Bible Commentaries

Song of Solomon 4:1-8 — From the lion's dens, From the mountains of the leopards." "Cook regarded this whole chapter as Solomon's love song to the maiden."Barnes' Notes on the Old Testament (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1989 reprint of 1878 Edition), Song of Solomon, p. 128. Balchin agreed with this in the first seven verses, but wrote that, "The song of the shepherd lover may appear in Song of Solomon 4:8 ff."The New Bible Commentary, Revised, p. 593. Bunn ascribed Song of Solomon 4:9-15, "To the shepherd who pleads

Isaiah 2:1-4 — Micah and Isaiah is such that there cannot possibly be any wonder that God gave the same message twice. In the first place, this teaching is not talking about the earthly Jerusalem at all, but the "heavenly Jerusalem" which is our mother (Galatians 4:26). God simply was not speaking of the literal Jerusalem, nor of the Law of Moses in any sense whatever in this passage. Moses' law never went forth from Jerusalem, but from Sinai; and "many peoples" have never flowed unto the literal Jerusalem, but

Hosea 6:11 — commentators is the allegation that, "This is an evident gloss, suggested to the later writer by Judah's sins which so resembled those here charged to Israel."W. R. Harper, International Critical Commentary (New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1905), p. 291. "A Judean editor applies the prophecy to his own time and situation."Jacob M. Myers, op. cit, p. 36. "This is the contribution of a Judean editor who glosses the text."James Luther Mays, op. cit., p. 102. Etc. etc. etc... In such a cacophony of scholarly

Zechariah 14:1 — considered somewhat of an enigma by commentators for centuries. Even Luther said, "In this chapter, I surrender, for I am not certain of what the prophet treats."H. C. Leupold, Exposition of Zechariah (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Book House, 1971), p. 258. Of Zechariah 14:3, Adam Clarke stated that, "This is an obscure place."Adam Clarke, Commentary, Vol. IV (New York City: T. Mason, and G. Lane, 1837), p. 797. After pointing out conflicting interpretations, Pusey could not decide between them, "Leaving

Malachi 1:4 — Nothing is wrong, except that there is no deference to God's will. God only, is able to bless the labors of men. "Except Jehovah build the house, They labor in vain that build it: Except Jehovah keep the city, The watchman waketh but in vain" (Psalms 127:1). "Thus saith Jehovah of hosts" Baldwin noted that this popular title of God, "Jehovah of hosts," is found almost 300 times in the Old Testament, some 247 of these being in the prophetic books, including 91 in the last three of the minor prophets.Joyce

Malachi 4:2 — the sun. J. M. Powis Smith stated that: "It is usually masculine, but it is feminine here and in Genesis 15:17; Jeremiah 15:9; Nahum 3:17, and Isaiah 45:8."J. M. Powis Smith, International Critical Commentary, Malachi (Edinburgh: T. and T. Clark, 1912), p. 84. In all of these passages, "sun" is clearly a reference to the solar orb; and so it must be considered here. And that celestial body cannot represent anyone ever heard of on earth, except the Lord Jesus Christ. Certainly, it is far more likely

Matthew 24:29 — Their reference to the fate of Jerusalem is not vitiated by this view, because Jesus deliberately described both events with one set of symbols. Proof that Christ knew the two events would be separated by a most extensive period of time is seen in Luke 21:44, "And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led captive into all nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, UNTIL THE TIMES OF THE GENTILES BE FULFILLED!" A very long period of time, called by Jesus

Mark 9:1 — order. … We must not try to find some remote connection between these sayings; we must take them individually, one by one, and interpret each one as it comes.William Barclay, The Gospel of Mark (Philadelphia: The Westminster Press, 1956), p. 240. What Barclay affirmed of Mark 9:49-50 is likewise true of Mark 8:38 and Mark 9:1; and, although they occur side by side in this gospel, the two verses are independent, having reference to two distinct and utterly different events which were both

Luke 20:27-40 — of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. Now he is not the God of the dead, but of the living: for all live unto him. And certain of the scribes answering said, Teacher, thou hast said well. For they durst not any more ask him any question. Parallels: Matthew 22:22-33; Mark 12:18-27. The Sadducees' question regarded a projection that was theoretically possible, but actually quite unlikely and ridiculous on the face of it. It is impossible to see how they considered this any greater problem than if only two

John 3:9 — of heaven, as if a man should cast seed into the ground; and he should sleep and rise night and day, and the seed should spring up and grow, he knoweth not how … but when the fruit is brought forth, immediately he putteth in the sickle (Mark 4:26-29). From this word of Jesus, it is plain that people should be more concerned with obeying God's laws than in searching out the "why" and the "how." Nicodemus apparently permitted his puzzlement over the "how" of the

