PUBLIC-DOMAIN CHRISTIAN BOOK
Gnomon of the New Testament — Volume 1
Bengel, Johann Albrecht, 1687-1752 · 248,436 words · 558 reading sections
252 St Matthew Xi. 6, 7.
disciples of John then saw and heard, are meant ; cf. Luke iv. 18, concerning the prediction of this work.1 Nor did all poor men as yet preach the Gospel, but only the apostles. See Matt. x. 7. 6. JViaxa^/oj, blessed) A rare felicity. That very circumstance, that many should be offended in Him, was foretold as a s…
429 wordsSECTION 242St Matthew ,X I. 8-10. 253
8. 'AXXa, but) The conjunction is employed to show that the preceding hypothesis has been dismissed. — sv ,aaXaxo/? i^ariotg fifAtpitsftsvov, clothed in soft raiment) They would have wished the forerunner, and the Messiah Himself, to have been such. — ra, the} The article refers to the preceding /xaXaxo/fc.1 — popo…
477 wordsSECTION 243254 St Matthew Xi. 11.
ately before Thee. The LXX. have gga/<p vq$ (immediately) in the passage just quoted. John was not a prophet of distant events. — See Luke i. 76. The advent of the Father and of the Son are the same, and so is the language which applies to them. It is one of the strongest arguments for the divinity of Christ, that …
459 wordsSECTION 244O ' Cu
as their King. — Cf. the phrase in ch. v. 19. He is never called less than John, nor least in the kingdom of heaven. The least in the kingdom of heaven, is the least of the citizens of the king- dom. In that THIRD point 1 in which John is greater than others, the least in the kingdom of heaven is less than the othe…
783 wordsSECTION 245St Matthew Xt. 1G-19. 257
15. rHr« axoveiv, ears to hear) Thus the LXX. in Deut. xxix. 1 Just as happens in the case of wares exposed for sale in public. -V.g. 2 See Append. Antonomasia here applies the name Elias to John, not literally, but analogously ; as Elias was in the O. Test., so John in prepar ing for the coming N. Test, kingdom. …
526 wordsSECTION 246258 St Matthew Xi. 19.
was anciently a widely received reading. Ambrose, on Luke vii. 35, says : — " Therefore wisdom is justified of all her chil dren.1 It is well said l of all, because justice is observed towards all [i.e. in God's dealings with all], so that the faithful may be accepted, the unfaithful rejected. Very many of the Gre…
470 wordsSECTION 247' / J. / •/ O »/
towards such persons, and she is therefore thus compelled at last to justify herself. Luke xv. 1, 2, etc. — V. g.] 20. TOTS vpZaro, then He began) He had not previously up - braided them. This upbraiding is the prelude to the Last Judgment. Every hearer of the New Testament is either much more blessed (v. 11) or m…
402 wordsSECTION 248200 St Matthew Xt. 2% 20.
25. ' Axoxpidit;, answering) Sc. to those things which He was considering concerning His Father's design, His own thoughts, and the character of His disciples.1 — l^oXoyo^aa/, / praise) Nothing can be predicated with praise of God, which is not so in fact : min, praise* is predication.4 Jesus returned thanks to Hi…
493 wordsSECTION 249O *
praise. For avexpu-^ag, Thou hast kept concealed, cf. ver. 27 ; for av-exaXu-^ac, Thou hast revealed, cf. again ver. 27, at the end. — raura, these things) Concerning the Father and the Son, concerning the kingdom of heaven. — eopuv, the wise) i.e. those who arrogate to themselves the character of wisdom.1 — evvtru…
722 wordsSECTION 250St Matthew Xi. 30.-Xii. 1, 2. 263
29. "Apart, take ye) To take the yoke of Christ upon us, is to give oneself up wholly to His discipline. — 6V/, x.r.X., because, etc.) Hence it appears why we should willingly learn from Jesus. Our meekness and lowliness are consequent upon our so doing. — xpaoc £/>/ 7.0.1 raveivbg, x.r.X., I am meek and lowly, etc…
356 wordsSECTION 251264 St Matthew Xii. 3-5.
