Bible Commentaries

Psalms 40 overview — A SONG OF PRAISE AND A PRAYER FOR HELP A GLORIOUS PROPHECY OF THE MESSIAH This psalm is especially distinguished in that the author of Hebrews quoted Psalms 40:6-8 (Hebrews 10:5 ff). The precious words of these verses in the psalm constitute a promise on David's part; but, of course, "None but the Messiah could fulfill them, as the New Testament passage makes abundantly clear. `Lo, I come,' (Psalms 40:7) is the highlight of

Leviticus 6:1-7 — trespass-offering unto the priest: and the priest shall make atonement for him before Jehovah; and he shah be forgiven concerning whatsoever he doeth so as to be guilty thereby." "And swear to a lie" (Leviticus 6:3), "hath sworn falsely" (Leviticus 6:5), "in the day of his being found guilty" (Leviticus 6:5). All of these expressions appear to indicate a situation in some kind of court procedure. The person here was under oath and was "found guilty," indicating a contestant in some kind of disputed

Ecclesiastes 11:1-6 — not thy hand; for thou knowest not which shall prosper, whether this or that, or whether they both shall be alike good." These six verses are, "The first remedy proposed by the author for the perplexities of life,"The Pulpit Commentary, Vol. 9b, p. 275. a life which he has repeatedly called "vanity of vanities." And what is this recommended remedy? "Cast thy bread upon the waters, etc." For more than eighteen centuries, there was never any doubt about what was meant here. Franz Delitzsch noted, during

Luke 13:23 — home, 1.    Our citizenship is there (Philippians 3:20). 2.    Our treasure is there (Matthew 6:20). 3.    The hope of every man is there (Hebrews 6:19). 4.    Our Lord is there (John 14:1-3). 5.    Our names are written there (Luke 10:20). B.    Because it is the gate of the city of refuge (Hebrews 6:18). C.    Because it is the gate of eternal life. D.    Because

Luke 14:14 — rewards to the righteous, does not in the least imply that the wicked shall not receive their reward, which is so clearly stated elsewhere.Matthew Henry and Thomas Scott, Commentary on the Holy Bible (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Book House, 1960), Vol. 5, Luke, p. 276.

Luke 2:2 — This was the first enrollment made when Quirinius was governor of Syria. The second census under Quirinius was in 6 A.D. (Acts 5:37); and the words "the first" in this passage refer to the census fourteen years earlier in 8 B.C., but which was delayed in Palestine until the time coinciding with the birth of Christ in 6 B.C. Quirinius was twice governor and presided

Luke 8:16 — religiously and spiritually enlightened through obedience to the Gospel, should not hide it under a bed, symbolizing either laziness or licentiousness; nor under a vessel, symbolizing the cares and preoccupations of life; nor under a bushel (Matthew 5:15), symbolizing business, industry and commerce; but he should display his light upon the "stand." The Scriptures do not leave us in the dark as to what this stand is. It is a local congregation of the Lord's church (Revelation 1:20).

Acts 1:1 — addressed both the Gospel and Acts. As Bruce said, "Theophilus was a perfectly ordinary personal name, being used from the third century B.C. onwards." F. F. Bruce, The Book of Acts (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1954), p. 31. Concerning all that Jesus … This is not an affirmation that Luke recorded "all" that Jesus did and taught, but it has the meaning that "all" Luke wrote concerned those things. A basic truth evident in all the sacred

Acts 6:7 — increased; and the number of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem exceedingly; and a great company of the priests were obedient to the faith. Increased … exceedingly … At a number of places in Acts, namely, here, Acts 9:30; 12:24; 16:5; 19:20; and 28:31, Luke paused to note the continued success of the gospel. C. H. Turner pointed out that Acts is thus cut into six panels covering, on an average, about five years each. As quoted by F. F. Bruce, op. cit., p. 131. A great company of

Romans 1:8 — ONE MEDIATOR John Wesley's statement that "The gifts of God all pass through Christ to us, and all our petitions and thanksgivings pass through Christ to God," John Wesley, Explanatory Notes on the New Testament (London: The Epworth Press, 1950), p. 517. constitutes a concise summary of New Testament teaching on Christ's mediation. The Lord said: And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If ye shall ask anything in my name, that will

