Bible Commentaries

Genesis 18 overview — This remarkable chapter is divided about equally between the reaffirmation of the covenant for the benefit of Sarah (Genesis 18:1-15), and the announcement of the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah (Genesis 18:16-33). As Payne pointed out, there are a number of dramatic contrasts visible in this chapter and the next, (Genesis 19), the two in fact being a unit and reaching a climax

Numbers 14 overview — possessed the faith and ability to enable their success. First is recorded their night of weeping and the appointment of a new leader to take them back to Egypt! (Numbers 14:1-4). Moses and Aaron tried unsuccessfully to restrain the people (Numbers 14:5-10). Moses interceded for the people (Numbers 14:11-19). God indeed forgave them, but blasted them with a sentence of death in the wilderness, and ordered them to turn back southward toward the Red Sea (Numbers 14:20-25). Moses then announced God's

Numbers 18 overview — prescription of tithes and their use as the support of the priests and Levites. There are three different sections of the Word of God that deal with the same subject: (1)    the passage before us (2)    Deuteronomy 15:5-6; Deuteronomy 15:11; Deuteronomy 15:18 (3)    Leviticus 27:30-33 There is considerable variation in the laws which has been explained in various ways. This chapter gives a much more extensive list of the things to be tithed than

Deuteronomy 4 overview — relations; (3)    the presentation of the central demand of the suzerain for pure devotion and obedience to the maker of the covenant; (4)    blessings and cursings invoked upon the lesser parties to the covenant; (5)    invocation of witnesses; (6)    the requirement to transmit the knowledge of the covenant to subsequent generations; (7)    allusions to the dynastic issue.Meredith G. Kline, Wycliffe Bible

1 Timothy 2:9-10 — The Epistles to Timothy and Titus (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Book House, 1962), p. 36. "Neither is Paul insisting on drab dress. Even this may be worn with vanity; the very drabness may be made a display."R. C. H. Lenski, op. cit., p. 560. Perhaps the best comment on this passage is the writing of the apostle Peter who gave instructions along the same line, thus: Your beauty should not be dependent upon an elaborate coiffure, or on the wearing of jewelry or fine clothes, but on the

2 Timothy 4:6 — 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 is comparable to the libation of wine that was poured out beside the altar (Numbers

Titus 2:5 — out that "The verb is found in Clement of Rome," Ibid. who lived in the first century and was identified by Origen as Paul's companion mentioned in Philippians 4:3! Encyclopaedia Britannica (Chicago: William Benton, Publisher, 1961), Vol. 5, p. 793. Kind … This is one of the homely virtues that blesses mankind as much as any other. Being in subjection to their own husbands… This is fully in keeping with the New Testament teaching that the husband is the head of the family;

Hebrews 13:8 — fact of the unchanging Christ will reward a more particular attention to it. Why is Christ changeless? Because he is God (see under Hebrews 1:8), and changelessness is an attribute of deity. God said, "For I, Jehovah, change not" (Malachi 3:5). Also, because Christ is perfect, there can be no change; for to change perfection is to mar it. What consolation for Christian hearts is the changelessness of Christ! Soon or late in every life, there appears the great emotion to "hold to God's

Hebrews 13:9 — "meats" suggests the various Old Testament restrictions concerning things clean or unclean were demanding and receiving attention from the Christians who received Hebrews, despite the fact that all such restrictions had been removed (1 Timothy 4:1-5). The proclivity of the whole human race to save themselves by some kind of diet is an amazing characteristic of "homo sapiens". Long after Christ himself made "all meats clean" (Mark 7:19), even the apostle Peter protested a vision

Hebrews 6:11-12 — 11:1); "And ye become imitators of us and of the Lord" (1 Thessalonians 1:6); "For ye, brethren, become imitators of the churches" (1 Thessalonians 2:14); and "Be ye therefore imitators of God as beloved children" (Ephesians 5:1). Faith and patience as joined here are actually twin virtues, because without patience, faith is likely to wither and fall. Jesus said, "In your patience ye shall possess your souls" (Luke 21:19). "The promises" include all the

