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rwp@1Corinthians:13:4 @Verses 4-7| picture the character or conduct of love in marvellous rhapsody. {Suffereth long} (\makrothumei\). Late _Koin_ word (Plutarch) from \makros\, long, \thumos\, passion, ardour. Cf. strkjv@James:5:7f|. {Is kind} (\chrsteuetai\). From \chrstos\ (useful, gracious, kind) and that from \chraomai\, to use. Not found elsewhere save in Clement of Rome and Eusebius. "Perhaps of Paul's coining" (Findlay). Perhaps a vernacular word ready for Paul. Gentle in behaviour. {Envieth not} (\ou zloi\). Present active indicative of \zlo\ (contraction \oei=oi\, same as subjunctive and optative forms). Bad sense of \zlos\ from \ze\, to boil, good sense in strkjv@12:31|. Love is neither jealous nor envious (both ideas). {Vaunteth not itself} (\ou perpereuetai\). From \perperos\, vainglorious, braggart (Polybius, Epictetus) like Latin _perperus_. Only here in N.T. and earliest known example. It means play the braggart. Marcus Anton. V. 5 uses it with \areskeuomai\, to play the toady. {Is not puffed up} (\ou phusioutai\). Present direct middle indicative of \phusio\ from \phusis\ (late form for \phusa, phusia\ from \phusa\, bellows), to puff oneself out like a pair of bellows. This form in Herodas and Menander. Is not arrogant. See on ¯4:6|.

rwp@1Corinthians:15:4 @{And that he was buried} (\kai hoti etaph\). Note \hoti\ repeated before each of the four verbs as a separate item. Second aorist passive indicative of \thapt\, old verb, to bury. This item is an important detail as the Gospels show. {And that he hath been raised} (\kai hoti eggertai\). Perfect passive indicative, not \gerth\ like {rose} of the King James' Version. There is reason for this sudden change of tense. Paul wishes to emphasize the permanence of the resurrection of Jesus. He is still risen. {On the third day} (\ti hmeri ti triti\). Locative case of time. Whether Paul had seen either of the Gospels we do not know, but this item is closely identified with the fact of Christ's resurrection. We have it in Peter's speech (Acts:10:40|) and Jesus points it out as part of prophecy (Luke:24:46|). The other expression occasionally found "after three days" (Mark:10:34|) is merely free vernacular for the same idea and not even strkjv@Matthew:12:40| disturbs it. See on ¯Luke:24:1| for record of the empty tomb on the first day of the week (the third day).

rwp@3John:1:4 @{Greater} (\meizoteran\). A double comparative with \-teros\ added to \meizn\, like our "lesser" and like \mallon kreisson\ (more better) in strkjv@Phillipians:1:23|. In strkjv@Ephesians:3:8| we have \elachistoteri\, a comparative on a superlative. Like forms occur in the vernacular papyri and even in Homer (\cheiroteros\, more worse) as also in Shakespeare. {Joy} (\charan\). B reads \charin\ (grace). {Than this} (\toutn\). Ablative neuter plural after the comparative. {To hear of} (\hina akou\). Object clause (epexegetic) with \hina\ and \akou\, the present active subjunctive (keep on hearing of) in apposition with \toutn\, {Walking in truth} (\en altheii peripatounta\). As in strkjv@2John:1:4|, which see. By the use of \tekna\ John may mean that Gaius is one of his converts (1Timothy:1:1|).

rwp@Acts:2:7 @{Were amazed} (\existanto\). Imperfect middle of \existmi\, to stand out of themselves, wide-open astonishment. {Marvelled} (\ethaumazon\). Imperfect active. The wonder grew and grew. {Galileans} (\Galilaioi\). There were few followers of Jesus as yet from Jerusalem. The Galileans spoke a rude Aramaic (Mark:14:70|) and probably crude Greek vernacular also. They were not strong on language and yet these are the very people who now show such remarkable linguistic powers. These people who have come together are all Jews and therefore know Aramaic and the vernacular _Koin_, but there were various local tongues "wherein we were born" (\en hi egennthmen\). An example is the Lycaonian (Acts:14:11|). These Galilean Christians are now heard speaking these various local tongues. The lists in verses 9-11| are not linguistic, but geographical and merely illustrate how widespread the Dispersion (\Diaspora\) of the Jews was as represented on this occasion. Jews were everywhere, these "Jews among the nations" (Acts:21:21|). Page notes four main divisions here: (I) The Eastern or Babylonian, like the Parthians, Medes, Elamites, Mesopotamians. (2) The Syrian like Judea, Cappadocia, Pontus, Asia, Phrygia, Pamphylia. (3) The Egyptian like Egypt, Libya, Cyrene. (4) The Roman. {Jews and proselytes} (\proslutoi\). These last from \proserchomai\, to come to, to join, Gentile converts to Judaism (circumcision, baptism, sacrifice). This proselyte baptism was immersion as is shown by I. Abrahams (_Studies in Pharisaism and the Gospels_, p. 38). Many remained uncircumcised and were called proselytes of the gate.

