John Bengel Commentary - Luke 21:25 - 21:25

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John Bengel Commentary - Luke 21:25 - 21:25


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Luk 21:25. Σημεῖα, signs) different from those of which Luk 21:11 speaks.-ἐν ἡλίῳ, in the sun) The language is to be taken literally (not figuratively): because the earth, sea, and heaven (sky), are distinctly enumerated. [Those things (objects in nature) which are made mention of in the first days of Creation, are here set down in an inverted order: 1. The sun and the moon with the stars; 2. The earth and the sea; 3. The heaven.-V. g.]-[ἐπὶ τῆε γῆς, upon the earth) See Luk 21:26; Luk 21:35.-V. g.]-συνοχὴ, ἀπορία, ἀποψυχόντων) distress, perplexity, fainting, form an ascending climax.-ἐθνῶν) of all nations: to which are opposed individual men, including also Jews. See following verse.-ἤχους) The common reading is ἠχούσης.[228] But the idea expressed is not that the sea and the agitated water or waves roar; but there is an ἦχος, roaring, of the sea, and a σάλος (salum), agitation of the water, whereby the ear and also the eye are struck. Comp. Psa 46:4 (3), ἤχησαν καὶ ἐταράχθησαν τὰ ὓδατα αὐτῶν, their waters roared and were troubled. Ἦχος is neuter also, as well as masculine, as we have shown in the Appar. Crit., p. 546 [Ed. ii., p. 208]. There are four clauses, all alike having the idea of terror connected with them: ΚΑῚ ἜΣΤΑΙ ΣΗΜΕΙΑ ἘΝ ἩΛΊῼ ΚΑῚ ΣΕΛΉΙῌ ΚΑῚ ἌΣΤΡΟΙς· ΚΑῚ ἘΠῚ Τῆς Γῆς ΣΥΝΟΧΗ ἘΘΝῶΝ· ἘΝ ΑΠΟΡΙΑ ἬΧΟΥς ΘΑΛΆΣΣΗς ΚΑῚ ΣΆΛΟΥ· ΑΠΟΨΥΧΟΝΤΩΝ ἈΝΘΡΏΠΩΝ, Κ.Τ.Λ. The words ἘΝ ἈΠΟΡΊᾼ are more closely connected with the words immediately following, than with those which go before, whether ἬΧΟΥς ΚΑῚ ΣΆΛΟΥ be the Genitive of the object, or the Genitive of time [with perplexity by reason of the roar and agitation of the sea; or else, with perplexity during the time that (whilst) the sea is roaring, and is agitated]. The Genitive of the object may seem, no doubt, in this passage to give an unusual and forced (strained) construction, because ἀπορία, if it denotes want [as here, want of means of escape, and of knowledge what to do], is wont to have the Genitive of the subject-matter [the object of the want], as ἀπορία σίτου, χρημάτων, κ.τ.λ.; but there is no deficiency of analogous phrases, such as, Ἡ ἘΞΟΥΣΊΑ ὙΜῶΝ, “power over you,” 1Co 9:12; τὸ ὑμέτερον ἔλεος, the mercy shown towards you, Rom 11:31; ὁ φόβος τῶν Ἰουδαίων, fear arising from the Jews, Joh 7:13; ταραχαὶ σκιᾶς θανάτου, Job 24:17, in which passage the word ΤΑΡΑΧΑῚ [ΤΆΡΑΧΟς in the Vatican MS.] answers to בלהות, as בהלה is rendered by ἈΠΟΡΊΑ in Lev 26:16. If this be not deemed a satisfactory explanation, ἬΧΟΥς ΚΑῚ ΣΆΛΟΥ ought to be taken as expressing the Genitive of time, as ΧΕΙΜῶΝΟς, ΝΥΚΤῸς, ΣΑΒΒΆΤΟΥ, are used.-[ΘΑΛΆΣΣΗς, of the sea) by reason of joy. Psa 96:11-13 [“Let the sea roar, and the fulness thereof-Before the Lord, for He cometh”], Psa 98:7-9.-V. g.]

[228] D supports, as Rec. Text, ἠχούσης. But ABCLX read ἤχους; a, ‘sonus;’ c, ‘sonitus, and so the Vulg. “præ confusione sonitus’ [et (in some copies)] maris et fluctuum.”-E. and T.