Bible Commentaries

1 Kings 17:1 — according to my word." "As the Lord God of Israel liveth." "This formula here appears for the first time. It asserts that Jehovah, not Baal, is the God of Israel, and that he is the LIVING God, such as Baal was not"!The Pulpit Commentary, op. cit., p. 381. "There shall not be dew nor rain these years." "Drought was the threatened punishment for national idolatry (Deuteronomy 11:16-17; 2 Samuel 2:3)"Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary, p. 225.

2 Chronicles 35 overview — ACCORDING TO THE WORD OF JEHOVAH BY MOSES This passover was utterly unlike the one kept in the reign of Hezekiah, in a number of important particulars. (1) It was kept at the prescribed time. (2) The ceremonial cleanness of participants was observed. (3) And all the particulars of the Mosaic instructions were strictly observed. (4) Although the singers were mentioned, the instruments of music were not mentioned, and apparently not used. These important distinctions fully justify the statement in 2

Psalms 13:1 — PSALM 13 YEARNING FOR HELP FROM GOD (FOR THE CHIEF MUSICIAN, A PSALM OF DAVID). The social situation reflected in this psalm is apparently the same as it was in Psalms 12. In fact, Delitzsch suggested that fact as the reason why the two psalms appear side by

Psalms 98:5-6 — the worship of God. (For more comments on this, see my comments on this at the end of Psalms 150.) These words, like Psalms 98:4. are addressed to "all nations." "God's covenant relationship with Israel was never intended to be exclusive (Genesis 12:3); but it was intended to be the prelude to the universal extension of his blessings."The New Layman's Bible Commentary, p. 670.

Proverbs 12:17 — righteousness; But a false witness, deceit." "Most of the proverbs in the rest of this chapter deal with the tongue. There are a hundred verses in this whole book that deal, one way or another, with the use of the tongue."The Interpreter's Bible, op. cit., p. 853. It may be a source of life or death. The sacred writer James devotes the greater part of his James 3 to the truth regarding the tongue. It is like a wild beast that cannot be tamed; it must be bridled and controlled. "The reference here is to the depositions

Proverbs 18:4 — is as a flowing brook." The two clauses contrast man's teachings (the words of a man's mouth) with the true wisdom. "Deep waters in the Old Testament are associated with the thought of darkness and mystery (Psalms 59:2; Ecclesiastes 7:24; Proverbs 20:3)."Barnes' Notes on the Old Testament (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, a 1987 reprint of the 1878 Edition), Proverbs, p. 52. On the other hand, the true wisdom (God's Words) are like the happy sparkling waters of a flowing brook. Christ seems to have

Proverbs 19:15 — hunger." "Laziness is the undoing of the worthless; idlers must starve."The New English Bible. No Biblical ethic stands any higher than "the work ethic." "If a man will not work," the New Testament declares, "neither shall he eat." (2 Thessalonians 3:10). The same commandment of the Decalogue that says, "Remember the sabbath day to keep it holy," also says, "Six days shalt thou labor and do all thy work." "Shout it, ye lords of creation;And ring it, ye bells of the kirk;The gospel of God and salvationIs

Proverbs 4 overview — "In this chapter, there are three hortatory discourses (Proverbs 4:1-9; Proverbs 4:10-19, and Proverbs 4:20-27), exactly similar to the ones in Proverbs 2 and Proverbs 3. The subject is the praise of Wisdom, and the description of the blessings which she confers."Arthur S. Peake, A Commentary on the Bible (London: T. C. and E. C. Jack, Ltd., 1924), p. 399. These are labeled the sixth, seventh and eighth discourses by

Ecclesiastes 7:15-18 — the tremendous affirmation of Ecclesiastes 7:18 (See comment below). As for the reasons why there are exceptions, we discussed this thoroughly in the Book of Job; but the summary of them is: (1) the activity of Satan, (2) freedom of the human will, (3) the primeval curse upon the earth for Adam's sake, (4) the element of `time and chance' happening to all men. (5) the lack of wisdom, sometimes, on the part of the righteous (Luke 16:8). and (6) the impartiality of natural disasters such as floods,

