in unrighteousness, but rejoiceth with the 7 truth ; 'beareth all things, believeth all things, hop- eth all things, endureth 8 all things. Love never 1 Or, covereth 4. The apostle does not under- take to analyze love, or give a metaphysical definition of it, but describes it by its practical fruits. Love suffereth long, and is kind, i. e., is kind after long- suffering, and notwithstanding great trial of patience; vaunteth not itself, is not boastful; i. e, is not consistent with the spirit of self-conceit; is not puffed up, i. e., by the applause of others, is not consistent with the spirit of vanity. 5. Unseemly ; in a manner deserving of reproach ; is not disorderly and exhibitory. — Taketh not account of evil; does not store up injury received, and make account of it in her calcu- lations, as something to be answered for. 6. Rejoiceth not in unrighteous- ness ; does not take a malignant pleasure in the faults and sins of others. 7. Believeth all things ; is trustful; putting always the best construction upon the motives and conduct of others. There is a climax in this verse. Love beareth or covereth all things ; faileth : but whether there be prophecies, they shall be done away ; whether there be tongues, they shall cease ; whether there be knowledge, it shall be done away. For we know 9 in part, and we prophesy in part : but when that 10 which is perfect is come, that which is in part shall be done away. When 111 was a child, I spake as a child, 1 felt as a child, I thought as a child : now that I am become a what it cannot cover, it trusts will prove to be right; when it can no longer trust, it hopes for a good outcome; and, finally, when even hope fails, it endures bravely. 8. Having indicated the im- portance of love and the fruits of love, the apostle closes by de- scribing its permanence and endurance. Inspiration will be done away when God is in us, and we in him, and our knowl- edge will be done away when we have ' come to the fulness of knowledge, and our present fragmentary and imperfect ap- prehension of the truth disap- pears in the light of the perfected understanding of God and divine things; but love will grow richer and stronger to the end. Observe the apostle's intimation, that all our knowledge, including his own, is partial and imperfect. 11. When I was a c/tihl, &c. ; all the attainments, whether of knowledge or grace, in our earthly condition, will seem to be but those of childhood, when we lopk back upon them from eternity. —14. 6. I. CORINTHIANS. 619 man, I have put away 12 childish things. For now we see in a mirror, 'dark- ly ; but then face to face : now I know in part ; but then shall I "know even as also I 13 have been 3known. But now abideth faith, hope, love, these three ; 4and the "greatest of these is love. 14 Follow after love ; yet desire earnestly spiritual gifts, but rather that ye 3 may prophesy. For he that speaketh in a tongue speaketh not unto men, but unto God ; for no man 1 Gr. in a riddle. X Gr. know fully. 3 Gr. known fully. 13. But now abideth faith, hope, love, &c. ; faith, hope, and love, are eternal, ever-during. Faith will not give place to sight, for our sense of depend- ence on God, and our spiritual appreciation of hiin, will ever grow clearer and blighter; new glories will ever raise hopes of a higher stnte, yet to be attained; and love, the root out of which both faith and hope grow, will be stronger and deeper and richer, as we come more - and more to perceive him whom we love, and more and more to in- crease in our hope of sharing in his ineffable glory. CHAPTEK XIV. 1. Follow after love ; earnestly seek the attainment of it. — Prophesy. Prophesying, in the New Testament, means public preaching under the immediate influence of divine impulse and illumination. "understandeth ; but in the spirit he speaketh mysteries. But he that prophesieth speaketh un- to men edification, and comfort, and consolation. He that speaketh in a 4 tongue 7edineth himself ; but he that prophesieth 7edifieth the church. Now 5 I would have you all speak with tongues, but rather that ye should prophesy : and greater is he that prophesieth than he that speaketh with tongues, except he inter- pret, that the church may receive edifying. But 6 4 Or, but greater than these 5 Gr. greater. 6 Gr. heareth. 7 Gr. buildeth up. 2. No man understandeth. It would appear, from the state- ments in this chapter, that those upon whom were conferred the miraculous power of speaking in languages not their own, were accustomed to pervert the trust by making a parade of it, w7here no useful end could result, as a means of self-glorification. Why such a miraculous power should be bestowed in cases where its exercise would not seem to be needed, and why so special a mark and token of divine in- spiration should be granted and continued to men who were habitually guilty of a perversion of it, which one would suppose would bring all the evidences of divine authentication into dis- credit, are mysteries which we cannot solve. 4. Edifeth himself; edifieth no one but himself. 6. By jicay of revelation, or of knowledge, &c. The specific 620 I. CORINTHIANS. 14. 6— now, brethren, if I come unto you speaking with tongues, what shall I profit you, unless I speak to you either by way of revelation, or of knowl- edge, or of prophesying, 7 or of teaching ? Even things without life, giv- ing a voice, whether pipe or harp, if they give not a distinction in the sounds, how shall it be known what is piped or 8 harped ? For if the trum- pet give an uncertain voice, who shall prepare 9 himself for war ? So also ye, unless ye utter by the tongue speech easy to be understood, how shall it be known what is spoken? for ye will be speaking 10 in to the air. There are, it may be, so many kinds of voices in the world, and 'no Mnd is without 11 signification. If then I know not the meaning of 1 Or, nothing is without voice 2 Or, in my case meaning of these expressions is not very well understood. The general idea is, that it would be of no avail for him to speak un- less what he should say was made intelligible. 7. Things without life; such as the instruments mentioned below. 8. An uncertain voice ; one con- fused and unmeaning. The various sounds of the trumpet have an established meaning understood in armies, so that the the voice, I shall be to him that speaketh a bar- barian, and he that speak- eth will be a barbarian 2unto me. So also ye, 12 since ye are zealous of 'spiritual gifts, seek that ye may abound unto the edifying of the church. Wherefore let him that 13 speaketh in a tongue pray that he may interpret. For if I pray in a tongue, 14 my spirit prayeth, but my understanding is un- fruitful. What is it 15 then \ I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also: I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also. Else if thou bless 16 with the spirit, how shall he that filleth the place of 4the unlearned say the Amen at thy giving of thanks, seeing he know- eth not what thou sayest ? 3 Or. spirits. 4 Or, him that is without gifts : and so in ver. 23, 24. instrument serves the purpose of communicating orders, — its notes being of such a character that they rise above the uproar of voices and the din of battle. 10. Voices ; languages. 11. A barbarian ; a foreigner. 12. That ye may abound unto the edifying, &c. ; that ye may abound in such gifts as shall promote the edifying, &c. 14. Is unfruitful ; in respect to any beneficial effect upon others. —14. 27. I. CORINTHIANS. 621 17 For thou verily givest thanks well, but the other 18 is not 'edified. I thank God, I speak with tongues 19 more than you all ; how- beit ia the church I had rather speak five words with my understanding, that I might instruct others also, than ten thousand words in a tongue. 20 Brethren, be not chil- dren in mind : howbeit in malice be ye babes, but 21 in mind be 2 men. In the law it is written, By men of strange tongues and by the lips of strangers will I speak unto this people ; and not even thus will they hear me, 22 saith the Lord. Where- fore tongues are for a sign, not to them that be- lieve, but to the unbe- lieving : but prophesying is for a sign, not to the 1 Gr. builded up. 2 Gr. of full age. 21. In the law; in the Old Testament Scriptures. (Isa. 28: 11, 12.) The meaning of the passage, in its place, is, that God would punish his disobe- dient and unbelieving people, by bringing upon them the hos- tile incursions of barbarian tribes, whose language was un- known. 22. For a sign, not to them that believe, but, &c. The meaning is, that foreign tongues are spoken of in the passage quoted above, as a token and symbol of God's displeasure against the disobe- dient and unbelieving, whi h the apostle adduces as a consid- unbelieving, but to them that believe. If therefore 23 the whole church be as- sembled together, and all speak with tongues, and there come in men un- learned or unbelieving, will they not say that ye are mad ? But if all pro- 24 phesy, and there come in one unbelieving or un- learned, he is "reproved by all, he is judged by all ; the secrets of his 25 heart are made manifest ; and so he will fall down on his face and worship God, declaring that God is 4 among you indeed. What is it then, breth-26 ren % When ye come to- gether, each one hath a psalm, hath a teaching, hath a revelation, hath a tongue, hath an interpre- tation. Let all things be done unto edifying. If 27 any man speaketh in a 3 Or, convicted 4 Or, eration calculated to diminish the undue interest which the Corinthian Christians had mani- fested in the exercise of this gift, and to lead them to. regard prophesying as more appropriate religious exercise for a church of believers. 24. Reproved by all— judged by all ; that is, he is reached and. influenced by what they say. 26. Bach one hath, &c. ; that is, you severally have various gifts and attainments. Use them in such a manner as will conduce to the edifying of the church. 27. By two, &c. ; that is, only G22 I. CORINTHIANS. 14. 27— tongue, let it be by two, or at the most three, and that in turn ; and let one 28 interpret : but if there be no interpreter, let him keep silence in the church ; and let him speak to himself, and to 29 God. And let the pro- phets speak by two or three, and let the others 30 ' discern. But if a revela- tion be made to another sitting by, let the first 31 keep silence. For ye all can prophesy one by one, that all may learn, and all may be 2 comforted ; 32 and the spirits of the prophets are subject to 1 Gr. discriminate. by two or three at any one meet- ing. 29. The others; the rest. — Dis- cern ; attend. 32. The meaning of the verse is, that they who speak are not under an irresistible influence, but may speak or refrain from speaking, as they please. It would appear that in the church in Corinth there were some who claimed to be acting under di- vine impulse, and yet who were not under their own control, and who thus resembled some of the heathen soothsayers and some of the spiritualistic mediums of our own times. 34, 35. The practice of speak- ing by women in the church as- semblies, like that of appearing unveiled, ch. 11:3-16, the apos- tle condemns. The speaking of women in the synagogues was expressly forbidden by the Rab- binical law, and no woman of good character ever spoke in the prophets ; for God is 38 not a God of confusion, but of peace ; as in all the churches of the saints. Let the women keep 34 silence in the churches : for it is not permitted unto them to speak ; but let them be in subjection, as also saith the law. And if they would learn 85 any thing, let them ask their own husbands at home : for it is shameful for a woman to speak in the church. What \ was 36 it from you that the word of (rod went forth ? or came it unto you alone \ 2 Or, exhorted public in the Grecian cities. If, therefore, women appeared and took part in the Christian as- semblages in Corinth, they would bring universal disrepute and scandal upon the church, and their speaking would not be and could not be to real edification. If women wished to ask ques- tions, as others might and did, they could wait until they got home, and ask then, just as children would be instructed to do by wise parents in our own times. How far these instruc- tions were intended to be uni- versal and how far they were applicable simply to the state of civilization which then exist- ed, is a question which has been hotly discussed among Biblical critics. 36. The meaning is that the church of Corinth was not the original parent church, and therefore not authorized to introduce new and unapproved usages. -15. 8. I. CORINTHIANS. G23 37 If any man thinketh himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him take knowledge of the things which I write unto you, that they are the com- mandment of the Lord. 38 'But if any man is igno- rant, let him be ignorant. 39 Wherefore, my breth- ren, desire earnestly to prophesy, and forbid not to speak with tongues. 40 But let all things be done decently and in order. 15 Now I make known unto you, brethren, the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye received, wherein also ye 2 stand, by which also ye are "saved ; I make known, I say, 3in what words I 1 Man3r ancient authorities read But if any man knowelh not, .he is not knoivn. 2 Or, saved, if ye hold fast what I 38. Is ignorant ; a contemptu- ous expression of indifference as to the opinion of such a one, however great his pretensions. CHAPTER XV. 1, 2. There is some difficulty in understanding the meaning of the apostle in these verses, which mark a transition from the preceding chapter, and are introductory to a chapter on the resurrection, the most important chapter in the Bible bearing on that subject. The general mean- ing is clear enough: "I now proceed again to make known to you the Gospel which I preached unto you, and in the words in which I preached it unto you. 5. To Cephas; Peter. (Luke 24:. 12, 34.) Jesus appeared to preached it unto you, if ye hold it fast, except ye believed 4in vain. For 1 3 delivered unto you first of all that which also I re- ceived, how that Christ died for our sins accord- ing to the scriptures ; and 4 that he was buried ; and that he hath been raised on the third day accord- ing to the scriptures ; and 5 that he appeared t o Cephas ; then to the twelve; then he appeared 6 to above fiv^d hundred brethren at once, of whom the greater part remain until now, but some are fallen asleep ; then he ap-7 peared to James ; then to all the apostles ; and last 8 of all, as unto one born preached unto you, except &c. 3 Gr. with what word. 4 Or, without cause other individuals . at this time ; but, being probably not known to the Corinthians, they are not referred to. 6. To above Jive hundred h'eth- ren at once. This was most prob- ably in Galilee, where Jesus re- peatedly met his disciples after his resurrection. This particular interview, however, is not re- corded by the evangelists. — Remain until now ; are still living. 8. To me also. This was when Paul was on his journey to Da- mascus. (Acts 9: 3-6.) — Born- out of due time. Paul thus rep- resents his late call to be a disciple of the Saviour, and his being the last one to whom Jesus appeared, as a mark of unworthiness. 024 I. CORINTHIANS. 15. 8— out of due time, he ap- 9 peared to me also. For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I per- secuted the church of 10 God. But by the grace of God I am what I am : and his grace which was be- stowed upon me was not found ' vain ; but I la- boured more abundantly than they all : yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me. u Whether then it be I or they, so we preach, and so ye believed. 12 Now if Christ is preached that he hath been raised from the dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrec- i3tion of the dead? But if there is no resurrection of 1 Or, void 2 Some ancient authorities read our. 3 Gr. the Christ. 10. But 1 labored, &c. ; that is, this grace was effectual in leading me to labor. 11. So we preach; so we tes- tify, namely, that Jesus did actually arise from the dead. 14. Vain ; not to be believed or depended upon; for they had unequivocally declared that they had been witnesses of his res- urrection.— Your faith, &c. ; that is, all ground of your con- fideuce in the gospel is taken away. 17. Ye are yet in your sins; for all your hopes of, pardon rest on the truth of the gospel; and of the evidence of this the dead, neither hath Christ been raised: and 14 if Christ hath not been raised, then is our preaching ! vain, 3 your faith also is < vain. Yea, 15 and we are found false witnesses of God; because we witnessed of God that he raised up "Christ: whom he raised not up, if so be that the dead are not raised. For if thelG dead are not raised, neither hath Christ been raised : and if Christ hath 17 not been raised, your faith is vain ; ye are yet in your sins. Then they also 18 which are fallen asleep in Christ have perished. 4 If in this life only we 19 have hoped in Christ, we are of all men most pitiable. But now hath Christ 20 4 Or, If we have only hoped in Christ in this life truth, the doctrine of the resur- rection of Christ is the founda- tion. 18. Li (jhrist ; in spiritual union with him, trusting to his salvation. 19. Most pitiable; being ex- posed to the severest trials and persecutions in this life, and, if hope in Christ is to be aban- doned, without any prospect of happiness in another. 20. The first-fruits. Jesus Christ was the first who arose to immortality. Others, as Lazarus, (John 11 :)'the son of the woman of Shunem, (2 Kings 4: 32-37,) and of the widow of Nain, (Luke —15. 29. I. CORINTHIANS. 625 been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of them 21 that are asleep. For since by man came death, by man came also the resur- 22rection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in x Christ shall all be 23 made alive. But each in his own order : Christ the h'rstfruits ; then they that are Christ's, at his 2com- 24ing. Then cometh the end, when he shall deliver up the king- dom to aGk)d, even the Father ; when he shall have abolished all rule and all authority and 25 power. For he must 1 Gr. the Christ. 2 Gr. presence. 3 Gr. the God and Father. 4 Or, But when he shall have said, All 7: 12-15,) were only restored to this mortal life, and therefore were not cases of resurrection in the sense of this chapter. 21. By man; by Adam, through his first transgression. 22. In Adam ; through Adam. — In Christ; through Christ. — Shall all ue made alive ; shall be raised from the dead. 27, 28. The play upon the words in the original Greek here, — a rhetorical figure quite characteristic of Paul, — is meas- urably represented in the New Version, while it is entirely ignored in the Old Version. The passage itself carries us up into thoughts so high that we may well confess our inability fully to comprehend the apos- tle's meaning. It seems, how- ever, clearly to imply, not only the unity and the spirituality of the Godhead, but also the pro- found but incomprehensible [reign, till he hath put all his enemies under his feet. The last enemy 26 that shall be abolished is death. For, He put all 27 things in subjection under his feet. 4 But when he saith, All things are put in subjection, it is evident that he is excepted who did subject all things unto him. And when all 28 things have been sub- jected unto him, then shall the Son also him- self be subjected to him that did subject all things unto him, that God may be all in all. Else what shall they do 29 things are put in subjection (evidently excepting him that did subject all things unto him), when, I say, all things &c. truth, that when Christ's medi- atorial work is done, he will, in some strange and inexplicable manner, be merged in and be- come one with the Father, from whom he proceeded in the first instance, and under whose guidance and inspiration he lived and wrought out his redeeming work. 29. Baptized for the dead. This expression has been a source of great perplexity, and has given rise to a great many conjectural explanations. The most satis- factory explanation is that which regards it as a reference to an early superstition, in which sur- vivors allowed themselves to be baptized in behalf of friends who had died without baptism. We know, from other sources, that such baptism for the dead was sometimes practised, in certain localities, in the early church. 626 I CORINTHIANS. 15. 29— which are baptized for the dead? If the dead are not raised at all, why then are they baptized for 30 them \ why do we also stand in jeopardy every 31 hour \ I protest by ■ that glorying in you, brethren, which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die 32 daily. If after the man- ner of men I fought with beasts at Ephesus, 2 what doth it profit me \ If the dead are not raised, let us eat and drink, for to-mor- 1 Or, your glorying 2 Or. w/iat doth it' profit me, ifthedead are not ram If Let us eat &c. 30. Jeopardy every hour; in sucli constant exposure to suffer- ing. 31. That glorying in you ; not by your rejoicing, as in the Old Version, but by my rejoicing or glorying in you. Paul refers here to his experience of joy in the Corinthians, as Christians who had been converted through his instrumentality. — Idle daily; lam daily environed by extreme sufferings and alarms. 32. Fought with beasts. In ancient times, men were often required to fight with ferocious beasts, in a large amphitheatre, partly as a punishment for crimes, and partly for the amusement of the populace. The form of expression does not render it certain that Paul had literally been put to this trial. The word beasts may refer to violent human enemies. — Let us eat and drink; that is, if there be no future state, we may as well enjoy life as it passes. The aphorism is cited from Epicurean writers. row we die. Be not de- 33 ceived : Evil company doth corrupt good man- ners. 3 Awake up right- 34 eously, and sin not ; for some have no knowledge of God : I speak this to move you to shame. But some one will say, 35 How are the dead raised \ and with what manner of body do they come \ Thou foolish one, that 36 which thou thyself sow- est is not quickened, ex- cept it die: and that 37 3 Gr. Awake out of drunkenness right- eously. 33. Evil company, &c. This passage, also, is a quotation from a Greek poet. By one of -those sudden transitions eommon with the apostle, he passes from a strain of irony to one of solemn and earnest admonition. 34. I speak (his to move you to shame; not merely, as in the Old Version, to your shame, but to arouse you to repentance. 36. Thou foolish one ; not. thou fool. In the original, the term is not one of contempt, but rather one of pity. It is literally, thoughtless or unthinking one. — Is not quickened ; is not made alive; does not urow. — Except it die. The main body of the seed decays, and becomes food for the small germ which shoots from it. 37. The body that shall be ; that is. the plant itself, with its foliage and fructification. — But a hare grain, — mere grain; that is, the seed only. The meaning is, that, in the same manner, the body which rises will be of a very dif- ferent nature from that which is -15. 42. I CORINTHIANS. 62? which thou so west, thou so west not the body that shall be, but a bare grain, it may chance of wheat, or of some other kind ; 38 but God giveth it a body even as it pleased him, and to each seed a body 39 of its own. All flesh is not the same flesh : but there is one flesh of men, and another flesh of beasts, and another flesh of birds, and another of committed to the ground. The illustration and the argument of the apostle are all inconsistent with the idea that the same material deposited in the ground, will rise from the ground to be the future body or clothing of the spirit. 38. To each seed a body of its own. God gives to each seed its own future plant, and adapts it to its own necessities; so he will give to each soul its own proper habitation in the future state. 39-41. The meaning is, that this great and obvious variety among the works of God should enlarge our conceptions of the greatness of the change to be expected in the resuirection, and the possibilities of glory in the heavenly state. 42-44. These statements of the apostle coincide fully with obvious philosophical considera- tions to forbid our harboring narrow views in our conceptions of the resuirection, in. respect to the physical resemblance and identity of the body that shall rise, compared with that which is deposited in "'the ground. That stratum of animal and vegetable mould which covers fishes. There are also 40 celestial bodies, and bod- ies terrestrial : but the glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is another. There is one glory of the 41 sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars ; for one star differeth from another star in glory. So 42 also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in generations of men, of animals, and of plants, are successively formed, has an average of only a few inches in depth, and it remains from age to age the same. The animal and vegetable bodies which come from it, after their brief period of organized existence, return to it again, and are resolved once more to the original elements out of which they were formed, — elements which are soon reconstructed into new combinations. Hence there is no accumulation of the deposits of death and decay. In the oldest countries on the globe, where two hundred generations of men, and five hundred of domestic animals have lived, died, and been dissolved, there is no accumulation. Even the materials of those bodies of the dead which are deposited, by mourning survivors, deep below the surface, or in tombs, are not preserved. They are gradually resolved into gaseous consti- tuents, which rise through the intervening obstructions, and regain the soil and the atmos- phere, thus entering again into that vast storehouse of materials, from which the whole face of nature receives its perpetual ren- 628 I. CORINTHIANS. 15. 42— corruption ; it is raised in 43incorruption : it is sown in dishonour ; it is raised in glory : it is sown in weakness ; it is raised in 44 power: it is sown a nat- ural body ; it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is 45 also a spiritual &0^?/. So also it is written, The first man Adam became a liv- 46ing soul. The last Adam became Si life-giving spirit. Howbeit that is not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural ; then that which is spirit- 47 ual. The first man is of the earth, earthy : the second man is of heaven. 48 As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy : and as is the heavenly, 1 Many ancient authorities read let us ovation. Thus the bodies of men and of animals, the trees and the fruits, the flowers, and the foliage, now enjoying life upon the earth's surface, are composed of the same materials with those of the generation contemporary with Abraham. All this teaches us not to form gross and carnal ideas of the resurrection; and it gives great force and emphasis to the apos- tle's declarations, "It is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body ;" and in v. 50, "Flesh and blood cannot in- herit the kingdom of God." 45. The original of that part of the verse which is quoted, is found Gen. 2: 7. The anti- thesis in the apostle's distinction such are they also that are heavenly. And as we 49 have borne the image of the earthy, l we shall also bear the image of the heavenly. Now this I say, breth-50 ren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the king- dom of God ; neither doth corruption inherit incor- ruption. Behold, I tell 51 you a mystery : We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a mo- 52 ment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump : for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must 53 put on in corruption, and this mortal must put on also bear. between that which receives life and that which gives life, is much better expressed in the New Version than in the Old Version. 48. As is the earthy ; that is, as is Adam, the source and origin of the earthly, physical nature of man. — The heavenly ; Christ, as designated in the pre- ceding verse. 50. Flesh and blood cannot in- herit, &c. See v. 42-44. 51. Sleep; die. 52. We shall be changed ; we, who shall then be alive. This is one of the passages which in- dicate that the apostle expected the second coming of Christ and the day of judgment within, the time of his own generation. -16. 5. I. CORINTHIANS. 629 54 immortality. But when 1 this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall come to pass the say- ing that is written, Death is swallowed up 3in vic- 55 tory. O death, where is tLy victory? 0 death, 56 where is thy sting ? The sting of death is sin ; and the power of sin is the 57 law : but thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord 58 Jesus Christ. Wherefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, foras- 1 Many ancient autherities omit this corruptible shall ha ve put on incorruption, and. ' 2 Or, victoriously 54. That is written. Expres- sions similar to those here used occur in Hos. 13: 14. 55. One cannot but regret that the best manuscripts give the reading of the New Version, which follows also the transla- tion of Wycliffe and of the Rheims, or Roman Catholic Version. The reading of the Old Version was not only sacred, by reason of association, but also seems rhetorically much the finer. 56. Is the law. It is the law which, by its denunciations and penalties, makes the conse- quences of sin so terrible. CHAPTER XVI. 1. The collection. There are various allusions to this contri- bution collected before Paul's last journey to Jerusalem, in the 25 much as ye know that your labour is not 3 vain in the Lord. Now concerning the 16 collection for the saints, as I gave order to the churches of Galatia, so also do ye. Upon the 2 first day of the week let each one of you lay by him in store, as he may prosper, that no collec- tions be made when I come. And when 1 arrive, 3 4 whomsoever ye shall approve by letters, them will I send to carry your bounty unto Jerusalem: and if it be meet for me 4 to go also, they shall go with me. But I will come 5 3 Or, void 4 Or, whomsoever ye shall approve, will 1 send with letters history and in the writings of Paul. See Rom. 15 : 25, 26. 2 Cor. 9:1, 2. Acts 24 : 17. It is interesting to observe that, when it was arranged, at Jeru- salem, that Paul should devote his labors to the Gentile world, Peter charged him to remember the poor at Jerusalem. (Gal. 2: 10.) This charge Paul seems not to have forgotten. 4. If it be meet ; if it be de- sirable. 5. Macedonia. Macedonia was north of the Egean Sea. Paul had intended to have visited Achaia first, and then to have passed on to Macedonia. (2 Cor. 1 : 15, 16.) But he afterwards concluded to visit Macedonia first. It will be seen by the map that neither province was on the direct route to the other. 630 I. CORINTHIANS. 16. 5— unto you, when I shall have passed through Macedonia ; for I do pass 6 through Macedonia; but with you it may be that I shall abide, or even winter, that ye may set me forward on my journey 7 whithersoever I go. For I do not wish to see you now by the way ; for I hope to tarry a while with you, if the Lord permit. 8 But I will tarry at Ephe- 9sus until Pentecost; for a great door and effectual is opened unto me, and there are many adver- saries. 10 Now if Timothy come, see that he be with you without fear; for he worketh the work of the 11 Lord, as I also do : let no man therefore despise him. But set him forward on his journey in peace, that he may come unto me : for I expect him 12 with the brethren. But as touching Apollos the 1 Or, God's will that he should come now 8. / will tarry at Ephesus, &c. This design appears to have been frustrated by the distur- bances created by Demetrius and his fellow-craftsmen. The ex- pression, however, indicates strongly that Paul was at Ephe- sus when he wrote the Epistle. 10. Timothy ; Ch. 4: 17, 18. 11. Despise him; on account of his youth. (1 Tim. 4: 12.) 18. Quit you like men; art like brother, I besought him much to come unto you with the brethren : and it was not at all 'his will to come now ; but he will come when he shall have opportunity. Watch ye, stand fast in 13 the faith, quit you like men, be strong. Let all 14 that ye do be done in love. Now I beseech you, 15 brethren (ye know the house of Stephanas, that it is the firstfruits of Achaia, and that they have set themselves to minister unto the saints), that ye also be in sub- 16 jection unto such, and to every one that helpeth in the work and laboureth. And I rejoice at the 17 a coming of Stephanas and Fortunatus and Achaicus: for that which was lacking on your part they sup- plied. For they refreshed 18 my spirit and yours : acknowledge ye therefore them that are such. 2 Gr. presence. men. 15. Stephanas is mentioned In 1 : 16. — To minister unto the saints ; i. e., probably to provide for their wants through the con- tributions already referred to, taken up for the poor disciples at Jerusalem. 17. At the coming, &c. These individuals appear to have been the bearers of the letter to Paul, heretofore often referred to. -16. 24. I. CORINTHIANS. 631 19 The churches of Asia salute you. Aquila and Prisca salute you much in the Lord, with the church that is in their 20 house. All the brethren salute you. Salute one another with a holy kiss. 21 The salutation of me 1 That is, Our Lord cometh. 19. Asia; a particular prov- ince of Asia Minor, so called. (1 Pet. 1:1.) Ephesus was its metropolis. — Aquila and Priscil- la; Acts 18:2, 3. 21. Paul's Epistles were gen- erally written by means of an amanuensis. Writiug, in those days, was much more laborious than now, and was frequently performed through the inter- vention of one professionally skilled in the manual operation. 22. Anathema, Maran-atha. The former is a word of Greek, and the latter one of Hebrew origin. The literal meaning is, Let him be accursed, The Lord is coming. Paul with mine own hand. If any man loveth not the 22 Lord, let him be ana- thema. 1 Maran atha. The grace of the Lord 23 Jesus Christ be with you. My love be with you all 24 in Christ Jesus. Amen. The Old Version contained the following' addition to this Epistle: " The first Epistle to the Corinthians was written from Philippi, by Stephanas, and Fortunatus, and Aehaicus, and Timotheus. " This statement, like the others similar to it, ap- pended to some of the other Epis- tles, is universally admitted to have been added without author- ity, in later times. In this in- stance, it is obviously incorrect, being inconsistent with allusions contained in the Epistle itself. The Epistle was probably written from Ephesus. as indicated in the introductory note on page 580. THE SECOND EPISTLE TO THE CORINTHIANS. Afteh Paul had written and sent his first letter to the Corinthian church, in addition to the anxious concern which he continued to feel on account of those difficulties and dissensions which were the occasion of his writing, he could not but be solicitous in respect to the manner in which they wTould receive his ex- postulations and reproofs. He was then at Ephesus, and intend- ed to remain there (1 Cor. 1G:G) for some time longer; but, being compelled to leave the city by the violent hostility of Demetrius and his fellow-craftsmen, (Acts 19: 23 to 20: 1,) he travelled north, towards Macedonia, looking for the return of Titus, whom he is supposed to have sent to Corinth, and from whom he expected to hear tidings of that church, especially in reference to the reception of his First Epistle. (2 Cor. 2:13.) TThen he arrived in Macedonia, he met Titus, (2 Cor. 7: 5-7,) who informed him of the favorable reception of his Epistle, and of the salutary effects which it had produced. This Second Epis- tle was, accordingly, written from Macedonia, after receiving the report of Titus. Its object was to express the satisfaction which Paul felt in the manner in which his former reproofs had been received, and in the marks of repentance and reformation which they had manifested; and, also, to communicate to them other instructions on various subjects, such as the circumstances of their case seemed to require. 1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus through the 1 Gr. the brother. CHAPTER I. 1. And Timothy. It would seem, from the circumstance that the name of Timothy is here associated with that of Paul, that he did not go to Cor- [632] will of God, and Timothy 'our brother, unto the inth, as Paul had intended, (1 Cor. 4 : 17, 18,) but that he went only to Macedonia, and remained there until Paul joined him. In fact, Paul intimates a doubt whether lie would actually reach — 1 F. CORINTHIANS. 633 church of God which is at Corinth, with all the soirits which are in the 2 whole of Achaia : Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Je- sus Christ, the Father 4 of mercies and God of all comfort ; who com- forteth us in all our af- fliction, that we may be able to comfort them that are in any affliction, through the comfort wherewith wo ourselves are comforted of God. 5" :Tf as the sufferings of Ohric" abound unto us, Corinth, in his allusion to the subject, in 1 Cor. 16:10. His primary destination was Mace- donia, as is stated in the ac- count in tho Acts 19: 21, 22. — Achaia; the province of which Corinth was the capital. 4. Our affliction. Paul, and probably Timothy with him, had been exposed to great dan- ger at Ephesus, (Acts 19:23- 41 ;) and his mind appears to have been oppressed at this time with much anxiety and dejec- tion. (Compare v. 8, 2:13.) 5-7. The differences between the Old Version and the New Version here are partly cine to differences in the order of the words in different manuscripts, which do not, however, greatly change the practical meaning of the passage; the general sense is that Paul's affliction and the comfort afforded hirn in the nf- fliction are accepted by him as means which enable him to show to the Corinthians the power even so our comfort also abounde th through Christ. But whether we 6 be afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation; or whether we be com- forted, it is for your com- fort, which worketh in tho patient enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer : and our 7 hope for you is stedfast ; knowing that, as ye are partakers of the suffer- ings, so also are ye of the comfort. For we would 8 not have you ignorant, brethren, concerning our affliction which befell us in Asia, that we were weighed down exceeding- and grace of God, and so to lead them to the patient endurance of suffering by the same power and grace. More important is the change which the revisers have made in the translation. In the Old Version the same Greek word was rendered some- times comfort, sometimes consola- tion, probably in order to pre- vent a supposed rhetorical blem- ish, from the too frequent repetition of the same word; this change, however, not only made the English Version dif- ferent from the originMl, but also impaired its spiritual mean- ing. Consolation is alleviation of suffering; comfort is strength imparted to endure suffering. "What Paul in this passage exalts is the comforting grace of God, that is, the strength-giving grace, the divine power, "which worketh in the patient enduring of suffering." 8. Asia; that province of Asia Minor of which Epheiui 634 II. COlilNTllIANS. 1. 8— ly, beyond our power, in- somuch that we despaired 9 even of life : 'yea, we our- selves have had the "an- swer of death within our- selves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth the 10 dead: who delivered us out of so great a death, and will deliver : on whom we have 3set our hope that he will also still deliver 11 us ; ye also helping to- gether on our behalf by your supplication ; that, for the gift bestowed upon us by means of many, thanks may be given by many persons on our be- half. 12 For our glorying is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in holi- ness and sincerity of God, not in fleshly wisdom but 1 Or, but we ourselves 2 Or, sentence 3 Some ancient authorities read set our in the grace of God, we behaved ourselves in the world, and more abun- dantly to you- ward. For 13 we write none other things unto you, than what ye read or even acknowledge, and I hope ye will ac- knowledge unto the end : as also ye did acknow-14 ledge us in part, that we are your glorying, even as ye also are ours, in the day of our Lord Jesus. And in this confidence 15 I was minded to come be- fore unto you, that ye might have a second 'benefit; and by you toi6 pass into Macedonia, and again from Macedonia to come unto you, and of you to be set forward on my journey unto Judaea. When I therefore was 17 thus minded, did I shew hope • and still will he deliver vs. 4 Or, grace Some ancient authorities read joy. was the capital. See 1 Pet. 1 : 1, where it is enumerated with the other provinces. — Weighed down ; by the violent hostility of enemies. 9. Answer of death within our- selves ; a strong presentiment that we should not escape death. 12. In holiness and sincerity of God; that is, sincerity imparted by God. — Fleshly wisdom; hu- man wisdom. — We behaved our- selves; regulated our conduct. — More abundantly; more espe- cially. 13. Read or even acknowledge. The word read would seem to be used, iu this connection, in a sense analogous to that in which the word hear is often em- ployed ; as in John 8 : 43. 14. In part; in some degree. — Are — ours ; are to be ours. The apostle expresses a similar sentiment, in another of his Epistles. (1 Thess. 2: 19.) 15. In this confidence; namely, his confidence in their regard and attachment to him. — / iras minded to come; I had intended to come. — A second benefit. He had already once visited Corinth, when he first planted the gospel there. 17. Bid I shew fickleness? was it through lightness or fickleness -2.2. II. CORINTHIANS. 635 fickleness ? or the things that I purpose, do I pur- pose according to the flesh, that with me there should be the yea yea and 18 the nay nay? But as God is faithful, our word toward you is not yea 19 and nay. For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you 1 by us, even x by me and Silvanus and Timothy, was not yea and nay, but so in him is yea. For how many soever be the pro- mises of God, in him is the yea : wherefore also through him is the Amen, unto the glory of God 1 Gr. through. 2 Gr. into. 3 Or, seeing that he both sealed us of mind that I did not carry this design into effect ? — Accord- ing to the flesh ; insincerely and dishonestly, as men often do. — Yea, yea, and the nay, nay ; one thing in promise and profession, and another in secret design. 19. Silvanus; Silas, who is often mentioned in the Acts as Paul's companion in labor and suffering. 20. The Old "Version read, For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen unto the glory of God ly us. The mean- ing is far better expressed in the New Version. The promises of God in Christ are yea; a posi- tive and trustworthy assurance underlies them all; by his Spirit there is also given to us the grace of confidence, whereby we are able to exercise perfect assur- ance in those promises, an assur- ance which to them all cries Amen. through us. Now he that 21 stablisheth us with you 2 in Christ, and anointed us, is God ; 3 who also 22 sealed us, and gave us the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts. But I call God for a 23 witness upon my soul, that to spare you I for- bare to come unto Cor- inth. Not that we have 24 lordship over your faith, but are helpers of your joy: for by 4 faith ye stand. B But I deter- 2 mined this for myself, that I would not come again to you with sorrow. For if I make you sorry, % 4 Or, your faith 5 Some ancient authorities read For. 21. Anointed us; consecrated us to his service ; anointing hav- ing been, in ancient times, a ceremony of consecration. 22. The earnest of the Spirit ; the influences of the Spirit, as the earnest and pledge of the faithful fulfillment of the divine covenant. 23. To spare you, &c. The idea seems to be, that his reason for not going to them, as he had intended, was to spare them the pain of a personal interview un- der the peculiar circumstances of the case. 24. The meaning is, that he disavows, on the part of himself and Timothy, all authority to exercise spiritual dominion over them; the province of the apos- tle was only to aid and guide the disciples of Christ in their efforts to attain eternal life. CHAPTER II. 2. He wished to regard his 636 II. CORINTHIANS. 2. 2- who then is he that maketh me glad, but he that is made sorry by 3 me ? And I wrote this very thing, lest, when I came, I should have sor- row from them of whom I ought to rejoice ; hav- ing confidence in you all, that my joy is the joy of 4 you all. For out of much affliction and anguish of heart I wrote unto you with many tears ; not that ye should be made sorry, but that ye might know the love which I have more abundantly unto you. 5 But if any hath caused sorrow, he hath caused sorrow, not to me, but in part (that I press not too 6 heavily) to you all. Sufn- 1 Gr. the more. 2 Some ancient authorities omit rather. spiritual children as the source of joy and happiness to him, and accordingly he did not wish to be the means of giving pain to them. 3. That my joy U the joy of you all ; that my enjoyment consists in promoting and witnessing yours. 4. I wrote unto you ; referring to his former Epistle. 5. It is generally supposed that the individual whose case is considered in 1 Cor. 5: is re- ferred to in this passage. (5-8.) The meaning of this verse is not clear. The irlea may be, that the pain which that case had given the apostle was only a partial and temporary interrup- tion to the joy and satisfaction cient to such a one is this punishment which was inflicted by ' the many ; so that contrariwise ye 7 should "rather forgive him and comfort "him, lest by any means such a one should be swallowed up with his overmuch sorrow. Wherefore I be- 8 seech you to confirm your love toward him. For to 9 this end also did I write, that I might know the proof of you, 3 whether ye are obedient in all things. But to wThom yeio forgive any thing, I for- give also : for what 1 also have forgiven, if I have forgiven any thing, for your sakes have I for- given it in the 4 person of Christ; that no advan-il 3 Some ancient authorities read where- by. 4 Or, presence which the church at Corinth had generally afforded him. 6. It would seem that Paul had learned, perhaps through Titus, (see ch. 7: 5-7,) that the church had exercised towards this offending member the disci- pline which he had recommend- ed in the former Epistle. 7. Ye should rather forgive him ; that is, ye ought now to forgive him. 8. Confirm ; restore and estab- lish. 10. The difference in reading here, between the Old and the New Versions, is a gain to sim- plicity, but leaves the sense unchanged. 11. By Satan ; by retaining in his kingdom one, who, being -3. 2. II. CORINTHIANS. 037 tage may be gained over us by Satan : for we arc not ignorant of hie de- vices. 12 ISTow when I came to Troas for the gospel of Christ, and when a door was opened unto me in 13 the Lord, I had no relief for my spirit, because I found not Titus my brother : but taking my leave of them, I went forth into Macedonia. 14 But thanks be unto Gfod, which always leadeth us in triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest through us the savour of his knowledge in every place. 1 Or, making merchandise of the word of God For we are a sweet savour 15 of Christ unto, God, in them that are being saved, and in them that are per- ishing; to the one a sa-is vour from death unto death ; to the other a sa- vour from life unto life. And who is sufficient for these things ? For we are 17 not as the many, Corrupt- ing the word of God : but as of sincerity, but as of God, in the sight of God, speak we in Christ. Are we beginning again 3 to commend ourselves % or need we, as do some, epistles of commendation to you or from you \ Ye 2 penitent, ought now to be re- stored to the kingdom of Christ. (Compare 1 Cor. 5:5.) 12. For the gospel of Christ ; that is, because of the gospel of Christ, in order to preach it. Troas was on the coast near the north-eastern corner of the Egean Sea, on tho way from Ephesus to Macedonia. 13. I had no relief for my spirit. lie felt so solicitous to hear from Corinth that he could not continue in his work at Troas, although a favorable op- portunity for effort seemed to be open there before him. He accordingly went on into Mace- donia, hoping to find Titus there. 14. Leadeth us in triumph. There is an implied figure drawn from the Greek triumphal pro- cessions, in which captives were led, to grace the triumph of their conquerors. It expresses the complete dependence of the apostle on God. The Christian captive, however, shares in the triumph of his conqueror. — In every place ; that is, wherever we go, Though he left a favorable opening for usefulness in Troas, he found that he was made the instrument of disseminating the knowledge of God in Macedonia. 15. For ice are a sweet savor ; our labors and instrumentality arc acceptable to God. 16. A savor from death unto death; by being the means of greatly aggravating their sin. For the guilt and condemnation of the sinner is in proportion to the light and the privileges which he enjoys. — For these things ; for such high responsi- bilities. CHAPTER III. 2. The meaning is, that the feeling of attachment and regard which subsisted between Paul and the Corinthian church -were universally known. 638 II. CORINTHIANS. 3.2-^ are our epistle, written in our hearts, known and 3 read of all men ; being made manifest that ye are an epistle of Christ, min- istered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God ; not in tables of stone, but in tables that are hearts 4 of flesh. And such confi- dence have we through 5 Christ to God-ward : not that we are sufficient of ourselves, to account any thing as from ourselves ; but our sufficiency is from 1 Or, testament 2 Gr. in letters. 3. An epistle of Christ minis' tered by us ; the work of Christ, performed by our instrumental- ity.— Tables ; tablets. 4. Through Christ to God- ward ; in God through Christ. 6. Not of the letter ; not of the written law, that is, of the Old Testament dispensation. — Of the Spirit ; of the gospel, which had yet been communicated thus far chiefly by direct spiritual influ- ences, and not by written rec- ords. —Killeth; denounces death. [This is a commonly accepted interpretation of this passage; but it does not seem to me to be the correct one. The contrast to which Paul here refers is not merely between the Old Testa- ment and the New, but between the expression of truth in Avoids and letters, and the profounder expression of truth in the inward spiritual experience; and he de- clares that he is made a minis- ter, not of mere words and phrases, which are nothing ex- cept as they are instruments, but of spiritual life, which words God ; who also made us 6 sufficient as ministers of a new 'covenant ; not of the letter, but of the spirit : for the letter kill- eth, but the spirit giveth life. But if the minis tra- 7 tion of death, "written and engraven on stones, came Vith glory, so that the children of Israel could not look stedfastly upon the face of Moses for the glory of his face ; which glory 4was passing away : how shall not 8 rather the ministration of 3 Gr. in. 4 Or, was being done away and phrases are intended to serve. His meaning is thus in- terpreted by John 6: 63. It is true that in the gospel the spir- itual element is more predomi- nant; in the Old Testament greater stress is laid upon the ietter, and literal obedience to it. But throughout the Old Testament, the Israelites are often warned against reposing confidence in the letter, and instructed that God looks only upon the spirit, and measures men by their spiritual obedience to him. — L. A.J 7. The ministration of death ; the ministration of that covenant which denounced death. — On xloiics ; referring to the two tables of stone on which the ten commandments were written. — Came with glory; in respect to the circumstances of its first pro- mulgation. Allusion is here made to the account recorded in Ex. 34 : 29. 30. — Was passing away ; was temporary and tran- sient. 8. The ministration of ih* -3. 17. II. CORINTHIANS. C39 the spirit be with glory \ 9 'For if the ministration of condemnation is glory, much rather doth the ministration of righteous- loness exceed in glory. For verily that which hath been made glorious hath not been made glorious in this respect, by reason of the glory that surpas- liseth. For if that which "passeth away was 3with glory, much more that which remaineth is in glory. 12 Having therefore such a hope, we use great bold- I3ness of speech, and are 1 Many ancient authorities read For if to the ministration of condemnation there is glory. 2 Or, is being done away • 3 Gr. through. \ 4 Or, unto Spirit ; that is, of the gospel, promulgated by the agency of the Spirit. 10. Hath not been made glorious in this respect ; that is, in com- parison with the glory of the new dispensation. 13, 14. Should not look stead- fastly on the end of that wMch was passing away. The veil was put on, not to conceal the glory, but to conceal the fact that the glory vanished away as soon as Moses had ceased speaking to the peo- ple. In the Old Testament ac- count (Exod. 34 : 33) it is stated, that ' ' till Moses had done speak- ing, he put a veil on his face ;" but the word till was inserted by the translators, and the contest there shows very clearly that it was when he had done speaking he put this veil on ; for in verse 35 it is stated distinctly that not as Moses, who put a veil upon his face, that the children of Israel should not look sted- fastly 4on the end of that which5 was passing away: but their 6minds were 14 hardened : for until this very day at the reading of the old 'covenant the same veil 8 remaineth un- lifted ; which veil is done away in Christ. But 15 unto this day, whensoever Moses is read, a veil lieth upon their heart. But is whensoever 9 it shall turn to the Lord, the veil is taken away. Now the 17 5 Or, tvas being done away 6 Gr. thoughts. 7 Or, testament 8 Or, remaineth, it not being that it is done away 9 Or, a man shall turn "the children of Israel saw the face of Moses that the skin of Moses' face shone; and Moses put the veil upon his face again, until he went in to speak with him." All modern versions, and nearly all modern scholars, agree in thus understanding the inci- dent. This veil, Paul says, still continues on the hearts of the people, so as to prevent them from seeing the perishable nature of the law. This metaphor was rendered peculiarly appropriate by the fact that in the syna- gogues the Jews prayed and read with veils upon their heads. 16. Whensoever it shall turn; that is, when the heart of the children of Israel shall turn. 17. The Spirit; the spirit spoken of in v. 6, ^-namely, the spiritual dispensation. The Lord is the foundation and support of 640 II. CORINTHIANS. 3. 17— Lord is the Spirit : and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. 18 But we all, with unveiled face J reflecting as a mir- ror the glory of the Lord, are transformed into the same image from glory to glory, even as from 3the Lord the Spirit. 4 Therefore seeing we have this ministry, even as we obtained mercy, 2 we faint not : but we have renounced the hidden things of shame, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully ; but by the manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man's conscience in 3 the sight of God. But and if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled in them that 4 are perishing: in whom the god of this 3 world hath blinded the 4 minds 1 Or, beholding as in a mirror 2 Or, the Spirit which is the Lord 3 Or, age 4 Gr. thoughts. 5 Or, that they should not see the light . . .image of God it. — Liberty ; freedom from the darkness and bondage in which the soul had often been envel- oped under the old dispensa- tion. 18. The change in the New Version here is very important. It is not merely by beholding, as in a mirror, Christ's glory, that is, by quietly meditating upon it, that we are changed into his image, but by reflecting that image unto others in our own life and character, that we are of the unbelieving, f that the "light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should not dawn upon them. For we preach not 5 ourselves, but Christ Je- sus as Lord, and ourselves as your 'servants "for Jesus' sake. Seeing it is 6 God, that; said, Light shall shine out of dark- ness, who shined in our hearts, to give the "light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. But we have this treas-7 ure in earthen vessels, that the exceeding great- ness of the power may be of God, and not from our- selves ; we are pressed on 8 every side, yet not strait- ened ; perplexed, yet not unto despair ; pursued, 9 yet not 9 forsaken ; smit- ten down, yet not de- 6 Or. illumination. 7 Gr. bondservants. 8 Some ancient authorities through Jesus. 9 Or, left behind read transformed into the same im- age. CHAPTER IV. 1. This ministry ; the charge of the new and glorious dispen- sation referred to in the last chapter. 3. Is veiled; remains unknown; is not received. 7. Earthen vessels ; it is com- mitted to an obscure and un- worthy instrumentality. — May be of God ; may appear evidently to be of God. 17. II. CORINTHIANS. 641 lostroyed; always bearing about in the body the ! dy- ing of Jesus, that the life also of Jesus may be manifested in our body. 11 For we which live are alway delivered unto death for Jesus' sake, that the life also of Jesus may be manifested in ourmor- l2talfieoli. So then death worketh in us, but life in 13 you. But having the same spirit of faith, ac- cording to that which is written, I believed, and therefore did I speak ; we also believe, and therefore 14 also we speak; knowing 1 Gr. putting to death. 2 Some ancient authorities omit the 10. Bearing about in the body, &c. ; continually exemplifying in our lives that endurance of suffering which characterized the life of the Saviour. The word dying is put for suffering, in antithesis to the word life. Cases of this kind, often occur among the sacred writers, where words are used in one or the other of the parallel clauses of a sentence, with some latitude of meaning, in order to preserve a contrast of expression in the two clauses. For examples, see the word hate, in Matt. 6 : 24, and in Kom. 9: 13. 11. Delivered unto death; ex- posed to death. 12. The meaning is, we give ourselves up to the power and dominion of death, that spirit- ual life may be bestowed upon you. 13. The same — according to that which is written; that is, the lame spirit with that referred to that he which raised up 2 the Lord Jesus shall raise up us also with Je- sus, and shall present us with you. For all things 15 are for your sakes, that the grace, being multi- plied through 3 the many, may cause the thanksgiv- ing to abound unto the glory of God. Wherefore we faintie not ; but though our out- ward man is decaying, yet our inward man is re- newed day by day. For 17 our light affliction, which is for the moment, work- eth for us more and more Lord. 3 Gr. tlie more. in the passage in which it is written, &c. (Ps. 116: 10.) 15. Through the many; the many saved by it. The transla- tion of the New Version is that of Meyer and Alford; other renderings are given by eminent scholars. Accepting this oner the meaning is that God's grace is multiplied through the num- bers who have received it, that the thanksgiving to God may also be multiplied. 16. We faint not; we are not discouraged. — Our outward man; that which pertains to present and temporal welfare. — Our inward man ; the soul, in respect to its spiritual interests. 17. The variation of a favorite text like this is reluctantly ac- cepted, but there can be no doubt that it more literally Rep- resents the original than did the Old Version. Paul did not (we may perhaps say, with his tem- perament could not) compare 642 II. CORINTHIANS. 4. 17- exceedingly an eternal 18 weight of glory; while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen : for the tilings which are seen are temporal ; but the things which are not seen are eternal. 5 For we know that if the earthly house of our 'tabernacle be dissolved, we have a building from God, a house. not made with hands, eternal, in 2 the heavens. For verily in this we groan, longing to be clothed upon with our habitation which is 3 from heaven : if so be that being; clothed we shall not be found naked. 1 Or, bodily frame 2 Or, being burdened, in that we would the eternal weight of glory with the light affliction which is but for a moment. What he declares Is that this light affliction works for us, as Alford expresses it, "in a surpassing and still more surpassing manner " an eternal weight of glory. 18. We look hot at; we do not regard. — The things which are seen ; the things relating to this life, that is, the sufferings of which he had been speaking. CHAPTER V. 1. Of our tabernacle. A taber; nafle is a tent, — that is, a mov- able and temporary dwelling, — and hence is an appropriate image of the frailty and transi- toriness of the mortal body. 2. We groan ; under the bur- dens of anxiety and suffering. — For indeed we that are in 4 this 'tabernacle do groan, "being burdened ; not for that we would be un- clothed, but that we would be clothed upon, that what is mortal may be swallowed up of life. Now he that wrought us 5 for this very thing is God, who gave unto us the earnest of the Spirit. Be- 6 ing therefore always of good courage, and know- ing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord (for 7 we walk by faith, not by 3sight) ; we are of good 8 courage, I say, and are willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be not be unclothed, but would be clothed upon 3 Gr. appearance. To be clothed upon ; to be invest- ed with, or received into. 3. The meaning seems to be, if we shall be so happy as to be thus clothed, and not left desti- tute and naked. 4. Not for that we would be unclothed, &c. The feeling is not impatience to leave this scene of painful and laborious duty; but rather a desire to en- joy the happiness of the new spiritual existence. 5. The earnest of the Spirit; the influences of the Spirit as the earnest or pledge of the di- vine love. 0. Always of good courage ; not confident of any particular re- sult or issue, but sustained in courage by hope in God. — Are at home in ; reside in. 7. We walk; that is, we liv« and act, —5. II. CORINTHIANS. 643 at home with the Lord. 9 Wherefore also we 'make it our aim, whether at home or absent, to be well- 10 pleasing unto him. For we must all be made man- ifest before the judge- ment-seat of Christ ; that each one may receive the things done 2in the body, according to what he hath done, whether it be good or bad. 11 Knowing therefore the fear of the Lord, we per- suade men, but we are made manifest unto God; and I hope that we are made manifest also in 12 your consciences. We are not again commend- ing ourselves unto you, but speak as giving you occasion of glorying on our behalf, that ye may have wherewith to answer them that glory in ap- 1 Gr. are ambitious. 2 Gr. through. 10. For ice must all be made manifest ; not merely appear be- fore the judgment- seat, but in so appearing must have our true character and life revealed. — Receive the things, &c. ; receive according to the tilings, &c. 11. Knoicing therefore the fear of the Lord; experiencing the fear of the Lord, — that is, being influenced by it, — we are faith- ful in our duty of persuading men. — Are made manifest unto God ; our fidelity is fully known to him. The latter clause of the verse would seem to refer to false teachers in the Corinthian church, whose piety was appa- pearance, and not in heart. For whether we 13 3are beside ourselves, it is unto God ; or whether we are of sober mind, it is unto you. For the love 14 of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that one died for all, therefore all died ; and 15 he died for all, that they which live should no longer live unto them- selves, but unto him who for their sakes died and rose again. Wherefore 16 we henceforth know no man after the flesh : even though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now we know Mm so no more. Wherefore if any 17 man is in Christ, *he is a new creature : the old things are passed away ; behold, they are become new. But all things are 18 3 Or, were 4 Or, there ie a new creation rent only, not heartfelt and sin- cere. 13. Are beside ourselves; are carried away with ardent zeal. 16. Knoic no man after the flesh; we do not regard, or at- tach importance to, the earthly conditions and relations of men. — Though ice have known Christ, &c. ; though we have, in former times, had worldly and carnal ideas of the person and mission of Christ. Such is perhaps the meaning, though the passage has been greatly controverted. 18. All things are of God ; the change, great as it is, is wholly the work of God. — The ministry 044 II. CORINTHIANS. 5. 18- of God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ, and gave unto us the min- I9istry of reconciliation ; to wit, that God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself, not reckoning unto them their trespasses, and having 'committed unto us the word of reconciliation. 2G We are ambassadors therefore on behalf of Christ, as though God were intreating by us : we beseech you on behalf of Christ, be ye recon- 2lciled to God. Him who knew no sin he made to be sin on our behalf ; that we might become the righteousness of God in 6 him. And working to- gether with him we in- treat also that ye receive not the grace of God in 2 vain (for he saith, At an acceptable time I hearkened unto thee, 1 Or, placed in us 2 Or, Holy Spirit : and bo throughout of reconciliation ; the commission to offer reconciliation. 20. The connection of the apostle's thought was impaired by the break in the Old Version, between chapters 5 and 6. The paragraph arrangement of the New Version represents that connection much more clearly. The variations in phraseology also in this famous and oft- quoted passage, make the apos- tle's meaning clearer. 21. To he sin on our behalf; to be condemned for us, — sub- And in a day of sal- vation did I succour thee: behold, now is the accept- able time ; behold, now is the day of salvation) : giving no occasion of 3 stumbling in any thing, that our ministration be not blamed ; but in every 4 thing commending our- selves, as ministers of God, in much patience, in afflictions, in necessi- ties, in distresses, in 5 stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labours, in watchings, in fastings ; in pureness, in know- 6 ledge, in long-suffering, in kindness, in the 2Holy Ghost, in love unfeigned, in the word of truth, in 7 the power of God ; 8 by the armour of righteous- ness on the right hand and on the left, by glory 8 and dishonour, by evil re- port and good report ; as this book. 3 Gr. through. ject to the terrible penalties of sin in our stead. — Might become the righteousness of God ; be made subjects of the righteousness of God. CHAPTER VI. 1. The grace of God ; the favor referred to above, that is, the offer of reconciliation and par- don. 2. He saith; Isa. 49: 8. 7. On the right hand, and on the left; protected by it on all sides. 8. By glory \ &c. ; whether our ■6. 18, II. C0K1NTHIAKS. 645 deceivers, and yet true ; 9 as unknown, and yet well known ; as dying, and behold, we live ; as chas- lotened, and not killed ; as sorrowful, yet alway re- joicing ; as poor, yet making many rich. ; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things. 11 Our mouth is open unto you, 0 Corinthians, our 12 heart is enlarged. Ye are not straitened in us, but ye are straitened in 13 your own affections. Now for a recompense in like kind (I speak as untom?/ children), be ye also en- larged. 14 Be not unequally yoked with unbelievers : for what fellowship have righteousness and iniqui- ty?' or what communion hath light with darkness % 1 Gr. Beliar. course leads through honor or dishonor. — As deceivers ; as sup- posed deceivers, that is, being so regarded by men. 12. Not — in us, &c. ; ye are not straitened in our affection for you, but in your own regard and affection for us. — In your own affections ; the Old Version gave the Greek more literally, in your own bowels. Among the Greeks the bowels were regarded as the seat of the affections, as the heart is with us. The case is one in which a gain is made by a freer translation. 13. For a recompense ; that is, that they might make a suitable return for his kindness and love for them, and what concord hath 15 Christ with ' Belial? or what portion hath a be- liever with an unbeliever % And what agreement 16 hath a 2 temple of God with idols 2 for we are a 2 temple of the living God ; even as God said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them ; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Wherefore 17 Come ye out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, And touch no unclean thing ; And I will receive you, And will be to you a 18 Father, And ye shall be to me sons and daughters, 2 Or, sanctuary 14. Unequally yoked ; joined with them in any of the pur- suits or associations of life. This prohibition is often, though without reason, supposed to re- fer specially to marriage. It seems, however, to be more gen- eral in its meaning, referring to connections of every kind. — Unbelievers ; idolatrous heathen. The term, as used here, cannot justly be considered as intended to include individuals not pro- fessedly pious in a Christian land. (See 1 Cor. 7: 39.) 17. No unclean thing ; the sin- ful pursuits and pleasures of the idolatrous world around them. 646 II. CORINTHIANS. 6. 18— saith the Lord Almighty. 7 Having therefore these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all defilement of llesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God. 2 ' Open your hearts to us : we wronged no man, we corrupted no man, we took advantage of no 3 man. I say it not to con- demn you : for I have said before, that ye are in our hearts to die to- gether and live together. 4 Great is my boldness of speech toward you, great is my glorying on your behalf : I am filled with comfort, I overflow with joy in all our affliction. 5 For even when we were come into Macedonia, our flesh had no relief, but we were afflicted on every side ; without were fight- ings, within were fears. 6 Nevertheless he that com- 1 Gr. Make room for us. 2 Gr. presence. CHAPTER VII. 4. The comfort and joy spoken of by the apostle in this verse, is that which resulted from the intelligence which Titus brought him, as explained in v. 6, 7. 5. Fightings ; the encounter- ing of opposition and hostility. 8. With my epistle ; with his first Epistle to them, which was filled with reproofs. — I do not regret it, though 1 did regret ; the Old Version made Paul say, / did repent, which would give the English reader the false iinpres- forteth the lowly, even God, comforted us by the 3 coming of Titus ; and 7 not by his 2 coming only, but also by the comfort wherewith he was com- forted in you, while he told us your longing, your mourning, your zeal for me ; so that I rejoiced yet more. For though 1 8 made you sorry with my epistle, I do not regret it, though I did regret ; 3 for I see that that epistle made you sorry, though but for a season. Now 1 9 rejoice, not that ye were made sorry, but that ye were made sorry unto re- pentance : for ye were made sorry after a godly sort, that ye might suffer loss by us in nothing. For godly sorrow work-io eth repentance * unto sal- vation, a repentance which bringeth no regret : but the sorrow of the 3 Some ancient authorities omit for. 4 Or, unto a salvation which bringeth no regret sion that Paul thought he had done wrong. 10. A repentance which bringeth no regret ; observe the distinc- tion between repentance and re- gret. A godly sorrow produces repentance, that is, the abandon- ment of sin, and this is never followed by regret. But the sorrow of the world, which does not lead to the abandonment of sin, but only to remorse, often carries the soul into still deeper sin, as in the case of Judas Is- cariot. -7. 16. II. CORINTHIANS. 647 world worketh death. 11 For behold, this selfsame thing, that ye were made sorry after a godly sort, what earnest care it wrought in you, yea, what clearing of your- selves, yea, what indigna- tion, yea, what fear, yea, what longing, yea, what zeal, yea, what avenging ! In every thing ye ap- proved yourselves to be 12 pure in the matter. So although I wrote unto you, I wrote not for his cause that did the wrong, nor for his cause that suffered the wrong, but that your earnest care for us might be made mani- fest unto you in the sight 11. Indignation; earnest dis- approbation of the sins which the apostle had exposed. — Avenging; punishing. The words avenge and vengeance are often used, in the New Testament, in the sense of the execution of judgment. The apostle seems to refer particularly to their promptness in puuishing the person whose case is the sub- ject of consideration in 1 Cor. 5: 12. There is some uncertainty respecting the true reading of this verse. If we adopt that of the New Version, the meaning then will be that Paul's chief object was to evoke in the ex- perience of the church at Cor- inth that earnestness for purity, which actually did result from his letter of rebuke. The read- ing of the New Version is that of Alford and Stanley. The of God. Therefore we 13 have been comforted : and in our comfort we joyed the more exceedingly for the joy of Titus, because his spirit hath been re- freshed by you all. For 14 if in any thing I have glo- ried to him on your be- half, I was not put to shame ; but as we spake all things to you in truth, so our glorying also, which I made before Titus, was found to be truth. And his inward 15 affection is more abun- dantly toward you, whilst he remembereth the obe- dience of you all, how with fear and trembling ye received him. I re- 16 reading of the Old Version, " That our care for you might appear unto you," would make Paul's object to be wholly a commendation of himself to the Corinthian church, an object quite inconsistent with all that we know of his character. — For his cause that suffered the wrong. It is uncertain to whom Paul refers in this expression. It may be to himself, as injured by the reproach which the case brought indirectly upon him; but more probably to some in- dividual at Corinth injured by tlie offence. The meaning is, that Paul was not governed by any personal considerations, but by regard for the general wel- fare of the church. 13. In our comfort ; that is, in the intelligence which Titus brought respecting the Corinth- ian church. (548 II. COllIVriliAXS. 7. 10- joice that in every thing I am of good courage concerning you. 8 Moreover, brethren, we make known to you the grace of God which hath been given in the churches 2 of Macedonia; how that in much proof of afflic- tion the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their ' liber - 3ality. For according to their power, I bear wit- ness, yea and beyond their power, they gave of 4 their own accord, beseech- ing us with much intreaty in regard of this grace and the fellowship in the ministering to the saints: 5 and this, not as we had hoped, but first they gave their own selves to the Lord, and to us by the 6 will of God. Insomuch 1 Gr. singleness. CHAPTER VIII. 3. To their power ; to the ex- tent of their power. 4, 5. Paul's language is made somewhat obscure by a too liter- al rendering here. The mean- ing is, that the churches in Mac- edonia entreated permission to share inthe grace and fellowship of the churches, by contributing to the necessities of the impover- ished Christiana in Jerusalem; and this not in the measure which Paul had hoped, but far beyond his expectation; first, however, consecrating themselves to the Lord, which consecration was the secret of their generosity. that we exhorted Titus, that as he had made a be- ginning before, so he would also complete in you this grace also. But? as ye abound in every thing, in faith, and utter- ance, and knowledge, and in all earnestness, and in 2 your love to us, see that ye abound in this grace also. I speak not by way 8 of commandment, but as proving through the earn- estness of others the sin- cerity also of your love. For ye know the grace of 9 our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he be- c a m e poor, that ye through his poverty kiight become rich. And 10 herein I give my judge- ment : for this is expedi- ent for you, who were the first to make a beginning 2 Some ancient authorities read our love to you. 0. Oomph i this grace ; oall upon you tofinish the work, by your contributions. 7. In this grace ; liberality. 8. Not by way of commandment, Paul did not lay down a law which the Corinthian churches must obey, but described the earnestness of the Macedonian churches, as a means of stimulat- 1 innr the Corinthian Christians, and testing the sincerity of their love. — The earnestness* of \ the readiness and zeal of others, that is, of the churches in Mace- donia. 9. The grace; the goodnets and mercy. -8. 23. II. CORINTHIANS. 649 a year ago, not only to do, 11 but also to will. But now complete the doing also ; that as there was the readiness to will, so there may be the completion also out of your ability. 12 For if the readiness is there, it is acceptable ac- cording as a man hath, not according as he hath 13 not. For I say not this, that others may be eased, 14 and ye distressed : but by equality; your abun- dance being a supply at this present time for their want, that their abun- dance also may become a supply for your want ;• , that there may be equ al- ls ity : as it is written, He that gathered much had nothing over ; and he that gathered, little had no lack. 16 But thanks be to God, which putteth the same , earnest care for 3^011 into 17 the heart of Titus. For indeed he accepted our exhortation ; but being himself very earnest, he went forth unto you of his own accord. And we 18 have sent together with him the brother whose praise in the gospel is spread through all the churches ; and not only 19 so, but who was also ap- pointed by the churches to travel with us in the matter ^this grace, which is ministered by us to the glory of the Lord, and to shew our readiness: avoiding this, that any 20 man should blame us in the matter of this bounty which is ministered by us: for we take thought 21 for things honourable, not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men. And we have 28 sent with them our brother, whom we have many times proved earn- est in many things, but now much more earnest, by reason of the great confidence which he hath in you. Whether any 2d inquire about Titus, he is my partner and my fel- 15. This language refers to the gathering of the manna, (Ex. 16: 18,) and is used here as illustrative of the nature of Christian liberality. 17. Our exhortation ; the re- quest which I made that he would go to yon. 18. The brother, whose praise, &c. It is not known to whom Paul here refers. Some conjec- ture that it was Luke; others, Mark; others, Silas or Barnabas, 19. This grace ; this gift; that is, the contribution before re- ferred to. 20. Of this bounty ; in respect to this property, namely, the money contributed. 21. For things honorable; tilings reputable, free from all appearance of wrong. 22. Our brother. There are no means of ascertaining what indi- vidual is here referred to. 23. Whether any, &c. ; if any. 650 II. CORINTHIANS. 8. 23- low- worker to yon-ward ; or our brethren, they are the ' messengers of the churches, they are the 24 glory of Christ. 2 Shew ye therefore unto them in the face of the churches the proof of your love, and of our glorying on your behalf. 9 For as touching the ministering to the saints, it is superfluous for me to 2 write to you : for I know your readiness, of which I glory on your behalf to them of Macedonia, that Achaia hath been pre- pared for a year past ; and 3 your zeal hath stirred up 3 4 very many of them. But I have sent the brethren, ' that our glorying on your behalf may not be made void in this respect ; that, 1 Gr. apostles. 2 Or, Shew ye therefore in the face... on your bthulf unto them. 3 Or, emulation of you 24. And of our glorying, &c. ; that is, show that the praises we have given vou were deserved. CHAPTER IX. 1. The ministering to the saints; the contribution of which he had been speaking. — It is superfluous ; that is, perhaps it is superfluous ; I might con- sider it so. 2. Achaia. Paul often uses the term Achaia, instead of Cor- inth, in these Epistles, as if he intended to address the Chris- tians of the province, as well as those of the city. Perhaps he designed particularly to include the church in Cenchrea, a sea- port near Corinth, which is re- even as I said, ye may be prepared: lest by any 4 means, if there come with me any of Macedonia, and find you unprepared, we (that we say not, ye) should be put to shame in this confidence. Is thought i t necessary therefore to intreat the brethren, that they would go before unto you, and make up beforehand your aforepromised & bounty, that the same might be ready, as a matter of bounty, and not of 'extor- tion. But this / say, He that 6 soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly ; and he that soweth 'bounti- fully shall reap also 'bountifully. Let each 7 man do according as he 4 Gr. the more part. 5 Gr. Messing. 6 Or, covetousness 7 Gr. with blessings. peatedly alluded to. (Rom. 16:1. Acts 18: 18.)— A year past. Paul had written to them on this subject in his former Epistle. Some have supposed that there was an interval of about a year between the two communications. — Stirred up; incited, stimulated; that is, to imitation. 3. The brethren ; those re- ferred to in the last chapter. (10-18, 22.) 5. Make up beforehand ; have it collected beforehand. — As a matter of bounty, 6cc. ; that is, made in a liberal, not in a cov- etous spirit. 7. As he hath purposed in hi* —9. 15. II. CORINTHIANS. 651 hath purposed in his heart; not 'grudgingly, or of necessity : for God loveth a cheerful giver. 