without a mystical meaning : 1T3, a diadem, is the token of a king's head, and mT3 is, according to Hiller, a town which crowns the summit of a mountain ; the name, therefore, of Nazarene, may thus be expressed in German, "Zu CRONBERG HAT DEK GECRONTE GEWOHNET," — " The crowned one hath dwelt on the summit of a hill" — SeePs. cxxxii. 18. The names of places are frequently put for the thing itself which is signified : we pass by the Veronenses, Placentini, Laudiceni, of the Latins. The meaning of Scripture is deeper : Simon the Canaanite was also called Zelotes, both from his country and his distinguishing virtue. — See Matt. x. 4, and Luke vi. 15. See especially Is. Ixiii. 1.
1. 'Ev raug ip'spais sKilvaif, in those days) In the Evangelistaries l this formula merely denotes the commencement of an extract ; but in the Gospels it has a more definite meaning. In the pre sent case it signifies, " whilst Jesus was dwelling at Nazareth." — See ch. ii. 23.2 An interval of time is denoted between the events last recorded and those now mentioned, not short, yet not remarkable for any great change. — srapa'yivsrai, cometh) This word is pleasantly repeated at ver. 13 : the LXX. frequently in troduce it in the present tense. — xqpvaffuv, preaching) sc. loudly. The expression in ver. 3, <puvri jSo^vrog (the voice of one crying), agrees with this. The words 6 /3«crr/ srr\g, the Baptist, and
<fuv, preaching, declare the two parts of John's office. — sv rp in the wilderness) See ver. 3.
2. MeravosTrs, repent ye) A lovely word (see verses 8, 1 1), im-
1 The Evangelistaria were selections of ecclesiastical readings from the Gospels.— (I. B.)
2 At the time that John entered on his public life, Joseph was probably no longer in the land of the living. Therefore, in the words of the text, the reference is to Him, of whom it was said by the prophets, He shall be called a Nazarene. Jesus sojourned at Nazareth from His return out of Egypt up to the time of John's entrance on his ministry. — Harm., p. 63.