Bible Commentaries

Habakkuk 1:7 — Babylon, be judged by a nation without regard for God. "His own will (the will of the invader) shall be his only law for himself and for others. His elevation too, in his thoughts, are from himself alone."Albert Barnes, Notes on the Minor Prophets, Vol. 2 (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1954), p. 183. Note the reference to "dignity." The new, monolithic, world-power, "will have, like all great world-powers, a real dignity and majesty, but a dignity held independently of God."Ibid. Thus, a study of the

Zechariah 1:7 — first (Zechariah 1:1) pertains to Zechariah's call as a prophet, and this (Zechariah 1:7) pertains to the particular series of visions beginning here. All of these visions came within a single night, "two full months after Haggai's last message (Haggai 2:10) it is February, 519 B.C."H. C. Leupold, op. cit., p. 31.

Zechariah 2:11 — of the Messiah." Such an expression positively identifies the whole passage as Messianic. "Shall join themselves to Jehovah… shall be my people" This mingling of third person and first person declarations is similar to that found in Zechariah 2:8-9, "His eye… I will shake." In all such instances, God is the speaker and the person spoken of, that is, both the third person and the first person. This gives a very amazing effectiveness as used in connection with declarations of the covenant

Matthew 1:7 — Eleazar; and Eleazar begat Matthan; and Matthan begat Jacob; and Jacob begat Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ. And Joram begat Uzziah. Here are skipped some names in the ancestry, as will be seen by a glance at 2 Kings 8:26 ff. This was a common practice of the keepers of genealogical records in those days.

Matthew 12:37 — must appear even to casual thought of it that words, as used by millions, constitute the bulk of human shame and wickedness. James said, "If any stumbleth not in word, the same is a perfect man, able to bridle the whole body also" (James 3:2). Beyond everything else, man should watch what he says. One's words can justify when they confess Christ, or teach the truth, or serve to make peace, bestow a blessing, or give encouragement; but on the other hand, when words condemn, cast a reflection,

Matthew 12:5 — sabbath that would otherwise have been unlawful. Christ's stress on that exception called attention to an analogy between himself and the temple. He referred to his body as "the temple," stating that he would raise it up in three days (John 2:19). The argument is that, just as the priests served the temple on the sabbath day and were guiltless, his disciples might also serve Christ, the Greater Temple, without incurring guilt. Thus, even if his disciples had violated the sabbath restrictions

Matthew 17:5 — Spirit, although it is not so identified. The frightened apostles fell on their faces in abject terror at that overwhelming display of divine power. The exact nature of the bright cloud is not known, but Peter called it "the excellent glory" (2 Peter 1:17). The words out of the cloud were the same as those at Jesus' baptism, except that the words "Hear ye him" were added. Like all of God's commandments, this is exclusive and means "Do not hear Moses; do not hear Elijah, etc."

Matthew 2:20 — young child and his mother, and go into the land of Israel: for they are dead that sought the young child's life. Note that the instructions were to return to Israel, not to Bethlehem or to Jerusalem. They are dead that sought … See under Matthew 2:3 how, by a peculiar providence, most of the powerful members of Herod's establishment perished with him. How circumstantially accurate are God's words! Satan had doubtless raised up many enemies of Christ even in his infancy. How strange and significant

Matthew 26:33 — But Peter answered and said unto him, If all shall be offended in thee, I will never be offended. One's sympathy lies with Peter here, although he was wrong. His error was threefold, in that he: (1) contradicted Jesus' words, (2) rated himself superior to others, and (3) relied upon his own strength alone. Furthermore, he did not realize that the strength and righteousness he had were not his own, but were only the reflected strength and righteousness of Christ. Many "righteous"

Matthew 7:7 — (Luke 18:1). This is the Saviour's great promise that prayer will be answered, although not always in precisely the manner expected. God answers prayer: (1) gradually, as in the case of Hawthorne's little Ernst in "The Great Stone Face," (2) literally as in the case of Jonah, (3) by denial of the request, as in the case of Paul's thorn in the flesh, (4) by sending something other than was requested as in the case of our Lord's prayer for the cup to pass but which was answered by his receiving