8 And God is able to make all grace abound unto you ; that ye, having always all sufficiency in everything, may abound unto every good work : 9 as it is written, He hath scattered abroad, he hath given to the poor ; His righteousness abideth for ever. 10 And he that supplieth seed to the sower and bread for food, shall supply and multiply your seed for sowing, and in- crease the fruits of your 11 righteousness : ye being- enriched in everything unto all 2 liberality, which 1 Gr. of sorrow. heart ; as he himself, of his own accord, desires and intends. — Or of necessity ; under any spe- cies of compulsion. 9. This language, descriptive of the character of the benevo- lent man, is quoted from Ps. 112: 9. 10. He that supplieth seed to the sower; he who is the Fountain and Source of all human sup- plies. 12.-0/ this service; that is, the contribution. — But dboundeth also, &c. ; that is, it promotes the giving of glory to God by thanksgiving and praise in the manner specified in the following verses. 14. Long afte?' you ; with feel- ings of affection and gratitude. worketh through us thanksgiving to God. For the ministration of 12 this service not only filleth up the measure of the wants of the saints, but aboundeth also through many thanks- givings unto God ; seeing 13 that through the proving of you by this ministra- tion they glorify God for the obedience of your confession unto the gospel of Christ, and for the "liberality of your con- tribution unto them and unto all ; while they them- 14 selves also, with suppli- cation on your behalf, long after you by reason of the exceeding grace of God in you. Thanks be 15 to God for his unspeak- able gift. 2 Gr. .ingleness. 15. We shall not be surprised at the indications of great in- terest and solicitude, on the part of the apostle, manifest in all that he says in this and in the preceding chapter, in respect to this contribution, when we con- sider that, in endeavoring to ac- complish such a measure, he was carrying out the principles of Christianity into an entirely new and untried field. At the pres- ent age of the world, and in Christian lands, we cannot well appreciate the novelty and bold- ness of such an undertaking as the attempt, at that day, to in- duce an extended and continued contribution of money, from the middle and lower classes of so- ciety, to raise a fund for the 652 II. CORINTHIANS. •0. 1 10 Now I Paul myself in treat you by the meek- ness and gentleness of Christ, I who in your presence am lowly among you, but being absent am of good courage toward 2 you : yea, I beseech you, that I may not when present shew courage with the confidence wherewith I count to be bold against some, which count of us as if we walked according 8 to the flesh. For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to 4 the flesh (for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but mighty before God to the casting down of strong holds) ; 5 casting down 'imagina- tions, and every high thing that is exalted 1 Or, reasonings against the knowledge of God, and bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ; and being in readiness to 6 avenge all ' disobedience, w h e n your obedience shall be fulfilled. 2Ye7 look at the things that are before your face. If any man trusteth in himself that he is Christ's, let him consider this again with himself, that, even as he is Christ's, so also are we. For though 1 8 should glory somewhat abundantly concerning our authority (which the Lord gave for building you up, and not for casting you down), I shall not be put to shame : that 9 I may not seem as if I Avould terrify you by my 2 Or, Bo ye look. . .face ? relief of sufferers perhaps a thousand miles remote from them, and whom they had never seen; and to combine, too, for this purpose, two distant prov- inces, having no connection with each other whatever, except the bonds of a spiritual sympa- thy. These contributions for the distressed Christians at Je- rusalem (compare Acts 11: 29, 30) were demonstrating the power of Christianity to produce results which the world had never witnessed before, and suc- cessful as they were, they ne- came the germ and the beginning of the great principle of orga- nized and combined benevo- lence, which has since, in every age, been one of the most mark- ed and striking characteristics of Christianity. CHAPTER X. 2. That I may not shoic courage ; that I may not have cause to show courage. — Walked accord- ing to the flesh ; acted in an un- christian manner. 3. Walk in the flesh ; have our sphere of labor and warfare in this world. 6. To avenge ; to condemn and punish. 7. That are before y on? face; that is, you measure things ac- cording to their appearance. The Old Version pave the mean- ing well, Do ye look, or, Tedo look on things after the outward appearance. —11. 2. II. CORINTHIANS. 653 10 letters. For, His letters, they say, are weighty and strong; but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech of no account. 11 Let snch a one reckon this, that, what we are in word by letters when we are absent, such are toe also in deed when we are 12 present. For we are not bold 1 to number or com- pare ourselves av i t h certain of them that commend themselves : but they themselves, measur- ing themselves by them- selves, and comparing themselves with them- selves, are without 13 understanding. But we will not glory beyond our measure, but according to the measure of the 3 province which God apportioned to us as a measure, to reach even 14 unto you. For we stretch not ourselves overmuch, 1 Gr. to judge ourselves among, or to judge ourselves with. 3 Or, limit Gr. measuring -rod. \ 10. They say; that is, the enemies of Paul among the Co- rinthians.— His bodily -presence, &c. Tradition states that Paul was small of stature, pale and emaciated in countenance, and of a form beat and un symmetri- cal. This seems to have been made matter of reproach against him by his enemies. 13. The measure of the province ; the extent of the commission. 14. Overmuch; beyond our proper sphere. 2G as though we reached not unto you : for we 3 came even as far as unto you in the gospel of Christ : not glorying beyond our 15~ measure, that is, in other men's labours; but having hope that, as your faith groweth, we shall be magnified in you accord- ing to our 2 province unto further abundance, soaslfr to preach the gospel even unto the parts beyond you, and not to glory in another's 2 province in regard of things ready to our hand. But he that 17 glorieth, let him glory in the Lord. For not he 18 that commendeth himself is approved, but whom the Lord commendeth. Would that ye could 11 bear. with me in a little foolishness : 4 nay indeed bear with me. For I am 2 jealous over you with 6 a godly jealousy : for J 3 Or, were the. first to come 4 Or, but indeed ye do bear with i 5 Gr. a jealousy of God. 15. That we shall be magnified" in you, &c. The meaning is, that, when their faith was estab- lished, he hoped that, through their instrumentality, there would be an extension "of the kingdom of Christ into the sur- rounding regions. CHAPTER XI. 2. Jealous ; watchful and soli- citous.— I have espoused you, &c. ; from his peculiar relation to them p" ''heir spiritual father, be felt C54 II. CORINTHIANS. 11. 2— espoused you to one hus- band, that I might pre- sent you as a pure virgin 3 to Christ. But I fear, lest • >y any means, as the ser- pent beguiled Eve in his craftiness, your ' minds should be corrupted from the simplicity and the purity that is toward 4 Christ. For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom wre did not preach, or if ye receive a different spirit, which ye did not receive, or a dif- ferent gospel, which ye did not accept, ye do wrell 5 to bear writh him. For I reckon that I am not a whit behind 'the very 6chiefest apostles. But though I be rude in speech, yet am I not in 1 Gr. thoughts. himself responsible in some sense for their purity, and for their preparation for a final union with Christ. 4. He that cometh; referring probably to other teachers •who came and attempted to supersede Paul in his influence and ascend- ency over the church. — Ye do well to hear with him ; the lan- guage is ironical. 6. Rude in speech ; unskilful in oratory. — Made it manifest; made known; that is, they had had abundant opportunities to try and prove his character. The language is somewhat ob- scure. The probable meaning may be thus expressed : Though I be lacking in the rhetorical display on which the Greek elo- rutionists lay such stress, I am knowledge ; nay, in every thing we have made it manifest among all men to you- ward. Or did 1 7 commit a sin in abasing myself that ye might be exalted, because I preached to you the gos- pel of God for nought % I robbed other churches, 8 taking wages of them that I might minister unto you ; and when I was 9 present with you and was in want, I was not a bur- den on any man ; for the brethren, wrhen they came from Macedonia, supplied the measure of my want ; and in every thing I kept myself from being bur- densome unto you, and so wiMI'k.eeip my se7f. As the 10 truth of Christ is in me, 2 Or, those preeminent apostles not deficient in knowledge, and have, in all my life and teach- ing, made that manifest among all men for your benefit. 7. In abasing myself ; referring to his laborious services, and the reproach and danger which he incurred in their behalf. 8. I robbed other churches ; that is, I took from them, as is speci- fied in the next verse. 9. / was not a burden on any man; that is, on any in the Co- rinthian church. 10. In the regions of Acftaia. For certain reasons intimated in v. 12, Paul appears to have been particularly unwilling to receive any pecuniary aid from the churches in Achaia. It was in Corinth that he labored in his occupation of tent -maker, -11. 21. II. CORINTHIANS. 655 no man shall stop me of this glorying in the re- ligions of Achaia. Where- fore ? because I love you 12 not? God knoweth. But what I do, that I will do, that I may cut off ' occa- sion from them which de- sire an occasion ; that wherein they glory, they maybe found even as we. 13 For such men are false apostles, deceitful work- ers, fashioning themselves into apostles of Christ. 14 And no marvel ; for even Satan fashioneth himself 15 into an angel of light. It is no great thing there- fore if his ministers also fashion themselves as ministers of righteous- ness ; whose end shall be according to their works. 1 Gr. the occasion of them. (Acts 18 : 3 ;) and from this pas- sage it appears that, though he was willing to receive supplies from the Macedonian Christians, he wTould not do it from those of Corinth. We often have occa- sion thus to observe that the apostolical arrangements were not conformed to any settled and uniform system, but were accom- modated to the varying circum- stances of each individual case. 11. The idea is, that his un- willingness to receive pecuniary aid from them, did not arise from want of affection or confi- dence, but from other reasons. 12. That wherein they glory ; inasmuch as they glory. — They may be found, &c. ; they may feel bound to follow my example in this respect. I say again, Let no man 16 think me foolish ; but if ye do, yet as foolish re- ceive me, that I also may glory a little. That which 17 I speak, I speak not after the Lord, but as in fool- ishness, in this confidence of glorying. Seeing thatis many glory after the flesh, I will glory also. For ye bear with the fool- 19 ish gladly, being wise yourselves. For ye bear 20 with a man, if he bringeth you into bondage, if he devoureth you, if he taketh you captive, if he exalteth himself, if he smiteth you on the face. I speak by way of dis-21 paragement, as though we had been weak. Yet whereinsoever any is 15. His ministers ; his ser- vants; those who execute his purposes. 16. Receive me, that I also may glory a little ; allow me to boast. J 7. After the Lord; after or according to the proper spirit of a follower of the Lord. 20. For ye bear with a man ; not ye suffer, as rendered by the Old Fersion. The language is that of ardent indignation; you bear with those that injure you, and then reproach one who serves you. 21. This sentence marks a transition. Lest some of Paul's adversaries should take his lan- guage literally, he declares that it is ironical, and proceeds to compare himself with the false teachers who were endeavoring 656 II. CORINTHIANS. 11. 21 bold (I speak in foolish- ness), I am bold also. 22 Are they Hebrews ? so am I. Are they Israel- ites ? so nm I. Are they the seec? of Abraham ? so 23 am I. Are they minis- ters of Christ ? (I speak as on* beside himself) I more ; in labours more abundantly, in prisons more abundantly, in stripes above measure, in 24 deaths oft. Of the Jews five times received I forty 25 Gripes save one. Thrice 1 Gr; race. to supplant him in the affections of the Corinthians. 22. Are they ; that is, the enemies who had attempted to supplant him at Corinth. 23. As one beside himself ; not as a fool. — Above measure ; above the measure of such sufferings inflicted upon them. — In deaths ; in imminent exposure to death. 24. Forty — save one. By a command recorded in Deut. 25: 2. 3, the punishment of scourg- ing is limited to forty stripes. It was the custom of the Jews to stop short, by one, of the permitted number, in token of their desire to keep unquestion- ably within the law. Very few of the instances of suffering and danger here referred to are men- tiored in the book of the Acts. 25. With rods. One case of this nature is mentioned Acts 16 : 22, 23.— Stoned; Acts 14: 19. Besides this, the apostle, on another occasion, narrowly es- caped being stoned. (Acts 14: 5.) — Shipwreck. He suffered shipwreck after this, on his voyage to Rome, (Acts 27:) which makes four instances in was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day have I been in the deep ; in 2G journeyings often, in perils of rivers, in perils of robbers, in perils from my ' countrymen, in per- ils from the Gentiles, in perils in the city, in per- ils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in per- ils among false brethren ; in labour and travail, in 27 watchings often, in hun- which he encountered this ter- rible form of danger. — In the deep; floating in the sea, sus- tained by some frail support, probably after shipwrreck. 27. In reading this formidable catalogue of perils and calami- ties, (24-27,) we cannot but be impressed with the care of di- vine Providence manifested in the wonderful preservation of the apostle through a series of dangers of so extraordinary a number and character. We must remember, too, that the apostle persisted in a course of life which uniformly led to these results, in simple attestation of the fact of his supernatural interview with the Saviour, as recorded Acts 9: 3-8, and as re- peatedly narrated and alluded to by himself. (Acts 22:6-11. 20: 12-11). 1 Cor. 9: 1.) This interview was the origin and foundation of his belief. The circumstances were such that he could not have been mistaken in regard to it, and the description which he here gives of the mode of life which he had led in con- sequence of his testimony, is -12. 4. II. CORINTHIANS. 057 ger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and naked- 28 ness. 'Beside those things that are without, there is that which presseth upon me daily, anxiety for all 29 the chnrches. Who is weak, and I am not weak ? Who is made to stumble, 30 and I burn not 1 If I must needs glory, I will glory of the things that concern my weakness. 31 The God and Father of the Lord Jesus, he who is blessed a for evermore, knoweth that I lie not. 32 In Damascus the gov- ernor under Aretas the king guarded the city of the Damascenes, in order 1 Or, Beside the things which I omit Or, Beside the things that come out of course evidence, which it would be difficult to question, that he was honest and sincere. So that here is a point where the question of the miraculous origin of Chris- tianity is brought within a very- narrow compass. 28. Anxiety ; that is, the soli- citude and interest which he felt in them all. 29. Burn not ; am not troubled. The idea is, that he felt in him- self every . reproach or suffering which affected any brother Christian. 32. In Damascus, &c. The apostle here mentions a case of imminent danger that he had incurred, which had been omit- ted in the preceding enumera- tion.— Guarded the city ; guard- ed the gates with armed men. This was done at the instigation of the Jews, as would appear from the account of Luke. (Acts 8:24, 25.) to take me : and through 33 a window was I let down in a basket by the wall, and escaped his hands. 3 1 must needs glory, 12 though it is not expedi- ent ; but I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord. I know a man 2 in Christ, fourteen years ago (whether in the body, I know not ; or whether out of the body, I know not; God knoweth), such a one caught up even to the third heaven. And 1 3 know such a man (whether in the body, or apart from the body, I know not ; God knoweth), how that he was caught 4 2 Gr. unto the ages. 3 Some ancient authorities read Now to glory is not expedient, but I will come &c. CHAPTER XII. 1. The reading of the Old Version was that given here in the margin ; the reading of the New Version accords better with Paul's character. The meaning is, Though self-glorification is not generally expedient, yet in this instance I am compelled to speak of myself in my own de- fense. 2. A man in Christ ; a Chris- tian, referring doubtless to him- self. — Caught up; suddenly transported. — The third heaven; the spiritual heaven, the abode of the blessed. It is often thus designated by Jewish writers, to distinguish it from the region of the clouds, which they called the first heaven, and that of the heavenly bodies, which was the second. It is called paradise in v. 4. 4. Commentators have in- dulged themselves in many 658 II. CORINTHIANS. 12. 4— up into Paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for 5 a man to utter. On be- half of such a one will I glory : but on mine own behalf I will not glory, save in my weaknesses. 6 For if I should desire to glory, I shall not be fool- ish ; for I shall speak the truth : but I forbear, lest any man should account of me above that which he seeth me to be, or Theareth from me. And by reason of the exceed- ing greatness of the reve- lations— wherefore, that I should not be exalted overmuch, there was giv- en to me a ' thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Sa- 1 Or, stake fanciful speculations in regard to this statement respecting the entrance of the apostle into the spiritual world. We are not, however, authorized to add any thing to the account here given, or to understand by it anything more than Paul intended that this language should distinctly convey; which is, simply, that he received a special mark and token of the divine favor, in being admitted to an unusual communication with the spirit- ual world, of the nature and circumstances of which, how- ever, he purposely withholds all information. 5. Of such a one ; of one re- ceiving such a proof of the di- vine regard. — On mine own he- half; of my own personal char- acter and actions. tan to buffet me, that I should not be exalted overmuch. Concerning 8 this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. And he 9 hath said unto me, My grace is sufTicient for thee: for my power is made perfect i n weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my weaknesses, that the strength of Christ may "rest upon me. Where- 10 fore I take pleasure in weaknesses, in injuries, in necessities, in persecu- tions, in distresses, for Christ's sake : for when I am weak, then am I strong. I am become foolish : 11 2 Or, cover me Gr. spread a tabernacle over me. 7. The exceeding greatness of the revelations ; the greatness and extraordinariness of the revela- tion referred to above. — A thorn in the flesh ; some peculiar and long-continued temptation or trial, the nature of which he chose to conceal. [The broken character of Paul's language, exhibiting the intensity of his feeling, is represented by the involved and broken form of the sentence here. — A great deal has been written respecting this thorn in the flesh. The conclusion of Dean Alford, that he refers to some painful bodily malady, which put him to shame before those before whom he exercised his ministry, is generally ac- cepted by modern scholars, and there are some reasons from other allusions in his writings *-12. 20. II. CORINTHIANS. 659 ye compelled me ; for I ought to have been com- mended of you : for in nothing was I behind 'the very chiefest apostles, though I am nothing. 12 Truly the signs of an apostle were wrought among you in all pa- tience, by signs and won- ders and 2 mighty works. 13 For what is there wherein ye were made inferior to the rest of the churches, except it be that I myself was not a burden to you % forgive me this wrong. 14 Behold, this is the third time I am ready to come to you ; and I will not be a burden to you : for I seek not yours, but you : for the children ought not to lay up for the parents, but the pa- rents for the children. 1 Or, those preeminent apostles 2 Gr. powers. And I will most gladly 15 spend and be 3 spent for your souls. If I love you more abundantly,am I lov- ed the less % But be it so, 16 I did not myself burden you ; but, being crafty, I caught you with guile. Did I take advantage of 17 you by any one of them whom I have sent unto you? I exhorted Titus, 18 and I sent the brother with him. Did Titus take any advantage of you ? walked we not by the same Spirit? icalked toe not in the same steps \ 4 Ye think all this time 19 that we are excusing our- selves unto you. In the sight of God speak we in Christ. But all things, beloved, are for your edifying. For I fear, lest 20 by any means, when I for surmising that what he re- ferred to was a difficulty with the eyes, perhaps dating from the bright light which blinded ^ him at the time of his conver- sion.— L. A.] 12. Were wrought among you ; that is, by him, when he went first to plant the gospel among them. 13. This wrong ; if this be a wrong, forgive it. 14. The third time 1 am ready, &c. Ouce he had been among them; a second time he had intended to go, but circum- stances had prevented. This, therefore, was the third time of his forming such a design. — 3 Gr. spent out. 4 Or, Think ye. . you f The children. They were his children in a spiritual sense. 15. //' I love you, &c. ; will you love me the less, the more I love you ? The sentence is an appeal to their affections. 16. Be it so, I did not, &c. ; that is, perhaps it is so said, namely, that I did not burden you, but being crafty, &c. The verses which follow contain his reply to this supposed charge. 19. That we are excusing our- selves ; that we wish to defend ourselves. —Are for your edifying. Paul's real object was the devel- opment of such a state in the Corinthian church a£ would tend to their spiritual upbuilding. 660 II. CORINTHIANS. 12. 20- come, I should find you not such as I would, and should myself be found of you such as ye would not; lest by any means there slwiild be strife, jealousy, wraths, fac- tions, backbi tings, whis- perings, swellings, Jtu- 21 mults ; lest, when I come again, my God should humble me before you, and I should mourn for many of them that have sinned heretofore, and re- pented not of the unclean- ness and fornication and lasciviousness which they committed. 13 This is the third time I am coming to you. At the mouth of two wit- nesses or three shall every Sword be established. I have said 2 beforehand, and I do say 2 beforehand, 8 as when I wTas present the second time, so now, being absent, to them that have sinned hereto- fore, and to all the rest, that, if I come again, I 3 will not spare ; seeing 1 Or, disorders 2 Or, plainly 3 Or, a-i if 1 were present the second CHAPTER XIII. 1. I am coming; that I have formed the intention of coming. — At the mouth, &c. ; Deut. 19: 15. In a manner somewhat ana- logous, he was to bear his re- peated testimony before them. 3. Of vhrist that apeaheth in me; of my claim to authority that ye seek a proof of Christ that speaketh in me ; who to you-ward is not weak, but is power- ful in you : for he wTas 4 crucified through weak- ness, yet he 1 i v e t h through the power of God. For we also are weak 4 in him, but we shall live with him through the power of God toward you. . Try 5 your own selves, whether ye be in the faith ; prove your own selves. Or know ye not as to your own selves, that Jesus Christ is in you ? unless in- deed ye be reprobate. But 6 I hope that ye shall know that we are not reprobate. Now we pray to God that 7 ye do no evil ; not that we may appear approved, but that ye may do that which is honourable, 5 though we be as repro- bate. For we can do 8 nothing against the truth, but for the truth. For 9 we rejoice, when we are weak, and ye are strong : time, even though I am now absent 4 Many ancient authorities read with. 5 Gr. and that. from Christ. — Who ; that is, Christ. 4. Through weakness; in his state of humiliation. 5. Reprobate : sinnera guilty and condemned. 7. Not that we may, Arc. ; that is, not for that purpose. — As ru- probate J so regarded. -13. 14. II. CORINTHIANS. 66i this we also pray for, even your perfecting- 10 For this cause I write these things while absent, that I may not when present deal sharply, ac- cording to the authority which the Lord gave rne for building up, and not for casting down. 11 Finally, brethren, 'fare- well. Be perfected ; be comforted ; be of the 1 Or, rejoice ; be perfected 10. Deal sharply ; should feel urged to reproach you with even greater severity. The Old Version contained the following statement : "The second epistle to the Corinthians waa written from Philippi, a city same mind ; live in peace : and the God of love and peace shall be with you. Salute one la another with a holy kiss. All the saints salute 13 you. The grace of the Lord 14 Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the commun- ion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. of Macedonia, by Titus and Lucas." Like the other state- ments similar to it appended to other Epistles, this is without authority, and is therefore omit- ted in the New Version. THE EPISTLE TO THE GALATIANS. Galatia was one of the interior provinces of Asia Minor. Paul, probably, planted the gospel there during the journey which he took through that region, an account of which is given in Acts 13: 4 to 14: 26. It is true that Galatia is not particularly men- tioned in this account, though it might very probably be in- cluded in the general expression used in 14: 6, at the close of the verse. We find that, on the second journey of the apostle into Asia Minor, made for the purpose of visiting those churches which had been planted before, (Acts 15: 36,) Galatia is specified as a region included in the tour. (16: 6.) There is no direct evidence in respect to the condition of the Gala- tian churches, when this letter was written, — nor of the occasion which particularly called for it. It is evident, however, from the Epistle itself, that the same difficulty found its way to these churches, which seems, in a greater or less degree, to have af- fected nearly all the others, — namely, the difficulty arising from the attempts of the Jewish Christians to bring the Jewish law into the church, by compelling the Gentile converts to conform to the Mosaic ritual. These Jewish converts very naturally were prone to regard Christianity as the consummation and fulfilment of Judaism. At first they were very unwilling that the gospel should be offered to the Gentiles at all, and afterwards were dis- posed to insist that, if any Gentiles received it, they must be circumcised, and keep the law of Moses, as well as obey the precepts of Christ. Paul was often called to combat this error; and circumstances seem to have occurred, in the history of the Galatian churches, rendering some decided testimony against this perversion necessary for them ; for the subject constitutes the chief topic of discussion in this Epistle. Very various opinions, or rather conjectures, have been advanced in regard to the place where this Epistle was written ; but there is no sufficient evidence on which to foifnd a rational judgment. The statement at the end that it was written at Rome, is not to be considered as decisive authority. [662] —1. 9. GALATIANS. 6g; 1 Paul, an apostle (not from men, neither through x man, but through Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised him from the 2 dead), and all the breth- ren which are with me, unto the churches of Gfa- 3 latia : Grace to you and peace 2 from God the Father, and our Lord Je- 4 sus Christ, who gave him- self for our sins, that he might deliver us out of this present evil "world, according to the will of 5 our God and Father: to 1 Or, a man 2 Some ancient authorities read from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ. CHAPTER I. 1. Not from men. From vari- ous expressions occurring in Paul's Epistles, we infer that his authority as an apostle was sometimes called in question by his enemies. In fact, although he received his commission to preach the gospel directly, and in the most unequivocal manner, from Christ himself, he was not one of the twelve, to whom the term apostle more strictly and properly applied. From the dis- tinct and formal manner in which he maintains the divine origin of his call to preach the gospel, in this chapter, (11-24,) we may infer that his commission had been questioned by some persons inimical to him among the churches of Galatia. 6. From Mm that called you; from him who was the instrument of calling you ; referring appa- rently to himself, as the subse- whom be the glory 4for ever and ever. Amen. I marvel that ye are so 6 quickly removing from him that called you in the grace of Christ unto a dif- ferent gospel; which is 7 not another gospel : only there are some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. But though we, 8 or an angel from heaven, should preach B unto you any gospel 6 other than that which we preached unto you, let him be anathema. As we have 9 3 Or, age 4 Gr. unto the ages of the ages. 5 Some ancient authorities omit unto you. 6 Or, contrary to that queut train of remark seems to imply. The calling of the sinner is generally, in the writings of Paul, ascribed directly to God; though it may not improperly be ascribed to the human instrument through whose agency it is done. 7. Which is not another; not another gospel, but only a per- version of the gospel, as is stated in the close of the verse. A similar mode of expression, or rather turn of thought, occurs in 2 Cor. 11:4. 8, 9. Anathema; that is, ac- cursed; a phrase used in the Jewish formula of excommuni- cation, and indicating that the object anathematized was de- voted to destruction. The meaning is simply that it is utterly impossible that there should be another gospel ; that is, another system of religious truth, inconsistent with what had been revealed to him. 664 GALATIANS. 1. 9— said before, so say I now again, If* any man preach- eth unto you any gospel other than that which ye received, let him be ana- lOthema. For am I now persuading men, or God i or am I seeking to please men? if I were v still pleasing men, I should not be a ' servant of Christ. 11 For I make known to you, brethren, as touch- ing the gospel which was preached by me, that it 12 is not after man. For - neither did I receive it from 2man, nor was I taught it, but it came to me through revelation of 13 Jesus Christ. For ye have heard of my manner of life in time past in the 1 Gr. bondservant. 2 Or, a man 10. Persuading men ; seek the favor of men. 11. I make known to you; I assure you. — Is not after man; was not communicated to me by man; that is, it does not rest on human authority. 12. Of Jesus Christ. The apostle here refers to the direct interview which he had with Jesus Christ, when he was first called to preach the gospel, as recorded in Acts 9: 3-9. 13. The word conversation was used in the Old Version here, and in several other passages where the New Version substi- tutes manner of life ; this mean- ing was anciently attached to the word conversation. See Acts 9: 1,2. 14. And I advanced in the Jews' religion ; went forward ar- dently and zealously in it. — Jews1 religion, how that beyond measure I perse- cuted the church of God, and made havock of it : and I advanced in the 14 Jews' religion beyond many of mine own age 3 among my countrymen, being more exceedingly zealous for the traditions of my fathers. But when 15 it was the good pleasure of God, who separated me, even from my mother's womb, and called me through his grace, to reveal his Son in 16 me, that 1 might preach him among the Gentiles ; immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood : neither went I up t o 17 Jerusalem to them which were apostles before me : 3 Gr. in my race. Many of mine own age ; not my equals. The original implies, as the margin in the Old Version rendered it, equals in years. — The traditions of my fathers. There was a large body of doc- trines and precepts held as of divine authority by the Jews, which had come down from the fathers by tradition, — not being recorded in the word of God. Our Saviour often alluded to these traditions in his conversa- tions with the Pharisees. 16. To reveal his Son in me ; that is, when he was on his way to Damascus. — Conferred not with flesh and Mood ; consulted not with men. 17. Neither went 1 up, &c. ; that is, not immediately. — Into Arabia. Of this journey into Arabia, Luke, in the Acts, does not give any account. -2. 3. GALATIANS. GG5 but I went away into Arabia; and again I re- turned unto Damascus. 18 Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to x visit Cephas, and tarried with him fifteen 19 days. But other of the apostles saw I none, a save James the Lord' s brother. 20 Now touching the things which I write unto you, behold, before God, I lie 21 not. Then I came into the regions of Syria and 22Cilicia. And I was still unknown by face unto the churches Qf Judaea which 23 were in Christ: but they only heard say, He that 1 Or, become acquainted with 2 Or, but only 21. Acts 9:29, 30. 22. The churches ofJudea; that is, to those churches generally. It would seem, from the account in the Acts, that he must have been well known in Jerusalem. (Acts 9:26-28.) 24. The design of this whole passage (11-24) is, to vindicate the views of religious truth which the apostle had incul- cated, and which he was about to inculcate in this Epistle, by showing that they rested on no human authority, but on revela- tions made directly to him from the Lord Jesus Christ. CHAPTER II. 1. Fourteen years. In Acts 11 : 29, 30, a journey of Paul to Jerusalem is mentioned, and also another in 15 : 1-4. The latter has been generally sup- posed by commentators to be once persecuted us now preacheth the faith of which he once made havock ; and they glori- 24 tied God in me. Then 3 after the space 2 of fourteen years I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, taking Titus also with me. And 2 I went up by revelation; and I laid before them the gospel which I preach among the Gentiles, but privately before them who Svere of repute, lest by any means I should be running, or had run, in vain. But not even Titus 3 who was with me, being 3 Or, in the course of 4 Or. are the one here referred to. 2. By revelation; under divine guidance. He did not go to seek direction from the apostles at Jerusalem. — Them who were of repute ; James, Peter, and John, are particularly mentioned in v. 9. 3. Titus is often alluded to by Paul in his Epistles, though he is not mentioned in the Acts. He appears, like Timothy, to have been made a convert through Paul's instrumentality, and both afterwards became efficient and devoted fellow- laborers with the apostle. — Neither Titus — was compelled; that is, he did not allow him to be compelled. Paul caused Timothy to be circumcised, (Acts 16: 3,) his mother being a Jewess, but he would not allow Titus to be. He thus practised according to the principles nod GALATIAXS. 2. o- a Greek, was compelled 4 to be circumcised : 'and that because of the false brethren privily brought in, who came in privily to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage : 5 to whom we gave place in the way of subjection, no, not for an hour ; that the truth of the gospel might 6 continue with you. But from those who 2were reputed to be somewhat ('whatsoever they were, it maketh no matter to me: God accepteth not man's person) — they, I say, who were of repute imparted nothing to me : 1 Or, but it was because of 2 Or, are •which he always enjoined, yield ing to Jewish feelings so far as it was proper to do so, and re- sisting only when resistance was necessary in vindication of the truth. The reason why he would not allow Titus to be made a Jew is stated in the two follow- ing verses. 4. Into bondage; to the Jew- ish law. 5. Might continue with you; might be maintained among the churches. 6. Imparted nothing ; gave me no new light on the principles of Christianity. 7. We are to understand by this, not that such a division was officially made, giving Peter and Paul respectively the exclu- sive charge of the two great de but contrariwise, when 7 they saw that I had been intrusted with the gospel of the uncircumcision, even as Peter with the gospel of the circumcision (for he that wrought for 8 Peter unto the apostle- ship of the circumcision wrought for me also unto the Gentiles); and when 9 they perceived the grace that was given unto me, James and Cephas and John, they who 2were reputed to be pillars, gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship, that we should go unto the Gentiles, and they unto the circumcision ; only they would that we 10 3 Or, what they once were partments here referred to, but only that, in the course of divine providence, Paul had been led to preach more among the Gen- tile nations, and Peter more among the Jews. That the work of bringing the Gentiles into the kingdom of Christ was not wholly assigned to Paul, is evi- dent from the fact that Peter was the instrument of their first admission. (Acts 10:) 9. Who icere reputed to be ; who were regarded as pillars, not merely who seemed to be, as in the Old Version. 10. The pooi' ; the poor breth- ren in Judea. This charge Paul did not forget. He long after- wards raised contributions for them in Macedonia and Achaia. See 2 Cor. 9 : and note to v. 15. 2. 18. GALATIANS. 667 should remember the poor; which very thing I was also zealous to do. 11 But when Cephas came to Antioch, I resisted him to the face, because 12 he stood condemned. For before that certain came from James, he did eat with the Gfentiles : but when they came, he drew back and separated him- self, fearing them that were of the circumcision. 13 And the rest of the Jews dissembled likewise with him ; insomuch that even Barnabas was carried away with their dissimu- lation. But when I saw that they walked not up- rightly according to the truth of the gospel, I said unto Cephas before them all, If thou, being a Jew, livest as do the Gentiles, 1 Or, works of law 11. Cephas; the Greek name for Peter. — Because he stood con- demned; not merely was to oe Named. He was condemned by his own previous course — self- condemned. — Came to Antioch; had come and was residing there. 12. From James; who was at Jerusalem. — Them that were of the circumcision ; that is, those who had come from Jerusalem. 14. Walked not uprightly ; did not act honestly and openly. Some suppose that Paul's ad- dress to Peter ends with this verse ; others regard it as ex- tending to the end of the chap- ter. 15. By nature ; by birth. and not as do the Jews, how compellest thou the Gentiles to live as do the Jews \ We being Jews 15 by nature, and not sin- ners of the Gentiles, yet 16 knowing that a man is not justified by 'the works of the law, 2save through faith in Jesus Christ, even we be- lieved on Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith in Christ, and not by the works of the law : because by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified. But if, 17 while we sought to be jus- tified in Christ, we our- selves also were found sinners, is Christ a minis- ter of sin? God forbid. For if I build up again 18 those things which 1 de- stroyed, I prove myself a 2 Or, but only 16. Save through faith i vhrist ; that is, only as the works which he performs spring from a living faith, and are evidences of it. 17. Is Christ a minister of sin ? does the gospel promote and en- courage sin ? The apostle here digresses from his main subject of discussion to answer this ob- jection. 18. If 1 ouild up again, &c. ; if I return again to the sins which I had abandoned. The argument would seem to be that, although the Christian depends on faith in Christ, and not on legal observances, for salvation, yet he fully renounces all sin when he unites himself to GALATIANS. 2. 18— 19 transgressor. For I through ' the law died nnto ' the law, that I might live unto God. 20 1 have been crucified with Christ ; a yet I live ; and yet no longer I, but Christ liveth in me : and that life which I now live in the flesh I live in faith, the faith which is in the Son of G-od, who loved me, and gave himself up 21 for me. I do not make void the grace of God : for if righteousn.es is through 1 the law, then Christ died for nought. 3 O foolish Galatians, who did bewitrh you, be- fore whose eyes ' Jesus Christ was openly set 2 forth crucified ? This only would I learn from you, 1 Or, law 2 Or, and it is no longer I that live, but Christ Ac. 3 Or, toorks of law 4 Or, message 5 Or, do ye now make an end in the Christ, and the guilt and the re- sponsibility are altogether his own, if he return to sin again. 20. Christ liveth in me; Christ supplies me with that spiritual life, which both disposes and enables me to keep the divine law; thus showing that he is not the minister of sin. (v. 17.) CHAPTER III. 1. Bewitch you; delude you. In the Old Version were added the words, that ye should not obey the truth ; a clause inserted by some copyist to explain Paul's meaning. — Open ly set forth ; plainly preached. 3. Are ye now perfected in ; are ye going to seek perfection in. Received ye the Spirit by 3 the works of the law, .or by the 4 hearing of faith ? Are ye so foolish \ hav- 3 ing begun in the Spirit, 5 are ye now perfected in the flesh % Did ye suffer 4 so many things in vain \ if it be indeed in vain. He therefore that sup- 5 plieth to you the Spirit, and worketh "miracles 7 among you, doeth he it by 8 the works of the law, or by the 4 hearing of faith ? Even as Abraham 6 believed God, and it was reckoned unto him for righteousness. 8 K n o w 7 therefore that they which be of faith, the same are sons of Abraham. And 8 the scripture, foreseeing that God 'would justify flesh ? (i Gr powers. 7 Or, m 8 Or, Ye perceive 9 Gr. justifieth. 5. By the works of the law ; by Judaism. 7. Are sons of Abraham; whether Jews or not. If they share in the faith of Abraham, God considers them as his chil- dren. 8. All the nations ; that is, the Gentiles; thus showing that the extension of the offers of salva- i tion beyond the Jewish comma- ' nion was the design of God from the beginning. The argument here is much more fully stated in Paul's Epistle to the Romans, which should be compared throughout by the careful student. See especially Ro- mans, ch. 4. ^-3. 16. GALATIANS. 069 the x Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel be- forehand unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all the ' nations be blessed. 9 So then they which be of faith are blessed with the 10 faithful Abraham. For as many as are of 2 the works of the law are un- der a curse : for it is written, Cursed is every one which continueth not in all things that are written in the book of the 11 law, to do them. Nov/ that no man is justified 3 by the law in the sight of God, is evident : for, The righteous shall live 12 by faith; and the law is not of faith ; but, He that doeth them shall live in 13 them. Christ redeemed us 1 Gr. nations. 2 Or, works of law 12. That doeth them. ; that is, that fully obeys the requirements of the law. — Shall live in them ; shall be saved by them. 13. The curse of the lain ; the terrible penalty of the law. — Having become a curse for us ; in the condemnation, sufferings, and death, which he endured for us. — Cursed, &c. ; Deut. 21: 23. 14. The Messing of Abraham; the blessing pronounced upon Abraham. 15. Though it be, &c. The meaning of this and the follow- ing verses is, that even human covenants, once made and con- firmed by the usual forms, are not affected by subsequent trans- actions; and the promises made to Abraham being conditioned originally on faith, these condi- from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us : for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree : that upon the Gen- 14 tiles might come the blessing of Abraham in Christ Jesus ; that wTe might receive the prom- ise of the Spirit through faith. Brethren, I speak after 15 the manner of men: Though it be but a man's 4 covenant, yet when it hath been confirmed, no one maketh it void, or addeth thereto. Now to 16 Abraham wrere the prom- ises spoken, and to his seed. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy 3 Gr. in. 4 Or, testament tions could not subsequently be altered by the giving of the law, centuries later. 16. And to seeds, as of many. There has been great diversity of opinion in respect to this pas- sage. The argument would seem to be, that the seed of Abraham, in whose favor the promise was made, was regarded as one community, to be saved on one common principle, so that all, whether they lived before the law, or during the continu- ance of the law, or under the gospel, constitute but one seed, to be saved in one way ; and that one way must be by faith. — Which is Christ; the whole body of believers in Christ. The word Christ is used in a similar sense in 1 Cor. 12 : 12, . and in other places. o:o GALATIANS. 3. 10— seed, which is Christ. 17 Now this I say ; A ' cove- nant confirmed before- hand by God, the law, which came four hundred and thirty years after, doth not disannul, so as to make the promise of 18 none effect. For if the inheritance is of the law, it is no more of promise : but God hath granted it to Abraham by promise. 19 What then is the law 1 It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise hath been made ; and it was ordained through angels by the hand of a media- 20 tor. Now a mediator is not a mediator of one ; 21 but God is one. Is the law then against the promises of God ? God forbid: for if there had been a law given which 1 Or, testament could make alive, verily righteousness would have been of the law. Howl \e- 22 it the scripture hath shut up all things under sin, that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to them that be- lieve. But before 2faith came, 23 we were kept in ward un- der the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed. So that the law hath been 24 our tutor to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But now that 25 faith is come, we are no longer under a tutor. For 26 ye are all sons of God, through faith, in Christ Jesus. For as many of 27 you as were baptized into Christ did put on Christ. There can be neither Jew 28 nor Greek, there can be 2 Or, the faith 18. Of promise; that is, in fulfilment of a promise. 19. Because of transgressions ; to restrain transgressions. — The seed should come; that is, until the generation should come in which the kingdom of Christ was to be established, and the promises of the covenant ful- filled.— Was ordained, &c. The latter clause of this verse, to- gether with the verse which fol- lows, is a passage which has in all ages baffled the learning and ingenuity of commentator-. Va rious conjectures have been of- fered, but they throw but little light upon the meaning. Jowett says "this passage has received four hundred and thirty inter- pretations." 24. The law hath been our tu- tor ; Tutor ; the original signi- fies a guardian slave who accom- panied the little child to school. The meaning here is that the law was only the means of pre- paratory training, by which the Jewish nation was led on to sal- vation by Christ. 27. Did }>ut on Christ ; that is, became so united with Christ as to form one body of belieTcrs in him. —4. ia GALATIANS. 671 neither bond nor free, there can be no male and female : for ye all are one man in Christ Jesus. 29 And if ye are Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, heirs according to promise. 4 But I say that so long as the heir is a child, he differeth nothing from a bondservant, though he is 2 lord of all ; but is under guardians and stewards until the term appointed 3 of the father. So -we also, when we were chil- dren, were held in bond- age under the Rudiments 4 of the world: but when the fulness of the time came, God sent forth his Son, born of a woman, 5 born under the law, that he might redeem them which were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. 1 Or, elements CHAPTER IV. 1. Though he is lord of all ; though he is to inherit all. 3. The rudiments of the world. The exact meaning of Paul's phrase here is not quite clear. Alford and Conybeare translate, " Tiie elementary lessons of out- ward things;" and this undoubt- edly expresses the general mean- ing. The Jews were under exter- nal and tangible rules and regula- tions; they were not ushered into the spiritual liberty of the children of God. 4. The fulness of the time ; the full time predicted. — Born under And because ye are sons, 6 God sent forth the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, Abba, Father. So 7 that thou art no longer a bondservant, but a son ; and if a son, then an heir through God. Howbeit at that time, 8 not knowing God, ye were in bondage to them which by nature are no gods : but now that ye have 9 come to know God, or rather to be known of God, how turn ye back again to the weak and beggarly 'rudiments, wherennto ye desire to be in bondage over again % Ye observe days, andio months, and seasons, and years. I am afraid ofn you, lest by any means I have bestowed labour up- on you in vain. I beseech you, breth-12 ren, be as I am, for I am the law ; born a Jew, and conse- quently under the Mosaic insti- tutions. 5. That he might redeem them, &c. ; thus showingthat they owe their redemption not to their Judaism, but to their Christian- ity. 7. Compare Romans 8 : 15-17. 8. The apostle here appears to address the Gentile portion of the Galatian churches. 10. Ye observe; that is, reli- giously; depending upon such observances for acceptance with God. 12. This passage is evidently 672 GALATIANS. 4. 12— as ye are. Ye did me no 13 wrong : but ye know that because of an infirmity of the flesh I preached the gospel unto you the 14 'first time: and that which was a temptation to you in my flesh ye de- spised not, nor a rejected ; but ye received me as an angel of God, even as 15 Christ Jesus. Where then is that gratulation 3 of yourselves ? for I bear you witness, that, if possible, ye would have plucked out your eyes and given them to me. 16 So then am I become your 1 Gr. former. 2 Gr. spat out. elliptical, and is considered ob- scure. 13. Because of an infirmity of the flesh. The implication is, that on account of an illness, he first preached in Galatia; per- haps having been detained there when otherwise he would have gone on. The Galatians, how- ever, none the less warmly welcomed him and his minis- try. 14. As Christ Jesus ; as clothed with his authority. 15. Where, then, is that gratu- lation ? &c. ; what has become of the congratulation which you expressed because of this appa- rently accidental preaching of the gospel, since now you have fallen away from the gospel, and gone back to the law ? — Ye would hare plucked out your eyes ; an indication that Paul was suf- fering from trouble with the eyes, perhaps due to the blind- ness experienced in the sudden enemy, because I 4 tell you the truth? They 17 zealously seek you in no good way ; nay, they de- sire to shut you out, that ye may seek them. But 18 it is good to be zealously sought in a good matter at all times, and not only when I am present with you. My little children, 19 of whom I am again in travail until Christ be formed in you, yea, 1 20 could wish to be present with you now, and to change my voice ; for I am perplexed about you. Tell me, ye that desire 21 3 Or, of yours 4 Or, deal truly ivith you illumination at the time of his conversion. 17. They ; the false teachers. — Zealously seek you ; pretend to be ardently interested in your welfare. — Shut you out; separate you; that is, from me. — That ye may seek them ; that is, follow them as their disciples. 18. In a good matter, &c. It is difficult to find an explanation of these words suitable to what has preceded and what follows. The meaning is, perhaps, It is well that you and they should thus seek one another for a good purpose!; but it is a pity that you should cease to seek me as soon as I am absent from you. 19. Of whom 1 am again in travail; for whom I feel the deepest solicitude and anxiety. 20. To change my voice ; that is, to administer admonition and reproof to them, which it had not been necessary to do wh«n he was with them before. ^-5. 1. GALATIANS. 673 to be under the law, do ye 22 not hear the law I For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, one by the handmaid, and one by the 23 freewoman. Howbeit the son by the handmaid is born after the flesh ; but the son by the freewoman is horn through promise. 24 Which things contain an allegory : for these women are two covenants ; one from mount Sinai, bear- ing children unto, bond- age, which is Hagar. 25 ' Now this Hagar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and an- swereth to the Jerusalem that now is : for she is in bondage with her 26 children. But the Jeru- salem that is above is free, which is our mother. 27 For it is written, Rejoice, thou barren that bear est not ; 1 Many ancient authorities read For is a mountain in Arabia. 22. The handmaid ; Hagar. 24. An allegory ; that is, may be regarded as such. — These women are two covenants ; may be considered as representing the two covenants. — Bearing children unto bondage; that is, those who were educated under the sanction of Sinai, and lived under the law, •were in bondage to the law. 25. Is Mount Sinai ; that is, represents Mount Sinai in this illustration. Why Hagar should be regarded as a representative of Mount Sinai, is not clear; Some scholars suppose because Sinai is in the country of the descendants of Hagar; others suppose that the word Hagar Break forth and cry, thou that travailest not : For more are the chil- dren of the desolate than of her which hath the husband. Now 2we, brethren, as 28 Isaac was, are children of promise. But as then he 29 that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the spirit, even so it is now. How- 30 beit what saith the Scrip- ture ? Cast out the hand- maid and her son : for the son of the handmaid shall not inherit with the son of the freewoman. Wherefore, brethren, we 31 are not children of a handmaid, but of the freewoman. 3 With freedom d i d 5 Christ set us free : stand fast therefore, and be not 2 Many ancient authorities read ye. 3 Or, For freedom among the Arabians was used, or supposed by Paul to be used, as a name for Mount Sinai. 26. Jerusalem that is above ; the spiritual Jerusalem ; that is, the body of believers under the gos- pel. 27. It is written ; Isa. 54 : 1. 29. He that was born after the flesh; Ishmael, the son of Hagar. — Him that teas born after the Spirit ; Isaac. 30. Cast out, &c. The rejection of Hagar thus represents the re- jection of the bondage and servitude entailed by the Jewish law. CHAPTER V. 1. With freedom, &c. ; or with 674 GALATIANS. 5. 1 entangled again in a yoke of bondage. 2 Behold, I Paul say unto yon, that, if ye receive circumcision, Christ will 3 profit you nothing. Yea, I testify again to every man that receiveth cir- cumcision, that he is a debtor to do the whole 4 law. Ye are 'severed from Christ, ye who would be justified by the law ; ye are fallen away from 5 grace. For we through the Spirit by faith wait for the hope of righteous- 6ness. For in Christ Je- sus neither circumcision 1 Gr. brought to nought. thai freedom, that is, the free- dom indicated in the previous chapter. — Be not entangled again ; do not return again to the bondage of Jewish rites from which you have been deliv- ered. 2. If ye receive circumcision ; if you seek salvation through this rite, and rely upon it as the ground of acceptance with God. 3. He is a debtor, &c. ; that is, if he depends upon the law for justification, he must obey it in full. 4. Ye are severed from Christ; by seeking justification through the works of the law, the soul separates itself from Christ. His mission is that of mercy to those who have fallen short of perfect obedience to the law. — Ye are fallen away from grace; the mean- ing is, not that every one who attempts to stand before God by doing the works of the law is given over to a reprobate mind, but lie is fallen away from the availeth any thing, nor uncircnmcision ; butfafth 2 working through love. Ye were running well ; 7 who did hinder you that ye should not obey the truth ? This persuasion 8 came not of him that calleth you. A little 9 leaven leaveneth the whole lump. I have con- 10 fidence to you-ward in the Lord, that ye will be none otherwise minded : but he thattroubleth you shall bear his judgement, whosoever he be. But 1, 11 brethren, if I still preach circumcision, why am I 2 Or, wrought liberty and the joy which be- longs with that experience of hope, and trust, and love, which rests wholly and unreservedly on the unbought grace and mercy of God. 5. Wait for; depend upon. We are looking to that source as the ground of our reliance. 8. This persuasion ; this idea that }'ou must come under obli- gation to the Mosaic law. 9. A little leaven, &c. ; that is, the error had arisen from the in- fluence of a small number, though it had spread extensively among them. 10. His judgment ; the just judgment of God. 11. It would seem from this passage that Paul had himself been charged with adhering to the necessity of circumcision. There would be no longer this opposition to Paul and his preaching if it were true that he preached the necessity of obe- dience to the Jewish law. — Per- secuted ; that is, from the Jews. -5. 26. GALATIANS. 675 still persecuted ? then hath the stumblingblock of the cross been done 12 away. I would that they which unsettle you would even * cut themselves off. 13 For ye, brethren, were called for freedom ; only use not yoilr freedom for an occasion to the flesh, but through love be ser- Uvants one to another. For the whole law is fulfilled in one word, even in this ; Thou shalt love thy 15 neighbour as thyself. But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another. 16 But I say, Walk by the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. 17 For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh ; for these are contrary the one to the other ; that ye may not do the things 18 that ye would. But if ye are led by the Spirit, ye 1 Or, mutilate themselves 2 Or, parties 12. That they which unsettle you; not merely, trouble you. 13. For an occasion to the flesh; for the indulgence of sinful pro- pensities. — Be servants one to another. The language is stronger than that of the Old Version, serve one another. 16. Ye shall not fulfil ; ye will not fulfil. 22. [The Revisers have here substituted faithfulness f o r faith, as given in the Old Version; a are not under the law. Now the works of the 19 llesh are manifest, which are these, fornication, un- cleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, sorcery, e n- 20 mities, strife, jealousies, wraths, factions, divi- sions, 2 heresies, envyings, 21 drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I 3 forewarn you, even as I did 3 forewarn you, that they which practise such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of 22 the Sf)irit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faith- fulness, meekness, 23 4 temperance : against such there is no law. And they that are of 24 Christ Jesus have cruci- fied the flesh with the passions and the lusts thereof. If we live by the Spirit, 25 by the Spirit let us also walk. Let us not be 26 3 Or, tell you plainly 1 Or, self-control change which does not seem to me to be justified. The original is the same word usually ren- dered faith, and however the commentator may think that it is here used, not as the root of all virtues, but for a particular virtue, that of fidelity, that is a conclusion to be drawn rather from the general structure of the passage than from the par- ticular word employed by th« ■lpostle. — L. A.] G7G GALATIANS. 5. 26— vainglorious, provoking one another, envying one another. 6 Brethren, even if a man be overtaken in any tres- „ pass, ye which are spiritual, restore such a one in a spirit of meek- ness ; looking to thyself, lest thou also be tempted. 2 Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the 3 law of Christ. For if a man thinketh himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth 4 himself. But let each man prove his own work, and then shall he have his glorying in regard of himself alone, and. not of 5 1 his neighbour. For each man shall bear his own 2 burden. 6 But let him that is taught in the word communicate unto him that teacheth in all good 7 things. Be not deceived ; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, 1 Gr. the other. 2 Or, load 3 Or, write 4 Or, CHAPTER VI. 5. For each man, &c. ; that is, his happiness must depend upon his own inward character. G. Communicate; share with; that is, let the taught provide for the comfortable subsistence of their teachers. 7. Is not mocked ; cannot be deceived. 11. See with how large letters; that shall he also reap. For he that soweth unto 3 his own flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption ; but he that soweth unto the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap eternal life. And 9 let us not be weary in welldoing : for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not. So then, as 10 we have opportunity, let us work that which is good toward all men, and especially toward them that are of the household of the faith. See with how large ll letters I 3have written unto you with mine own hand. As many as desire 12 to make a fair show in the flesh, they compel you to be circumcised ; only that they may not be persecuted 4for the cross of Christ. For not 13 even they who "receive circumcision d o them- selves keep ° the law ; but they desire to have you 5 Some ancient authorities read hav* been circumcised. 6 Or, a law not, how large a letter. The apostle h taken up the pen and added a few emphatic sentences, and calls attention to his own chirography; the rest of the Epistle having been written by an amanuensis. 12. To male a fair show in the flesh; to make an outward dis- play of sanctity. 13. In your flesh ,\ in your ceremonial obsurvuueess. -6. 18. GALATIANS. 67-r circumcised, that they may glory in your flesh. 14 But far be it from me to glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through \ which the world hath been crucified unto me, and I unto the world. 15 For neither is circum- cision any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new 16 'creature. And as many 1 Or, whom 17. Branded on my liody. The original implies the marks branded on slaves to indicate their owners. Paul is generally supposed here to refer to some marks of bodily injury which he had sustained in the service of Christ; but may not the refer- ence be to that difficulty with his eyes, to which he has im- pliedly referred in chapter 4: 15, which may have disfigured 27 as shall walk by this rule, peace be upon them, and mercy, and upon the Israel of God. From henceforth let no 17 man trouble me : for I bear branded on my body the marks of Jesus. The grace of our Lord 18 Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brethren. Amen. 2 Or, creation his appearance, and to which a man of his intense nature might have been keenly sensitive? This difficulty, if produced by the sudden light which shone upon him at the time of his conver- sion, might well be termed by him a "mark of Jesus." The Old Version contained the following subscription. " Unto the Galatians, written from Rome." THE EPISTLE TO THE EPHESIANS. Ephesfs was one of the most celebrated of the cities of Asia Minor and the metropolis of the province in -which it was sit- uated. It occupies a prominent place among the cities which Paul visited in his travels. It was here that the great disturb- ance took place, which was excited by Demetrius and his fellow- craftsmen, as recorded Acts 19; Here, also, Paul wrote the First Epistle to the church at Corinth. From the expressions in this Epistle, implying that the writer was a prisoner, (4: 1; 6: 19, 20,) it seems evident that it was written at Rome; and it is supposed that the Epistle to the Colossians was written and sent at the same time. (Compare Eph. 6: 21, and Col. 4: 7.) Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus through the will of God, to the saints which are 'at Ephesus, and the faithful in Christ 2 Jesus : Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Je- sus Christ. 3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly * places in Christ : even as 1 Some very ancient authorities omit at Ephesus. CHAPTER I. 4. He chose us — that we should be holy ; h'.\th designed and in- tended us to be made holy. G. Of his grace; of his good- ness and mercy. — Which he freely bestowed an tie ; the mean- [678] he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blemish before 2 him in love : hav- 5 ing foreordained us unto adoption as sons through Jesus Christ unto him- self, according to the good pleasure of his will, to the praise of the glory 6 of his grace, 3 which he freely bestowed on us in the Beloved: in whom 7 we have our redemption 2 Or, him : having in love fore ordained tie 3 Or, wherewith he endued us ing is disputed, some scholars giving that of the Old Version, wherein he hath made us ac- rspictl ; others giving that of the New Version. 7. Through his blood; through his sufferings and death. -1. 18. EPHES1ANS. through his blood, the forgiveness of our tres- passes, according to the 8 riches of his grace, : which he made to abound to- ward us in all wisdom and 9 prudence, having made known unto us the mys- tery of his will, according to his good pleasure which 10 he purposed in him unto a dispensation of the ful- ness of the "times, to sum up all things in Christ, the things 3 in the heav- ens, and the things upon the earth ; in him, / say, 11 in whom also we were made a heritage, having been foreordained accord- ing to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his 12 will; to the end that we should be unto the praise of his glory, we who 4 had before hoped in Christ : 1 Or, wherewith he abounded 2 Gr. seasons. 3 Gr. upon. 4 Or, have 9. The mystery of his will; the secret counsels of his will. 10. The fulness of times; when the full time had arrived. — Sum up all things, &c. ; establish the kingdom of Christ, to which all things were to be subjected. 11. We were made a heritage; that is, an inheritance of Christ. 12. We who had oefore hoped in Christ ; or first trusted in Christ ; that is, we Jewish Christians who, before Christ came, were looking for his com- ing, as contrasted with the Gen- tiles, to whom the revelation of Christ was, as it were, a sur- in whom ye also, having is heard the word of the truth, the gospel of your salvation, — in whom, hav- ing also believed, ye were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, which 14 is an earnest of our in- heritance, unto the re- demption of God's own possession, unto the praise of his glory. For this cause I also, is having heard of the faith in the Lord Jesus which is "among you, and "which ye slieio toward all the saints, cease not to give l** thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers; that the God of 17 our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you a spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him ; having the eyes of youris 5 Or, in 6 Many ancient authorities insert the love. prise. 13. Spirit of promise; the Spirit which had been promised. (Acts 1 : 8.) The influences of the Holy Spirit upon the minds of Christians are often spoken of as the seal and evidence of their redemption. 14. An earnest; the pledge and assurance. — Unto the re- demption, &c. ; until the time shall come for the full enjoy- ment of the possession thus pur- chased for us. 17. And revelation; that is, instruction in divine truth. 18. The hope of his calling; 080 EPHESIANS. 1. 18- heart enlightened, that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the 19 saints, and what the ex- ceeding greatness of his power to us- ward who be- lieve, according to that working of the strength of his might 20 which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and made him to sit at his right hand in the heav- 21 enly places, far above all rale, and authority, and power, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this ' world, but also in that which is 22 to come: and he put all things in subjection under his feet, and gave him to be head over all things to 23 the church, which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all. 2 And you did he quick- 1 Or, age 2 Gr. thoughts. the nature and value of the hope which the calling of the believer opens before him. CHAPTER II. 1. Quicken; bring to life. - - Through your trespasses, &c. ; that is spiritually dead because of them. This passage (1— 10) is remarkable for the very strong and unequivocal language in which the efficient agency in re- spect to human salvation is ascribed to God alone. en, when ye were de"ad through your trespasses and sins, wherein afore* S time ye walked according to the l course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that now worketh in the sons of disobedience a m o n g 3 whom we also all once lived in the lusts of our flesh, doing the desires of the flesh and of the 2 mind, and were by na- ture* children of wrath, even as the rest: — but 4 God, being rich in mercy, for his great love where- with he loved us, evens when we were dead through our trespasses, quickened us together 3 with Christ (by grace have ye been saved), and 6 raised us up with him, and made us to sit with him in the heavenly places, in Christ Jesus : that in the ages to come 7 3 Some ancient authorities read in Christ. 2. The prince of the power of the air ; Satan. 3. Once lived. The Old Ver- sion read, Had our conversation ; the word conversation here being used in the obsolete sense of way of life. — 7V/' rest ; not merely others, but all those who are unsaved. 5. Bead through our tres- passes ; that is, utterly lost in sin, — without life or hope. 0. In heavenly places; in th« spiritual kingdom of Christ. 2. 19- EPHESIANS. 681 lie might shew the ex- ceeding riches of his grace in kindness toward 8 us in Christ Jesus : for by grace have ye been saved through faith ; and that not of yourselves : 9 it is the gift of God : not of works, that no man 10 should glory. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God afore prepared that we should walk in them. 11 Wherefore remember, that aforetime ye, the Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called Circumcision, in theliesh, 12 made by hands ; that ye were at that time sepa- rate from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of the promise, having no hope 1 Gr. preached good tidings of peace. 8. And that not of yourselves ; even the act of faith through which salvation is bestowed, is not of yourselves. Thus not only the favor, but even the willingness to receive the favor, is the gift of God. 10. His icorkmanship ; that is, in respect to the formation in us of the Christian spirit and tem- per. 11. Called Uncircumcision. This was then a term of re- proach.— By that, &c. ; by the Jews. — Made by hands ; that is, bodily circumcision-, — so desig- nated" to distinguish it from a and without God in the world. But now in Christ 13 Jesus ye that once were far off are made nigh in the blood of Christ, For 14 he is our peace, who made both one, and brake down the middle wall of par- tition, having abolished 15 in his flesh the enmity, even the law of command- ments contained in ordi- nances ; that he might create in himself of the twain one new man, so making peace ; and might 16 reconcile them both in one body unto God through the cross, having slain the enmity thereby : and he came and ' preach- 17 ed peace to you that were far off, and peace to them that were nigh : for 18 through him we both have our access in one Spirit unto the Father. So then ye are no more 19 spiritual state of obedience and faith which is sometimes called circumcision, as in Col. 2: 11. 12. Strangers from the cove- nants; not included in the cove- nants. 14. Both one; both Jew and Gentile one in him. 15. The enmity ; the ground of enmity; that is, of separation and of hostile feeling. — Contain- ed in ordinances ; in the Jewish ceremonial law. — One new man ; one new community or body. 17. You that were far off; the Gentiles. — Them that were the Jews, 682 EPHESIANS. 2. 19— strangers and sojourners, but ye are fellow-citizens with the saints, and of the household of God, 20 being built upon the foundation of the apos- tles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the 21 chief corner stone ; in whom 'each several build- ing, fitly framed together, groweth into a holy 2tem- 22 pie in the Lord ; in whom ye also are builded to- gether 3for a habitation of God in the Spirit. 3 For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Christ Je- sus in behalf of you Gen- 2 tiles, —if so be that ye have heard of the 'dis- pensation of that grace of God which was given 3 me to you-ward ; how that by revelation was made known unto me the mystery, as I wrote afore 4 in few words, whereby, when ye read, ye can per- ceive my understanding 1 Gr. every building. 2 Or, sanctuary 3 Gr. into. CHAPTER III. 1. The prisoner. This Epistle is supposed to have been written when I*aul was at Rome, con- fined with a chain. (Acts 28: 16, 30.) 2. The dispensation of that (/race of God; the commission to make known the grace of God. — To you-ward; for your benefit. 3. The mystery ; the hidden truth that the kingdom of the Messiah was to be extended to the Gentiles, as stated particu- in the mystery of Christ ; which in other genera- 5 tions was not made known unto the sous of men, as it hath now been revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets in the Spirit; to wit, that the 6 Gentiles are fellow- heirs, and fellow-members of the body, and fellow-par- takers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel, whereof I was 7 made a minister, accord- ing to the gift of that grace of God which was given me according to the working of his power. Unto me, who am less 8 than the least of all saints,, was this grace given, to preach unto the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ ; and to© 5 make all men see what is the 4 dispensation of the mystery which from all ages hath been hid in God who created all 4 Or, 'stewardship 5 Some ancient authorities read bring to light what is. larly in v. 6. — As I wrote afore ; referring, perhaps, to what he had said in 1: 3-13. 7. Whereof J was made a min- ister ; that is, I was made the instrument of making known to the Gentiles these designs of God in respect to their salvation. 9. Dispensation of the mystery; that is, the mysterious dispensa- tion; the revelation of that love of God which passes all know- ledge.— Who created all tilings. The Old Version added tfce 3. 21- EPHESIANS. 083 10 things; to the intent that now unto the principali- ties and the powers in the heavenly places might be made known through the church the manifold wis- lidom of God, according to the1 eternal purpose which he purposed in • Christ Jesus our Lord : 12 in whom we have bold- ness and access in confi- dence through a our faith 13 in him. Wherefore I ask that3 ye faint not at my tribulations for you, which 4 are your glory. 14 For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father, 15 from whom every "family in heaven and on earth is 16 named, that he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, 1 Gr. purpose of the ages. 2 Or, the faith of him words by Jesus Christ, on the authority of some mauuscripts, but probably a doctrinal addi- tion by some copyist. 10. Through the church; that is, by means of God's gracious dealings with the church. 13. Ye faint not ; be not dis- tressed and disheartened. — For you; for you Gentiles ; not par- ticularly for the Ephesians. — Which are your glory ; which are for your glory; that is, his trials and sufferings were designed to be the means of promoting their eternal good. 14. Unto the Father. The words of our Lord Jesus Christ, added here in the Old Version, are wanting in the best manu- that ye may be strength- ened with power through his Spirit in the inward man ; that Christ may 17 dwell in your hearts through faith ; to the end that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, may be 18 strong to apprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to 19 know the love of Christ which passeth know- , ledge, that ye may be filled unto all the fulness of God. ISTow unto him that is 20 able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, accord- ing to the power that worketh in us, unto him 21 be the glory in the church / 3 Or, / 4 Or, ts 5 Gr. fatherhood. scripts, and are really not con- gruous to the passage. God is here represented as the Father of the entire family of his crea- tures, both in heaven and on earth. 18. May be strong to appre- hend ; not intellectually to com- prehend, but to lay hold of, to accept and entirely receive the love of Christ. 19. Unto all the fulness of God; each in his own individual ca- pacity, but all to their utmost capacity, filled with all the ful- ness of the divine riches of mercy and love. 21. The translation here fol- lows more literally the Greek than did the Old Version. 68± EPHESIANS. 3. 21— and in Christ Jesus unto 'all generations for ever and ever. Amen. 4 I therefore, the pris- oner in the Lord, beseech you to walk worthily of the calling wherewith ye 2 were called, with all low- liness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing 3 one another in love ; giv- ing diligence to keep the unity of the Spirit in the 4 bond of peace. There is one body, and one Spirit. even as also ye were called in one hope of your call- sing ; one Lord, one faith, 6 oue baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all, and through all, and 7 in all. But unto each one of us was the grace given 1 Gr. all the generations of the age of the ages. CHAPTER IV. I. 1 therefore, &c. Here the apostle resumes what he had be- gun to say at the commencement of the last chapter. 3. The unity of the Spirit ; spiritual union and harmony. 4. One body ; meaning the church, that is, the community of believers. 5. One Lord ; one Saviour. — One faith ; one system of re- vealed truth. — One baptism ; one Christian profession. 8. Ps. C8:18. 9. Into the hirer parts of the earth ; into the grave. II. The meaning is, that he has endued his ministers with a diversity of talents and qualifi- cations! We are not probably to understand these expressions as according to the measure of the gift of Christ. Wherefore he saith, 8 "When he ascended on high, he led captivity captive, And gave gifts unto men. (Now this, He ascended, 9 what is it but thathealso descended ainto the lower parts of the earth? He 10 that descended is the same also that ascended far above all the heavens, that he might till all tilings.) And he gave 11 some to be apostles ; and s o m e, prophets ; and some, evangelists ; and some, pastors and teach- ers ; for the perfecting of 12 the saints, unto the work 2 Some ancient authorities insert first. referring to so many distinct and specific offices. The powers exercised by the leading mem- bers cf the early church were not well defined, and marked, and systematically arranged, as official duties generally are in modern times. They varied with circumstances and with the personal character of the individuals who exercised them; as is every where implied in the different allusions to this subject which occur. 12. 13. Unto the work of min- istering, &c. ; that is, these va- rious officers are appointed to do a work of service, that they may build up the church of Christ unto a unity of faith, and a per- fected manhood, according to the measure of Christ's stature. 4. 26— EPHESIANS. 685 of ministering, unto the building up of the body 13 of Christ: till we all at- tain unto the unity of the faith, and of the know- » ledge of the Son of God, unto a fullgrown man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of 14 Christ: that we may be no longer children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, in craftiness, after the wiles of error : 15 but 'speaking truth in love, may grow up in all things into him, which is the head, even Christ ; 16 from whom all the body fitly framed and knit to- gether a through that which every joint sup- plieth, according to the working in due measure of each several part, mak- eth the increase of the body unto the building up of itself in love. 17 This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye no longer walk as the Gentiles also walk, in the vanity of their 1 Or, dealing truly 2 Gr. through every joint of the supply. 14. The sleight; the skilful- Dess. 16. From whom; by whose power. — According to, &c. ; that is, each part performing its own special and proper function. 22. Manner of life ; a wise substitute for the word conversa- mind, being darkened in 18 their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the igno- rance that is in them, be- cause of the hardening of their heart; who being 19 past feeling gave them- selves up to lascivious- ness, 3 to work all unclean- ness with 4 greediness. But ye did not so learn 20 Christ; if so be that ye 21 heard him, and were taught in him, even as truth is in Jesus : that ye 22 put away, as concerning your former manner of life, the old man, which waxeth, corrupt after the lusts of deceit ; and that 23 ye be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and 24 put on the new man, 'which after God hath been created in righteous- ness and holiness of truth. Wherefore, p u 1 1 i n g 25 away falsehood, speak ye truth each one with his neighbour : for we are members one of another. Be ye angry, and sin not : 26 Let not the sun go down 3 Or, to make a trade of 4 Or, covetousness "• 5 Or, ichich is after God, created <&c. tion, which, in the Old Version, was here used in the obsolete sense of manner of life. — The old** man ; the former evil character. 