Bible Commentaries

1 Kings 5:1-6 — challenged Solomon's arrogant assumption in this passage that he himself was that promised `seed' of David whom God would establish eternally upon David's throne, declaring emphatically that, "I (God) will establish the throne of his kingdom forever (2 Samuel 7:13)." The subsequent events in the history of David's earthly dynasty demonstrated most effectively the error of Solomon's conceited assumption. Furthermore, Solomon had been elevated to David's throne during David's lifetime, with whom, for

2 Kings 4:8-17 — built on the wall. It should be noted that this very generous couple were not solicited by Elisha for such help as they gave, but that they sought out the opportunity to do such a thing and "constrained" Elisha to accept it. Elisha passed to Shunem (2 Kings 4:8). "This place was north of Jezreel, about 20 miles from Carmel where Elisha lived;"The New Layman's Bible Commentary, p. 455. and Elisha was continually passing through it on his way to visit the various schools of the prophets. The Shunammite

Daniel 11:44-45 — that at the very last he shall stand near the "holy place" itself as a contradiction of everything true and faithful. Apparently also, his end would come at the very zenith of his presumptuous and arrogant power. This harmonizes with what Paul wrote in 2 Thessalonians 2:8. The Second Advent of Jesus Christ would be the occasion of his utter destruction. Thus, right down to the end of this passage, it is obvious that no reference whatever is found here that can be applied to Antiochus Epiphanes. Despite

Daniel 2:19-24 — will show unto the king the interpretation." THE DREAM AND THE INTERPRETATION REVEALED Daniel exhibited here all of the skill and diplomacy of an accomplished statesman. Note that, even in his prayer, he included his companions. Note the "we" in Daniel 2:23. Furthermore, since Daniel had already received a delay from the king and an appointed day when he might reveal the secret, Daniel, in all probability at that point, might have gone directly to the king; but he sought out the captain of the king's

Hosea 4:13 — turpentine."Britannica World Dictionary. God had specifically commanded that upon their entry into Canaan, the Israelites should "utterly destroy" all of the places of pagan worship on the mountaintops and high hills and under every green tree (Deuteronomy 12:2); but instead of obeying God, they set up their own pagan idol worship in exactly the same places (2 Kings 17:10-11). "Therefore your daughters play the harlot, and your brides commit adultery" Smith noted that, "This is one of the few passages in

Numbers 22 overview — survived in at least two place names, one of which goes back to the fifteenth century B.C., and there is no reason why they may not be authentic."W. F. Albright, The Journal of Biblical Literature, an article: "The Oracles of Balaam" (Vol. 63), pp. 207, 227, 232. With regard to the critical efforts to divide the material between J and E, it should be noted that there are not merely two names for God in this account, there are at least FIVE. Not only that, there are two other names of God with suffixes,

Nahum 3:5 — saith Jehovah of hosts, and I will uncover thy skirts upon thy face; and I will show the nations thy nakedness, and the kingdoms thy shame." "Uncover thy skirts" "This seems to have been a part of the punishment for fornication and adultery (Jeremiah 13:22; Jeremiah 13:26 f; Ezekiel 16:36; and Hosea 2:8-9)."J. M. Powis Smith, op. cit., p. 338. Also, based upon Assyrian inscriptions and monuments, Billerbeck and Jeremias' conclusion was that, "It was an Assyrian method of treating female captives."Ibid.

Habakkuk 2:20 — inspire reverence at religious services and in places of assembly. Much more, however, is inherent in this magnificent passage. The "temple of God" in view here is no mere house of worship. The place of the Lord's residence or "being" is heaven (Isaiah 26:21; Psalms 11:4; Jonah 2:7; Micah 1:2). "God reigns in heaven, and fills heaven."Robert Jamieson, op. cit., p. 830. God's holy temple, therefore, "is not the shrine in Jerusalem, but heaven itself."W. J. Deane, op. cit., p. 28. The dramatic meaning

Zephaniah 1:4 — out my hand upon Judah" The popular misunderstanding of the Judgment Day among the Jews regarded it as a day of personal triumph for themselves over their Gentile enemies, an error Amos had sought to correct a century prior to Zephaniah (Zeph. 5:18-20). It was therefore necessary for Zephaniah to warn Judah that they would not escape divine judgment while living in rebellion against the Lord. All the world is wicked; but, "The sin of God's people is worst of all, precisely because they are God's

Zechariah 12:3 — a field, that defies any effort to dislodge it. All who attempt it shall be sorely wounded. The church of Christ is founded upon the eternal Rock of truth; it is the little stone cut out of the mountain without hand that shall fill the earth (Daniel 2:34-35); it is the "stumbling stone" for racial Israel; it is "the stone which the builders rejected" (Matthew 21:42); "He that falleth upon this stone shall be broken to pieces: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will scatter him as dust" (Matthew

