Bible Commentaries

Genesis 3:6 — thus, the action here lies clearly within the perimeter of the N.T. definition of sin as "transgression of the law." The three primary avenues of temptation are also visible here. The lust of the eye, the lust of the flesh, and the pride of life (1 John 2:16) appear here in a manner suggesting the three temptations of Christ (Matthew 4). Another feature of this passage is the greater blame that lay upon Adam for involving himself and his total posterity in the disaster of Paradise Lost. "Adam was not

2 Kings 10:12-14 — and slew them at the pit of the shearing-house, even two and forty men; neither left he any of them." "The brethren of Ahaziah" Ahaziah had no brothers, in the usual sense of the word; so these were probably close kin, such as nephews and cousins (See 2 Chronicles 22:8). They were princes of Judah who ministered to Ahaziah. "The children of the queen" (2 Kings 10:13). The RSV is preferable here which reads, `the queen-mother.' Since Ahaziah king of Judah had taken a daughter of Jezebel and Ahab as

1 Chronicles 19:16-19 — servants of Hadarezer saw that they were put to the worse before Israel, they made peace with David, and served him: neither would the Syrians help the children of Ammon any more." We have thoroughly discussed these nineteen verses in chapter 10 of 2 Samuel, where they are found parallel to all that is written here. These comments are on pp. 123-132 of my commentary on 2 Samuel. There is nothing further which I wish to add here.

2 Chronicles 25:1-4 — heart" is in effect an admission that his reign was evil. His doing right in God's sight apparently applies only to his sparing the children of his servants whom he executed for the death of his father. The commandment of God through Moses, mentioned in 2 Chronicles 25:4, is found in Deuteronomy 24:16. (See our comments in the Commentary on 2 Kings 14 for the very great significance of this reference.)

Job 29 overview — GLORY This chapter is the first of a trilogy addressed to God. "This chapter is part of Job's continuing recourse to God, a reiteration of his first complaint. It is the first of a trilogy that consists of: (1) a description of Job's former exaltation (Job 29), (2) a description of his present humiliation (Job 30), and (3) a final protestation of his innocence (Job 31)."Wycliffe Old Testament Commentary, p. 481. "In the whole circle of Job's lamentations this is perhaps the most affecting."The Expositor's

Numbers 2 overview — order of marching the centrality of the tabernacle was maintained. The strongest forces were placed in the vanguard where Judah and his hosts led the way and in the rearguard where Dan and his divisions were placed last in the line of march (Numbers 2:31). "From the position of Numbers 2:17, it is to be understood that the first two `standards' are to precede the tent of meeting and the last two to follow it."Martin Noth, Numbers, A Commentary, (Philadelphia: Westminster Press, 1968), p. 25. Here

2 Corinthians 11:8 — tent maker, working with Aquila, in order to be free to preach without charge. It was from Corinth that he had written the letters to the Thessalonians, among whom also he had preached without imposing any financial burden upon them (1 Thessalonians 2:9). "It was Paul's custom when preaching in a place to accept no gifts from the local people, despite the fact that it imposed a severe hardship upon himself." Philip E. Hughes, op. cit., p. 385. I robbed other churches … This is a

2 Corinthians 5:5 — Now he that wrought us for this very thing is God, who gave us the earnest of the Spirit. Other references of the apostle to the "earnest" of the Holy Spirit are in 2 Corinthians 1:22 and Ephesians 1:13. The meaning of "earnest" is exactly that of the word as used by realtors in sealing the purchase of a piece of property. It is a token, or pledge, that the whole contractual price will be paid. The application

Colossians 3:13 — "Christ" in mind here; but the tenderness of some translators to the implications of this doubtless influenced some of them. The Jews believed, and the Pharisees stated it bluntly to Jesus, that "Who can forgive sins but one, even God?" (Mark 2:7), receiving no contradiction at all from the Christ. Thus Paul's statement here to the effect that Christ forgave us is fully equivalent to an affirmation of his deity. Roy F. Osborne stated in a sermon that there are only three possible reasons for

2 Timothy 2 overview — is bad" as the heading of this chapter. R. C. H. Lenski, Interpretation of Paul's Epistles … to Timothy (Minneapolis: Augsburg Press, 1964), p. 777. This is especially appropriate for the first 13 verses, and the last half of the chapter (2 Timothy 2:14-26) lays out appropriate guidelines to be followed by Timothy in dealing with disorders then descending upon the church. The impending persecution, perhaps already underway, the proliferation of noxious heresies, the emergence of evil teachers

