1. 'ErsXtasv, concluded) Our Lord did nothing abruptly. See Gnomon on ch. xxvi. 1 ; and Luke vii. 1. — xypuffffstv, to preach) sc. everywhere. Cf. John iii. 2, etc.1 — avruv, of them) the Israelites [the people, namely, who were deserving of His " compassion,' ch. ix. 36.— V. g.]
2. Tot XPISTOV, of Christ) Those works which it was the part of the Messiah to perform.2 — ^aa^T-wv ai/roS, of His disciples) whom He wished to confirm and resign to Christ.3
3. 'o ep^o/Mvoz, he that should come) cf. Ps. xl. 7 ; Heb. x. 37. — #, x.r.x., or, etc.) There was not at that time any other, for John excludes himself by this disjunctive particle. — ertpov, another) They recognise as a certain fact that there is some one who should come. — vpoffbox,Sj/j,iv, must we await) sc. with longer delay.4
4. "A axovere xat fix'stiri, those things which ye do hear and see) The testimonies of facts of seven kinds, enumerated in ver. 5, 6. The miracles which our Lord performed had been fore told ; they were beneficent, many, and various.5
5.6 EuayysX/^oiTa/, are evangelized) The word is passive ; cf. Luke xvi. 16. For the works of our Lord Himself, wrhich the
1 The verb ltl«.(jx.tiv implies private instruction, as tw^watia implies public instruction. — V. g.
2 Jesus had done similar works before John was imprisoned ; but now He did such works in much greater numbers. — V. g.
8 He does not seem to have entertained any doubt himself as to Christ. -V. g.
4 The time of waiting in expectation was now by this time coming to an end ; for the Seventieth week of Daniel was close at hand. — V. g.
5 Sight in other cases is wont to precede hearing ; but the word of Christ [heard by them] answered more closely, as it were, to the desires of faith than the works of Christ [seen by them], John xiv. 11. Even in this place, Jesus speaks humbly, as in ch. xii. 17, 41, 42. He does not say, Those things which I speak and do. — V. g.
6 Tf<p/.oi »v»fihe'7rovai) At that very moment (period of time) such miracles were being performed (Luke vii. 21), which were the very miracles reserved for the Christ. In ancient times, sinners used to be punished with blindness, leprosy, and death. — vtxpoi iytipovreti) A miracle which had been very re cently performed in the case of the young man of Nain, Luke vii. 14. — V. g.