14. III. RIGHATELY DIVIDING THE WORD

consented to put this note in the margin. Its intention will be at once seen:

"Some modern interpreters place a full stop

"after flesh, and Translate, He who is over all be

"(is) blessed for ever: or He who is over all is

"God blessed for ever. Others punctuate, flesh,

"who is over all, God be blessed for ever."

The object of this note is too painfully apparent; but it shows how important is the subject of punctuation. Moreover, it justifies us in not only calling attention to faulty punctuation, but in suggesting changes where improvements may be made, which do not touch vital truth, except to strengthen and enforce it. Whereas, sad to say, some of the changes made by the Revisers are, unfortunately, those which interfere either with the Deity of Christ, the Inspiration of the Scriptures, or the freeness of God's grace. In 2 Sam. xxiii. 5, if we make the last clause a question instead of a statement, we get the clue to a better rendering of the verse.

As it stands in the A.V. and the R.V. it is difficult to make any sense of the verse, at all. Not seeing the Structure or the true punctuation, the Translators were obliged to translate the Hebrew word יָב (ki), for, in four different ways: not that one way is necessary, for its usage is somewhat elastic. It may often connect the hypothesis or condition with the result, either as a reason or conclusion. If we ask what the word "so" (in verse 5) means in the first line, we have the answer in verse 4, where we have a description of God's King; and David immediately adds that it will be even so with himself as God's King and with his house in virtue of God's covenant (in 2 Sam. vii.) with him and of the sure mercies of (or mercies made sure to) David.

In verse 4 we have an alternation, the first and third lines speaking of the shining forth of God's light from heaven; and in the second and fourth lines, its effect on the earth.

1 What is to be done with the "Amen," in this case, is not stated.

i. AS TO LITERARY FORM (PUNCTUATION)¹.

2 Sam. xxiii. 4.

A | And He shall be as the light of the morning,

B | When the sun ariseth,

A | Even a morning without clouds;

B When, from brightness and from rain,¹ the tender grass shooteth forth out of the earth.

Then David goes on to say that, as that is a picture of what it will be, when He that ruleth shall rule righteously among men, ruling in the fear of God;

even so will it be with his house and kingdom in virtue of the Covenant of God.

In verse 5 the A.V. renders the word כִּי (ki) in these four ways:—

"Although," "yet," "for" "although."

The R.V. renders them

"Verily," "yet," "for," "although."

The Structure of the verse shows that the four lines are arranged as an Introversion, in which the first and fourth lines concern David's house; while the second and third lines are about God's covenant.

Now, if we punctuate the first and fourth lines as questions we may have this rendering, which certainly has the merit of consistency and clearness.

2 Sam. xxiii. 5.

C | "Verily, is not my house even so with God?

D | For He hath made with me an everlasting covenant, ordered in all things, and sure:

D Now, this Covenant is all my salvation and all my desire,

C | For, Shall He not make it (my house) to prosper?"²

¹ So some Codices, with four early-printed editions, and the Sept., Syr., and Vulg. Versions. See Ginsburg's Heb. Text and note.

² Heb., to shoot forth, as the tender grass, as in line B above.

We may take other examples where improvements can be suggested:—

Isa. lxiv. 5, "Behold thou wast wroth, and we sinned: in them have we been a long time, and, Shall we be saved?" In this case the R.V. thus revises the punctuation of the A.V. to its great improvement.

Jer. iii. 1. The last clause is evidently another question, repeating a similar question earlier in the verse: "And yet shalt thou return unto me saith the LORD?"

Matt. xix. 28, "Ye that have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit on the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel." This was the punctuation of 1611, which was continued till 1629. But in 1630 a comma was introduced after "regeneration," which entirely alters the sense. It has, happily, since been removed from our modern editions. This improvement should be noted, and retained. Luke xvi. 9, "And I; say I unto you 'Make to yourselves friends by means of the unrighteous mammon; that, when ye fail,¹ they may receive YOU into the everlasting habitations?' [No!'] He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much; and he that is unjust in the least, is unjust in much also. If therefore YE have not been faithful," etc. The context clearly shows that Christ is contrasting, and not identifying, human and Divine modes of judgment. This context (vv. 10—12), and the logical conclusion of the parable, have no meaning whatever unless the commendation of the unjust steward's lord is set in contrast with the condemnation of Christ. These verses (10—12) are no mere independent irrelevant statement, but are the logical conclusion to the whole argument. The reception into the "everlasting habitations" of verse 9 is set in contrast with the unjust steward's being received "into their houses" (verse 4); the principles

¹ "When it shall fail," according to Lachmann, Tischendorf, Tregellos, Alford.

