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 Jonah 3:1-5, 10
- v.3Exceeding great — The greatest city of the known world at that day, it was then in its flourishing state greater than Babylon, whose compass was three hundred eighty-five furlongs, but Nineveh was in compass, four hundred and eighty. It is said, her walls were an hundred foot in height, her walls broad enough for three coaches to meet, and safely pass by each other; that it had fifteen hundred towers on its walls, each two hundred foot high, and one million, four hundred thousand men employed for eight years to build it. Of three days journey - To walk round the walls, allowing twenty miles to each day's journey.
- v.4Shall be overthrown — The threat is express. But there was a reserve with God, on condition of repentance.
- v.5From the greatest — Great and small, rich and poor.
psalm Psalm 62:5-12
- v.9Vanity — Vain, and helpless creatures. A lie - They promise much, but generally deceive those who trust in them.
- v.10Vain — Feeding yourselves with vain hopes of felicity, from those riches which you take from others by violence.
- v.11Spoken — Frequently, both immediately as at Sinai, and by his holy prophets, from time to time. That - That power is God's prerogative; and consequently all creatures, either against or without him, are poor impotent things.
- v.12Therefore — God is almighty, therefore he can easily destroy all his enemies: he is also merciful, and therefore will pardon good mens failings. Renderest - And this as he is obliged to do by his holy nature, so is he able to do it, being omnipotent, and willing to do it to the godly (which was the only thing that might be doubted, because of their manifold miscarriages) because he is merciful and gracious. David's desire and esteem of God, ver. 1-4. His satisfaction, and communion with God, ver. 5, 6. His joyful dependence upon God, ver. 7, 8. His holy triumph in him, ver. 9-12. A psalm of David, when he was in the wilderness of Judah.
second 1 Corinthians 7:29-31
- v.29But this I say, brethren -- with great confidence. The time of our abode here is short. It plainly follows, that even they who have wives be as serious, zealous, active, dead to the world, as devoted to God, as holy in all manner of conversation, as if they had none — By so easy a transition does the apostle slide from every thing else to the one thing needful; and, forgetting whatever is temporal, is swallowed up in eternity.
- v.30And they that weep, as if they wept not — "Though sorrowful, yet always rejoicing." They that rejoice, as if they rejoiced not - Tempering their joy with godly fear. They that buy, as if they possessed not - Knowing themselves to be only stewards, not proprietors.
- v.31And they that use this world, as not abusing it — Not seeking happiness in it, but in God: using every thing therein only in such a manner and degree as most tends to the knowledge and love of God. For the whole scheme and fashion of this world - This marrying, weeping, rejoicing, and all the rest, not only will pass, but now passeth away, is this moment flying off like a shadow.
gospel Mark 1:14-20
- v.14Matt. iv, 12.
- v.15The time is fulfilled — The time of my kingdom, foretold by Daniel, expected by you, is fully come.
- v.16Matt. iv, 18; Luke v, 1.
- v.18Straightway leaving their nets, they followed him — From this time they forsook their employ, and constantly attended him. Happy they who follow Christ at the first call!