Mat 9:17, Act 22:20, Rev 16:1 | Barnes | STEP | Verse 17. Neither do men put new wine , etc. The third illustration was taken from wine put into bottles. Bottles, in eastern nations, were made, and are still, of skins of beasts. Generally the skin was taken entire from a sheep or a goat, and, properly prepared, was filled with wine or water. They are still used, because, in crossing deserts of sand, they have no other conveyances but camels, or other beasts of burden. It would be difficult for them to carry glass bottles or kegs on them. They therefore fill two skins, and fasten them together, and lay them across the back of a camel, and thus carry wine or water to a great distance. They were of course of different sizes, as the skins of kids, goats, or oxen might be used. Bruce describes particularly a bottle which he saw in Arabia, made in this manner, of an ox-skin, which would hold sixty gallons, and two of which were a load for a camel. By long usage, however, they of course became tender, and would be easily ruptured. New wine put into them would ferment, and swell and burst them open. New skins or bottles would yield to the fermenting wine, and be strong enough to hold it from bursting. So, says Christ, there is a fitness or propriety of things. It is not fit that my doctrine should be attached to, or connected with, the old and corrupt doctrines of the Pharisees. New things should be put together, and made to match . This account of eastern bottles may illustrate the following passages in the Bible. The Gibeonites took "wine bottles, old, and rent, and bound up," . "My belly is ready to burst, like new bottles," . "I am become like a bottle in the smoke," ; i.e., like a bottle of skin hung up in a tent filled with smoke. The preceding cut is copied from a fragment of the Antiquities of Herculaneum, and represents a young woman pouring wine from a bottle into a cup. (y) "else"

Matthew 9:17

Verse 17. Neither do men put new wine, etc. The third illustration was taken from wine put into bottles. Bottles, in eastern nations, were made, and are still, of skins of beasts. Generally the skin was taken entire from a sheep or a goat, and, properly prepared, was filled with wine or water. They are still used, because, in crossing deserts of sand, they have no other conveyances but camels, or other beasts of burden. It would be difficult for them to carry glass bottles or kegs on them. They therefore fill two skins, and fasten them together, and lay them across the back of a camel, and thus carry wine or water to a great distance. They were of course of different sizes, as the skins of kids, goats, or oxen might be used. Bruce describes particularly a bottle which he saw in Arabia, made in this manner, of an ox-skin, which would hold sixty gallons, and two of which were a load for a camel. By long usage, however, they of course became tender, and would be easily ruptured. New wine put into them would ferment, and swell and burst them open. New skins or bottles would yield to the fermenting wine, and be strong enough to hold it from bursting. So, says Christ, there is a fitness or propriety of things. It is not fit that my doctrine should be attached to, or connected with, the old and corrupt doctrines of the Pharisees. New things should be put together, and made to match.

This account of eastern bottles may illustrate the following passages in the Bible. The Gibeonites took "wine bottles, old, and rent, and bound up," Josh 9:4. "My belly is ready to burst, like new bottles," Job 32:19. "I am become like a bottle in the smoke," Ps 119:83; i.e., like a bottle of skin hung up in a tent filled with smoke. The preceding cut is copied from a fragment of the Antiquities of Herculaneum, and represents a young woman pouring wine from a bottle into a cup.

(y) "else" Job 32:19

Acts 22:20

Verse 20. The blood of thy martyr Stephen was shed. Acts 7:58; Acts 8:1.

I also was standing by. Acts 7:58.

And consenting unto his death. Acts 8:1.

And kept the raiment. The outer robes or garments which were usually laid aside, when they engaged in running or labour. Acts 7:58. All this showed, that though Paul was not engaged in stoning Stephen, yet he was with them in spirit, and fully accorded with what they did. These circumstances are mentioned here by him, as reasons why he knew that he would not be received by Christians as one of their number, and why it was necessary, therefore, for him to turn to the Gentile world.

(+) "martyr" "witness" (k) "I also" Acts 7:58 (l) "consenting" Acts 8:1 (++) "raiment" "mantles" (&) "slew" "killed"

Revelation of John 16:1

CHAPTER XVI ANALYSIS OF THE CHAPTER

THE previous chapter had described the preparation for the last plagues that were to come upon that mighty Antichristian power to which this series of prophetic visions refers. All is now ready; and this chapter contains the description of those seven last "plagues" under which this power would reel and fall. These" plagues" are described as if they were a succession of physical calamities that would come upon this Antichristian power, and bring it to an end; though, perhaps, it is not necessary to look for a literal infliction of such calamities. The course of the exposition thus far will lead us to regard this chapter as a description of the successive blows by which the Papacy will fall. A part of this is still undoubtedly future, though perhaps not far distant; and, in reference to this, and to some portions of the remainder of the book, there may be more difficulty in satisfying the mind than in the portions Which pertain to past events. The chapter comprises statements on the following points:--

A command is issued from the temple to the seven angels, to go and execute the commission with which they were entrusted, Rev 16:1.

The first angel pours out his vial upon the earth--followed by a plague upon those who had worshipped the beast and his image, Rev 16:2.

The second angel pours out his vial upon the sea followed by the death of all that were in the sea, Rev 16:3.

The third angel pours out his vial upon the rivers and fountains of waters, and they become blood. This is followed by an ascription of praise from the angel of the waters, because God had given to those who had shed the blood of the saints blood to drink, with a response from the altar that this was just, Rev 16:4-7.

The fourth angel pours out his vial upon the sun, and an intenser heat is given to it to scorch men. The consequence is, that they blaspheme the name of God, but repent not of their sins, Rev 16:8,9.

The fifth angel pours out his vial upon the very seat of the beast, and his kingdom is full of darkness. Men still blaspheme the name of God, and repent not of their sins, Rev 16:10,11.

The sixth angel pours out his vial upon the great river Euphrates. The consequence is, that the waters of the river are dried up, so that the way of the kings of the East might be prepared. The writer sees also, in this connexion, three unclean spirits, like frogs, come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet, that go forth into all the earth to gather all nations to the great day of the battle of God Almighty, Rev 16:12-16.

The seventh angel pours out his vial into the air, and a voice is heard answering that "it is done:" the time of the consummation has come--the formidable Antichristian power is to come to an end. The great city is divided into three parts; the cities of the nations fall; great Babylon thus comes up in remembrance before God to receive the punishment which is her due. This terrific scene is accompanied with voices, and thunderings, and lightnings, and an earthquake, and with great hail--a tempest of wrath beating upon that formidable power that had so long stood up against God, Rev 16:17-21. The detail of the actual destruction of this power is carried forward in the subsequent chapters.

Verse 1. And I heard a great voice out of the temple. A loud voice out of the temple as seen in heaven, (Barnes on "Re 11:19",) and that came, therefore, from the very presence of God.

Saying to the seven angels. That had the seven vials of wrath. Barnes on "Re 15:1,7".

Go your ways. Your respective ways, to the fulfilment of the task assigned to each.

And pour out the vials of the wrath of God. Empty those vials; cause to come upon the earth the plagues indicated by their contents. The order in which this was to be done is not intimated. It seems to be supposed that that would be understood by each.

Upon the earth. The particular part of the earth is not here specified, but it should not be inferred that it was to be upon the earth in general, or that there were any calamities in consequence of this pouring out of the vials of wrath, to spread over the whole world. The subsequent statements show what parts of the earth were particularly to be affected.

(a) "angels" Rev 15:1,7