Bible Commentaries

Psalms 130 overview — "morning" of forgiveness would not come until the heavens should ring with the angelic chorus singing Glory to God in the Highest and the shepherds of Judea would find the Christ child in the Manger of Bethlehem. The theme of the psalm is in Psalms 130:5, "I wait for Jehovah, my soul doth wait; and in his word do I hope." It should not be overlooked that the psalmist was still in the dark; the morning had not come. Like all who lived under the Old Dispensation, he would "wait… wait… "until

Psalms 146 overview — five psalms in the post-exilic period. This may very well be true. Writing near the beginning of this century (1907) Briggs stated that, "The psalm has three Aramaisms; it belongs to the late Greek period."International Critical Commentary, Vol. II, p. 530. Such a comment was excusable in 1907, a full generation before the Ras Shamra discoveries which absolutely nullified Aramaisms as a criterion for determining date. There always remains the question of whether or not current scholars may be merely

Psalms 30 overview — Dedication of the House," also generally received as accurate, is the basis of several opinions regarding its meaning. A summary of various views as to what is meant by the "Dedication of the House" is as follows: It refers to the Temple of Zerubbabel in 165 B.C.W. E. Addis, p. 377. Some say it refers to the Temple of Solomon. Some think it means the house of David's palace, Others assign it to the purgation and re-dedication of David's house (palace) after Absalom left. Calmet believed the psalm was written

Psalms 31 overview — SURRENDERS TO THE LORD As Barnes declared, "There can be no doubt that the inscription that ascribes this Psalm to David is correct."Barnes' Notes on the Old Testament (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, a 1987 reprint of the 1878 edition), Vol. 1, p. 259. We are surprised that Dummelow and others have suggested that Jeremiah might have been the author of this psalm, on the basis of some verses in Jeremiah which are very much like some of the passages in this chapter; but Jonah and Jeremiah were quoting

Psalms 59 overview — are dated from Saul's persecutions."F. Delitzsch, Vol. V-B, p. 186. "The Psalm divides into four parts, two of them terminated by the word "Selah," and the other two by refrains."The Pulpit Commentary, Vol. 8-B, p. 11. These divisions are (1) Psalms 59:1-5; (2) Psalms 59:6-9; (3) Psalms 59:10-13, and (4) Psalms 59:14-17.

Psalms 61 overview — PRAYER AND THANKSGIVING OF AN EXPELLED KING ON HIS WAY BACK TO THE THRONE.F. Delitzsch, Vol. V-B, p. 201.PRAYER FOR A KING.Wycliffe Old Testament Commentary, Old Testament, p. 517.THE EXILED KING PRAYS FOR RESTORATION.H. C. Leupold, p. 453.A PRAYER OF A DISTRAUGHT KING.The New Bible Commentary, Revised, p. 488.A HYMN OF CONFIDENCE.Henry H. Halley's Bible Handbook (Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House), p. 242.THE ROCK THAT

Isaiah 15 overview — We shall treat Isaiah 15 and Isaiah 16 together, both of them being devoted entirely to the "Burden of Moab." All of the commentators speak of the difficulties connected with interpreting this prophecy, but despite many questions that remain without certain answers, the overall

2 Corinthians 11:5 — the word thus rendered." Philip E. Hughes, op. cit., p. 379. Tasker especially favored this view. R. V. G. Tasker, op. cit., p. 149. Only here and in 2 Corinthians 12:11 is it found. (2)    The pronouns in 2 Corinthians 11:13-15 logically refer to "chiefest apostles"; and there they are designated as "false apostles" and servants of Satan. (3)    In speaking of the true apostles, Paul called them "the Twelve" (1 Corinthians

2 Corinthians 8:9 — satisfactorily answered. Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Holy Bible (New York: Carlton and Porter, 1829), Vol. VI, p. 349. The riches of Christ are those riches which pertained to his status with God and equality to God before the world was (John 17:5), the riches of His eternal power and Godhead, the riches of His everlasting divinity and glory. Only such an explanation as this can pertain to Paul's words here. He became poor … Christ's becoming poor has a double meaning, (1) referring to

Ephesians 2:1 — your trespasses and sins. "To be dead in trespasses and sins does not mean unconsciousness or non-existence." John William Russell, Compact Commentary on the New Testament (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Book House, 1964), p. 476. (1 Timothy 5:6; Revelation 3:1). In the Scriptural view, sin equals death; and there is no light or casual view of either in the Bible. You did he make alive … Beare pointed out that the various pronouns "you" (Ephesians 2:1-2), "we all"

