Bible Commentaries

Job 40:6-14 — faces in the hidden place. Then will I also confess of thee That thine own right hand can save thee." OK, mankind! Here God challenges you to take over the universe. The humanistic idiots of our own generation need to read this. Their manifesto in 1933 declared that, "Never again shall we seek to build a society upon the principles of the Judeo-Christian scriptures." And the sorrows that have overwhelmed all nations since then have demonstrated conclusively that "It is not in man that walketh to

Isaiah 1:3-9 — as Sodom, we should have been like unto Gomorrah." One of the interesting things in this passage is the number of different words used to describe the sins of Israel. They are called rebellion (Isaiah 1:2), ignorance, lack of consideration (Isaiah 1:3), sin, iniquity, evil-doing, corruption, forsaking God, estrangement from God, backsliding (Isaiah 1:4), revolt, transgression, disobedience, sickness, (Isaiah 1:5) and unsoundness (Isaiah 1:6). The wounds and bruises of Israel mentioned here should

Jeremiah 17:1-4 — worship with its altars, sacred poles, and other paraphernalia of the cult, a clear rejection of the sole sovereignty of God."J. A. Thompson, The Bible and Archeology (Grand Rapid, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1972) p. 418. "Jeremiah 17:2-3 are difficult and can be rendered metrically (that is, as poetry) only by forcing."Barnes' Notes on the Old Testament (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, a 1987 reprint of the 1878 edition), p. 117. This is a good place to observe that much of the "poetry"

Daniel 7:23-25 — 7:24 and Daniel 7:25. Not all of that diversity is spelled out here; but the New Testament sheds further light upon it. The diversity is seen in that (1) the little horn is a religious kingdom, as indicated by its two horns (of a lamb) (Revelation 13:11); (2) it shall prevail mightily, continuing, even to the end; (3) it will think to change times and law, especially as regards sacred things (changes were made in such things as baptism and the Lord's Supper, the two central ordinances in the Christian

Mark 6:3 — meaning not a mere worker in wood. It means "a craftsman", more than merely a joiner. In Homer the [@tekton] is said to build ships and houses and temples.William Barclay, The Gospel of Mark (Philadelphia: The Westminster Press, 1956), p. 138. The English, word "technician" comes from the same root; thus the villagers' slur unintentionally glorified Jesus as the Master Workman. Chrysostom said that our Lord made plows and yokes, and certainly Jesus referred to both in his teachings

Luke 17:17-18 — to help, and he healed them; but nine of them never even said, "Thanks." Barclay developed a sermon on ingratitude from this text stressing: (1) the ingratitude of children to their parents, (2) the ingratitude toward our fellow men, and (3) man's ingratitude toward God.William Barclay, The Gospel of Luke (Philadelphia: Westminster Press, 1956), p. 226. Except this stranger … Significant words indeed are these. This very word, "foreigner" ([@allogenes]) is found on the

John 14:26 — word of God as the only direction and guidance of the Holy Spirit is to give loose rein to dreams, imaginations, reasonings, and philosophies of men. David Lipscomb, A Commentary on the Gospel of John (Nashville: Gospel Advocate Company, 1960), p. 232. Concerning the theory that the Spirit speaks "of himself" and apart from the word of God, see under John 16:13. All things that I have said unto you … What Jesus taught is the one true foundation of Christianity. Other passages bearing

Acts 10:5-6 — Peter: he lodgeth with one Simon a tanner, whose house is by the sea side. The angel's directions as given to Cornelius to enable him to contact Peter were full, explicit, sufficient and correct. The mention of Simon's occupation was noted under Acts 9:43; and, if Simon was the head of a large tanning industry, which is a definite possibility, the mention of his being a tanner would greatly have facilitated finding him. The big question that appears here, however, is, "Why did not the angel himself

Acts 11:29-30 — pseudocon "discovered" in these verses is this: Galatians 2:1 speaks of Paul's second visit to Jerusalem as taking place fourteen years after his first, whereas this visit could not be above four or five years after. A. C. Hervey, op. cit., p. 360. The visit in Galatians 2:1, however, was by "revelation," as was also his first visit; and, when it is understood that Paul was there speaking of a certain class of visits, all difficulties disappear. Moreover, this visit was very brief,

Acts 18:2-3 — Christians when Paul met them. Milligan thought they were not, basing his view on Luke's introduction of them, not as Christians, but as being of the same trade. Robert Milligan, Analysis of the New Testament (Cincinnati, Ohio: Bosworth, Chase and Hall), p. 378. Bruce said, "The odds appear to be in favor of the view that they were already Christians when they left Rome." F. F. Bruce, The Book of Acts (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans, Publishers, 1954), p. 368. But it was not Christians

