Bible Commentaries

Luke 8:31 — And they entreated him that he would not command them to depart into the abyss. As Ash observed: The demons recognized that when Jesus commanded they must obey, and that the abyss was the fate for which they were destined (cf. Revelation 9:1-11; Revelation 11:7; Revelation 17:8; and Revelation 20:1-3). The ABYSS symbolized the chaos in opposition to which the world was fashioned (Genesis 1:2).Anthony Lee Ash, The Gospel according to Luke (Austin, Texas: Sweet Publishing Company, 1972), p. 145.

John 10:20-21 — of the blind … ? Such thoughts as these should have penetrated the hearts of the adamant majority but did not. The carnal mind is enmity against God, and the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God (Romans 7:7; 1 Corinthians 2:14). "The Scriptures had affirmed that only God could open the eyes of the blind (Exodus 4:11; Psalms 146:8)";Alan Richardson, op. cit., p. 133. and despite the fact that Richardson does not exactly quote Scripture here, the word of God nevertheless

Acts 2:2-4 — There was no wind, but the sound of a mighty wind; and no fire, but tongues resembling fire, at Pentecost. Despite this, wind and fire are both typical and suggestive of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit is typified by the wind in that: (1) it is gentle; (2) it is powerful; (3) it is invisible (John 3:8); (4) it is the "breath" of life itself. Fire typifies the Holy Spirit in that: (1) it gives light; (2) it provides warmth; (3) it purifies; and (4) it is an emblem of God himself (Hebrews 12:29),

Acts 8:7-8 — demon possession. This subject was reviewed repeatedly in the four gospels, and it would be profitless to repeat them here. For those interested in pursuing the subject further, reference is made to my Commentary on Matthew, Matthew 8:16; Matthew 8:29 and my Commentary on Mark, Mark 1:24; Mark 5:2. Much joy in that city … During the ministry of Christ the Lord commanded that his representatives should not go into any city of the Samaritans (Matthew 10:5-6); and, although Jesus himself had

Romans 3:27 — moral, upright conduct, regardless of any relative superiority over one's fellow-creatures. True, the Jew might have been closer to God than Gentiles; but, whether from a greater or lesser distance, both are hopelessly separated from God. In Romans 3:21-26, Paul outlined the plan of redemption, through which Jews and Gentiles alike might "in Christ" share the benefits of God's righteousness in Christ; and why is boasting excluded by such a plan? Because it was achieved, not by man, but by

Romans 4:14-15 — where there is no law, neither is there transgression. This is a continuation of the reasoning of the previous verse. The worldwide inheritance promised to Abraham was destined to be fulfilled in the singular seed, Jesus Christ, as indicated in Psalms 2:7-8 and Hebrews 1:2. Whiteside noted: This promise of worldwide inheritance was not made to Abraham through the righteousness of the law, but through the righteousness of faith. Paul had shown the Judaizing teachers that Abraham was not righteous by

1 Corinthians 13:1 — here regarding the language of angels. Hodge paraphrased this as "all languages, human or divine." Charles Hodge, An Exposition of the First Epistle to the Corinthians (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1974), p. 266. That the speech of angels should have been brought in here could have derived from Paul's own experience in which he was caught up into heaven and heard words "unspeakable, unlawful to utter" (2 Corinthians 12:4). There is also an assumption

1 Corinthians 16:13-14 — (Cincinnati, Ohio: Standard Publishing Company, 1916), p. 164. Watch ye … Although originally directed as an admonition to Corinth, this is a timeless duty of all Christians. The things they were to watch against were: (1) the danger of division, (2) the deception of false teachers, (3) the atheistic denials of the resurrection, (4) the failure of love of the brethren, etc. Stand fast in the faith … It is deplorable that the RSV renders this "Stand firm in your faith"; for what

Ephesians 2:10 — incorruption, eternal life: but unto them that are factious and obey not the truth, but obey unrighteousness, shall be wrath and indignation, tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that worketh evil, of the Jew first and also of the Greek (Romans 2:6-9). Also see 2 Corinthians 5:10. The truth is clear enough for all who wish to know it.

