Bible Commentaries

2 Chronicles 36:5-8 — abominations which he did, and that which was found in (against) him, behold, they are written in the book of the kings of Israel and Judah: and Jehoiakin his son reigned in his stead." (See our comments in the parallel under 2 Kings 23:34 to 2 Kings 24:7.)

Jeremiah 18 overview — analogy revealed and the warning to repent given (Jeremiah 18:11), (4) Judah's obstinate rejection of God's call to repentance (Jeremiah 18:12), (5) the folly of Judah's choice (Jeremiah 18:13-14), (6) the consequences of that choice (Jeremiah 18:15-17), (7) the conspiracy against Jeremiah (Jeremiah 18:18-20), and (8) Jeremiah reveals the judgment of God against his enemies (Jeremiah 18:19-23).E. Henderson, The Book of the Prophet Jeremiah (London: Hamilton, Adams, and Company, 1851), p. 110. These

Ezekiel 23:32-34 — thou shalt gnaw the sherds thereof, and shalt tear thy breasts; for I have spoken it, saith the Lord Jehovah." There are extensive references to the "cup of the wrath of Jehovah" in the Bible. See Jeremiah 25:15-29; Jeremiah 49:12-13; Jeremiah 51:6-7; Isaiah 51:17-23; Isaiah 56:12; Zechariah 12:2; Habakkuk 2:16; Psalms 11:6; Psalms 75:8; and Revelation 14:20. Also see our comments on most of these passages, except the ones in Psalms.

Daniel 7:3-4 — Scholars of all schools agree that Babylon was this first beast. We have already noted that Babylon was noted for its identity with this beast, the king of animals. There is some disagreement about what is meant by "a man's heart being given to it" (Daniel 7:4); but Young's view that, "The change that came upon the beast evidently has reference to the event of Nebuchadnezzar's madness and his subsequent restoration,"Edward J. Young, op. cit., p. 695. is as good as any.

Micah 7:12 — altogether. The language here includes much more than the area between the Mediterranean Sea and Euphrates River. Such expressions as "sea to sea" and "mountain to mountain" encompass the whole world. The background of this prophecy was laid in Micah 7:10, where by the means of a taunt echoed at Calvary itself, the true Israel, CHRIST, is surely in view. It is in Christ, the true Israel, that Israel receives tribute from every land on earth.

Matthew 8:3 — touching a leper would have been defiled; but not only did Jesus' touch fail to defile him, it cleansed the leper! Christ often defied the "touch not" directives of the Law, as, for example, in the case of the bier of the widow's Son (Luke 7:14). The miracles of Jesus were usually instantaneous, complete, unquestionable, and attested by countless witnesses. The "lying miracles" (2 Thessalonians 2:9) of later times are never comparable in any of these particulars to the miracles

Mark 7:10 — this verse, and following, Jesus gave a glaring example of how human tradition had violated and circumvented the word of God. Incidentally, Christ here recognized Moses as the author of the law which he also called "the word of God" in Mark 7:13, contrasting the true authority of the Old Testament with the human traditions substituted for it. The Pharisees claimed that their traditions were a hedge around the law to PROTECT it; but as Sanner noted, it was no such thing, but "a massive

Luke 4:29-30 — spot, when anyone was accused of violating their law or tradition."Herschel H. Hobbs, op. cit., p. 92. Other New Testament examples of this volatile, illegal, and unscrupulous characteristic of the times and people are: John 8:59; John 10:21; Acts 7:67-70; and Acts 21:31-32. Whether Jesus used any miraculous power in passing through his enemies is not definitely known. Divine power most certainly would have been used if it had been necessary.

Luke 6:43-44 — is no good tree that bringeth forth corrupt fruit; nor again a corrupt tree that bringeth forth good fruit. For each tree is known by its own fruit. For of thorns men do not gather figs, nor of a bramble bush gather they grapes. In Matthew (Matthew 7:17-20) this teaching was applied to the identification of false teachers. No corrupt teacher can produce desirable results. It would be as logical to expect a bucket of figs to grow on a thorn bush as to expect holy and beneficial results to follow

Luke 9 overview — Luke begins a large section of teachings and events not recorded elsewhere in the New Testament. Up to that point, he related a number of incidents reported in the other Gospels. These are: the Twelve sent forth (Luke 9:1-6), Herod's perplexity (Luke 9:7-9), feeding the five thousand (Luke 9:10-17), Peter's confession (Luke 9:18-27), the transfiguration (Luke 9:28-36), curing the epileptic boy (Luke 9:37-43), a prophecy of Jesus' being delivered up (Luke 9:44-45), on "Who's the greatest?"

