Cu. VII.] MATTHEW. al
23. Profess (ouoroyrjow). The word which is used elsewhere of open confession of Christ before men (Matt. x. 32; Rom. x. 9); of John’s public declaration that he was not the Christ (John i. 20); of Herod’s promise to Salome in the presence of his guests (Matt. xiv. 7). Here, therefore, of Christ’s open, public declaration as Judge of the world. “There is great authority in this saying,” remarks Bengel.
24 sqq. I will liken him, ete. The picture is not of two men deliberately selecting foundations, but it contrasts one who carefully chooses and prepares his foundation with: one who builds at hap-hazard. This is more strongly brought out by Luke (vi. 48): “Who digged and went deep, and laid a founda- tion upon the rock” (Rev.). Kitto (“ Pictorial Bible”) says: “ At this very day the mode of building in Christ’s own town of Nazareth suggests the source of this image. Dr. Robinson was entertained in the house of a Greek Arab. The house had just been built, and was not yet finished. In order to lay the foundations he had dug down to the solid rock, as is usual throughout the country here, to the depth of thirty feet, and then built up arches.” The abrupt style of ver. 25 pictures the sudden coming of the storm which sweeps away the house on the sand: “ Descended the rain, and came the floods, and blew the winds.”
27. Great was the fall of it. The conclusion of the Sermon on the Mount. “Thus,” remarks Bengel, “it is not necessary for every sermon to end with consolation.”
28. Were astonished (é£erAjocovto). From éx, out of, and mrjoow, to strike. Often to drive one out of his senses by a sudden shock, and therefore here of amazement. They were astounded. We have a similar expression, though not so strong : “T was struck with this or that remarkable thing.”
29. He taught (4v duddcKnwv). He was teaching. This union of the verb and participle emphasizes the idea of dura- tion or habit more than the simple tense.
52 WORD STUDIES IN THE NEW TESTAMENT. [Cu VIII.