Bible Commentaries

Genesis 3:21 — began here, but there is nothing in the text to support this. Bush thought the mention of Adam and Eve individually here indicated that God clothed them with two types of clothing, concluding that upon this is based "the prohibition in Deuteronomy 22:5 against the interchange of raiment between the sexes."Thomas Whitelaw, op. cit., p. 73.

1 Chronicles 23:1-6 — shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish from it" (Deuteronomy 4:2). David's invention of instruments of music and his introduction of them into the worship of God was specifically condemned by the prophet Amos (Amos 5:23; Amos 6:5). (We have discussed this in Vol. 1 of my commentaries on the Minor Prophets, Joel, Amos and Jonah, pp. 163-169,180-183.)

Psalms 12:7 — "Thou wilt keep them, O Jehovah, Thou wilt preserve them from this generation forever." As noted above, this is David's exultant "Amen" to the glorious promise of Psalms 12:5-6. All of God's people are perpetually safe. As the Lord said, "Not a hair of your head shall perish." The fact that a whole generation may fall into the grossest and most shameful immorality is of no importance whatever, except as it pertains to the

Psalms 72:1-4 — the people, He will save the children of the needy, And will break in pieces the oppressor." There is an intimation of Messiah's government in the repeated promises to regard the poor, to save the children of the needy, etc. The Beatitudes of Matthew 5 are a fulfillment of what is indicated here. "And thy righteousness unto the king's son" "Solomon here speaks of himself not only as 'king,' but as 'the king's son,' thus appealing to the sentiment of respect for the hereditary nature of the kingship."The

Proverbs 18:23 — a desirable one. "The poor man has to request things respectfully, hoping for help in his impoverished condition; but the rich man does not have to worry about the tone of his voice."Broadman Bible Commentary (Nashville: Broadman Press, 1971), Vol. 5, p. 60. Sometimes a wealthy man will display a haughty attitude with little or no regard for the way in which his words may be received by others.

Proverbs 19:8 — getteth wisdom loveth his own soul: He that keepeth understanding shall find good." Tate observed that, "In the first line here, the New English Bible is more accurate here than the RSV."Broadman Bible Commentary (Nashville: Broadman Press, 1971), Vol. 5, p. 61. Here are both renditions: "He who gets wisdom loves himself."The Revised Standard Version of the Bible. "To learn sense is true self-love."The New English Bible. Note also, that wisdom should not only be "gotten," it should also be "retained."

Jeremiah 6:9-13 — it."Charles Lee Feinberg in Ezekiel (Chicago: Moody Press), p. 422.. Not even this gleaning of Israel, however, could nullify God's promise of there remaining a "righteous remnant" who would return to Jerusalem from Babylon (Jeremiah 4:27; Jeremiah 5:10; Jeremiah 5:18). This is a terrible paragraph. The judgment of God will fall upon all segments of human life, from children playing in the streets to aged men, five different categories being cited. Notice also that houses, fields, wives, etc. in

Amos 5:10 — speak the truth on behalf of the poor or oppressed; but anyone performing such a function in that society was "hated" and "abhored." The indifference and corruption of the whole society were the result. Smith makes a big "to do" over the fact that "Amos 5:10 is in the third person, and Amos 5:7 is in the second person!"Ralph L. Smith, op. cit., p. 112. What do the critics expect? That this shepherd should have kept all of his persons in the proper focus? Some of the changes from one person to another

Numbers 36:10-13 — authority applies especially to this chapter and that here is not a formal ending of all of Numbers, as some have thought." The very problem that surfaced in this chapter is the same one that "resulted in the institution of Levirate marriages (Deuteronomy 25:5-10)."J. A. Thompson, op. cit., p. 200. We appreciate the words of Whitelaw here, as follows: "It is a curious instance of the inartificial character of the sacred records that these five names of the daughters of Zelophehad, which have not the least

Micah 3 overview — This chapter is composed of three brief sections exposing the sins of the rulers of the people, the princes and judges (Micah 3:1-4), the sins of the false prophets (Micah 3:5-8), and the sins of the establishment, actually including those already mentioned (Micah 3:9-12). The highlight of the chapter is Micah 3:12 in which the destruction of the city of Jerusalem and the Temple mountain itself are specifically predicted,

