PUBLIC-DOMAIN CHRISTIAN BOOK
Gnomon of the New Testament — Volume 1
Bengel, Johann Albrecht, 1687-1752 · 248,436 words · 558 reading sections
314 St Matthew Xvi. 4.
doctrines, persons, signs, times — all of which correspond among themselves : wherefore different signs suit different times. Those signs, less splendid indeed, btit such as were altogether beneficial to man on earth (see ch. ix. 6), were suitable to the Messiah then being on earth; see ch. viii. 17, Luke ix. 54. W…
426 wordsSECTION 302St Matthew Xvi. 6. 315
at the destruction of the heavens ; cf. ch. xxiv. 30, Acts ii. 19. Nay more, not even then was it true that were there no signs from heaven ; see ch. iii. 16. — xai xaraX/Twv avrovg acrJjX^g, and He left them and departed} Just severity ; see Tit. iii. 10. Our Lord never left the people in this manner. 6. ' Opan, …
450 wordsSECTION 303316 St Matthew Xvi. 7-9.
7. " A.pro\>;, loaves) The mode of living in the family of Jesus was extremely simple and frugal. They thought that they should have to buy bread in the place to which they were now coming, and that there would not be a sufficiency of bread there, which could be ascertained not to have been subjected to the leaven…
439 wordsSECTION 304St Matthew Xvi. 9. 317
corresponds to that of the thousands, so does that of the cophini to that of the apostles ; so that each of them had the cophinus " These words, although the same in our version, are not so in the original. That is to say, the 'baskets' in which the fragments were deposited on these two occasions are denoted by dif…
494 wordsSECTION 305318 St Matthew Xvi. 10-12.
which they carried full ; in the second, the number of spyrides corresponds to that of the loaves. If they had had more cophini in the one instance, or spyrides in the other, the loaves would without doubt have been increased in quantity (cf. 2 Kings iv. 6), that the baskets might be all filled ; see Mark viii. 20.…
412 wordsSECTION 306St Matthew Xvi. 13. 819
from the leaven of the doctrine.1 The word doctrine, in oppo sition to bread, is taken in a wide signification, so as to mean even hypocrisy. The leaven was this hypocritical doctrine. 13. 'EX6uv o 'lj]<roC;?, K.T.X., But token Jesus had come.) etc.) A noticeable interval of time occurred between the things just n…
502 wordsSECTION 307320 St Matthew Xvi. 13.
consider the feelings1 of the writer, the force of the words, and the context. — r»j; <J>/X/VTOU, Philippi) Thus the inland Csesarea is distinguished from that on the sea-shore.2 — rha, whom) The disciples had profited by listening and inquiry; now their Master examines them by questioning, and gives an ex ample o…
447 wordsSECTION 3088T Matthew Xvi. 14. 321
phecy of the Old Testament pointed, who holds the rights and primogeniture of the whole human race (see Luke iii. 23, 38), and to whom alone we owe that we are not ashamed of the name of man : see Ps. xlix. (xlviii.) 20, and cf. Rom. v. 15. Moreover, our Lord, whilst walking amongst men, by this appel lation, both…
464 wordsSECTION 309322 St Matthew Xvi. 16, 17
himself in person, who was not dead, or the resurrection of the others from the dead j1 see ch. xiv. 2 : Luke ix. 8, 19. — 'lepi- piav, Jeremiah) who was at that time expected by the Jews. — EK«, one) i.e. some one indefinitely. They did not think that anything greater could come than they had already had. They di…
439 wordsSECTION 310St Matthew Xvi. 18. 323
afca, flesh and blood) i.e. any man whatsover ; flesh and blood are put by metonymy1 for body and soul : see Eph. vi. 12 ; Gal. i. 16. No mortal at that time knew this truth before Peter; see ver. 14. — OVK a-re/caXu-4/e, hath not revealed) The knowledge of Christ is not obtained except by Divine revelation ; see c…
455 wordsSECTION 311324 St Matthew Xvi. 18.
