Bible Commentaries

Genesis 31 overview — Genesis 31:21 relates the irrevocable beginning of it by his passing beyond "the River," the purpose of it being to tell HOW he left, as plainly stated in the text: "So he fled with all that he had." (3)    Genesis 31:23; Genesis 31:25 report twice that Laban overtook Jacob. Again, this is not a true allegation. Genesis 31:23 stated that Laban undertook to catch up with Jacob and his mission was successful. The mention that he "overtook him" is plainly proleptic, for the very next

Genesis 32:24-32 — whom the CHRIST would come was facing the most serious threat of his whole life. "If Esau had been victorious here, all of God's plans and promises would have been defeated, and the world would never have had a Savior."Henry M. Morris, op. cit., p. 500. It was this crisis nature of the situation that required and justified God's personal intervention to establish and confirm Jacob's faith. The big question here concerns the understanding of what really happened. Peake alleged that Jacob wrestled

Exodus 16:4-8 — murmuring which ye murmur against him: and what are we? your murmurings are not against us, but against Jehovah." "Bread from heaven for you" Our Lord Jesus Christ utilized this passage in his magnificent announcement that, "I am the bread of life" (John 6:35), and in his words that, "I am the bread that came down from heaven" (John 6:41). How is Jesus the Bread of Life? He came from heaven, like the manna. He gives life (spiritually) as the manna did physically. He is the only hope of eternal life; manna

Exodus 21:1-6 — slaves would be treated as brethren."Philip C. Johnson, Wycliffe Bible Commentary (Chicago: Moody Press, 1962), p. 70. God's concern here was primarily the conduct of his own people, and the problem of foreign slaves was dealt with later (Leviticus 25:44-46). "I love my master" This provision stressed the likelihood that due to the benign conditions of the Hebrew slave (contrasting with that which was current in that age), there would indeed be instances in which individuals would prefer slavery

Ezra 9:5-15 — up from my humiliation" "This is probably to be identified with the ninth hour (3:00 P.M.) (Acts 3:1)."Wycliffe Bible Commentary, Vol. 16, p. 133. "Our guiltiness is grown up unto the heavens" This was also the conviction of Nehemiah (Nehemiah 9:29-35), and likewise that of Daniel (Daniel 9:5-8). "The captivity had effectively done its work in convincing a previously proud and self-righteous nation of their gross wickedness and unfaithfulness to God."F. C. Cook, Barnes' Commentary Series, Ezra, p.

Psalms 11:1-7 — existed during Absalom's rebellion against David; and, as Yates said, "The circumstances are strikingly similar to those of several episodes in David's life."Kyle M. Yates, Wycliffe Bible Commentary of the Old Testament (Chicago: Moody Press, 1962), p. 500. And, as McCaw stated it, "The psalm belongs to all of those occasions when evil powers threaten the security and well-being of God's people."Leslie S. McCaw, The New Bible Commentary, Revised (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1970),

Psalms 16:5-8 — kingship over all Palestine. "Jehovah… hath given me counsel." The import of this goes far beyond the inspiration evident in David's writings. Only of Jesus Christ is it possible to be said that "His words are indeed the words of God." John 12:48-50 emphasizes this truth dramatically: "He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my sayings, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I spake, the same shall judge him in the last day. For I spake not from myself; but the Father that sent me, he hath given

Psalms 23:1-4 — thought is that of "all" that God does for his people. "The seven-fold activity of God is here: (1) he satisfies our hunger; (2) he leads us by the still waters; (3) he restores us when we have fallen away; (4) he guides us in the way of righteousness; (5) he abides `with us' even through death; (6) he gives us `a table' in his kingdom; and (7) he cares for us eternally."Adapted from The New Bible Commentary, Revised, p. 465. "He restoreth my soul" (Psalms 23:3). This is the thought of the shepherd metaphor

Psalms 97:8-12 — measure of `happiness.' Why is it true that only the righteous are happy? There is actually no mystery about this. "God destined us (all who ever lived) in love to be his sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will" (Ephesians 1:5 RSV). This simply means that all men were destined by God to be Christians; to live otherwise is to live contrary to one's destiny; and that cannot ever achieve happiness for any creature God ever made, not even man. The tiger leaving bloody tracks

Leviticus 13:9-28 — leprosy. What of those who were declared unclean? Their lot was tragic indeed. They were compelled to dress as mourners (Leviticus 10:6; Leviticus 21:10; Ezekiel 24:17; Micah 3:7), and to dwell apart from all human habitation (2 Kings 7:3; 2 Kings 15:5; Luke 17:12), and to warn any person passing by through chance by crying "Unclean! Unclean!… Like the Pariah in India, they were untouchable."Christopher R. North, op. cit., p. 287. How dramatically this contrasts with the teaching of Jesus

