Bible Commentaries

Ezra 6:1-5 — Also, he might well have heard about that decree and thus had personal knowledge that it certainly existed. "And there (it) was found at Achmetha (Echbatana)" "This was in Media, the summer residence of Persian kings."Arthur S. Peake's Commentary, p. 328. "Echbatana is the Persian name for this place, as it came to light in the discovery of the Behistun Inscription."F. C. Cook, Barnes' Commentary Series, Ezra, p. 446. "The Behistun Inscription was discovered in 1835 by Sir Henry Rawlinson, a British

Nehemiah 8:13-18 — law! It is my meditation all the day' (Psalms 119:97)."Pulpit Commentary, op. cit., p. 89 Not only did the people come to hear Ezra read the law on that following day, but also on every day throughout the Feast of Tabernacles (Nehemiah 8:18). Leviticus 23:42 had commanded the children of Israel to dwell in booths during this celebration. However, some scholars seem to be perturbed over the fact that some of the instructions mentioned here "are not found in any existing Scripture,"Ibid. but that is no

Psalms 132:1-10 — the Bible; and, although we cannot claim any authority for the approval of Dahood's rendition of these words, we are definitely inclined to accept them. His translation is, "Remember Yahweh, O David."Mitchell Dahood in The Anchor Bible, Vol. III, p. 241. This writer would appreciate further authentic information about this verse. Certainly, an indication of the legitimacy of prayers for the dead must be considered antithetical to the rest of the Holy Scriptures. "How he sware unto Jehovah" "The oath

Song of Solomon 2:15-17 — and be thou like a roe or a young hart Upon the mountains of Bether." "Take us the foxes, the little foxes that spoil the vineyard" This is called, "The most enigmatic verse in Song of Solomon."Broadman Bible Commentary (Nashville: Broadman Press, 1972), op. cit., p. 137. Bunn suggested that, "It might be a reference to the young men who pursued her."Ibid., p. 138. Balchin also understood the verse as figurative. "The Shulamite requests that anything that would spoil the vineyard of their lives must

Jeremiah 23:1-4 — and multiply. And I will set up shepherds over them, who shall feed them; and they shall fear no more, nor be dismayed, neither shall any be lacking, saith Jehovah." "Shepherds that destroy and scatter the sheep" "Whither I have driven them" (Jeremiah 23:3). Throughout the Bible the same action is often attributed to multiple sources. Here the sheep were scattered by the false shepherds, but God also states that he had scattered them. "The same act may be referred to man or to God, according to the

Amos 8:9 — impossible to restrict the meaning of this passage to something that was to come to pass in the near future. As Mays pointed out: "In general usage, the temporal phrase `in that day' would point to a time identified in the context (as in 1 Samuel 3:2). Here the context offers only the coming deeds of Yahweh as a specification of the time in question.James Luther Mays, Amos, A Commentary (Philadelphia: The Westminster Press, 1969), p. 146. It is clearly a supernatural event at some undetermined future

Zechariah 12:1-2 — heavens, and layeth the foundation of the earth, and formeth the spirit of man within him: Behold I will make Jerusalem a cup of reeling unto all the peoples round about, and upon Judah also shall it be in the siege against Jerusalem." In Zechariah 12:2, there is a problem regarding the translation of the reference to Judah. King James Version: "They shall be in the siege both against Judah and against Jerusalem." Douay: "And Juda also shall be in the siege against Jerusalem." Of course, these are

Matthew 21:37-38 — the son. There is to be no other after Christ. The rejection of Christ by the human race is not to be followed by other offers of reconciliation. This is surely one of the big revelations from this parable. "Last of all, the Son!" If Matthew 21:37-38 above are understood to give a true and accurate picture of the inner thoughts and intentions of the Jewish religious hierarchy in Jerusalem (and so they are understood by this writer), it is crystal clear that they recognized him as the Messiah,

Matthew 27:37 — that was going much too far. Ever and always it is the same story, over and over, of the wrath of man praising God (Psalms 76:10). Jesus was indeed the true King of Israel, but Pilate's title to that effect posted on the cross outraged them (John 19:19-22). CHRIST UPON THE CROSS Most gospel harmonies place the facts of the inscription in the section of Christ's time on the cross, but it is the view here that the superscription was affixed by Pilate before the crucifixion and at the time the cross was

Luke 16:16 — The law and the prophets were until John: from that time the gospel of the kingdom of God is preached; and every man entereth violently into it. It is a mistake to view Matthew 11:12-13 as a parallel with this. Why could not Jesus on two occasions or still more have made statements about John as a transitional person and about the violent pressing into the kingdom?Norval Geldenhuys, op. cit., p. 422. Whatever is meant by "violently,"

