Bible Commentaries

2 Kings 19:8-13 — fathers have destroyed, Gozan, and Haran, and Rezeph, and the children of Eden that were in Telassar? Where is the king of Hamath, and the king of Arpad, and the king of the city of Sepharvaim, of Hena, and Ivvah?" A letter accompanied this second demand (2 Kings 19:14); but there was nothing new in it except three things. (1) Several more places that Assyria had devastated were mentioned; (2) and God was called "a deceiver" (2 Kings 19:10); also (3) Assyria's prior rulers were mentioned. "(He) found the

2 Chronicles 21:1-3 — differently in the Hebrew: Azarjah and Azarjahu."C. F. Keil, Keil and Delitzsch's Old Testament Commentaries, 3b, p. 395. It is not clear why the translators rendered the two names alike. On the strange identification of Jehoshaphat as king of Israel (2 Chronicles 21:2), this designation was correct, because Judah was indeed the true Israel; and those northern tribes who called themselves Israel were no longer part of God's true Israel.

Psalms 126 overview — captivity; but, at the same time, there is nothing to exclude that example of God's restoring the fortunes of Israel. Delitzsch declared that, "Any other rendering than that of the LXX in these opening lines is impossible."F. Delitzsch, Vol. V-C, p. 288. That rendition is, "When the Lord turned the captivity of Sion, we became as comforted ones."LXX, p. 777. Nevertheless, we accept the RSV rendition here as correct, because Christ himself used the expression, "release of the captives" as an idiom

Proverbs 14:31 — "He that oppresseth the poor reproacheth his Maker; But he that hath mercy on the needy honoreth him." There are three classes of the poor: (1) those, who through lack of ability, have never been able to make a living, (2) those who were once affluent, but have been brought down by affliction, and (3) those who, though not actually in want, are able through diligent and constant toil to supply the barest necessities of life but do not know any of the luxuries of ease

Matthew 12:42 — Barnes, referred to "the most distant parts of the habitable world then known."Albert Barnes, op. cit., p. 135. Christ as "greater than Solomon" was expounded by James H. Childress as follows: (1) Christ was greater in his birth, (2) his wisdom, (3) his temple, (4) his throne, (5) his prayers, (6) in his mansions, and (7) in the sacrifice Christ offered. As one example, Solomon offered at the dedication of the temple "twenty-two thousand oxen, and a hundred twenty thousand

Deuteronomy 7:24-26 — Jehovah thy God. And thou shalt not bring an abomination into thy house, and become a devoted thing like unto it: thou shalt utterly detest it. and thou shalt utterly abhor it; for it is a devoted thing." "Lest thou be snared therein" (Deuteronomy 7:25). The meaning is not that the silver and gold in itself would be a snare, but that in being a devoted thing as part of their false gods, it would contaminate all that came in contact with it. The tragic story of Achan in Joshua (Joshua 7) shows what

Acts 19:10 — to preach in Asia but was forbidden (Acts 16:6); now it was different, and tremendous success attended his efforts. De Welt believed that "The seven churches of Asia referred to in Revelation 1:4, as well as the church as Colossae (Colossians 1:2), were doubtless established at this time." Don DeWelt, op. cit., p. 258. Joseph Benson agreed, saying: The fame of the apostle's doctrine and miracles brought multitudes to Ephesus from distant parts; and these, being converted, preached the gospel

Acts 20:25 — all, among whom I went about preaching the kingdom, shall see my face no more. In this and the preceding verse, two things of surpassing importance are revealed: (1)    "Testifying the gospel of the grace of God" (Acts 20:24) and establishing churches everywhere — this is exactly the same thing as "preaching the kingdom" of God (Acts 20:25). Again in the New Testament, the fact is confirmed that the church of Jesus Christ and the kingdom of heaven are

Romans 2:1 — excuse, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest dost practice the same things. Thou art without excuse … is the same condemnation Paul hurled at the Gentile (Romans 1:20), and here it is applied likewise to the Jew, "O man," as used in this passage, being more fully identified as bearing "the name of a Jew" (Romans 2:17), and as having the characteristic of judging other people. Thou dost practice

1 Corinthians 13:12 — childhood age of the church giving way to maturity, applicable to the current era of that day; but like many other examples in the Bible, it has a secondary reference to something much more remote. (Other examples of this same type of thing are in Matthew 2:15; Matthew 2:18 … See my comments in my Commentary on Matthew, pp. 18-19). We may therefore refer the words about seeing through a mirror darkly, and knowing "in part" to the present dispensation of God's grace, and the words about

2 Corinthians 7:16 — which was about to be dispatched to Corinth by the hands of Titus, PROVES that the apostle knew many instances in which they still needed correction, teaching, and disciplining. It is not Paul's assurance here that proves he could not also have written 2 Corinthians 10—13; but it is 2 Corinthians 10—13 which prove the nature of the assurance here expressed. It regarded hope, more than it regarded fulfillment.