James 1:4 — nothing. That ye may be perfect … It is a gross error to read "perfect" as used in the New Testament as if it meant "maturity." This is exactly the word that Jesus Christ our Lord used of the heavenly Father himself (Matthew 5:48), where Christ commanded, "Be ye therefore perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect." Nothing short of absolute perfection shall ever inherit eternal life; and, while it is freely admitted that no man may achieve such perfection, it is

James 2:22 — exactly what we must not merely suppose, but receive as gospel truth. Lenski was certain that Abraham did not really perform the works indicated, "The reference is to a faith which produces its proper fruits." R. C. H. Lenski, op. cit., p. 594. This, of course, is the old device of making the faith actually "the doer" of the justifying works; but such obedience as that exhibited by Abraham was rendered, not by his faith, but by Abraham, his works appearing in this verse as a factor

James 3:18 — And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace for them that make peace. "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the sons of God" (Matthew 5:9) is the beatitude James certainly had in mind here. As Dummelow expressed the thought, "The wise man is the peacemaker who sows good seed that in God's time will bear precious fruit." J. R. Dummelow, op. cit., p. 1036. The behavior in view

James 4:12 — made his teachings to be the "rock" upon which alone the builder could safely build (Matthew 7:24-27). His word will judge men "at the last day" (John 12:48); God has commissioned Jesus Christ to "execute judgment" (John 5:37). Christ is the one who will preside in the judgment of all nations (Matthew 25:31 ff). His words, "these sayings of mine," "whatsoever I have commanded you" (Matthew 28:20), are the constitution and bylaws of the kingdom of God;

1 John 3:24 — Spirit which he gave us. Abideth in him, and he in him … This refers to the Christian's abiding in Christ and Christ's abiding in the Christian, "a metaphor derived ultimately from our Lord's allegory of the vine and the branches (John 15:1 ff)."John R. W. Stott, op. cit., p. 150. It is not, however, some mystical experience which is meant by this; "its indispensable accompaniments are the confession of Jesus as the Son of God come in the flesh, and a consistent life of holiness

1 John 4:8 — single statement unlocks and how many questions it answers."William Barclay, op. cit., p. 98. However, Wilder cautioned that, "God's nature is not exhausted by the quality of love."Amos N. Wilder, op. cit., p. 280. God is light (1 John 1:5), and spirit (John 4:24), and (considering the oneness of the Father with the Son) he is life, and truth (John 14:6). Moreover, "Our God is a consuming fire" (Hebrews 12:29). It is a failure to recognize that no single word is capable of describing

2 John 1:1 — elect lady and her children, whom I love in the truth; and not I only, but also all they that know the truth; The elder … The use of "elder" as an apostolic title is verified by the fact of the apostle Peter having used it (1 Peter 5:1). Peter used "fellow-elder" indicating that others besides himself in the apostolic group were still living. John's use of "elder" could indicate that he alone of the sacred Twelve still remained alive. The title of "elders"

Revelation 11:19 — mark the close of the seventh trumpet vision, serving also to set off what follows as a separate vision. Certainly they do not denote any kind of judgment upon people. The time for that expired with Revelation 11:13. In these verses (Revelation 11:15-19), we have the entire seventh trumpet. Here is revealed the glory and the blessedness that shall prevail after time has ceased, and after the final judgment. R. C. H. Lenski, op. cit., p. 360. We are now (in Revelation 12) carried back to the beginning

Revelation 21:2 — this particular misunderstanding of many scholars in my Commentary on 1 Thessalonians, pp. 18-20. The holy city … "This is the church of God, now glorified and prepared for perfect communion with her Redeemer." A. Plummer, op. cit., p. 510. "The old Jerusalem became one with Babylon the great harlot; but the new Jerusalem is the city which Paul calls 'The Jerusalem that is above' (Galatians 4:26; Hebrews 12:22)." James William Russell. Compact Commentary on the New Testament

Revelation 22:7 — Revelation of St. John the Divine (New York: Harper and Row, 1966), p. 283. He did not believe that all things in Revelation would come to pass in his generation. If so, how could he have envisioned 1,000 years before the final judgment (Revelation 20:5)? It is not John who is mixed up on this but some of the interpreters. Quickly … can mean "soon"; but it may also mean "suddenly" or "unexpectedly"; and, "The ambiguity is no doubt purposeful in order to provide