Zechariah 4:10 — whole earth." "For who hath despised the day of small things…?" "The meaning of this is, `Do not despise the day of small things.' It is a plea not to run with the crowd and become guilty of its foolish judgments."H. C. Leupold, op. cit., p. 92. There were many in Israel who needed that warning. Being long accustomed to the traditional opulence and glory of their kings and the grandeur of the first temple, many of them wept when they first beheld the foundations of Zerubbabel's temple. "To

Matthew 11:12 — wrote: Jesus here pictures the kingdom of heaven as a besieged city. The city is shut up, but the enemies which surround it storm its walls and try to force an entrance … The gates of Christ's kingdom were not opened until the day of Pentecost (Acts 2); but men, hearing it was about to be opened, sought to enter it prematurely, not by the gates which God would open, … but by such breaches as they themselves sought to make in its walls.J. W. McGarvey, The Fourfold Gospel (Cincinnati, Ohio:

Matthew 15:39 — east side of lake Galilee,Eusebius, as quoted by Dummelow, op. cit., p. 679. and a crossing to the western shore seems indicated by the text; although it is allowed that he COULD have gone by boat to a location farther south on the eastern shore; and (2) the immediate confrontation with the Pharisees and Sadducees, as soon as they came to land, showed he was then back in their territory, which was the western side. As for the skeptic's contention that Mark and Matthew accounts are contradictory, the

Matthew 16:1 — longstanding enmity between the Pharisees and Sadducees was submerged and muted while they made common cause against the Lord of glory, a pattern often observed. Herod and Pilate became friends as a result of the common cause they made against Christ (Luke 23:12). Pharaoh and Nebuchadnezzar (2 Kings 24:7); Tirhakah and Sennacherib (2 Kings 19:8), in spite of being enemies, made league against God's people. Again to quote Origen, "Those who hold the most divergent opinions appear to be of one mind that

Luke 6:10-11 — Jesus. They were filled with madness … The expression here is very strong, indicating that those religious bigots were out of their rational minds with malicious fury. And why were they so angry? (1) Because he had shown his power to work a miracle; (2) because he had done so in contradiction of their rules; (3) because he had thus proved that he was from God, making them WRONG in their interpretations; (4) because Jesus had openly condemned THEIR views; and (5) because he had done these things in

Romans 4:2 — margin), having no other possible meaning here. James of course said that Abraham was justified by works; but he did not say that he was justified by the works of the law of Moses. James, in making Abraham's justification "by works" (James 2:21), clearly excluded the works of the law of Moses and identified the class of works he had in mind by naming the offering up of Isaac, which was anterior to the law of Moses. Paul was here emphasizing the fact that Abraham was not justified by the

Romans 8:28 — "them that are called according to his purpose." Who are the people who love God? Christ said: If ye love me, ye will keep my commandments. … He that hath my commandments and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me (John 14:15; John 14:21). Christ's apostles stressed the same truth: This is the love of God, that we keep his commandments (1 John 5:3). This is love, that we should walk after his commandments (2 John 1:6). Them that are called according to his purpose … At this

Romans 9:5 — some who are reluctant to admit identification of Jesus Christ with deity, notwithstanding the fact that Christ is called "God" no less than ten times in the Greek New Testament, the other nine passages where this is done being John 1:1; John 20:28; Acts 20:28; Hebrews 1:8; Philippians 2:8; Colossians 2:9; Titus 2:13; 2 Peter 1:1; and 1 John 5:20. Objectors to the obvious meaning here allege that Paul nowhere else makes such a statement of Christ's deity. Barrett, for example, wrote: Nowhere

1 Samuel 5:1-2 — defeat they had just suffered. He gives us not a single word about the terrible destruction of Shiloh by the Philistine army; and we are able to know about that only from the later references to it in the Bible. From Psalms 78:60-64 and from Jeremiah 7:12 and Jeremiah 26:9, it is clear enough that Shiloh was brutally and thoroughly destroyed, remaining a total ruin for centuries afterward. All of the buildings were demolished; the inhabitants were put to the sword, men women and children alike; and the

2 Samuel 8:15-18 — contained the situation until during the greater stability of Solomon's kingship, the situation was finally corrected. Regarding Ahimelech and Abiathar, some manuscripts make Ahimelech the father and Abiathar the son; but Our Lord settled the matter in Mark 2:26 where He made Abiathar the father and the one who gave David the bread of the Presence. The uncertainties resulting from such things are of no special importance; and, if we knew all of the facts, all difficulties would disappear. We reject the speculation