Interpret → Preach
For the service
John Wesley’s own Explanatory Notes Upon the Old and New Testament on the day’s readings — his verse-by-verse commentary, not a summary of it. Read the full edition ↗
first Isaiah 6:1-8, (9-13)
- v.1I saw — In a vision. The Lord - The Divine Majesty as he subsisteth in three persons. His train - His royal and judicial robe; for he is represented as a judge.
- v.2Stood — As ministers attending upon their Lord. Seraphim - An order of holy angels, thus called from fire and burning, which this word properly signifies; to represent either their nature, which is bright and glorious, subtile, and pure; or their property, of fervent zeal for God's service and glory. Covered - Out of profound reverence.
- v.3Cried — Singing in consort. Holy - This is repeated thrice, to intimate the Trinity of persons united in the Divine essence. Glory - Of the effects and demonstrations of his glorious holiness, as well as of his power, wisdom, and goodness.
- v.4The posts — Together with the door itself. Such violent motions were commonly tokens of God's anger. Smoak - Which elsewhere is a token of God's presence and acceptance, but here of his anger.
- v.5l am — I am a great sinner, as many other ways, so particularly by my lips. I am an unclean branch of an unclean tree; besides my own uncleanness, I have both by my omissions and commissions involved myself in the guilt of their sins. Have seen - The sight of this glorious and holy God gives me cause to fear that he is come to judgment against me.
- v.6Flew — By God's command. A coal - Both a token and an instrument of purification. The altar - Of burnt-offering.
- v.7Laid it — So as only to touch my lips, and not to burn them; which God could easily effect. Lo - This is a sign that I have pardoned and purged the uncleanness of thy lips.
- v.8Who — To deliver the following message. The change of the number, I and us, is very remarkable; and both being meant of one and the same Lord, do sufficiently intimate a plurality of persons in the Godhead.
- v.9Perceive not — The Hebrew words are imperative; yet they are not to be taken as a command what the people ought to do, but only as a prediction what they would do. The sense is, because you have so long heard my words, and seen my works, to no purpose, and have hardened your hearts, and will not learn nor reform, I will punish you in your own kind, your sin shall be your punishment. I will still continue my word and works to you, but will withdraw my Spirit, so that you shall be as unable, as now you are unwilling, to understand.
- v.10Fat — Stupid and senseless. This making of their hearts fat, is here ascribed to the prophet, as it is ascribed to God in the repetition of this prophecy, John xii, 40, because God inflicted this judgment upon them by the ministry of the prophet, partly by way of prediction, foretelling that this would be the effect of his preaching; and partly by withdrawing the light and help of his Spirit. Heavy - Make them dull of hearing. Lest - That they may not be able, as before they were not willing to see. Convert - Turn to God.
- v.11Lord — An abrupt speech, arising from the prophet's great passion and astonishment: how long shall this dreadful judgment last? Until - Until this land be totally destroyed, first by the Babylonians, and afterward by the Romans.
- v.12Removed — Hath caused this people to be carried away captive into far countries. A forsaking - 'Till houses and lands be generally forsaken of their owners.
- v.13A tenth — A small remnant reserved, that number being put indefinitely. Return - Out of the Babylonish captivity, into their own land. Eaten - That remnant shall be devoured a second time, by the kings of Syria, and afterwards by the Romans. Yet - Yet there shall be another remnant, not such an one as that which came out of Babylon, but an holy seed, who shall afterwards look upon him whom they have pierced, and mourn over him. When - Who when their leaves are cast in winter, have a substance within themselves, a vital principle, which preserves life in the root of the tree, and in due time sends it forth into all the branches. The support - Of the land or people, which, were it not for the sake of these, should be finally rooted out. Ahaz afraid of Rezin and Pekah, is comforted by Isaiah, ver. 1-9. Refusing to chuse a sign, Christ is promised for one, ver. 10- 16. His judgment should come by Assyria, ver. 17-25.
psalm Psalm 138
- v.1The gods — Before kings and princes.
- v.2Temple — Where the ark was. He was not permitted to enter into it. Magnified - For thou hast glorified thy word or promise unto me more than any other of thy glorious perfections.
- v.4The kings — A prophecy of the calling of the Gentiles. Hear - The gospel preached among then.
- v.5The ways — His wonderful counsel and gracious providences.
- v.8Perfect — Will finish the great work of my deliverance. Forsake not - Or, do not give over, the work of my salvation, which is thus far advanced, not by any human help, but by thy power and providence. This psalm is, by many of the Jewish doctors, esteemed the most excellent in the whole book. The omniscience of God is here asserted, ver. 1-6. Proved by two arguments; That he is everywhere present, ver. 7-12. And that he made us, ver. 13-16. This may fill us with pleasing admiration of God, ver. 17, 18. With an holy hatred of sin, ver. 19-22. And with an holy satisfaction in our own integrity, ver. 23, 24. To the chief musician, A psalm of David.
second 1 Corinthians 15:1-11
- v.2Ye are saved, if ye hold fast — Your salvation is begun, and will be perfected, if ye continue in the faith. Unless ye have believed in vain - Unless indeed your faith was only a delusion.
- v.3I received — From Christ himself. It was not a fiction of my own. Isaiah liii, 8, 9.
- v.4According to the scriptures — He proves it first from scripture, then from the testimony of a cloud of witnesses. Psalm xvi, 10.
- v.5By the twelve — This was their standing appellation; but their full number was not then present.
- v.6Above five hundred — Probably in Galilee. A glorious and incontestable proof! The greater part remain - Alive.
- v.7Then by all the apostles — The twelve were mentioned ver. 5. This title here, therefore, seems to include the seventy; if not all those, likewise, whom God afterwards sent to plant the gospel in heathen nations.
- v.8An untimely birth — It was impossible to abase himself more than he does by this single appellation. As an abortion is not worthy the name of a man, so he affirms himself to be not worthy the name of an apostle.
- v.9I persecuted the church — True believers are humbled all their lives, even for the sins they committed before they believed.
- v.10I laboured more than they all — That is, more than any of them, from a deep sense of the peculiar love God had shown me. Yet, to speak more properly, it is not I, but the grace of God that is with me - This it is which at first qualified me for the work, and still excites me to zeal and diligence in it.
- v.11Whether I or they, so we preach — All of us speak the same thing.
gospel Luke 5:1-11
- v.1Matt. iv, 18; Mark i, 16.
- v.6Their net brake — Began to tear.
- v.8Depart from me, for I am a sinful man — And therefore not worthy to be in thy presence.
- v.11They forsook all and followed him — They had followed him before, John i, 43, but not so as to forsake all. Till now, they wrought at their ordinary calling.