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An Interpretation of the English Bible

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An Interpretation of the English Bible AN INTERPRETATION OF THE ENGLISH BIBLE BY B. H. CARROLL Late President of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, Fort Worth, Texas Edited by J. B. Cranfill BAKER BOOK HOUSE Grand Rapids, Michigan New and complete edition Copyright 1948, Broadman Press Reprinted by Baker Book House with permission of Broadman Press ISBN: 0-8010-2344-0 VOLUME 10 THE FOUR GOSPELS CONTENTS I Introduction – The Four Gospels II Introduction – The Fifth Gospel III Introduction – The Several Historians IV Luke's Dedication and John's Prologue (Luke 1:1-4; John 1:1-18) V Beginnings of Matthew and Luke (Matthew 1:1-17; Luke 1:5-80; 3:23-38) VI Beginnings of Matthew and Luke (Continued) VII Beginnings of Matthew and Luke (Continued) (Matthew 1:18-25; Luke 2:1-20) VIII Beginnings of Matthew and Luke (Continued) (Luke 2:21- 38; Matthew 2:1-12) IX Beginnings of Matthew and Luke (Concluded) (Matthew 2:13-28; Luke 2:39-52) X John the Baptist XI The Kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ (Matthew 3:1-12; Mark 1:1-8; Luke 3:l-18) XII The Beginning of the Ministry of John the Baptist (Matthew 3:l-12; Mark 1:1-8; Luke 3:1-18) XIII The Nature, Necessity, Importance and Definition of Repentance XIV The Object of Repentance XV Motives and Encouragements to Repentance XVI Motives and Encouragements to Repentance (Continued) XVII Motives and Encouragements to Repentance (Conclusion) XVIII The Ministry of Jon the Baptist (Continued) (Matthew 3:11- 17; Mark 1:1-11; Luke 3:15-23) XIX The Culmination of John’s Ministry XX The Temptation of Christ (Matthew 4:1-11; Mark 1:12-13; Luke 4:1-13) XXI Satan’s Three Special Temptations of our Lord (Matthew 4:1-11; Luke 4:1-18) XXII John’s Testimony to Jesus, Jesus’ first disciples and His First Miracle (John 1:19-2:11) XXIII The Sojourn of Jesus at Capernaum (John 2:12-3:21) XXIV The Evidences of the Spirit in the New Birth (John 3:8) XXV The Guilt of Sin Stated and the Remedy (John 3:16-4:45) XXVI Our Lord’s Ministry in Galilee (Part I) (Matthew 4:17-25; 8:2-17; 9:2-26; Mark 1:14-2:22; 5:22-43; Luke 4:14-5:39; 8:41-56; John 4:46-54) XXVII Our Lord’s Ministry in Galilee (Part II) (Matthew 9:27-34; John 5:1-47; Matthew 12:1-21; Mark 2:23-3:19; Luke 6:1-16) XXVIII Our Lord’s Ministry in Galilee (Part III) (Matthew 5:1-7:29; Luke 6:17-49) XXIX Our Lord’s Ministry in Galilee (Part IV) (Matthew 8:1, 5-13; 11:2-30; 12:22-37; Mark 3:lff-30; Luke 7:1-8:3) XXX Our Lord’s Ministry in Galilee (Part V) (Matthew 12:38-50; Mark 3:31-35; Luke 8:19-21) XXXI Our Lord’s Ministry in Galilee (Part VI) (Matthew 13:1-53; Mark 4:1-34; Luke 8:4-18) XXXII Our Lord’s Ministry in Galilee (Part VII) (Matthew 8:18-23; 11:1; 13:54-58; 14:1-12; Mark 4:34-5:20; 6:1-29; Luke 8:22- 40; 9:1-9) I. INTRODUCTION – THE FOUR GOSPELS The New Testament is the ultimate authority for the life of Christ. In that collection of books, this life is set forth in four distinct phases: His eternal existence, essential Deity, relations and activities as pure spirit prior to all time and history. His foreshadowing in time prior to his incarnation. This is done by an interpretation of the Old Testament. His incarnation, or earth life, from his birth to his death. The glory life of his exalted humanity, from his resurrection to the end of time. Usually, however, when men speak of the life of our Lord they mean his earth life from his birth to his death. Even in studying his earth life only, it is helpful to know well: His human antecedents, as set forth in the Old Testament history of his people. The history of that people in the 400 years interval between the close of the Old Testament and the opening of the New Testament. The geography and topography of the land of Palestine, the scene of his life and labors, together with the political, religious, and social conditions of his people at the time of his birth and during his life. The successful preacher or teacher must often repeat, or restate in new forms, what he has preached or taught before, because there is little remembrance of former things, and because there is constant change of hearers or students unfamiliar with his previous teaching or preaching; and because no one statement of any truth sufficiently fixes itself in the mind of the hearer or reader. Repeated hammering is needed to drive a nail to its head, and even then we need to clinch it. On account of this necessity for repetition, we commence with definitions many times given