3:4. — “John himself;” this is undoubtedly a more correct translation than “the same John.” The word which the Revisers render “food,” in this verse, signifies literally “nourishment,” “as meat” does in old English. In modern English the meaning of the word “meat” is narrower, and this is no doubt the reason which has led the Revisers to prefer the expression “food.”
3:10. — “And even now.”—This is more graphic than “now also.” The latter seems to intimate that the ax had been laid at the root of the trees on some past occasion.
3:14. “But John would have hindered him.” In the translation of 1611 we read, “But John forbad him.” This latter rendering misses the force of the Greek Imperfect. But “would have hindered him” goes somewhat beyond the original expression. “Was forbidden” is most literal.
4:6. — “Lest haply thou dash thy foot.” “Lest at any time” is a rather more literal translation of the Greek word. “Lest haply” has, however, the advantage of resembling the passage in the Psalm more closely. We there find merely, “Lest thou dash thy foot against a stone.” (Psalm 91:1212They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone. (Psalm 91:12).)
4:12. — “That John was delivered up.” The word translated “delivered up” is the same that is used in speaking of the betrayal of Christ. The words, “was cast into prison” go far beyond the meaning of the Greek.
4:21. — “In the boat.” The Authorized Version has “ship.” In modern English we should scarcely say “ship,” in speaking of a vessel used merely for fishing. The Greek word is of the most general import, and is the same as that employed in James 3:44Behold also the ships, which though they be so great, and are driven of fierce winds, yet are they turned about with a very small helm, whithersoever the governor listeth. (James 3:4).
4:24. — “Epileptic” is here substituted for “lunatic.” The original word distinctly means “moon-struck.”
5:10. — “They that have been persecuted.” This is more exact than “they which are persecuted,” and is also more intelligible. The beatitudes, or blessings at the beginning of this chapter, refer primarily to the Jewish remnant. Hence “they that have been persecuted” are the remnant at the close of the persecutions. (See for example Isaiah 66:55Hear the word of the Lord, ye that tremble at his word; Your brethren that hated you, that cast you out for my name's sake, said, Let the Lord be glorified: but he shall appear to your joy, and they shall be ashamed. (Isaiah 66:5)).
5:15. —The expressions “lamp” and “stand” are preferable to “candle-stick.” Candles and candle-sticks do not appear to have been commonly in use among the ancients. The word translated “candle” in Job 18:66The light shall be dark in his tabernacle, and his candle shall be put out with him. (Job 18:6) and similar passages, means simply “light,” and the “candle-stick” in the Tabernacle (Exodus 25:3131And thou shalt make a candlestick of pure gold: of beaten work shall the candlestick be made: his shaft, and his branches, his bowls, his knops, and his flowers, shall be of the same. (Exodus 25:31)) was really a lamp-stand, and not a candle-stick at all in the modern sense of the word.
5:16. — “Even so let your light shine before men.” This rendering connects verse 16 with what precedes. In the Authorized Version, verse 16 appears to be independent, as if it were said, “Let your light shine before men, so that they may see,” &c.
5:21. — “Ye have heard that it was said to them of old time:” The translation “by them,” besides being less literal makes the passage somewhat mysterious. The various precepts quoted in this chapter (verses 21, 27, 31, 33, 38,) were of course spoken by God to Israel.
5:22. — “Everyone who is angry with his brother.” The words “without cause” are omitted in the Vatican manuscript, though given, as the margin here tells us, by many ancient authorities. “The hell of fire” is substituted for “ hell fire.” The margin says “the Gehenna of fire.” “Gehenna” is a corruption of the Hebrew “Gey’-hinnem,” or the valley of Hinnom, called also (Jeremiah 7:3232Therefore, behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that it shall no more be called Tophet, nor the valley of the son of Hinnom, but the valley of slaughter: for they shall bury in Tophet, till there be no place. (Jeremiah 7:32)) “the valley of the son of Hinnom.” This valley was on the southern side of Jerusalem, and is first mentioned in Joshua 15:88And the border went up by the valley of the son of Hinnom unto the south side of the Jebusite; the same is Jerusalem: and the border went up to the top of the mountain that lieth before the valley of Hinnom westward, which is at the end of the valley of the giants northward: (Joshua 15:8). The origin of its name is not known. We next hear of this place in 2 Chronicles 28:33Moreover he burnt incense in the valley of the son of Hinnom, and burnt his children in the fire, after the abominations of the heathen whom the Lord had cast out before the children of Israel. (2 Chronicles 28:3), where we are told that king Ahaz used it for the performance of idolatrous rites. It was here especially that children were “caused to pass through the fire” in honor of Molech, an idol of the Ammorites. (1 Kings 11:77Then did Solomon build an high place for Chemosh, the abomination of Moab, in the hill that is before Jerusalem, and for Molech, the abomination of the children of Ammon. (1 Kings 11:7); 2 Kings 23 to.) This custom seems to have existed in Palestine from the earliest times (Deuteronomy 12:3131Thou shalt not do so unto the Lord thy God: for every abomination to the Lord, which he hateth, have they done unto their gods; for even their sons and their daughters they have burnt in the fire to their gods. (Deuteronomy 12:31)). Owing to these human sacrifices the name of Topheth (or abomination) was given to the valley of the son of Hinnom, and the word “Gehenna” is therefore used in the New Testament in order to convey the idea of a place of horrible sufferings. Such is the place reserved for the wicked. It is worthwhile to mention that the Greek word “Hades” is also translated “hell” in the Authorized Version, (Acts 2:27, 3127Because thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. (Acts 2:27)
31He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did see corruption. (Acts 2:31), and elsewhere). Hades, however, means merely the place of departed spirits. We therefore find that the Revisers have very properly retained the Greek word wherever it occurs, in order to distinguish Hades from “Gehenna” or “hell.”