Bible Commentaries

Zechariah 5:3 — by various methods to make the passage have an opposite meaning. "The translation curse has committed the passage to a sense which the original text does not necessarily support; it could be blessing!"John D. W. Watts, Beacon Bible Commentary, Vol. 7 (Nashville, Tennessee: Broadman Press, 1972), p. 326. Much as we might wish it so, the light available to this writer requires its consideration as a curse. "Everyone that sweareth" A number of scholars would make this a reference to making a vain oath

Luke 22:17-18 — the passover story was rehearsed. 5.    The first part of a special song, the Hallel, was sung. 6.    Grace was said and a benediction pronounced, after which the food, as in (3), was further distributed to all. 7.    The paschal lamb was eaten and a third cup of wine was had. 8.    After another thanksgiving, a fourth cup, the cup of "joy," was drunk. 9.    The rest of the Hallel was sung.George

John 10:22-23 — Jerusalem: and Jesus was walking in the temple in Solomon's porch, and it was winter. As Robertson noted: There is a considerable time-lapse between the events in John 10:1-21 and John 10:22-39, possibly nearly three months (from just after tabernacles John 7:37 to dedication John 10:22) … Jesus had apparently spent the time in between in Judaea (Luke 10:1 to Luke 13:21).A. T. Robertson, Harmony of the Gospels (New York: Harper and Brothers, 1922), p. 184. The feast of dedication was begun by Judas

John 14:26 — himself" and apart from the word of God, see under John 16:13. All things that I have said unto you … What Jesus taught is the one true foundation of Christianity. Other passages bearing on this are: "these sayings of mine" (Matthew 7:24-26), "first spoken by the Lord" (Hebrews 2:3), and "whatsoever I have commanded you" (Matthew 28:20). See my Commentary on Matthew, en loco.

John 6:15 — of its inception God had warned them: And the Lord said unto Samuel, Hearken unto the voice of the people in all they say unto thee: for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign (be king) over them (1 Samuel 8:7). Throughout the ages, the earthly monarchy of the Hebrews was their project, not God's; and, although God accommodated himself to it, it was never his will. Ironically, that same obsession for their earthly kingdom was what blinded their eyes to the

Acts 20:6 — history derives from its being: (1) the place where Paul met Luke (Acts 16:8-11), (2) the gateway from Asia to Europe where a "door opened" for Paul (2 Corinthians 2:12), (3) the scene of the remarkably important Lord's day services (Acts 20:7-12), and if Blaiklock's deduction is correct, (4) the scene of Paul's final arrest (2 Timothy 4:13). "Why did Paul leave his garment at Troas? Summary and inhuman arrest, apparently, denied him the comfort of adequate clothing." E. M. Blaiklock,

Acts 7:44-47 — contrasted with the tent-shrine that housed the ark of the covenant, the prophet Nathan made it clear to David that God did not want any temple built by him, but promised that a "son of David would arise and build a house for God" (2 Samuel 7). Stephen's short reference to the temple of Solomon shows dramatically that the very temple itself was only a substitute for the greater temple of Christ himself, typical of the latter to be sure, and like the monarchy itself, allowed indeed of God;

Romans 2:25 — became uncircumcision. Every Israelite should have known that already. Historically, circumcision had never been alleged as any reason why the death penalty should not have been executed upon sabbath breakers (Numbers 15:35) and such men as Achan (Joshua 7:24), nor as any impediment to their Rabbi's casting out of their synagogues persons they judged unworthy. From these well-known facts, they should have been able to deduce the great corollary that no such thing as circumcision could possibly prevent

1 Corinthians 15:47-50 — and bones. (2) He could appear and disappear at will through closed or locked doors. (3) He could ascend or descend. (4) He could vanish out of sight. (5) He could even change his appearance (Mark 16:12). (6) He could be recognized or not, at will. (7) He was not merely a spirit (Luke 24:39). By the words of this clause, Paul clearly stated that just as our physical bodies are like that of Adam, our spiritual bodies shall be like that of Christ. Significant also is the fact that Christ was the same

2 Corinthians 6:4 — endurance. He calls it the root of all goods, the mother of piety, the fruit that never withers, a fortress that is never taken, a harbor that knows no storms. William Barclay, The Letters to the Corinthians (Philadelphia: The Westminster Press, 1954), p. 237. This great word flies like a banner over the whole succeeding list. All of the following difficult circumstances, called by Chrysostom "a blizzard of troubles," Ibid. and by Broomall "a multicolored rainbow glowing with the graces of

2 Corinthians 7:12 — factions. The ring-leader is merely a postulation by speculative critics and never really existed. "This man's" insulting Paul is nonsense. Two verses later in this very paragraph, Paul declared, "I was not put to shame!" (2 Corinthians 7:14). That, of course, gives the lie to the speculations; so they went to work on that, telling us how broadminded Paul was, how he never held anything against anybody, and that "he did not take the matter personally at all!" Ibid., p. 202.