2 Corinthians 13:12 — Salute one another with a holy kiss. THE HOLY KISS Dummelow called this "the token of brotherhood in the early church. J. R. Dummelow, op. cit., p. 944. Other references to it in the New Testament are Romans 15:16, 1 Corinthians 16:20, 1 Thessalonians 5:26, and 1 Peter 5:14. Peter called it the "kiss of love"; but it is called the "holy kiss" elsewhere. This form of brotherly greeting, however, existed long before Christianity. Jesus rebuked

2 Corinthians 9:10 — is, not because of a good sales talk. As Paul suggested to Philemon, "Without thy mind, I would do nothing; that thy benefit should not be as it were, of necessity, but willingly" (Philem. 1:14). NOT DECEITFULLY. Ananias and Sapphira (Acts 5:1 ff) are the New Testament examples of this error; but it may well be feared that even now there are many who pretend a liberality they do not have. NOT WITHOUT LOVE. The gift of all one's earthly goods "without love" profits the giver "nothing"

Philippians 3:10-11 — fountain source from which all blessings flow. It would be impossible to trace in a single chapter the amazing manner of Paul's making all to depend on Christ's resurrection. Everything depends on it; without it, we are still in our sins (1 Corinthians 15:17); it is the pledge of our justification and forgiveness (Acts 13:30; Acts 13:38-39), etc. 2.    Suffering with Christ. This is the "partaking of Christ's sufferings," "the conformity to his death," the "taking

Joshua 7:16-21 — who really feels for the criminal, (although the Commander is already under orders from God Himself to execute Achan). In our own times, we have seen a judge melted to tears at the necessity of condemning a man to death."Afred Plummer, op. cit., p. 125. "Of a truth I have sinned" (Joshua 7:20). It has long been apparent that physical death as inflicted for punishment in the O.T. did not always mean the eternal condemnation of those who thus died. Adam Clarke said of this case, "This seems a very honest

1 Thessalonians 5:19 — not put out the sacred fire within. This verse is parallel with the following: Many are weak and sickly among you, and some sleep (1 Corinthians 11:30). The last state is become worse than the first (2 Peter 2:20-21). There is a sin unto death (1 John 5:16). It is impossible to renew them (Hebrews 6:4-6). She that giveth herself to pleasure is dead while she lives (1 Timothy 5:6). Whosoever shall blaspheme against the Holy Spirit hath never forgiveness, but is guilty of an eternal sin (Mark 3:29). In

Hebrews 8:5 — showed thee in the mount. ALL THINGS ACCORDING TO THE PATTERN All things according to the pattern must be hailed as one of the most significant statements in Hebrews. The instructions of God to Moses to which reference is here made are found in Exodus 25:40; and this reiteration of them in the New Testament is of the utmost consequence. If God required Moses to proceed exactly according to the pattern God showed him, it is also required of worshipers today that they do all things according to the pattern

James 1:12 — double meaning, that of external trials, and inward tendency to evil; but Lenski did not accept such a distinction. He said, "Both linguistically, and in thought, James 1:12 is to be associated with James 1:2-4." R. C. H. Lenski, op. cit., p. 536. If, as Lenski thought, external trials are meant here also, then this verse is parallel to Matthew 5:10-11. As Barnes said, "The word `temptation' is in itself a word of so general a character as to cover the whole usage." Albert Barnes,

James 3:2 — "perfect in comparison with others," "mature, full-grown, or complete," J. W. Roberts, The Letter of James (Austin, Texas: Sweet Publishing Company, 1977), p. 103. etc. However, as pointed out by Vine, the word here is that of Matthew 5:48, James 1:4 (2nd part) and James 3:2, meaning complete goodness, without necessary reference to maturity. W. E. Vine, Expository Greek Dictionary, Vol. III (Old Tappan, New Jersey: Fleming H. Revell Company, 1940), p. 174. It is exactly the same word

Revelation 15:7 — creatures gave unto the seven angels seven golden bowls full of the wrath of God, who liveth for ever and ever. Are these literal bowls? Not any more than the harps were literal harps, which means they were not in any sense literal. See under Revelation 15:2 for Pieters' comment on the absurdity of taking any of this literally. Bowls … This is a very interesting word. "It meant (1) a shallow vessel used for drinking purposes," Ibid. as in the case of Old King Cole who called for his pipe

Revelation 21:1 — And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth are passed away; and the sea is no more. (Revelation 21:1) A new heaven and a new earth … "What is promised here is the fulfillment of Isaiah 65:17; Isaiah 66:22, passages strongly ascribed by millennarians to the thousand years." Albertus Pieters, Studies in the Revelation of St. John (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1954), p. 330. One of the unsolvable mysteries