Himself, who is also called the Rock, could without the most important meaning have been bestowed on Peter, who in the list of the apostles is called first, and always put in the first place ; see Matt. x. 2 ; see also 1 Pet. ii. 4—7. All these things are said with safety, for what have they to do with Rome ?x Let …
477 wordsSECTION 312St Matthew Xvi. 19. 325
Curtius, and will be opened again hereafter, when the prophecy in Rev. xix. 20 is fulfilled. " Rome," he says, " is situated very near those parts of Italy where, before the foundation of Rome, Homer makes his Ulysses descend to hell, and where, after the foundation of Rome, without the intervention of any great d…
362 wordsSECTION 313326 St Matthew Xvi. 19.
Bet, Rec. Text, Origen 3,525«, 529of, 530a, support ^uau aoi. Dbc Vulg. Cypr. support aoi !ti>au. — ED. 2 i.e. As Christ, without any derogation to His proper Divinity. — (I. B.) ' GEconomice,' in conformity with the Mediatorial economy, which ap pertains to Him. — En. authority. Tertullian, in his work on fasting…
507 wordsSECTION 314St Matthew Xvi. 20. 327
who had made some progress in faith, are invested in common with the authority, first of binding, and secondly of loosing, the offences of their brethren, but most especially of loosing them by prayers in the name of Christ. In John xx., after His resur rection, our Lord having breathed upon His disciples, gives th…
445 wordsSECTION 315328 St Matthew Xvi. 21.
transfiguration (ch. xvii. 1—5), and openly spoke of Himself among them as the Christ ; see Mark ix. 41, and John xvii. 3. 21. 'ATO TOTS, at that time and thenceforward — fy^aro, x.r.X., began, etc.) It is clear, therefore, that He had not shown it them before.1 The Gospel may be divided into two parts, from which…
431 wordsSECTION 316St Matthew Xvi. 22, 23. 329
adds His being betrayed into the hands of sinners ; the third, in ch. xx. 17—19, at length expresses His stripes, cross, etc. The first was nearer in point of time to the second, than the second to the third. — *y>scj3»ripttv, ap^ispsuv^ ypapfMtriwrj elders — chief priests — scribes) Three classes of those who ough…
422 wordsSECTION 317330 St Matthew Xvi. 24.
an appellative. Cf. John vi. 70, where our Lord says, concern ing Judas Iscariot, y.al e? V/AUV fTg didSoXos sffnv, and one of you is a devil. — But cf. Gnomon on Rev. xii. 9. — Peter thought him self very kind when he said J'Xewc, /c.r.X., but yet he is called Satan for so doing. Cf. 2 Sam. xix. 22, where }OB> sig…
474 wordsSECTION 318St Matthew Xvi. 26-27. 331
the word in ch. xxvi. 70. To abnegate is to renounce oneself. Thus, in Tit. ii. 12, we have the simple word apvifedai, to deny ; in Luke xiv. 33, airordaaiffdai, to set apart from himself- — to bid farewell to, or forsake. These expressions are contrasted with 6/jtoXoy/a, confession, or accordant profession ; see H…
454 wordsSECTION 319St Matthew Xvi. 28.
All things are put off till then. — avoduxKi exdaru, He will render to each individual) This is the attribute of Divine Majesty ; see Rom. ii. Q.l--<7rpa;~tv, action, conduct, doing) The word is put in the singular, for the whole life of man is one doing? 28. Tivlg, some) Our Lord does not mention them by name ; a…
444 wordsSECTION 320Chapter Xvii.
stood, by those who imagined that the last day was near at hand. — rbv Tibv rot ' Avdpuirou zpyj^tvov, the Son of Man coming] His con spicuous coming to judgment (see Gnomon on ver. 13) is meant, which would begin to follow immediately after His ascension. 1. 'lips pas e%, Six days) St Luke says, uaei fift'spai OKT…
351 wordsSECTION 321334 St Matthew Xvii. 3.
