Verse For Today

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Re 1:3 ¶ Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand.


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Observe here, that great encouragement which the spirit of God gives to all Christians to read and regard, to consider and meditate upon the things contained in this divine book, that is, the necessary parts of Christianity, which are here mixed with darker passages; all must read, study, and practise these, that hope for blessedness:  Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein.
 
Hence note, That although the book of the Revelation be in itself a very abstruse and mysterious part of holy scripture, yet Christians ought not to be debarred, much less to debar themselves, from reading of it, and consulting with it: blessed is he that readeth, that is, attentively, understandingly, and affectionately; and blessed is he that keepeth the things that are written, that is, in his mind and memory, in his affection and practice, so as to adhere to the truth, whatever trials and temptations it may expose him to.

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1Pe 1:3 ¶ Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,


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Observe here, 1. How our apostle breaks forth into gratulation and thankfulness to God, for those special blessings, which, by his ministry, were conferred upon these converted Christians,  Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Blessing and praise are due to God for the least mercies received from God, because we are less than the least, much more for spiritual and eternal blessings, which are the greatest mercies that either God can give, or we receive.
 
Observe, 2. The special mercy which he thus solemnly blesses, and gives thanks to God for, namely, their regeneration: for begetting them to a lively hope, by the resurrection of Christ, to an inheritance incorruptible, according to his abundant mercy.
 
Where note, 1. The benefit declared, that they were begotten again to an hope of salvation: by means of sin, all influences of grace were suspended, and all hopes of salvation were cut off. Christ's interposure for us makes our condition hopeful, and the fallen angels hopeless.
 
Note, 2. The qualification of that hope which Christians are begotten to; it is a lively hope, in opposition to a dead hope, and to a languid and languishing hope: the Christian's hope is an effectual hope, which proceeds from faith and promotes holiness. A lively hope is an hope that makes us lively, joyful, and comfortable in our lives; an hope that puts life into us.
 
Note, 3. The means whereby we are begotten to this hope, and that is, by the resurrection of Christ from the dead; not by the bare act of his resurrection, but by the virtue and power of it, we are raised to a spiritual life by it, and our hopes of eternal life are thereby strengthened and confirmed. The justification of our persons, the regeneration of our natures, the resurrection of our bodies, the glorification of our souls and bodies, are singular fruits and benefits of Christ's resurrection. Well might the apostle then say, that we are begotten to a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.
 
Note, 4. The moving and impulsive cause from which regeneration, and all other spiritual blessings, do proceed and flow; the mercy and goodness of God, According to his abundant mercy he hath begotten us again.
 
In the matters of salvation nothing is owing to our merit; for demerit cannot merit, but all is due to divine goodness, and undeserved mercy; that is the fontal cause of all our favours.
 
Note, 5. The nature of that happiness which believers are begotten to a lively hope and expection of; it is here styled an inheritance. Heaven is an inheritance, and as such it is given to children, to all God's children, to none but his children; it is an inheritance dearly purchased, yet freely given: Christ is the sole purchaser of it; no joint-purchaers; yet remember, that though we cannot purchase this inheritance in a way of merit, we may forfeit it by our demerit, and provoke our heavenly Father to disinherit us.
 
Note, 6. The properties and excellences of this inheritance which believers are raised by Christ to the expectation of: it is an inheritance incorruptible; an enduring possession; not subject to decay, having nothing in it that can corrupt it, or corrupt us in the enjoyment of it.
 
  Undefiled, heaven is an holy habitation; the holiness of heaven is the most considerable part of its happiness; sinners therefore that despise holiness, despise the richest jewel in the crown of glory.
 
  It fadeth not away, it withereth not; glory is a flower which will eternally retain its freshness and verdure.
 
  Reserved in the heavens for us; heaven is the country where the saints' inheritance lies; here it is reserved or laid up safe, by the purpose and pleasure of God, by the purchase, possession, and intercession of Christ; and to be able to say, For us, and be particularly assured of heaven, is a special comfort.

