Bible Commentaries

Genesis 36 overview — in Israel, such an implied warning would have been without any meaning whatever. Previous prophecies had made it clear that "dominion" would belong to Esau (Genesis 27:40), and that, in time, "kings" would be found among Jacob's posterity (Genesis 35:11). It was with respect to those prophecies that the example of what would come of theft "kings" found its place in this chapter. (5) Another purpose of the chapter was that of showing "fairness to Esau."Clyde T. Francisco, The Teachers' Bible Commentary

Genesis 44 overview — and the events of this chapter entitled him to his place in the ancestry of the Son of God, and to the honor of giving his name to the Glorious One who would stand forever honored upon the sacred page as, "The Lion of the Tribe of Judah" (Revelation 5:5). The source-splitters are completely frustrated and defeated by this chapter. Speiser admitted that, "There is not the slightest trace of any other source throughout the chapter."E. A. Speiser, The Anchor Bible, Genesis (Garden City, N.Y.: Doubleday

Psalms 107 overview — BOOK V (Psalms 107-150) This book has forty-four psalms, a number of which appear to be of late date. Dummelow noted that, "The contents, here and there, give appropriate hints as to the date in some instances."J. R. Dummelow's Commentary, 369. For example, Psalms 107:10-16

Psalms 109 overview — this same bitter spirit that appeared in the lives of two of the blessed apostles, namely, "The Sons of Thunder," that is, "Boanerges" (Mark 3:17). These, of course, were James and John the sons of Zebedee. The glimpse referred to is recorded in Luke 9:52 ff. The apostles went before Jesus into a village of the Samaritans to prepare the way for Jesus, but the Samaritans did not receive him. James and John immediately asked, "Lord wilt thou that we bid fire come down from heaven and consume them?" However,

Psalms 73 overview — BOOK III Psalms 73-89 INTRODUCTION FOR BOOK III Psalms 73-89 are entitled Book III. These Psalms are classified as "The Asaph Group," composed of Psalms 73-83, the only other Asaph Psalm being Psalms 50 in Book II. "All of this group are Elohimic."F. Delitzsch, Vol. 5-B, p. 310. Most of the remaining Psalms in Book IV are ascribed to the Sons of Korah. "Some of these are Elohimic and some are Jehovist."Ibid. Three Psalms in this Book are ascribed,

Leviticus 4:1-12 — sacrifices. The other three were presented first in the text because, "they were already in existence, and had existed from the time of the Fall."F. Meyrick, The Pulpit Commentary, Vol. 2, Leviticus (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1950), p. 53. A number of important differences appear in these instructions when compared to the offerings previously described. Note that all of the bullock was to be consumed, the priests were not being allowed to eat any of it. Even the skin, which

Matthew 16:19 — Peter, not restricted to him, but applicable to all disciples like him," asked, But if you suppose that upon one Peter only the whole church is built by God, what would you say about John the son of thunder or each one of the apostles?Ibid., p. 456. "Bind" and "loose" refer to the power of deciding what was lawful or unlawful to be done in the church or what was orthodox or unorthodox to be believed. That power was (and is) exercised by all the apostles, and the New Testament

Deuteronomy 24:1-5 — and those of Hillel took the position that it meant any "unbecomingness," actually meaning that, "for any reason," a man could put away his wife.W. L. Alexander, The Pulpit Commentary, Deuteronomy (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1950), p. 381. It is not hard to discover the position of the Pharisees (Matthew 19:3) who accepted Hillel's position on this, believing that divorce was possible "for every cause." The first three verses here are all conditional, the one affirmation in

Deuteronomy 7:1-5 — quickly. But thus shall ye deal with them: ye shall break down their altars, and dash in pieces their pillars, and hew down their Asherim, and burn their graven images with fire." The list of nations here in Deuteronomy 7:1 is also found in Genesis 15:19-21; Exodus 3:8; Deuteronomy 1:4; Deuteronomy 20:17; Joshua 3:10; Joshua 24:11, a "total often of these being enumerated in all."C. F. Keil, Commentary on the Old Testament, Deuteronomy (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company), p. 327. In

Mark 13:5-6 — apostles, there are nevertheless overtones in this extending to eternity. Many shall come in my name … Matthew quoted Christ as saying that these impostors shall claim to be the Christ. Bickersteth said, "Such (false christs) were Theudas (Acts 5:36) and Simon Magus (Acts 8:10)."E. Bickersteth, op. cit., p. 197. The latter, according to Jerome, claimed to be Almighty God in the flesh, clearly an example of a false Christ. The apostles were admonished not to be led astray by such claims;

Luke 12:14-15 — mankind; and the Lord in his teaching here moved to lead men away from it. Human wants are insatiable; and getting only adds to the appetite for more. Paul associated it with moral uncleanness (Ephesians 4:19), calling it "idolatry" (Colossians 3:5). THE PARABLE OF THE RICH FOOL This parable was spoken to illustrate Jesus' teaching, just spoken, on covetousness.

