Bible Commentaries

Genesis 2:4 — the heavens and the earth," [~toledowth], is the recurring introduction to the various sections of the Book of Genesis that follow. The word introduces ten sections of Genesis: The ten toledoths are the following: I.    Genesis 2:4—4:26, the [~toledowth] of the heavens and the earth; II.    Genesis 5:1—6:8, the [~toledowth] of Adam; III.    Genesis 6:9—9:29, the [~toledowth] of Noah; IV.    Genesis

2 Chronicles 2:3-4 — moons, and on the set feasts of Jehovah our God. This is a set ordinance for ever for Israel." "Huram the king of Tyre" This person is called Hiram in Kings; "But throughout Chronicles he is called Huram (except in 1 Chronicles 14:1)."Ibid., p. 371. 2 Chronicles 2:4 here is a summary of the principal rituals of the ancient tabernacle and an indication of their continued observance in the projected temple. The entire Pentateuch is, in a sense, summarized in this single verse, in keeping with the entire

2 Chronicles 22:1-3 — THE BRIEF EVIL REIGN OF AHAZIAH VI. AHAZIAH (842 B.C.) AHAZIAH MADE KING OF JUDAH "And the inhabitants of Jerusalem made Ahaziah his youngest son king in his stead; for the band of men that came with the Arabians to the camp had slain all the eldest. So Ahaziah the son of Jehoram king of Judah reigned.

Psalms 118:21-24 — words were fulfilled twice in the times subsequent to those of King David. (1)    They were fulfilled in the building of the temple, either that of Solomon, or the second temple, as Dummelow thought.J. R. Dummelow's Commentary, p. 372. It makes no difference, for David wrote before either was built. That is what is so wonderful about this prophecy. Dean Plumptre said, "The illustration seems to have been drawn from one of the stones, quarried, hewn, and marked, away from the site

Psalms 45:13-14 — believing community of God's people appears under three different metaphors. In their experience of the new birth, all were born into God's family and are therefore sons and daughters of the King. (1) Thus the church here is called the King's Daughter; (2) she is also the Queen clad in the gold of Ophir; and (3) she is the Bride of the Lamb of God. This is not any more mysterious than the doctrine of the Trinity; and neither of these is capable of being understood by radical critics. There are many precious

Psalms 85:8-13 — meet," and "will kiss" in Psalms 85:10, etc. This supports the view that the thought here looks to the coming of the Son of God. The picture here of universal harmony between heaven and earth and the Lord's giving of that which is "good" (Psalms 85:12), the earth yielding its increase, and all of the glorious conditions described here as having come to pass - all of this seems to speak of the New Heaven and the New Earth spoken of by the apostle Peter (2 Peter 3:13). Such an inspired vision as this

Ezekiel 29 overview — entire four chapters against Egypt. They describe the fate of Egypt, cite the sins of which she was guilty and indicate the nature of her judgment, and her future place among the nations of the world."John Skinner in the Expositor's Bible Commentary, p. 266. Ezekiel has seven oracles against Egypt, the first two of which are in this chapter: (1) Ezekiel 29:1-16; (2) Ezekiel 29:17-21; (3) Ezekiel 30:1-19; (4) Ezekiel 30:20-26; (5) Ezekiel 31; (6) Ezekiel 32:1-16; and (7) Ezekiel 32:17-32. The date of

Hosea 9:6 — are references to their dwellings and to their treasures. "The growth of thorns and thistles presupposes the utter desolation of the abodes of men."C. F. Keil, Commentary on the Old Testament, Vol. 10 (Grand Rapids; Eerdmans Publishing Company), p. 122. This was what happened: the country was so desolated and depopulated that the wild beasts took over the whole land, leading to an effort on the part of the Assyrian king to reclaim it. See 2 Kings 17:24-26. Regarding the hint of some of the Israelites

Haggai 2:20-21 — saying, Speak to Zerubbabel, the governor of Judah, saying, I will shake the heavens and the earth." HAGGAI'S FOURTH MESSAGE "The word… came the second time" is a reference to its having twice come on that particular day of the month (Haggai 2:18). This is the same ninth month, Chisleu, corresponding to November/December. "Speak to Zerubbabel" As the "stand in" head of the theocracy, Zerubbabel was a representative of the house of David; and to him the prophet now revealed spiritual blessings,

Matthew 5:17 — and "destroying" the Law of Moses was about the same as the difference between "paying off" a promissory note and "repudiating" it. In either case, it is effectively removed. Christ took the law out of the way (Colossians 2:14-16); and yet he did so, not by violating it, but by fulfilling it! Christ fulfilled the law (1) by his own unswerving obedience to it, (2) by his exact manifestation as its promised Messiah, and (3) by enlarging and expanding its teachings, lifting

Acts 13:46-47 — there were many Jewish Scriptures which plainly indicated that through them, that is through the Jews, God intended to redeem the Gentiles also. The quotation here is from Isaiah 49:6; but this is only one of many. In Romans Paul cited Hosea 1:10; Hosea 2:23; and Isaiah 65:2 as indicative of God's purpose of saving Gentiles.