John 7:8 — that time" he would not go. Tenney's comment that "Jesus told the brethren that he was not going, and then promptly went"Merrill C. Tenney, John, the Gospel of Belief (Grand Rapids, Michigan: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1972), p. 130. is not true. A delay of a full three and one-half days is not "promptly" going to the feast. Besides, in the Jewish sense, one attending only half of it was not said to have attended it. Strict attention to the grammar shows what

John 9:22-23 — man should confess him to be the Christ, he should be put out of the synagogue. Therefore said his parents, He is of age; ask him. They feared the Jews … This means fear of the Sanhedrin, a fear mentioned four times in John: here, and in John 7:13, John 12:42, and in John 19:38. Excommunication was the dreaded penalty by which the unscrupulous leaders enforced their will upon the people. They had marshaled the entire apparatus of hierarchical power against any acceptance of Christ by the multitude.

Acts 26:2 — the Jews … "The Jews" would have the meaning of "the whole nation of the Jews," and that is neither what Paul said nor meant. Alexander Campbell translated this expression simply as "Jews," both here and in Acts 26:7, as having in both passages the meaning of "certain Jews." Alexander Campbell, Acts of Apostles (Austin, Texas: Firm Foundation Publishing House), pp. 169-170.

Acts 4:21-22 — all men glorified God for that which was done. For the man was more than forty years old, on whom this miracle of healing was wrought. Further threatened them … These were not idle threats. Later, the apostles were arrested and beaten (Acts 5:17-40); and still later, Stephen was stoned to death for preaching the gospel (Acts 6:8—7:60). There is a progression in this inspired history toward that murderous fury which at last signaled official Israel's total rejection of Jesus Christ. For

1 Corinthians 3:11 — "This is still worthy of emphasis in a day when so many build their `Christianity' without Christ, on a foundation of good works, humanism or science." Leon Morris, Tyndale Commentary (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1958), p. 67. Of course, this is not the only metaphor of Christ's preeminence in his kingdom. He is also called the door of the sheepfold (John 10:7), the chief corner stone (Ephesians 2:20), the head of the body (Ephesians 1:22-23), etc.

Colossians 1:26 — revealed. The conviction of this writer is also to the effect that there are elements of amazement and awe in the Scriptural mystery which can never be removed, and that, in some unknown sense, the mystery of God is not even finished yet (see Revelation 10:7). For those interested in an extended discussion of "The Mystery of Redemption," see the entire book under that title. James Burton Coffman, The Mystery of Redemption (Austin, Texas: Firm Foundation Publishing House, 1976).

Hebrews 12:9 — Furthermore, we had the fathers of our flesh to chasten us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of Spirits and live? Hebrews 12:7-11 are actually commentary on Proverbs 3:11-12; and coming from the pen of inspiration, the light shed on this subject is most helpful. In this verse, the contrast is between the fathers of our bodies and the Father of our spirits; and, as Barmby noted, If

Hebrews 9:6 — tabernacle, accomplishing the services. The use of the present tense in this verse shows that the services being performed by the priests were still going on which would mean that the Herodian temple was yet standing and certainly dating Hebrews prior to 70 A.D. Here is a partial list of services performed by the priests: (1) They lighted the lamps each evening and trimmed them every morning. (Exodus 27:21; Exodus 30:8). (2) Each sabbath day they renewed the loaves on the table of showbread (Leviticus

1 John 3:5 — sin … Although in the present tense and bearing the meaning noted above, this is also true in the past tense of our Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus committed no sin (1 Peter 2:22); he was holy, guileless, undefiled, and separated from sinners (Hebrews 7:26); he knew no sin (2 Corinthians 5:21); he was without blemish and without spot (1 Peter 1:19), etc.

Revelation 21:22 — Lamb … These are the temple thereof. Christ is the only true temple of God that this earth ever saw; and it includes also his spiritual body the church. This is the temple which God promised David that "his seed" would build (2 Samuel 7:12-13).