before. Our English word, "scriptures," means, etymologically, any kind of writings as contrasted with oral statements. Our English words, "Holy Scriptures," mean "sacred writings," or inspired writings, as distinguished from profane writings. Our English word, "Bible," means a library, or collection of books. And hence, "Holy Bible," would mean a sacred library. This sacred library consists of two grand divisions, entitled "Old Testament" and "New Testament." The Old Testament consists of thirty-nine books, arranged in a threefold division of Law, Prophets, and Psalms. Likewise the New Testament consists of twenty-seven books, divided into three general classifications – that is, five books of history, twenty-one letters or books of doctrine and discipline, and one book of prophecy. This classification, however, must not be strictly pressed, since the five books entitled histories contain letters, doctrines, and prophecies; and the twenty-one letters contain history, prophecy, and doctrines; and the one book of prophecy contains letters, history, and doctrines. Of these New Testament books, Paul wrote fourteen; John, five; Luke and Peter, two each; Matthew, Mark, James, and Jude, one each. And since Paul influenced both of Luke's books, a majority of the books, and more than half of the contents of the New Testament may be attributed directly or indirectly to Paul. The English word, "testament," whether Old or New, was derived from the Latin, based on such passages as: Luke 22:14-20; 1 Corinthians 11:25; Hebrews 8:9-13; 9:16-17, and is a misnomer, since the Greek word so rendered means "covenant," but in the Bible it is never applied to a collection of books. The word, indeed, has the meaning of a last will and testament in two instances only, of Biblical usage, both in the game connection, Hebrews 9:16-17. So used in that sense it simply points out one analogy between a covenant and a last will and testament, to wit: that the death of a victim ratifies a covenant, as the death of a testator precedes inheritance under his will. The mischievous effect of this rendering "testament" in other instances of usage not only obscures the connection of thought between the Old and New Covenants, but appears historically and particularly in the fact that one large and modern Christian denomination, popularly known as Campbellites, deduces the most distinguishing articles of their creed and practice from this incorrect rendering, together with their faulty interpretations of some other passages. Substantially, their argument is this: The New Testament is God's last will and testament. Its provision of inheritance cannot be effective until after the death of the testator, Jesus Christ. The chief blessing of the inheritance is the forgiveness of sins. Sins under the Old Testament, and up to Christ's death, were not actually forgiven, but only passed over until the coming and death of the Testator, quoting Romans 3:25. Therefore, in determining the New Testament law of pardon, they contend that we must not consider the Gospels by Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, but must consult only the books concerning matters after his death. Hence they find the law of pardon in Acts 2:38, and contend that then was Christ's kingdom set up, and then only was this law of pardon published, to wit: "Repent and be immersed in his name, in order to remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit." Therefore, they make baptism a condition of salvation and of the reception of the Holy Spirit, and an essential part of regeneration. Their contention, based on this argument, is set forth elaborately in a book by Ezell, one of their teachers, entitled, The Great Inheritance. We defer until we come to Acts 2:38, the correction of their erroneous exegesis of that passage, and merely state now that the capital defect of the whole contention consists in confounding expiation toward God with remission of sins toward man. It is true that the expiation of sins toward God did not historically take place until Christ died, but it is utterly untrue that the remission of sins toward man did not precede this expiation, since remission came as truly in the Old Testament times as in the New Testament times, because of God's acceptance of the pledge of expiation by his Son. While we think it well to show the incorrectness and mischievous tendency of this misnomer, yet the term, "testament," is so fixed in our literature as applied to the two collections of books so styled, we accept the common usage, modified by this explanation.
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