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 5:12-15
- v.12Keep the sabbath-day, to sanctify it — Dost thou do no work on this day, which can be done as well on another? Art thou peculiarly careful on this day, to avoid all conversation, which does not tend to the knowledge and love of God? Dost thou watch narrowly over all that are within thy gates, that they too may keep it holy? And dost thou try every possible means, to bring all men, wherever you are, to do the same?
psalm Psalm 81:1-10
- v.5Joseph — Among the people of Israel. Testimony - For a witness of that glorious deliverance. He - God. Went - As a captain at the head of his people. Egypt - To execute his judgments upon that land. I - My progenitors, for all the successive generations of Israel make one body, and are sometimes spoken of as one person. A language - The Egyptian language, which at first was unknown to the Israelites, Gen. xlii, 13, and probably continued so for some considerable time, because they were much separated both in place and conversation from the Egyptians.
- v.6Pots — This word denotes all those vessels wherein they carried water, straw, lime, or bricks.
- v.7Calledst — At the Red Sea. Secret place - From the dark and cloudy pillar, whence I thundered against the Egyptians.
- v.8Testify — This God did presently after he brought them from Meribah, even at Sinai.
- v.10Wide — Either to pray for mercies, or to receive the mercies which I am ready to give you.
second 2 Corinthians 4:5-12
- v.5For — The fault is not in us, neither in the doctrine they hear from us. We preach not ourselves - As able either to enlighten, or pardon, or sanctify you. But Jesus Christ - As your only wisdom, righteousness, sanctification. And ourselves your servants - Ready to do the meanest offices. For Jesus' sake - Not for honour, interest, or pleasure.
- v.6For God hath shined in our hearts — The hearts of all those whom the God of this world no longer blinds. God who is himself our light; not only the author of light, but also the fountain of it. To enlighten us with the knowledge of the glory of God - Of his glorious love, and of his glorious image. In the face of Jesus Christ - Which reflects his glory in another manner than the face of Moses did.
- v.7But we — Not only the apostles, but all true believers. Have this treasure - Of divine light, love, glory. In earthen vessels - In frail, feeble, perishing bodies. He proceeds to show, that afflictions, yea, death itself, are so far from hindering the ministration of the Spirit, that they even further it, sharpen the ministers, and increase the fruit. That the excellence of the power, which works these in us, may undeniably appear to be of God.
- v.8We are troubled, &c. — The four articles in this verse respect inward, the four in the next outward, afflictions. In each clause the former part shows the "earthen vessels;" the latter, "the excellence of the power." Not crushed - Not swallowed up in care and anxiety. Perplexed - What course to take, but never despairing of his power and love to carry us through.
- v.10Always — Wherever we go. Bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus - Continually expecting to lay down our lives like him. That the life also of Jesus might be manifested in our body - That we may also rise and be glorified like him.
- v.11For we who yet live — Who are not yet killed for the testimony of Jesus. Are always delivered unto death - Are perpetually in the very jaws of destruction; which we willingly submit to, that we may "obtain a better resurrection."
- v.12So then death worketh in us, but life in you — You live in peace; we die daily. Yet - Living or dying, so long as we believe, we cannot but speak.
gospel Mark 2:23-3:6
- v.23Matt. xii, 1; Luke vi, 1.
- v.26In the days of Abiathar the high priest — Abimelech, the father of Abiathar, was high priest then; Abiathar himself not till some time after. This phrase therefore only means, In the time of Abiathar, who was afterward the high priest. 1 Sam. xxi, 6.
- v.27The Sabbath was made for man — And therefore must give way to man's necessity.
- v.28Moreover the Son of man is Lord even of the Sabbath — Being the supreme Lawgiver, he hath power to dispense with his own laws; and with this in particular. He entered again into the synagogue - At Capernaum on the same day. Matt. xii, 9; Luke vi, 6.
- v.2And they — The scribes and Pharisees, watched him, that they might accuse him - Pride, anger, and shame, after being so often put to silence, began now to ripen into malice.
- v.4Is it lawful to save life or to kill? — Which he knew they were seeking occasion to do. But they held their peace - Being confounded, though not convinced.
- v.5Looking round upon them with anger, being grieved — Angry at the sin, grieved at the sinner; the true standard of Christian anger. But who can separate anger at sin from anger at the sinner? None but a true believer in Christ.
- v.6The Pharisees going out — Probably leaving the scribes to watch him still: took counsel with the Herodians - as bitter as they usually were against each other.