Bible Commentaries

Genesis 49:8-10 — the greatest Messianic prophecies in the entire Bible. We shall begin with a comment from Peake: "This verse (Genesis 49:10) is extremely difficult!"Arthur S. Peake, Peake's Commentary on the Old Testament (London: T.C. and E.C. Jack, Ltd. 1924), p. 166. This is wrong, for, from Peake's point of view the verse is absolutely impossible. The critics are powerless to get the Messiah out of this passage. Of course, they would pervert the translation if that would do any good, but that A PERSON is implied

Exodus 18:11-12 — 102. Johnson also believed that the narrative here evidences "a conversion experience" on the part of Jethro, thus "invalidating the theory that it was from Jethro and the Midianites that the Israelites learned of Jehovah.Philip C. Johnson, op. cit, p. 67. Of course, the view in (1) above also invalidates it. (3)    Another very radical view is held by some. Advocates of the `Kenite hypothesis,' "(namely, that the Israelites learned to worship God as Yahweh, `Jehovah,' from the Midianites

1 Kings 12:25-33 — stood,"Wycliffe Old Testament Commentary, p. 324. as Gates noted; but he added that, "Even that use of images was a throwback to the idolatry of the Canaanites; and it was not only specifically condemned by Moses, but also by the prophets Hosea (Hosea 8:5-6; Hosea 13:2-3) and Amos."Ibid. That Jeroboam himself recognized those bull images as mere idols instead of anything pertaining to Almighty God is proved by his use of the plural, "O Israel, these are the gods that brought you up out of Egypt." Some

2 Kings 17 overview — Samaria," and that, "A vast number of others were carried off from the smaller towns and country districts."Ibid. The fact that the entire land was so devastated that it was overrun and made unsafe by the prolific multiplication of wild animals (2 Kings 17:26) certainly indicates the near total depopulation of Palestine. One scholar mentioned what he called, "A Jewish tradition that only Judah was left." That, however, was not a tradition at all, but an emphatic declaration of God's Word that, "There was

Proverbs 7:6-23 — p. 28. He was hanging around a place of danger at a time when the pure in heart would have been seeking the security of their home. "And he went the way to her house" "Like meets like; the seduction is complete,"Wycliffe Old Testament Commentary, p. 563. "In the twilight, in the evening… in the middle of the night… in darkness" The mention of these different times suggests that the young man continued to walk up and down in front of the woman's house. "Also, there is a symbolical meaning

Isaiah 41:1-7 — call for silence opens the imaginary proceedings of a court, where God will face the heathen world with a test question (The call to renew their strength may be a warning that the encounter will be formidable)."The New Bible Commentary, Revised, p. 612. This type of an imaginary court session was a device frequently used by a number of God's prophets, in Hosea, especially. Isaiah 41:2, is interpreted by practically all of the present-day commentators as a reference to God's raising up Cyrus the

Jeremiah 20:14-18 — loss to understand how they should be interpreted. PROPOSED SOLUTIONS: (1)    The boldest and most radical solution was proposed a long while ago by Ewald. "He simply moved this bottom paragraph and placed it between Jeremiah 20:6 and Jeremiah 20:7."E. Henderson, The Book of the Prophet Jeremiah (London: Hamilton, Adams, and Company, 1851), p. 119. That, of course, would solve the problem completely. Opposed to this is the fact that the arrangement of the verses as in this chapter

Numbers 19:1-10 — heifer" We disagree with the renditions given by some that make this "red cow." The animal is certainly not called a "red cow" in the N.T., and despite the fact that the word "cow" can occasionally mean an older animal, even one with a calf (1 Samuel 6:7), Keil stated that the word for "heifer" here "does not generally mean cow, but a young cow, a heifer."C. F. Keil, Commentary on the Old Testament, Vol. 1 (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company), p. 121. The N.T. confirms Keil's opinion

Numbers 8:5-13 — b) (3)    by washing their garments (Numbers 8:7 c) (4)    by atonement being made for them (Numbers 8:8-12) (5)    by identifying them with all Israel who were represented by them (Numbers 8:9-10) (6)    by their being waved before Jehovah (Numbers 8:11-13) (7)    by the subordination of the Levites to the priests (Numbers 8:13) and (8)    by commemorating the event of their being given

Haggai 2:9 — what would be fulfilled with regard to the physical temple they were rebuilding, discerning students of the holy Scriptures cannot fail to understand that much more was included in the heavenly meaning of this magnificent Messianic passage (Haggai 2:6-9). As Wiseman noted, "There was a first fulfillment soon after Haggai wrote, but not completely until Christ's reign."D. J. Wiseman, The New Bible Commentary, Revised (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1970), p. 784. Before leaving

