Bible Commentaries

Proverbs 9:1-6 — liquor-soaked America, but the truth is that the more enlightened ancients did not drink undiluted wine. Harris noted that, "The book of 2 Maccabees declares that wine undiluted with water was thought to be distasteful."Wycliffe Old Testament Commentary, p. 565. Especially, "The Greeks used diluted wine; and that usage became general, especially among the Hebrews. Rabbi Eliezer even forbade the saying of the table-blessing over undiluted wine. The proportion of the mixture that was water was large, only about

Isaiah 14:9-11 — the wicked dead; and what we have here represents these wicked dead as welcoming the king of Babylon, "with malicious satisfaction, because all of his brief earthly glory has been extinguished, even as was theirs."Wycliffe Old Testament Commentary, p. 622 SHEOL Properly speaking, this word means "the grave" or the realm of the dead. It comes from a word which means "asking, demanding, requiring, seeking,"Albert Barnes' Commentary, p. 268 and carries with it the thought of insatiable desire to consume

Isaiah 29:9-12 — one that is learned, saying, Read this, I pray thee; and he saith, I cannot for it is sealed: and the book is delivered to one that is not learned, saying, Read this, I pray thee; and he saith, I am not learned." These verses are parallel to Isaiah 6:9-10, the passage so frequently quoted in the New Testament, being another reference to the source of Israel's perverse and rebellious behavior. God had judicially hardened the nation. This condition is here spoken of as "a deep sleep," an intellectual

Ezekiel 13:1-9 — help Israel, neither building up the wall, nor helping to repair the breaches (gaps) in it; and (3) they were deliberate liars who prophesied lies and then expected God to confirm their lying words.Carl G. Howie in the Layman's Bible Commentary, p. 36. "The foolish prophets that follow their own spirit" The Biblical conception of the "fool" is the man who says in his heart that, "there is no God." Much more than a lack of intelligence is indicated: (1) The fool is ignorant; (2) he is stupid, and

Amos 9:1 — arguments are suggested in order to justify the application of this verse to Bethel, such as: "it is the only holy place at which tradition locates Amos during his ministry;"James Luther Mays, Amos, A Commentary (Philadelphia: The Westminster Press, 1969), p. 152. "the chief temple of Northern Israel was located at Bethel;"W. R. Harper, Amos and Hosea (New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1910), p. 188. "Jacob saw the Lord at Bethel;"Ralph L. Smith, Beacon Bible Commentary, Vol. 7 (Nashville: Broadman

Habakkuk 1:12 — correction." The last paragraph of Habakkuk 1 (Habakkuk 1:12-17) is to be understood in connection with what has preceded. Question: Habakkuk asked God, "How long" would the wickedness of Judea be tolerated? (Habakkuk 1:2-4). Answer: God's reply (Habakkuk 1:6-11) was the revelation that a vicious new world-state would soon arise and destroy both Assyria and Judah. This answer did not completely solve the problem as it was understood by Habakkuk. The destruction of Assyria which had already been revealed

Matthew 27:53 — suffrages — these words are not an interpolation, but a part of the genuine words of the Bible. And if there be in all the world a document more absolutely historical than the Bible, it is yet to be discovered.William R. Nicholson, op. cit., p. 63. There are eight resurrections recorded in Scripture, besides the resurrection of Christ which is uniquely different. The other seven are: (1) son of the widow of Sarepta (1 Kings 17); (2) son of the Shunamite (2 Kings 4); (3) the man raised by the

Luke 21:34-36 — of the final event, the Christians escaped the siege through heeding Jesus' words; the admonition here is that if his disciples watch they shall escape the disasters accompanying the ANTI-TYPE. There is reference to this escape in 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18. To stand before the Son of man … These words foretell of glorious majesty pertaining to Jesus Christ in the final judgment. The disciples were either standing or sitting with Jesus when these words were uttered, and they found no discomfort

Luke 22:17-18 — size of an olive (the sop), in the vinegar, giving it to each in turn. 4.    A second cup of wine was poured, and 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

Luke 23:3 — to which the Sanhedrinists replied that they were not allowed to put any man to death … revealing their deadly purpose in the case of Jesus.H. D. M. Spence, The Pulpit Commentary (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1962), Vol. 16, Luke, p. 235. Some have understood this verse as indicating Pilate's willingness to accept the third charge against Jesus (that he laid claim to being a secular king), that being the reason for the question here; but that simply cannot

