Bible Commentaries

Ezekiel 10:1-4 — Homiletic Commentary (Funk and Wagnalls), p. 111. "And he spake" The speaker here is the person enthroned, namely, God. The fire spoken of in this passage is far different from the fire of the altar. "That fire spoke of God's grace (Leviticus 6:12-13); here it speaks of the destruction of the wicked."Charles Lee Feinberg in Ezekiel (Moody Press), p. 59. Pearson noted that in Ezekiel 10:2 a singular noun is used to describe the whole complex of whirling wheels, etc., supporting the sapphire throne.Anton

Ezekiel 11:18-21 — New Testament, would come under the New Dispensation, in the days of the Messianic kingdom. "Right here in this paragraph is the germ of that ultimate development, which Ezekiel would more fully explain in chapters 40-48."Albert Barnes' Commentary, p. 329. "I will put a new spirit within you… I will take the stony heart out… and will give them a heart of flesh" "In Jesus' interview with Nicodemus (John 3), he stated that Nicodemus should have known the truth of the new birth. But where

Ezekiel 14:10-11 — had developed among the Israelites that God's righteousness would not allow him to destroy Jerusalem completely because of the few righteous people whom they supposed to be living there. Apparently, they had picked up this false idea from Genesis 18:32, where it is recorded that God would have spared Sodom if there could have been found as many as ten righteous people in it. Of course, Israel was wrong about this on several counts: (1) There were not any righteous people in Jerusalem. (2) Even if

Daniel 11:36 — all such wicked men, there is an important word here designed especially for them. It is the word "accomplished." God's righteous indignation against Adam's race will yet have a climax. What is it? Satan shall be loosed a little while (Revelation 20:3). Brother, that will accomplish the indignation! If we should inquire as to the purpose of this, it would appear to be that God, at last, his patience exhausted and his forbearance and longsuffering toward Adam's posterity having at last reached its

Daniel 9:3-6 — turning aside from thy precepts and from thine ordinances; neither have we hearkened unto thy servants the prophets, that speak in thy name to our kings, our princes, and our fathers, and to all the people of the land." DANIEL'S MARVELOUS PRAYER (Daniel 9:3-19) Daniel here confessed the sins of Israel as progressing from mere wickedness and transgression to outright rebellion against God; also, it should be noticed that he included himself as partaker of the sins of the people and with them equally guilty

Micah 3:3 — forget. There are some intimations that the actual practice of cannibalism was found among the ancient Canaanites, as in the book of Wisdom;W. J. Deane, The Pulpit Commentary, Vol. 14, Micah (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1950), p. 36. and Micah's denunciation could therefore have the effect of charging Israel with complete reversion to that status of unqualified paganism for which God had dispossessed the Canaanites in order to make room for Israel. Hailey summarized this whole

Micah 4:4 — Christ Jesus. The more Christian a society becomes, the more nearly this perfect ideal is approached. It is impossible, of course, to apply this to literal Jerusalem, an impossibility that provoked Mays to declare that this "is a contradiction of Micah 3:12, and that it has no place in Micah."James Luther Mays, op. cit., p. 95. Such a statement would have been impossible for any person who understands the passage. The tragedy of many in the critical community of scholars is that they are fundamentalists,

Habakkuk 3:8 — provided. Without any doubt, this mention of the horses and chariots was suggested by the mention of "the sea" in this very verse. It should not be thought, however, that God needs any literal horses or chariots. "Jehovah's chariots are his angels (Ps. 3:8,19)."Robert Jamieson, op. cit., p. 832. This verse with strong emphasis upon such natural phenomena as the sea and the rivers suggests something that was pointed out by Nute: "Are not the elements God's servants?, instruments in His hand for the execution

Haggai 1:12 — is for the purpose of showing that, "The voice of the Lord and the words of Haggai the prophet are identical. This is true prophecy."D. J. Wiseman, The New Bible Commentary, Revised (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1970), p. 783. The people recognized this and acknowledged the authority of God's Word as binding upon themselves and responded in fear of God and obedience of his word. What a blessing would be poured out upon our beloved country this day if any great proportion

Malachi 4:3 — joy would be to trample the wicked like ashes under the soles of their feet. This ugly vindictive trait reminds us how fierce the temper of the later time could be."J. E. McFadyen, Abingdon Bible Commentary (New York City: Abingdon Press, 1929), p. 836. If this text is read, it must be clear that nothing in it speaks about the joy the saved shall receive from trampling the wicked or seeing them punished. There is nothing vindictive, ugly, or mean in God's Word here, or anywhere else. What is revealed