rwp@Acts:2:23 @{Him} (\touton\). "This one," resumptive and emphatic object of "did crucify and slay." {Being delivered up} (\ekdoton\). Verbal adjective from \ekdidmi\, to give out or over. Old word, but here only in the N.T. Delivered up by Judas, Peter means. {By the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God} (\ti hrismeni bouli kai prognsi tou theou\). Instrumental case. Note both purpose (\boul\) and foreknowledge (\prognsis\) of God and "determined" (\hrismen\, perfect passive participle, state of completion). God had willed the death of Jesus (John:3:16|) and the death of Judas (Acts:1:16|), but that fact did not absolve Judas from his responsibility and guilt (Luke:22:22|). He acted as a free moral agent. {By the hand} (\dia cheiros\). Luke is fond of these figures (hand, face, etc.) very much like the Hebrew though the vernacular of all languages uses them. {Lawless men} (\anomn\). Men without law, who recognize no law for their conduct, like men in high and low stations today who defy the laws of God and man. Old word, very common in the LXX. {Ye did crucify} (\prospxantes\). First aorist active participle of \prospgnumi\, rare compound word in Dio Cassius and here only in the N.T. One must supply \ti stauri\ and so it means "fastened to the cross," a graphic picture like Paul's "nailed to the cross" (\proslsas ti stauri\) in strkjv@Colossians:2:14|. {Did slay} (\aneilate\). Second aorist active indicative with first aorist vowel \a\ instead of \o\ as is common in the _Koin_. This verb \anaire\, to take up, is often used for kill as in strkjv@Acts:12:2|. Note Peter's boldness now under the power of the Holy Spirit. He charges the people to their faces with the death of Christ.

rwp@Acts:10:14 @{Not so, Lord} (\Mdams, kurie\). The negative \mdams\ calls for the optative \ei\ (may it not be) or the imperative \est\ (let it be). It is not \oudams\, a blunt refusal (I shall not do it). And yet it is more than a mild protest as Page and Furneaux argue. It is a polite refusal with a reason given. Peter recognizes the invitation to slay (\thuson\) the unclean animals as from the Lord (\kurie\) but declines it three times. {For I have never eaten anything} (\hoti oudepote ephagon pan\). Second aorist active indicative, I never did anything like this and I shall not do it now. The use of \pan\ (everything) with \oudepote\ (never) is like the Hebrew (_lo--kl_) though a like idiom appears in the vernacular _Koin_ (Robertson, _Grammar_, p. 752). {Common and unclean} (\koinon kai akatharton\). \Koinos\ from epic \xunos\ (\xun, sun\, together with) originally meant common to several (Latin _communis_) as in strkjv@Acts:2:44; strkjv@4:32; strkjv@Titus:1:4; strkjv@Jude:1:3|. The use seen here (also strkjv@Mark:7:2,5; strkjv@Romans:14:14; strkjv@Hebrews:10:29; strkjv@Revelation:21:27; strkjv@Acts:10:28; strkjv@11:8|), like Latin _vulgaris_ is unknown in ancient Greek. Here the idea is made plain by the addition of \akatharton\ (unclean), ceremonially unclean, of course. We have the same double use in our word "common." See on ¯Mark:7:18f.| where Mark adds the remarkable participle \katharizn\ (making all meats clean), evidently from Peter who recalls this vision. Peter had been reared from childhood to make the distinction between clean and unclean food and this new proposal even from the Lord runs against all his previous training. He did not see that some of God's plans for the Jews could be temporary. This symbol of the sheet was to show Peter ultimately that Gentiles could be saved without becoming Jews. At this moment he is in spiritual and intellectual turmoil.

