Bible Commentaries

Genesis 26 overview — Abraham. (1)    There was a famine similar to the one that prompted Abraham to go down into Egypt. However, Isaac, heeding the warning of God, remained in Canaan, in Gerar, which was under the jurisdiction of Abimelech, the Philistine king (Genesis 26:1-5). (2)    Isaac, with similar motivation to that of Abraham passed the word around that Rebekah was his sister. This time, however, Abimelech, knowing of the experience with Abraham and Sarah, looked into the relationship himself,

1 Kings 18:1-2 — meant here: "The time given here, the third year, is not to be reckoned from the commencement of the drought, but from the event last mentioned, namely, the sojourn of Elijah with the widow of Zarephath, and this reckoning is shown to be true by Luke 4:25 and James 5:17, where Christ and James both say, that in the time of Ahab it did not rain for three years and six months."C. F. Keil, Keil and Delitzsch's Old Testament Commentaries, Vol. 3a, p. 241. LaSorThe New Bible Commentary, Revised, p. 342. and

2 Chronicles 24:8-14 — were made vessels for the house of Jehovah, even vessels wherewith to minister and to offer, and spoons, and vessels of gold and silver. And they offered burnt-offerings in the house of Jehovah continually all the days of Jehoiada." 2 Chronicles 24:5-14 is parallel with 2 Kings 12:5-16; and most of our comments on these paragraphs will be found in our Commentary on Second Kings. We wish to stress, however, the repeated references to the teachings of Moses, thus sustaining the unimpeachable witness

Nehemiah 10:28-31 — forgiving all debts (Nehemiah 10:31). "Restriction against marriage with pagans." Ezra had dealt with this problem (Ezra 9-10); but the problem persisted, and there was constant need to address it. "Keeping the sabbaths." "Jeremiah 17:21-22, and Amos 8:5 indicate clearly that trading on the sabbath day was prohibited."The New Bible Commentary, Revised, p. 409. "The sabbatical year a time of release of debts." Deuteronomy 15 required that all debts (among Israelites) be canceled, although that release

Job 34:16-20 — serious enough if made only against an earthly ruler, but how much more serious is such a charge against God"?Ibid. However, Elihu was not logical in bringing in the matter of earthly rulers here; because, "Fools may be set in high places (Ecclesiastes 10:5), and addressed with noble titles (Isaiah 32:5)."The Anchor Bible (Garden City, New York: Doubleday and Company, 1982), op. cit., p. 224. "The mighty are taken away without hand" Both these verses (Job 34:19-20) deal with the doom of persons who accuse

Psalms 62:5-8 — my salvation: He is my high tower; I shall not be moved. With God is my salvation and my glory; The rock of my strength and my refuge, is in God. Trust in him at all times, ye people; Pour out your heart before him: God is a refuge for us." Psalms 62:5-6 here are almost a verbatim repeat of Psalms 62:1-2, with three variations. (1) Whereas, in Psalms 62:1 the psalmist's soul is said to rest in God; here it is commanded to do so. (2) The strong assurance of Psalms 62:2 seems to be slightly downgraded

Ecclesiastes 7:5-7 — song of fools. For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the look this also is vanity. Surely extortion maketh the wise man foolish, and a bribe destroyeth the understanding." Here are denounced songs of fools (Ecclesiastes 7:5), the laughter of fools (Ecclesiastes 7:6) and the behavior of fools (Ecclesiastes 7:7). "Songs of fools" "These are probably mirthful drinking songs such as are mentioned in Amos 6:5." These are the same as those sung in the house of mirth (Ecclesiastes

Jeremiah 41:1-3 — land. Ishmael also slew all the Jews that were with him, to wit, with Gedaliah, at Mizpah, and the Chaldeans that were found there, the men of war." "Of the seed royal" It is believed that Ishmael was descended from David through Elishama (2 Samuel 5:16), and that this royal connection might have originated Ishmael's vengeful hatred of Gedaliah, being bitterly jealous that Nebuchadnezzar had passed over Ishmael, a member of the royal house of David, to make Gedaliah governor! In all the records

Amos 1 overview — did not neglect Judah, considered by Amos as one with the northern kingdom, and then rested the fullness of its fury upon the nation of Israel itself. The following nations were blasted with these eloquent and fierce denunciations: Damascus (Amos 1:3-5); Philistia (Amos 1:6-8); Tyre (Amos 1:9-10); Edom (Amos 1:11-12); Ammon (Amos 1:13-15); Moab (Amos 2:1-3); Judah (Amos 2:4-5); and Israel (Amos 2:6-16). The skill and power of Amos as a speaker and orator appear in this arrangement of his material: "The

