2. All mysteries (ra uvornpia tdvta). The mysteries, all of them. See on Rom. xi. 25. The article indicates the well- known spiritual problems which exercise men’s minds.
All faith (cacav thv miotw). All the special faith which works miracles.
3. Bestow (Yowpuicw). Only here and Rom. xii. 20. See on sop, John xiii. 26. The verb means to feed out in morsels, dole out.
To be burned (iva cavIjncwpa). The latest critical text reads kavyjcopar in order that I may glory, after the three oldest MSS. The change to burned might have been suggested by the copyist’s familiarity with christian martyrdoms, or by the story of the three Ilebrews. Bishop Lightfoot finds a possible reference to the case of an Indian fanatic who, in the time of Augustus, burned himself alive at Athens. His tomb there was visible in Paul’s time, and may have been seen by him. It bore the inscription: “ Zarmochegas the Indian from Bar- gosa, according to the ancient customs of India, made himself immortal and lies here.” Calanus, an Indian gymnosophist who followed Alexander, in order to get rid of his sufferings, burned himself befo e Macedonian army (see Plutarch, “ Alexander”). Martyi:uom for the sake of ambition was a
964 WORD STUDIES IN THE NEW TESTAMENT. [Cu. XIIL
fact of early occurrence in the Church, if not in Paul's day. Farrar says of his age, “both at this time and in the persecu- tion of Diocletian, there were Christians who, oppressed by debt, by misery, and sometimes even by a sense of guilt, thrust themselves into the glory and imagined redemptiveness of the baptism of blood. . . . The extravagant estimate formed of the merits of all who were confessors, became, almost immed- lately, the cause of grave scandals. We are horrified to read in Cyprian’s letter that even in prison, even when death was imminent, there were some of the confessors who were puffed up with vanity and pride, and seemed to think that the blood of martyrdom would avail them to wash away the stains of flagrant and even recent immoralities” (“Lives of the Fathers,” ch. vi., sec. ii.),
4. Suffereth long (waxpoIvpet). See on Jas. v. 7.
Is kind (xpnorevera:). Only here in the New Testament. See on ypyatos, A. V., easy, Matt. xi. 30, and xXpnaotoTns good, Rom. iii. 12.
‘* The high charity which makes us servants Prompt to the counsel which controls the world.” DANTE, ‘‘ Paradiso,” xxi., 70, 71.
Vaunteth (reprrepeverar). From aépmepos a braggart. Used of one who sounds his own praises. Cicero introduces a com- pound of the word in one of his letters to Atticus, describing his speech in the presence of Pompey, who had just addressed the senate on his return from the Mithridatic war. He says: “Heavens! How J showed off (éverreprepevodunv) before my new auditor Pompey,” and describes the various rhetorical tricks which he employed.
Puffed up (¢ucwidrar). See on ch. iv. 6, and compare ch. vii. 1. Of inward disposition, as the previous word denotes outward display. The opposite is put by Dante:
‘“ That swells with love the spirit well-disposed.” “* Paradiso,” x., 144.
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5. Easily provoked (apoftvera:). asily is superfluous, and gives a wrong coloring to the statement, which is absolute: ts not provoked or exasperated. The verb occurs only here and Acts xvii. 16. The kindred noun zrapofvcpés, in Acts xv. 39, describes the irritation which arose between Paul and Barna- bas. In Heb. x. 24, stimulating to good works. It is used of provoking God, Deut. ix. 8; Ps. ev. 29; Isa. Ixv. 3.
Thinketh no evil (ov Xoyiferas Td Kaxov). Lit., reckoneth not the evil. Rev., taketh not account of. The evil; namely, that which is done to love. ‘ Love, instead of entering evil as a debt in its account-book, voluntarily passes the sponge over what it endures ” (Godet).
6. Rejoiceth in the truth (cuyyatper rh adnIela). Rev., correctly, rejoiceth wth. Truth is personified as love is. Compare Ps. lxxxv. 10.