Chapter 2:
| Calvin
| Darby
| Geneva
| Gill
| Jamieson Faussett Brown
| Matthew Henry
| Matthew Henry Concise
| Wesley
| Index
| Bible Gateway |
Introduction 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 Revelation Exodus
Genesis 2
Concise Complete
The first sabbath. (1-3) Particulars about the creation.
(4-7) The planting of the garden of Eden. (8-14) Man is placed in it. (15) God's
command. (16,17) The animals named, The making of woman, The Divine institution
of marriage. (18-25)
Verses 1-3 After
six days, God ceased from all works of creation. In miracles, he has overruled
nature, but never changed its settled course, or added to it. God did not rest
as one weary, but as one well pleased. Notice the beginning of the kingdom of
grace, in the sanctification, or keeping holy, of the sabbath day. The solemn
observing of one day in seven as a day of holy rest and holy work, to God's
honour, is the duty of all to whom God has made known his holy sabbaths. At this
time none of the human race were in being but our first parents. For them the
sabbath was appointed; and clearly for all succeeding generations also. The
Christian sabbath, which we observe, is a seventh day, and in it we celebrate
the rest of God the Son, and the finishing the work of our redemption.
Verses 4-7 Here is
a name given to the Creator, "Jehovah." Where the word "LORD" is printed in
capital letters in our English Bibles, in the original it is "Jehovah." Jehovah
is that name of God, which denotes that he alone has his being of himself, and
that he gives being to all creatures and things. Further notice is taken of
plants and herbs, because they were made and appointed to be food for man. The
earth did not bring forth its fruits of itself: this was done by Almighty power.
Thus grace in the soul grows not of itself in nature's soil, but is the work of
God. Rain also is the gift of God; it came not till the Lord God caused it.
Though God works by means, yet when he pleases he can do his own work without
them; and though we must not tempt God in the neglect of means, we must trust
God, both in the use and in the want of means. Some way or other, God will water
the plants of his own planting. Divine grace comes down like the dew, and waters
the church without noise. Man was made of the small dust, such as is on the
surface of the earth. The soul was not made of the earth, as the body: pity then
that it should cleave to the earth, and mind earthly things. To God we must
shortly give an account, how we have employed these souls; and if it be found
that we have lost them, though it were to gain the world, we are undone for
ever! Fools despise their own souls, by caring for their bodies before their
souls.
Verses 8-14 The
place fixed upon for Adam to dwell in, was not a palace, but a garden. The
better we take up with plain things, and the less we seek things to gratify
pride and luxury, the nearer we approach to innocency. Nature is content with a
little, and that which is most natural; grace with less; but lust craves every
thing, and is content with nothing. No delights can be satisfying to the soul,
but those which God himself has provided and appointed for it. Eden signifies
delight and pleasure. Wherever it was, it had all desirable conveniences,
without any inconvenience, though no other house or garden on earth ever was so.
It was adorned with every tree pleasant to the sight, and enriched with every
tree that yielded fruit grateful to the taste and good for food. God, as a
tender Father, desired not only Adam's profit, but his pleasure; for there is
pleasure with innocency, nay there is true pleasure only in innocency. When
Providence puts us in a place of plenty and pleasure, we ought to serve God with
gladness of heart in the good things he gives us. Eden had two trees peculiar to
itself. 1. There was the tree of life in the midst of the garden. Of this man
might eat and live. Christ is now to us the Tree of life,
22:2; and the Bread of life,
#Joh 6:48,51. 2. There was the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, so called
because there was a positive revelation of the will of God about this tree, so
that by it man might know moral good and evil. What is good? It is good not to
eat of this tree. What is evil? It is evil to eat of this tree. In these two
trees God set before Adam good and evil, the blessing and the curse.
Verse 15 After God
had formed Adam, he put him in the garden. All boasting was thereby shut out.
