PUBLIC-DOMAIN CHRISTIAN BOOK
Gnomon of the New Testament — Volume 5
Bengel, Johann Albrecht, 1687-1752 · 237,321 words · 484 reading sections
Yols. Ii., Iv., And Y.
“ TO GIVE SUBTILTY TO THE SIMPLE, TO THE YOUNG MAN KNOWLEDGE AND DIS- CRETION. A WISE MAN WILL HEAR, AND WILL INCREASE LEARNING; AND A MAN OF UNDERSTANDING SHALL ATTAIN UNTO WISE COUNSELS.” — PROV. 1. 4, 5. i CONTAINING THE COMMENTARY ON THE EPISTLES OF JAMES, I. PETER, II. PETER, I. JOHN, II. JOHN, III. JOHN, JU…
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editor’s preface. Bengel, in the main, laid hold of the true principle for the restoration of the genuine text, namely, that the preference should be given to the oldest MSS. and Versions, though few, rather than to the more recent ones, however numerous. But those oldest MSS. and Versions had not been so well col…
392 wordsSECTION 3Key. A, E. Musset.
Bisuop-Middleiiam Curacy. April 1858. John Albert Bengel was born at Winnenden, in Wiirtemberg, on the 24th of June 1687. His father, Albert Bengel, assistant parochial minister of that town, was his first instructor ; and the son gratefully makes mention, in after life, of his father’s u easy and pleasant manner…
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career and subsequently. On the occasion of the latter taking his degree of M.A., 'and the former of D.D., it was Bengel’s privilege, as respondent, to defend Hochstetter’s final disputation, u De pretio Redemptionis.” He, with Hoc.hstetter, subsequently superintended the correction of anew edition of the German Bi…
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life ; and he mentions that the texts inscribed on the church walls of his native town, concerning death, sin, righteousness*, the crucifixion, etc.., produced in him, as a mere child, “ emotions of great joy and peace, and left on him profitable and lasting impressions.” The work of the Spirit of God within him wa…
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On the subject of inspiration he writes, “ The apostles themselves have drawn the most important inferences from Scripture terms of the utmost brevity, as in Heb. ii. 8, xii. 17, vii. 3, 14; Gal. iii. 16. As to the general inspiration of all Scripture, I am satisfied with this position, The ivhole Sacred Volume is …
531 wordsSECTION 7"Writings Of J. A. Bengel.
xi for extraordinary , not for common occasions, that the apostles them- selves were told, 1 Be not careful what ye shall speak and that, when a preacher forbears to do that for which he has natural ability, becauses he wishes to preach Christ more clearly, such a man will find an abundant blessing in his work.” H…
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xii the more immediate^ we depend for our sufficiency upon God Him- self— the more direct is our progress towards its fulfilment. If even a converted man act merely by a will of his own, if he vainly ima- gine it is himself that must support the ark of God, he mars his undertaking at once.” His appointment to the…
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xiii forms may be prayed with the heart, so as to come out from the heart. Persons who are for praying always from ( the heart/ as they call it, may, and do, come insensibly to use what amounts to forms.” As to church music, he says, u When not plain and simple, it may delight the ear and imagination, but it obstr…
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uncommonly catching to intellectual persons, who are not esta- blished in personal religion.” He had prepared materials for editing Ovid’s Tristia and Persius, but was prevented publishing them by being called to undertake works of a more congenial kind. u Daily relish (said he) for the sweet language of Divine ins…
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ficult is preferable to the easy readnG ; for the obvious rea- son, that the interpolator or transcriber would be much more likely to substitute an easy reading for the more difficult one, than vice versa. In the Preface of the Smaller Greek Text, he gives this admirable rule for searching Scripture with profit, — …
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nal called u New Literary Notices from Tubingen.” As to the changes made by him in the Received Text of the Apocalypse, on which his reviewer had dwelt most severely, Bengel showed that- Erasmus so hurried it to press, that he had actually substituted for the original Greek of the concluding part, a translation of …
519 wordsSECTION 13Writings Of J. A. Bengel.
