Bible Commentaries

Genesis 22 overview — radical scholars who "attribute this chapter to `E' with scarcely a dissenting voice."E. A. Speiser, The Anchor Bible, Genesis (Garden City, N.Y.: Doubleday and Company, 1964), p. 166. However, he admitted that [~'Elohiym] is the name for God in Genesis 22:1; Genesis 22:3; Genesis 22:8-9, and Genesis 22:12, and that "[~Yahweh]" is used in Genesis 22:11; Genesis 22:15, and Genesis 22:16, and twice in Genesis 22:14! Does a fact like that force them to abandon their theory? Oh no! They say, "Somebody (maybe

Genesis 35 overview — patriarchal preeminence inherited from Isaac as head of the Chosen People. Alan Richardson called the chapter "a series of fragments to complete the story of Jacob."Alan Richardson, Twentieth Century Bible Commentary (New York: Harper and Brothers, 1932), p. 121. There are indeed, "several brief paragraphs, in a sense disconnected, but together providing a useful transitional section in Genesis."David F. Payne, The New Layman's Bible Commentary (Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, 1979), p. 159. The

Exodus 15 overview — (Richmond, Virginia: John Knox Press, 1963), p. 54. This song is not, as affirmed by Harford, "An exilic or post-exilic psalm implying the settlement of Canaan."Canon George Harford, Peake's Old Testament Commentary, Exodus (London: T. C. and E. C. Jack, 1924), p. 180. It is not, as claimed, "A point of beginning for the later song of Moses."Roy L. Honeycutt, Jr., Broadman Bible Commentary, Vol 1, Exodus (Nashville: Broadman Press, 1969), p. 377. Why? (1) "In language and style, the hymn bears many marks

1 Kings 17 overview — the heavens that it rain not, and the power to turn water into blood, are clearly linked to Moses and Elijah. By his abrupt appearance in the Biblical narrative, "The Jews fancy that he was an angel sent from heaven,"Matthew Henry's Commentary, Vol. 2, p. 665. but James tells us that he was a man of like passions as ourselves (James 5:17). "Elijah is the most `supernatural' figure in the historical books of the O.T., but that does not make him unhistorical."Arthur S. Peake's Commentary, p. 302. "This

Psalms 144 overview — Davidic authorship of Psalms 144, and shall here outline our reasons for doing so. (1)    The superscription so ascribes it; and the ancient superscriptions are at least as dependable as the speculative guesses of modern critics. (2)    Mitchell Dahood ascribed the language of this psalm, based upon technical observations, "To the tenth century B.C."Mitchell Dahood in The Anchor Bible, Vol. III, p. 328. Those, of course, were the times of David. (3)    The

Psalms 18 overview — accredited to David, "This is the one that can be assigned to him with the greatest confidence."J. R. Dummelow, Whole Bible (New York: The Macmillan Company, 1937), p. 336. There is another record of this same Psalm, with only insignificant variations, in 2 Samuel 22. The outdated, extravagant, and disproved allegations of radical critics which were popular in some schools of thought during the 19th and early twentieth centuries are no longer considered to have any importance whatever by thoughtful scholars.

Psalms 26 overview — A PLEA FOR VINDICATION AND PROTECTION The title we have chosen for this psalm is that assigned by Leupold.H. C. Leupold, p. 228. The great problem confronted here is the authorship, which according to the ancient ascription is "A Psalm of David." "The psalm has all the notes of David's style, is full of his thoughts and imagery, and is allowed to be his by almost all critics."The

Deuteronomy 12 overview — Here we come to a major division in our study of Deuteronomy. Wright stated that Deuteronomy 12:1 "is the title of this section (Deuteronomy 12:12-28), and we do not encounter another major title until we come to Deuteronomy 29:1."Ernest G. Wright, The Interpreter's Bible, Deuteronomy (New York: Abingdon Press, 1954), p. 408. This strongly indicates

Deuteronomy 32 overview — declared on this poem that, "It would be impossible to prove or disprove that any of them (various portions of Deuteronomy) was actually composed by Moses!"John D. W. Watts, Beacon Bible Commentary, Deuteronomy (Nashville: Broadman Press, 1970), p. 288. This is profoundly correct, and it is a good thing to keep this in mind when one encounters the glib assertion that this or that portion of Deuteronomy was NOT written by Moses. Until someone can prove that it is not written by MOSES (as the Bible

Romans 5:19 — righteousness can be transferred from one person to another; but the consequences of either, to some extent, may fall upon others. Robertson L. Whiteside, A New Commentary on Paul's Letter to the Saints at Rome (Denton, Texas: Miss Inys Whiteside, 1945), p. 125. What Whiteside observed regarding the fact that it is absolutely impossible to transfer righteousness from one person to another is profoundly true. It is not by transferring the righteousness of Christ into sinners that God justifies and saves the

