Bible Commentaries

Exodus 7:1-2 — Israel go out of his land." "I have made thee as God to Pharaoh" This endowed Moses with full authority to address Pharaoh as an equal, not as a subordinate. The contrast between the first confrontation and this one is dramatic. In the first one (Exodus 5), Moses explained the reason for their request, and limited it to "a three days journey into the wilderness," the same being a legal and reasonable request. Pharaoh insulted Moses and Aaron, accused them of "lying words" (Exodus 5:9), and ordered them

Psalms 126 overview — release from imprisonment or captivity. It is impossible, of course, to determine the exact date of this psalm. Briggs placed it in the "Greek period, when the people longed for a return of prosperity."International Critical Commentary, Vol. II, p. 456. There are also a number of other scholarly "guesses"; but none of them carries any particular authority. The paragraphing of the composition was understood by Spurgeon as: "(1) a narrative (Psalms 126:1-2); (2) a song (Psalms 126:3); (3) a prayer

Psalms 20 overview — which to modern ears sounds unnatural; but David may have composed this prayer to be prayed by the people upon behalf, not merely of himself, but on behalf of kings who would arise after him. In this view, the use of the second person in Psalms 20:1-5 is not unnatural. It was John Calvin's opinion that, "Under the figure of the temporal kingdom,"John Calvin, as quoted by W. L. Watkinson, p. 94. God here laid down the principle reiterated in the New Testament to the effect that public prayers should

Psalms 34:7-10 — suffer hunger; But they that seek Jehovah shall not want any good thing." "The angel of Jehovah" (Psalms 34:7). The angel of Jehovah is frequently mentioned in the Old Testament. He appeared to Joshua as, "The Captain of the host of the Lord" (Joshua 5:14), and also in the remarkable visions of Zechariah 9:8. "He is not merely an angelic messenger, but is in some sense identified with God himself."J. R. Dummelow's Commentary, p. 343. We are amused that some scholars are concerned about how "The angel

Leviticus 16:1-5 — of Atonement, he had to wear a simple linen garment without seams, a garment of the type Jesus wore when he went to the Cross as our sacrifice (John 19:23-24)."Michael Esses, Jesus in Exodus (Plainfield, New Jersey: Logos International, 1977), p. 195. Another analogy appears in the requirement that two he-goats were to constitute the single sin-offering for the people. No single animal could have typified what Jesus did for mankind in the removal of sin. He not only made the sacrifice in his death

Ecclesiastes 12:1 — vanities of life. The loving and faithful service of God our Creator is that third remedy. "It is a plea for a strong religious faith to be founded in youth as a safeguard against old age."Broadman Bible Commentary (Nashville: Broadman Press, 1972), Vol. 5, p. 126. "Creator here is not merely a synonym for God; it is an emphasis upon the fact that he is the Creator."The New Layman's Bible Commentary, p. 749. God created all of us; we are his; we owe him everything; his authority is eternal and unlimited.

Isaiah 63:10-14 — fought against them. Some translators have rendered the word "grieved" here "vexed," or "rebelled against." In the New Testament, Christians are represented as "receiving" the Holy Spirit (John 20:22), and others as "resisting" the Holy Spirit (Acts 7:51) "blaspheming" the Holy Spirit (Matthew 12:31), "lying" to the Holy Spirit (Acts 5:3). "insulting" the Holy Spirit (Hebrews 10:29), "grieving" the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 4:30), or as "quenching" the Holy Spirit (1 Thessalonians 5:19). Isaiah 63:10

Jeremiah 16:14-15 — prophecy. As Dummelow pointed out, this device of throwing in a bright and encouraging prophecy right in the middle of very discouraging and gloomy prophecies corresponds exactly with Jeremiah's pattern of writing throughout the prophecy. "See Jer. 3:14; 4:27; 5:10; 5:18; 37:22; 30:3; and 32:27."J. R. Dummelow's Commentary, p. 467. The thing that confuses some writers is the foolish critical rule that denies the authenticity of this sacred pattern; but the pattern is not only found throughout the Old Testament,

Ezekiel 14:4-6 — judgments against them, he will touch their consciences and bring down their proud hearts. God's purpose was always their restoration and salvation, never their destruction. "Still, this is a threat of punishment."International Critical Commentary, p. 151. "After all, to turn to other gods was a crime worthy of death as clearly spelled out in the Law of Moses (Exodus 20:3-5; Leviticus 19:4; Leviticus 26:1; and Deuteronomy 5:8; Deuteronomy 12:3; Deuteronomy 27:15)."WE, p. 182. "Return ye, and turn yourselves

