TRV
Bede
Late Patristic · AD 500–800
6,271 passages across 45 books of the Bible · Who was this?
Commentary
20 of 6,271-
1 Kings 10:2
We read also in the book of Kings that the queen of the South came from the end of the earth to listen to the wisdom of Solomon. Actually, it was customary for that nation to be always ruled by women, whom they called Kandakes.The sending by the Ethiopian queen of the treasures of the nations to Jerusalem signifies that the church would bring gifts of the virtue and of faith to the Lord. The etymology of her name is also appropriate, for in Hebrew Candace [Kandake] means “exchanged.” In the Scriptures (in the psalm “For those who will be exchanged”) it is she to whom it was said, “Hear, daughter, and see, and incline your ear. Forget your people and your father’s home,” and so forth.
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1 Kings 16:34
"In his days, Hiel of Bethel built Jericho." [1 Kings 16:34] What is written about the times of Ahab's reign: 'In his days, Hiel of Bethel built Jericho. He laid its foundations with Abiram his firstborn, and set up its gates with Segub his youngest,' the sense is clear: when the stated builder of the city began to lay its foundations, his firstborn, named Abiram, died; and when, with the city built, he tried to fortify its gates, he lost his youngest son named Segub. This was foretold by Joshua, who, when dedicating the destroyed and cursed city Jericho, predicted it with an imprecation: 'Cursed before the Lord is the man who rises up and rebuilds this city Jericho. He shall lay its foundation at the cost of his firstborn, and at the cost of his youngest he shall set up its gates' (Joshua 6). That Ahiel, living for God, interpreted as Bethel which means house of God, restores the walls of Jericho that were destroyed and cursed by Joshua, is evident when one among those who have assumed the habit of religion in the Church returns to commit the crimes that the Lord Jesus forgave him o…
"In his days, Hiel of Bethel built Jericho." [1 Kings 16:34] What is written about the times of Ahab's reign: 'In his days, Hiel of Bethel built Jericho. He laid its foundations with Abiram his firstborn, and set up its gates with Segub his youngest,' the sense is clear: when the stated builder of the city began to lay its foundations, his firstborn, named Abiram, died; and when, with the city built, he tried to fortify its gates, he lost his youngest son named Segub. This was foretold by Joshua, who, when dedicating the destroyed and cursed city Jericho, predicted it with an imprecation: 'Cursed before the Lord is the man who rises up and rebuilds this city Jericho. He shall lay its foundation at the cost of his firstborn, and at the cost of his youngest he shall set up its gates' (Joshua 6). That Ahiel, living for God, interpreted as Bethel which means house of God, restores the walls of Jericho that were destroyed and cursed by Joshua, is evident when one among those who have assumed the habit of religion in the Church returns to commit the crimes that the Lord Jesus forgave him on the day of his baptism, and those pomps of the devil which he himself anathema-tized, he returns to by living luxuriously; when he prefers the dogmas of heretics or the fables of pagans to the churchly truth in which he was imbued, it is as if, departing from Bethel, he resurrects the ruins of Jericho. And rightly is such a person cursed before the Lord, and loses both the first of his sons in the foundation of the wicked city and the youngest in the setting up of its gates. Because he loses the foundations of faith with which he should have begun good buildings, and the house of good action with which he should have finished. These things I have expounded in an allegorical sense, to remind you how true is the word of the apostle, who says that all these things happened to them as examples, and were written down for our instruction (1 Corinthians 10). -
1 Kings 20:10
"May the gods do so to me, and more also, etc." [1 Kings 20:10] What Benhadad king of Syria, besieging and beginning to assault Samaria said: 'May the gods do so to me, and more also, if the dust of Samaria will be enough to fill the hands of all the people who follow me,' has this sense: Samaria, like other cities, had earth inside near the walls, almost equal to the walls, lest the walls standing without the support of the adjacent earth, should be frequently struck down by the assaulting hand with the battering ram." From the outside, the height of the walls far exceeded the surface of the ground, especially since, as Scripture relates, the city itself had been set on the summit of a mountain. Therefore, the haughty king, threatening the besieged city, said that he had such a multitude of troops with him that even if each of his soldiers brought only one stone, or clod, or log to construct a rampart against the city, such a high rampart could rise from it that the surface of the city itself, which was within the walls, would seem equal, so that they might fight on an equal footing…
"May the gods do so to me, and more also, etc." [1 Kings 20:10] What Benhadad king of Syria, besieging and beginning to assault Samaria said: 'May the gods do so to me, and more also, if the dust of Samaria will be enough to fill the hands of all the people who follow me,' has this sense: Samaria, like other cities, had earth inside near the walls, almost equal to the walls, lest the walls standing without the support of the adjacent earth, should be frequently struck down by the assaulting hand with the battering ram." From the outside, the height of the walls far exceeded the surface of the ground, especially since, as Scripture relates, the city itself had been set on the summit of a mountain. Therefore, the haughty king, threatening the besieged city, said that he had such a multitude of troops with him that even if each of his soldiers brought only one stone, or clod, or log to construct a rampart against the city, such a high