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they said unto him, "Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, which was "a prophet mighty in deed (0) "and word before God and all the "people: 20. and how the chief "priests and our rulers delivered "him to be condemned to death, "and have crucified him. 21. But "we trusted that it had been he "which should (p) have redeemed "Israel and beside all this, today is the third day since these things were done. 22. Yea, and "certain women also of our com66 pany made us astonished, which "were early at the sepulchre : "23. and when they found not his body, they came, saying, "That they had also seen a vision of angels, which said that he was alive." "24. And certain of (q) them "which were with us went to the sepulchre, and found it even so "as the women had said; but him

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(o) v. 19. "Deed and word," what he did and said; miracles and doctrine.

(p) v. 21. "He which should have re“deemed Israel." So that a Redeemer was expected. Ante, 35. note on Matt. xi. 3. and note on Luke ii. 25. ante, 71.

(q) v. 24. "Certain of them which were "with us," viz. "Peter and John." John xx. 3. ante, 137. Acts x. 41.

(r) v. 26. "And to enter," i. e. first to suffer, and then, afterwards, to enter into his glory.

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(s) v. 34. "The Lord," Kúpos.

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(t)" To Simon." This appearance of

unto the village whither they went: and he made as though he would have gone further. 29. But they constrained him, saying, "Abide "with us; for it is toward even"ing, and the day is far spent." And he went in to tarry with them. 30. And it came to pass, as he sat at meat with them, he took bread, and blessed it, and brake, and gave to them. 31. And their eyes were opened, and they knew him; and he vanished out of their sight. 32. And they said one to another, "Did not our heart burn within "us, while he talked with us by "the way, and while he opened "to us the Scriptures ?" 33. And they rose up the same hour, and returned to Jerusalem, and found the eleven gathered together, and them that were with them, 34. saying, "The (s) Lord is risen indeed, "and hath appeared to (t) Simon.' 35. And they told what things were done in the way, and how he was known of them in breaking of bread.

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you is the word of this salvation (a) | sent. 27. For they that dwell at Jerusalem, and their rulers, because they knew (y) him not, nor yet the voices of the prophets which are read every sabbath-day, they have fulfilled them in condemning him. 28. And though they found no cause of death in him, yet desired (*) they Pilate they Pilate that he should be slain. 29. And 29. And when they had fulfilled all that was written of him, they took him down from the (a) tree, and laid him in a sepulchre. 30. But God raised him from the dead: 31. and he was seen many days of (b) them which came up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are his witnesses unto the people. 32. And we declare unto you glad tidings, how that the promise (c) which was made unto the fathers, 33. God hath fulfilled the same unto us their children, in (d) that he hath raised

John the Baptist bore to him, "There "cometh one after me, whose shoes of his "feet I am not worthy to unloose;" and then he proceeds, "Men and brethren, &c."

(1) "This salvation," i. e. "by Jesus Christ."

(y) v. 27. "Him," i. e. "Jesus."

(z) v. 28. "Desired they Pilate." The Jews had not at that time the power of inflicting capital punishment: they were obliged to procure an order from the Roman governor. See ante, 83. note on Luke xviii. 32. and 132. note on John xix. 15. (a) v. 29. "The tree," i. e. "the cross, "on which he was crucified."

(6) v. 31. "Seen many days of them "which came up with him." St. Paul was not converted until some time after the ascension: he was not among those, therefore, to whom our Saviour appeared; but the eleven apostles were. See ante, 139, Acts x. 41.

(c) v. 32. "The promise, e. "of the "Messiah."

(d) v. 33. "In that, &c." This assures us that the promise is fulfilled, that God hath raised Jesus.

up Jesus again; as it is also written in the second Psalm, "Thou "art (e) my Son, this day have I

begotten thee." 34. And as concerning that he raised him up from the dead, now no more to return to corruption, he said on this wise, "I(g) will give you the sure "mercies of David." 35. Wherefore he saith also in another (h) Psalm, Psalm, "Thou shalt not suffer "thine Holy One to see corrup"tion." 36. For David, after he had served his own generation by the will of God, fell on sleep, and was laid unto his fathers, and saw corruption : 37. but he whom God raised again, saw no corruption. 38. Be it known unto you, therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins: 39. and by him, all that believe are (i) justified from all things, from which ye could (k) not be justified by

(e) "My Son, &c." And he, who stood in that relationship to God, could not be left in the grave.

(g) v. 34. "Give you, &c." This alludes to Isaiah lv. 3, 4. where God says, "Incline your ear, and come unto me; "hear, and your souls shall live and I "will make an everlasting covenant with

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you, even the sure mercies of David. "Behold I have given him for a witness "to the people; a leader and commander "to the people." And the meaning may be, that this prophecy might satisfy them that God would not leave in the grave the great personage to whom it referred.

(h) v. 35. "Another Psalm." Ps. xvi. 11. "My heart was glad, and my glory re"joiced; my flesh also shall rest in hope. "For why? thou shalt not leave my soul "in hell, neither shalt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption." David was probably referring to the Messiah; to him St. Paul here applies it. It is also so applied by St. Peter, Acts ii. 27 to 31.

