μονογενής. St Luke, whose keen sympathies are everywhere observable in his Gospel, mentions the same touching fact in the case of the son of the widow of Nain (Luke 7:12), and the lunatic boy (Luke 9:38).

ἀπέθνησκεν. St Matthew says “is even now dead.” Perhaps we catch in these variations an echo of the father’s despairing uncertainty.

συνέπνιγον. A strong word, literally ‘were choking’: comp. Luke 8:14. συνέθλιβον is the reading of CL.

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Old Testament