Chú giải Kinh Thánh

The former treatise have I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach,

Of all that Jesus began, … — If Hen. Stephanus could say of Laertius, that he wrote the lives of the philosophers aureo libello illo in that golden book of his; and (as another hath it) opere utilissimo, et auro contra non charo; a how much better may the same be said of the holy evangelists setting forth the oracles and miracles of Christ and his apostles! If Julius Scaliger thought twelve verses in Lucan better than the whole German empire, what high thoughts ought we to have of these divine records! In the monastery at Ratisbon is a New Testament written all in letters of gold, saith Melancthon, who saw it. (Joh. Manl. loc. com.) Gold was not good enough for such a purpose.

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Until the day in which he was taken up, after that he through the Holy Ghost had given commandments unto the apostles whom he had chosen:

Had given commandments — As the Church’s Lawgiver, Isaiah 33:22 ; 1 Corinthians 11:23 .

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To whom also he shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God:

Speaking of the things — Those that are leaving the world should leave wholesome counsel to those that survive them.

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And, being assembled together with them , commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he , ye have heard of me.

Wait for the promise — And put it in suit by their daily prayers, Luke 11:13 .

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For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.

Shall be baptized — SeeMatthew 3:11; Matthew 3:11 .

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When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?

Restore again — They dreamt of a distribation of honours and offices here on earth as in the days of David and Solomon.

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And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power.

It is not for you — This key God carries under his own girdle.

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But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

After that the Holy Ghost is come upon you — Montanus the heresiarch wickedly affirmed that, next unto the apostles, this Scripture was fulfilled upon him and his courtesan Philumena. (Beza in loc.) Prodigious blasphemy! And eiusdem farinae, a loaf of the same leaven it is, that the Turks believe that when Christ said that "although he departed, he would send the Comforter," it was added in the text, "And that shall be Mahomet;" but that the Christians in malice toward them have razed it out. (Abbot’s Geog.)

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