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(i) v. 39. "Justified," i. e. " cleared, absolved."

(k)"Could not, &c." For some transgressions (idolatry, and some great and

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wilful transgressions,) the law of Moses allowed no expiation. Hamm. Clarke on the Attributes, ii. 200.

(7) v. 41. "Behold." The passage (Hab. i. 5.) refers to what God would do by the hands of the Chaldeans: "Behold ye "among the heathen, and regard, and "wonder marvellously; for I will work a "work in your days, which ye will not be"lieve, though it be told you." St. Paul, therefore, calls to their recollection a denunciation in a former instance, to awaken their attention in this. It is probable he had in contemplation the approaching vengeance on the unbelieving Jews, the destruction of Jerusalem.

(m) "Though, &c." A work which requires more than human testimony to make it credited.

(n) v. 36. "Stood, &c." On the day of his resurrection; just after the, two disciples to whom he had appeared on the way to Emmaus had related the particulars of that appearance. (Ante, 140.)

(o) "Them," that is, "the apostles and "their companions."

(p) v. 39. "Handle me, &c." This backwardness in the apostles exempts them from the charge of credulity, and contributes to stamp their accounts with credit.

(q) v. 43. "Eat, &c." In Acts x. 41. St. Peter says, that they "did eat and "drink with him after he rose from the "dead."

"your hearts? 39. Behold my "hands and my feet, that it is I

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myself: handle (p) me, and see; "for a spirit hath not flesh and "bones, as ye see me have." 40. And when he had thus spoken, he shewed them his hands and his feet. 41. And while they yet believed not for joy, and wondered, he said unto them, "Have ye here any meat?" 42. And they gave him a piece of broiled fish, and of an honey-comb. 43. And he took it, and did (9) eat before them. 44. And he said unto them, "These "are the words which I spake "unto you, while I was yet with you, "that all things must be fulfilled "which were written in the (r)

(r) v. 44. The law," "the prophets," "the Psalms," i. e. "the whole of the Old "Testament." It is matter of great satisfaction to Christians to have such clear evidence that the Old Testament, with all its prophecies, existed long before our Saviour's time. 1st, The Jews, the great enemies of Christianity, were its preser vers; and they attended to it with such scrupulous exactness, as to register the number of the words and letters. They recognize its authenticity down to the present day, preserve it with the utmost care, and look up to it with the highest veneration. We have the authority of the Jews, therefore, for considering it, in the state in which we have it, as correct. 2dly, About 270 years before our Saviour's birth, it was translated into Greek by the order of Ptolemy Philadelphus; and, that the translation might be the more correct, it was made by Jews. This translation we now have; and it is called the Septuagint. One great advantage arises from the language in which this translation is written. There are few, if any, Hebrew books besides the Bible; and the Hebrew language is studied but by few: but there are so many other Greek books, that the meaning of particular words in the Septuagint may be collected or confirmed from other Greek writers; and a knowledge of the Greek language has for ages been considered a necessary part of polite education. 3dly,

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Luke xxiv. 143 "Law of Moses (s), and in the | Scriptures, 46. and said unto them, Prophets, and in the Psalms, "Thus it is written, and thus "concerning me." 45. Then" it behoved Christ to suffer (u), opened (1) he their understanding, that they might understand the

The Samaritans had a copy of the five books of Moses, corresponding almost exactly with the Jewish copies. The Samaritans were probably descended from the ten tribes who were carried away captive by the Assyrians, about 721 years before our Saviour's birth; for the Jews were principally of the tribes of Judah and Benjamin. The Samaritans and Jews were professed enemies; so that it was not likely the Samaritan copy should have been borrowed from the Jewish.

(s) "The law of Moses," i. e. "the "first five books of the Bible: from Genesis to Deuteronomy."

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(t) v. 45. "Opened," i. e. "thoroughly "opened." There are many passages which shew, that before the crucifixion the apostles did not understand the nature of Christ's coming, or expect that he was to suffer. When our Saviour first told his disciples, that he must "suffer many things "of the elders, and chief priests and Scribes, and be killed, and be raised "again the third day," Peter rebuked him, saying, "Be it far from thee, Lord; this "shall not be unto thee. Matt. xvi. 21, "22." On his saying at another time, (Matt. xvii. 22, 23.) The Son of Man "shall be betrayed into the hands of men, "and they shall kill him, and the third "day he shall be raised again," the disciples were exceeding sorry; and according to Mark x. 32. "they understood not "that saying, and were afraid to ask him;" and St. Luke says, (Luke xviii. 34.) "they "understood none of these things: and "this saying was hid from them; neither "knew they the things which were spoken." When he was betrayed, his disciples all forsook him and fled; and this they probably would not have done, had they been satisfied he would have risen again within three days after his death. The women who went to embalm him whilst in the sepulchre, (see Mark xvi. 1.), could not have expected him to rise the day they went. According to John xx. 9. when Peter and John went to the sepulchre, the morning of the resurrection, "as yet they "knew not" (i. e. understood not) "the Scripture, that he must rise from the

"and to rise from the dead the "third day: 47. and that (a) re

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"dead." Many things certainly were hid from the apostles until after the resurrection, that momentous miracle, which would silence all their doubts. In John xvi. 12. our Saviour says unto them, "I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye "cannot bear them now." And (John xvi. 4.) when he is making new communications to them just before his apprehension, he says, "These things I said not unto you at the beginning, because I was "with you." See ante, 83. note on Luke xviii. 34.

