Vincent's Word Studies And it came to pass, that when Jesus had finished these sayings, he departed from Galilee, and came into the coasts of Judaea beyond Jordan;
And great multitudes followed him; and he healed them there.
The Pharisees also came unto him, tempting him, and saying unto him, Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause?
And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female,
And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh?
Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder. Lamps (λαμπάδας)
Lit., torches. Probably a short, wooden stem held in the hand, with a dish at the top, in which was a piece of cloth dipped in oil or pitch. They say unto him, Why did Moses then command to give a writing of divorcement, and to put her away?
He saith unto them, Moses because of the hardness of your hearts suffered you to put away your wives: but from the beginning it was not so. They that were foolish (αἵτινες μωραί)
Read αἱ γὰρ μωραὶ, for the foolish. The for justifies the epithet foolish in the preceding verse. And I say unto you, Whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery: and whoso marrieth her which is put away doth commit adultery.
His disciples say unto him, If the case of the man be so with his wife, it is not good to marry. Slumbered and slept (ἐνύσταξαν καὶ ἐκάθευδον)
Slumbered is, literally, nodded. Note the variation of tense. Nodded is aorist, denoting a transient act, the initial stage of slumber. They dropped their heads. Slept is imperfect, of continuous slumber. But he said unto them, All men cannot receive this saying, save they to whom it is given. There was a cry made (κραυγὴ γέγονεν)
Rev., there is a cry. The verb is in the perfect tense, representing the past event as perpetuated in the present result, and hence is rendered by the English present. At great and decisive change was the result of the cry. No more sleeping, waiting, or silence. There is a cry, and behold the awaking, the bustle, the trimming of lamps and the running to the oil-vendors. To meet him (εἰς ἀπάντησιν) The translation can hardly convey the meaning of the Greek phrase, which implies a custom or familiar ceremony. Come forth unto meeting. For there are some eunuchs, which were so born from their mother's womb: and there are some eunuchs, which were made eunuchs of men: and there be eunuchs, which have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven's sake. He that is able to receive it, let him receive it. Then all those virgins arose (τότε ἠγέρθησαν πᾶσαι αι παρθένοι ἐκεῖναι)
The Greek order is expressive. Then arose all the virgins, those former ones. Those (ἐκεῖναι) a pronoun of remoter reference, and emphatic by its position at the end of the sentence. Trimmed (ἐκόσμησαν) From κοσμός, order, and meaning to put in order or arrange. Tynd., prepared Trench ("Parables") quotes from Ward ("View of the Hindoos"), describing a marriage ceremony in India: "After waiting two or three hours, at length near midnight it was announced, as in the very words of Scripture, ' Behold the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him.' All the persons employed now lighted their lamps, and ran with them in their hands to fill up their stations in the procession. Some of them had lost their lights, and were unprepared, but it was then too late to seek them, and the cavalcade moved forward." Their lamps (ἑαυτῶν) Lit., "their own lamps ;" emphasizing the personal preparation in contrast with the foolish, who depended for supply on their fellows. Then were there brought unto him little children, that he should put his hands on them, and pray: and the disciples rebuked them. Are gone out (σβέννυνται)
The A. V. misses the graphic force of the continuous present, denoting something in progress. They see the flame waning and flickering, and cry, Our lamps are going out! So Rev. But Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven. Not so, lest, etc. (μήποτε οὐ μὴ ἀρκέσῃ)
The Greek does not give the blunt negative of the A.V. It is a more courteous form of refusal, making the reason for refusing to supply the place of the negative. Give us of your oil, say the foolish. The wise reply, Lest perchance there be not by any means (οὐ μὴ, the double negative) enough. The Rev. gives it very happily. Peradventure there will not be enough, etc. And he laid his hands on them, and departed thence. And while they went (ἀπερχομένων)
A present participle, and very graphic: while they are going away. They that were ready (αἱ ἕτοιμοι) Lit., the ready or prepared ones. To the marriage (γάμους) Marriage-feast, as Matthew 22:2, Matthew 22:3, Matthew 22:4; and so Rev. And, behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life? Lord, lord
Applying directly to the bridegroom, whose will was supreme, now that he had arrived at the bride's residence. And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.
He saith unto him, Which? Jesus said, Thou shalt do no murder, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness,
Honour thy father and thy mother: and, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. Travelling (ἀποδμηῶν)
The sense is more nearly about to travel, like our going abroad. The young man saith unto him, All these things have I kept from my youth up: what lack I yet? Several ability (ἰδίαν)
Lit., his own or peculiar capacity for business. Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me. Straightway (εὐθέως)
Connected with the beginning of this verse, instead of with the end of Matthew 25:15 : Straightway he that had received, etc., indicating promptness on the servant's part. Traded with them (ἠργάσατο ἐν αὐτοῖς) Lit., wrought with them. The virgins wait, the servants work. Made (ἐποίησεν) Not made them, as A.V. The word is used in our sense of make money. Wyc. and Tynd., won. Geneva, gained. Some read ἐκέρδησεν, gained, as in Matthew 25:17. But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions.
Then said Jesus unto his disciples, Verily I say unto you, That a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven.
And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.
When his disciples heard it, they were exceedingly amazed, saying, Who then can be saved?
But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.
Then answered Peter and said unto him, Behold, we have forsaken all, and followed thee; what shall we have therefore?
And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name's sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life. Hard (σεκληρὸς)
Stronger than the austere (αὐστηρός) of Luke 19:21 (see there), which is sometimes used in a good sense, as this never is. It is an epithet given to a surface which is at once dry and hard. Strawed (διεσκόρπισας) Rev., didst scatter. Not referring to the sowing of seed, for that would be saying the same thing twice. The scattering refers to the winnowing of the loosened sheaves spread out upon the threshing-floor. "The word," as Trench observes "could scarcely be applied to the measured and orderly scattering of the sower's seed. It is rather the dispersing, making to fly in every direction." Hence used of the pursuit of a routed enemy (Luke 1:51); of the prodigal scattering his goods; making the money fly, as we say (Luke 15:13); of the wolf scattering the sheep (Matthew 26:31). Wyc., spread abroad. But many that are first shall be last; and the last shall be first. That is thine (τὸ σόν) The Greek is more concise, and is better given by Rev., Lo, thou hast thine own. Vincent's Word Studies, by Marvin R. Vincent [1886]. Text Courtesy of Internet Sacred Texts Archive. Bible Apps.com |