Deuteronomy 15:12-18 — account (Exodus 21:5) indicates that the ceremony shall take place `before God,' i. e., in the tabernacle, but here, the place of the ceremony is not mentioned!" So, this is a CONTRADICTION? How ridiculous! Yet Dummelow insisted that, "In Exodus 21:6 the ceremony is performed in public before the magistrates; here it seems to be private."J. R. Dummelow, op. cit., p. 129. A careful reading of the two accounts reveals that neither the public nor the magistrates are mentioned in Exodus, and there is

Deuteronomy 30:6-10 — which are written in this book of the law; if thou turn unto Jehovah thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul." "Circumcise thy heart" This is a far different thing from that which the Law commanded in the old dispensation. "In Deuteronomy 10:16, it is the Israelite himself who must do the circumcising as an act of obedience,"Peter E. Cousins, The New Layman's Bible Commentary, Deuteronomy (Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, 1979), p. 306. but in the new covenant, which is certainly

Mark 12:29-30 — first is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our Lord, the Lord is one: and thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength. The Lord is one … This is a quotation from Deuteronomy 6:4; and the oneness of God, as set forth in the Old Testament, is a compound unity, like the oneness of the people, or the oneness in a marriage. The Hebrew word that denotes this is [~'echad], and must be distinguished from [~'achid], meaning an absolute

Romans 1:8 — said: And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If ye shall ask anything in my name, that will I do (John 14:13-14). If ye shall ask anything of the Father, he will give it you in my name (John 16:23). Other New Testament instructions to the same effect are as follows: Give thanks always for all things in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ to God, even the Father (Ephesians 5:20). And whatsover ye do, in word or deed, do all in the name of the

Romans 11:17-18 — "whosoever will may come." Regarding the alleged translation which some pretend, making this read, "instead of them," Lard said that The original is incapable without great violence, of bearing such a rendition. Moses E. Lard, op. cit., p. 362. The great error foisted off upon this verse is that the church built by Christ was but a continuation of the old Jewish "church" which, of course, had infants in it; and, by such a device, it is quite easy to premise an infant membership

Romans 4:12 — enter into the kingdom of God (John 3:5). Entering the kingdom is equivalent to entering Christ, in whom is "every spiritual blessing" (Ephesians 1:3); and the scriptures repeatedly affirm that one is baptized "into Christ" (Rom, 6:3; Galatians 3:27). But, what of him who fancies that he is walking in the steps of Abraham's faith while neglecting or refusing baptism, thus refusing to enter the kingdom? Abraham ENTERED! Have we? 3.    Become something. Implicit

Romans 5:2 — spiritual body. This appears from a comparison of Paul's statement here that peace is through Christ with the statement of Christ himself that peace is "in" him. He said: These things have I spoken unto you, that in me ye may have peace (John 16:23). Access … means entry into; and, as to just how the access of believers into the state of grace is accomplished, no less a scholar than Alford said: This access would normally take place in baptism. (Commenting on Alford's remark, Lard continued)

Hebrews 8:1-2 — already considered; it emphasizes as the crowning topic in connection with our Lord's priesthood, the fact that he has been made higher than the heavens. C. Jerden, The Pulpit Commentary (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1962), Vol. 21, Hebrews, p. 212. Two words in these verses challenge our attention because of the paradox, Hebrews 8:1 presenting our Lord as "seated," whereas Hebrews 8:2 hails him as a "minister of the sanctuary," that is, "a

Judges 11:34-40 — tabernacle as a life-long servant, during which she would not be permitted to marry. That is what she bewailed, not her death. Those who want to affirm that she was offered as a burnt-offering will have to find it somewhere else; it is not in the text. (6)    "He did with her according to his vow" (Judges 11:39). And what was that? The same verses tell us what it was: "And she knew not a man." Does that mean that she became a burnt-offering? Certainly not. She was dedicated as a perpetual

Revelation 3:7 — occurrence of this word in the New Testament, the other passages where it is found being: Romans 12:10; 1 Thessalonians 4:9; Hebrews 13:1; 1 Peter 1:22; and 2 Peter 1:7 (twice). William R. Newell, The Book of Revelation (Chicago: Moody Press, 1935), p. 67. Philadelphia is supposed to have been founded between 189 B.C. and 138 B.C., either by Eumenes, king of Pergamum, or his younger brother Attalus; but, "one thing is certain: its name commemorates the loyalty of Attalus to his brother." Robert