rwp@Info_James @ THE STYLE James assumes the doctrinal features of Christianity, but he is concerned mainly with the ethical and social aspects of the gospel that Jewish followers of Christ may square their lives with the gospel which they believe and profess. But this fact does not justify Luther in calling the Epistle of James "a veritable Epistle of straw." Luther imagined that James contradicted Paul's teaching of justification by faith. That is not true and the criticism of Luther is unjust. We shall see that, though James and Paul use the same words (faith, works, justify), they mean different things by them. It is possible that both Paul and Peter had read the Epistle of James, though by no means certain. M. Jones (_New Testament in the Twentieth Century_, p. 316) thinks that the author was familiar with Stoic philosophy. This is also possible, though he may have learned it only indirectly through the Wisdom of Solomon and Philo. What is true is that the author writes in the easy and accurate _Koin_ Greek of a cultivated Jew (the literary _Koin_, not the vernacular), though not the artificial or stilted language of a professional stylist. Principal Patrick (_James the Lord's Brother_, p. 298) holds that he "had a wide knowledge of Classical Greek." This does not follow, though he does use the manner "of the Hellenistic diatribe" (Ropes, _Int. and Crit. Comm_., p. 19) so common at that time. Ropes (pp. 10-22) points out numerous parallels between James and the popular moral addresses of the period, familiar since the days of Socrates and at its height in Seneca and Epictetus. The use of an imaginary interlocutor is one instance (James:2:18f.; strkjv@5:13f.|) as is the presence of paradox (James:1:2,10; strkjv@2:5|; etc.). But the style of James is even more kin to that seen in the Jewish wisdom literature like Proverbs, the Wisdom of Solomon, etc. It is thus both tract and Epistle, a brief Christian sermon on a high plane for a noble purpose. But it is all natural and not artificial. The metaphors are many, but brief and remind one constantly of the Master's use of them in the Sermon on the Mount. Did not Mary the mother of Jesus and James make frequent use of such homely parables? The author shows acquaintance with the LXX, but there are few Hebraisms in the language, though the style is Hebraic, as is the whole tone of the book (Hebraic and Christian). "The style is especially remarkable for constant hidden allusions to our Lord's sayings, such as we find in the first three Gospels" (Hort).

rwp@James:4:6 @{More grace} (\meizona charin\). "Greater grace." Greater than what? "Greater grace in view of the greater requirement" (Ropes), like strkjv@Romans:5:20f|. God does this. {Wherefore} (\dio\). To prove this point James quotes strkjv@Proverbs:3:34|. {God resisteth the proud} (\ho theos huperphanois antitassetai\). Present middle (direct) indicative of \antitass\, old military term, to range in battle against, with dative case (Romans:13:2|) as in strkjv@5:6|. \Huperphanois\ (\huper, phainomai\) is like our vernacular "stuck-up folks" (Romans:1:30|), "haughty persons." {But giveth grace to the humble} (\tapeinois de didsin charin\). Anarthrous adjective again, "to humble or lowly persons," for which word see strkjv@1:9f|. Cf. strkjv@2:5-7; strkjv@5:1-6|.

