rwp - iron

rwp@Info_1Peter @ THE PLACE OF WRITING Peter states that he is in Babylon (1Peter:5:13|), apparently with his wife (1Corinthians:9:5|). It is not certain whether he means actual Babylon, where Jews had been numerous, or mystical Babylon (Rome) as in the Apocalypse. We do not know when Rome began to be called Babylon. It may have started as a result of Nero's persecution of the Christians after the burning of Rome. The Christians were called "evil-doers" (1Peter:2:12|) in the time of Nero (Tacitus, _Ann_. XV. 44). Songs:we can think of Rome as the place of writing and that Peter uses "Babylon" to hide his actual location from Nero. Whether Peter came to Rome while Paul was still there we do not know, though John Mark was there with Paul (Colossians:4:10|). "At the time when it was written Babylon had not yet unmasked all its terrors, and the ordinary Christian was not in immediate danger of the _tunica ardens_, or the red-hot iron chair, or the wild beasts, or the stake" (Bigg).

rwp@Acts:12:10 @{When they were past} (\dielthontes\). Second aorist active participle of \dierchomai\, transitive with \dia\ in composition. {The first and the second ward} (\prtn phulakn kai deuteran\). It is not clear to what this language refers. Some take it to mean single soldiers, using \phulakn\ in the sense of a guard (...door, one at the iron... gate)...the prison by the iron gate....{Unto the iron gate that leadeth into the city} (\epi tn puln tn sidrn tn pherousan eis tn polin\). Note the triple use of the article (the gate the iron one the one leading into the city). For this resumptive use of the article see Robertson, _Grammar_, pp. 762, 764. This iron gate may have opened from a court out into the street and effectually barred escape. {Opened to them} (\noig autois\). Second aorist passive indicative of \anoig\, the usual later form though \noichth\ (first aorist passive) occurs also, was opened. {Of its own accord} (\automat\). Old compound adjective (\autos\, self, obsolete \ma\, to desire eagerly, feminine form though masculine \automatos\ also used as feminine). In the N.T. only here and strkjv@Mark:4:28|. It was a strange experience for Peter. The Codex Bezae adds here "went down the seven steps" (\katebsan tous hepta bathmous\), an interesting detail that adds to the picture. {One street} (\rhumn mian\). The angel saw Peter through one of the narrow streets and then left him. We have no means of knowing precisely the location of the prison in the city. On "departed" (\apest\) see on verse ¯7|.

rwp@Acts:26:14 @{When we were all fallen} (\pantn katapesontn hmn\). Genitive absolute with second aorist active participle of \katapipt\. In the Hebrew language (\ti Ebraidi dialekti\). Natural addition here, for Paul is speaking in Greek, not Aramaic as in strkjv@22:2|. {It is hard for thee to kick against the goad} (\sklron soi pros kentra laktizein\). Genuine here, but not in chapters 9,22|. A common proverb as Aeschylus _Ag_. 1624: \Pros kentra m laktize\. "It is taken from an ox that being pricked with a goad kicks and receives a severer wound" (Page). Cf. the parables of Jesus (Matthew:13:35|). Blass observes that Paul's mention of this Greek and Latin proverb is an indication of his culture. Besides he mentions (not invents) it here rather than in chapter 22| because of the culture of this audience. \Kentron\ means either sting as of bees (II Macc. strkjv@14:19) and so of death (1Corinthians:15:55|) or an iron goad in the ploughman's hand as here (the only two N.T. examples). Note plural here (goads) and \laktizein\ is present active infinitive so that the idea is "to keep on kicking against goads." This old verb means to kick with the heel (adverb \lax\, with the heel), but only here in the N.T. There is a papyrus example of kicking (\laktiz\) with the feet against the door.

rwp@Hebrews:6:8 @{If it beareth} (\ekpherousa\). Present active participle of \ekpher\, conditional participle. For "thorns and thistles" see strkjv@Matthew:7:16| for both words (\akanthas kai tribolous\)...scattered balls with sharp iron spikes,..._tribulus_, to hinder the enemy's cavalry. {Rejected} (\adokimos\). See strkjv@1Corinthians:9:27; strkjv@Romans:1:28|. For \kataras eggus\ (nigh unto a curse) see Gal strkjv@3:10|. {To be burned} (\eis kausin\). "For burning." Common sight in clearing up ground.