25. We are members, &c. ; we are bound together as members of one !>ody. 2(5. Be yc angry, &c. ; never 68he fact, (see Introduction to The grace of the Lord 23 Jesus Christ be with your spirit. this Epistle,) but the statement is not authoritative, and is there- fore omitted from the New Ver- sion, as are all similar subscrip- tions. THE EPISTLE TO THE COLOSSIANS. While Paul was suffering the imprisonment at Rome spoken of at the close of the book of the Acts, he availed himself of the opportunity afforded by the journey of Tychicus, who conveyed the Epistle to the Ephesians to its destination, to write also to two other churches of Asia Minor, namely, those of Colosse and Laodicea. (4:16.) These places were near each other, some distance east of Ephesus. Paul had not personally visited these churches. (2:1.) Epaphras is mentioned (1:7) as their minister. In the exhortations and instructions which the Epistle contains, it resembles that addressed to the Ephesians, which was sent by the same conveyance. Onesimus, the servant ' of Philemon, who appears to have lived at Colosse, returned at the same time, (4 : 9) bearing the letter which Paul wrote to his master, known in the sacred canon as the Epistle to Philemon. 1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus, through the will of God, and Timothy 2 'our brother, 2to the saints and faithful breth- ren in Christ which are at Colossse : Grace to you and peace from God our Father. 3 We give thanks to God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, pray- 1 Gr. the brother. CHAPTER I. 2. The Old Version added the words, and the Lord Jesus Christ, but they are wanting in the best manuscript authorities, and were probably added by ing always for you, hav-4 ing heard of your faith in Christ Jesus, and of the love which ye have toward all the saints, be- 5 cause of the hope which is laid up for you in the heavens, whereof ye heard before in the word of the truth of the gos- pel, which is come unto 6 you ; even as it is also in 2 Or, to those that are at Colossce, holy and faithful brethren in Christ some copyist to make this benediction correspond to those in other Epistles. 6. In all the world; that is, very generally throughout the then known world. T7031 704 COLOSSIANS. 1. 6- all tlie world bearing- fruit and increasing^ as it doth in you also, since the day ye heard and knew the grace of God in 7 truth ; even as ye learned of Epaphras our beloved fellow-servant, who is a faithful minister of Christ 8 on ' our behalf, who also declared unto us your love in the Spirit. 9 For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray and make request for you, that ye may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understand- loing, to walk worthily of the Lord 2 unto all pleas- ing, bearing fruit in every 1 Many ancient authorities read your. 2 Or, unto all pleasing, in every good work, bearing fruit and increasing &c. 3 Or, by 7. Epaphras. Epaphras seems to have gone from Colossae to Rome, to confer with Paul: possibly he was the bearer of the Epistle of the Laodiceans, men- tioned in this Epistle. (4:16.) A person named Epaphroditus was sent by the Philippians to Paul. Notwithstanding the similarity of the name, however, this last was probably, but per- haps not certainly, a different person. 8 Your love in the Spirit ; your Christian fellowship and affection. 11. With all power; with all spiritual strength. 12. Made us meet to be; pre- pared us to be. 13. Translated us; trans- ferred us, good work, and increas- ing 3in the knowledge of God ; 4 strengthened "with 11 all power, according to the might of his glory, unto all patience and longsuffering with joy ; giving thanks unto the 12 Father, who made 6us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light ; who de- 13 livered us out of the power of darkness, and translated us into the kingdom of the Son of his love ; in whom we 14 have our redemption, the forgiveness of our sins : who is the image of the 15 invisible God, the first- born of all creation; for 16 in him were all things 4 Gr. made powerful. 5 Or, in 6 Some ancient authorities read you. 14. Our redemption, &c. ; the reading of the New Version follows the best manuscripts ; that of the Old Version was probably due to some copyist who intentionally or unconsciously changed the language to conform the phraseology here to that of Ephesians, ch. 1:7. 15. The image of the invisible God ; imbodying, and manifest- ing to men, the attributes and characteristics of God; or, as it is expressed in 1 Tim. 3:16, God manifest in the flesh. — The first- born of all creation ; the head of the whole creation : the expres- sion "the firstborn" denoting the chief or head. 1G. In him ; by his agency or instrumentality. — 1. 24. COLOSSIANS. 705 created, in the heavens and upon the earth, things visible and things invisible, whether thrones or dominions or princi- palities or powers ; all things have been created through him, and nnto 17 him ; and he is before all things, and in him all 18 things x consist. And he is the head of the body, the church : who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead ; a that in all things he might have 19 the preeminence. 3 For it was the good pleasure of the Father that in him should all the fulness 20 dwell ; and through him to reconcile all things 4 unto 6 himself, having made peace through the blood of his cro s s ; through him, I say, 1 That is, hold together 2 Or, that among all he might have 3 Or, For the whole fulness of God was to dwell in him 18. The first -torn from the dead; the first who rose from death to immortality. (1 Cor. 15:20.) 19. All the fulness; every mark and token of preemi- nence. 20. Thetlood of his cross; the blood shed upon the cross; that is, the sufferings endured in that death. — To reconcile all things ; to open the door of re- conciliation for all. 22. In the tody of his flesh ; in his earthly r body. — Through death ; through the sufferings and death which he endured in whether things upon the earth, or things in the heavens. And you, being 21 in time past alienated and enemies in your mind in your evil works, yet now 6 hath he reconciled in the 22 body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and without blem- ish and unreproveable before him : if so be that 23 ye continue in the faith, grounded and stedfast, and not moved away from the hope of the gos- pel^ which ye heard, which was preached in all creation under hea- ven ; whereof I Paul was made a minister. Now I rejoice in my 24 sufferings for your sake, and fill up on my part that which is lacking of the afflictions of Christ 4 Or, into him 5 Or, him 6 Some ancient authorities ready.? have been reconciled. that body. 23. In all creation under heav- en ; this is one of those numer- ous cases in which Paul's intense and vehement earnestness ex- presses itself in the language of exaggeration. The Gospel had not at this time been preached even throughout all the Greek and Roman world. 24. The meaning of this verse is well given by Alford : "Every suffering saint of God, in every age and position, is in fact fill- ing up, in his place and degree, the afflictions of Christ — not a pang, not a tear is in vain." COLOSSIANS. 1. 24 in my flesh for his body's sake, which is the church ; 25 whereof I was made a minister, according to the 'dispensation of God which was given me to you -ward, to fulfil the 20 word of God, even the mystery which hath been hid "from all ages and generations: but now hath it been manifested 27 to his saints, to whom God was pleased to make known what is the riches of the glory of this mys- tery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, 28 the hope of glory : whom we proclaim, admonish- ing every man and teach- ing every man in all wis- dom, that we may present every man perfect in 1 Or, stewardship 2 Gr. from the ages and from the gen- erations. 26. The mystery which hath been hid ; the doctrine of free salvation to all, through faith in Christ. This truth is often des- ignated as a mystery ; the knowl- edge of it having long been withheld from mankind. 27. The riches of, &c. — among the Gentiles; that is, the ex- ceeding preciousness and value of it to the Gentiles, who were before considered beyond the reach of salvation. CHAPTER II. 1. How greatly I strive ; men- tal conflict, deep interest and solicitude, including, perhaps, earnestness of prayer, are in- volved in this expression. Christ; whereunto I la- 29 bonr also, striving ac- cording to his working, which worketh in me 'mightily. For I wonld have you 2 know how greatly I strive for you, and for them at Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh; that their2 hearts may be comforted, they being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the 4full assurance of understanding, that they may know the mystery of God, beven Christ, in3 whom are all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge hidden. This I say, that 4 no one may delude you with persuasiveness of speech. For though 1 5 3 Or, in power 4 Or, fulness 5 Tbe ancient authorities vary much Im the text of this passage. 2. Unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding ; to an abundance and certainty of Christian knowledge. — The mys- tery of God; the reading of the Old Version was, the mystery of God and of the Father and of Christ. As stated in the margin the ancient authorities vary much in the text of this verse, and the scholars are not agreed respecting the true reading. The meaning, however, is toler- ably clear; this, viz.: that Paul prays for the Colosseana and the Laodiceans that they may know the mystery of God's nature, as it is made known through the revelation of the Gospel of Je- sus Christ. —2. 12. COLOSSIANS. 70? am absent in the flesh, yet am I with you in the spirit, joying and behold- ing your order, and the stedfastness of your faith in Christ. 6 As therefore ye received Christ Jesus the Lord, so 7 walk in him, rooted and builded up in him, and stablished 4n your faith, even as ye were taught, abounding a in thanks- giving. 8 3Take heed lest there shall be any one that maketh spoil of you through his philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the 1 Or, by 2 Some ancient authorities insert t/i it. 8. That maketh spoil of you ; the Old Version was ambiguous, Beware lest any man spoil you. The true meaning is clearly that of the Revised Version. The Colossians are warned against those who would despoil them of their liberty and their life in Christ Jesus. — The rudiments of the world; there is some difficulty in understanding the exact meaning of the apostle in his use of this phrase. See Gal. 4 : 3. His meaning seems to be, that the various rules and regu- lations prescribed by the custom of the world or the ritual of Judaism, such as are specially referred to in verses 20, 22, belong to an elementary or rudi- mentary condition, and thut when men come into the large- ness of the liberty of the Gospel, they are no longer to live under these elementary regulations, which belong to the childhood period of the race, 4 rudiments of the world, and not after Christ : for 9 in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily, and in him ye areio made full, who is the head of all principality and power: in whom yell were also circumcised with a circumcision not made with hands, in the putting off of the body of the flesh, in the circum- cision of Christ; having 13 been buried with him in baptism, wherein ye were also raised with him through faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead. 3 Or, See whether 4 Or, elements 9. Bodily ; really, truly. 11. Circumcised. The error which seems to have given Paul and the early churches the greatest solicitude, was that of maintaining that circumcision and conformity to the Mosaic law were necessary for the Gen- tile converts. Hence the fre- quent allusions to the subject of circumcision, and such assur- ances as this, that the abandon- ment of sin through spiritual union with Christ was all the circumcision that was required. 12. Buried with him in bap- tism ; that is, by baptism, or rather by the union with Christ, of which baptism is the symbol, they died to sin, and were, as it were, buried with Christ, thence- forth to rise to a new spiritual life in him. That this is the meaning is shown by the corre- sponding passage in Rom. 6: 3- 15, where the idea is more fully and distinctly expressed. 708 COLOSSIANS. 2. 13— 13 And you, being dead through your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your liesh, you, / say, did he quicken together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses ; 14 having blotted out 'the bond written in ordi- nances that was against us, which was contrary to us: and he hath taken it out of the way, nailing it 15 to the cross ; "having put off from himself the .principalities and the 1 Or, the bond that was against us by its ordinances 2 Or, having put off from himself his body, he made a show of the principalities Ac. 14. The bond written in ordi- nances; the written law of ordi- nances, that is, the Mosaic law. The meaning is, that the bur- densome requirements of that law are abolished, and all its necessity superseded by the death of Christ. 15. The meaning of the verse is, that God achieved a victory and triumph over the powers and influences hostile to his kingdom, in the death of Christ. 16. Judge you in meat, &c. ; condemn you on account of any thing relating to these outward ceremonies. — A Sabbath day; there were various Sabbath ob- servances yearly, monthly, and weekly. All are included by Paul here, and there is no reason for supposing that in his own mind he made an exemption in favor of the weekly Sabbath. This, like the other festivals of the Jews, was a means to the development of divine life, and men are to be judged by their life and character, not by the powers, he made a show of them openly, triumph- ing over them in it. Let no man therefore 16 judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of a feast day or a new moon or a sabbath day : which 1 7 are a shadow of the things to come ; but the body is Christ's. Let no man rob 13 you of your prize 3by a voluntary humility and worshipping of the angels, 'dwelling in the things which he hath 6seen, 3 Or, of his oi07i mere will, by humility <&c. 4 Or, taking his stand vpon 5 Many authorities, some ancient, in- sert not. way in which they employ in- struments for the development of a divine life and character. 17. The body ; the reality. 18. Rob you of your prize ; the life of faith in God through Christ, and of liberty from all bondage to fear, and to external rules and regulations, is the prize to which Paul bids the Colos- sians to hold fast. Comp. Gal. 5: 1. — A voluntary humility and worshipping of angels. It is plain, from the connection, that these clauses refer to certain superstitious ideas and practices prevailing among those who in- sisted so strenuously upon the obligations of the Mosaic law. Precisely what the nature of these ideas were, as denoted by this language, it is difficult now to ascertain. — Dwelling in things which lie hath seen. Observe the change effected by the New Ver- sion." What Paul rebukes is not the spiritual audacity which dogmatises about things which the disciple has not seen, though that elsewhere he condemns, but -3. 4. COLOSSIANS. ro9 vainly puffed up by his 19 fleshly mind, and not holding fast the Head, from whom all the body, being supplied and knit together through the joints and bands, increas- eth with the increase of God. 20 If ye died with Christ from the 'rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, do ye subject yourselves to 21 ordinances, Handle not, 22 nor taste, nor touch (all which things are to perish with the using), after the precepts and doctrines of 23 men % Which things have indeed a show of wisdom 1 Or, dements 2 Or, honour that spirit of sensuousness and legalism which leads him to dwell in, and rest upon, exter- nal ordinances "which he hath seen," and not in the perpetual presence of an invisible Christ. 19. Holding fast the Head ; ad- hering to the Head, that is, to Christ. 23. [Paul's meaning in this passage is much more clearly brought out by the New Version than by the Old Version. The subordination of the flesh to the spirit is to be obtained by the development of a spiritual life through faith in Christ, not by making one's self subject to ascetic rules and regulations such as handle not, nor taste, nor touch, which have a certain show of wisdom, and an appearance of humility and of self-restraint, but are not of any permanent value in guarding against the indulgence of the flesh. For in will- worship, and hu- mility, and severity to the body ; but are not of any a value against the indulgence of the flesh. If then ye were raised 3 together with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated on the right hand of God. Set your mind on the 2 things that are above, not on the things that are upon the earth. For ye 3 died, and your life is hid with Christ in God. When Christ, who is 3our4 life, shall be manifested, then shall ye also with him be manifested in glory. 3 Many ancient authorities read your. the fleshly appetites are not to be subdued by leaving them in the nature unchanged, though restrained and checked, but by such a radical change of the nature as makes the whole soul Christlike, through the suprem- acy of the divine nature im- planted in, and kept alive, by the indwelling of Christ. — L. A.] CHAPTER III. 1. With Christ; 2:12. 3. He died; that is, your former life of worldliness and sin was ended by your union with Christ. 4. The meaning is not, as in the Old Version, simply that we shall appear with Christ, but when in the future the glory of ^ his character and his life is made manifest, which is now hidden from the world, the glory of all Christ-like lives and characters will also be made manifest. 710 COLOSSTANS. 3.5- 5 1 Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth ; fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, 6 the which is idolatry ; for which things1 sake cometh the wrath of God aux)on the sons of disobedience ; 73in the which ye also walked aforetime, when ye lived in these things. 8 But now put ye also away all these ; anger, wrath, malice, railing, shameful speaking out of your 9 month: lie not one to another ; seeing that ye have put off the old man 10 with his doings, and have put on the new man, which is being renewed unto knowledge after the image of him that created 11 him : where there cannot be Greek and Jew, circum- cision and uncircum- cision, barbarian, Scyth- ian, bondman, freeman : but Christ is all, and in all. 12 Pat on therefore, as God's elect, holy and be- 1 Gr. Make, dead. 2 Some ancient authorities omit U]K>n the so/is of disobedience. See Eph. v. 0. 3 Or, amongst whom 5. Mortify there/are your mem- lers; put them to death; crucify them. What Paul means by members is indicated by the following clause, viz., the evil propensities and passions. 9. The old man; the un- renewed or unrefjenerate man. loved, a heart of com- passion, kindness, humil- ity, meekness, longsuffer- i n g ; forbearing o n e 13 another, and forgiving each other, if any man have a complaint against any ; even as 4 the Lord forgave you, so also do ye : and above all these 14 things put on love, which is the bond of perfect- ness. And let the peace 15 of Christ 5rule in your hearts, to the which also ye were called in one body ; and be ye thank- ful. Let the word oflG "Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom ; teaching and admonish- ing 7 one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts unto God. And whatso- 17 ever ye do, in word or in deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. Wives, be in subjection 13 to your husbands, as is 4 Many ancient authorities read Christ. 5 Gr. arbitrate. 6 Some ancient authorities read th4 Lord: others, God. 7 Or, yourselves 12. A Iieart of compasswn ; a freer and more liberal transla- tion of the original than that of the Old Version, — "bowels of mercy." 16. The word of Christ ; the doctrine of Christ. -4. 6. COLOSSIANS. 711 19 fitting in the Lord. Hus- bands, love your wives, and be not bitter against 20 them. Children, obey your parents in all things, for this is well-pleasing 21 in the Lord. Fathers, provoke not your chil- dren, that they be not 22 discouraged. 'Servants, obey in all things them that are your a masters according to the flesh ; not with eyeservice, as men-pleasers, but in sin- gleness of heart, fearing 23 the Lord ; whatsoever ye do, work 3 heartily, as unto the Lord, and not 24 unto men; knowing that from the Lord ye shall receive the recompense of the inheritance : ye serve 25 the Lord Christ. For he that doeth wrong shall * receive again for the wrong that he hath done : 1 Gr. Bondservants. 2 Gr. lords. 3 Gr. from the soul. 21. Provoke not your children, &c. ; that is, in all things deal with them gently and tenderly. 22. Eye-service; pretended fidelity. — Singleness; honesty and faithfulness. 23. As unto the Lord ; that is, feeling a direct responsibility to him. CHAPTER IV. 1. This direction, and that con- tained in Eph. 6 : 9, prescribed very distinctly the duty of masters to slaves. The one for- bids that they should employ any violence, even that of words, in exacting service: and the other enjoins the making of an equitable return to them for and there is no respect of persons. 2 Masters, render unto 4 your 3 servants that which is just and "equal, know- ing that ye also have a Master in heaven. Continue stedfastly in 2 prayer, watching therein with thanksgiving ; withal praying for us 3 also, that God may open unto us a door for the word, to speak the mys- tery of Christ, for which I am also in bonds ; that 4 I may make it manifest, as I ought to speak. Walk in wisdom towards them that are without, 6 redeeming the time. Let 6 your speech be always with -grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer each one. All my affairs shall 1 4 Gr. receive again the wrong. 5 Gr. equality. 6 Gr. buying up the opportunity. their labors. The Christian master, therefore, who will not coerce his servants, nor even threaten coercion, who pays them what is justly their due, and treats them kindly, remember- ing that he has himself a Master in heaven, fulfils the duties of this relation as enjoined upon him in the word of God. 3. The mystery of Christ ; the truth long hidden, but now revealed, that Jesus Christ was the spiritual Redeemer of man- kind. 5. Them that are without ; un- believers. 6. Salt; the salt of piety. 7. Tychicus; the bearer of m COLOSSIANS. ?— Tychicus make known unto you, the beloved brother and faithful min- ister and fellow-servant 8 in the Lord : whom I have sent unto you for this very purpose, that ye may know our estate, and that he may comfort your 9 hearts ; together with Onesimus, the faithful and beloved brother, who is one of you. They shall make known unto you all things that are done here. 10 Aristarchus my fellow- prisoner saluteth you, and Mark, the cousin of Barnabas (touching whom y e received command- ments ; if he come unto 11 you, receive him), and 1 Gr. bondservant. this letter, and also of the one written at the same time to the Ephesians. (Eph. 6:21.) 8. That ye may hiow our estate; some manuscripts give this reading, others give that of the Old Version, that he may know your estate. The reading of the New Version seems in- herently more probable. 9. Onesimus. This Onesimus was the servant of Philemon, who returned with Tychicus to his master at Colossae, with the letter known as the Epistle to Philemon. 10. Aristarchus. In Acts 19:29, and 20:4, Aristarchus is mentioned as Paul's companion and fellow-sufferer. He accom- panied Paul to Rome, as is stated Acts 27 : 2. —Marie ; Mark- John, in regard to whom Paul Jesus, which is called Justus, who are of the circumcision : these only are my fellow-workers unto the kingdom of God, men that have been a comfort unto me. Epa-12 phras, who is one of you, a ' servant of Christ Je- sus, saluteth you, always striving for you in his prayers, that ye may stand perfect and fully assured in all the will of God. For I bear him wit- 13 ness, that he hath much labour for you, and for them in Laodicea, and for them in Hierapolis. Luke, the beloved physi- 14 cian, and Demas salute you. Salute the breth-15 ren that are in Laodicea, and Barnabas disagreed, as related Acts 15: 37-39. Paul had become afterwards recon- ciled to him, and had sent for him to come to Rome. (2 Tim. 4:11.) 11. Jesus. This was not an uncommon name among the Jews. It was the Greek form of the word Joshua. (Heb. 4:8.) Justus is a Latin form, being the name, probably, which he received among the ^ Romans. — Of the circumcision ; of the Jew- ish nation. — These only are, &c. ; that is, from among the Jews. 13. Labour for you; affection- ate interest in you. — Hierapolis ; a city near Laodicea and Colos- sae. 14. LtiJce ; probably the samev Luke who wrote the Gospel which bears his name, and the -4. 18. COLOSSXANS. 713 and 'Nymphas, and the church that is in "their 16 house. And when 8 this epistle hath been read among you, cause that it be read also in the church of the Laodiceans ; and that ye also read the epistle from Laodicea. 1 The Greek may represent Nympha. book of the Acts. He went with the apostle to Rome, as ap- pears from his account of the voyage, in which he uses language which includes him- self as one of the company. (Acts 21:1, 2.) 16. The epistle from Laodicea. We have no other information, in respect to this Epistle, than what is implied in this allusion. 18. The salutation of me Paul And say to Archippus, 17 Take heed to the minis- try which thou hast re- ceived in the Lord, that thou fulfil it. The salutation of me 18 Paul with mine own hand. Remember my bonds. Grace be with you. 2 Some ancient authorities read her. 3 Gr. the. with mine own hand; the Epis- tle itself having been written by a person employed as an amanuensis. The Old Version contained a subscription as follows : " Writ- ten from Rome to the Colossians, by Tychicus and Onesimus." All the subscriptions are omitted from the New Yersion, as being no part of the New Testament, and without real authority. THE FIRST EPISTLE TO THE THESSALONIANS. Tiie First, and, probably, the Second Epistle to the church at Thessalonica, were written some time before those which precede them as they stand arranged in the sacred volume. Thessalonica was a city of Macedonia, on the north-western shore of the Egean Sea. The circumstances under which the gospel was first preached there are recorded in Acts 17: 1-10. When Paul had been driven away from Thessalonica, as there stated, and afterwards from Bcrca, he proceeded to Athens, expecting that Timothy would join him there, (v. 15.) No mention is made, however, in the Acts, of Timothy's rejoining Paul, until he had gone on to Corinth. (18:1,5.) The allusion to Timothy's re- turn, in this Epistle, (3: G,) is supposed to refer to this occasion of his arrival at Corinth ; and it has accordingly been generally supposed that it was at the latter named city that this Epistle was written, — the statement in the subscription, at the end of the Epistle, that it wras written from Athens, being thought erroneous. It would appear, however, from 3:1, 2, that Timo- thy must have joined Paul first at Athens, according to the directions given him in Acts 17: 15, and that he was seut again to Thessalonica from that place, for the purposes mentioned in 1 Thess. 3: 2. Then, on his return from this mission, he joined the apostle at Corinth, and soon afterwards this Epistle was written. Paul, and Silvanus, and Timothy, unto the church of the Thessa- lonians in God the Father . CHAPTER I. 1. Silvanus; Silas. lie was with Timothy, the companion of Paul, in preaching the gospel at Thessalonica, and had since [714] and the Lord Jesus Christ : Grace to you and peace. We give thanks to God s joined him at Corinth. (Acta 17: 14. 18: 5.) The Old Ver- sion adds the words, from Ood our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. They are lacking in the -2.2. I. THESSALOKIAKS. 715 always for you all, making mention of you 3 in our prayers ; remem- bering without ceasing your work of faith and labour of love and pa- tience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, before oar God and Father; 4 knowing, brethren be- loved of God, your elec- 5 tion, ' how that our gos- pel came not untc you in word only, but also in power, and in the 2 Holy Ghost, and in much s assurance ; even as ye know what manner of men we shewed ourselves toward you for your sake. c And ye became imitators of us, and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the 2 Holy Ghost ; 7 so that ye became an en- sample to all that believe 1 Or, because our gospel &c. best manuscripts. The First Epistle to the Thessalonians is believed to have been the first extant Epistle which Paul wrote, and the formula of salutation was changed in his later epistles, and the words contained in the Old Version were probably added by copyists to conform the salutation here to that of the apostle in other epistles. 4. Knowing — your election ; having abundant evidence of it by the proofs mentioned above. 5. In power ; with great effect. — In much assurance ; with con- vincing evidence. 0. In much affliction, loith joy, &c. ; that is, having joyfully in Macedonia and in Achaia. For from you 8 hath sounded forth the word of the Lord, not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but in every place your faith to God- ward is gone forth ; so that we need not to speak any thing. For they 9 themselves report con- cerning us what manner of entering in we had unto you ; and how ye turned unto God from idols, to serve a living and true God, and to wait 10 for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivereth us from the wrath to come. For yourselves, breth- 2 ren, know our entering in unto you, that it hath not been found vain : but 2 having suffered before, 2 Or, Holy Spirit 3 Or, fulness received the word, though in circumstances of great trial and affliction. For the nature of these circumstauces, see Acts 17: 5-10. 9. What manner of entering in we had, &c. ; that is, what was the effect of our labors. The meaning is, that although Paul had been violently driven away from Thessalonica, so that he had no opportunity personally to witness the fruits of his labor, still the successful results winch followed, had been fully made known to him by general report. CHAPTER IT. 2. At Philippi. The circum- ft 6 I. TIIESSALONIANS. 2.2.— and been shamefully en- treated, as ye know, at Philippi, we waxed bold in our God to speak unto you the gospel of God in 3 much conflict. For Our exhortation is not of error, nor of uncleanness, 4 nor in guile : but even as we have been approved of God to be intrusted with the gospel, so we speak ; not as pleasing men, but God which 5 proveth our hearts. For neither at any time were we found using words of flattery, as ye know, nor a cloke of covetousness, 6 God is witness ; nor seek- ing glory of men, neither from you, nor from others, when we might have ' been burdensome, as apostles of Christ. 7 But we were 2 gentle in the midst of you, as when a nurse cherisheth her 1 Or, claimed Jionour stances here referred to are re- lated in Acts 16: 12-40.— Con- flict; referring to the difficulties and dangers with which they had to contend. 3. Uncleanness ; impurity of motive and design. 4. So we speak; that is, in accordance with the source of the commission, — namely, one received from God. 6. We might have been burden- some ; we might have expected of you supplies for our wants. 7. Gertie; benevolent and kind. The meaning is, that their labors were freely given, own children : even so, 8 being affectionately de- sirous of you, we were well pleased to impart unto you, not the gos- pel of God only, but also our own souls, be- cause ye were become very dear to us. For ye 9 remember, brethren, our labour and travail ; work- ing night and day, that we might not burden any of you, we preached unto you the gospel of God. Ye are witnesses, andio God also, how holily and righteously and unblame- ably we behaved our- selves toward you that believe : as ye know howii we dealt with each one of you, as a father with his own children, exhorting you, and encouraging you, and testifying, to 12 the end that ye should walk worthily of God, 2 Most of the ancient authorities read prompted, like the care and at- tention bestowed upon infancy, by feelings of disinterested affection, and not by hope of reward. 9. Worhing night and day, &c. It would seem from this passage that Paul labored with his hands to provide the means of support in Thessalonica, as he did in Corinth. (Acts 18: 3.) 11, 12. The apostle recalls his general dealing as that of a father with children, and then specifies as particulars, his exhortation, encouragement and testimony or instruction. 3.4. I. THESSALONIANS. ttt who ' calleth you into Ms own kingdom and glory. 13 And for this cause we also thank God without ceasing, that, when ye re- ceived from us 3 the word of the message, even the word' of God, ye accepted it not as the word of men, but, as it is in truth, the word of God, which also worketh in you that be- Ulieve. For ye, brethren, became imitators of the churches of God which are in Judaea in Christ Jesus : for ye also suffered the same things of your countrymen, even as they did of the Jews ; 15 who both killed the Lord Jesus and the prophets, and drave out us, and please not God, and are contrary to all 16 men; forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles that they may be saved ; to fill up their sins alway : but the wrath is come upon them to the utter- most. 17 But we, brethren, be- 1 Some ancient authorities read called. 2 Gr. the word of hearing. 3 Gr. a season of an hour. ing bereaved of you for 3 a short season, in pres- ence, not in heart, endeav- oured the more exceed- ingly to see your face with great desire : be- is cause we would fain have- come unto you, I Paul once and again ; and Sa- tan hindered us. For 19 what is our hope, or joy, or crown of glorying? Are not even ye, before our Lord Jesus at his 4 coming ? For ye are our 20 glory and our joy. Wherefore when we 3 could no longer forbear, we thought it good to be left behind at Athens alone ; and sent Timothy, 2 our brother and 'God's minister in the gospel of Christ, to establish you, and to comfort you con- cerning your faith; that 3 no man be moved by these afflictions ; for your- selves know that here- unto we are appointed. For verily, when we were 4 with you, we told you, 'beforehand that we are 4 Gr. presence. 5 Some ancient authorities rendfellow- worker with God. 6 Or, plainly 15. Contrary to all men ; con- tending against what would be for the welfare and happiness of all men. 16. The wrath is come upon them ; they are utterly aban- doned to sin, and their destruc- tion is impending and sure. 18. Satan; referring to the opposition and threatening of his enemies, instigated by Satan. CHAPTER III. 1. To oe left behind at Athens. It would seem from this and the following verses, that Tim- othy came to Paul at Athens, as Paul had directed, (Acts 17: 15,) and that Paul sent him back from that city to Thessalonica for the purposes mentioned in v. 2 of this chapter. His re- turning to Paul again, as men- 718 I. TIIESSALONIANS. 3. 4 to suffer affliction ; even as it came to pass, and ye 5 know. For this cause I also, when I could no longer forbear, sent that I might know your faith, lest by any means the tempter had tempted you, and our labour should be c in vain. But when Tim- othy came even now unto us from you, and brought us glad tidings of your faith and love, and that ye have good remem- brance of us always, longing to see us, even as 7 we also to see you ; for this cause, brethren, we were comforted over you in all our distress and affliction through your 8 faith ; for now we live, if ye stand fast in the Lord. 0 For what thanksgiving can we render again unto God for you, for all the joy wherewith we joy for your sakes before our 10 God; night and day praying exceedingly that we may see your face, and may perfect that which is lacking in your faith ? 11 Now may our God and 1 Or. presence. 2 Many ancient authorities add Amen . tioned in v. 6, was probably at Corinth, as stated Acts 18:5. 5. / sent; referring to the mission of Timothy alluded to above. 10. Night and day; very fre quently and earnestly. 11. Direct <>nr way >n't>> y : open tin- way for us to \ i-it you Father himself, and our Lord Jesus, direct our way unto you: and the 12 Lord make you to in- crease and abound in love one toward another, and toward all men, even as we also do toward you ; to the end he may stab- 13 lish your hearts unblame- able in holiness before our God and Father, at the J coming of our Lord Jesus with all his saints.2 Finally then, brethren, 4 we beseech and exhort you in the Lord Jesus, that, as ye received of us how ye ought to walk and to please God, even as ye do walk, — that ye abound more and more. For ye 2 know what 'charge we gave you through the Lord Jesus. For this is 3 the will of God, even your sanctih'cation, that ye abstain from fornication ; that each one of you know 4 how to possess himself of his own vessel in sanctih'- cation and honour, not in 5 the passion of lust, even as the Gentiles which know not God ; that no 6 3 Gr. charges. at such a time as shall be in ac- cordance with the divine will. CHAPTER IV. 1. Ahound more and more; that is. follow the directions and exhortations which they had re- ceived more ami more fully. I. His own vessel: his body. 15. I. TIIESSALONIANS. 719 man ' transgress, and wrong his brother in the matter : because the Lord is an avenger in all these things, as also we fore- warned you and testified. 7 For God called us not for uncleanness, but in sanc- 8 tification. Therefore he that rejecteth, rejecteth not man, but God, who giveth his Holy Spirit unto you. 9 But concerning love of the brethren ye have no need that one write unto you : for ye yourselves are taught of God to love 10 one another; for indeed ye do it toward all the brethren which are in all Macedonia. But we exhort you, brethren, 1 Or, overreach 2 Or, told you plainly 7. Not for uncleanness ; to sin or moral impurity of any kind. 8. He that rejecteth ; that is, the preaching and instructions of Paul. — Giveth his Holy Spirit unto you; as proofs that our commission is from him. 12. Honestly ; reputably. — Them that are icithout ; unbe- lievers. 13. Them that fall asleep ; which are dead, — referring, per- haps, to some who had lost their lives in the persecutions. — Even as the rest ; not merely, as in the Old Version, as others. The rest here signifies the whole un- instructed pagan world, and in point of fact there is not found, either in the literature of pagan- ism, or in the inscriptions on pagan tombs, any indication that they borrowed hope in time that ye abound more and more ; and that ye 3 study 11 to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your hands, even as we charged you ; that ye may walk 12 honestly toward them that are without, and may have need of nothing. But we would not have 13 you ignorant, brethren, concerning them that fall asleep ; that ye sorrow not, even as the rest, which have no hope. For if we believe that 14 Jesus died and rose again, even so them also that are fallen asleep * in Jesus will God bring with him. For this we say unto you 15 by the word of the Lord, 3 Gr. be ambitious. 4 Gr. through. Or, will God through Jesus of affliction from death. Their sorrow was cheered sometimes by sacred memories of the past, but not by hope of a glorious immortal future. 14. That are fallen asleep in Jesus ; not, as in the Old Ver- sion, which sleep in Jesus. The passage gives no warrant for the doctrine, which has sometimes been held, that death is a long sleep, which intervenes between the dying and the hour of a general resurrection. 15. We that are alive; those who shall be alive at the coming of Christ. — That are left; i. e., that are left by death to remain until the coming of the Lord. — Shall in no icise precede ; the Old Version said, shall not prevent^ using that word in its now ob- solete sense of going before. 720 I. TIIKSSALONIANS. 4. 15— that we that are alive, that are left unto the 'coming of the Lord, shall in no wise precede them that are fallen asleep. 16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven, with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise 17 first : then we that are alive, that are left, shall together with them be caught up in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air : and so shall we ever 18 be with the Lord. Where- fore 2 comfort one another with these words. 5 But concerning the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that aught be written 2 unto you. For yourselves 1 Gr. presence. 2 Or, exhoit 17. In the clouds; in heaven. From the form of the expression used repeatedly in this passage, " We which are alive and re- main," and from phraseology analogous to it, occurring in other places, it has been sup- posed by some that the time of Christ's final coming was one of the things not revealed even to the apostles, and that they shared with the church at large in the expectation that that event was to take place in their own day. Such an interpreta- tion of his language, however, as this supposition implies, seems to be distinctly disavowed by the apostle in 'his Second know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. When they are saying, 3 Peace and* safety, then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child ; and they shall in no wise escape. But ye, brethren, are not 4 in darkness, that that day should overtake you 3as a thief : for ye are all 5 sons of light, and sons of the day : we are not of the night, nor of dark- ness; so then let us note sleep, as do the rest, but let us watch and be sober. For they that sleep sleep 7 in the night ; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night. But let us, since we are 8 of the day, be sober, 3 Some ancient authorities read as thieves. Epistle to this church. (2 Thess. 2:2.) CHAPTER V. \. The times and the seasons ; relating to the final coming of Christ. 2. As a thief in the night; suddenly and unexpectedly. 3. When they are saying ; this is one of the cases where a more accurate rendering of the Greek term makes much more clear the apostle's meaning. At the very time when men are saying to one another, Peace and safety, sudden destruction will come. Comp. Matt. 24: 37-42. 6. The rest ; the unconverted world. See ch. 4: 13 note. ~5. 24. I. TIIESSALONIANS. 721 putting on the breastplate of faith and love : and for a helmet, the hope of 9 salvation. For God ap- pointed us not tinto wrath, but unto the obtaining of salvation through our 10 Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, that, whether we ' wake or sleep, we should live together with 11 him. Wherefore 2 exhort one another, and build each other up, even as also ye do. 12 But we beseech you, brethren, to know them that labour among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you ; 13 and to esteem them ex- ceeding highly in love for their work's sake. Be at peace among yourselves. 14 And Ave exhort you, brethren, admonish the disorderly, encourage the fainthearted, support the 1 Or, watch 2 Or, comfort 3 Many ancient authorities insert hut. 11. Wherefore exhort one an- other; or comfort one another. The original implies, however, the irapartation not of consola- tion, but of strength. 12. Toknoio them; to acknow- ledge and remember them. 15. One toward another and toward all; i. e., in the Christian brotherhood, and also toward those that are without. 16. Rejoice alio ay ; be content- ed and happy in spirit, confiding always in God. 10. Quench not the Spirit ; do not repulse its influences by in- weak, be longsuffering toward all. See that none is render unto any one evil for evil ; but alway follow after that which is good, one' toward another, and toward all. Rejoice al-16 way ; pray without ceas- 17 ing ; in every thing give 18 thanks : for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus to you -ward. Quench not the Spirit; 19 despise not prophesy ings; 20 3 prove all things ; hold 21 fast that which is good ; abstain from every 4 form 22 of evil. And the God of peace 23 himself sanctify you wholly ; and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved entire, with- out blame at the 5 coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Faithful is he that calleth24 you, who will also do it. Brethren, pray for us.6 25 4 Or, appearance 5 Gr. presence. 6 Some ancient authorities add also. difference and neglect. 20. Prophesyincjs ; preaching. The meaning is. Do not neglect and disregard the instructions which you receive. 23. Be preserved entire ; whole, complete, perfect; the implica- tion is that sin is destructive, and eats out a part of the nature. Paul's prayer is that the nature may be preserved unimpaired, and the life may be without blame. 24. Will also do it; will faith- fully fulfil what he has under- taken to perform. 722 I. T1IESSAL0NIANS. 5. 26- 26 Salute all the brethren 27 with a holy kiss. I ad- jure you by the Lord 1 Many ancient authorities insert My. that this epistle be read unto all the ' brethren. The grace of our Lord 28 Jesus Christ be with you. THE SECOND EPISTLE TO THE THESSALONIANS. In the absence of any very positive evidence on the subject, it has been generally supposed that the Second Epistle to the Thessalonians was written, like the First, from Corinth, and not after a very long interval of time. In the introductory salutation the writer joins the same names with his own in both cases, — names of persons known to have been with Paul at Cor- inth at the time alluded to. This Epistle has been brought into a somewhat prominent posi- tion in the history of controversial theology, on account of the discussions to which the prediction relating to the man of sin, contained in the second chapter, has given rise. That predic- tion points, evidently, to the development of some great power or influence hostile to pure Christianity ; but very various opin- ions have been advanced in the attempts to ascertain what par- ticular apostatizing enemy was intended. 1 Paul, and Silvanus, and Timothy, unto the church of the Thessa- lonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus 2 Cbrist ; Grace to you and peace from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 6 We are bound to give thanks to God alway for you, brethren, even as it is meet, for that your faith groweth exceed- CHAPTER I. 0. Token of the righteous juolg- ingly, and the love of each one of you all to- ward one another abound- eth ; so that we ourselves 4 glory in you in the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and in the afflictions which ye endure ; which is a man- 5 if est token of the right- eous judgement of God ; to the end that ye may be counted worthy of the merit of God; that is, an indica- tion that there is a righteous judgment to come. [723] 724 II. TIIKSSALONIANS. 1. 5— kingdom of God, for 6 which ye also suffer : if so be that it is a right- eous thing with God to recompense affliction to 7 them that afflict you, and to you that are afflicted rest with us, at the revel- ation of the Lord Jesus from heaven with the 8 angels of his power in flaming fire, rendering vengeance to them that know not God, and to them that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus : $ who shall suffer punish- 1 Gr. good pleasure of goodness. 9. Wlw shall suffer punishment, even eternal destruction. The word destruction is perhaps still more decisive even than such terms as eternal and everlasting, in refer- ence to the perpetuity of the moral ruin in which the impeni- tent soul will be involved. If the permanent and final loss of virtue and happiness can be in- dicated by any language what- ever, it would seem that such phraseology as " eternal destruc- tion from the face of the Lord " is the language fitted to express it. We must not, however, in looking forward to the future condition of the condemned, conceive of them as simply suf- fering through eternity the punishment due for the sins of this life; but, on the other hand, as continuing to sin, and conse- quently continuing to suffer. The misery of the soul in a fu- ture world is the consequence of its impenitence in this; but it is nowhere in the Scriptures said to be the penalty for that sin exclusively. The doctrine of the gospel is simply this,— that ment, even eternal de- struction from the face of the Lord and from the glory of his might, whenio he shall come to be glori- fied in his saints, and to be marvelled at in all them that believed (be- cause our testimony unto you was believed) in that day. To which end well also pray always for you, that our God may count you worthy of your call- ing, and fulfil every 'desire of goodness and every work of faith, with a change of the heart and char- acter, which becomes almost out of the question after the lapse of many years of sin in this life, becomes wholly out of the ques- tion after death has terminated probation; and then, when there is no longer any hope of holi- ness, there can be none of hap- piness or peace. In the great and almost insuperable difficul- ties in the way of moral trans- formation late in life, which we all witness in this world, we have indications by which the truth of this doctrine is strongly confirmed. This verse is cited by those who believe that anni- hilation is the final fate of the impenitent, as one of the proof texts in support of their opinion. 11. The Old Version gave a very different interpretation of the apostle's prayer: That our God. . .would fulfil all the good pleasure of his goodness, that is, accomplish the purposes of his own redeeming love. Accord- ing to the New Version, the apostle prays that every aspira- —2. 5. II. THESSALONIANS. 725 12 power; that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and ye in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Chrsit. 2 Now we beseech you, brethren, 3 touching the a coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and our gather- ing together unto him ; % to the end that ye be not quickly shaken f r o m your mind, nor yet be troubled, either by spirit, or by word, or by epistle as from us, as that the 1 Gr. in behalf of. 2 Gr. presence. 3 Many ancient authorities read law- tion of the Christian for right- eousness, and every operation of faith, however imperfect, may be filled to the full with power by the indwelling grace of God. CHAPTER II. 1. The authorized version here erred in the rendering, We beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The original is correctly rendered in the Revised Version, we beseech you, brethren, touching the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ i. e., respecting this topic, we beseech you that ye be not quickly shaken, &c. 2. It would seem from this expression that Paul had been supposed to teach that the final coming of Christ was then very near. Perhaps his remarks on the subject in 1 Thess. 4 : 15-17, are referred to. The apostle here guards the Thessalonian Christians against that perturbed and distracted state of mind which was almost invariably ac- day of the Lord is now present ; let no man be- 3 guile you in any wise : for it will not be, except the falling away come first, and the man of 3sin be revealed, the son of per- dition, he that opposeth4 a n d exalteth himself against all that is called God or 4 that is worship- ped ; so that he sitteth in the 5 temple of God, setting himself forth as God. Remember ye not, 5 that, when I was yet with you, I told you these lessness. 4 Gr. an object of ivorship. 5 Or, sanctuary companied the preaching of and belief in an immediate coming of Christ upon a day fixed and determined. 3. The falling away ; not merely a falling away, i. e., an apostasy, but that period ol declination which Christ briefly describes in Matt. 24:11, 12. — The man of sin be rtvenled ; a great deal has been written com cerning this " mau of sin" or Anti-Christ. Some authors con- sider that nothing more is meant than an Anti-Christian and lawless principle, some refer it to an individual already passed away or now existing, Protestant reformers, for example, regard- ing the papal power as the Anti- Christ, and Roman Catholic writers the Reformation and its spirit as embodied in its leaders, as the Anti-Christ; while still other writers look for a further and final embodiment of resist- ance to God and his law, yet to be manifested, either in some individual or organization. II. TIIESSALONIANS. 2. 5- 6 things? And now ye know that which restrain- ed, to the end that he may be revealed in his 7 own season. For the mystery of lawlessness doth already work : l only there is one that restrain- eth now, until he be taken out of the way. *sAnd then shall be re- vealed the lawless one, whom the Lord 2 Jesus shall 3slay with the breath of his mouth, and bring to nought by the manifestation of his 9 4 coming ; even he, whose 4 coming is according to the working of Satan with all 'power of signs 10 and lying wonders, and with all deceit of un- righteousness for them 1 Or, only until he that noiv restraineth be taken &c. 2 Some ancient authorities omit Jesus. 3 Some ancient authorities read con- sume. 4 Gr. presence. 6. That which restraineth, &c. ; that is, "what cause prevents the development of the apostasy now. 7. The meaning of the apos- tle is much more clearly render- ed by the language of the New Version here, than by that of the Old Version, — he that voir letteth %rill Ut, &c. ; where the word let was used in the Old English sense of prevent or restrain. 8. Shall slay with the breath of his mouth,; Comp. Rev. 1: 16, where in the vision seen by John, a two-edged sword proceeded out of the mouth of the Lord. The implication of this passage seems to be that the man of sin that are perishing ; be- cause they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause God 11 sendeth them a working of error, that they should believe a lie : that they 12 all might be judged who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in un- righteousness. But we are bound to 13 give thanks to God alway for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, for that God chose you 6 from the be- ginning unto salvation in sanctincationof the Spirit and 7 belief of the truth : whereunto he called you 14; through our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. 5 Gr. power and signs and iconders of falsehood. 6 Many ancient authorities read as first fruits. 7 Or, faith or lawless one will be destroyed, not before Christ's coming, but by some new disclosure or mani- festation of the presence and power of Christ,— The laicless one ; the influence designated above as "the man of sin." 11. God sendeth them, etc. ; not, as in the Old Version, shall scud them, but is sending them. It is a part of his divine will and providence that there be error and falsehood in the world as well as truth, that men may be judged by their choice of truth or error, for they are in this life in probation, and are phiced purposely under circumstances which test their true character. —3. 11. II. THESSALONIANS. 727 15 So then, brethren, stand fast, and hold the tradi- tions which ye were taught, whether by word, or by epistle of ours. 16 Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God our Father which loved us and gave us eternal comfort and good hope 17 through grace, comfort your hearts and stablish them in every good work and wrord. 3 Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may run and be glorified, even as also it 2 is with you ; and that we may be delivered from unreasonable and evil men ; for all have not 3 ' faith. But the Lord is faithful, who shall stab- lish you, and guard you 4 from 2 the evil one. And we have confidence in the Lord touching you, that ye both do and will do the things which we com- 5 mand. And the Lord di- 1 Or, the faith 2 Or, evil 15. The traditions; the in- structions. 16. Eternal comfort ; not, "as in the Old Version, everlasting con- solation. Eternal comfort is that strength-giving which comes through spiritual sources, and which is therefore eternal be- cause spiritual. CHAPTER HI. 1. Be glorified ; by its success and efficacy. rect your hearts into the love of God, and into the patience of Christ. Now we command you, 6 brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw your- selves from every brother that walketh disorderly, and not after the tradi- tion which 3 they received of us. For yourselves 7 know how ye ought to imitate us : for we be- haved not ourselves dis- orderly among you ; neither did we eat bread 8 for nought at any man's hand, but in labour and travail, working night and day, that we might not burden any of you : not because we have not 9 the right, but to make ourselves a n ensample unto you, that ye should imitate us. For evenio when we were with you, this we commanded you, If any will not work, neither let him eat. For 11 3 Some ancient authorities ready*. 8. Compare 1 Thess. 2: 9. 9. We have not the right ; that is, power, to require of them a support. 10. If any will not work. Hunger is God's incentive to industry, and we are not, by feeding able-bodied beggars, to encourage them in their beg- gary. 11. Busyoodies ; busy with other people's affairs, instead of attending to their own duties. 728 II. THESSALOXIANS. 3.11. we hear of some that walk among you disor- derly, that work not at all, but are busybodies. 12 Now them that are such we command and exhort in the Lord Jesus Christ, that with quietness they work, and eat their own breth- 13 bread. But ye, ren, be not weary in well- 14 doing. And if any man obeyeth not our w^ord by this epistle, note that man, that ye have no company with him, to the 16. At all times in all ways; not by all means, for there is but one source of peace which the Bible recognizes, that is, the presence of Christ in the soul, and trust and confidence in him, and this is implied in the clause which follows, The Lord be with you all. end that he may be ashamed. And yet count 15 him not as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother. Now the Lord of peace 16 himself give you peace at all times in all ways. The Lord be with you all. The salutation of me it Paul with mine own hand, which is the token in every epistle : so I write. The grace of our 18 Lord Jesus Christ be with 3tou all. r\ The Old Version contains this subscription: " The Second Epistle to the Thessalonians was written from Athens." It was, however, more probably written from Corinth; at all events, the I subscription is not authoritative, j and is, therefore, omitted from the New Version. THE FIRST EPISTLE TO TIMOTHY. The account of Paul's first connection with Timothy is contained in Acts 16 : 1-3. It is there stated that his mother was a Jewess, and her name, as well as that of his grandmother, is mentioned in 2 Tim. 1 : 5, where the apostle pays a respectful tribute to the piety of both. After this period, Timothy was for a long time an attendant upon Paul, accompanying him in his travels, and sharing his labors and dangers; and, notwithstanding his youth, he was often intrusted with commissions of much im- portance, indicating, on the part of the apostle, great confidence in his abilities and in his piety. In respect to the occasion on which this Epistle was written, it is rendered certain, by allusions contained in it, that it was ad- dressed to Timothy at Ephesus, where, it seems, Paul had left him in charge of the affairs of his ministry during his absence on a journey into Macedonia. (1 Tim. 1:3.) Several of the apostle's journeys into Macedonia are alluded to in the Acts, particularly one mentioned Acts 20: 1, in which case he went from Ephesus. In this instance, however, it is said (19:22) that Timothy had gone into Macedonia before him. He might, nevertheless, have returned to Ephesus so as to have been left there when Paul was compelled to leave the city by the distur- bances created by Demetrius. Still, as there are no allusions in the Epistle to the extraordinary commotion which occasioned Paul's sudden departure at this time, many have supposed that it must have been on some other occasion that this Epistle was written. All that is essential, however, to a correct understand-' ing of it is clear, namely, that it is a letter of instructions sent by Paul to Timothy at Ephesus, at a time when he had been left there in charge of the affairs of his ministry. 1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus according to CHAPTER I. 1. God our Saviour. The title the commandment of God our Saviour, and Christ of Saviour is more usually given to Jesus Christ, though God the £729] '30 I. TIMOTHY. 1. 1- 2 Jesus our hope ; unto Timothy, my true child in faith : Grace, mere}', peace, from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord. 3 As I exhorted thee to tarry at Ephesus, when I was going into Mace- donia, that thou mightest charge certain men not to teach a different doctrine, 4 neither to give heed to fables and endless genealogies, the which minister questionings, rather than a 'dispensa- tion of God which is in 5 faith ; so do I now. But the end of the charge is love out of a pure heart 1 Or, stewardship 2 Gr. missed the mark. Father is in several instances so designated. (Luke 1 : 47. 1 Tim. 4:10. Tit. 2:10. Jude 25.) 3. Charge certain men, &c. The false teachers condemned in this passage (3-7) were evidently those who insisted strenuously upon the obligations of the Jew- ish law. This class of men seem to have been a very general source of difficulty in the churches; their attempts to en- cumber Christianity with the burden of Mosaic rites, often occasioned the apostle great solicitude, and are the subject of severe rebuke in many of his Epistles. 4. Fables and endless genealo- gies ; idle and puerile supersti- tions, originating either in the traditions of the Jews, or in pagan philosophy. — Minister questionings rather than, &c.; which tend to promote disputes and a good conscience and fait h unfeigned : from which things some 6 having 2 swerved have turned aside unto vain talking; desiring to be 7 teachers of the law, though they understand neither what they say, nor whereof they confi- dently affirm. But we 8 know that the law is good, if a man use it lawfully, as knowing this, that law 9 is not made for a right- eous man, but for the lawless and unruly, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and pro- fane, for 'murderers of fathers and 3 murderers of 3 Or, sniiters and contentions, rather than that dispensation or stewardship of God, which grows out of and is developed by simple faith. 5. But the end of the charge. The Revisers seem here to have understood Paul to be referring to his charge to Timothy, rather than to the laws contained in the Old Testament. The mean- ing then will be, The object of my charge to you was, that you should promote love out of a pure heart. G. From which ; that is, from the promotion of kindness and good-will between man and man, mentioned above as the end and aim of the divine com- mand.-.— Vain talking; useless and irritating disputes. 7. Desiring to le ; pretending to be, — desiring to be so esteemed. D, 10. The meaning seems to -1. 11. I. TIMOTHY. 731 mothers, for manslayers 10 for fornicators," for abusers of themselves with men, for men-steal- ers, for liars, for false swearers, and if there be any other thing contrary to the a sound "doctrine ; 11 according to the gospel of the glory of the blessed Gfod, which was commit- ted to my trust. 12 I thank him that 3 enabled me, even Christ Jesus our Lord, for that he counted me faithful, appointing me to his ser- 13 vice ; though I was be- fore a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious : howbeit I obtained mer- 1 Gr. healthful. 2 Or, teaching be, that the Mosaic law, with its onerous rites and threatened penalties, is not now to be pressed upon those who have abandoned their sins, and are looking for salvation through faith in Jesus Christ. Its hard conditions may be urged upon those who still continue in sin, and of course reject every other ground of salvation; but they must not be brought in to bur- den and oppress those who have turned from the law to the gospel. 11. According to, &c. ; re- ferring to the doctrine mentioned at the close of the preceding verse. The meaning is, contrary to the requirements enjoined by ,the gospel, &c. 12. Faithful; worthy of being intrusted. 13. Compare Gal. 1:13, and Acts 8:3. — I did it ignorantly, cy, because I did it igno- rantly in unbelief ; and 14 the grace of our Lord abounded exceedingly with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus. Faith- 15 ful is the saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners ; of whom I am chief: howbeit for this 16 cause I obtained mercy, that in me as chief might Jesus Christ shew forth all his longsuffering, for an ensample of them which should hereafter believe on him unto eter- nal life. Now unto the 17 King * eternal, incorrupt- 3 Some ancient authorities read tna- bleth. 4 Gr. of the ages. &c. It was not done with open and designed hostility against God as God, and therefore did not come under the condemna- tion denounced by the Saviour against the sin not to be for- given. See Matt. 12:31, 32. Mark 3:28-30, aud notes. 15. I am chief. This is evidently not to be understood in a literal sense. He means thus to acknowledge the great- ness of his guilt, which other- wise his expressions in v. 13 might perhaps have been sup- posed to deny. 16. In me as chief; i. e., as chief of sinners. The idea is that God selected Paul as a notable sinner in order that he might show how the most resolute and determined resisters of his will could yet be made subjects of his grace. — For an ensample of them ; that is, an ex- I. TIMOTHY. 1. 17— ible, invisible, the only God, be honour and glory 1 for ever a n d ever. Amen. 18 This charge I commit unto thee, my child Timothy, according to the prophecies which 'went before on thee, that by them thou mayest war 19 the good warfare; hold- ing faith and a good conscience ; which some having thrust from them made shipwreck concern- 20ing the faith: of whom is Hymenasus and Alex- ander ; whom I delivered unto Satan, that they might be taught not to blaspheme. 1 Gr. unto the ages of the ages. 2 Or, led the way to thee ample of the long-suffering of Christ, that future sinners might not be discouraged from coming to him. 18. The 'prophecies which went before on thee. This expression seems to refer to certain divine indications by which the future fidelity and success of Timothy's ministry were made known to the church. 19. Holding ; holding fast. — Made shipwreck concerning the faith; that is, have made ship- wreck of their faith. 20. HymeruPAis and Alexander. The same individuals, ap- parently, are mentioned in 2 Tim. 2: 17, 18, and 4: 14. An Alexander of Ephesus is spoken of as taking an active part in the disturbances produced by Demetrius; although whether his action in that case was in- tended to be friendly or hostile I exhort therefore, first 2 of all, 8that supplications, prayer s, in tercessions, thanksgivings, be made for all men ; for kings 2 and all that are in high place ; that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and gravity. This is good 3 and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour ; who willeth that all men 4 should be saved, and come to the knowledge of the truth. For there is 5 one God, one mediator also between God and men, himself man, Christ Jesus, who gave himself 6 a ransom for all ; the tes- 3 Gr. to make supplications, &c. to Paul, seems to be uncertain. — Delivered unto Satan; to the king- dom of Satan ; that is, he had excommunicated them from the kingdom of Christ. CHAPTER II. 5. The change in the transla- tion of this verse is important. The revisers have followed Al- ford's suggestion. The apostle does not, as implied in the Old Version, characterize Jesus Christ as the man, or even as a man; he simply puts emphasis upon the fact that he possessed a human nature, which thus fitted him to mediate between God and hu- manity. 6. The meaning of the apostle here is not clear. Perhaps, as implied by the New Version, the testimony to Christ's media- torship was to be born in the | time appointed, or, perhaps, as -3.2. I. TIMOTHY. 733 tiraony to be borne in its 7 own times ; whereunto I was appointed a 'preacher and an apostle (I speak the truth, I lie not), a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth. 8 I desire therefore that the men pray in every place, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and 9 2 disputing. In like man- ner, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefast- ness and sobriety ; not with braided hair, and gold or pearls or costly 10 raiment; but (which be- cometh women professing godliness) through good 11 works. Let a woman 1 Gr. herald. 2 Or, doubting 3 Or, her childbearing Alford interprets, Christ Jesus himself was a testimony; i. e., an object of testimony in the time which God had appointed. 8. Without wrath and dis- puting; without feelings of an- ger or ill-will towards men, or of coldness and distrust to- wards God. 9. Braided hair ; a substitu- tion for the obsolete term of the Old Version, broidered hair. Compare the passage. 1 Pet. 3: 3,4. 13. For Adam, &c. ; in token of the superior position which man was intended to hold. Compare 1 Cor. 11: 8, 9. 14. Was not ; that is, by the serpent. (Gen. 3: 1-Q.)—Hath fallen into transgression ; she was the first to fall, and became her- self a means of temptation to learn in quietness with all subjection. But I per- 12 mit not a woman to teach, nor to have dominion over a man, but to be in quietness. For Adam 13 was first formed, then Eve ; and Adam was not 14 beguiled, but the woman being beguiled hath, fallen into transgression : but she shall be saved 15 through 3the childbear- ing, if they continue in faith and love and sancti- fication with sobriety. 4 Faithful is the saying, 3 If a man seeketh the office of a 6 bishop, he de- sireth a good work. The 2 5 bishop therefore must be without reproach, the 4 Some connect the words Faithful is the saying with the preceding paragraph. 5 Or, overseer man. 15. Through the child-oearing ; in her appropriate province of rearing and educating her chil- dren. The meaning is, that if she devote herself patiently and faithfully to the duties of her proper sphere, the way of eternal salvation is open to her as well as to man. CHAPTER III. 1. A Ushop ; literally, B,n over- seer ; an officer holding a general charge and superintendence in respect to the affairs of the church, with powers and duties adapted, in many respects, doubtless, to the peculiar cir- cumstances and habits of the times. 2. The husoa?id of one wife; chaste. 734 I. TIMOTHY. 3.2 husband of one wife, temperate, sober minded, orderly, given to hospi- 3 tality, apt to teach; 'no brawler, no striker; but gentle, not contentious, 4 no lover of money ; one that ruleth well his own house, having his chil- dren in subjection with 5 all gravity ; (but if a man knoweth not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church 6 of God ?) not a novice, lest being puffed up he fall into the a condemna- 7 tion of the devil. More- over he must have good testimony from them that are without ; lest he fall into reproach and the 3 snare of the devil. Dea- cons in like manner must be grave, not double- 1 Or, not quarrelsome oxer ivine 6. Not a novice ; not a very recent convert to Christianity. 7. From them tohich are with- out ; from the people of the world in general. 8. Not double-tongued ; that is, they must be honest and sincere. 0. The mystery of the faith ; the gospel, — often spoken of as a mystery, on account of its having been long withheld from the knowledge of mankind. 1 0. Let these also first he proved; by time. " As in the case of bishops, (v. G,) they should not be novices. 11. Women in like manner; this is the literal rendering of the original, and the student is left to judge for himself whether the apostle means deaconesses wives tongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of filthy lucre ; holding the 9 mystery of the faith in a pure conscience. And let 10 these also first be proved ; then let them serve as deacons, if they be blame- less. Women in 1 i k e ll manner must* be grave, not slanderers, temperate, faithful in all things. Let deacons be husbands 12 of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well. For they 13 that have served well as deacons gain to them- selves a good standing, and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus. These things write 1 14 unto thee, hoping to come unto thee shortly ; but if 15 2 Gr. judgement. of the deacons or women in general. The King James ver- sion understood Paul's refer- ence to be to the wives of the deacons. Alford and Ellicott, following the ancient commentators, understand Paul to mean de conesses. 12. Tlushands of one wife ; chaste.— Houses; families. 13. A good standing ; a good position in the church. 15. LTow men, &c. The mar- ginal reading is that of the Old Version. The original is capable of either construction. The literal rendering would be, how it behoves to behave in the house of God ; in the church, — as is immediately indicated. — Ground; foundation. -4. 6. I. TIMOTHY. 735 I tarry long, that thou mayest know * how men ought to behave them- selves in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and 2 ground of the 16 truth. And without con- troversy great is the mys- tery of godliness ; 3He who was manifested in the flesh, justified in the spirit, seen of angels, preached among the na- tions, believed on in the world, received up in glory. * But the Spirit saith ex- pressly, that in later times some shall fall away from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits and doe- 1 Or, how thou oughtest to behave thy self 2 Or, stay 3 The word God, in place of He who, 16. The question whether this phrase should read, God was manifest in the flesh, as the Old Version rendered it, or, He who icas manifested in the flesh, de- pends upon a very difficult ques- tion in the reading of ancient manuscripts. The difference be- tween the two readings depends upon a very slight difference in the original Greek, a difference so slight that it has required care- ful microscopic examination to determine between the two. The Greek characters represent- ing the words he who, are as f ol- follows, 0 2; the Greek char- acters representing God are 0 2. It may readily be imagined that in a manuscript 1400 years old it is not easy to determine whether the original writing was trines of * devils, through 2 the hypocrisy of men that speak lies, 6 branded in their own conscience as with a hot iron ; for- 3 bidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God created to be received with thanksgiving by them that believe and know the truth. For 4 every creature of God is good, and nothing is to be rejected, if it be re- ceived with thanksgiv- ing : for it is sanctified 5 through the word of God and prayer. If thou put the breth- 6 ren in mind of these things, thou shalt be a rests on no sufficient ancient evidence. Some ancient authorities read which. 4 Gr. demons. 5 Or, seared belongs to the second has been ;idded by a later hand or not. The weight of authority, how- ever, appears to be in favor of the reading adopted by the New Version. CHAPTER IV. 1 . Doctrines of devils ; corrupt and wicked doctrines. 2. Through the hypocrisy of men ; these false teachers are represented by Paul as the in- struments of seducing spirits. 3. Forbidding, &c. ; that is, enjoining self-imposed penances and mortifications, as a mode of obtaining the favor of God. There has been, in all ages of the church, a great tendency to this error. r36 I. TIMOTHY. 4.6- good minister of Christ Jesus, nourished in the words of the faith, and of the good doctrine which thou hast followed 7 until now: but refuse profane and old wives' fables. And exercise thyself unto godliness: 8 for bodily exercise is profitable ' for a little ; but godliness is profitable for all things, having promise of the life which now is, and of that which 9 is to come. Faithful is the saying, and worthy 10 of all acceptation. For to this end we labour and strive, because we have our hope set on the living | God, who is the Saviour of all men, specially of 11 them that believe. These things command and 12 teach. Let no man de- spise thy youth ; but be 1 Or, for little 7. He/use; reject. — Old wives'' fables; nursery tales, which can only please the merest children in religious knowledge. — Godli- ness, that is, moral and spiritual purity rather than outward sanctity, sought through self-in- flicted mortification. 8. Bodily exercise— for a little ; or, as in the marginal reading of | the Old Version, is profitable for a little time. — Godliness; holi- ness of heart. 10. Who is the Saviour of all men ; inasmuch as he offers sal- vation to all. 12. Let no man despise thy thou an ensample to them that believe, in woid, in manner of life, in love, in faith, in purity. Till 13 I come, give heed to read- ing, to exhortation, to teaching. Neglect notl4 the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by- prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery. Be diligent 15 in these things ; give thy- self wholly to them ; that thy progress may be man- ifest unto all. Take heed 16 to thyself, and to thy teaching. Continue i n these things ; for in doing this thou shalt save both thyself and them that hear thee. Rebuke not an elder, 5 but exhort him as a father ; the younger men as brethren : the elder 2 women as mothers ; the youth; that is, let your life and conversation be such that they will not. 14. The gift; the ministerial office. — By prophecy ; by divine direction. — The presbytery ; the eldership, — referring to those older than himself in the minis- terial work, by whom he was solemnly inducted to the office. 15. thy progress ; thy spiritual advancement and welfare. An important variation from the Old Version. The minister is so to give himself to study as to make it apparent to all his congrega- tion that he is growing both ia knowledge and in grace. -5. 11. I. TIMOTHY. 737 younger as sisters, in all 3 purity. Honour widows that are widows indeed. 4 But if any widow hath children o r grandchil- dren, let them learn first to shew piety towards their own family, and to requite their parents : for this is acceptable in the 5 sight of God. Now she that is a widow indeed, and desolate, hath her hope set on God, and con- tin ueth in supplications and prayers night and 6 day. But she that giveth herself to pleasure is dead 7 while she liveth. These things also command, that they maybe without 8 reproach. But if any pro- videth not for his own, and specially his owu household, he hath de- nied the faith, and is worse than an unbe- liever. Let none be en- 9 rolled as a widow under threescore years old, having been the wife of one man, well reported of 10 for good works ; if she hath brought up chil- dren, if she hath used hospitality to strangers, if she hath washed the saints' feet, if she hath relieved the afflicted, if she hath diligently fol- lowed every good work. But younger widows re- 11 fuse : for when they have waxed wanton against CHAPTER Y. 3. Widoios indeed ; those that are entirely friendless and deso- late, as explained below, (v. 5.) To honor them in this case means to provide for them. (Compare 5:17.) 4. Grandchildren; not as in the Old Version, nephews. — To- wards their own family; not merely at home. We are first to show our piety in the smaller circle and toward those that stand next us.— Let them, — that is, the children or nephews ; let them take care of their relative, nnd not call upon the church. 5. Hath her hope set on God, &c. ; that is, she ought to trust in God, and live a holy and blameless life. 6. 7s dead; dead to the cause of Christ. Perhaps the meaning is, that she is to be excluded, from all share in the charities of the church. 9. Let none ue enrolled as a widow. Perhaps as proper sub- jects for the charity of the church, perhaps in a special band of widows, set apart for eccle- siastical duties in the service of the church. The latter hypo- thesis seems to be sustained by the context. — Having been the wife of one man; having been faithful and true during her married life. The expression cannot be intended to censure a second marriage, inasmuch as such a marriage is recommended in v. 14. 10. "Washed the saints'1 feet; been hospitable and kind to them, — washing the feet being the token and symbol of hospi- tality. 11. Refuse ; that is, in respect to the appointment or election referred to above, (v. 9.) 738 I. TMOTHY. 5. 11- Christ, they desire to 12 marry ; having condemna- tion, because they have rejected their first faith. 13 And withal they learn also to be idle, going about from house to house ; and not only idle, but tattlers also and busy- bodies, speaking things which they ought not. 14 1 desire therefore that the younger ' widows marry, bear children, rule the household, give none occasion to the adversary 15 for reviling: for already some are turned aside 16 after Satan. If any woman that believeth hath widows, let her re- lieve them, and let not the church be burdened; that it may relieve them that are widows indeed. 17 Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy 1 Or, women 12. We are not sufficiently acquainted with the usage in the ■earl}' church, to which the apos- tle refers in this passage, (9-12,) to account for the apparent severity of this language. It seems to imply that, being re- ceived into the number referred to above, (v. 9,) they came un- der some obligation to remain single, and to devote themselves for life to the service of the church. But what circumstances there were to render it necessary or desirable to impose such an obligation does not appear. 