Acts 2:23-24 — Vine pointed out the word here is the same as that describing the man of sin (2 Thessalonians 2:4), where "The thought is not simply that of doing what is unlawful, but of flagrant defiance of the known will of God." W. E. Vine, op. cit., p. 317. The "lawless men," therefore, were not merely the Romans, but the religious leaders of Israel who violated every conceivable kind of law in their ruthless determination to accomplish the death of Jesus. How great was the courage of Peter

Acts 20:6 — place Alexandria Troas. The importance of the place in New Testament history derives from its being: (1) the place where Paul met Luke (Acts 16:8-11), (2) the gateway from Asia to Europe where a "door opened" for Paul (2 Corinthians 2:12), (3) the scene of the remarkably important Lord's day services (Acts 20:7-12), and if Blaiklock's deduction is correct, (4) the scene of Paul's final arrest (2 Timothy 4:13). "Why did Paul leave his garment at Troas? Summary and inhuman arrest, apparently,

Romans 10:3 — ignorant of God's righteousness, and seeking to establish their own, they did not subject themselves to the righteousness of God. God's righteousness … as used here is not analogous to the usage of the same term elsewhere (Romans 1:17; Romans 3:24-25, etc.), but means "God's commandments," as is the meaning in Psalms 119:172 KJV, "For all thy commandments are righteousness." The inference in this verse that Israel should have subjected themselves to God's righteousness

Romans 5:13 — For until the law sin was in the world; but sin is not imputed when there is no law. The subject Paul introduced in Romans 5:12 is left hanging until Romans 5:18; and the ensuing verses (Romans 5:13-17) are parenthetical. At first glance, this verse appears to be stating a paradox. In the pre-Mosaic period, sin was not imputed; how then can it be said that "sin was in the world"? Godet explained it thus: Even during the time that elapsed

Romans 6:6 — believing Christians, of course, thus: Put to death therefore your members which are upon the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. … Put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, etc. (Colossians 3:5-8). Thus the personal aspect of death to sin presents a constant challenge; but thank God it is indeed possible of achievement through the Christian's righteous legal status in the Lord.

1 Corinthians 2:6 — wisdom, however, among them that are full-grown: yet a wisdom not of this world, nor among the rulers of this world, who are coming to naught. Among them that are full-grown … All Christians begin as "babes in Christ" (1 Corinthians 3:1); but through prayerful study and growth they may attain unto the "stature of the fullness of Christ" (Ephesians 4:13). To all who are thus full-grown is revealed a measure of the knowledge of God's wisdom. The rational and intellectual

2 Corinthians 6:4 — endurance. He calls it the root of all goods, the mother of piety, the fruit that never withers, a fortress that is never taken, a harbor that knows no storms. William Barclay, The Letters to the Corinthians (Philadelphia: The Westminster Press, 1954), p. 237. This great word flies like a banner over the whole succeeding list. All of the following difficult circumstances, called by Chrysostom "a blizzard of troubles," Ibid. and by Broomall "a multicolored rainbow glowing with the graces of

Joshua 22:21-29 — the full extent of Phinehas' charges were made and understood by the accused. There were no interruptions and no display of resentment. (2)    The accused tribes professed total innocence on the charge of rebelling against God. (3)    They patiently explained why they had built this great altar. (4)    Incidentally, we learn here that it was a giant replica of the one actually in the tabernacle. (5)    Notice that even

Revelation 17 overview — the apostasy of God's people that the figure is used "in the great majority of the Scriptures where it is used." A. Plummer, The Pulpit Commentary, Vol. 22, Revelation (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1950), p. 413. There would therefore need to be some compelling reason for setting aside the normal and general meaning of the figure here; and no such reason exists. Pieters also admitted that, "It is correct that the figure of the harlot is a standard symbol

1 Samuel 21:1-6 — Philistine's destruction of Shiloh. It is also possible that the ark of the covenant had been brought to Nob from Kiriath-jearim by Saul in the early part of his reign. Nob was but a village located a mile or two northeast of Jerusalem near Anathoth (Isaiah 10:32). "Ahimelech was the son of Ahitub, either a brother of Ahijah, or Ahijah himself. Ahitub was a brother of Ichabod, making Ahimelech a great grandson of Eli."The New Layman's Bible Commentary, p. 399. "Ahimelech and Ahijah are probably equivalent names