Page images
PDF
EPUB

A. D. 33.

MATT. XXIII. 17-23.

[blocks in formation]

Καὶ ὁ ὀμόσας ἐν τῷ ναῷ, ομνύει ἐν αὐτῷ, καὶ ἐν τῷ κατοικοῦντι αὐτόν·

And whoso shall swear by the temple, sweareth by it, a and by him that dwelleth therein.

a I have surely built thee an house to dwell in, a settled place for thee to abide in for ever, 1 Kings viii. 13. But will God indeed dwell on the earth? behold, the heaven and heaven of heavens cannot contain thee; how much less this house that I have builded? 27. But I have built an house of habitation for thee, and a place for thy dwelling for ever, 2 Chron. vi. 2. And the priests could not enter into the house of the LORD, because the glory of the LORD had filled the LORD's house, vii. 2. LORD, I have loved the habitation of thine house, and the place where thine honour dwelleth, Psal. xxvi. 8. For the LORD hath chosen Zion; he hath desired it for his habitation. This is my rest for ever: here will I dwell; for I have desired it, cxxxii. 13, 14.

[blocks in formation]
[ocr errors]

A. D. 33. sweareth a by the throne of God, and by him that sitteth thereon.

a But I say unto you, swear not at all; neither by heaven; for it is God's throne, Matt. v. 34. The LORD is

in his holy temple, the LORD's throne is in heaven : his eyes behold, his eyelids try, the children of men, Psal. xi. 4. Thus saith the LORD, The heaven is my throne, and the earth is: stool: where is the house that ye built my footunto me? and where is the place of my rest? Isa. lxvi. 1. Heaven is my throne, and earth is my footstool: what house will ye build me? saith the Lord : or what is the place of my rest? Acts vii. 49. And immediately I was in the spirit: and, behold, a throne was set in heaven, and one sat on the throne. And he that sat was ́to look upon like a jasper and a sardine stone: and there was a rainbow round about the throne, in sight like unto an emerald, Rev. iv. 2, 3.

VER. 23.

Οὐαὶ ὑμῖν, Γραμματεῖς καὶ Φαρισαῖοι, ὑποκριταὶ· ὅτι ἀποδεκατοῦσε τὸ ἡδύοσμον, καὶ τὸ ἄνηθον, καὶ τὸ κύμινον, καὶ ἀφήκατε τὰ βαρύτερα τοῦ νόμου, τὴν κρίσιν, καὶ τὸν ἔλεον, καὶ τὴν πίστιν· ταῦτα ἔδει ποιῆσαι, nḍnɛīva un åpiéval.

Woe unto you, Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! afor ye pay tithe of mint and *anise and cummin, and have omitted b the weightier matters of the law, judg ment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.

* Gr. ävnov, dill.

a But woe unto you, Pharisees! for ye tithe mint and rue and all manner of herbs, and pass over judgment and the love of God: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone, Luke xi. 42.

b But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance, Matt. ix. 13. But if ye had known what this meaneth, I will have mercy and not sacrifice, ye would not have condemned the guiltless, xii. 7. Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God, with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy

[blocks in formation]

neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets, xxii. 37-40. And Samuel said, Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt-offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams, 1 Sam. xv. 22. To do justice and judgment is more acceptable to the LORD than sacrifice, Prov. xxi. 3. For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice, and the knowledge of God more than burnt-offerings, Hos. vi. 6. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law, Gal. v. 22, 23. c Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them; the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I say unto you, that except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven, Matt. v. 19, 20.

VER. 24.

A. D. 33.

into the treasury, because it is the price of blood. And they took counsel, and bought with them the potter's field, to bury strangers in. Wherefore that field was called, The field of blood, unto this day, xxvii. 6—8. And the Scribes and Pharisees watched him, whether he would heal on the sabbath day; that they might find an accusation against him, Luke vi. 7. And looking round about upon them all, he said unto the man, Stretch forth thy hand. And he did so and his hand was restored whole as the other, 10. Then led they Jesus from Caiaphas unto the hall of judgment: and it was early; and they themselves went not into the judgment hall, lest they should be defiled; but that they might eat the passover, John xviii. 28. Then cried they all again, saying, Not this man, but Barabbas. Now Barabbas was a robber, 40.

VER. 25.

Οὐαὶ ὑμῖν, Γραμματεῖς καὶ Φαρισαῖοι, ὑποκριταὶ· ὅτι καθαρίζετε τὸ ἔξωθεν τοῦ ποτηρίου καὶ τῆς παροψίδος, ἔσωθεν δὲ γέμουσιν ἐξ ἁρπαγῆς καὶ ἀκρασίας.