14. The younger widows ; in- eluding, of course, the widows, as it is this class which is the of double honour, es- pecially those who labour in tne word and in teach- ing For the scripture 18 saitn. . Thou shalt not muzaie the ox when he treadeth out the corn. And. The labourer is wor- thy of his hire. Against 19 an elder receive not an accusation, except at the moutk of two or three witnesses. Them that sin 20 reprove in the sight of all, mat the rest also may oe in fear. I charge 21 thee in the sight of God, and Christ Jesus, and the elecx angeis, that thou observe these things with- out "prejudice, doing no- thing oy partiality. Lay 22 hands hastily on no man, neitner oe partaker of other men's sins : keep thyself pure. Be no 23 longer a drinker of water, ! 2 Or. vrtjerence \ subject of these instructions. 16. Hate widows; related to ' them, or uependent upon them. 17. Honor ; reward. This is shown to oe the meaning by what tollows. 20. in zne sight of all; pub- liclj 21- The elect angels ; the holy angeie. 22. uxy hands; in ordination. 23. By this direction, which : stands in striking contrast with the ascetic doctrines which Paul had conuemned, (4:3,) he shows mat no religious end is answered oy suffering any bodily discomiort or pain which can be avoided ; but that Christianity I. 5— I. TIMOTHY. 789 but use a little wine for thy stomach's sake and thine often infirmities. 24 Some men's sins are evi- dent, going before unto judgement ; and some men also they follow 25 after. In like manner also 'there are good woiks that are evident; and such as are otherwise cannot be hid. 6 Let as many as are 2 servants under the yoke count their own masters worthy of all honour, that the name of God and the doctrine be not blas- 2phemed. And they that have believing masters, let them not despise them, because they are breth- 1 Gr. the works that are good are evi- dent. 2 Gr. bondservants. seeks to promote the welfare and happiness of man in all respects, — in small things as well as in great, at present as •well as for the future, and in respect to the comfort of the body as well as to the prosperity of the soul. 24. They folloib after ; that is, they are concealed for a time, and afterwards developed. 25. Cannot he hid ; cannot long be hid. The meaning of the two verses is, that, though sin may be secreted for a time, and virtue remain unobserved, yet in the end the true character of every one will be fully known. CHAPTER VI. 1. Under the yoke; the yoke of bondage. — Be not blasphemed; that is, that reproach be not ren ; but let them serve them the rather, because they that 3 partake of the benefit are believing and beloved. These things teach and exhort. If any man teacheth a 3 different doctrine, a n d consenteth not to 4 sound words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness ; he is puffed up, knowing 4 nothing, but 'doting about questionings and disputes of words, where- of cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings, wranglings of men cor- 5 rupted in mind and bereft of the truth, supposing 3 Or, lay hold of 4 Gr. healthful. 5 Gr. sick. brought upon the cause of Christ. 2. Despise them; treat them with disrespectful freedom. — Be- cause they that partake of the benefit; i. e., of their service. The Christian servant is not to treat his Christian master with undue familiarity because both are Christians, but is rather to render him a more faithful ser- vice because he is a member of the same household of faith. 5. That godliness is a way of gain. The rendering of the Old Version, gain is godliness, is clearly an error. No one sup- poses that gain is godliness, but there are a great many in our own times, as well as in those of Paul, who are attracted to god- liness, because they regard it a means or way of gain. 740 I. TIMOTHY. 6.5 that godliness is a way of 6 gain. But godliness with contentment is great 7 gain: for we brought nothing into the world, for neither can we carry 8 anything out ; but having food and covering 'we shall be therewith con- 9 tent. But they that de- sire to be rich fall into a temptation and a snare and many foolish and hurtful lusts, such a s drown men in destruction iOand perdition. For the love of money is a root of all "kinds of evil: which some reaching after have been led astray from the faith, and have pierced themselves through with many sor- rows. ll But thou, O man of 1 Or, in these we shall have enough 2 Gr. evils. 8. We shall he therewith con- tent; or, as in the margin, in these ice shall hair enough. The apostle does not exhort Christians to contentment, but states as a fact what is the Christian ex- perience of contentment in a simple provision for the neces- sary wants of the body. 9. They that desire to be rich. This hardly sufficiently expresses the force of the original, which i> rather they who are determined to he rich ; whose will is set up- on the acquisition of wealth. 10. Root of all kinds of evil ; not the root of all evil. All evil does not grow out of the love of money. There arc other evil roots in men, such as the love of God, flee these things ; and follow after right- eousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness. Fight the good fight of 12 the faith, lay hold on the life eternal, whereunto thou wast called, and didst confess the good confession in the sight of many witnesses. I charge 13 theeln the sight of God, w h o 3 quickeneth a 1 1 things, and of Christ Je- sus, who before Pontius Pilate witnessed the good confession ; that t h o u 14 keep the commandment, without spot, without re- proach, until the appear- ing of our Lord Jesus Christ : which in 4 its own 15 times he shall shew, who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of 3 Or, preserveth all things alive 4 Or, his power, the love of present ani- mal pleasure and the like; but almost every kind of evil does grow out of the love of money. 12. Confess — confession. This word is substituted for profes- sion in the Old Version, to cor- respond with verse 13, where the same Greek word is used. The original implies simply a public assent; in this case assent to the great doctrines of Christian- ity. 13. Who quickeneth all things ; who giveth life to all things. — Witnessed the good confession. He boldly avowed himself to be the Messiah. (John 18: 35-37.) 15. In its own times; in its own promised time. —6. 21. I. TIMOTHY '41 'kings, and Lord of 16 "lords: who only hath immortality, dwelling in light unapproachable ; wThom no man hath seen, nor can see : to whom be honour and power eternal. Amen. 17 Charge them that are rich in this present Vorld, that they be not high- minded, nor have their hope set on the uncer- tainty of riches, but on God, who giveth us richly 18 all things to enjoy; that they do good, that they be rich in good works, 1 Gr. them that reign as kings. 2 Gr. them that ride as lords. 3 Or, age 17. Uncertainty of riches; a strong expression which repre- sents the hope as reposed in that very quality in riches which renders them untrustworthy. 20. Oppositions, &c. ; opposi- tions to the truth by false phi- losophy. that they be ready to dis- tribute, 4 willing to com- municate; laying up in 19 store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on the life which is life indeed. . O Timothy, guard6 that 20 which is committed unto t7iee, turning away from the profane babblings and oppositions of the know- ledge which is falsely so called ; which some pro- 21 fessing have 6 erred con- cerning the faith. Grace be with you. 4 Or, ready to sympathize 5 Gr. the deposit. 6 Gr. missed the mark. IF The subscription to this epistle in the Old Version is as follows: " The first to Timothy was written from Laodicea, which is the chief est city of Phrygia Pacatiana. " This is not, however, authoritative, and is, therefore, omitted by the Re^ visers. TH.£ SECOND EPISTLE TO TIMOTHY. Theke is evidence in the historical records of the early church, that Paul, after having been liberated irom nis first confinement at Rome, was imprisoned again, and that this second imprison- ment terminated in his martyrdom, some have supposed that the Second Epistle to Timothy was written during this second imprisonment, and just before the apostle's death, to which approaching event they consider the expressions, 4:6, 8, as allud- ing. Others maintain that it was written during his first im- prisonment, aud at an early period 01 it, since he sends for Timothy to join him, (4: 21;) and Timothy is spoken of as with him in several of the Epistles written irom ltome. It is not im- portant, however, in regard to the interpretation of the Epistle, to determine this question; for- tnougn commentators arc divided in respect to the date to wmch it is to be referred, all agree that, like the other, it is a letter oi instructions in respect to the administration of the affairs oi the church, sent to Timothy at Ephesus, from Paul at Home ; and this is all that seems to be necessary to a proper undemanding of it. 1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus lby the will of God, according to the promise of the life which 2 is in Christ Jesus, to Timothy, my beloved child : Grace, mercy, peace, from God the Fa- 1 Gr. through. CHAPTER I. 1. The promise of the life; of eternal life and salvation. 3. From my forefathers ; as [742] ther and Christ Jesus our Lora. 1 tnank God, whom 1 3 serve irom my forefathers in a pure conscience, how unceasing is my remem- brance of thee in my supplications, night and his lorefathers had done. The God wnom ne was serving was the same i*od that the patriarchs had worsnipped in ancient time*. — t 12. II. TIMOTHY. 743 4 day longing to see thee, remembering thy tears, that I may be filled with 5 ' joy; having been remind- ed of the unfeigned faith that is in thee ; which dwelt first in thy grand- mother Lois, and thy mother Eunice ; and, I am persuaded, in thee 6 also. For the which cause I put thee in re- membrance that thou 2 stir up the gift of God, which is in thee through the laying on of my 7 hands. For God gave us not a spirit of tearfulness ; but of power and love and 83discipline. Be not ashamed therefore of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner : but suffer hardship with 1 Ox, joy in being reminded 2 Gi\ stir into flame. 4. Thy tears; referring, per- haps, to the occasion when he bade farewell to the elders at at Ephesus, as narrated Acts 20: 37, 38, where Timothy, it is not improbable, had taken leave of him. 5. Eunice. She was a Jewess, as is stated Acts 16: 1. 6. Stir up the gift of God; be diligent and active in the exer- cise of the gift, that is, the office of the ministry. — The lay- ing on of my hands. His ordina- tion to the work of the ministry was stated, in 1 Tim. 4 : 14, to be by the presbytery, that is, the elders. But the ceremony of laying on of hands was often performed in token of any special consecration, as well as the gospel according to the power of God ; who 9 saved us, and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before times eter- nal, but hath now been 10 manifested by the appear- ing of our Saviour Christ Jesus, who abolished death, and brought life and incorruption to light through the gospel, vvhereunto I was appoint- 11 ed a 4 preacher, and an apostle, and a teacher. For the which cause 1 13 suffer also these things : yet I am not ashamed ; for I know him whom I have believed, and I am 3 Gr. sobering. 4 Gr. herald. in cases of original induction to the ministerial office. For an example, see Acts 13:2, 3. So Paul appears to have consecrated Timothy for the particular work to which he called him. 9. Not according to; not in consequence of. — Given us; designed for us, appropriated to us. — Before times eternal ; this is a nearly literal rendition of the original, which the Old Version paraphrased by the phrase before the iDorld began. The scholars are not agreed in its interpreta- tion. 10. Who abolished death ; hath taken away its power and sting. 12. Th ese th in gs ; the h ar d - ships of his imprisoiment. 744 II. TIMOTHY. 1. 12- persuaded that lie is able to guard ' that which I have committed unto him 13 against that day. Hold the pattern of "sound words which thou hast heard from me, in faith and love which is in Christ 14 Jesus. 3 That good thing which was committed un- to thee guard through the 4 Hoty Ghost which dwelleth in us. 15 This thou knowest, that all that are in Asia turned away from me ; of whom are Phygelus and i6Hermogenes. The Lord grant mercy unto the house of Onesiphorus : for he oft refreshed me, and was not ashamed of 17 my chain ; but, wThen he was in Rome, he sought me diligently, and found 18 me (the Lord grant unto him to find mercy of the 1 Or, that which he hath committed unto me Gr. my deposit. 2 Gr. healthful. 13. Of sound words ; of sound doctrine. 14. That good thing ; the sa- cred trust of the ministry. 16. The house ; the family. It would seem that this family re- side! in Ephcsus, as a salutation is sent to the members of it at the close of the Epistle, (4: 19,) and there Onesiphorus had himself shown Paul kindness, (v. 16.) He had, however, now been at Rome. From the message being only to his family, it would seem that Onesiphorus was still absent from Ephesus, or dead. Lord in that day) ; and in how many things he min- istered at Ephesus, thou knowest very well. Thou therefore, my 2 child, be strengthened in the grace which is in Christ Jesus. And the 2 things which thou hast heard from me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also. 'Suffer 3 hardship with me, as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No soldier on 4 service entangleth him- self in the affairs of this life ; that he may J3lease him who enrolled him as a soldier. And if also a 5 man contend in the games, he is not crowned, except he have contended lawfully. The husband- 6 man that laboureth must 3 Gr. The good deposit. 4 Or, Holy Spirit 5 Or, Take thy part in suffering hard- ship, as &c. CHAPTER II. 2. To faithful men ; as min- isters of the gospel. 3. Suffer hardship; the original implies participation with an- other in suffering, and the mean- ing may be that of the text or that of the marginal reading. 5. Contend; in the athletic games common in those days as public amusements. — Lawfully ; according to the rules and con- ditions established for the regu- lation of the game. 6. The meaning is, that the husbandman is the first to par- 2. 19— II. TIMOTHY. 745 be the first to partake of 7 the fruits. Consider what I say ; for the Lord shall give thee understanding 8 in all things. Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, of the seed of David, according to my 9 gospel : wherein I suffer hardship unto bonds, as a malefactor ; but the word of God is not 10 bound. Therefore I en- dure all things for the elect's sake, that they also may obtain the sal- vation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory. 11 Faithful is the 'saying: For if we died with him, we shall also live with 12 him : if we endure, we shall also reign with him : if we shall deny him, he 13 also will deny us : if we are faithless, he abide th faithful; for he cannot deny himself. 1 Or, saying ; for if &c. 2 Many ancient authorities read God. 3 Or, holding a straight course in the word of truth Or, rightly dividing the word' of truth take of the fruits of the harvest. So in spiritual things: he who labors for others will be the first to enjoy spiritual fruit himself, — a truth abundantly illustrated and demonstrated in the ex- perience of faithful pastors, Sunday-school teachers, and Christian parents. It is here held up before Timothy as an incentive to spiritual faithful ness. 8. My gospel; the gospel which has been intrusted to Of these things put 14 them in remembrance, charging them in the sight of 2 the Lord, that they strive not about words, to no profit, to the subverting of them that hear. Give diligence to 15 present thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, "handling aright the word of truth. But shun profane bab-16 blings : for they will pro- ceed further in ungodli- ness, and their word will 17 4 eat as doth a gangrene : of whom is Hymenseus and Philetus ; men who 18 concerning the truth have 6 erred, saying that 6 the resurrection is past al- ready, and overthrow the faith of some. Howbeiti9 the firm foundation of God standeth, having this seal, The Lord know- 4 Or, spread 5 Gr. missed the mark. 6 Some ancient authorities read a re- surrection 9. Wherein;' in preaching which. 11. Died with him ; dead to sin with him. 17. Their word ; their influ- ence.— Will eat as doth a gan- grene; corrupting and destroy- ing the spirit of piety. 19. The Jinn foundation of Gcd ; the foundation which God has laid,— meaning that portion of the professing church which he had established, as is indicated by what follows. — Let every one, &c. ; that is, there MO II. TIMOTHY. 2. 19- eth them that are his : and, Let every one that nameth the name of the Lord de- part from unrighteous- 20ness. Now in- a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of sil- ver, but also of wood and of earth ; and some unto honour, and some unto 21 dishonour. If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanc- tified, meet for the mas- ter's use, prepared unto 22 every good work. But flee 'youthful lusts, and follow after righteous- ness, faith, love, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure 23 heart. But foolish and ignorant questionings re- fuse, knowing that they 24 gender strifes. And the Lord's 'servant must not strive, but be gentle to- 1 Gr. bondservant. 2 Or, instructing 3 Gr. return to soberness. 4 Gr. taken alive. was a test to determine the genuineness of discipleship, in the personal holiness which was manifested as the fruits of a religious profession. 20. A great house; here rep- resenting the house of God, namely, the church. 21. Purge himself from these ; from the errors and follies above named. 24. Must not strive ; must not dispute and contend. 26. As is seen by the margin, there is a difficulty respecting wards all, apt to teach, forbearing, in meekness 25 2 correcting them that oppose themselves ; if peradventure God may give them repentance un- to the knowledge of the truth, and they may20 3 recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, having been 4 taken cap- tive 6by the Lord's ser- vant unto the will of God. But know this, that in3 the last days grievous times shall come. For 2 men shall be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, haughty, rail- ers, disobedient to par- ents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, 3 implacable, slanderers, without self-control, fierce, no lovers of good, traitors, head strong, 4 puffed up, lovers of pleas- ure ratlier than lovers of 5 Or, by the devil, unto the uill of God Gr. by him. unto the uill of him. In the Greek the two pronouns are differ- ent. the proper interpretation of this passage. Some scholars suppose that Paul speaks of the emanci- pated as having been taken captive by the devil, yet accord- ing to God's will, who over- rules and controls even Satan himself; others, that they are represented as being taken cap- tive out of the snare of the devil by the servant of the Lord, i. e., his minister, in accordance with God's will, who desires all men to be 6aved. -3. 17. II. TIMOTHY. 747 5 God ; holding a form of godliness, but having denied the power thereof : from these also turn 6 away. For of these are they that creep into houses, and take caDtive silly women laden with sins, led away bv divers 7 lusts, ever learning, and never able to come to ihe knowledge of the trurh. 8 And like as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also with- stand the truth t men corrupted in mind, repro- bate concerning the faith. 9 But they shall proceed no further: for their xolly shall be evident unto all men, as theirs also came 10 to be. Bat thou didst follow my teaching, con- duct, purpose, faith, longsuffering, love, pa- ll tience, persecutions, sufferings ; what things befell me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra ; what 1 Gr. what 2 Or, Every scripture is inspired of CHAPTER III. 5. A form of godliness ; an outward pretension to godli- ness. 8. Jannes and Jambres ; names handed down by tradition, though not mentioned in the Old Testament, as those of the magicians who resisted the claims of Moses to be received as the messenger of God in the palace of Pharaoh. 9. As theirs ; that is, the folly of the magicians, as recorded in persecutions I endured : and out of them all the Lord delivered me. Yea, 13 and all that would live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. But evil men and impos- 13 tors shall wax worse and worse, deceiving and be- ing deceived. But abide 14 thou in the things wdiich thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of ' whom thou hast learned them; and 15 that from a babe thou hast knowm the sacred writings which are able to make thee wise unto sal- vation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. 2 Every scripture inspired 16 of God is also profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for 'in- struction which is in righteousness: that the 17 man of God may be com- plete, furnished complete- ly unto every good work. God, and profitable 3 Or, discipline the account in Exodus. 16. The reading given here in the margin is that of the Old Version. Scholars are not agreed as to which is the preferable reading. The difference, how- ever, is not doctrinall3r very important, whichever view be taken the meaning is the same. The apostle has been speaking of the Old Testament Scriptures; he now goes on to declare that every Scripture, i. e., sacred writing, is inspired of God, and US II. TIMOTHY. 4. 1— 4 'I charge thee in the sight of God, and of Christ Jesus, who shall judge the quick and the dead, and by his appear- ing and his kingdom ; 2 preach the word ; be in- stant in season, out of season ; 3 reprove, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuf- 3 fering and teaching. For the time will come when they will not endure the 3 sound 'doctrine; but, having itching ears, will heap to themselves teach- ers after their own lusts ; 4 a rid will turn away their ears from the truth, and turn aside unto fables. § But be thou sober in all 1 Or, I testify, in the sight., .dead, both of his appearing <(-<•. " 2 Or, bring to the proof is profitable for religious instruc- tion as a means of reproving men of sin, turning them into the ways of righteousness, and giving them instruction and guidance therein. CHAPTER IV. 3. Heap to themselves teachers ; by listening to every teacher that offers instruction, however false his pretensions. 6. For I am already heing offered ; not, as in the Old Ver- sion, / am now ready to he offered. The apostle in bonds at Rome speaks of himself as a victim bound and ready to be laid on the altar as a sacrifice. — Is come. This passage (6-8) has been by some considered as indicating that Paul wrote this Epistle when very near the close of his life, during a second imprison- ment, which tradition teaches things, suffer hardship, do the work of an evan- gelist, fulfil thy ministry. For I am already being 6 'offered, and the time of my departure is come. 1 7 have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith : henceforth there is 8 laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give to me at that day : and not only to me, but also to all them that have loved his ap- pearing. Do thy diligence to 9 come shortly unto me : for Demas forsook me, 10 3 Gr. healthful. 4 Or, t fuelling 5 Gr. powed out as a drink-offering. that he suffered at Rome, and which terminated in his martyr- dom. The directions, however, which follow, (11-13, 21,) seem to imply that he did not con- sider his work as yet absolutely ended. If the latter supposition is correct, this passage must, mean only that he felt that he was gradually drawing towards the close of his labors. In either case it is interesting to observe that the faith and hope which had given him activity and guidance during his long life of suffering and danger, now became his solace and sup- port when he found himself near its end. 8. That have loved his appear- ing ; that desire it, looking for- ward to it with joyful anticipa- tions. 10. Demas is mentioned as with the apostle when he wrote *-4. 31, II. TIMOTHY. 749 having loved this present 1 world, and went to Thes- salonica ; Crescens to 3 Galatia, Titus to Dalma- lltia. Only Luke is with me. Take Mark, and bring him with thee : for he is useful to me for 12 ministering. But Tychi- cus I sent to Ephesus. 13 The cloke that I left at Troas with Carpus, bring when thou comest, and the books, especially the 14 parchments. Alexander the coppersmith 3 did me much evil : the Lord will render to him according 15 to his works : of whom be thou ware also ; for he greatly withstood our 16 words. At my first de- fence no one took my part, but all forsook me : 1 Or, age 2 Or, Gaul 3 Gr. shewed. his Epistles to the Colossians and to Philemon. (Col. 4:14. Philem. 24.) 11. Luke had accompanied Paul to Rome, and remained there with him, as he is repeat- edly alluded to in Epistles writ- ten by Paul from that city. 12. Tychicus. He is mention- ed. Acts 20: 4, as belonging in Asia. He was sent once to Asia from Rome as the bearer of Epistles from Paul. (Ephes. 6: 21. Col. 4: 7.) 13. At Troas. Paul had stopped at Troas on his last journey to Jerusalem. (Acts 20: 6.) 14. Alexander. An Alexander may it not be laid to their account. But the Lord 17 stood by me, and 4 strengthened me ; that through me the "message might be fully pro- claimed, and that all the Gren tiles might hear : and I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion. The 18 Lord will deliver me from every evil work, and will save me unto his heavenly kingdom : to whom be the glory 8 for ever and ever. Amen. Salute Prisca a n d 19 Aquila, and the house of Onesiphorus. Erastus20 abode at Corinth : but Trophimus I left at Mile- tus sick. Do thy dili-21 gence to come before winter. Eubulus saluteth 4 Or, gave me power 5 Or, proclamation 6 Gr. unto the ages of the ages. of Ephesus is mentioned, Act* 19: 33, as taking a part in the disturbances created by Deme- trius. One of this name is also referred to in 1 Tim. 1 : 20. 16. At my first defence ; before the tribunal at Rome. 19. Prisca; Priscilla. (Acts 18: 1-3, 18, 19.) 20. Erastus ; mentioned Rom. 16, 23, as the chamberlain of the city. He was afterwards sent by Paul into Macedonia. (Acts 19: 22.) Trophimus is also mentioned elsewhere as an Ephe- sian. (Acts 20: 4. 21:29.) 21. Before winter ; when the navigation would be no longer safe. 750 It TIMOTHY. 4. 21— thee, and Pudens, and Linus, and Claudia, and all the brethren. The subscription to this epis- tle in the Old Version was as follows : "The Second Epistle unto Timotheus, ordained the first biahop of the church of the Ephesiaus, was written from The Lord be with thy 22 spirit. Grace be with vou. Rome, when Paul was brought before Nero the second time." It is, however, not authoritative, and does not determine any- thing respecting the date of the epistle. THE EPISTLE TO TITUS. Titus is often mentioned in the Epistles as Paul's companion and fellow-laborer. He was a Greek, Timothy being a Jew; and, although Paul allowed of the circumcision of Timothy, out of regard to the feelings of the Jewish brethren, he would not permit this rite to be performed upon Titus, (Gal. 2:3, 4;) thus showing that, while he allowed Jews to continue Jews, he would not countenance the idea that the rites and observances of the Mosaic law were essential to the salvation of the Gentiles. This Epistle is addressed to Titus at Crete, a large island in the Mediterranean, south of the Egean Sea. It is now called Candia. Paul had left Titus in Crete, in charge of the churches which had been founded there. (1: 5.) His position in respect to the church, and his duties, were similar to those of Timothy at Ephesus, and the instructions contained in this Epistle, ac- cordingly, correspond very closely with those addressed to Timothy. 1 Paul, a 'servant of God, and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God's elect, and the knowledge of i he truth which is ac- 2 cording to godliness, in hope of eternal life, which God, who cannot lie, promised before times 3 eternal ; but in 2his own 1 Gr. bondservant. 2 Or, its CHAPTER I. 2. Times eternal. See 2 Timothy, 1 : 9. Note. — Pro- mised; in the counsels of his own will. seasons manifested his word in the 'message, wherewith I was intrust- ed according to the com- mandment of God our Saviour ; to Titus, my 4 true child after a common faith : Grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Saviour. For this cause left 1 5 3 Or, proclamation 3. His own seasons; in the Old Version, in dve times. The meaning is, in the time or season which he has himself appointed. 5. Left 1 thee in Crete. The [751] fr>2 TITUS. 1. 5— thee in Crete, that thou shouldest set in order the things that were wanting, and appoint elders in every city, as I gave thee 6 charge ; if any man is blameless, the husband of one wife, having children that believe, who are not accused of riot or unruly. 7 For the 2 bishop must be blameless, as God's stew- ard ; not self willed, not soon angry, ano brawler, no striker, not greedy of 8 filthy lucre ; but given to hospitality, a lover of good, soberminded, just, 9 holy, temperate ;. holding to the faithful word which is according to the teach- ing, that he may be able 1 Or, overseer 2 Or, not quarrelsome over wine 3 Gr. healthful. ship in which Paul performed his voyage to Rome, as recorded at the close of the Acts, touched repeatedly at the ports of Crete. This is the only case in which any record remains of Paul's visiting the island. At what time he put Titus in charge there, and when this Epistle was written to him, are both wholly unknown. — Elders ; pastors ; called bishops in v. 7. 6. These directions (6-9) cor- respond very closely with those given to Timothy on the same subject. (1 Tim. 3: 2-9.)— Having children that believe ; not faithful children, but children who are believers or disciples. It was important that in the heathen cities, the elders of the churches should not be those whose children were themselves both to exhort in the 3 sound 4 doctrine, and to convict the gainsayers. For there are many un- 10 ruly men, vain talkers and deceivers, specially they of the circumcision, whose mouths must bell stopped ; men who over- throw whole houses, teaching things which they ought not, for filthy lucre's sake. One of 12 themselves, a prophet of their own, said, Cretans are alway liars, evil beasts, idle 6 gluttons. This testimony is true. 13 For which cause reprove them sharply, that they may be 6 sound in the faith, not giving heed to 14 4 Or, teaching 5 Gr. bellies. 6 Gr. healthy. pagans. — Riot; dissoluteness of manners, or excess of any kind. 9. The faithful word ; the word worthy of faith; that is, truths well-established and sure. — Sound doctrine; sound instruc- tion. — Gainsayers ; opposers. 10. They of the circumcision ; the Jews. 11. For filthy lucres sake. In what way precisely this phari- saical sanctity was turned to the purposes of gain, is not known. There are frequent allusions, however, to the fact that this was done. (Compare Matt. 28: 14. 1 Tim. 6: 5. 2 Tim. 3: 6, ?•) 12. A prophet ; a pagan pro- phet.— Idle gluttons; a freer, and yet in the spirit more accu- rate translate Old Version. 2. 12. TITUS. 763 Jewish fables, and com- mandments of men who turn away from the truth. 15 To the pure all things are pure : but to them that are defiled and unbeliev- ing nothing is pure ; but both their mind and their conscience are defiled. 16 They profess that they know God ; but by their works they deny him, be- ing abominable, and dis- obedient, and unto every good work reprobate. 2 But speak thou the things which befit the 2 ' sound ' doctrine : that aged men be temperate, grave, soberminded, 3 sound in faith, in love, 3 in patience: that aged women likewise be rever- ent in demeanour, not slanderers nor enslaved to much wine, teachers of 4 that which is good ; that they may train the young women to love their hus- bands, to love their chil- sdren, to be soberminded, 1 Gr. healthful. 2 Or, teaching 3 Gr. healthy. 15. All things are pure; that is, all kinds of meats and drinks. The idea is the same that the apostle has, in his other Epistles, so often advanced, — that he whose heart is pure need not be solicitous about ceremonial dis- tinctions and prohibitions. CHAPTER II. 1. Speak thou; teach, incul- cate, chaste, workers at home, kind, being in subjection to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed : t h e 6 younger men likewise ex- hort to be soberminded : in all things shewing thy- 7 self an ensample of good works ; in thy doctrine shewing unco.rruptness, gravity, sound speech, 8 that cannot be condemn- ed ; that he that is of the contrary part may be ashamed, having no evil thing to say of as. Ex- 9 hort * servants to be in subjection to their own masters, and to be well- pleasing to them in all things ; not gainsaying ; not purloining, but shew- 10 ing all good fidelity ; that they may adorn the doc- trine of God our Saviour in all things. For then grace of God 5hath ap- peared, bringing salva- tion to all men, instruct- 12 ing us, to the intent that, 4 Gr. bondservants. 5 Or, hath appeared to all men, bring- ing salvation 3-5. In several respects the translation of the New Version here, is both more graphic and more accurate than that of the Old Version. 8. Ashamed; confounded. 9. Gainsaying ; contradicting and objecting. 12. Instructing us to the i?itent, &c. ; and not, as in the Old Ver- sion, teaching us that we should live, &c. The meaning is, that 754 TITUS. 2.12- denying ungodlines and worldly lusts, we should live soberly and right- eously and godly in this 13 present l world ; looking for the blessed hope and appearing of the glory 2 of our great God and Saviour Jesus Christ ; 14 who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a people for his own pos- session, zealous of good works. 15 These things speak and exhort and reprove with all "authority. Let no man despise thee. 3 Put them in mind to be in subjection to rulers, to authorities, to be obedi- ent, to be ready unto 2 every good work, to speak evil of no man, not to be contentious, to be gentle, shewing all meekness to- 3 ward all men. For we also were aforetime fool- i s h , disobedient, de- ceived, serving divers 1 Or, age 2 Or, of the great God and our Saviour 3 Gr. commandment. 4 Or, later the instruction which is afforded by the Gospel is all for the de- veloping of a sober, righteous, and godly life, and a blessed hope of immortality. 13. Ajipearing of the glory, &c. ; of this glory Jesus Christ emptied himself when he came to the earth, but he will put it on again, and appear ia glory at lusts and pleasures, liv: ing in malice and envy, hateful, hating one another. But when the 4 kindness of God our Sa- viour, and his love to- ward man, ap]>eared, not 5 by works done in right- eousness, which we did ourselves, but according to his mercy he saved us, through the 'washing of regeneration 5and renew- ing of the 6 Holy Ghost, which he poured out upon 6 us richly, through Jesus Christ our Saviour ; that, 7 being justified by his grace, we might be made 7 heirs according to the hope of eternal life. Faithful is the saying, 8 and concerning these things 1 will that thou affirm confidently, to the end that they which have believed God may be care- ful to 8 maintain good works. These things are good and profitable unto men: but shun foolish 9 questionings, and gene- 5 Or, and through renewing 6 Or, Holy Spirit 7 Or, heirs, according to hope, of eternal life 8 Or, profess honest occupations the last day, and for this mani- festation of his glory the apostle bids Christian believers wait and hope. CHAPTER III. 1 . To be in subjection ; to be obedient. 9. The law ; the Mosaic law. Similar cautions were given tQ Timothy. (1 Tim. 1:4.) —3. 15. TITUS. 755 alogies, and strifes, and fightings about the law ; for they are unprofitable lOand vain. A man that is 1 heretical after a first and second admonition 2 re- 11 fuse; knowing that such a one is perverted, and sinneth, being self-con- demned. 12 When I shall send Arte mas unto thee, or Tychicus, give diligence to come unto me to Nico- polis : for there I have 1 Or, factious 2 Or, avoid 10. That is heretical; that maintains the corrupt opinions and practices which the apostle had been condemning. — Refuse ; perhaps exclude from the church ; perhaps, as in the margin, avoid. 12. The name of Artemas is not elsewhere mentioned. Tychi- cus is spoken of, Acts 20 : 4. There were several cities named. Nicopolis in the various prov- inces visited by Paul, and it is uncertain which was here in- tended.— There to winter. This determined to winter. Set forward Zenas the 13 lawyer and Apollos on their journey diligently, that nothing be wanting unto them. And let our 14 people also learn to 3 maintain good works for necessary 4 uses, that they be not unfruitful. All that are with me 15 salute thee. Salute them that love us in faith. Grace be with you all. 3 Or, profess honest occupations 4 Or, wants expression seems to imply that Paul was not then at Nicopolis, as is stated in the subscription at the end of the Epistle. These subscriptions are not to be con- sidered as a part of the inspired volume. They are in many instances supposed to be erro- neous. The subscription to this Epis- tle, as given in the Old Version, was as follows: u It was written to Titus, ordained the first bishop of the church of the Cretians, from Nicopolis of Ma- cedonia." THE EPISTLE TO PHILEMON. At the same time that Paul sent his Epistle from Rome to the churches at Ephesus and Colossae. he wrote this letter to Phi- lemon, apparently an officer of the church at Colossae, to be conveyed by Onesimus, his servant, who had fled from his master, and made his way to Rome, where he had been con- verted to Christianity under the ministry of Paul. The letter states to Philemon the circumstances of the case, and enjoins upon him to receive his servant again, though not now as a servant, that is, as a slave, but as a Christian brother. 1 Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Tim- othy ' our brother, to Philemon our beloved 2 and fellow-worker, and to Apphia 2 our sister, and to Archippus our fellow-soldier, and to the church in thy house : 3 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 4 • I thank my God al- ways, making mention of thee in my prayers, hear- 1 Gr. the brother. 2 Gr. the .bister. 2. Our sister; instead of as in the Old Version, our beloved Apphia. — Apphia and Archippus may have been the wife and son of Philemon. Archippus is men- tioned in the Epistle to the i ing of 3 thy love, and of the faith which thou hast toward the Lord Jesus, and toward all the saints ; that the fellowship of thy 6 faith may become effect- ual, in the knowledge of every good thing which is in 4 you, unto Christ. i For I had much joy and 7 comfort in thy love, be- cause the hearts of the saints have been refresh- ed through thee, brother. Wherefore, though 1 8 3 Or, thy love and faith 4 Many ancient authorities read us. 4. 1 thank my God. These words are to be connected with the fifth verse. He thanked God on account of what he heard of Philemon's love and faith. &c. 8. That which is befitting ; that Colossians, which was sent at I which is right, — which Christian the same time with this. 'principles require, meaning in [756] —1. 20. PHILEMON. 757 have all boldness in Christ to enjoin thee that 9 which is befitting, yet for love's sake I rather be- seech, being such, a one as Paul l the aged, and now a prisoner also of io Christ Jesus: I beseech thee for my child, whom I have begotten in my 11 bonds, 2 Onesimus, who was aforetime unprofit- able to thee, but now is profitable to thee and to 12 me : whom I have sent 13 back to thee in his own person, that is, my very heart : whom I would fain have kept with me, that in thy behalf he might minister unto me in the bonds of the 14 gospel : but without thy mind I would do nothing ; that thy goodness should not be as of necessity, 1 Or, an ambassador, and now &c. 2 The Greek word means Helpful. respect to Onesimus, as is ex- plained below. 12. My very heart ; mine own self. — The change in this verse is required by the best manuscripts. The phrase in the Old Version thou therefore receive him, was probably interpolated to com- plete the sentence, which is really not completed until we reach the 17th verse. 14. Thy mind ; thy consent. 16. No longer as a servant ; not as a slave. Philemon was to change entirely the nature of the relation which had subsisted between him and his bondman. (Compare Col. 4 : 1.) The eman- cipation of slaves (Joes not at all but of free will. Fori5 perhaps he was therefore parted from thee for a season, that thou shouldest have him for ever ; no longer as a 16 3 servant, but more than a 3 servant, a brother be- loved, specially to me, but how much rather to thee, both in the flesh and in the Lord. If then 17 thou countest me a part- ner, receive him as my- self. But if he hath 18 wronged thee at all, or oweth thee aught, put that to mine account; 1 19 Paul write it with mine own hand, I will repay it : that I say not unto thee how that thou owest to me even thine own self besides. Yea, brother, 20 let me have 4 joy of thee in the Lord : refresh my 3 Gr. bondservant. 4 Or, help imply their separation from their master. Emancipation is simply the substitution of wages for stripes, as the inducement to labor. We are not, therefore, to be surprised that Paul sent Onesimus back to his former home. If the slaves of a whole community were to escape from their thraldom, it would be the wisest philanthropy to send them all back to their wonted occupa- tions again, with the injunction to their masters to receive them, not as slaves, but as fellow-men ; provided that there was a reason- able ground to expect, as in this case, that the imjunctioQ would be obeyed. 758 PHILEMON. 25. 21 heart in Christ. Having confidence in thine obe- dience I write unto thee, knowing that thou wilt do even beyond what I 22 say. But withal prepare me also a lodging : for I hope that through your prayers I shall be granted unto you. 1 Some ancient authorities read the. The subscription in the Old Version is as follows; " Writ- Epaphras, my fellow- 23 prisoner in Christ Jesus, salute th thee ; and so do Mark, Aristarchus, De- 24 mas, Luke, my fellow- workers. The grace of ' our Lord 25 Jesus Christ be with your spirit. 2Amen. 2 Many ancient authorities omit Amen. ten from Rome to Philemon bj Onesimus a servant." THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. It will be observed by the reader, that the Epistle to the Hebrews does not, like most of the other Epistles, contain within itself the name of its author, either at the commencement or at the conclusion. The title, however, which has been attached to the work from very ancient times, attributes it to Paul; and it was the general, though not the universal opiuion of the early church, that he was the writer. The question of its anthorship has, however, been a matter of discussiou in every age, and count- less hypotheses have been framed, and defended with great learning, research, and ability, to solve the supposed mystery of its origin. The Epistle is addressed to the Hebrew Christians, being intended apparently for that class of the Jewish nation most devoted to. and intimately connected with, the religion of their forefathers. That it was to be communicated to them through the medium of some local church, tc whioh it was in the first iustance directly addressed, is plain from the expressions in the con- cluding verses. The attempts to ascertain what local church this was, have given rise to conjectures as numerous and as laboriously maintained as those in respect to the authorship of the work; but no one of the opinions advanced on this point, has been able to command any general assent among scholars. We know that Paul was very deeply interested in resisting the attempts of the Jews that the Mosaic institutions should be acknowledged and obeyed in the Christian church; and that his efforts in this cause awakened the animosity of the more zealous Jews against him, as the advocate of opinions which came strongly into collision with their prejudices and feelings. Now, if we suppose that he conceived the design of writing this treatise, towards the close of his career, for the purpose of mak- ing an attempt, in a deliberate and decided, and yet mild and conciliatory manner, to settle this question by drawing a parallel between the Jewish and Christian dispensations, in full, treat- ing the former with the utmost deference and respect, while [7*91 >' 760 HEBREWS. 1. I— yet he showed the superiority of the latter in every point of comparison ; that he sent the EjDistle in the first instance, to some local church, near the central seat of the great influence which he intended to reach by it, — addressing to that church the particular communications in the last verses; that he refrained from attaching his name openly to the work, in order that he might not unnecessarily obtrude upon his readers the knowledge of an origin which might prepossess them unfavorably, — and that, in consequence of this, while it wTas generally understood to have been written by Paul, in the early church, it was not universally so understood ; and, finally, that the discussion then commenced has been continued to the present time, through the fondness of men to speculate on what is not fully known, and to frame theories for the sake of the pleasure of ingeniously de- fending them; — if we make these suppositions, we perhaps account for the phenomena connected with the history of this Epistle, as satisfactorily as the nature of the case allows. [It should perhaps be added that most modern scholars are of the opinion that the Epistle was not written by Paul. They base this opinion upon the use of terms and characteristics of style very unlike those of the apostle in other writings. L. A.] 1 God, having of old time spoken unto the fathers in the prophets by divers portions and in 2 divers manners, hath at the end of these days spoken unto us in lMs Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, through 1 Gr. a Son. 2 Gr. ages. CHAPTER I. 1. By divers portions and in divers manners ; the Old Testa- ment revelation set forth the truth in fragments and in various forms. Christ is the full reve- lation of God, gathering into himself all the rays which shine in the Old Testament. 2. At the end of these days ; in this the last dispensation, whom also he made the 2 worlds; who being the 3 effulgence of his glory, and 3the very image of his substance, and up- holding all things by the word of his power, when he had made purification of sins, sat down on the 3 Or, the Impress of his substance 3. The effulgence of his glory ; the word effulgence is here sub- stituted for brightness, used in the Old Version, because the latter word might be supposed to mean a refected splendor, whereas the true meaning is a radiance which is flashed forth from within. — The very image of his substance; the original im- plies that which is stamped or — 1. 9. HEBREWS. 761 right hand of the Majesty 4 on high ; having become by so much better than the angels, as he hath in- herited a more excellent 5 name than they. For unto which of the angels said he at any time, Thou art my Son, This day have 1 be- gotten thee? and again, I will be to him a Father, And he shall be to me a Son? 6 'And when he again 1 Or, And again, token he bringeth in 2 Or, shall have brought in 3 Gr. the inhabited earth. impressed by a die. Christ is represented as the impression of the seal of God. 4. So much better than; so much superior to. — The angels. The writer brings Jesus into comparison with the angels, be- cause the Jews regarded the Mosaic law as given by the min- istration of angels, (Acts 7: 53;) and he accordingly adopts this as one of the points of com- parison between the two dispen- sations.— A more excellent name; that is, the name of Son, as specified in the next verse. 5. These quotations are from Ps. 2: 7, and 2 Sam. 7: 14, and are here considered as applicable to the Messiah. The meaning is, that Jesus was the Son of God, and that, too, in a sense altogether distinctive and pecu- liar. 6. The language here quoted is supposed to be taken from Ps. 97 : 7. 7. Ps. 104: 4. In the original psalm, where the writer is repre- a bringeth in the firstborn into 'the world he saith, And let all the angels of G-od worship him. And 7 of the angels he saith, Who maketh his an- gels * winds, And his ministers a flame of fire : but of the Son he saith, 8 Thy throne, 0 God, is for ever and ever ; And the sceptre of up- rightness is the scep- tre of 6thy king- dom. Thou hast loved right- 9 4 Or, . 5 The two oldest Greek manuscripts read his. senting the power of God, as shown in the visible creation, the meaning has been supposed to be, Who maketh angels or messengers of the winds, and ministers, that is, servants, of the lightning; which involves the idea that his angels, like the winds, are employed in subordi- nate stations to do his will. It is in this view of the meaning that the language is pertinent here. 8, 9. Ps. 45 : 6, 7. The mean- ing is that while, in the passage quoted above, it is implied that angels are only subordinate agents, to execute, like the winds, the commands of Jehovah, the Son is addressed as clothed with independent majesty and power. —Anointed thee. Anointing was the ancient ceremony of induc- tion to the royal office. (1 Sam. 16 : 13.) The meaning therefore is, Thy God hath crowned thee, with rejoicings, as the mon- arch of the mediatorial king- dom. ?62 HEBREWS. 1. 9- eousness, and hated iniquity ; Therefore God, thy God, hath anointed thee With the oil of glad- ness above thy fellows. 10 And, Thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth, And the heavens are the works of thy hands : 11 They shall perish ; bnt thou continuest : And they all shall wax old as doth a gar- ment ; 12 And as a mantle shalt thou roll them up, As a garment, and they shall be changed : But thou art the same, And thy years shall not fail. 13 But of which of the 10. Ps. 102:25-27. 13. Ps. 110: 1. 14. Ministering spirits ; that is, are not they (the angels) instead of being like the Son, at the head of the kingdom, only min- istering spirits, employed alto- gether in executing a superior's commands ? CHAPTER II. 1. The things that were heard ; in respect to the gospel, as is shown in v. 3. — Lest haply we angels hath he said at any time, Sit thou on my right hand, Till I make thine ene- mies the footstool of thy feet 2 Are they not all minister- u ing spirits, sent forth to do service for the sake of them that shall inherit salvation % Therefore we ought to 2 give the more earnest heed to the things that were heard, lest haply we drift away from them. For if 2 the word spoken through angels proved stedfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompense of re- ward ; how shall we es- 3 cape, if we neglect so great salvation \ which having at the first been spoken through the Lord, was continued unto us by them that heard; God 4 also bearing witness wTith drift away from them ; be di- verted from them; be carried beyond them by the drift and tendency of our lives. 2. The word spoken through angels; the law proclaimed through the instrumentality of angels. — Proved steadfast ; was fully maintained. 3. Having — been spoken. The gospel was first made known by Jesus himself, and afterwards by those to whom he committed it. ^-2. 12. HEBREWS. 763 them, both by signs and wonders, and by manifold powers, and by 'gifts of the 2 Holy Ghost, accord- ing to his own will. 5 For not unto angels did he subject 3 the world to come, whereof we speak. 6 But one hath somewhere testilied, saying, What is man, that thou art mindful of him? Or the son of man, that thou visitest him? 7 Thou madest him 4a little lower than the angels ; Thou crownedst him with glory and hon- our, 'And didst set him over the works of thy hands : 8 Thou didst put all things in subjection under his feet. 1 Gr. distributions. 2 Or, Holy Spirit : and bo throughout this book. 3 Gr. the inhabited earth. 4 Or, for a little while lower 5. The world to come; the kingdom of Christ. 6. Ps. 8 : 4-6. 9. There is some obscurity in the original, in respect to the connection of the several clauses of this verse, which has given rise to somewhat varied inter- pretations. The general idea is, that, although Jesus, being made man, took a station some- what lower than that of the angels, and suffered death in it, yet this was in the fulfilment of the divine designs to provide an atonement for human guilt ; and For in that he subjected all things unto him, he left nothing that is not subject to him. But now we see not yet all things subjected to him. But 9 we behold him who hath been made 6 a little lower than the angels, even Je- sus, because of the suffer- ing of death crowned with glory and honour, that by the grace of God he should taste death for every man. For it be-io came him, for whom are all things, and through whom are all things, 7 in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the Au- thor of their salvation perfect through suffer- ings. For both he thatll sanctilieth and they that are sanctified are all of one : for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren, saying, 12 5 Many authorities omit And didst... hands. 6 Or, for a little while, lower 7 Or, having brought 8 Or, captain Jesus, after accomplishing this object, was then crowned with glory and honor. — Taste death ; suffer it. 10. The Author of their salva- tion. To make him perfect through sufferings, is to conduct him through sufferings to his final and perfect state of glory. A similar expression is used in 5:8, 9. 11. He that ianctijieth ; that is, by the expiation referred to in the close of v. 9. — Of one ; of one father. 12. Ps. 22:2*. „ . 764 HEBREWS. 2. 12— I will declare thy name unto my brethren, In the midst of the 'congregation will I sing thy praise. 13 And again, I will put my trust in him. And again, Behold, I and the chil- dren which God hath u given me. Since then the children are sharers in 3 flesh and blood, he also himself in like man- ner partook of the same ; that through death he 3 might bring to nought him that * had the power of death, that is, the 15 devil ; and 8 might deliver all them who through fear 1 Or, church 2 Gr. blood and flesh. 3 Or, may 13. These expressions seem to be taken from Isa. 8:18. Con- sidered as language used by the Messiah, they show a feeling of dependence on God, character- istic of the human condition; thus conspiring with the other considerations presented in this passage, (10-18,) to show that the promised Messiah, according to the representations of the Old Testament, was to share in his own person the nature of those whom he came to redeem. 14. Partook of the same; that is, he was constituted human. — Bring to nought him, &c. ; con- quer him, — destroy his power. That had the poicer of death. Satan is so designated, as it was through his agency that death was brought into the world. 15. Subject to bondage; in a wretched* and miserable condi- tion. 1$. The reader will observe a of death were all their lifetime subject to bond- age. For verily not of 16 angels doth he take hold, but he taketh hold of the seed of Abraham. Where- 17 fore it behoved him in all things to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. 5 For6 in that he himself 18 hath suffered being tempted, he is able to suc- cour them that are tempted. Wherefore, holy breth- 3 4 Or, hath 5 Or, For having been himself tempted in that wherein he hath suffered 6 Or, wherein very marked difference between the rendering of the Old Version and that of the New in this passage. The Old Version read, for verily he took not on him the nature of angels, but he took on him the seed of Abraham, which made the passage simply a dec- laration of the incarnation ; the New Version, on the other hand, brings forth the truth that the object of the incarnation was a taking hold of and bringing deliverance to men, not to angels, and there can be no ques- tion that this is the true mean- ing of the original. Alford renders the passage, " it is not angels that he helpeth, but it is the seed of Abraham that he helpeth." CHAPTER III. 1. The writer now proceeds to compare Christ, as the execu- tive head of the new dispensa- tion, with Moses,, us that of the ^-3. 12. HEBREWS. 765 ren, partakers of a hea- venly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our confession, even 2 Jesus ; who was faithful to him that 'appointed him, as also was Moses in sail ahis house. For he hath been counted worthy of more glory than Moses, by so much as he that 8 built the house hath more honour than the 4 house. For every honse is 3 builded by some one ; but he that 3 built all 5 things is God. And Moses indeed was faithful in all 2his house as a ser- vant, for a testimony of those things which were afterward to be spoken ; 6 but Christ as a son, over 2his house; whose house are we, if we hold fast our boldness and the glorying of our hope firm 7 unto the end. Where- 1 Gr. made. 2 That is, God's house. xii. 7. See Num. old. An apostle is oue sent to execute a commission. Christ was commissioned to carry into effect the gospel plan of salva- tion, as Moses was to establish and maintain the Jewish system of faith and service. Jesus is called the High Priest of the new dispensation, inasmuch as he offered its great sacrifice for sin, in giving up his own life a ransom for men. 2. His house ; his charge; the community imbodied under the system of institutions committed to his administration. It is called metaphorically a house, i:i fore, even as the Holy Ghost saith, To-day if ye shall hear his voice, Harden not yours hearts, as in the pro- vocation, Like as in the day of the temptation in the wilderness, 4 Wherewith y o u r 9 fathers tempted me by proving me, And saw my works forty years. Wherefore I was dis-io pleased with this generation, And said, They do alway err in their heart : But they did not know my ways ; As I sware in my 11 wrath, 'They shall not enter into my rest. Take heed,* brethren, lest 12 3 Or, established 4 Or, Where 5 Gr. If they shall enter . the same manner as the Christian church is often spoken of as a building. 3. Christ. 4. The language of this state- ment seems . sufficiently clear, but its connection with the apostle's train of argument is considered very difficult to be explained. 6.* Whose house are we; that is, we, the community of be- lievers under the gospel. 7. This passage (7-11) is quoted from Ps. 95:7-11. 11. In my wrath ; in my dis- pleasure.— Into my rest ; into the To'tf 1JE13REWS. haply there shall be in any one of you an evil heart of unbelief, in falling away from the living God : 13 but exhort one another day by day, so long as it is called To-day ; lest any one of you be hardened by the deceitfulness of 14 sin: for we are become partakers 'of Christ, if we hold fast the begin- ning of our confidence 15 firm unto the end: while it is said, To-day if ye shall hear his voice, Harden not your hearts, as in the pro- vocation. 1 Or, with promised land of rest and plenty. 14. Become rparta~kcrs of Christ; united to him, (John 17: 21-23,) and made sharers in the joys of his future kingdom. (Col. 3: 4. Rev. 3: 21.) — The beginning of our confidence ; the strong faith with which we first em- braced the gospel. 15. The meaning is, Since ye hear the same warning which was addressed to the children of Israel, do not, like them, harden your hearts against it. 1G. The variation in the ren- dering of this verse"by the New Version is considerable, though either construction is possible. It is probable that both clauses, like that of the verses which follow, were intended as inter- rogative, as rendered in the New Version. Thus understood, the verse harmonizes in construction with what follows, and tin- whole presents the example of For who, when they 16 heard, did provoke 1 nay, did not all they that came out of Egypt by Moses? And with whom was 17 he displeased forty years % was it not with them that sinned, whose 2 carcases fell in the wil- derness % And to whom 18 sware he that they should not enter into his rest, but to them that were disobedient \ And we see l» that they were not able to enter in because of un- belief. Let us fear therefore, 4 lest haply, a promise be- ing left of entering into 2 Gr. limbs. the defection and punishment of the Israelites as a very solemn warning. 1 8. That were disobedien t ; not, as in the Old Version, them that "believed not. Their disbelief was indeed the root and cause of their disobedience, as indicated in the next verse, but the orig- inal here is properly rendered disobedience, being a different word from that translated unbe- lief m the next sentence. The meaning is made clear also by the Old Testament explanation of the reason why the Israelites were suffered to perish in the wilderness. See Deut. 1 : 26, and Num. ch. 14. CHAPTER IV. 1. Into his rest. The term rest is now evidently used to de- note the spiritual rest of the kingdom of Christ; and the ob- ject of the discussion which follows, occupying a consider- —4.4. HEBREWS. 767 his rest, any one of you should seem to have come 8 short of it. For indeed we have had 'good tid- ings preached unto us, even as also they : but the word of hearing did not profit them, because 3 they were not united by faith with them that 3 heard. 3 For we which have believed do enter 1 Or, a gospel 2 Some ancient authorities read it was. able portion of this chapter, seems to be to show that the rest promised, on condition of obe- dience, to the Jews of old, did not refer either to the rest which God is spoken of as having taken on the seventh day of the creation, nor exclusively to the quiet possession of Canaan; but that it included a spiritual rest. It is to be observed that the apostle's object, in this argu- ment, is, to prove not merely that there actually is a spiritual rest, of which the Sabbath and Canaan were merely types, but also that this truth was recog- nized by the inspired writers of the Old Testament. — Should seem to have come short of it ; should be found to come short of it. 2. Because they were not united by faith with them that heard. The rendering of the Old Ver- sion was, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it. This was a simple way out of a diffi- culty, involved in the original, but it required a violation of the laws, both of evidence and grammar, and the Revisers have shown both their fairness and their scholarship in giving the much more difficult rendering, into that rest ; even as he hath said, As I sware in my wrath, 4 They shall not enter into my rest : although the works were finished from the founda- tion of the world. For 4 he hath said somewhere of the seventh day on this wise, And God rest- 3 Some ancient authorities read We therefore. 4 Gr. If they shall enter. and this, in spite of the fact that the old rendering was sup- ported by some able scholars, simply on the ground that it was most easily understood. The meaning of the passage as thus rendered, is difficult. Per- haps the simplest and best ex- planation is that the great body of Israelites in the wilderness did not profit by hearing the glad tidings brought to them by the spies, respecting the land of promise, "because they were not united by faith with those who did hear and spiritually accept the promise of God to give them the land, i. e., with Caleb and Joshua. 3, 4. This passage is somewhat obscure. The meaning may perhaps be, that the rest which God promised ihat his people should share with him, could not have been the rest after the creation, spoken of in the pas- sage quoted in v. 4, for his threatening that they should not enter into his rest was made in the time of Moses, although his rest from the work of creation had been long since past, having taken place when the works were finished at the foundation of the world. 768 HEBREWS. 4. 4— ed on the seventh day 5 from all his works ; and in this place again, 'They shall not enter into my rest. 6 Seeing therefore it re- maineth that some should enter thereinto, and they to whom 3 t h e good tidings were before preached failed to enter in because of disobedi- 7 ence, he again defineth a certain day, 8 saying in David, after so long a time, To-day, as it hath been before said, To - day if ye shall hear his voice, 1 Gr. Jf they shall enter. 2 Or, the gospel was 3 Or, To-day, saying in David, after so 5. And in this place again; that is, this is another instance of his speaking of a rest as fu- ture, after the sabbatical rest had long been passed. — They shall not enter into my rest. This is a liberal, but a correct trans- lation of the Hebrew idiom, ac- cording to which the conditional sentence, if they shall enter into my rest, is equivalent to a very strong negative. 6. Because of disobedience ; r\ot, as in the Old Version, unbelief '. See ch. 4: 18 note. 7. In the parenthesis, 7-10, the writer shows that the rest spoken of was not merely rest in the land of Canaau, as he had before shown that it was not the 6abbatical rest of God. 8. Joshua ; rendered in the Old Version Jesus, to the great perplexity oftentimes of the English reader. Jesus is the Greek, Joshua the Hebrew, form of the same name, — He would not; Harden not your hearts. For if 'Joshua had given 8 them rest, he would not have spoken afterward of another day. There re-d maineth therefore a sab- bath rest for the people of God. For he that isio entered into his rest hath himself also rested from his works, as God did from his. Let us there- 11 fore give diligence to en- ter into that rest, that no man fall 5 after the same example of disobedience. For the word of God is 13 living, and active, and long a time, as it hath been &c. 4 Gr. Jesus. 5 Or. into Gr. in. that is, the Holy Spirit, speaking in David, as it is expressed above. 9. There remaineth therefore a Sabbath rest ; not a keeping of the Sabbath as a sacred day. The apostle is not arguing for any observance of that kind ; nor merely a heavenly rest in the world to come, though that is included; but a spiritual rest in Christian experience, the rest to which Christ invited when he said, " Come unto me all ye that labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest,'' 10. The meaning is, that, as God ceased from his works when he entered into his rest, so shall the believer, when the time for his rest shall come, reach the termination of all his labors and sufferings. 1 1 . The same example ; the ex- ample of the ancient Israelites, (3: 16-19.) 12. Sharper, &c. ; that is, in -5. 4. HEBREWS. sharper than any two- edged sword, and pierc- ing even to the dividing of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and quick to discern the , thoughts and intents of 13 the heart. And there is no creature that is not manifest in his sight : but all things are naked and laid open before the eyes of him with whom we have to do. 14 Having then a great high priest, who hath passed through the hea- vens, Jesus the Son of Gfod, let us hold fast our 15 confession. For we have not a high priest that cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmi- , ties ; but one that hath respect to the terrible energy with which its threatenings will be fulfilled. 14. Who hath passed through the heavens ; not, as in the Old Version, into the heavens. The heavens are regarded by the writer, like the vail which hid the Holy of Holies from the people, through which the high priest passed once a year, into the hidden sanctuary beyond. 15. Tempted; tried; exposed to pain and suffering. The phrase in all points is not to be under- stood to mean that he suffered in every conceivable way in which any man can suffer; but only that, in a general sense, he fully participated in the trials and sufferings of humanity. [It seems to me that the clear mean- ing of the apostle here, as of the New Testament iu other pas- been in all points tempt- ed like as we are, yet without sin. Let us 16 therefore draw near with boldness unto the throne of grace, that we may re- ceive mercy, and may find grace to help us in time of need. For every high priest, 5 being taken from among men, is appointed^ for men in things pertaining to God, that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins: who can bear a gently with the ignorant and erring, for that he himself also is compassed with infirmity ; and by 3 reason thereof is bound, as for the people, so also for himself, to offer for sins. And no man taketh 4 sages, is that Christ was sub- jected to real temptation, not merely to trial and suffering, and that this temptation, which gave him a personal experience of the bitterness of conflict with sin, at once developed in him a personal sympathy for us in our infirmity and temptability, and affords the supreme demonstra- tion of that sympathy and of his ability to succour us when tempted. It is because he has been tempted that we may draw near with boldness to receive mercy as well as to find grace. L. A.] CHAPTER V. 1. The meaning is, that every human high priest is ordained for the service and benefit of men in respect to their religious du- ties. 4. The honor; the office of high priest. 770 HEBREWS. the honour unto himself, but when he Is called of God, even as was Aaron. 5 So Christ also glorified not himself to be made a high priest, but he that spake unto him, Thou art my Son, This day have I be- gotten ihee : 6 as he saith also in another place, Thou art a priest for ever After the order of Melchizedek. 7 Who in the days of his flesh, having offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him ' from death, and having been heard for his godly fear, 8 though he was a Son, yet learned obedience by the things which he suffered ; 1 Or, out of 2 Gr. cause. 3 Or, which 6. The quotation is from Ps. 110: 4. It represents the Mes- siah as^made a high priest by the declaration of God. The nature of the parallel intended to be drawn between Christ and Mel- chisedec is more fully explained in the seventh chapter. 7. Who ; that is, Christ.— In the days of his flesh; of his life upon the earth. — Heard for his godly fear; in respect to that which he feared. (Luke 22:41 -43.) 8. Yet learned obedience, &c. ; he learned by experience the lesson and having been made 9 perfect, he became unto all them that obey him the a author of eternal salvation ; named of God 10 a high priest after the order of Melchizedek. Of 3 whom we have 11 many things to say,. and hard of interpretation, seeing ye are become dull of hearing. Forl2 when by reason of the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need" again 4 that some one teach you the rudiments of the 5 first principles of the oracles of God ; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of solid food. For every 13 one that partake th of milk is without experi- ence of the word of right- eousness ; for he is a babe. But solid food is for 6f ull- 14 4 Or, that one teach you which be the rudiments 5 Gr. beginning. 6 Or, perfect of obedience in suffering. 9. Having been made perfect; being raised to his state of exal- tation and glory. 10. Named of God, &c. ; as be- fore explained, in v. 6. 11. Hard of interpretation; not hard to be uttered, but difficult to explain to those who are spir- itually dull. — Dull of hearing; slow of understanding. 12. The oracles of God; the re- vealed will of God. 14. Solid food; substantial food — referring to the difficult truths alluded to in v, 11, ^6. 7. HEBREWS. 771 grown men, even those who by reason of use have their senses exer- cised to discern good and evil. 6 Wherefore let us 'cease to speak of the first prin- ciples of Christ, and press on unto 2 perfection ; not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith to- 2 ward God, 3of the teach- ing of 'baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal 3 judgement. And this 1 Gr. leave the word of the beginning of Christ. 2 Or, full growth 3 Some ancient authorities read, even the teaching of. CHAPTER VI. 1. Unto perfection ; to an ad- vanced state of religious attain- ment, and to the higher truths appropriate to it. 2. Laying on of hands; the ceremony by which the Holy Spirit was conferred upon new converts. (Acts 8:14-17. 19: 6.) 4-6. It is impossible, &c. This passage (4-6) seems intended to induce those addressed to press forward in their Christian course, according to the injunc- tions of the preceding verses, by urging the danger and the fatal effects of apostasy, to which those who were remiss in their efforts were specially ex- posed. 6. Fell away ; apostatized, re- nounced Christ, and returned again to unbelief and sin. — Put him to an open shame; expose his name and his cause to pub- lic reproach. The defection of will we do, if God permit. For as touching those 4 who were once enlight- ened band tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, and6 tasted 5 the good word of God, and the powers of the age to come, and thens fell away, it is impossible to renew them again unto repentance ; 'seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame. For the land which hath 7 drunk the rain that com- 4 Or, washings 5 Or, having both tasted of ...and be- ing made.. . and having tasted &c. 6 Or, tasted the word of God that it is good 7 Or, the while one from any cause, who has been ranked as a friend to it, always tends to this result. There can be no doubt that this terrible warning against the guilt and the hopeless ruin at- tendant on apostasy, (4-6,) as well as many others of similar import, contained in the word of God, (10: 26-29,) is addressed to real Christians. But they ought not to lead us to question the certainty of the final salva- tion of all who truly believe. Indeed, the moral influence which such warnings are de- signed to exert, is a part of the system of means by which God fulfils his design, very distinctly made known in other passages, (John 17:2. Rom. 8:29, 30. 1 Pet. 1:4, 5,) effectually to keep those who once truly give themselves up to his care. 7. For icJ/ose sake it is also tilled; not, as in the Old Ver- sion, by whom, but for whom. ft'2 HEBREWS. 6. 7— eth oft upon it, and bring- eth forth herbs meet for them for whose sake it is also tilled, receiveth 8 blessing from God : -but if it beareth thorns and thistles, it is rejected and nigh unto a curse ; whose end is to be burned. 9 But, beloved, we are persuaded better things of you, and things that 1 accompany salvation, though we thus speak: 10 for God is not unrighteous to forget your work and the love which ye shewed toward his name, in that ye ministered unto the saints, and still do min- liister. And we desire that each one of you may shew the same diligence unto the 2 fulness of hope 12 even to the end: that ye be not sluggish, but imi- 1 Or, are near to 2 Or, full assuj ance The case is one of the many in the New Testament in which a considerable difference is made in the meaning of the passage, by a more accurate understand- ing of the Greek particles, which is afforded by modern scholarship. — The earth, in this similitude, represents the Chris- tian, and the rain the spiritual privileges which he enjoys. 8. Nigh unto a curse; will certainly be condemned. 9. That accompany salvation ; that lead to and attend salva- tion. 10. Ministered unto the sai?its ; have been active in relieving them, and in supplying their tators of them who through faith and pa- tience inherit the prom- ises. For when God made 18 promise t o Abraham, since he could swear by none greater, he sware by himself, saying, Surely 14 blessing I will bless thee, and multiplying I will multiply thee. And thus, 15 having patiently endured, he obtained the promise. For men swear by the 16 greater : and in every dis- pute of theirs the oath is final for confirmation. Wherein God, beingl7 minded to shew more abundantly unto the heirs of the promise the immutability of his coun- sel, 3 interposed with an oath : that by two immu- 18 table things, in which it 3 Gr. mediated. wants. 1 1 . Diligence unto the fulness of hope; diligence leading to the full assurance of hope. 15. He obtained the promise; that is, it was fulfilled in his posterity, according to the de- sign of God. 16. And in every dispute, &c. ; the meaning is that even among men, an oath is accepted as an end of dispute in confirming the truth of any statement. Much more should God's declaration, confirmed by his own oath, as it were by himself. 17. Wherein ; in the same manner. 18. Two immutable thing* ; -7.3. HEBREWS. 773 is impossible for God to lie, we may have a strong encouragement, who have fled for refuge to lay hold of the hope set before us ; 19 which we have as an an- chor of the soul, a hope both sure and stedfast and entering into that which is within the veil ; 20 whither as a forerunner Jesus entered for us, hav- ing become a high priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek. the two things referred to are usually understood to be the promise and the oath. That is, he confirmed the promise by an oath, to double, as it were, the strength of his assurance that the promise should be fulfilled. — To lie ; to be false or unfaith- ful. 19. The rendering of this verse in the Old Version was awkward, which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, ooth sure and steadfast, and ichich entereth into that within the vail. It is not the anchor which is repre- sented as entering within the vail, but the hope which is both as an anchor, and which enters within the vail to lay hold upon the God who was supposed to dwell, in a special manner, in the sanctuary. 20. A forerunner ; the one who has gone before us to pre- pare the way. — After the order of Melchisedek; as is more fully ex- plained in the next chapter. CHAPTER VII. 1. This Melchisedek; that is, the one to whom the writer had referred. (5: 6. 6: 20.) In the history of Abraham, con- tained in the book of Genesis, 31 For this Melchizedek, 7 king of Salem, priest of God Most High, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings, and blessed him, to whom 2 also Abraham divided a tenth part of all (being first, by interpretation, King of righteousness, and then also King of Salem, which is. King of peace ; without father, 3 without mother, without genealogy, having neither there is an account of his meet- ing, on one occasion, with a king, of high rank and distinc- tion, named Melchisedek, a wor- shipper of the true God, and a priest as well as a king; to whom Abraham paid a tenth part of the spoils which he had then re- cently taken from his enemies, in acknowledgment of his spirit- ual superiority. In respect to this Melchisedek, no account is given of his ancestry or origin, — nor of the end of his life. He enters the field of view, and, after a brief appearance, leaves it again in the full possession and exercise, during the whole period, of all his royal and priestly powers. (Gen. 14: 18- 20.) The incident of his ap- pearing in this manner, is em- ployed by David, (Ps. 110: 4,) and now by the writer of this Epistle, a3 furnishing an apt emblem or type of the perma- nence and perpetuity of the priesthood of Christ. — The slaughter of the Icings. (Gen. 14: 14-16.) — And Messed him ; v. 19. 2. By interpretation ; the in- terpretation of his name Melchi- zedek. 3. Without father^ &c. ; that 774 HEBREWS. 7. 3 beginning of days nor end of life, but made like unto the Son of God), abidetli a priest continu- ally. 4 Now consider how great this man was, unto whom Abraham, the patriarch, gave a tenth out of the 5 chief spoils. And they indeed of the sons of Levi that receive the priest's office have commandment to take tithes of the peo- ple according to the law, that is, of their brethren, though these have come out of the loins of Abra- 6 ham : but he whose gene- alogy is not counted from them hath taken tithes of Abraham, and hat h blessed him that hath the 7 promises. But without any dispute the less is blessed of the better. 1 Or, of law is, so appearing in the sacred narrative. — Made like unto; made a type or emblem of. 5. Have commandment to take tithes; Deut. 14:22-29. 7. Of the better; of the greater. The idea is, that Melehisedek's blessing Abraham, as well as his receiving tithes of him, was a mark or token of his superiority Abraham. 8. Here ; under the Mosaic dispensation. — There ; referring to Melchisedek. — It is witnessed that he liveth ; he appears, so far as there is any witness or testi- mony concerning him, in life, and in the full possession of power. 9. Levi ; the tribe of Levi. And here men that dies receive tithes ; but there one, of whom it is wit- nessed that he liveth. And, so to say, through 9 Abraham even Levi, who receive th tithes, hath paid tithes ; for he was yet inio the loins of his father, when Melchizedek met him. Now if there was per-n fection through the Levi- tical priesthood (for under it hath the people re- ceived the law), what further need was there that another priest should arise after the order of Melchizedek, and not be reckoned after the order of Aaron \ For the priest- 12 hood being changed, there is made of necessity a change also * of the law. For he of whom these 13 10. The meaning is, that Abraham, as the ancestor, head, and representative of his de- scendants, may be considered as including his descendants, as well as himself, under his ac- knowledgment of Jlelchisedek's superiority. 11. For under it, &c. ; that is, the law was so connected with the Levitical priesthood, that whatever imperfection or in- feriority is shown to pertain to the one attaches in like manner to the other. 12. Also of the law; the law and the priesthood being parts of the same system. 1 3. Ue of wh am tln-.se th ings are said ; that is, he who is the sub- 7. 24. HEBREWS. 775 things are said * belongeth to another tribe, from which no man hath given attendance at the altar. 14 For it is evident that our Lord hath sprung out of Judah ; as to which tribe Moses spake nothing con- lScerning priests. And what we say is yet more abundantly evident, if after the likeness of Mel- chizedek there ariseth 16 another priest, who hath been made, not after the law of a carnal command- ment, but after the power 17 of an 3 endless life : for it is witnessed of Mm, Thou art a priest for ever After the order of Mel- chizedek. 