41 John xv. 22. [R. V., "excuse."]
50 [gee/nnhj, and so throughout the paragraph.-R.]
52 The words in italics, both here and below, are omitted in several Mss.
1 [R. V. text, "But wherefore went ye out? to see a prophet?" In the margin the received reading is given. Chrysostom gives the latter here, but has the other in his comments. See sec 2.-R.
5 Matt. xi. 9. [See note i, p.243.]
9 [th=j gnw/mhj;"zeal" would be a better rendering, though there is no precise English equivalent.-R.]
10 [R.V., "but little;" Gr. "lesser."]
16 Or, "by way of economy;" oi0konomikw=j.
19 "Many will understand this of the Saviour; that he who is less in time is greater in dignity. But let us simply understand, that every Saint who is already with God is greater than he whose post is yet in the battle. For it is one thing to possess the crown of victory, another still to fight in the battle. Some will take it that the lowest angel serving God in Heaven is greater than any even the first of men who as yet dwells on earth." St. Jerome, in loco.
"Finally, it is so utterly impossible that there should be any comparison between John and the Son of God, that the former is of less esteem even than the angels. Thus, on the one hand, in as much as He had called him an angel" (Mal. iii. 1), "He is of course set above men; on the other, because he had declared him chief among those born of women, He therefore added, For he who is lesser in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he:that you might know he could not compare with the angels." St. Ambr on St. Luke vii. 27; St. Aug. Contr. Advers. Legis et Proph.ii. xx, states both interpretations, without any preference for either. But in his 13 Tract. on St. John, c. ii. he gives the same as St. Chrysostom.
20 Matt. xi. 12. [R. V., "men of violence."]
22 Mal. iv. 5, 6 [LXX., but with "children" substituted for "son."-R.]
23 Mal. iii.1. ["My face," in Mal. iii. 1, but "thy face" in the New Testament citations. Comp. Verse 10, Mark i. 2, Luke vii. 27.-R.]
25 Matt. xi. 16, 17. [The former verse is abridged. R. V. (Ver. 17), "We piped unto you, and ye did not dance we wailed, and ye did not mourn (Greek, beat the breast)."-R.]