Bible Commentaries

Jeremiah 31:32 — translators with Romans 11:15. It is true enough that the scriptures do not deny that such a conversion of racial Israel could occur, but there is absolutely no statement whatever that it will occur. See our extensive studies in this whole area in Vol. 6 (Romans) of the New Testament Series, especially at Romans 3 and Romans 11.

Jeremiah 51:50-53 — through all her land the wounded shall groan. Though Babylon should mount up to heaven, and though she should fortify the height of her strength, yet from me shall the destroyers come upon her saith Jehovah." "Go ye, stand not still" See under Jeremiah 51:6, above for comment on this. "We are confounded" God's people appear to be the speakers here. God's thundering reply came in the next verse. "Fortify the height of her strength" This may be either a reference to their famed Ziggurat, or to their high

Ezekiel 15:5-8 — from the fire, but the fire shall devour them; and ye shall know that I am Jehovah, when I set my face against them. And I will make the land desolate, because they have committed a trespass, saith the Lord Jehovah." Only when we come to Ezekiel 15:6-7 does the Lord himself make the divine application of the little parable. The news is devastating. God will set his face against them; the citizens of Jerusalem shall be given to the fire for fuel! "During Israel's better days, a prophet had compared

Daniel 8:3-4 — extended their power out of Asia into Europe. It is of interest that in the ancient signs of the Zodiac, the Persians were under the sign of Aries the Ram, and Greece was under the sign of Capricorn the Goat.John Joseph Owens, Beacon Bible Commentary, Vol. 6, Daniel (Nashville: Broadman Press, 1971), p. 430.

Joel 3:4 — wickedness leading at last to God's judgment. Robinson spoke of this and other such data, as "obviously too indefinite to be of any great value in deciding the prophet's date."George I. Robinson, The Twelve Minor Prophets (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1926), p. 42. It is significant that Amos also used these very examples of rampant wickedness. "Amos singles out the very nations mentioned by Joel, and reproaches them with such offences as Joel specifies (Amos 1:6-12)."James Robertson, op. cit., p. 1692. "If

Micah 1:7 — with Phoenicia engineered by Jezebel's marriage to Ahab) will be wiped out, or carried off as spoil by the enemy."Gleason L. Archer, op. cit., p. 753. "The accent is firmly on Yahweh as the prime mover behind history."Leslie C. Allen, op. cit., p. 268. In Micah 1:6, the prophet had declared that Samaria would become as "a heap in a field"; and oddly enough, in one of the monuments to the conquest of Samaria excavated at Nineveh, are descriptions of Israel's cities, of which the inscriptions read,

Zephaniah 2:7 — captives, but he never got anybody out of jail, not even his friend and relative John the Baptist I This verse is, therefore, Messianic. The temporal description of blessings in Christ's kingdom is a common feature of the prophets (Job 42:10; Hosea 6:11; Amos 9:14). "The remnant" here does not at all mean exclusively a remnant of Judah. The remnant is a prophetic term for the redeemed of all ages. Deane was certainly correct in his observation that: "The full accomplishment of this overthrow of

Zephaniah 3:18 — commenced with the founding of the Christian church by the apostles for Judah and for the whole world, and has been gradually unfolded more and more through the spread of the name of the Lord and his worship among all nations."C. F. Keil, op. cit., p. 164. In Micah 4:6-7, a similar promise brings into the solemn assembly the lame, that which has been driven away, and the afflicted. No other system ever known to mankind has ever concerned itself with the downtrodden and dispossessed in the same degree

Haggai 1:11 — the lesson that God's Temple comes first (the church, in our age). They do not believe that Jesus spoke the truth for our times, when he said, `Seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and these things shall be added unto you' (Matthew 6:33)."Clinton R. Gill, Minor Prophets (Joplin: College Press, 1971), p. 244.

