John Bengel Commentary - Matthew 10:3 - 10:3

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John Bengel Commentary - Matthew 10:3 - 10:3


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This Chapter Verse Commentaries:

Mat 10:3. Ὁ τοῦ Ζεβεδαίου, the son of Zebedee) To distinguish him from James the son of Alphaeus.-ὁ τελώνης, the publican) A humble confession of the Evangelist concerning himself. He does not call Peter, Andrew, etc., the fishermen: but he does call himself the publican.

Λεββαῖος, Lebbaeus) According to Hiller, Thaddaeus, derived from the Chaldee תד, bosom, and Lebbaeus, from the Hebrew לב, heart, are synonymous terms, and denote a man of much heart:[448] see Onomata Sacra, p. 123. So Thomas means the same thing as Didymus. Those copies[449] which have in this passage only Λεββαῖος, are supported by the list of the apostles which Cotelerius[450] has published with the apostolical constitutions, and by Hesychius in the article ἼΑΡΑ.[451] As this reading is shorter and middle,[452] it appears to be the right one. Some persons having appended the disputed clause from the parallel passage of Mark as a gloss, others introduced it into the text from the same source. Their reading considers Thaddaeus as a surname, and Lebbaeus as the name of this apostle: His name, however, in reality was Judas the brother of James: but he was called Lebbaeus by name, as it were to distinguish him from Judas Iscariot.[453]

[448] “Hominem pectorosum,” lit. in classical Latin, a man of broad, large, or high breast.-(I. B.)

[449] The reading of E. M. is “καὶ Λεββαῖος ὁ ἐπικληθεὶς Θαδδαῖος.”-(I. B.)

[450] COTELERIUS, alias JEAN BAPTISTE COTELIER, born at Nismes in 1627, was one of the most eminent critics of modern times. As a mere child, he was considered a prodigy of learning; and he sustained this reputation at the Sorbonne, where he took the degree of Batchelor. In 1667 the great Minister Colbert selected him, together with the celebrated Du Cange, to examine and catalogue the Greek MSS. of the Royal Library. The able manner in which he performed this task procured him, in 1676, the Professorship of Greek in the Royal College at Paris. His labours were many and valuable. He died in 1686.-(I. B.)

[451] The passage referred to does not really occur under Ἴαρα, but under Ἰάκωβος, which is by mistake placed out of its alphabetical order. The article on Ἴαρα consists of a single line, viz. Ἴαρα αἷμα ἤ μοῖρα.

[452] “Media.” See Author’s Preface, viii. 14, and footnote in voc.-(I. B.)

[453] Lachm. with Bc Vulg. reads Καὶ Θαδδαῖος. Tischend. with D and MSS. in August, reads Καὶ Λεββαῖος. ab have Judas. Mill attributes the reading Λεββαῖος here to some one wishing to call attention to the fact, that Mark and Luke call Matthew Λευΐ, Levi. It seems hard to account for the introduction of such a reading, if not genuine: and yet the weight of authorities are for Καὶ Θαδδαῖος here, which otherwise might well be a transcriber’s or harmonist’s correction from Mar 3:18; Δεββαῖος, as the less open to suspicion of transcribers’ corrections, being accounted as the genuine reading. Jerome calls him τριώνυμος, triple-named; so that in his day Lebbeus must have been a recognised name either here or in Mark, as well as Thaddeus and Judas.-ED.

Then follow immediately the words referred to by Bengel: Ἰάκωβος Ἀλφαίον. ὁ καὶ Θκδδαῖος καὶ Λευὶ, παρὰ τῷ Μαρκῳ, παρὰ δὲ τῷ Ματθαιῷ Δεββαιος, παρὰ δὲ Δουκᾷ, Ἰούδας Ἰακώβου.

In the note on Hesychius (Ed. Lugd. Bat. 1776), vol. xi. col. 10, are these words-

Nullus dubito quin diversos hic confuderit Glossæ hujus insititiæ auctor, ex male intellecto Veteris cujusdam Scriptoris apostolicorum nominum laterculo, qualem ex MS. codice Bibliothecæ Regiæ protulit Cotelerius ad lib. ii. Constitut. Apostol. c. 63, p. 264, ed. Cleric.-(I. B.)

So the margin of Bengel’s larger Ed., though in the text there stood Θαδκῖος. The first Ed. of the Gnomon gives the palm to the shorter reading, Λεββκῖος. So marg. of Ed. 2 and Vers. Germ., leaving it however to the decision of the reader, whether the words ὁ ἐπικληθεὶς Θχδδκῖος are to be accepted or rejected. Michaelis, in his Einleitung, T. ii., p. m. 1687, etc., shows, by many proofs, that Judas the brother of James is the same as Thaddeus and Lebbeus, and was called among the Syrians Adai or Adæus.-E. B.