of the verb /^eraff^r^aTi^sff&ai is different, as in Phil. iii. 21 and 2 Cor. xi. 14 ; cf. also the distinction between poppy and ff^jj^aa, in Phil. ii. 6, 7, 8.1 — <pS>g, light) inferior to that of the sun ;2 for His garments diluted the splendour of His body. 3. "fifdr^av, appeared) sc. with their bodies. — Mw<r…
489 wordsSECTION 322St Matthew Xvii. 4, 5. 335
glory above our comprehension ! If this appearance of Moses and Elias were not mentioned in the canonical Scriptures, although attested by other sufficient witnesses, who would not consider it as a fable ? — psr Avrov tfuXXaXoDm?, conversing with Him) There is no pleonasm.1 Each of them conversed with Jesus. A con…
436 wordsSECTION 323336 St Matthew Xvit. 7-10.
before our Lord's Passion, John xii. 28. After each of these voices from heaven, fresh virtue shone forth in Jesus, fresh ardour and fresh sweetness in His discourses and actions, fresh progress. — olrog hnv, x.r.X., This is, etc.) This speech has three divisions, which regard the Psalms, the Prophets, and Moses, …
438 wordsSECTION 324St Matthew Xvii. 11, 12. 337
for the promotion of the faith, that the event may be recognised as already corresponding to the expectation of the Scribes. — vpurW) first) sc. before the Messiah's kingdom. 11. "EPXZTUI, cometh) The present tense, midway between prediction and fulfilment ; and the ministry of John was effica cious also after his…
435 wordsSECTION 325338 St Matthew Xvii. 14-16.
come before the first advent ; therefore Jesus replies, that he1 has already come in the person of John the Baptist.2 14. Kcu sX66i>ruv avruv, x.r.X., and when they were come, etc.) A very different scene is here opened to view from that which Peter had wished for in ver. 4. — Whilst Moses was on the moun tain, th…
462 wordsSECTION 326St Matthew Xvii. 17-20. 33'.)
charge. It is wonderful that the devil did not injure the dis ciples; cf. Acts xix. 16. 17. "Amffroc,, x.r.X., faithless, etc.) By a severe rebuke the dis ciples are reckoned as a part of the multitude. — sus v6re} how long) After Jesus had received an accession of strength on the Mount, a more grievous instance o…
437 wordsSECTION 327340 St Matthew Xvii. 21-24.
" Why tlien is that miracle less frequent (than the other) ? " Answer. It has nevertheless been performed sometimes ; but it is not necessary that it should be performed frequently., although the opulence of faith reaches thus far. A mountain is naturally by creation in its proper place : a devil is not so when pos…
464 wordsSECTION 328St Matthew Xvii. 25, 341
the didrachms)1 the Hebrew ?p^, shekel, is frequently rendered didpa^ov by the LXX. — oi iMflftfawrtt) they that received) sc. for the Temple.2 25. Na/, yes) It is clear therefore that our Lord had paid it the previous year.3 — ore eifffadev slg T^V o<xiav} when he ivas come 1 " In the original [i.e., the Greek of…
572 wordsSECTION 329342 St Matthew Xvii. 26, 27.
into the house) for that very purpose. — <rpoe<pda<Kv, prevented, an ticipated) Peter was wishing to ask [when Jesus anticipated him]. The whole of this circumstance wonderfully confirmed the faith of Peter. Our Lord's majesty shines forth in the very act of submission. — 2/><wi/, Simon) An address as it were domes…
412 wordsSECTION 330Chapter Xviii.