18 For there is a disannulling of a foregoing command- ment because of its weak- ness and unprofitableness 1 Gr. hath partaken of. See ch. ii. 14. 2 Gr. indissoluble. 3 Or, through ject of this comparison with Melchisedek. — Another tribe ; the tribe of Judah. — Given attend- ance, &c. ; served as priest. The priests were all of the tribe of Levi. 15. Is yet more abundantly evident ; that is, the imperfect and temporary character of the Mosaic service is so. 16. Made; constituted priest. — After the law of a carnal com- mandment ; under a system of commandments of a ceremo- nial and temporary character. — After the power of an endless life; on a new foundation, sure, and (for the law made nothing 19 perfect), and a bringing in thereupon of a better hope, through which we draw nigh unto God. And inasmuch as it is not 20 without the taking of an oath (for they indeed 21 have been made priests without an oath ; but he with an oath s by him that saith 4 of him, The Lord sware and will not repent him- self, Thou art a priest for ever) ; by so much also hath 22 Jesus become the surety of a better 6 covenant. And they indeed have 23 been made priests many in number, because that by death they are hin- dered from continuing : but he, because he abid-24 eth for ever, 6hath his 4 Or, unto 5 Or, testament 6 Or, hath a priesthood that doth not pass to another never to end. 18. Aforegoing commandment; the former commandment, that is, the Mosaic law. 19. Made nothing perfect ; did not, in itself, really accomplish the salvation of men. 21. Priests; the Levitical priests. That saith of him ; in Ps. 110:4, as referred to above. 22. f>y so much ; by the fact that his institution was declared with the solemnities of an oath, as shown in the two preceding ,^ erses. 23. And they; referring to thy Levitical line. 776 HEBREWS. 7. 24- priesthood ' unchange- 25 able. Wherefore also lie is able to save 2 to the uttermost them that draw near unto God through him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them. 26 For such a high priest became us, holy, guile- less, undefiled, separated from sinners, and made higher than the heavens ; 27 who needeth not daily, like those high priests, to offer up sacrifices, first for his own sins, and then for the sins of the people : for this he did once for all, when he 28 offered up himself. For the law appointeth men high priests, having in- firmity ; but the word of the oath, which was after 1 Or, inviolable 2 Gr. completely. 3 Or, Noio to sum up what we are say' 28. Having infirmity ; who are themselves sinners. — Perfected; holy. CHAPTER VIII. 2. The true tabernacle. The spiritual kingdom of Christ is so designated in contradistinction from the tabernacle in which the religious services of the Israel- ites were performed, which was only ceremonial and temporary, and pitched by man. 3. This high priest ; Jesus. 4. The meaning is, that his priesthood, as spoken of in the passage upon which all this dis- cussion rests, (Ps. 110:4,) can- not be an ordinary priesthood under the law of Moses, since the law, appointeth & Son, perfected for evermore. 3 Now 4in the things 8 which we are saying the chief rjoint is this : We have such a high priest, who sat down on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens, a minister of 2 5 the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, not man. For every high 3 priest is appointed to offer both gifts and sacri- fices : wherefore it is nec- essary that this high priest also have some- what to offer. Now if he 4 were on earth, he would not be a priest at all, seeing there are those who offer the gifts ac- cording to the law ; who 5 ing : We have &c. 4 Gr. upon. 5 Or, lioly things he did not belong to the tribe to which the priestly office was con- fined.— There are those; that is, the Jewish priests of the tribe of Levi. 5. A copy and shadow ; that is, their ceremonies and services are intended to shadow forth and typify the higher spiritualities of the Christian dispensation. — See (saith he;) Ex. 25:40. In the directions given to Moses in Exodus, allusion is often made to a pattern which God showed him in the mount. The apostle seems to consider this conformity of the Mosaic tabernacle to the pattern by which it was made, as an emblem of the correspond- -8. 13. HEBREWS. 777 serve that which is a copy and shadow of the hea- venly things, even as Moses is warned of God when he is about to 'make the tabernacle : for, See, saith he, that thou make all things accord- ing to the pattern that was shewed thee in the 6 mount. But now hath he obtained a ministry the more excellent, by how much also he is the mediator of a better 2 covenant, which hath been enacted upon better 7 promises. For if that first covenant had been faultless, then would no place have been sought 8 for a second. For finding fault with them, he saith, Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, That I will s make a new 2 covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah ; '9 Not according to the "covenant that I made with thoir fathers In the day that I took them by the hand to 1 Or, complete ' 2 Or, testament ence between the Jewish rites and the heavenly spiritualities which they were designed to pre- figure. 6. Ministry; priestly service. 7. Faultless; complete and suf- ficient for the salvation of men. 8. Finding fault iciih them, he saith. The idea is, that the language quoted (see Jer. 31: lead them forth out of the land of Egypt ; For they continued not in my 2 covenant, And I regarded them not, saith the Lord. For this is the 2 cove- 10 nant that 4I will make with the house of Israel After those days, saith the Lord ; I will put my laws in- to their mind, And on their heart also will I write them : And I will be to them a God, And they shall be to me a people : And they shall not 11 teach every man his fellow-citizen, And every man his brother, saying, Kn ow the Lord : For all shall know me, From the least to the greatest of them. For I will be merciful 12 to their iniquities, And their sins will I remember no more. In that he saith, A new 13 3 Gr. accomplish. 4 Gr. I will covenant. 31-34) implies that God did not regard the first dispensation as permanent and complete ; but, recognizing its insufficiency and imperfection, he promised a bet- ter one to come. 13. He hath made the first old ; that is, his language implies that it is old. 778 HEBREWS. 9. 10— covenant, he hath made the first old. But that which is becoming old and waxeth aged is nigh unto vanishing away. 9 Now even the first core mint had ordinances of divine service, and its sanctuary, a sanctuary 2 of this world. For there was a tabernacle pre- pared, the first, wherein 'ice re tiie candlestick, and the table, and 2 the shew- bread ; which is called 3 the Holy place. And af- ter the second veil, the tabernacle which is called 4 the Holy of holies ; hav- ing a golden 3 censer, and the ark of the covenant overlaid round about with. gold, wherein 4 teas a golden pot holding the manna, and Aaron's rod that budded, and the tables of the covenant ; 5 and above it cherubim of glory overshadowing 5the 1 Or, are 2 Gr. the setting forth of the loaves. 3 Or, altar of incense CHAPTER IX. 2. The first ; the outermost. For the construction of the tabernable, with its veil separat- ing the outer sanctuary from the Holy of Holies, or the Holiest of all, see Ex. 26 :— The candlestick ; Ex. 25:31-39. —The table; Ex. 25 : 23-30. 4. The ark; Ex. 25: 10-16.— Manna; Ex. 16:33. — Aaron's rod ; Num. 17 : l-lb. — The tables of the covenant ; the two tables of stone; on which the ten com- mandments were engraven. 6. Cherubim ; Ex. 25 : 18-20. mercy - seat ; of which things we cannot now speak severally. Now 6 these things having been thus prepared, (he priests go in continually into the first tabernacle, accom- plishing the services ; but 7 into the second the high priest alone, once in the year, not without blood, which he offereth for himself, and for the 6 errors of the people : the Holy Ghost this sig-8 nifying, that the way into the holy place hath not yet been made manifest, while as the first taber- nacle is yet standing; which is a parable for the 9 time now present; ac- cording to which, are offered both gifts and sacrifices that cannot, as touching the conscience, make the worshipper per- fect, being only (with 10 meats and drinks and 4 Or, is 5 Gr. the propitiatory. 6 Gr. ignorances. 6. Thus prepared ; thus ar- ranged by divine appointment. — The prriests ; common priests, in contradistinction from the high priest, mentioned in the next verse. — The first tabernacle; the outer tabernacle. 7. Not without blood; Lev. 16: 14, 15. — The errors; the sins. 8. Made manifest ; opened. 9. 117/ kit is a parable; a type or symbol. — That cannot make, &c. ; that is, could not spiritually re- deem and save him. 10. Carnal ordinances ; out- ward and ceremonial ordinances. — Reformation ; the introduction -9. 18. HEBKEWS. m divers washings) carnal ordinances, imposed un- til a time of reformation. 11 But Christ having come a high priest of J the good things to come, through the greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this 12 creation, nor yet through the blood of goats and calves, but through his own blood, entered in once for all into the holy place, having obtained 13 eternal redemption. For if the blood of goats and bulls, and the ashes of a heifer sprinkling them that have been defiled, sanctify unto the clean- 14 ness of the flesh : how much more shall the blood of Christ, who 1 Some ancient authorities read the good things that are come. 2 Many ancient authorities read our. 3 The Greek word here "used signifies t>f the new and better system of the gospel. 12. Through his own olood ; shed in sacrifice for sin. 13. The ashes of a heifer, &c. ; alluding to a ceremony described in Num. 19: 2-9, — Sanctify, &c. ; is sufficient for the purposes of ceremonial purification. 15. The meaning is made somewhat clearer by the New Version. The text clearly im- plies that the death of Christ provided for the redemption of transgressions which took place before the death of Christ, and under the Old Testament; and that through Christ's sacrifice, through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish unto God, cleanse 2 your conscience from dead works to serve the living God ? And for this 15 cause he is the mediator of a new 3 covenant, that a death having taken place for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first 3 cov- enant, they that have been called may receive the promise of the eter- n a 1 inheritance. F o r 16 where a 'testament is, there must of necessity 4be the death of him that made it. For a 'testa- 17 ment is of force 6 where there hath been death: 6 for doth it ever avail while he that made it liv- eth ? Wherefore e v e n 18 both covenant, and testament. 4 Gr. "be brought. 5 Gr. over the dead. 6 Or, for it doth never. . Mveth. they that were called under the Old Testament dispensation, re- ceived the promise of an eternal inheritance. 16. A will, however fully exe- cuted, does not take effect until the death of the testator. The apostle takes occasion from this circumstance to represent the gcspel as a will, made effective by the death of Christ, inasmuch as it was by his death that the blessings of salvation were sealed and secured. 18. Wherefore, &c. ; in a some- what similar manner the first testament or covenant was rati- fied with blood. 780 HEBREWS. 9. 18- the first covenant hath not been dedicated with- 19 out blood. For when every commandment had been spoken by Moses nn to all the people ac- cording to the law, he took the blood of the calves and the goats, with water and scarlet wool and hyssop, and sprink- led both the book itself, 10 and all the people, say- ing, This is the blood of the ' covenant which God commanded to you- ward. si Moreover the tabernacle and all the vessels of the ministry he sprinkled in like manner with the 82 blood. And according to the law, I may almost say, all things are cleansed with blood, and apart from shedding of blood there is no remis- sion. 23 It was necessary there- 1 The Greek word here used signifies both covenant and testament. 19. The account of the cere- monies which followed the giv- ing of the law, is contained in Ex. 24: 3, 8. All the particulars here alluded to arc not there re- corded. It would seem that Paul must have had access to some other source of information than the Mosaic account — per- haps tradition. 20. Ex. 24: 8. 21. Of the ministry ; of the service. 22. Apart from shedding of blood, &c. This whole declara- tion is qualified by the opening fore that the copies of the things in the heavens should be cleansed with these ; but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. For Christ en- 24 tered not into a holy place made with hands, like in pattern to the true ; but into heaven itself, now to appear before the face of God for us: nor 25 yet that he should offer himself often ; as the high priest entereth into the holy place year by year with blood not his own ; else must he often 26 have suffered since the foundation of the world : but now once at the 2end of the ages hath he been manifested to put away sin 3by the sacrifice of himself. And inasmuch 27 as it is4 appointed unto men once to die, and after 2 Or, consummation 3 Or, by his sacrifice. 4 Gr. laid up for. phrase, according to the law. Un- der the Old Testament dispensa- tion, says the writer, the shed- ding of blood was always a prerequisite to the remission of sins. 23. The copies of the things in the heavens ; that is, of spiritual things; — these ceremonial ser- vices beinsj so considered, as represented in 8: 5. — With these; with the blood of animal sacri- fices. 24. Holy place made with Innnh ; such as the Mosaic taber- nacle. -10. 10. HEBREWS. 781 this cometh judgement ; 28 so Christ also, having been once offered to bear the sins of many, shall appear a second time, apart from sin, to them that wait for him, unto salvation. 10 For the law having a shadow of the good things to come, not the very image of the things, 'they can never with the same sacrifices year by year, which they offer continually, make perfect them that draw nigh. 2 Else would they not have ceased to be offered, be- cause the worshippers, having been once cleansed, would have had no more conscience of 3 sins % But in those sacri- fices there is a remem- brance made of sins year 4 by year. For it is im- possible that the blood of bulls and goats should 5 take away sins. Where- 1 Some ancient authorities read it can 28. Apart from sin ; without any further offering for sin. CHAPTER X. 1. Having a shadow ; contain- ing only a shadow or representa- tion of the things. — The very image ; the substance. 5. When he cometh; when Christ cometh. The quotation extending from this verse to the seventh, is from Ps. 40: 6-8. — Wouldst not; didst not desire. — JBut a body, &cP The corre- fore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, But a body didst thou prepare for me ; In whole burnt offer- 6 ings and sacrifices for sin thou hadst no pleasure : Then said I, Lo, I am 7 come (In the roll of the book it is written of me) To do thy will, O God. Saying above, Sacrifices 8 and offerings and whole burnt offerings and sacri- fices for sin thou wouldest not, neither hadst pleas- ure therein (the which are offered according to the law), then hath he said, 9 Lo, I am come to do thy will. He taketh away the first, that he may es- tablish the second. 2 By 10 which will we have been sanctified through the 2 Or, In sponding expression in the orig- inal is, "Mine ears hast thou opened." It stands, however, as the writer has quoted it, in the Septuagint, a Greek version of the Old Testament, which was in common use in Paul's day. The circumstance of the writer's having followed in this, and in many other cases, the translation instead of the original, has given rise to much discussion. 7. Lo, I am come; I, the Saviour, come. 782 HEBREWS. io. 10— offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. 11 And every ' priest indeed standeth day by day min- istering and offering oftentimes the same sac- rifices, the which, can never take away sins : 12 but he, when he had offered one sacrifice for asins, for ever, sat down on the right hand of God ; 13 from henceforth expect- ing till his enemies be made the footstool of his 14 feet. For by one offering he bath perfected for ever them that are sanctified. 15 And the Holy Ghost also beareth witness to us : for after he hath said, 16 This is the 'covenant that 4 1 will make with them After those days, saith the Lord ; I will put my laws on their heart, And upon their mind also wrill I write them ; then saith he, And their sins andi7 their iniquities will I remember no more. Now where remission of 18 these is, there is no more offering for sin. Having therefore, 19 brethren, boldness to en- ter into the holy place by the blood of Jesus, by the 20 way which he dedicated for us, a new and living- way, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh ; and having a great priest 21 over the house of God ; let ns draw near with a 22 true heart in 'fulness of faith, having our hearts spinkled from a n evil 'conscience, and our body wTashed with pnre water : let us hold fast the con- 23 fession of our hope that it waver not ; for he is faithful that promised : and let us consider one 24 another to provoke unto love and good works ; not 25 forsaking the assembling 1 Some ancient authorities read high 4 Gr. I will covenant, priest. 5 Or, full assurance 2 Or, sins, for ever sat down &c. 6 Or, 'conscience : and having our body 3 Or, testu/nenl washed with pure water, let us holdfast 13. Expecting till, &c. ; looking forward to the time when, &c. 20. His flesh \ his mortal body. In what points of view, the writer considered the body of Christ as typified by the veil which sep- arated the two sanctuaries, is not clear. 22. Our body tcas'ied, &c. ; referring to the rite of baptism. Were we to insist upon the prin- ciple of strict conformity to the letter, in interpreting the allu- sions to the rite of baptism in the New Testament, even im- mersion would not suffice. To wash is more than simply to im- merse. 24. Consider one another; be interested in one auother. To provoke ; to animate and encour- age. —10. 34. HEBREWS. 783 of ourselves together, as the custom of some is, but exhorting one anoth- er ; and so much the more, as ye see the day drawing nigh. 26 For if we sin wilfully after that we have re- ceived the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more a sacrifice for 27 sins, but a certain fearful exjjectation of judgement, and a 'fierceness of fire which shall devour the 28 adversaries. A man that hath set at nought Moses' law dieth without com- passion on the loord of two or three witnesses : 29 of how much sorer pun- ishment, think ye, shall he be judged worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, 2 an unholy 1 Or, jealousy 2 Gr. a common thing. 3 Or, that ye have your own selves for a 26. No more a sacrifice ; Christ having offered himself once for all. (9:26-28.) 28. Num. 15: 30, 31. 30. Deut, 32:35. 36. 32. Enlightened ; converted, — brought into the light of Christ's kingdom. 34. There is some manuscript authority for the reading of the Old Version, lie had compasssion of me in my bonds, but the better authorities give the reading of the New Version. The other reading probably grew out of thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace \ For we k n o w 30 him that said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense. And again, The Lord shall judge his people. It is a fearful 31 thing to fall into the hands of the living God. But call to remem-32 brance the former days, in which, after ye were enlightened, ye endured a great conflict of suffer- ings ; partly, being made a gazingstock both by re- proaches and afflictions ; and partly, be coming 33 partakers with them that were so used. For ye 34 both had compassion on them that were in bonds, and took joyfully the spoiling of your posses- sions, knowing 3 that 4 ye yourselves have a better possession and an abiding better jiotsession. 4 Some ancient authorities read ye have for yourselves a better ; the old opinion, now generally- regarded by Biblical scholars as untenable, that the book of Hebrews was written by Paul. — The Old Version also had here, That ye have in heaven a better posssssion, &c. The words in heaven, however, are wanting in the best manuscripts, and are not regarded as authoritative by the best scholars. The Christian has here and now, upon the earth, a better possession and an abiding one, of which n# persecution can despoil him. 134 HEBI^YS. 10. 34- 35 one. Cast not away therefore your boldness, which hath great recom- 36 pense of reward. For ye have need of patience, that, having done the will of God, ye may receive the promise. 37 For yet a very little while, He that cometh shall come, and shall not tarry. 38 But 1 my righteous one shall live by faith : And if he shrink back, my soul hath no pleasure in him. 39 But we are not 2of them that shrink back unto perdition ; but of them that have faith unto the 3 saving of the soul. 11 Now faith is 4 the assur- 1 Some ancient authorities read the righteous one. 2 Gr. of shrinking back. . .but of faith. 3 Or, gaining 4 Or, the giving substance to 35. Boldness; firm and steady faith. 38. By faith ; such as he bad enjoined, v. 35. The passage appears to be quoted from Hab. 2:4. CHAPTER XI. 1. [It is difficult to give in English the full meaning of the original here. The New Version does not seem to me to give it any more clearly than the Old, if indeed ae accurately. The general meaning, however, is clear, that faith is the power 1>y which we perceive, lay hold of, have assurance concerning the invisible and t !,e eternal verities. Faith is the only grace of which ance of things hoped for, the 5 proving of things not seen. For therein the 2 elders had witness borne to them. By faith we a understand that the 6 worlds have been framed by the word of God, so that what is seen hath not been made out of things which, do appear. B y 4 faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, through which he had witness borne to him that he was righteous, 7God bearing witness 8in re- spect of his gifts : and through it he being dead yet speaketh. By faith 5 Enoch was translated that he should not see death ; and he was not found, 5 Or, test G Gr. ages. 7 The Greek text in this clause is some what uncertain. 8 Or, over his gifts the New Testament gives any- thing that approximates a defi- nition.— L. A.] 2. For therein the elders had witness borne to them ; i. e., the persons living in former times, those enumerated in the chapter following, had their testimony borne to them of the truth of God and his word by that same spirit of faith by which the Christian also lives and walks. 3. We understand ; that is, we believe. 4. Of his gifts ; of the nature and acceptableness of his oiier- ings. (Gen. 4: 4.) 5. By faith; in consequence of his faith. (Gen. 5 : 24.) 11. 13. HEBREWS. 785 because God translated him : for before his trans- lation he hath had wit- ness borne to him that he had been well-pleasing 6 unto Gfod : and without faith it is impossible to be well-pleasing unto him: for he that cometh to Gfod mast believe that he is, and that he is a re- warder of them that seek 7 after him. By faith Noah, being warned of God con- cerning things not seen as yet, moved with godly fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house ; through which he con- demned the world, and became heir of the right- eousness which is accord- Sing to faith. By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed to go out unto a place which he was to receive for an inherit- ance ; and he went out, not knowing whither he 9 went. By faith he be- 1 Or, having taken up his abode in tents came a sojourner in the land of promise : as in a land not his'own, 'dwelling in tents, with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise: for he looked 10 for the city which hath the foundations, whose "builder and maker is God. By faith evenii Sarah herself received power to conceive seed when she was past age, since she counted him faithful who had prom- ised : wherefore a 1 s o 12 there sprang of one, and him as good as dead, so many as the stars of hea- ven in multitude, and as the sand, which is by the sea shore, innumerable. These all 3 died in faith, is not having received the promises, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on 2 Or, architect 3 Gr. according to. 7. Noah; Gen. 7: 1-9. 8. Abraham; Gen.- 12: 1-4. 9. The land of promise; the land which had been promised him. — In tents; that is, leading a wandering life in it, without having any permanent posses- sion. 10. For the city which hath the foundations ; not merely a city. The reference is to the New Jer- usalem of which the Psalms and the Prophets speak. See Psalm 87: 1. Isa. 28: 16. 12. As good as dead; on ac- count of his advanced age. 13. The image here is that of sailors, who, catching a glimpse of the shores they wish to reach, salute them from a distance; and this figure is more clearly brought out by the more accu- rate rendering of the New Ver- sion. The phrase in the Old Version, and were persuaded of them, is not sustained by any good manuscript authority. 786 HEBREWS. 11. 13— 14 the earth. For they that say such things make it manifest that they are seeking after a country of 15 their own. And if in- deed they had been mind- ful of that country from which they went out, they would have had op- leportuniry to return. But now they desire a better country, that is, a heaven- ly : wherefore God is not ashamed of them, to be called their God : for he hath prepared for them a city. 17 By faith Abraham, be- ing tried, 2 offered up Isaac : yea, he that had gladly received the prom- ises was offering up his 18 only begotten son; even he ' to whom it was said, In Isaac shall thy seed be 19 called : accounting that God is able to raise up, even from the dead ; from whence he did also in a 1 Gr. hath offered up . parable receive him back. By faith Isaac blessed 20 Jacob and Esau, even concerning things to come. By faith Jacob, 21 when he was a dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph ; and worship- ped, leaning upon the top of his staff. By faith 22 Joseph, when his end was nigh, made mention of the departure of the children of Israel ; and gave commandment con- cerning his bones. By 23 faith Moses, when he was born, was hid three months by his parents, because they saw he was a goodly child ; and they were not afraid of the king's commandment. By faith Moses, when he 24 was grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter; choosing rather to be 25 evil entreated with the 2 Or, of 14. Make it manifest;' not merely declare. Their life as strangers and pilgrims makes it apparent to all who know them that they are seeking for a heav- enly country. — A country; an- other country; that is, a heav- enly country, as explained in v. 16. 17. Gen. 22: 1-10. 19. From whence he did also in a parable, &e. This clause has been variously interpreted, i There seems no doubt, however that it contain^ a typical refer- ence to Christ, his sufferings and his resurrection. 20. Gen, 27 : 27-40. 21. Gen. 47: 31. The word translated bed in our version of Genesis, is rendered by a word, signifying staff in the Septua- gint. See Heb 10: 5, and note. 22. Gen. 50: 24-2G. Josh. 24 : 32. 23. Ex. 2: 2.— The king's com- mandment ; Ex. 1:16, 22. 24. To be called the son, &c. ; to be attached to the court and the royal family. 25. The people of Ood ; the Israelites. —11. 38. HEBREWS. 787 people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of 26 sin for a season ; account- ing the reproach of 'Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt : for he looked unto the re- 27 compense of reward. By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king : for he endured, as seeing him who is fti- 28 visible. By faith he 2kept the passover, and the sprinkling of the blood, that the destroyer of the firstborn should not touch 29 them. By faith they passed through the Red sea as by dry land : which the Egyptians assaying to do were swallowed up. 30 By faith the walls of Jericho fell down, after they had been compassed about for seven days. 31 By faith Rahab the harlot perished not with them that were disobedient, having received the spies 32 with peace. And what shall I more say 3 for the time will fail me if I tell 1 Or, the Christ 2 Or, instituted Gr. hath made. 26. The reproach of Christ ; re- proach like that which Christ endured ; that is, contumely and suffering incurred for the benefit of others. 29. Ex; 14: 30. By faith ; that is, the faith exercised by Joshua and his followers. (Josh. 6: 12-20.) 81. Josh. 6:22-25. t 32. Gideon; Judg. 6:7:8:— of Gideon, Barak, Sam- son, Jephthah ; of David and Samuel and the pro- phets : who thro ugh 33 faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stop- ped the mouths of lions, quenched the power of 34 fire, escaped the edge of the sword, from weakness were made strong, waxed mighty in war, turned to flight armies of aliens. Women received their 35 dead by a resurrection ; and others were "tortured, not accepting 4 their de- liverance ; that the y might obtain a better resurrection: and others 36 had trial of mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment : they were 37 stoned, they were sawn asunder, they were tempt- ed, they were slain with the sword : they went about in sheepskins, in goatskins ; being desti- tute, afflicted, evil en- treated (of whom the 38 3 Or, beaten to death 4 Gr. the redemption. Barak; Judg. 4:5: — Samson; Judg. 14:-16: — Jephthah; Judg. 11: 34. The aliens; the idolatrous tribes of Canaan. 35. Women received, &c. ; per- haps referring to the account com- mencing 2 Kings 4 : 8. — A letter resurrection; a better salvation than deliverance from earthly sufferings. HEBREWS. 11. 38- world was not worthy), wandering in deserts and mountains and caves, and the boles of the earth. 39 And these all, having had witness borne to them through their faith, re- ceived not the promise, 40 (rod having ' provided some better thing con- cerning us, that apart from us they should not be made perfect. 12 Therefore let us also, seeing we are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, lay aside 3 every weight, and the sin which 3dorh so easily beset us, and let us run with £>atience the race 1 Or, foreseen 2 Or, all cumbrance 3 Or, doth closely cling to us Or, is ad- mired of many 39. Received not the promise, they did not realize the promised coming of the Messiah. 40. Some tetter thing; the gospel dispensation. — Apart from us; without our dispensa- tion.— Be made perfect; have their desires and hopes fulfilled. CHAPTER XII. 1. The apostle does not inti- mate, as he seemed to, according to the Old Version, that the elders were compassed about with witnesses, and that we are like them, in this respect, but that, since they are witnessing our life, we must also run our race as they ran heirs. — Every weight; every obstruction to progress. 2. The author and perfecter of our faith; the one who inspires faith in us, a*d by his indwelling that is set before us, look- 2 ing unto Jesus the * au- thor and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him en- dured the cross, despising shame, and hath sat down at the right hand of the throne of (rod. For consider him3 that hath endured such gainsaying o f sinners against "themselves, that ye wax not weary, faint- ing in your souls. Ye 4 have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin : and ye have forgot- 5 ten the exhortation, which reasoneth with you as with sons, 4 Or, captain 5 Many authorities, himself. some ancient, read brings it to its perfect fruit. — Despising shame; disregarding the shame. 3. Gainsaying of sinners ; op- position of sinners. 4. Resisted unto blood. It would seem that this language must be understood figuratively, that is, as designed to express the last extremity of spiritual contest with temptation ; for the injunction is to resistance, and resistance was in no sense a duty in respect to outward persecu- tions. Our Saviour's language, "If thy right hand offend thee, cut it off," may be considered somewhat analogous. Besides, what is said in 10: 32, 33, seems to imply that the persons ad- dressed in this Epistle had been exposed to the extreme of out- ward persecution. 5. Reasoneth with you as with ■12. 14. HEBREWS. 789 My son, regard not lightly the chasten- ing of the Lord, Nor faint when thou art reproved of him ; 6 For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, And scourge th every son whom he reeeiv- eth. 7 ' It is for chastening that ye endure ; God dealeth with you as with sons ; for what son is there whom his father chasten - 8eth not? But if ye are without chastening, whereof all have been made partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons. 9 Furthermore, we had the fathers of our flesh to chasten us, and we gave them reverence : shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Fath- 1 Or, Endure unto chastening 2 Or, our spirits sons; not merely, spealceth unto you as, &c, but assumes you are children of your Father, which is in heaven, and. are therefore able to appreciate his paternal love in his discipline of you. 7. It is for chastening that ye endure. This follows a more difficult reading than that of the Old Version, if ye endure chas- tening, but there seems to be little doubt that it is the more accurate reading. The meaning is, it is for chastisement, not for punishment, that God sends suf- fering upon you. God is dealing with you as with sons, not as with criminals, er of a spirits, and live ? For they verily for a few lo days chastened us as seemed good to them ; but he for our profit, that we may be partakers of his holiness. All chasten- 11 ing seemeth for the pres- ent to be not joyous, but grievous : yet afterward it yieldeth peaceable fruit unto them tliat have been exercised thereby, even the fruit of righteous- ness. Wherefore 'lift up 13 the hands that hang down, and the palsied knees ; and make straight 13 paths for your feet, that that which is lame be not 4 turned out of the way, but rather be healed. Follow after peace with 14 all men, and the sanctifi- cation without which no man shall see the Lord : 3 Gr. make straight. 4 Or, put out of joint 8. Bastards; pretended sons. 10. As seemed good to them. The translation of the Old Ver- sion after their own pleasure was harsh. The contrast is between the imperfect chastisement of the earthly father and the per- fect chastisement, perfect both in wisdom and in love, of the Father in heaven. 12. Isa. 35: 3. 13. Perhaps from Prov. 4: 26. The idea is, Adhere firmly to the strict rules of duty; if any deviation is allowed, it may prove a fatal snare to human frailty. : 90 HEBREWS. 12. 15 15 looking carefully ^est there be any man that 2 falleth short of the grace of God ; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby 16 the many be defiled ; 'lest there be any fornicator, or ju'ofane person, as Esau, who for one mess of meat sold his own birthright. 17 For ye know that even when he afterward de- sired to inherit the bless- ing, he was rejected (for he found no place of re- pentance), though h e sought it diligently with tears. 18 For ye are not come unto s a mount that might be touched, and t li a t burned with fire, and unto blackness, and dark- I9ness, and tempest, and the sound of a trumpet, and the voice of words ; which voice they that 1 Or, whether 2 Or. falleth back J rem 3 Or. a palpable and kindled fire 4 Or. and to innumerable hosts, the 15. Lest there ve any man that, cVc. ; lest he apostatize, and lose the grace of God. — Any root of latter nets ; any source of bitter- ness, that is, of sin and suffer- ing. 10. Fornicator; in a spiritual sense, one who forsakes God, whom he had once chosen, and devotes himself again to his idols; thus, like Esau, selling his birthright for pottage. 17. Gen. 27: 3o-40. 18. That might he touched. It would seem that this must con- tain an allusion to the prohibi- heard in treated that no word more should be spoken unto them : for 20 they could not endure that which was enjoined, If even a beast touch the mountain, it shall be stoned; and so fearful 21 was the appearance, that Moses said, I exceedingly fear and quake: but ye 22 are come unto mount Zion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, 4and to 'innumerable hosts of angels, to the general as- 23 sembly and church of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect, and to Jesus the 24 mediator of a new Cove- nant, and to the blood of sprinkling that speaketh better 7 than that of Abel. See that ye refuse not 25 general assembly of angels, and the church dc. 5 Gr. myriads of angels. 6 Or, testament 7 Or, than Abtl tion recorded in Ex. 19: 12, 13, where bounds were directed to be placed about Mount Sinai, which the people were forbidden to transcend; — a prohibition which added much to the effect produced by the other circum- stances here alluded to, in in- vesting the scene which accom- panied the giving of the law on Sinai with its extraordinary ter- rors. 24. That spealeth letter, etc. It speaks mercy and pardon. The blood of Abel cried for vengeance. -13. 7. HEBREWS. 791 him that speaketh. For if they escaped not, when they refused him that warned them on earth, much more shall not we escape, who turn away from him ' that warneih 26 from heaven : whose voice then shook the earth : but now he hath prom- ised, saying, Yet once more will I make to tremble not the earth only, but also the heaven. 37 And this word, Yet once more, signifieth the re- moving of those things that are shaken, as of things that have been made, that those things which are not shaken 28 may remain. Wherefore, receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us have 2 grace, whereby we may offer service well- pleasing to God with 3rev- 29erence and awe : for our God is a consuming lire. 1 Or, that is from heaven 2 Or, thankfulness 26. Then shook the earth; at Sinai. The quotation is from Hag. 2 : 6. 27. There is an obscurity in respect to some of the expres- sions of this verse. The general idea is, that, while the Jewish system was temporary and mu- table, the dispensation by Christ is fixed and final, and shall never be moved. CHAPTER XIII, 1. Let love of the brethren ; love of the members of the church one toward another. — Love unto strangers; love unto those with- Let love of the brethren 13 continue. Forget not to 2 shew love unto strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels una- wares. Remember them 3 that are in bonds, as bound with them ; them that are evil entreated, as being yourselves also in the body. Let marriage 4 be had in honour among all, and let the bed be undented : for fornicators and adulterers God will judge. *Be ye free fromo the love of mone}^ ; con- tent with such things as ye have : for himself hath said, I will in no wise fail thee, neither will I in any wise forsake thee. So 6 that with good courage wre say, The Lord is my helper ; I will not fear : What shall man do unto me \ Remember them that 7 3 Or, godly fear 4 Gr. Let your turn of mind be free. out the church. 2. Some have entertained, &c. ; referring, perhaps, to Gen. 18: 2- 8. 19:1-3. 3. Also in the body ; and so liable to the same sufferings. 5. Be ye free from the love of money ; the Old Version, let your conversation be without covetous- ness, was misleading, giving the impression that the rule related to the manner of speech and not to the manner of life. 6. Ps. 118:6. 7. Them that had the rule over you; meaning their pastors and 792 HEBREWS. 13. 7— had the rule over you, which spake unto you the word of God ; and consid- ering the issue of their 'life, imitate their faith. 8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and to-day, yea 9 and 'for ever. Be not. carried away by divers and strange teachings : for it is good that the heart be stablished by grace ; not by meats, wherein they that 'occu- pied themselves were not 10 profited. We have an altar, whereof they have no right to eat which serve the tabernacle. 11 For the bodies of those beasts, whose blood is brought into the holy place 4 by the high priest as an offering for sin, are burned without the camj}. 12 Wherefore Jesus also, that he might sanc- tify the people through his own blood, suffered 13 without the gate. Let 1 Gr. manner of life. 2 Gr. unto the ages. 3 Gr. walked. teachers. — Considering the issue of their life; i. e., their death. The whole life up to and includ- ing the death of the saint is to be taken into consideration in estimating the value of his faith, the object which it is the end and aim of their lives to pro- mote. 9. Not hj meats. The mean- ing is, that the heart cannot be established — that is, in holiness, — by attentions to distinctions of meats and other ceremonial us therefore go forth unto him without the camp, bearing his re- proach. For we have not 14 here an abiding city, but we seek after the city which is to come. Through him 5 then let us 15 offer up a sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of lips which make confession to his name. But to do 16 good and to communicate forget not : for with such sacrifices God is well pleased. Obey them that 17 have the rule over you, and submit to them : for they watch in behalf of your souls, as they that shall give account ; that • they may do this with joy, and not with 6 grief : for this were unprofitable for you. Pray for us : for we are 18 persuaded that we have a good conscience, desiring to live honestly in all 4 Gr. through. 5 Some ancient authorities omit then. 6 Gr. groaning. rites. 10. They have no right to eat, &c. ; that is, those cannot claim any share in the redemption of Christ, who still cling to, and depend upon, the ceremonial observances of the Mosaic econ- omy. 11. Lev. 16:11, 14-16, 27. 12. Without the gate ; without the gates of Jerusalem. 13. His reproach. The sending 1 of the condemned beyond the gates of a city for execution, —13. 25. HEBREWS. 793 19 things. And I exhort you the more exceedingly to do this, that I may be restored to you the soon- er. 20 Now the God of peace, who brought again from the dead the great shep- herd of the sheep ' with the blood of the eternal covenant, even our Lord 21 Jesus, make you perfect in every good s thing to do his will, working in 3 us that which is well- pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ ; to 1 Or, by Gr. in. 2 Many ancient authorities read work was considered as a token of additional reproach and. indig- nity. 23. Set at liberty. There has been much discussion in respect to the proper meaning of the words here rendered set at liberty. They might have been translated sent away. To what circum- stances in the life of Timothy they allude, on either supposi- whom he the glory 4for ever and ever. Amen. But I exhort y o u , 22 brethren, bear with the word of exhortation ; for I have written unto you in few words. Know ye 23 that our brother Timothy hath been set at liberty ; with whom, if he come shortly, I will see you. Salute all them that 24 have the rule over you, and all the saints. They of Italy salute you. Grace be with you all. 25 Amen. 3 Many ancient authorities ead you. 4 Gr. unto the ages of the ages. tion, is not known. 24. They of Italy ; the Chris- tians of Italy. Paul is supposed, to have been at Rome when this Epistle was written. The subscription to this Epis- tle, in the Old Version, was as follows: "Written to the He- brews from Italy, by Timothy." But no special value is to be at- tached to this subscription. THE GENERAL EPISTLE OF JAMES. The Epistle to the Hebrews closes the series of writings attributed to Paul. It is succeeded, in our arrangement, by another series, comprising the Epistles of James, Peter, John, and Jude, which have usually been classed together, and designated, from the earliest times, as the catholic Epistles. The word catliolic means universal; but the origin of its application to these Epistles is not known. Some have supposed that they have received this appellation because, in most cases, they are not addressed to particular churches or individuals, as is the case in general with the Epistles of Paul. The first of those epistles is that of James. In the catalogues of the apostles, (Matt. 10: 2-4. Mark 3: 16-19. Luke 6 : 14-16. Acts 1: 13,) James, the son of Zebedee, and John, his brother, are named immediately after Peter. In regard to this James, there is little uncertainty. He is repeatedly named, with Peter and John, as very prominent among the disciples daring our Saviour's ministry. These three were also foremost among their brethren in the events which took place immediately after the resurrection, and they continued to occupy conspicuous positions in the scenes described in the early chapters of the Acts, until James was beheaded by Herod, as stated, Acts 12: 1, 2. At] the death of James they all disappear from view, as, after that event, the others are scarcely alluded to in the sacred history. This James is designated as "James the son of Zebedee," or as "James the brother of John," or as "James the Greater." It is generally supposed that he was not the author of this Epistle. Besides this James, there is another, mentioned as "the son of Alpheus, " in the catalogues of the apostles above referred to. In Mark 15: 40, it is said that the name of the mother of this second James was Mary, and that he had a brother named Joses; and John (19: 25) states that this Mary was the sister of Mary the mother of Jesus. The word sister, however, may mean any very near collateral relative; as the terms brother, sister, son, daughter, &c. , were used with much latitude by the Jews. That [794J JAMES. 795 the word is not used strictly in this case, is the more probable, as two daughters of the same parents, we may suppose, would not both be named Mary. Mary, the mother of this James, is said, in the passage last referred to, (John 19: 25,) to be the wife of Cleophas, which name may be only another form of the name Alpheus, mentioned as James's father in the catalogues. This James, the son of Alpheus or Cleophas, is usually designated as " James the Less " — a title given to him by Mark in the passage above referred to. (15:40.) James the Less and his brother Joses were of course near relatives of the Saviour, their mother being spoken of as the sister of Mary, the mother of Jesus. This second James, or James the Less, survived James the Greater, and evidently attained a position of high eminence in the church at Jerusalem. The allusions to him in the book of the Acts, subsequent to the death of his namesake, which is record- ed in the twelfth chapter, seem to imply that he held a high official station. (See Acts 12: 17. 21: 17, 18.) According to tradition, corning down from very early times, he held the office of bishop of Jerusalem. But whether the influence which he obviously exercised was official power, or the deference and consideration paid to his apostleship, his age, or his personal character, is not rendered certain by the sacred narrative. This James the Less is usually supposed to have been the author of this Epistle. But, besides the allusions above referred to, mention is repeatedly made, in the Gospels and in the Epistles, of James, a brother of our Lord. In Matt. 13: 55, and in Mark 6: 3, the Pharisees are represented as asking, "Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, and the brother of James and Joses, and of Simon and Judas ?" James, the Lord's brother, is also spoken of, in Gal. 1 : 19, as one of the apostles, namely, the one with whom Paul conferred on his first visit to Jerusalem after his conversion; and in 1 Cor. 9: 5, brethren of the Lord are named in connec- tion with Peter, as apostles. Now, it is perhaps the prevailing opinion among commentators that this James, the Lord's brother, is the same with James the Less, the word brother being used to designate near relation, as was not unusual among the Jews. This supposition is not, how- ever, free from difficulty ; for in John 7:5, it is stated that the brethren of Jesus did not believe on him. This seems to mili- tate against the supposition that one of them was already one of his twelve apostles. A great many hypotheses have been framed in the attempts to disentangle this subject of its diffi- culties, but they are in a great measure conjectural ; and in fact 796 JAMES. 1. 5- they must necessarily be so, for the sacred narrative does not furnish the data for determining the questions which arise. The more prevailing opinion is. that James the Less was James the Lord's brother, and the author of the Epistle before us. [In my judgment the weight of evidence and of scholarly author- ity is in favor of the opinion that there were three persons of the name of James; James the Apostle, James the son of Al- pheus, and James the Lord's brother, the latter being a younger son of Joseph and Mary, and therefore a real brother of Jesus. This James I suppose to have been the author of this Epistle. But the question is involved in very considerable difficulty, and no absolute conclusion can be reached respecting it.— L. A.] 1 James, a ' servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are of the Dispersion, 2 greeting. 2 Count it all joy, my brethren, when ye fall into manifold s tempta- 1 Gr. bondservant. CHAPTER I. 1. A servant, &c. It is to be observed that James does not style himself an apostle. This circumstance has been adduced as an argument to show that the author of the Epistle was not one of the twelve; it cannot, however, be considered an argu- ment of very great weight. — The twelve tribes. There were but two tribes of the children of Israel now remaining. Ten had been carried into captivity, whence they never returned. The Jews were, however, accus- tomed to retain the original phraseology in designating their nation. For another example of this usage, see Acts 26: 7. Though this expression would seem to include the Jews gener- ally, yet the Epistle is evidently tions ; knowing that the 3 proof of your faith work- eth patience. And let 4 patience have its perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, lack- ing in nothing. But if any of you lack- 5 Gr. wishethjoy. 3 Or, trials intended for those only who had embraced Christianity. — Dispersion ; from Jerusalem. This letter may have been ad- dressed to the disciples who were scattered abroad after the death of Stephen, (Acts 8: 1,) and before the preaching of the gospel was extended to the Gen- tiles. This supposition is con- firmed by the fact that no allu- sion is made in the Epistle to Gentile converts, or to any of those questions which agitated the church everywhere, after Gentile converts came in. 2. Temptations ; trials ; that is, the privations, suffering, and poverty, which they were called upon to endure. 5. Wisdom; direction and guidance in the trying circum- stances in which they were -*— 1. 15. JAMES. w eth wisdom, let him ask of God, who giveth to all liberally and upbraideth not; and it shall be given 6 him. But let him ask in faith, nothing doubting : for he that doubteth is like the surge of the sea driven by the wind and 7 tossed. For let not that man think ! that he shall receive any thing of the 8 Lord ; a doubleminded man, unstable in all his ways. 9 But let the brother of low degree glory in his 10 high estate : and the rich, in that he is made low : because as the flower of the grass he shall pass 11 away. For the sun ariseth with the scorch- ing wind, and withereth 1 Or, that a double-minded man, un- stable in all his ways, shall receive any thing of the Lord. 2 Or. from. placed. — Upbraideth not; does not send the suppliant away with reproaches. 6. In faith ; with confidence in the goodness and mercy of God. — He that doubteth; vibra- ting between faith in divine pro- tection, and anxious distrust. — Like the surge of the sea ; never at rest. The word surge is here substituted for the word icave, in the Old Version, to prevent the impression that there is in the original a connection be- tween the word wave and the word wavereth. 8. A double-minded man ; that is, a man having his mind dis- tracted between the alternate feelings of faith and distrust. 32 the grass ; and the flower thereof falleth, and the grace of the fashion of it perisheth : so also shall the rich man fade away in his goings. Blessed is the man that 12 endureth temptation : for when he hath been ap- proved, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord promised to them that love him. Let 13 no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted 2 of God : for God 3 cannot be tempted with 4evil, and he himself tempteth. no man : but each man is 14 6 tempted, when he is drawn away by his own lust, and enticed. Then 15 the lust, when it hath conceived, beareth sin : 3 Or, is untried in evil 4 Gr. evil things. 5 Or, tempted by his own lust, being drawn away by it, and enticed 9. Glory in his high estate ; in. his privileges and hopes as a Christian. 10. Made low ; made penitent and lowly in mind by divine grace. 11. Fadeaway in his goings; pass away from his position of worldly greatness and elevation. The meaning is, that, since his wealth, with all that pertains to it, is so fleeting and transitory, he should not dwell upon the possession of it with feelings of satisfaction and pride, but re- joice only in the possession of the humble and lowly graces of the Christian spirit. 12. When he hath been ap- proved ; after his trials are over* 798 JAMES. 1. 15— r and the sin, when it is fullgrown, bringeth forth 16 death. Be not deceived, my beloved brethren. 17 Every good 'gift and every perfect boon is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with wrhom can be no variation, neither shadow that is cast by turning. 18 Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of first- fruits of his creatures. 19 2 Ye know this, my be- loved brethren. But let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow 20 to wrath: for the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness o f God. 21 Wherefore putting away all filthiness and over- flowing of 'wickedness, 1 Or, giving 2 Or, Know ye 3 Or, malice 16. Be not deceived ; in sup- posing that you can shield your- selves from responsibility for sin, by pleading the power of outward temptations. 18. Brought us forth ; as his spiritual children. That is, he formed in us, by his own power, that new temper of mind which characterizes Ids children. 19. Swift to hear, slow to speak; always ready to learn, but slow to offer reproofs or in- structions to others. 21. Over/lowing of wickedness ; a much more felicitous transla- tion than that of the Old Ver- sion, superfluity of naughtiness. receive with meekness the 4 implanted word, which is able to save your souls. But be ye doers of the 22 word, and not hearers only, deluding your own selves. For if any one is 23 a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding 5 his nat- ural face in a mirror : for 24 he beholdeth himself, and goeth away, and straight- way forgetteth what man- ner of man he was. But 25 he that looketh into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and so continu- eth, being not a hearer that forgetteth, but a doer that worketh, this man shall be blessed in his do- ing. If any man 6 think- 26 eth himself to be religious, while he bridle th not his tongue but deceiveth his 4 Or, inborn 5 Gr. the face of his birth. 6 Or, seemeth to be 25. Looketh into ; that is, earn- estly and intently. — The law of liberty ; the gospel; so desig- nated because it releases the soul from the bondiige of sin. — That worketh; the duties which the gospel enjoins. — In his doing; that is, his doing of the work referred to above. 26. His tongue, &c. The meaning is, that, unless a man's outward conduct is in accord- ance with the requirements of Christ, his pretenses to inward piety are vain. If even the tongue is uncontrolled, it reveals the falseness and hollowness of his professions of sanctity. —2. 9. JAMES. 799 heart, this man's religion 27 is vain. Pure religion and undefiled before our God and Father is this, to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself un- spotted from the world. 2 My brethren, ' hold not the faith of our Lord Je- sus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of per- 2 sons. For if there come into your 2 synagogue a man with a gold ring, in fine clothing, and there come in also a poor man 3 in vile clothing; and ye have regard to him that weareth the fine clothing, and say, Sit thou here in a good place ; and ye say to the poor man, Stand thou there, or sit under 4 my footstool ; 3 are ye not divided 4in your own 1 Or, do ye, in accepting persons, hold the faith... glory? 2 Or, assembly 27. Pure religion, &c. ; that is, true religion consists not in rites and forms, not in opinions, not in outward zeal, — but in the right moral and spiritual condi- tion of the heart. Its end and aim is to substitute in the soul principles of heartfelt benevo- lence and moral purity, instead of the selfishness and corruption which naturally reign there. The various truths of the gospel reveal the way and the means by which this is to be done. CHAPTER II. 1. Hold not the faith. &c. ; that is, in your religious observances and duties, do not make distinc- mind, and become judges with evil thoughts? Hearken, m y beloved 5 brethren ; did not God choose them that are peer as to the world to be rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he prom- ised to them that love him \ But ye have dis- 6 honoured the poor man. Do not the rich oppress you, and themselves drag you before the judge- ment-seats ? Do not they 7 blaspheme the honourable name 5by the which ye are called % Howbeit 8 if ye fulfil the royal law, according to the scrip- ture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well : but if ye have 9 respect of persons, ye commit sin, being con- victed by the law as 3 Or, do ye not make distinctions 4 Or, among yourselves 5 Gr. which tvas called upon you. tions among your Christian brethren on account of differ- ences of worldly station. "•2. Your synagogue ; the as- sembly for public worship. 2, 3. Fine clothing — vile cloth- ing. The same Greek word is used in all 'three places here, though rendered by different terms in the Old Version. 4. With evil thoughts ; under the influence of evil thoughts. 5. Rich in faith; to make them rich in faith. 7. The honourable name; the name of Christ. 8. The royal law ; the first and highest law. 800 JAMES. 2. 9— 10 transgressors. For who- soever shall keep the whole law, and yet stum- ble in one jioint, he is be- ll come guilty of all. For he that said, Do not com- mit adultery, said also, Do not kill. Now if thou dost not commit adultery, but killest, thou art be- come a transgressor of 12 the law. So speak ye, and so do, as men that are to be judged by a islaw of liberty. For judgement is' without mercy to him that hath shewed no mercy : mercy glorieth against judge- ment. 14 What doth it profit, my brethren, if a man say he hath faith, but have not works? can that faith 15 save him? If a brother 1 Or, But some one will my 2 Some ancient authorities read (here 10. Stumble in one point ; that is, deliberately and habitually. By disobeying one command, lie shows that he is not governed by the authority of God, and, of course, that whatever apparent obedience he may render to other commands, rests on other grounds than regard for the di- vine will. He cannot, therefore, be considered as really obeying at all. 12. So speak; so teach. — The law of liberty ; the gospel. 13. This sentiment is very similar to one expressed by our Saviour, Matt. 7:1, 2. — Mercy glorieth, &c. ; the merciful man rejoiceth. The meaning is, that he who has fulfilled the royal law, mentioned in v. 8, is de- or sister be naked, and in lack of daily food, and 16 one of you say unto them, Go in peace, be ye warmed and filled ; and yet ye give them not the things needful to the body; what doth it profit \ Even 17 so faith, if it have not works, is dead in itself. 1 Yea, a man will say, 18 Thou hast faith, and I have works : shew me thy faith apart from tli y works, and I by my works will shew thee my faith. Thou believesti9 that 2God is one; thou doest well : the 3 devils also believe, and shudder. But wilt thou know, O20 vain man, that faith apart from works is , barren \ Was not Abraham our 21 father justified by works, is one God. 3 Gr. demons. livered from the fear of retribu- tion. He may go to the judg- ment rejoicing in his assurance of pardon. In other words, he who is merciful to others, shall in the end find mercy him- self. 14. Faith; theoretical belief, a sort of belief which does not influence the conduct, as is shown in v. 17. Paul, when speaking of the spiritual efficacy of faith, means, by the term, heartfelt trust and confidence in God, or in the Saviour. 21. By works; that is, by a working faith, — works which were the fruits and the evidence of his faith. That this is the meaning is clear from the ex- pressions in v. 22 and 23. -3.4. JAMES. SOI in that he offered up Isaac his son npon the 22 altar? 'Thon seest that faith wrought with his works, and by works wras 23 faith made perfect ; and the scripture was fulfilled which saith, And Abra- ham believed God, and it was reckoned unto him for righteousness ; and he was called the friend of 24 God. Ye see that by works a man is justified, and not only by faith. 25 And in like manner was not also Rahab the harlot justified by works, in that she received the messen- gers, and sent them out 1 Or, Seest thou . . . perfect ? 22. Made perfect ; shown to be perfect, that is, honest and sin- cere. 24. Not only by faith; mere inert and lifeless belief. 25. Rahab the harlot. For the account of the circumstances here referred to, see Josh. 2: Her belief in Jehovah as the true God, (Josh. 2: 11,) led to cor- respondent action. It was there- fore a faith showing itself in works. 26. The spirit; the vital prin- ciple.— So faith a/part from works is dead. (See Rom. 4:) The in- structions pf Panl and of James on the subject of faith and works are the two opposing walls which guard on each side the narrow way of salvation, and their an- tagonism has accordingly at- tracted great attention in every age. Paul, on the one hand, enjoins it upon men not to rely upon any duties which they may another way ? For as the 26 body apart from the spirit is dead, even so faith apart from works is dead. Be not many teachers, my brethren, knowing 3 that we shall receive 2 heavier judgement. For in many things we all 2 stumble. If any stum- bleth not in word, the same is a perfect man, able to bridle the whole body also. Now if we put the horses' bridles 3 into their mouths, that they may obey us, we turn about their whole body also. Behold, the 4 ships also, though they 2 Gr. greater. have performed in times past, to secure the favor of God. He points them to faith in his mercy. On the other hand, James shows them that it is vain to rely upon faith as a substitute for doing the will of God now. He points them to the path of obedience. In a word, Paul teaches men that they must rely upon faith, for the forgiveness of past sins; James warns them against making it the excuse for the neglect of present duty. CHAPTER III. 1. Teachers. The meaning is Be not too ready to assume tht office of religious teachers.—^ Knowing that we shall receive, &c, ; that is, if unworthy. The meaning is, that a great respon- sibility is incurred by every on© who attempts to guide and in- struct others. 4. The steersman: a more is 802 JAMES. are so great, and are driven by rough winds, are yet turned about by a very small rudder, whith- er the impulse of the £ steersman willeth. So the tongue also is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, 1 how much wood is kin- dled by how small a fire ! 6 And the tongue is 3 a fire : 3 the world of iniquity among our members is the tongue, which defileth the whole body, and set- teth on fire the wheel of 4 nature, and is set on fire 7 by hell. For every 6kind of beasts and birds, of creeping things and things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed 6by 87mankind: but the tongue can no man tame ; it is a restless evil, it is full of 9 deadly poison. There- with bless we the Lord and Father ; and there - 1 Or, how great a forest 2 Or. afire, that world of iniquity : the tongue is among our members that which d-c. 3 Or, that world 0/ iniquity, the tongue, is among our members that which &e. telligible translation than that of the Old Version, the gover- nor. 5. Boasteth great things ; exer- cises great power. — How much wood is kindled, &c. ; or as in the margin, Ho to great a forest. The idea is that a very little mali- cious talk is sufficient to produce a very great destruction. 7, 8. These expressions, in the unqualified form in which they fctand here, are, of course, figur- with curse we men, which are made after the like- ness of God : out of the same mouth cometh forth 10 blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be. Dorhli the fountain send forth from the same opening sweet water and bitter? can a fig tree, my breth-12 ren, yield olives, or a vine figs ? neither can salt water yield sweet. Who is wise and under- 13 standing among you \ let him shew by his good life his works in meekness of wisdom. But if ye have 1 4 bitter jealousy and fac- tion in your heart, glory not and lie not against the truth. This wisdom 15 is not a wisdom that com- eth down from above, but is earthly, 8 sensual, 9 dev- ilish. For where jealousy 16 and faction are, there is confusion and every vile 4 Or, birth 5 Gr. nature. G Or, unto 7 Gr. the human nature. 8 Or, natural Or, animal 9 Gr. demoniacal. ative. The intention simply is to represent, in the strongest manner, the difficulty of keep- ing the tongue in subjection. 14. Glory not; that is, in your supposed piety. — And lie not, &c. ; by pretending that your hearts are renewed, while it is plain that in their temper and disposition they are still under the bondage pi sin. 15. This wisdom; such pre- tended wisdom or piety as this. ^4. 6. JAMES. 803 17 deed. But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, easy to be in treat- ed, full of mercy and good fruits, without 1 variance, without hy- 18pocrisy. And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace 2for them that make peace. 4 Whence come wars and whence come fightings among you % come they not hence, even of your pleasures that war in 2 your members % Ye lust, and have not : ye kill, and 3 covet, and cannot obtain : ye fight and war ; ye have not, because ye 1 Or, doubtfulness Or, partiality 2 Or, by 3 Gr. are jealous. 4 Or, saith in vain 5 Or. The spirit ivhich he made to dwell in us he yearneth for even unto 18. For them; Disputes and contentions are not the measures by which the cause of God is to be promoted ; the seed from which the fruits of righteousness are to be produced is sown in peace, and is garnered by those who are themselves peacemak- ers; or the meaning may be, as in the margin, is sown, that is, produced, fo/ peacemakers. Con- tention does not produce right- eousness, a lesson which the world has been very slow to learn. CHAPTER IV. 2. Because ye ask not ; that is, of God. The meaning is, that they do not obtain the happiness which they desire, because they seek to effect their ends by con- tention and violence, instead of ask not. Ye ask, and re- 3 ceive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may spend it in your pleasures. Ye i adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God \ Whosoever there- fore would be a friend of the world maketh him- self an enemy of God. Or think ye that the 5 scripture 4 speaketh in vain? 5Doth the spirit which 6he made to dwell in us long unto envying % But he giveth 7 more 6 grace. Wherefore the scripture saith, God re- sisted! the proud, but giveth grace to the hum- jealousenvy. Or, That spirit which h« made to dwell in us yearneth for us even unto jealous envy. 6 Some ancient authorities read dwell' eth in us. 7 Gr. a greater grace. relying upon the providence and goodness of God. 4. Ye adulteresses. These terms seem to be used in this case, as indeed they often are in the Scriptures, in a figurative sense, to denote those who are not true to the worship and ser- vice of God, but, while they profess to love and serve their Maker, have their hearts really set upon the world. 5. This passage, including the first clause of the following verse, is very obscure. The origin of the quotation is not to be found in the Old Testament, a«d none but conjectural expla- nations of the language, as it stands here, have been offered by commentators. Some of these conjectures are suggested in the marginal reading. R04 JAMES. 4. 6— 7ble. Be subject therefore unto God ; but resist the devil, and he will fiee 8 from you. Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners ; and purify your hearts, 9 y e doubleminded. B e afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heavi- lOness. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall exalt you. 11 Speak not one against another, brethren. He that speaketh against a brother, or judgeth his brother, speaketh against the law, and judgeth the law : but if thou judgest the law, thou art not a doer of the law, but a i2 judge. One only is %the 1 Gr. Instead of your saying . 7. Resist the devil ; the tempt- ations and excitements to sin, represented as offered by Satan. 8. Your hands ; your conduct. — Ye double-minded; ye who hesitate, undecided, between God and the world. 9. Be afflicted, &c. ; that is, in penitence for sin. 11. Speaketh against the law and judgeth the law ; violal law, and assumes the office of judge under it. The sacred writers often use the same terms in a modified sense in the second clause of a sentence which had been used appropriately and naturally in the first, in order to preserve a sort of parallelism or symmetry of expression. Thus lawgiver and judge, even he who is able to save and to destroy : but who art thou that judgest thy neighbour ? Go to now, ye that say, 13 To-day or to-morrow we will go into this city, and spend a year there, and trade, and get gain: whereas ye know not what U shall be on the morrow. What is your life % For ye are a vapour, that ap- peareth for a little time, and then vanishethaway. 1 For that ye ought to say, 15 If the Lord will, we shall both live, and do this or that. But now ye glory 16 in your vauntings : all such glorying is evil. To 17 him therefore that know- eth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin. Go to now, ye rich, 5 the phrases speaketh evil of, and judgeth, are repeated in the second clause, in this case, al- though used in a modified sense. 15. Ye ought to say, &c. ; that is, they ought habitually to feel their dependence upon God. The direction refers to the proper sentiment to be felt in the heart, and not particularly to the ex- pression of it in language. 1G. Glory in your vauntings ; feel confident in jTour own powers. 17. The meaning is, that now, after receiving the plain instruc- tions which James had given above, if any still persisted in the sin which he had condemn- ed, they would be doubly guilty. -5. JAMES. 805 weep and howl for your miseries that are com- 2ing upon you. Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are moth- 3 eaten. Your gold and your silver are rusted ; and their rust shall be for a testimony ' against you, and shall eat your flesh as fire. Ye have laid up your treasure in 4 the last days. Behold, the hire of the labourers who mowed your fields, which is of you kept back by fraud, crieth out : and the cries of them that reaped have 1 Or, unto CHAPTER V. 2. In ancient times, wealth often consisted of great accu- mulations of perishable proper- ty- 3. Ye have laid up, &c. The writers of the New Testament were looking for an immediate reappearance of the Lord and the day of judgment. The speedy demolition of their treas- ure is here referred to as an evidence of their folly in accu- mulating it. 4. The Lord of Saoaoth ; the Lord of hosts. 5. Nourished your hearts ; nourished yourselves. — that is, given yourselves up to luxuries and pleasures. — In a day of slaughter ; as in preparation for a day of slaughter. The mean- ing is, that they have abandoned themselves to every gratification, like an animal fattening for the slaughter. 6. Ye have condemned, ye have entered im>, th^ ears of the Lord of Sabaotn. Yes have lived delicately on the earth, and taken your pleasure ; ye have nourished your hearts in a day of slaughter. Ye a hare condemned, ye have killed the righteous one ; he doth not resist you. Be patient therefore, 7 brethren, until the 2 com- ing of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient over it, until 3it receive the early and latter rain. Be ye also patient ; stab- 8 2 Gr. presence. 3 Or, he hilled ; that is, deprived them of the means of subsistence by their injustice and oppression. — The righteous; the innocent, — those who had never injured thenv. — He doth not resist you; being' helpless and defenceless in his poverty. — [The Revisers have apparently given a differ- ent meaning to this passage by inserting the word one. The righteous one is the Messiah, and the apostle, as thus interpreted, refers to the Jews' crucifixion of Christ, in which his readers are treated as participators by their subsequent course of life. — L. A.] * 7. Be patient therefore; that is, in enduring the oppression above described. 8. StaMish yonr hearts; be resolute and of good courage. — The coming of the Lord; the time when God shall call the oppressor to account for his sins, and vindicate the rights of the oppressed. W6 JAMES. 5. 8— Ush your hearts : for the 3 coming of the Lord is fiat hand. Murmur not, brethren, one against another, that ye be not judged: behold, the judge standeth before the io doors. Take, brethren, for an example of suffer- ing and of patience, the prophets who spake in the name of the Lord. 11 Behold, we call them blessed which endured : ye have heard of the 9 patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord, how that the Lord is full of pity, and mer- ciful. 12 But above all things, 1 Gr. presence, 2 Or, endurance 3 Or, let yours be the yea, yea, and the 9. Murmur not; do not exer- cise or express morose and en- vious feelings. — Standeth before the doors ; is near at hand. The meaning is, that as the time is soon coming when all the in- juries which Christians may sustain will be amply redressed, they ought not to urge their complaints and agitate their controversies now. 11. The end of the Lord; meaning, probably, the end or result to which the Lord brings the sufferings of his people. 12. This language is very sim- ilar to that used by our Saviour, as recorded Matt. 5: 34-37.— Let your yen be yea, &c. ; that is, in your conversation, use the forms of simple affirmation or denial. 14. Anointing him with oil. Whether the anointing here pre- scribed was intended as a rite, my brethren, swear not, neither by the heaven> nor by the earth, nor by any other oath : but 3let your yea be yea, and your nay, nay : that ye fall not under judgement. Is any among you suf- 13 fering? let him pray. Is any cheerful? let him sing praise. Is any 14 among you sick? let him call for the elders of the church ; and let them pray over him, 4anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord: and the 15 prayer of faith shall save him that is sick, and the Lord shall raise him up ; and if he have committed nay, nay Compare Matt. v. 37. 4 Or, having anointed or as a remedy, does not appear. The oil obtained from the olive was much in use among the an- cient Jews, both as an article of food, -and as a medical remedy; and it was also employed in many civil and religious cere- monies. The good Samaritan is represented as employing it in the case of the wounded travel- ler, and the twelve, when sent out upon their original mission, anointed with oil the sick whom they were called upon to cure. (Mark 6: 13.) The ceremony of extreme unction, as practised by the Catholic church, rests upon the authority of this passage. That ceremony, however, is per- formed as the last act of prepa- ration for death, when all hope of recovery is gone; but, in the directions here given, the anoint- ing, whether prescribed as a medical remedy or as a religious -5. 20. JAMES. 807 sins, it shall be forgiven 16 him. Confess therefore your sins one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The supplication of a righteous man availeth much in its working. 17 Elijah was a man of like 1 passions with us, and he praj^ed 2 fervently that it might not rain ; and it rained not on the earth for three years and six 1 Or, nature 2 Gr. with prayer. rite, is plainly employed as a means of restoration to health, as appear* from the following verse. 16. Confess therefore your sins ; that is, such sins as those re- ferred to in the close of the last verse, which may be considered as the cause of the divine dis- pleasure, manifested in the visi- tation of disease. — The supplica- tion ; the proper construction of this passage is somewhat uncer- tain. That embodied in the New Version is more probable than that of the Old Version. The declaration that effectual months. And he prayed 18 again ; and the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit. My brethren, if any 19 among you do err from the truth, and one con- vert him ; 3let him know, 20 that he which converteth a sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall cover a multitude of sins. 3 Some ancient authorities read knovi prayer availeth much is simply a truism. 17, Elijah. For an account of this case, see 1 Kings 17: 18: — Of like passions, &c. ; that is, though a prophet, he was still merely a man, sharing with us the ordinary frailties and imper- fections of humanity. — Three years and six months ; represented as three years in the original account. (1 Kings 18: 1.) See Luke 4; 25. 20. Shall cover ; shall cause to be hidden. The sins which he repents of and forsakes shall be forgiven, and blotted out of re- membrance forever. THE FIRST EPISTLE OF PETER. Peter was the first on the catalogue of the apostles. The circum- stances of his call to follow the Saviour, are related Matt. 4: 18-20. He occupied a very prominent position among the dis- ciples, during the life and ministry of our Saviour, being hon- ored, in a high degree, with marks of his Master's confidence and regard; and, although, by a combination of very peculiar circumstances, he was betrayed into a denial of him, on the night of his apprehension by the Roman soldiers, the offence was punished only by an upbraiding look; and, immediately after the ascension of Jesus, we fiud Peter again assuming the foremost position among his brethren, iu counsel and action, just as before. See Acts 1 : 15, 2: 14, and generally the third, fourth, and fifth chapters. Peter was made the instrument through whom the preaching of the gospel was first extended to the Gentiles, though, so far as we can judge from the narrative contained in the Acts, Paul seems to have taken a more active part in carrying this extension of the offer of salvation into effect. Indeed, after Paul enters upon his career, Peter disappears from the sacred history. The Roman church maintains that Christ constituted Peter the official head of the uuiversal church, (Matt. 16:18, 19;) and, as they suppose that Peter afterwards became bishop of Rome, accord- ing to an early tradition, they claim for his successors in that bishopric, — called in modern times the i^opes, — the same general jurisdiction. But the passage referred to (Matt. 16:18, 19) seems to be but a very imperfect title-deed to authenticate the grant of such a power. Even if the power was granted, how- ever, there seems to be no evidence, not even that of an inci- dental allusion, in the historical or epistolary writings of the New Testament, that Peter ever had charge of the church of Rome; nor, if he did, that Jesus intended that the supposed power conferred on him, should be hereditary in his successors in that office. If, therefore, the existence and power of the Roman Catholic church rested upon the logical continuity and force of the argument from the Scriptures, it would have but a very slendei foundation. It really rests on a far different, [808] 1.2. I. PETER. 809 and, as it has thus far proved, and will probably still continue to prove, a very sufficient foundation, — namely, that strong and universal principle of human nature, which causes men, in all ages and in all times, to run together, as it were, by a sort of cohesion, into vast masses and conglomerations. It is the prin- ciple which holds together nations, sects, tribes, and parties. It is stronger than the logic of an argument, or than veneration for the word of God, — or even than the iron chains of super- stition ; and so long as ecclesiastics find that they can wield a wider influence, and a greater power over mankind, as parts of a vast system, than they can in independence and isolation, so long the great ecclesiastical organizations will not be in want of ground to stand upon. It is indeed convenient, in such cases, to have some show of scriptural authority; and the elements of the argument, in respect to St. Peter, slender as they are, are abundantly sufficient to construct all that is necessary fur such a purpose. These Epistles of Peter consist of general instructions addressed to Christian converts, on a variety of subjects. Perhaps they have no more striking characteristic than the absence of every appearance of claim, on the part of the writer, to any peculiar ecclesiastical jurisdiction over those whom he addresses. If Peter had really then held such a sway over the church, as his supposed successors claim, his letters, like theirs, would have promulgated his edicts. 1 PetePv, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the elect who are sojourners of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, 2 Asia, and Bithynia, ac- cording to the foreknow- CHAPTER I. 1. Elect. This Epistle is ad- dressed to Jewish Christians re- siding in the various provinces of Asia Minor here specified. Jews residing in countries foreign to Judea were called strangers, being such in the land where they were dwelling. — 'Asia ; a certain province of Asia Minor, including Phrygia, Mysia, Caria, Lydia, &c, being ledge of God the Father, in sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ : Grace to you and peace be multi- plied. the western and south-western part. The other provinces men- tioned here are situated in the northern and eastern part of the same country. So that, in a word, this Epistle is addressed to the Jewish Christians of Asia Minor. 