Hosea 4:15 — an interpolation; but as Unger declared, "More recent criticisms tend to deny this… Actually, there is no compelling reason for denying to Hosea any of the prophecy."Merrill F. Unger, Unger's Bible Dictionary (Chacago: Moody Press, 1967), p. 502. The holy writers of the New Testament affirmed the utmost confidence in all that Hosea wrote. See Matthew 2:15; Matthew 9:13; Matthew 12:7; Luke 23:20; Romans 9:25; 1 Corinthians 15:55; and 1 Peter 2:10, all of which have references to Hosea as the

Jonah 2:1 — explains the double application of some of the expressions in the prayer. Critics like to complain that the passage (Jonah 2) "is not a prayer but a thanksgiving for deliverance."Paul T. Butler, Minor Prophets, (Joplin, Missouri: College Press, 1968), p. 235. However, in the words of Young who refuted such statements, "Is not thanksgiving of the very essence of prayer?"Edward J. Young, Introduction to the Old Testament, p. 280. "Such critical censure is pointless, displaying ignorance of the fact that thanksgiving

Deuteronomy 7:24-26 — Jehovah thy God. And thou shalt not bring an abomination into thy house, and become a devoted thing like unto it: thou shalt utterly detest it. and thou shalt utterly abhor it; for it is a devoted thing." "Lest thou be snared therein" (Deuteronomy 7:25). The meaning is not that the silver and gold in itself would be a snare, but that in being a devoted thing as part of their false gods, it would contaminate all that came in contact with it. The tragic story of Achan in Joshua (Joshua 7) shows what

John 14:3 — wherever the Lord's Supper is, there is the kingdom (Luke 22:30). D. He will not extend a second chance for unbelievers to repent (Hebrews 9:27). II.    What Christ will do upon his return. A. All the dead shall be raised to life (John 5:24-29). B. The judgment will occur (John 5:24-29; Matthew 25:31-36). C. The wicked shall be destroyed and the righteous rewarded (2 Thessalonians 1:7-10). D. The crown of life shall be given to the faithful (2 Timothy 4:7-8). E. Christ will stop reigning,

Acts 5:1 — But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession. (Acts 5:1) ANANIAS AND SAPPHIRA But … This word clearly connects the event of Barnabas' generous action which had just been narrated, with what ensues here. As Boles noted, "The two illustrations here were intended to be brought in contrast, as

Colossians 2:11 — in this verse naturally raised the question in Paul's thought of just how men are enabled to participate in the death of Christ, share its benefits, and receive its blessings. That prompted the immediate reference to baptism. (Compare with Romans 6:3-5). THE CIRCUMCISION IN CHRIST Colossians 2:11 is more easily understood if the intermediate phrases are omitted from the principal statement in the passage which is: "In whom (Christ) we were also circumcised … in the circumcision of Christ." The

1 Thessalonians 3:1 — "we" anyway. Many scholars support the view taken here: Some refer the plural to Paul, Silas and Timothy; others to Paul and Silas, as Timothy had been sent to Thessalonica; but it is to be restricted to Paul, as is evident from 1 Thessalonians 3:5, and inasmuch as Paul was left alone in Athens; the plural being used here for the singular. P. J. Gloat, The Pulpit Commentary, Vol. 21 (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1950), p. 55. Here the "we" is purely epistolary,

1 Timothy 4 overview — Paul was here merely writing instructions to the minister of a single congregation. "He is addressing his apostolic representative for the whole territory of which Ephesus is the center." Ibid., p. 627. The first five verses (1 Timothy 4:1-5) deal with particular features of the great apostasy which all of the sacred writers revealed would develop during the historical progression of Christianity. Before beginning the study of this chapter, a glance at some of their prophecies is in order. THE

Hebrews 7:11 — gave the verdict in this in the Sermon on the Mount, in which, time and again, he enumerated one after another of the Ten Commandments, using the formula, "Ye have heard it said by them of old time … but I say unto you." (See Matthew 5:21-22; Matthew 5:27-28; Matthew 5:33-34.) Revolting as the thought seems to many, the Decalogue itself has been taken out of the way, nailed to the cross, and superseded by the teachings of Christ. In fact, a major part of the Sermon on the Mount is

1 John 5:8 — For there are three that bear witness, the Spirit, and the water, and the blood: and the three agree in one. There are three that bear witness … Note the use of the present tense, contrasting with the past tense of 1 John 5:6, a fact that indicates the three agreeing witnesses as giving their testimony at the time of John's writing and continuously thereafter. The Spirit … There is no doubt regarding the identity of this witness, the same being the inspired testimony

2 Samuel 5:17-21 — which runs southwest of Jerusalem, but if the valley is placed to the south of Jerusalem, the boundary would fall well within the territory of Judah. In the present passage, it is said that David pursued the Philistines from Geba to Gezer (2 Samuel 5:25), which could have been done only if the battle were fought to the north of Jerusalem."The Interpreter's Bible, op. cit., p. 1074. This is another of those questions which can hardly be settled satisfactorily within the limits of the abbreviated