Bible Commentaries

Job 19:13-22 — skin of my teeth. Have pity on me, have pity upon me, O ye, my friends; For the hand of God hath touched me. Why do ye persecute me as God, And are not satisfied with my flesh?" "He hath put my brethren far from me" "Yes, Job had actual brothers (Job 6:15) who forsook him and dealt deceitfully with him in the days of his adversity. But in the days when his prosperity returned they ate bread with him (Job 42:11)."The Pulpit Commentary, op. cit., p. 321. In this particular we find another likeness of

Psalms 58:1-2 — also mean, "rams," "leaders," "mighty lords," "judges," etc. Why should the translators have chosen a word capable of such perverted implications? The Biblical word "gods" is frequently applied to human authorities, leaders or judges, as in Exodus 21:6; Exodus 22:8; Deuteronomy 19:17; and Psalms 82:1; Psalms 82:6. to name only a few. The words of Christ have a special application here. When the Pharisees threatened to stone him for saying that he was the Son of God, Jesus replied to them by quoting

Leviticus 26:27-33 — ultimates of: (1)    military defeat, (2)    cannibalism, (3)    loss of their land, (4)    their scattering among the nations, (5)    the killing of many, (6)    the desolation of their cities, (7)    the utter abhorrence of God Himself, and (8)    even the destruction of their sanctuaries (the temple being destroyed twice). "I will destroy your

Isaiah 45:20-25 — Princeton University, God's Order (New York: The Macmillan Company, 1953). There is a widespread misunderstanding of what is meant by Isaiah 45:23. Wardle thought that the meaning is, "Every man shall swear allegiance to God";Peake's Commentary Series, p. 464. However, the New Testament usage of this passage shows more clearly what the Spirit says. "At the name of Jesus every knee shall bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth, and every tongue shall confess that Jesus is

Isaiah 63:7-9 — lovingkindnesses, his bearing their sorrows and afflictions, and his constant concern for their well-being. Look at what God supposed would be the result of all this loving care. He said, "Surely, the children of these people will not lie or deal falsely!" (Isaiah 63:8). "There was a condition, however, that if God was to abide among them, Israel would be required to hearken unto God's voice (Deuteronomy 6:3; Jeremiah 7:23; Ezekiel 11:20)); but God was disappointed in them."HI], p. 503. The near-universal extent

Jeremiah 1:17-19 — requirement of obedience. The prophet who is ashamed to stand forth with the word will soon have no word to proclaim; but the Lord of the word can make his servant impregnable, unlike the disloyal state of Judah."The New Bible Commentary, Revised, p. 629. "Against the people of the land." The Anchor Bible renders this "`The landed gentry'; because this is a technical term for the important landholders."Barnes' Notes on the Old Testament (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, a 1987 reprint of the 1878 edition),

Hosea 12:5 — was the power of Israel of Hosea's day if they would but avail themselves of it. The power was in the name of Jehovah, the God of hosts, and was to be laid hold upon by weeping and supplication, as in the case of Jacob."Homer Hailey, op. cit., p. 176. "Jehovah, the God of hosts; Jehovah is his memorial name... CONCERNING THE NAME JEHOVAH The sacred Hebrew Tetragrammaton, the mystic four-letter word used of the Deity, is composed of the four Hebrew consonants Y-H-W-H, usually translated "Jehovah"

Hosea 8:4 — which they were intent upon squandering in the promotion of their vulgar, orgiastic paganism. "Idols" Not only were there the golden calves which Jeroboam I had set up at Dan and at Bethel, these, in all probability had proliferated (see under Hosea 8:5-6, below). Also May tells us that, "Besides the bull images at Bethel and Dan, figurines and plaques of various deities designed for use in private rites were abundant."James Luther Mays, Hosea (Philadelphia: Westminster Press, 1969), p. 117. Now the

Matthew 10:32 — strongest indication that something much more immediate is meant. True, Jesus did not say WHEN he would confess those who confess him; but he gave an example of it the very first time a man confessed him. THAT is in the case of the apostle Peter (Matthew 16:17-18) whom Jesus confessed then and there. From this it would appear that when any person confesses Christ and is buried with him in baptism (the two actions being considered together in such passages as Ephesians 5:26 (Goodspeed's translation)), Christ

Matthew 4:1 — tempt any man (James 1:13). However, the Holy Spirit did desire that Jesus' temptation should take place at this particular time. Jesus' two great temptations were this one in the wilderness and that in the Garden of Gethsemane (Luke 22:42; Matthew 26:39); but he was tempted at other times (Luke 4:13), and perhaps at ALL times (Hebrews 2:18). Into the wilderness … Dummelow saw in this wilderness temptation a contrast to the temptation of the first Adam. "The temptation of the first Adam

