Francis Gigot

“ In fact, the work was interrupted for sixteen years, during which various circumstances, such as the Persian invasion of Egypt in 527 b.c., a succession of bad seasons entailing the failure of the harvest and the vintage, the indulgence in luxury and self-seeking by the wealthier classes of Jerusalem, caused the Jews to neglect altogether the restoration of the House of the Lord. ”

“ In the unseen world of the dead the souls of the righteous occupied an abode or compartment of their own which was distinctly separated by a wall or a chasm from the abode or compartment to which the souls of the wicked were consigned. The latter was a place of torments usually spoken of as Gehenna (cf. Matt., v, 29, 30; xviii, 9; Mark. ix. 42 sqq. in the Latin Vulgate) ; the other, a place of bliss and security known under the names of "Paradise" (cf. Luke, xxiii. 43) and "the Bosom of Abraham" (Luke, xvi, 22, 23) . ”

“ Scarcely had his request reached Solomon when the king's wrath broke forth against Adonias' perfidy. With the most solemn oath the monarch pronounced him worthy of death, and without the least delay the sword of Banaias carried out the royal sentence (III Kings, ii, 13–24) , Thus did Adonias perish, a victim of his own heedless ambition. The Scriptural account of his vain efforts to deprive Solomon of the throne which God had expressly intended for him (II Kings, vii, 12–16; I Paralip., xxii, 7–10) teaches how divine Providence overrules man's ambitious schemes. ”

“ In view of these facts it is affirmed by many scholars that the early Christians could easily regard the forthcoming erection of statue in the Temple as the act of idolatrous Abomination which, according to the prophet Daniel, ix, 27, portended the ruin of the House of God, and therefore see in it the actual sign given by Christ for their flight from Judea. This last interpretation of the phrase "the abomination of desolation" is not without its own difficulties. ”

“ The "day of Yahweh" is near upon "all the nations", in whose ruin Edom shall share under the united efforts of "the house of Jacob" and "the house of Joseph" (16–18) . As for Israel, her borders will be enlarged in every direction ”

“ Mark, is simply the Greek phrase whereby the Septuagint translators rendered literally the Hebrew words shíqqûç shômem found in Daniel, xii, 11; ix, 27; xi, 31. Unfortunately, despite all their efforts to explain these Hebrew terms, Biblical scholars are still at variance about their precise meaning. While most commentators regard the first "shíqqûç", usually rendered by "abomination", as designating anything (statue, altar, etc.) that pertains to idolatrous worship, others take it to be a contemptuous designation of a heathen god or idol. ”

“ He now strove to win to his cause the heads of the military and the religious forces of the nation, and was again successful in his attempt. Joab, David's oldest and bravest general and Abiathar, the ablest and most influential high-priest in David's reign, agreed to side with him. ”

“ He also appointed the government of Syria, bidding him carry out that decree even at the cost of a war against the rebellious Jews. Whereupon the Jews in tens of thousands protested to the governor that they were willing to be slaughtered rather than to be condemned to witness that idolatrous profanation of their holy Temple. ”

“ Temple, called also the Temple of Zorobabel. Presently the Samaritans—that is, the mixed races which dwelt in Samaria—prevented them, by an appeal to the Persian authorities, from proceeding further with the rebuilding of the Temple. ”