Bible Commentaries

Exodus 40:1-38 — "And Jehovah spake unto Moses, saying, On the first day of the first month shalt thou rear up the tabernacle of the tent of meeting.God was about to fulfill the promise regarding His dwelling among the people. See Exodus 25:8. This also gives the reason for the Tabernacle, i.e., that might, in a very special way, dwell among them. And thou shalt put therein the ark of the testimony, and thou shalt screen the ark with the veil.The ark, being the first thing installed, indicated

Hosea 8:4 — kings were ever anything other than a snare and a pit for the chosen people. "The princes" were necessarily corollary to the existence of kings; hence both were mentioned here. The Pentateuch which was designated by Jesus as God's Word (John 10:34-35) had provided judges for Israel; and all of their kings were a violation of the prior written Law of God. "Of their silver and their gold have they made them idols" This was a sin compounded by the fact that God had given them the very wealth which

Jonah 2:2 — God heard and answered was not offered from any formal position such as kneeling, standing, etc. "The Bible shows by example that men may pray in any posture."Paul T. Butler, op. cit., p. 236. The Scriptures show that men prayed kneeling (1 Kings 8:54), standing (Nehemiah 9:5, Luke 18:13), bowing down on the earth with face between the knees (1 Kings 18:42), lying in a sickbed and turning the face to the wall (2 Kings 20:2), failing prostrate upon the ground (Matthew 26:39), and walking along or

Zephaniah 3:9 — this is unity of purpose and holiness of life. It is not that men may use better Hebrew, but that their hearts and lives should conform to the will of God, a characteristic distinctive of the redeemed "in Christ" who are "a new creation" (2 Corinthians 5:17). "The essential thought finds utterance in plain prose in Jeremiah 32:39 and in Ezekiel 11:19-20," where they are "predicated of Israel in the Messianic age,"J. M. Powis Smith, International Critical Commentary (Edinburgh: T and T Clark, 1911),

Zechariah 3:1 — me" This refers to God. The interpreting angel did not introduce visions, his function being that of explaining them. "Joshua the High Priest" That this Joshua held the office of High Priest when Zechariah prophesied is apparent from Haggai 1:1; Ezra 5:2; and from Zechariah 6:11, in which passage he appears again. "Before the angel of Jehovah" Keil's analysis of the persons appearing here appears to be correct: "He" in Zechariah 3:1 is Jehovah, and not the mediating angel, for his work was to explain

Matthew 10:40-42 — on their mission took place about five weeks before the second Passover of Jesus' ministry. They were gone about a month during which Jesus taught in both Galilee and Jerusalem, where he went to keep the feast of Purim at the beginning of March (John 5:1). The Twelve rejoined him before the Passover (John 6:4); and, shortly after that, Christ fed the five thousand (Luke 9:10). Matthew does not chronicle the events in chronological sequence and does not mention the return of the Twelve, picking them

Matthew 12:41 — be logically concluded that "the judgment" of Scripture is a specific occasion, a cataclysmic day, upon which every man ever born on earth shall appear before the judgment seat of Christ to receive the deeds done in the body (2 Corinthians 5:10). How commendable was the repentance of the men of Nineveh! They repented without any command to repent, without any promise of relief if they did repent, with no invitation to repent, without even a small desire on the part of the preacher that

Matthew 16:5-6 — the Messiah, because Elijah had not yet come; (2) that his signs were not "from heaven," but from earth; (3) that the demons he exorcised were, in truth, cast out by the power of the devil; (4) that he was a violator of sacred traditions; (5) that he profaned the sabbath; (6) that the Scriptures "proved" the Messiah could not come from Galilee, but from Bethlehem (John 7:41); (7) that none of the rulers of the people believed on him (John 7:48); (8) that they KNEW him to be a

Matthew 18:7 — business (Luke 2:49), MUST preach the kingdom of God (Luke 4:43), MUST put new wine in new flasks (Mark 2:22), MUST work the works of God (John 9:4), MUST suffer death (Mark 8:31), and MUST reign until all enemies are put under foot (1 Corinthians 15:25). There MUST be heresies (1 Corinthians 11:19), MUST be wars (Mark 13:7), MUST be tribulations (Acts 14:21-22), MUST be offenses (above), MUST be separation from the visible presence of Christ (Acts 3:21), and Satan MUST be loosed for a little season

Matthew 23:15 — even while for a pretense ye make long prayers: therefore ye shall receive greater condemnation" (see the margin of the ASV). To say the least, such is in complete harmony with all else that Christ said of the Pharisees and scribes. Matthew 23:15 does not condemn the making of proselytes, far from it. It condemns the making of a proselyte to human opinion rather than to God's word. This was the guilt of the scribes and Pharisees. Had they made converts to the true Jewish faith, that would have

