Bible Commentaries

Exodus 34:18-20 — empty." These verses are so emphatically a commandment for Israel to observe the Passover, that we must stand amazed that Rawlinson could not find it among the annual festivals enjoined, which are three in number: (1) the Passover; (2) the Pentecost; and (3) that of Tabernacles. That these verses indeed are a reference to the Passover is certain, because: (1) the mention of the month of Abib (Nisan); (2) the unleavened bread; (3) the sanctity of the firstborn; and (4) their coming out of Egypt, absolutely

Nehemiah 3:13-14 — the bolts thereof, and the bars thereof." Thousands of the Israelites worked on the walls, but only the leaders of the companies working on the various sections were named. Note that one group of workers build a thousand cubits of the wall (Nehemiah 3:13). That is fifteen hundred feet! The Rechabites also appear to have made their contribution, as may be indicated by the name of the ruler mentioned in Nehemiah 3:14. The next section of the wall mentioned is that including the fountain gate, on the

Leviticus 6 overview — conclusion of this whole section of Leviticus (Leviticus 1-7) in which the following sacrifices are presented: VARIOUS SACRIFICES 1. Instructions regarding the burnt-offering (Leviticus 1). 2. Instructions regarding the meal-offering (Leviticus 2). 3. Instructions regarding the peace-offering (Leviticus 3). 4. Instructions regarding the sin-offering (Leviticus 4:1 to Leviticus 5:13). 5. Instructions regarding the trespass-offering (Leviticus 5:14 to Leviticus 6:7). 6. Supplementary priestly regulations

Isaiah 53 overview — magnificent profusion of names and titles bestowed upon the Son of God by the inspired writers of the Bible. A mere glance at these cannot fail to impress any thoughtful student. NAMES AND TITLES: Isaiah prophetically referred to Jesus as Immanuel (Isaiah 7:13); Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6); God's Servant (Isaiah 52:13). Moses referred to him as The Seed of Woman (Genesis 3:15); The Seed (singular) of Abraham (Genesis 28:14, and Galatians 3:16); Shiloh

Jeremiah 3:19-21 — the bare heights, the weeping and the supplications of the children of Israel; because they have perverted their way, they have forgotten Jehovah their God. Return, ye backsliding children, I will heal your backsliding." The first clause of Jeremiah 3:19 should be read as a question, as in the AV. "The rendering of the KJV is to be preferred here."Scribner's Bible Commentary (New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1898), p. 346. The mingling of two metaphors in this passage, namely, the returning people

Ezekiel 3:4-9 — impressed by the right of this prophet to be called a type of Jesus Christ: (1) The name alone (Son of man) suggests it; (2) In this passage Ezekiel is sent "only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel" (Matthew 15:24); and again in this passage, (3) Ezekiel was told that Israel would not hear him, because they would not hear God (Ezekiel 3:7); and the exact duplicate of this was promised the apostles by Jesus Christ (John 15:20). Still another fundamental element of Jesus' teaching is in Ezekiel

Numbers 3:1-4 — Jehovah, when they offered strange fire before Jehovah, in the wilderness of Sinai, and they had no children; and Eleazar and Ithamar ministered in the priest's office in the presence of Aaron their father." "These are the generations…" (Numbers 3:1). Here again we have the magnificent [~toledowth] encountered ten times in Genesis. "It is used here in a technical sense, referring to what follows (as in Genesis 2:4; Genesis 5:1; Genesis 6:9; Genesis 10:1; Genesis 11:10; Genesis 11:27; Genesis

Matthew 12:31 — as "the sin" against the Holy Spirit. From the gospel of Mark comes, "Whosoever shall blaspheme against the Holy Spirit hath never forgiveness, but is guilty of AN ETERNAL SIN; because they said, He hath an unclean spirit" (Mark 3:29-30). Significantly, Mark spoke not of "the" but "an" eternal sin, showing that the transgression under consideration in this place is one of a class of sins designated as "eternal." We shall note the whole class of eternal

Matthew 26:30 — very important discourses were made by Jesus on that same occasion, extending the meeting for a considerable time. John 14—17 records the following as having taken place at that time: (1) the farewell discourse, (2) concerning the Comforter, (3) I am the true vine, (4) Christ's intercessory prayer, and other significant teachings. At least a part of these extended words of Christ might have been, and certainly could have been, spoken on the way to Gethsemane. The singing of a hymn is significant.

