Bible Commentaries

Exodus 20:13 — thee for good," giving full approval of the office and its lethal sword. "He beareth not the sword in vain" (Romans 13:1-7). But did not Christ tell Peter to throw his sword away? No, he commanded him to, "Put up thy sword into its place" (Matthew 26:52), indicating that the sword certainly had a place approved by Christ himself. There are, in fact TWO swords in that passage: (1) the sword of civil authority, which it was unlawful to resist; and (2) the sword of self-defense carried by Peter. Christ

1 Chronicles 2:1-55 — families of scribes that dwelt at Jabez: the Tirathites, the Shimeathites, the Sucathites. These are the Kenites that came of Hammath, the father of the house of Rechab." Although there is a great deal of new material in this chapter (1 Chronicles 2:25-41), other scriptures parallel much of it: "1 Chronicles 2:1-2 are parallel with Genesis 35:22 b-26 and Exodus 1:1-6. 1 Chronicles 2:3-4 are in Gen. 38:2-7,29f; 46:12a, and Numbers 26:18 f. 1 Chronicles 2:5 appears in Genesis 46:12 b; Numbers 26:21;

2 Chronicles 29:1-11 — THE BEGINNING OF THE REIGN OF HEZEKIAH XII. HEZEKIAH (715-687 B.C.) HEZEKIAH'S MOVE TO RESTORE THE TRUE WORSHIP "Hezekiah began to reign when he was five and twenty years old; and he reigned nine and twenty years in Jerusalem; and his mother's name was Abijah, the daughter of Zechariah. And he did that which

Nehemiah 5:6-13 — myself" This means that Nehemiah disciplined himself in the control of his anger. He carefully laid the plans by which he would put an end to their abuses. "Ye exact usury, every man of his brother" This was a heartless violation of God's law (Exodus 22:25), which forbade God's people to charge interest on any loan to a brother Israelite. "He reminded the rulers and nobles that his own conduct had been the opposite of theirs; and that when he had seen Jewish slaves offered for sale in Gentile markets,

Leviticus 16:6-10 — Azazel is understood to be the name of one of those malignant demons with which the superstition of the Israelites peopled the wilderness and all waste places."J. R. Dummelow, Commentary on the Holy Bible (New York: The Macmillan Company, 1937), p. 95. Well, there you have it! This particular example of scholarly "fembu" leads to the acceptance of the most bizarre and preposterous declarations ever advanced by so-called "believers in Christ." Can such men actually accept the proposition that on the

Song of Solomon 3:6-11 — Solomon's residence; if it is northern Israel, it means that Solomon with great and pompous splendor is on the way to impress the maiden with his wealth and magnificence in an effort to overawe her and win her love."The New Bible Commentary, Revised, p. 583. This is a great contrast to the simplicity of the shepherd whom the maiden really loves. Question: If Jerusalem is the destination of this extravagant display of Solomon's glory. How could he be bringing the maiden to Jerusalem, when she is already

Zechariah 8:3 — Commentary, Zechariah (London: T and T Clark, 1912), p. 206. Such a comment presses a word like "abide" down on its all-fours. Jesus used the same expression when he promised to "abide" in the home of Zaccheus, a visit that lasted one day! (Luke 19:5). It is not true that God's return to Jerusalem was an irrevocable, eternal commitment. As a matter of fact, God would again commit the city to total destruction in the generation following his "bride's" stubborn rejection of the gospel; nor is there

Matthew 27:51 — seek to put it upon again and hide himself behind it to hear confession or grant absolution, tear it down and trample upon it. God himself removed it. Christ's followers have boldness, freedom, and "access" (Ephesians 2:18; Ephesians 3:12). (5) The torn veil means that the Old Testament can now be understood in the light of the New. Out of Christ, the Old Testament is a mystery; in him it is gloriously understood (2 Corinthians 3:14-16). Christ is thus the true "key to the Scriptures."

John 6:56 — same condition are: "In the Spirit" (Revelation 1:10); "Spirit in you" (1 Corinthians 6:19), "he … in God" (3:21), "God in you" (Philippians 2:12), "mind of Christ … in you" (Philippians 2:5), "word of Christ … in you" (Colossians 3:16). Thus the blessed union between the saved and God is variously described in the New Testament as: God in men, men in God, Christ in men, men in Christ, the Holy Spirit in men, men in the

Acts 15 overview — The first thirty-five verses of this chapter (Acts 15:1-35) relate the event which has been called The Jerusalem Council, where, it has been alleged, the mother church convened a formal session to pass on the preaching of the apostle Paul, especially with regard to the relationship between the law of Moses