Luke 23:22-23 — pagan governor to release Jesus. Here is a list of the efforts Pilate made to release the Lord: PILATE'S EFFORTS TO AVOID CONDEMNING JESUS 1.    He asked that the Jews take him and judge him according to their own law (John 18:31). 2.    He announced a verdict of innocence (Luke 23:4). 3.    He sent him to Herod. (Luke 23:5-10). 4.    He announced Jesus' innocence had been confirmed by Herod also (Luke 23:13-15). 5.    He

John 16:25 — Father. In dark sayings … These would appear plain enough after Pentecost; but, meanwhile, the heart of all of Jesus' teachings might have been called "dark sayings." The reason for this was complex: (1) It was a fulfillment of prophecy. (2) It was necessary to use a medium that could not be distorted by the Pharisees. (3) Finally, the dark sayings proved in the long run to be more memorable and effective than any other method could have been. Here are some of the subjects of Jesus' dark

John 16:9 — because the prince of this world hath been judged. Of sin … See under John 16:8. The soul that does not believe in Jesus Christ is convicted of sin. Of righteousness … The world is convicted of this by: (1) Christ's return to God, and (2) the absolute finality of Christ's work — "ye behold me no more." Jesus' resurrection and ascension to God were irrefutable proof that his total message was from God; and his remaining thus at God's right hand signaled the total completion

John 19:21 — conscience; and the shocking truth of the inscription was a double-barreled blast against everything the priests wanted. The inscription shouted two overwhelming facts to the crowds entering the city: (1) Jesus of Nazareth was the King of the Jews, and (2) the Romans had crucified him. No matter how one read it, it was bad news for Israel, and one can easily understand the chagrin and anxiety of the priests who sought to get it changed. The chief priests … This indicates that the hierarchy attached

John 4:39 — believed on him because of the word of the woman, who testified, He told me all the things that I ever did. THE HARVEST IN SAMARIA The secret of all soul-winning is that of making oneself of "no reputation," even as did our Lord (Philippians 2:7 KJV); and one can only marvel at this woman's willingness to make the exposition of her shameful life the principal evidence that would lead a city to the Lord. It must not be thought for a moment that her mere statement, "He told me all the

John 5:1 — writing so long afterward, he might quite accurately have so described it. The most convincing argument to this writer is by Trench: If this feast of the Jews was a Passover, then St. John will make mention of four Passovers, namely, this one, and in John 2:13; John 6:4, and the last. Thus, we shall arrive at the three and one half years, the half of a "week of years" for the length of Christ's ministry, which many, not altogether unreasonably, have thought they found designated beforehand for

John 7:52 — was only three and one-half miles from Nazareth! But that is not all. The one prophet whom God made a type of the Messiah was this same Jonah. Christ himself had spoken to the multitudes regarding the "sign of the prophet Jonah" (Matthew 12:38-41), making it absolutely certain that Jesus appealed to Jonah as a type of himself. It continues to be an amazement that religious literature gives so little space to the typical importance of Jonah. Note the following: Both Jesus and Jonah were

Acts 1:3 — E. H. Plumptre, The Acts of the Apostles (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1959), p. 1. Certain specifics, however, are clearly visible in what is recorded, such as: (1) that Jesus is the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy (Luke 24:47; Luke 24:44-45); (2) that all men, including the Gentiles, were to be received into the kingdom through their faith and submission to baptism (Matthew 28:19-20 and Mark 16:15-16); (3) that Jesus would be with his church perpetually, watching over

1 Samuel 2:27-36 — received from Yahweh. The ingratitude with which he has treated his benefactor is pointed out, and the removal of his house from the priesthood is foretold, with the consequent impoverishment of his descendants.International Critical Commentary, Samuel, p. 21. "I revealed myself to the house of your father when they were in Egypt" In fact, God revealed himself to all Israel while they were still slaves in Egypt under Pharaoh, but this does not say that he chose Aaron and the Levites at that time, because

1 Samuel 6:10-16 — of Beth-shemesh offered sacrifices that day."The New Layman's Bible Commentary, p. 388. This is no problem at all. The men of Beth-shemesh were Levites, that city having been designated as a city of the Levites ever since the days of Joshua (Joshua 21:16). And, if the passage means that citizens of Beth-shemesh, other than Levites, offered burnt offerings and sacrifices, then their doing so consisted merely in their bringing the animals and other offerings and delivering them to the Levites who