Bible Commentaries

Psalms 37:23-28 — wrote: "Perplexed, yet not unto despair, pursued yet nor forsaken, smitten down, yet not destroyed" (2 Corinthians 4:9). Also, "Sorrowful, yet always rejoicing, as poor yet making many rich, as having nothing, yet possessing all things" (2 Corinthians 6:10). "I have not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread" The appearance of this personal testimony by David right in the heart of this psalm is quite unusual. In fact, Yates referred to it as "unique."Wycliffe Old Testament Commentary,

Psalms 45:3-5 — time of "mourning" for "all the tribes of the earth" (Revelation 1:7). "The peoples shall fall under thee" The vast majority of mankind living at the time of the Second Advent will be destroyed, according to God's Word (See Matthew 7:13-14; Revelation 6:14 ff, etc.); and we believe the tremendous scope of this passage equates it with conditions in the Final Judgment. Note the plural of "peoples" making it a reference to vast populations.

Psalms 68:21-23 — depths of the sea" The thought here is that there is nowhere to hide from God. Neither the rocky fortress of Bashan nor the caves at the bottom of the sea can afford a hiding place for the wicked when the judgment of God falls upon them. See Revelation 6:14 f.

Jeremiah 18:15-17 — his head. I will scatter them as with an east wind before the enemy; I will show them the back, and not the face, in the day of their calamity." "The ancient ways" "These were the way of loyalty to God's covenant, the `good way' mentioned in Jeremiah 6:16."Barnes' Notes on the Old Testament (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, a 1987 reprint of the 1878 edition), p. 124. The false prophets, false priests, false rulers and false gods of Israel had mined the nation; and, as a consequence, God would scatter

Lamentations 5:19-22 — Jehovah, and we shall be turned. Renew our days as of old. But thou hast utterly rejected us; thou art very wroth against us." "Thy throne is from generation to generation" "Although the crown has fallen from the head of David's dynasty (Lamentations 5:16), which has been sent crashing to the earth, the throne of God still abides."The New Bible Commentary, Revised (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdman's Publishing Company, 1970), p. 663. "A noble faith is awakened here, finding its expression in the wonderful

Hosea 13:15 — (Genesis 48:19). The very name Ephraim means "fruitful." "The breath of Jehovah coming from the wilderness" It is Yahweh's wind, because it is Yahweh himself who executes the judgment pronounced, Assyria being the instrument."W. R. Harper, op. cit., p. 406. The metaphors of the failing spring and the dried-up fountain were eloquent indeed of that awful invasion and conquest by Assyria. Jamieson has given an account of the historical fulfilment of the event prophesied in this verse: "The Assyrian invader,

Amos 4:10 — you did not obey the voice of the Lord your God."Bernard Thorogood, A Guide to the Book of Amos (Valley Forge: Judson Press, 1971), p. 44. "Yet have ye not returned unto me, saith Jehovah" This dire lament is dramatically repeated five times (Amos 4:6; Amos 4:8-10; Amos 4:12), somewhat like a refrain. It has the utility of constant emphasis upon the truth that the disasters were not mere punishments, but solicitations for the chosen people to repent and return to the Lord, the purpose of the Father

Jonah 4:2 — ever had the slightest influence in arresting the sinful course of Israel. As Butler said, "Everything of this sort had already been tried with Israel, and still their hearts waxed hard and cold."Paul T. Butler, Minor Prophets (Joplin: College Press, 1968), p. 257. "Gracious… merciful… slow to anger… etc." How terrible is the thought that Jonah made these very attributes of the loving God the basis of rejecting his will! "Jonah is here quoting the `Thirteen Attributes' (Exodus 34:6-7

Zechariah 13:9 — need be, ye have been put to grief in manifold trials, that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold that perisheth though it is proved by fire, may be found unto praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ" (1 Peter 1:6-7). Inherent in this is the necessity that every Christian's faith be tested through tribulations. "It must needs be that offences come" (Matthew 18:7); and, "Through many tribulations we must enter into the kingdom of God" (Acts 14:22), etc. The faithful

Matthew 11:18-19 — directed against Christ: (1) He was called a glutton. (2) He was called a winebibber. (3) They said he cast out demons by the prince of demons (Matthew 9:34). (4) They called him Beelzebul (Matthew 10:25). (5) They called him a sinner (John 9:24). (6) They said he had a demon (John 7:20). (7) They said he was a Samaritan (John 8:48). (8) They charged him with violating the sabbath (Matthew 12:2). (9) They referred to him as a "deceiver" (Matthew 27:63). (10) They accused him of friendship