1 Thessalonians 3:6 — New Testament frequently has this objective meaning, and that sinner's trust/faith is hardly ever the true meaning. More and more scholars should be aware of this. See my Commentary on Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, and Colossians under Galatians 2:16; Galatians 2:20. The obedient faith of the Thessalonians, their true Christian love ([Greek: agape]) for both God and man, and their continuing affection for the beloved apostles were sufficient grounds for Paul's full encouragement and thanksgiving.

Titus 2:13 — looking for the blessed hope and appearing of the glory of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; Appearing… The two Advents are in Titus 2:11; Titus 2:13. In Titus 2:11, it was the appearing of the grace of God in the First Advent of our Lord, and here it is the final appearing in the Second Advent when Christ will judge the quick and the dead. The first of this twofold epiphany is past,

Titus 2:4 — the training of young married women, a function that pertained to the godly older women in the congregation. There are seven qualities to be instilled in the younger women, two mentioned in this verse, five in the next. They are: (1) husband-lovers, (2) children-lovers, (3) sober-minded, (4) chaste, (5) workers at home, (6) kind, and (7) in subjection to their own husbands. At first glance it seems hardly necessary to speak of training one to love spouse or children; but as Ward noted: Love does not

Hebrews 1 overview — DIVISION I Hebrews 1:1—2:18 CHRIST IS BETTER THAN ANGELS; CHRIST IS PREFERRED ABOVE ANGELS, BOTH IN PERSON AND IN OFFICE

1 John 5 overview — Throughout this epistle, John repeatedly emphasized the three tests: faith, obedience and love. All three were stressed in 1 John 2, and most of 1 John 3 was devoted to obedience and love. 1 John 4 emphasized faith and love. The three go together, however, as is evident throughout this letter. In the opening paragraph of this chapter (1 John 5:1-5), "faith" (or belief)

1 Samuel 25:43-44 — "David also took Ahinoam of Jezreel; and both of them became his wives. Saul had given Michal his daughter, David's wife, to Palti the son of Laish, who was of Gallim." When David later had the power he took Michal back (2 Samuel 3:14-15). It is not certain exactly who Ahinoam might have been, but one possibility is that she was one of the wives of Saul (2 Samuel 12:8). If so, the mention of her here is that of an event that came twenty-two years later. We reject that

2 Samuel 1:11-16 — him, "Your blood be upon your head; for your own mouth has testified against you, saying, `I have slain the Lord's anointed…'" "And David said, `Go fall upon him'" As Willis noted, "Some scholars see a contradiction between what is said here and 2 Samuel 4:10, where it is implied that David slew the Amalekite."John T. Willis, p. 285. But, as Dr. DeHoff said, "Some commentaries on the Bible could well be entitled, `How to keep from believing what the Lord has said.'"George DeHoff's Commentary,

2 Samuel 14:25-27 — estimated it as, "About 6 pounds."Albert Barnes, op. cit., p. 101. He also suggested that the figure of two hundred shekels should probably be read as "twenty shekels." Caird gave the weight as "About three and one-half pounds";The Interpreter's Bible, Vol. 2, p. 1120. and Josephus gave it as "five pounds."Flavius Josephus, Antiquities, p. 220. From all this, it is perfectly evident that the scholars do not know what it weighed; and we can think of no better comment than that of R. P. Smith who said, "Undoubtedly

2 Samuel 9:5 — Lo-debar." It is not hard to imagine what Mephibosheth might have thought when the royal chariots with their liveried retainers of the king rolled up in front of the house of Machir. Sure, David had said, "That I may show him kindness for Jonathan's sake (2 Samuel 9:1)"; but the universal custom of those times was that any king searched out and slew every relative of any previous king. And in the light of that custom David's promise of kindness might well have been discounted. To those of Saul's household,