1. To seem to have a thing, is only to have it in appearance, and not in reality; but what is possessed in appearance only can only be taken away in appearance; therefore on the one side there is no gain, and on the other side no loss. On this ground, the text speaks just nothing.

2. It is evident that o dokei ecein, what he seemeth to have, here, is equivalent to o ecei, what he hath, in the parallel places, Mark iv. 25; Matt. xiii. 12; xxv. 29; and in chap. xix. 26.

3. It is evident, also, that these persons had something which might be taken away from them. For 1. The word of God, the Divine seed, was planted in their hearts. 2. It had already produced some good effects; but they permitted the devil, the cares of the world, the desire of riches, and the love of pleasure, to destroy its produce.

4. The word dokein is often an expletive: so Xenophon in Hellen, vi. oti edokei patikov filov autoiv, Because he seemed to be (i.e. WAS) their father's friend. So in his OEeon. Among the cities that seemed to be (dokousaiv, actually were) at war. So Athenaeus, lib. vi. chap. 4. They who seemed to be (dokountev, who really were) the most opulent, drank out of brazen cups.

5. It often strengthens the sense, and is thus used by the very best Greek writers. ULPIAN, in one of his notes on Demosthenes' Orat. Olinth. 1, quoted by Bishop PEARCE, says expressly, to dokein ou pantwv epi amfibolou tattousin oi palaioi, alla pollakiv kai epi tou alhqeuein. The word dokein is used by the ancients to express, not always what is doubtful, but oftentimes what is true and certain. And this is manifestly its meaning in Matt. iii. 9; chap. xxii. 24; John v. 39; 1 Cor. vii. 40; x. 12; xi. 16; Gal. ii. 9; Phil. iii. 4; and in the text. See these meanings of the word established beyond the possibility of successful contradiction, in Bishop PEARCE'S notes on Mark x. 42, and in KYPKE in loc. See also the notes on Matt. xiii. 12.

Matthew Henry Commentary

Greek Textus Receptus