Bible Commentaries

Amos 6:1

There is a saying which I have heard attributed to Mr. Carlyle about Socrates,—a very happy saying, whether it is really Mr. Carlyle's or not—which excellently marks the essential point in which Hebraism differs from Hellenism. "Socrates," this saying goes, "is terribly at ease in Zion". Hebraism—and here is the source of its wonderful strength—has always been serenely preoccupied with an awful sense of the impossibility of being at ease in Zion.... It is all very well to talk of getting rid of one's ignorance, of seeing things in their reality, and seeing them in their full beauty; but how is this to be done when there is something which thwarts and spoils all our efforts? This something is sin.

—M. Arnold in Culture and Anarchy.

References.—VI:1.—Spurgeon, Sermons, vol. vii. No417. C. Perren, Revival Sermons in Outline, p120. VI:1-8.—Spurgeon, Sermons, vol. lii. No2977. A. Maclaren, Expositions of Holy Scripture— Ezekiel , Daniel , and the Minor Prophets, p163. VI:6.—A. E. Garvie, Christian World Pulpit, vol. lxxiii1908 , p231. VI:12.—Spurgeon, Sermons, vol. xxv. No1470; vol. lii. No2977. VII:1-6.—Ibid. vol. lii. No2977. VII:7 , 8.—Ibid. vol1. No2904. R. Winterbotham, Sermons Preached in Holy Trinity Church, Edinburgh. VIII:1.—J. Menzies, Christian World Pulpit, vol. xlii1892 , p112. VIII:1-14.—A. Maclaren, Expositions of Holy Scripture— Ezekiel , Daniel , and the Minor Prophets, p169. VIII:1 , 2.—Spurgeon, Sermons, vol. vi. No343. VIII:9.—W. Huntington, The Eternal Setting of the Sun, Sermons, 1781-1877. VIII:11.—Bishop Lightfoot, British Weekly Pulpit, vol. ii. p446. H. A. Stimson, The New Things of God, p85. VIII:11 , 12.—J. J. Tayler, Christian Aspects of Faith and Duty, p1. IX:9.—Spurgeon, Sermons, vol. xiv. No825. IX:13.—Ibid. vol. vi. No296. J. Wallace, Christian World Pulpit, vol. Leviticus 1899 , p142.