xvii Bengel had announced in his Prodromus , in Chrysostom de Sacer- dotio , his intention to follow up his critical works with a Commen- tary on the New Testament. His labours at Denkendorf had thoroughly prepared him for this task. Accordingly it appeared under the* title, Gnomon Novi Testamenti, at Tubingen in …
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savoury in its own pure form ; but when saturated with human explanations, it is apt to cloy.” He used frequent prayer to fit him for the work : and when the Gnomon was sent him completed from the Tubingen press, the 28th of March 1742, he sang that evening the well-known hymn : — “ 0 Thou, who our best works hast…
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xix generis. No expositors, or very few, have caught the full import, impressiveness, and spirit of Holy Scripture. In this respect Bengel’s Commentary is one of the best.” The Second Edition was published, 1759, under the revision of his son-in-law, the Rev. P. D. Burk, Dean of Kircheim. This Edition contained nu…
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SKETCli OF THE LIFE AND possible , and what as certain : and that he should not spend too much time in endeavouring to digest the tough corticating threads of the chronology, but should enjoy the delicious kernel enveloped in them. He thinks the commencement of time answered to our autumn : the pre-Adamite theory …
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xxi but intermediate events were to the patriarchs a mass of confused imagery. The succeeding prophets saw them more clearly ; still more so the apostles’ and most of all the last of them, S. John. From Heb. ix. 26, 1 Cor. x. 11, 1 Pet. i. 20, iv. 7, ITabak. iii. 2, Bengel thought the New Testament will not be so …
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Clement XII. ; or else from Celestine II., elected without the voice of the people, to a time when the Pope’s relation to Rome shall be changed [Napoleon’s decree abolishing the Pope’s jurisdiction, 17th of May 1809], 1143 to 1809. This last conjecture has proved in the event to be strikingly correct. His assigning…
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xxiii would be scepticism and naturalism; that the powers of nature and reason would be so exalted, as to make it difficult to know what was really supernatural: that books of thrilling adventure, whether truth or fiction, would be most sought after, — those containing anything of religion would have to present it…
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ment for his Apocalyptical chronology, by no means necessary to it. His u Age of the World” is a following up of the argument of the 11 Ordo Temporum.” The dates in Scripture, looked at merely apart, may seem at first sight like something we could dispense with: but, if we trace them by the clew7 which Scripture f…
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11 The types of the Messiah were not for human use alone. God Himself did as it were c rest’ in the gracious purpose, that His Son should restore all things. Hence, in the midst of awful prophecies of destruction, we abruptly meet with some promise of the Messiah.” u The prophecies and types mutually compose a perf…
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conflicts with sin are preferable to the carnal security of those who dream that they have overcome all ; especially as such conflicts do not shake our confidence in the grace of God.” u Good works are such as a believer practises in the order of God ” (our will being in harmony with the will of God). “It becomes u…
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xxvii made manifest. Their first offences were rebuked gently with words alone ; but after the delivery of the law' on Sinai, where they had sworn allegiance, their transgressions no longer were, nor could be, so mildly dealt with. Deuteronomy, addressed to the new genera- tion, treats much of the kindness and lov…
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in 1751, Stuttgart. Count N. L. von Zinzendorf in 1722 granted a settlement on his estate at Berthelsdorf to a few pious refugees from the persecuted church of Moravia. The settlement was named Herrnhut, The watch of the Lord ; and from it, as the parent scion, have emanated the various branches of Moravianism, whi…
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oasis to many, though it might not he able to diffuse just its own verdure through the whole of Christendom.” The result of Bengel? s “ Sketch ” was gratifying. Zinz. gave no answer to it : gradually he modified many of his objectionable expressions ; and in course of time the Church of the Brethren gave in its adh…
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His manner with children was decided, but kind : u Much patience and forbearance,” says he, u are necessary, lest we prune our younjr nursery trees too closely, which would only injure them.” In writ- ing to Ernest, he says, 66 Pray diligently : give to no one just cause to oppose you : learn to yield obligingly to…
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xxxi of learning how they manage in secret to keep up their communion with God.” Bengel did not consider theology to be a mere knowledge of the art of dying : “ The Christian’s most important business is to emerge from a state of sin to a confirmed state of grace, and herein to wait, not for death, but for the ap…
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to the central matter. The presence of God is to me more than all the learned world.” His final illness began with his sixty-sixth year, June 24, 1752. Calm, serene, and silent, his soul reposed on God. Though he felt bound to utter from his heart whatever might occur to it, as likely to be of service to his frien…
546 wordsSECTION 29James I. 1.
