1 In Bengel, "Justus" which, as well as the original, li'xeuos, signifies, and is translated, either just or righteous, as the case may require. In Bengel's own German version, it is rendered in the present instance GEBECHT, which is equally ambiguous. — (I. B.)
Justus1 (which signifies primarily unjust or unrighteous) with that of severe. — wapadtiyfAuriffai, to make an example of) Thus the LXX. in Num. XXV. 4, have — TLapadityfAdTiffov avrovg r& Kvpiw, xur'svavri rou jjX/ou, Make an example of them to the Lord before the sun : where the expression is used of persons executed by hanging. The simple form, deiypari^t/v, occurs in Col. ii. 15: for both dstypa and vupadiiypa [from which the verbs are respectively derived] denote that which is exhibited as a public spectacle. — XaS/?a, privily} i.e. without a public trial, without even a record of the reason on the writing of divorcement. Two witnesses were suf ficient. — aToXuffa/; to put her away) fearing to take her.
20. IdoiJ, behold) He was not left long in doubt.2 — y.ar wap, in a dream) Dreams are mentioned also in Acts ii. 17, in a quota tion from the Old Testament. With this exception, St Matthew is the only writer of the New Testament who has recorded dreams ; viz., one of Pilate's wife, ch. xxvii. 19 ; one of the Magi, ch. ii. 12 ; one of Joseph, in this passage ; a second in ch. ii. 13 ; a third in ch. ii. 19 ; and a fourth in ii. 22. This mode of instruc tion was suitable to those early times of the New Dispensation.3 — aiirw, to him) In the first instance, Gabriel was sent to Mary , afterwards the remaining particulars were revealed to Joseph. Thus all things were made sure to both of them. — 'luar,<p, Joseph) In visions, those to whom they are vouchsafed are generally addressed by name, as if already well known [to the speaker]. — See Acts ix. 4, 10, and x. 3, 13. — crapaXa/Ss/t*, to take unto thee) sc. to the companionship of life and board, under the name of wedlock : on which ground the angel adds the words, rr,v ywaTxa <fov (thy wife). — Ma^/a/z, Mary) This termination was more usual in early times (from the example of the Hebrew and the LXX.) than the Greek form Ma^/a, which soon, however, prevailed. St Matthew, therefore, uses Map/d//. here, in the angel's address, for the name of our Lord's mother ; but M«/?/ag [the genitive case of the Greek form Map/a] when speaking of her (ver. 16, 18) in his own person ; and in like manner, he employs the Greek form
1 Ex. gr. Virg. Eel., " Injusta noverca." — ED.
2 Thus God guides His own, and teaches them at the right time, what they have to do. — B. G. V.
3 Shortly after men prophesied concerning Christ ; as also Christ Himself acted the part of an interpreter of their prophecies. — Vers. Germ.