Bible Commentaries

1 Kings 14:6 — GOD'S MESSAGE TO JEROBOAM AND TO ISRAEL (1 Kings 14:6-16) "And it was so, when Ahijah heard the sound of her feet, as she came in at the door, that he said, Come in, thou wife of Jeroboam; why feignest thou thyself to be another? for I am sent to thee with heavy tidings." The disguise did not work. It

Psalms 109:30-31 — "I will give thanks unto Jehovah with my mouth; Yea, I will praise him among the multitude. For he will stand at the right hand of the needy, To save him from them that judge his soul." "For he will stand at the right hand of the needy" Delitzsch observed that this verse is a sequence to Psalms 109:6. "There at the right hand of the tormenter stands Satan as an accuser; here (Psalms 109:31) at the right hand of the tormented stands God as his vindicator."F. Delitzsch, Vol. V-C, p. 182.

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 24:5-6 — "Jehovah" is a reference to those who become servants of Jesus Christ whose "righteousness" becomes the possession of mortals when they are baptized "into Christ," thereby becoming partakers of his "righteousness." "This is the generation" (Psalms 24:6). "The meaning of `generation' in this passages is `breed' or `circle' of people."Derek Kidner, p. 76. It appears to be a reference to the `kind of people' who seek to know God. "That seek thy face, even Jacob" (Psalms 24:6). The Septuagint (LXX) renders

Psalms 29:6-8 — mountains of Lebanon and Hermon are moved out of their places, or at least are made to appear as doing so. Furthermore, there is a mighty earthquake that shakes the wilderness of Kadesh. In the Apocalyptic description of the Judgment Day in Revelation 6, among the features of it are listed, "A great earthquake,… and every mountain and island were moved out of their place" (Ps. 29:12,14). God revealed to the Prophet Joel that there were overtones and warnings of the Final Judgment in the terrible

Psalms 98:9 — hands, etc. shall be performed "before Jehovah." "Jehovah cometh to judge the earth… he will judge the world." It is amazing that Anchor Bible translates this as God's coming to "Govern the world."Mitchell Dahood in The Anchor Bible, Vol. II, p. 365. No, God's Final Judgment, indicated here, will not be for the purpose of "governing the world." A summary of some of the things God has revealed that will be accomplished upon that Great Day includes the following: (1)    God will

Proverbs 10:29 — comprehensive. Devotion to God and the service of holy religion in Christ, "Are for the righteous a strong protection and a safe retreat";C. F. Keil, Keil-Delitzsch's Old Testament Commentaries (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company), Vol. 6, p. 227 but God's ultimate purpose is that of casting evil out of his universe. There is absolutely no way that wickedness can win.

Proverbs 15:28 — things." "This contrasts the thoughtfulness that precedes the studious answer of the wise man with the hasty babbling of the foolish."Barnes' Notes on the Old Testament (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, a 1987 reprint of the 1878 Edition), op. cit., p. 46. "Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer each one" (Colossians 4:6). In these words Paul cautioned Christians that their answers also should be preceded with thoughtfulness.

Hosea 1:3 — daughter of Diblaim; and she conceived and bare him a son." "Gomer" This is one of a number of names in the Bible that were given to both men and women. Gomer was the firstborn son of Japheth and the head of many families (Genesis 10:2-3; 1 Chronicles 1:5-6; and Ezekiel 38:6). The name Crimea, familiar in English history, is derived from Gomer whose descendants conquered and settled Cappadocia by the time of the seventh century.Herbert Lockyer, All the Men of the Bible (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan

Hosea 2:13 — of the prior sin of forgetting God. One must forget God first, before these evils can find a dwelling place in his heart. From the Book of Deuteronomy, God had thundered the quadruple warning, "Beware, lest thou forget Jehovah thy God!" (Deuteronomy 6:12; Deuteronomy 8:11, etc.); but Israel had refused to heed it. "She was now completely devoted to the Baals, and at that time was not even trying to worship God with Baalistic rites."James Luther Mays, op. cit., p. 43. God was left completely out of

Amos 3 overview — The nature of Amos 3-6 has been disputed; but it appears that Keil's analysis is correct: "The contents of these chapters show that they do not contain three separate addresses delivered to the people by Amos at different times, but that they group together the leading thoughts

Jonah 4:9 — Where art thou? (Genesis 3:9).Where is thy brother, Abel? (Genesis 4:9).What doest thou here, Elijah? (1 Kings 19:13).Betrayest thou the Son of Man with a kiss? (Luke 22:48).Lovest thou me more than these? (John 21:24).Wilt thou be made whole? (John 5:6).Saul, Saul, Why persecutest thou me? (Acts 22:7). Before leaving this verse, it should be noted that a different word in the Hebrew is used for God, than is used in other verses of this chapter. In fact, the following pattern is evident: Jonah 4:4

Matthew 3:16 — leaves 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

Deuteronomy 6:1-3 — O Israel, and observe to do it; that it may be well with thee, and that ye may increase mightily, as Jehovah the God of thy fathers, hath promised unto thee, in a land flowing with milk and honey." Deuteronomy 5 presented the Decalogue; "Deuteronomy 6 is a dissertation on the first and great commandment."Charles R. Eerdman, The Book of Deuteronomy (Old Tappan, New Jersey: Fleming H. Revell Company), p. 38. "The words statutes and ordinances in Deuteronomy 6:1 are explanatory of and in apposition

Luke 12:1 — the meantime … refers to the time-lapse following Jesus' rising up and leaving the Pharisee's house where he had just dined. The leaven of the Pharisees … is plainly identified here as hypocrisy; but Jesus used the same word in Matthew 16:6 as a reference to the teaching of that group (see my Commentary on Matthew, Matthew 16:5-6). Why should not Jesus have done this? The word is fully applicable to both. As Godet said, "Leaven is the emblem of every active principle, good or bad,

Luke 21 overview — 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 episode regarding the widow's mites (Luke 21:1-4) 2.    Jesus' prophecy of the temple's destruction, and by inference, the destruction of Jerusalem (Luke 21:5-6) 3.    The

Acts 13:31 — Galilee to Jerusalem, who are now his witnesses unto the people. The post-resurrection appearances of Jesus were at least ten in number, perhaps many more; and, upon one occasion, he was seen of over five hundred brethren at one time (1 Corinthians 15:6). It was the absolute certainty of the first-century Christians that Jesus had indeed risen from the dead which motivated the apostolic preachers and gave the faith of our Lord Jesus a sweeping victory throughout the world of that era.

2 Corinthians 3 overview — An excellent outline of this chapter is by Farrar: F. W. Farrar, The Pulpit Commentary (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1950), p. 56. Paul spoke of letters of commendation (2 Corinthians 3:1-3); his sufficiency as of God (2 Corinthians 3:4-6); the new covenant is more glorious than the one given to Moses (2 Corinthians 3:7-11); Paul's ministry needs no veil on the face (2 Corinthians

Ephesians 5 overview — 5:3-14); and (3) walk in wisdom (Ephesians 5:15-21). In Ephesians 5:22, Paul began instructions relative to three classes of reciprocal obligations: (1) those between husbands and wives (Ephesians 5:22-33); (2) those between children and parents (Eph. 5:6:1-4); and (3) those between servants and masters (Ephesians 5:5-9). Only the first of these is in this chapter.

2 Timothy 3:9 — shall not prevail against the truth." A. C. Hervey, op. cit., p. 41. Their folly shall be evident to all men … This is certain to be true eventually, even if, for some great length of time, the heretical teaching seems to prevail (Revelation 6:12-17).