Bible Commentaries

Psalms 51:1-9 — crime, criminality, delinquency, depravity, evil, guilt, ill-doing, immorality, iniquity, misdeed, offense, transgression, ungodliness, wrong, or wrong-doing.Britannica World Language Dictionary (New York: Funk and Wagnalls Company, 1959), Vol. 2, p. 1172. All of this might be summarized by saying that, "Sin is any violation of the will of God." "Forgive our sins," is therefore always a sufficient petition. III. David's Multiple Petitions Something of the earnestness and urgency of this marvelous prayer

Mark 4:10-12 — words, and works of Jesus."C. E. B. Cranfield, op. cit., p. 153. According to New Testament definitions of it: (1) it is the enlightenment of all nations concerning the obedience of faith to the only wise God through Jesus Christ (Romans 16:25-27); (2) it is the plan of redemption formulated by the Father before the world was, but now preached in Christ (1 Corinthians 2:7); (3) it is the revelation of God's purpose of summing up all things in heaven and upon earth in Christ (Ephesians 1:10);

Luke 23:44-45 — failing; and the veil of the temple was rent in the midst. These verses introduce two of the Calvary miracles, of which there are seven; and they are important enough to warrant extensive treatment, which will be found in my Commentary on Matthew, Matthew 27:51, where thirteen pages are devoted to "Phenomena Accompanying the Crucifixion and Resurrection." These great wonders were "signs" in the supernatural sense, attesting the godhead of Jesus Christ. No rationalistic explanation of

John 4:50 — Jewish time and A.M. or P.M., the fact of the nobleman's not arriving home until the next day suggests seven o'clock in the evening. Otherwise, we would have to account for his not returning a distance of a mere sixteen miles immediately. If it was at 7:00 P.M., the nobleman would have delayed his departure until the morrow, due to the inevitable dangers of night travel in those times. Why did not Jesus accept the nobleman's plea to go down to Capernaum and heal his son? The question becomes even more

John 9:16 — God, because he keepeth not the sabbath. But others said, How can a man that is a sinner do such things? And there was a division among them. The bitter schism in the Sanhedrin itself dominates this part of the narrative, a division mentioned in John 7:43, and John 10:19 also. The enemies of Jesus were the dominant majority; and it is clear that they were moving to silence the contrary elements in their own body as well as against any recognition of Jesus' miracle. Because he keepeth not the sabbath

Acts 1:2 — received up … This statement makes the ascension of Jesus Christ to have been something God did for Jesus, and not something that Jesus did himself. This corresponds with Daniel's prophecy that "they brought him near before him" (Daniel 7:13), and also with the mandatory deduction from Luke's parable of the pounds to the effect that Jesus did not "set up" a kingdom, but he "received" one as a gift from the Father. It is often alleged that only Luke and Mark mention

Acts 12:10 — it. They just locked it and left it, unlocking it only as needed, and leaving it unattended the rest of the time. Which opened unto them of its own accord … The gate of death opened for Stephen who saw Jesus standing on the right hand of God (7:56); and every true Christian may expect the Lord to bless him in the hour of death. Its iron gates will open of their own accord (Psalms 23). It should be noted that Peter was destined to go through that iron gate in one of two ways. Had he passed

Acts 17:6 — of Greek cities, does not mention it …. It occurs nowhere else in the New Testament, nor, indeed, in any classical writer. E. H. Plumptre, Ellicott's Commentary on the Holy Bible (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1959), Vol. 7, p. 111. Having been proved correct where all the evidence seemed to be against him, Luke's accuracy is again, as invariably, certified. But, as Walker noted: Despite all these facts corroborative of the truthfulness of the New Testament, some who still

Acts 9:31 — So the church throughout all Judaea and Galilee and Samaria had peace, being edified; and, walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, was multiplied. See under Acts 6:7 for other examples of Luke's device of pausing at intervals to record the growth and prosperity of the church, thus giving several reminders of his grand design of showing how Christianity developed and spread to the whole world. It could be, also,