Ephesians 4:4-5 — Ibid. "Baptism" means "spirit baptism," based on the fact that Paul does not refer to the Lord's Supper here in this list of unities. Willard H. Taylor, Beacon Bible Commentary, Vol. 9 (Kansas City, Missouri: Beacon Hill Press, 1965), p. 205. It is often asked why no reference was made here to the other great sacrament of the gospel (the Lord's Supper). Francis Foulkes, op. cit., p. 113. Foulkes pointed out the explanation by Westcott, which is doubtless correct. He said, "The apostle

Ephesians 5:19 — spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord. Speaking one to another … This reference is probably to the custom of Christians "singing by turns a hymn to Christ, as to a god. Pliny's Letter to the Emperor Trajan, 112 A.D. Henry Bettenson, Documents of the Christian Church (New York and London: Oxford University Press, 1947), p. 6. "By turns" is also rendered "antiphonally"; but from 1 Corinthians 14:26, the custom was actually that of singing

Ephesians 5:25-26 — subjection that a devoted wife might give to her husband would be more than rewarded and justified by such a love as that. Hendriksen was right when he declared, "More excellent love than this is inconceivable." William Hendriksen, op. cit., p. 250. That he might sanctify it … The sanctification in view here is the original consecration of the alien sinner to God's service at the time of his conversion. Any notion of the sanctification here meaning any special state of holiness beyond

Colossians 2:16 — Judaizers, as were the Corinthians, they were in danger of being corrupted by the Gnostics. False teachers were seeking to deprive the Colossians of that simplicity which is in Christ. Arthur W. Pink, Gleanings from Paul (Chicago: Moody Press, 1967), p. 222. While there evidently were traces of incipient gnosticism, it was the Judaizers who were refuted in these verses. As Dummelow said, "The Jewish character of the false teachers comes very plainly into view here." J. R. Dummelow, op. cit.,

Hebrews 10:19 — symbolical of forgiveness, and then passed through the automatic doors into the sanctuary. Just so, the Christian worshiper learns and accepts for himself the sacrifice of Christ, receives forgiveness of sins, and is automatically added to Christ (Acts 2:47). Automatic Doors Laver The Court North Altar Beautiful Gate Within the sanctuary, the only light was from the candlestick which represented God's word. The table of showbread suggested God's providence; and the altar of incense stood for prayer.

Hebrews 12:23 — scripture is in this very thing, that the names of Christians are indeed written there in the book of life, there where God has inscribed it and where none but he may blot it out. Jesus confirmed that our names "are written in heaven" (Luke 10:20). Paul actually gave the names of some, that is, Clement and certain faithful women, whose names are written there (Philippians 4:3); Moses revealed that his own name is so written (Exodus 32:32); and the prophet Daniel mentioned that they shall be

Hebrews 4:15 — redemption, call for the legions of angels, overwhelm his enemies with destruction, and consign the human race to oblivion, a fate fully deserved; and that just such a temptation did occur is seen in Christ's mention of the twelve legions of angels (Matthew 26:53). Only his great eternal love for people enabled our Lord to forego such a termination of his heavenly mission. This whole field of thought is clouded with the veil through which we see "darkly" (1 Corinthians 13:12); dogmatism is certainly

2 Peter 1:1 — "If a forger had been writing in Peter's name, he would have begun almost certainly by copying Peter's name from the first epistle," William G. Moorehead, International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (Chicago: The Howard-Severance Company, 1915), p. 2356. where it reads simply, "Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ." Why did Peter use this double name? Barnett thought it was due to "Peter's resumption in his old age of the name familiar to his youth"<footnote Albert E. Barnett,

Revelation 14 overview — come before the final judgment; namely, the preaching of the truth to all nations, as Jesus prophesied, "This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world for a testimony unto all nations; and then shall the end come" (Matthew 24:14). The announcement of the angel in Revelation 14:7 that the hour is come very logically follows the revelation of Revelation 14:6 that preaching of the "eternal good tidings" had been effectively concluded. The rest of this chapter (Revelation

Revelation 3:14 — it as the Church of mob rule, the democratic church, in which everything was swayed and decided by popular opinion." J. A. Seiss, The Apocalypse Lectures on the Book of Revelation (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1900), p. 72. We are reluctant to accept this, be cause the town was actually named by its founder Antiochus II (261-246 B.C.) after his wife Laodice. E. J. Banks, ISBE, p. 1836. It was situated in the same general vicinity of the other six cities addressed in this