1 E. V. " Worthy to be beaten."— (I. B.)
2 Which he adopts from his teachers, independently of and exceeding his heathen corruptions, which he has not laid aside. — V. g.
3 E. V. " It is nothing." — (I. B.)
* On this word Bengel, in his Apparatus Criticus, has the remark : — " snw Hebr. ex Lat.," sc. mentha ; from which also our English word, mint -(I. B )
ST MATTHEW XXIII. 24. 40t>
weightier) These questions belong to comparative theology. Three weightier matters are enumerated in contrast with three smaller matters. Concerning these weightier matters, see Ecclus. iv. lie, and he alone, who does not neglect these, may judge rightly in smaller matters. — rqv xpiffiv, judgment) by which men distinguish between good and evil, and in either of them be tween weightier and smaller matters ; see the Gnomon on ch. xii. 18, and xvi. 3; Luke xii. 57 ; 1 Cor. xi. 31 ; Micah vi. 8. — TOV s\ec\>, mercy} See ch. ix. 13. — rrtv xi<snv, faith) sc. since rity, which is opposed to hypocrisy : for those who, in ch. xxiv. 51, are called hypocrites, are called unbelievers (infideles) in Luke xii. 46. Cf. 1 Tim. iv. 2, 3. There are clearly these three principal heads, Judgment, Mercy, Faith : and divisions of theological topics ought to have been arranged under such heads as those which Scripture itself lays down, as in John xvi. 8 ; Romans iii. 27 ; 1 Cor. xiii. 13 ; 1 Thess. iv. 9, v. 1 -,1 Heb. vi. 1, 2. — ^ dpi'emi, not to omit) corresponding with dprixare, ye have omitted ; and therefore ravra, these, refers to mint, etc. — sxtTva, those, to judgment, etc. ; and the words, raDra sdei voi^aai, these ought ye to have done, express approbation of their conduct in this matter ;2 whilst the words xdxfn/a. ^ dptsvai, and not to leave the other undone, belong to the indict ment. In Greek ouro; and sxeTvog, in Latin hie and ille (this and that), are frequently employed with reference, not to the order of the words, but to the nature of the things. See my note to Chrysostom on the Priesthood, pp. 509, 510.
24. Tov xuivwra, the gnat) They who object to siualloiving a camel should not be found fault with for merely straining a gnat,s
1 There is evidently some mistake in the references to Romans and Thessalonians — a mistake which I have bestowed much labour to correct, but in vain. For the reference to 1 Thess. v. 1, 1 would suggest 1 Thess. v. 8.— (I. B.)
2 Truly, even in the smallest things remarkable and pre-eminent grace may exhibit itself, Mark xii. 42. — V. g.
8 The clause rendered by E. V., " who strain at a gnat," is interpreted more correctly by Bengel, " who strain a gnat," on which Alford observes in loc., " The straining the gnat is not a mere proverbial saying. The Jews (as do now the Buddists in Ceylon and Hindostan) strained their wine, etc., carefully, that they might not violate Levit. xi. 20, 23, 41, 42 (and it might be added, Levit. xvii. 10-14). The camel is not only opposed as of immense size, but is also unclean" — (I. B.)