Bible Commentaries

Genesis 3:9 — questions of the Bible, "Adam, where art thou?" It is connected schematically with another great question that occurs at the beginning of the N.T., where it is stated that the wise men came, saying, "Where is he, that is born king of the Jews?" (Matthew 2:2) Thus, the O.T. begins with God seeking man; and the N.T. begins with man seeking God. Without the initiative of the Father apparent here, man's condition would have been utterly without hope, but God still loved him, despite his sin, and would set

Exodus 29:5-6 — skillfully woven band of the ephod; and thou shalt set the mitre upon his head, and put the holy crown upon the mitre." As Rawlinson noted, there are actually nine steps in the investiture of Aaron: (1)    Putting on the linen tunic. (2)    The girding with the under-girdle. (3)    Putting on the robe of the ephod. (4)    Putting on the ephod. (5)    Girding with the curious girdle of the ephod. (6)    Putting

1 Chronicles 22:1 — devoted to a discussion of David's extensive preparations to build the temple. There is no parallel elsewhere for what is given in this chapter, aside from obvious references to the Law of Moses, to Joshua and to Nathan's prophecy delivered to David in 2 Samuel 7. This verse indicates David's decision to have the temple built in Jerusalem, on the site purchased from Ornan the Jebusite. This was that very place called, "one of the mountains of Moriah," upon which Abraham prepared to offer Isaac as a

Psalms 18:4-6 — his temple, And my cry before him came into his ears." David's crying unto Jehovah was directly the result of the distress which came upon him. This reminds us of the words of Jonah, who said, "By reason of my affliction, I cried unto Jehovah" (Jonah 2:2). There can be no better reason for calling upon the Lord than that of acute danger, distress, and threatenings of death. Heard my voice out of his temple. This has no reference whatever to Solomon's temple, but means that God in heaven heard the

Psalms 42:11 — For I shall yet praise him Who is the help of my countenance, and my God." We have already commented upon the meaning of this verse in the three locations where it appears in these psalms, giving the particular meaning in each case. See under Psalms 42:5, above. The evidence of the influence of the words of Jonah in this passage is overwhelming. "I shall yet praise him (God)" Jonah prayed, "I am cast out from before thine eyes, yet I will look again toward thy holy temple." (Jonah 2:4). And again,

Song of Solomon 1:15-17 — CONTINUES HIS FLATTERY "Behold, thou art fair, my love; Behold thou art fair; Thine eyes are as doves. Behold, thou art fair, my beloved, yea, pleasant: Also our couch is green. The beams of our house are cedars, And our rafters are firs(Song of Solomon 2:1) I am a rose of Sharon, A lily of the valleys." "The adjectives in this verse are feminine,"Ibid., p. 581. therefore they cannot apply to Solomon, who must be understood as the speaker here, not the one spoken to. He is thus continuing his flattery

Ezekiel 4:1 — an interpretation is not the act of an honest interpreter."E. H. Plumptre in the Pulpit Commentary, p. 71. What Ezekiel did here was only another example of what many of God's prophets throughout the ages also did. Zedekiah's "horns of iron" (1 Kings 22:11); Isaiah's walking "naked and barefoot" (Isaiah 22:2-3); Jeremiah's "yokes of wood" (Jeremiah 27:2); Hosea's marriage to Gomer (Hosea 1:1-3:10); Zechariah's breaking of Beauty and Bands (Zechariah 11); Agabus' binding himself with Paul's belt (Acts

Matthew 13:17-18 — God's eternal purpose for man's salvation. Paul frequently wrote of this, and a more particular attention to that "mystery" can be quite rewarding. The New Testament refers to these mysteries: The mystery of Christ and his church (Eph. 6:32)The mystery of lawlessness (2 Thessalonians 2:7)The mystery of the seven stars and seven candlesticks (Revelation 1:20)The mystery of the resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:51)The mystery of the blindness of Israel (Romans 11:25)The mystery of the harlot

John 17:20 — follow exactly the same pattern? Through their word … is not a merely incidental thought. Peter wrote: "Remember the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and the commandment of the Lord and Saviour through your apostles" (2 Peter 3:2). These words are equivalent to saying that there is no other way of bringing men to God except through the word of the apostles.

2 Corinthians 8 overview — In this and the following chapters are found "the most complete instructions about church giving which the New Testament contains." Henry H. Halley, Bible Handbook (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1927), p. 555. The principles to be respected in the discharge of this duty were outlined by Halley, as follows: Though it is offering for charity, we presume the principles here stated should be the guide for churches in the taking of all of their offerings.