2. Unto obedience and sprink- ling of the blood of Jesus Christ. The believer is elect unto obe- dience, inasmuch as, from being 810 I. PETER. 1. 3- 3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to his great mercy begat us again unto a living hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the 4 dead, unto an in- heritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, re- served in heaven for 5 y o n, who by the power of God are guarded through faith unto a salvation ready to be revealed in the last 6 time. AY herein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, ye have been put to grief in manifold 'temptations, 7 that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold that perisheth 1 Or, trials a rebellious transgressor, he is made henceforth obedient to the will of God; and he is elect unto sprinkling of the blood of Christ, as, through the atone- ment made by Christ, his past sins are forgiven. The figure of sprinkling with blood, to denote the spiritual efficacy of Christ's death, seems to be taken from some of the ceremonies of the Jewish law. (Ex. 24: 8.) 3. Begat us again; created us anew. — A living hope; an anima- ting hope. 6. In the last time ; at the end of the world. Wherein ; that is, in the joy- ful hope of which the writer had been speaking. — Manifold temptations ; many sufferings and trials. though it is proved by fire, might be found unto praise and glory and honour at the revelation of Jesus Christ: whom 8 not having seen ye love ; on whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice greatly with joy unspeakable and 2full of glory: receiving the 9 end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls. Concerning which 10 salvation the prophets sought and searched dili- gently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you : searching 11 what time or what man- ner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them, did point unto, when it testified beforehand the sufferings * of Christ, and 2 Gr. glorified. 3 Gr. unto. 7. That perisheth, though it is proved by fire ; that is, though it stands the test of fire, it is not indestructible; — being often lost or consumed by means of other causes. 1 1 . Searching what time or what manner of time, &c. ; that is, what time, or what manner of time. The distinction, how- ever, which was intended to be marked by these two forms of expression, is not understood. It has been supposed that Peter alludes here to Dan. 9: 22, 24, where the prophet is represented as earnestly desirous of under- standing when and in what manner the promised redemption was to come. — The Spirit of Christ ; the spirit of prophecy respecting Christ. -1. 19. I. PETER. 811 the glories that should 12 follow them. To whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but un- to you, did they minister these things, which now have been announced un- to you through them that preached the gospel unto you 'by the aHoly Ghost sent forth from heaven ; which things angels de- sire to look into. 13 Wherefore girding up the loins of your mind, be sober and set your hope perfectly on the grace that 3is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus 14 Christ; as children of obedience, not fashioning 1 Gr. in. 2 Or, Holy Spirit 3 Gr is being brought. 12. That not unto themselves, hit unto you, did they minister, &c. ; that is, when they desired to know, as is' stated in v. 11, at what time the events which they predicted were to be ful- filled, it was revealed to them that the promised blessings were not to be bestowed upon them, but upon a future and distant generation. To minister things is to perform any service rela- ting to them; as the prophets, by their predictions, did in re- spect to the great plan of salva- tion.— Desire to look into ; take pleasure in looking into. 13. Girding up, &c. The loose dress worn in those days had to be drawn around the body by a girdle, whenever any exertion or labor was required. (Exod. 12: 11. Luke 12: 35. yourselves according to your former lusts in the time of your ignorance : but 'like as he which 15 called you is holy, be ye yourselves also holy in all manner of living ; be- 16 cause it is written, Ye shall be holy ; for I am holy. And if ye call on 17 him as Father, who with- out respect of persons judgeth according to each man's work, pass the time of your sojourning in fear : knowing that ye 18 were redeemed, not with corruptible things, with silver or gold, from your vain manner of life hand- ed down from your fa- thers ; but with precious l 9 4 Or, like the Eoly One which called you John 13: 4.) Hence the act of girding came to represent earn- est preparation for duty. In this case the direction means, Enter resolutely upon the work before you. — On the grace; the favor, — referring here evidently to the future happiness of the Christian. 14. Not fashioning yourselves ; that is, your conduct and cha- racter.— In the time of your igno- rance ; before you became ac- quainted with the truth in Christ. 15. In all manner of living ; in all your conduct. 16. Lev. 11: 44. 19: 2. 17. If ye call on him as Father; if you are looking to him, — depending upon his favor. 19. The lamb required for the ancient sacrifice was to be with- 812 I." PETER. 1. 19— blood, as of a lamb with- out blemish and without 20 spot, even the blood of Christ : who was fore- known indeed before the foundation of the world, but was manifested at the end of the times for 21 your sake, who through him are believers in God, which raised him from the dead, and gave him glory ; so that your faith and hope might be in 22 God. Seeing ye have purified your souls in your obedience to the truth unto unfeigned love of the brethren, love one another 'from the 23 heart fervently: having been begotten again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, through the word of 2 God, which 241iveth and abideth. For, All flesh is as grass, 1 Many ancient authorities read from a clean heart. 2 Or, God who liveth out a blemish. (Lev. 22: 19, 20.) This perfection may be regarded as an emblem of the spiritual purity and spotlessness of Jesus Christ. 20. Was manifested ; that is, he visibly appeared. 23. Of corruptible seed; of frail and sinful parentage. 24. All flesh; all that comes from flesh, that is, from cor- ruptible seed, as mentioned in the preceding verse. 25. The word of the Lord ; that is, the incorruptible seed, men- tioned in v. 23, as that througr which again. the he^ever is hnru And all the glory thereof as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower falleth : But the 3word of the 25 Lord abideth for ever. And this is the 3word of good tidings which was preached unto you. Putting away therefore 2 all 'wickedness, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings, as newborn 2 babes, long for the 5 spiritual milk which is without guile, that ye may grow thereby unto salvation ; if ye have 3 tasted that the Lord is gracious : unto whom 4 coming, a living stone, rejected indeed of men, but with God elect, 6 precious, ye also, as liv- 5 3 Gr. saying. 5 Gr. reasonable. 6 Or, honourable 4 Or, malice CHAPTER II. 2. As new-born babes; refer- ring to the mode of expression adopted in v. 23 of the preced- ing chapter. — Long for, &c.; de- sire constant instruction in the principles of religious truth and duty. 3. Have tasted, &c. ; have be- gun to experience the grace of God. 4. Living; durable, perma- nent. 5. A spiritual house ; a spirit- ual temple. The meaning is, that the community of believers forms such a spiritual temple, Tesus Christ being the corner- I PETER. 813 ing stones, are built up 1 a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacri- fices, acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 6 Because it is contained in 8 scripture, Behold, I lay in Zion a chief corner stone, elect, "precious : And he that believeth on 4 him shall not be put to shame. 7 6 For you therefore which believe is the 6precious- ness : but for such as dis- believe, The stone which the builders rejected, The same was made the head of the cor- ner ; Sand, A stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence ; 1 Or a spiritual house for a holy priest- hood 2 Or. a scripture 3 Or, honourable 4 Or, it stone. — A holy priesthood. The metaphor is here suddenly changed — the followers of Christ being now represented, not as the building, but as the priests officiating in it. 6. Elect; chosen. 7, 8. The head of the corner, and a stone of stumbling, &c. The meaning is, that the stone, being placed prominently and conspicuously at the corner, was at the same time a chief support of the building, and also an ex- posed projection, against which the careless would be most in danger of coming into collision, 7 for they 8 stumble at the word, being disobedient : whereunto also they were appointed. But ye are 9 an elect race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God's own possession, that ye may shew forth the excellen- cies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvellous light : which 10 in time past were no peo- ple, but now are the peo- ple of God : which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy. Beloved, I beseech you 11 as sojourners and pil- grims, to abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul ; having 12 your behaviour seemly among the Gentiles ; that, wherein they speak against you as evil-doers, 5 Or, in your sight 6 Or, honour 7 Gr. who. 8 Or, stumble, being disobedient to the word as it were ; that is, a rock, which they run against. — Whereunto; that is, to the destruction above described. (See Mark 14; 21. Luke 22; 22. Rom. 9; 17-19.) 9. For God's own possession; the rendering of the Old Version was a peculiar people ; the New Version, more accurately render- ing the original, indicates the respect in which they are pecu- liar, viz., peculiarly God's own. 10. Were no people; a people of God. 12. In the day of visitation. It is uncertain what the sacred writer intended by this express 814: I. PETER. 2. 12— they may by your good works, which they be- hold, glorify God in the day of visitation. 13 Be subject to every 1 ordinance of man for the Lord's sake: whether it be to the king, as su- Upreme; or unto gover- nors, as sent 3by him for vengeance on evil-doers and for praise to them 15 that do well. For so is the will of God, that by well-doing ye should put to silence the ignorance 16 of foolish men: as free, and not 'using your free- dom for a cloke of 4 wick- edness, but as bondser- 17vants of God. Honour all men. Love the broth- erhood. Fear God. Honour the king. 18 5 Servants, be in subjec- 1 Gr. creation. 2 Gr. through. 3 Gr. having. sion, though a great many con- jectural interpretations have been offered by commentators. 13. Of man; that is, of the civil goveinment. 17. Honor all men ; treat them •with the respect and the con- sideration which are their due. 18. These servants were in bondage. They are required to be submissive to their masters, and patient under the ills of their lot; for, however great may have been the wrongs they suffered, either in the very fact of being unjustly held in bond- age by their masters, or in the particular acts of oppression tion to your masters with all fear ; not only to the good and gentle, but also to the f toward. For this 19 is "acceptable, if for con- science 7 toward God a man endure th griefs, suffering wrongfully. For what glory is it, if, 20 when ye sin, and are buffeted for it, ye shall take it patiently \ but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye shall take it patiently, this is "ac- ceptable with God. For 21 hereunto were ye called : because Christ also suf- fered for you, leaving you an example, that ye should follow his steps : who did no sin, neithei-22 was guile found in his mouth: who, when he 23 was reviled, reviled not 4 Or, malice 5 Gr. Honseholdservants. 6 Gr. grace. 7 Gr. of. which individuals endured, re- sistance, disobedience, or sul- lenness, on their part, would only have aggravated the evil. 20. Buffeted ; reproached or punished in any way. 21. For hereunto ; that is, for this purpose, namely, that you might exhibit a spirit of patient endurance, under the pressure of injustice and suffering, in accordance with the example of the Lord Jesus Christ. The confusion of the pronouns found in the Old Version is avoided in the New Version by a better text, by which, in the latter clause, Christ also suffered, &C., you is substituted for us. — 3 I. PETER. 815 again ; when lie suffered, threatened not ; but com- mitted ' himself to him that judgeth righteously : 24 who his own self a bare our sins in his body upon the tree, that we, having died unto sins, might live unto righteousness; by whose G stripes ye were 25 healed. For ye were go- ing astray like sheep ; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and 4 Bishop of your souls. 3 In like manner, ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands; that, even if any obey not the word, they may without the word be gained by the 'behaviour of their 2 wives ; beholding your chaste "behaviour, cou- 3 pled with fear. Whose adorning let it not be the outward adorning of plait- ing the hair, and of wear- ing jewels of gold, or of i' Or, his cause 2 Or, carried up... to the tree 3 Gr. bruise. 4 Or, Overseer 24. Bare our sins ; the penalty for our sins. — By ichose stripes ; by means of whose stripes. CHAPTER III. 1. The word; the gospel. 2. Fear; respect and rever- once, — that is, for the husband. 3. The meaning is, not that proper attention to the personal appearance is wrong, but that the wife should not value herself upon her external decorations. She should seek to maue Herself putting on apparel; but 4 let it be the hidden man of the heart, in the incor- ruptible apparel of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price. For 8 after this manner afore- time the holy women also, who hoped in God, adorn- ed themselves, being in subjection to their own 6husbands; as Sarah obey- 6 ed Abraham, calling him lord : whose children ye now are, if ye do well, and are not 7put in fear by any terror. Ye husbands, in like7 manner, dwell with your wives according to know- ledge, giving honour "un- to the woman, as unto the weaker vessel, as being also joint - heirs of the grace of life ; to the end that your prayers be not hindered. Finally, be ye all like- 8 5 Or, manner of life 6 Or, husbands (as Sarah ye are become), doing well, and not being afraid 7 Or, afraid with 8 Gr. unto the female vessel, as weaker. alluring by mental and spiritual charms. They who consider all decoration as in itself wrong evidently differ from him who daily creates the humming-bird, the tulip, and the rose. 4. Man; character. 6. And are not put in fear, &c. This expression is usually understood to mean, not de- terred by fear from the faithful performance of duty. 8. Tenderhearted; merciful. 816 L PETER. 3. 8- minded, * compassionate, loving as brethren, tender- hearted, humbleminded : 9 not rendering evil for evil, or reviling for re- viling ; but contrariwise blessing ; for hereunto were ye called, that ye should inherit a blessing. 10 For, He that would love life, And see good days, Let him refrain his tongue from evil, And his lips that they speak no guile : 11 And let him turn away from evil, and do good ; Let him seek peace, and pursue it. 12 For the eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, And his ears unto their supplication : But the face of the Lord is upon them that do evil. 13 And who is he that will 1 Gr. sympathetic. 14. Fear not their fear; not, as in the Old Version, be not afraid of their terror. The meaning is that the Christian is not to ex- perience that fear which belongs to the ungodly experience ; his trust in God is to preserve him therefrom. 15. Sanctify Christ as Lord, &c. In the Old Version sanctify the Lord God. This followed the language of the Old Testa- ment (Isaiah 8:13), where we harm you, if ye be zeal- ous of that which is good ? But and if ye should 14 suffer for righteousness' sake, blessed are ye : and fear not their fear, neither be troubled ; but sanctify 15 in your hearts Christ as Lord : being ready al- ways to give answer to every man that asketh you a reason concerning the hope that is in you, yet with meekness and fear : having a good con- 16 science ; that, wherein ye are spoken against, they may be put to shame who revile your good manner of life in Christ, For it 17 is better, if the will of God should so will, that ye suffer for well-doing than for evil-doing. Be- 18 cause Christ also "suffered for sins once, the right- eous for the unright- eous, that he might bring us to God ; being put to death in the flesh, but quickened in the spirit ; 2 Many ancient authorities read died. read, sanctify the Lord of Hosts himself. The necessity of the change here made in the text admits of no question, for the reading of the Old Version there is but very little authority. Peter's identification of Christ with Jehovah by applying to Christ the language used in the Old Testament of Jehovah, is a striking attestation of the divin- ity of Christ. 18. Quickened; rsised to life. —3. 20. I. PETER. 817 l9in which also he went and preached unto the 20 spirits in prison, which aforetime were disobe- 19. He went and preached; an emphatical mode of expression, common in the Hebrew lan- guage, meaning he preached. So in Acts 1:1, "all that Jesus began both to do and teach," rneaus merely all that Jesus did and taught; and in Matt. 9:13, "Go ye and learn," &c, means, simply, learn. — Unto the spirits in prison ; that is, perhaps to mankind, in their state of guilt and condemnation. See Isa. 42: 7, where the lost and helpless condition of men is represented as an imprisonment from which the gospel brings release. The meaning seems to be, that Jesus Christ, after suffering death, rose again by the power of the Spirit, and by the same Spirit brought the offers of pardon to mankind, who were under sen- tence of condemnation by the divine law; iu consequence of which, as the writer goes on to explain in the two following verses, a few are now saved, through baptism, just as in ancient times, in consequence of the preaching of Noah, a few were saved by the ark. Some suppose that the preaching here spoken of refers not to the gen- eral proclamation of the gospel to mankind, but to the warn- ings given by Noah to his gener- ation, which they consider this passage as showing were in- spired by Christ. Others suppose that this passage means that, during the interval between the Saviour's death and his resurrec- tion, he made the offers of sal- vation to departed spirits in the invisible world. The interpre- tation first given appears best to accord with the design of the dient, when the long- suffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a pre- writer in his remarks. In fact, the latter would seem to detach the passage entirely from its connection with what precedes and follows it. Besides, it is impossible to give any reason, if Jesus offered salvation to any departed spirits, why, of all the generations of the dead, the con- temporaries of Noah alone were preached to in their prison. [The construction of this text has given rise to great discussion among the commentators. With- out entering at all into that dis- cussion I may properly add here, that I dissent from the conclu- sion stated in this note, holding to that thus embodied by Alford : "From all then which has been said, it will be gathered that with the great majority of com- mentators, ancient and modern, I understand these words to say, that our Lord, in his disem- bodied state, did go to the place of detention of departed spirits, and did there announce his wTork of redemption, preach sal- vation, in fact, to the disem- bodied spirits of those who re- fused to obey the voice of God when the judgment of the flood was hanging over them. Why these rather than others are mentioned, whether merely as a sample of the like gracious work on others, or for some special reason unimagined by us, we cannot say. It is ours to deal with the plain words of Scripture and to accept its reve- lations as far as vouchsafed to us."— L. A.] 20. Which; that is, not the same individuals, but the same class of men, namely, sinners. — ■ Eight souls; Gen. 6:18. 818 I. PETER. 3. 20— paring, ' wherein few, that is, eight souls, were saved 21 through water : which also 2 after a true likeness doth now save you, even baptism, not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the "interroga- tion of a good conscience toward God, through the resurrection of Jesus 22 Christ; who is on the right hand of God, hav- ing gone into heaven ; angels and authorities and powers being made sub- ject unto him. 4 Forasmuch then as Christ suffered in the 1 Or, into which few, that is, eight souls, were brought safely through water 2 Or, in the antitype 3 Or, inquiry Or, appeal 21. Which also after, &c. The meaning is, that believers are now saved through baptism, in a manner somewhat analogous to that in which Noah and his family were saved in the ark. Of course, baptism is, in this case, regarded as the indica- tion and pledge of the inward spiritual change, in which alone all its meaning and efficacy con- sists.— Filth of the flesh; un- cleanness of the flesh; that is, ceremonial uncleanness, like that provided against in the Mosaic law. The meaning is, that bap- tism has no ceremonial efficacy. Its power and value depend upon there being a good con- science toward God within, cor- responding to the outward sym- bol.— But the interrogation of a good conscience, &c. ; the exact meaning of this clause is difficult to determine. It probably re- fers to that seeking after God flesh, arm ye yourselves also with the same *mind ; for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased 6 from sin ; that 6 ye no 2 longer should live the rest of your time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God. For the time past may 3 suffice to have wrought the desire of the Gentiles, and to have walked in lasciviousness, lusts, winebibbings, re veilings, carousings, and abomi- nable idolatries : where- 4 in they think it strange that ye run not with 4 Or, thought 5 Some ancient authorities read unto sins. 6 Or, he no longer... his time with an earnest heart, which is implied by Christian baptism. 22. On the right hand of God, as his vicegerent in the govern- ment of the world. CHAPTER IV. 1. The same mind; the same fortitude and patience that he displayed. — Hath ceased from sin; that is, if he has !><>rne his sufferings with a Christian spirit. In other words, sorrow and suf- fering, submissively and patient- ly endured, tend strongly to purify and elevate the character. 2. That is, such is the ten- dency of tribulation, — to wean the heart from the world, and fix it more steadily upon God. 3. To hare wrought the desire of the Genvile& ; to have con- formed in conduct and character to the example of a wicked world. -4. 12. I. PETER. 819 them into the same 1 excess of riot, speaking 5 evil of you : who shall give account to him that is ready to judge the quick and the dead. 6 For unto this end Vas the gospel preached even to the dead, that they might be judged accord- ing to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit. 7 But the end of all things is at hand : be ye therefore of sound mind, and be sober unto 3prayer : 8 above all things being fervent in your love among yourselves ; for love covereth a multitude 1 Or, flood 2 Or, were \ good tidings preached 5. Who; that is, those that reproach you for not joining with them in their sinful pleas- ures. — The quick and the dead ; the living and the dead. 6. Even to the dead; that is, probably, to those who had been slain in the persecutions which the Christians had endured. — That they might be judged, ttc. ; that, though condemned by men to bodily death, their souls might be saved. Those who suppose that the passage 3:19, 20, teaches that Christ went into the invisible world during the interval between his death and his resurrection, and made the offer, of salvation to the departed spirits there, regard this verse as referring to the same circum- stance. 7. Sober unto prayer ; be earn- est and constant in prayer. 8. Love; kindness and brother- of sins : using hospitality 9 one to another without murmuring: accordingio as each hath received a gift, ministering it among yourselves, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God ; if any man speaketh, ll speaking as it were oracles of God ; if any man ministereth, minis- tering as of the strength which God supplieth : that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, whose is the glory and the do- minion 4 for ever and ever. Amen. Beloved, think it notl* 3 Gr. prayers. 4 Gr. unto the ages of the ages. ly love. The latter clause of the verse appears to be quoted from Prov. 10:12. The meaning is, as its connection there shows, that kind feelings towards others makes us lenient in respect to their faults and failings. 10. A gift; the gift of worldly prosperity ; that is, the means of exercising the hospitality en- joining in the preceding verse. — The manifold grace ; the multi- plied favors. The meaning is, that the favors and advantages which God bestows, are to be held in trust, as means of doing good to others. 11. As it icere oracles of God ; let him act simply as the inter- preter of the divine -will. — Minis- tering as of, &c. ; that is, let him feei entirely dependent on God for his ability. 12. Think it not strange* &c. ; think it not extraordinary that S20 I. PETER. 4. 12.— strange concerning the fiery trial among you, which cometh upon you to prove you, as though a strange thing happened 13 unto you: but insomuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings, re- joice ; that at the revela- tion of his glory also ye may rejoice with exceed- I4ing joy. If ye are re- proached 'for the name of Christ, blessed are ye; because the Spirit of glory and the Spirit of God resteth upon you. is For let none of you suffer as a murderer, or a thief, or an evil-doer, or as a meddler in other men's lo matters: but if a man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed ; but let him glorify God 17 in this name. For the time is come for judge- ment to begin at the house of God : and if it begin first at us, what shall be the end of them 1 Gr. in. 2 Some ancient authorities omit exer- cising (he oversight. God should subject you to such Bufferings and trials. 17. Judgment to begin, &c. ; that is, in the terrible persecu- tions and sufferings which the Christians were about to endure. CHAPTER V. 1. Who am a fellow -elder. This expression indicates that the word elder did not mark a pre- cise and definite official relation, as Peter, who was originally an that obey not the gospel of God? And if the 13 righteous is scarcely saved, where shall the ungodly and sinner ap- pear \ Wherefore let 19 them also that suffer ac- cording to the will of God commit their souls in well-doing unto a faith- ful Creator. The elders therefore 5 among you I exhort, who am a fellow-elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, wTho am also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed: Tend 2 the flock of God which is among you, 2 exercising the oversight, not of con- straint, but willingly, 3 according unto God ; nor yet for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind ; neither as lording it over 3 the charge allotted to you, but making yourselves ensamples to the flock. And wThen the chief Shep- 4 herd shall be manifested, 3 Some ancient authorities omit ao cording unto God. apostle, would not have been subsequently ordained to an in- ferior office. 2. For filthy lucre; for the sake of money. This expres- sion, and others analogous to it, seem to imply that pecunisfry provision for religious teachers was very early made, — as they are cautioned against being un- duly influenced by the consider- ation of it. -5. U. I. PETER. 821 ye shall receive the crown of glory that fadeth not 5 away. ! Likewise, ye younger, be subject unto the elder. Yea, all o f you gird yourselves with humility, to serve one another : for God resisteth the proud, but g i v e t h grace to the humble. 6 Humble yourselves there- fore under the mighty hand of God, that he, may exalt you in due. time; 7 casting all your anxiety upon him, because he 8 careth for you. Be sober, be watchful : your adver- sary the devil, as a roar- ing lion, walketh about, seeking whom lie may 9 devour ; whom withstand stedfast in 2 your faith, knowing that the same sufferings are 8 accom- plished in your 4 brethren 1 Or, Likewise . . elder ; yea, all of you one to another. Gird yourselves xoith hu- mility 2 Or, the 3 Gr. being accomplished. 5. Be subject unto the elder; yield one to another; let none seek to exercise authority over the rest. 9. Are accomplished in your brethren; that is, that all your Christian brethren, wherever scat- tered, share in your afflictions and trials. 12. Silvanus. There is an al- lusion to Sylvanus in 1 Thess. 1: 1. 13. Babylon. The ancient city of Babylon was desolate and un- inhabited in the days of the 38 who are in the world. And the God of all grace, 10 who called you unto his eternal glory in Christ, after that ye have suf- fered a little while, shall himself 'perfect, stablish, strengthen 6 you. To him 11 be the dominion T for ever and ever. Amen. By Silvanus, 8 our 12 faithful brother, as I ac- count him, I have written unto you briefly, exhort- ing, and testifying that this is the true grace of God : stand ye fast there- in. 9 She that is in Baby- it Ion, elect together with you, saluteth you ; and so doth Mark my son. Sa- 14 lute one another with a kiss of love. Peace be unto you all that are in Christ. 4 Gr. brotherhood. 5 Or, restore 6 Many ancient ?.nthorities add MttU. 7 Gr. unto the ages of the ages. 8 Gr. the. 9 That is, The church, or, The sister. apostles. Hence some have sup- posed that Peter was at Rome when he wrote this Epistle, and that he calls that city by the name Babylon, as a mystical des- ignation.— Marie; perhaps the individual mentioned in Acts 12: 12, whom Peter may have considered as his son, in a spir- itual sense. This Epistle contained no sub- scription in the Old Version, nor do the epistles which immedi- ately follow, Second Peter, First, Second, Third John, and Jude. THE SECOND EPISTLE OF PETER. This second Epistle of Peter is addressed, as the introductory salutation specifies, not to any particular church or churches, but to the followers of Jesus Christ in general. The allusions contained in 3: 15, 16, imply that it was written after some, at least, of the Epistles of Paul had been extensively circulated. Beyond this there is no evidence in regard to any of the circum- stances under which it was written. It consists of a brief but solemn warning against the dangers of unbelief, error and sin, enforced by a strong representation of the certainty and the nearness of the final judgment. This second Epistle is charac- terized by a certain solemn grandeur of imagery and diction, very different from the style in which the miscellaneous prac- tical instructions of the first are expressed. In fact, in respect to these qualities of composition, there are some passages, in the two concluding chapters, scarcely equalled by any other portion of the sacred writings. [The second Epistle of Peter has, per- haps, less amount of ancient testimony in its favor than any other book in the New Testament, and itis freely acknowledged by early writers that its authority was doubted; but by the fourth century after Christ it was generally received; and it is a reasonable assumption that the fathers of that period did not accept it, without satisfying themselves with such evidence as they could command, that the objections which had been brought against it were untenable. The internal evidence is in its favor; and candid critics, while they concede that the sub- ject is not unattended with difficulty, are also generally agreed in upholding its genuineness and canonicity. It appears 'o have been written toward the close of Peter's life; but nothing more i> known concerning the date or place of composition. A remarkable parallel is noticeable between Jude, verses 3-19, and 2 Peter 2:1-19. The similarity of the passages is such ' that it has led some to the opinion that Peter has here bor- rowed from the Epistle of Judc. — L. A.] L«w] — 1. 11. II. PETER. 1 ' Simon Peter, a a ser- vant and apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained 3a like precious faith with us in the righte- ousness of 4our God and Saviour Jesus Christ: 2 Grace to you and peace be multiplied in the know- ledge of God and of Jesus 3 our Lord ; seeing that his divine power hath grant- ed unto us all things that pertain unto life and god- liness, through the know- ledge of him that called us 5by his own glory and 4 virtue; whereby he hath granted unto us his pre- cious and exceeding great promises ; that through these ye may become partakers of 6the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world by lust. 5 Yea, and for this very cause adding on your part all diligence, in your 1 Many ancient authorities read Sy- meon. 2 Gr bondservant. 3 Gr. an equally precious. 4 Or, our God and the Saviour faith supply virtue ; and in your virtue knowledge ; 6 and in your knowledge 7 temperance ; and in your 7 temperance pa- tience ; and in your pa- tience godliness ; and in 7 your godliness love of the brethren; and. in your love of the brethren love. For if these things are 8 yours and abound, they make you to be not idle nor unfruitful unto the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For he 9 that lacketh these things is blind, "seeing only what is near, having for- gotten the cleansing from his old sins. Wherefore, 10 brethren, give the more diligence to make your calling and election sure : for if ye do these things, ye shall never stumble : for thus shall be richly ll supplied unto you the en- trance into the eternal CHAPTER I. 4. That ye may become partak- ers of the divine nature; that is, that ye might share in the purity and holiness of God. 5. In your faith, &e. The apostle assumes that each virtue has been attained, and in the ex- ercise of that the next one is to be secured. Virtue here is rather valor, manliness, courage; tern- perance, as elsewhere in the New Testament, is self-control, and 5 Some ancient authorities through glory and virtue. 6 Or, a 7 Or, self-control 8 Or, closing his eyes read the difference between love of the brethren and love is the difference between Christian fellowship or love for the members of the Church, and. love in its broader and generic meaning, as includ- ing all being, both God and man. 7. Love; good-will to all mankind. 9. Forgotten the cleansing ; for- gotteu that by his baptism ho [irOfessed to be purged. 824 n. PETER. 1. 11— kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. 12 Wherefore I shall be ready always to put you in remembrance of these things, though ye know them, and are established in the truth which is with lzyou. And I think it right, as long as I am in this tabernacle, to stir you up by putting you in 14 remembrance ; knowing that the putting off of my tabernacle cometh swift- ly, even as our Lord Je- sus Christ signified unto 15 me. Yea, I will give diligence that at every time ye may be able after my x decease to call these tilings to remembrance. 16 For we did not follow cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and 1 Or, departure 2 Gr. presence. 3 Gr. having received. 4 Gr. was brought... by the majestic 13. In this tabernacle; in the body. 14. The translation of this verse is both more graphic and more accurate than that of the Old Version, and indicates more clearly what was undoubtedly true, that the apostle refers to the scene on the shore of Gali- lee, when Christ forewarned him by what manner of death he Should glorify God. See John 21: 18, 19. :.o-18. The apostle here re- for" to the transfiguration, which he wi nessed in company with Jame3 and John. (Luke 9 : 28- 86.) 9 coming of our Lord Je- sus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of bis ma- jesty. For he 'received 17 from God the Father honour and glory, when there 4 came such a voice to him from the excellent glory, This is my be- loved Son, in whom I am well pleased: and this 18 voice we ourselves heard 5 come out of heaven, when we were with him in the holy mount. And 19 we have the word of pro- phecy made more sure; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a lamp shining in a 6dark place, until the day dawn, and the day-star arise in your hearts: knowing 20 this first, that no pro- phecy of scripture is of 7 private interpretation. glory. 5 Gr. brought. 6 Gr. squalid. 7 Or, special 19. Prophecy ; referring to the predictions respecting the Mes- siah contained in the Old Testa- ment, then in process of fulfil- ment, and so strongly confirm- ing the truth of Christianity. 20. No prophecy — is of private interpretation ; that is, probably, the means of its interpretation are not found within itself. It can only be understood by being compared with the event. It is on this principle that the light of propheey is represented in the preceding vsrse as a light beginning to shine, and which would increase as its fulfilment was gradually developed. -2. 5. II. PETER. 825 21 For no prophecy ever 1 came by the will of man : but men spake from God, being moved by the aHoly Ghost. 2 But there arose false prophets also among the people, as among you also there shall be false teachers, who shall privily bring in de- structive heresies, deny- ing even the Master that bought them, bringing upon themselves swift 2 destruction. And many shall follow their lasci- 1 Gr. was brought. 2 Or, Holy Spirit 3 Or, sects of perdition 21. Spake — being moved, &c. They delivered the message which was committed to them, thougli its full* import, being known only to God, the event must reveal. CHAPTER II. 1. False prophets also ; that is, in ancient times, when the true prophets, referred to in the last chapter, made their predictions. For various allusions to these false prophets, see 1 Kings 22: 6. Jer. 28: 15-17. Ezek. 13: 22: 25, 28.— Privily ; privately, by stealth. — JDestructive^heresies ; that is, heresies fatal to the wel- fare of the soul. 2. Many shall follow, &c. Men never have so great a power and influence for evil, as when they introduce immoralities and sin under the cloak and defence of some perverted form of religious doctrine. This is fanatical vice, the worst, most corrupting, and most dangerous form in which vice ever appears, — as the history of Christianity in all ages will vious doings ; by reason of whom the way of the truth shall be evil spoken of. And in covetousnesss shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose sentence now from of old lingereth not, and their destruction slumbereth not. For if 4 God spared not angels when they sinned, but 4 cast them down to 5hell, and committed them to 6 pits of darkness, to be reserved unto judgement ; and spared not the 5 4 Or, cast them nto dungeons 5 Gr. Tartarus. 6 Some undent authorities read chains. testify. It is on this account that heresy is denounced in the New Testament in such strong terms of reprobation. For heresy is not honest error. It is the hypomtical perversion of reli- gious truth to the purposes of licentiousness and sin. — Theway of the truth ; true religion. 3. Feigned words; artful and hypocritical pretences. — Make merchandise of you. Judas made merchandise of his Master, be- traying and sacrificing him to promote his own ends. So it is said these men should sacrifice the cause of Christ to their own selfish purposes. — Whose sentence now, &c, that is, whose judg- ment and condemnation shall come upon them soon and sud- denly. 4. Angels when they sinned. Another allusion to angels, as having rebelled against God, and incurred his terrible retri- bution, is fcund in Jude 6. 5. The ancient world; the world before the flood. — Noah 826 II. PETER. 2. 5 ancient world, but pre- served Noah with seven others, Ja preacher of righteousness, when he brought a flood upon the world of the ungodly; Gaud turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes condemned them with an overthrow, having made them an ex- ample unto those that 7 should live ungodly ; and delivered righteous Lot sore distressed by the lascivious life of the 8 wicked (for that right eons man dwelling among them, in seeing and hear- ing, 2 vexed Jcis righteous 1 Gr. a herald with seven others. Noah was a preacher of righteousnora, inas- much as he set an example of obedience, nnd made efforts, in various ways, to warn and to save his generation. (Heb. 11: '•) 7. Lascivious life; corrupt and wicked conduct. 8. Vexed his righteous soul; felt perpetually displeased and troubled. 0. The Lord Jcnoweth, &c. This is :li" inference from what pre- That is, if the Lord spared not the rebel angels, nor the old world, nor the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, but brought terrible judgments upon them for their sins, while he saved Noah and his Tamil}-, and Lot, — then the Christian might be assured that he would still continue to protect the good and condemn the wicked. 11. A similar passage occurs soul from day to day with their lawless deeds): the 9 Lord knoweth how to de- liver the godly out of temptation, and to keep the unrighteous under punishment unto the day of judgement ; but chieliy 10 them that walk after the flesh in the lust of defile- ment, and despise do- minion. Daring, self- willed, they tremble not to rail at 8 dignities : whereas angels, though 11 greater in might and power, bring not a rail- ing judgement against them before the Lord. But these, as creatures 12 2 Gr. tormented. 3 Gr. glories. in Jude 9. The idea is, that even angels, exalted as they are, do not speak, even of the wick- ed, in railing and opprobrious terms; but these, (v. 12,) like senseless brutes, rail against what it is entirely above their capacity to comprehend. The presumptuous and intractable state of mind here condemned we may easily understand ; though we are not informed in what ways, precisely, it dis- played itself, in the. class of persons here condemned. 12. Creatures without reason; born mere animals. The lan- guage of the apostle is not of that vehement and bitter nature which it seems to be as rendered in the Old Version, "A'aturql asts made to bt taken and destroyed f it is a calm state- ment of a very solemn truth, that men who are revilers of God, are wholly under the ^-2. 20. H. PETER. 827 without reason, born 1 mere animals * to be taken and destroyed, railing in matters where- of they are ignorant, shall in their 'destroying surely be destroyed, ID suffer wrong as the hire of wrong - doing ; men that count it pleasure to revel in the day-time, spots and blemishes, revelling in their 4 love- feasts while they feast 14 with you ; having eyes full of5 adultery, and that cannot cease from sin ; enticing unstedfast souls ; having a heart exercised in covetous- ness ; children of curs- iCing ; forsaking the right way, they went astray, having followed the way of Balaam tho son of 6Beor, who loved the hire 16 of wrong-doing; but he was rebuked for his own 1 Gr. natural. 2 Or, to take and to destroy 3 Or, corruption 4 Many ancient authorities read de- ceivings. dominion of their animal na- ture, and possess not the divine and immortal nature which they revile, because they cannot un- derstand it. — Shall in their de- stroying, &c. ; the very act which they perform in the seeming destruction of others corrupts and destroys them- selves. 13. hi the daytime; every day, continually. — Love /easts; deceitful arts. 16. Balaam the son of Beor. He is called the son of Beor in transgression : a dumb ass spake with man's voice and stayed the madness of the prophet. These are springs with- 17 out water, and mists driven by a storm ; for whom the blackness of darkness hath been re- served. For, uttering 18 great swelling words of vanity, they entice in the lnsts of the flesh, by lasciviousness, those who are just escaping from them that live in error ; promising them liberty, 19 while they themselves are bondservants of cor- ruption ; for of 7 whom a man is overcome, of the same is he also brought into bondage. For if, 20 after they have escaped the defilements of the world through the know- ledge of 8 the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, 5 Gr. an adulteress. 6 Many ancient authorities read Bosor. 7 Or, what 8 Many ancient authorities read our. the Old Testament. (Num. 22: 5.) For the course pursued by Balaam, and his influence in leading Israel into sin, see Num. 22 :-25. 16. A dumb ass, &c. A strong antithesis is intended here. A senseless ass had to rebuke the senselessness of a prophet'. 17. Springs without water; the form and the premise without the reality. — Mists driven hy a storm ; that is, which, having promised rain, bring nothing but wind. ?i IT. PETER, 2.20-^ they are again entangled therein and overcome, the last state is become worse with them than si the first. For it were better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after knowing it, to turn back from the holy command- ment delivered unto e2them. It. has happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog turning to his own vomit again, and the sow that had washed to wallowing in the mire. 3 This is now, beloved, the second epistle that I write unto you ; and in both of them I stir up 1 Gr. in the last of the days. 22. According to the true prov- erb. Prov. 26:11. The whole passage comprised in this chap- ter, both in its import and in its language, bears a very striking resemblance to the Epistle of Jude. CHAPTER III. 2. The commandment; the com- mandment delivered by us. — And the commandment of the Lord and Saviour through yovr apostles; the change here from the Old Version, -which read; the com- mandment of us (he apostles arid the Lord and Savvmr, has the sanc- tion of all the best manuscripts. It. is important because it clearly implies a claim on the part of the Apostles of direct inspiration. 3. Walking after their own lusts; living in open sin, and deriding the warnings of the gospel. 4. I1 he promise of his coming; your sincere mind by put- ting you in remembrance* that ye should remember 2 the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and the com- mandment of the Lord and Saviour through your apostles : knowing 3 this first, that *in the last days mockers shall come with mockery, walking after their own lusts, and 4 saying. Where is the promise of his acoming ? for, from the day that the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation. For this 5 they wilfully forget, that there were heavens from 2 Gr. presence. that is, the coming of Christ. — That the fathers, &c. Their ar- gument was, that the course of nature had gone on steadily the same from the days of the fa- thers, and that it still continued without any indication of an approaching change. To this the apostle replies in the follow- ing verses, that the course of nature had not always gone on unchanged, that the earth has once been destroyed by water, and he asserts that it will he again destroyed by fire. 5-7. The meaning of the Apos- tle here is much more clearly brought out by the New Ver- sion ; as the earth of old was in the midst of the waters, by which it was overflowed and the people destroyed, so now it is stored with fire for another final destruction. —3. 13. II. PETER. 829 of old, and an eartli com- pacted out of water and 'amidst water, by the 6 word of Grocl ; by which means the world that then was, being overtlowed 7 with water, perished : but the heavens that now are, and the earth, by the same word have been 'stored up for fire, being reserved against the day of judgement and destruc- tion of ungodly men. 8 But forget not this one thing, beloved, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one 9 day. The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some count slackness ; but is long- suffering to you-ward, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should 10 come to repentance. But 1 Or, through 2 Or, stored vMhfire 3 Or, heavenly bodies. 8. One day is with the Lord, &c. ; an expression suggested, perhaps, to the apostle's mind by Ps. 90 : 4. 9. Not alack concerning his promise; not negligent in fulfil- ling it. — As some count slackness ; infer slackness, — that is, from the long delay. The idea is, that the lapse of time which in- tervenes before the threatenings of God are executed, does not arise from neglect or forgetful- ness, as some men suppose, but from forbearance and long suf- fering, in hope that the sinner may repent. the day of the Lord will come as a thief ; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the 9 elements shall be dissolved with fervent heat, and the earth and the works that- are therein shall be 4 burned up. Seeing that U these things are thus all . to be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy living and godliness, looking 13 for and 5 earnestly desir- ing the 6 coming of the day of God, by reason of which the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the 3 elements shall melt with fervent hoa 0 But, according to his J* promise, we look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righte- ousness. 4 The most ancient manuscripts read discovered. 5 Or, hastening 6 Gr. presence 10. As a thief ; unexpectedly and suddenly. 12. Earnestly desiring the com- ing, &c. ; anticipating it with interest, and making active prep- aration for it. 13. New heavens and a new earth; an entire new constitu- tion of things. The phrase heavens and earth, comprising, as it does, the whole visible crea- tion, is often used as a general expression to denote all tilings. A ''new heavens and a new earth " means therefore, simply, all things new. Some have un- derstood this and other similar 830 II. PETER. 3. 14— 14 Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for these things, give dili- gence that ye may be found in peace, without spot and blameless in his 15 sight. And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation ; even as our beloved brother Paul also, according to the wisdom given to him, ig wrote unto you; as also in all his epistles, speak- ing in them of these things ; wherein are some things hard to be under- 1 Gr. unto the day of eternity. passages to imply that this earth, after undergoing a great ehange iu its constitution, so as to be purified of its corruption, and divested of its elements of frailty and decay, and also of its means and sources of danger and suf- fering, will by made the abode of the redeemed, after they have risen from the dead, and have been clothed in bodies which shall have undergone a similar transformation. There has been much other reasoning and spec- ulation iu regard to the future world; but the word of God has not revealed to us any details respecting its conditions and circumstances, and of course, on such a subject, what divine rev- elation has withheld, it is vain for human speculations to at- tempt to supply. 10. Wherein; in which things, that is, in the truths revealed in respect to the end of the world stood, which the ignorant and unstedfast wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction. Ye l? therefore, beloved, know- ing these things before- hand, beware lest, being carried away with the error of the wicked, ye fall from your own sted- fastness. But grow in 13 the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and 1 for ever. Amen. and the general judgment. The difficulties which the apostle here refers to are not difficulties in Paul's writings, but in the subject which he has himself been discussing. This the ori- ginal conclusively shows. — Which the ignorant and unstedfast wrest ; in the manner already explained in v. 3-5. 17. The error of the wicked ; that is, the error referred to above. — their becoming careless and unconcerned about the dis- pleasure of God, because his sentence is not speedily exe- cuted. 18. A similar doxology occurs before, in 1 Pet. 4: 11, and 5: 11, in both which cases it appa- rently, though not so unques- tionably as in this case, stand:. as an ascription to the Saviour. The certainty of the application of it. in this case, goes very far towards r< moving any doubt which we might feel in those. THE FIRST EPISTLE GENERAL OF JOHN. It will be observed that John is not named, either in the intro- duction or at the conclusion of this Epistle, as its author; it comes down to us, however, attributed to him, from the very earliest times. It is also strikingly characterized by those pecu- liarities of style and expression which mark the other writings of this apostle. As its title imports, it appears to have been addressed to the Christian community at large, and not to any one class or com- pany of believers. It is filled with general exhortations and instructions, many of which, undoubtedly, had particular re- ference to errors or sins prevailing at the time when it was penned, but which convey lessons of warning or instruction suited to all times. It is supposed to have been written at a very late period of the apostolical history; for John survived most, if not all, of the other apostles, and attained to a great age. Many turns of thought and expression occur in the Epis- tle, which indicate that it was written at a late period of his life, when age and infirmity were advancing upon him, warning him that he was drawing near to the eternal world. The whole composition is pervaded, in fact, by a certain tone of subdued and quiet gentleness, often characteristic of age. 1 That which was from the beginning, that which we have heard, that which we have seen with 1 Or, word CHAPTER I. 1. From the beginning ; the beginning of the new dispensa- tion, that is, from the com- mencement of the ministry of Christ. — Which we have heard, &c. By these expressions John intends to declare, emphatically, our eyes, that which we beheld, and our hands handled, concerning the 1 Word of life (and the % that he had every conceivable means of knowing that his testi- mony in respect to the life, death, and resurrection of Christ was true. — The word of life; Jesus Christ. 2. Which was with the Father. This corresponds in a striking [831] 832 I. JOHN. 1.2— life was manifested, and we have seen, and bear witness, and declare un- to you the life, the eternal life, which was with the Father, and was 8 manifested unto us) ; that which we have seen and heard declare we unto you also, that ye also may have fellowship with us : yea, and our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son 4 Jesus Christ : and these things we write, that 1 our joy may be fulfilled. 6 And this " is the mes- sage which we have heard from him, and announce unto you, that God is light, and in him is no | 6 darkness at all. If we 1 Many ancient minorities read your. manner with the declaration in John 1 : 1, 2, 14, that he who was manifested in the flesh, as the Saviour of men, previously coexisted with the Father. — Was manifested; by becoming flesh, and dwelling upon the earth. 3. May have fellowship with us; may join with us in acknow- ledging and obeying him. 4. That our joy may be ful- filled ; that you may attain to perfect and eternal joy. 5. That God is light. There are several of the divine perfec- tions which might be represent- ed metaphorically by light. That holiness is the one here intended, is evident from v. 7, where it appears that it is an attribute of God, in respect to which men are bound to conform to him. say that we have fellow- ship with him, and walk in the darkness, we lie, and do not the truth : but 7 if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanseth us from all sin. If we 8 say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If 9 we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Ifio we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us. My little children, these 2 6. With him; with God. — Walk in the darkness; live in sin. — Do not the truth; do not act consistently with truth. 7. The blood of Jesus. The blood of Christ denotes the death of Christ, and the suffer- ings attendant upon it, — includ- ing the whole of that protracted scene of suffering, which, com- mencing at Gethsemane, and ending on the cross, constituted the great propitiatory sacrifice by which the world was re- deemed. 10. Make him a liar ; since he has in so many ways declared that the conduct and characters of all men are entirely inconsist- ent with the requirements of his law. CHAPTER II. 1. My little children. This is a term of endearment; it wai —2. 13. I. JOHN. 833 things write I unto you, that ye may not sin. And if any man sin, we have an 'Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ 2 the righteous : and he is the propitiation for our sins ; and not for ours only, but also for the 3 whole world. And here- by know we that we know him, if we keep 4 his commandments. He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his com- mandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him : 5 but whoso keepeth his word, in him verily hath the love of God been per- fected. Hereby know we that we are in him : 6 he that saith he abideth in him ought himself also to walk even as he walked. 7 Beloved, no new com- mandment write I unto 1 Or, Comforter Or, Helper Gr. Para- rendered appropriate in this case by the venerable age of the apostle. 2. He is the propitiation for our sins; having made atone- ment for them by his death. 5. Perfected ; exemplified and fulfilled. 6. To walk ; to live and act. 7. No new commandment icrite 1; that is, in the principle which he had been .inculcating above, namely, that a conformity to the will of God in heart and life is the only test of the hon- esty of religious professions. 8. A new commandment ; 'the precept enjoining brotherly love, you, but an old com- mandment which ye had from the beginning: the old commandment is the word which ye heard. Again, a new command- 8 ment write I unto you, which thing is true in him and in you ; because . the darkness is passing away, and the true light already shineth. He that 9 saith lie is in the light, and hateth his brother, is in the darkness even until now. He that 10 loveth his brother abideth in the light, and there is none occasion of stumbling in him. But 11 he that hateth his bro- ther is in the darkness, and walketh in the dark- ness, and knoweth not whither he goeth, be- cause the darkness hath blinded his eyes. I write unto you, my^ clete. enforced in the following verses. John designates it as a new commandment, in imitation of the language used by the Sa- viour in John 13: 34. — Is true in him ; is exemplified in him. 12. Many conjectures have been offered in regard to the distinctions intended by the writer in the several classes of persons addressed in this pas- sage, (12-14,) and in the nature and appropriateness of the reas- ons assigned in each ease. But it is not certain that any accurate logical distinctions were intend- ed. We are probably to regard the changes in the forms of ex- 834 T. JOHN. 2. 12— little children, because your sins are forgiven you for his name's sake. 13 1 write unto you, fathers, because ye know him which is from the be- ginning. I write unto you, young men, because ye have overcome the evil one. J I have writ- ten unto you, little chil- dren, because ye know u the Father. ' I have writ- ten unto you, fathers, because ye know him which is from the beginning. ! I have writ- ten unto you, young men, because ye are strong, and the word of God abideth in you, and ye have overcome the evil 15 one. Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not 1 Or, 1 wrote prcssion as only designed to give variety to the mode of present- ing tlie considerations by which the various classes of Christians should feel impelled to give most serious and earnest atten- tion to the instructions which they received. 13. Him which in from the "be- ginning; the Redeemer, (ch. 1:1.) 18. Antichrists; false teachers, whose doctrines and characters arc more particularly described in verses which follow. — Whereby ice know. &c. The Saviour had ©^dieted the appearance; of false prists and £*Jsc prophets, as a in him. For all that isi6 in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of ■ the eyes, and the vain- glory of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world 17 passeth away, and the lust thereof : but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever. Little children, it is the 18 last hour : and as ye heard that antichrist cometh, even now have there aris- en many antichrists ; whereby we know that it is the 'last hour. They 10 went out from us, but they were not of us ; for if they had been of us, they would have con- tinned with us : but they went out, that they might be made manifest ahow that they all are not of us. And ye have an anointing 20 2 Or, that not all are of us sign of the approach of great changes, the nature of which was only obscurely intimated. (Mark 13: 23-30.) It is prob- able that John here refers to that prediction. In precisely what sense, however, he uses the ex- pression the last time, is some- what uncertain. 20. An anointing ; considered as the ceremony of induction to office. The idea is, that they had been admitted to the station and privileges of the children of God by the Holy One himself, and would not prove apostate, like those mentioned in the pre- ceding verse. I. JOHN. 835 from the Holy One, 'and 21 ye know all tilings. I have not written unto you because ye know not the truth, but because ye know it, and 'because no 22 lie is of the truth. Who is the liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ 1 This is the anti- christ, even he that deni- eth the Father and the 23 Son. Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father : he that confesseth the Son hath 24 the Father also. As for you, let that abide in you which ye heard from the beginning. If that which ye heard from the begin- ning abide in you, ye also shall abide in the Son, 25 and in the Father. And this is the promise which lie promised 3us, even the 26 life eternal. These things 1 Some very ancient authorities read and ye all knoic . 2 Or, that 3 Some ancient authorities read you. 4 Or, so it is t?me, and is no lie ; and 21. No lie is of the truth; no false doctrine can come from true piety. 22. Antichrist, even he that de- nieth, &c. ; that is, by denying that Jesus is the Christ, he de- nies both the Father and the Son, as is shown in the next verse. 23. He that confesseth the Son hath the Father also. There is some doubt respecting the au- thority for the first of this verse, and it was printed ordinarily in italics in the Old Version, but have I written unto you concerning them that would lead you astray. And as for you, the27 anointing which ye re- ceived of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any one teach you ; but as his anointing teach- eth 37ou concerning all things, 4 and is true, and is no lie, and even as it taught you, 6ye abide in him. And now, my lit tie 28 children, abide in him ; that, if he shall be mani- fested, we may have bold- ness, and not be ashamed "before him at his 'com- ing. If ye know that he 29 is righteous, 8ye know that every one also that doeth righteousness is be- gotten of him. Behold what manner of 3 love the Father hath be- stowed upon us, that we even as &c. 5 Or, abide ye 6 Gr. from Mm. 7 Gr. presence. 8 Or, knoiv ye the best manuscripts contain it, and it is now generally regarded as authentic. 24. Let that ahide ; that be- lief. 26. Them that uould lead you astray; the false teachers. 27. The anointing; the unction referred to in v. 20. CHAPTER III. 1. And such we are; these words are added on the authority of several ancient manuscripts. They give emphasis by repeti- tion to the apostle's statement. 836 I. JOHN. 3. hould be called children of God : and such we are. For this cause the world knoweth us not, because 2 it knew him not. Be- loved, now are we chil- dren of God, and it is not yet made manifest what we shall be. We know that, if ! he shall be mani- fested, we shall be like him ; for we shall see him 3 even as he is. And every one that hath this hope set on him purifieth him- self, even as he is pure. 4 Every one that doeth sin doeth also lawlessness : and sin is lawlessness. 5 And ye know that he was manifested to 2 take away sins ; and in him is no Osin. Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not : who- soever sinneth hath not seen him, neither 8 know- 7eth him. My little chil- dren, let no man lead you astray : he that doeth righteousness is right- eous, even as he is right- 8 eous : he that doeth sin is 1 Or, it 2 Or, bear sins 2. And, it is not yet made mani- fest what ire shall he ; i. e. , to what condition and character this sonsliip of God will event- ually bring us. 3. Purifieth himself ; that is, his hope of being hereafter joined to Christ in happiness and glory, leads him to seek now to resemble him in charac- ter. of the devil ; for the devil sinneth from the begin- ning. To this end was the Son of God manifest- ed, that he might destroy the works of the devil. Whosoever is begotten of 9 God doeth no sin, because his seed abideth in him : and he cannot sin, because he is begotten of God. In this the children ofio God are manifest, and the children of the devil : whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that lov- eth not his brother. For 11 this is the message which ye heard from the begin- ning, that we should love one another: not as Cain 12 was of the evil one, and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? Because his works were evil, and his brother's righteous. Marvel not, brethren, if 13 the world hateth you. We know that we have 14 passed out of death into 3 Or, hath known 5. He was manifested ; Christ was manifested, that is, appeared upon this earth. 6. Whosoever sinneth ; that ig, willingly and habitually. 14. He that loveth not. The Old Version added here, his brother. The best manuscript authority is against the addition. The real meaning of the apostle is, he that does not possess the —4. 3. I. JOHN. 837 life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not abideth in death. 15 Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life 16 abiding in him. Hereby know we love, because he laid down his life for us : and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. 17 But whoso hath the world's goods, and be- holdeth his brother in need, and shutteth up his compassion from him, how doth the love of God 18 abide in him? My little children, let us not love in word, neither with the tongue ; but in deed and 19 truth. Hereby shall we know that we are of the truth, and shall 'assure our heart before him, 20 whereinsoever our heart condemn us ; because God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things. 1 Gr. persuade. spirit of love has no spiritual life, no matter what professions he may make, or seeming ex- periences of piety he may pos- sess. 15. Is a murderer ; in the spirit and temper of his mind. 16. To lay down our lives ; to be willing to lay them down. 18. Not — in tooj'd, neither with the tongue; not with empty pro- fessions. 19. Hereby ; that is, by the habitual temper and spirit of Beloved, if our heart con- 21 demn us not, we have boldness toward God ; and whatsoever we ask, 22 we receive of him, be- cause we keep his com- mandments, and do the things that are pleasing in his sight. And this is 23 his commandment, that we should a believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one an- other, even as he gave us commandment. And he 24 that keepeth his com- mandments abideth i n him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he gave us. Beloved, believe n o t 4 every spirit, but prove the spirits, whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. Hereby know ye the Spir- 2 it of God : every spirit which confesseth that 2 Gr. believe the name. our minds. 20. Our heart our conscience. CHAPTER IV. 1. Every spirit; every pre- tended spiritual influence by which men may claim to be in- fluenced.— Prove the spirits; ex- amine them by the tests given above, that is, by their obedience and brotherly love, and also by those mentioned below. 2. Is of God; is true; teaches the truth. 838 I. JOHN. 4. 3.— Jesus Christ is come in 3 the flesh is of God : and every spirit which l con- fessetli not Jesus is not of God : and this is the spirit of the antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it cometh ; and now 'it is in the world already. 4 Ye are of God, my little children, and have over- . come them: because great- er is he that is in you than he that is in the 5 world. They are of the world : therefore speak they as of the world, and thft world heareth them. G We are of God': he that knoweth God heareth us ; he who is not of God heareth us not. By this we know the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error. 7 Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and everyone that loveth is begotten of God, 8 and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God ; for God is love.' 9 Herein was the love of God manifested *in us, that God hath sent his only begotten Son into the 1 Some ancient authorities read annul- Uth Jesus. world, that we might live through him. Herein isio love, not that we loved God. but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved 11 us, we also ought to love one another. No man 12 hath beheld God at any time : if we love one an- other, God abideth in us, and his love is perfected in us: hereby know we 13 that we abide in him, and he in us, because lie hath given us of his Spirit. And we have beheld and 14 bear witness that the Fa- ther hath sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world. Whosoever shall 15 confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God abideth in him, and he in God. And we know and have 16 believed the love which God hath ain us. God is love ; and he that abideth in love abideth in God, and God abideth in him. Herein is love made per- 17 feet with us, that we may have boldness in the clay of judgement ; because as he is, even so are we in 2 Or, in our case 4. Have overcome them; have not, as in the Old Version, our Successfully resisted them, —that love is made perfect, hut, by is, the falsi; spirits. God's dwelling in us, his love is 7. Isbe/otten of God; is for mcil perfected in us, and so we are anew by the power of God, an become his chi hi. 17. Herein is love made perfect; God's redeeming love toward us i \(>, hold in the day of judg- ment, having perfect trust in -5. 6. I. JOHN. 839 18 this world. There is no fear in love: but perfect love casteth out fear, be- cause fear hath punish- ment ; and he that feareth is not made perfect in 19 love. We love, because 20 he first loved us. If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar : for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, ' cannot love Gfod whom he hath not 21 seen. And this command- ment have we from him, that he who loveth God love his brother also. 5 Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is begotten of God: and whosoever loveth him that begat. loveth him also that 1 Many ancient authorities read how can he love 6fod whom he hdtli not seen? 18. Perfect love ; love when it has perfectly accomplished all that God desires to do by means of it. 19. We love; not, as in the Old Version, we love him, which is true, but only a part of the truth. All human love is declared to be born of God and produced by the fact that God first loved us and so bestowed upon us the power of love. 20. Hateth ; does not love. CHAPTER V. 1. The Ghrut; the promised Messiah. Compare Matt. 1 : 16, and note. The meaning is, Who- soever truly and from his heart receives Jesus as his Redeemer, and obeys him as such, is born of God ; that is, this new spirit is begotten of him. Here- 2 by we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and do his commandments. For this 3 is the love of God, that we keep his command- ments: and his command- ments are not grievous. For whatsoever is begot- 4 ten of God overcometh. the world : and this is the victory that hath overcome the world, even our faith. And who is 5 he that overcometh the world, but he that be- lieveth that Jesus is the Son of God? This is he 6 that came by water and blood, even Jesus Christ ; not Vith the water only, but Vith the water and 2 Gr. in. of mind is formed in him by divine power. — Him that begat; the Father. — Him also that is be- gotten ; every child of God, in- cluding, of course, first of all, Christ, who is the only well be- loved Son of God. 3. Grievous; oppressive and impracticable. 4. Overcometh the world. By being born of God, he is en- dued with a spirit which enables him to rise above the world, and resist its allurements to sin. 6. Not with the water only, &c. Water is the symbol of purifica- tion,— blood, that of an atone- ment. The meaning thereof, is, that this is he who came not only to in\bue the heart with future purity and holiness, but to atone for its sin§. 840 I. JOHN. 5. 6 7 'with the blood. And it is the Spirit that beareth witness, because the 8 Spirit is the truth. For there are three who bear witness, the Spirit, and the water, and the blood : and the three agree in 9 one. If we receive the witness of men, the wit- ness of God is greater : for the witness of God is this, that he hath borne witness concerning his 10 Son. He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in him : he that believeth not God hath made him a liar : because he hath not be- lieved in the witness that God hath borne concern- ing his Son. And the 1 Gr. in. 8. For there are three who hear witness. [In the Old Version there was added here the follow- ing passage: "For there are three that bear record in Heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost, and these three are one." There is no question among Biblical scholars that these words are no part of the original New Testament as writ- ten by John. In the original notes of my father and uncle, it was frankly stated that it was very doubtful whether this was genuine, and that "the prepon- derating statement among Bib- lical scholars is against its genuineness.1' None of the most ancient manuscripts or ver- sions contain the passage, nor is it quoted by any of the fathers when arguing on the subject of the Trinity. The passage was witness is this, that God gave unto us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son hath 12 the life ; he that hath not the Son of God hath not the life. These things have 1 13 written unto you, that ye may know that ye have eternal life, even unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God. And 14 this is the boldness which we have toward him, that, if we ask any thing ac- cording to his will, he heareth us : and if we 15 know that he heareth us whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions which we have asked of him. If anvl6 probably added no earlier than the thirteenth or fourteenth cen- tury, by some copyists, for the purpose of producing an effect in the controversies raging in the church respecting the Trin- ity.— L. A.] — Agree in one; agree in bearing witness to one — that is, to Christ. 9. That he hath borne witness. Both by the audible voice at the time of Christ's baptism (Matt. 3: 17,) and by the miracles which he wrought. 10. In him ; in his heart, — in the moral and spiritual change which has been effected in him. 13. A decided gain in simplic- ity is made by the New Version in this verse, the change being due to a difference of reading, sustained by unquestionable manuscript authority. 16. There it a sin unto death ; ^-5. 20. I. JOHN. 841 man see his brother sin- ning a sin not nnto death, 'he shall ask, and God will give him life for them that sin not unto death. There is aa sin unto death: not concerning this do I say that he should make 17 request. All unrighteous- ness is sin : and there is 3a sin not unto death. 18 We know that whoso- ever is begotten of God sinneth not ; but he that was begotten of God keepeth 3him, and the 1 Or, he shall ash and shall give him life, even to them &c. that is, there is an extreme of inveterate and outrageous hos- tility to God, which transcends all bounds and leaves no hope of reformation and pardon. This most solemn declaration of the apostle corresponds with what evil one toucheth him not. We know that we 19 are of God, and the whole world lieth in the evil one. And we know that 20 the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life. My little children, guard 21 yourselves from idols. 2 Or, sin 3 Or, himself the Saviour expressly taught, and what his terrible denuncia- tions against hardened and de- termined offenders often im- plied. (Compare Matt. 12: 31, 82. Mark 3: 28-30. Matt. 23: 29-36, and note.) THE SECOND EPISTLE OP JOHN. Of the person to whom this Epistle is addressed, and the occa- sion on wbicb it was written, nothing is known. Many con- jectures have been offered in respect to the elect lady, to whom it is inscribed, some having supposed that a church might have been metaphorically intended by that expression. The more general opinion is, that the letter was addressed to a Chris- tian female of distinction, being intended, perhaps, to reach, through her, some circle of readers not otherwise easily acces- sible. The sentiments, and even the diction, are very strikingly similar to those of the First Epistle which bears this author's name. 1 The elder unto the elect lady and her chil- dren, whom I love in truth ; and not I only, but also all they that 2 know the truth ; for the truth's sake which abideth in us, and it shall be with us for ever : 3 Grace, mercy, peace shall be with us, from God the Father, and from Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, in truth and love. 4 I rejoice greatly that T have found certain of thy children walking in truth, even as we re- ceived commandment 5 from the Father. And 1 Or, destroy 8. That ye lose not; not as in the Old Version, tkrt we love not, [848j now I beseech thee, lady, not as though I wrote to thee a new command- ment, but that which we had from the begin- ning, that we love one another. And this is 6 love, that we should walk after his commandments. This is the command- ment, even as ye heard from the beginning, that ye should walk in it. For many deceivers are 7 gone forth into the world, even they that confess not that Jesus Chiisr cometh in the flesh. This is the deceiver and the antichrist. Look tofi yourselves, that ye 'lose The apostle admonishes the per- §on to -whom he writes t« fata ~1. 13. II. JOHN. 843 not the things which ' we have wrought, but that ye receive a full reward. 9 Whosoever "goeth on- ward and abide th not in the teaching of Christ, hath not God : he that abide th in the teaching, the same hath both the 10 Father and the Son. If any one cometh unto you, and bringeth not this teaching, receive him not into your house, 1 Many ancient authorities read ye. careful not to lose that -which has been wrought in her by John's teaching. 9. In the teaching of Christ ; in the belief and obedience of Christ. 10. This command has been often made a subject of criti- and give him no greet- ing : for he that givethn him greeting partaketh in his evil works. Having many things tots write unto you, I would not write them with paper and ink : but I hope to come unto you, and to speak face to face, that your joy may be fulfilled. The children of thine la elect sister salute thee. 2 Or, taketh the lead cism; but the Jewish greeting was the expression of a wish for God's blessing on the individual in his work, and no such greet- ing could be honestly given by a Christian to one who was working against the Gospel of Christ. THE THIRD EPISTLE OF JOHN It will appear, on a perusal of this Epistle, that it relates to some particular occurrences, the nature of -which can only be inferred from the allusions which the Epistle itself contains. It is ad- dressed to a disciple named Gaius, and is in behalf of certain brethren and strangers, whom the writer wished to commend to his hospitality and aid. Demetrius (v. 12) seems to be mentioned as one of these brethren or strangers; and a certain ambitious and aspiring member of the church, Diotrephes, (v. 9,) is censured for being unwilling that the church, with which he was connected, should receive and aid the persons re- ferred to. Some of these names occur in the Acts, and in tho other Epistles; but the persons here intended cannot be posi- tively identified with any of the individuals mentioned in the other sacred writings; and there seems to be no allusion else- where to the circumstances which furnished the occasion for this Epistle. 1 The elder unto Gaius the beloved, whom I love in truth. 2 Beloved, I pray that in all things thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prosper- 3eth. For I 'rejoiced greatly, when brethren 1 Or, rejoice greatly, when brethren come and bear witness 1. Gaius. Several persons of the name of Gaius are mentioned — one of Macedonia, (Acts 19: came and bare witness unto thy truth, even as thou walkest in truth. Greater 3 joy have I none 4 than ' this, to hear of my children walking in the truth. Beloved, thou doeot as faithful work in what- * Some ancient authorities read grace. 3 Or, these things, that I may hear with the one whom Paul men- tions as his host at Corinth. (Rom. 16: 23.) There is no eyi- 29,) one of Derbe, (20:4,) and I dence in respect to the identity one of Corinth, (1 Cor. 1 : 14,) I of either of these with the one to which last is the same, probably, j whom this Epistle is addressed. [844] 1. u. III. JOHN. 845 soever tlioti doest toward them that are brethren and strangers withal ; 6 who bare witness to thy love before the church : whom thou wilt do well to set forward on their journey worthily of God : 7 because that for the sake of the Name they went forth, taking nothing of 8 the Gentiles. We there- fore ought to welcome such, that we may be fellow- workers with the truth. 