1. ’la5cw/3os? James) Peter , John , and James were the apostles of the circumcision ; Gal. ii. James was especially employed at Jeru- salem and in Palestine and Syria ; Peter , at Babylon and in other parts of the East ; John, at Ephesus and in Asia. Of the twelve apostles, these and Jude have left us seven Epistl…
494 wordsSECTION 30James I. 2, 3.
3 bddsxa tpvXaTg, to the twelve tribes ) of Israel. — hat'Kopy, in their disper- sion) 1 Pet. i. 1 ; Acts viii. 1 ; (Septuagint) Deut. xxviii. 25, xxx. 4. — yaipsiv, to rejoice) A word of frequent use in salutations, and espe- cially adapted to this passage. Xapdv, “joy” in the next verse. The design of the apostl…
773 wordsSECTION 31James I. 2, 3.
4. "Epyov rsXnoV) perfect work) This is followed by rsXs/og, u a perfect man.” The man himself is characterised (as reXs/os, perfect) from his actions, and the work in which he is engaged. For the attainment of this character, there is need of joy. TsXuog is equiva- lent to hoiufiog in ver. 12. Compare the note on …
297 wordsSECTION 32James I. 6-8.
iv., will be evident to him, who, while he suffers wrongfully, directs his attention to this passage. For the good and the bad affections are alternately and variously brought forward according as the train of thought suggests. — <k, but) There is an antithesis between the preceding clause and this : u wanting noth…
495 wordsSECTION 33James I. 9-11.
Such a man has, as it were, two souls, of which the one holds one opinion, the other holds another. Ecclesiasticus ii. 12, ova} xapd/atg ds/Xu/g, ytai yips} srapn/jjsvaicy %ai a/u,aprwXGj sKificifoovri srri dvo rptfiovc : u Woe be to fearful hearts , and faint hands , and the sinner that goeth two ways!” — anaruvra…
501 wordsSECTION 34James I. 12-15.
7 12. M axdpiog, blessed) pux?tdpiog is derived from ^ , and nfip, u immor- tal” This word, and the crown of life , are opposed to the word / lupavQjjGSTai , “ fade away ” — wopm?, shall endure) See ver. 3 and 4 ; 1 Pet. ii. 20. See App. Crit.,1 2d Edition, on this passage. — ecnjyye/Xaro, promised) See ch. ii. 5.…
459 wordsSECTION 35James I. 16, 17.
16. 1 Mji K\ava<sk, do not err) It is a great error to attribute to God the evils which we receive, and not the goods. It is the part of love, to lead us away from this error. A faithful admonition. Comp. ch. v. 19. 17. Tla# a, every2) The connection of the discourse is evident, when thus resolved : doffig, a u gi…
493 wordsSECTION 36James I. 18.
9 change in the will. In each word there is a metaphor taken from the stars, and used with singular propriety in this passage, where mention is made of lights . UapaXXayri and rpo~r\ occur in nature (see rpoxag in Job xxxviii. 33), which has a daily vicissitude of day and night, and has at one time a greater lengt…
499 wordsSECTION 37James I. 19-21.
19. "n<rre, wherefore ) The Summing up1 or Conclusion, and also a Statement of those things which follow, in three divisions. Excess in words and the affections of the tongue and the heart , ver. 26, is un- favourable to hearing with profit. — nag, every man ) This is opposed to no many ver. 13; for this 19th verse…
468 wordsSECTION 38James I. 22-26.