Matthew 3:16 — the water behind after the act! Who had the authority to change the action called baptism? It cannot be allowed that any man ever had such authority. The Holy Scriptures affirm that men are "buried" by baptism (Colossians 2:12; Romans 6:3-5). Spirit of God descending as a dove … This referred to the sign by which John was inspired to recognize the Messiah (John 1:32-34). Thus, it is clear the Holy Spirit adopted the shape of a dove on that occasion, otherwise John could not have

Deuteronomy 4:44-49 — (the same is Hermon), and all the Arabah beyond the Jordan eastward, even unto the sea of the Arabah, under the slopes of Pisgah." This second address of Moses constitutes the great heart of Deuteronomy. The very first two verses (Deuteronomy 4:44-45) are an effective title of the whole discourse, namely, The Law, The Testimonies, The Statutes, The Ordinances of Moses, as God Commanded Him. Of course, in our way of thinking, it would have been nice if they had included these verses in the next chapter,

Luke 11:37 — Now as he spake, a Pharisee asketh him to dine with him; and he went in and sat down to meat. Our Lord frequently dined with Pharisees, as recorded in Luke 5:29; Luke 7:36; Luke 14:1; Luke 19:5; and in John 2:1-11; John 12:1-2. This was apparently the second meal of the day; and Jesus accepted an invitation to dine, entered the Pharisees' house, omitted the customary ablutions, so dear to the Jews, and sat

Luke 21 overview — of the discourse. "In this passage the fall of Jerusalem and the end of the age so blend that the features of each cannot be precisely determined."Donald G. Miller, The Layman's Bible Commentary (Richmond, Virginia: The John Knox Press, 1959), Vol. 18 (Luke), p. 145. For an outline of the chapter, the following has been adopted from Spence.H. D. M. Spence, Pulpit Commentary (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1962), Vol. 16, Luke ii, p. 184. 1.    The

John 5:26 — For as the Father hath life in himself, even so gave he to the Son also to have life in himself. The Pharisees had already decided to kill Jesus (John 5:18) and were diligently seeking some means of carrying out their plans; and, in that context, these words carry the weight of John 10:17-18, where Jesus plainly said they would not be able to murder him, but that he would lay down his own life and take

Acts 4 overview — The glorious success of the gospel at Pentecost and for some time afterward could not last. The mighty dragon who had attempted to devour the Christ, who had been "caught up unto God, and unto his throne" (Revelation 12:5), then turned the full strength of his fury against the Woman, that is, the church of our Lord Jesus Christ. The inherent hatred of truth and righteousness on the part of the powers of darkness was quickly manifested in the bitter opposition encountered

2 Thessalonians 3:15 — Kelcy, The Letters of Paul to the Thessalonians (Austin, Texas: R. B. Sweet Company, Inc., 1968), p. 181. He further said that this word "admonish" is a brotherly word, used in the New Testament only by Paul in Acts 20:31, 1 Thessalonians 5:12-13, Romans 15:14, Colossians 3:16, and in this text.

1 Timothy 5:25 — eventually, as it regards any man, however discreet, secretive or hidden may be his actions from the public scrutiny. The effect of both of these last two verses is to stress the importance of not being hasty in the ordination of elders. This verse (1 Timothy 5:25) is to warn Timothy against hasty condemnation, as the former (24) had been to warn against hasty approval. Alford, as quoted by Hervey, op. cit., p. 102.

1 John 3:15 — a point or two in his argument, but it is nevertheless evident anyway. "His full argument is: where love is not, there is hatred; where hatred is, there is murder; where murder, there can be no eternal life."W. N. Sinclair, op. cit., p. 485. An argument like this is squarely founded upon the teachings of the Master who equated the deprecatory word, the contemptuous epithet, and anger in the heart against a brother, with murder (Matthew 5:21-22).

2 Samuel 5:13-16 — the lives of kings and other mighty men in ancient times, but it was still dreadfully wrong. Willis has this to say: "In violation of Deuteronomy 17:17, David multiplied wives and concubines in Jerusalem. In addition to the six in Hebron (2 Samuel 3:2-5) and Michal (2 Samuel 3:14-16), we must add those mentioned here… Apparently, he had fifteen or twenty wives and concubines, opening up the way for Solomon to take seven hundred wives and three hundred concubines."John T. Willis, p. 316. It is