Bible Commentaries

Psalms 39 overview — brevity of life is also a feature. It is labeled 'A Psalm of David,' 'for the Chief Musician, for Jeduthun.' "Jeduthun, in this and in Psalms 62 and Psalms 72, was one of David's three Music leaders, the other two being Asaph and Heman (1 Chronicles 16:37-42). He was also the King's Seer (2 Chronicles 35:15)."Henry H. Halley's Bible Handbook (Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House), p. 240. William Jones has an outline of this psalm, as follows: (1) Silence in Trouble (Psalms 39:1-3); (2) Speech in

Psalms 58:3-5 — untiring patience cannot change the minds of such wicked men. Nothing remains, therefore, for David, except to pray for their removal."F. Delitzsch, Vol. V-B, p. 182. Leupold pointed out that there is a close connection between Psalms 58:2 and Psalms 58:3. In Psalms 58:2, he addressed them as men open to reason; but in Psalms 58:3, having recognized their stubborn perversity in evil, he refrains from further reasoning with them, and begins to speak "Of them, rather than to them."H. C. Leupold, p. 436. "They

Proverbs 18:7 — "A fool's mouth is his destruction, And his lips are the snare of his soul" Again and again Proverbs returns to the dangers of irresponsible speech. For a full discussion of this, see James 3.

Leviticus 18 overview — this chapter: (1)    a warning for Israel not to fall into the customs of the Egyptians and the Canaanites (Leviticus 18:1-5); (2)    marriages between persons of close kinship forbidden (Leviticus 18:6-18); (3)    the prohibition of sexual deviations like those of the Canaanites (Leviticus 18:19-23); (4)    and God's warning of the consequences of failure to observe these rules (Leviticus 18:24-30). Significantly, this

Leviticus 24:1-4 — remove the pulp. Then, when the oil rose to the surface of the juice, they skimmed it off."Robert O. Coleman, Wycliffe Bible Commentary, Leviticus (Chicago: Moody Press, 1972), p. 104. "A lamp to burn continually" Based upon such passages as 1 Samuel 3:3, Allis and other dependable scholars limited this to mean "burn continually every night."Oswald T. Allis, New Bible Commentary, Revised (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans, 1970), p. 163. Orlinsky supported this view rendering "regularly" instead of "continually,"

Isaiah 49 overview — rejection by the Jewish nation, and the fact of his enlightening the Gentiles. In Isaiah 49:1, he calls the nations of the whole world to hear his voice. He announces his call to be the Messiah, and gives his qualifications for his mission (Isaiah 49:1-3). He identifies himself as "Israel" (Isaiah 49:3). For the meaning of this word see note below on "Israel." He was named even while he was in the womb of his mother (Isaiah 49:1). He was the chosen instrument through whom God chose to be glorified (Isaiah

Matthew 11:14 — literal return of the natural Elijah and had even tried to shake the faith of the apostles in Jesus' Messiahship because, in their view, Elijah had not yet come. Elijah did actually return and met with Christ on the mount of Transfiguration (Matthew 17:3); but in this passage, Christ revealed that the true intention of the prophecy was not a literal return of Elijah, but his spiritual return in the person of John the Baptist. The Pharisees should have been able to see this for themselves, for these

Deuteronomy 22:12 — "Thou shalt make thee fringes upon the four borders of thy vesture, wherewith thou coverest thyself." (See Vol. 3 in our series on the Pentateuch for comment on this passage under Numbers 15:37-41.)

John 3:23 — the whole body beneath the water."J. W. Shepherd, Handbook on Baptism (Nashville: The Gospel Advocate Company, 1950) p. 91. As Lightfoot said: There are some passages that seem to carry a color of conformity of the one to the other: at Matthew 3:6, "They were baptized of John in Jordan"; Matthew 3:16, "Jesus came straight out of the water"; Acts 8:38, "the eunuch went down into the water"; and the words in hand, "John baptized in Aenon because there was much

Acts 4:9-10 — Revised Version (1885) rendition here, it may be assumed that the man had been baptized into Christ since the miracle was wrought; because the New Testament reveals no other device by which any man was accounted to be "in Christ." See Romans 6:3, 1 Corinthians 12:13, and Galatians 3:27. If this is allowed, and we believe it should be, then Peter's words emphasized the fact of the spreading kingdom and the multiplication of disciples mentioned by Luke a bit earlier (Luke 4:4), This, of course,

Galatians 2:21 — himself"'), being baptized into Christ and remaining "in him" until the final summons. It is the perfect faith and righteousness of Jesus Christ which constitute "the righteousness of God through the FAITH OF CHRIST" (Romans 3:22-26). Please see my Commentary on Romans, chapter 3, for extensive discussion of this.

