Voices and influences
Albert Barnes
The Philadelphia pastor who rose at four every morning to write Bible notes for his own Sunday school, and sold a million volumes of them.
Summary
This site quotes Albert Barnes 8,265 times across 66 books, and lists 0 works.
- Lived 1798 to 1870.
- Quoted here most in Isaiah: 746 of 8,265.
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Albert Barnes
- Lived
- 1798 to 1870
- Tradition
- Presbyterian
5 of 8,265 quotations
Own words
Quoted in full, because Albert Barnes died in 1870 and these works are out of copyright. Each citation below names its edition and its year. A citation naming a modernised text means that edition makes its own editorial changes, and that edition's terms are not in this site's record.
For my thoughts are not your thoughts - Interpreters have differed in regard to the connection of this verse with the preceding.
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
Undated in the archive this site cites.
The rest of the quotation
It is evident, I think, that it is properly connected with the subject of pardon; and the sense must be, that the plans and purposes of God in regard to forgiveness are as far above those of people as the heavens are higher than the earth, Isa 55:
Isaiah 55:8 “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways,” declares the LORD. BSB
He hath shewed thee - Micah does not tell them now, as for the first time; which would have excused them. He says, “He hath shewed thee;” He, about whose mind and will and pleasure they were pretending to enquire, the Lord their God.
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
Undated in the archive this site cites.
The rest of the quotation
He had shewn it to them. The law was full of it. He shewed it to them, when He said, “And now, Israel, what doth the Lord thy God require of thee, but to fear the Lord thy God, to walk in all His ways, and to love Him and to serve the Lord, thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul, to keep the commandments of the Lord and His statutes which I command thee this day for thy good?” Deu 10:12-13. They had asked, “with what outward thing shall I come before the Lord;” the prophet tells them, “what thing is good,” the inward man of the heart, righteousness, love, humility. And what doth the Lord require (search, seek) of thee? - The very word implies an earnest search within. He would say (Rup.), “Trouble not thyself as to any of these things, burnt-offerings, rams, calves, without thee. For God seeketh not thine, but thee; not thy substance, but thy spirit; not ram or goat, but thy heart.” : “Thou askest, what thou shouldest offer for thee? Other thyself. For what else doth the Lord seek of thee, but thee? Because, of all earthly creatures, He hath made nothing better than thee, He seeketh thyself from thyself, because thou hadst lost thyself.” To do judgment - are chiefly all acts of equity; “to love mercy,” all deeds of love. Judgment, is what right requires; mercy, what love. Yet, secondarily, “to do judgment” is to pass righteous judgments in all cases; and so, as to others, “judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment” Joh 7:24; and as to one’s self also. Judge equitably and kindly of others, humbly of thyself. […]
Micah 6:8 He has shown you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you but to act justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God? BSB
(Compare Exo. 39:1-31.) Moses is now commanded to commit all that pertains to the offerings made to the Lord in the sanctuary to the exclusive charge of the members of a single family, who were to hold their office from generation to generation.
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
Undated in the archive this site cites.
The rest of the quotation
In the patriarchal times, the external rites of worship had generally been conducted by the head of the tribe or family, in accordance with the principle involved in the dedication of the firstborn Exo 13:2; Num 3:12-
Exodus 28:1 “Next, have your brother Aaron brought to you from among the Israelites, along with his sons Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar, to serve Me as priests. BSB
The leper was to carry about with him the usual signs of mourning for the dead. Compare Lev 10:6 and margin reference.
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
Undated in the archive this site cites.
The rest of the quotation
The leper was a living parable in the world of the sin of which death was the wages; not the less so because his suffering might have been in no degree due to his own personal deserts: he bore about with him at once the deadly fruit and the symbol of the sin of his race. Exo 20:
Leviticus 13:45 A diseased person must wear torn clothes and let his hair hang loose, and he must cover his mouth and cry out, ‘Unclean, unclean!’ BSB
Chambers - (Margin, floors). Rather, a lean-to, which completely surrounded three sides of the building, the north, the west, and the south.
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
Undated in the archive this site cites.