Romans 13:9-10 — fulfillment being made possible only by the sacred enthronement within, of the Holy Spirit. That Paul consciously followed the teachings of the Master throughout is observable in several particulars, as noted by Lenski: Already in connection with Romans 13:1-7, we noted that Paul is repeating the very teachings of Jesus with regard to government and taxation; he certainly repeats the Master's instructions here, … has the same order of the commandments as that found in Mark 10:19; Luke 18:20, where

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 law,

Romans 5:10 — favor, shall the exaltation of Christ insure our being saved to the uttermost. It would be a violation of the wisdom, goodness, and faithfulness of God to suppose that he would have done the greater and fail in the lesser. John Murray, op. cit., i. p. 175. Saved by his life … suggests the many things revealed in the New Testament that Christ is at the present time doing on behalf of the redeemed. He daily adds to the church those that are being saved (Acts 2:47); helps those who are tempted by

1 Corinthians 16:13-14 — that they should not depart from the Christian faith. This is the marching order for every Christian of all ties and places. Paul himself gave this the highest priority, saying near the end of life that "I have kept the faith" (2 Timothy 4:7). Quit you like men … This carries the weight of "Stop acting like spiritual infants, quarreling, boasting and indulging yourselves without discipline!" Many church problems are due to pure infantilism on the part of members who do

1 Corinthians 3:9 — metaphor in the same line, that of God's building, house, or temple. God's building … Practically all of the next eight verses have reference to the church as the temple of God. For extended remarks on the church as the true temple, see under Acts 7:47-50 in this series of commentaries (Commentary on Acts, pp. 142-144). See also under 1 Corinthians 3:16.

1 Corinthians 7:15 — had been attempted, was at liberty to marry. And his decision is just, because there is no reason why the innocent party, through the fault of the guilty party, should be exposed to the danger of committing adultery. James Macknight, op. cit., p. 107. See the note at end of chapter 7. Metz was doubtless correct in the comment that "Paul's directive does not grant permission for a Christian to marry an unbeliever." Donald R. Metz, op. cit., p. 379. The guidelines apply to situations in

Ephesians 6:5 — heart, as unto Christ. This injunction addressed to slaves and masters "does not imply either approval or disapproval of the institution of slavery itself." Francis W. Beare, The Interpreter's Bible, Vol. X (New York: Abingdon Press, 1963), p. 732. Those who understand Christianity as any kind of an attack upon the established institutions in society, should take account of the fact that the most shameful and disreputable institutions of ancient culture were in no case frontally assaulted by

Colossians 3:22 — apostles were not revolutionaries in the modern sense of that word. See article, "Christ and the State" in my Commentary on Romans. There were practical reasons for Paul's words here, as noted by McGarvey (see my Commentary on 1 Corinthians 7:20-21); but over and beyond the practical need of refraining from an assault upon society, it was inherently unchristian to do so. It is as leaven and not as dynamite that the religion of Christ works. See more on this in my Commentary on 1 Corinthians. (2)    Ancient

1 Timothy 3:16 — was manifested in the flesh in the person of Christ. In support of the hymn theory, it is frequently pointed out that there are rhythm and balance, etc.; but many of Paul's statements have the same qualities, notably in the salutation of Romans 1:1-7, which see in my Commentary on Romans. This writer accepted the hymn theory regarding this passage in "The Mystery of Redemption," written several years ago, but more mature studies have raised serious misgivings about the various "hymns"

Titus 3:8 — 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 in Titus 3:5-7; but Hervey was sure that: Here the faithful saying can only be the following maxim: "That they which have believed in God may be careful to maintain good works," the words, "these things I desire that thou affirm confidently" being

Hebrews 1:6 — And when he again bringeth in the firstborn into the world, he saith, And let all the angels of God worship him. Scholars say that the author here quoted from the Septuagint translation of Psalms 97:7, the common versions reading, "Worship him all ye gods." Christ is here called the "firstborn," a favorite expression of Paul who referred to Christ as "the firstborn from the dead" (Colossians 1:18); and as "the