Page:The four Gospels - translated from the Latin Vulgate, and diligently compared with the original Greek text, being a revision of the Rhemish translation (IA TheFourGospelsTranslated).pdf/55

ST. MATTHEW. 47 8. Bring forth therefore fruit worthy of penance.

9. And do not think of saying within yourselves: We have Abraham for our father. For I tell you that God is able of these stones to raise up children to Abraham.

10. For now the axe is laid to the root of the trees. Every tree, therefore, that doth not yield good fruit, shall be cut down and cast into the fire.

11. I, indeed, baptize you with water unto penance, but he that shall come after me, is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: He shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and fire.

G. P. "Fruits." Griesbach and Schott prefer the Vulgate reading, which is conformable to many manuscripts. It was probably changed with a view to conformity with Luke iii. 6. It ex- presses compunction of mind, of which a change of conduct is the fruit. This is a Hebraism. It is equivalent to : "Do not say within yourselves.' 24 by faith, who before were hard as the stones of the torrent. versions, and Greek fathers. Schott. Christ is represented as a woodcutter with axe in band, ready to cut down or rather utterly root up the useless or noxious trees that en- camber his land, that he may use them for firewood. So shall sinners be cut off and cast into the infernal furnace. ¹ Mark i. 8.; Luke iii. 16; John i. 26; Act. i. 5. The Greek pre- position in is redundant: it corresponds to the Hebrew 1. don. John proclaimed its necessity. Stronger, more powerful. "It was the office of slaves to loose the latchet of their masters' shoes. Johp expresses his unworthiness to perform even this low act for Christ. The definite article is not in the text. The grace of the Holy Ghost which is given in baptism may be understood. The omission of the ar- ticle is not, however, conclusive evidence that the Holy Ghost Himself is not meant, since it is omitted likewise ch. 1. 18., where Ho is cer- tainly designated. "Fire is used here to express the purifying power of baptism, to con- sume the dross of earthly attachments. On the day of Pentecost the Holy Ghost descended on the apostles, on whose heads were seen, as it were, tongues of fire. This event may be referred to by the Baptist. Digitized by Google
 * This corresponde exactly with the Latin and Greek term.
 * God could change stones into men-he can make men His children
 * G. P. also." It is wanting in four notable manuscripts, and many
 * With a view to excite Borrow, which would prepare them for par-
 * Christ, our Lord, manifested Himself soon after John began to preach,