1. 'Ev ixtlvui rti xaipti, at that time) The Pharisees interrupted Him even at that most unseasonable2 time. — $f£«m r/XXs/i*, be gan to pluck) The Pharisees interrupted Him immediately. It required some labour to shake out a sufficient number of grains from the ears to appease their hunger. 2. '!&>;), X.T.X., beh…
619 wordsSECTION 252St Matthew Xii. G- 10. 265
is opposed to ayiov, sacred, nor does it always imply impurity or guilt.— See Lev. x. 10, and 1 Sam. xxi. 4. 6. As/w, / say) This form of speech expresses great autho rity. — rr>~j itpov, the temple) In which the priests minister. The Temple gives way to Christ, the Sabbath (ver. 5) to the Temple ; therefore the S…
444 wordsSECTION 253266 St Matthew Xii. 11-18.
broken the Sabbath, which was then greatly respected even by courts of law. See ver. 14. 11. Hpo&aTov IV, one sheep) The loss of which was not great. — ov%i xparfasi, will he not take hold of) A verb also suited to the healing of the hand. In our Saviour's time this was permitted, since then it has been forbidden …
502 wordsSECTION 254St Matthew Xii. 18. 267
and He shall announce judgment to the Gentiles, lie shall not strive nor cry; neither shall any man hear His voice in the streets. A bruised reed shall He not break, and smoking flax shall fie not quench, till fie send forth judgment unto victory. And in His name shall the Gentiles trust. The LXX. thus render Is. x…
504 wordsSECTION 255268 St Matthew Xii. 19, 20.
are parallel ; and also, / have chosen, and I am well pleased. — fip'tnffa, I have chosen — a/ptri£>fiv = a,iptrbv oplfyiv, to set apart as chosen. — tig ov, towards whom) The preposition ti$ denotes the perpetual tendency of the Father's mind towards His Beloved [Son]. See 2 Pet. i. 17. — xpiffiv, judgment) saluta…
433 wordsSECTION 256St Matthew Xii, 20. 269
In the S. V. both verbs1 are commonly rendered by sx(3dx\siv, to extend — sis v?xos, unto victory) The LXX. frequently render ITO? (for ever) by i/$ vTxos, which is the force of the phrase in this passage ; i.e. so that nothing may resist them for ever. 20, 21. Kpisiv xat T'JJ, x.r.X.) After xpiaiv the LXX. have dv…
496 wordsSECTION 257270 St Matthew Xii. 21-24.
over, since the Evangelist, in the whole of this passage, (lifters widely from the words of the LXX., you will not easily discover by what Greek words the Hebrew hemistich of Isaiah has been expressed in St Matthew. The sentence itself, indeed, most becomingly expresses the placid and moderate action of the Messia…
453 wordsSECTION 258St Matthew Xii. 25-27. 271
This fellow]. — fi pri, except) A vehement affirmation. — ev rw BzsX?s[3ovX apyjDvn ruv dai'Moviuv, by Beelzebub the prince of the devils) They call Satan thus. In the Old Testament this was the name of an idol. Cf. 1 Cor. x. 20. 25. 'Ev6v,u,fiffei;, thoughts) most bitter ones; cf. ver. 34, 35. — — j8a<r/Xg/a, kin…
463 wordsSECTION 259272 St Matthew Xii. 28-31.