1. 'Ev ixtivp rip upq, in that hour) when they had heard of the freedom of the children, declared in ch. xvii. 26 (which accounts for the use of cipa, then, in this passage) ; and when they had seen that Peter, James, and John (ch. xvii. 1), had been all summoned to the Mount. — ri; cipa,, x.r.A., who then, etc.) T…
419 wordsSECTION 331844 St Matthew Xviii. 4-6.
ye shall not even enter therein. He does not say, " ye shall not remain," but, " ye shall not enter," so as to repress their arrogance the more. 4. "Offng, whosoever) No answer is given concerning the indivi dual whom they inquired about. — wro^thismari) sc. he, I tell you. 5. AsgjjT-a/, shall receive) sc. humbly,…
422 wordsSECTION 332St Matthew Xviii. 7-9. 345
/, the sea) sc. the deep ; see Gnomon on Acts xxvii. 5. — r^, of the sea) which was near at hand ; see ch. xvii. 27. 7. Tti x6ff>j,u, to the world) offences spread far and wide, — ruv ax.avdd7.uv, of THE offences) TO, ffKdvdaXa, THE offences. — TO axdv- da\ov, THE offence) The article is emphatic. — avdy/.^ yap Icn…
444 wordsSECTION 333846 St Matthew Xviii. 10-12.
10. Mr> xctrappovrisarz, do not despise) They appear to have done so from ver. 1, 2. The adult frequently exhibit pride to wards " little ones," by whose appearance they are reminded of their origin : whence it comes to pass, that they hold them of no account, and pay them no reverence.1 lie despises them who corr…
453 wordsSECTION 334St Matthew Xviii. 13-15. 347
places. The discourse appears to have been delivered on the shore of the lake of Gennesareth.1 13. 'Eav y'tvriTa.1 svpsTv, if it happen that he find it) The finding of the sinner, therefore, is, in the sight of God, a something as it were contingent — IF IT HAPPEN that he find it : cf. on the loss of a sinner, ver…
488 wordsSECTION 335348 St Matthew Xvi11. 16.
follows : Every one is under an obligation, not to place obstacles before himself and others, but to aid both on the way of salvation Also : we ought to respond to the Divine will, expressed in ver. 14. Also : do not offend thy brother ; cure thy brother's offence. — a/Aaprria-/} tig <st, sin against thee) sc. by g…
446 wordsSECTION 336St Matthew Xviii. 17. 349
forensic law of Moses are not entirely excluded from the polity of the Church of Christ. 17. Uapaxouffr), do not obey) disregarding the reproof. — vy exKXrifftcx,, the church) i.e., which is in that place where thou and thy brother dwell. The church is opposed to two or three in about the same proportion as two or…
456 wordsSECTION 337350 St Matthew Xviii. 18.
and totality of the subject, as in Matt. vi. 22, 'o THE light, etc., q.d. the body has no light except the eye ; or (2) the whole species, as in Matt. xv. 11, TO siaipyj/xsvov, that which entereth — TO fefftftv^tttiw, that ivliich cometh out — and in Rom. i. 17, 'o & 5/xa/og, but THE just, i.e. he that is, or every…
464 wordsSECTION 338St Matthew Xviii. 19, L'O. 351
fences.1 — 3jj<r»jrg, ye shall bind} see the end of ver. 17. — Xtajjrs, ye shall loose) see the end of ver. 15. There is an intimate con nection between the retention of a private2 and that of a public offence, and so also in the case of remission. See ver. 15-35. Our Lord teaches that His disciples can bind and lo…
467 wordsSECTION 3393<->2 St Matthew Xviii- 21-24.
object of worshipping it. All prayers that are offered in the name of Jesus Christ are accepted by the Father ; see ver. 19. — exsTelfj,}, there am I) and all grace with Me ; see ch. xxviii. 20 ; Acts xviii. 10 ; 2 Tim. iv. 17. "Where the Son is, there is the Father : what the Son wishes, the Father wishes. 21. Ho…
447 wordsSECTION 340St Matthew Xviii. 25-28. 353
and continuous quantity, a larger sum than this. If we ought to remit an hundred denarii to our brother, i.e. forgive him seventy-seven times, what a vast amount of sins does the Lord forgive us in remitting ten thousand talents ! A talent contains about six thousand denarii ; therefore a thousand talents contain …
465 wordsSECTION 341354 St Matthew Xviii. 20-32.