Matthew 13:45-46 — sharing the mysteries of God's kingdom; but so is decision! The merchantman is held up for our approval and emulation because: (1) he did not waste his time admiring the pearl, or wishing he had it; (2) he did not propose to obtain it at a reduced price; (3) he did not delay or postpone his decision; (4) he did not reject it as too expensive — none of these things, he simply sold all he had and bought it! Some search all their lives for the truth and at last find it. Others, as in the hidden treasure,

Matthew 28:2 — this clay, thus sealing it officially. It would be a great crime to break this seal fixed by government authority, and would bring severe punishment.G. Fredrick Owen, Archeology and the Bible (Westwood, New Jersey: Fleming H. Revell Company, 1961), p. 73. Nor should it be supposed that the angel rolled away the stone to let the Lord out, but rather to let the witnesses in! The proof of the statement that an angel rolled the stone away is in itself. If an angel did not do it, who did? After the custom

Matthew 5:15 — (Matthew 5:14), that is, permitting business and commerce to obscure one's influence for the truth. (2) He warned against hiding it under a vessel (Luke 8:16), that is, permitting cares, duties, and obligations of life to take precedence over faith. (3) He prohibited hiding it under the bed of licentiousness, laziness, or idleness (Luke 8:16). What then should be done with the light or influence of the Christian's life? It should be placed upon "THE STAND." And, pray tell, what can this

Mark 1:4-5 — remission of sins … John's baptism was a heavenly device for gathering together out of the nation of Israel a prepared people to receive and adore the Messiah. This baptism was of God, and those who rejected it rejected God's message (Luke 7:30). In God's plan of redemption, a new birth was the essential prerequisite, a birth of water and of the Spirit (John 3:5). The birth of water (John's baptism) was available to men in the preaching of the herald; and, for those who accepted it, the birth

Mark 10:2 — lawful for a man to put away his wife? trying him. REGARDING MARRIAGE AND DIVORCE Mark's account here is briefer than Matthew who gave the true form of the question as "Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause?" (Matthew 19:3). We have no patience with scholars who insist that Mark's account of the question is true and that Matthew has "glossed" him, or that Matthew "represents a later modification of the teachings of Jesus."Ibid., p. 318. Such allegations

Mark 12:43 — consideration. (2)    Christ did not condemn the widow for giving. His commendation of her gift dramatically underlines the Scriptural teaching that the poor should give, and that the exercise of this grace is not to be omitted by any person on the grounds of poverty. (3)    How is it that her gift was so great? The example she set in the faithful discharge of a religious duty incumbent upon all has inspired giving in all ages. Illustration: The City of New York was participating in a campaign among

Mark 14:34 — with the joyful attitude of some of the martyrs, nor in the gay serenity of Socrates, but with overwhelming sorrow, convulsive grief, and with the sweat of blood. Why? (1) Satan was particularly active in the assault upon the Prince of Life (John 12:31), every demonic device in the arsenal of the evil one being employed against the Saviour. (2) Perhaps even more important, there was the burden of human transgression that he bore. God made him to be sin upon our behalf (2 Corinthians 5:21). He bore

Luke 3:4-6 — his paths straight. Every valley shall be filled, And every mountain and hill shall be brought low; And the crooked shall become straight, And the rough ways smooth: And all flesh shall see the salvation of God. This great prophecy is from Isaiah 40:3 ff, the same being God's promise of a mighty prophet who would precede the coming of the Messiah, the imagery being that of a herald going before an ancient king to make his journey easier. Josephus relates how Vespasian marched into Galilee, with his

Luke 4:9-11 — Father. The Scripture cited by Satan is Psalms 91:11-12; and it was Satan's quotation of it here that led Shakespeare to make Antonio say, "The devil can cite Scripture for his purpose."William Shakespeare, The Merchant of Venice, Acts 1, Scene 3. This is a caution that all should heed; for it is still true that many an evil purpose has been supported by the same method. Regarding the probable scene of this temptation, Josephus described the south elevation of the temple in Jerusalem: It was

Luke 5:27-28 — in Galilee at that time. Mark and Luke speak of him as Levi, but Matthew himself used the name that has been loved throughout the Christian era.Herbert Lockyer, All the Men of the Bible (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1958), p. 231. The speculation that Jesus gave Levi the name "Matthew," meaning "gift of God," is not unreasonable; for Jesus also gave Simon the name "Peter." Publican … is a word applied to tax collectors; and, in Palestine