Bible Commentaries

Genesis 9:14 — would also appear to illuminate prophecy. The primary and secondary rainbows are a perfect illustration of how divine prophecies carry within them both a primary, or immediate, and secondary, or ultimate fulfillment. Examples of this are seen in Matthew 2:15; Matthew 2:18 and in numerous other Biblical texts.

1 Kings 2:26-27 — do so. He banished the last of Eli's posterity to Anathoth a village of priests, which later became known as the residence of Jeremiah. It was not very far from Nob and only about three miles northeast of Jerusalem. The great significance of 1 Kings 2:27 here should be stressed. Solomon's action against Abiathar is here stated by the author of Kings to have fulfilled the prophecy uttered by the "man of God" against the house of Eli (1 Samuel 2:27-36). This emphasis is repeatedly stressed throughout

1 Chronicles 21:28-30 — tabernacle of Jehovah, which Moses made in the wilderness, and the altar of burnt-offering, were at that time in the high place at Gibeon. But David could not go before it because of the sword of the angel of Jehovah." This chapter is parallel with 2 Samuel 24; and I have written thirteen pages of comments there, pp. 326-339. The variation regarding the price paid to Ornan is explained at that place. Keil has explained the significance of the last paragraph here, which is not in 2 Samuel. God's

2 Chronicles 28:1-4 — Hinnom, and burnt his children in the fire, according to the abominations of the nations whom Jehovah cast out before the children of Israel. And he sacrificed and burnt incense in the high places, and on the hills, and under every green tree." Pages 197-207 in my commentary on 2 Kings are devoted to a discussion of the reign of Ahaz; and the only section of this chapter which is not mentioned there is found in 2 Chronicles 27:8-9. These verses provide a remarakbly interesting insight into the problems

Psalms 41:1-3 — David. "However, if we place this psalm in the times of the rebellion of Absalom, it fits exceptionally well. "The bosom friend" (Psalms 41:9) could well be Ahithophel; and David's illness would have led to David's omission of many duties as charged by Absalom (2 Samuel 15:2-6)."H. C. Leupold, p. 329.

Psalms 53 overview — "According to Dr. Kay, this is a musical term indicating that it is to be sung `Maestoso.'"The Pulpit Commentary, Vol. 8, p. 411. This is a musical instruction meaning, "`With Majesty,' `Majestically,' or `Stately.'"Britannica World Language Dictionary, Vol. 2, p. 765. Maschil. This word means a "a meditative poem."Henry H. Halley, p. 241. The most important fact about this psalm is that it is almost in its entirety a duplication of Psalms 14, except for two things. (1) The word [~'Elohiym] (God) is substituted

Psalms 6:4-5 — lovingkindness. "In death there is no remembrance of thee." Radical critics have tried to use this statement to prove that, "Life beyond the grave is scarcely worthy of the name."W. E. Addis, Peake's Commentary on the Bible (Edinburgh: T. C. and E. C. Jack, Ltd., 1924), p. 374. Whatever this expression means, it cannot reflect upon David's conviction of life after death, as attested by Psalms 16:10. Furthermore, David was doubtless familiar with Job 19:25 ff and other Old Testament passages that provide fleeting

Proverbs 22:9 — "He that hath a bountiful eye shall be blessed; For he giveth his bread to the poor." God Himself blesses the liberal giver, as anyone who ever practiced liberality already knows. See 2 Corinthians 9:6-13, where this promise is elaborated for Christians.

Isaiah 6:9-13 — people." Israel is no longer God's people, but "this people". Furthermore, this designation was not confined to Israel, the northern kingdom; but "Even Judah, under certain circumstances, is addressed contemptuously as `this people' in Isaiah 8:11; Isaiah 28:11; Isaiah 28:14, and Isa. 39:13,14."T. K. Cheyne, Prophecies of Isaiah, Vol. 1 (New York: Thomas Whittaker, 1886), p. 40. What is prophesied in this passage is the judicial hardening of Israel in their rebellion against God. The prophecy is stated