9 I wrote somewhat unto the church : but Dio- trephes, who loveth to have the preeminence among them, receiveth 10 us not. Therefore, if I come, I will bring to remembrance his works which he doeth, prating against us with wicked words : and not content 6. Before the church ; that is, as it would seem, before the church over which John pre- sided, which is generally sup- posed to have been the church at Ephesus. 7. Taking nothing of the Gen- tiles. This expression indicates that the persons referred to were preachers of the gospel, who went forth to the Gentiles, but who wished to depend for sup- port upon their Christian breth- ren. 9. Unto the church; to the church where Gaius resided. — therewith, neither doth he himself receive the brethren, and them that would he forbiddeth, and caste th them out of the church. Beloved, imitate 11 not that which is evil, but that wThich is good. He that doeth good is of God : he that doeth evil hath not seen God. De- 13 metritis hath the witness of all men, and of the truth itself : yea, we also bear witness; and thou knowest that our witness is true. I had many things to 13 write unto thee, but I am unwilling to write tliem to thee with ink and pen : but I hope shortly to see 14 thee, and we shall speak face to face. Peace be unto thee. The friends salute thee. Salute the friends by name. Receiveth us not ; did not regard the instructions which John had given, perhaps intercepted and suppressed the letter. 10. Casteth them out of the church ; excludes them from the friendly aid and hospitality of the church. 12. Demetrius; named, appa- rently, as one of the brethren above referred to. — Thou know- est; it was a very palpable error in the Old Version which ren- dered this phrase, ye know, for the apostle is writing to a single correspondent, Gaius. 34 THE EPISTLE OF J TIDE. The author of this Epistle is generally supposed to be the apostle called "Judas, the brother of James," in Luke 6:16, and " Lebbeus, whose surname was Thaddeus," in Matt. 10: 3. The design of the Epistle is, like that of the Second Epistle of Peter, to expose and condemn certain false and corrupt re- ligious teachers, who had, even in those early times, found their way into the church, and whose influence threatened to be of the most dangerous character. A very striking characteristic of the Epistle is its similarity, not only in sentiment, but in imagery and diction, to the Epistle of Peter, above referred to — a similarity so close, as necessarily seems to imply some sort of connection or community of origin between the Epistles. 1 Judas, a 2 servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, 2 to them that are called, beloved in God the Father, and kept for 2 Jesus Christ : Mercy un- to you and peace and love be multiplied. 3 Beloved, while I was giving all diligence to write unto you of our common salvation, I was 1 Gr. bondservant. 2 Or, to than that are beloved in God ?). Once for all ; meaning that the revelation thus made is per- manent,— not to be changed for any new system yet to come. 4. Of old set forth unto this condemnation. Nothing in the Scriptures of the New Testa- ment is more remarkable than constrained to write unto you exhorting you to con- tend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered unto the saints. For there are 4 certain men crept in privily, even they who were of old set forth un- to this condemnation, un- godly men, turning the grace of our God into the Father, and kept for Jesus Christ, being coiled the readiness with which the minfls of the inspired founders of Christianity, when speaking of the most extreme and aggra- vated of human sins, or of the deepest injuries inflicted upon the cause of Christ, by human instrumentality, at once recur to [84o] -1. 9. JUDE. 847 lasciviousness, and deny- ing ' our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ. 5 Now I desire to put you in remembrance, though ye know all things once for all, how that "the Lord, having saved a people out of the land of Egypt, "afterward destroyed them that be- 6lieved not. And angels which, kept not their own principality, but left their proper habitation, he hath kept in everlast- ing bonds under dark- ness unto the judgement 7 of the great day. Even as Sodom and Gomorrah, 1 Or, the only Master, and our Lord Jesus Christ 2 Many very ancient authorities read Jesus. the thought of the all-control- ling superintendence of God, which they represent as includ- ing and covering all human events and transactions whatso- ever. Jesus, speaking of his be- trayal by Judas, (Mark 14: 21,) the disciples describing the crucifixion of the Saviour, (Acts 4: 28,) and now Jude, called to testify against the most alarm- ing indications of an internal corruption in the church, are very striking instances. While they fully appreciated the enor- mity of these sins, they never admitted the idea that any hu- man guilt could be an unlooked- for contingency, interfering with and thwarting unexpectedly the divine designs, — or that any sin- ner, in his greatest excesses of crime, could really have broken away from the control of that hand by which they regarded and the cities about them, having in like manner with these given them- selves over to fornica- tion, and gone after strange flesh, are set forth 4 as an example, suffering the punishment of eternal fire. Yet in 8 like manner these also in their dream ings defile the flesh, and set at nought dominion, and rail at 5 dignities. But 9 Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing judgement, 3 Gr. the second time. 4 Or, as an example of eternal fire, suf- fering punishment 5 Gr. glories. the whole moral world as in- variably and everywhere go- verned. 6. Compare 2 Pet. 2 : 4. 7. And the cities about them ; Admah and Zeboim are named in Dent. 29: 23. — Gone after strange flesh ; abandoning them- selves to unnatural and enor- mous sins. 8. These also, &c. ; the corrupt teachers who are referred to v. 4. 9. As there are no accounts in the books of the Old Testa- ment to which the allusions in this verse can be supposed to re- late, it is thought by many that the writer refers in them to tra- ditional accounts which came down to his times; or else to writings which then existed, but have since been lost. In respect to the body of Moses, seeDeut. 34: 6. 848 JUDE. but said, The Lord re- lobuke thee. But these rail at whatsoever things they know not : and what they understand •naturally, like the crea- tures without reason, in these things are they *de- 11 stroyed. Woe unto them ! for they went in the way of Cain, and aran riotous- ly in the error of Balaam for hire, and perished in the gainsaying of Koran. 12 These are they who are "hidden rocks in your love-feasts when they feast with you, shepherds that without fear feed themselves ; clouds with- out water, carried along by winds ; autumn trees without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots ; 13 wild waves of the sea, foaming out their own 4 shame ; wandering stars, for whom the blackness of darkness hath been 14 reserved for ever. And 1 Or, corrupted 2 Or, cast themselves away through 3 Or, spots 10. Like the creatures without reason; the term in the Old Version brute beasts, possesses a harsh and bitter sound not cha- racteristic of the original. The meaning here, as in Second Peter, 2: 13, is that those who rail at spiritual tilings simply show themselves to be lacking in that spiritual faculty which is the distinguishing characteristic of man, made in God's image. to these also Enoch, the seventh from Adam, pro- phesied, saying, Behold, the Lord came with 6ten thousands of his holy ones, to execute judge- 15 ment upon all, and to convict all the ungodly of all their works of un- godliness which they have ungodly wrought, and of all the hard things which ungodly sinners have spoken against him. These are murmurers, l« complainers, w a 1 k*i n g after their lusts (and their mouth speaketh great swelling words), shewing respect of persons for the sake of advantage. But ye, beloved, re- 17 member ye the words which have been spoken before by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ ; how that they said to 18 you, In the last time there shall be mockers, walk- ing after fl their own un- 4 Gr. shames. 5 Gr. his holy myriad*. 6 Gr. their own lusts of ungodlinesses. 11-13. This eloquent and pic- torial passage is in several par- ticulars more graphically ren- dered in the New Version than in the Old. 14. Enoch. There is no proph- ecy of Enoch extant in the Old Testament, — nor is any thing certain known of the writing here referred to. There is a book purporting to be the Book of Enoch, but it is generally considered spurious- — 1. 25. JTJDE. 849 19 godly lusts. These are they who make separa- tions, J sensual, having 20 not the Spirit. But ye, beloved, building u p yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the 21 Holy Spirit, keep your- selves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ 22 unto eternal life. 2And on some have mercy, 23 3 who are in doubt; and some save, snatching them out of the fire ; and 1 Or, natural Or, animal 2 The Greek text in this passage (And . . .Jire) is somewhat uncertain. 22. Have mercy; treat them gently and tenderly. * 23. With fear; with the ut- on some have mercy with fear ; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh. Now unto him that is 24 able to guard you from stumbling, and to set you before the presence of his glory without blemish in exceeding joy, to the 25 only God our Saviour, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion and power, be- fore all time, and now, and 4f or evermore. Amen. 3 Or, while they dispute with you 4 Gr. unto all the ages most urgency. — The garment spotted by the flesh; the least touch or contamination of evil. THE REVELATION OF ST. JOHN THE DIVINE. As is the case with almost every point connected with the origin and history of the sacred writings, the authorship of the Apoc- alypse, and the time and place at which it was written, have been the subjects of repeated and protracted discussions. It has, however, been the generally-received opinion, from very early times, that this book was written by the evangelist John, upon the Island of Patmos, whither he had been sent in exile, in the latter part of his life, afrer he had attained to a great age. With this supposition, various allusions contained in the book itself, particularly 1:1, 4, 9, correspond. The book narrates a series of visions which have been almost uni- versally supposed to prefigure events which were to take place in the then future history of the church, and of the world. There is, perhaps, no book in the New Testament which is more clear and intelligible, and on which commentators are better agreed, in respect to its direct and immediate meaning; but the attempts which have been made to determine the his- torical events, which are to be considered as represented by its various symbols, have resulted in a vast variety of conflicting opinions. The commentators of each successive age have com- pared the symbolical visions with that portion of the series of historical events which had taken place before their own day, and they have generally allowed the imagination to assist the judgment in tracing the resemblances. They have also, prob- ably, erred in attempting to find too much prophetical meaning in the book; by giving sometimes a prophetic interpretation to details in the description of the various symbols, which were, in fact, only intended, like many of the circumstances in our Saviour's parables, as incidents to give completeness and ex- pression to the narrative or description, and not to convey, by themselves, any special spiritual or prophetic meaning. The consequence is, that a great number of systems have been ad- vanced for connecting these prophecies with the subsequent events of history. In these labors a vast amount of learned re- learch and ingenuity has been expended, and, as it would seem, [850] — 1. 1. REVELATION. 851 much of it expended in vain; for they have produced, on the whole, no very satisfactory results; and, indeed, we may safely suppose that when divine predictions, given for the express purpose of authenticating revelation, shall be fulfilled, the cor- respondence of the event with the prediction will not be one which it will require minute and labored ingenuity to show. Under these circumstances, it would seem to be most judicious, in reading this portion of the sacred volume, to content our- selves with seeking to understand the immediate signification of the language, and the general nature of the events prefigured by the several symbolical images, without being too solicitous to identify the historical events to which they respectively refer; and, above all, not to attempt predictions of our own, based upon any calculation which we may make by the use of elements deduced from these symbols. We must be content to leave it with Jehovah to develop the events of futurity in his own way. In the mean time, while the prophetic meaning of this book re- mains involved in great obscurity, it has exerted, and will still continue to exert, a great spiritual influence upon mankind. There is a certain moral expression in its symbolical descriptions, difficult, perhaps, to analyze, but evident and very decided in its effects. The solemn grandeur of its imagery and diction; its obscure delineations of the future, mysterious, but sublime; its repeated assurances of almighty protection for those who ac- cept the redemption purchased by the Son of God, and its dread denunciations of judgment against those who reject it; its alluring promises on the one hand, and its calm but awful warnings and threatenings on the other, — all conspire to give this book an influence on the human soul second perhaps to that of no other portion of the word of God. It comes most appro- priately at the close of the sacred volume, to seal, with its ob- scure and mysterious, but yet expressive, sanctions, the great truths which revelation announces to mankind. The Revelation of Je- sus Christ, which God 1 gave him to shew unto 1 Or, gave unto him, to shew unto his servants the things &c. CHAPTER I. 1. Hevelation, The word in his "servants, even _the things which must shortly come to pass : and he sent 2 Gr. bondservants • and so throughout this book. Greek is Apocalypse. Hence this book is often called the Apoca- b5; REVELATION. 1. 1— and signified ' it by his angel unto his servant 2 John; who bare witness of the word of God, and of the testimony of Jesus Christ, emu of all things 3 that he saw. Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of the prophecy, and keep the things which are written therein : for the time is at hand. 1 Or, them lypse. — And he sent; that is, Christ sent. 3. He that readeth, and they that hear. In ancient times, very few "could read, and of those who could read, very few could have -direct access to such a book as this. Comparatively few copies of such a work could be made, and of course the multitude must depend for their knowledge of its contents upon hearing it read in public assem- blies.— And heep; keep in mind. 4. John. The frequency with which this writer uses his name, (see v. 1, 4, 9,) contrasted with the circumlocutory manner in which the evangelist John speaks of himself in the Gospel which was unquestionably writ- ten by him, (see John 21 : 20-25,) has been considered as an argu- ment that the two books were written by different authors. The difference, however, in the character of the two works, is amply sufficient to account for this diversity. — In Asia; Asia Minor. — The seven Spirits; spir- itual influences. They are rep- resented, in 4: 5, as lamps of fire, that is, as radiations of di- John to the seven 4 churches which are in Asia : Grace to you and peace, from him which is and which was and 2 which is to come ; and from the seven Spirits which are before his throne ; and from Jesus 5 Christ, who is the faith- ful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. 2 Or, which cometh vine and heavenly light. The plurality expressed by this im- agery would seem to refer to the various modes and forms in which the enlightening influ- ences of the divine Spirit diffuse themselves over the moral world. 5. The first-lorn of the dead. Those persons who had been raised from the dead before the resurrection of the Saviour, were only restored to mortal life; they were to' die again. Jesus was the first who rose to im- mortality. Hence such expres- sions as this, and others similar to it, as in 1 Cor. 15: 20, are applied to him. — Unto him that loveth; the reading of the Old Version was. Unto him that loved us and washed us from our sins, and hath made ?/.s lings, &c. That of the New is supported by the best of the ancient manu- scripts. The careful student will observe a real difference in the meaning. God's love is always in the present tense, and he makes his people into a king- dom over which he is the king. The same change is to be noticed in the song of the redeemed, in ch. 5: 10. ~1. 12. REVELATION. 853 Unto him that loveth us, and l loosed us from our 6 sins a by his blood ; and he made us to be a king- dom, to be priests unto his God and Father ; to him be the glory and the do- minion s for ever and ever. 7 Amen. Behold, he com- eth with the clouds ; and every eye shall see him, and they which pierced him ; and all the tribes of the earth shall mourn over him. Even so, Amen. 8 I am the Alpha and the Omega, saith 4the Lord God, 5 which is and which was and "which is to come, the Almighty. 9 I John, your brother and partaker with you in 1 Many authorities, some ancient, read iqshed. ? Gr. in. 3 Gr. unto the ages of the ages. Many 6. To him oe the glory and the dominion. This ascription of glory and dominion is plainly applied to Christ, the words to him being a resumption of the words unto him, in v. 5. 7. With the clouds ; that is, in majesty and power. The dark «loud, bringing thunder, light- ning, and tempest, in its train, is an appropriate symbol of ter- rible majesty. 8. The Alpha and the Omega. These are the names of the first and last, letters of the Greek alphabet, and so are used meta- phorically in the sense here in- dicated. 9. Patmos. Exile to the small islands of the Egean Sea was a common mode of punishment in those times. Patmos was not the tribulation and king- dom and patience whicJi are in Jesus, was in the isle that is called Patmos, for the word of God and the testimony of Jesus. I was in the Spirit on theio Lord's day, and I heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet saying, li What thou seest, write in a book, and send it to the seven churches ; unto Ephesus, and unto Smyr- na, and unto Pergamum, and unto Thyatira, and unto Sardis, and unto Philadelphia, and unto Laodicea. And I turned 12 to see the voice which spake with me. And having turned I saw seven ancient authorities omit of the ages. 4 Or, the Lord, the God 5 Or, lie which 6 Or, tohich cometh very far from the coast of Asia Minor, nearly opposite to Mile- tus. 10. On the Lord's day ; the first day of the week, being the Christian Sabbath. It is called the Lord's day on account of its being the day on which our Lord rose from the dead. 11. The words J am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last, are found in the Old Version, but have very little manuscript authority to support them. They are borrowed probably from ver. 8 and 17. The seven churches referred to in this verse were all in Asia Minor, but the explana- tory words which are in Asia, found in the Old Version, are not found in the oldest and best manuscripts. 8:>4 REVELATION. 1. 12, iSgolden 'candlesticks ; and in the midst of the 'can- dlesticks one like unto 8 a son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about at the breasts with a 14 golden girdle. And his head and his hair were white as white wool, white as snow ; and his eyes were as a flame of I5fire; and his feet like unto burnished brass, as if it had been refined in a furnace ; and his voice as the voice of many wraters. 16 And he had in his right hand seven stars : and out of his mouth proceeded a sharp two-edged sword : aud his countenance was as the sun shine th in his 17 strength. And when I saw him, I fell at his feet 1 Gr. lammtands. 2 Or, the Son of man 3 Gr. became. 13. Clothed with a garment, &o,. This was a dress denoting, ac- cording to the usages of those times, very high rank and sta- tion. 15. As the voice of many waters; that is, as the roaring or thun- dering of the waves of the sea. 16. A sharp two-edged sword. The image here used, as a sym- bol, to denote the word or doc- trine of Jesus Christ, is employed for the same purpose, metaphori- cally, in II eb. 4: 12. CHAPTER II. 1. To the angel of the church. This expression, which is used in reference to each of the seven churchet, has been generally as one dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying, Fear not ; I am the first and the last, and the Living one ; and 18 I s was dead, and behold, I am alive 4 for evermore, and I have the keys of death and of Hades. Write therefore the things 19 which thou sawest, and the things which are, and the things which shall come to pass hereafter; the mystery of the seven 20 stars which thou sawest 5 in my right hand, and the seven golden ' candle- sticks. The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches: and the seven 1 candlesticks are seven churches. To the angel of the 2 church in Ephesus write ; 4 Gr. unto the ages of the ages. 5 Gr. upon. understood to refer to the sev- eral presiding officers, upon whom would devolve the duty of receiviug and communicating such epistles. It is, however, perhaps not certain that any ac- tual officer is intended. The term may be used, in accordance with the general style and man- ner of this book, symbolically, that is, as a personification of the spirit and influence by which the several churches were char- acterized ; for it does not appear to be elsewhere used to signify presiding officers over the church ; and besides, from other allusions to these churches, it would seem that there was no one officer who had them par- 2. 9. REVELATION. 855 These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, he that walketh in the midst of the seven golden 2 'candlesticks : I know thy works, and thy toil and patience, and that thou canst not bear evil men, and didst try them which call themselves apostles, and they are not, and didst find them false ; 3 and thou hast patience and didst bear for my name's sake, and hast not 4 grown weary. But I have this against thee, that thou didst leave thy first 5 love. Remember there- fore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, 1 Gr. lampstands. 2 Gr. lampstand. ticularly in charge. (Acts 14: 23. 20:17. James 5: 14. Tit. 1: 5.) However this may be, it is plain that the instructions and warnings contained in these epistles, thus addressed in form to the angels of the churches, are plainly intended for the members in general. See 10, 11, and other similar modes of ex- pression. 4. Thy first love. The passage (Eph. 1: 15, 16) addressed to the same church at an earlier day, by the apostle Paul, contains a striking allusion to the strength of their early love for the Sa- viour and his cause. As is very often the case with Christians, it would seem that their zeal (v. 2, 3) had somewhat outlast- ed their love. 5. And will move thy candle- ttick, &c. ; that is, take away and do the first works ; or else I come to thee, and will move thy Candle- stick out of its place, ex- cept thou repent. But 6 this thou hast, that thou haiest the works of the Nicola i tans, which I also hate. He that hath an 7 ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith to the churches. To him that overcometh, to him will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the 'Paradise of God. And to the angel of the 8 church in Smyrna write ; These things saith the first and the last, which 4was dead, and lived again : I know thy tribu- 9 3 Or, garden: as in Gen. ij. 8. 4 Gr. became. from them the religious privi- leges which they would not rightly improve. 6. The Nicolaitans. There is another allusion to this class in v. 15. Various traditions and conjectures have come down to us in respect to this sect, whose deeds and whose doctrines, it seems, were alike hateful to God. All that is important, however, for our purpose, is clear, namely, that God is pleased when the church is decided and firm in withstanding every corruption in sentiment and practice within her pale. 7. The paradise of God; the garden of God, — heaven. 9. IJcnow, &c. The Old Ver- sion inserts thy works, both here and in verse 13, and there is some manuscript authority for the insertion. The revisers, 856 REVELATION. 2. 9- lation, and thy poverty (but thou art rich), and the 'blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and they are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. 10 Fear not the things which thou art about to suffer : behold, the devil is about to cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried ; 'and ye shall have 'tribulation ten days. Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee the 11 crown of life. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith to the churches. He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death. 12 And to the angel of the 1 Or, reviling 2 Some ancient authorities read and may have. however, have apparently con- cluded that the words were added subsequently, in order to conform the message to the churches in Smyrna and Perga- mum, to the messages to the other churches. — But thou art rich; rich in faith and in good works. 10. The devil ; that is, wicked men under the influence of the devil. — Some of you. This and similar expressions show clearly that it was the members of these churches, and not the several presiding officers, who were really addressed in these epistles. — Thai ye may he tried; thai your faith and patience may be tried. — Ten days; for a short time. 12. The sharp two-edged sword; church in Pergamum write ; These things saith he that hath the sharp two- edged sword : I know 13 where thou dwrellest, even where Satan's throne is : and thou boldest fast my name, and didst not deny my faith, even in the days 4of Antipas my wit- ness, my faithful one, who was killed among you, where Satan dwell- eth. But I have a few 14 things* against thee, be- cause thou hast there some that hold the teach- ing of Balaam, wrho taught Balak to cast a stumbling- block before the children of Israel, to eat things 3 Gr. a tribulation of ten days. 4 The Greek text here is 6omewhat spoken of particularly 1: 16. 13. Where Satan's throne is. This expression implies that idolatry or corruption, or the spirit of persecution, held un- usual sway at Pergamum. The allusion at the close of the verse seems to refer to the latter of these sins. — Who was killed among you, &c. No information in respect to this case, excepting what is contained in this allusion to it, has been preserved. 14. The account of Balak's enticing the children of Israel to bin, is contained in Num. 25: allusions to Balaam's influence in the instigation of this design are found in other places. (2 Pet. 2: 15. Jude 11.)— A stum-. Uing-oloch ; an enticement to sin. ^-2. 24. REVELATION. 857 sacrificed to idols, and to 15 commit fornication. So hast thou also some that hold the teaching of the Nicolaitans in like man- I6ner. Repent therefore ; or else I come to thee quickly, and I will make war against them with the sword of my mouth. 17 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith to the churches. To him that overcometh, to him will I give of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, and upon the stone a new name written, which no one knoweth but he that receiveth it. 18 And to the angel of the church in Thyatira write ; These things saith the Son of God, who hath his eyes like a flame of fire, and his feet are like un- 19 to burnished brass: I know thy works, and thy love and faith and ministry and patience, 1 Many authorities, some ancient, read thy wife. 17. The hidden manna; the spiritual life and sustenance which God bestows. — A white stone. Precious stones, upon which figures and inscriptions were cut, were often used, by ancient princes, as gifts and badges of honor. 20. Bufferest the woman Jezebel; that is, the spirit of Jezebel (1 Kings 18: 4) to prevail. and that thy last works are more than the first. But I have this against 20 thee, that thou sufferest 1 the woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess ; and she teacheth and seduceth my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed to idols. And I gave her time that 21 she should repent ; and she willeth not to repent of her fornication. Be- 22 hold, I do cast her into a bed; and them that com- mit adultery with her into great tribulation, except they repent of 2 her works. And I will 23 kill her children with * 3 death ; and all the churches shall know that I am he which searcheth the reins and hearts : and I will give unto each one of you according to your works. But to you 1 24 say, to the rest that are in Thyatira, as many as have not this teaching, 2 Many ancient authorities read their. 3 Or, pestilence 22. Into a bed ; a bed of sick- ness and sufferings. 23. Her children; her vota- ries. 24. The rest that are in Thya- tira ; that is, those who had not fallen before the temptations spoken of above. — As they say ; that is, those referred to in the preceding verses. 858 REVELATION. 2. 24— which know not the deep things of Satan, as they say ; I cast upon you 25 none other burden. How- beit that which ye have, hold fast till I come. 26 And he that overcometh, and he that keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give authority 27 over the nations : and he shall rule them with a rod of 'iron, as the vessels of the potter are broken to shivers ; as I also have received of my Father: 28 and I will give him the 29 morning star. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith to the churches. 3 And to the angel of the church in Sardis write ; These things saith he that hath the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars : I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, 2 and thou art dead. Be thou watchful, and 1 Or, iron ; as vessels of the potter, are they broken 27. This language closely cor- responds with the passage, Ps. 2:8, 9. Considered in its con- nection here, it seems to imply that the tried and faithful ser- vants of God were to become, in some sense, the instruments of executing judgment upon his enemies. 28. The morning-star. The morning-star is the symbol of approaching light, life, and jov. CHAPTER TIT. 1. Thy works ; thy doings,— . stablish the things that remain, which were ready to die : for I have 3 found no works of thine fulfilled before my God. Re- 3 member therefore how thou hast received and didst hear ; and keep it, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee. But thou 4 hast a few names in Sardis which did not defile their garments : and they shall walk with me in white ; for they are worthy. He 5 that overcometh shall thus be arrayed in white garments ; and I will in no wise blot his name out of the book of life, and I will confess his name be- fore my Father, and be- fore his angels. He that 6 hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith to the churches. And to the angel of the 7 2 Many ancient authorities read not found thy works. thy character. — Dead; that is, in respect to ardor and interest in the cause of Christ. 3. As a thief; suddenly and unexpectedly. 5. Ai^rayed in white garments ; the symbol, in ancient times, of official honor. 7. The key of David. A key is a symbol of trust and power. The key of David is the key of the house of David, as express- ed. Tsa. 22: 22. Tt would repre- sent, therefore, trust and power 3. 14. REVELATION. 859 church in Philadelphia write ; These things saith he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David, he that openeth, and none shall shut, and that shutteth, 8 and none openeth: I know thy works (behold, I have 'set before thee a door opened, which none can shut), that thou hast a little power, and didst keep my word, and didst 9 not deny my name. Be- hold, I give of the syna- gogue of Satan, of them which say they are Jews, and they are nor, but do lie ; behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that. I have loved 10 thee. Because thou didst keep the word of my 1 Gr. given. 3 Or, temptation 3 Gr. inhabited earth. of the highest character over the people of God. 8. A door opened; opportuni- ties for promoting the cause of Christ. The image is in con- tinuation of the metaphor ex- pressed in the latter part of the preceding verse. 9. I give of the synagogue of Satan ; deliver them up to the companionship and power of Satan. — Which say they are Jews, and they are not ; that is, whose, professions of reverence for God are insincere. They say they are Jews, and not Christians, but by refusing to receive Jesus as the Messiah, they show that patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of 1 trial, that hour which is to come upon the whole "world, to 4try them that dwell upon the earth. In come quickly : hold fast that which thou hast, that no one take thy crown. He that over- 12 cometh, I will make him a pillar in the B temple of my God, and he shall go out thence no more : and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God, and mine own new name. He that hath an ear, let 13 him hear what the Spirit saith to the churches. And to the angel of the 14 church in Laodicea write; 4 Or, tempt 5 Or, sanctuary : and* this book. so throughout they are not honest believers in the Scriptures, and have not really the spirit of Abraham. "He is not a Jew that is one outwardly," &c. (Rom. 2: 28, 29.) — Worship before thy feet; join themselves humbly and rev- erently to the church of Christ. 10. The word of my patience ; that is, my word enjoining patience. — To try them; to put their fidelity to test. 11. Hold fast, &c. ; be firm and decided in your Christian course. 14. The Amen, &c. The ex- pressions by which Jesus desig- 660 RLVELATION. 3. H- These things saith the| Amen, the faithful and true witness, the begin- ning of the creation of 15 God : I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou 16 wert cold or hot. So be- cause thou art lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spew thee out of 17 my mouth. Because thou say est, I am rich, and have gotten riches, and have need of nothing ; and nates himself are varied in the addresses to the several churches. Most of them are based on por- tions of the general description given of the appearance of the Son of man, as he manifested himself to John. (1: 13-20.) The Amen is the one who con- firms and establishes his word. 15. Hot. The word must not be understood as referring to excitement, but rather to energy and decision. It is calm and steady fidelity, resulting from settled principle, and not a short-lived ardor, which exhib- its the true character of Chris- tian devotion. 16. This mode of expression is only intended to express in a striking manner the displeasure of God against lukevvarmness in his friends. We are *by no means to understand from it that it is literally better to be opeu enemies. Joseph of Ari- mathea and NicodefRus appear to iivebeen timid and hesitating friends of Jesus; but their sin in not being more decided, was not as great as that of open ene- mies; and so Felix and Agrippa were not as guilty as Caiaphas and Herod, And, in modern knowest not that thou art the wretched one and miserable and poor and blind and naked : I coun- 18 sel thee to buy of me gold refined by fire, that thou mayest become rich; and white garments, that thou mayest clothe thy- self, and that the shame of thy nakedness be not made manifest ; and eye- salve to anoint thine eyes, that thou mayest see. As many as I love, I re- 19 times, we find that those who regard the institutions and truths of religion with the most friendly and respectful feelings, constitute the class from which, ordinarily, the greatest number of conversions to true Chris- tianity take place. We are, therefore, clearly to understand this passage only as a pointed and antithetical manner of con- veying the general idea that lukevvarmness and indifference in the cause of Christ are very sinful, and highly displeasing to God. 17. lam rich; rich in piety and good works. They whose religious attainments are really the least, take generally the greatest pride in them. 19. This and similar passages, often occurring in the Scrip- tures, justly afford great com- fort to the afflicted and the sor- rowful. The view which they present is abundantly confirmed r by daily experience, since tiie almost uuigic effect of trial and suffering in softening the heart, and opening it to the access of spiritual enjoyments, is very obvious to all who have expe- rienced them, —4.4. REVELATION. 861 prove and chasten : be zealous therefore, and re- 20 pent. Behold, I stand at the door and knock : if any man hear my voice and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he 21 with me. He that over- conieth, I will give to him to sit down with me in my throne, as I also over- came, and sat down with my Father in his throne. 22 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith to the chnrches. 4 After these things I saw, and behold, a door 1 Or, come to pass. After these things 22. Here end the epistles to the seven churches of Asia. These churches were situated on the main laud, near to the Island of Patmos, where John was then residing; and they are named in geographical order, as they would naturally present them- selves to the mind of the writer, as he passed in imagination from one to the other, over the region in which they were situated. The nature of the instructions which they contain, — the fact that a mystical number, seven, was the number of churches ad- dressed,— the incorporation of the epistles into this mysterious book, — and, still more, the gen- eral address to Christians with which the several epistles are closed, — all conspire to indicate that these warnings and instruc- tions were intended, even in a higher sense than the other Epistles of the New Testament, for the church at large in all ages. They have, accordingly, exerted an influence in respect opened in heaven, and the first voice which I heard, a voice as of a trumpet speaking with me, one saying, Come up hither, and I will shew thee the things which must 'come to pass hereafter. Straightway I was in the 2 Spirit : and behold, there was a throne set in heaven, and one sitting upon the throne; and he that sat 3 was to look upon like a jasper stone and a sardius; and there was a rainbow round about the throne, like an emerald to look upon. And round about 4 straightway &c. to the standard of piety, and to the aims and obligations of the Christian life, fully equal to that of any other writings of the apostles. These letters consti- tute the first division of the book of Revelation. The reader will now enter upon a portion of the book entirely different from what has preceded it, both in structure and design. CHAPTER IV. 3. A rainbow — like an emerald; that is, a splendid appearance of irised colors, in which green, the color of the emerald, was predominant. These, and all the remaining images in this chap- ter, are intended, apparently, to present an Imposing picture of a magnificent regal palace, accord- ing to the ideas of the time. We are not, probably, to attempt, as some commentators have done in vain, to give to the several parts a distinct and special signifi- cance. 4. About the throne^ &c— In 862 REVELATION. 4. 4— the throne were four and twenty thrones ; and upon the thrones I saw four and twenty elders sitting, ar- ray ed^in white garments ; and on their heads crowns 5 of gold. And out of the throne proceed lightnings and voices and thunders. And titer e were seven lamps of fire burning be- fore the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God ; 6 and before the throne, as it were a glassy sea like unto crystal ; and in the midst of the throne, and round about the throne, the Old Version a distinction was made between the throne of God and the seats of the elders, but the Greek word is the same, and has, therefore, been rendered by the same word in the New Version. The difference is not merely verbal, for the picture, as portrayed by the inspired writer, represents the elders as sharing in the glory of their Father and their God. Comp. John 17: 22. — Wider*; a name given in the Jewish church to officers whose rank and authority were partly dependent on their age and ex- perience.— Crowns of gold; indi- cating very exalted rank and station. 5. Lightnings and voice* and thunderings; symbols of mighty power. 6. A glassy sea; not, as in the Old Version, a sea of glass. The meaning is not that the sea was composed of glass, but was clear like crystal, and calm. Some commentators suppose a refer- ence to the great brazen laver in the temple of Solomon. — Living four living creatures full of eyes before and behind. And the first creature was 7 like a lion, and the second creature like a calf, and the third creature had a face as of a man, and the fourth creature was like a flying eagle. And the 8 four living creatures, hav- ing each one of them six wings, are full of eyes round about and within : and they have no rest day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God, the Almighty, which was and which is and creatures; here and elsewhere in the book of Revelation the re- visers have wisely substituted the phrase living creatures for the unfortunate translation of the Old Version, leasts. See ch. 4 : 8. ch. 5:6, 8, 14. ch. 6:1, 6. ch. 7:11. ch. 14:3. ch. 15:7. ch. 19:4. The description of these living creatures suggests very distinctly the cherubim of the Old Testament. See especially Ez., ch. 1:5-10. ch. 10:20. 7. These forms seem to be taken as marked and prominent specimens representing th e whole living creation of God. The homage of the four and twenty elders denotes that the throne of Jehovah is surrounded by servants of exalted powers and lofty station, who are always ready to do his will; and the adoration of these four repre- sentatives of animal life is in- tended, apparently, to express the dependence of the whole sentient creation upon him for existence and protection. —5. 7. REVELATION. 863 9 ' which is to come. And when the living creatures shall give glory and hon- our and thanks to him that sitteth on the throne, to him that liveth 2for 10 ever and ever, the four and twenty elders shall fall down before him that sitteth on the throne, and shall worship .him that liveth 2 for ever and ever, and shall cast their crowns before the throne, saying, 11 Worthy art thou, our Lord and our God, to re- ceive the glory and the honour and the power : for thou didst create all things, and because of thy will they were, and were created. 5 And I saw 3in the right hand of him that sat on the throne a book written within and on the back, close sealed with seven 2 seals. And I saw a strong- angel proclaiming with a great voice, Who is 1 Or, which cometh 2 Gr. unto the ages of the ages. CHAPTER V. 1. A hook; in the form of a roll. — Sealed with seven seals; in such a manner that, by breaking the seals in succession, the sev- eral portions of the manuscript were successively unfolded. It is of no consequence that we cannot easily form an idea of the manner in which seals could be arranged so as to fulfil this con- dition, and yet all be visible be- fore any of them were broken ; for many of the images presented in these visions are, like those worthy to open the book, and to loose the seals thereof % And no one in 3 the heaven, or on the earth, or under the earth, was able to open the book, or to look thereon. And I wept much, be- 4 cause no one was found worthy to open the book, or to look thereon: and 5 one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not : be- hold, the Lion that is of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, hath over- come, to open the book and the seven seals there- of. And I saw in the 6 midst of the throne and of the four living crea- tures, and in the midst of the elders, a Lamb stand- ing, as though it had been slain, having seven horns, and seven eyes, which are the 4seven Spirits of God, sent forth into all the earth. And he came, and 7 he 6taketh it out of the 3 Gr. on. 4 Some ancient authorities omit seven. 5 Gr. hath taken. of a dream, indistinct and incon- gruous, as will appear in the sequel. 3. To look, thereon; that is, upon the writing contained in it. 6. Seven horns, and seven eyes; the symbols of intelligence and power. 7. And he taketh it, &c. The image of a lamb taking a book and successively opening the seals, is an example of the incon- gruity alluded to above. For other cases, see 8: 10. 9:1. 10; 9. 19; 12, 22:1, 864 REVELATION. 5. 7— right hand of him that 8 sat on the throne. And when he hud taken the book, the four living creatures and the four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having each one a harp, and golden bowls full of in- cense, which are the prayers of the saints. 9 And they sing a new song, saying, Worthy art thou to take the book, and to open the seals thereof : for thou wast slain, and didst purchase unto God with thy blood men of every tribe, and tongue, and people, and 10 nation, and madest them to be unto our God a kingdom and priests ; and they reign upon the earth. 11 And I saw, and I heard a voice of many angels round about the throne and the living creatures 1 Gr. 'unto the ci'jis of the ages. 8. Bowls ; vessels of a pecu- liar form, used in the sacred ceremonies of the Jews, for in- cense and for libations: 9, 10. According to the best reading, though there is some uncertainty upon the subject, the song of verse 9 is a general one, the original Greek giving no object to the verb, '"Thou hast slain and didst purchase unto God with thy blood out of every tribe and tongue. iSbc." The Old Version supplied as the object us, thus making the Psalm one of joy, in personal redemption. In the New Ver- sion, the sense of personal sal- vation is lost in the greater and the elders ; and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thou- sand, and thousands of thousands; saying with 12 a great voice, Worthy is the Lamb that hath been slain to receive the power, and riches, and wisdom, and might, and honour, and glory, and blessing. And every created thing 13 which is in the heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and on the sea, and all things that are in them, heard I saying, Unto him that sitteth on the throne, and unto the Lambj be the blessing, and the honour, and the glory, and the dominion, 'for ever and ever. And the four living 14 creatures said, Amen. And the elders fell down and worshipped. And I saw when the 6 sense of adoration at the glory of God for his great work of redemption, whereby he has purchased unto himself a pecu- liar people out of all classes of the human race. — The phrase '/. kingdom and priests, instead of lings and priests, is substituted on the authority of several an- cient manuscripts. See ch. 1 : o, 6, note. 14. The Old Version added the words him that lircth forever and ever} but there is no manu- script authority of any value for this addition. CHAPTER VI. 1. The Old Version had the words, added here in the mar- -6 8. REVELATION. 866 Lamb opened one of the seven seals, and I heard one of the four living creatures saying as with a voice of thunder, Come1. 2 And I saw, and behold, a white horse, and he that sat thereon had a bow ; and there was given unto him a crown : and he came forth conquering, and to conquer. 3 And when he opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature i saying, Come1. And another horse came forth, a red horse : and to him that sat thereon it was given to take 2peace from the earth, and that they should slay one another : and there was given unto him a great sword. 1 Some ancient authorities add and see. 2 Some ancient authorities read the gin, and see ! so also in verses 8, 5, 7. The best manuscript authorities sustain the shorter form. 2. This symbol denotes plain- ly the onset of a victorious army. 4. A symbol of "war and slaughter. 5, 6. Famine. The carrying of a pair of balances denotes the exactness of measurement at- tendant on scarcity. A»measure of wheat was a very small quan- tity, and the penny was of much greater value than the English word indicates, (see Matt. 20: 2. Luke 10: 35;) so that these are famine prices for the necessaries of life ^ while the luxuries arc And when he opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature saying, Come1. And I saw, and behold, a black horse ; and he that sat thereon had a balance in his hand. And I heard 6 as it were a voice in the midst of the four living creatures saying, A 'meas- ure of wheat for a 'penny, and three measures of barley for a *penny ; and the oil and the wine hurt thou not. And when he opened? the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature saying, Come1. And I saw, and 8 behold, a pale horse : and he that sat upon him, his name was Death ; and peace of the earth. 3 Gr. chanix, a small mearore. 4 See marginal note on Matt, rriil. 98. represented as. protected from injury. 8. The symbol of ruin and destruction. That these visions of the four horses accompanying the opening of the first four seals are intended, severally, to denote invasion, slaughter, fam- mine, and destruction, as above explained, is clear; and it is probable that they are designed to prefigure the onset of these calamities in a general sense. Various attempts have been made by different commentators to give to each one an applica- tion to some particular event in history, but without much suc- cess; "for, during several centu- ries after these predictions were 866 REVELATION". 6. 8— Hades followed with him. And there was given unto them authority over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with famine, and with 'death, and by the wild beasts of the earth. 9 And when he opened the fifth seal, I saw under- neath the altar the souls of them that had been slain for the word of God, and for the testimony 10 which they held : and they cried with a great 1 Or, pestilence recorded, perpetual storms of war, pestilence, and famine, ravaged the world; and there seems to be nothing to limit the application of the visions to any specific cases. Hence every in- dependent commentator, who lias attempted a limitation, has varied from the others in the selection of events to which he supposes the symbols to refer. — The word Hades is substituted for the word Hell, in the Old Version. The connection as well as the original Greek clear- ly indicates that the place of the dead, not the place of punish- ment, is intended. 9. Underneath the altar; no altar is mentioned before. Em- blematical visions like these are not to be expected to be coher- ent and consistent in their de- tails.— The souls; the disem- bodied spirits. 10. And they cried, &c. This voice, an;l also the earthquake mentioned as taking place upon the opening of the sixth seal, (v. 12,) and the silence in heav- en Which marked the opening of 03 KEVELATION. 21. 24- the light thereof: and the kings of the earth do bring their glory into it. 25 And the 'gates thereof shall in no wise be shut by day (for there shall 26 be no night there): and they shall bring the glory and the honour of the 27 nations into it : and there shall in no wise enter into it any thing aunclean, or he that 3maketh an abom- ination and a lie : but only they which are writ- ten in the Lamb's book 1 Gr. portals. 2 Gr. common. 3 Or, doeth I Or, the Lamb. In the midst of the or Pagan nations, and the qual- ifying clause, the nations of them which are saved, was added in the Old Version -without authority, probably by some copyist who thought that otherwise the dec- laration of the admission of Pa- gan nations into heaven was altogether too broad. What John saw in his vision was the realization of Christ's prophecy, " Many shall come from the East and West and shall sit down with Abraham and Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven." 25. By day; meaning the whole day of twenty-four hours. CHAPTER XXII. 1, 2. A river of water. The word pure, for which there is no authority is omitted. The change of punctuation also changes the picture contained in these verses. The river flows through the midst of the street which is on either side of it upon the bank. — Proceeding out of the throne, &c. ; so described in order to represent the happi- of life. And he shewed 22 me a river of water of life, bright as crystalr proceeding out of the throne of God and of 4the Lamb, in the midst of the 2 street thereof. And on this side of the river and on that was 6the tree of life, bearing twelve *ma?i- ner of fruits, yielding its fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the na- tions. And there shall 3 be 7no curse any more : street thereof, and on either side qf th< river, was trie tree of life 5 Or, a tree 6 Or, crops of fruit 7 Or, no more any thing accursed ness of heaven, here prefigured under the symbol of a river, as derived from the presence and in- fluences of God and the Lamb. — The tree of life; that tree of which man had been deprived when he first entered upon his career of transgression. (Gen. 3: 22.) 3. No curse any more; the curse shall be no more; that is, the terrible curses originally de- nounced against human sin in the davs of Adam's transgression (Gen. 3: 14-19) shall now be re- moved forever. Thus the vol- ume of the word of God, having oponed with a history of that terrible malediction pronounced upon the human race, which has made this world such a scene of sorrow, now sublimely closes with a prophetic announcement of its perpetual removal. This link, connecting the beginning with the end, binds together the whole word of God, and gives a lofty unity to the long succession of vastly varied materials which the sacred volume comprise*.- 22. 14. REVELATION. 903 and the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be therein : and his ser- vants shall do him ser- 4 vice ; and they shall see his face ; and his name shall be on their fore- 5 heads. And there shall be night no more ; and they need no light of lamp, neither light of sun ; for the Lord God shall give them light : and they shall reign xfor ever and ever. 6 And he said unto me, These words are faithful and true : and the Lord, the God of the spirits of the prophets, sent his angel to shew unto his servants the things which must shortly come to 7 pass. And behold, I come quickly. Blessed is he that keepeth the words of the prox3hecy of this book. 8 And I John am he that heard and saw these things. And when I heard and saw, I fell down to worship before 1 Gr. unto the ages of the ages. And Ids servants shall do him service; shall be employed, ac- tively, in the pursuit and accom- plishment of his plans. 4. Shall see his face ; shall be admitted to intimate communion with him. — His name, &c. This was a mark of ownership. The meaning is, that they shall be entirely his. 10, And ho saith untu me; that the feet of the angel which shewed me these things. And he saith un- 9 to me, See thou do it not: I am a fellow-ser- vant with thee and with thy brethren the pro- phets, and with them which keep the words of this book : worship God. And he saith unto me, 10 Seal not up the words of the prophecy of this book ; for the time is at hand. He that is un-ii righteous, let him do un- righteousness a still: and he that is filthy, let him be made filthy still : and he that is righteous, let him do righteousness 'still: and he that is holy, let him be made holy a still. Behold, 1 12 come quickly ; and my 'reward is with me, to render to each man ac- cording as his work is. I am the Alpha and 13 the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end. Blessed 14 are they that wash their 2 Or, yet more 3 Or, wages is, Jesus saith, as is evident from what follows, especially v. 16. 11. The meaning is, Let men continue in these various char- acters, if they will. I come quickly with the rewards that they will respectively deserve. A similar mode of expression is adopted in Eccl. 11:9. 14. The reading of the Old Version was, Messed are ifiey that U04 REVELATION. 22. 14— robes, that they may have 'the right to come to the tree of life, and may enter in by the "gates 15 into the city. Without are the dogs, and the sorcerers, and the forni- cators, and the murderers, and the idolaters, and every one that loveth and s maketh a lie. 16 I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things 4 for the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, the bright, the morning star. 17 'And the Spirit and the bride say Come. And he that heareth, let him say, Come. And he that is athirst, let him come: he that will, let him 1 Or, the authority over 2 Gr. portals. 3 Or. doeth 4 Gr. over. 5 Or. But 6 Gr. upon. do his commandments, and this reading is sustained by the au- thority of one of the ancient manuscripts, the Vatican. That of the New Version is sustained by both the Siniatic and the Alex- ant) rian. In the Greek the two sentences might easily be mis- taken for one another. The doctrinal difference is not so great as it might at first appear, for only those do Christ's com- mandments who accept his aton- ing sacrifice as the means of their cleansing, and all those who with sincere penitence and faith accept him as their sacri- fice and their Saviour, enter take the water of life freely. I testify unto every 18 man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add 6 unto them, God shall add 6unto him the plagues which are written in this book : and 19 if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the tree of life, and out of the holy city, 'which are written in this book. He which testifieth20 these things saith, Yea : I come quickly. Amen : come, Lord Jesus. The grace of the Lord 21 Jesus8 be ° with the saints. Amen. 7 Or, even from the things which are written 8 Some ancient authorities add Christ. 9 Two ancient authorities read with all. upon a life of obedience to his commandments. 15. Dogs ; reprobates. (See Matt. 7:6.) IT. The bride; the church. 19. From the tree of life ; the reading of the Old Version was, out of the hook of life, but it Save in the margin the reading accepted by the revisers, which has the authority of nearly all the ancient manuscripts in its favor. 21. The grace of the Lord Jesus. The manner in which the Redeemer is spoken of throughout this book, and es- pecially in this farewell beuedic- —22. 21. REVELATION. 905 tion, joined as he is constantly with God as the united object of celestial adoration, and repre- sented repeatedly as clothing himself with the names and attri- butes of supreme divinity, — and yet, on the other hand, steadily separated from God by a marked and clearly-expressed distinc- tion,— leaves us where indeed we ought to expect to be left, entirely in the dark in respect to the nature and modes of exist- ence which pertain to the mysterious principle of divinity. The human mind is uneasy in this darkness and difficulty, and vainly attempts their removal. Some endeavor to cut the knot, by making Jesus a mere human prophet, and changing to meta- phors all those declarations of the word of God which assign to him a position apparently divine. This is a very simple view of the subject, and easily understood. But the question, in this, as in all other researches after knowledge, is not what is simple, but what is true, Others, on the other hand, connecting and combining the various de- clarations of Scripture, and de- ducing inferences from them, make out what may be called a theory of the Godhead, distinct, defined, systematic, and drawn out into its details. But, on mature reflection, it will appear that he occupies the most truly philosophical ground, who allows, with the most undis- turbed and quiet mind, the mystery of the Godhead to rest in the profound concealment in which it has pleased the Holy Spirit to leave it involved, — who draws no inferences; frames no theory or system, but simply reads what is written, and leaves it as it stands, without attempt- ing to throw human light upon what divine revelation has left obscure. He waits for know- ledge to come. And in the meantime he adores the Re- deemer so unequivocally de- scribed as divine. He sees in him a Lamb slain as an atoning sacrifice for sin. In that atone- ment he finds relief from remorse, and comfort and peace come from it to displace gloomy rec- ollections of sin, and dark fore bodings of retribution ; and he closes the sacred volume invok- ing the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, as his only hope of sal- vation. APPENDIX. List of readings and renderings preferred by the American Committee, recorded at their desire. See Preface, page xii. CLASSES OF PASSAGES. L Strike out "S." (i. e. Saint) from the title of the Gospels and from the heading of the pages. IL Strike out "the Apostle" from the title of the Pauline Epis- tles, and "of Paul the Apostle " from the title of the Episrle to the Hebrews; strike out the word " General " from the title of the Epistles of James, Peter, 1 John, and Jude; and let the title of the Revelation run "The Revelation of John." HI. For "Holy Ghost" adopt uniformly the rendering "Holy Spirit." IV. At the word "worship " in Matt. ii. 2, etc., add the marginal note " The Greek word denotes an act of reverence, whether paid to man (see chap, xviii. 26) or to God (see chap. iv. 10)." Y. Put into the text uniformly the marginal rendering "through" in place of "by " when it relates to prophecy, viz. in Matt, ii. 5, 17, 23; iii. 3; iv. 14; viii. 17; xii. 17; xiii. 35; xxi. 4; xxiv. 15; xxvii. 9; Luke xviii. 31; Acts ii. 16; xxviii. 25. VL For "tempt" ("temptation") substitute "try" or "make trial of " (" trial ") wherever enticement to what is wrong is not evidently spoken of; viz. in the following instances: Matt. iv. 7; xvi. 1; xix. 3; xxii. 18, 35; Mark viii. 11; x. 2; xii. 15; Luke iv. 12; x. 25; xi. 16; xxii. 28; John viii. 6; Acts v. 9; xv. 10; 1 Cor. x. 9; Heb. iii. 8, 9; 1 Pet. i. 6. VII. Substitute modern forms of speech for the following archaisms, viz. "who" or "that" for "which" when used of persons; "are" for "be" in the present indicative; "know" " knew " for " wot" " wist " ; "drag " or " drag away " for " hale." Vm. Substitute for "devil" ("devils") the word "demon" (" demons") wherever the latter word is given in the margin [90?] 908 Matthew III. 7 —Matthew XXIII. 9. (or re | > re scats the Greek words tiaifiwv, tiaif/dviov) ; and for "possessed with a devil" (or ''devils") substitute either " demoniac " or "possessed with a demon " (or "demons "). IX. After " baptize " let the marg. " Or, in " and the text " with " exchange places. X. Let the word "testament" be everywhere changed to "cove- nant " (without an alternate in the margin), except in Heb. ix. 15 — 17. XI. Wherever "patience " occurs as the rendering of vto/iov^ add " stedfastness " as an alternate in the margin, except in 2 Cor. i. 6; James v. 11 ; Luke viii. 15; Heb. xii. 1. XII. Let aooapici' (Matt. x. 29; Luke xii. 6) be translated "penny," and ch/vnpinv " shilling," except in Matt. xxii. 19; Mark xii. 15; Luke xx. 2-1, where the name of the coin, "a denarius," should be given. XIII. Against the expression " the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ " add the marginal rendering " Or, God and the Father"'' etc.; viz. in Rom. xv. 6; 2 Cor. i. 3; xi. 31; Eph. i. 3; Col. i. 3; 1 Pet. i. 3. And against the expression " our God anil Father " add the marg. "Or, God and our Father" '; viz. in Gal. i. 4; Phil. iv. 20; 1 Tiiess. i. 3; iii. 11, 13; Jas. i. 27. And against the expression " his God and Father" add the marg. " Or, God and his Father", viz. in Rev. i. 6. XIV. Let the use of "fulfil" be confined to those cases in which it denotes "accomplish," " bring to pass," or the like. MATTHEW. III. 7 Against " to his baptism " add marg. Or, for baptism". 10 For " is the axe laid unto " read " the axe lieth at " So in Luke iii. 9. VI. 11 Let the marg. read Gr. oar bread for the coming day, or our needful bread. So in Luke xi. 3. 27 For " his stature " read " the measure of his life" (with marg. Or, his stature) So in Luke xii. 25. VIII. 4 Here and in Matt, xxvii. 65; Mark i. 44, for "go thy [your] way " read simply " go " IX. 6,8 For "power" read "authority" (see marg. *) So in Mark ii. 10; Luke v. 24. X. 39 "life" strike out the marg. So in xvi. 25; Mark viii. 35; Luke ix. 24; xvii. 33; John xii. 25. XII. 23 For " Is this the son of David?" read "Can this be the son of David?" [Comp. John iv. 29.] 31 " unto men " strike out the marg. XIX. 14 For "of such is " read " to such belongeth " with marg. Or, of such is. So in Mark x. 14; Luke xviii. 16. XX. 1 For "that is" read " that was" XXII. 23 For marg.3 read " Many ancient authorities read saying." XXIII. 9 For "Father, which is in heaven " read "Father, even he who is iu heaven." Matthew XXIII. 23— Luke XIII. 32. 909 XXIII. 23 For " judgement " read "justice " So in Luke xi. 42. XXVI. 29 For "I will not drink "read "I shall not drink" Similarly in Mark xiv. 25; Luke xxii. 16, 18. XXVII. 27 For " palace " read "Praetorium " with marg. Ox, palace [as in Mark xv. 16] So in John xviii. 28, 33; xix. 9. MARK. II. 4, 9, 11, 12 " bed" add marg. Or, pallet So in vi. 55; John v. 8, 9, 10, 11, 12; Actsv. 15; ix. 33. VII. 4 For "wash" read "bathe " [Comp. Luke xi. 38.] X. 13 For " brought " read "were bringing" So in Luke xviii. 15. 32 " and they that followed " etc. omit the marg. » 45 For " For verily " etc. read "For the Son of man also " etc. XI. 24 For "have received " read "receive" with marg. Gr. re- XIV. 3 For " spikenard " read " pure nard " (with marg. Or, liquid iiard), and omit marg.3 So in John xii. 3. LUKE. I. 35 Let the text run "wherefore also the holy thing which is begotten shall be called the Son of God" with the pres- ent text in the margin. 70 For "since the world began" read "of old" Similarly Acts iii. 21 ; xv. 18. II. 34 For "and rising up " read " and the rising " 37 For " even for" read "even unto" III. 14 For "Do violence to no man " etc. read "Extort from no man by violence, neither accuse any one wrongfully " and omit marg.6 20 For " added yet this above all" read "added this also to them all" IV. 1 For "by the Spirit " read "in the Spirit" and omit the marg. ; was the traitor " read " became a traitor " Chuza" read "Chuzas" commanded " read "was commanding" were choked " read "were drowned" victuals " read "provisions" alone " read " apart " 46 For "should be greatest " read " was the greatest " XI. 38 For •' washed " read " bathed himself " [Comp. Markvii. 4.] XII. 49 For " what will I" etc. read "what do I desire " (with the marg. Or, how I would that it tcere already kindled !) XIII. 32 " I am perfected " add marg. Or, lend my course VI. 16 For in. 3 For 29 For 33 For IX. 12 For 18 For 910 Luke XV. 16— Johh VIII. 26. XV. 16 For " have boon filled n read k* have filled his belly " (with the marg. Many ancient authorities read have been jilted.) XVII. 6 Read •• if ye had- faith " etc. and "it would obey you.'' 11 For l( through the midst of" read "along the borders of" and substitute the present text for inarg.3 XVIII. 5 "lest she wear me" etc. add niarg. Or, lest at last by her coming she wear me out. 7 For "and he'' etc. read "and yet he" etc. with the marg. Or, and is he slow to punish on their behalf? XIX. 89 For " the mount of Olives " read " Olivet " So in xxi. 37; Acts i. 12. 42 "day " add marg. Some ancient authorities read thy day. '• peace " add marg. Some ancient authorities read thy peace. XX. SO "rule" add marg. Or, ruling poicer XXII. 24 For "is accounted " read "was accounted" 70 For "Ye say that I am " read "Ye say it, for I am " and substitute the text for the marg. XXIII. 9 "Christ B king" omit the marg. 15 " he sent him " etc. add marg. Many ancient authorities read leant you to him. 23 For "instant" read "urgent" 46 Let margin and text exchange places. XXIV. 30 Read " he took the bread and blessed; and breaking it he gave to them " 38 For " reasonings " read "questionings" JOHN. I. 3, 10, 17 Substitute the marginal rendering for the text. II. 17 For '"The zeal of thine house" read M Zeal for thy house " III. 20 For ••ill*1 read ''evil" So in v. 20. 20 For " fulfilled n read "made fall" [andsoxv. 11; xvi. 24; xvii. 13. See " Classes of Passages," xiv.] V. 27 Substitute the marginal rendering for the text. VII. 8 For " I go not up yet " read "I go not up " and change the marg. to Many ancient authorities add 21, 22 For "marvel. For this cause hath Moses" etc. read "marvel because thereof. Moses hath" etc. and omit the marg. 23 "a man every whit whole" add marg. Gr. a ichole man sound. 38 For " out of his belly" read ''from within him" ^with marg. Gr. out of his belly.) VUL 24, 28 "I am Aen omit marg. ' (and the corresponding portion of marg. *) So in xiii. 10. 25 Substitute for the present marg. * Or, Altogether that which I also speak unto you. 86 M unto the world M omit marg. l t% Gr. into** John VIII. 44 — Acts of the Apostles XXV. 8. 911 VIII. 44 For "stood" read "standeth" and omit marg.* 52, 53 For u is dead" and " are dead" read "died" [Com- pare vi. 49, 58.] 58 For " was " read " was born " and omit marg.2 X. 8 " before me" add marg. Some ancient authorities omit before me. XII. ^43 For " the glory of men. . . the glory of God " read " the glory that is of men . . . the glory that is of God." XIV. 1 Let marg. 3 and the text exchange places. 14 For "shall ask me any thing " read " shall ask any thing " and let marg. 4 read Many ancient authorities add me. XVI. 25, 29 For " proverbs" read "dark sayings" . XVII. 24 For " I will "read "I desire" XVIII. 37 For " Thou sayest that " etci read " Thou sayest#, for I am a king " and substitute the present text for the marg. [Corap.Luke xxii. 70.] XXI. 7 " was naked " add marg. Or, had on his under garment only. ACTS OF THE APOSTLES. II. 47 For "those that were being saved" read "those that were saved " with the text in the marg. III. 21 For "since the world began" read " from of old" VIII. 16 For " he was fallen " read "it was fallen " XIII. 18 For "suffered he their manners" read "as a nursing-father bare he them ", and in the marg. read " Many ancient authorities read suffered he their manners." XIV. 9 "made whole " omit marg. x XV. 18 For "from the beginning of the world " read "from of old" 23 For "The apostles and the elder brethren " read "The apostles and the elders, brethren," and put the present text into the marg. XVII. 22 For "somewhat superstitious " read "very religious " and put the present text in the marg. XIX. 31 For " chief officers of Asia " read " Asiarchs " (with marg. i.e. officers having charge of festivals in the Roman province of Asia.) XX. 28 For " God " read "the Lord" (with marg. Some ancient authorities, including the two oldest MSS., read God.) XXI. 10 For "many days " read " some days " XXIIL 30 " against the man " etc. add marg. Many ancient authorities read against the man on their part, 1 sent him to thee, charg- ing etc. 35 For " hear thy cause " read " hear thee fully " XXIV. 17 For "many years" read "some years" XXV. 3 For "laying wait " read " laying a plot " 91^ Acts of the Apostles XXVI. 28 — Romans XIL 1. XXVI. 28 " With but " etc. add marg. Or, In a little time 29 "whether with little " etc. add marg. Or, both in little and in great, i.e. in all respects XXVH. 37 Omit marg.2 ROMANS. I. 17 For "by faith " read " from faith " and omit the marg. 18 For "hold down" read "hinder" LI. 12 "have sinned " add marg. Gr. sinned. 13 For " a law " read " the law " 14 For " which have no " read " that have not the" For "having no " read "not having the" 14, 15 Enclose in a parenthesis. 15 "their thoughts " etc. add marg. Or, their thoughts accusing or else excusing them one with another 18 In marg. 6 for "protest" read " dost distinguish " 22 Omit the marg. HI. 9 For " in worse case " read "better " and omit the marg. 21 Begin a paragraph. 23 "have sinned" add marg. Gr. sinned. 25 "set forth " omit marg. * ("purposed'''') For "by his blood" read "in his blood" (retaining the comma after "faith ") and omit marg.1 31 Make a paragraph of verse 31. IY. 1 For " according to the flesh, hath found " read " hath found according to the flesh " and put the present text into the margin. V. 1 For " let us have " read "we have " and in marg. 4 read Many ancient authorities read let us have. So in verses 2, 3 for "let us " read "we " (twice). 7 Omit marg. * (" that which is good") VI. 7 "justified" add marg. Or, released VII. 25 For " I myself with the mind serve" read "I of myself with the mind, indeed, serve" VIII. 3 Let marg. 3 (" and for sin'''') and the text exchange places. 5, 6, 9, 13 For "spirit" read " Spirit" 13 For " mortify " read " put to death " and omit marg. ■ 24 For " by " read " in " (with marg. Or, by) 26 For "himself" read "itself" 34 For " shall condemn " read " condemneth " IX. 5 For marg. ' read Or, flesh : he who is over all, God, be blessed for ever 22 "willing " add. marg. Or, although willing XL 11 Begin the paragraph here instead of at ver. 13. XIL 1 For " reasonable " read " spiritual" with marg. Gr. belong- ing to the reason. Romans XII. u- -1 Coiilnihians XIV. 3. (J13 XII. 6 Omit marg. 3 (" the faith ") 19 Let marg. * (" the wrath of God") and the text exchange places. 1 CORINTHIANS. I. 18 For "are perishing. . .are being saved " read " perish... are saved " and put the present text into the marg. 19 For " And. . .reject " read "And the discernment of the discerning will I bring to nought " 26 Omit marg. 2 ("Or, have part therein") II. 6 For "the perfect " read "them that are fullgrown " 8 For " knoweth " read " hath known " 12 For " is of God " read ' ' is from God " For "are freely given to us by God " read " were freely given tc us of God " 13 For "comparing spiritual things with spiritual" read "combining spiritual things with spiritual words'1'' and omit marg. i 14 "natural " add marg. Or, unspiritual Gr. psychical. IV. 8 For " have reigned "read " have come to reign" 9 For "and to angeis " read "both to angels" and substitute the present text for the marg. 21 For " meekness " read "gentleness" V. 10, 11 Let marg. 2 and 3 and the text exchange places. VII. 6 For " permission " read " concession " 21 Let marg. 2 ("nay, even if") and the text exchange places. 25 For " faithful " read "trustworthy" 26 For " the present distress " read " the distress that is upon us" 31 For " abusing it " read " using it to the full " and omit the margin. VIII. 3 For " of him" read "by him" 8 " commend " add marg. Gr. present. IX 10 "altogether " let " assuredly " be the rendering in the text, and substitute " altogether " for the marg. 27 " have preached" add marg. Or, have been a herald XI. 10 Omit marg. 1 (" have authority over'1'') 19 For " heresies " read "factions" (with marg. Gr. heresies.) 27 For "unworthily" read "in an unworthy manner" XII. 31 Read " And moreover a most excellent way " etc. XIII. 12 Read "then shall I kuow fully even as also I was fully known " and omit marg. ' and 2 13 Omit marg. 5 (ulut greater than these") XIV. 3 For "comfort" read "exhortation" 914 1 Corinthians XIV. 33— Galatians III. 24. 33, 34 For " of peace; as" etc. read " of peace. As in all the churches of the saints, let" etc. [and begin the paragraph with " As" etc.] XV. 2 Adopt marg. 3 for the text (substituting "the word which" for " what ") 8 For "as unto. . .time" read "as to the child untimely born" 19 Let marg. 4 and the text exchange places. 83 For "Evil company doth corrupt good manners" read "Evil companionships corrupt good morals" 34 For "Awake up" read " Awake to soberness" and omit marg. " 44, 46 "natural" add marg. Gr. psychical. 61 For " We shall not all" read " We all shall not" and put the present text into the marg. 2 CORINTHIANS. I. 9 For "answer" read "sentence" (with marg. Gr. answer.) 15 For "before" read "first" 24 Read in the text " for in faith ye stand fast" II. 14 Begin a new paragraph with this verse. 15 For " are being saved. . .are perishing" read "are saved... perish" and put the present text into the marg. III. 9 For " is glory " read "hath glory" and let marg. ■ run Many etc. For if the ministration of condemnation is glory. 18 Let marg. ' and the text exchange places. Omit marg. 2 (" the Spirit which is the Lord") IV. 3 For "are perishing" read "perish" and put the present text into the marg. VII. 8, 9 For " I do not regret it, though " etc. read " I do not re- gret it: though I did regret it (for I see that that epistle made you sorry, though but for a season), I now rejoice " etc. XII. 7 Strike out " — wherefore" and add marg. Some ancient au- thorities read — wherefore. GALATIANS. I. 7 "which is not another gospel: only" etc. add the marg. Or, which is nothing else save that etc. 10 Read " For am I now seeking the favour of men or of God " and for ' seeking to please " read " striving to please " II. 1 Strike out marg. 3 ("in the course of") 10 For " save " read "but" and omit marg. a 20 For "yet I live: and yet no longer I " read " and it is no longer I that live " and omit marg. a III. 22 For " hath shut up " read " shut up " 23 Omit marg. » (" the faith") 24 For " hath been " read " is become n Galatians IV. 12— Philippians IV. 19. 915 IV. 12 For " be " read " become " For u I am as " read " I also am become as " 16 For " because I tell you" read "by telling you" 19 Substitute a dash for the comma after " you " V. 1 Substitute marg. 3 (" For freedom ") for the text. 12 For " cut themselves off" read "go beyond circumcision" 20 Substitute marg. 2 ("parties ") for the text. VI. 1 "in any trespass " add marg. Or, by 10 "as" add marg. Or, since 11 Let the marg. (" write ") and the text exchange places. EPHESIANS. I. 15 For "and which ye shew'''' read "and the love which ye shew'''' and in marg. 6 for "insert" read "omit " II. 2 For "power" read "powers" (with marg. Gr. power.) III. 13 For "ye faint not" read "I may not faint " (with marg. Or, ye) VI. 9 For " both" read " he who is both " PHILIPPIANS. I. 16 To "the one " etc. add marg. Or, they that are movedby love do it 17 To "but the other" etc. add the marg. Or, but they that are factious proclaim Christ 22 Read in the text " t^this shall bring fruit from my work " with marg. Gr. this is for me fruit of work. Omit marg. * (" 1 do not make known'1'') IT. 1 For "comfort " read "exhortation" 6 For "being" read " existing " and omit marg.9 Let the text run "counted not being on an equality with God a thing to be grasped " and omit marg.* 14 For "disputings" read "questionings" 15 For " may be" read " may become " HI. 8 Substitute marg. 4 (" refuse ") for the text. 9 For "of God " read " from God " 12 For "apprehend . . . apprehended '• read "lay hold on . . . laid hold on ", and in marg.10 for "apprehend . . . appre- hended" read "lay hold . . . laid hold on" 13 For "apprehended " read "laid hold" IV. 4 Omit marg. l (" Farewell") 19 For " fulfil " read " supply " [Comp. " Classes of Passages," xiv.] 916 Colossiaxs T. 26 — Hebrews I. 9. COLOSSIANS. I. 26 For " from all v read "for" II. 15 For 'having put off from himself" read "having de- spoiled " and substitute the text for marg.2 III. 5 For ''Mortify " read " Put to death " and omit marg.1 16 For "richly" read "richly;" and omit the semicolon after " wisdom " putting the present text into the marg. 1 THESSALONIANS. II. 6 Let marg. ' run claimed authority, and then let the marg. and the text exchange places. IV. 12 For ''honestly" read "becomingly" V. 22 Omit marg. 4 ("appearance") 2 THESSALONIANS. II. 2 For " is now prpsent " read "is just at hand " 10 For "are perishing ;' read " perish" with the text in the marg. ni. 2 Omit marg. " (< ' the faith ") 1 TIMOTHY. I. 16 For "hereafter" read "thereafter" 18 Substitute marg. 2 ("led the way to thee ") for the text. II. 4 Read " who would have all men to be saved " 15 Let marg. 3 and the text exchange places. V. 12 For "faith " read "pledge" (with marg. Gr. faith.) VI. 9 For " desire " read "are minded " 2 TIMOTHY. I. 10 For " incorruption " read "immortality" with marg. Gr. incorruption. II. 26 Read "having been taken captive by him unto his will " ; and let marg. 6 run Or, by him, unto the will of God Gr. by him etc. TITUS. I. 2 "before times eternal " add marg. Or, long ages ago II. 13 Let the text and marg. 2 exchange places. III. 10 For "A man . . . heretical " read "a factious man " HEBR E*W S. I. 7 Omit marg. * (" spirits ") 9 To the first " God " add marg. Or, 0 God Hebrews II. 16— Hebrews XIII. 24. 917 II. 16 Let the text run "For verily not to angels doth he give help, but he giveth help to " etc. (with marg. Gr. For verily not of angels doth he take hold, but he taketh hold of etc.) 17 For "might be" read " might become " III. 9 Let marg. 4 (" Where") and the text exchange places. 11 "As" add marg. Or, So So in iv. 3. IY. 2 Let the text and marg. 9 exchange places, reading in marg. "Many aucient authorities " etc. 7 Read "a certain day, To-day, saying in David, so long a time afterward (even as hath been said before), To-day if ye " etc. VI. 1 For " let us cease " etc. read "leaving the doctrine of the first principles of Christ, let us " with marg. ' Gr. the word of the beginning of Christ. 9 In marg. ' for " are near to " read " belong to " VIII. 8 "finding fault" etc. add marg. Some ancient authorities read finding fault with it he saith unto them. IX. 4 Let marg. 3 and the text exchange places. 9 For "parable" read "figure" So in xi. 19. Omit " noic " 14 "the eternal Spirit" add marg; Or, his eternal spirit 17 Let marg. 6 and the text exchange places. X. 1 For "they can " read "can " (and for marg. l read Many ancient authorities read they can.) 22, 23 Let the text and marg. 6 exchange places. 25 For "the assembling of ourselves together" read "our own assembling together " 34 For "4ye yourselves have" read "3ye have for yourselves" (and omit marg. 4, letting marg. 8 read Many ancient au- thorities read that ye have your own selves for a etc.) XI. 1 Read " faith is assurance of things hoped for, a conviction " etc. 5 Read in the text " for he hath had witness borne to him that before his translation he had been " etc. with the present text in the marg. XII. 3 For "themselves" read "himself" (and let marg. 5 run Many ancient authorities read themselves.) 