Bible Commentaries

Exodus 24:1-2 — by God Himself of the Decalogue in the hearing of all the people. These verses are the key to understanding that "Only Moses went to the fiery clouded summit."Merrill F. Unger, Unger's Commentary on the Old Testament (Chicago: Moody Press, 1981), p. 133. Moses was a type of Christ in that exclusive privilege. "Moses alone as the mediator of the covenant (Galatians 3:19) was allowed to approach the Divine presence."Robert P. Gordon, The New Layman's Bible Commentary (Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing

Job 34 overview — contradicting that nearly universal fallacy. The false idea that wickedness is at once punished by God with retribution in kind is not true. It was not true in the days of Job; it was not true in the days of Christ; and it is not true today. In Luke 13:1-5, Christ pointed out that those men whose blood Pilate had mingled with the sacrifices, and that those men upon whom the tower of Siloam fell were not any worse sinners than other citizens of Jerusalem; and in John 9:2-3, even the apostles of Christ

Leviticus 22:1-9 — motivation for strict obedience of these commandments is simply the oft-repeated, "I am Jehovah" (Leviticus 22:1-2; Leviticus 22:8-9). The teaching is that even the consecrated priests while suffering uncleanness from: (1) diseases; (2) discharges; (3) contact with dead men or animals, were NOT allowed to eat of the holy food or to perform any of their customary sacred duties UNTIL their ceremonial cleansing had occurred, which ceremony included bathing and waiting until the beginning of a new day

Numbers 12 overview — This remarkable chapter gives the account of Miriam's and Aaron's challenge of the unique position of Moses as God's principal spokesman during the period of the wilderness journeys. The first paragraph (Numbers 12:1-3) is of the greatest interest to critics who boldly affirm that it appears to have been written ABOUT Moses, rather than BY Moses. Of course, it does have that appearance, and, as a matter of fact, it is possible that this little paragraph came into

Numbers 3:5-10 — detailed in such things as dismantling and transporting the tabernacle, which at the alleged time of those priests writing these passages, had not even existed for ages. Even Noth admitted that all this is "exceedingly remarkable!"Martin Noth, op. cit., p. 33. The proper word to describe such postulations, however, is not remarkable, but impossible! Moses alone can properly be considered as the human source through whom these instructions were conveyed to men, as clearly stated in Numbers 3:5: "Jehovah

Matthew 27:30 — head. What an avalanche of shame and brutal treatment descended upon our Lord in those dark hours of his humiliation! Prophecies were being fulfilled every passing minute. "We did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted" (Isaiah 53:4). Yes, it was God who did this, in the sense that he allowed it. God and Christ were the architects of this awful event in which his soul was poured out as an offering for sin. Evil men had a part in it, but the cross must not be viewed as something

Matthew 5:4 — that grieve!" but that is exactly what this beatitude means. The ministry of grief, mourning, and sorrow as affecting the development of Christian character is set forth in detail in the New Testament. Tribulation results in patience (Romans 5:3-4). It yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness (Hebrews 12:11). Godly sorrow leads to repentance (2 Corinthians 7:10). What a generous and merciful arrangement of Almighty God that even life's sorrows shall bless and reward his servants! "Sweet,"

Matthew 5:9 — There are several ways in which God's children can serve as peacemakers: (1) Through spiritual instruction, they can bring peace to hearts that are troubled. (2) They can bring peace to their fellow men who are at strife between or among themselves. (3) They can bring men, through preaching God's word, or teaching it, to become reconciled to God, which is the greatest of all the achievements of the peacemaker. Definite procedures for the peacemakers are laid down in the Bible. A peacemaker conceals

Matthew 9:1 — and crossed over, and came into his own city. (Matthew 9:1) Christ simply and immediately complied with the request of the citizens of Gadara and shipped immediately to his own city, Capernaum, directly across the lake. This body of water, some 12 or 13 miles in length and only about six miles wide, did not require long to cross. Deductions from this abrupt departure of Jesus are significant: (1) Christ will not force his gospel upon any man or upon any community. (2) The fact that Jesus never returned

Mark 13:12-13 — the end shall be saved. No one may doubt the literal fulfillment of such familial treachery against the Lord's disciples; for such would naturally have occurred: (1) because of craven hatred of the truth; (2) hope of saving one's own life; or even (3) from hope of sordid gain. And ye shall be hated … As Sanner said, Has our time forgotten the chilling words of Jesus, "Ye shall be hated of all … for my name's sake"? Let a man of God disturb entrenched ignorance, prejudice,