manner, since they are of your own race and discipline. — Jx/Sa?;.- Xovai, cast out1} See ch. vii. 22, and Mark ix. 38. — auToi, they} emphatically. 28. E/', x.r.X. if, etc.) The first portion of the dilemma having been dismissed, this particle has the force of since. — ?x/3aXX<w, / cast out) Jesus in ever}7 way d…
430 wordsSECTION 260St Matthew Xii. 31, 32. L>73
31. BXafff >!,«,/«, blasphemy) The most atrocious kind of sin. He who insults the majesty of an earthly king by injurious language, is much more severely punished than he who steals many thousands of gold pieces. — a^r^ra.1, shall be forgiven) so that the punishment may be remitted to the penitent. — ^ roD Hvsvpar…
481 wordsSECTION 261Vol. I. »
L'74 ST MATTHEW XII, 83--3fi. neither — neither, etc.) i.e., he shall in both drain to the dregs the most sure and most grievous punishment. See Chrysostom on this passage. 33. Kai, and) Understand again •Km^eart, make; resolving the imperative into the future. — xaAsv, good) The Jews wished to be a good tree wit…
468 wordsSECTION 262St Matthew Xii. 37-40. 275
treasure does not produce even anything idle.1 — av Xoyov, they shall render account) i.e., they shall pay the penalty of. A metonymy of the antecedent for the consequent. 37. 2>Ex, x.r.X., by, etc.) Words exhibit the righteousness or unrighteousness, which is in the heart. 38. ' A*ntpfttp»vf x.r.X., answered, etc…
485 wordsSECTION 263276 St Matthew Xii 40.
of that kind. For there are various sorts of whales, and in these days, the bodies of men are found in their stomachs ; and even if such were not the case, we must suppose that fish espe cially made for the occasion ; see Jon. ii. 1. — sarai, shall be) A sign for the future, as in John ii. 19, vi. 62, 39. — 7%, of …
448 wordsSECTION 264St Matthew Xii. 40. 277
fullest, from the beginning of that night up to the end of the Sabbath and beginning of the following night ; the third, strictly speaking, from the beginning of the following night up to the resurrection of the Lord, and the rising of the sun on Sunday morning. Two nights, therefore, were certainly joined with two…
431 wordsSECTION 265C}
For the Son of Man was a sign to that generation, not only in His sepulchre, but most especially in His passion ; see John viii. 28. In this manner, the three days and three nights are ex actly completed from the dawn of Thursday to the dawn of Sunday. The time of the death of the two witnesses is exactly defined,…
442 wordsSECTION 266St Matthew Xii. 42-45. 279
without signs. — IlXsTov, Something Greater) He who is rather to be heard.1 — «&, here) close at hand, cf. in the following verse. — sx ruv vipdruv 7-5jc yJjj, from the uttermost parts of the earth. 42. NoYov, of the south) from Arabia-Felix. — nXa/ov SaXo^wvog, Something Greater than Solomon) Solomon was wise, bu…
413 wordsSECTION 267280 St Matthew Xii. 4C 49.
numbered also eight deadly sins : see Columbanus,1 and Gol- dastus3 on him; also Ephraem Syrus,3 f. ux/3. The seven, how ever, differ from that one in wickedness, perhaps also among themselves. The greater number includes the lesser numbers also disjunctively ; cf. Luke viii. 8, with Matt. xiii. 8. There fore, six…
480 wordsSECTION 268Chapter Xiii.
are here combined with the greatest severity.1 — /<5oi), behold) cor responding to the same word in ver. 47. 50. rio<jj<r?j, shall do) He does not say does, but He speaks somewhat conditionally. — TO d'eXy/aa, the will) by which we are born again.2 — ecu™?, he) This man, and he only. — adsXpof, brother) This word …
385 wordsSECTION 269282 St Matthew Xiii. 3.
The first four and the last three form severally two groups, which are, respectively, intimately connected together. The former are connected by the formula, " another parable ;" the latter, by the formula, "Again the kingdom of heaven is like" And since the seventh refers more than any of the others to the end of…
427 wordsSECTION 270St Matthew Xiii. 4-10. 283
1. The time of the apostles, . . ver. IB 2. After the decease of the apostles, . 25 3. Constantine, .... 32 4. Nine centuries under the trumpet of the seventh ttureL . . . . 33 o ' 5. The kingdom of the Beast, and the Reforma tion, ..... 44 6. The kingdom of God esteemed above all things, Satan being bound, . …
376 wordsSECTION 271284 St Matthew Xiii. 11-14.