1 Thessalonians 1:5 — impure motives (1 Thessalonians 2:3). It was said his preaching aimed at deluding others (1 Thessalonians 2:3). That he was seeking to please people, not God (1 Thessalonians 2:4). That he was preaching for what he could get out of it (1 Thessalonians 2:5; 1 Thessalonians 2:9). That he sought personal prestige (1 Thessalonians 2:6). He was something of a dictator (1 Thessalonians 2:7). William Barclay, The Letters to the Philippians, Colossians and Thessalonians (Philadelphia: The Westminster Press,

2 Thessalonians 3:8 — motives in the preaching of the gospel. Furthermore, it was his way of emphasizing that all men should work to support themselves. CONCERNING WORK Man's great happiness is served by work; even Eden was not a place of idleness, but of work (Genesis 2:15). All Scriptural glimpses of the invisible creations above invariably reveal them in a positive attitude of performance and creative activity. Even the angels on Jacob's ladder (Genesis 28:12) were not posed in attitudes of fixed and static devotion,

James 5:3 — fire. Punchard declared that "The wages of the traitor, the spoil of the thief, and the wealth of the oppressor burn the hands that clasp them. Memories of the wrongs shiver through each guilty soul like fire." E. G. Punchard, op. cit., p. 375. Dummelow referred this to "the siege of Jerusalem." J. R. Dummelow, Commentary on the Holy Bible (New York: The Macmillan Company, 1937), p. 1037. Likewise, Carson: The last days were already upon them. The Christian is always in the last

1 Peter 1:4 — reserved for them who shall be entitled to it; it will be there ready for them; none other shall preempt it or take it away from them. Notice the emphasis upon heaven. Peter had heard the Master say, "Great is your reward in heaven" (Matthew 5:10-12). The essential "other-worldliness" of the Christian faith shines in a passage like this, where the pilgrims, sojourners, and citizens of heaven are called to contemplate the eternal nature of their ultimate reward, the glory of the

1 John 2:28 — him" and abide "in him" until his coming, or until death, will indeed be amply supplied with boldness in his presence. It will be observed that John used a number of expressions having a great similarity: We are in him (God) (1 John 2:5). A new commandment is true in him and in you (1 John 2:8). He that loveth … abideth in the light (1 John 2:9). The word of God abideth in you (1 John 2:17). Let that (the word of the gospel) abide in you (1 John 2:24). … Ye also shall

1 John 2:5 — identical in meaning with "if we keep his commandments" (1 John 2:3). The love of God has been perfected … Here is another glimpse of that absolute perfection which is the goal of all Christian living, mentioned by Jesus in Matthew 5:48, and referred to by all the New Testament writers. Although unattainable by humans in their own strength, it will nevertheless be achieved in them and for them by means of their being "in Christ" and thereby partaking of the absolute perfection

Revelation 1:6 — here breaks into a noble doxology, using words which imply the present and eternal dominion of the Son of God. The New Testament doxologies invariably ascribe the same power, honor, and glory which belong to God to his Son, Jesus Christ. See Revelation 5:12-13; Revelation 7:10; 2 Timothy 4:18; Hebrews 13:21; 1 Peter 4:11; 2 Peter 3:18; and Judges 1:24.

Revelation 2:11 — be overwhelmed. As Roberson pointed out, many expressions in these earlier chapters of Revelation find their full explanation in the later chapters. Among those he cited were: Charles R. Roberson, Studies in Revelation (Tyler, Texas: P. D. Wilmeth, 1957), p. 19. Tree of life —- Revelation 2:7; Revelation 22:2; Revelation 22:14 The new name —- Revelation 2:17; Revelation 14:1. Authority over the nations —- Revelation 2:26; Revelation 20:4 f. The morning star —- Revelation 2:28;

Revelation 4:11 — the likeness of God is mentioned. "In the author's refusal to describe God in anthropomorphic terms, he declares that "God is Spirit,'" Edward A. McDowell, The Meaning and Message of the Book of Revelation (Nashville: Broadman Press, 1951), p. 75. exactly as the author does in John 4:24. The Christian doctrine of Creation is explicit here. Because of thy will, they were, and were created … God only is exalted upon the throne. The universe and everything in it came into being

Revelation 7:3 — either any intention or any desire to hurt anything. There was an extensive angelology among the Jews; but the mention in this prophecy of angels of the winds (as here), the angel of fire (Revelation 14:18), and the angel of the waters (Revelation 16:5), is not sufficient grounds for receiving the speculative Hebrew angelology as dependable. The New Testament purposely left us in the dark concerning any definitive teaching regarding the work of angels. Some of their functions may be inferred from