Bible Commentaries

Psalms 29:3 — understanding of, `The voice of Jehovah is upon the waters,' is to take it as meaning the mass of water gathered together in the thick, black stormclouds,"F. Delitzsch, Vol. V, p. 369. then moving on to the land. "The voice of Jehovah" (Psalms 29:3-4(twice), 5, 7, 8, 9). This remarkable phrase appears no less than seven times in the passage before us. That voice is here metaphorically presented as the thunder, bringing to mind instantly the reference in Revelation to the effect that, "The seven thunders uttered

Psalms 38 overview — PRAYER OF A SUFFERING PENITENT The chapter heading here is the one found in the superscription, which also names David as the author. As Delitzsch observed: "The occasion was David's adultery (2 Samuel 12:14); and Psalms 6; Psalms 38; Psalms 51; and Psalms 32 form a chronological series. Here, David is distressed both in mind and in body, forsaken by his friends, and regarded by his foes as one who is cast off forever. The fire of divine anger burns within him like a fever; and the divine

Isaiah 27:2-6 — he may make peace with me; yea, let him make peace with me. In days to come shall Jacob take root; Israel shall blossom and bud; and they shall fill the face of the world with fruit." "This is a joy-song, set over against the dirge recorded in Isaiah 5:1-7."The Pulpit Commentary, p. 433. Both regard the Lord's vineyard; but the one in Isaiah 5:1-7 is the object of God's disapproval and judgment; and the one here is a vineyard approved and protected by the Lord. "The first one of these is beyond all

Isaiah 60 overview — times."Robert Lowth's Commentary, p. 381. Barnes agreed with this, and called it, "A description of the Golden Age under the Messiah," stating also that, "The description continues to the end of the next chapter."Albert Barnes' Commentary, Vol. II, p. 358. Some scholars, of course, disagree. Payne applied it to the nation of Israel, calling it, "Jerusalem's future glory."The New Layman's Bible Commentary, p. 813. Henderson identified the chapter, "Mainly, with the future glory of the Jews."E. Henderson.,

Hosea 12:4 — identity of the wrestler absolutely certain. The fact of his being introduced first as "a man" is exactly in harmony with the way angels were usually introduced in the Old Testament, as for example the angels who spent the night with Lot (Genesis 19:5). Angels customarily appeared as men, their full identity being apparent afterward. Thus, Lot "entertained angels unaware" (Hebrews 13:1). Mays, whose critical comment on this passage denied the validity of Jacob's weeping, as mentioned here, wrote:

Matthew 16:15 — be recalled that in the Sermon on the Mount he said, "Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness sake," and followed a moment later with "Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you and persecute you …" (Matthew 5:10-11). The same pattern is here. "Who do men say that the Son of man is," followed by "Who say ye that I am?"

Matthew 26:30 — apostles. The presumption with which people have loaded the worship of Christ with their own devices is reprehensible. The New Testament affords no example of such innovations, but repeated references to singing are recorded (Colossians 3:16; Ephesians 5:19, etc.).

Matthew 5:4 — they that grieve!" but that is exactly what this beatitude means. The ministry of grief, mourning, and sorrow as affecting the development of Christian character is set forth in detail in the New Testament. Tribulation results in patience (Romans 5:3-4). It yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness (Hebrews 12:11). Godly sorrow leads to repentance (2 Corinthians 7:10). What a generous and merciful arrangement of Almighty God that even life's sorrows shall bless and reward his servants! "Sweet,"

Matthew 6:16-18 — shall depart from the faith … commanding to abstain from meats, which God created to be received with thanksgiving by them that believe and know the truth. For every creature of God is good, and nothing is to be rejected … (1 Timothy 4:1-5).

