Bible Commentaries

2 Kings 2:23-25 — words were not irresponsible babes, but young men. "They were morally responsible. Both Solomon and Jeremiah were identified by the same terminology (1 Kings 3:7; Jeremiah 1:6-7). This insult echoed the words of the sons of the prophets (2 Kings 2:3-5); baldness was the mark of a leper."Wycliffe Old Testament Commentary, p. 342. What these young ruffians meant was that, in their view Elisha was an outcast. They also meant, "Ascend, that we may be rid of thee and that we may continue unreproved by

2 Kings 4:1-7 — slavery as payment of a debt. Of course, there was a limitation in God's law that terminated all such indentures in the Year of Jubilee, but the Jews seldom honored that Law. The passages that detail this practice may be found in Exodus 21:7; Leviticus 25:39; Amos 2:6 and Amos 8:6. Montgomery seemed to think that this practice disappeared after the exile, citing Nehemiah 5 as the basis of his opinion,International Critical Commentary, Kings, p. 366. but we learn from the Saviour's parable in the N.T.

Psalms 17:1-5 — steps have held fast to thy paths, My feet have not slipped." In our paragraph divisions of this psalm, we have followed that of Rawlinson which he attributed to a Dr. Kay.G. Rawlinson, The Pulpit Commentary, Vol. 8 (Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing House, 1950), p. 106. A glance at the different versions and translations of this psalm reveals some remarkable variations in what is actually the meaning of the text; and some scholars have registered rather bold claims of damaged or corrupt passages. "Psalms

Psalms 48:1-3 — or upon earth could accomplish. Note also that in Psalms 48:3, God is even "in" the palaces of the nobles as "a refuge." Before leaving this verse, we should remember that Jesus himself referred to Jerusalem as, "The city of the Great King" (Matthew 5:35). This, of course, was not spoken of any Davidic king, but of God in heaven. We would be amiss not to point out that God also in-dwells the New Jerusalem, his holy Church. The Day of Pentecost was the occasion when, "with a rushing sound of a mighty

Proverbs 9:1-6 — Commentary, Vol. 17, p. 184. It may be assumed that a house with seven pillars was a magnificent dwelling. "In ancient Nineveh, Sennacherib's new year festival house, discovered in recent years, had seven pillars."The New Bible Commentary, Revised, p. 558. "She hath killed her beasts… mingled her wine… furnished her table" The RSV has mixed instead of mingled. "The parable of the Great Supper (Matthew 22; Luke 14) may perhaps be modeled on this passage."Arthur S. Peake, A Commentary on

Ecclesiastes 5:1-7 — behavior. This declares that acceptable worship in God's sight is not merely an outward observance of religious duties, but also includes a pattern of life honoring God's commandments. "The sacrifice of fools" "Be not rash with thy mouth" (Ecclesiastes 5:2). These verses reflect Solomon's views as stated in Proverbs. "The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to Jehovah (Proverbs 15:8)." "He that refraineth his lips doeth wisely" (Proverbs 10:19). Not only is the worship of wicked men an abomination

Isaiah 14:9-11 — digging into the earth, Amos 9:2; the roots of trees strike down into it, Ezekiel 21:16; Korah and others went down alive into it, Numbers 16:30; Numbers 16:33; "In Sheol, there is no knowledge, nor can any praise God or give thanks there, Psalms 6:5; Ecclesiastes 9:10; and Isaiah 38:10-11."Ibid. However, "It is erroneous to think of Sheol as a place independent of God; `If I make my bed in Sheol,' says the Psalmist, `Behold, thou art there' (Psalms 139:8)."James Orr, International Standard Bible

Isaiah 17:12-14 — upon the nations to be assaulted and devastated by Assyria is due to have a sequel. God will speak to them also, and "rebuke them." The figure of the great flood of waters that emerges here ties in perfectly with the prophecy already given in Isaiah 8:5-8; and no one should miss the point that it is Assyria, no one else, who is the object of this magnificent prophecy. What a shame that Payne did not even mention it; and what an incredible error that Peake dated it after the exile. No orthodox critic

Isaiah 41:8-16 — 41:20) Israel is assured (1) of the faithfulness of God, Isaiah 41:8-9; (2) that they will receive strength from God, Isaiah 41:10, (3) that weakness will afflict their enemies, Isaiah 41:11-12; (4) that God will raise up aid for them, Isaiah 41:13-14; (5) that their enemies shall be scattered, Isaiah 41:15-16; (6) and that they shall receive spiritual refreshment during their worst experiences, Isaiah 41:17-19.Ibid, p. 97 (adapted from) As Kidner observed, "This long chain of promises (future verbs)

