Bible Notes

"In him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily" (Col. 2:9)—The Greek term "theotes," here translated "Godhead," can also be rendered (cf. Abbott-Smith: Greek Lexicon, p. 205) Goodspeed suggests the rendering: "For it is in him that all the fulness of God's nature lives Weymouth (5th edition) has: "For it is in Christ that the fulness of God's nature embodied."

"I am come that they might have and that they might have it more abundantly" John 10:10)—The word for "it" is not found in the original, and the verb rendered "I am come" is in the past or aorist tense. It may also be noted that in the Greek the "I" is emphatic. Hence a literal rendering of the words would be: "I came that they may have life and that they may have of the Revised Version; and Thayer's Greek Lexicon, p. 505). Other translators, however, prefer to supply the word "it," and take the verse as only life." So Weymouth has: "I have come that they may have life and may have it to and Moffatt: "I have come that they may have and and may have it to the full."

"Mary his espoused wife" (Luke 2:5)—The word rendered "espoused" means literally "promised in marriage, betrothed" (Thayer: op. cit., p. 416; Souter: Greek Lexicon, p. 162), and it may be that the word for "wife" is here omitted by the Vatican, Bezan manuscripts, and other important texts. Hence Weymouth and the Revised Version translate: "Mary, who was betrothed to however in accord with the Manuscript and the Vulgate and Syriac Versions, prefers to render "Mary his wife." (See Novum Testmentum I, p. 427, for manuscript authorities.)

"There will I make the horn of David to bud" (Ps. 132:17)—The term "horn" used in the Old Testament and occasionally in New (cf. Luke 1:69) in its figurative meaning of "power," and has been described as "an emblem of strength or power derived from the offensive weapons of some (Hastings' II, p. 415). That "arm" and "horn" have a similar metaphorical significance is by 48:25, where the prophet, in writing of the downfall of Moab, says: "The horn of Moab is cut off, and his arm broken, saith the Lord." In Psalms 132:17, Moffatt well suggests: "There will I make David's dynasty flourish."

"The power of the Lord was present to heal them" (Luke 5:17)—The best manuscripts of the New Testament, including the Sinaitic and Vatican Manuscripts, give a text which may be literally translated, "The power of the Lord was present that he should heal." Moffatt has: "The power of the Lord was present for the work of healing;" and the Version: ".. was with him to heal."

"They went upon the housetop and let him down through the tiling" (Luke 5:19)—It would be easy for the men to the roof, as most Eastern houses had outside steps for the purpose (cf. Matt. 24:17; Plummer: Luke, p. 153; Farrar: "Luke p. 118). The roofs were generally flat and covered with earth, though, from this account, it appears that they were sometimes tiled. They were not as solid and permanent as ours, and the removal of a small section would cause little difficulty to those above or danger to the crowed below (Plummer: op. cit., p. 153; op. cit., p. 118; etc.). It may be noted that the word for "couch" in this verse is a diminutive, suggesting a small mattress.

"About the midst of the feast" (John 7:14)—The festival to is clearly the "Feast of Tabernacles" (cf. John 7:2), which took place in the month of Tishri (our October) and lasted for eight days (Lev. 23:34-36).

"My doctrine is not mine" (John 7:16)—The Greek word "didache," translated here and in the following verse, means literally "teaching," and is thus translated by the Revied Version, Moffatt, Weymouth, and others.

"He that speaketh of himself seeketh his own glory" (John 7:18)—The Greek preposition "apo," translated "of," both here and in the phrase "of myself" in the previous verse, is literally "from" and cannot mean "of" in the familiar sense of "about or concerning." Thus Moffatt translates: "He who talks on his own authority aims at his own credit;" and Weymouth: "The man whose teaching originates with himself aims at his own glory."

"He said unto them, Be not affrighted" (Mark 16:6)—The Greek verb rendered "to be affrighted," both here and in the preceding verse, can also mean "to be amazed or astonished" and "does not necessarily imply the element of fright or fear." For example, in Mark 9:15 the same Greek term is employed in the phrase "they were greatly amazed," and is there used with reference to the astonished "joy" of the people "at the coming of Christ [Jesus]" (Thayer: op. cit., p. 195). In Mark 16:6, Goodspeed renders: "You must not be amazed;" and Moffatt: "Do not be bewildered;" while the Twentieth Century New Testament has, "Do not be dismayed."

"He upbraided them with their unbelief and hardness of heart" (Mark 16:14)—The Greek word "sklerokardia" appears, from its to denote a stern, hard, unyielding disposition (cf. Thayer: op. cit., p. 579). Weymouth translates: "He upbraided them with their unbelief and obstinacy;" Moffatt: He "reproached them for their and dulness of mind;" and Goodspeed: "He reproached them for their obstinacy and want of faith."

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