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Php 4:6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God;

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Observe here, 1. The duty exhorted to, namely, to be anxiously and solicitously careful for nothing; it is not care, but carefulness, that is, inordinate care, heart-cutting, distracting, and soul-rending care, and solicitude, which is here forbidden: there is a prudent, provident care for the things of this life, which is an unquestionable duty.
 
Observe, 2. The remedy prescribed for the prevention of solicitous care; and that is, fervent prayer:  In every thing by prayer, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known. The people of God may and ought to have recourse to him in every thing.
 
Observe, 3. The apostle directs to thanksgiving in every thing, as well as to prayer: In every thing by prayer, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known. When afflicted, we are to be thankful for the expected benefit of afflictions; when tempted, to be thankful that God will not leave us to be tempted above what we are able; when we fall into sin, there is cause for thankfulness that we are not left to run into all sin, that we were not cut off in the very act of sin, and did not die in our sins: thus are we in everything to give thanks.
 
Observe, 4. The benefit and advantage which St. Paul assures them would redound unto them, by the practice of the fore-mentioned duties, namely, sweet peace which passeth all understanding; that is, which none can conceive that have not felt it, and none can express that have experienced it. This peace, he tells them, will keep and guard their hearts and minds; a sound peace is the soul's guard against all inward terrors and outward troubles: as the persons of princes are secured by guards of armed and valiant men, who watch while they sleep; so are christians guarded and secured by the peace of God, better than any prince ever was by a guard of forty thousand men. The peace of God shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus; that is, through the assistance of Christ Jesus.

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Heb 1:10 And: "You, LORD, in the beginning laid the foundation of the earth, And the heavens are the work of Your hands.

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What proof more can be desired of Christ's Divinity, than what is here given by our apostle? the name and attributes of God are given to him, as also an everlasting throne and kingdom; divine honour is required to be paid to him: and here such divine works are ascribed to him, wherein no creature can have any share of efficiency with him; such is the making of the world,  Thou, Lord, laidest the foundations of the earth, and the heavens are the works of thy hands:
 
Here we have Christ's omnipotency declared, Thou has laid the foundations of the earth, and the heavens are thy handy-works: and his eternity and immutability asserted, When the heavens perish, thou remainest: when thy wax old, and are changed thou art the same.
 
Learn hence, That the whole world, the heavens and the earth being made by our Lord Jesus Christ, is and evident proof that he is exalted above all creatures, and that he is and almighty and unchangeable God, Thou, Lord, hast laid.
 
Learn, 2. That such is the frailty of man's nature, and such the perishing condition of all created things, that nothing will or can yield stable consolation to us, but a firm belief of the omnipotency and immutability of our Lord Jesus Christ.

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Mt 1:2 Abraham begot Isaac, Isaac begot Jacob, and Jacob begot Judah and his brothers.

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Both the Evangelists, St. Matthew and St. Luke, make mention of our Savior's pedigree; the former by his reputed father's side, the latter by his mother's side: the design of both was to present us with a general draught of our Lord's pedigree and descent, and not to be strict and accurate in enumerating every individual person.  This should teach us, not to be over curious in scanning the parts of this genealogy, much less capaciously to object against it.  For if the evangelists were not critical and exact in composing this genealogy, why should we show ourselves so in examining of it?
 
Rather let us attend to the design of the Holy Ghost in writing of it, which was twofold; first, For the honor of our Savior, as man, showing who were his noble and royal progenitors according to the flesh.
 
Secondly, For the confirmation of our faith, touching the reality of our Redeemer's incarnation.  The scripture making mention of all his progenitors, from the first man Adam to his reputed father Joseph, will not suffer us to doubt either of the truth of his human nature, or of the certainty of his being the promised Messiah.
 
Learn hence, That he wisdom of God hath taken all necessary care, and used all needful means for satisfying the minds of all unprejudiced persons, touching the reality of Christ's human nature, and the certainty of his being the promised Messiah; for both these ends is our Savior's genealogy and descent recorded in the holy scriptures.

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Mt 1:18 ¶ Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: After His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Spirit.

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This is, the birth of Christ was not in the ordinary and natural way, but his mother Mary was found to be with child by the extraordinary and miraculous operation of the Holy Ghost.
 