Ephesians 5:17-18 — Testament does not forbid the use of wine (see below), the person who becomes intoxicated (even once) has violated the admonition here. The overseer (elder) therefore must be above reproach … not one (who lingers) beside (his) wine (1 Timothy 3:2; Titus 1:7). Deacons similarly (must be) dignified, not … addicted to much wine (1 Timothy 3:8); and urge aged women similarly (to be) reverent in demeanor … not enslaved to much wine (Titus 2:3). Wherein is riot … Alcohol is

Hebrews 3 overview — DIVISION II Hebrews 3:1—4:13 CHRIST IS BETTER THAN MOSES; CHRIST GREATER THAN MOSES; BOTH CHRIST AND MOSES ARE FAITHFUL; CHRIST TO RECEIVE GREATER GLORY; EXHORTATION AGAINST APOSTASY; WARNING FROM THE FATE OF ISRAEL

Hebrews 3:14 — world? Compared with this, what is it to participate with the rich and the gay in their pleasures; what would it be to share in the honors of kings and conquerors? Albert Barnes, Notes on the New Testament (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Book House, 1963), Vol. Hebrews, p. 88. The union of Christ and his members provides the entire foundation of their hope. Those who believe and obey Christ partake of his righteousness, by imputation; receive the judicial discharge from their sins, by means of his sacrifice;

Hebrews 3:17 — forty years? was it not with them that sinned, whose bodies fell in the wilderness? The writer continues to focus upon the overwhelming disaster that befell Israel in the wanderings, again mentioning the forty-year duration of the offense, as in Hebrews 3:9, and stressing the summary judgment of death upon an entire generation. The holy antagonism of God toward all sin is seen in the fact that so extensive and final a penalty was invoked; but also the heavenly mercy and forbearance of God are observed,

1 Peter 5:8 — Peter of Satan's "sifting him"; and from this it is clear that Peter got the message. As a roaring lion … Satan is represented in Scripture under various figures: (1) the roaring lion; (2) the angel of light (2 Corinthians 11:14); and (3) the serpent (2 Corinthians 11:3; Revelation 20:2). These representations also answer to the three avenues of temptation: (1) the lust of the flesh; (2) the lust of the eye; and (3) the pride of life, the same being also the three avenues through which

2 Peter 3:9 — and again there shines in Scripture the glint of the larger hope … that somehow and some time, God … will bring the whole world to himself." William Barclay, The Letters of James and Peter (Philadelphia: Westminster Press, 1976), p. 343. Green expressed amazement that Barclay could have held such a view, asking, "How can he in view of 2 Peter 3:7?" Michael Green, op. cit., p. 136. Of course, God wants all people to be saved; and Jesus gave himself as a propitiation for

1 John 1:7 — John's teaching here "implies that only the sinless can have fellowship with a sinless God," adding that this involves a contradiction between our own "admitted sinfulness and the affirmation that we do have fellowship with God (1 John 1:3)."J. W. Roberts, op. cit., p. 31. Roberts resolved the "contradiction" in the considerations of: (1) Christ's propitiation for our sins; (2) the cleansing action in view in this verse; and (3) the intercession on our behalf of Jesus

1 John 2:15 — Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. Love not the world … God so "loved the world" that he gave his only begotten Son (John 3:16), but "world" here has a different meaning. "It is an inclusive term for all those who are in the kingdom of darkness and have not been born of God."John R. W. Stott, op. cit., p. 101. It also regards the material and temporary

1 John 4 overview — stressed (1 John 4:7-21). One of the features of this whole epistle is the presentation of a number of tests regarding the genuineness of Christian life. These have been organized by some and classified as the tests of: (1) obedience; (2) love; and (3) faith.<1> However, they are not separate tests, but each partakes of the nature of the others. Note the following: The Test What is Proved Everyone that doeth Is begotten of him righteousness (1 John 2:29). By the Spirit which he gave us We