rwp@John:4:42 @{Not because of thy speaking} (\ouketi dia tn sn lalian\). "No longer because of thy talk," good and effective as that was. \Lalia\ (cf. \lale\) is talk, talkativeness, mode of speech, one's vernacular, used by Jesus of his own speech (John:8:43|). {We have heard} (\akkoamen\). Perfect active indicative of \akou\, their abiding experience. {For ourselves} (\autoi\). Just "ourselves." {The Saviour of the world} (\ho str tou kosmou\). See strkjv@Matthew:1:21| for ssei used of Jesus by the angel Gabriel. John applies the term \str\ to Jesus again in strkjv@1John:4:14|. Jesus had said to the woman that salvation is of the Jews (verse 22|). He clearly told the Samaritans during these two days that he was the Messiah as he had done to the woman (verse 26|) and explained that to mean Saviour of Samaritans as well as Jews. Sanday thinks that probably John puts this epithet of Saviour in the mouth of the Samaritans, but adds: "At the same time it is possible that such an epithet might be employed by them merely as synonymous with Messiah." But why "merely"? Was it not natural for these Samaritans who took Jesus as their "Saviour," Jew as he was, to enlarge the idea to the whole world? Bernard has this amazing statement on strkjv@John:4:42|: "That in the first century Messiah was given the title str is not proven." The use of "saviour and god" for Ptolemy in the third century B.C. is well known. "The ample materials collected by Magie show that the full title of honour, Saviour of the world, with which St. John adorns the Master, was bestowed with sundry variations in the Greek expression on Julius Caesar, Augustus, Claudius, Vespasian, Titus, Trajan, Hadrian, and other Emperors in inscriptions in the Hellenistic East" (Deissmann, _Light_, etc., p. 364). Perhaps Bernard means that the Jews did not call Messiah Saviour. But what of it? The Romans so termed their emperors and the New Testament so calls Christ (Luke:2:11; strkjv@John:4:42; strkjv@Acts:5:31; strkjv@3:23; strkjv@Phillipians:3:20; strkjv@Ephesians:5:23; strkjv@Titus:1:4; strkjv@2:13; strkjv@3:6; strkjv@2Timothy:1:10; strkjv@2Peter:1:1,11; strkjv@2:20; strkjv@3:2,18|). All these are writings of the first century A.D. The Samaritan villagers rise to the conception that he was the Saviour of the world.

rwp@John:5:36 @{But the witness which I have is greater than that of John} (\Eg de ech tn marturian meiz tou Ianou\). Literally, "But I have the witness greater than John's." \Meiz\ (\meizona\) is predicate accusative and \Ianou\ is ablative of comparison after \meiz\. Good as the witness of John is, Christ has superior testimony. {To accomplish} (\hina teleis\). Final clause with \hina\ and first aorist active subjunctive of \teleio\, the same idiom in strkjv@4:34|. Jesus felt keenly the task laid on him by the Father (cf. strkjv@3:35|) and claimed at the end that he had performed it (17:4; strkjv@19:30|). Jesus held that the highest form of faith did not require these "works" (\erga\) as in strkjv@2:23; strkjv@10:38; strkjv@14:11|. But these "works" bear the seal of the Father's approval (5:20,36; strkjv@10:25|) and to reject their witness is wrong (10:25; strkjv@10:37f.; strkjv@15:24|). {The very works} (\auta ta erga\). "The works themselves," repeating \ta erga\ just before for vernacular emphasis. {Hath sent me} (\me apestalken\). Perfect active indicative of \apostell\, the permanence of the mission. Cf. strkjv@3:17|. The continuance of the witness is emphasized in strkjv@5:32; strkjv@8:18|.

rwp@John:6:41 @{Murmured} (\egogguzon\). Imperfect active of the onomatopoetic verb \gogguz\, late verb in LXX (murmuring against Moses), papyri (vernacular), like the cooing of doves or the buzzing of bees. These Galilean Jews are puzzled over what Jesus had said (verses 33,35|) about his being the bread of God come down from heaven.

rwp@Luke:2:15 @{Said to one another} (\elaloun pros alllous\). Imperfect tense, inchoative, "began to speak," each to the other. It suggests also repetition, they kept saying, {Now} (\d\). A particle of urgency. {This thing} (\to rhma touto\). A Hebraistic and vernacular use of \rhma\ (something said) as something done. See on ¯Luke:1:65|. The ancient Greek used \logos\ in this same way.

rwp@Luke:4:26 @{Unto Zarephath} (\eis Sarepta\). The modern village Surafend on the coast road between Tyre and Sidon. {Unto a woman that was a widow} (\pros gunaika chran\). Literally, unto a woman a widow (like our vernacular widow woman). This is an illustration of the proverb from the life of Elijah (1Kings:17:8,9|). This woman was in the land of Sidon or Phoenicia, a heathen, where Jesus himself will go later.

rwp@Luke:5:18 @{That was palsied} (\hos n paralelumenos\). Periphrastic past perfect passive where strkjv@Mark:2:3; strkjv@Matthew:9:2| have \paralutikon\ (our paralytic). Luke's phrase is the technical medical term (Hippocrates, Galen, etc.) rather than Mark's vernacular word (Ramsay, _Luke the Physician_, pp. 57f.). {They sought} (\eztoun\). Conative imperfect.

