CRITICAL AND EXEGETICAL. ST. MATTHEW. WITH INTRODUCTORY CHAPTERS, VARIOUS READINGS, Suitable for Ministers, Students of Divinity, Theological Examinations, BY S. ALBERT GRIFFITHS, CURATE, ASHTED, BIRMINGHAM. WITH A PREFATORY NOTICE BY THE RIGHT REVEREND HENRY PHILPOTT, D.D. PREFATORY NOTICE BY THE RIGHT REVEREND THE LORD BISHOP OF WORCESTER. THE brief Notes on the Gospels, written by the Rev. S. Albert Griffiths, appear to me well calculated to serve a good purpose. Being the result of much careful thought and reading, they will convey useful and valuable information to the persons for whose benefit chiefly they were written; Students of Divinity, preparing for examinations, School Teachers and Bible Readers generally. I gladly welcome the publication of his effort to promote the intelligent study of Holy Scripture. June 29th, 1878. H. WORCESTER. PREFACE. In publishing a book an author is usually expected to occupy some ground hitherto unexplored, or to throw some light on work already done, but as I do not claim to satisfy these requirements, some explanation, and, perhaps apology, is due to the public for the work now submitted for their approval. Its publication has arisen from a want often experienced by the author himself when preparing for examinations and frequently expressed to him by students and others engaged in the work of Biblical teaching -of some condensed, yet comprehensive Notes on the various books of the New Testament, which should hold a middle place between the critical and elaborate commentaries, and the brief epitomes which are now widely circulated. The elaborate treatise requires for its due appreciation, the thoughtful attention and studious applications of years-attention which the student reading for examinations, not of one, but of many subjects, has not the opportunity to give-while the youth of our Collegiate Schools, and Bible Readers generally require the subject placed before them in a somewhat more attractive form. These are the lines on which I have gone in preparing these Notes, with what success my readers will be the best judges. |