Matthew 12:29 — necessary in the satanic harassment of the patriarch Job (Job 1:12). (4) Satan sifted Peter only after the Lord allowed it (Luke 22:31). (5) Satan and his angels are reserved "in chains of darkness" until the day of judgment (2 Peter 2:4). (6) He sowed tares in the wheat, but could do so only "while men slept" (Matthew 13:25). (7) He snatches the word of God from men's hearts, but he can do so only when hearts are hardened (Matthew 13:4). From these and countless other implications

Matthew 19:28 — Israel. This was not a reference to literal thrones but to spiritual thrones of eminence and authority in Christ's kingdom, from which they should exercise influence, not over fleshly Israel but over the spiritual Israel which is the church (Romans 9:6; Galatians 3:29). Note that no preference was given Peter. There was not to be one throne, occupied by Peter and his successors, but twelve thrones, implying the equality of the Twelve. The word of the apostles, that is, the New Testament, is the instrument

Matthew 27:54 — confessed him (Luke 2:11). (2) The demons confessed him (Matthew 8:29). (3) Almighty God confessed him three times,, at his baptism, on the mount of transfiguration, and in a voice resembling thunder (John 12:28). (4) Simeon (Luke 2:30). (5) Anna (Luke 2:36). (6) Nicodemus (John 3:2). (7) Nathaniel (John 1:49). (8) John the Baptist (John 1:29). (9) Peter (Matthew 16:16). (10) Pilate (Matthew 27:24). (11) Pilate's wife (Matthew 27:19). (12) Judas Iscariot (Matthew 27:4). (13) The centurion and the people

Matthew 6:14-15 — the human level only and did not mean that the murderers of our Lord were pardoned immediately in heaven. Some of them, at least, repented and were forgiven when they obeyed the gospel on Pentecost. THAT forgiveness was from above, in heaven (Acts 2:36 ff). The same two levels, human and divine, are observable in the case of Saul of Tarsus (Acts 7:58-60). Stephen forgave him (on the human level) as the deed was done; but Saul was forgiven in heaven when he had obeyed "from the heart that form

Mark 1:1 — … The compound title of our Lord is of heavenly origin. It was announced, evidently for the first time on earth, in the Saviour's intercessory prayer (John 17:3) and was repeatedly called the "name" which God had "given" (John 17:6; John 17:11-12; John 17:26). From this, in all probability, derived the apostolic preference for the expression, "Jesus Christ." Son of God … is a reference to the unique sonship of Jesus and is the equivalent of hailing him as a supernatural

Luke 1:26 — Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth. ANNUNCIATION TO MARY In the sixth month … refers to the time since Elizabeth's conception (Luke 1:36). For note on "Gabriel," see under Luke 1:19. Nazareth … Luke's explanation that Nazareth was a city of Galilee indicates that many of his readers were Gentiles. No Jew would have needed to be told the location of Nazareth. No man could

Luke 7:18-19 — Adam's fallen race that only a Saviour can avail anything. This desperate need of all mankind surfaces in John's question. This was the text chosen by this writer as his "trial sermon" at Walnut Street Church of Christ, Sherman, Texas Oct. 6, 1935; but the speaker was not aware of the reason for the murmur of laughter that swept over the audience when his text was announced.

Luke 9:23-24 — or do, as a proper ground of salvation, that ground being in Christ and "in him" only. No mortal may be saved as John Doe, or Joe Bloke, or in any other human identity. If men are ever saved, they must be saved "in Christ" (Romans 6:3), and "as Christ" (Galatians 2:20). This self-renunciation is the same thing for all Christians that the cross was for Jesus, namely, the submission to God's will, not one's own will. For extensive discussion of this, see my Commentary on

Romans 4:5 — different thing from works of the law; and the teachings of those two inspired writers harmonize perfectly, as a careful attention to what they REALLY wrote easily shows. A study of the kinds of works mentioned in the scriptures was made under Romans 2:6; but the two different classes of works mentioned by Paul and James, to the effect that Abraham was "not justified by works" and "was justified by works" are more plainly separated thus: the forms and ceremonies of the law of Moses

Hebrews 11:7 — would do in the flood, no precedent for such a thing ever having been heard of; because, up to that time, no rain at all, much less a flood, had ever fallen upon the earth, all vegetable life being watered by a mist rising from the ground (Genesis 2:5-6). Moved with godly fear indicates that part of Noah's motivation was fear; and because it is called here "godly fear," the validity of that type of response to God's word is indicated. All human motivation classifies, generally, under three