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 Isaiah 62:1-5
- v.1Zion's sake — Zion and Jerusalem are both put for the church, Heb. xii, 22. My peace - These seem to be the words of the prophet strongly resolving, notwithstanding all difficulties, to solicit God for the church's happiness, and constantly excite to the belief of it by his preaching, though it were long before it came, for Isaiah lived near two hundred years before this was accomplished. Righteousness - With reference to the Babylonians, understand it of the righteousness of God, who hath promised his people deliverance, and he must be righteous, and so understand salvation before; or rather, the vindicating of his people's cause in the eyes of the nations by the ruin of the Babylonians; he will shew that his people have a righteous cause. Lamp - And to that purpose is set up where it may be seen continually, to signify how eminently conspicuous this prosperous estate of the church should be among the nations, and as it may particularly relate to revealing of Christ unto the world.
- v.2A new name — The church shall be more renowned than ever, both in respect of her condition, and so called Hephzi-bah, and of her relation, and so called Beulah, and this new name the Lord gives them accordingly, ver. 4.
- v.3Crown of glory — An expression to set forth the dignity of her state. In the hand - Preserved and defended by God's hand. Royal diadem - The same thing with the former for substance. Or, the royal priesthood, whereof the apostle speaks, 1 Pet. ii, 9.
- v.4Forsaken — As a woman forsaken by her husband. Thy land - The inhabitants of the land. Hephzi-bah - My delight is in her; a new name agreeing with her new condition. Beulah - Married; agreeing to her new relation. Married - Thou shalt see the increase of thy children again in the land, as the fruit of thy married condition, which by reason of thy being forsaken of thy husband, were in a manner wasted and decayed: and this refers to the great enlargement of the church in the gospel days.
psalm Psalm 36:5-10
- v.5Thy mercy — Mine enemies are cruel and perfidious, but thou art infinite in mercy, and faithfulness. Heavens - Is infinite and incomprehensible. Faithfulness - The truth both of thy threatenings against thine enemies, and of thy promises made to good men. The clouds - Is far above our reach, greater and higher than we can apprehend.
- v.6Mountains — Stedfast and unmoveable: eminent and conspicuous to all men. Judgments - The executions of thy counsels. Deep - Unsearchable, as the ocean. Man - The worst of men; yea, the brute-beasts have experience of thy care and kindness.
- v.7Loving-kindness — Though all thine attributes be excellent, yet, above all, thy mercy is most excellent, or precious and amiable.
- v.8Satisfied — Who trust in thee, as he now said. Fatness - With those delightful provisions, which thou hast prepared for them in heaven. The river - Which denotes both their plenty, and their perpetuity.
- v.9Life — It is in God as in a fountain, and from him is derived to us. But - Of that glorious and blessed, and endless life, which alone is worthy of the name. Light - In the light of thy glorious presence, which shall be fully manifested, when we see thee face to face. Light - Joy and comfort, and happiness: the word light is elegantly repeated in another signification; in the former clause it is light discovering, in this light, discovered or enjoyed.
second 1 Corinthians 12:1-11
- v.1Now concerning spiritual gifts — The abundance of these in the churches of Greece strongly refuted the idle learning of the Greek philosophers. But the Corinthians did not use them wisely, which occasioned St. Paul's writing concerning them. He describes, 1. The unity of the body, ver. 1-xxvii, 2. The variety of members and offices, ver. 27-30, 3. The way of exercising gifts rightly, namely, by love, ver. 31, chap. xiii, 1. throughout: and adds, 4. A comparison of several gifts with each other, in the chap. xiv, 1. fourteenth chapter.
- v.2Ye were heathens — Therefore, whatever gifts ye have received, it is from the free grace of God. Carried away - By a blind credulity. After dumb idols - The blind to the dumb; idols of wood and stone, unable to speak themselves, and much more to open your mouths, as God has done. As ye were led - By the subtlety of your priests.