Luke 4:7 — prince of evil appeared "as a roaring lion," the guise in which he often assails men. He is designated the devil, the beast, and the false prophet (Revelation 20:10). He appears in three guises: a serpent (Revelation 20:2), a lion (1 Peter 5:8), and an angel of light (2 Corinthians 11:14). These three guises of Satan, thus arranged, are in the ascending order of power, exactly the order in which Luke presented the temptations. Matthew's presentation followed another order, apparently not

Luke 6:38 — bosom. For with what measure ye mete it shall be measured to you again. Give … If there is a single word in the whole dictionary that summarizes the Christian life, this is it. "It is more blessed to give than to receive" (Acts 20:35); and the measure of the holy life is not getting but giving. This is the second of the positive injunctions (see under Luke 6:37) related to "judging," thus making this applicable to individuals who might have petitioned for aid or alms,

Luke 7:22-24 — lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, the poor have good tidings preached to them. And blessed is he whosoever shall find no occasion of stumbling in me. One passage which Jesus clearly had in mind was Isaiah 35:5, in which the prophet foretold the messianic age. Thus Jesus answered John plainly, but not too plainly, that he was indeed the Christ. The reason for Jesus' avoidance of a more dogmatic declaration concerning himself at that time was to deny on his

John 5:28-29 — Marvel not at this: for the hour cometh, in which all that are in the tombs shall hear his voice, and shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of judgment. In John 5:21, earlier, Jesus had claimed power to raise the dead; but his statement there fell a little short of declaring emphatically that he would indeed do so (although it was clearly implied). These words, however, dogmatically declare that Christ will raise

Acts 1:8 — them that are sons and in consequence of their being so. As for the affirmation that there are no conditions in this verse, there is no way for this to be true. The apostles had already complied with the requirement to be baptized (see under Acts 1:5); and since Luke quoted Jesus as saying that those who refused John's baptism had "rejected the counsel of God against themselves" (Luke 7:30), it must be allowed that if any of the apostles had done such a thing, they never could have received

1 Timothy 3:1 — scope; such offices were already established and in use. Timothy is merely to see to it that only properly qualified persons fill them. R. C. H. Lenski, St. Paul's Epistles … 1 Timothy (Minneapolis, Minnesota: Augsburg Publishing House, 1937), p. 576. He desireth a good work … Some of the supermoralists are critical of Paul's encouraging the ambition of men to be elders; but such a self-righteous attitude is due to a failure to understand that "In the early history of the church, willingness

1 Peter 3:15 — hosts, Jehovah Sabaoth" — a change which would be nothing less than impious if the Lord Jesus Christ were not truly God. B. C. Caffin, The Pulpit Commentary, Vol. 22, 1 Peter (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1950), p. 131. Sanctify … Christ as Lord… What is meant by sanctifying the Lord? Mason tells us that linguistically it is closely akin to "hallowing" the name of the Father in heaven, as in the Lord's prayer (the only other place

1 Peter 3:21 — coming forth from the water to live again on the earth, after having been full nine months in the water, might fitly be called his being born of water." James Macknight, op. cit., p. 483. Christians too must be "born of water" (John 3:5). (3)    The same water which destroyed the antediluvians was the water which bore up the ark and delivered Noah and his family into a new life. It is the water of baptism that destroys the wicked today, in the sense that they rebel

Revelation 7:14 — of Revelation past, another present, and yet another future, collapses in a careful understanding of the text. We agree with Beckwith that, "There is nothing here which points to any one particular distress." Isbon T. Beckwith, op. cit., p. 545. And they washed their robes … The undeniable reference in this is to the conversion of the saints at the time of their residence upon the earth. Thompson stated that, "The understanding of this passage derives from such Scriptures as