Bible Commentaries

Exodus 26:31-37 — signifies Christ's heavenly origin. Purple suggests his royal lineage as David's Son. Scarlet indicates his sacrificial blood shed for fallen mankind."Merrill F. Unger, Unger's Commentary on the Old Testament, Exodus (Chicago: Moody Press, 1981), p. 135. William R. Nicholson read the symbolism thus: "Blue stands for his heavenly nature, scarlet for his earthly nature, and the perfect blending of the two colors to form the central panel of purple, symbolize the perfectly balanced person of Christ, completely

Isaiah 6:1-5 — became a drug-addict, or in the year when my son was born crippled, or in the year of any great personal tragedy… I SAW THE LORD SITTING ON A THRONE, high and lifted up.Jim McGuiggan, The Book of Isaiah (Lubbock: Montex Publishing Company, 1985), p. 88. This is always the correct answer. No matter what tragic sorrow overwhelms and destroys mankind, whether individually or collectively, let all men behold the Lord upon the eternal throne. There and there only is the source of our hope and salvation. Note

Ezekiel 13:1-9 — The fool is ignorant; (2) he is stupid, and (3) he is wicked (John 3:19). "Like foxes in the waste places" Plumptre gave the meaning of this comparison as follows. "The fox is cunning (Luke 13:32); it spoils the vine and its fruits (Song of Solomon 2:15); and it burrows among ruins (Nehemiah 4:3). So, (1) the false prophets were crafty; (2) they laid waste the vineyard of the Lord; (3) they profited from the ruin of Israel and made that ruin worse."E. H. Plumptre in the Pulpit Commentary, p. 228. "Neither

Daniel 7:23-25 — deductions are made mandatory by these words. Note that the "saints" existed throughout the period of the little horn, itself a part of the fourth beast, having arisen out of it. "Shall be diverse" This is twice mentioned - in both Daniel 7:24 and Daniel 7:25. Not all of that diversity is spelled out here; but the New Testament sheds further light upon it. The diversity is seen in that (1) the little horn is a religious kingdom, as indicated by its two horns (of a lamb) (Revelation 13:11); (2) it shall prevail

Matthew 27:53 — 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 bones of Elijah (2 Kings 13); (4) daughter of Jairus (Matthew 9); (5) son of the widow of Nain (Luke 7); (6) Lazarus (John 11); and (7) Dorcas (Acts 9:41). One might also include Eutychus (Acts 20:9). The resurrection of the saints (above) would thus make nine in all, besides that of Christ. The meaning of this amazing

Luke 21:34-36 — when these words were uttered, and they found no discomfort whatever in his presence; but the scene here transferred to the Great Assize, "when the great and terrible day of the Lord has come, and who shall be able to stand!" (2 Corinthians 5:10; Revelation 6:17).

Luke 22:17-18 — vinegar. 3.    The father dipped a morsel of unleavened bread and bitter herbs, about the 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

Luke 24:12 — Harrison, said, "They kept the same position they had when the body was in them."Everett F. Harrison, Wycliffe Bible Commentary (Chicago: Moody Press, 1971), p. 273. See more on this in my Commentary on John, under John 19:40-41; John 20:5; and in my Commentary on Matthew, Matthew 27:52. The linen cloths … In Luke 23:53, Luke mentioned Joseph's wrapping Jesus' body in a "linen cloth" (singular)"; but here it is quite evident that before the wrapping was done, the

John 12:12-13 — a mere "hurrah!" but had overtones of deep religious feeling. The Old Testament has this: Save now, we beseech thee, O Jehovah: O Jehovah, we beseech thee, send now prosperity. Blessed is he that cometh in the name of Jehovah (Psalms 118:25-26). According to Westcott, this Psalm was written as the dedication Psalm for the second temple,Brooks Foss Westcott, The Gospel according to St. John (Grand Rapids, Michigan: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1971), p. 179. making the quotation

John 16:23 — would pray to the Father in Jesus' name. This also indicates that the apostles would soon understand the great spiritual verities and would not need to ask, "Where art thou going?" (John 13:36), or "How can we know the way?" (John 14:5), or "Show us the Father" (John 14:8), or "Lord, what has happened that thou art about to manifest thyself to us and not to the world?" (John 14:22), or "What is this that he saith, A little while?" (John 16:18). All such