11. "Or/, because) This maybe referred to the preceding why ? Cf. in ver. 13, bia roZro, therefore. — V/AIV, to you) who have. — r<i pvffrripia, the mysteries) This term is applied, not to all things which all ought to know from revelation, but to those things which they, to whom secret things are revealed, know be…
425 wordsSECTION 272St Matthew Xiii. 15. 285
This word differs from the simple verb <jr\i)povrai (is now being fulfilled}, which is employed elsewhere in citing prophecies. The saying of Isaiah (vi. 9) was being fulfilled in his own days, and in the ages Avhich followed, and also clearly and especially in the days of the Messiah. — dxojj, x.r.X., by hearing, …
692 wordsSECTION 273St Matthew Xiii. 15. 285
20. 'O &, x.r.X., but he, etc.) In every individual soul one dis tinguishing characteristic is especially conspicuous. — si&i)s, imme diately} Too great haste and joyfulness is not always the best sign, when the whole strength pours itself forth in outward de monstrations, and consumes itself in them. — pera, %a^aj…
258 wordsSECTION 274St Matthew Xiii. 22, 23. 287
vp6ff'/.aipt>f, taken alone, expresses somewhat good, but without perseverance ; it is therefore followed here by the adversative particle ds, but, and in Mark iv. 17, by tJra, afterwards. — ^X/^£w;, affliction) generally. — &«y,«.&D, persecution) specifically.1 — 8/a rbv Xoyov, because of the word} when it is prop…
463 wordsSECTION 275288 St Matthew Xiii. 23.
subject1 of, which occurs here in the singular number, cannot possibly be divided into three classes of good hearers of the word by 6 fj.iv — 6 dt — o bt (one — another — a third), which is the common reading.2 Moreover the protasis has o in ver. 8, and the parallel passage in Mark iv. 8, 20, has ev also twice over…
520 wordsSECTION 276St Matthew Xiii. L'4, 25. 289
24. Hap&rjxe\/ a-jro?$, lie set before them*} as food is set before a guest.2 — Jv rSt a.yp&) in the field) sc. that in which He Himself is : for it is said "7n," not " into" His field. 25. TO-JC avSpuKovg, the men) sc. those whose business it was to watch the field. The Lord Himself does not sleep. — AuroD, His) …
511 wordsSECTION 277290 St Matthew Xiii. 26~32.
26. Tore, then) Where the good grows, there the evil becomes at length more apparent. 27. Kvpii. Lord) The name of the Son of Man ; see vcr. 37. — vfotv, K.T.X., whence f etc.) The servants did not know who had done it, or when. — £/£av/a, zizans) Zizans have a greater resem blance to wheat than thistles and thorn…
455 wordsSECTION 278St Matthew Xiii. 33. 291
of seeds) The world contains various seeds of wisdom, power, and virtue ; the Christian faith has surpassed them all, having been propagated through the whole world. The king dom of heaven is like a grain ; and so is the whole of Christianity, faith, etc. These things may be variously expressed. The faith here int…
437 wordsSECTION 279202 St Matthew Xiii. 35-41.
flour.1 A strong expression. This appears to refer to the whole human race, which consists of three measures, having spread over the earth from the three sons of Noah.2 35. To faQtv, which was spoken) viz. Ps. Ixxviii. 2 — dvoii-ca h KapafiotMTs TO ffro/^a. (tov, <f>&£y!*o/Aai <7pof3Xt)[j,ara acr dpyjfig, I will o…
414 wordsSECTION 280St Matthew Xiii. 42-45. 293
kingdom of heaven ; His is the world ; cf. ver. 24, with ver. 3$. — f3agi7.<ias, the kingdom) which is the kingdom of grace. — tfxavciaXa, stumbling-blocks) obstacles, which had hindered the good seed even in the case of others. The punishment of these is peculiarly great.1 42. Ka; /3a\oijsiv, and they shall cast)…
446 wordsSECTION 281294 St Matthew Xiii. 46~52.
