iy tet \.
16. Ye fast (vnorevnte). Observe the force of the present tense as indicating action in progress: Whenever ye may be
Sasting.
Of a sad countenance (cxvIpwrol). An uncommon word in the New Testament, occurring only here and at Luke xxiv. 17.
Cu. VI.] MATTHEW. 45
Trench (“Studies in the Gospels”) explains it by the older sense of the English dreary, as expressing the downcast look of settled grief, pain, or displeasure. In classical Greek it also
signifies swllenness and affected gravity. Luther renders, Look not sour.
Disfigure (adavifovew). The idea is rather conceal than disfigure. There isa play upon this word and gavecuw (they may appear) which is untranslatable into English: they conceal or mask their true visage that they may appear unto men. The allusion is to the outward signs of humiliation which often ac- companied fasting, such as being unwashed and unshaven and unanointed. “ Avoid,” says Christ, “the squalor of the un- washed face and of the unkempt hair and beard, and the rather anoint thy head and wash thy face, so as to appear (pavijs) not unto men, but unto God as fasting.” Wycliffe’s rendering is peculiar: They put their faces out of kindly terms.
19. Lay not up treasures (u*) Inoavpifere). Lit., treasure not treasures. So Wyc., Do not treasure to you treasures. The beautiful legend of St. Thomas and Gondoforus is told by Mrs. Jameson (“ Sacred and Legendary Art”): “ When St. Thomas was at Caesarea, our Lord appeared to him and said, ‘ The king of the Indies, Gondoforus, hath sent his provost, Abanes, to seek for workmen well versed in the science of architecture, who shall build for him a palace finer than that of the Emperor of Rome. Behold, now! will send thee to him.’ And Thomas went, and Gondoforus commanded him to build for him a mag- nificent palace, and gave him much gold and silver for the pur- pose. The king went intoa distant country and was absent for two years; and St. Thomas, meanwhile instead of building a palace, distributed all the treasures among the poor and sick ; and when the king returned he was full of wrath, and he com- manded that St. Thomas should be seized and cast into prison, and he meditated for him a horrible death. Meantime the brother of the king died, and the king resolved to erect for him a most magnificent tomb ; but the dead man, after that he had been dead four days, suddenly arose and sat upright, and
A6 WORD STUDIES IN THE NEW TESTAMENT. [Cu. VI.
said to the king, ‘ The man whom thou wouldst torture is a ser- vant of God; behold, I have been in Paradise, and the angels showed to me a wondrous palace of gold and Silver and pre- cious stones; and they said, ‘ This is the palace that Thomas, the architect, hath built for thy brother, King Gondoforus.’ And when the king heard these words, he ran to the prison, and de- livered the apostle; and Thomas said to him, ‘ Knowest thou not that those who would possess heavenly things have little care for the things of this earth? There are in heaven rich palaces without number, which were prepared from the begin- ning of the world for those who would purchase the possession through faith and charity. Thy riches, O king, may prepare the way for thee to such a palace, but they cannot follow thee thither,’ ”
+
Rust (Spéaovs). That which eats; from the verb BiBpaécka, to eat. Compare corrode, from the Latin rodo, to gnaw.
Doth corrupt (adavifer). Rev., consume. The same word which is used above of the hypocrites concealing their faces. The rust conswmes, and therefore causes to disappear. So Wye., destroyeth.
Break through (Svopiccovew). Lit., dig through, as athief might easily penetrate the wall of a common oriental house of mud or clay. The Greek name for a burglar is tovywptyos, a wall-digger. Compare Job xxiv. 16, “In the dark they dig through houses.” Also Ezek. xii. 5. Wyc., Thieves delve out.