Bible Commentaries

Psalms 144:11 — "Rescue me, and deliver me out of the hand of aliens, Whose mouth speaketh deceit, and whose right hand is a right hand of falsehood." This verse reflects David's thought in Psalms 144:10, where he spoke of himself as "God's servant," as in 2 Samuel 7:26, indicating that David here recalled the great victories which God gave him, as recorded in that passage of 2 Samuel. As Kidner noted, "Once more, David is treating the `former mercies of God' as a measure of what God can do,"Derek Kidner, Vol. II,

Psalms 25:1-7 — relate sin and suffering as cause and effect, whether true or not. This is the background that prompts the psalmist to pray for the forgiveness of the sins of his youth. "Remember thy mercies… lovingkindness… thy goodness" (Psalms 25:6-7). It is significant that David here based his plea that God "Remember not" the sins of his youth, not upon the basis of any merit of his own, but solely upon the goodness, kindness and mercy of God. "Remember... remember not" (Psalms 25:6-7). Only God

Psalms 57 overview — Saul in the cave. Set to Altasheth. This, or course, was the tune to which the psalm was to be sung; but no one has the slightest idea what that tune was. Delitzsch tells us that "There were three of the Davidic psalms set to this tune, namely, Psalms 57; Psalms 58; and Psalms 59, and also one of the Psalms accredited to Asaph, Psalms 75."F. Delitzsch, Vol. V-B, p. 173. Following the Douay Version of the Old Testament, Spurgeon, translated the name of this tune, as "Destroy Not." He commented that,

Psalms 79:3 — Jerusalem; And there was none to bury them." "There is no event in the history of the Hebrews to which this description would be more applicable than to the Babylonian invasion."Barnes' Notes on the Old Testament (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, a 1987 reprint of the 1878 edition), Vol. II, p. 310. With most of the population being carried into captivity, there would have been no one left to bury the thousands of the slain. "This whole verse happens to be quoted in 1 Maccabees 7:17; but priority in

Proverbs 22:8 — 1929. Any person who is sinning is "sowing iniquity." The Septuagint (LXX) has a variant reading for the second line, "God loves a cheerful and liberal man,"The Greek Septuagint (LXX). and Scott called this the source of Paul's words in 2 Corinthians 9:7.The Anchor Bible (Garden City, New York: Doubleday and Company, 1982), footnote, p. 128.

Proverbs 28:24 — "Whoso robbeth his father or his mother, and saith, It is no transgression, The same is the companion of a destroyer." The background of this, as suggested by Cook,Barnes' Notes on the Old Testament (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, a 1987 reprint of the 1878 Edition), Proverbs, p. 77. seems to be that very kind of "robbing" one's parents that Jesus condemned in Mark 7:10-13. The fact that some robber of his parents might have the gall to say, "It is no transgression" points squarely

Hosea 2 overview — prophecy of Hosea 1:10-11 foretelling the gathering together of the children of Israel under "one head," i.e., the Lord Jesus Christ; but the shadow of Hosea's tragic marriage appears in the interesting play upon the three names of the children. Hosea 2:2-7 move directly into God's condemnation and rejection of Israel for the gross sins of the people, the rejection being stated (Hosea 2:2) in legal terms of a formal divorce, suggesting that Hosea actually divorced Gomer for adultery, but leaving that fact

Deuteronomy 17 overview — There is a brief reminder in Deuteronomy 17:1 that only perfect sacrifices without spot or blemish are acceptable in the worship of God. There follows a paragraph (Deuteronomy 17:2-7) on what to do with idolaters. Back in Deuteronomy 13, Moses had told what to do with persons who seduced others

Mark 13:27 — gather together his elect from the four winds, from the uttermost part of the earth to the uttermost part of heaven. The angels … are always associated with the final judgment in the New Testament (Matthew 13:41; Matthew 13:49; 2 Thessalonians 1:7, etc.). Elect from the four winds … This is an idiom meaning "from everywhere." Uttermost part of earth … heaven … That both earth and heaven are mentioned here as places from which God will gather the elect is remarkable,