1, xxii. 2. — sfAfopifj, a merchant) The word sptfopos denotes one who travels and voyages for the sake of merchandise. — papyaptTa^ pearls) The plural passes to the singular in the following verse. 46. "Eva, one) An incomparable one ; that is, the kingdom of heaven itself.1 47. 'Ex iravrbg yevovg, of every kind) …
421 wordsSECTION 282St Matthew Xiii. 52. 295
also in the doctrine of the New Testament : such is the force of xa/ni, new — things then first revealed ; see ver. 35. New things are here mentioned before old, as the latter receive light and savour from the former, and are at length tempered together most harmoniously. See 1 John ii. 7, 8. — pafyrtudtig, instruc…
504 wordsSECTION 283290 St Matthew Xiii. 53-55.
as a scribe from the scriptures of the Old Testament ; cf. ver. 35.1 53. 'EriXsff£i>, finished} These parables form a regular and perfect whole, which He is therefore said to have finished ; see ch. xi. I.2 Thus, in Luke vii. 1, we have sVx^wo-s, He completed. These parables contain, however, besides the general c…
497 wordsSECTION 284Chapter Xiv.
it may be inferred that Joseph had long been dead, and that Mary had lived in obscurity. — Mapia^ — 'laxw/3oc, Mary — James) They speak of them thus as if they had nothing but a name, by which name they were well known. 56. 'AdsXpa/, sisters) These they do not condescend even to name. 57. 'EaxavdaXifyvro, they we…
335 wordsSECTION 285298 St Matthew Xiv. 2.
2. Uuifftv, servants) The friends of princes are for the most part young.1 In time of fear, the great speak promiscuously with the small. — OVTO$, this) Herod was tormented by his con science.2 It was not consistent with the character of such a king to arrive at an absolute decision. He concluded, but with doubt ;…
435 wordsSECTION 286St Matthew Xiv. 3. 299
So do the Latins also, quoted by Ittigius1 in his dissertation on the gospel preached to the dead, § xi. ; see also Ambrose on Luke i. 17, and Gerson's2 second lecture on St Mark. — 6 /3a<r- riarris, the Baptist) This surname is given to John even by Herod, even by the daughter of Herodias, even by Josephus, so ce…
465 wordsSECTION 287300 St Matthew Xiv. 4-9.
to say that he was his brother. Heroclias1 was also the niece of both, being the daughter of their brother Aristobulus. 4. Oux £g£<m, it is not lawful) John did not break the force of bitter truth by arguments of a too conciliatory nature ; neither his words were soft, nor his dress. John did not come into Galilee…
437 wordsSECTION 288St Matthew Xiv. 10-1;". 301
interceding as they ought to have done for John, they became accomplices in his murder. 10. ' Avixetpd^iffs, he beheaded) Even this kind of death was a proof that John was not the Messiah : cf. John xix. 36. 1- 'ludnqv, John) a sudden and violent death, even by decapita tion, is not always miserable. 11. Tj5 (tyr…
391 wordsSECTION 289302 St Matthew Xiv. 1C- 23.
for themselves) The disciples seem sometimes to have bought food for them. 16. Oi yjtiav, no need) We should not labour for that which is not necessary. — u/xf/j, you) significantly. The disciples already possessed the rudiments of miraculous faith.1 17. " Ap rov$} loaves) obtained for the present exigency one by …
385 wordsSECTION 290St Matthew Xiv. 25-31. 303
between God and the Mediator. It was no dramatic represen tation that interceded for us.1 What passed between Christ and the Father may be inferred, for example, from Ps. xvi. and Luke xi. 2, 3. Cf. ver. 1 and John xvii. — -rrpcxs^asSai^ to pray) beyond midnight ; see ver. 25. The fruit may be seen in ver. 33", 34…
409 wordsSECTION 291Chapter Xv.