Mark 2:14 — And as he passed by, he saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting at the place of toll, and he saith unto him, Follow me. And he arose and followed him. The call of Matthew is also reported in Matthew 9:9 and Luke 5:27. Both Mark and Luke refer to this apostle as Levi, Mark only indicating that he was the son of Alphaeus. Strangely, Mark also called James "the son of Alphaeus" (Mark 3:18), indicating that both Matthew and James were sons of fathers who

Mark 9:11 — arguments. (3) The apostles here sought the answer that would refute the scribes. (4) The argument of the scribes was based on the final verses of the Old Testament which prophesied that Elijah would come and restore all things before the Messiah arrived. (5) The argument of the scribes was false in that they had interpreted the prophecy to mean that Elijah would literally rise from the dead before Messiah came, the same being a false view which thy should have known to be false because of the prophecy

Luke 2:22-23 — … carries some hint that Jesus needed purification also; and, if so, this has reference to ceremonial uncleanness, a thing Jesus suffered as an inherent factor of the incarnation. He was "made to be sin" on our behalf (2 Corinthians 5:21). Again from Childers: His whole life shows that he identified himself with this sinful race — though he was sinless. Jesus always submitted to religious rites which were necessary for sinful men, even though they were not really necessary

Luke 23:46 — utterances they included. All seven of these utterances of Jesus are authentic, historical words truly spoken by the world's Saviour while upon the cross. Such a conceit as that of Gilmour, who said that "Luke substitutes an apt quotation from Psalms 31:5 for the one (by Mark) from Psalms 22:1,"S. MacLean Gilmour, op. cit., p. 412. is a travesty on Biblical exegesis. Luke gave a saying that Mark did not record; and Mark gave one that Luke did not record, both being absolutely genuine. He gave up

John 12:35 — goeth. While ye have the light, believe on the light, that ye may become sons of the light. Though not an answer to their question, this was an answer to the attitude of the people. Jesus had proclaimed himself the Light of the world (see under John 9:5), but they were not willing to walk in it. Yet a little while … is a tragic reference to the fact that the "hour" had come, and that the Saviour would shortly be sacrificed. Israel's day of grace was fading. The sneering, captious questions

John 6:1 — the time John wrote, near the end of the first century, this was the common name of Galilee, hence the explanation. Hendriksen stated that: It had many names: Sea of Chinnereth (Numbers 34:11), Sea of Chinneroth (Joshua 12:3), Lake Gennesaret (Luke 5:1), and the Sea of Tiberius (as here). The latter name, which in its modified form is still used, was derived from the city of Tiberius which was founded on its western shore by Herod Antipas in the year 22 A.D.William Hendriksen, Exposition of the

Acts 1:6 — who were its chief executive officers on earth, knew nothing of the fact; and it is equally inconceivable that if it had been, Jesus would not have promptly corrected so egregious a blunder on the part of his disciples. J. W. McGarvey, op. cit., p. 5.

Acts 9:40 — Jesus' miracles were wrought in answer to prayer. Peter used the very words that Jesus had used, except for substituting the name of Tabitha, the word "Tabitha, arise" being quite similar to "Damsel, I say unto thee arise" (Mark 5:41). The wonder of wonders is that God in heaven answered the prayer of the faithful apostle, and Dorcas was recalled from the dead. Not only does this mighty sign bear a validity and relevance in its own right; but it is also, in context, a corroborative

Galatians 6:7-8 — unto his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption,' but he that soweth unto the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap eternal life. Soweth unto his flesh … is a reference to living after the lusts of the flesh as Paul had just outlined in Galatians 5:18-21; and sowing to the Spirit is the equivalent of living the kind of life that exhibits the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-24). SOWING AND REAPING A.    The principle of sowing and reaping is handed down from the throne of

1 Timothy 1:20 — with "Alexander the coppersmith" (2 Timothy 4:14), or with another Alexander mentioned in Acts 19:33. Whom I delivered to Satan … Another glimpse of this same apostolic power is found in the case of the incestuous person (1 Corinthians 5:5), and this is a power no longer on earth. From this and other passages it is clear that the apostles had such power; but it came to an end with the cessation of miracles. Hendriksen also was of the opinion that the exercise of it meant excommunication

Judges 5:3-4 — to help Israel. And as Keil noted, "There is an allusion here to the great storm rising out of Seir from the east, in which the Lord advanced to meet his people."Keil, op. cit., p. 311. "The heavens also dropped;Yea, the clouds dropped water" (Judges 5:4). The parallelism in these and the previous two clauses should be noted. Josephus described the terrible storm which is mentioned here poetically in the words, "the clouds dropped water." Indeed they did! As the baffle began, there came down a great