Luke 22 overview — The magnificent drama of our Lord's Passion rapidly unfolds in this chapter. The Passover came on (Luke 22:1-2); Judas bargained to betray the Saviour (Luke 22:3-6); the last Supper was eaten (Luke 22:7-23); the apostles disputed about rank (Luke 22:24-30); Peter's denial was foretold (Luke 22:31-34); the changed condition of the apostles was announced (Luke 22:35-38); an angel strengthened the Lord in Gethsemane (Luke 22:39-46); Jesus was arrested

Luke 5:13 — departed from him. To touch a leper resulted in the ceremonial defilement of the one who touched; but Jesus did not hesitate to incur such defilement on behalf of those whom he came to deliver. In a similar way, he touched the bier of the dead (Luke 7:14). As often noted, Christ's cures were instantaneous, performed without physical effort on his part, and free of the type of incantations, ostentatious prayers, and hysterical behavior associated with so-called "healings" today. His were

Luke 7:43 — suppose, to whom he forgave the most. And he said unto him, Thou hast rightly judged. Simon, so he thought, was merely going along with the little game; his "I suppose" is in the same vein of condescension as the "say on" of Luke 7:40. There was not even anything in Jesus' address to Simon that revealed the blockbuster that Jesus was about to detonate in his face. Simon, no doubt, was still smiling a sophisticated sneer when Jesus said, "Thou hast rightly judged." Then

John 7:41 — Also, added to the difficulty of the people was the slander of the Pharisees that no prophet had ever come out of Galilee; but they were wrong about that also, Jonah, the first of the prophets, having come from Galilee (2 Kings 14:25). See under John 7:52.

Acts 18:6 — opposed themselves … All opposition against the word of God is in reality a disaster to the opposer, not to the gospel. "The Pharisees and lawyers rejected the counsel of God against themselves, being not baptized of him (John)" (Luke 7:30 KJV). Blasphemed … This means that they blasphemed both Paul and the Lord Jesus Christ. Shook out his raiment … This gesture was the equivalent of shaking off the dust of his feet against them as in Acts 13:51.

Romans 3:15 — Their feet are swift to shed blood. This is quoted from Isaiah 59:7 and contains the charge of being swift and ready killers. The propensity of the chosen people for committing murder is well-documented in scripture; and Christ himself addressed his lament over Jerusalem thus, "Thou that killest the prophets and

1 Corinthians 7:28 — Paul still allowed that marriage was honorable and that those entering such a state did not sin. If a virgin marry … This refers to virgin daughters, making it clear that BOTH sexes are in view here, men having been mentioned in 1 Corinthians 7:26. Tribulation in the flesh … is a reference to the sufferings and deprivations invariably associated with persecutions in the first century. Such tribulations would be far more severe upon the married than upon the unmarried.

1 Corinthians 7:8 — even as I … This was the permission of the apostle, and even his approval, that for those who were able to live chastely without marriage, it would be better for them not to marry due to "the distress that is upon us" (1 Corinthians 7:26). A savage persecution against the church was then raging, and it was an inopportune time for marrying; but, even so, Paul did not forbid it.

2 Peter 1:8 — For if these things are yours and abound, they make you to be not idle nor unfruitful unto the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. "It is the necessity of possessing these things enumerated in 2 Peter 1:5-7 and to be achieved at least in part by human effort, that is here stressed." Albert E. Barnett, op. cit., p. 178. If … How frequently this word appears in the New Testament! suggesting here that in the last analysis, there is a vital and

3 John 1:8 — We therefore ought to welcome such, that we may be fellow-workers for the truth. See under 3 John 1:7 for three reasons why missionaries such as these should be supported, the third being, "that we may be fellow-workers in the truth," that is, participants in the rewards of spreading the gospel. John has built up the case here to show how

1 Samuel 2:11-20 — his wife, and say, "The Lord give you children by this woman for the loan which she lent to the Lord"; so then they would return to their home." The Law of Moses defined exactly what was to be the priest's portion of every peace offering (Leviticus 7:31-35), as it also gave express directions about the burning of the fat (Leviticus 7:23-25; Leviticus 7:31). It was therefore a gross act of lawlessness and disobedience on the part of Hophni and Phinehas to take more than the Law allowed them. Evidence