rwp@Hebrews:6:19 @{Which} (\hn\). Which hope. What would life be without this blessed hope based on Christ as our Redeemer? {As an anchor of the soul} (\hs agkuran ts psuchs\). Old word, literally in strkjv@Acts:27:29|...the modern ones with iron hooks...(1Timothy:1:19|). {Both sure and steadfast} (\asphal te kai bebaian\). This anchor of hope will not slip (alpha privative and \sphall\, to totter) or lose its grip (\bebaia\, from \bain\, to go, firm, trusty). {That which is within the veil} (\to esteron tou katapetasmatos\). The Holy of Holies, "the inner part of the veil" (the space behind the veil), in N.T. only here and strkjv@Acts:16:24| (of the inner prison). The anchor is out of sight, but it holds. That is what matters.

rwp@Matthew:13:21 @{Tribulation} (\thlipses\). From \thlib\, to press, to oppress, to squeeze (cf. strkjv@7:14|). The English word is from the Latin _tribulum_, the roller used by the Romans for pressing wheat. Cf. our "steam roller" Trench (_Synonyms of the N.T._, pp. 202-4): "When, according to the ancient law of England, those who wilfully refused to plead, had heavy weights placed on their breasts, and were pressed and crushed to death, this was literally \thlipsis\." The iron cage was \stenochria\.

rwp@Matthew:14:3 @{For the sake of Herodias} (\dia Hridiada\). The death of John had taken place some time before. The Greek aorists here (\edsen, apetheto\) are not used for past perfects. The Greek aorist simply narrates the event without drawing distinctions in past time. This Herodias was the unlawful wife of Herod Antipas. She was herself a descendant of Herod the Great and had married Herod Philip of Rome, not Philip the Tetrarch. She had divorced him in order to marry Herod Antipas after he had divorced his wife, the daughter of Aretas King of Arabia. It was a nasty mess equal to any of our modern divorces. Her first husband was still alive and marriage with a sister-in-law was forbidden to Jews (Leviticus:18:16|). Because of her Herod Antipas had put John in the prison at Machaerus. The bare fact has been mentioned in strkjv@Matthew:4:12| without the name of the place. See strkjv@11:2| also for the discouragement of John \en ti desmtrii\ (place of bondage), here \en ti phulaki\ (the guard-house). Josephus (_Ant_. xviii. 5.2) tells us that Machaerus is the name of the prison. On a high hill an impregnable fortress had been built. Tristram (_Land of Moab_)...staples of wood and iron had...-house of John the Baptist." "On this high ridge Herod the Great built an extensive and beautiful palace" (Broadus). "The windows commanded a wide and grand prospect, including the Dead Sea, the course of the Jordan, and Jerusalem" (Edersheim, _Life and Times of Jesus_).

rwp@Revelation:9:9 @{...it were breastplates of iron...} (\hs thrakas siderous\). The \thrax\ was originally the breast (from the neck to the navel), then the breastplate, only N.T. usage (Revelation:9:9,17; strkjv@1Thessalonians:5:8; strkjv@Ephesians:6:14|)...breastplate was usually of iron... (\siderous\, strkjv@Revelation:2:27|), but with the locusts it only seemed to be so (\hs\). However, the scaly backs and flanks of the locusts do resemble coats of mail. "The locusts of the Abyss may be the memories of the past brought home at times of Divine visitation" (Swete). {The sound of their wings} (\h phn tn pterugn\). Graphic picture of the onrush of the swarms of demonic locusts and the hopelessness of resisting them. {As the sound of chariots, of many horses rushing to war} (\hs phn harmatn hippn polln trechontn eis polemon\). Both metaphors here, the clatter and clangour of the chariot wheels and the prancing of the horses are found in strkjv@Joel:2:4f|. \Trechontn\ is present active predicate participle of \trech\, to run. Cf. strkjv@2Kings:7:6; strkjv@Jeremiah:47:3|.

CONCORD iron