Only he that made us can make us happy; he that is the Former of our bodies, and
the Father of our spirits, and none but he, can fully provide for the happiness
of both. Even in paradise itself man had to work. None of us were sent into the
world to be idle. He that made our souls and bodies, has given us something to
work with; and he that gave us this earth for our habitation, has made us
something to work upon. The sons and heirs of heaven, while in this world, have
something to do about this earth, which must have its share of their time and
thoughts; and if they do it with an eye to God, they as truly serve him in it,
as when they are upon their knees. Observe that the husbandman's calling is an
ancient and honourable calling; it was needful even in paradise. Also, there is
true pleasure in the business God calls us to, and employs us in. Adam could not
have been happy if he had been idle: it is still God's law, He that will not
work has
2
thessalonians
Verses 16-17 Let
us never set up our own will against the holy will of God. There was not only
liberty allowed to man, in taking the fruits of paradise, but everlasting life
made sure to him upon his obedience. There was a trial appointed of his
obedience. By transgression he would forfeit his Maker's favour, and deserve his
displeasure, with all its awful effects; so that he would become liable to pain,
disease, and death. Worse than that, he would lose the holy image of God, and
all the comfort of his favour; and feel the torment of sinful passions, and the
terror of his Maker's vengeance, which must endure for ever with his never dying
soul. The forbidding to eat of the fruit of a particular tree was wisely suited
to the state of our first parents. In their state of innocence, and separated
from any others, what opportunity or what temptation had they to break any of
the ten commandments? The event proves that the whole human race were concerned
in the trial and fall of our first parents. To argue against these things is to
strive against stubborn facts, as well as Divine revelation; for man is sinful,
and shows by his first actions, and his conduct ever afterwards, that he is
ready to do evil. He is under the Divine displeasure, exposed to sufferings and
death. The Scriptures always speak of man as of this sinful character, and in
this miserable state; and these things are true of men in all ages, and of all
nations.
Verses 18-25
Power over the creatures was given to man, and as a proof of this he named them
all. It also shows his insight into the works of God. But though he was lord of
the creatures, yet nothing in this world was a help meet for man. From God are
all our helpers. If we rest in God, he will work all for good. God caused deep
sleep to fall on Adam; while he knows no sin, God will take care that he shall
feel no pain. God, as her Father, brought the woman to the man, as his second
self, and a help meet for him. That wife, who is of God's making by special
grace, and of God's bringing by special providence, is likely to prove a help
meet for a man. See what need there is, both of prudence and prayer in the
choice of this relation, which is so near and so lasting. That had need to be
well done, which is to be done for life. Our first parents needed no clothes for
covering against cold or heat, for neither could hurt them: they needed none for
ornament. Thus easy, thus happy, was man in his state of innocency. How good was
God to him! How many favours did he load him with! How easy were the laws given
to him! Yet man, being in honour, understood not his own interest, but soon
became as the beasts that perish.
Chapter 2:
| Calvin
| Darby
| Geneva
| Gill
| Jamieson Faussett Brown
| Matthew Henry
| Matthew Henry Concise
| Wesley
| Index
| Bible Gateway |
Introduction 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 Revelation Exodus
Genesis
Exodus
Leviticus
Numbers
Deuteronomy
Joshua
Judges
Ruth
1 Samuel
2 Samuel
1 Kings
2 Kings
1 Chronicles
2 Chronicles
Ezra
Nehemiah
Esther
Job
Psalm
Proverbs
Ecclesiastes
Song of Solomon
Isaiah
Jeremiah
Lamentations
Ezekiel
Daniel
Hosea
Joel
Amos
Obadiah
Jonah
Micah
Nahum
Habakkuk
Zephaniah
Haggai
Zechariah
Malachi
Matthew
Mark
Luke
John
Acts
Romans
1 Corinthians
2 Corinthians
Galatians
Ephesians
Philippians
Colossians
1 Thessalonians
2 Thessalonians
1 Timothy
2 Timothy
Titus
Philemon
Hebrews
James
1 Peter
2 Peter
1 John
2 John
3 John
Jude
Revelation
