1151 matching verse commentaries
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And he said unto them,.... Either to the two brethren, or to his disciples, as the Syriac and Persic versions read, or to the whole company: take heed, and beware of covetousness; of all covetousness, as read the Vulgate Latin, Syriac, Arabic, and Ethiopic versions, and some copies; that is, of all sorts of covetousness, and every degree of it,...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And he spake a parable unto them, saying,.... He supposed the following case, and made use of it by way of illustration of what he had said: the ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully; who notwithstanding his riches, was but a fool, as the sequel shows; rich men are not always wise in things natural and civil; and very few of them...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And, he thought within himself,.... And foolish thoughts they were; he did not think of God, or that there was one, and much less that he was the author, of all his outward prosperity and plenty; and was still further off of thinking of returning thanks to God for it: or of asking counsel of him, what he should do with it; but he consults himself...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And he said, this will I do,.... This was the resolution he came to, and which he took up, without consulting God, or asking leave of him: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; which was not a very wise one; for he might have let his present barns have stood, and have added new ones to them: and there will I bestow all my fruits and my...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And I will say to my soul,.... Himself, see Psalms 49:18 or to his sensual appetite, which he sought to indulge and gratify, for he was wholly a sensual and carnal man: soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years: he foolishly promises himself a long life, when no man can boast of tomorrow, or knows what a day will bring forth; or can assure...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
But God said unto him,.... He determined within himself he should die that night; for the time of a man's death, as well as of his birth, is fixed by God; or he sent the messenger of death, some disease or another, the language of which was, immediate death, or death in a very short time; or spoke to his conscience, and impressed it on his mind,...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
So is he that layeth up treasure for himself,.... This is the accommodation of the parable. Just such a fool is he, and this will be the end or him, who employs all his thoughts, and spends all his time, in amassing to himself worldly riches and wealth, in laying up treasures on earth for himself, for futurity: and makes no use of his earthly...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And he said unto his disciples,.... Having finished the parable which he spake to the whole audience in common, he directed himself to his disciples, who were poor, and apt to be over anxious about their living in the world: therefore I say unto you, take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat. The Ethiopic version adds, "and what ye shall...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
The life is more than meat,.... What in Matthew is put by way of question, is here strongly affirmed; and these words contain a reason or argument to dissuade from an anxious, distressing thought and care about the necessaries, conveniencies, and comforts of life: and all the Oriental versions read, "for", or "seeing the life is more than meat";...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Consider the ravens,.... According to the Jews (k) there are three sorts of ravens, the black raven, the raven of the valley, which is said to be white, and the raven whose head is like a dove. In Matthew the "fowls of the air" in general are mentioned, as they are here in the Cambridge copy of Beza's; but in others, "the ravens" in particular,...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And which of you with taking thought,.... In an anxious and distressing manner, for food and raiment, in order to preserve and continue life, add to his stature one cubit? The Persic version reads, "to his stature and height", as if this referred to the height of stature; whereas it seems rather to regard the age of a man, and the continuance of...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
If ye then be not able to do that which is least,.... As to make the smallest addition to a man's stature, or rather to add one moment to his days: why take ye thought for the rest? which are much greater, as to preserve the body in its whole bulk, and all its parts, or for the feeding and clothing of it, or rather for the continuation and...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Consider the lilies how they grow,.... Some copies read, "the lilies of the field", as in Matthew 6:28 The Persic version renders the word, "the roses and lilies of the field": and the Arabic version, the "flowers"; any flowers of the field; for what is afterwards said, is true of any of them, but particularly of the lilies: now, as the former...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
If then God so clothe the grass,.... lilies and tulips; for they are no other than grass, weak, frail, fading, short lived flowers, which have all their gaiety and beauty from the great Creator of them: which is today in the field, and tomorrow is cast into the oven: the grass is one day in the field, in all its verdure, glory, and beauty; and...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And seek not what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink,.... That is, in an anxious and distressing manner, with a tormenting and vexatious care; otherwise food is to be both asked of God every day, and to be sought for and after in the use of proper means: neither be ye of doubtful minds; questioning and distrusting that ye shall have any thing to...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
For all these things do the nations of the world seek after,.... That is, the Gentiles, as in Matthew 6:32 who are frequently, in the Jewish writings, called, in distinction from the Jews, אומות העולם, "the nations of the world" (s). This is an argument used to dissuade from an immediate and anxious concern for food and raiment, because it is...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
But rather seek ye the kingdom of God,.... The Vulgate Latin version adds, "first", as also, "and his righteousness", as in Matthew 6:33 and the Ethiopic version reads, "seek his kingdom and righteousness" meaning either the grace of God, which is not meat and drink, but righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Ghost, Romans 14:17 or the heavenly...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Fear not little flock,.... these words are particularly directed to the immediate apostles and disciples of Christ; but are true of all the saints in all ages of time, who are compared to a "flock of sheep", being separated from the rest of the world in election, redemption, and the effectual calling, and being folded together in a Gospel church...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Sell that ye have, and give alms,.... Since they had a kingdom bequeathed them by their heavenly Father, they should be so far from indulging an anxious care about food and raiment, that when there was a call in providence for it, and rather than the poor should go without a supply, it became them to sell their houses and lands, and whatever...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
For where your treasure is,.... Whether in heaven, or in earth, there will your heart be also: the heart is always set upon the treasure, and as is a man's treasure, such is his heart, that is, set upon it; if his treasure is only here, and he has not the true riches, his heart is only earthly and carnal; but if his treasure is heavenly, his heart...