rampart could rise from it that the surface of the city itself, which was within the walls, would seem equal, so that they might fight on an equal footing against the city, sending missiles or torches. The king of Israel, restraining the king of Syria's arrogance with a modest utterance, said, "Say to him: Let not him who girds on his armor boast as he who takes it off." There is a difference between a man who is girded, a man who is ungirded, and a man who is not girded. A man who is girded is one who walks about with a belt; an ungirded man is one who recently took off his belt, for example, to enter a bath, or to get into bed, or perhaps to put on another tunic; a man who is not girded is one who, having recently put on a tunic, has not yet fortified himself with the addition of a belt. Thus, one who is in a military expedition can rightly be called girded, that is, armed. One who has returned home victoriously from a battle, having laid down his arms, is rightly called ungirded, because he wields the repose of peace longed for. One who has not yet begun to fight, nor begun to prepare for the contest, is rightly called not girded. Therefore, the king of Israel said to the king of Syria, boasting that he had already captured Samaria, which he had begun to besiege, "Let not him who girds on his armor boast as he who takes it off." As if to say plainly: Do not boast as if you were already the victor of war's peril, who, still set in the field, do not yet know whom victory will favor. And indeed he spoke the truth. For soon after the battle commenced, Benadab, not triumphing over the conquered adversaries, but with his army defeated, fled home. -
1 Peter 1:1
The dispersion of Pontus, Galatia, etc. All these provinces are of the Greeks in Asia. But there is also another Bithynia in Europe, from which it is said those in Asia are descended. However, the Bithynia in Asia is also called the greater Phrygia, which is separated from Galatia by the river Hiera.
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1 Peter 1:2
May grace and peace be multiplied. So that what you have well begun, you may complete perfectly. He first names grace, then peace, because without the grace of Christ we cannot attain to the peace of reconciliation, indeed we cannot have anything peaceful except through His grace.
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1 Peter 1:2
According to the foreknowledge of God the Father, etc. These verses are connected to what was previously stated, "To the elect exiles." For they were chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father. Hence the apostle also says: "Those whom He foreknew He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son." And elsewhere: "He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world." They were elected to this end, that by the gift of the Holy Spirit they might be sanctified, cleansed from all sins, to begin to obey the Lord Jesus Christ, who had perished due to the proto-parent's disobedience, that being sprinkled with His blood they might avoid the power of Satan, just as Israel avoided the dominion of the Egyptians through the lamb's blood. He speaks of sprinkling in the manner of the old Scripture, where those things which were to be sanctified were usually sprinkled with the blood of sacrifices. Otherwise, the Lord Himself speaks clearly about this: "Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you" (John 6).
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1 Peter 1:3
Who according to His great mercy has reborn us, etc. Rightly is God blessed by us, who, when we had been begotten by our merits unto death, through His mercy reborn us unto life. And this through the resurrection of His Son, when He so loved our life that He arranged for Him to die on its behalf; and by that same death destroyed through the resurrection, showed us the hope and example of rising again. For He died, so that we would not fear death. He rose from the dead, so that we might hope through Him to be resurrected.
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1 Peter 1:3
Blessed be God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Thus he returns praises to God the Father, to show that our Savior Lord is both God and man. For when he says, "God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ," he indeed calls Him the God of the Lord Jesus Christ, because he remembers that the Lord Christ was made man; but he calls Him the Father of our Lord, because he does not doubt that the same Lord of ours has always existed as the Son of God.
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1 Peter 1:4
God has revealed the doctrine of truth, enjoined the path of good work and both promised and delivered the blessing of an inheritance that is always unfading and uncorrupted.
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1 Peter 1:4
To an inheritance incorruptible, etc. Incorruptible, he says, because of the heavenly life, which is touched neither by age, nor disease, nor death, nor any sadness. Undefiled, because no impure person can enter into it. Unfading, because that heavenly life and conversation never come to seem worthless to the minds of the blessed, as the luxuries and delights of the present age often turn into disgust from prolonged custom and use.
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1 Peter 1:4
Kept in heaven for you. Kept in you he says, instead of saying, kept for you, that is, kept now for this purpose, that it might be bestowed on you in heaven at the appointed time. Or certainly kept in heaven in you, because He who gave believers the power to become children of God (John 1), gave them the power to receive that inheritance in heaven, by persevering until the end to be saved. And therefore he says the inheritance is kept within those whom, with the Lord’s help, he knows must arrive at it by their merits, because those who do not keep the discipline of the Father do not deserve to receive the inheritance from Him.