1 Kings 6:5 Against the walls of the temple and the inner sanctuary, Solomon built a chambered structure around the temple, in which he constructed the side rooms. BSB
Influence, on the record
This site quotes Albert Barnes 8,265 times across 66 books.
This site’s own count of what it does with the voice
The life, in order
The life told as one accountfrom this site's record
Albert Barnes was born at Rome, New York, on December 1, 1798. He was headed for the law. At Hamilton College he was converted, changed direction, and went to Princeton Theological Seminary instead, graduating in 1824. His first pastorate was Morristown, New Jersey, from 1825 to 1830. In 1830 he was called to the First Presbyterian Church of Philadelphia, where he preached until 1867 — thirty-seven years in one pulpit. The habit that made him famous was the alarm clock. Barnes rose at four every morning and wrote until nine, before the day's pastoral work began. What he wrote were notes on the Bible for his own Sunday school teachers and Bible class — plain explanations, verse by verse, aimed at people with no Greek and no library. He published them, beginning with the Gospels in 1832. They did not stop. Notes, Explanatory and Practical eventually covered the whole New Testament and much of the Old — Job, the Psalms, Isaiah, Daniel — and sold more than a million volumes in his lifetime, an astonishing number for the period. Generations of American laymen learned their Bible out of Barnes. He was also tried for heresy. His 1829 sermon The Way of Salvation, and then his notes on Romans in 1835, were charged with departing from the Westminster Confession on original sin and the atonement; Barnes taught that Christ's death was a provision made for all rather than a payment restricted in advance to the elect. The Presbytery of Philadelphia suspended him from the ministry in 1835, and the General Assembly reversed the suspension in 1836. He was acquitted, but the fight was one of the fuses of the Old School–New School division that split the American Presbyterian church in 1837. Barnes stood on the New School side. He fought slavery hard and early. An Inquiry into the Scriptural Views of Slavery (1846) took up the biblical arguments the Southern churches used and dismantled them one at a time; The Church and Slavery followed in 1857. The books were read widely in the North during the years the country came apart. His eyesight failed badly in later life, and he kept working with help. He resigned the pulpit in 1867 and died in Philadelphia on December 24, 1870, at seventy-two. What he left is unusual for a scholar. Not a monument — a tool. A working pastor's commentary, written before breakfast for people who had no one else to explain the text, still in print and still free more than a century and a half later. Sources: Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the New Testament and An Inquiry into the Scriptural Views of Slavery; the published minutes of the Presbyterian General Assembly, 1835–1837; Philip Schaff, History of the Christian Church; George Marsden, The Evangelical Mind and the New School Presbyterian Experience.
8,265 quotations across 66 books
Where this voice is quoted
Many have undertaken to compose an account of the things that have been fulfilled among us,
“Forasmuch as many - It has been doubted who are referred to here by the word “many.” It seems clear that it could not be the other evangelists, for the gospel by “John” was not yet written, and the word “many” denotes clearly more than…”
Therefore, having carefully investigated everything from the beginning, it seemed good also to me to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus,
“It seemed good - I thought it best; or, I have also determined. It seemed “to be called for” that there should be a full, authentic, and accurate account of these matters. Having had perfect understanding ...”
he was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to enter the temple of the Lord and burn incense.
“According to the custom of the priest’s office, his lot was. - The Jewish writers inform us that it was customary for the priests to divide their daily task by “lot.””
Just then an angel of the Lord appeared to Zechariah, standing at the right side of the altar of incense.
“An angel - An “angel” is a messenger sent from God. See the notes at Mat 1:20. It had now been about 400 years since the time of “Malachi,” and since there had been any divine revelation.”
But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, because your prayer has been heard.
“Thy prayer is heard - That is, thy prayer for offspring. This, among the Jews, was an object of intense desire. No prospect was more gloomy to them than that of dying childless, so that their “name should perish.””
for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He shall never take wine or strong drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even from…
“Shall be great - Shall be eminent, or distinguished as a preacher. In the sight of the Lord - Greek, “before the Lord.” That is, shall be “really” or “truly” great. God shall regard him as such.”
And he will go on before the Lord in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to their children and the disobedient to the…
“Shall go before him - Before the Messiah. The connection here leads us to suppose that the word “him” refers to the “Lord their God” in the previous verse.”
