Bible Commentaries

Exodus 2:1-2 — to destroy all the male children. The fact of Moses' birth being recorded here without mention of the birth of any older children is due solely to the importance of Moses. Certainly, we may set aside the critical claim that, "It is implied in Exodus 2:2 that Moses was the firstborn, but in Exodus 4:8 he has a grown-up sister!Canon George Harford, Peake's Commentary on the Old Testament, Exodus (London: T. C. and E. C. Jack, 1924), p. 170. Of course, Exodus 2:2 carries no such implication. "He was

2 Kings 17:24-26 — notion that God could be pleased by a mere recognition of him as `a god' among `many gods' was totally false. The five places mentioned here from which captives were placed in the cities of Samaria were: (1) Babylon, which Tiglath-pileser had conquered; (2) Cuthah, "a city of Babylonia, the seat of the god Nergel;"T. C. Mitchell in The New Bible Dictionary, p. 285. (3) Avva, "the same as Ivah (2 Kings 18:34), whose citizens worshipped the idols Nibhaz and Tartak (2 Kings 17:31); (4) Hamath, identified

2 Chronicles 36:5-8 — acts of Jehoiakim, and his abominations which he did, and that which was found in (against) him, behold, they are written in the book of the kings of Israel and Judah: and Jehoiakin his son reigned in his stead." (See our comments in the parallel under 2 Kings 23:34 to 2 Kings 24:7.)

Isaiah 20:5 — alliance with Ethiopia was mentioned as one of the bulwarks upon which the doomed nation relied in vain for victory (Nahum 3:9). One of the significant things not previously noted in this chapter is God's reference to Isaiah as "my servant" in Isaiah 20:3. "Isaiah shares this honorable title with a select few of God's saints: (1) Abraham (Genesis 26:24); (2) Moses (Numbers 12:7); (3) Caleb (Numbers 14:24); (4) Job (Job 1:8; Job 42:7-8; (5) Eliakim (Isaiah 22:20); and (6) Zerrubbabel (Haggai 2:23)."The

Ezekiel 23:32-34 — shalt even drink it and drain it out, and thou shalt gnaw the sherds thereof, and shalt tear thy breasts; for I have spoken it, saith the Lord Jehovah." There are extensive references to the "cup of the wrath of Jehovah" in the Bible. See Jeremiah 25:15-29; Jeremiah 49:12-13; Jeremiah 51:6-7; Isaiah 51:17-23; Isaiah 56:12; Zechariah 12:2; Habakkuk 2:16; Psalms 11:6; Psalms 75:8; and Revelation 14:20. Also see our comments on most of these passages, except the ones in Psalms.

Matthew 1:1-2 — parallels exist between the life of our Lord and that of King David. Both were born in Bethlehem. David's struggle with Goliath answers to Christ's struggle with Satan. In both cases, it was the enemy's own weapon which was used to destroy him (Hebrews 2:14). Both David and Christ were sent by their father with a message to the brethren. Both were rejected. David was, in a sense, a mediator between the lines of Israel and the Philistines; Christ is the one Mediator between God and man (1 Timothy 2:5).

Matthew 8:3 — not" directives of the Law, as, for example, in the case of the bier of the widow's Son (Luke 7:14). The miracles of Jesus were usually instantaneous, complete, unquestionable, and attested by countless witnesses. The "lying miracles" (2 Thessalonians 2:9) of later times are never comparable in any of these particulars to the miracles of Christ.

Mark 1:6-8 — Baptist, an account which is shorter than Matthew's, omitting such important details as John's proclamation of the kingdom of heaven being near at hand and the insistence of the Pharisees that fleshly descent from Abraham was all they needed (Matt, 3:1-12). John's prophecy of the rejection of national Israel was also omitted. The clothing and diet of John were cited as fulfilling the typical characteristics of Elijah. There is no need to understand "locusts and wild honey" otherwise than in

John 18:1 — and between it and the Mount of Olives. William Hendriksen, Exposition of the Gospel according to John (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Book House, 1961), II, p. 375. It was down this little valley that David fled from the rebellion of his son Absalom (2 Samuel 15:23); here Asa burned the abominable image (1 Kings 15:3); and near here, Josiah caused the idolatrous vessels to be burned (2 Kings 23:4). In the reign of Hezekiah, the Levites carried the unclean things to this valley (2 Chronicles 29:16);

Acts 5:33 — infuriated and filled with murderous thoughts. Even the apostles seemed to marvel at such a thing; for it was made the subject of Paul's comment that the gospel saved some and destroyed others, was an odor of life to some and an odor of death to others (2 Corinthians 2:15-16). "It is the set of the sail, and not the gale, that determines the way we go."