John 3:5 — the meaning of words," calling such conduct "licentious and deluding," and denouncing it as "perverting the text.") Origen, Chrysostom, Augustine, Cyril, Beda, Theophylact, Euthymius, in the commentaries on this place (John 3:5), along with Justin Martyr, Tertullian, Ambrose, Hierome, Basil, Gregory, Nyssen, and many more, yea most of the Fathers — Hooker, a man of incomparable reading, openeth his mouth wider, avowing peremptorily that ALL THE ANCIENTS (capitals mine,

Acts 10:5-6 — it was Ananias who was commissioned to tell Saul what to do to be saved; and this same pattern is here. Not the angel, but Peter would tell Cornelius what to do to be saved. Orin Root, Acts (Cincinnati, Ohio: Standard Publishing Company, 1966), p. 75. Milligan also answered this question the same way: Because Jesus had committed to the apostles, and through them to the church, the word of reconciliation (Acts 1:8; 2 Corinthians 5:18-19; 1 Timothy 3:15; and 2 Timothy 2:2). Robert Milligan, Analysis

Acts 18:2-3 — Ohio: Bosworth, Chase and Hall), p. 378. Bruce said, "The odds appear to be in favor of the view that they were already Christians when they left Rome." F. F. Bruce, The Book of Acts (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans, Publishers, 1954), p. 368. But it was not Christians but Jews whom Claudius expelled. It might have been, as Henry thought, that "the Gentiles were so confused that they could not tell a Jew from a Christian." Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Holy Bible (Grand

Acts 24:14 — believing all things which are according to the law, and which are written in the prophets. The way which they call a sect … The "way" as a designation of Christianity occurs frequently in Acts. See under Acts 9:2; Acts 16:17; Acts 16:25; Acts 18:26; Acts 19:9; Acts 19:23; Acts 20:4; Acts 24:14; Acts 24:2. Implicit in such a name is the trueness and rightness of it. There are many ways of sin, but only one way of eternal life. Sect … "Tertullus applied this name to the Christians

Romans 4:13 — the righteousness that he already had; and here Paul showed that the great promise to Abraham, defined as "the promise … that he should be the heir of the world," was given by God to Abraham long before the law of Moses (Genesis 12:1-5), thus being "not through the law." There being no Old Testament report of God's promise to Abraham in words like these, "the promise," as here stated, means all of the spiritual blessings that were to come eventually through the

Romans 6:6 — believing Christians, of course, thus: Put to death therefore your members which are upon the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. … Put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, etc. (Colossians 3:5-8). Thus the personal aspect of death to sin presents a constant challenge; but thank God it is indeed possible of achievement through the Christian's righteous legal status in the Lord.

1 Corinthians 1:17 — Barclay, quotation from Chrysostom, op. cit., p. 22. It is clear, then, that Paul used the word "wisdom" in a sarcastic sense in this phrase having the meaning of "gobbledegook" as now used. See more on this under 2 Corinthians 11:5. So-called intellectuals of our own times are by no means exempt from the conceited shallowness of the Greek philosophers. Even a sermon may be well organized, rhetorically excellent, stylishly delivered, "beautiful" and worthless. Lest the

1 Corinthians 11:3 — with the center stop; but there seems to have been a design in this. Paul, who was about to speak of the subordination of woman to her husband, would first speak to man with a reminder that he himself is subordinated to Christ the Lord. In Ephesians 5:22-33, Paul made it abundantly clear that the subjection of wives to their husbands was coupled with the sternest commandments with regard to the husband's duty to the wife. In the current era, there are those who would set aside the apostolic authority

1 Corinthians 2:1 — schooled "at the feet of Gamaliel" (Acts 22:3), the famed scholar in Jerusalem. "Paul was a university man, the outstanding scholar of his generation." Henry H. Halley, Bible Handbook (Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, 1927), p. 545. Nevertheless, he despised the pedantry, superficiality and narrow conceit of those who were received as intellectuals. Paul rejected their methods because he was above them, not because he was inferior to them. Paul had a wide acquaintance with all

1 Corinthians 3:1 — continuing as "babes in Christ." The CARNAL were those who were continuing to live like the unconverted, full of envy, jealousy and strife. The background of Paul's words here was probably the allegation of false apostles (2 Corinthians 11:12-15), or 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,