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(u) v. 46. "To suffer." Many passages in the Old Testament import that the MesIsiah was to suffer. It is to him that the passage in Isaiah 1. 6. (ante, 113.) "I gave

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my back to the smiters," and the whole of that prophetic chapter, Isaiah liii. relates. Daniel says, (ix. 26.) "Mes"siah shall be cut off, but not for him"self." The passages, (Zech. xii. 10.) "They shall look upon me whom they have "pierced," and (Zech. xiii. 7.) " Awake, "O sword, against my Shepherd, and "against the man that is my fellow, saith "the Lord of hosts," also refer to the Messiah: and so do the passages in Ps. xxii. 7. 17. “All they that see me, laugh "me to scorn," "they pierced my hands "and my feet." Our Saviour also, before his crucifixion, repeatedly intimated that he should suffer. John iii. 14. (post, —) "As Moses lifted up the serpent in the "wilderness, even so must the Son of Man "be lifted up; that whosoever believeth

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on him should not perish, but have "eternal life." Matt. xii. 40. "The Son of "Man shall be three days and three nights "in the heart of the earth." John ii. 19. "Destroy this temple," (speaking of the temple of his body), "and in three days "I will raise it up." So John x. 15. "I lay down my life for the sheep." See

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also Is. xlix. 7.-Is. lii. 13, 14.

(x) v. 47. "Repentance." This was the condition on which the remission of sins was to follow: and this was the point with which John the Baptist and our Saviour began their preaching. "Matt. iii. 2. "Repent ye," (says John), "for the king"dom of heaven is at hand." So our Sa

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viour, Matt. iv. 17. "Repent, for the "kingdom of heaven is at hand." And the folly of looking up to God's mercy, without abandoning sin, is well put in Ecclesiasticus: "Say not his mercy is

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great, he will be pacified for the mul❝titude of my sins: for mercy and wrath "come from him, and his indignation "resteth upon sinners. Eccles. v. 6." "Mercy and wrath are with him, he is "mighty to forgive and to pour out dis"pleasure; as his mercy is great, so is "his correction also: he judgeth a man "according to his works. Eccles. xvi. "11, 12." And his advice is, "Make no

tarrying to turn to the Lord, and put "not off from day to day; for suddenly "shall the wrath of the Lord come forth, "and in thy security thou shalt be de"stroyed, and perish in the day of vengeance."

(૩) "Jerusalem." See ante, 138. note on Acts x. 36. See also Acts xiii. 46. -Acts xviii. 6.

(z) "Witnesses." See ante, 139. note on Acts x. 39.

(a) v. 4. "Whatsoever, &c." i. e. "every "real child of God disregards every thing "the world can give or inflict; overcomes "all worldly attachments; and his sincere "belief that Jesus was the Son of God "gives him this power."

(b)" Faith," i.e. "belief, confidence." (c) v. 5. Who, &c." i. e. "what but this "belief can give this power? who can "overcome, if he do not

The Epistle. 1 John v. 4. WHATSOEVER (a) is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our (b) faith. 5. Who (c) is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God? 6. This is he that came by (d) water and blood, even Jesus Christ; not by water only, but by water and blood. And it is (e) the Spirit (g) that beareth witness, (h) because the Spirit is truth. 7. For there

are three that bear (i) record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: (k) and these

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(d) v. 6. "By water and blood." "By baptism and sacrifice: water at the "former, and shedding his own blood at "the latter." Slade.

(e) "It is the Spirit, &c." i. e. "the Spirit also beareth witness."

(g) "The Spirit," i. e. "the Holy "Ghost; the miraculous powers the gift "of the Holy Ghost conferred." And what could be a stronger proof of the divinity of the religion, and of the truth of its tenets, than that the first preachers and converts had the miraculous power of speaking languages they never learnt, and healing diseases?

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(h) Because," or "and," (Dr. Burgess) or that," 7. He is discussing what spirits have the test of truth. See 1 John iv. 1. So Rom. viii. 16. "the Spirit itself beareth "witness with our spirit, that, &c." where 7. is the word rendered "that."

(i) v. 7. 10. 11. "Record," or "wit"ness." They are the same words as in v. 8, 9. are rendered "witness."

(4) The authenticity of this verse has been much questioned, and it is certainly omitted in many of the ancient MSS. and versions. It is not in any of the ancient Greek MSS. but then there is no such MSS. earlier than the fourth century, and only four before the tenth. It is not in the Arabic, Syriac, Ethiopic, Coptic, or Persic versions, nor in the Arminian, Russian, or old French. It is not in Justin Martyr, though he has written much upon the divinity of our Saviour; nor in any of

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