present, for in it the careful are introduced as themselves speak ing, whereas in the present verse our Lord speaks in His own person.1 — r\ -^v/fi — rb ffupa, the soul — the body) Both of which God gave and cares for. See the latter part of ver. 30.2
26, 28. TK vtriiva roO ovpavcv — ra xpiva rov aypov, the fowls of the air — the lilies of the field) which men do not take care of, often in fact destroying them ; as for example the ravens, mentioned in Luke xii. 24.3
26. Ouds ffuvdyouaiv, neither do they collect) as for example by purchase, for the future.4 — upuv, your) He says your, not their. — /i&XXov, more) i.e. you more excel as sons of God, than other men do, or than you who indulge in such care (anxiety) con sider. The word paXXov, therefore, is not redundant. In this verse, the argument is from the less to the greater ; in ver. 25, from the greater to the less.
27. T/V — e% vpSJv, which — of you) A mode of speaking frequent with Christ, full of majesty, and yet suited for popular use. — jjA/x/av, stature) See Gnomon on Luke xii. 25, 26. — ^%t>v, a cubit) So as to become of gigantic height.
28. Hug a-j^dvei, how they grow) sc. to a great height. — oti xoT/a, they toil not) Toil is remotely, spinning intimately connected with procuring raiment, as sowing and reaping are with food.
29. AE/W, I say) Christ truly knew the dress of Solomon. — ws, as) sc. is clothed, or is. — eV, one) any one, not to say a whole garland.5 — roi/rwv, of these) The pronoun is used demonstratively.
30. At, but) Used epitatically.6 Garments are objects of comeliness, as well as necessity. The mention of the lilies
1 ab Vulg. Hil. Bas. Epiph. Jerome (who says, however, it was added in some MSS.) omit % rt irir,Te. But BC, Orig. IJlld Memph. read the words. Rec. Text has x,a,l instead of »j, the reading of the oldest authorities. — ED.
2 There is nothing so small and insignificant, which His omniscience neglects, ver. 32. — V. g.
3 The ant (Prov. vi. 6) is an example, which we may apply as an antidote to slothfulness ; the birds of heaven, to anxious cares. — V. g.
4 " Into barns:" or even into other repositories of food, as we may see instanced in other animals. — V. g.
5 Kings were wont to wear white robes ; but these are surpassed by the whiteness of the lilies. — V. g.
6 See Append, on Epitasis. It implies some word or words added to a previous enunciation to give augmented force. — ED.