Numbers 21 overview — would aid Israel in the struggles to come remained to be recorded, and the record of them would fill the Pentateuch, all the way to the end of Deuteronomy. The chapter naturally falls into the following divisions: the conflict with Arad (Numbers 21:1-3), the experience of the fiery serpents (Numbers 21:4-9), a transitional brief summary of several encampments of Israel (Numbers 21:10-13), the journey continued (Numbers 21:14-20), the conflict with the Amorites (Numbers 21:21-32), and a defeat of Bashan

Luke 22 overview — The magnificent drama of our Lord's Passion rapidly unfolds in this chapter. The Passover came on (Luke 22:1-2); Judas bargained to betray the Saviour (Luke 22:3-6); the last Supper was eaten (Luke 22:7-23); the apostles disputed about rank (Luke 22:24-30); Peter's denial was foretold (Luke 22:31-34); the changed condition of the apostles was announced (Luke 22:35-38); an angel strengthened the Lord in Gethsemane

John 8:15 — premises. I judge no man … In the sense of merely condemning people, which is what the Pharisees were doing, Jesus judged nobody. There was no need for the Saviour to come into the world to condemn it; it was condemned already (see under John 3:17). It is possible that there is also in this a hint of Jesus' refusal to condemn the woman (John 8:1-11); for they are right who insist that such an incident fits neatly into the whole framework of this Gospel.

John 8:56 — glad. This is one of the most interesting things Jesus ever said. When did this occur? It did not happen in Abraham's lifetime, for "These all died in faith, not having received the promise, but having seen and greeted them from afar" (Hebrews 11:13). Thus, this verse goes beyond what happened in Abraham's life span, suggesting that just as Moses and Elijah had been granted personal conversation with Jesus (Matthew 17:3), something similar may have been granted to Abraham. The whole mystery of

Acts 10:42 — words, Cornelius was made aware of the great truth that Jesus Christ will judge every man at the last day. Implicit in such an epic fact is the teaching: (1) that all men shall be raised in a general resurrection, (2) that Christ is risen from the dead, (3) that he has ascended to heaven, (4) that all power and authority in heaven and upon earth are his, and (5) that salvation may be found only in him.

Acts 16:4 — the apostles and elders in Jerusalem to accept. Even the four prohibitions regarding idols, fornication, blood and things strangled were grounded not in the law of Moses primarily, but in God's teachings which antedated the Mosaic covenant (Genesis 9:3-5).

Colossians 2:12 — reference to immersion as the action recognized by the apostles as being required in the baptism commanded by Christ. One may read bales of sophistry on this subject, but the simple truth is easy to see. See the parallel Pauline reference in Romans 6:3-5, together with comments in my Commentary on Romans.

Colossians 3:10 — righteousness of the Lord himself. That is exactly what Jesus meant by the admonition: "I counsel thee to buy of me … white garments, that thou mayest clothe thyself, and that the shame of thy nakedness be not made manifest" (Revelation 3:18).

James 4:9 — the Master, who said, "Blessed are they that mourn, for they shall be comforted" (Matthew 5:4). The mourning mentioned both by Jesus and James is that godly sorrow which produces repentance, and without which salvation is not promised (Luke 13:3; Luke 13:5).

3 John 1:8 — We therefore ought to welcome such, that we may be fellow-workers for the truth. See under 3 John 1:7 for three reasons why missionaries such as these should be supported, the third being, "that we may be fellow-workers in the truth," that is, participants in the rewards of spreading the gospel. John has built up the case here to

Jude 1:2 — peace and love be multiplied. Jude's fondness for triads is evident throughout the letter. In these first two verses we have: (1) three names: Jude, Jesus Christ, and James, then (2) three forms of relation: servant, Lord (Master), and brother, then (3) mercy, peace, and love. In Judges 1:5-10, we have three examples of apostasy: (4) Israel of the Exodus, the rebel angels, and the citizens of Sodom and Gomorrah. There follows: (5) a three-fold characterization of the evil men as walking in the ways