2 Corinthians 7:2-4 — filled with comfort, I overflow with great joy in all our affliction. Open your hearts to us … "This means literally, `make room for us.'" Frank G. Carver, Beacon Bible Commentary (Kansas City, Missouri: Beacon Hill Press, 1968), p. 567. Paul's immediate mention of wronging, corrupting and taking advantage of "no man" is best understood not as a defense of himself against such charges, but as a contrast between himself and those false teachers at Corinth who were doing those

Ephesians 1:7 — sinful people what it is, because it is clear enough that many are spurning the manner of being united with God "in Christ" through faith, repentance and submission to God's ordinance of baptism (1 Corinthians 12:13; Romans 6:3-5; Galatians 3:27). Redemption through his blood … The New Testament presents the blood of Jesus Christ as the purchase price of the church, the grounds of redemption and the great atonement (Acts 20:28; 1 Corinthians 6:20; 1 Peter 1:18-20; Colossians 1:14). As

1 Timothy 3:4 — could be appointed, Zerr has this illuminating comment: The captain of a sinking ship orders that women with children should enter lifeboats first. This does not mean that women with only one child Would be denied entrance. Sarah remarked (Genesis 21:7), "Who would have said unto Abraham, that Sarah should have given children suck? for I have borne him a son." E. M. Zerr, op. cit. p. 173. Thus, the Scriptural use of the plural "children" to include also the meaning of a single

2 Timothy 2:25-26 — dispensing with God and his holy word. As Ward commented: Bereft of God in a materialistic environment, unsatisfied souls fumble with meaning beyond it in the supernatural; "They have sown the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind" (Hosea 8:7 KJV). Ronald A. Ward, op. cit., p. 184. Satan is still taking captive souls to do his will; and therefore let the church seize her opportunity to proclaim the gospel of salvation in the name of Jesus Christ.

Hebrews 5:9 — in flaming fire, rendering vengeance to them that know not God, and to them that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus; who shall suffer punishment, even eternal destruction from the face of the Lord and from the glory of his might (2 Thessalonians 1:7-9). The scriptural exhortation to obedience is not merely that it shall be until death, but unto death. "Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee the crown of life" (Revelation 2:10).

James 4:15 — that. If the Lord will … "This, it seems, is not an Old Testament expression." J. W. Roberts, op. cit., p. 141. It is found, however, a number of times in the New Testament: Acts 18:21; Acts 21:14, 1 Corinthians 4:19; 1 Corinthians 16:7, and in Hebrews 6:3. The use of this expression in daily speech was once common among Christians, even their writings frequently carrying it in the form of D.V. ("Deo volente"); but this extensive usage has been discouraged and diminished

1 Peter 2:5 — them up at the last day. Nicholson was correct in seeing here a contrast between a spiritual temple of born-again believers with the stone temple in Jerusalem." Roy S. Nicholson, Beacon Bible Commentary, Vol. 10 (Kansas City: Beacon Hill Press, 1967), p. 279. The words "living stone" and "living stones" are to be understood as "distinguishing the Christian church, the spiritual temple of God, both from the temples of the idols and the temple in Jerusalem, which were built

1 John 5:5 — him … because he said that God was his Father, making himself equal to God (John 5:18). Christ confessed under oath that he was the Son of God (Mark 114:62), and the Pharisees mad that the crime for which they demanded his crucifixion (John 19:7). Knowing that he would be put to death for this claim, Jesus carefully avoided making it until he would choose to do so before the Sanhedrin, except in circumstances where his enemies were powerless to use it as the basis of a legal charge of blasphemy.

Jude 1:12 — which the unwary mariner might suffer shipwreck. Love-feasts … The love-feast mentioned here "still appears to be one with the eucharistic assembly,"John A. T. Robinson, Redating the New Testament (Philadelphia: The Westminster Press, 1976), p. 172. and therefore not the type which was mentioned by Tertullian as continuing into the fourth century. This, according to Robinson, suggests something near a mid-century date (61-62 A.D.) for Jude. Essential to the success of these evil poachers