John 14:26 — say. The notion that the Spirit guides men in spiritual things in any manner of contradicting or going beyond the Scriptures is wrong. The apostles themselves taught Christians "not to go beyond the things which are written" (1 Corinthians 4:6). This truth needs emphasis today. As Lipscomb said: The ground of our certainty of the word of God is that the Spirit guided into the truth stated. All departure from the word of God concerning entrance into the church and into Christ comes from the

John 19:31 — a sabbath, whatever day of the week it was) which always initiated the Passover celebration. A detailed discussion of this is in my Commentary on Matthew, Matthew 12:40. It is the conviction of this writer that Jesus was crucified on Thursday, April 6, 30 A.D. See CMK under Mark 15:42. That their legs might be broken … The hierarchy had hastily contrived the crucifixion without regard to the approaching high sabbath, and they were suddenly embarrassed by the prospect of the victims still remaining

Acts 24:5-8 — cit., p. 290. The sect of the Nazarenes … "This is the only place in the New Testament where this term is used of the followers of Jesus." F. F. Bruce, The Book of Acts (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans, Publishers, 1954), p. 465. In no sense whatever is Christianity "a sect." Assayed to profane the temple … Note how this is changed from "profaning the temple" as they at first alleged (Acts 21:28). By examining him thyself … Agreement is felt

Acts 7:44-47 — of the latter to be sure, and like the monarchy itself, allowed indeed of God; but still only a substitute for the real temple, which is Christ. This was the great message of the Christ that "One greater than the temple is here" (Matthew 12:6). (See John 2:20-22.) Stephen's argument, then, is simply that Christ is the true temple, that "in Christ," not in some building," men are called to worship God. This was a categorical refutation of the notion that he had blasphemed God

Romans 1:15 — that language is translated "preach the gospel"; but Macknight's explanation fully justifies it: The original word was first used by the LXX to signify the publishing of any good news: and, having inserted it in their translation of Isaiah 60:6; Isaiah 61:1, where Messiah's preaching good tidings to the poor is foretold (Luke 4:21), the apostles justly appropriated it to the preaching of the gospel, as the best news mankind could hear. James Macknight, op. cit., p. 57. This verse also supports

1 Corinthians 11:20 — rite. Farrar observed that "The fact that there is no article in the Greek shows the early prevalence of this name for the Eucharist." F. W. Farrar, The Pulpit Commentary (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1950), p. 364. It is rather amazing that Barnes made a deduction from this verse to the effect that the Lord's Supper should be observed in the evenings, not in the mornings of the Lord's Days. He said: It is called SUPPER, indicating the evening repast; it was

1 Corinthians 11:3 — has demonstrated anything, it is the truism that a matriarchal society is, by definition, inferior. The head of Christ is God … The equality of Christ with the Father is everywhere apparent in Scripture, as Paul himself said in Philippians 2:6; but, even so, the Godhead itself could not function in the project of human redemption without the subordination of the Son "for that purpose." Just so, the subordination of woman to her husband does not set aside the equality of both male

1 Corinthians 15:47-50 — despite the fact that it is but LITTLE: (1) He had flesh 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.

1 Corinthians 3:1 — teachers, who had made the simplicity of Paul's teaching (when the Corinthians were converted) an excuse to "criticize him as a shallow teacher," J. W. McGarvey, Commentary on First Corinthians (Cincinnati: Standard Publishing Company, 1916), p. 62. insinuating that Paul was deficient, as compared with themselves. This verse is thus a refutation of the false teachers. Paul flatly told the Corinthians that their immature spiritual condition rendered them incapable of receiving any more

2 Corinthians 3:18 — TO GAZE STEADILY." David J. A. Clines, op. cit., p. 423. From the Lord the Spirit … McGarvey gave the import of this to be, "Now Jesus is that Spirit, or new covenant of which I have been speaking (2 Corinthians 3:3; 2 Corinthians 3:6; 2 Corinthians 3:8); and where that new covenant is, there is liberty, especially the liberty of seeing (without a veil)." J. W. McGarvey, op. cit., p. 186. In this view, spirit would not be capitalized. Tasker also favored this understanding of