Bible Commentaries

Nehemiah 4 overview — interpretations of Nehemiah thus far must be rejected. One we have already noted, namely, the allegation that Nehemiah 3 was not written by Nehemiah and that it was "injected" into Nehemiah's narrative. The other is the inaccurate allegation that Nehemiah 3:3-6 "suggest the completion of the wall."The Interpreter's Bible, Vol. 3, p. 696. No such suggestion is found in Nehemiah 3. Oh yes, it says various workers "repaired!" this or that section of the wall; but that only designates the different assignments

Psalms 85 overview — the time soon after the return from the Babylonian exile - either the days of discouragement before the building of the second temple (Ezra 4:5-24; Haggai 1; Zechariah 1:12-21) or the period of Nehemiah (Nehemiah 1:3).J. R. Dummelow's Commentary, p. 363. - The situation into which the psalm could fit with more than average propriety is the time shortly after the return from the Babylonian captivity.H. C. Leupold, p. 609. - The condition of the exiles returned from Babylon best corresponds to the conflicting

Deuteronomy 18 overview — there is a short paragraph concerning Levites that might wish to sell their patrimony and move to the area of the central sanctuary, in which case thy should receive contributions just the same as the Levites and priests already there (Deuteronomy 18:6-8). Deuteronomy 18:9-14 lists nine kinds of occult and magic practices as "abominations to God," designating them as absolutely forbidden to the Israelites. The great passage in the chapter is found in Deuteronomy 18:15-19, where "that Prophet like

John 12:39-40 — etc., and had caviled at his every word. Having so hardened themselves, they inevitably suffered the penalty of God's judicial hardening, making them no longer capable of believing. For study of hardening of Israel, see my Commentary on Romans, p. 376; and for comments on the manner of God's hardening all who do not like to keep God in their hearts, see my Commentary on Romans, pp. 45f. It should ever be borne in mind that God's judicial hardening always follows, and never exists apart from the act

Acts 12:8 — the falling off of his chains. They fell off when he rose to obey the word of the angel. The application is in this, that men's chains of sin will fall off when they arise and are baptized into Christ; and they will never fall off until this is done. (6) Then Peter followed the angel. See next verse.

Acts 15:4-5 — them. But there rose up certain of the sect of the Pharisees who believed, saying, It is needful to circumcise them, and to charge them to keep the law of Moses. The Pharisees who believed … Here is identified the seat of the mischief. In Acts 6:7, Luke related how a great company of the priests believed, many of whom no doubt were Pharisees. Their love of the forms and ceremonies of Judaism had been brought with them into the church; and it may be assumed that for some considerable time they

Acts 18:27-28 — encouragement by brethren throughout the area. It may be accepted as certain that Aquila and Priscilla were leaders in sponsoring and encouraging this effective new voice for the Lord. Paul himself advocated and encouraged Apollos' work (1 Corinthians 16:12); and in this passage, Luke, Paul's great friend and companion, speaks of the noble Alexandrian in terms of unstinted praise and appreciation. How wonderful that among such great leaders there was no hint of jealousy. Pass over into Achaia …

Acts 4:24 — Christians met the crisis through resort to prayer, and the prayer here recorded is remarkable in several particulars. With one accord … This expression occurs eleven times in the Acts, and only once elsewhere in the New Testament (Romans 15:6). A. C. Hervey, op. cit., p. 124. It stresses the unity of the Lord's followers, and thus reveals one of the great secrets of the success of Christianity during those first years. O Lord … The holy reverence of prayers recorded in the Bible is

1 Corinthians 12:4 — Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. VARIOUS SPIRITUAL GIFTS ENUMERATED "Here the apostle called the supernatural endowments of the first Christians GIFTS, because they were foretold under that name (Psalms 68:18; Ephesians 4:8)." James Macknight, Apostolical Epistles and Commentary (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Book House, 1969), p. 194. They are also referred to in the several terms of Hebrews 2:4 as "signs and wonders, and manifold powers,

2 Corinthians 10:5 — it is in the realm of ideas and imaginations against the truth. People have always had trouble with their imagination, the deluge itself having been the God-imposed penalty for man's imagination, which was "only evil continually" (Genesis 6:5).

