treasure does not produce even anything idle.1 — av Xoyov, they shall render account) i.e., they shall pay the penalty of. A metonymy of the antecedent for the consequent.
37. 2>Ex, x.r.X., by, etc.) Words exhibit the righteousness or unrighteousness, which is in the heart.
38. ' A*ntpfttp»vf x.r.X., answered, etc.) As though they would not otherwise believe the words which they had just heard. — tii'koj&ev, we wish) Why do we wish ? Because it so pleases us. They tlms deny the signs which our Lord had already per formed. — aero got, from Thee) i.e. from Thee Thyself, as in ch. xvi. 1— EX roij ovpavoiJ, from heaven.
39. Tivsa, a generation) A race of the same age and disposi tion. — fj^oi^aXis, adulterous) i.e. strictly so speaking : see ch. v. 32 ; and also, by synecdoche, very guilty ; see James iv. 4. — ar^s/bv, a sign) and one too of a certain special kind. This word is thrice repeated here with great emphasis ; cf. 2 Cor. xi. 12, where the meaning is, They wish for an occasion, and no occa sion is given them; which resembles what is said here, They seek for a sign, and no sign shall be given them. — iirtfyTt?, seeketh in addition) i.e. beyond those which it has already seen, it requires further signs, as if it had seen none yet. — TO oj/zg/bv lava, the sign of Jonah) that is such a one as was given in
Jonah.
40. 'iwvag, Jonas) Jonas did not then die, but yet it was as much believed that he would not return from the fish, as it was that Jesus would not return from the heart of the earth ; yet both of them did return. — ev ry xoiXict, TO\J x^rou?, in the belly of the ivhale) We ought not to doiibt that Jonah was in the belly of the whale, on account of the narrow throat of some animals
1 I can hardly think that it can be proved by the Arabic idiom, that this precept of our Lord ought to be restricted to lies ; for the words ~hkyu V* vft.lv not obscurely intimate that the language of Christ moves in a descend ing climax, and that from evil words, mentioned in ver. 35, He goes down also to idle words. Compare the similar Epitasis (successive increase in the force by the descending climax) in eti<r%p6rri;, ftapohoyix, tfoyaWX/*, Eph. v. 4. Let us weigh well the caution which is found in Matt. v. 19, and which can never be too much recommended to all Critics, Teachers, and Sacred Orators, when about to enter on the investigation of the force of ex pressions and phrases, especially in morals. — E. B.
3 '¥.v quipa. x.piotas, ill the day of judgment) Oh! what a great day ! — V. g.