Here note, That the espousal of Mary to Joseph was for the safety of Christ, and for the credit and reputation of the virgin.  It was for our Savior's safety, because being to fly into Egypt, he has Joseph his reputed father to take care of him; and it was for the virgin's reputation, lest she should have been accounted unclean.
 
Learn hence, What a special regard Almighty God has to the fame and reputation of his children; he would have them free from the least suspicion of evil and dishonesty.  Mary being espoused to an husband, frees herself from the suspicion of naughtiness, and her son from the imputation of an illegitimate birth.
 
Observe further, The miraculous conception of the holy Jesus; the Holy Ghost overshadowed the virgin, and did miraculously cause her conception without the help of an human father.  Thus Christ was the Son of God as well in his human as in his divine nature; he must needs be a perfect, holy person, who was conceived purely by the Holy Spirit's operation.

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Mt 1:19 Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not wanting to make her a public example, was minded to put her away secretly.

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That is, being an holy person, and a strict observer of the rites of his nation, he was unwilling to accompany with a defiled woman, and therefore minded to put her away, by giving a bill of divorce into her hand before two witnesses; but being kind and gentle, he intended  to put her away privily, lest she should have be exposed and stoned to death.
 
Observe here, How early our dear Lord's sufferings began; he and his mother are designed to be put away, even when he was but an embryo in the womb.
 
Observe further, from the great clemency of Joseph towards the suspected virgin, that kind and merciful men always presume the best, and prosecute with gentleness, especially where life is concerned. Meek Joseph doth resolve upon the milder course, and chooses rather to put her away privily, than publicly to expose her. Le 19:20; Ge 6:9; 38:24; De 24:1-4

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Mt 1:20 But while he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, "Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit.

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Two things here are observable; namely, the care that Almighty God takes;  1.  For Joseph's satisfaction.
 
2.  For vindicating the virgin's reputation.  For Joseph's satisfaction, an angel is dispatched to give him assurance that the virgin was not defiled by a man, but overshadowed by the Holy Ghost.
 
Whence note, that Almighty God will certainly find out ways and means for his peoples' satisfaction, when they are willing and desirous above all things to come to the knowledge and right understanding of their duty.
 
Observe, 2.  How the angel clears the virgin's innocency, as well as satisfies Joseph's doubtings, by assuring, that what was conceived in her, was by the Holy Ghost.
 
Learn hence, that God will, in his own time, clear the innocency of such as suffer in their name and reputation for the sake of Christ, through for the present they may lie under the burden of disgrace and shame.

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Mt 1:21 "And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name JESUS, for He will save His people from their sins."

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Observe here, 1.  A prediction of our Savior's birth; the virgin  shall bring forth a son.
 
2.  A precept for the imposition of his name; Thou shalt call his name Jesus, that is, a Savior.
 
3.  The reason why that name was given him; because he should save his people, not temporarily, as Joshua did the Israelites from their enemies, but spiritually and externally from their sins; not in their sins but from them; that is, from the guilt and punishment, from the power and dominion, of them.
 
Observe, 4.  The peculiar subjects of this privilege; his people: He shall save his people from their sins.
 
Learn, 1.  That sin is the evil of evils; or that sin considered in itself, is comparatively the greatest and worst of evils.
 
2.  That the great end of Christ's coming into the world, was to be a Savior from this evil.
 
3.  That Christ's own people do want and stand in need of a Savior as well as others; if he does not save them from their sins, they must die in and for their sins, as well as others.
 
Therefore he saves them from sin in three ways;
 
1.  By obtaining pardon for sin, and in reconciling us to God. 2.  By weakening the reigning power of sin, and implanting a new principle of holiness in the heart. 3.  By perfecting and accomplishing all these happy beginnings at the end of this life in heaven.
 
Dr.  Hammond's Pract.  Catech.

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Mt 1:22 So all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying:

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Of all the prophets of the Old Testament, the Prophet Isaiah has the honor to be the first recited in the New.  Here the Evangelist quotes his prophecy of Christ's incarnation,  Behold, a virgin shall be with child.
 