² Beza's Latin and Grashop's English Version both put a full stop after "you." Beza begins the next sentence "Certo" (surely); Grashop begins it "Wherefore." We begin it "No!"

I. AS TO LITERARY FORM (PUNCTUATION)

which govern admission there, are the opposite of those that obtain admission here.

Hence our Lord follows this up by adding the great lesson in v. 10: "He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much! and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much. If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to you the true riches? And if ye have not been faithful in that which is another man's, who will give you that which is our own." Luke xvi. 22, 23. As at present translated and punctuated, the words read: "The rich man also died, and was buried; and in hell he lift up his eyes." But if we substitute Sheol or Hades for "hell," then we have (as in Isa. xiv. 9-20) a representation of dead people talking; as we have of the trees talking in Jotham's parable, (Judges ix. 8-15). If we further observe the Tenses and Moods of the verbs, and repunctuate the passage, we have the result, as follows: "The rich man also died, and was buried also in Hades. Having lifted up his eyes, being in torments, he seeth." There is no "and" before "seeth." It is not an additional statement, "and he seeth"; but it is a second verb, depending on the participle "having lifted up his eyes."

This change in translation is necessitated by the Greek; and the change in punctuation is not suggested as a modern invention to support any particular interpretation: for it is that adopted in the ancient Vulgate translation, which, though not the original text, and of no authority as a text, is yet evidence of a fact. It is punctuated in the same way by Tatian, Diatessarōn (A.D. 170) and Marcion (A.D. 145); as well as in the ancient Jerusalem Syriac Version. And the fact is that the first three words of verse 23 form, instead, the last three words of verse 22; a full stop being placed after the word Hadēs: while the word "and" is treated by this as meaning "also." So that the whole sentence would read thus: "But the rich man also died, and was buried also in Hadēs." 1 See R.V. margin.

2 For the further interpretation of the parable as a whole, see The Rich Man and Lazarus, by the same author and publisher.

3 "Sepultus est in Inferno," was buried in Hadēs.

"Buried also," implies what is only *inferred* as to Lazarus, meaning that the one was buried as well as the other. Whether the punctuation be allowed, or not, it does not affect the matter in the slightest degree. For that is where *he was buried* in any case. It affects only the place where he is said to lift up his eyes.

This is further shown by the fact that the three verbs "died," "buried," and "he lift up," are not all in the same Tense as they appear to be from the English. The first two are in the past tense, while the third is the present participle, ἐπάρας (eparas), lifting up, thus commencing the 23rd verse with a new thought.

Those who interpret this passage as though *Hades* were a place of *life* instead of *death*, make it "repugnant" to every other place where the word occurs, and to many other scriptures which are *perfectly plain*, e.g., Ps. vi. 5; xxxi. 17; cxv. 17; exlvi. 4. Eccles. ix. 6, 10. (See Canon VII., Part II. below).

Luke xxiii. 43, "Verily, I say unto thee, to-day shalt thou be with me in paradise."

This is the common punctuation, but, Is it correct? We have already seen enough to show us that we are dependent only and entirely on the context and on the analogy of truth.

The word "verily" points us to the solemnity of the occasion, and to the importance of what is about to be said. The solemn circumstance under which the words were uttered marked the wonderful faith of the dying malefactor; and the Lord referred to this by connecting the word "to-day" with "I say." "Verily, I say unto thee this day." This day, when all seems lost, and there is no hope; this day, when instead of reigning I am about to die. This day, I say to thee, "Thou shalt be with me in paradise." "I say unto thee this day" was the common Hebrew idiom for emphasizing the occasion of making a solemn statement (see Deut. iv. 20, 39, 40; v. 1; vi. 6; vii. 11; viii. 1, 11, 19; ix. 3; x. 13; xi. 2, 8, 13, 26, 27, 28, 32; xiii. 18; xv. 5; xix. 9; xxvi. 3, 16, 18; xxvii. 1, 4, 10; xxviii. 1, 13, 14, 15; xxix. 12; xxx. 2, 8, 11, 15, 16, 18, 19; xxxii. 46).¹ ¹ See *Things to Come*, Vol. VIII., pp. 41, 128; also *The Rich Man and Lazarus*, pp. 27-29, by the same author and publisher.

