2. Uuifftv, servants) The friends of princes are for the most part young.1 In time of fear, the great speak promiscuously with the small. — OVTO$, this) Herod was tormented by his con science.2 It was not consistent with the character of such a king to arrive at an absolute decision. He concluded, but with doubt ; see Luke ix. 7, 9. Herod was a Sadducee ; but Sad- duceeism wavers when anything strange occurs. Reason [mere human reason] prefers ascribing marvellous circumstances to ancient, or at least departed saints, rather than to those who are alive ; and to those whom it has once begun to esteem highly rather than to others.3 — 'lwai/K»jg, John) Herod had not heard of the works of Jesus before the death of John. John had not performed any miracles during his life ; but because he had been a holy man, men now suppose that he must nevertheless have possessed miraculous power; cf. ch. xvi. 14. So great power has the reputation of holiness even with those who are themselves unholy. Moreover, as the actions of Christ were ascribed to John even when dead, it was necessary that he should decrease in order that Christ might increase. The Greeks speak much and often of the things which our Lord's forerunner, slain before Him, announced and preached to the dead ; see Leo Allatius,4 de libris ecclesiast. Gr. pp. 303, 304 ; and Wetstein5 on the dialogue against the Marcionites, p. 33.
1 Alluding to two of the meanings of -TTU,!;, the one implying youth, the other attendance on a superior. — (I. B.)
2 So far was he from speaking thus in jest. — E. B.
3 John most speedily attained the consummation of his course ; but those who had deprived him of life, subsequently atoned most dearly for it. -V.g.
4 LEO ALLATIUS (or ALLACCI). A laborious and indefatigable writer, of a vast memory, whose writings display great reading. Born in the Isle of Chios, of Greek parents, 1586. Having been admitted into the Greek Col lege at Rome, he embraced the Roman Catholic religion, and was eventually appointed keeper of the Vatican library by Pope Alexander VII. Died 1669.— (I. B.)
5 The author here intended is not J. J. Wetstein, Bengel's great critical rival, but JOHN RUDOLPH WETSTEIN, son of the author of the same name. He was a native of Basle, and became a theologian and philologist of that Academy. He was born in 1647, and died in 1711. He published at Basle, in 1674, " Origen against the Marcionites" in Greek and Latin, with notes. -(I. B.