11 grafted) by regeneration, ver. 18, and by habit \ which you have acquired from your earliest years. — V. g.], Heb. v. 14; and also by custom derived from their ancestors, who were Israelites [ 'namely , the ■people of GOD. — Y. g.], ver. 1. Comp. 2 Tim. i. 5. It is engrafted, and therefore most intimately conne…
480 wordsSECTION 39James I. 27.— Ii. 1.
work . — Opr^xog, religious) A worshipper of God, in private and in public. Hesy chius, Opr^xog, g rep6do%og, euyevijs : that is, one who has more knowledge than others, and is endued with a nobler mind. The commentary of CEcumenius agrees with this ; for with him dprt<rxog is one who knows the secret things of the…
261 wordsSECTION 40James Ii. 2-4.
l/'AdsXtpo/ poo, my brethren) The equality of Christians, as indi- cated by the name of brethren , is the basis of this admonition. — sv) The phrases, sv ‘rpogu^oXr^/aic sysiv, and sv s<ziyv&<ssi sysiv, Rom. i. 28, are similar. — npcxrMxo'kyj'^/aig, receivings of persons) The one • 1 yvuaTYi; tu)V lu tu> vopccp cci…
608 wordsSECTION 41James Ii. 5.
who honour the rich man in preference to the poor, do not expressly desire to approve of his evil thoughts; but James puts this interpre- tation upon their conduct, and lays it to their charge, because the rich man in his pomp is full of evil thoughts. The more common sentiment is presupposed as well known. 5. ’ A…
490 wordsSECTION 42James Ii. 6-8.
15 those who are rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom. — h nforet, in faith) which has for its object the Lord of glory. To this faith are assigned as a consequence the riches of heaven and of the world to come, even as the inheritance is assigned to love. — xXypovopoug, heirs) because sons. — ryg QaaXuag^ of t…
479 wordsSECTION 43James Ii. 9-14.
9. II^oo’w'roXTjcrrfi/rg, ye have respect to persons) The respecting of persons does not love all alike. — d^apriav epyafetfe, ye commit sin) Your whole proceeding is sin. For , in ver. 10, has reference to this. — e’kzyyjijjivoi, convinced , convicted) on account of your having respect to persons, and thus incurri…
465 wordsSECTION 44James Ii. 14.
17 17, 31) refutes, in ver. 24, 14, not the doctrine of St Paul, but the error of those who abuse that doctrine, — an error which endeavours to escape notice by sheltering itself behind the words of St Paul. Sometimes the use of expressions which are good in themselves is checked, while many abuse them: comp. Jer.…
514 wordsSECTION 45James Ii. 15-18.
18 exist without works, but rather, that faith cannot exist without works. He does not oppose faith and works ; but he opposes the empty name of boasted faith, and the faith which is true and firm in itself, and which produces abundant fruit. — y v/grig, that faith) The article has the force of a pronoun, — that w…
503 wordsSECTION 46James Ii. 19-21.
19 without thy works (show, if thou canst ; that is, thou canst not) ; and I will show thee by my works , of which I know that I cannot be destitute, my faith. There are two sayings, the former of which 1 speaks of faith before works, the latter of works before faith, and this for the sake of emphasis ; the former…
491 wordsSECTION 47James Ii. 22.
more readily in flattering terms of works, of which they themselves are destitute. Therefore James employs an argument ad hominem; and that he may convince them, he especially mentions works, while in mentioning them, he understands (as lying underneath the works) the active principle of faith. Nor does James use t…
476 wordsSECTION 48James Ii. 23.
21 that Abraham offered his son, Heb. xi. 17. — cm /ripyei, wrought with) Therefore faith has one kind of efficacy and operation (hspysiav), works another : and indeed faith before works and with them. Works do not give life to faith ; but faith produces works, and works make perfect faith. — zrs\siu>Qri, was made…
473 wordsSECTION 49James Ii. 24-26.
Hebrew it is 3HK, which, in the passages cited, has an active sound, but a passive signification. At least the parallel words in Isaiah are, servant , elect , and friend; and in the Septuagint, ov jjya $nj<ra, Wiom 1 loved , as in the passage quoted from 2 Chron. it is ru> riyartriiJjUu aou, beloved by Thee. On whi…
404 wordsSECTION 50Chapter Iii.
