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 Deuteronomy 18:15-20
- v.15Will raise up — Will produce and send into the world in due time. A prophet like unto me - Christ was truly, and in all commendable parts like him, in being both a prophet and a king and a priest and mediator, in the excellency of his ministry and work, in the glory of his miracles, in his familiar and intimate converse with God.
- v.19I will require it — I will punish him severely for it. The sad effect of this threatning the Jews have felt for above sixteen hundred years together.
psalm Psalm 111
- v.2Sought — Diligently meditated upon.
- v.3Work — Either all his works, or that eminent branch of those works, his providence towards his people. Righteousness - His justice or faithfulness in performing his word.
- v.4Remembered — By their own nature, and the lasting benefits flowing from them, which are such as cannot easily be forgotten.
- v.5Meat — All necessary provisions for their being and well-being.
- v.7The works — All that he doth on the behalf of his people, or against their enemies. Truth - Are exactly agreeable to his promises, and to justice. Commandments - His laws given to the Israelites, especially the moral law. Sure - Constant and unchangeable.
- v.8Done — Constituted or ordered.
- v.9Redemption — The deliverance out of Egypt, which was a type of that higher redemption by Christ. Commanded - Appointed, or established firmly by his power and authority. For ever - Through all successive generations of his people to the end of the world. Reverend - Terrible to his enemies, venerable in his peoples eyes, and holy in all his dealings with all men.
- v.10The fear — True religion. Beginning - Is the only foundation of, and introduction to, true wisdom. This also is an alphabetical psalm. We have here the character and blessedness of the righteous, ver. 1-9. The iniquity of the wicked, ver. 10.
second 1 Corinthians 8:1-13
- v.1Now concerning the next question you proposed. All of us have knowledge — A gentle reproof of their self-conceit. Knowledge without love always puffeth up. Love alone edifies - Builds us up in holiness.
- v.2If any man think he knoweth any thing — Aright, unless so far he is taught by God. He knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know - Seeing there is no true knowledge without divine love.
- v.3He is known — That is, approved, by him. Psalm i, 6.
- v.4We know that an idol is nothing — A mere nominal god, having no divinity, virtue, or power.
- v.5For though there be that are called gods — By the heathens both celestial, (as they style them,) terrestrial, and infernal deities.
- v.6Yet to us — Christians. There is but one God - This is exclusive, not of the One Lord, as if he were an inferior deity; but only of the idols to which the One God is opposed. From whom are all things - By creation, providence, and grace. And we for him - The end of all we are, have, and do. And one Lord - Equally the object of divine worship. By whom are all things - Created, sustained, and governed. And we by him - Have access to the Father, and all spiritual blessings.
- v.7Some eat, with consciousness of the idol — That is, fancying it is something, and that it makes the meat unlawful to be eaten. And their conscience, being weak - Not rightly informed. Is defiled - contracts guilt by doing it.
- v.8But meat commendeth us not to God — Neither by eating, nor by refraining from it. Eating and not eating are in themselves things merely indifferent.
- v.10For if any one see thee who hast knowledge — Whom he believes to have more knowledge than himself, and who really hast this knowledge, that an idol is nothing-sitting down to an entertainment in an idol temple. The heathens frequently made entertainments in their temples, on what hath been sacrificed to their idols. Will not the conscience of him that is weak - Scrupulous. Be encouraged - By thy example. To eat - Though with a doubting conscience.
- v.11And through thy knowledge shall the weak brother perish, for whom Christ died? — And for whom thou wilt not lose a meal's meat, so far from dying for him! We see, Christ died even for them that perish.
- v.12Ye sin against Christ — Whose members they are.
- v.13If meat — Of any kind. Who will follow this example? What preacher or private Christian will abstain from any thing lawful in itself, when it offends a weak brother?
gospel Mark 1:21-28
- v.21Luke iv, 31.
- v.26A loud noise — For he was forbidden to speak. Christ would neither suffer those evil spirits to speak in opposition, nor yet in favour of him. He needed not their testimony, nor would encourage it, lest any should infer that he acted in concert with them.