2 Corinthians 8:6 — Insomuch that we exhorted Titus, that as he had made a beginning before, so he would also complete in you this grace also. We are heartily in agreement with Tasker who said: This visit would seem to have taken place about a year before (2 Corinthians 9:2); and it may be a legitimate inference that Titus himself was the bearer of 1 Corinthians in which Paul's instructions on this subject were given (1 Corinthians 16:1 ff). R. V. G. Tasker, op. cit., p. 113. The grace also … That

2 Corinthians 8:8 — I speak not by way of commandment, but as proving through the earnestness of others the sincerity also of your love. The sincerity also of your love … A glance at 2 Corinthians 8:7 reveals that Paul had just said that they abounded "in their love." How can this be anything else except a gentle reminder that their "abounding love" needed proving by their deeds? It is thus evident that scholarly

Galatians 5:5 — For we through the Spirit by faith wait for the hope of righteousness. Through the Spirit … The Holy Spirit is conferred upon all baptized believers, according to the promise of Acts 2:38, thus identifying those who "by faith" were waiting for the hope of righteousness. By faith … has the meaning here of "by the Christian religion." "Faith" as used in the popular theology of this current era, meaning

Colossians 1:24 — "body of Christ," thinks of it as being actually Christ, and therefore, like Christ, called to suffer tribulations, hardship and persecutions, thus viewing it as a necessity that just as Christ suffered, so also should Christians (see Romans 8:17; 2 Timothy 2:11-12). Ellis reasoned from this that "Union with Christ involves ipso facto union with Christ's sufferings," but also pointed out that "The sole redemptive sufficiency is in Christ and his atonement." E. Earle Ellis, Wycliffe

2 Thessalonians 2:1 — Second Advent, an event which the Thessalonians had mistakenly assumed to be "just at hand," some of them actually having stopped work in anticipation of it! The coming of our Lord Jesus Christ … For comments on this title, see under 2 Thessalonians 1:2. "Coming" in this place refers to the final Advent and not to some manifestation of power and grace prior to the Advent. Our gathering together unto him … The great feature of the final day will be the uniting of believers

2 Thessalonians 2:11-12 — Thoroughly deceived, they shall then have no difficulty in believing a lie, not the truth. "Satan's lie consists in getting men to believe him instead of God." Ibid., p. 835. The way of salvation is clear enough in this verse and the preceding 2 Thessalonians 2:10. Those who believe the truth and obey it shall be saved; those who do not believe the truth, but have pleasure in unrighteousness, shall be finally and irrevocably condemned. For further discussion of the "man of sin," see

2 Timothy 2:3-4 — sense, entangled with the affairs of the present life; and, therefore, most students are willing to accept such limitations on the meaning here as were supposed by Wesley, "any more than is unavoidable," John Wesley, New Testament Commentary, 2 Timothy (Nashville: Gospel Advocate Company, 1976), p. 209. and Lipscomb, "It is not secular employment that is forbidden, but entanglement with it." David Lipscomb, New Testament Commentaries, 2 Timothy (Nashville: The Gospel Advocate Company,

2 Peter 2:14 — enticing unstedfast souls; having a heart exercised in covetousness; children of cursing; Eyes full of adultery … Wheaton said, "This is a compressed phrase for, 'always looking for a woman with whom to commit adultery.'" Ibid., p. 1256. Barnett understood it to mean, "Whenever they see a woman, they have licentious thoughts." Albert E. Barnett, op. cit., p. 193. Enticing unstedfast souls … The imagery here is that of using a lure, "bait" to catch the unwary.

3 John 1:13 — same."Ibid. The usually admitted opinion that all of these letters were written "in quick succession" would seem to bear this out. Wilder also point out that, "Since this is a personal note, the greetings are more intimate than in 2 John 1:13."Amos N. Wilder, op. cit., p. 313. See 3 John 1:14. Unwilling to write with ink and pen … This is a very curious deviation from John's words in 2 John 1:12, "I would not write them with paper and ink." "Ink and

2 Samuel 9:2 — "Now there was a servant of the house of Saul whose name was Ziba, and they called him to David; and the king said to him, `Are you Ziba?' And he said, `Your servant is he.'" It appears from this that nobody was able to answer David's question (2 Samuel 9:1); but someone told him about Ziba whose close relation to Saul would enable him to provide the information David wanted. Ziba apparently was in full possession of all the vast properties of the former king, but as Machir had been caring for