Bible Commentaries

Zechariah 7:14 — that he had said, and which had come to pass. Among all nations whom they knew not. So God had repeatedly said by Jeremiah, “I will cast you out of this land into a land that ye know not, ye nor your fathers; where I will not show you favor” (Jeremiah 16:13; add Jeremiah 15:14; Jeremiah 17:4). This was the aggravation of the original woe in the law: “The Lord shall bring a nation against thee from far, from the end of the earth, a nation whose tongue thou shalt not understand, a nation of fierce countenance”

Zechariah 9:15 — own sake and for My servant David’s sake” . The word is used by Isaiah only before Zechariah, and of the protection of Almighty God. The image of the complete protection on all sides stands first in God’s words to Abraham, “I am thy shield” Genesis 15:1; David thence says to God, “Thou, O Lord, art a shield around me” (Psalms 3:4, (Psalms 3:3 in English)).And they shall devour, and subdue - Or more probably (as in the margin), “shall tread on, the stones of the sling,” as in the image of leviathan

Malachi 2:15 — man became a living soul.” All the souls, which God would ever create, are His, and He could have called them into being at once. Yet in order to designate the unity of marriage, He willed to create but one. So our Lord argues against divorce Matthew 19:4-6, “Have ye not read, that He which made them at the beginning, made them male and female?” They both together are called “one man” Genesis 1:27, and, therefore, should be of one mind and spirit also, the unity of which they ought faithfully to preserve.And

Matthew 23:5 — certain portions of the Old Testament. The practice of using phylacteries was founded on a literal interpretation of that passage where God commands the Hebrews to have the law as a sign on their foreheads, and as frontlets between their eyes, Exodus 13:16; compare Proverbs 3:1, Proverbs 3:3; Proverbs 6:21. One kind of phylactery was called a “frontlet,” and was composed of four pieces of parchment, on the first of which was written Exodus 12:2-10; on the second, Exodus 13:11-21; on the third, Deuteronomy

Matthew 26:58 — all. Religion requires us to be near to Christ. We may measure our piety by our desire to be with him, to be like him, and by our willingness to follow him always - through trials, contempt, persecution, and death. Compare the notes at Philippians 3:10. John says that another disciple went with Peter. By that other disciple it is commonly supposed, as he did not mention his name, that he meant himself. He was acquainted with the high priest, and went immediately into the hall.Unto the high priest’s

Matthew 7:7-11 — Ask, and it shall be given you ... - There are here three different forms presented of seeking the things which we need from God - asking, ‘seeking, and knocking. The latter is taken from the act of knocking at a door for admittance. See Luke 13:25; Revelation 3:20. The phrases signify to seek with earnestness, diligence, and perseverance. The promise is, that what we seek shall be given us. It is of course implied that we seek with a proper spirit, with humility, sincerity, and perseverance.

Luke 1:1 — extraordinary, clear, and awful. His life and death had been peculiar; and it is not improbable - indeed it is highly probable that such broken accounts and narratives of detached facts would be preserved. That this is what Luke means appears farther from Luke 1:3, where “he” professes to give a regular, full, and systematic account from the very beginning - “having had perfect understanding of “all things from the very first.” The records of the others - the “many” - were broken and incomplete. His were to

Luke 24:32 — how precious and tender are the communications of the Saviour, and how the heart glows with love as they think or hear of his life, and sufferings, and death.He opened to us - He explained to us the Scriptures. See Luke 24:27.This narrative shows us,1. How blind people may be to the plainest doctrines of the Scriptures until they are explained to them. These disciples had often read or heard the Scriptures, but never, until then, did they fully understand that the Messiah must suffer.2. It is proper

Luke 7:16 — performed.Glorified God - Praised or honored God that he had sent such a prophet.And, That God hath visited his people - Some said one thing and some another, but all expressing their belief that God had showed special favor to the people.Hath visited - See Luke 1:68.The raising of this young man was one of the most decisive and instructive of our Lord’s miracles. There was no doubt that he was dead. There could be no delusion, and no agreement to impose on the people. He came near to the city with no reference

John 3:8 — see the trees moved, or the waters of the ocean piled on heaps, or feet the cooling effects of a summer’s breeze. In those cases we attribute it to the “wind,” though we see it not, and though we do not understand its operations. We may learn, hence: 1.That the proper evidence of conversion is the effect on the life. 2.That we are not too curiously to search for the cause or manner of the change. 3.That God has power over the most hardened sinner to change him, as he has power over the loftiest oak,