17 For "rejected (for ..of repentance)" read "rejected; for he found no place for a change of mind in his father " with marg. Or, rejected {for he found no place of repentance), etc. Or, rejected; for. . .of repentance etc. XIII. 18 For " honestly " read "honourably" 20 For "the eternal" read "an eternal" 24 " They of " add marg. Or, The brethren from 918 James I. 3 — Jtjde 1. JAMES. I. 3 For * 'proof" read " proving" 17 For " boon" read "gift" III. 1 For "many " read " many of you'''* JV. 4 "adulteresses " add marg. That is, who break your marriage vow to God. 1 PETER. II. 2 In marg. 6 for " reasonable " read " belonging to the reason." V. 2 For " according unto God " read " according to the will of God " (and so in marg.'). Comp. Rom. viii. 27. 2 PETER. I. 1 Let marg. * and the text exchange places. 7 For " love of the brethren" read " brotherly kindness" (twice) with marg. Gr. love of the brethren. 17 For " came such a voice to him from the excellent glory " read "was borne such a voice to him by the Majestic Glory" and omit marg. * 18 For " come " read "borne " and omit marg. " II. 13 For "love-feasts" read "deceivings" and in marg. * read Some ancient authorities read love-feasts. 1 JOHN. HI. 19, 20 For "him, whereinsoever. . .because God" etc. read " him: because if our heart condemn us, God " etc. (with the present text in the marg.) V. 18 Substitute marg. 3 for the text, and add marg. • Some an- cient manuscripts read him. 2 JOHN. 1 (and 5) " lady " add marg. Or, Cyria 3 JOHN. 4 dele marg. a 8 For " with the truth " read " for the truth n JUDE. 1 For "Judas" read " Jude " and add marg. Gr. Judas. 4 For "set forth " read "written of beforehand " putting the present text into the marg. 82 Against "And on some" etc. add the marg. Some ancient authorities read And some refute while they dispute with you. Revelation I. 8 — Revelation XXII. 3. 919 REVELATION. L 8 Omit raarg. * (" the Lord, the God ") 13 Omit marg. a ("the Son of man") HI. 2 For " fulfilled " read u perfected » IV. 6 "of the throne " add marg. Or, before [Comp. v. 6 ; vii. 17. ] V. 6 "in the midst of the throne "etc. add marg. Or, between the throne with the four living creatures, and the elders VI. 6 "A measure" etc. add marg. [instead of marg. 8 and 4] Or, A chaaix (i. e. about a quart) of wheat for a shilling — im- plying great scarcity. 11 For "be fulfilled " read "be fulfilled in number" and then let the marg. and the text exchange places. VII. 17 "of the throne" add marg. Or, before (See iv. 6.) X. 6 Substitute marg. 9 (" delay ") for the text. XII. 4 For "stood. ..was. . .was. .might" read "standeth.. is . . .is. , .may" XIII. 1 "he stood" add marg. Some ancient authorities read / stood etc. connecting the clause with what follows. 8 Let marg. ' and the text exchange places. [Comp. xvii. 8.] XIV. 6 For "an eternal gospel" read "eternal good tidings" 15 For "over-ripe" read "ripe" with marg. Gr. become dry. XV. 2 For "that come " read " that come ofE " XVI. 9 For " the God" read " God " 16 " Har-Magedon " add marg. Or, Ar-Magcdon XIX. 15 For " of Almighty God " read " of God, the Almighty " XXII. 8 For "do him service " read "serve him " 8* A HISTORY OF THE KEYISION, EMBRACING THE ORIGIN, CONSTITUTION, RULES OF PROCEDURE, AND PRIN- CIPLES OF THE REVISION COMMITTEE. ALSO, A COMPLETE HISTORY OF ALL THE ENGLISH TRANSLATIONS, INCLUDING ESPECIALLY TYNDALE'S AND KING JAMESS AUTHORIZED VERSION. THE object of the new version is two fold — to secure a pure text and to secure a more perfect translation. 1. The Text. The original copies both of the Old and New Testament have long since disappeared, the oldest extant manu- script being of the fourth century after Christ ; that is, written more than three centuries after the death of the original authors. Biblical scholars have expended a great deal of time and study in the endeavor to ascertain what manuscript most closely corresponds to the originals. There are over two thou- sand manuscripts which bear date prior to the sixteenth century. The verbal variations in these are very numerous ; they are variously estimated at from four hundred to eight hundred thousand in the whole Bible. Most of them, however, are mere differences in orthography, or in the order of words, and all that in any manner affect the fundamental teachings of the Bible could probably be counted on the fingers of one hand.* The translation of the Bible made in the seventeenth century was based on what is known as the textus receptus or received text. Modern scholarship has done much work in collating ?nd comparing manuscripts since that time ; some ancient manuscripts not then known have been since discovered ; and * '■ It may be safely said," says Dr. Ezra Abbott, of Harvard College, " tbat no Christian doctrine or duty rests in those portions of the text which are affected by differences in the manuscripts: still less ia anything essential in Christianity touched by the various reading*.' A. H1ST0KY OF THE REVISIONS 921 the new version is based upon a careful comparison of the best of these ancient manuscripts, compared and digested with im- mense care and industry, by the most erudite and careful scholars of modern times, such as Lachmann, Tischendorf, Tregelles, Westcott and Hort. Where these variations from the text of the former translation are of any importance, they are indicated in the notes which accompany this edition of the new version of the New. Testament. 2. Translation. A more important work was that of provid- ing a more accurate translation of the notes. Some attempts were made from a very early period to furnish portions of the Bible in the English tongue. In 680 Caedmon, a pious monk, prepared a paraphrase of a part of the New Testament A little later the Venerable Bede made an Anglo-Saxon translation of the Gospel of John. King Alfred based his legislation on four chapters of Exodus (chapters 20-23), and desired to bring about the study of an English translation of the Scriptures in the schools of his time. In the twelfth and thirteenth centuries further translations and paraphrases were made of portions of the Scripture, and Annie of Bohemia, wife of Richard Second, is said to have habitually read the Gospels in the English tongue. The first serious attempt, however, to translate the whole Bible into the language of the common people, was made by John Wickliffe, a secular priest, a graduate of Oxford, a man of austere life and manners, whose teaching in denial of many points of Roman Catholic theology approached very nearly that of Luther and the other Protestant reformers, whom he pre- ceded a century and a half. Although before the days of print- ing, his transfation appears to have been extensively circulated, and it was so highly valued that sometimes a load of hay was exchanged for a few chapters of his work. His translation, however, was made, not from the original Greek, but from the Latin translation in common use in the Roman Catholic Church, known as the Vulgate, made by Jerome in the fourth century. A century and a half later, William Tyndall under- took a new translation of the New Testament, and his was the first complete translation of it made from the Greek originals. Compelled by persecution to flee from England, he continued his labors abroad. His first edition was bought up and publicly burned by the Bishop of London ; the destruction was so com- 922 A HISTORY OF THE REVISION. plete that only two copies of this version are now known to exist ; but the money from the purchase found its way into Tyndall's hands, who was thus able to prepare a new and more perfect edition. He was at length betrayed and put to death, but his work not only survived him, but has become the basis of all subsequent translations. With that inconsistency which marked the character of the unscrupulous Henry the Eighth, he who had sought by every means in his power to extirpate Tyndall's version and compass his death, demanded of the English clergy that they should furnish the people with an English Bible, and on their refusal gave a license to Miles Coverdale to prepare a translation which was little else than a revision of Tyndall's work, and which was publicly sold in England, and by royal decree ordered to lie open in every church accessible to all the people before Tyndall's death. Other versions followed in rapid succession, all of them modif - cations of Tyndall's ; Rogers' Bible, 1537, Cranmer's Bible, 1539, the Geneva Bible, 1557-1560, the Bishops' Bible, 1568. The two latter were in some sense rival editions, the Geneva Bible being the product of the continental reformers, the Bishops' Bible being prepared, as the title indicates, under the special sanctior of the Church of England. To these should be added also mention of the Douay Bible, a translation of the Scripture from the Vulgate prepared at Eheims and Douay with the sanction of the Roman Catholic Church, which still retains the name of the Douay version. These prepared the way for what is now known as the Authorized or King James version. There seems to be little reason for giving King James the credit of this* great work. The original idea did not emanate from him, he took no part in the work, and paid nothing of its expenses, but the fifty-four s holars who were assigned to the task were appointed by him. Death or resignation reduced their number to forty-seven. They were divided into six parties, two meeting at Westmin- ster, two at Cambridge, and two at Oxford, and divided the books of the Bible between them. Careful regulations were prescribed for their work, which occupied seven years, A. d. 1604-1611 — three in individual investigations, three in united work. The text of the whole Bible, when prepared by their common labor, was submitted for final revision to six delegates A HISTORY OF THE REVISION. 923 with six consulting assistants, and the manuscript, when it had passed through their hands, was placed in the hands of Dr. Miles Smith, a distinguished linguist, who was charged with the duty of seeing it through the press. In this work, not only the former English versions, but the Hebrew, Ohaldaic, Greek, Syrian, Latin, Spanish, French, Italian and Dutch versions were all consulted, and the product of the labors of this body of eminent scholars well deserves the honor which has been accorded to it, of being for two hundred and fifty years the ted by the English, have been placed in the appendix at the end of the New Eevision. The two universities of Oxford and Cambridge have under- taken to pay the cost of the English commission in considera- tion of a license to print the Eevision, which gives them practically a copyright in England. In this country there is no copyright. This edition has been printed from the Oxford edition and carefully and scrupulously compared with it to secure perfect typographical accuracy. It must be counted a cause for gratitude that the original committees have been permitted to finish the labors which they began. " The same persons," says the Rev. Timothy Dwight, D. D.,* "who began the work together in our country, have, with a single exception, been permitted to carry it through to the end. The whole has thus been considered and reviewed and considered again in suc- cessive examinations by one unchanged and almost unbroken company." The only exceptions to this general statement, are in the case of Dr. Hackett, who labored for four or five years efficiently and died before the end was reached, Prof. Hadley, whose death occurred almost immediately after the first meet- ■ w * See Christian Union, March 16, 1881. 926 A HISTORY OF THE REVISION. ing for Revision work, Dr. Washburn whose death did not occur till the revision was completed, and one or two other prominent men who have practically taken no active part in the Revision, and whose death, therefore, has not been an im- pediment to or caused a break in the work. The objects aimed at in the Revision thus projected and carried through to its completion, may be briefly stated as follows : * — securing by the most careful comparison and critical study of the manuscript a pure text ; correcting acknowledged errors, whether of typography, grammar or translation ; recti- fying erroneous and imperfect renderings ; introducing, as far as possible, consistency and uniformity in the translations of words and phrases ; removing obsolete and substituting there- for intelligible expressions ; introducing uniformity in the spell- ing of proper names ; revising the orthography, the punctua- tion, use of capitals and the like ; and finally, combining with the received divisions into chapters and verses an arrangement of the prose into paragraphs, and in the Old Testament a metrical arrangement of poetry according to the recognized Hebrew forms. This is not the place to enter into any critical consideration of the value of this work, though of its value I have no doubt. The history of this Revision, and the character of the men who have engaged in it, warrant our entire confidence in the thoroughness of their work, and our assured faith that in this new version, the Bible will be more than ever "profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, and for instruction in righteousness." LYMAN ABBOTT. Cornwall on Hudson, N. Y. May 17, 1881. * See the Revision of the New Testament (Harper & Brother*), Introductory by Philip Schaff. AN ANALYSIS OF THE FOUR GOSPELS SHOWING THEIR MUTUAL RELATIONS. " The Word, the artificer of all things, who sits upon the [four] Cherubim, holding to- gether all things, being manifested to men, gave to us the VQVR-formed Gospel, actuated by- one spirit," So said Irenseus in the middle of century second, reckoning from the Lord's ascension. Earlier than he, Tatian had formed a Harmony, titled the Diatessaron. or Through-the Four. And still earlier than he, Justin Martyr Tatian's own teacher, tells us what "• the apostles, in the memoirs by them which are called Gospels," said. And those Gospels, he tells us, were in his day publicly read as of sole and unique authorityin the churches, as the Old Testament was in the synagogues. So that it is beyond rational ques- tion, from these and other proofs, that between the death of St. John and the time that Justin wrote, the Four Gospels had, by silent and spontaneous consent of the holy martyr Church, arisen to a universal, unquestioned, unrivalled authority. It was not by decrees of councils or any arbitrary authority, but by unanimous catholic concurrence, that the evangelical Canon was adopted. But there was a Gospel, that is. a gospel-matter, a gospel -history, before there were the four written Gospel-books. Our Savior's deeds, words, death, and resurrection, being the very essence and substance of the Gospels, existed in the minds and memory, in the heart and soul of the living Church with great fulness and completeness before the four evangel- ists wrote. The twelve apostles had been by Jesus chosen as his eye and ear witness*. • .• and after his death they were the official rehearsers of the narratives. '•Beginning at Jeru- salem,'" where the works and words of Jesus were well known, endued with power from on high, they repeated the story of Jesus and him crucified. This oral gospel the Church accepted from these first eye-witnesses: and it formed the complete body of the Christian faith. Hearers and spectators would sometimes commit to parchment memoranda of par- ticular sayings, discourses, or doings of Jesus. And these would be of various authen- ticity, arrangement, and extent. In time, mare extended and completer, yet imperfect narratives, would be composed, and come into the possession of many private Christians, and most of the Churches. Thus there existed an oral and documentary gospel-matter before the four Gospel-books. This living oral Gospel had a peculiar power to it during the time when its utterances came from the original inspired apostolic lips, and. though in a less degree, from the reports of those who had heard the apostles. Even after the written Gospels had come into exist- ence, and until late toward the close of the second century, a feeling of interest in behalf of the oral tradition over the recorded letter pervaded many hearts. " I do not think," says Papias, soon after the close of the first century, "that I derived so much benefit from books as from the living voice of those who are still surviving." His preference was this: "If I met with any one wno has been a follower of the elders," (the apostles and their contem- poraries,) " I made it a point to inquire what were the declarations of the elders: what was said by Andrew, Peter, or Philip; what by Thomas, James, John, Matthew, or any other of the disciples of our Lord; what Aristion (Luke?) and the presbyter John, disciples of our Lord, relate." In an age where reading and writing little prevail, such oral traditions are conveyed by memory with great accuracy of form. The Jewish succession of Rabbis claimed to traasaiit, by tradition, an entire unwritten law, without addition or subtraction. Repeti- tion of the same nariatives by the same apostolic narrators, often in each other's hearing, woul.l result in a great sameness of expression; and the narrative would finally assume sorm-triing of a stereotype form. The wonderful deeds and holy words of Jesus, had no writing existed, might nat*e been mentally preserved witn great accuracy for more than one generation. But as the authoritative written letter alone couM preserve above suspicion a gospel in- tended for ages, so the great Head of the Church took providential care that the record should come from responsible hands. Two books from original apostles, and two from apos- tolic contemporaries under apostolic sanction, and with general sanction of the apostolic church, have come down to these and. future ages. Of these the three first (which, from their strong likeness, are commonly called the Synoptic Gospels) contain the authentic transcript of the oral gospel, as it existed in varied stereotype forms in the apostles' preach- ing; while the fourth contains the independent personal narration of the apostle who was nearest and deepest in the heart of Jesus. As these gospels took their place in the archives ©f the Churches of the widespread Christendom already existing in different quarters of the [927] 928 ANALYSIS OF THE FOUR GOSPELS. f;lobe, Asia, Africa. and Europe, and were read to the congregation (as the oral had been de- ivered) from Sabbath lo Sabbath, the oral gospel was gradually superseded, until scarce a trace of it remains to our day. Of the nature of the verbal identities and variations between the three Synoptic Gospels, the following comparative passages, as specimens, will convey some idea* THE BAPTISM OF JESUS. Matthew iii. 13-17. 13 Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordpn unto John, to be baptized of him. 14 But John forbade him. say- ing, I have need to be bap- tized of thee, and comest thou to me ? 15 And Jesus answering said unto him, S.itfer it to be so now : for thus it becometh us to fulfil al> righteousness. Then he suffered him. 16 And Jesus, when "'ie was baptised, went up straightway out of the water : and lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God de- scending like a dove, and lighting upon him : 17 And lo, a voice from heaven, say- ing, This is ray beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Mark i. 9-11. 9 And it came to pass in those days, that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized of John in Jor- dan. 10 And straight way com- ing out of the water, he saw the heavens opened, and the Spirit like a dove descending upon him. 11 And there came a voice from heaven, saying, Thou art my beloved Son, in whom I "am well pleased. Luke iii. 21-23. 21 Now when all the people were baptized, it came to pass, that Jesus also being baptized, and praying, the heaven was opened, 22 And the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon him. and a voice came from heav- en, which said. Thou art my beloved Son ; in thee I am well pleased. THE HEALING OF PETER'S WIFE'S MOTHER. Matthew viii. 14, 15. 14 And wheu Jesus was come into Peter's house, he saw his wife's mother laid, and sick of a fever. 15 And he touched her hand, and the fever left her : and she arose, and ministered unto them. Mark i. 29-31. 29 And forthwith, when they were come out of the synagogue, they entered into the house of Simon and An- drew, with James and John. 30 But Simon's wife's mother lay sick of a fever ; and anon they tell him of her. 31 And he came and took her by the hand, and lifted her up ; and immediately the fever left her, and she ministered unto them. THE DEMONIAC SWINE. Ma kk v. 11-13. 11 Now there was there nigh unto the mountains a great herd of swine feeding. 12 And all the devils besought him, saying, (Send us into the swine, that we may enter into them. 13 And forthwith Je- sus gave them leave. And the unclean spirits went out, and entered into the swine ; and the herd ran violently down a steep place into the sea (there were about two thousand), and were choked in the sea. Luke Iv. 38, 39. 38 And he arose out of the synagogue, and entered into Simon's house. And Simon's wife's mother was taken with a great fever ; and they besought him for her. 39 And he stooped over her, and rebuked the fever ; and it left her : and immedi- ately 6he arose and ministered unt.o them. Luke xiii. 32, 33. 32 And there was an herd of many swine feeding on the mountain : and they besought him that he would suffer them to enter into them. And he suffered them. Matthew viii. 30-32. 30 And there was a good way off from them a herd of many -wine feeding. 31 So ihe devils besought him, sav- ing, If thou cast us out, suf- fer us to go away into the herd of swine. 32 And he said unto them, Go. And when they were come out. they went into the herd of swine: and, behold, the whole herd of swine ran violently down a steep place into the sea, and perished in the wa- ters. The verbal relations between the three Gospels are thus well described by Alford : " First, perhaps, we shall have three, five, or more words identical ; then as many wholly distinct ; then two clauses or more, expressed in the same words, but differing in order ; then a clause contained in one or two, and not in the third ; then several word:' identical ; then a clause not wholly distinct, but apparently inconsistent ; and so forth, with recurrence of the same arbitrary and anomalous alterations, coincidences, and transpositions.'' These agreements and variations cannot be explained on the theory held by some writers that one evangelist copied from another. Neither can they be explained on the assumption that the Gospels are translated from a common original document. Nor would they appear in the style of several perfectly separate and independent narrators of the same transac- tions. The only eolation, as the best biblical scholars now agree, is to be found in the state- 33 Then went the devils out of the man, and entered into the swine ; and the herd ran violently down a steep place into the lake, and were choked. ANALYSIS OF THE FOUR GOSPELS. 929 I ment given above. Our Gospels are the record of the oral narratives and written memo- randa of the apostolic eye-witnesses and ear-witnesses, naturally falling into these mingled uniformities and varieties. Of the general comparison of the Gospels, the following are a very few of the interesting results : I. Two, Matthew and Luke, have a proper beginning, middle, and end, namely : 1. The Early Life of Jesus to his Ministry ; 2. His Ministry ; and 3. His Suffering, Resurrection, and Ascension. The other two, Mark and John, with the beginning nearly omitted, have only the middle and the end. All are full toward the end, as if the Redeemer's sufferings were by all held as the supreme point of interest. II. There are but about twenty-five verses in Mark which have no parallel in Matthew or Luke ; yet Mark is often more full and fresh in his narrative than either of his parallels, and it is curious to note that Matthew and Luke never both present a passage but Mark presents it also. Matthew and Luke never alone coincide without Mark intermediately coinciding with both. III. Matthew and Mark furnish, as their peculiar contributions (not found in either Luke or John), a most important mass of the Lord's Galilean history (Matthew xiv. 22 ; xvi. 12 ; Mark vi. 45 ; viii. 2(5). On the other hand, Luke's peculiar contributions are particulars cf John's and Jesus' birth, (chap, i.,) and a full but apparently unchronological account oi the Lord's ministry in Perea and eastern Judea ; (ix. 51 ; xviii. 14.) This last Lukean contribu- tion contains some of the most brilliant gems of the Lord's teachings. IV. Let the entire contents of the Gospels be estimated as 100, and the following table will give an idea of their various peculiarities and agreements : Peculiarities, Agreements. Mark 7 93 Matthew 42 58 Luke 59 41 John 92 8 V. There is a great difference between those parts which recite discourses or utterances of the Lord, or other person, and those which narrate facts. In the former there is a prevail- ing unity, in the latter diversity. Thus : a Narrative. b Recital. Coincidences in a. Coincidences in b. Matthew.... 25 75 2.08 14.56 Mark 50 50 3.33 13.33 Luke 34 66 .50 1.50* VI. Each Gospel, notwithstanding, presents the most explicit marks of a single author- ship running through its single whole. How much soever of document, quotation, or com- pilation there is, the author's individual peculiarities of mind ana style are unquestionably traceable throughout. Favorite words, texture of style, peculiar general plan and purpose, are obvious to a very slight observation. Hence of each gospel-book there is a single responsible author. The phrase, ' The Gospel according to Matthew,'''' means, The common Gospel-matter as embodied in a book by the inspired official eye-witnessing Apostle Matthew. The question what language was spoken in Palestine in the time of our Savior, has been, and still is. a matter of interesting discussion among scholars. The Jews of Palestine were, no doubt, bilingual— that is, they spoke two languages, the Aramaic and the Greek. During the Babylonish captivity, the Jews lost the use of their primitive Hebrew, and learned to speak the vernacular of Babylon, which was the Chaldee or Aramaic, a sister dialect to the Hebrew. Yet. so unintelligible had their ancestral tongue become, that, when, upon their return, their old Hebrew law was read in their hearing, it revealed, alas 1 no meaning to their ears. In consequence of this, their doctors prepared for them certain Aramaic or Chaldee paraphrases, or versions, which they called Targums, that is, Interpretations. It was through these that the returned Jews popularly learned in their own tongue the Mo- saic law. Yet, meantime, the conquests of Alexander, and the brilliancy of Grecian genius, had spread the Greek language over the civilized world. In Alexandria, the splendid metropolis of Egypt, the Jews had risen to eminence in Greek composition. Under the patronage of the royal Ptolemies, the Old Testament was translated into Greek. This Greek translation, from its being supposed to have been made by seventy translators, is called Septuaginta, the Septuagint; that is, the Seventy. A large number of quotations from the Old Testa- ment in the New are unquestionably made from the Septuagint translation. Both the Greek of the Septuagint and the Greek of the New Testament could, doubtless, be read by the people, especially of the cities of Palestine, better than the Aramaic ; otherwise, the New Testament would have been written in Aramaic. But the Greek of the New Testament, as scholars agree, is strongly tinged with a Hebrew influence. It is. therefore, not what is called pure classic Greek. And this was providentially right. Under the guidance of God, the Greeks had been prepared to furnish the most wonderfully flexible and beautiful of all human languages, ana to spread it over the earth ; and he hadalso trained the Hebrew race to furnish the religious truth and spirit. These, blended together, furnished a Hebraized Greek, a style most perfect for expressing a divine revelation, and for conveying to the world a universal religion, It is very important, in appreciating the truths of the Gospel, to remember that a large share of the Epistles of Paul were written earlier than the Gospels. The Epistle to the Ro- * Consult Wescott's Introduction to the Gospels, chap. iii. 930 ANALYSIS OF THE POUR GOSPELS. mans was written before the Gospel of Luke. And two points are here Important. First, the entire Epistles of Paul presuppose the same story of Jesus' birth, miracles, ministry, death, and ascension, as the Gospels. Every ordinary Christian reader very well knows that St. Paul and St.' Luke held forth, not a different, but the same Christ. Second, Skep- ticism itself is obliged for very shame to admit the authenticity of several of Paul's epistles. The Epistle to the Romans contains the undoubted Christ of Luke, and the Epistle to the Romans is by all pronounced authentic. So that in Paul we have a fifth gospel of the strongest kind, corroborating the other four. The following list will present the dates of the New Testament books, mostly according to the reckoning of Ebrard : S3. Ascension of Jesus. 45. Publication of Matthew's Gospel in the Aramaic dialect. Dispersion of the Apostles from Jerusalem. 51-54. Publication of Paul's Epistles to the Thessalonians. 55-57. Paul's Epistles to Galattans, to Timothy. Titus, Corinthians. 58. To Romans. 58-60. Paul imprisoned at Caesarea. Gospel of Luke published. 61-64. Paul's imprisonment in Rome. Epistles to Philemon, Colosslans, Ephedana, Phi lippians. 64. Death of Paul. Death of Peter. John goes to Ephesus. Gospel of Mark published. Matthew (Greek) before 70. 95, 96. Banishment of John to Patmos. Gospel of John, his Epistles and Apocalypse 100. Death of John. HARMONY OF THE GOSPELS. SEC. 1 2 3 4 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 1* HARMONY. MATTHEW. MARK. LUKE. JOHN. PERIOD FIRST. THE INFANCY AND CHILDHOOD. Preface of St. Luke 1:1-4. Preface of St. John 1 : 1-13. Elizabeth's conception 1 : 5-25. 1 : 26-28. 1 : 395-6. 1 : 575-9. Sal utation of Marv Visit of Mary to Elizabeth Birth of John the Baptist An Angel appears to Joseph Jesus' birth 1 : 18-25. 2 : 1-7. 3 : 28-38. 2 : 8-20. 2 : 2-21. 2:22-38. 1 : 1-17. Appearance of an angel to the shep- herds ; their visit to Jesus 1:25. Jesus presented in the temple The Magi. Flight of Jesus into Ecrypt. Cruelty of Herod. Return 2 : 1-28. Jesus goes to the Passover at twelve years of age 2 : 40-52. 1:80. 3 : 21-28. 4 : 1-18. PERIOD SECOND. THE QUALIFICATION. John the Baptist and hie ministry. . Jesus is baptized 3 : 13-17. 4 : 1-11. 1 : 9-11. John the Baptist's testimony to Jesus ; its effects 1 : 19-52. 2 : 1-12. 2 : 13-25. 3 : 1-21. 8:22-36. 4:1-42. 4:43-54. PERIOD THIRD. THE PREPARATORY MINISTRY. Marriage feast at Cana of Galilee.. First Passover of Jesus'1 Ministry. Jesus goes to Jerusalem, at the Passover ; he casts the traders out of the temple Jesus tarries and baptizes in Judea. The superior dignity of Jesus Jesus retires to Galilee after John's imprisonment. He passes through Samaria and makes disciples The right of public ministry exer- cised by Jesus in Galilee. In Cana he heals the son of an officer of King Herod, who lay sick at Caper- 4: IS. 1:14. Jesus goes to Nazareth ; preserves his life by a miracle ; fixes his 4 : 15-31. 5 : 1-11. 4 : 31-37. Call of Simon and Andrew, also of James and John, with the miracle Jesus heals a demoniac in the syna- 1 : 21-28. 932 HARMONY OF THE GOSPELS. HARMONY -MATTHEW. 28 Peter's wife's mother uud others are healed. Attended by some of his disciples. Jesus teaches and works miracles III Galileo Jesus heals a leper .1 !8us ln-als a paralytic 31 Call of Matthew 8 : 14-25. 8:2-4. 35 ■■i-, 1 : 29-39. 1 : 40-45. 2 : 1-12. 2 : 13-14. Second Passover. Healing of an infirm man at Be- thesda, in Jerusalem Jesus vindicates his disciples for plucking ears of corn on the Sab- bath Jesus heals a man with a withered hand on the Sabbath, and with- draws himself from the Pharisees and heals many 12 : 1-8. 12 : 9-21. 41 42 PERIOD FOURTH. PLATFORM AND EXTENDING MINISTRY. Jesus retires to a mountain, and call- ing his disciples to him, chooses twelve ; he is followed by a great multitude, and heals many The Sermon on the Mount. . The centurion's servant healed raised from the 1-48. 5-13. 2-19. 11 : 20-30. 9:35. 12 : 38-45. The widow's son dead, at Nain Jesus' answer to the disciples sent by John the Baptist 11 Jesus1 reflections in consequence of his appeal to his mighty works A woman who had been a sinner is publicly reassured by Jesus sitting! at meat with a Pharisee j During Jesus' second circuit through | Galilee he heals a demoniac, and the scribes and Pharisees blas- pheme the Holy Spirit Jesus reproves the scribes and Pharisees for seeking a sign Who are truly blessed 45lJcsua regards his true disciples as bis nearest relations 4G Jesus, sitting at meat with a Phari- . denounces woes against the Pharisees, scribes, and teachers | of the law 47 Jesus instructs his disciples and the i people calamities of certain Galileans 1 a warning to the Jews 49 Parables. The reason why he used them. One explained 50 Jesus gives commandment to cross the lake. Incidents on the way.| A tempest stilled j 8: 18-27 Two demoniacs of Gadara healed. ..18: 28-34 feast. Ji'sus' consequent dis- course. The raising of Jairas'l daughter 9 12 : 46-50. 13 : 1-J 51 The 53 Jesus heals two blind men . . fasts out a dumb spirit j Pharisees again blaspheme 55 Jesus revisits Nazareth, and is again I rejected there 1. 10-25 27-31. 9 : 32-34. 13 : 54-58. 2:23-28. 3 : 1-12. 3 : 13-19. 3 : 31-35. 4 : 1-34. 35-41. 1-20. 81. 4 : 38-44. 5 : 12-16. 5 : 17-26. 5 : 1-47. 6 : 1-5. : 6-11. 6 : 12-19. 6 : 20-26. 7 : 1-10. 7 : 11-17. 7 : 18-35. 7 : 36-50. 8 : 1-3. 11:16,24-30 11 : 27-28. 8: 19-21. 11 : 37-54. 18 : 1-59. 18 : 1-9. 6: 1-8. 8 : 22-25. 8 : 26-39. 8:40. HARMONY OF THE GOSPELS, 56 PERIOD FIFTH. APOSTOLIC COMMISSION AND MINIS TRY AT ZENITH. The occasion of sending forth the twelve apostles to preach and work miracles The twelve are instructed and sent forth Jesus continues his tour through Galilee The twelve preach repentance and | work miracles everywhere CO The death of John the Baptist 61 Herod hears of Jesus1 fame, and de- sires to see him 62 Return of the twelve 63 Five thousand are fed on five loaves I and two fishes 64| Jesus walks on the sea 65 Jesus discourses with the multitude in Capernaum, in the synagogue of that city, and with his disciples. Peter's conf essi on Jesus1 discourse with the Pharisees and scribes, and with his disci- ples, about eating with unwashen hands Jesus heals the daughter of a Syro- j phenician woman 68|J«sus restores to a person hearing and speech Jesus feeds more than four thousand with seven loaves and a few small fishes The Pharisees and Sadducees again k a sign Tue disciples are cautioned against the leaven of the Pharisees, of the Sadducees, and of Herod Jesus restores a blind man to sight near Bethsaida Peter repeats his confession that d esus was the Messiah GO 67 PERIOD SIXTH. TRANSFIGURATION, AND MINISTRY OP SORROW AND STRUGGLE. Jesus plainiy foretells his sufferings and resurrection ; rebukes Peter ; exhorts all to self-denial Jesus' transfiguration; his discourse with the three disciples as they were descending from the moun- tain Jesus casts out a dumb and deaf spirit Jesus again foretells his suffering ind resurrection Jesus works a miracle to pay the tribute money The disciples contend who should be the greatest. Jesus' conduct and discourse on that occasion. . . Seventy Hisciples are instructed and sent "out Jesus goes to Jerusalem at the feast of tabernacles. His conduct and discourses during the feast MATTHEW. 9 : 36-38. 10 : 1, 5-42. 11 : 1. 14 : 6-12. 14 : 1-2. 14 : 13-21. 14 : 22-36. 15 : 1-20. 15 : 21-28. 15 : 29-31. 15 : 32-39. 16 : 1-4. 16 : 4-12. 16 : 13-20. 16 : 21-28. 1-13. 14-21. 22-23. 24-27. 18 : 1-35. 6 : 7-11. 12-13. 21-29. 14-16. 30-31. 6 : 32-44. 6 : 45-56. . : 1-23. 7 : 24-30. 7 : 31-37. 8 : 1-10. 8 : 11-12. 13-21. 22-26. 27-30. 8 : 31-38. 9 : 2-13. 9 : 14-29. 9 : 30-32. 9:33. 9 : 33-50. 9 : 1-5. 9 :6. 9 : 7-9. 9: 10. 9 : 10-17. 9 : 18-21. 9 : 22-27. 9 : 28-36. 9 : 37-43. 9 : 43-45. 9 : 46-50. 10 : 1-16. 6 : 1-14. 6:22-71.7:1 7 : 2-53:8:1, 934 HARMONY OF THE GOSPELS. 101 HARMONT. A woman taken in adultery is brought before Jesus Jesus discourses with the scribes and Pharisees, with those who be lieved in him, and with the unbe lieving Jews. Jesus restores sight to one blind from his birth. The consequence of this miracle Return of the seventy Jesus instructs a teacher of the law how to attain eternal life The disciples are again taught how to pray -. Jesus restores a woman who had been bowed down for eighteen years Jesus replies to the question, Are there few that be saved ? The transactions when our Lord ate bread with a chief Pharisee on the Sabbath Jesus slates to the multitude the difficulties attending a profession of his religion Jesus defends himself against the Pharisees and scribes for instruct- ing publicans and sinners Jesus instructs his disciples by the parable of the unjust steward, The Pharise es are reproved Jesus further instructs his disciples, The Samaritans will not receive Jesus. James and John reproved for their zeal against them Jesus cleanses ten lepers The Pharisees ask when the king- dom of God should come. Jesus' answer , Jesus speaks a parable to his disci- ples, and another to certain who trusted in themselves that they were righteous Jesus received into Martha's house. Jesus keeps-the feast of dedication at Jerusalem Jesus goes again to Bethabara after the feast of dedication, and re- mains there till a fit occasion calls him into Judea PERIOD SEVENTH. THE FINAL JOURNEY TO JERUSALEM, AND CONTEST THERE. The Lazarus raised from the dead, consequence of this miracle Jesus enters Juc^a. The Pharisees question him -bout divorces Jesus lays his ' 'id on young chil- dren and blesses them Jesus' discourse in consequence of being asked by a rich man how he should attain eternal life Jesus, as he is going up to Jerusa- lem, foretells his sufferings to the twelve apart The ambitious request of James and John Jesus restores sight to two blind men near Jericho Jesus visits Zaccheus, a chief of the publicans 19 : 1-12. 19 : 13-15. 19: 16; 20: 16 20 : 17-19. 20:20-28. 20:29-34. 10 : 1-12. 10 : 13-16. 10 : 17-31. 10 : 32-34. 10 : 35-15. 10 : 46-52. 10 : 17-24. 10:25-37. 11 : 11-3. 13 : 10-21. 13 : 22-35. 14 : 1-24. 14 : 25-35. 15 : 1-32. 16 : 1-31. 17 : 1-10. 9 : 51-56. 17 : 12-19 17 : 20-37. 18 : 1-14. 10 2-11. 8 : 12-59. 9 : 1-fl;" 10 10 : 40-42. 11 : 1-54. 18 : 15-17. 18 : 18-30. 18 : 31-34. 18 : 35-43. 19 : 2-28. HARMONY ill' THE GOSPELS. 935 HARMONY. MATTHEW. 110 Jesus arrives at Bethany six days before the passover Jesus proceeds to Jerusalem amid the acclamations of the disciples and of the multitude. The trans- actions there The barren fig-tree. The temple cleansed 113 The disciples observe the fig-tree withered away . . 114 Jesus' discourse with the chief priests, scribes, and elders in the temple 115 The Pharisees and Herodians. The Sadducees and one of the Phari- sees, who was a scribe, question Je- sus. Jesus questions the Pharisees 116 Jesus, in the hearing of his disciples, and of the multitude, reproves the scribes and Pharisees to their face with a divine eloquence 117 Jesus prefers the widow's offering to the gifts of the rich 118 Jesus foretells the destruction of Je rusalem, and distinguishes it from the final judgment 119 Picture of the final judgment. How Jesus employed himself during the week 120 The remaining transactions of the Tuesday preceding the crucifixion. PERIOD EIGHTH. THE SUFFERING. 121 Jesus prepares to keep the passover. 122 Jesus sits down with the twelve. There is an ambitious contention among the twelve 123 Jesus washes the feet of his disciples 124 Jesus foretells that Judas would be- tray him. The conduct of the dis- ciples, of Judas 125 Jesus foretells to the apostles the fall of Peter and their common danger 126 Jesus institutes the breaking of bread in remembrance of his body broken 127 Jesus comforts his disciples 128 Jesus institutes the drinking of wine in remembrance of his blood shed 129 Jesus resumes his discourse to his disciples 130 Jesus1 prayer 131 The agony of Jesus in Gethsemane . 132 The betrayal of Jesus 133 Jesus is brought before Annas and Caiaphas. Peter denies him thrice. 134 Jesus stands before Caiaphas, and then before the whole Jewish council. He confesses himself to be the Christ, and is pronounced guilty of death 135 Jesus is taken before Pilate 136 Jesus is sent to Herod by Pilate; he is sent back by Herod 137 Pilate seeks to release Jesus 138 Pilate, having scourged Jesus, and having repeated his attempts to re lease him, delivered him to the cla- mors of the Jews to be crucified Repentance and death of Judas . . . 21 : 1-17. [18, 19. 21 : 12; 13 : 21 : 20-22. [14. 21 : 23; 22 : 22 : 15-46. 23 : 1-39. 25 : 31-46. 26 : 1-16. 26 : 17-19. 26 :20. 11 : 1-11. 11 : 12-19. 11 : 20-26. [12. 11 : 27-12 ; 19 : 29-44. 11 : 55-57. 12 : 1, 9-11. 29 : 1-19. 12 : 12-37. 20 : 20-40, 12 : 38-40. 12 : 41-44. 13 : 1-37. 14 : 1-11. 26 : 21-25. 26 : 26, :27- [46. 26 : 30, 36- 27 : 1-14. 27 : 15-23. 27 : 24-31. 27 : 8-10. 12-16. 17. 21 : 1-1. 21 : 5-36. 22:1-6. 14 : 18-21. 14:22. 14 : 23-25. 14 42. 26,32- 15 : 1-5. 15 6-14. 15-20. 2-2: 7-13. 14-18. 22 : 19. 13 : 1-20. 13 : 21-35. 13 : 36-38. [23, 24. ICor. 11 : 14 : 1-31. 22 : 39-46. 33:1-5. 23 6-12. 13-23. 1 Cor. 11 : 25. [33. 14: 31;16: 17 : 1-26. 18: 1. 18 : 2-12. [24 : 27. 18 : 13-18 ; 18 : 19-23. 18 :2&-38. 18 : 39, 49. 19 : 1-16. 986 MARMONY OF THi: (JOSPEU&. HARMONY. 140; Leading forth and cruciflxionof Jesus 141 Transactions while Jesus was on the cross liil he expired 142 Transactions at Jesus1 death. Who were present during the cruci- fixion. The remaining transac- tions of the day The transactions on the day after the crucifixion 113 111 145 150 151 PERIOD NINTH. RESURRECTION AND ASCENSION. The transactions on the day of the resurrection, before the women visit the sepulchre The women visit the sepulchre the first time Peter and John visit the sepulchre.. Jesus appears first to Mary Magda- lene Second appearance of Jesus The watch report, and are bribed to silence Jesus, having been seen by Peter, appears to the two disciples who went to Emmaus Jesus appears to the apostles in the I absence of Thomas 152 Jesus again appears to the apostles I while Thomas is present 153jThe apostles go into Galilee. Jesus appears at the sea of Tiberias 154 The appearance of Jesus to his dis- ! ciples in Galilee 155 Other appearances of Jesus 150 Ascension of Jesus 157 St, John's conclusion MATTHEW. 27 : 32-34. 15 : 21- 27 : 35-50. 15 : 24-37. 27 : 51-61. 27:62-66. 5-8. 28 : 9-10. 28 : 11-15. 1 Cor. 15:5, 1 Cor. 15:5. 15 : 38-47. 16:1. 16 : 2-8. 16 : 10-11. 28 : 16. 28 : 16-20. lCor. 15:6, [7. 16 : 12-13. 16 : 14-18. 23:21-23. 23 : 33-46. [56. 45, 47- 24 : 1-11. 24 : 13-35. : 50-53. 19 : 17. 19 : 18-30. 20 1-2. 3-10. 11-17. 13. 19-23. 24-29. 1-24, 20:30, 31. ILLUSTRATIVE TABLES RELATING CHIEFLY TO THE NEW TESTAMENT. DATES OR TIME OF WRITING THE SEVERAL BOOKS. Names of Books. Authors. Where written. Date, A. D. Chap. Gospel of Matthew, writ- Matthew. Paul. Paul. Paul. Paul. Paul. Paul. Paul. James. Mark. Paul. Paul. Paul. Paul. Luke. Luke. Paul. Paul. Peter. Peter. Jude. Paul. John. John. John. John. Judea. Corinth. Corinth. Corinth. >J Ephesus. Corinth. \ Macedonia, or Philippi Rome. Judea. Rome. Rome. -j Rome. Rome. < Italy. \ Greece. Greece. Macedonia. Macedonia. Rome. Rome. Unknown. Rome. Probably Ephesus. -j Ephesus. j Patmos. Ephesus. 37 or 38 52 52 at the close of 52 or early in 53 58 end of 57 or beginning of 58 58 61 61 between 60 and 63 end of 62 or beginning of 63 62 end of 62 or early in 63 end of 62 or early in 63 63 or 64 63 or 64 64 64 64 beginning of 64 64,or 64 65 68 or early in 69 68 or early in 69 probably in 96 97 or 98 28 5 3 6 16 16 13 6 5 16 4 4 1 15 24 28 6 3 5 4 5 1 22 21 1 Corinthians. 2 Corinthians , Hebrews Acts of the Apostles Titus. . . 1 Peter 2 Peter 2 Timothy 1 John 937 938 TABLES ILLUSTRATIVE OP THE NEW TESTAMENT, CHARACTERISTICS OF THE BOOKS OF THE NEW TESTAMENT. Matthew.— A brief Memoir of Christ. Mark.— Supplying some deficiencies of Matthew. Luke.— Supplying especially striking incidents, and discourses by ChlitL John.— Supplying discourses not given by the other Evangelists. Acts— Foundation and History of Christ's Church. Romans.— On the doctrine of Justification by Christ. 1 Corinthians.— Correcting schisms, errors and disorders. 2 Corinthians.— Confirming in the truth, and vindicating the Apostle's Character. Galatians.— On Justification by faith, and not by Rites. Ephesians.— On Divine Grace. Phtxippians.— Christian kindness commended. Colossians.— Cautions against Errors, and Exhortations to Duties. 1 Thessalonians.— To confirm in the faith, and in holy conversation. 2 Thessalonians.— Correcting an error respecting Christ's speedy second coming. 1 Timothy.— Duties of Pastors and Churches. 2 Timothy.— Encouragement in the work of Ministry. Titus.— A charge on Ministerial Duties. Philemon.— Epistle to a converted Master to receive a converted runaway servant. Hebrews.— Christ the Substance of the Ceremonial Law. James.— Good Works united with Genuine Faith. 1 Peter.— Exhortations to Christian Practice. 2 Peter.— Exhortations, Warnings, and Predictions. 1 John.— On the i erson of Christ and Christian Love and Practice 2 John.— A Pious Lady cautioned against False Teachers. 3 John.— Gaius commended for his Hospitality. Jude.— Cautions against Deceivers. Revelation.— Destinies of the Church predicted. TABLES ILLUSTRATIVE OF THE NEW TESTAMENT. 939 THE PARABLES OF JESUS, ARRANGED IN CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER. Parables. Places. References. Parable op the Sower. Capernaum. Matt. xiii. 1-23. Tares. " 24-30-36-43. Seed springing up imperfectly. Grain of mustard-seed. c« Mark iv. 26-29. Matt. xii. 31, 32. Leaven. " — xiii. 33. Found treasure. " 44. Precious pearl. " 45, 46. Net. M 47-50. Two debtors. el Luke vii. 36-50. Unmerciful servant. " Matt, xviii. 23-35. Samaritan. Near Jericho. Luke x. 25-37. Rich fool. Galilee. — xii. 16-21. Servants who waited for their Lord. " — xii. 35^8. Barren fig-tree. " — xiii. 6-9. Lost sheep. " — xv. 3-7. Lost piece of money. " 8-10. Prodigal son. 11-32. Dishonest steward. " — xvi. 1-12. Rich man and Lazarus. " 19-31. Unjust judge. Paraea. — xviii. 1-8. Pharisee and publican. " 9-14. Laborers in the vineyard. " Matt. xx. 1-16. Pounds. Jericho. Luke xix. 12-27. Two sons. Jerusalem. Matt. xxi. ?J«-32. Vineyard. " 33-46. Marriage feast. " — xxii. 1-14. The virgins. " — xxv. 1-13. Talents. " 14-30. Sheep and the goats. << 31-46. THE PARABLES RECORDED IN THE OLD TESTAMENT. Parables. Spoken at Recorded in Of Balaam.— Concerning the Moabites and Israelites. Mount Pisgah. Num. xxiii. 24. Joth am.— Trees making a king. Samson.— Strong bringing forth sweetness. Mount Gerizim. Judg. ix. 7-15. Timnath. Judg. xiv. 14. Nathan.— Poor man's ewe lamb. Jerusalem. 2 Sam. xii. 1-4. Woman of Tekoah.— Two brothers striving. Jerusalem. 2 Sum. xiv. 1. The Smitten Prophet.— The escaped pris- oner. Near Samaria. 1 Kings xx. 35-40. Jeiiuash, Kino of Israel.— The thistle and cedar. Jerusalem. 2 Kings xiv. 9. Isaiah.— Vineyard yielding wild grapes. Jerusalem. Isa. v. 1-ti. Ezekikl.— Lions' whelps. Babylon. Ezek. xix. 2-9. The boiling pot. Babylon. Ezek. xxiv. 3-5. The great eagles and the vine. Babyion. Ezek. xvii. 3-10. 940 TABLES ILLUSTRATIVE OF THE NEW TESTAMENT. THE MIRACLES OF CHRIST, ARRANGED IN CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER. Miracles. Places. References. Jesus Turns water into wine. Cana. John ii. 1-11. Cures the nobleman's son of Capernaum. " — iv. 46-64. Causes a miraculous draught of fishes. Sea of Galilee. Luke v. l-ll. Cures a demoniac. Capernaum. Mark i. 22-28. Heals Peter's wife's mother of a fever. " 30, 31. Heals a leper. " 40-45. Heals the centurion's servant^ 14 Matt. viii. 5-13. Raises the widow's sou. Nain. Luke vii. 11-17. Calms the tempest. Sea of Galilee. Matt. viii. 23-27. Cures the demoniacs of Gadara. Gadara. 28-34. Cures a man of the palsy. Capernaum. — ix. 1-8. Restores to life the daughter of Jairus. " 18, 19, 23-26. Cures a woman diseased with a flux of blood. " Luke viii. 43-48. Restores to sight two blind men. " Matt. ix. 27-31. Heals one possessed with a dumb spirit. •• 32, 33. Cures an infirm man at Bethesda. Jerusalem. John v. 1-9. Cures a man with a withered hand. Judea. Matt. xii. 10-13. Cures a demoniac. Capernaum. 22. 23. Feeds miraculously fire thousand. Decapolis. — xiv. ; xv. 21. Heals the woman of Canaan's daughter. Near Tyre. — xv. 22-28. Heals a man who was dumb and deaf. Decapolis. Mark vii. 31-37. Feeds miraculously four thousand. ' Matt. xv. 32-39. Gives sight to a blind man. Cures a boy possessed of a devil. Bethsaida. Mark xiii. 22-26. Tabor. Matt. xvii. 14-21. Restores to sight a man born blind. Jerusalem. John ix. Heals a woman under an infirmity eighteen years. Galilee. Luke xiii. 11-17. Cures a dropsy. " — xiv. 1-6. Cleanses ten lepers. Samaria. — xvii. 11-19. Raises Lazarus from the dead. Bethany. John xi. Restores to eight two blind men. Jericho. Matt. xx. 30-34. Blasts the fig-tree. Olivet. — xxi. 18-22. Heals the ear of Malchns. Gethsemane. Luke xxii. 50, 51. Causes the miraculous draught of fishes. Sea of Galilee. John xxi. 1-14. THE MIRACLES RECORDED IN THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES. Miracles. Where wrought. Recorded in Peter heals a lame man. Ananias and Sapphira struck dead. Apostles perform many wonders. Peter and John communicate the Holy Ghost. Peter healeth Eueaa of a palsy. raiseth Tabitha, or Dorcas, to life. delivered out of prison by an angel. God smites Herod, so that he dies. Elymas, the sorcerer, smitten with blindness. Paul converted. heals a cripple. * casts out a spirit of divination. and Silas's prison doors opened by an earthquake. , communicates the Holy Ghost. heals multitudes. restores Eulychus to life. shakes off the viper. heals the father of Publius, and others. Jerusalem. Jerusalem. Jerusalem. Samaria. Lydda. Joppa. Jerusalem. Jerusalem. Pupho- Road to i lam is- Lyrtra. Phiiippi. Phiiippi. Corintn. Corinth. Troas. Melita. Melita. Actsiii. 1-11.. V. 110. v. 12-16. viii. 11 17. ix. 33. 34. ix. 36-41. xii. 7-17. xii. 21 03. xiii. 6 11. ix. l-'J. xiv. 8 -10. xvi. 16-18. xvi. 25, 26. xix. 1-16. xix. 11-12. xx. 9-12. xxviii. 3-6. xxviii. 7-9. TABLES ILLUSTRATIVE OF THE NEW TEiTAMJBIffT. 941 THE MIRACLES RECORDED IN THE OLD TESTAMENT. Miracles. Where wrought. Recorded in Aaron's rod changed. Egypt. Exod. vii. 10-12. Waters made blooel, principally at Ephesus, where the great temple of Diana was built, and to which vast wealth was sent in votive offerings by the princes of all Asia. He planted churches at Smyrna and Pergamos, and at many other places. His success and his bold preaching dis- pleased Domitian, and many others of the chief men of the Roman Empire. On the coming of Nerva to the empire, in A. D. 96, John came to Ephesus, where he died at a good old age, in the third year of Trajan's reign, A. D. 100. The first book attributed to John is the Gospel bearing his name. It is formed upon a plan peculiarly his own, being wholly unlike the other Gospels. In all parts of it John has in- troduced much of the conversations of Jesus. The Savior ap- pears in this book in so personal a mode that he stands before us as "very man." John exhibits this divine manhood, by open- ing the door into that intimate friendship which he was permit- ted so highly and exclusively to enjoy. We, no doubt, can here behold that image of God, so nobly put forth in Genesis, which PROMINENT MEN AND WOMEN OF THE NEW TESTAMENT. 955 God intended to glorify in the first man, and was hindered by the fall. The Revelation was written by John, while in the Isle of Pat- mos. Though written prior to his Gospel, it sustains and teaches the same high doctrine, the Jehovah, in Jesus of Naza- reth. Here, therefore, we, and all coming ages, must find the mysterious nature of the divine incarnate, laid away as the keep- sake of nations. LAZARUS, OF BETHANY. THIS man appears in the sacred history in the most remark- able of attitudes, that of one loved of Christ. Two men are placed in this most exalted of attitudes — Lazarus of Beth- any, and John, the beloved disciple. This intimate relation was admitted by the Savior, and the part acted by Lazarus was mod- est and becoming. The resurrection of Lazarus is the crowning miracle of all the mighty acts of Jesus. No one could say aught against it, either as a miracle, or as an act toward a family at once valued and much admired by the leading men at Jerusalem. There is room to believe that Lazarus was well known at Jerusalem, and high- ly connected. Therefore his death caused much attention to be excited in Jerusalem, and his being raised from the dead made Jesus to be exceedingly popular, till the leaders turned the peo- ple's will against Him. Lazarus was in public daily after his restoration to life, and his testimony was truth itself, and most remarkable in its incidents. MARY, OF CLEOPHAS. THIS was Mary, the mother of James. Cleophas and Al- pheus are the same person. It is thought she was the sister of the Virgin Mary, and had four sons, mentioned in the New Testament, James the less, Joses, Simon, and Judas, who 956 BIOGRAPHIES OF THE WRITERS AND OF SOME OF THE are termed brethren of Jesus Christ, that is, His cousin-ger- mans. Mary early embraced faith in Christ, was an attendant on His ministry, and ministered to Hit1, wants of her substance. She was in Jerusalem at the time of the last Passover, and at the time of His crucifixion followed Him to Calvary : she was with His mother at the foot of the cross, while He suffered. At His burial she was present, and, on the third day before, had in the labor of others borne her part in preparing the perfumes to em- balm His body. Going to His tomb very early on the morning of His resurrection, she there learned from the mouth of an an- gel that He truly had risen from the dead, and was one of those who carried the news of this fact to His disciples. On the way to bear these tidings to the disciples, Jesus appeared in person to them, and they held Him by the feet, and worshipped Him. From what we thus learn of this Mary, she was a sin- cere, benevolent, and devout disciple of her Savior. MARY, OF MAGDALA. THIS Mary is so called from Magdala, in Galilee, from whence she was. Luke tells us that Christ cast seven de- mons out of Mary, as she had been possessed of them. Few names have been associated with so many coarse jibes and reflec- tions as this one. There is no proof whatever that she was a coarse or vulgar woman. There is no doubt but that Mary Magdalene was, both in character and in circumstances, a woman of good reputation, and of high standing in society. The sacred writers mention her with honor always, as a constant attendant upon the minis- try of Jesus, and as doing things in the highest degree becom- ing to a pious and intelligent female. In Christ's last journey to Jerusalem, Mary of Magdala was with His disciples in com- pany, and the third Mary, standing at the foot of the cro'ss as Jesus was crucified. She stayed in Jerusalem over the sad interval to His resurrection, preparing, with others, the things needed for embalming the body of the crucified. Early on the morning of His resurrection — very early — she PROMINENT MEN AND WOMEN OP THE NEW TESTAMENT. 957 came to the sepulchre, with Mary, the mother of James, and Salome, to look after the resting-place of the dead ; but she was told by the angel that He had risen. She asks where the gardener had laid Him, little knowing, at the instant, to whom she was addressing herself. Jesus speaks her name, and she knows Him. She is made the bearer of a message to the disciples to meet Him in Galilee. Mysterious are the facts of obloquy and reproach associated with this spotless name, so that her very nativity is a synonym of shame and an epithet of sin, by which an entire class of out- casts must be known, probably in most languages, to the end of time. Whereas, if we will re-peruse the Evangelists with this in mind, her name is the sum of womanly virtues. MARY, OF BETHANY. THIS Mary was the younger sister of Martha and Lazarus, and lived at the village of Bethany, just over the Mount of Olives from Jerusalem. The home of these pious persons was a frequent retreat for the Savior, after the toil and noise of daily teaching in the near city. They were objects of holy regard by our blessed Lord, and the most intimate and sacred relations subsisted between them. Lazarus died and was buried, and Jesus raised him from the tomb, and restored him to the bosom of his family. His home was kept by the two sisters, and, after this noted miracle, was the centre of almost universal interest to the Jewish people, and especially to their rulers. Mary and Martha appear to have been devoted Christians, and Mary was addicted to sitting at the Savior's feet as He was engaged in teaching. This was a very natural position for her to take, as His custom was to hold His discourses in the court of the old Jewish house, where large numbers, several hundreds at once in the larger sort, and seventy-five and one hundred in the smaller, were assembled. This Mary also has been confounded with that i( sinner" mentioned by the Evangelists, Yet there is no evidence to this 958 BIOGRAPHIES OF THE WRITERS AND OF SOME OF J FIE effect. It lias been the effort of infidels to fasten something on the intimate friends of the Savior, and thus by inference on Him. This Mary has been ignorantly pointed out as a person of shame, and thus Christ was a friend of publicans and sinners. Every act of this Mary, as told in the New Testament, is an honor to her, a praise to her sex, and a full satisfaction to the noblest Christian character. This family had their possession at Bethany, and lived in a manner worthy of Jesus, who was known everywhere as their personal friend, and worthy of His cause. Probably no other home, outside the homes of Mary, His mother, and Simon, was so honored as was that of Mary, Martha, and their brother Lazarus. T MARY, MOTHER OF MARK. HIS Mary was the one to whose house Peter went when the JL, angel of God liberated him from prison, and foiled the intentions of the persecuting Herod. She was a person of com- petency, owned a house in the city of Jerusalem, and there a prayer-assembly was being held when Peter was in prison. It is thought by many that the disciples were gathered here when the Holy Ghost was given. ANNA, THE PROPHETESS. ANNA was the prophetess who came into the temple, led there by the Holy Ghost, when the infant Savior was taken there to do for him as the law of Moses required. She came in just as the venerable Simeon was praising God for the child Jesus, and joined in praise. She also spake of the Messiah to all who waited for the redemption of Israel, in Jerusalem. This holy woman had been married early, and her husband had died after seven years, leaving her a widow. She remained in this state through her life. She thought only of pleasing the PROMINENT MEN AND WOMEN OF THE NEW TESTAMENT. 959 Lord, and was a constant, daily attendant on the temple, serv- ing the Lord with fasting and prayer. Here we find her greeting the Redeemer, at the advanced age of eighty years, full of faith and patient waiting for the Great Redeemer. MARY, THE PRINCESS. THIS remarkable woman was chosen by Divine Providence to be the mother of Jesus. She was of the royal house of David, as was her husband, Joseph. Early espoused to Joseph, she was under his lawful protection, when informed by the angel Gabriel that, by a miracle of divine power, she was to be a mother, and give Messiah to her people. Mary was con- vinced that the message was from God, by being told that Elizabeth, who was old and barren, was already six months gone of a child ; therefore her reply : " Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word." Infidels have made much ado about the facts of Mary's history, and have done themselves no honor, besides doing the Christian cause no injury, in their base conjectures, malignant misrepre- sentations, and heartless slanders. The Evangelists have each approached this subject with becoming simplicity and truthful- ness. The infant is presented to the world in the most remark- able manner. The visit of the shepherds was of divine ordering. The presentation of the child in the temple was by inspiration, in act and in salutation. The coming of the magi was a miracle of wisdom. The flight into Egypt was God's mode of evading the violent and murderous will of a wicked ruler. Mary was a perpetual observer of the life and deeds of her divine son. She was at the marriage in Cana of Galilee. At Jerusalem, at the last Passover celebrated by Jesus, she was not at the Supper. She followed Him to Calvary, and stood at the foot of the cross at his crucifixion, while the sword spoken of by Simeon pierced through her own heart. Her later days were made comfortable by the express direction of the Savior, who committed her to the keeping of John, the "beloved disciple." Mary was one of the witnesses of her son's resurrection. After 960 HIOGRA.PHIES OF THE WRITERS AND OP SOME OF THE this she was among the disciples at the descent of the Holy Ghost, and shared in the blessedness of that august event. This remarkable woman now disappears from the Sacred History. A veil is drawn oyer her and her acts. No cause is given for that superstitious devotion which Romanists are wont to accord to her. She was not conceived by miracle, nor have any miracles attended her memory. She was accompanied by a miracle-working- Providence, but that power never was in her hands. All merits in her intercession for others are sup- posititious and uncertain. All we know of her might as well have occurred in the life of any other prudent, good woman, of the royal line of David. Besides, none of this foolish stuff appears in regard to the Princess Mary until Christianity was inundated by a deluge of pagan myths. ELIZABETH. ELIZABETH was of the lineage of the priests of the house of Aaron. She is distinguished in Scripture as the moth- er of John the Baptist. This person was highly honored of God in two respects : she was past the time of child-bearing, and God permitted her to have a son ; she was chosen to give to the world the harbinger of our Lord. Her husband was Zachariah, of the house of Abia. He was in the temple of God, at Jerusalem, offering incense, when the an- gel Gabriel was sent to him, and announced that he was to have a son, who was to fulfil the words of the Prophet, in " prepar- ing the way of the Lord." He was slow to believe, and was afflicted with dumbness until the son was born, when his speech returned to him again. When the Princess Mary was to have her son, the Redeemer, she paid a visit to Elizabeth, who was her cousin, residing in the city of Hebron. Her object was one of congratulation, be- cause of their mutual blessing, as chosen of God for great and yet unequal honors. After three months' visit, the princess re- turned home. Soon after her departure, Elizabeth gave birth to John the Baptist. PROMINENT MEN AND "WOMEN OF THE NEW TESTAMENT. 961 HEROD, THE INFANT SLAYER. HEROD was king in the land of Judea when Jesus Christ came. He had then been sovereign in Judea for thirty- three y ears. We look back on the memory of the period, con- signing his name to the detestation to which his contemporaries assigned it, while we admire his great talents, and the remark- able enterprises and public monuments of his greatness, and place him in the first rank of kings. He was very properly sur- named the Great. This king was the second son of Antipater, the Idumean, and was born B. 0. 71. At twenty-five his father made him gov- ernor of Galilee, where he distinguished himself by the suppres- sion of robbers and the execution of their leader, Hezekiah. In the civil war between the Roman republican leaders and Caesar, he took sides with Cassius, and was made governor of Ccelo-Syria. When Mark Antony arrived victorious in Syria, Herod, by some means, was favored by him, who made Herod and his brother tetrarchs in Judea. Soon after, Antigonus and the Jews joined against him, and were too strong for him ; hence he retired first into his native land, Idumea, and then into Egypt. From thence he departed for Rome to seek better fortunes. On a difference arising in the Asmodean family, Herod obtained the crown of Judea, returned to Jerusalem, and in three years got possession of the country. Then he became guilty of many extortions and cruelties, while he made haste to be rich, and to put the Asmodean race of kings out of his way. When Antony and Octavius quarrelled, and it was necessary for Herod to make choice between them, he raised an army with which to help the former, while, by the determining hand of Providence, Octavius was victor at the battle of Actium. Now it was necessary to make peace with the sole master of the Ro- man world, and, to prepare his way to it, he put Hyrcanus, the last of the Asmodeans, to death. Then he embarked for Rhodes, where Augustus then was. To make his appearance the more impressive, and to flatter his master, he arrayed himself in royal vestments and ornaments, but left off his crown, and thus came into the presence of Caesar. He confessed his attachment to An- 962 BIOGRAPHIES OF THE WRITERS AND OF SOME OF THE tony, recapitulated his acts of devotion to him, and did not hes- itate to refer to his attachment to his former friend and bene- factor. But he was ready to be as true to another friend and benefactor, and delicately intimated that he could be as grateful to Augustus, should he re-confer his crown and kingdom upon him. Struck with Herod's defence, and admiring his ingenuous confession, the crown and kingdom were restored, and a large share of Caesar's confidence and many favors were bestowed upon the re-established king of Judea. But amidst all his prosperity, Herod's domestic felicity was poisoned, his peace was destroyed, and his greatness as a king- was discolored by his vices and deeds as a man. His wife Mari- amne hated him, and was brought to trial, convicted, and ex- ecuted. She submitted to her fate with all the intrepidity of innocency and heroism, and thus stands on the historian's page an honored and an injured woman. Herod was struck with re- morse, and never afterward enjoyed a tranquil hour. Now fly- ing the society of his fellow-men, now ferocious and vindictive, and then frenzied to the last degree, he lost all the distinctions of the well-balanced mind, and sacrificed with brute vengef ill- ness both friends and foes to his momentary fits of rage and hate. In a season of self-possession he built Sebaste and Cesarea, erected many strong fortresses, constructed and ornamented a stately theatre and amphitheatre, in which he celebrated games in honor of Augustus. The statuary used as ornaments in these structures displeased the Jews, who made them the occa- sion of a deep-laid conspiracy against his life, which they had long sought, because of his being a native Idumean, and a murderer of their own Asmodean princes and their families, and the usurper of their throne and kingdom, and above all, a slavish admirer of the hated Roman emperor. To cause himself to be viewed as their benefactor, and to be regarded as an object of veneration, Herod rebuilt the temple of Jehovah, at Jerusalem, in a style at once so magnificent and so costly, that the Jews long spoke of him as devoted to their religion, and as a model king. While thus engaged he made a visit to Rome, the metropolis and mistress of the world, and returned with his two sons, who had been educated there under the patronage of Caesar, furnished with every means of magnifi- PROMINENT MEN AND WOMEN OF THE NEW TESTAMENT. 063 cence and luxury by a doting father. They had not long been in Jerusalem ere they aspired to sovereignty, conspired against their father, were apprehended, tried, convicted, and executed. This summary treatment of conspiracies did not secure him against them, for, through life, every little while he would de- tect and punish a fresh conspiracy by some of his family rela- tions. The deed which, above all others, covers the name of Herod the Great with infamy is the slaughter of the innocents of Bethlehem, in order to make way with our Savior, whose advent had been announced to him by the coming of the wise men to Jerusalem. A dreadful visitation followed this deed. A son, Antipater, named from his grandfather, who had but lately returned from Rome, was arrested by his father's orders, con- victed of conspiring against the life of his father, and was cast into prison, where he was soon after slain by the command of the king. The judgments of heaven seemed now to thicken over him : he was seized by a fatal malady. Tormented by a guilty conscience, hazed by fears of conspiracy on all sides, the most loathsome object imaginable, he not only decreed con- spirators to death while on his dying-bed, but planned murders for others to perpetrate when he should be no longer able to shed human blood. After having bequeathed his kingdom to Archelaus, and two tetrarchies to his other two sons, he called together the chief Jews to Jericho, and bound his sister by an oath to have them all put to death on his demise. But she broke this wicked oath, and, with her husband Alexis, set the Jews at liberty. This bloody tyrant died at sixty-eight years of age, dreaded by his subjects, loathed by his relatives, detested by mankind, and held up as a symbol of infamy on every historian's page who records his name. HEROD ANTIPAS. THIS Herod was son of Herod the Great. His mother was Cleopatra of Jerusalem. His father at first intended Antipas to succeed him as king, but afterward changed his will, 964 BIOGRAPHIES OF THE WRITERS ±NT> OP SOME OF THE and made Archelaus his heir and successor. But both of these princes went to Rome, and Augustus changed the portions to each, giving to Antipas, Galilee and Peraea. Herod Antipas returned to his dominions, and there built fortresses, and adorned the chief places in his dominions. About A. D. 33, he was allied to Aretas, king of Arabia, by the marriage of his daughter, whom he soon divorced, that he might marry Herodias, the wife of his brother Philip, who was still living. This incestuous marriage was denounced by John the Baptist in deservedly severe terms, and caused Herod much anxiety. Herod often heard this truly wonderful man, and did many things taught by him, but Herodias held him in the toils of vicious indulgence so strongly that he would not give her up. Therefore, a conspiracy was formed against his teacher's life by Herodias and her daughter. They watched their opportunity, and finally chose a fair opportunity. A birthday, from immemo- rial usage, was a day of great hilarity and festive day in the palace. The guests would be full of wine, and therefore easily pleased. This was the auspicious day for the artful plot of vengeance against the Baptist, who then lay in prison, for his plain dealing with the adulterous king. The daughter of Herodias entered the festive assembly of wine-drinkers, and danced before them. They were delighted, and Herod pledged, by an oath, that he would give the damsel what she might desire. She retired to the apartments of her mother, and was there advised what to ask. She returned, and preferred her request, in these remarkable words : " Give me here John the Baptist's head in a charger." Revenge against John for his truthfulness, was sweeter to Herodias than anything else could be. Herod was sad at this unexpected turn of affairs, and would gladly have delivered John. His oath, and his honorable guests, who had all joined in the pledge to the daughter, decided the matter against the life of a good and great man. A guard was dis- patched to the prison, who there beheaded John, and brought the head into the guest-hall of Herod, and it was there given to the damsel, who took it to her mother. Aretas, king of Arabia, was deeply affronted at the treatment which his daughter had received at the hands of Herod, and went against him with a strong force. After an obstinate battle, in Prominent men and women of the new testament. 065 which the fortunes of the conflict were with the avenger of the injured princess of Arabia, Antipas made terms with Aretas, highly honorable to the victor. In A. D. 39, Herodias persuaded Antipas to visit Rome, and desire of Caius, who was emperor, that he might be a king, at least equal to her own brother Agrippa. She, hoping to add to his application the weight of her own presence, decided to accompany him to Rome. When he had arrived at Baiae, where the emperor then was, and was having his first audience with him, Agrippa's messenger arrived, and presented letters against the cause of Antipas, accusing him of designing a conspiracy against the Roman Empire. In proof of this accusation, he stated that Antipas had fortified the chief cities of his government, and was then in correspondence with the old-time enemies of Rome, the Parthians. Besides, he had no other use for seventy stand of arms, then in the arsenals of Galilee. Not being able to answer these things, he was banished to Lyons, in Gaul. The emperor offered to forgive Herodias, for the sake of Agrippa, her brother ; but she preferred to share the banish- ment of her husband. This Antipas is the Herod mentioned in the Gospel, who was made a friend to Pilate by his act of defer- ence in sending Jesus to him, when he knew that Jesus belonged unto Herod's jurisdiction. Herod's men of war were permitted to array the person of the Savior in the tawdry, cast-off clothes of royalty, and in this condition he was returned to Pilate, as a full answer to the question whether he need fear the pretensions of such an individual. How little the mocking Herod knew that he was then filling a cup of bitterness to the very brim, whose overflowing he would so soon drink, away on the banks of a little river in Gaul, just beneath the overhanging Cevennes, and in sight of the ever memorable Mont Blanc. PILATE. PILATE was sent to govern Judea, in the room of Gratus, A. D. 26 or 27. His term of ten years' official position in Judea closed in the twenty-second year of Tiberius. He was a 966 BIOGRAPHIES OP THE WRITERS AND OF SOME OF THE man of an impetuous and obstinate temper, and sold justice for money. He has a fearful name on the page of history, credited with rapine and injuries, and tortures of the innocent, and murders. His cruelty has amounted to a proverb of reproach. During the whole time of his government of Judea, the country was in continual disquiet, and his conduct was the occasion of the troubles and revolt which followed. Luke says that Pilate mingled the blood of Galileans with their sacrifices. The reason why he so treated them is unknown. AVhen on trial before him, he made some faint attempts to re- lease Jesus from the hands of the Jews, for he was not ignorant of the reasons for their enmity against Him. His wife sent a message to him, while Jesus was in the judgment-hall, warning him not to injure that just person. He was alarmed by the seeming import of this message, as if it might portend evil to him. He proposed to release Jesus, or Barabbas, taking ad- vantage of the day of the Passover, because of an ancient cus- tom. But this did not please the Jews ; therefore they threat- ened him, by intimating that he was friendly to Jesus, as king, to the prejudice of the Roman authority in Judea. They un- derstood how much trouble the province of Syria had been to the Roman emperors immediately before him, and that the Jews were perpetually on the eve of a revolt. This threat was enough to end the whole matter. Pilate took water and washed his hands, in token of his innocency of Jesus' blood, and they took the blood-feud to themselves. He then gave Jesus to their will. Pilate was deposed by Vitellus, the pro-consul of Syria, and sent to Rome, to give an account of his conduct to the emperor. Tiberius died ere he arrived. But Caligula sentenced him to banishment, and he passed a brief period at Vienne, in Gaul, where, at last, weary of life, and hated by his fellow-men, he laid violent hands upon himself. Pilate acted as judge, not because it was legally his place, but because Judea was under him as procurator, and it had fallen to his office in the absence of the pro-consul, who resided at Da- mascus, the then capital of the pro-consular province of Syria. PROMINENT MEN AND WOMEN OF THE NEW TESTAMENT. 967 FELIX. CLAUDIUS FELIX came to the government of Judea after Oumanus, in the days of the Apostles. He was a man of infamous character, and a plague to the-land over which he pre- sided. What brings this man's name into the sacred history is its connection with Paul, who was frequently brought before him, during the space of two years, as under trial for his life un- der three charges: sedition, heresy, and profanation of the tem- ple. Felix was so oppressive that Tacitus leaves the following record of him : il he exercised the authority committed to him with all manner of cruelty and lewdness." His residence was at the city of Cesarea, where Paul was brought for safe-keeping,, by an escort of Roman soldiers, provided and sent by Claudius Lysias, the tribune at Jerusalem. Cesarea was near seventy miles from Jerusalem, and Antipatris thirty-eight, to the north- west from that city. Paul makes his defense before Felix, who was attended by his wife, Drusilla. This defense was a bold and just rendering of the gospel, in regard to righteousness, temperance, and judg- ment to come. Its effect upon Felix was deep, but momentary, for he trembled under the appeals of the Apostle, but put the whole matter off, and clung to his paramour, and his vices. Among this man's vices we notice avarice, for he frequently sent for Paul, hoping that the prisoner's friends would pay him largesses for his freedom. Money stood before justice, adul- tery before chastity, and popular esteem with the Jews before good government, while Felix held the government of Judea in his hands. Felix was recalled to Rome A. D. 60, and was followed thith- er by many of the Jews, whose object was to complain of his ex- tortion and various acts by which his government in Judea had been disgraced. Had not his own brother, Pallas, interceded for him, the indignation of the emperor would have been fatal to him. As it was, Felix was no more intrusted with the confi- dence of the emperor, but lived the remainder of his life in se- clusion. 968 BIOGRAPHIES OF THE WRITERS AND OF SOME OF THE PEST as. POKTIUS FESTUS succeeded Felix in the government of Judea. He suppressed robbers, put down a magician (vho drew away many people after him into the desert, and re- stored the land to order and good government. In regard to the case of Paul, Festus intended to have him safe at Cesarea, and to hear him on the subject matters of his accusation by the Jews. In the mean time, Paul, a partial hearing or examination being had, appealed unto the tribunal of the emperor, as this was his right because of his citizenship, and because the Jews were a party against a Roman citizen. Before, however, he is sent to Rome, Herod Agrippa desired Festus to have a hearing of Paul, that he might both see and hear so distinguished a man. Festus so decided. When Paul was permitted to answer for himself, he did so in the most masterly manner. The tribunal was one before which he had never before spoken ; for Festus was seated, that day, in royal state, with Agrippa, and his wife, Bernice, with the tribunes and chief men of the city. How his distinguished auditors were affected may be read in the twenty-sixth chapter of the Acts of the Apostles. For nothing can be more suitable, or more graceful, than this entire discourse of Paul before Agrippa. The Christian is dignified, earnest, and serious ; the Apostle is bold, strong, and even grand ; the gentleman is polite ; and the scholar is faultless in his erudition. Such a union of great qualities they never heard from another man of that age, for no other was so capable. PRUSILLA. HEROD AGRIPPA, who put the Apostle James to death and imprisoned Peter, and was himself delivered by the just judgments of God to a most horrible death, by being eaten of worms, had a third daughter, Drusilla. She was renowned PROMINENT MEN AND WOMEN OF THE NEW TESTAMENT. 909 for her beauty, but was a stranger to both piety and chastity. She was promised to Epiphanes, son of Antiochus, king of Comagena, upon assurance from this prince that he would espouse Judaism and be circumcised. But subsequently he re- fused to fulfil the condition, and the marriage was broken off, and Drusilla was afterward married to Azizus, king of Emessa. This beautiful woman was persuaded by Eelix, when governor of Judea, to forsake her lawful husband, the king of Emessa, and become his wife, returning thus to her own people, though wedded to a heathen. Her life was brief and troubled. After her husband had fallen under the displeasure of the emperor, and had returned to seclusion, Drusilla, attended by a son by him, went to reside in that delightful country about the Bay of Naples. The last we know of Drusilla is that she and her son both perished by an eruption of Mount Vesuvius. BERNICE. THIS name is Berenice, but is shortened to Bernice. She was daughter of Agrippa the Great, and sister of Agrippa the younger. She was a woman of remarkable beauty, and of va- ried fortunes. Betrothed to Mark, son of Alexander Lysima- chus, alabarch of Alexandria, she did not go to him, but was married to her own uncle on her father's side, Herod, king of Chalcis. After the death of Herod, she proposed to Polemon, king of Pontus and part of Cilicia, that, if he would be circum- cised she would marry him. Polemon complied with her propo- sal, but she did not remain long with him. Berenice returned to her own brother, Agrippa, with whom she lived on terms of scandalous intimacy ; that is, she has cred- it of being his paramour. Here it may be proper to say, that no class of persons in the world has been more infected with the libidinous passions than has the class which includes royal fam- ilies : virtuous domestic life has been the exception, and not the rule. 36UYB_ Ml J Princeton Theological Seminary Libraries 1012 01300 3993