Numbers 9:4-8 — a man: wherefore are we kept back, that we may not offer the oblation of Jehovah in its appointed season among the children of Israel? And Moses said unto them, Stay ye, that I may hear what Jehovah will command concerning you." "At even" (Numbers 9:5). "This is literally `between the two evenings',"Ibid. and was understood differently in different ages. About the first century A.D., it meant, "the time between three and five o'clock in the evening."Ibid. Since our Lord died at 3:00 p.m., this fact

Romans 7 overview — 3:20-24, he had elaborated the truth that no flesh can be justified by the law, that the law and the prophets themselves had foretold the new faith, and that God's grace had provided free and full redemption "in Christ Jesus." (2) In Romans 5:20-21, he had shown the temporary nature of the law, given primarily to expose sin, making it "abound," and that it was not true life at all but the means through which "sin reigned in death." (3) In Romans 6:14, Paul flatly declared

2 Corinthians 11:20 — contrary to the Holy Spirit their outrageous behavior surely was. Note what these false apostles were doing: Bringing into bondage. This could have meant that they were being enslaved to keep the ceremonial laws of the Jews (see Galatians 2:4; Galatians 5:1). Devouring them. This, like most of what is said here, has overtones of the Pharisaical methods in Jerusalem. Jesus, for example, said that they "devoured widows' houses" (Matthew 23:14). They took as much money and substance as they could

Galatians 5:16-17 — "a heart that deviseth wicked imaginations." The total corruption of the antediluvian world had been achieved by the evil one when the "imagination of men's hearts" had become evil, and only evil, without intermission (Genesis 6:5). This was the essence of pre-Christian debauchery of the Gentiles (Romans 1:21); and it was "imaginations" which Paul identified as being "exalted against the knowledge of God" (2 Corinthians 10:5), the Christian warfare being simply

Colossians 1:10 — hope to enter heaven. Furthermore, it is absolutely incorrect to seek the elimination of this requirement by declaring that "Paul attaches high value to good works viewed as the fruit, not the root, of grace." William Hendriksen, op. cid, p. 58. Paul himself emphatically made good works a prior condition of eternal redemption, even for those already saved by the blood of Christ, a truth which is clearly visible in this verse. Paul said: We must all be made manifest before the judgment seat

Hebrews 1:8 — But of the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever; And the scepter of uprightness is the scepter of thy kingdom. This quotation is from Psalms 45:6 and relates to the Godhead of Christ. CHRIST AS GOD This verse has proved offensive to commentators who apparently resent such a blunt reference to Christ as God; but all kinds of learned arguments, predicated upon the Greek word, whether nominative

Hebrews 12:12-13 — chapter, the image of the great Olympian contest is the vision in the author's mind; thus, the limp, relaxed hands and the palsied knees bring to mind a boxer who is "out on his feet," or a runner who is about to falter in the race. See Isaiah 35:3 which has nearly this same language. Make straight paths for your feet again suggests the language of Isaiah 35, and is a reference to encouragement of the weak and faltering by smoothing the way before them. It is the stronger members of the believing

1 Peter 3:1-2 — without the word be gained by the behavior of their wives; beholding your chaste behavior coupled with fear. Be in subjection to your own husbands … This is in agreement with other extensive teaching on this in the New Testament, as in Ephesians 5:22 ff, Colossians 3:18 ff, and Titus 2:5. Note also that this is extended to include the submission of a Christian wife to a pagan husband. Although it may be supposed that both the husband and the wife, many times, would be converted together, there

2 Peter 1:18 — mount." The holy mount … Many commentators mention the allegations based upon this expression and which "suggest a late date for the letter, at a time when ecclesiastical traditions were crystallized." David H. Wheaton, op. cit., p. 1254. But, as Plummer said, "Such a view is not even partly right." Alfred Plummer, op. cit., p. 449. The attitude that would cause that mountain to be spoken of as "holy" was not in any sense a "late view," being far older

1 John 4 overview — love one another God abideth in us, and his love is perfected in us (1 John 4:12). Because he has given us of his We know that we abide in him Spirit and he in us (1 John 4:13). Confessing Jesus as the Son of God abides in him, and he in God (1 John 4:15). Believing that Jesus is the That one is begotten of God Christ (1 John 5:1). If we keep his commandments We love God (1 John 5:3). It will be noted that such tests have a prominent place in this chapter. They are not separate tests, actually, but

Revelation 3:3 — not know what hour I will come upon thee. Earle, in this and the preceding verse, found five steps to a revival: (1) "Be watchful"; (2) "Strengthen the things which remain"; (3) "Remember"; (4) "Hold fast"; and (5) "Repent." Ralph Earle, Beacon Bible Commentary, Vol. 10 (Kansas City: Beacon Hill Press, 1967), p. 515. Remember … "Memory is again the lever for repentance, as in Revelation 2:5" James Moffatt, Expositor's Greek New Testament,