Bible Commentaries

Psalms 67 overview — the conversion of Gentiles. We are absolutely astounded that so many of the scholars we have consulted seem totally unaware of this. Just note what is here stated: God will cause his way to be known upon earth, his salvation among all nations (Psalms 67:2).Let the peoples praise thee, O God; let all the peoples praise thee (Psalms 67:3). (peoples = Gentiles) (also Psalms 67:5).Oh let the nations (Gentiles) be glad and sing for joy (Psalms 67:4).Thou wilt judge the peoples (Gentiles) with equity (Psalms

Psalms 82:2-7 — deliver them out of the hand of the wicked" Many are the Biblical denunciations of Israel's wicked judges. Zephaniah 3:3 refers to those judges as "evening wolves"; and Amos repeatedly stated that they would sell the poor "for a pair of shoes" (Amos 2:6; Amos 8:6). Furthermore, those prophets were not speaking of "angels" but of the corrupt judges of the chosen people. Those who are familiar with the sordid record cannot be surprised that Jesus founded one of his parables upon the "Unjust Judge." "They

Psalms 91:9-13 — heavenly angels, are charged with the duty of ministering unto them that shall be the heirs of salvation. The following things which angels do for the redeemed are mentioned in the Bible: (1) They bear away the souls of the righteous in death (Luke 16:22). (2) They oppose purposes and designs of Satan, not in their own names, but in the name of the Lord (Judges 1:6). (3) They execute God's judgments upon the incorrigibly wicked (2 Kings 19:35; Acts 12:23). (4) They exert influence upon rulers and

Psalms 97 overview — Christ,"Henry H. Halley's Bible Handbook (Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House), p. 245. a figurative reference to the First, and a literal reference to the Second, when "Every mountain and every island shall be moved out of its place" (Revelation 6:14). "The Latin Vulgate assigns this psalm to David, `when his land was restored;'"Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (London: T. Mason and G. Lane, 1837), Vol. III, p. 528. but it is not clear exactly what occasion was meant by that. "The Ethiopic

Proverbs 17:7 — becometh not a fool; Much less do lying lips a prince." "It does not become a fool to speak loftily. How much less do lying lips a noble"!C. F. Keil, Keil-Delitzsch's Old Testament Commentaries (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company), Vol. 6, p. 356. "It always makes a poor impression when a vulgar, foolish man presumes to speak imperatively and presumptuously."Ibid. "Let fools be false, and good men true. Translate: `Honest words do not become a fool; much less do lies a man of rectitude.'"International

Proverbs 23:1-3 — Word 6. "When thou sittest to eat with a ruler, Consider diligently him that is before thee; And put a knife to thy throat, If thou be a man given to appetite. Be not desirous of his dainties; Seeing they are deceitful food." George DeHoff commented on this:

Proverbs 29:3 — father; But he that keepeth company with harlots wasteth his substance." This proverb is only a slight variation from at least a dozen others that stress the same truth. "Licentiousness is put as the opposite of wisdom in Proverbs 2:10; Proverbs 2:16; Proverbs 5:1-3; Proverbs 6:23-24; Proverbs 9:1; Proverbs 9:13. Additionally, the first line is found in Proverbs 10:1; Proverbs 23:13; Proverbs 23:24; Proverbs 27:11; and line two is similar to Proverbs 5:9-10."International Critical Commentary, Vol.

Jeremiah 11:14-17 — is doing, even in the rejection of the reprobate."Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary, p. 518. That this is really true appears in God's command to Moses (Exodus 32:10), also in God's forbidding Samuel to grieve any longer for Saul (1 Samuel 16:1). This is now the second time that God has forbidden Jeremiah to pray any more for the apostate nation (Jeremiah 7:16); and this admonition is still applicable to God's people as in 1 John 5:16. "A goodly olive-tree, fair and goodly fruit" This figure

Micah 6:7 — "thousands of rams," and with "ten thousand rivers of oil." Some of Israel's kings, especially, had offered the most outlandish numbers of beasts as sacrifices. Solomon offered 1,000 burnt-offerings (1 Kings 3:4), 22,000 oxen and 120,000 sheep (1 Kings 8:63; 2 Chronicles 30:24; 2 Chronicles 35:7). Solomon must have supposed that cleared him of the blame for having 700 wives and 300 concubines! "The fruit of my body for the sin of my soul" Having already taken the position that Micah 6:6-7 are the response