“I am Gabriel,” replied the angel. “I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news.
“I am Gabriel - The word “Gabriel” is made up of two Hebrew words, and signifies “man of God.” This angel is mentioned as having been deputed to inform “Daniel” that his prayers were heard. See the notes at Dan 8:16; Dan 9:21.”
Meanwhile, the people were waiting for Zechariah and wondering why he took so long in the temple.
“The people waited - That is, beyond the usual time. Marvelled - Wondered. The priest, it is said, was not accustomed to remain in the temple more than half an hour commonly.”
“The Lord has done this for me. In these days He has shown me favor and taken away my disgrace among the people.”
“Thus - In this merciful manner. To take away my reproach - Among the Jews, a family of children was counted a signal blessing, an evidence of the favor of God, Psa 113:9; Psa 128:3; Isa 4:1; Isa 44:3-4; Lev 26:9.”
Behold, you will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to give Him the name Jesus.
“And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb - See the notes at Isa 7:14. And shalt call his name Jesus - A Saviour. See the notes at Mat 1:21. All this was announced. also, by an angel to Joseph, after this visitation to Mary.”
The angel replied, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you.
“The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee - See Mat 1:20. The power of the Highest ... - This evidently means that the body of Jesus would be created by the direct power of God.”
In those days Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judah,
“And Mary arose - The word “arose” here is equivalent to “setting out,” or starting on a journey. The hill country - The region in the vicinity of Jerusalem, commonly called the hill country of Judea.”
When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.
“Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost - The meaning of this seems to be that she was filled with joy; with a disposition to praise God; with a prophetic spirit, or a knowledge of the character of the child that should be born of…”
And why am I so honored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?
“And whence is this to me? - An expression of humility. Why is it that the mother of my Lord should come to me, as if to honor me?”
Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord’s word to her will be fulfilled.”
“Blessed is she that believed - That is, “Mary” who believed what the angel spoke to her. She was blessed not only in the act of believing, but because the thing promised would certainly be fulfilled. From these expressions of Elizabeth we may learn: 1.”
and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior!
“In God my Saviour - God is called “Saviour,” as he saves people from sin and death. He was “Mary’s” Saviour, as he had redeemed her soul and given her a title to eternal life; and she rejoiced for that, and especially for his mercy…”
He has performed mighty deeds with His arm; He has scattered those who are proud in the thoughts of their hearts.
“Hath showed strength with his arm - The “arm” is the symbol of strength. The expression in this and the subsequent verses has no particular reference to his mercy to Mary.”
as He promised to our fathers, to Abraham and his descendants forever.”
“As he spake to our fathers ... - That is, He has dealt mercifully with the children of Israel, according as He promised Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.”
On the eighth day, when they came to circumcise the child, they were going to name him after his father Zechariah.
“On the eighth day - This was the day on which it was required to circumcise children, Gen 21:4. And they called him Zacharias - The name of the child was commonly given at the time of the circumcision, Gen 21:3-4.”
Zechariah asked for a tablet and wrote, “His name is John.” And they were all amazed.
“He asked - That is, by signs. A writing table - The table denoted by this word was usually made of wood and covered with wax. The ancients used to write on such tables, as they had not the use of paper.”
Then his father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied:
“Filled with the Holy Ghost - See Luk 1:15. And prophesied - The word “prophesy” means: 1. To foretell future events. 2. To celebrate the praises of God (see 1Sa 10:5-6; 1Ki 18:29); then to, 3. Teach or preach the gospel, etc.”
He has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of His servant David,
“And hath raised up a horn - A horn is a symbol of strength. The figure is taken from the fact that in horned animals the strength lies in the “horn.””
as He spoke through His holy prophets, those of ages past,
“His holy prophets ... - All the prophets are said to have referred to the Messiah, from the beginning of the world. The most striking of these were Jacob Gen 49:10; Moses Deu 18:15; Isaiah Isa 9:6-7; Isa 53:1-12.”
salvation from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us,
“Saved from our enemies - The enemies of “man” are his sins, his carnal propensities, his lusts, and the great adversary Satan and his angels, who continually seek to destroy him. From “these” the Messiah came to save us. Compare Gen 3:15; Mat 1:21.”