Matthew 6:19 — upon the earth; where moth and rust consume, and where thieves break through and steal. Christians must curb the acquisitive and hoarding instincts. "A man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth" (Luke 12:15). Earthly possessions cannot satisfy. This can be illustrated in nearly any community, indeed in almost every life. Say that one is a collector of souvenir spoons, plates, salt shakers, stamps, coins, or ANYTHING, and that after, many years one's collection

Matthew 6:9-13 — is translated by 66 words in the King James Version, and by 39 words in the Luke account in the Revised Version, corresponding respectively to the 66 books in the Bible and to the 39 books in the Old Testament. The above rendition of the prayer has 55 words, due to the omission of the doxology. After this manner … The Lord did not say, "Pray in these words," but "After this manner." How strange it is that this very prayer should have become the very thing it was designed

Mark 1:6-8 — do and not a commandment men were to obey. This is one of seven baptisms mentioned in the New Testament, the others being: (1) the baptism unto Moses (1 Corinthians 10:2), (2) that of sufferings (Mark 10:38-39), (3) that for the dead (1 Corinthians 15:29), (4) that of fire (Matthew 3:11), (5) that of John the Baptist (Acts 19:3), and (6) that of the great commission (Mark 16:15-16; Matthew 28:18-20). For fuller discussion of the ministry of John the Baptist, as related by Matthew, see Commentary

Mark 6:47-48 — (1) Jesus could see the apostles in the lake at night in a storm from a distance of several miles. (2) He walked on the lake to go unto them. (3) He commanded Peter to walk on the lake, and for a time Peter did so. (4) He rescued Peter from drowning. (5) The wind ceased as soon as Christ came aboard. (6) The boat was "straightway" at the landing (John 6:21). Were all of these but ordinary events? If so, why is it recorded that "They that were in the boat worshipped him, saying, Of a

Luke 14:1 — is clear in the light of two considerations. First, as Barclay said, "Jesus never refused any man's invitation to hospitality, … and never abandoned hope of men."William Barclay, The Gospel of Luke (Philadelphia: Westminster Press, 1956), p. 194. Second, the Pharisee intended to use the occasion against Jesus. As Clarke said: Professing friendship and affection, he invited our blessed Lord to his table, merely that he might have a more favorable opportunity of watching his conduct,

Luke 14:12 — EXCLUSIVELY."Norval Geldenhuys, op. cit., p. 391. Adam Clark wrote: Our Lord certainly does not mean that a man should not entertain at particular times his friends, etc.; but what he indicates here is charity to the poor.Adam Clarke, op. cit., p. 452. Spence thought that "Jesus did not mean to forbid our entertaining those whom we love. He means, simply, `In view of the life to come, thou canst do better still'."H. D. M. Spence, Pulpit Commentary (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans

Luke 14:18-20 — necessity; (2) the next pleads his will not to go; and (3) the third said flatly, "I cannot," but did not bother to ask any release from his obligation. In the case of this last, a marriage did exempt the bridegroom from the war (Deuteronomy 24:5; Deuteronomy 20:7), but not from a feast it was his duty to attend. It has been often noted that there was really no compelling reason behind any of the excuses. Viewing land or proving oxen which had "already been purchased" cannot be looked

Romans 1:19 — he should have been worshipped, and through the patriarchs were in direct communication with the Almighty. "Lamech, Noah's father, was born before Adam died." R. C. Bell, Studies in Romans (Austin, Texas: Firm Foundation Publishing House, 1957), p. 12. This means that no generation of history had any better knowledge of God than those generations from Adam to the deluge. Once again, in the family of Noah, the human race descended in a new beginning from a single source; and again the entire

Romans 12:2 — all human activity, physical and mental. Under many different expressions in the Holy Scriptures, the description of this divine inner Control is presented. Here are some of them: Have this mind in you, which was also in Christ Jesus (Philippians 2:5). Ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38 f). Which is Christ in you the hope of glory (Colossians 1:27). The Spirit that dwelleth in us (James 4:5). Even as God said I will dwell in them (2 Corinthians 6:16). Let the word of Christ

Romans 7:1-3 — thus: The doctrine concerning marriage, which is here incidentally taught, or rather which is assumed as known by Christians and Jews is, that the marriage contract can only be dissolved by death. The only exception to this rule is given by Christ (Matthew 5:32); unless indeed Paul (1 Corinthians 7:15) recognizes willful and final desertion as a sufficient ground of divorce. Charles Hodge, Commentary on the Epistle to the Romans (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1968), p. 220. Regarding