Joshua 5:10-12 — eat of the fruit of the land of Canaan that year." There are only three instances of Israel's observance of the Passover up to and including the example here.Merrill F. Unger, Commentary on the Old Testament, Joshua (Chicago: Moody Press, 1981), p. 289. The other occasions are recorded in Exodus 12:1-15, in which is the account of their observance of it in Egypt; and the other took place on the first anniversary of the original Passover (Numbers 9:5). In this connection, Dummelow tells us that only

Colossians 2:9 — that "The word deity ([@theotetos]) occurs only here in the New Testament and denotes the divine essence." Donald Guthrie, op. cit., p. 1147. However the Greek language had other words for God, and one of them is used of Jesus Christ in Titus 2:13, "Our great God and Saviour Jesus Christ." Bodily … This is viewed as a reference to the incarnation of our Lord, his becoming a man and dwelling on earth as a human being. The Gospel of John (John 1:1; John 1:14) is parallel with

1 Timothy 2:6 — for all; the testimony to be borne in its own times; The actual meaning of this somewhat obscure passage has been often disputed, but it would appear that the timeliness of the testimony is what Paul emphasized, calling to mind the words of Titus 1:2. It was in the mind of God "before the world was" to redeem humanity; and as Paul said in another place, "When the fullness of time came, God sent forth his Son, born of a woman, born under the law" (Galatians 4:4). Thus, "the

1 Timothy 3:16 — it is a hymn, the odds are overwhelmingly in favor of the proposition that Paul himself was the author of it. Great is the mystery of godliness … The New Testament refers to these mysteries: The mystery of Christ and his church (Ephesians 5:32). The mystery of lawlessness (2 Thessalonians 2:7). The mystery of the seven stars and the seven candlesticks (Revelation 1:20). The mystery of the resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:51). The mystery of the hardening of Israel (Romans 11:25). The mystery

Titus 2:9-10 — "It is probable here that Paul was thinking of Christian slaves with Christian masters." Ibid. As Lipscomb said, "It is obvious that `all things' is here limited to things not contrary to God's law." David Lipscomb, op. cit., p. 275. Gainsaying … means "talking back," with a view to thwarting, or criticizing, the master's will. Purloining… "The particular form of theft implied is the abstraction or retention for one's self of a part of something entrusted

Titus 3:8 — believed God may be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable unto men: Faithful is the saying… This is not a formula for introducing either a hymn or a proverb, despite the widespread prejudice to that effect. See under 2 Timothy 2:13, above. This is merely Paul's equivalent of the "Amen, Amen" sometimes used by Jesus. Scholars cannot agree upon whether it should be applied here to what precedes, or what comes after. Many refer it to the epic pronouncement

Hebrews 4:11 — do not enjoy in their present mortal state, although it belongs to them as a heritage, and by faith they may live in the good of it here and now." J. Barmby, The Pulpit Commentary (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1962), Vol. 21, Hebrews, p. 109. Disobedience, as in Hebrews 3:18 (which see), is the great enemy of that final possession of the rest of God; and the ever-present possibility of disobedience and temptations that woo people to disobedience are factors that

Hebrews 4:4 — For he hath said somewhere of the seventh day on this wise, And God rested on the seventh day from all his works. Genesis 2:2 is the text in the author's mind in these words; and the argument is that God's resting on the seventh day, unaccompanied by any subsequent declaration that he has left off resting, makes the rest of God still available for them that will receive

Hebrews 6:1-2 — not be presumed that the inspired author of this epistle was himself deficient in the manner of his readers, nor that he, like them, was guilty of serious fault of omission. Just why a similar identification of the author with his readers in Hebrews 2:3 should be hailed as proof that the author was denying his own apostleship has never been explained. See under "authorship" in the introduction for note on this, also under Hebrews 2:3. What the writer surely did here, he may have done in

2 Peter 1:5-7 — self-control; and in your self-control patience; and in your patience godliness; and in your godliness brotherly kindness; and in your brotherly kindness love. In these verses there are two links with the first epistle: (1) virtue is found in 1 Peter 2:9, and (2) brotherly kindness occurs in 1 Peter 1:22; 1 Peter 3:8. B. C. Caffin, op. cit., p. 4. Also, there is another word of very great interest in the passage, the one here rendered "supply," which comes from a word suggesting lavish provision,

Revelation 15:6 — how arbitrary and undependable the so-called "Lectio Difficilior" actually is. It has been invoked to justify a whole family of unjustifiable renditions. See "Excursus on New Testament Criticism" in my Commentary on James , 1 and 2 Peter , 1, 2, 3 John and Jude, pp. 282-290.