Hebrews 11:29 — people that enabled them to go into the sea at God's command and trust in a deliverance, which from the human point of view was impossible. There are several things of great interest here: (1) The same sea which delivered Israel swallowed the Egyptians. (2) All Israel were baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea (1 Corinthians 10:2). (3) The agency by which God wrought that wonder is revealed as a "strong east wind" (Exodus 14:21). The Red sea deliverance stands as a type of Christian

Hebrews 8:4 — it to reign upon the earth as a secular monarch. Dr. James D. Bales noted that "Christ could not possibly have been crowned king on earth during his personal ministry, since the law could not have been taken away prior to his death (Colossians 2:14; Ephesians 2:13-16)." James D. Bales, Hebrews Sermonized (Searcy, Arkansas: Bales Book Store, 1955), p. 43. Bales indicated the true reason why Jesus came, not to be priest, not to reign as a literal king on a throne on earth, "but to put

James 1 overview — whole. This theme was stated at the outset (James 1:4), thus: "That ye may be perfect and entire, lacking in nothing." In this chapter, the following requirements for those who would be perfect are advocated: (1) be joyful in trials (James 1:2-4); (2) in ignorance and uncertainties, let the Christian pray in faith without doubting (James 1:5-8); (3) in economic disparities, the rich and the poor alike are to rejoice at their new status in Christ (James 1:9-11); (4) God is not to be blamed

James 3:8 — he would hardly be responsible for its vagaries; but in James 3:10, he said, `My brethren, these things ought not to be so.'" E. G. Punchard, op. cit., p. 370. It is full of deadly poison … This is similar to "full of adultery" (2 Peter 2:14), and "full of envy" (Romans 1:29). Paul also made use of the same metaphor: "The venom of asps is under their lips" (Romans 3:13).

2 Peter 2:20 — Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein and overcome, the last state has become worse with them than the first. Here again, the subsequent clause makes it perfectly clear what Peter said, and fully justifies the KJV rendition in 2 Peter 2:18. The thing in view in this verse is a spiritual condition described as worse than being lost; and the only thing that answers to such a condition is that of being lost without the possibility of being saved. Therefore, this verse is to be

1 John overview — Christ, that man may have fellowship with the Father through the Son."J. R. Dummelow, Commentary on the Holy Bible (New York: The Macmillan Company, 1937), p. 1054. The remaining six verses are part of a complicated paragraph running through 1 John 2:28 and which begins with "God is light" (1 John 1:5), the first of three epic statements about God which are usually cited by scholars as marking in a rough sense the three major divisions of 1 John. The other two are: "God is righteous"

Jude 1:17 — But ye, beloved, remember ye the words which have been spoken before by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ; Jude in this may have had reference to 2 Peter 3:2, where almost the same sentiments are similarly expressed. Some have tried to make the language here mean that the age of the apostles was past when this was written; but Robinson pointed out that, "This need not imply the end of the

Revelation 16:14 — emperor cult, but the Medieval apostate religion with its bleeding and speaking images, and its miracles, such as driving the snakes out of Ireland, are examples of the "signs" done by the frogs. The lying miracles of the man of sin are meant (2 Thessalonians 2:1-12). To gather them together unto the war … This refers to the kings of the earth who are thus gathered. Plummer identified these as, "those who sin and delight in the possession of the pleasures of this world." A.

1 Samuel 14:49-51 — this list was written very early in Saul's reign, before Eshbaal was born. Abner made Eshbaal king over part of Israel following Saul's death; and he contested with David for the throne of all Israel for a period of seven years. The significant fact (2 Samuel 2:8-11) of Eshbaal being forty years of age when he was declared king is the basis for concluding that Saul reigned forty years. The theory that Ishvi is the same son as Eshbaal is an ingenious device to avoid the deduction regarding the length

1 Samuel 7:2 — and all the house of Israel lamented after the Lord." This verse has the nature of a parenthesis, the purpose of which is to reveal how long the ark stayed at its new location. Therefore, Caird's allegation that, "This verse gives the impression that 20 years have elapsed between the return of the ark to Beth-shemesh and the battle about to be described,"Interpreter's Bible, Vol. 2, p. 914. is not accurate. Such an impression is made only upon persons who fail to see the parenthetic nature of the