HE DEPARTED (μετηρεν). Literally, to lift up, change something to another place. Transitive in the LXX and in a Cilician rock inscription. Intransitive in Matthew 13:53 and here, the only N.T. instances. Absence of οτ or κα after κα εγενετο, one of the clear Hebraisms in the N.T. (Robertson, _Gra... [ Continue Reading ]
PHARISEES TEMPTING HIM (Φαρισαιο πειραζοντες αυτον). They "could not ask a question of Jesus without sinister motives" (Bruce). See Matthew 4:1 for the word (πειραζω).FOR EVERY CAUSE (κατα πασαν αιτιαν). This clause is an allusion to the dispute between the two theological schools over the meani... [ Continue Reading ]
SHALL CLEAVE (κολληθησετα). First future passive, "shall be glued to," the verb means.THE TWAIN SHALL BECOME ONE FLESH (εσοντα ο δυο εις σαρκα μιαν). This use of εις after ειμ is an imitation of the Hebrew, though a few examples occur in the older Greek and in the papyri. The frequency of it is... [ Continue Reading ]
WHAT THEREFORE GOD HATH JOINED TOGETHER (ο ουν ο θεος συνεζευξεν). Note "what," not "whom." The marriage relation God has made. "The creation of sex, and the high doctrine as to the cohesion it produces between man and woman, laid down in Gen., interdict separation" (Bruce). The word for "joined... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR YOUR HARDNESS OF HEART (προς την σκληροκαρδιαν υμων). The word is apparently one of the few Biblical words (LXX and the N.T.). It is a heart dried up (σκληρος), hard and tough.BUT FROM THE BEGINNING IT HATH NOT BEEN SO (απ' αρχης δε ουκ γεγονεν ουτως). The present perfect active of γινομα t... [ Continue Reading ]
EXCEPT FOR FORNICATION (παρεκτος λογου πορνειας). This is the marginal reading in Westcott and Hort which also adds "maketh her an adulteress" (ποιε αυτην μοιχευθηνα) and also these words: "and he that marrieth her when she is put away committeth adultery" (κα ο απολελυμενην γαμησας μοιχατα). Ther... [ Continue Reading ]
THE DISCIPLES SAY UNTO HIM (λεγουσιν αυτω ο μαθητα). "Christ's doctrine on marriage not only separated Him τοτο χαελο from Pharisaic opinions of all shades, but was too high even for the Twelve" (Bruce).THE CASE (η αιτια). The word may refer to the use in verse Matthew 19:3 "for every cause." I... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT THEY TO WHOM IT IS GIVEN (αλλ' οις δεδοτα). A neat Greek idiom, dative case of relation and perfect passive indicative. The same idea is repeated at the close of verse Matthew 19:12. It is a voluntary renunciation of marriage for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. "Jesus recognizes the severi... [ Continue Reading ]
REBUKED THEM (επετιμησεν αυτοις). No doubt people did often crowd around Jesus for a touch of his hand and his blessing. The disciples probably felt that they were doing Jesus a kindness. How little they understood children and Jesus. It is a tragedy to make children feel that they are in the way... [ Continue Reading ]
SUFFER (αφετε). "Leave them alone." Second aorist active imperative.FORBID THEM NOT (μη κωλυετε). "Stop hindering them." The idiom of μη with the present imperative means just that.OF SUCH (των τοιουτων). The childlike as in Matthew 18:3.... [ Continue Reading ]
WHAT GOOD THING (τ αγαθον). Mark (Mark 10:17) has the adjective "good" with "Teacher."MAY HAVE (σχω). Ingressive aorist subjunctive, "may get," "may acquire.... [ Continue Reading ]
CONCERNING THAT WHICH IS GOOD (περ του αγαθου). He had asked Jesus in verse Matthew 19:16 "what good thing" he should do. He evidently had a light idea of the meaning of αγαθος. "This was only a teacher's way of leading on a pupil" (Bruce). So Jesus explains that "One there is who is good," one a... [ Continue Reading ]
WHAT LACK I YET? (τ ετ υστερω?) Here is a psychological paradox. He claims to have kept all these commandments and yet he was not satisfied. He had an uneasy conscience and Jesus called him to something that he did not have. He thought of goodness as quantitative (a series of acts) and not qualit... [ Continue Reading ]
IF THOU WOULDEST BE PERFECT (ε θελεις τελειος εινα). Condition of the first class, determined as fulfilled. Jesus assumes that the young man really desires to be perfect (a big adjective that, perfect as God is the goal, Matthew 5:48).THAT THOU HAST (σου τα υπαρχοντα). "Thy belongings." The Gre... [ Continue Reading ]
WENT AWAY SORROWFUL (απηλθεν λυπουμενος). "Went away grieved." He felt that Jesus had asked too much of him. He worshipped money more than God when put to the test. Does Jesus demand this same test of every one? Not unless he is in the grip of money. Different persons are in the power of differen... [ Continue Reading ]
IT IS HARD (δυσκολως). With difficulty. Adverb from δυσκολος, hard to find food, fastidious, faultfinding, then difficult.... [ Continue Reading ]
IT IS EASIER FOR A CAMEL TO GO THROUGH A NEEDLE'S EYE (ευκοπωτερον εστιν καμηλον δια τρηματος ραφιδος εισελθειν). Jesus, of course, means by this comparison, whether an eastern proverb or not, to express the impossible. The efforts to explain it away are jejune like a ship's cable, καμιλον or ραφι... [ Continue Reading ]
WERE ASTONISHED (εξεπλησσοντο). Imperfect descriptive of their blank amazement. They were literally "struck out.... [ Continue Reading ]
LOOKING ON THEM (εμβλεψας). Jesus saw their amazement.... [ Continue Reading ]
WHAT THEN SHALL WE HAVE? (τ αρα εστα ημιν?) A pathetic question of hopeless lack of comprehension.... [ Continue Reading ]
IN THE REGENERATION (εν τη παλινγενεσια). The new birth of the world is to be fulfilled when Jesus sits on his throne of glory. This word was used by the Stoics and the Pythagoreans. It is common also in the mystery religions (Angus, _Mystery Religions and Christianity_, pp. 95ff.). It is in the... [ Continue Reading ]
A HUNDREDFOLD (εκατονπλασιονα). But Westcott and Hort read πολλαπλασιονα, manifold. Eternal life is the real reward.... [ Continue Reading ]
THE LAST FIRST AND THE FIRST LAST (ο εσχατο πρωτο κα ο πρωτο εσχατο). This paradoxical enigma is probably in the nature of a rebuke to Peter and refers to ranks in the kingdom. There are many other possible applications. The following parable illustrates it.... [ Continue Reading ]