Aly spremazai ni be ANDET FAH: Diz sme of them are of such a mature

de i Decessary to securzish vije: and in vier ungt valable in several pouca di ver, there are simins which have geandered of natal prince. But a a h wo pan of the present plan to undermine the known di dien, xiere no missievous intentions are uyama, mé no mitierona rests are Ekely to ensue; A kay te wänem here to express a hope that what a sore ofwd to the younger Students may be found to mow the purposes for which it was intended.

It has not on the present occasion been deemed pagary, exps in a few instances, to insert the names A us enim from whom any observations may have iem verrons: their own language having been in yeneral repainot, there who are conversant with their mihage, klande wch peruse the present, will easily woopiae tem w others it would be of small importance; and ther insertion would have very materially contributed to increase the size of the volume, already extended to a greater bulk than was originally contemplated. It is impossible, however, not to refer to

the "Doctrine of the Greek Article," by the late learned Bp. Middleton; a work which a very distinguished Prelate has justly characterized as one which will supply to the Scripture Student some of the most valuable helps to the critical investigation of the text of the New Testament which can be derived from any modern publication. The value and importance of the extracts which have been made from this book will, it is hoped, lead to a diligent perusal of the work itself. Nor has it been deemed advisable to enter upon the discussion of the Harmony of the Gospels this would fall more particularly within the scope of the subsequent volumes: but it will be sufficient to make a reference generally to the "New Testament chronologically arranged" by the Rev. G. Townsend. Should health and strength be granted, it is proposed to complete the Historical Books of the New Testament on the present plan, when a catalogue will be appended of those authors from whom observations have been derived.

The references to the Old Testament are according to Bos's edition of the Septuagint.

h

ANNOTATIONS

ON

ST. MATTHEW's GOSPEL.

εὐαγγέλιον] AGREEABLY to its Etymology, from eὖ and ἀγγέλλω, this word in classical use signifes either good news, or the reward given to the bearer of good news, or the sacrifice offered in consequence of good news. Suid. τὰ κάλλιστα διάγ γελλον. Εtym. Μ. τὸ ἀγαθὰς ἀγγελίας δωρούμενον. Thus Aristoph. Plut. 765, εὐαγγέλια τοιαυτ ̓ ἀπαγγείλαντα. So also Josephus Bell. Jud. iv. 11, 5, τὰ ἀπὸ τῆς Ρώμης ευαγγέλια ἧκε. And Chrysostom οὐκ ἔπεμψας διὰ τῶν γραμμάτων τὰ εὐαγγέλια τῆς σῆς ὑγιείας.-In the second signification Hom. Οι. ξ. 152, εὐαγγέλιον δὲ μοι ἔστω, in answer to which 166, οὔτ ̓ ἄρ ̓ ἐγὼν εὐαγγελίον τόδε τίσω.

In which sense also

Chrysostom uses it, Hom. 19, on Acts. τὸ εὐαγγέλιον τοῦτο ἔστι. Τὰ δὲ σοι ἔσται ἀγαθὰ· καθάπερ καὶ ἐν τῇ συνηθείᾳ φασὶ πρὸς ἀλλήλους οἱ ἄνθρωποι· τί μοι τῶν εὐαγγελίων ; ὁ πατὴρ σοι ἥξει· ἡ μήτηρ σου. And Cicero 2 Ep. Att. 12, 8, Ο suaves Epistolas tuas ; quibus εὐαγγέλια quæ reddam nescio.-In the third signification we meet with the word in Xen. Hell. 1. 6, 27, ἔθνε τὰ εὐαγγέλια, καὶ τοῖς στρατιώταις παρήγγειλε δειπνοAnd Isocr. Areop. ἐπὶ τοσαύταις πράξεσιν εὐαγ γέλια μὲν δὶς ἤδη τεθύκαμεν.

ποιεῖσθαι.

The words εὐαγγέλιον and εὐαγγέλια occur six times in the Septuagint, in the Books of Samuel and Kings, (2 Sam. iv. 10:— xviii. 20, 22, 25, 27:-2 Kings vii. 9).

