Bible Commentaries

Exodus 4:19-20 — "And Jehovah said unto Moses in Midian, Go, return into Egypt' for the men are dead that sought thy life." The ridiculous pseudocon that is based on the place (or places) where God thus commanded Moses, whether in Horeb (Exodus 3:1) or in Midian (as here), hardly requires any refutation. Horeb was in Midian! What if we stated that these words are being written in Houston, and at a later time that they were written in Texas? Is that a contradiction? The reference here is either

1 Kings 14:17-18 — Jehovah, which he spake by his servant Ahijah the prophet." "Jeroboam's wife arose,… and came to Tirzah" "This place was a few miles northeast of Shechem where the royal residence was located in the times of Jeroboam."The Interpreter's Bible, Vol. 3, p. 129. Just as God's prophet had said it would happen, Abijah died as soon as Jeroboam's wife came home. It seems very strange to us that none of the critics have denied that this happened. Perhaps they deny only those passages which contradict their

Psalms 130:1-2 — cried unto thee, O Jehovah. Lord, hear my voice: Let thine ears be attentive To the voice of my supplications." "Out of the depths" There are several kinds of "depths" from which one may cry to God, (1) the death of a loved one, (2) a terrible illness, (3) a life-threatening danger, (4) some devastating loss, or (4) a soul-chilling consciousness of one's sinfulness. We believe that the latter is the "depths" spoken of here. There is no deeper pit than the black hole of despair which the soul experiences

Jeremiah 18 overview — GOD'S PROMISES ALWAYS CONDITIONAL Henderson's chapter divisions are: (1) the analogy of the potter and the clay (Jeremiah 18:1-4), (2) deductions drawn from the analogy (Jeremiah 18:5-10), (3) Judah's place in the analogy revealed and the warning to repent given (Jeremiah 18:11), (4) Judah's obstinate rejection of God's call to repentance (Jeremiah 18:12), (5) the folly of Judah's choice (Jeremiah 18:13-14), (6) the consequences of that

Numbers 28:1-2 — remember that this same concept has been brought over into the New Covenant particularly in the ordinance of the Lord's Supper during which Jesus "drinks the fruit of the vine new with his disciples in the kingdom of heaven!" (Matthew 26:29). See Leviticus 3:11.

Zechariah 14:11 — point even beyond the earthly sojourn of the church of God; because the total absence of any curse appears to be uniquely associated with that eternal city that cometh down from God out of heaven. "And there shall be no curse any more" (Revelation 22:3). Such a situation will prevail all over the earth only in the times of the final glory of God's people. Higginson understood the condition prophesied here thus: "All things will have returned to a state of primitive perfection. The picture is ideal."R.

Malachi 3:15 — here, or "arrogant," are not the heathen but the godless Israelites who have cast off all restraints of holy religion and were living like the pagans which they in heart had become. Malachi will answer their objections. In the next three verses (Malachi 3:16-18): "He assures the plus that Yahweh has not forgotten them, but intends to treat them with a Father's love in the great day of judgment that is coming. They will then realize fully the distinction that God makes between the godly and the ungodly.

Matthew 15:31 — works to the Father, gave him the glory, the credit, and the honor, and in fact did them in the Father's name. He said, "I am come in my Father's name, and ye receive me not: if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive" (John 5:43). Christ always emphasized the origin of his work as being with God. In this perfect trait, he was "the messenger of the covenant" (Malachi 3:1). He was God's plenary representative on earth; indeed, he WAS God in flesh, reconciling the world

Matthew 4:17 — And from that time began Jesus to preach, and to say, Repent ye; for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. Christ's first preaching has a ring similar to that of John the Baptist (Matthew 3:2). Repentance was the prime need of that generation. People had grown hard and indifferent to spiritual values. John's great call to repentance had been heeded by many, but significantly the leaders of the people despised John and set his teachings

Luke 7:39 — woman this is that toucheth him, that she is a sinner. Spake within himself … Only in the word of God may it be read what men said within themselves, and Luke has several such instances: the prodigal son (Luke 15:17), the unjust steward (Luke 16:3), etc. This Pharisee was correct in one of the premises of his conceited syllogism, namely, that a true prophet would have known who and what manner of person the woman was. However, he was wrong in his companion premise that Jesus did not know who

