may be answered, because a compound of oxua, expressing merely a change in the aspect of Christ's person and garments, would not express the deeper truth of the case, which is, that the visible change gets its real character and meaning from that which is essential in our Lord his divine nature. A foreshadowing or prophecy of his true form-his distinctive character-comes out in his transfiguration. He passes over into a form identified, so far as revealed, with the divine quality of his being, and prophetic of his revelation "as he is" (1 John iii. 2), in the glory which he had with the Father before the world was (John xvii. 5). In truth, there is a deep and pregnant hint in the use of this word, which easily escapes observation, and which defies accurate definition. The profound and overwhelming impression upon the three disciples was due to something besides the shining of Christ's face and garments, and the presence of Moses and Elijah; and was deeper and subtler than the effect of all these combined. There was a fact and a power in that vision which mere radiance and the appearance of the dead patriarchs could not wholly convey: a revelation of Deity breaking out in that glorified face and form, which appealed to something deeper than sense, and confirmed the words from heaven: This is my beloved Son. The same truth is illustrated in the use of popon in Mark xvi. 12, where it is said that Jesus appeared in a different form (év étéρą μoppy) after his resurrection. The accidents of figure, face, pierced hands and feet, were the same; but an indefinable change had passed upon him, the characteristic of which was that it prefigured his passing into the condition peculiar and appropriate to his essential spiritual and divine being. 4. Let us make (тoińσwμev). But the best texts read, Tоnow, I will make, which is more characteristic of Peter. He would erect the booths himself. Three tabernacles (σkηvás). Tents or booths, out of the brushwood lying near. Peter realized that it was night, and was for preparing shelters into which the heavenly visitants might retire after their interview. 9. Vision (öpaμa). The spectacle. 11. Cometh. Elijah cometh first. An abstract statement expressing the fact that Elijah's coming precedes in time the coming of the Messiah. It is a point of Jewish chronology; just as a teacher of history might say to his pupils, "The Saxons and Danes precede the Normans in England." Elijah had already come in the person of John the Baptist. 15. Is lunatic (σeλnviášeтai). Rev., epileptic. The A. V. preserves the etymology of the word (σeλývn, the moon), but lunatic conveys to us the idea of demented; while the Rev. epileptic gives the true character of the disease, yet does not tell us the fact contained in the Greek word, that epilepsy was supposed to be affected by the changes of the moon. See on Matt. iv. 24. 17. Perverse (dieσтρаμμévη). Wyc., wayward. Tynd., crooked; diá, throughout; στpépw, to twist. Warped. 20. Unbelief (amioríav). But the better reading is oλyoTIOTíav, littleness of faith. Hence Rev., Because of your little faith. 24. They that received tribute-money (oi тà disρaxua λaμßávovτes). Rev., They that received the half-shekel. Every male Israelite of age, including proselytes and manumitted Jews, was expected to pay annually for the temple-service a half-shekel or didrachm, about thirty-five cents. This must be paid in the ancient money of Israel, the regular half-shekel of the treasury; and the money-changers, therefore, were in demand to change the current into the temple coin, which they did at a rate of discount fixed by law, between four and five cents on every half-shekel. The annual revenue to the moneychangers from this source has been estimated at nearly fortyfive thousand dollars; a very large sum in a country where a laborer received less than twenty cents for a day's work, and where the good Samaritan left about thirty-three cents at the inn for the keeping of the wounded man. Jesus attacked a very powerful interest when he overthrew the tables of the money-changers. 