Mar 11:25, Eph 4:2, 32 | Barnes | STEP | Verse 25. And when ye stand praying . When ye pray. It seems that the posture in prayer was sometimes standing and sometimes kneeling. God looks upon the heart rather than upon our position in worship; and if the heart be right, any posture may be proper. It cannot be doubted, however, that in private, in the family, and wherever it can be conveniently done, the kneeling posture is more proper, as expressing more humility and reverence, and more in accordance with Scripture examples, Compare . Yet a subject like this may be regarded as of too much consequence, and we should be careful that anxiety about a mere form should not exclude anxiety about a far more important matter--the state of the soul. Forgive , etc. . (f) "forgive"

Mark 11:25

Verse 25. And when ye stand praying. When ye pray. It seems that the posture in prayer was sometimes standing and sometimes kneeling. God looks upon the heart rather than upon our position in worship; and if the heart be right, any posture may be proper. It cannot be doubted, however, that in private, in the family, and wherever it can be conveniently done, the kneeling posture is more proper, as expressing more humility and reverence, and more in accordance with Scripture examples, Compare Ps 95:6, 2Chr 6:13, Dan 6:10, Lk 22:41, Acts 7:60, 9:40. Yet a subject like this may be regarded as of too much consequence, and we should be careful that anxiety about a mere form should not exclude anxiety about a far more important matter--the state of the soul.

Forgive, etc. Mt 6:12,15.

(f) "forgive" Mt 6:14, Col 3:13

Ephesians 4:2

Verse 2. With all lowliness. Humility. Acts 20:19, where the same Greek word is used. Compare, also, the following places, where the same Greek word occurs: Php 2:3, "in lowliness of mind, let each esteem other better than themselves;" Col 2:18, "in a voluntary humility;" Col 2:23, 3:12, 1Pet 5:5. The word does not elsewhere occur in the New Testament. The idea is, that humility of mind becomes those who are "called," (Eph 4:1, and that we walk worthy of that calling when we evince it.

And meekness. Mt 5:5. Meekness relates to the manner in which we receive injuries. We are to bear them patiently, and not to retaliate, or seek revenge. The meaning here is, that we adorn the gospel when we show its power in enabling us to bear injuries without anger or a desire of revenge, or with a mild and forgiving spirit. See 2Cor 10:1, Gall 5:23, 6:1 2Ti 2:25, Tit 3:2; where the same Greek word occurs.

With longsuffering, etc. Bearing patiently with the foibles, faults, and infirmities of others. 1Cor 13:4. The virtue here required is that which is to be manifested in our manner of receiving the provocations which we meet with from our brethren. No virtue, perhaps, is more frequently demanded in our intercourse with others. We do not go far with any fellow-traveller on the journey of life before we find there is great occasion for its exercise. He has a temperament different from our own. He may be sanguine, or choleric, or melancholy; while we may be just the reverse, lie has peculiarities of taste, and habits, and disposition, which differ much from ours. He has his own plans and purposes of life, and his own way and time of doing things. He may be naturally irritable, or he may have been so trained that his modes of speech and conduct differ much from ours. Neighbours have occasion to remark this in their neighbours; friends in their friends; kindred in their kindred; one church-member in another. A husband and wife--such is the imperfection of human nature-can find enough in each other to embitter life if they choose to magnify imperfections and to become irritated at trifles; and there is no friendship that may not be marred in this way, if we will allow it. Hence, if we would have life move on smoothly, we must learn to bear and forbear. We must indulge the friend that we love in the little peculiarities of saying and doing things which may be important to him, but which may be of little moment to us. Like children, we must suffer each one to build his playhouse in his own way, and not quarrel with him because he does not think our way the best. All usefulness, and all comfort, may be prevented by an unkind, a sour, a crabbed temper of mind--a mind that can bear with no difference of opinion or temperament. A spirit of fault-finding; all unsatisfied temper; a constant irritability; little inequalities in the look, the temper, or the manner; a brow cloudy and dissatisfied--your husband or your wife cannot tell why--will more than neutralize all the good you can do, and render life anything but a blessing. It is in such gentle and quiet virtues as meekness and forbearance that the happiness and usefulness of life consist, far more than in brilliant eloquence, in splendid talent, or illustrious deeds that shall send the name to future times. It is the bubbling spring which flows gently; the little rivulet which glides through the meadow, and which runs along day and night by the farm-house, that is useful, rather than the swollen flood or the roaring cataract. Niagara excites our wonder; and we stand amazed at the power and greatness of God there, as he "pours it from his hollow hand." But one Niagara is enough for a continent or a world; while that same world needs thousands and tens of thousands of silver fountains, and gently-flowing rivulets, that shall water every farm, and every meadow, and every garden, and that shall flow on, every day and every night, with their gentle and quiet beauty. So with the acts of our lives. It is not by great deeds only, like those of Howard --not by great sufferings only, like those of the martyrs--that good is to be done; it is by the daily and quiet virtues of life--the Christian temper, the meek forbearance, the spirit of forgiveness in the husband, the wife, the father, the mother, the brother, the sister, the friend, the neighbour--that good is to be done; and in this all may be useful.

(a) "lowliness" Mt 11:29 (*) "lowliness" "humbleness of mind" (+) "forbearing" "bearing with"

Ephesians 4:32

Verse 32. And be ye kind one to another. Benignant, mild, courteous, polite--χρηστοι. 1Pet 3:8. Christianity produces true courteousness, or politeness. It does not make one rough, crabbed, sour; nor does it dispose its followers to violate the proper rules of social intercourse. The secret of true politeness is benevolence, or a desire to make others happy; and a Christian should be the most polite of men. There is no religion in a sour, misanthropic temper; none in rudeness, stiffness, and repulsiveness; none in violating the rules of good-breeding. There is a hollow-hearted politeness, indeed, which the Christian is not to aim at or copy. His politeness is to be based on kindness, Col 3:12. His courtesy is to be the result of love, good-will, and a desire of the happiness of all others; and this will prompt to the kind of conduct that will render his intercourse with others agreeable and profitable.

Tenderhearted. Having a heart disposed to pity and compassion, and especially disposed to show kindness to the faults of erring brethren, for so the connexion demands.

Forgiving one another. Mt 6:12.

As God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you. As God, on account of what Christ has suffered and done, has pardoned you. He has done it

(1.) freely--without merit on our part--when we were confessedly in the wrong.

(2.) Fully; he has forgiven every offence.

(3.) Liberally; he has forgiven many offences, for our sins have been innumerable. This is to be the rule which we are to observe in forgiving others. We are to do it freely, fully, liberally. The forgiveness is to be entire, cordial, constant. We are not to rake up old offences, and charge them again upon them; we are to treat them as though they had not offended, for so God treats us. Learn,

(1.) that the forgiveness of an offending brother is a DUTY which we are not at liberty to neglect.

(2.) The peace and happiness of the church depend on it. All are liable to offend their brethren, as all are liable to offend God; all need forgiveness of one another, as we all need it of God.

(3.) There is no danger of carrying it too far. Let the rule be observed--"As God has forgiven you, so do you forgive others." Let a man recollect his own sins and follies; let him look over his life, and see how often he has offended God; let him remember that all has been forgiven; and then, fresh with this feeling, let him go and meet an offending brother, and say, "My brother, I forgive you. I do it frankly, fully, wholly. So Christ has forgiven me; so I forgive you. The offence shall be no more remembered. It shall not be referred to in our intercourse to harrow up your feelings; it shall not diminish my love for you; it shall not prevent my uniting with you in doing good. Christ treats me, a poor sinner, as a friend; and so I will treat you."

(e) "one another" Mk 11:25,26