Matthew 7:9-10 — ask for a fish, will give him a serpent? Christ's argument here from the predictable conduct of men has strong overtones teaching the likeness between God and man. Of course, this is inherent in the fact that man was created in God's image (Genesis 1:27), and Jesus' words here show that something of God can be known by observing that which is highest and best in man. The basic kinship between God and man is a broad principle underlying the entire Judeo-Christian revelation. The apparent relation between

Matthew 8:11 — shortcomings of those particular men, it seems that none in our own day should despair of winning the crown. This takes no light view of either their sins or ours, but is an overwhelming argument to the effect that "his grace is sufficient" (2 Corinthians 12:9). The fact that Luke does not record these words is no problem. All of the divine accounts are supplementary, each to the others. An example of this will be noted in detail on Matthew 27:37, which see.

Mark 13:31 — earth was envisioned by the preceding prophecy. Christ was clearly talking about the cataclysmic destruction of the earth and its environment (at least), a fact properly understood by the apostles and mentioned in their writings, as for example, in 2 Peter 3:8-13, etc. This is also a prophecy that the words of Christ "shall not pass away." Even the most diligent efforts of radical, unbelieving scholars to discredit the gospels have an opposite effect; because, if they truly believed that

Mark 4:23-24 — understanding be measured unto you."Ibid. Inherently: This one-sentence parable is true in any context. Thus the Lord applied it to the kind of judgments men give of others, resulting always in their being judged in the same fashion (Matthew 7:2). Again, the Saviour extended it in an application to the grace of giving (Luke 6:38).

Mark 4:25 — student shall not only learn no more, but shall even forget what he already knowsIbid. In another context: Jesus applied this law to the judgment of the one-talent man from whom the one talent was taken and given to the man who had ten talents (Matthew 25:19-28). Barclay has a sermon which develops the thought of this law thus: (1) it is true of knowledge; (2) it is true of skill or craft; (3) it is true of effort; and (4) it is true of the ability to bear responsibility.William Barclay, op. cit., p.

Mark 4:33-34 — And with many such parables spake he the word unto them, as they were able to hear it; and without a parable spake he not unto them: but privately to his own disciples he expounded all things. See under Mark 4:2 for reasons why Jesus spoke in parables. As Sanner noted, "If he had spoken to the crowds in a direct way, he would have forced them to make a final decision at once, a decision of unbelief and rejection."Elwood Sanner, Beacon Bible Commentary

Luke 10:12 — reference would appear to apply to the "coming nigh" of the kingdom, shows that the kingdom of God will "come" in a more exalted state at the final judgment. Peter's reference to Christians entering into "the external kingdom" (2 Peter 1:11) also sheds light on this. Sodom … was a grossly wicked city whose very name came to be associated with depravity; but their carnal sins in the sight of God were actually less reprehensible than the arrogant rejection of the Redeemer

Judges 9:1-6 — ears of the conspirators. SHECHEM This place figured prominently in the early history of Israel. (1)    When Abraham came from Haran, it was at the oak of Moreh in the vicinity of Shechem that he erected his first altar (Genesis 12:6 f). (2)    It was probably by this oak that Jacob, upon his return from Paddan-aram, compelled his family to bury their false gods (Genesis 35:4). (3)    Jacob here bought a parcel of ground east of the city

2 Peter 3:7 — that now are, and the earth, by the same word have been stored up for fire, being reserved against the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men. This sequence of destruction, first by water, then by fire, was indicated by Jesus himself in Luke 17:25 ff, and reiterated by Peter in 2 Peter 2:5-6. No blue-print of what will occur is given, merely the bare fact of ultimate destruction by fire. People may choose to disbelieve this if they will! Noah's generation did not believe God either; but those

1 John 2:18 — hour. It is the last hour … The apostles had asked Christ to tell them when the end of the world was coming, when the temple would be destroyed, and when the Christ would come. To these three questions, Jesus gave a composite answer (Matthew 24), but not distinguishing for them the fact that these events would not all occur simultaneously; however, Jesus did deny them altogether any answer as to the time of his Second Coming (Matthew 24:36; Matthew 24:42). It is therefore the height of presumption