Acts 19:12 — occurs in the case of the woman who was healed by touching the hem of the Saviour’s garment, Matthew 9:20-22.Unto the sick - The sick who were at a distance, and who were unable to go where he was. If it be asked why this was done, it may be observed:(1) That the working of miracles in that region would greatly contribute to the spread of the gospel.(2) We are not to suppose that there was any efficacy in the aprons thus brought, or in the mere fact that they had touched the body of Paul, anymore than

Acts 23:3 — agitation that occurred in Jerusalem when the robbers, or Sicarii, under their leader, Manahem, had taken possession of the city. He attempted to conceal himself in an aqueduct, but was drawn forth and killed. See Josephus, Jewish Wars, book 2, chapter 17, section 8. Thus, Paul’s prediction was fulfilled.Thou whited wall - This is evidently a proverbial expression, meaning thou hypocrite. His hypocrisy consisted in the fact that while he pretended to sit there to do justice, he commanded the accused

Acts 26:24 — Amazed at the zeal of Paul. Paul doubtless evinced deep interest in the subject, and great earnestness in the delivery of his defense.Thou art beside thyself - Thou art deranged; thou art insane. The reasons why Festus thought Paul mad were, probably:(1) His great earnestness and excitement on the subject.(2) His laying such stress on the gospel of the despised Jesus of Nazareth, as if it were a matter of infinite moment. Festus despised it; and he regarded it as proof of derangement that so much importance

Acts 7:4 — Land of the Chaldeans - From Ur of the Chaldees, Genesis 11:31.When his father was dead - This passage has given rise to no small difficulty in the interpretation. The difficulty is this: From Genesis 11:26, it would seem that Abraham was born when Terah was 70 years of age. “And Terah lived seventy years,

Romans 10:8 — But what saith it? - That is, what is the language of the doctrine of justification by faith? Or what is to be done according to that doctrine?The word is nigh thee - This is still a use of the language of Moses. Deuteronomy 30:14. The meaning is, the doctrine is not difficult to be understood and embraced. What is nigh us may be easily obtained. What is remote, with difficulty. The doctrine of Moses and of the gospel was nigh; that is, it was easily obtained, embraced, and

Romans 11:26 — clear that he means that even then every individual of them would be saved, but the body of them; the great mass of the nation would be. Nor is it said when this would be. This is one of the things which “the Father hath put in his own power;” Acts 1:7. He has given us the assurance that it shall be done to encourage us in our efforts to save them; and he has concealed the time when it shall be, lest we should relax our efforts, or feel that no exertions were needed to accomplish what must take

Romans 15:19 — Through mighty signs and wonders - By stupendous and striking miracles; see the note at Acts 2:43. Paul here refers, doubtless, to the miracles which he had himself performed; see Acts 19:11-12, “And God wrought special miracles by the hands of Paul,” etc.By the power of the Spirit of God - This may either be connected with signs and wonders, and then it will mean that those miracles were performed by the power of the Holy Spirit; or

Romans 6:19 — illustration with which you have been familiar, than you would one that would be more abstract, and more strictly spiritual.” It is a kind of apology for drawing an illustration from the relation of master and slave.For as ye have yielded - Note, Romans 6:13. Servants to uncleanness. Have been in bondage to impurity. The word “uncleanness” here refers to impurity of life in any form; to the degraded passions that were common among the heathen; see Romans 1:0.And to iniquity - Transgression of law.Unto

Romans 7:24 — O wretched man that I am! - The feeling implied by this lamentation is the result of this painful conflict; and this frequent subjection to sinful propensities. The effect of this conflict is,(1) To produce pain and distress. It is often an agonizing struggle between good and evil; a struggle which annoys the peace, and renders life wretched.(2) It tends to produce humility. It is humbling to man to be thus under the influence of evil passions.

Romans 9:1 — to witness. It is certainly to be regarded, in its obvious sense, as an appeal to Christ as the searcher of the heart, and as the judge of falsehood. Thus, the word translated “in” ἐν en is used in the form of an oath in Matthew 5:34-36; Revelation 10:6, Greek. We are to remember that the apostle was addressing those who had been Jews; and the expression has all the force of an oath “by the Messiah.” This shows that it is right on great and solemn occasions, and in a solemn manner, and thus only,