- v.3Therefore — Since the heathen idols cannot speak themselves, much less give spiritual gifts to others, these must necessarily be among Christians only. As no one speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed - That is, as none who does this, (which all the Jews and heathens did,) speaketh by the Spirit of God - Is actuated by that Spirit, so as to speak with tongues, heal diseases, or cast out devils. So no one can say, Jesus is the Lord - None can receive him as such; for, in the scripture language, to say, or to believe, implies an experimental assurance. But by the Holy Ghost - The sum is, None have the Holy Spirit but Christians: all Christians have this Spirit.
- v.4There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit — Divers streams, but all from one fountain. This verse speaks of the Holy Ghost, the next of Christ, the sixth of God the Father. The apostle treats of the Spirit, ver. 7, &c.; of Christ, ver. 12, &c.; of God, ver. 28, &c.
- v.5Administrations — Offices. But the same Lord appoints them all.
- v.6Operations — Effects produced. This word is of a larger extent than either of the former. But it is the same God who worketh all these effects in all the persons concerned.
- v.7The manifestation — The gift whereby the Spirit manifests itself. Is given to each - For the profit of the whole body.
- v.8The word of wisdom — A power of understanding and explaining the manifold wisdom of God in the grand scheme of gospel salvation. The word of knowledge - Perhaps an extraordinary ability to understand and explain the Old Testament types and prophecies.
- v.9Faith may here mean an extraordinary trust in God under the most difficult or dangerous circumstances. The gift of healing need not be wholly confined to the healing diseases with a word or a touch. It may exert itself also, though in a lower degree, where natural remedies are applied; and it may often be this, not superior skill, which makes some physicians more successful than others. And thus it may be with regard to other gifts likewise. As, after the golden shields were lost, the king of Judah put brazen in their place, so, after the pure gifts were lost, the power of God exerts itself in a more covert manner, under human studies and helps; and that the more plentifully, according as there is the more room given for it.
- v.10The working of other miracles. Prophecy — Foretelling things to come. The discerning - Whether men be of an upright spirit or no; whether they have natural or supernatural gifts for offices in the church; and whether they who profess to speak by inspiration speak from a divine, a natural, or a diabolical spirit.
- v.11As he willeth — The Greek word does not so much imply arbitrary pleasure, as a determination founded on wise counsel.
gospel John 2:1-11
- v.1And the third day — After he had said this. In Cana of Galilee - There were two other towns of the same name, one in the tribe of Ephraim, the other in Caelosyria.
- v.2Jesus and his disciples were invited to the marriage — Christ does not take away human society, but sanctifies it. Water might have quenched thirst; yet our Lord allows wine; especially at a festival solemnity. Such was his facility in drawing his disciples at first, who were afterward to go through rougher ways.
- v.3And wine falling short — How many days the solemnity had lasted, and on which day our Lord came, or how many disciples might follow him, does not appear. His mother saith to him, They have not wine - Either she might mean, supply them by miracle; or, Go away, that others may go also, before the want appears.
- v.4Jesus saith to her, Woman — So our Lord speaks also, chap. xix, 26. It is probable this was the constant appellation which he used to her. He regarded his Father above all, not knowing even his mother after the flesh. What is it to me and thee? A mild reproof of her inordinate concern and untimely interposal. Mine hour is not yet come - The time of my working this miracle, or of my going away. May we not learn hence, if his mother was rebuked for attempting to direct him in the days of his flesh, how absurd it is to address her as if she had a right to command him, on the throne of his glory? Likewise how indecent it is for us to direct his supreme wisdom, as to the time or manner in which he shall appear for us in any of the exigencies of life!
- v.5His mother saith to the servants — Gathering from his answer he was about to do something extraordinary.
- v.6The purifying of the Jews — Who purified themselves by frequent washings particularly before eating.
- v.9The governor of the feast — The bridegroom generally procured some friend to order all things at the entertainment.
- v.10And saith — St. John barely relates the words he spoke, which does not imply his approving them. When they have well drunk - does not mean any more than toward the close of the entertainment.
- v.11And his disciples believed — More steadfastly.