Luke 1:16 — And many of the children of Israel shall he turn unto the Lord thy God. This, to be sure, was literally fulfilled, as detailed in Matthew 3:1-12.

Luke 19:45 — "ye have made it a den of robbers" was not in the first. This cleansing of the temple, as was also the first, was a symbolical declaration of his Messiahship, and Kingship, on the part of Jesus. It was a fulfillment of Psalms 69:9 and Malachi 3:1-3. The zeal for the Lord's house which was prophesied was here manifested by Jesus, and the holy Messenger of the covenant suddenly came to his temple. Further discussion will be found in this series of commentaries under Matthew 21:12 and Mark 11:15,

John 4:22 — validity of the covenant with the chosen people, affirming the authenticity of the Hebrew religion. Salvation is from the Jews … God took hold "of the seed of Abraham" (Hebrews 2:16); the Jews were custodians of the Scripture (Romans 3:2); Christ was born "under the law." The Old Testament Scriptures are they which "testify" of Christ (John 5:39). Even the church today is the Israel of God, and all Christians are "the seed of Abraham" (Galatians 3:29).

Ephesians 2:19 — sojourners, but ye are fellow-citizens with the saints, and of the household of God. As Taylor observed, there are no less than three metaphors of unity in Ephesians 2:19-21, expressed as: (1) common citizenship, (2) membership in a single household, and (3) mutual parts of one holy temple. Williard H. Taylor, op. cit., p. 181. Paul was a Roman citizen and had received signal blessings from such a relationship. Thus it was natural that he should have compared the privileges of being in Christ to citizenship

Philippians 1:11 — us, … that we may not be ashamed at his coming." Arthur W. Pink, op. cit., p. 221. Fruits of righteousness … As Knight observed, "This righteousness is that by Jesus Christ in contrast to that which is by the law (Philippians 3:9). John A. Knight, op. cit., p. 297. In order, therefore, to have fruit of that righteousness, the believer must be "in Christ," identified with him. See under Philippians 3:9. This expression also carries with it the idea of the end of the

Philippians 3:8-9 — … That I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of mine own, even that which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith. (Philippians 3:8 b-9) We agree with Monroe who flatly declared that "here is Paul's most concise statement of justification by faith"; Robert H. Mounce, op. cit., p. 771. and there is, therefore, all the more reason why people should take heed to the meaning

1 Timothy 1:14 — exceedingly) occur 158 times in the New Testament, 106 of these in the Pauline letters." A. C. Hervey, op. cit., p. 5. Hendriksen classified this as another instance of Paul's "super" words, such as are in Romans 5:20; 2 Thessalonians 1:3; 2 Corinthians 7:4; 1 Thessalonians 3:10; Philippians 4:7; 2 Corinthians 12:7, etc. "It is clear that this super vocabulary is characteristic of Paul." W. H. Hendriksen, op. cit., p. 75.

Hebrews 10:24 — provoke unto love and good works. In a sense, the sentiment of this verse is a recurring theme in Hebrews. Again and again, the author stresses the maintenance of an enthusiastic morale in the hearts of the faithful, a subject he introduced in Hebrews 3:6; Hebrews 3:16, and to which repeated reference is made. The apostles taught that if one member of the body suffers, or is honored, all the others are likewise affected (1 Corinthians 12:26 ff). Christian living is here directly related to the appreciation

Hebrews 9:13-14 — Spirit of Christ himself which he had before the world was, and which during his earthly ministry was conjoined with his human nature. This distinction between the flesh of Christ and his Spirit appears in three other New Testament references, Romans 1:3-4; 1 Timothy 3:16; and 1 Peter 3:18. Barmby's note on this reads: In all these passages, THE SPIRIT is that divine element of the life of Christ, distinct from the human nature which he assumed of the seed of David, in virtue of which he rose from the

1 John 5:10 — him: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he hath not believed in the witness that God hath borne concerning his Son. Hath the witness in him … The earnest of the Spirit in Christian hearts is indicated by this (Ephesians 1:13), that holy influence which issues in love, joy and peace. The practical meaning of this is that the Christian experience corroborates the validity of Christianity in the lives of those who accept it and walk in the light of it. He that believeth not

Revelation 1 overview — INTRODUCTION (Revelation 1—3) The predominating thought in this chapter is that of the exalted and glorified Christ amidst the congregations of his church, his constant attendance with them and concern for them being represented in this chapter as a fact connected not merely with