_Manahen... foster-brother to Herod, or nursed with the same milk. (Witham) --- It would appear from his having been brought up with Herod, that he was of noble parentage. He is likewise believed to have been one of the seventy-two disciples. The Latins keep his feast on the 24th of May. (Calmet)_... [ Continue Reading ]
As they were ministering to the Lord. [1] Mr. N. and some others translate, offering up sacrifice. There are indeed good grounds to take this to be the true sense, as the Rhemish translators observed, who notwithstanding only put ministering, lest, (said they) we should seem to turn it in favour of... [ Continue Reading ]
_Fasting and prayer, imposing their hands upon them. By which is clearly expressed, the manner in which the ministers of God were, and are still ordained bishops, priests, deacons in the Church. (Witham) --- Interpreters are much divided in opinion, whether this imposition of hands be a mere deputat... [ Continue Reading ]
_In the synagogues of the Jews, preaching first the gospel ot them. (Witham)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_A magician... whose name was Bar-jesu, son of Jesus, or Josue. In Arabic, Elymas is the same as magician. This man did all he could to dissuade the proconsul, Sergius Paulus, from embracing the Christian faith. (Witham) --- Salamina was the capital of the island of Cyprus, and at the eastern extrem... [ Continue Reading ]
_Then Saul, who also is Paul. This is the first time we find the apostle called Paul. Some, therefore, think it was given him when he converted this proconsul, Sergius Paulus. Others, that Saul being a Hebrew word, the Greeks, or rather the Romans, turned it into Paul. (Witham) --- This is the first... [ Continue Reading ]
_Son of the devil. Sharp language, when grounded on truth, may be used against those who hinder the conversion of others. St. John Chrysostom says, he was struck with this blindness only for a time, to make him enter into himself, and be converted. (Witham)_... [ Continue Reading ]
Antioch. Many cities in Asia Minor bore this name. It is related that Seleucus Nicanor built many, and called them by this name, in honour of his father Antiochus. (Tirinus) --- Pamphylia and Pisidia were two provinces in Asia Minor. --- The sabbath-day. Some not only understand, but even translate,... [ Continue Reading ]
These seven nations are the Chanaanites, the Hethites, the Hevites, the Pherezites, the Gergesites, and the Jebusites, and the Amorrhites. (Josue iii. 10. and elsewhere)... [ Continue Reading ]
Chronology only gives about 350 years from the entrance into the land of promise to the end of Samuel's judicial government, who was the last of the judges. (Bible de Vence)... [ Continue Reading ]
He then brings the testimony, which John the Baptist gave of Jesus, as it is likely many of them had heard of John, and of the great esteem that all the people had of his virtue and sanctity. He tells them that salvation was offered and sent them by Jesus, against whom the chief of the Jews at Jerus... [ Continue Reading ]
He then shews them that Jesus was their Messias, and the Son of God, begotten of his Father from eternity, who rose from the dead, and he applies these words, (Psalm ii. 7.) to prove Christ's resurrection, thou art my son, this day have I begotten thee. It is true, these words regard chiefly the ete... [ Continue Reading ]
_I will give you the holy things of David sure. These are the words of the prophet Isaias, lv. ver. 3. According to the Septuagint the sense is, I will faithfully fulfil the promises I made to David. (Challoner)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_In another place also he saith, (Psalm xv. 10.) thou wilt not suffer thy holy one to see corruption. That is, Christ's body to be corrupted in the grave. See the words of St. Peter, Acts chap. ii. 27. (Witham)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_After he had served in his generation. That is, in his life-time, saw corruption, or was corrupted in the grave. (Witham)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_Justified. That your sins being forgiven by the merits of Christ, you may be truly just in the sight of God. (Witham)_... [ Continue Reading ]
The law of Moses was then imperfect. I shew you its completion, by preaching to you Christ, whom it foretold. You would violate the law of Moses by opposing the new law, to which he leads you. (Tirinus)... [ Continue Reading ]
See then that you reject not this divine Saviour, lest what has been denounced by the prophets fall upon your incredulous heads: _I will abandon the holy place which I entrusted to you; I will cease to look upon you as my people; I will transfer my kingdom to the Gentiles. (Bible de Vence)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_Ye despisers [2] of the favours offered you, behold, wonder, &c. This citation is out of Habacuc, (chap. i. ver. 5.) according to the Septuagint. The prophet, by these words, foretold to the Jews in his time the evils that would come upon them in their captivity in Chaldea, but St. Paul here applie... [ Continue Reading ]
_The whole city. Not only Jews, but a great many Gentiles, which exasperated the envious Jews. (Witham)_... [ Continue Reading ]
As many as were pre-ordained to eternal life, [3] by the free election, and special mercies, and providence of God. (Witham) --- Some understand this as if it meant, predisposed by their docility, to receive the word of life. But the Fathers unanimously understand it literally of predestination, whi... [ Continue Reading ]
_Shaking off the dust, &c. See the Annotations, Matthew x. 14._... [ Continue Reading ]