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1 Peter 1:5
You who are kept by the power of God through faith, etc. And the Lord said in the Gospel: In my Father's house are many mansions (John XIV). And again: It is not mine to give to you, but for whom it is prepared by my Father (Mark X). Therefore, seats are prepared in the kingdom of God, mansions prepared in the house of the Father, salvation prepared in heaven, only let him render himself worthy who desires to receive it. But since no one can make himself worthy solely by his own effort, nor can come to eternal salvation by his own strength, it is rightly prefaced: You who are kept by the power of God through faith. For no one can sustain themselves in good by their own free will's power, but help must be sought from Him through all things, that we may be perfected, from whom we have received the beginning of good action.
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1 Peter 1:6
In which you will rejoice, etc. What he says "In which," signifies that at the last time, salvation prepared will be revealed and given to the worthy. Of which the Lord also said: Again I will see you, and your heart shall rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you (John XVI).
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1 Peter 1:6
Now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved. He says, it is necessary to be grieved, because it is only through the sorrow of a fleeting world and afflictions that one can come to eternal joys. He says "for a little while," because when the eternal reward will be given, all that seemed severe and bitter in worldly tribulations will appear brief and light.
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1 Peter 1:7
Found unto praise and glory, etc. The proof of faith is found unto praise when the Judge, praising it, will say: I was hungry and you gave me food, etc. (Matt. XXV). It is found unto glory when, glorifying it, He introduces it: Come, blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world (Ibid.). It is found unto honor when, with the wicked cast into eternal punishment, the just will go into eternal life (Ibid.). Of this, He Himself says: If anyone serves me, my Father will honor him (John XII).
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1 Peter 1:7
That the proof of your faith may be much more precious than gold, etc. And the book of Wisdom compares the sufferings of the saints to gold that is tested by fire, saying of the Lord: As gold in the furnace he has tried them, and received them as a burnt offering (Wis. III). Indeed, those whom He has found faithful in the furnace of tribulation, these He will take up in the joy of reward as a pleasing sacrifice to Himself. And well is the patience of the saints likened to gold, for just as among metals there is nothing more precious than gold, so this is most worthy of praise before God. Hence it is written: Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints (Psalm CXV). For as gold enclosed in the furnace is tested by fire, but when brought out it will show what brilliance it has, so the constancy of the faithful appears contemptible and foolish among the oppressions of the unfaithful; but when the time of retribution comes, after the contest of tribulations is ended, then it is shown how much glory and progress in the flames of passion their virtue has acquired. Hence it…
That the proof of your faith may be much more precious than gold, etc. And the book of Wisdom compares the sufferings of the saints to gold that is tested by fire, saying of the Lord: As gold in the furnace he has tried them, and received them as a burnt offering (Wis. III). Indeed, those whom He has found faithful in the furnace of tribulation, these He will take up in the joy of reward as a pleasing sacrifice to Himself. And well is the patience of the saints likened to gold, for just as among metals there is nothing more precious than gold, so this is most worthy of praise before God. Hence it is written: Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints (Psalm CXV). For as gold enclosed in the furnace is tested by fire, but when brought out it will show what brilliance it has, so the constancy of the faithful appears contemptible and foolish among the oppressions of the unfaithful; but when the time of retribution comes, after the contest of tribulations is ended, then it is shown how much glory and progress in the flames of passion their virtue has acquired. Hence it is aptly added: -
1 Peter 1:8
Whom having not seen, you love, etc. And Paul says: Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor has it entered into the heart of man, what things God has prepared for those who love Him (I Cor. II).
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1 Peter 1:8
To ask joy of this sort is not to plead only with your words for entry into the heavenly fatherland but also to strive with labor to receive it.
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1 Peter 1:10
About which salvation the prophets inquired and searched, etc. They inquired and searched in secret from the Lord, or from angels, about the future grace of the Gospel, when or in what order eternal salvation would come to the world, which is found in their books. Therefore, one of them also deserved to be called "man of desires" by the angel for his great love of saving knowledge. But they prophesied by speaking openly to people and explaining what they knew in secret through internal contemplation.
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1 Peter 1:11
Inquiring into what or what kind of time the Spirit of Christ in them was indicating, etc. The evangelist indicated these glories when he said: "For the Spirit had not yet been given, because Jesus had not yet been glorified" (John VII). There are, however, two glorifications of the Lord, according to the form of the assumed man: one, by which He rose from the dead; and the other, by which He ascended into heaven before the eyes of His disciples. A third remains, also in the sight of men, when He will come in His majesty and that of the Father and the holy angels to render to each according to their works.