In five of these the

meaning is good news: in the other the word denotes the reward given for bringing good news. In like manner εὐαγγελίζειν οι εὐαγγελίζεσθαι Which occurs much more frequently, is always the version of the Hebrew verb signifying to tell good news.

In the New Testament it signifies the joyful intelligence of the Advent of the Messiah, and the erection of that spiritual and everlasting kingdom foretold in the prophet Daniel, by the coming of Jesus Christ in the flesh-or the glad tidings of the redemption

Α

of man from sin and death, through his merits and intercession, on the merciful conditions of faith and repentance.1

But Ecclesiastical writers have given to it a different meaning, and used it by metonymy, to signify the History of good news, viz. of the life, the sayings, actions and sufferings of Jesus Christ. See Schleusner, Campbell, Prel. Diss. 5, 2:—Michaelis. Vol. iv. Not that each of the Evangelists however, has given a complete history of the actions of Christ in a regular chronological order; but each has recounted such memorable events as the circumstances of the readers for whom it was designed, seemed to require. Chrys. Hom. 1. in Matth. p. 3. ouk рpkeɩ eis evayγελιστὴς πάντα εἰπεῖν; ἤρκει μέν· ἀλλὰ κἂν τέσσαρες οἱ γράφοντες ὦσι, μήτε κατὰ τοὺς αὐτοὺς καιροὺς ; μήτε ἐν τοῖς αὐτοῖς τόποις, μήτε συνελθόντες καὶ διαλεχθέντες ἀλλήλοις, εἶτα ὥσπερ ἀφ' ἑνὸς στόματος πάντα φθέγγωνται, μεγίστη τῆς ἀληθείας ἀπόδειξις τοῦτο γίνεται. So also Theophylact in præf. to

St. Matth. p. 3.

It may be added that our English word Gospel derived from the Saxon God or good and spell, word or tidings (i. e. God's word or good tidings) expresses the force of the Greek εὐαγγέλιον.

This title is not to be ascribed to the writer either in this or the other histories of our Lord, but was given by the early believers who knew the writer, and the occasion on which it was written (ἃ καὶ εὐαγγέλια οἱ πιστοὶ μετὰ ταῦτα ἐδικαίωσαν καλεῖν, Ecumenius in Act. ex Chrysost. p. 4. de libris Evangelist.); and indeed it was used from the time of the Apostles as we learn from Justin Martyr, who calls these books απομνημο νεύματα or memoirs, i. e. an account of transactions familiarly written, by which name Xenophon designated those in which he gave an account of the acts and sayings of Socrates. Apol. XXI. p. 77. οἱ γὰρ Ἀπόστολοι ἐν τοῖς γενομένοις ὑπ ̓ αὐτῶν Απομνημονεύμασι, ἃ καλεῖται εὐαγγέλια. Dial. p. 257. ὡς ἐν τοῖς ἀπομνημονεύμασι τῶν Ἀποστόλων αὐτοῦ δεδήλωται.

κατὰ Ματθαῖον] i. q. τοῦ Ματθαίου, the force of κατὰ depending entirely upon the word with which it is connected. In the title of this Gospel several variations are found in the different copies, as εὐαγγέλιον τὸ κατὰ Ματθαῖον, τὸ κατὰ Ματθαῖον εὐαγγέλιον, τὸ εὐαγγέλιον κατὰ Ματθαῖον.

1 Theodoret in Ep. ad Rom. i. 1, has εὐαγγέλιον δὲ τὸ κήρυγμα προσηγόρευσεν, ως πολλῶν ἀγαθῶν ὑπισχνούμενον χορηγίαν. εὐαγγελίζεται γὰρ τὰς τοῦ Θεοῦ καταλλαγὰς, τὴν τοῦ διαβόλου κατάλυσιν, τῶν ἁμαρτή ματων τὴν ἄφεσιν, τοῦ θανάτου τὴν παῦλαν, τῶν νεκρῶν τὴν ἀνάστασιν, τὴν ζωὴν τὴν αἰώνιον, τὴν βασιλείαν τῶν οὐρανῶν.