1 Corinthians 16:20 — All the brethren salute you. Salute one another with a holy kiss. A holy kiss … Why did this lovely custom, which certainly prevailed in those times, disappear? As Barclay said: "(1) It was liable to abuse, and (2) it was liable to misinterpretation by heathen slanders, and (3) the church itself became less and less of a fellowship." Ibid., p. 188. This custom is mentioned in 2 Corinthians 13:12; Romans 16:16, and in 1 Peter 5:14; and the feeling persists

2 Corinthians 11:14 — flatly denied God's word, evil teachers do the same today, stridently declaring their soul-destroying doctrine of salvation "by faith alone," contradicting the word of God which says people "are not justified by faith alone" (James 2:24). (2) As Satan promised Eve that she and Adam would "be as gods," the sophisticated false teachers of this generation are doing everything in their power to deify humanity. (3) The same triple allurements of fleshly delight, pride of life,

2 Thessalonians 3:12 — Now them that are such we command and exhort in the Lord Jesus Christ, that with quietness they work, and eat their own bread. We command … See under 2 Thessalonians 3:4 for discussion of this, "In the Lord Jesus Christ …" See under 2 Thessalonians 3:6. That they with quietness work … Things were in a mess at Thessalonica. Moffatt analyzed the trouble thus: The three causes

James 2:19 — this verse, to the effect that those James sought to correct were possessors of monotheistic faith in God but that they were not believers in Jesus Christ our Lord, is wrong for two reasons: (1) The ones being corrected were Christians. See under James 2:15-16. (2) The demons referred to fully believed Jesus Christ to be the Son of God Most High, the promised Messiah, and the ultimate Judge who would torment the wicked (see Mark 1:34 and Luke 8:28). Thus the point of James here is that a person having

1 Peter 1:14 — yourselves according to your former lusts … A noble principle is in view here. Through the practice of wickedness, people fashion themselves in the likeness of the sins they commit; and thus they become "sons of disobedience" (Ephesians 2:2; Ephesians 5:6; Colossians 3:6), the very opposite of what Peter required for Christians here. In the time of your ignorance … The very nature of the Christless life is that it is controlled by lust, grounded in ignorance, and destined to end

Judges 11:1-3 — Jephthah fled from his brethren, and dwelt in the land of Tob: and there were gathered vain fellows to Jephthah, and they went out with him" "And Gilead begat Jephthah" "The word `Gilead' has two meanings: (1) the name of the country so-called, and (2) the name of an individual."The Pulpit Commentary, Vol. 3-C, p. 119. However, this presents no problem to this writer, since he has never heard of "a country" begetting a son. Gilead is here, of course, the name of an individual. As Keil noted, "We

2 Peter 2:9 — this, some have concluded that the fallen angels, and other wicked beings are now suffering punishment; but Peter may well have used "under punishment" as a short form for "under sentence of punishment." It seems clear from Matthew 8:29, that there is "a time" appointed for the punishment of the wicked, a time yet future. (See Judges 1:6). See more on this below. This verse is actually the culmination of all Peter had been saying, reaching all the way back to 2 Peter 2:4.

2 Peter 3:12 — can speed up God's plans." David F. Payne, op. cit., p. 605. Such an understanding does not commend itself to all commentators; but there is no good reason for rejecting it. Peter implied the same thing. No! He said the same thing in Acts 3:19-21. For an elaboration of this, see in my Commentary on Acts, pp. 75,76. J. W. McGarvey said: A certain amount of work in the saving of men was to be accomplished before his coming. This is indicated by the qualifying remark, "whom the heavens must

1 John 3:5 — Christ came into our world to do, see under 1 Peter 1:19. And in him is no sin … Although in the present tense and bearing the meaning noted above, this is also true in the past tense of our Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus committed no sin (1 Peter 2:22); he was holy, guileless, undefiled, and separated from sinners (Hebrews 7:26); he knew no sin (2 Corinthians 5:21); he was without blemish and without spot (1 Peter 1:19), etc.

Revelation 2:20 — aberration. However that may be, there is a clear case here of a dissolute woman having usurped the principal authority of a church. The word Jezebel "is not a figurative term for a party or a movement; it designates an actual person (Revelation 2:2 f), her followers being distinguished from her." Isbon T. Beckwith, op. cit., p. 466. Whatever her actual name might have been, the Lord called her "Jezebel," after the "wicked queen of that name who tried to establish an idolatrous