Bible Commentaries

John 21:10 — the net to land, full of great fishes, a hundred and fifty and three: and for all there were so many, the net was not rent. It is hard to have patience with scholars who make this event a Johannine adaptation of Luke's account of another event (Luke 5:1-11). There are more differences between them than there are similarities.JOHN'S RECORDLUKE'S RECORDChrist was on the land.Christ was on the water.There was one boat.There were two boats.The catch was pulled ashore.The catch was left on board.The net

Romans 15:4 — institution of Christ, a proper understanding of those glorious principles which, in the New Testament, have supplanted the types of the Old Testament, is surely promoted and enhanced by the study of the Old Testament as well as the New Testament. John 5:39; 1 Corinthians 10:11, and many other New Testament passages affirm such to be the case, as well as the hundreds of New Testament quotations from the Old Testament, as here, and throughout the New Testament. Matthew alone quoted the Old Testament

Romans 7:7 — commandments of Jesus Christ by his use of the term "law" in this chapter? As noted in the paragraph heading this chapter, Paul here (Romans 7:7-13) expounded further the manner in which the law of Moses made sin "abound" (Romans 5:20-21). Also, Paul had mentioned again, only a moment earlier, that the law had wrought forth "in our members to bring forth fruit unto death"; and in the next few verses Paul more fully explained what was meant. To be sure, he had not meant

1 Corinthians 1:2 — baptized "into" him (Galatians 3:27; 1 Corinthians 12:13; and Romans 6:3). The epic importance of this phrase appears in the fact that it is used no less than 169 times in Paul's epistles. John Mackay, God's Order (New York: Macmillan Company, 1953), p. 67 Called to be saints … Again, "to be" is an unnecessary additive to the text. The Corinthian Christians were not merely candidates for sainthood but were in fact already entitled to this designation by virtue of their being

1 Corinthians 11:21 — all, for there was nothing left. 4.    Some were "drunken"; and there is no need to soften the meaning of this. "Grotius gives `drunken' the milder, and Meyer the stronger sense." J. W. McGarvey, op. cit., p. 115. 5.    The corruption of the Lord's Supper by such practices was complete; and, according to Farrar, "This abuse led to the separation of the Agape from the Holy Communion," F. W. Farrar, op. cit., p. 364. and to the ultimate

1 Corinthians 8:1 — puffeth up, but love edifieth. Now concerning … These words indicate that "the Corinthians had asked Paul questions in regard to these matters," David Lipscomb, Commentary on First Corinthians (Nashville: Gospel Advocate Company, 1935), p. 117. a fact also indicated by the use of quotation marks to set off portions of this verse and in 1 Corinthians 8:4 and 1 Corinthians 8:5 in the RSV. We all have knowledge … This was the conceited declaration of the questioners from Corinth

2 Corinthians 12:12 — would work with them, "confirming the word" (Mark 16:20); and Paul enjoyed that prerogative along with the other apostles. Paul laid hands on the sick, and they recovered (Acts 28:8); he was bitten by a poisonous viper without harm (Acts 28:5); he raised the dead (Acts 20:9 ff); he spoke with other tongues (1 Corinthians 14:18); and there were countless other miracles not recorded (Romans 15:19); furthermore, the first three cited above were attested and certified by a competent physician

Ephesians 1:15 — "fiction, and not specific," and tried to prove it by a distorted quotation, or paraphrase, "The saints who are faithful (Ephesians 1:1) have faith!" Frances W. Beare, The Interpreter's Bible, Vol. X (New York: Abingdon Press, 1953). His words are cited here not as any worthy testimony whatever against this letter, but as a clear demonstration of the partial, warped, biased and prejudiced exegesis by which some critical scholars seek to maintain their ridiculous theories. What

Ephesians 2:10 — reason to believe that we have been saved by grace." W. G. Blaikie, op. cit., p. 64. "Paul reminds us that works have a place in God's salvation." Williard H. Taylor, Beacon Bible Commentaries, Vol. IX (Kansas City: Beacon Hill Press, 1965), p. 174. Etc., etc. Well, what is that place? Paul spelled it out, thus: God will render to every man according to his works: to them that by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and incorruption, eternal life: but unto them that are factious

