Article January 4, 1936 Issue

Bible Notes

"All our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea" (I Cor. 10:1)—The cloud here referred to is, of course, that which hid the Israelites from the advancing hordes of the Egyptians (Ex. 14:20, etc.) when they were about to pass through the Red Sea (verses 21ff.). Goodspeed translates: "Our forefathers were all protected by the cloud and all passed safely through the Sea."

"The mount of Olives" (Matt. 26:30)—This was really a range of hills, rather than a single summit, and is now known as Jebel-et-Tur. It lay about three quarters of a mile to the east of Jerusalem, and was separated from Mount Zion, on which the temple stood, by the valley through which the brook Kidron flowed (cf. Hastings' Bible Dictionary, p. 667; Stanley: Sinai & Palestine, p. 186; McNeile: Commentary on Matthew, p. 293).

"The common hall" (Matt. 27:27)—The word thus translated is in Greek "praitorion"—the equivalent of the Latin "praetorium." Compare Mark's statement that "the soldiers led him away into the hall, called Praetorium" (Mark 15:16). The word "Praetorium" means properly "a governor's official residence" (cf. McNeile, op. cit., p. 414) ; and it would appear that the reference here is to "the court in the place of Herod which was used as the Praetorium or residence of the governor when he was in Jerusalem" (Allen: Commentary on Matthew, p. 292). The Revised Version suggests the translation "palace" instead of "common hall"; while Moffatt and Weymouth have: "praetorium."

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