Luke 12:4-5 — …" The one to be feared in not Satan, as some have supposed, but Almighty God. "The power to cast into hell belongs to God, not to Satan."Ibid., p. 519. The usage here is similar to "the condemnation of the devil" (1 Timothy 3:6), which has reference not to any condemnation the devil may bestow, but to the condemnation which God has pronounced against him. This is also the view of Harrison, "This refers to God and not to Satan, for Satan cannot determine the destiny of

Luke 14:1 — clear in the light of two considerations. First, as Barclay said, "Jesus never refused any man's invitation to hospitality, … and never abandoned hope of men."William Barclay, The Gospel of Luke (Philadelphia: Westminster Press, 1956), p. 194. Second, the Pharisee intended to use the occasion against Jesus. As Clarke said: Professing friendship and affection, he invited our blessed Lord to his table, merely that he might have a more favorable opportunity of watching his conduct,

Luke 6:30-31 — Give to every one that asketh thee; and of him that taketh away thy goods ask them not again. And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise. Luke 6:27-31 have some of the most difficult teaching ever presented by the Son of God; and it is doubtful that any person has ever been fully confident of living up to the standards here exalted by the holy Saviour. Most of the religious commentators who

Colossians 1:1 — joined with Paul, as usual; but in a general epistle to the churches of Asia, the apostle alone would rightly speak." Alfred Barry, Ellicott's Commentary on the Holy Bible, Vol. III, (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1959), p. 96. Despite this view, it is incorrect to think of Timothy's name, in any sense, being joined with that of Paul, except as a courtesy in places where Timothy was known. Another error is that of denying "apostle" as any kind of title. Guthrie

Titus 3:3 — Christians. As White said: The connection is: you need not suppose that it is hopeless to imagine that these wild Cretan folk can be reclaimed. We ourselves are a living proof of God's grace. Ephesians 2:3 ff is an exact parallel. See also 1 Corinthians 6:11; Ephesians 5:8; Colossians 3:7 and 1 Peter 4:3. Newport J. D. White, Expositor's Greek New Testament, Vol. IV (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1967), p. 197. Foolish… All sin against God is foolish. The unprepared

Hebrews 6:11-12 — to give it an equal priority and diligence to that they had bestowed upon their works of benevolence. "Unto the fullness of hope" gives a glimpse of a subject that will receive a more definite emphasis a little later in the chapter (Hebrews 6:19). That ye be not sluggish is an exhortation against lethargy and laziness, a trait they had sadly demonstrated in their neglect of studies in the word and teaching of the Master. "Imitators of them" refers to the great patriarchs of the

1 Peter 1:24-25 — And all the glory thereof as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower falleth: But the word of the Lord abideth forever. And this was the word of good tidings which was preached unto you. The Scripture quotation here is from Isaiah 4:6-6; but the passage seems to have been quoted with more in mind than the mere corroboration of the grand truth that the word of God abides forever, although that is indeed marvelous enough. The passage in Isaiah stands in the forefront of magnificent

Judges 3:7-11 — person of a distinguished "judge." Again Israel enjoys prosperity until that judge dies, and then the cycle is repeated. It is of interest that the words "Cushan-rishathaim" mean literally, "Ethiopian of double iniquity,"J. R. Dummelow's Commentary, p. 161. or "Nubian of double-dyed wickedness."Arthur S. Peake Commentary,. 260. It is possible that this "title" of Israel's enemy here was a nickname for some well-known enemy of the Chosen People. "Othniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb's younger brother" The

1 John 4:8 — cautioned that, "God's nature is not exhausted by the quality of love."Amos N. Wilder, op. cit., p. 280. God is light (1 John 1:5), and spirit (John 4:24), and (considering the oneness of the Father with the Son) he is life, and truth (John 14:6). Moreover, "Our God is a consuming fire" (Hebrews 12:29). It is a failure to recognize that no single word is capable of describing the ineffable God which leads to a gross perversion of this marvelous text in the popular mind. Some hail

1 Samuel 20:1-3 — committed to life as a fugitive and an outlaw, or if Saul's violent attempt to take his life might be attributed to a sudden fit of madness, and from which a reconciliation through the aid of Jonathan might be arranged, as upon a similar previous occasion. (6)    Besides all this, a visitation from God himself had frustrated Saul's expedition to Nairoth. That visitation had overtones of prophecy connected with it; and, near the beginning of Saul's career, such an experience had resulted