A paraphrase and annotations upon all the books of the New Testament briefly explaining all the difficult places thereof / by H. Hammond.

CHAP. I.

1. PETER an Apostle of Jesus Christ to* 1.1 the strangers† 1.2 scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia,]

[Paraphrase] 1. Simon an Apostle of Jesus Christ, and by him sur∣named Peter, to the Jews that have receiv'd the faith of Christ, and are dispersed and so journ in Pontus, &c. (cal∣led the Asian dispersion, see note on Joh. 7. d.)

2. * 1.3 Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit unto obedience, and [note a] † 1.4 sprin∣kling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace be multiplied.]

[Paraphrase] 2. Who according to the good pleasure and purpose and decree of God, to rescue a remnant of the Jewes out of the common deluge of sin and destruction, are by the word preached, and miracles wrought by the Apostles (the means used by the holy Ghost to convert men to Christianity) brought to this blessed state, to obey Christ, and to be in covenant with him, who sign∣ed it with the effusion of his blood, and thereby enabled and obliged us to perform the condition of it: I salute you all in the Lord, and wish you all increase of all Evangelical blessings, and of all prosperity.

3. Blessed be the God and father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a* 1.5 lively hope, by the resurre∣ction of Jesus Christ from the dead,]

[Paraphrase] 3. Blessed be the name of that eternal God, the God and Father of Jesus Christ, who is our Lord, who out of his infinite mercy to frail sinful mortal men, hath, by raising Christ from the dead, and setting him at his right hand, and by the blessed consequents of that, given us grounds and matter of hope and cheerfull assurance,

4. To an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, re∣served in heaven for you,]

[Paraphrase] 4. That he will raise us also from our state of sin and mortality to an eternal pure estate, designed to you believers as to his sons, begun here, and to be compleated to you in heaven, now reserved for you, and when it is bestowed, sure to remain to you to all eternity;

5. Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto* 1.6 salvation, ready to be revealed in the last time;

[Paraphrase] 5. Who in the mean time are and shall be preserved from present dangers by the power of Christ, which he hath promised to shew forth in defending of believers, that we may be partakers of that famous deliverance so oft spoken of in the Gospel (see note on Mat. 10. h. & 24. g. Luk. 13. b. Rom. 13. c. & 2 Thess. 1. b.) which is now within few years ready to appear, v. 7.

6. Wherein ye greatly rejoice,† 1.7 though now for a season (if need be) ye are in heavinesse through manifold temptations:]

[Paraphrase] 6. And this is fit matter of rejoicing to you in the midst of your present afflictions, or though for the present ye are permitted by his divine wisdome to be exercised and saddened with variety of afflictions,

7. That the triall of your faith, being much more precious then of gold that pe∣risheth, * 1.8 though it be tried with fire,† 1.9 might be found unto praise and honour and glory* 1.10 at the appearing of Jesus Christ:]

[Paraphrase] 7. That the trial of your faith by sufferings, being a thing that ten••s much more to your advantage then the trial of gold doth to the advantage of gold, (because gold is apt to be worn out and perish (see v. 18.) even after it is tried in the fire and found to be good, whereas your faith, approving it self to God, shall ••••t perish, and so hath the advantage) may prove successful to the obtaining for you approbation, and honour, and glory at the final day o•• ••oom, and the like here at this other day of Christ's coming to destroy your persecuters, and to give you an honourable, ••••cerni••••e deli∣verance, ver. 5. see ver. 13. and ch. 4. 13. and note on 2 Thess. 1. b.

8. † 1.11 Whom having not seen▪ ye love; in whom, though now you see him not, yet believing ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory;]

[Paraphrase] 8. Whom though you do not know by face, you yet love; on whom though you see him not, you yet believe, and so doing, rejoice with that joy that cannot be expressed by you, nor valued sufficiently by others,

9. Receiving the end of your faith even the* 1.12 salvation of your souls.]

[Paraphrase] 9. And shall suddenly re∣ceive the crown and reward of your faith, an eminent deliverance here (when they that have fallen off shall perish by that means by which they meant to preserve themselves) and eternal salvation hereafter.

10. Of which† 1.13 salvation the prophets have enquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace* 1.14 that should come unto you:]

[Paraphrase] 10. Of which deliverance (see note on Rom. 13. c.) ma∣ny of the antient prophets (that prophesied of the remnant of the Jews that should be saved, or escape out of the common infide∣lity, that is, embrace the Gospel) covertly foretold in those prophecies which belonged first to the deliverance of the Jews out of Babylon and from Antiochus, which were types of what is now approaching:

11. Searching† 1.15 what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signifie, when it testified before hand the sufferings of Christ, and the * 1.16 glory that should follow.]

[Paraphrase] 11. Not knowing perfect∣ly to what point of time it was, or what age it should be, of which their prophecies were ultimately to be understood, concerning the sufferings and afflictions which should befal•• ••••••st, and the Church or the body of Christ, that is, Christians, and after them the resurrection both of him and them, and the visible deliverances out of them, and destructions on their enemies: see Dan. 9. 22, &c.

12. Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister† 1.17 the things* 1.18 which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the Gospel unto you,† 1.19 with the holy Ghost sent down from heaven, which things the Angels desire to look into.]

[Paraphrase] 12. Which prophets recei∣ved revelations also, that the things which they spake of were to be eminently fulfilled not in their own but after∣times, even the times of the Gospel (called by them the later times) and that they were things of so strange and we••ghty an importance, that the Angels were desirous to find them out, but could not.

13. Wherefore* 1.20 gird up the loins of your mind be sober and hope† 1.21 to the end, for the grace* 1.22 that is to be brought unto you† 1.23 at the revelation of Jesus Christ;]

[Paraphrase] 13. Wherefore as servant•• waiting for your Lord, con∣tinu•• vig••lant, and hop••••••ted∣fastly and perseveringly, without any doubting or anxiety, for the deliverance and mercy which is or shall be wrought for you by this coming of Christ in so discernible a manner: see note on 2 Thess. 1. b.

14. * 1.24 As obedient children, not fashioning your selves according to the former lusts in your ignorance;]

[Paraphrase] 14. As new reformed per∣sons, not ••elapsing into the sins of your former unregenerate life;

15. † 1.25 But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation:]

[Paraphrase] 15. But after the example of the divine purity of God, who hath thus favoured you as to acknowledge you his children, do you live like such;

16. Because it is written, Be ye holy,* 1.26 for I am holy.]

[Paraphrase] 16. According to Levit. 11. 44. & 19. 2. which requires all those who are called by the name of God, that receive or hope for mercies from him, to imi∣tate his holinesse, to live pure and pious lives.

17. And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth ac∣cording to every mans work, passe the time of your sojourning† 1.27 here in fear:]

[Paraphrase] 17. And if you professe to be the children of that father, that is, of God, who is not partial to Jews above Gentiles, but judgeth both according to their actions, you will be concerned to walk reverendly, strictly and watchfully (see Phil. 2. c.) all your time, and being strangers among other nations, v. 1. to be∣have your selves like strangers (see c. 2. 11.)

18. For as much as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers;]

[Paraphrase] 18. Considering that Christ by his death hath ta∣ken away the legal rites of meer external obedience, which wanted that inward purity which Christ came to teach us, wherein the Sages of the Jews placed all their religion, and that therefore the falling back to that is the forfeiting a greater privilege then a redemption out of the power of temporal enemies, such as is wont to be purchased with gold;

19. But with the pretious blood of Christ, as a lamb without blemish, with∣out spot;]

[Paraphrase] 19. The blood of Christ the Paschal, and consequently immaculate, Lamb (see note on Act. 7. c.) being much more pretious then any coin or mony, and the deliverance more va∣luable then that from the destroyer there, Exod. 12. 13.

20. Who verily was* 1.28 fore-ordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you,]

[Paraphrase] 20. In order to whom was the disposition and oeco∣nomie of all the former times as visibly as if God had set Christ, and what he hath done and suffered, always before his eyes, as an idea, or image, according to which he formed all things from the beginning of the world, and agreeably he hath now at last sent him into the world on purpose for our sakes,

21. Who by him do believe in God that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory that your faith and hope might be in God.]

[Paraphrase] 21. Who by believing on him are farre from departing from the God of Israel, but do indeed the more firmly believe and depend on him, as that omnipotent God who hath raised Christ from the dead.

22. † 1.29 Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spi∣rit, unto unfeigned love of the brethren; see that ye love one another with a pure heart* 1.30 fervently,]

[Paraphrase] 22. Having therefore by yielding obedience to the Gospel (preached to you) brought your minds, without all mixture of hypocrisie, to the sincerity and purity of Christian charity, be careful that ye con∣tinually persevere in the exercise and practice of that vertue one toward another;

23. Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God which liveth and abideth for ever.]

[Paraphrase] 23. Considering that ye are regenerate to a new life, not by any humane mortal, but supernaturall immortall means, even by the word of Christ, who liveth for ever, and whose will is now immutably revealed in the Gospel, and consequently must be answered with the constancy and perseverance of your obedience.

24. For all flesh is as grasse, and all the glory of man as the flower of grasse: the grasse† 1.31 withereth and the flower thereof* 1.32 falleth away;]

[Paraphrase] 24. For whereas all hu∣mane things perish and fade away (see Jam. 1. 10.) and come suddenly to nothing from the greatest beauty and glory, and accordingly the Jewish carnal ex∣ternal ordinances are now abrogated,

25. But the word of the Lord endureth for ever: and this is the word† 1.33 which by the Gospel is preached unto you.]

[Paraphrase] 25. The word of God now revealed to us by Christ shall never be abrogated, but continue and last for ever; and this is that Gospel which hath been preached to and received by you, from which therefore you must not fall off to Judaism again, whatever your temptations or allurements are from the Jews or Gnosticks.