Acts 7:38-40 — church in the wilderness … This is not a reference to the church of Christ, but to the congregation of Israel in the wilderness which is typical of Christ's church. They had been baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea (1 Corinthians 10:2); and their testing during the wilderness wanderings was typical of the testing of Christians during their present probation. Bruce discerned this implication of Stephen's words here: There in the wilderness Moses was guide to the people; there they

Romans 12:2 — planet, but is spoken of the natural habits, desires, and value judgments of the natural man, the natural man being man apart from the loving guidance of his Maker. The things of God's Spirit are "foolishness" to the unregenerated (1 Corinthians 2:14); but the Christian must adopt an utterly different set of value-judgments, based upon an utterly new and higher concept of life, and thus encompassing a view of the eternal things, rather than merely those of earth and time. Significantly, both

2 Corinthians 2:17 — poor wine with good to increase his profits." Ibid. In such a comparison as this, two things appear: (1) there is the disclosure of the true motive of false teachers who are in the gospel business for the profit they can make for themselves, and (2) there is the usual method of such teachers, that of adding to the gospel substances that are no part of the true gospel with the intention of making it more acceptable to sinners who rebel at the true gospel. As Carver said of this: The first leads

Philippians 3:21 — nowhere says it is." D. A. Hayes, Paul and His Epistles (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Book House, 1969), p. 439. Nevertheless, the mortal body is sooner or later in every life a source of humiliation and ultimately death. See my Commentary on 2 Corinthians 5:4 ff. Changed … This change must occur in either one of two ways: (1) as a result of death itself, following which the body crumbles into dust, or (2) as a result of the change mentioned in 1 Corinthians 15:52. This writer will

Joshua 21:41-42 — these forty-eight cities constituted, in the aggregate, exactly twelve for each one of the four divisions of the Levites. The situation here suggests the twelve tribes marching in four detachments, the ark of God and its guard in the center (Numbers 2). The Jews considered four the number of the world, and three the number or the `sign' of God; and twelve the multiple of the two. This symbolism relates especially to the description of the New Jerusalem in Revelation 21:12; Revelation 21:14; Revelation

2 Thessalonians 3:5 — sending of Christ; nor in the love of God as an attitude toward men, but to the love men should have for God. Gloag's comment is: "Not the love of God to men … but objectively our love to God." P. J. Gloag, The Pulpit Commentary, Vol. 21, 2 Thessalonians (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1950), p. 63. The patience of Christ … One of the most hurtful tendencies of the current era is that toward impatience. The industrialization of the economy with its

1 Timothy 2:12 — But I permit not a woman to teach, nor to have dominion over a man, but to be in quietness. To teach … refers to public teaching in the worship. As Nute said: This prohibition in no way contradicts Titus 2:2-3; it relates to teaching in the church in the presence of men and to the fact that authority in matters concerning the church is not committed to women. Alan G. Nute, op. cit., p. 510. It is upon this verse that the office, either of elder, deacon,

2 Samuel 13:1-6 — whom David married during his reign in Hebron. Both Absalom and Tamar were noted for their beauty. "David himself was known for his handsome appearance; and Absalom sheared his head yearly and weighed the hair."Wycliffe Old Testament Commentary, p. 298. Absalom seems to have been inordinately proud of his hair, which ironically gave Joab his opportunity to kill him. The name Tamar means "palm tree,"The Pulpit Commentary, p. 324. "Amnon, David's son, loved her" Amnon, David's firstborn son was the

2 Samuel 18:20-23 — "I will run." So he said to him. "Run." Then Ahimaaz ran by way of the plain, and outran the Cushite." David had executed the messenger who brought him the news of Saul's death, and also the ones who brought him the news of the death of Ishbosheth (2 Samuel 1:15-16; 2 Samuel 4:5-12), and Joab wanted to spare Ahimaaz the danger he would encounter if he brought David the news of the death of his son Absalom. For that reason, he sent a negro slave, called here "The Cushite" with the news that he knew