Jeremiah 19:10-13 — in Preacher's Complete Homiletic Commentary (New York: Funk and Wagnalls Company), p. 400. Wiseman observed that "Because Jerusalem had made itself into a pagan altar, God made exactly that use out of them: (1) there was slaughter (Jeremiah 19:11); (2) burning (Jeremiah 19:12); and (3) offering up (Jeremiah 19:13)."The New Layman's Bible Commentary, p. 828. "Even all the houses upon whose roofs they have burned incense unto all the host of heaven" The destruction was destined to fall upon the city

Mark 14:34 — death with the joyful attitude of some of the martyrs, nor in the gay serenity of Socrates, but with overwhelming sorrow, convulsive grief, and with the sweat of blood. Why? (1) Satan was particularly active in the assault upon the Prince of Life (John 12:31), every demonic device in the arsenal of the evil one being employed against the Saviour. (2) Perhaps even more important, there was the burden of human transgression that he bore. God made him to be sin upon our behalf (2 Corinthians 5:21). He bore

Mark 5:43 — resurrections performed by Jesus and recorded in the New Testament, the others being the raising of the son of the widow of Nain, and the resurrection of Lazarus. Gradations appear in the triple events: (1) Jairus' daughter had been dead only a short while. (2) The son of the widow had been dead longer, though not buried. (3) Lazarus had been dead four days and nights. Also (1) the name of Jairus' daughter is not known. (2) No name is known except that of the village where the wonder occurred. (3) The names

Romans 8:24 — were we saved." Translators and commentators are sensitive about salvation's being ascribed to anything else except faith; but the word of God honors no such inhibitions, affirming positively that people are saved "by grace" (Ephesians 2:8), "by the gospel" (1 Corinthians 15:1-2), "by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth" (Acts 4:10-12), "by his (Christ's) life" (Romans 5:10), "by the washing of regeneration" (Titus 3:5), "by his (Christ's)

Joshua 1:5-9 — to some little fraction of the Mosaic Law. There is no objective grounds whatever for such an obviously false maneuver. JUDGES: Like every other book in the Bible, the shadow and teaching of the Pentateuch lie over every word of it. Look at Judges 1:27-34, where it is recounted how various tribes of Israel did not "drive out the inhabitants of the land." But, indeed why were they expected to drive them out? It is in the teachings of the Pentateuch that they were commanded to drive them out. RUTH:

Colossians 2:20 — the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, do ye subject yourselves to ordinances? The rudiments of the world … has reference to the forms, shadows and ceremonial ordinances of Judaism. See comment on this under Colossians 2:14. As though living in the world … A Christian is committed to a different life-style, in which the value-judgments of the world are rejected; and for a Christian to undertake all the ceremonies of Judaism, such would be diametrically opposed

1 Timothy 1:19 — certainly nothing in the passage that denies shipwrecks as equivalent to "spiritual death" in a passage like this. To be sure, this does not deny hope to any who might DESIRE to recover themselves out of the snare of the evil one. See under 2 Timothy 2:24 f.

1 Peter 2:17 — Honor all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king. It is perhaps best to understand this verse in two parts: (1) honor all men, but go much further than this and love the brotherhood particularly, and (2) fear God first, and in all that is consistent with the fear of God, honor the king. It appears that "fear God," standing just ahead of "honor the king," has some qualification in it with reference to the latter command. It is much

1 Peter 4 overview — The visible divisions in this chapter are: (1) the security of the faithful in judgment (1 Peter 4:1-6); (2) the destruction of Jerusalem prophesied (1 Peter 4:7-11); (3) special instructions to the Christians as the approaching terror develops (1 Peter 4:12-19).

2 Peter 2:6 — women, and hard-heartedness towards the poor (Ezekiel 16:46, and Judges 1:7). James Macknight, op. cit., p. 546. It is quite significant that the two destructions in view in this and the preceding verses were (1) by water in the first instance, and (2) by fire in the second, a sequence which we have already observed was pointed out by Jesus himself (Luke 17:25 ff). Barnett noted that: The sequence also prepares for 2 Peter 3:6-7, where the destruction of the world that then existed by water serves

2 John 1:5 — And now I beseech three, lady, not as though I wrote to thee a new commandment, but that which we had from the beginning, that we love one another. The full sentiments of this verse were commented on in 1 John 2:7-8.