Acts 15:13-18 — as the true people of God. The Gentiles were now included in this people. The "rebuilding of the tabernacle of David" must therefore refer to the salvation of the Jewish remnant, "the Israel within Israel" (Romans 9:8; Romans 11:1-5). Everett F. Harrison, Wycliffe Commentary (Chicago: Moody Press, 1971), p. 435. All of the Old Testament promises to Israel are fulfilled in Christ and the church. Christians are the "seed of Abraham" (Galatians 3:7; Galatians 3:29). He is

Acts 2:2-4 — with no other condition than that of prayer; they are not baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus, either prior to or after the event. G. R. Beasley Murray, Baptism in the New Testament (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans, Publishers, 1962), p. 105. None of those persons who had been baptized of John's baptism had any need to be baptized again; and it is a dogmatic certainty that the Twelve had been baptized by John's baptism (John 4:1-2), because there is no way to believe that the apostles would

Acts 4:1 — noted: It is a mark of historic truth that the chief opposition to the apostles is here assigned to the Sadducees, who denied the resurrection. The Pharisees, who affirmed it, were comparatively friendly; and not a few of them became Christians (Acts 15:5). J. R. Dummelow, Commentary on the Holy Bible (New York: The Macmillan Company, 1937), p. 823. SADDUCEES This Jewish sect was composed of proud, secular materialists who denied the existence of a spiritual world, holding that neither angels nor demons

Romans 5:2 — the kingdom of God (Philippians 3:20). As Lard noted: That this state of favor is identical with the church or the kingdom of God, hardly admits of doubt. Moses E. Lard, Commentary on Paul's Letter to Romans (Des Moines, Iowa: Eugene S. Smith), p. 155. Through Christ … as used by Paul has exactly the same sense of "in Christ," and refers to the state of being united with Christ in his spiritual body. This appears from a comparison of Paul's statement here that peace is through Christ

Romans 8:9 — God, and he, in fact, never enters any person whomsoever except those who decide to serve God and obey the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. The results of the indwelling of the Spirit in the hearts of God's children are also spelled out in Galatians 5:22-23, where such results are defined as love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and self-control. Specifically it should be observed that certain things are not said to be the fruit of the Spirit. Such things as miracles,

Joshua 24 overview — paragraphs, or even chapters in Joshua, which are no longer acceptable: "The book appears to be a medley of contradictory narratives, most of which are unhistorical.Samuel Holmes, Peake's Commentary on the Bible (London: T. C. and E. C. Jack, Ltd., 1924), p. 255. There were a number of editors of Joshua.Ibid. The last several verses were probably added by the final editor.William H. Morton, Beacon Bible Commentary, Joshua (Nashville: Broadman Press, 1970), p. 376. This is the address as "E" thought of it.Lindsay

1 Timothy 3:16 — if it is a hymn, the odds are overwhelmingly in favor of the proposition that Paul himself was the author of it. Great is the mystery of godliness … The New Testament refers to these mysteries: The mystery of Christ and his church (Ephesians 5:32). The mystery of lawlessness (2 Thessalonians 2:7). The mystery of the seven stars and the seven candlesticks (Revelation 1:20). The mystery of the resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:51). The mystery of the hardening of Israel (Romans 11:25). The mystery

Judges 4:4-10 — battle would occur, and of its favorable outcome for Israel. "Under the palm-tree… in Ephraim" It is astounding that Soggin would affirm `that, "Ephraim was Deborah's tribe,"J. A. Soggin, op. cit., p. 74. despite the clear indication in Judges 5:15 that, "Deborah's own tribe seems to have been Issachar."J. R. Dummelow's Commentary, p. 162. Soggin apparently assumed that because Deborah's prophetic office was exercised in "the hill-country of Ephraim," that she necessarily belonged to that tribe.

Revelation 6:1-2 — thorough and intensive study of it; and the symbol (the white horse and its rider) which dominates these two verses was identified by him with "The Christ". William Hendriksen, More than Conquerors (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Book House, 1956), p. 113. Although disagreeing with it, Bruce admitted that this "is the long established interpretation"; F. F. Bruce, op. cit., p. 644. "many think this"; J. R. Dummelow, Commentary on the Holy Bible (New York: The Macmillan Company,

1 Samuel 2:1-10 — such a weapon cannot possibly be construed as "a knowledge of military weapons, tactics, and warfare." In that age, there was not a dummy on earth who was ignorant of the fact that a bow, used to shoot arrows, was a very important military weapon. (5)    The reference to the Lord's "king" in 1 Samuel 2:10 is said to assume a time AFTER the monarchy was established. Such a conclusion is a gross error. Hannah was familiar with the Pentateuch, and Moses had specifically prophesied