2 Corinthians 11:7 — Or did I commit a sin in abasing myself that ye might be exalted, because I preached to you the gospel of God for naught? The bitter sarcasm of this is evident. "Professional Greek rhetoricians (alluded to in 2 Corinthians 11:6) would be suspect if they failed to demand fees." Norman Hillyer, The New Bible Commentary, Revised (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1970), p. 1085. Paul's sarcastic question is, "Have you been so completely taken

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 — petitions to God, but means "maintain the good habit of frequent prayers." In everything give thanks … For an entire sermon on this text, see in my Commentary on Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians and Colossians, under Philippians 4:6. These brief, hammer-blow admonitions carry the full authority of apostolic power and have been greatly honored and appreciated in all generations since they appeared. Barclay spoke of them as "a chain of jewels of good advice." William Barclay,

1 Timothy 2:7 — Timothy 2:4 being inclusive of the Gentiles specifically mentioned here. The reason that "all men" were to be publicly prayed for by the church (including the Gentiles, of course) was stated in the Christology of 1 Timothy 2:5 and 1 Timothy 2:6. Since there is but one God, the God of all people; and since there is but one mediator between God and all mankind, the church should diligently pray for all people, especially in view of God's willingness and desire that none should perish but that

Titus 1:16 — that which so many in our times allege to be Pauline doctrine, but this is the true Pauline teaching. It is in full consonance with the teachings of the Master who said, "Why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?" (Luke 6:46).

Hebrews 10:38-39 — shrink back is an affirmation of the writer's confidence that his readers will, after all, continue in the path of duty and ultimately prevail. This same confidence was expressed also in connection with the powerful warnings of the sixth chapter (Hebrews 6:9-10). The dual mention of "faith" in these last two verses would appear to have thrust themselves upon the author's attention; and, immediately afterward, in what would be called by some a typically Pauline digression, there follows a moving,

Hebrews 6:10 — out, that "the Hebrew brethren had been culpably negligent in the study of God's word; but notwithstanding this, they had been diligent in the works of benevolence." R. Milligan, New Testament Commentary (Nashville: Gospel Advocate Company, 1962), Vol. IX, p. 181. The warning from this is pointed indeed. Wonderful as works of benevolence assuredly are, pure benevolence, however lavish, is no substitute for faithful adherence to the word and doctrine of Christ. In the present society, wherein

James 4:14 — What is your life? For ye are a vapor that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. The uncertainty of tomorrow was stressed by Jesus who said of the grass of the field, "It today is, and tomorrow is cast into the oven" (Matthew 6:30); and both Peter and James discerned the spiritual overtones of the teaching, Peter saying, "All flesh is as grass" (1 Peter 1:24), an idea certainly inherent in what James declared here. How ephemeral and uncertain is life! James, following

1 Peter 1:18 — were redeemed, not with corruptible things, with silver or gold, from your vain manner of life handed down from your fathers; Ye were redeemed … This is one of the great ransom passages of the New Testament, along with Mark 10:45; 1 Corinthians 6:20; 1 Timothy 2:5, Revelation 1:5, and many others. Not with silver or gold … These are some of the corruptible things cited as examples; nothing of earthly value or merit made up the purchase price of Christians, but only the blood of Christ. From

2 Peter 2:6 — commentary upon the depravity of our own era. What were those sins? The sin of Sodom was unnatural lusts (Genesis 19:5), and pride with fullness of bread, and abundance of idleness, especially among the women, and hard-heartedness towards the poor (Ezekiel 16:46, and Judges 1:7). James Macknight, op. cit., p. 546. It is quite significant that the two destructions in view in this and the preceding verses were (1) by water in the first instance, and (2) by fire in the second, a sequence which we have already

3 John 1:3 — unto thy truth, even as thou walkest in truth. When brethren came … "The present tense indicates that not on one occasion, but on several, reportCharles C. Ryrie, Wycliffe Bible Commentary, New Testament (Chicago: Moody Press, 1971), p. 1036. came." Wilder also agreed that, "The Greek participles here indicate that numerous such reports had come in."Amos N. Wilder, The Interpreter's Bible, Vol. XII (New York: Abingdon Press, 1956), p. 309. Their witness unto thy truth …