Annotations on Chap. I.

[ a] * 1.34 V. 2. Sprinkling of the blood] What is meant here by 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 the sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ, will be discernible by observing that it is in the same case, and so in conjunction with 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 obedience preceding. By this it appears that it must be taken in a Passive sense, so as they are susce∣ptible of it who are here said to obey, that is, so as the believers here, through the sanctification of the Spirit, shall be sprinkled with that blood. The only question is, what notion of our being sprinkled with Christ's blood is here referred to. For more possible notions there are of which the matter is capable. The principal, that in reference to the practice Exod. 24. 8. where the peo∣ple are sprinkled with blood, by way of obsignation of the Covenant between God and them: for upon read∣ing of the Covenant in the audience of the people, and upon their professing, All that the Lord hath said we will do, and be obedient, v. 7. it follows, v. 8. Moses took the blood and sprinkled it upon the people, and said, Behold the blood of the Covenant which the Lord hath made with you, concerning all these words. Were it not for that last clause, concerning all these words, it might still be uncertain what part of the Covenant it was, (whether only that on God's, or that also on the peoples part) which was thus signed, and consequently signified by the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 sprinkling of blood: but by the use of the phrase, all the words, v. 3. viz. all the words which the Lord hath said, 'tis evident that the peoples part, which is obedience, and not only God's part in making good his promises to them, was it that was sealed, and so signified by their being sprin∣kled with blood by Moses, and to it is immediately an∣nexed, All that the Lord hath said will we do, and be obedient, v. 7. And Moses took the blood and sprinkled it, &c. ver. 8. And to this it is very agreeable that here it is (in the same case) joined with 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 obedience and the sprinkling of the blood of Jesus, noting this of Evangelical obedience to be the condition required on our part in this new Covenant, which Christ sealed with his blood, in like manner as that Mosaical Co∣venant was there sealed with sprinkling of blood, and to which he hath both enabled and obliged us by his death, having given himself for us, that he might re∣deem us from all iniquity, and purifie to himself (which is the effect of sprinkling) a peculiar people, &c. Tit, 2. 14. and so we read of this blood of sprinkling (by which Christ's death is typified) that it was the blood of the Covenant which the Lord commanded to you, Heb. 9. 20. a rite to engage our obedience to God. And this seems to be the most proper notation of the words, and is fully parallel to that of Ephes. 1. 4. where God is said to have chosen us in Christ that we should be holy, &c. Some other notions the phrase might be capable of, either to signifie God's pardon and acceptance, Heb. 9. 22. Rom. 3. 25. (but that will not so well agree with the Passive acception of the word, looking rather on God, who is the Agent in it, and the blood of Christ the meritorious cause of it, whereas this being joined with obedience, seems to be somewhat in us, to which we are enabled and engaged by the blood of Christ) or else to denote our imitating Christ's con∣stancy and perseverance, shedding our blood in his cause, as he hath given us an example. And thus in∣deed to be sprinkled by Christ's blood may be a phrase, figuratively to signifie our transcribing this bloody co∣py of his, but yet seems not to be any part of the intima∣tion of the ceremony of sprinkling with blood in Exo∣dus, from which this rather seems to be transcribed.

Notes

• * 1.1

  the elect strangers 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉
• † 1.2

  of the di∣spersion of 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉
• * 1.3

  According to the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉
• † 1.4

  to sprink∣ling
• * 1.5

  living 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉
• * 1.6

  the deli∣verance 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉
• † 1.7

  being yet a little while (per∣haps) grieved, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉
• * 1.8

  but is tried 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉
• † 1.9

  may be ••••ound 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉
• * 1.10

  at the re∣velation 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉
• † 1.11

  Whom having not known 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉
• * 1.12

  or preser∣vation of your lives, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, see note on Rom. 13 c.
• † 1.13

  delive∣rance v. 9.
• * 1.14

  toward you 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉
• † 1.15

  to what, or what sort of season ••he Spirit of Christ 〈◊〉〈◊〉 them poin∣ted, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉
• * 1.16

  g••o••ies af∣ter them 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉
• † 1.17

  the ••a••e things 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉
• * 1.18

  which have now been decla∣red 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉
• † 1.19

  through or by 〈◊〉〈◊〉
• * 1.20

  having gift 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉
• † 1.21

  perfectly 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉
• * 1.22

  brought 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉
• † 1.23

  by 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉
• * 1.24

  As chil∣dren of obe¦dience, not conformed to the de∣sires which were for∣merly—〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉
• † 1.25

  But according to the holy one that hath called you, be ye also, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉
• * 1.26

  because 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉
• † 1.27

  this word is not in the Greek.
• * 1.28

  foreknown 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉
• † 1.29

  Having purged your minds through obedience of the truth by the Spi∣rit, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉
• * 1.30

  or durably 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉
• † 1.31

  is wither∣ed 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉
• * 1.32

  is fallen away 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉
• † 1.33

  which is preached 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉
• * 1.34

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