Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible
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Nehemiah
Book: Nehemiah
Chapter: 8
Overview:
The reading and expounding the
Law.
(1-8) The people called
upon to be joyful.
(9-12) The
Feast of
Tabernacles, The joy of
the people.
(13-18)
1-8 Sacrifices were to be offered only at the door of the
Temple; but praying and preaching were, and are, services of
religion, as acceptably performed in one place as in another.
Masters of families should bring their families with them to the
public
Worship of
God. Women and children have souls to save,
and are therefore to acquaint themselves with the
Word of God,
and to attend
On the
Means of Grace. Little ones, as they come
to reason, must be trained up in religion. Ministers when they
go to the
Pulpit, should take their Bibles with them;
Ezra did
So. Thence they must fetch their knowledge; according to that
rule they must speak, and must show that they do
So. Reading the
Scriptures in religious assemblies is an ordinance of
God,
whereby he is honoured, and his
Church edified. Those who hear
the
Word, should understand it, else it is to them but an empty
sound of words. It is therefore required of teachers that they
explain the
Word, and give the sense of it. Reading is good, and
preaching is good, but expounding makes reading the better
understood, and preaching the more convincing. It has pleased
God in almost every
Age of the
Church to raise up, not only
those who have preached the
Gospel, but also those who have
given their views of Divine
Truth in
Writing; and though many
who have attempted to explain
Scripture, have darkened counsel
By words without knowledge, yet the labours of others are of
excellent use. All that we hear must, however, be brought to the
test of
Scripture. They heard readily, and minded every
Word.
The
Word of God demands attention. If through carelessness we
let much slip in hearing, there is danger that through
forgetfulness we shall let all slip after hearing.
9-12 It was a good sign that their hearts were tender, when
they heard the words of the
Law. The people were to send
portions to those for whom nothing was prepared. It is the duty
of a religious
Feast, as
Well as of a religious
Fast, to draw
out the soul to the hungry;
God's bounty should make us
bountiful. We must not only give to those that offer themselves,
but send to those out of sight. Their strength consisted in joy
in the
Lord. The better we understand
God's
Word, the more
comfort we find in it; the
Darkness of trouble arises from the
Darkness of ignorance.
13-18 They found written in the
Law about the
Feast of
Tabernacles. Those who diligently search the Scriptures, find
things written there which they have forgotten. This
Feast of
Tabernacles was a representation of the believer's
Tabernacle
state in this world, and a
Type of the holy joy of the
Gospel
Church. The
Conversion of the nations to the
Faith of
Christ, is
foretold under the figure of this
Feast, Zec 14:16. True
religion will render us strangers and pilgrims upon
Earth. We
read and hear the
Word acceptably and profitably, when we do
according to what is written therein; when what appears to be
our duty is revived, after it has been neglected. They minded
the substance; else the ceremony had been of
No use. They did
it, rejoicing in
God and his
Goodness. These are the means which
the
Spirit of
God crowns with success, in bringing the hearts of
sinners to tremble and to become humbled before
God. But those
are enemies to their own growth in
Holiness, who always indulge
sorrow, even for
Sin, and
Put away from them the consolations
tendered
By the
Word and
Spirit of
God.