Ephesians 4:12-13 — priesthood of believers is stressed here. William Hendriksen, op. cit., p. 198. Another very important thing in this passage regards the rendition of Ephesians 4:13 b. The KJV has "unto a perfect man" where the English Revised Version (1885) has "unto a full-grown man." There can be little doubt that the KJV is correct, because the measure of "the fullness of the stature of Christ," mentioned next, can be nothing if not absolute perfection. As Barclay said, "The

Philippians 3:12 — confidence in Paul, as evidenced by these words; but this was merely his way of saying that he was still running the Christian race. Or am already made perfect … There are two different uses of "perfect," here and in Philippians 3:15, the word being the same in both cases. In the 12th verse, Paul is speaking of that personal and individual perfection which God will give to every Christian on the last day; but in Philippians 3:15 he is claiming, not merely for himself but also for

Colossians 2:9 — This is viewed as a reference to the incarnation of our Lord, his becoming a man and dwelling on earth as a human being. The Gospel of John (John 1:1; John 1:14) is parallel with what is said here; also see in my Commentary on Hebrews under Hebrews 10:5 and under Hebrews 2:16. Hendriksen objected to this interpretation on the grounds of the "present tense"; William Hendriksen, op. cit., p. 111. but the ordinary significance of verb tenses disappears when applied to him who is the same "yesterday,

Colossians 3:6 — side of holiness, the revulsion of righteousness toward all unrighteousness. Donald Guthrie, op. cit., p. 1149. Disobedience … is eliminated in some versions. "But the phrase logically fits here, for it stands in the parallel in Ephesians 5:6. John B. Nielson, op. cit., p. 413.

1 Thessalonians 2:13 — that believe … We are indebted to David Lipscomb for this tabulation of how the word works in believers: By the word the new birth is effected (1 Peter 1:23). By it the soul is saved (James 1:21). By it we are sanctified (John 17:17; 1 Timothy 4:5). It prevails mightily (Acts 19:20). Like the seed (Mark 4:26-27), it has power in itself to produce. It is living and active (Hebrews 4:12). It is like fire against that which is false (Jeremiah 23:29). It is like a hammer against that which is strong

1 Timothy 2:6 — coming of Christ "in the fullness of time." The "fullness of time" also marked the testimony of the apostles themselves, as indicated in verse 7. Who gave himself a ransom for all … This ranks with Matthew 20:28 and Mark 10:45 among the great "ransom" passages of the New Testament. Our Lord literally gave himself, in that no one took his life away from him, but he laid it down of his own accord (John 10:17-18). There are no less than seven centers of initiative

1 Timothy 6:11 — no one came to relieve him at his post of duty. A similar faithful endurance to death is indicated by this. Paul F. Barakman, op. cit., p. 79. White observed that the six virtues enumerated in this verse contrast with the six vices in 1 Timothy 6:4-5, but that "we cannot arrange them in pairs of opposites." Newport J. D. White, op. cit., p. 145. O man of God … The force of this is very great. The word "man" is not that distinguishing the male from the female, but the word

Titus 2:14 — good works. Who gave himself for us … As Zerr said, "This clearly shows that Christ is the particular one of the godhead meant in the preceding verse." E. M. Zerr, op. cit., p. 204. Here the great ransom for many is in view (Mark 10:45). We do not inquire concerning the one to whom the ransom was paid, nor as to why it was necessary, nor if it could have been done in some other way. All such questions lie beyond our ability either to ask or to solve. Sufficient is the knowledge that

Titus 2:9-10 — "It is probable here that Paul was thinking of Christian slaves with Christian masters." Ibid. As Lipscomb said, "It is obvious that `all things' is here limited to things not contrary to God's law." David Lipscomb, op. cit., p. 275. Gainsaying … means "talking back," with a view to thwarting, or criticizing, the master's will. Purloining… "The particular form of theft implied is the abstraction or retention for one's self of a part of something entrusted

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"

Hebrews 3:3 — Jewish system, no less than the Christian, was divine in its origin; and many New Testament passages emphasize the connection of Old Testament references with that new Israel which supplanted the old (1 Corinthians 10:6; 1 Corinthians 10:11; Romans 15:4; John 5:39; Acts 17:2-3). It was in view of this unity that Jesus said, And ye shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, and yourselves cast forth without. And they shall come from the east and west, and