a belieyer's heart to be anxious about the things of this world, and supplied His followers with comforting arguments against care.
[Take no thought.] The same remark which has been alreadj made on this expression may be repeated here. The meaning of the Greek word is, **Take no anxious thought, — be not anxiously careful."
[Life.,. body.] The maintenance of animal life and the cloth- ing of the body, are the two primary objects of thought and care. St. Paul refers to this when he says, " Having food and raiment, let us be therewith content" (1 Tim. yi. 8.)
38. — [More.] This expression means "more excellent, — more yaluable." It is translated "greater" in Luke xi. Sl> 82; and " more excellent " in Hebrews xi. 4.
24. — [Ravens.] Let it be noted that the rayens are specially mentioned in Psal. cxlvii. 9, and Job xxxyiii. 41, as objects of God's care. In the history of Elijah, the Holy Ghost shows us the rayens proyidin^ for others, as well as providing for them- selves. (1 Eings xvii. 6.)
25. — [To Ms stature f one cubit.] It admits of grave doubt whether the Greek word which we translate ** stature," ought not to have been translated " life," or " age." — ^It is so translated in John ix. 21 and 28, and Heb. xi. 11. The idea of a person being anxious to increase his stature is undoubtedly somewhat strange, and the addition of a cubit to it would hardly be called in the foUow- ing verse " that thing which is least." — ^Anxietj about a longer term of life is much more common and intelligible. The appli- cation of the word " cubit" to an increase of me, is quite justi- fied by the expression in the Psalms, " Thou hast maoe my days as an handbreadth." (Psal. xxxix. 5.) The figure is also used in classical writers.
27. — [The lUies.] It is not clear that the flowers which are trans- lated "lilies," are the lilies of our climate. Miyor quotes Sir J. E. Smith's saying, " There is reason to suppose that the lily mentioned by our Saviour, is the Amaryllis Lutea or Autuilmal Narcissus. The flower is described b^ travellers, as appearing in profusion in the fields of countries m the Levant, and covering them in autumn with a vivid golden brilliancy, so as to admit of a peculiarly apt comparison with Solomon in all his glory,"
[Solomon in ctU his glory.] Let it be observed that the king- dom and glory of Solomon are spoken of here as real and true things, and not as mere myths and fables.
28. — [The grass.] The word so translated signifies herbage in general, indudmg flowers.
tVKS, CHAP.. Xn, YER. 32 40.
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29. — [Neither be ye of doubtful mind.'\ The Greek word so trans- lated is only found here in the New Testament. Its meaning has been variously explained, and our own translators seem to have felt its difficulty by their marginal reading " live not in careful suspense."
According to Hammond, the idea is borrowed from clouds or birds, high in the air, and tossed to and fro by the wind.
The vulgate translation appears to regard the expression as a warning against high and ambitious thoughts, " be not lifted up on high."
The true idea is probably that which is given by Suicer. The expression is one oorrowed from ships out at sea, which, es- pecially when seen from the shore, appear lifted up, tossed to and fro and restless. Thucydides has a similar expression, when describing the condition of men's minds in Greece, just at the beginning of the Peloponnesian war. (Thuc. ii. 7.) It implies a state of suspense, doubt, and anxiety about the future.
30.--[77^ nations.^ Doddridge paraphrases this sentence thus, " The Gentile nations of the world, who know little of Provi- dence or of a fdture state, seek after all these lower things with great solicitude ; and they are more excusable in doing it."