his fellow-servant more tenderly; the very joy of recovered liberty, or restored health, etc., is accompanied by a greater danger of sin:1 see John v. 14; 2 Kings xx. 13.2 — t-/.arbv drjvdpia, a hundred denarii)3 The names of coins are neuter in Greek. This was a sufficiently large debt for a fellow-servant : but n…
421 wordsSECTION 342Chapter Xix.
peculiarly wickedness. — exehqv, that [debt]) This word refers with peculiar emphasis to the former occurrence. 33. Oux Ma ; did it not behove ?) It did, indeed, by the highest rule of equity.1 — rbv g{jvdou\6v tfoy, thy fellow-servant) whom thou oughtest to have pitied ; My servant, by injuring whom thou hast inj…
369 wordsSECTION 343356 St Matthew Xix. 2-5.
2. 'EXEA; there) In many places a number of cures were per formed at once by our Lord. 3.1 riaffav, every) They wished to elicit from our Lord a uni versal negative, which they thought would be contrary to Moses. 4. 'O ffoiqffas, He who made) sc. them ; with this construction, He icho made them in the beginning, …
459 wordsSECTION 344St Matthew Xix. 6-8. 357
Pentateuch, the Septuagint, and the Syriac1 version of Genesis. 6. OM zri fiffij they are no more) They are now no longer two, as they were before. — <5uo, two} We should not understand gdpxts, fleshes (carnes) : for in ver. 5 we find o't duo (the two, they twain). — o, that which (quod), not a, those which (quae)…
444 wordsSECTION 3453."8 St Matthew Xix. 0-11.
enjoined, except in that sense in which St Mark (x. 3) employs the word. — an ap^c, in the beginning) The origin of wedlock was recorded also by the same Moses, from whom our Lord de monstrates the matter. 9. M?5, not1) The word occurs with the same force in 1 John v. 16. — xal yaprisfy and shall marry) The crimin…
453 wordsSECTION 346St Matthew Xix. 12, 13. 359
x.r.X., He that is able, etc. ; and yap, for, is added at the com mencement of the same verse.1 12. Elai, K.T.X., there are, etc.) There are three kinds of eunuchs : the first and second of which are treated indirectly, the third directly, in this passage. For the two former are either produced thus by nature, or …
412 wordsSECTION 3473Go St Matthew Xix. 14. 15.
of those who were older.1 And the disciples blamed, not the little ones, but those who brought them. — iva, K.T.X., that, etc.) If they had asked for baptism, baptism would, without doubt, have also been given them. — oi 8s /^adnral, but the disciples} The greater part of whom appear to have been unmarried : and un…
415 wordsSECTION 348St Matthew Xix. 16, 17. 361
hand, and more particularly of the hands, was employed for conferring on, and propagating to, human beings, especially children and ministers of the Gospel, bodily blessings and spiritual gifts ; see Acts ix. 12 ; Heb. vi. 2 ; 1 Tim. v. 22 ; 2 Tim. i. (>. Our Lord is not said to have prayed, as He had been asked to…
519 wordsSECTION 349362 St Matthew Xix. 18-21.
who feel secure to the law : He consoles the contrite with the Gospel. 18. IIoia$; which?) There was no need to ask which, as our Lord had said the [commandments] rag.1 18, 19. Ou <povt\jGtig- — ayacrjjtfE/f, x.r.X., thou shalt not murder — thou shalt love, etc.) Precepts negative and affirmative. The duties of t…
463 wordsSECTION 350St Matthew Xix. 22, 23. 363
of his soul, to whom it was addressed. For many followed Jesus, to whom He did not give this command. He may be perfect, who still possesses wealth ; he may give all to the poor, who is very far from perfection.1 Our Lord's words laid an ob ligation on the man who offered himself ultroneously, and that so unreserv…
434 wordsSECTION 3513G4 St Matthew Xix. 24-26.
