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 Jeremiah 28:5-9
no note on this passage
psalm Psalm 89:1-4, 15-18
- v.1Sing — He prefaces this, lest the following complainers of present miseries should argue ingratitude for former mercies. Faithfulness - Whatsoever hath befallen us, it proceeded not from thy unfaithfulness.
- v.2Establish — As firmly and durably as the heavens themselves.
- v.3Chosen — With David; whom I have chosen to the kingdom.
- v.4Build up — I will perpetuate the kingdom to thy posterity; which was promised upon condition, and was literally accomplished in Christ.
second Romans 6:12-23
- v.12Let not sin reign even in your mortal body — It must be subject to death, but it need not be subject to sin.
- v.13Neither present your members to sin — To corrupt nature, a mere tyrant. But to God - Your lawful King.
- v.14Sin shall not have dominion over you — It has neither right nor power. For ye are not under the law - A dispensation of terror and bondage, which only shows sin, without enabling you to conquer it. But under grace - Under the merciful dispensation of the gospel, which brings complete victory over it to every one who is under the powerful influences of the Spirit of Christ.
- v.17The form of doctrine into which ye have been delivered — Literally it is, The mould into which ye have been delivered; which, as it contains a beautiful allusion, conveys also a very instructive admonition; intimating that our minds, all pliant and ductile, should be conformed to the gospel precepts, as liquid metal, take the figure of the mould into which they are cast.
- v.18Being then set free from sin — We may see the apostles method thus far at one view: - Chap. Ver. 1. Bondage to sin chap. iii, 9 2. The knowledge of sin by the law; a sense of God's wrath; inward death chap. iii, 20 3. The Revelation of the righteousness of God in Christ through the gospel chap. iii, 21 4. The center of all, faith, embracing that righteousness chap. iii, 22 5. Justification, whereby God forgives all past sin, and freely accepts the sinner chap. iii, 24 6. The gift of the Holy Ghost; a sense of chap. v, 5, God's love new inward life ver. 4 7. The free service of righteousness ver. 12
- v.19I speak after the manner of men — Thus it is necessary that the scripture should let itself down to the language of men. Because of the weakness of your flesh - Slowness of understanding flows from the weakness of the flesh, that is, of human nature. As ye have presented your members servants to uncleanness and iniquity unto iniquity, so now present your members servants of righteousness unto holiness - Iniquity (whereof uncleanness is an eminent part) is here opposed to righteousness; and unto iniquity is the opposite of unto holiness. Righteousness here is a conformity to the divine will; holiness, to the whole divine nature. Observe, they who are servants of righteousness go on to holiness; but they who are servants to iniquity get no farther. Righteousness is service, because we live according to the will of another; but liberty, because of our inclination to it, and delight in it.
- v.20When ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness — In all reason, therefore, ye ought now to be free from unrighteousness; to be as uniform and zealous in serving God as ye were in serving the devil.
- v.21Those things — He speaks of them as afar off.
- v.23Death — Temporal, spiritual, and eternal. Is the due wages of sin; but eternal life is the gift of God - The difference is remarkable. Evil works merit the reward they receive: good works do not. The former demand wages: the latter accept a free gift.
gospel Matthew 10:40-42
- v.40Matt. xviii, 5; Luke x, 16; John xiii, 20.
- v.41He that entertaineth a prophet — That is, a preacher of the Gospel: In the name of a prophet - That is, because he is such, shall share in his reward.
- v.42One of these little ones — The very least Christian. Mark ix, 41.