25. Yes (vaí). Indicating that Jesus had paid the tax on former occasions. (προέφθασεν). Prevented (poépaσev). Rev., rather awkwardly, but following Tynd., Spake first to him. Prevent, in its older sense, to anticipate, get before, was a correct translation. Compare Shakspeare: "So shall my anticipation prevent your discovery.” Hamlet, ii., 1. Out of this grew the secondary meaning, to hinder. By getting before another, one hinders him from accomplishing his purpose. This meaning has supplanted the other. Wyc. renders came before him. The meaning is that Jesus did not wait for Peter to tell him of the demand of the collectors. He anticipated him in speaking about it. Custom or tribute (Tếλŋ ʼn kηvoov). Rev. gives toll for (τέλη ή κῆνσον). custom. Toll is duty upon goods; tribute, tax upon individuals. Kĥvoos, tribute, is merely a transcription of the Latin census, which means, first, a registration with a view to taxation, and then the tax itself. Strangers (λотpíwv). Not foreigners, but others than those of their own families; their subjects. In other words, Does a king tax his own children or his subjects? 27. Hook (aуKIOтpov). The only mention in the New Testament of fishing with a hook. A single fish is wanted. A piece of money (σтаτĥра). The A. V. is very inadequate, because Christ names a definite sum, the stater, which is a literal transcription of the Greek word, and represents two didrachmas, or a shekel. Hence Rev., a shekel. CHAPTER XVIII. 1. The Rev. inserts then after who, thus restoring the Greek apa, which the A. V. overlooks. Who then? Who, as things stand. Since one of our number has been doubly honored in being called "the rock," and in being appointed to take part in a special miracle, who then is greatest? 3. Be converted (σтрарîте). The word converted has acquired a conventional religious sense which is fundamentally truthful, but the essential quality of which will be more apparent if we render literally, as Rev., except ye turn. The picture is that of turning round in a road and facing the other way. But the double nega Shall not enter (οὐ μὴ εἰσέλθητε). tive is very forcible, and is given in Rev. in nowise. So far from being greatest in the kingdom of heaven, ye shall not so much as enter. 4. As this little child. Not, as this little child humbles himself, but, shall make himself humble as this little child is lowly; shall willingly become by spiritual process what the child is by nature. 5. In my name (èπì tô óvóμarí μov). Lit., upon my name; on the ground of, or on account of; for my sake. 6. A millstone (μúλos dvikòs). Two kinds of millstones were in use; the one turned by hand, the other, and larger, by an ass (ovos). Here Jesus says an ass-millstone; or, as Rev., a great millstone; Wyc., millstone of asses. 12. Leave upon the mountains. The text here is disputed. Both A. V. and Rev. follow a text which reads: "Doth he not, leaving the ninety and nine, go into the moun tains?" Rather join leave with on the mountains, and read, "Will he not leave the ninety and nine upon (éπì, scattered over) the mountains, and go," etc. This also corresponds with apnoe, leaving, letting out, or letting loose. 13. If so be (càv Yévnтai). If it should so come to pass. God's grace is not irresistible. 14. The will of your Father (θέλημα ἔμπροσθεν τοῦ πατρὸς vuv). Though some read my Father (uov). Lit., There is not a will before your (my) Father. So Wyc., It is not will before your Father. Meyer paraphrases, There is not before the face of God any determination having as its object that one of these, etc. 15. Go (vπaуe). Do not wait for him to come to you. Tell him his fault (exeykov). Rev., shew him. The verb means, first, to test, try, search out; therefore, to cross-examine with a view of convincing or refuting; thence to rebuke or chide. The Rev. shew is better than tell, which implies merely naming the fault; whereas the injunction is, go and prove to him how he has erred. Wyc., reprove, with snub as explanation. 16. In the mouth (Éπì στóμatos). mouth," or on the testimony of. Better Rev., 19. Shall agree (ovμþwvýσovou). From oúv, together, and pový, sound or voice. Transcribed in our word symphony. The word unanimous expresses an inner concord, an agreement of mind, which is conveyed in the Greek ομοθυμαδόν ; ὁμός, one and the same, and Jupos, feeling, thought (Acts i. 14); but the word here translated agree has so far lost its distinctive character as a concord of voices as to be used for agreement in the deeper and more inward sense. Concerning anything that they shall ask (περὶ παντὸς πрáyμатоs où lav airýowvTai). The literal rendering is, if anyπράγματος ἐὰν αἰτήσωνται). |