¹ map For location see Map5 B1; Map7 E2; Map8 E2; Map10 B4.

² tn Grk “in the days.”

³ sn King Herod was Herod the Great, who ruled Palestine from 37 b.c. until he died in 4 b.c. He was known for his extensive building projects (including the temple in Jerusalem) and for his cruelty.

⁴ sn The Greek term magi here describes a class of wise men and priests who were astrologers (L&N 32.40).

⁵ map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

⁶ sn Nazareth was a very small village in the region of Galilee (Galilee lay north of Samaria and Judea). The town was located about 15 mi (25 km) west of the southern edge of the Sea of Galilee. According to Luke 1:26, Mary was living in Nazareth when the birth of Jesus was announced to her.

map For location see Map1 D3; Map2 C2; Map3 D5; Map4 C1; Map5 G3.

⁷ tn There is no expressed subject of the third person singular verb here; the pronoun “he” is implied. Instead of this pronoun the referent “Jesus” has been supplied in the text to clarify to whom this statement refers.

⁸ tn The Greek could be indirect discourse (as in the text), or direct discourse (“he will be called a Nazarene”). Judging by the difficulty of finding OT quotations (as implied in the plural “prophets”) to match the wording here, it appears that the author was using a current expression of scorn that conceptually (but not verbally) found its roots in the OT.

⁹ tn Grk “the rivers.”

¹⁰ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative. The Greek word ἰδού (idou) has not been translated because it has no exact English equivalent here, but adds interest and emphasis (BDAG 468 s.v. 1).

¹¹ tn Or “city.”

¹² tn Grk “And it happened that while.” The introductory phrase καὶ ἐγένετο (kai egeneto, “it happened that”) is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated.

¹³ tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been supplied in the translation for clarity.

¹⁴ tn Grk “was reclining at table.”

sn As Jesus was having a meal. 1st century middle eastern meals were not eaten while sitting at a table, but while reclining on one’s side on the floor with the head closest to the low table and the feet farthest away.

¹⁵ tn Grk “in the house.” The Greek article is used here in a context that implies possession, and the referent of the implied possessive pronoun (Matthew) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

¹⁶ sn See the note on tax collectors in 5:46.

¹⁷ sn John refers to John the Baptist.

¹⁸ tn Grk “him”; the referent (Jesus) has been supplied in the translation for clarity.

¹⁹ sn See the note on Pharisees in 3:7.

²⁰ sn John’s disciples and the Pharisees followed typical practices with regard to fasting and prayer. Many Jews fasted regularly (Lev 16:29-34; 23:26-32; Num 29:7-11). The zealous fasted twice a week on Monday and Thursday.

²¹ tn Grk “And behold a woman.” The Greek word ἰδού (idou) has not been translated because it has no exact English equivalent here, but adds interest and emphasis (BDAG 468 s.v. 1).

²² sn Suffering from a hemorrhage. The woman was most likely suffering from a vaginal hemorrhage which would make her ritually unclean.

²³ sn The edge of his cloak refers to the kraspedon, the blue tassel on the garment that symbolized a Jewish man’s obedience to the law (cf. Num 15:37-41). The woman thus touched the very part of Jesus’ clothing that indicated his ritual purity.

²⁴ tn Grk “garment,” but here ἱμάτιον (Jimation) denotes the outer garment in particular.

²⁵ tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

²⁶ tn Grk “crowds, behold, his mother.” The Greek word ἰδού (idou) has not been translated because it has no exact English equivalent here, but adds interest and emphasis (BDAG 468 s.v. 1).

²⁷ sn The issue of whether Jesus had brothers (siblings) has had a long history in the church. Epiphanius, in the 4th century, argued that Mary was a perpetual virgin and had no offspring other than Jesus. Others argued that these brothers were really cousins. Nothing in the text suggests any of this. See also John 7:3.

²⁸ tn “His mother and brothers came and” is a translation of “behold, his mother and brothers came.”

²⁹ tn Grk “seeking.”

³⁰ sn See the note on Pharisees in 3:7.

³¹ tn Grk “And behold a Canaanite.” The Greek word ἰδού (idou) has not been translated because it has no exact English equivalent here, but adds interest and emphasis (BDAG 468 s.v. 1).

³² tn Grk The participle ἐξελθοῦσα (exelqousa) is here translated as a finite verb. The emphasis is upon her crying out to Jesus.

³³ tn Grk “cried out, saying.” The participle λέγουσα (legousa) is redundant here in contemporary English and has not been translated.

³⁴ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “Then.”

