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Mat 18:17. Παρακούση, do not obey) disregarding the reproof.-τῇ ἐκκλησια, the church) i.e., which is in that place where thou and thy brother dwell. The church is opposed to two or three in about the same proportion as two or three are to one. Amongst the Jews, ten men are considered to constitute עדה, a church,[825] or public assembly for the decision of private disputes. See Rhenferd Opera philologica,[826] p. 729; Buxtorf,[827] Synagoga Judaica, ch. 25, where the same things are prescribed to the offender which our Lord prescribes here to the injured party.-ἔστω, κ.τ.λ., let him be, etc.) Cf. Rom 16:17; 1Co 5:11 2Th 3:14; 2Ti 2:21; Tit 3:10; 2 John Mat 18:10.-σοὶ, to thee) Although, perhaps, not to the witnesses and the church. Therefore no one should be considered as a stranger before he has been reproved, and disregarded the reproof.-ὁ ἐθνικὸς, THE heathen) (sing.) We take this opportunity of making some observations on the Greek Article.[828] B. Stolberg rightly remarks, in his manuscript collection on the particles, that “there is scarcely an instance in the Scriptures where the article is redundant.” It is nowhere clearly useless: it is never added without an object, although philologists frequently attribute to it a wrong force and meaning. It is equivalent to the German der (the), and denotes less than he (this), more than quidam (some, a certain one, or thing). It has, therefore, a determinating value; and it determines either (1) the universality and totality of the subject, as in Mat 6:22, Ὁ λύχνος, κ.τ.λ., THE light, etc., q.d. the body has no light except the eye; or (2) the whole species, as in Mat 15:11, TO εἰσερχόμενον, that which entereth-TO ἐκπορευόμενον, that which cometh out-and in Rom 1:17, Ὁ δὲ δίκαιος, but THE just, i.e. he that is, or every one that is, just; or (3) the singularity and oneness [i.e. the definite and exclusive individuality] of the subject, as in Mat 1:23, Ἡ παρθένος, THE virgin-in Joh 1:21, Ὁ Χριστός, THE Christ, Ὁ προφήτης, THE prophet-in Joh 13:13, Ὁ Διδάσκαλος, καὶ Ὁ Κύριος, THE Teacher, and THE Lord; or (4) the restriction of the whole genus to a particular species, as in Act 19:17, ΤΟΙΣ καταικοῦσι, who dwelt at. In logic, however, universal and singular propositions are equivalent; whence (5) it has frequently a relative force, and that even in partition,[829] as in Luk 18:10, Ὁ εἷς φαρισαῖος καὶ Ὁ ἕτερος τελώνης, THE one a Pharisee and THE other a publican-and in Rev 17:10, Ὁ εἷς ἐστιν, Ὁ ἀλλος οὔπω ἠλθε, THE one is, THE other has not yet come; or (6) it expresses a certain peculiar degree of a thing (rei exquisitam quandam rationem), as in Mat 8:12, Ὁ κλαυθμὸς, THE[830] weeping, sc. weeping, compared with which earthly weeping is not weeping. It is, in fact, a subject which deserves to be more carefully examined by Philologists.[831] In this passage, Ὁ ἐθνικὸς signifies the whole race of Heathens, and any one thereto belonging. Thus, in the S. V. of Deu 28:29, we have Ὁ τυφλὸς,, THE blind.-καὶ ὁ τελώνης, and the publican) It was easy for the Jews to consider any one in the light of a heathen, therefore this clause is added to increase the force of the language; for the publicans dwelt amongst the Jews, but were shunned by them.
[825] See Bloomfield and Kitto in loc., and Trench’s New Testament Synonyms in voc.-(I. B.)
[826] For RHENFERD, see p. 82, f.n. 2.-(I. B.)
[827] JOHN BUXTORF, the elder, one of the greatest Hebrew scholars of modern times. He was born at Camen in 1564, and died in 1629. He devoted himself to the study of Hebrew and Chaldee literature, and became Professor of those languages at Basle. The great Scaliger declared that he was the only person who understood Hebrew thoroughly. The work cited by Bengel is, “Synagoga Judaica, de Judaeorum fide, ritibus, ceremoniis, tam publicis et sacris quam privatis;” a third and enlarged edition of which was published by his no less celebrated son, at Basle, in 1661.-(I. B.)
[828] I have, in the disquisition which follows, inserted in extenso the passages referred to by Bengel. For a full consideration of this important subject, see that inestimably valuable work, Middleton on the Greek Article.-(I. B.)
[829] i.e. In distinguishing between divisions of a whole, classes of a mass, species of a genus, or individuals of a certain description. The two men mentioned in the example both answered to the description of those that “went up into the temple to pray;”-here their similarity or affinity, as parts of a whole, or members of a class, ceased;-the article separates them from, and contrasts them with, each other.-(I. B.)
[830] Cf. Gnomon in loc.-(I. B.)
[831] Bengel saw the want: it has since been supplied by Middleton.-(I. B.)
He is not here speaking of the Catholic or universal Church.-V. g.