rwp@Matthew:10:15 @{More tolerable} (\anektoteron\). The papyri use this adjective of a convalescent. People in their vernacular today speak of feeling "tolerable." The Galileans were having more privileges than Sodom and Gomorrah had.

rwp@Matthew:11:11 @{He that is but little} (\ho mikroteros\). The Authorized Version here has it better, "he that is least." The article with the comparative is a growing idiom in the vernacular _Koin_ for the superlative as in the modern Greek it is the only idiom for the superlative (Robertson, _Grammar of the Greek N.T._, p. 668). The papyri and inscriptions show the same construction. The paradox of Jesus has puzzled many. He surely means that John is greater (\meizn\) than all others in character, but that the least in the kingdom of heaven surpasses him in privilege. John is the end of one age, "until John" (11:14|), and the beginning of the new era. All those that come after John stand upon his shoulders. John is the mountain peak between the old and the new.

rwp@Matthew:13:15 @{Is waxed gross} (\epachunth\). Aorist passive tense. From \pachus\, thick, fat, stout. Made callous or dull -- even fatty degeneration of the heart. {Dull of hearing} (\tois sin bares kousan\). Another aorist. Literally, "They heard (or hear) heavily with their ears." The hard of hearing are usually sensitive. {Their eyes they have closed} (\tous ophthalmous autn ekammusan\). The epic and vernacular verb \kammu\ is from \katamu\ (to shut down). We say shut up of the mouth, but the eyes really shut down. The Hebrew verb in strkjv@Isaiah:6:10| means to smear over. The eyes can be smeared with wax or cataract and thus closed. "Sealing up the eyes was an oriental punishment" (Vincent). See strkjv@Isaiah:29:10; strkjv@44:18|. {Lest} (\mpote\). This negative purpose as a judgment is left in the quotation from Isaiah. It is a solemn thought for all who read or hear the word of God. {And I should heal them} (\kai iasomai autous\). Here the LXX changes to the future indicative rather than the aorist subjunctive as before.

rwp@Matthew:13:31 @{Is like} (\homoia estin\). Adjective for comparison with associative instrumental as in strkjv@13:13,44,45,47,52|. {Grain of mustard seed} (\kokki sinapes\). Single grain in contrast with the collective \sperma\ (17:20|). {Took and sowed} (\labn espeiren\). Vernacular phrasing like Hebrew and all conversational style. In _Koin_.

rwp@Romans:2:17 @{Bearest the name} (\eponomazi\). Present passive indicative in condition of first class of \eponomaz\, old word, to put a name upon (\epi\), only here in N.T. "Thou art surnamed Jew" (Lightfoot). Jew as opposed to Greek denoted nationality while Hebrew accented the idea of language. {Restest upon the law} (\epanapaui nomi\). Late and rare double compound, in LXX and once in the Didache. In N.T. only here and strkjv@Luke:10:6| which see. It means to lean upon, to refresh oneself back upon anything, here with locative case (\nomi\). It is the picture of blind and mechanical reliance on the Mosaic law. {Gloriest in God} (\kauchsai en thei\). _Koin_ vernacular form for \kauchi\ (\kauchaesai, kauchsai\) of \kauchaomai\ as in verse 23; strkjv@1Corinthians:4:7| and \katakauchsai\ in strkjv@Romans:11:18|. The Jew gloried in God as a national asset and private prerogative (2Corinthians:10:15; strkjv@Galatians:6:13|). {Approvest the things that are excellent} (\dokimazeis ta diapheronta\). Originally, "Thou testest the things that differ," and then as a result comes the approval for the excellent things. As in strkjv@Phillipians:1:10| it is difficult to tell which stage of the process Paul has in mind. {Instructed out of the law} (\katchoumenos ek tou nomou\). Present passive participle of \katche\, a rare verb to instruct, though occurring in the papyri for legal instruction. See on ¯Luke:1:4; strkjv@1Corinthians:14:19|. The Jew's "ethical discernment was the fruit of catechetical and synagogical instruction in the Old Testament" (Shedd).