23 1. Mj? rroXXoi, not many) A rightly governed tongue is rarely found. Yer. 2, all. There ought therefore to be few teachers. Comp. Rom. xv. 18. In accordance with this principle also, he who acts as teacher ought not to be too much given to speaking. — y/veode, be) of your own accord. — /ue/fyv greater condemnat…
456 wordsSECTION 51James 111. 4-6.
ruv ,/‘7t<jwv, of the horses) This is emphatically put at the beginning of the sentence. — arbour a, mouths ) This is an appropriate word ; for the tongue is in the mouth. — /xsrayo/4gi/) we turn about ,l 4. K ai) even. Not only animals, but even ships.— ffxXrjpuv) axXripcg, vehement . There is a twofold impulse (m…
504 wordsSECTION 52James Iii. 6.
from the universe to the lesser world : Ps. cxxxix. 15 ; Eccles. xii. 2 ; and not only to man : there is a reference to the whale, Jonah ii. 3, 6, 7. James employs this figure. The world has its higher and its lower parts : these are, in a better point of view, the heaven and the earth ; in a worse, the earth and h…
489 wordsSECTION 53James Iii. 7, 8.
Pelusium in particular joining them. There are three comparisons beginning with 7de, /dot), idov (ver. 3, 4, 5). The third comparison lias its Protasis in the middle of ver. 5 : idov 6\/yov nup fauxi jv vXyv dvd-rrer the Apodosis begins at the beginning of ver. 6, and consists of two declarations, the former of whi…
472 wordsSECTION 54James Iii. 9-12.
27 especially the evil is not to be restrained, when 1 it swells with deadly poison. 9. ’Ev abT7) — xa/ sv avry, with this itself — and with this itself) A very expressive phrase. — ©so*) God. Kvpiov , Lord2) is the reading of the Alexandrian, Colbertinus 7, and Syriac texts. Baurngarten ac- knowledges the error;…
475 wordsSECTION 55James Iii. 13-15.
it is impossible. — ovreog dXvxov yXvxu rroiyjffai vdup, so neither can a salt spring produce sweet water ) viz. bvvcircu (to be supplied). Thus the most weighty authorities, Colbert. 7 ; Cov. 4 ; Gen. ; JEth. ; Copt. ; Lat., and the Syr. The Alexand. reads ojts ccXukov. Baum- garten has a long dissertation in favo…
491 wordsSECTION 56James Iii. 16-18.
29 — daipoviudrisy devilish) such as even devils have : ii. 19 : not that which Christ gives. 16. ’Ex-sT acraratfraova, there ps] confusion) contrary to peace, ver. 17. What is the character of that wisdom, is known by the effect. James thinks it unworthy of the name of fruit. Comp. ver. 17 and 18. — ftuv (pauXov…
463 wordsSECTION 57Chapter Iv.
— rroieTv eipfjvyiv, to put forth peace ; as notr^ai vdup, to send forth water ; ver. 12. 1. Tlodev, whence ?) James hints, that many persons often seek the causes of contentions, though they are evident. — noke^oi xai /a a^a/, wars and fightings') opposed to u peace;” on which he treats in ch. iii. Fighting is th…
412 wordsSECTION 58James Iv. 3-5.
31 — ovx eyjre 5?) See App. Crit., Ed. ii., on this passage.1 — did, on ac- count of) This agrees (coheres) with the threefold clause, and ye have not; and ye cannot obtain; but ye have not. — /4 r\ uireTaQai, your not asking) For the lustful, the murderer, and the contentious man, cannot pray. 3. K ai ov \u/Jj(3 …
491 wordsSECTION 59James Iv. 6-8.
aside — envytngs, desire the milk of the word — a spiritual HOUSE. And that which here follows. But He giveth more grace , agrees with that, the Lord is gracious , ver. 3. He who has this passage of St Peter well impressed upon his mind, will altogether recognise the reference of St James to it. Nor does the chrono…
479 wordsSECTION 60James Iv. 9-12.
33 flight the devil. — dy vicars, purify) that ye may be able to approach God, having laid aside adultery of soul. — d/^v%oi, ye double-minded) who give yourselves both to God and to the world, ver. 4. The form of address varies in this Epistle ; and at one time they are addressed as holy brethren, at another time…
518 wordsSource & rights
Public domain historical edition (1859); scan/OCR from Internet Archive.
Project Gutenberg source record →
Historical Christian writing; not Scripture.