Isaiah 59:1-8 — Isaiah 59:1-2 here give the Lord's answer to the complaining Jews; and the next six verses (Isaiah 59:3-8) give Jehovah's indictment of the hardened nation, then nearing the time of their destruction under the judgment of God. "Behold, Jehovah's hand is not

Jeremiah 12:5-6 — grew on both sides of the Jordan river, especially between the Sea of Tiberias and Lake Merom, and which afforded a shelter for wild boars, lions, bears and tigers."E. Henderson, The Book of the Prophet Jeremiah (London: Hamilton, Adams, and Company, 1851), p. 79. These two verses stress the fact that, after all, prosperous wickedness is a very ordinary problem that should not discourage any one. Today, lions are almost never seen west of the Euphrates river, having disappeared from the `pride of Jordan';

Ezekiel 26:1-6 — considered herself the heiress of Jerusalem. The fall of the world's only spiritual center, enhanced the importance of the secular center."George Barlow, The Preacher's Complete Homiletic Commentary (New York: Funk and Wagnalls Company, 1891), p. 305. Although not stated here, the full meaning of Tyre's remarks should probably be understood as carrying the thought that, "Now she is turned to me and to my gods!" They shall destroy the walls of Tyre (Ezekiel 26:4); I will scrape her dust from her,

Nahum 1:2 — unrighteousness" (Romans 1:18). "But after thy hardness and impenitent heart, thou treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God who will render to every man according to his deeds" (Romans 2:5-6). "Because of these things (the works of the flesh) the wrath of God cometh upon the children of disobedience" (Ephesians 5:6). D.    John, whose writings abound with such admonitions as "love one another," and who identified God

Habakkuk 1:5-6 — continued to stress the incredibility, from all human consideration, of the word of God which he here announced. This whole verse strongly emphasizes the apparent impossibility of what Habakkuk was prophesying by the word of God. The words (Habakkuk 1:5) are building up to a conclusion which the people would not believe if told. The work to be performed is so incredible that they would not think it possible, even if they were told. Such an extraordinary event must be seen to be believed.D. David Garland,

Luke 18:15-17 — shall in no wise enter therein. BRINGING CHILDREN TO JESUS This saying was commented upon under Matthew 19:13 and under Mark 10:13; and "Luke differs from Matthew only in the word which he uses for children."Charles L. Childers, op. cit., p. 579. Luke's word is "babes." See my Commentary on Matthew, my Commentary on Mark, (en loco). Summers said that the word here used for "babes" was used of "unborn and very young babies. Paul used it of Timothy who had received

John 1:14 — "dwelt") derived from the noun for "tent," is often used without any reference to its etymology; but so allusive a writer as John may well have been thinking of the tabernacle in the wilderness where the Lord dwelt with Israel (Exodus 25:8-9; Exodus 40:34), and more particularly of that pillar of cloud above the tent of meetings, typifying the visible dwelling of the Lord among his people.W. F. Howard, The Interpreter's Bible (New York: Abingdon, 1952), Vol. 8, p. 473. On account of

Acts 2:38 — and God. Repentance and faith on the part of man; forgiveness of sins, or justification, and the gift of the Holy Spirit, or sanctification, on the part of God! A. C. Hervey, Pulpit Commentary (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans, Publishers, 1950), Vol. 18, p. 54. Thus, baptism is left out of the things regarding man's part in the accomplishment of his salvation; and, while it is true that Hervey went on to affirm that all of this is "expressed in the sacrament of baptism," it cannot

2 Thessalonians 1:6-7 — conditional. It is a Hebrew idiomatic way of arguing from a certainty. Rest … is not a verb but a noun, being the thing that God will recompense to the just, just as affliction will be meted out to the persecutors. The thought of 2 Thessalonians 1:5-7 was summed up thus by Adam Clarke: The sufferings of the just and the triumphs of the wicked in this life are a sure proof that there will be a future judgment in which the wicked shall be punished and the righteous rewarded Adam Clarke, Commentary

Hebrews 12:28-29 — present-day thinking of him; but if we are to be completely "honest to God," we dare not ignore it. Reverence and awe before his holiness are not incompatible with grateful love and trust in response to his mercy. F. F. Bruce, op. cit., p. 385. Of the utmost importance is the proper identification of the "kingdom that cannot be shaken," as mentioned here. It is the same as that church, against which the gates of hell shall not prevail (Matthew 16:18). Certainly this identification

2 Samuel 19:16-23 — and his men worked manfully ferrying the king's family across.'"The New Bible Commentary, Revised, p. 311. "I have come this day, the first of all the house of Joseph, to come down to meet my lord the king" The house of Joseph is here used as in Amos 5:6 for the Ten Northern Tribes. The hatred and jealousy between Judah and the northern Israel existed long before the formal division of the Chosen People in the times following the death of Solomon into the separate kingdoms of Judah and Israel. In