i. AS TO LITERARY FORM (PUNCTUATION)

"Paradise" was the condition of the earth before the entrance of Satan and the pronouncing of the curse; so it will be the condition of the earth again when Satan shall be bound, and the Lord shall come and reign in His kingdom. It is called in Hebrew "Eden" sixteen times, and "The Garden" nineteen times. The Greek for these is Paradisos (which we have Englished "Paradise"). It is never used in any other sense than of a place of beauty and delight on the earth. Never of any place above or under the earth. "The Tree of Life" and "the river of the water of life" are its two earthly characteristics. The traditional idea of any other place is unknown and foreign to Scripture; and is the pure invention of fallen man. It comes down to us from Babylon through Judaism and Romanism. We see it described in Gen. ii.; lost in Gen. iii.; its restoration pronounced in Rev. ii. 7; and regained and enjoyed in the New Earth (Rev. xxii. 1-5, 11, 17).

The Lord answered the request of the dying believer, not by promising something for which he did not ask; but by granting him his heart's desire and giving him the request of his lips.

We therefore suggest the following translation and punctuation: "And he said to Jesus, Remember me, O Lord, when thou shalt have come in thy kingdom. And Jesus answered him, Verily I say to thee this day, with me thou shalt be, in Paradise."

But there is more to be noted in the word "to-day" than this. Mrs. A. S. Lewis, of Cambridge, has lately called attention to the reading of the ancient Palimpsest Syriac Gospels at Mount Sinai, in which verse 39 reads, "Art thou not the Saviour? Save thyself alive to-day, and also us."

This was the taunt of the other malefactor who thus seems to have used the word "to-day." The faith of the other showed that he looked for something more than present deliverance: he believed in future glory in the coming of the kingdom.

Hence, in the Lord's reply to him, He takes up this word "to-day" to show that "to-day" was not to be the day of deliverance for either himself or others, but the day of death. But though He spoke on that day of death,

D

He gave the promise of future glory, in which the other malefactor had so blessedly confessed his belief.

In this case there was a special reason for the Lord's use of the word "to-day." It was to correct a mistake; and it was, in spite of present circumstances, to give the assurance of the coming future glory of the kingdom.

John vii. 37-39. As it stands in the A.V. and R.V. this passage is punctuated as follows:-

"In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood, and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. 38 He that believeth on me, as the Scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. 39 (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive. For the Holy Ghost (pneuma hagion) was not yet given, because that Jesus was not yet glorified)." We have to notice first that there is no article with the second pneuma (or Spirit) in verse 39, which shows that what is "given" is the subject of the context, (pneuma hagion) and not the Spirit Himself, the giver.¹

Then, we further notice, that the word "should" in the same verse (v. 39) is not the sign of any tense, but is a separate verb, ἔμελλον (emellon), to be about to be. Lit., "were about to receive"; (the latter verb "receive" being in the Infinitive Mood). As to the word "belly" it is put, by the figure of speech called Synecdoche, for the whole person,² which is much stronger than using the mere personal pronoun "him." It is a very emphatic "him." In this case the "his" is generally taken as referring to the believer, for with our usual selfishness we take every good thing as applying to ourselves. But we submit that it is to be understood of Christ, who is the great fountain from whom the rivers of pneuma and grace and blessing flow; and not of the believer, who is only the receiver; and from whom a few drops may go ¹ Lachmann, Tischendorf, Westcott and Hort, and R.V. omit ἔγιον (hagion), holy. Tregelles and Alford put it within brackets.

² See Rom. xvi. 18: "For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly" (i.e. their own selves). Phil. iii. 19: "Whose god is their belly" (i.e. themselves, and what they can get). Tit. i. 12: "Slow-bellies" (i.e. slow persons, who by reason of large eating have grown stout, and therefore move slowly).