24. Kdptf.ov, a camel) i.e. the animal of that name ; cf. ch. xxiii. 24. It is not a rope1 that is compared to a thread, but the eye of a needle to a gate. 25. ' ArMGavric b'i oi f^adr,rai avrou, x.r.X., but when His disciples heard it, etc.) Scripture everywhere shows a middle path be tween excessive confidence a…
459 wordsSECTION 352St Matthew Xtx. 27. 28. 3G5
27. E7-xtv, said) in all simplicity. — rj/^sTg, «>«) not like that rich man. — vavra, all things) His few things are as much all to the workman, as his many things to the satrap. — ri upa, tarai fi/uTv ; what therefore shall there be for us ?) Our Lord replies by IKU,- rovravXaffiova. Xjj-vJ/sra/, he shall receive …
451 wordsSECTION 353366 St Matthew Xix. 29.
princes in Num. viii. 2, etc., and of apostles in Rev. xxi. 12, 14, corresponds with that of the tribes of Israel. — <pvha$, x.r.X., tribes, etc.) to which the apostles had, in the first instance, been sent. 29. Kcti vag, and every one) Not only apostles, to whom Peter's question ought not to have referred exclusiv…
499 wordsSECTION 354St Matthew Xix. 30. 307
see Luke xix. 16, 17. He shall receive them, however, not as civil or personal possessions ; yet he truly shall receive them, as far as the heliever needs to do so, and he does so in the person of others, to whom, as a believer, he would especially wish them to belong ; cf. Matt. v. 5 ; Acts iv. 35 ; 1 Cor. iii. 22…
441 wordsSECTION 355Chapter Xx.
cularly the change of relative condition which was to occur be tween the Jews and the Gentiles. — Cf. ch. viii. 10, 11, 12; Luke xiii. 28-30 (taken in connection with ib. ver. 23-27), and Rom. ix. 30, 31. 1. Tap, for) referring to the last verse of the preceding chapter. There is a similar connection of a parable …
368 wordsSECTION 356St Matthew Xx. 3-8. 369
of the Paraclete. The denarius is that one amount of wages in the present and future life, equally offered to all, mentioned in ch. xix. 29, 21 ; the difference of which, though corresponding with the difference of labours, is not only not apparent in this life, but frequently appears inverted : therefore the middl…
427 wordsSECTION 357370 St Matthew Xx. 9-14.
divided into these two classes ; for all are reckoned amongst the first, who came before the eleventh hour ; see ver. 9, 10. 9. 'Am, apiece) See John ii. 6. 10. O/ vpZroi, the first) The intermediate labourers did not murmur ; for they saw themselves also made equal to the first. He who is liable to be envied hims…
453 wordsSECTION 358St Matthew Xx. 15-17. 371
Gnomon on Mark xii. 38. — rovry rGj salary, to this last) The expression is repeated from the speech of the murmurer, but used in the singular number, and applied to the last of the last. Everyone who is envious, envies some one individually. — <ro/, to thee) The addition, " who hast borne the burden and heat of th…
419 wordsSECTION 359372 St Matthew Xx. 18-21.
s, x.r.X., He took, etc.) He propounded the subject, not as in His daily conversation, but more solemnly.1 18, 19. Hapabd^riffirai — Tapa<5cw<rou<r/, shall be delivered up, shall deliver up) A momentous verb. See Luke xxiii. 25. 18. ' ApyjtpivGt, to the chief priests) This appellation seems to have been very commo…
432 wordsSECTION 360St Matthew Xx. 22. 373
had bestowed upon them ; see Gnomon on Mark iii. 17. — luioi pou, my sons) Natural relationship had nothing to do with this. — ex, df%iuv 00^ on Thy right hand) The words ra 8e%ia signify, passim, the right hand, foot, and side. Before then, Jesus would have others on His right and left ; see ch. xxvii. 38.2 — efg,…
516 wordsSource & rights
Public domain historical edition (1857-1858); scan/OCR from Internet Archive.
Project Gutenberg source record →
Historical Christian writing; not Scripture.