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 Amos 5:6-7, 10-15
- v.6The house of Joseph — The kingdom of the ten tribes, the chief whereof was Ephraim, the son of Joseph. In Beth-el - If once this fire breaks out, all your idols in Beth-el shall not be able to quench it.
- v.7Ye — Rulers and Judges. Judgment - The righteous sentence of the law. To wormwood - Proverbially understood; bitterness, injustice and oppression. Leave off - Make to cease in your courts of judicature.
psalm Psalm 90:12-17
- v.12Teach us — To consider the shortness of life, and the certainty and speediness of death. That - That we may heartily devote ourselves to true wisdom.
- v.13Return — To us in mercy. How long - Will it be before thou return to us? Repent thee - Of thy severe proceedings against us.
- v.14Early — Speedily.
- v.17The beauty — His gracious influence, and glorious presence. In us - Do not only work for us, but in us, This psalm is a dialogue, wherein one declares the safety of them, who take God for their keeper, ver. 1. David declares this to be his resolution, ver. 2. Various promises are made to him, ver. 3-13. Which God himself confirms, ver. 14-16.
second Hebrews 4:12-16
- v.12For the word of God — Preached, ver. 2, and armed with threatenings, ver. 3. Is living and powerful - Attended with the power of the living God, and conveying either life or death to the hearers. Sharper than any two-edged sword - Penetrating the heart more than this does the body. Piercing - Quite through, and laying open. The soul and spirit, joints and marrow - The inmost recesses of the mind, which the apostle beautifully and strongly expresses by this heap of figurative words. And is a discerner - Not only of the thoughts, but also of the intentions.
- v.13In his sight — It is God whose word is thus "powerful:" it is God in whose sight every creature is manifest; and of this his word, working on the conscience, gives the fullest conviction. But all things are naked and opened - Plainly alluding to the sacrifices under the law which were first flayed, and then (as the Greek word literally means) cleft asunder through the neck and backbone; so that everything both without and within was exposed to open view.
- v.14Having therefore a great high priest — Great indeed, being the eternal Son of God, that is passed through the heavens - As the Jewish high priest passed through the veil into the holy of holies, carrying with him the blood of the sacrifices, on the yearly day of atonement; so our great high priest went once for all through the visible heavens, with the virtue of his own blood, into the immediate presence God.
- v.15He sympathizes with us even in our innocent infirmities, wants, weaknesses, miseries, dangers. Yet without sin — And, therefore, is indisputably able to preserve us from it in all our temptations.
- v.16Let us therefore come boldly — Without any doubt or fear. Unto the throne of God, our reconciled Father, even his throne of grace - Grace erected it, and reigns there, and dispenses all blessings in a way of mere, unmerited favour.
gospel Mark 10:17-31
- v.17Matt. xix, 16; Luke xviii, 18.
- v.20He answering, said to him, Master — He stands reproved now, and drops the epithet good.
- v.21Jesus looking upon him — And looking into his heart, loved him - Doubtless for the dawnings of good which he saw in him: and said to him - Out of tender love, One thing thou lackest - The love of God, without which all religion is a dead carcass. In order to this, throw away what is to thee the grand hindrance of it. Give up thy great idol, riches. Go, sell whatsoever thou hast.
- v.24Jesus saith to them, Children — See how he softens the harsh truth, by the manner of delivering it! And yet without retracting or abating one tittle: How hard is it for them that trust in riches - Either for defense, or happiness, or deliverance from the thousand dangers that life is continually exposed to. That these cannot enter into God's glorious kingdom, is clear and undeniable: but it is easier for a camel to go through a needle's eye, than for a man to have riches, and not trust in them. Therefore, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter the kingdom.
- v.28Lo, we have left all — Though the young man would not.
- v.30He shall receive a hundred fold, houses, etc. — Not in the same kind: for it will generally be with persecutions: but in value: a hundred fold more happiness than any or all of these did or could afford. But let it be observed, none is entitled to this happiness, but he that will accept it with persecutions.