Woe unto you, Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! afor ye make clean the out

Οδηγοί τυφλοί, οἱ διυλίζοντες τὸν κώ- side of the cup and of the platter, but νωπα, τὴν δὲ κάμηλον καταπίνοντες.

Ye blind guides, which strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel.

a Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye? Matt. vii. 4. Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? for they wash not their hands when they eat bread. But he answered and said unto them, Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition? For God commanded, saying, Honour thy father and mother: and, He that curseth father or mother, let him die the death. But ye say, Whosoever shall say to his father or his mother, It is a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me; And honour not his father or his mother, he shall be free. Thus have ye made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition, xv. 2-6. And the Chief Priests took the silver pieces, and said, It is not lawful for to put them

within they are full of extortion and

excess.

a For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies: These are the things which defile a man: but to eat with unwashen hands defileth not a man, Matt. xv. 19, 20. And when they come from the market, except they wash, they eat not. And many other things there be, which they have received to hold, us the washing of cups, and pots, brasen vessels, and of tables, Mark vii. 4. And the Lord said unto him, Now do ye Pharisees make clean the outside of the cup and the platter; but your inward part is full of ravening and wickedness. Ye fools, did not he that made that which is without make that which is within also? Luke xi. 39, 40.

b But they also have erred through wine, and through strong drink are out of the way; the priest and the prophet have erred through strong

[blocks in formation]
[blocks in formation]

a Either make the tree good, and his fruit good; or else make the tree corrupt, and his fruit corrupt for the tree is known by his fruit, Matt. xii. 33. Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon, Isa. lv. 7. O Jerusalem, wash thine heart from wickedness, that thou mayest be saved. How long shall vain thoughts lodge within thee? Jer. iv. 14. I have seen thine adulteries, and thy neighings, the lewdness of thy whoredom, and thine abominations on the hills in the fields. Woe unto thee, O Jerusalem! wilt thou not be made clean? when shall it once be? xiii. 27.

Castaway from you all your transgressions, whereby ye have transgressed; and make you a new heart, and a new spirit: for why will ye die, O house of Israel? Ezek. xviii. 31. A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart, bringeth forth that which is evil; for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh, Luke vi. 45. Having therefore these promises dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God, 2 Cor. vii. 1. Let us draw near with a true heart, in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water, Heb. x. 22. Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands ye sinners; and purify your hearts ye double-minded, Jam.

iv. 8.

VER. 27.

A. D. 33.

Οὐαὶ ὑμῖν, Γραμματεῖς καὶ Φαρισαῖοι, ὑποκριταὶ· ὅτι παρομοιάζετε τάφοις κεκοσ νιαμένοις, οἵτινες ἔξωθεν μὲν φαίνονται ὡραῖοι, ἔσωθεν δὲ γέμουσιν ὀστέων νεκρῶν, καὶ πάons analapolas.

Woe unto you, Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are a like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness.

ness,

a Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and shew my people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins. Yet they seek me daily, and delight to know my ways, as a nation that did righteousand forsook not the ordinance of their God: they ask of me the ordinance of justice; they take delight in approaching to God, Isa. lviii. 1, 2, Woe unto you Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are as graves which appear not, and the men that walk over them are not aware of them, Luke xi. 44. Then said Paul unto him, God shall smite thee, thou whited wall: for sittest thou to judge me after the law, and commandest me to be smitten contrary to the law? Acts xxiii. 3.

VER. 28.

Οὕτω καὶ ὑμεῖς ἔξωθεν μέν φαίνεσθε τοῖς ἀνθρώποις δίκαιοι, ἔσωθεν δὲ μεστοί ἐστε ironpicewç nai avopias.

Even so aye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, b but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.

a But all their works they do for to be seen of men: they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments, 5. But the LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature, because I have refused him: for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart, 1 Sam. xvi. 7. Behold thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom, Psal. li. 6. The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? I the LORD, search the heart, I try the reins, even to give to every man according to his ways,

[blocks in formation]

and according to the fruit of his doings, Jer. xvii. 9, 10. And he said unto them, Ye are they which justify yourselves before men; but God knoweth your hearts for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God, Luke xvi. 15.

O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bring eth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things, Matt. xii. 34, 35. For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies: These are the things which defile a man: but to eat with unwashen hands defileth not a man, xv. 19, 20. For from within,out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness: All these evil things come from within, and defile the man, Mark

vii. 21-23.

VER. 29.

Οὐαὶ ὑμῖν, Γραμματεῖς καὶ Φαρισαῖοι, ὑποκριταὶ· ὅτι οἰκοδομεῖτε τοὺς τάφους των προφητῶν, καὶ κοσμεῖτε τὰ μνημεῖα τῶν δικαίων·

Woe unto you, Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because aye build the tombs of the prophets, and garnish the sepulchres of the righteous,

a Woe unto you! for ye build the sepulchres of the prophets, and your fathers killed them. Truly ye bear witness that ye allow the deeds of your fathers for they indeed killed them, and ye build their sepulchres, Luke xi. 47, 48.