Learn thence, That the great mystery of our Savior's wonderful incarnation was, (though darkly) revealed to the Church of God under the Old Testament.
 
Observe further, the name given to our Savior under the Old Testament, Emmanual, that is, God with us; God manifest in our flesh, God appearing in nature; God reconciling man to himself.
 
O happy and blessed union of two natures in one person!  Christ is God and man united, that God and man may be reconciled.

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Mt 1:24 Then Joseph, being aroused from sleep, did as the angel of the Lord commanded him and took to him his wife,

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Joseph is no sooner assured that Mary is with child by the overshadowing power of the Holy Ghost, but he instantly obeys the Lord's command, and takes Mary to him, without further disputing or delaying.
 
Learn thence, That a gracious person,when once satisfied in God's word of command, disputes no further, but instantly complies with the will of God, even in the most hazardous and difficult duties.

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Mt 2:3 When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.

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Observe here, That when Christ came into the world to save men, it cast the world into a consternation, and caused wonderful disturbances. Herod is first concerned, and next  all Jerusalem with him; Herod for fear of losing his kingdom, Jerusalem for fear of new commotions. Thus Christ, who was the angel's song, the wise men's joy, Israel's consolation, becomes Herod's fear and Jerusalem's terror.
 
But why was Herod thus disturbed? It is true a king is born, but one whose kingdom is not of this world; it was Herod's false apprehension that was the cause of this perturbation.
 
Hence we see, that the greatest enmities and bitterest animosities have arisen from causeless fears and groundless jealousies.

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Mt 2:4 And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born.

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Herod being in great perplexity, convened a council of the chief priests and scribes, and demands of them the place where Christ, the promised Messiah was to be born.  They readily reply, out of the prophet Micah, Mic 5:2. that Bethlehem was the place; this was the city of David's birth, and of Christ's the son of David.  Bethlehem signifies the house of bread, and was so called from its fertility and fruitfulness, and as some think with reference to Christ, the true bread of life, born there.  Bethlehem was a mean and contemptible place in itself, but being honoured with Christ's presence, how great is it!
 
Learn thence, that the presence of Christ dignifies and exalts a place, how mean soever in itself.  Bethlehem, though a little city in itself, yet is not the least among the cities of Judah, because Christ is born there.

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Mt 2:8 And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, "Go and search carefully for the young Child, and when you have found Him, bring back word to me, that I may come and worship Him also."

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Observe here, 1.  How Herod clokes his intended cruelty with disguised hypocrisy: he had a murder in his heart, when he pretended to worship Christ with his mouth.  There is no villainy so great, but will mask itself under a pretence ond shew of piety.  Herod veils his intent to kill Christ, with a pretence to worship him.
 
Observe, 2.  Herod calls him  the young child, not the young king: that word was too big to come out of Herod's proud mouth; he could neither bear the thing, nor brook the title.  A king it is true he is, but one that will never be thy rival: he has a kingdom, but it is not of this world.
 
Observe, 3.  How craftily Herod lays his plot; he desires the wise men to enquire thoroughly, and to inform him privately.  To be wise in doing mischief, is the worst wisdom in the world: it is not the wisdom from above, but from hell beneath.

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Mt 2:16 ¶ Then Herod, when he saw that he was deceived by the wise men, was exceedingly angry; and he sent forth and put to death all the male children who were in Bethlehem and in all its districts, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had determined from the wise men.

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Observe here, How Herod, having played the fox before, acts the lion now; his secret policy not succeeding, he breaks out into open and inhuman cruelty.
 
Learn, That when fraud and subtilty fail the enemies of the church, then thay fall to open rage, and barbarous inhumanity.  Thus here these holy innocents fall as a sacrifice of Herod's rage, and die for Christ, who came to die for them; and so were martyrs in deed, though not in will.  Some affirm that Herod did not spare his own child, then at nurse in the coasts of Bethlehem; which made Augustus say he had rather be Herod's hog, than herod's child; because the Jews, did never ear swine's flesh.  And Herod, in compliance with the Jews, abstained from it also.