Malachi 1:7 — is contemptible." "Polluted bread upon mine altar" The word "bread" here is a reference to the bloody sacrifices of the Mosaic law, and not to "bread" as ordinarily used. "The offerings of Jehovah made by fire, the bread of their God" (Leviticus 21:6), and "My bread, the fat and the blood" (Ezekiel 44:7), as cited by Hailey, indicate clearly that the "table of Jehovah" is the altar, a fact also inherent in the words of this first clause. "The table of Jehovah" suggests "The Lord's table" of the

Matthew 14:20 — water into wine. It was another link in the evidence that made Jesus "that Prophet" like unto Moses who fed the people with bread from heaven. Indeed, this was precisely the deduction which that audience drew from those remarkable events (John 6:14). Saving the fragments and gathering them into baskets suggests a number of things. The superabundance of Jesus' power is noted in the fact that they had twelve times as much left over as they had at the start. Also, since there was a popular superstition

Matthew 4:13 — denounced by him (Matthew 11:23). Which is by the sea … is the body of water usually called the Sea of Galilee, but also known as Lake Gennesaret (Luke 5:1), the Sea of Chinnereth (Numbers 34:11), Chinneroth (Joshua 11:2), and Tiberius (John 6:1). This remarkable body of water is actually an extension of the Jordan River, lying 700 feet below sea level, and extends some twelve miles in length and six miles in width. In the borders of Zebulun and Naphtali … Capernaum was located in

Matthew 5:6 — that men should have with reference to the things of God. Particular attention should be given to the scriptural meaning of the term "righteousness." "Righteousness," in the Scriptural view, means keeping God's commandments (Luke 1:6); is revealed in the gospel (Romans 1:17); and may be obtained in only one way, namely, by obedience to God's commandments, all of which "are" righteousness (Psalms 119:172). They shall be filled … The desire for righteousness is the

Mark 1:25-26 — "Tearing him" is therefore a reference to the man's being convulsed and thrown down. Mark preferred the more dramatic word as in Mark 1:12. The Greek word here rendered "tearing" may also be translated "convulsed,"Ibid., p. 6. according to Bickersteth. This action by the evil spirit showed his malignity and that he departed from the man unwillingly, solely upon the authority of Jesus. The convulsing of the man also demonstrated that he was actually possessed of a demon.

Luke 1:15 — "greatness." No wine nor strong drink … This prohibited, not merely wine, but all intoxicants, and supports the view that John the Baptist like Samuel, Samson, and the Rechabites in the Old Testament, was a Nazarite for life (Numbers 6:1-21); however, as Ash noted, "Some facets of the Nazarite vow are not specified here (e.g., allowing the hair to grow)."Ibid., p. 31. The type of ascetic piety exhibited by John had its proper place in the purpose of God; although John,

Luke 11:53-54 — words indicate that "Jesus abruptly rose and left the house of his Pharisee entertainers."H. D. M. Spence, op. cit., p. 310. Vehemently … "This is the same verb used to express Herodias' attitude toward John the Baptist (Mark 6:19).Herschel H. Hobbs, op. cit., p. 198. It suggests that the murderous enemies of Jesus were aroused to a frenzy of violent talk against him; they were like a swarm of angry hornets. These guides of Jewish public opinion have been denounced by Jesus

Luke 6:24-26 — "Woe unto you," or "alas for you!" Jesus is not uttering condemnation as a judge; but as the great Teacher and Prophet, he declares the miserable condition of certain classes and warns them against it.H. Leo Boles, op. cit., p. 136. Here again, it is the eternal fate of men who live for money, entertainment, and fame which is in focus. This is not the prophecy of some social revolution that will destroy the rich, etc.; but it is a warning of the final judgment. The false prophets

Acts 2:14-16 — this known unto you, and give ear unto my words. For these are not drunken, as ye suppose; seeing it is but the third hour of the day; but this is that which was spoken through the prophet Joel. Peter standing up with the eleven … In Acts 1:26, Luke said that Matthias was "numbered with the eleven," meaning that Matthias was the twelfth man. In the same way, Peter's standing up "with the eleven," as here, means that Peter was the twelfth man. Thus the Twelve participated

Romans 15:16 — to the Romans (London: Pickering and Inglis, Ltd.), p. 410. When God called Israel out of Egypt, he promised that, If ye will obey my voice indeed and keep my covenant … ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation (Exodus 19:5-6). But, when such a status was offered to all of Israel, the chosen people were not ready for the privilege, and thus it came about that Levi and his tribe alone took the honor representatively (Exo. 32:36). Therefore, even under the Mosaic dispensation,

1 Timothy 6:12 — reference to Timothy's baptism, thus: In the primitive church, the baptism of an individual was a matter in which the church generally took an interest and part … This explains the "many witnesses" of Timothy's good confession. Ibid., p. 146. Harvey also agreed that "this seems to point clearly to his baptism," adding that "The good confession in view here is that of Christ himself confessing himself the Son of God (Mark 14:62), which is analogous to the baptismal confession