Bible Commentaries

Genesis 1:20-23 — And God blessed them, saying, Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let birds multiply on the earth. And there was evening and there was morning, a fifth day." Just as Day 4 was parallel with Day 1, Day 5 is parallel with Day 2. Just as the waters and the firmament were in focus there, so are they here. This parallelism does not deny the chronological sequence of the six days. But, the creation of Day 1 of the heavens and the earth was followed by a special creation regarding

Exodus 3:7-8 — wickedness as had the Canaanites that the same fate awaited Israel. "The first movement of God toward Moses was to outline in words what God proposed to do."Hywel R. Jones, The New Bible Commentary, Revised (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2962), p. 123. The "Canaanites" mentioned here are sometimes called the "seven nations." All of them were settled in Canaan (Palestine) centuries before Israel. a)    The word "Canaanite" applied to all of these related groups, and

Psalms 74 overview — equivalent to `the son of Asaph.'"The Pulpit Commentary, Vol. 8-B, p. 83. The occasion for this Psalm has been assigned to three different dates: "These identifications are (1) the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple by Nebuchadnezzar in 587 B.C. (2 Kings 24), (2) the suppression of a Jewish insurrection by a Persian King Artaxerxes Ochus in 351 B.C., and (3) the profaning of the Temple by Antiochus Epiphanes in 167 B.C.The Layman's Bible Commentary, p. 109. Despite the skillful arguments of Delitzsch

Leviticus 2 overview — fact of there being no direct mention of it in this chapter, it appears to be almost certain that the FOOD-OFFERING or CEREAL-OFFERING "was usually accompanied by a burnt-offering or peace-offering."Ronald E. Clements, Broadman Bible Commentary, Vol. 2, Leviticus (Nashville: Broadman Press, 1972), p. 18. All of the offerings mentioned in these chapters were ancient, already having been observed by people for centuries. It is believed that Melchizedek and even Cain offered the type of offering described

Leviticus 20:10-16 — beast, and lie down thereto, thou shalt kill the woman, and the beast: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them." The various penalties assigned to these various offenses are as follows: They shall be put to death (Leviticus 20:10; Leviticus 20:12-13; Leviticus 20:15). They shall be stoned with stones (Leviticus 20:2; Leviticus 20:27, and Leviticus 24:14). They shall be burned with fire (Leviticus 20:14; Leviticus 21:9). They shall be cut off (Leviticus 20:5; Leviticus 20:17-18). They

Leviticus 26:1-2 — your God. Ye shall keep my sabbaths, and reverence my sanctuary: I am Jehovah." "Neither shall ye rear you up a graven image" "This means, you shall erect no carved image, obelisk, or stone with religious symbols on it."Nathaniel Micklem, op. cit., p. 127. Upon entering Canaan, Israel would also encounter other types of "pillars," such as the phallic symbols of the pagan cults. All such things were forbidden to Israel. "This expression to bow down unto (or toward) a pillar forbade, not only worshipping

Leviticus 4 overview — in his infinite perfection completely devoted to the Father's will," whereas the latter two "picture Christ bearing the whole demerit of the sinner."Merrill F. Unger, Unger's Commentary on the Old Testament, Vol. 1 (Chicago: Moody Press, 1981), p. 152. A special attribution of the instructions given in each case (Leviticus 1:1-2 for the sweet-smelling offerings, and here in Leviticus 4:1-2 for the non-sweet smelling offerings) declares that God Himself is the author of these instructions: "And Jehovah

Leviticus 9 overview — degenerated by a total deviation from its intended purpose. "In the ancient world, sacrifice was usually regarded as something that the gods needed; in Israel it came to be seen as something MAN needed,"Ronald E. Clements, Broadman Bible Commentary, Vol. 2, Leviticus (Nashville: Broadman Press, 1972), p. 29. as a means of showing his contrition for sin, and of establishing and maintaining his fellowship with the Creator. The foolish notion that the record here was contrived and falsely added to the Sacred

Isaiah 57 overview — "The prophet proceeds to describe the national character of the Jews in his own day, and down to the time of the captivity."E. Henderson, p. 419. The chapter may be divided thus: (1) the public indifference to the death of the righteous (Isaiah 57:1-2); (2) their mockery of God (Isaiah 57:3-4); (3) the practice of the grossest idolatry (Isaiah 57:5-8); (4) the extent of their seeking self-gratification (Isaiah 57:9-10); (5) Jehovah's warning to them (Isaiah 57:11-12); (6) deliverance promised to

Numbers 7:1-3 — imply that all of that procedure was a one-day affair. (See the chapter introduction.) That the exact time of the events of this chapter was a few days later, even than the numbering (Numbers 1), is proved by these princes being mentioned in Numbers 7:2 as precisely the ones who had participated in the numbering. Likewise, in the later Numbers 7:12-82, the princes appeared with their gifts in the exact order of their marching formation given in Numbers 2. Despite all this, the total time elapsed between

Acts 10 overview — "Judaizers" continuing to advocate the old view for a considerable time afterward, as seen in the Pauline epistles. That the devout Gentile chosen by God for the special treatment accorded him in such things as (1) visitation by an angel, (2) hearing the gospel preached by one of the Twelve, (3) having the Holy Spirit fall upon him in a manifestation suggesting that of Pentecost, etc. — that the Gentile chosen for such blessings should have been a soldier must be regarded as significant.