John 1:28 — always incidental to the main narrative, that their very profusion compels the conclusion that the author was writing truth which belonged to his immediate knowledge and recollection. The scenes of John's baptizing were Bethany, as here, and Aenon (John 3:23). Since there were two Bethanys, the other being only a couple of miles from Jerusalem, he distinguished this one as being "beyond Jordan." The exact location of this Bethany is not certain. Hendriksen placed it thirteen miles below Lake

John 11:1 — …" distinguishes which Bethany was meant. This one was less than two miles from Jerusalem; the other was fifty miles away beyond the Jordan River. Some see this and the next verse as certain proof that John was familiar with the text of Luke 10:38-42, where the two sisters are named together, and that of Mark 14:3-9, where the anointing is recorded.William Hendriksen, Exposition of the Gospel according to John (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Book House, 1961), II, p. 138.

John 12:48 — He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my sayings, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I spake, the same shall judge him in the last day. See under John 3:17-18 and under John 5:24-29. The last day … Again the doctrine of the last things comes into prominence in this Gospel. See under John 12:25. Here it is affirmed dogmatically that the basis of the eternal judgment will be the word of Jesus Christ.

John 17:20 — exactly the same pattern? Through their word … is not a merely incidental thought. Peter wrote: "Remember the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and the commandment of the Lord and Saviour through your apostles" (2 Peter 3:2). These words are equivalent to saying that there is no other way of bringing men to God except through the word of the apostles.

John 6:37 — faith, the verses being supplementary each to the other. Thus, one must believe and come to Jesus in order to be saved. Coming to Jesus is equivalent to entering his kingdom; and entering that requires one to be born of water and of the spirit (John 3:5). Coming to Jesus therefore means being born again. No subjective experience whatever can be substituted for the new birth. "Coming" is something that a man does, not something that he thinks, believes, or feels.

Acts 15:8-9 — race or nation. Jews and Gentiles alike confront the same message in Christ. The whole book of Romans was written to develop the theme of God's intrinsic righteousness in treating all men and nations alike. "There is no distinction!" (Romans 3:22). The words Peter spoke here obviously made a deep impression upon the great apostle to the Gentiles.

Acts 2:18 — they shall prophesy. This is a continuation of the thought in the previous verse. The mention of daughters, handmaidens, and servants shows that in Christ Jesus "there can be neither bond nor free, there can be no male and female" (Galatians 3:28). They shall prophesy … The tremendous weight of prophecy is not fully appreciated in these times, because men simply do not know how amazingly the apostles of Christ foretold future events. Barclay relates how the ancient writer Tatian was

Romans 2:6 — did not say people are justified by works ALONE. These are statements to the effect that man's salvation is "not of works, lest any man should boast" (Ephesians 2:8-9), "not by works of righteousness which we did ourselves" (Titus 3:5), and "therefore, by the deeds of the law shall no flesh be justified" (Romans 3:20). In all such references to works which are alleged to have no part in justification, different classes, or kinds, of works are in view. Therefore, to determine

Revelation 7 overview — suffering under the six seals. The biggest problems for the commentators wrestling with the meaning of this chapter are: (1) the identity of the two groups, the 144,000, and the innumerable multitude; (2) the meaning of their being "sealed"; and (3) what is meant by the great tribulation. Fortunately for those who really know their New Testament, none of these problems presents any great difficulty. We shall determine the answer to these questions before beginning the exegesis of the chapter. (1)    The

2 Samuel 9:4 — of Machir the son of Ammiel at Lo-debar." "Lo-debar" is thought to have been located in northeastern Palestine east of the Jordan River and not far from Mahanaim, Ishbosheth's capital. "Machir the son of Ammiel." Ammiel is mentioned in 1 Chronicles 3:5 as the father of Bathshua (Bathsheba) the mother of Solomon; thus Machir was Bathsheba's brother, making him a brother-in-law of King David. Machir was a very wealthy person who out of his love for Saul's family had taken Saul's grandson, the son