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 Exodus 16:2-4, 9-15
- v.2That they should gather a double portion on the sixth day, ver. 22-26.
- v.3That they should expect none on the seventh day, ver. 27-31,
- v.4That they should preserve a pot of it for a memorial, ver 32. 1. A month's provision, it seems, the host of Israel took with them out of Egypt, when they came thence on the 15th day of the first month, which, by the 15th day of the second month, was all spent. 2. Then the whole congregation murmured against Moses and Aaron - God's viceregents among them. 3. They so undervalue their deliverance, that they wish, they had died in Egypt, nay, and died by the hand of the Lord too. That is, by some of the plagues which cut off the Egyptians; as if it were not the hand of the Lord, but of Moses only, that brought them into this wilderness. 'Tis common for people to say of that pain, or sickness, which they see not second causes of, It is what pleaseth God, as if that were not so likewise which comes by the hand of man, or some visible accident. We cannot suppose they had any great plenty in Egypt, how largely soever they now talk of the flesh-pots, nor could they fear dying for want in the wilderness while they had their flocks and herds with them; but discontent magnifies what is past, and vilifies what is present, without regard to truth or reason. None talk more absurdly than murmurers. 4. Man being made out of the earth, his Maker has wisely ordered him food out of the earth, Psalm civ, 14. But the people of Israel typifying the church of the first-born that are written in heaven, receiving their charters, laws and commissions from heaven, from heaven also they received their food. See what God designed in making this provision for them, that I may prove them whether they will walk in my law or no - Whether they will trust me, and whether they would serve him, and be ever faithful to so good a master.
psalm Psalm 78:23-29
- v.23Heaven — Which he compares to a store-house, whereof God shuts or opens the doors, as he sees fit.
- v.25Angels food — Manna, so called, because it was made by the ministry of angels.
- v.26South wind — First an eastern, and afterwards a southern wind.
- v.27Fowl — But God took away from them the use of their wings, and made them to fall into the hands of the Israelites.
second Ephesians 4:1-16
- v.1I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord — Imprisoned for his sake and for your sakes; for the sake of the gospel which he had preached amongst them. This was therefore a powerful motive to them to comfort him under it by their obedience.
- v.3endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit — That mutual union and harmony, which is a fruit of the Spirit. The bond of peace is love.
- v.4There is one body — The universal church, all believers throughout the world. One Spirit, one Lord, one God and Father - The ever-blessed Trinity. One hope - Of heaven.
- v.5One outward baptism.
- v.6One God and Father of all — That believe. Who is above all - Presiding over all his children, operating through them all by Christ, and dwelling in all by his Spirit.
- v.7According to the measure of the gift of Christ — According as Christ is pleased to give to each.
- v.8Wherefore he saith — That is, in reference to which God saith by David, Having ascended on high, he led captivity captive - He triumphed over all his enemies, Satan, sin, and death, which had before enslaved all the world: alluding to the custom of ancient conquerors, who led those they had conquered in chains after them. And, as they also used to give donatives to the people, at their return from victory, so he gave gifts to men - Both the ordinary and extraordinary gifts of the Spirit. Psalm lxviii, 18.
- v.9Now this expression, He ascended, what is it, but that he descended — That is, does it not imply, that he descended first? Certainly it does, on the supposition of his being God. Otherwise it would not: since all the saints will ascend to heaven, though none of them descended thence. Into the lower parts of the earth - So the womb is called, Psalm cxxxix, 5; the grave, Psalm lxiii, 9.
- v.10He that descended — That thus amazingly humbled himself. Is the same that ascended - That was so highly exalted. That he might fill all things - The whole church, with his Spirit, presence, and operations.
- v.11And, among other his free gifts, he gave some apostles — His chief ministers and special witnesses, as having seen him after his resurrection, and received their commission immediately from him. And same prophets, and some evangelists - A prophet testifies of things to come; an evangelist of things past: and that chiefly by preaching the gospel before or after any of the apostles. All these were extraordinary officers. The ordinary were. Some pastors - Watching over their several flocks. And some teachers - Whether of the same or a lower order, to assist them, as occasion might require.
- v.12In this verse is noted the office of ministers; in the next, the aim of the saints; in the 14th, 15th, 16th, the way of growing in grace. And each of these has three parts, standing in the same order. For the perfecting the saints — The completing them both in number and their various gifts and graces. To the work of the ministry - The serving God and his church in their various ministrations. To the edifying of the body of Christ - The building up this his mystical body in faith, love, holiness.
- v.13Till we all — And every one of us. Come to the unity of the faith, and knowledge of the Son of God - To both an exact agreement in the Christian doctrine, and an experimental knowledge of Christ as the Son of God. To a perfect man - To a state of spiritual manhood both in understanding and strength. To the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ - To that maturity of age and spiritual stature wherein we shall be filled with Christ, so that he will be all in all.
- v.14Fluctuating to and fro — From within, even when there is no wind. And carried about with every wind - From without; when we are assaulted by others, who are unstable as the wind. By the sleight of men - By their "cogging the dice;" so the original word implies.
- v.15Into him — Into his image and Spirit, and into a full union with him.
- v.16From whom the whole mystical body fitly joined together — All the parts being fitted for and adapted to each other, and most exactly harmonizing with the whole. And compacted - Knit and cemented together with the utmost firmness. Maketh increase by that which every joint supplieth - Or by the mutual help of every joint. According to the effectual working in the measure of every member - According as every member in its measure effectually works for the support and growth of the whole. A beautiful allusion to the human body, composed of different joints and members, knit together by various ligaments, and furnished with vessels of communication from the head to every part.
gospel John 6:24-35
- v.26Our Lord does not satisfy their curiosity, but corrects the wrong motive they had in seeking him: because ye did eat — Merely for temporal advantage. Hitherto Christ had been gathering hearers: he now begins to try their sincerity, by a figurative discourse concerning his passion, and the fruit of it, to be received by faith.
- v.27labour not for the meat which perisheth — For bodily food: not for that only not chiefly: not at all, but in subordination to grace, faith, love, the meat which endureth to everlasting life. labour, work for this; foreverlasting life. So our Lord expressly commands, work for life, as well as from life: from a principle of faith and love. Him hath the Father sealed - By this very miracle, as well as by his whole testimony concerning him. See chap. iii, 33. Sealing is a mark of the authenticity of a writing.
- v.28The works of God — Works pleasing to God.
- v.29This is the work of God — The work most pleasing to God, and the foundation of all others: that ye believe - He expresses it first properly, afterward figuratively.
- v.30What sign dost thou? — Amazing, after what they had just seen!
- v.31Our fathers ate manna — This sign Moses gave them. He gave them bread from heaven - From the lower sublunary heaven; to which Jesus opposes the highest heaven: in which sense he says seven times, ver. 32, 33, 38, 50, 58, 62, that he himself came down from heaven.
- v.32Moses gave you not bread from heaven — It was not Moses who gave the manna to your fathers; but my Father who now giveth the true bread from heaven. Psalm lxxviii, 24.
- v.33He that — giveth life to the world - Not (like the manna) to one people only: and that from generation to generation. Our Lord does not yet say, I am that bread; else the Jews would not have given him so respectful an answer, ver. 34.
- v.34Give us this bread — Meaning it still, in a literal sense: yet they seem now to be not far from believing.
- v.35I am the bread of life — Having and giving life: he that cometh -he that believeth - Equivalent expressions: shall never hunger, thirst - Shall be satisfied, happy, forever.