Romans 8:26 — infirmity: for we know not how to pray as we ought; but the Spirit himself maketh intercession for us with groanings that cannot be uttered. There are two intercessors for the Christian: (1) Christ at the right hand of the Majesty on High (Hebrews 7:25), and (2) the Holy Spirit within the Christian himself. Thus, there are two sources of encouragement open to the Christian: (1) the blessed hope within himself, and (2) the help of the Holy Spirit. This entire arrangement supplies both human and divine

2 Corinthians 8:1-2 — that: Macedonia had suffered in three civil wars, and had been reduced to such poverty that Tiberius Caesar, hearkening to their petitions, had lightened their taxes. But in addition to this general poverty, the churches had been made poor by persecution (2 Thessalonians 1:4). J. W. McGarvey, Second Epistle to the Corinthians (Cincinnati, Ohio: The Standard Publishing Company, 1916), p. 210. Macknight saw in Paul's mention of other people's poverty in this letter to Corinth, "A delicate insinuation

1 Thessalonians 3:13 — mistake" both of our Lord and of his holy apostles. True, some of the Thessalonians got that impression, but it was from their dull understanding, not from any statement Paul had made to that effect. If this were not the case, Paul could not have written 2 Thessalonians so soon afterward for the specific purpose of correcting their false notions. With all his saints … It is difficult to know exactly what this means. The following summary of the difficulty is from Kelcy. Raymond C. Kelcy, op. cit.,

2 Thessalonians 1:1 — his apostolic authority; and whatever slanders had been leveled against him had "risen over Paul's character." James Moffatt, The Expositor's Greek New Testament, Vol. IV (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1967), p. 23. Paul's true character was of such noble quality that it formed the natural fountain of his moral and religious authority without any appeal to the apostolic office which was rightfully his. Besides that, "Paul was on such intimate terms with

2 Thessalonians 1:8 — Lord Jesus: Vengeance … Everywhere in Scripture this is the prerogative of Almighty God himself, not that of any man; and its being ascribed here as a purpose and action of the Lord Jesus Christ is another attestation of his deity. See Romans 12:19, Hebrews 10:30 and Deuteronomy 32:25. But vengeance there will be. God has a score to settle with sin and with the incorrigibly wicked, and the judgment of the final day is the occasion divinely appointed to that end. As Moffatt declared, "The

2 Timothy 4:6 — camp, or a ship slipping off her moorings and heading for the open sea; but White declared that "There is no figure of speech here." Newport J. D. White, op. cit., p. 178. Paul used the same word again as a synonym for death (Philippians 1:21), also speaking of death as being "at home with the Lord" (2 Corinthians 5:8), as gain (Philippians 1:21), as far better (Philp. 1:22), and as a falling asleep in Jesus (1 Thessalonians 4:14). I am already being offered … "This

Titus 2:5 — tempered, and realizing the importance and seriousness of life. Chaste … The original word here may be translated "pure"; "but the ASV has done rightly in preferring the word which is relevant to sex. Paul used the same word in 2 Corinthians 11:2." Ibid. Workers at home… The word from which this is derived may mean either "workers" or "keepers" at home. Some radical critics have gone so far as to say that "The only authority for this word

2 John 1:1 — for elect could be translated as a proper name, Eclecte."J. W. Roberts, The Letters of John and Jude (Austin, Texas: R. B. Sweet Company, 1968), p. 150. However, as Roberts noted, the word for "elect" is used as an adjective by John in 2 John 1:13. There is absolutely no reason for assuming that any personal name is involved here. "The elect lady" is a metaphorical reference to the church, often spoken of in the New Testament under the figure of a bride, or a pure woman. Roberts

2 Samuel 20 overview — all the men of Israel withdrew from David, and followed Sheba the son of Bichri; but the men of Judah followed their king steadfastly from the Jordan to Jerusalem." "Sheba… blew the trumpet" Here the trumpet was blown to raise an army, but in 2 Samuel 20:22, below, Joab blew the trumpet to signal the cessation of hostilities. "Different blasts on the trumpet were used to denote different things."John T. Willis, p. 392. Of course, that is the way it still is today, as for example in the well-known