Mark 6:50 — Christ is secure in a haven of joy. It is I … According to Turlington, the words so translated here actually mean "I AM"; and the view here is that: Mark intended his readers to identify Jesus with the Lord, the divine I AM of Exodus 3:14. The phrase occurs often in John, and with theological overtones (John 6:85; 8:12; 10:7; 11:25; 14:6). Mark uses the phrase two other times, in Mark 13:6 and Mark 14:62.Henry E. Turlington, op. cit., p. 322. Be not afraid … This is the constant

Mark 9:11 — fully and completely convinced that Jesus is the Christ, a fact that the scribes had been diligently trying to contradict. (2) The opposition of the scribes had made some headway in the minds of the apostles who were unable to answer their arguments. (3) The apostles here sought the answer that would refute the scribes. (4) The argument of the scribes was based on the final verses of the Old Testament which prophesied that Elijah would come and restore all things before the Messiah arrived. (5) The

Luke 2:21 — with Christ. Since the purification of Mary, mentioned a little later, and the circumcision of Christ were commandments of the law, they were obeyed. Barnes pointed out that just as Christ was baptized to "fulfill all righteousness" (Matthew 3:15), it was also proper that he should have been circumcised. "It is necessary for the future usefulness of Christ; without it, he could not have entered any synagogue, or had access to the people, or have been regarded as the Messiah."Ibid.,

Luke 8:19-21 — and do it. HIS MOTHER AND HIS BRETHREN There is no need to suppose that this visit to Jesus by his mother and brethren was due to any sinister purpose on their part. It is true that, at first, Jesus' brothers did not fully believe in Christ (John 7:3); but, as Summers noted. "There is nothing else in the Gospels to indicate her (Mary's) opposition to what he was doing."Ibid., p. 95. Nor is there anything to the contrary here. As Hobbs put it, "In all likelihood they merely came to

Acts 12:6 — the chains of habit. Procrastination from day to day becomes at last a chain stronger than iron. He was asleep … Sleep is a state of insensitivity, inactivity, insecurity, and illusion. In the spiritual sense, every sinner is asleep (Romans 13:11; 1 Thessalonians 5:6). He was in darkness … Like the night of sin, the blackness of midnight had settled over Herod's prison. He was naked … Peter had cast off his garment in order to be relieved of the suffocating heat of the dungeon.

Romans 10:16 — "disobedience" means unbelief, an assertion that is denied by every dictionary of the English language ever written! That "disobedience" does not mean "disbelief" is proved millions of times by the believers who do not obey. (See John 12:42-43 for New Testament example of this.) The word translated "hearken," to be sure, means "to obey," as invariably spelled out in concordances and lexicons; but "hearken" has a secondary meaning of merely hearing (not intended

Romans 8:20 — creation was subjected to vanity, not of its own will, but by reason of him who subjected it, in hope. There are three statements in this verse: (1) the creation was subjected to vanity; (2) this subjection was not voluntary, but imposed by God; and (3) the very subjection is a basis of hope, for otherwise there would have been no point at all in granting to rebellious humanity any further tolerance at all. Vanity … describes the wretchedness, sufferings, disappointments, frustrations, futilities

2 Corinthians 13:2 — contrived as a conformity to the generally held opinions of scholars (until recent times) that there was no "second visit." The literal translation from the Greek makes it certain that there was a second visit. The RSV rendition of 2 Corinthians 13:2 is as follows: I warned those who sinned before and all the others, and I warn them now while absent, as I did when present on my second visit, and that if I come again I will not spare them. This significant rendition makes it absolutely clear that

Revelation 12:6 — and temptations, so it is in the period of the church's probation. Many fell, but a remnant entered Canaan; and the same truth is projected with reference to the church. There she hath a place prepared of God … The great harlot (Revelation 17:3) was also "in the wilderness"; but her place was not there prepared of God. There is a sacred providence that ever watches over the redeemed of earth (Matthew 18:18-20). That they may nourish her … God will take care of the church.

2 Samuel 3:2-5 — Shephatiah the son of Abital; and the sixth, Ithream, of Eglah, David's wife. These were born to David in Hebron." In a collective sense, these sons of David were nothing special. Amnon raped his half-sister Tamar, the full sister of Absalom (2 Samuel 13:1) and was murdered by Absalom, who also rebelled against his father and sought to dethrone him. Practically nothing is known of Chileab, who is called Daniel in 1 Chronicles 3:1. Adonijah had himself proclaimed king during the final illness of David;