Homiletic Commentary Nehemiah 5:15 But the former governors that had been before me were chargeable to the people, and had taken of them bread and wine… I. THE SELF-REGULATIVE POWER OF A MANLY MOTIVE. "The fear of God"; "the love of Christ"; "religious principle"; "conscience"; "the sense of duty"; "the instinct of right," are all variations of expressions of the same motive. II. THE COURAGE TO BE SINGULAR IS HERE IMPLIED. III. APPLICATIONS OF THIS PRINCIPLE TO THE COMMONPLACE LIFE OF ALL MEN. 1. To himself a man must say, "No!" 2. To the world a man must say "No!" 3. This is the motto for youth. IV. THE SIMPLICITY AND DIRECTNESS OF THIS LIFE-MOTTO, V. THIS MOTTO IS OUR GUIDE IN DOUBTFUL MATTERS. (Homiletic Commentary.) Parallel Verses KJV: But the former governors that had been before me were chargeable unto the people, and had taken of them bread and wine, beside forty shekels of silver; yea, even their servants bare rule over the people: but so did not I, because of the fear of God. |
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