vessel, but because he did not remain in the firmness of faith. He was right in exposing himself to trial ; but he ought to have persevered. — tdiaraeas, didst thou doubt) The nature of faith is perceived from its opposites, doubt and fear. See Mark v. 30 ; Horn. xiv. 23 ; James i. 6.1 36. Mo'vov, x.r.?.., only, e…
396 wordsSECTION 292St Matthew Xv. 3-5. 305
3. Atari, why} He replies by a question similar in form to that which they had proposed in ver. 2.1 — x.a< vpeTs, ye also) Whether My disciples transgress or not, you are the greatest transgressors. — dia, x.r.X., on account of, etc.) Traditions, even where you could least expect it, detract from the commandments …
471 wordsSECTION 293306 St Matthew Xv. 6-9.
lawful for me to touch the Corban. See L. Capellus1 on the Corban. Or else, to avoid the appearance of avarice, they ac tually offered to the Corban what was due to their parents ; as many persons give to the poor or to orphans those things which they grudge to others, which they extort from them, or deny them. — …
450 wordsSECTION 294St Matthew Xv. 10-15. 307
greatest part of religions throughout so many ages and climates ! — gifiovrai, they worship) They paid little regard to the command ments of God, and that little they defiled by observing the com mandments of men. — didaffxovrts didaaxahias, teaching doctrines) laboriously, constantly, in great numbers, cf. Mark vi…
407 wordsSECTION 295308 St Matthew Xv. 16-22.
of the Bible. — -rrapajSo^v ravrqv, this parable) Our Lord's lan guage becomes parabolic in ver. 13, lout was plain and literal in ver. 10, 11. Peter therefore, as a disciple, speaks incorrectly. Our Lord, however, does not expressly find fault with this. So that they held fast the matter, [He excuses the manner.] …
424 wordsSECTION 296St Matthew Xv. 23-25. 309
from a distance, from behind ; cf. ver. 23, 25.1 — /is, me) The affectionate mother had made her daughter's misery her own; see ver. 25 and 28. — Tit Aau/d, Son of David) Therefore the woman had heard of the Promise either long ago or lately. 23. As, but) It was fitting that this declaration, and as it were protes…
429 wordsSECTION 297310 St Matthew Xv. 26-28.
26. Tuv rsxvuv, the children's) Our Lord spoke severely to the Jews themselves, but honourably of them [to those without]; see John iv. 22. Thus we, concerning the Evangelic Church. xwapio^, to little dogs1) who are not worthy to receive it. But yet xwupiov, the word employed by our Lord, is a diminutive, and Jesu…
425 wordsSECTION 298St Matthew Xv. 29-36. 311
much the more is given. — 6'tXtts, thou toishesi) There is faith even in wishing. — axb, x.r.X., from that very hour) The sound ness which followed was lasting. 29. 'Exadjjro, sat) He did not take the initiative and command the multitudes to approach, but He awaited them. 30. 'Erepoug, others) sc. who were sick. —…
386 wordsSECTION 299Chapter Xvi.
39. J ' Anfiri tig rb ^Xo/of, Pie again went on board the vessel)3 sc. that mentioned a little before in ch. xiv. 33. The word d«/3jj occurs with the same force in Mark vi. 51. 1. O'/ QapiffotToi xai Xa&evxaftf, the Pharisees and Sadducees) The common people were mostly addicted to the Pharisees, men of rank to th…
374 wordsSECTION 300Kt Matthew Xvi. 2, 8. 313
another motive, namely, the desire to witness a variety of miracles, considered merely as sights. Their lust1 (libido) is indicated by the word QeXopsv, we icish, in ch. xii. 38. 2. 'o%j//ag, vpu'i, evening — morning) Two most common and most popular signs ;2 for when the sky is red in the evening, the coldness of…
455 wordsSource & rights
Public domain historical edition (1857-1858); scan/OCR from Internet Archive.
Project Gutenberg source record →
Historical Christian writing; not Scripture.