Zechariah 7:10 — "And oppress not the widow, nor the fatherless, the sojourner, nor the poor; and let none of you devise evil against his brother." This is a continuation of the teaching of the "former prophets," as a glance at Isaiah 1:16-17; Amos 5:14; Amos 5:24; Micah 6:8, etc. will show. "These ethical summaries draw heavily upon Israel's ancient covenant law."Ibid. Watts reinforced such an opinion by pointing out that: "Kindness" (Zechariah 7:9) is a word used to describe proper

Matthew 3:7 — which tend to be obscured by the fact that they opposed the work of Christ. Ledlow lists seven distinct classes of Pharisees, as follows: (1) The Shoulder Pharisee who wore all his good deeds on his shoulder and did his alms to be seen of men (Matthew 6:5); (2) The Wait-a-Little Pharisee who always suggested something else to do first. Of this type was the man who when asked to follow Christ said, "Suffer me first to go and bury my father" (Luke 9:59-60); (3) The Bruised Pharisee who was

Mark 14:47 — ear. This was Peter who struck off the ear of Malchus (John 18:8-11). Peter's being emboldened to do such a thing probably sprang from the devastating effect of Christ's prostration of the whole company of guards and soldiers upon their faces (John 18:6). Thus, the synoptics support the Johannine record by recording an event that would hardly have taken place at all except in connection with the circumstances related more fully in the gospel of John.

John 17:25 — God is to find salvation possible. This is not, actually, such a knowledge as can be objectively proved and demonstrated; but it is the kind of knowledge that follows obedient faith in Christ, as when Peter said, "We believe and know" (John 6:69).

John 4:8 — terminated, there is always the greater intensity, enthusiasm, and emotion exhibited by all great leaders; and, as noted earlier, this excessive fatigue on the part of the Master is exactly what was natural. Some insist that this weariness of Jesus suggests 6 P.M. instead of noon for the time of this interview; but it may be accounted for differently.

Acts 6:5 — Luke's special interest in that city; and this helps to confirm the tradition that he himself was an Antiochene." F. F. Bruce, op. cit., p. 129. Two of the Ante-Nicene writers connected the name of Nicolaus with the heresy named in Revelation 2:6. Irenaeus wrote: The Nicolaitanes are the followers of that Nicolaus who was one of the seven first ordained to the diaconate by the apostles. They lead lives of unrestrained indulgence … teaching that it is a matter of indifference to practice

2 Corinthians 9:6 — But this I say, He that soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he that soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully. Other scriptures which carry this same implication are found in Proverbs 11:24; Proverbs 19:17 and Luke 6:38; and strong disagreement is felt with regard to downgrading the motivation appealed to here. Clines' view that "This is not a very exalted motive for giving" David J. A. Clines, op. cit., p. 433. should not be accepted. Giving as an exhibition

Colossians 3:21 — words were written. As Barclay said: A parent could do anything he liked with his child. He could sell him into slavery … he even had the right to condemn his child to death and carry out the execution himself. William Barclay, op. cit., p. 161. In current times, the pendulum has swung the other way; and it is the duty of children to obey their parents that needs emphasis (Ephesians 6:1-3).

1 Thessalonians 5:19 — put out the sacred fire within. This verse is parallel with the following: Many are weak and sickly among you, and some sleep (1 Corinthians 11:30). The last state is become worse than the first (2 Peter 2:20-21). There is a sin unto death (1 John 5:16). It is impossible to renew them (Hebrews 6:4-6). She that giveth herself to pleasure is dead while she lives (1 Timothy 5:6). Whosoever shall blaspheme against the Holy Spirit hath never forgiveness, but is guilty of an eternal sin (Mark 3:29). In

Hebrews 13:25 — Grace be with you all. Amen. This was Paul's customary way of concluding a letter except for the omitted signature. See Romans 16:20; 1 Corinthians 16:23; 2 Corinthians 13:14; Galatians 6:18; Ephesians 6:24; Philippians 4:23; Colossians 4:18; 1 Thess. 4:28; 2 Thessalonians 3:18; 1 Timothy 6:20; 2 Timothy 4:22; Titus 3:15 and Philemon 1:25. In this light, Paul's benediction of

Revelation 11:4 — These are the two olive trees and the two candlesticks, standing before the Lord of the earth. These are the two olive trees and the two candlesticks … This pinpoints the vision of Zechariah 4:2-6, which contains a vision of the same seven candlesticks, representing the Lord's churches, with which this prophecy began (Revelation 1:12 f); but John needed a "two" here instead of a "seven"; so he fastened upon "the two olive