³⁵ tn Grk “asked him, saying.” The participle λέγοντες (legontes) is redundant here in contemporary English and has not been translated.

³⁶ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “Then.”

³⁷ tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated.

³⁸ tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.

³⁹ map For location see Map1 C1; Map2 F4.

⁴⁰ tn Grk “he asked his disciples, saying.” The participle λέγων (legwn) is redundant and has been left untranslated.

⁴¹ tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.

⁴² map For location see Map1 D2; Map2 C3; Map3 B2.

⁴³ tn Grk “Collectors of the double drachma.” This is a case of metonymy, where the coin formerly used to pay the tax (the double drachma coin, or δίδραχμον [didracmon]) was put for the tax itself (cf. BDAG 241 s.v.). Even though this coin was no longer in circulation in NT times and other coins were used to pay the tax, the name for the coin was still used to refer to the tax itself.

sn The temple tax refers to the half-shekel tax paid annually by male Jews to support the temple (Exod 30:13-16).

⁴⁴ tn Here the term “brother” means “fellow believer” or “fellow Christian” (cf. BDAG 18 s.v. ἀδελφός 2.a), whether male or female. Concerning the familial connotations, see also the note on the first occurrence of this term in v. 15.

⁴⁵ tn Grk “And Pharisees.”

sn See the note on Pharisees in 3:7.

⁴⁶ tc ‡ Most mss have either ἀνθρώπῳ (anqrwpw, “for a man” [so א² C D W Θ 087 Ë^1,13 33 Ï latt]) or ἀνδρί (andri, “for a husband” [1424^c pc]) before the infinitive ἀπολῦσαι (apolusai, “to divorce”). The latter reading is an assimilation to the parallel in Mark; the former reading may have been motivated by the clarification needed (especially to give the following αὐτοῦ [autou, “his”] an antecedent). But a few significant mss (א* B L Γ 579 [700] 1424* pc) have neither noun. As the harder reading, it seems to best explain the rise of the others. NA²⁷, however, reads ἀνθρώπῳ here.

⁴⁷ sn The question of the Pharisees was anything but sincere; they were asking it to test him. Jesus was now in the jurisdiction of Herod Antipas (i.e., Judea and beyond the Jordan) and it is likely that the Pharisees were hoping he might answer the question of divorce in a way similar to John the Baptist and so suffer the same fate as John, i.e., death at the hands of Herod (cf. 14:1-12). Jesus answered the question not on the basis of rabbinic custom and the debate over Deut 24:1, but rather from the account of creation and God’s original design.

⁴⁸ tn Grk “asked something from him.”

⁴⁹ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate the transition to a new topic.

⁵⁰ sn The Jerusalem temple was widely admired around the world. See Josephus, Ant. 15.11 [15.380-425]; J. W. 5.5 [5.184-227] and Tacitus, History 5.8, who called it “immensely opulent.” Josephus compared it to a beautiful snowcapped mountain.

⁵¹ sn Like the flood that came and took them all away, the coming judgment associated with the Son of Man will condemn many.

⁵² tn Grk “So also will be the coming of the Son of Man.”

⁵³ tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated.

⁵⁴ tn Grk Or “Lord; or “Master” (and so throughout this paragraph).

⁵⁵ tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.

⁵⁶ sn A jar made of alabaster stone was normally used for very precious substances like perfumes. It normally had a long neck which was sealed and had to be broken off so the contents could be used.

⁵⁷ tn Μύρον (muron) was usually made of myrrh (from which the English word is derived) but here it is used in the sense of ointment or perfumed oil (L&N 6.205).

sn Nard or spikenard is a fragrant oil from the root and spike of the nard plant of northern India. This perfumed oil, if made of something like nard, would have been extremely expensive, costing up to a year’s pay for an average laborer.

⁵⁸ tn Grk “as he was reclining at table.”

sn 1st century middle eastern meals were not eaten while sitting at a table, but while reclining on one’s side on the floor with the head closest to the low table and the feet farthest away.

⁵⁹ tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated.

⁶⁰ tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.

⁶¹ tn Grk “and put their hands on Jesus.”

⁶² tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated.

⁶³ tn The Greek term here is παιδίσκη (paidiskh), referring to a slave girl or slave woman.

⁶⁴ tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.

⁶⁵ tn Grk “your speech.”

⁶⁶ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate the transition to a new topic.

⁶⁷ sn Though some dispute that Joseph of Arimathea was a disciple of Jesus, his actions regarding Jesus’ burial suggest otherwise.

⁶⁸ tn Or “the angel of the Lord.” See the note on the word “Lord” in 1:20.