VER. 30.

Καὶ λέγετε· Εἶ ἦμεν ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις τῶν πατέρων ἡμῶν, οὐκ ἂν ἦμεν κοινωνοί αὐτῶν ἐν τῷ αἵματι τῶν προφητῶν.

And say, If we had been in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in a the blood of the prophets.

a See on chap. xxi. ver. 35.
VER. 31.

Ὥστε μαρτυρεῖτε ἑαυτοῖς, ὅτι υἱοί ἐστε τῶν φονευσάντων τοὺς προφήτας.

A. D. 33.

Wherefore ye be a witnesses unto yourselves, that bye are the children of them which killed the prophets.

a And Joshua said unto the people, Ye are witnesses against yourselves that ye have chosen you the LORD, to serve him. And they said, We are witnesses, Josh. xxiv. 22. For thy mouth uttereth thine iniquity, and thou choosest the tongue of the crafty. Thine own mouth condemneth thee, and not I: yea, thine own lips testify against thee, Job xv. 5, 6. So they shall make their own tongue to fall upon themselves: all that see them shall flee away, Psal. Ixiv. 8. And he saith unto him, Out of thine own mouth will I judge thee, thou wicked servant. Thou knewest that I was an austere man, taking up that I laid not down, and reaping that I did not sow, Luke xix. 22.

b Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye. Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted? and they have slain them which shewed before of the coming of the Just One; of whom ye have been now the betrayers and murderers, Acts vii. 51, 52. Who both killed the Lord Jesus, and their own prophets, and have persecuted us; and they please not God, and are contrary to all men: Forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles that they might be saved, to fill up their sins alway: for the wrath is come upon them to the uttermost, 1 Thess. ii. 15, 16.

VER. 32.

Καὶ ὑμεῖς πληρώσατε τὸ μέτρον τῶν πατέρων ὑμῶν.

Fill ye up then a the measure of your fathers.

a But in the fourth generation they shall come hither again: for the ini quity of the Amorites is not yet full, And, behold, ye are Gen. xv. 16. risen up in your fathers' stead, an increase of sinful men, to augment yet the fierce anger of the LORD toward Israel, Numb. xxxii. 14.

VER. 33.

Ὄφεις, γεννήματα ἐχιδνῶν, πῶς φύγητε ἀπὸ τῆς κρίσεως τῆς γεέννης;

[blocks in formation]
[blocks in formation]

a See on chap. iii. ver. 7. clause 2. b Woe unto you, Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for devour widows' houses, and for a pretence make long prayer: therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation, ver. 14. How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him, Heb. ii. 3.

Of

how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace? x. 29. See that ye refuse not him that speaketh. For if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, much more shall not we escape, if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven, xii. 25.

VER. 34.

Διὰ τοῦτο, ἰδοὺ, ἐγὼ ἀποστέλλω πρὸς ὑμᾶς προφήτας, καὶ σοφοὺς, καὶ γραμματεῖς· καὶ ἐξ αὐτῶν ἀποκτενεῖτε καὶ σταυ ρώσετε, καὶ ἐξ αὐτῶν μαστιγώσετε ἐν ταῖς συναγωγαῖς ὑμῶν, καὶ διώξετε ἀπὸ πόλεως εἰς πόλιν·

Wherefore, behold, a I send unto you b prophets, and wise men, and a scribes: e and some of them ye shall kill and crucify; and some of them shall ye scourge in your synagogues, and persecute them from city to city:

a Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves, Matt. x. 16. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen, xxviii. 19, 20. Therefore also said the wisdom of God, I will send them prophets and apostles, and some of them they shall slay and persecute, Luke xi. 49. And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in

A. D. 33.

his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem, xxiv. 47. Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you, John xx. 21. But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye

shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judæa, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth, Acts i. 8. Wherefore I give you to understand, that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth

Jesus accursed: and that no man can

say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost. Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all.

to

But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal. For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit; to another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; another divers kinds of tongues, to another discerning of spirits; to another the interpretation of tongues : But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will, 1 Cor. xii. he ascended up on high, he led cap3-11. Wherefore, he saith, When (Now that he ascended, what tivity captive, and gave gifts unto men. but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth? He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.) And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, Eph. iv. 8-12.

b And in these days came prophets from Jerusalem unto Antioch, Acts xi. 27. Now there were in the church. that was at Antioch certain prophets and teachers; as Barnabas, and Simeon that was called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen, which had been brought up with Herod the

it

[ocr errors]
« PreviousContinue »