Ecclesiastes 1:12-18 — noted. "Under the sun," "on earth," "under heaven," and "those who see the sun"" - All of these indicate the sphere of vision that prevails in Ecclesiastes, i.e., MAN'S LIFE ON EARTH."Broadman Bible Commentary (Nashville: Broadman Press, 1972), Vol. 5, p. 108 Furthermore, it is a view of man's life on earth without any knowledge whatever of the Redemption in Christ Jesus. The profound tragedy is that this description fits millions of people this very day. A proper understanding of the seventh chapter

Numbers 13:4-16 — easy to memorize these names if they are arranged so as to allow the alliteration, thus: SHAMMUA, SHAPHAT, and SETHUR, AMMIEL, GADDIEL, GEUEL, IGAL, NAHBI, PALTI, GADDI, CALEB and JOSHUA. "Shammua" means "heard," the name appearing also in 2 Samuel 5:14; Nehemiah 11:17; Nehemiah 12:18. "Shaphat" means "judge." This was also the name of Elisha's father. "Sethur" means "hidden." "Ammiel" means "God is my kinsman." The name also appears in the story of Mephibosheth (2 Samuel 9:4). "Gaddiel" means "God

Numbers 24:3-9 — Numbers 24:3 "is of uncertain meaning, and that if it does mean `closed,' the true meaning is that Balaam's eyes were closed to earthly sights but open to heavenly."J. R. Dummelow, Commentary on the Holy Bible (New York: The Macmillan Company, 1937), p. 115. The word for "open" in Numbers 24:4 is the ordinary one, indicating quite surely that when Balaam received the oracle his eyes were open.Thomas Whitelaw, The Pulpit Commentary, Vol. 2, Numbers (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1950),

Numbers 25:1-5 — (Joshua 2:1; Joshua 3:1). It was not very far from Mount Peor, from which the last effort of Balaam to curse Israel was attempted. It is thought that a special shrine or temple to Baal-peor was located on the top of it. "Gods" are mentioned in Numbers 25:2; but only Baal-Peor is mentioned in Numbers 25:3. The Baalim were in fact plural and consisted of many `gods.' Here the noted Baal-Peor stands for all of them. These pagan gods were worshipped with the most abominable sexual ceremonies in which the

Deuteronomy 27:1-8 — of Deuteronomy!"R. K. Harrison, The New Bible Commentary, Revised, Deuteronomy (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1970), p. 224. "Set up these stones… in mount Ebal… and there shalt thou build an altar" (Deuteronomy 27:4-5). Well, well, isn't it a shame that Moses knew nothing about the critical claims that "the altar" in Deuteronomy ALWAYS means Jerusalem? The critical community will NEVER understand Deuteronomy as long as that error concerning the "central sanctuary"

Deuteronomy 29:16-21 — according to all the curses of the covenant that are written in this book of the law." Regarding the parenthesis in Deuteronomy 29:16-17, "These verses are not a parenthesis (as in the KJV and ASV). Deuteronomy 29:18 connects, not with Deuteronomy 29:15, but with Deuteronomy 29:17, and there should be a full stop at the end of Deuteronomy 29:15."W. L. Alexander, The Pulpit Commentary, Deuteronomy (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1950), p. 448. Alexander, along with others, also stressed

1 Timothy 6:1 — recognized and practiced in every nation under heaven. That slaves formed a considerable portion of all the congregations of Paul's day may be inferred from the extensive teachings on the subject in 1 Corinthians 7:21-24; 1 Corinthians 12:13; Eph. 6:5:8; Colossians 3:11; Colossians 3:22; 1 Peter 2:18 and also in 1 Corinthians 1:27-29. The holy gospel must have been especially welcomed and appreciated by slaves who, despite being at the bottom of the social and economic ladder, were nevertheless qualified

Hebrews 10:11-12 — atonement for man's redemption. Again from Milligan, who said, Not that he has ceased to work for the redemption of mankind, for he must reign, and that too, with infinite power and energy, until the last enemy, death, shall be destroyed (1 Corinthians 15:25-26; Revelation 19:11-21). But his sacrificial work was done." Ibid. THE BLOOD OF CHRIST The fantastic burden of importance which this epistle places upon the blood of Christ as the means, and the only means, of human redemption calls for a more

Revelation 4 overview — apostate city. Then she is shown the victory of Christ, and the eternal defeat of the powers of evil." <footnote J. R. Dummelow, Commentary on the Holy Bible (New York: The Macmillan Company, 1937), p. 1077. However, Revelation 4 and Revelation 5 are introductory, forming a composite vision of the throne of God and of the Lamb (one throne, not two). "Actual predictions of future events do not begin until Revelation 6." Wilbur M. Smith, Wycliffe Bible Commentary, New Testament (Chicago:

2 Samuel 11:2-5 — should have been. Most of the commentators blame David, pointing out that, "In the East, it was improper for one neighbor to look over the battlements of his house into the inner court of the adjacent building."The Pulpit Commentary, op. cit., p. 265. In this light, David appears in this passage as somewhat of a "Peeping Tom." At any rate, he had no business whatever feasting his lustful eyes upon the feminine charms of his neighbor's wife. "We do know that David would have been saved much sorrow