John 9:30-33 — HEARING SINNERS A remarkable body of teaching in the Old Testament affirms the truth of what the blind man said here of God's not hearing sinners. Note: Jehovah will not answer (the wicked) (1 Samuel 8:18). God will not hear the cry of the godless (Job 27:9). I will not answer the wicked (Proverbs 1:28). When ye make prayers, I will not hear (Isaiah 1:15). Your sins have hid his face from you, so that he will not hear (Isaiah 59:2). Etc., etc. — It is astounding that the erstwhile beggar fully

Romans 1:9-10 — "For God is my witness" are actually the highest form of that type of oath defined by Funk and Wagnalls Standard Dictionary as "a reverent appeal to God in corroboration of what one says." Paul used that device frequently, as in 2 Corinthians 1:23; Galatians 1:20; and Philippians 1:8. His special need for emphasizing his truthfulness here derived from the great length of time during which he had been speaking of and promising a visit to Rome; therefore, to protect himself against

2 Corinthians 1:1 — Christ, and had a ministry that was not altogether corrupted, the church still continued to exist there. John Calvin, Commentary on First Corinthians (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1949 reprint), Comment on 1 Corinthians 1:2. It is apparent everywhere in the New Testament that the legitimacy of congregations and Christians alike depended more upon the ideals and intentions of their heart than upon any perfection in the realization of them. All Christians should take encouragement

Galatians 1:1 — as in the first verse of each of his letters to the Romans, Corinthians, Ephesians and Colossians. "In cases where the churches were thoroughly devoted to him, he dropped it altogether, as in the salutations in Philippians, 1 Thessalonians and 2 Thessalonians. J. R. Dummelow, Commentary on the Holy Bible (Old Tappan, New Jersey: Fleming H. Revell Company, 1937), p. 946. Of course, false teachers who were stealing the Galatians away from the truth were challenging Paul's apostleship, making

Galatians 4:4-5 — etc." (Acts 17:31). God sent forth his Son … This is a dogmatic statement of the Incarnation, being a clear reference to the pre-existence of Christ with God before the world was (John 1:1). This clause teaches: (1) the deity of the Son of God, (2) "the going forth of the Son from a place where he was before, and (3) his being invested with divine authority." H. N. Ridderbos, op. cit., p. 155. We agree with Ramsay who said that it was simply "incredible that some unbelievers find

Hebrews 12:3 — "gainsaying of sinners" is no mere reminder of such things as the Lord experienced, but a warning for Christians to be on guard against the same kind of opposition today. The victory which the Lord promised his followers over "gainsayers" (Luke 21:15) derives from the knowledge of the scriptures (Titus 1:9) and was listed as one of the qualifications of an elder. Gainsaying is a verbal attack upon a believer for the purpose of destroying his faith, and it means "to oppose, contradict, deny,

1 Peter 2:4 — unto whom coming, a living stone, rejected indeed of men, but with God elect, precious, Peter here combined the thought of Isaiah 28:16 ff; Isaiah 8:14 ff, and Ps. 122:18 in his presentation of Christ the Stone, living, elect, foundation, precious, rejected, the chief corner, and the stone of stumbling, in one of the most beautiful metaphors of the word of God. For a full discussion

Revelation 7:1 — ones already described. Four angels standing at the four corners of the earth … These are God's angels, not demons, or the devil's angels. "The unmodified term angels is never used to indicate devils." R. C. H. Lenski, op. cit., p. 245. The four corners of the earth … There is no need to dwell upon the alleged ignorance of the sacred writers concerning the shape of the earth. Nothing that John either knew or did not know had anything to do with what he saw. We who know all

Revelation 8:1 — day, "the day of the Lord." Even the marvelous two chapters which conclude this prophecy reveal nothing of the events that are to take place afterwards. John himself said, "It is not yet made manifest what we shall be" (1 John 3:2), a statement which is parallel with the thought here. A moment later, we shall note some of the important corollaries that derive from this interpretation; but first, we shall give the interpretation of this verse as found in the writings of others: It

2 Samuel 21:1-6 — death" Saul, by reason of his excessive zeal, attempted to exterminate the whole race of the Gibeonites, evidently thinking that God's instructions to Israel regarding their putting the nations of Canaan to death might still be implemented (Joshua 9:24). Of course, God's commandment in that instance was to Joshua, not to Saul. It was far too late for Israel to attempt to do that. Furthermore, Saul also ignored a very important fact. The Israelites had made a solemn covenant with the Gibeonites that