Bible Commentaries

Genesis 36 overview — Toledoth IX (Genesis 36:1) Roehrs referred to this chapter as a "list of meaningless names," suggesting that it is an act of penance merely to read it!Walter R. Roehrs, Concordia Self-study Commentary (St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1973), p. 49. Despite such a view,

Exodus 18 overview — visit of Jethro to Moses in "the mountain of the Lord," i.e., Horeb-Sinai, the royal reception accorded him by Moses, and the ensuing advice from Jethro with reference to the judges. Jethro's arrival with Moses' wife and their two sons (Exodus 18:1-6); his conversation with Moses (Exodus 18:7-11); his worship of the true God (Exodus 18:12); his observance of Moses' work (Exodus 18:13-16); his advice to Moses (Exodus 18:17-23); Moses' acceptance of that advice (Exodus 18:18-26 and Deuteronomy 1:9-18);

Psalms 107 overview — BOOK V (Psalms 107-150) This book has forty-four psalms, a number of which appear to be of late date. Dummelow noted that, "The contents, here and there, give appropriate hints as to the date in some instances."J. R. Dummelow's Commentary, 369. For example, Psalms 107:10-16 refers to the years of captivity, as does Psalms 137. Some, but not all, of the psalms in this book are alleged to be liturgical. Psalms 108, for example, is made up of Psalms 57:7-11 as united with Psalms 60:5-12, "Which

Psalms 109 overview — wilt thou that we bid fire come down from heaven and consume them?" However, Jesus turned and rebuked them, and said, "Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of. For the Son of Man is not come to destroy men's lives, but to save them" (Luke 9:55-56 KJV). In the light of what Jesus said on that occasion, we cannot believe that our Lord would have concurred in the bitter imprecations of this psalm. As Addis said, "These are further from the spirit of Christianity than anything else in the whole

Psalms 34 overview — inscription are therefore an indication of the ignorance of commentators rather than any kind of a reflection against what is in the superscription. It also should be noted that the dynastic name Abimelech was known when Moses wrote Genesis 20, and Genesis 26, centuries before the times of David. The fact of the psalm's being an acrostic is considered sufficient grounds by destructive critics for assigning a date to this psalm long after the times of David and declaring that, "The date of it is post-exilic."The

Psalms 57 overview — when he had him in his power; and now he takes pleasure in the employment of the same words in his supplications to God. We may thus infer from the spirit of the Lord's Prayer, that God will spare us if we spare our foes."Charles Haddon Spurgeon, p. 256. When he fled from Saul in the cave. "This occasion was either David's stay in the cave of Adullum (1 Samuel 22:1), or the incident in the cave of Engedi (1 Samuel 24:3); but there is no direct reference in the psalm to either."J. R. Dummelow's Commentary,

Psalms 9 overview — meaning of this Psalm of David. The problem derives from two different translations of Psalms 9:3. Some have translated that verse as, "Because my enemies withdrew, etc."Mitchell Dahood, S. J., The Anchor Bible, (Garden City, New York: Doubleday, 1956), p. 55. This makes the Psalm a hymn of praise for many great victories already given by God to David, or Israel. Our version, along with the KJV, renders Psalms 9:3 thus: "When mine enemies turn back, etc." This, of course, makes the opening verse,

Jeremiah 46 overview — some of the adverse arguments, "They can have weight only with those who a priori deny that the prophet could have made any prediction."C. F. Keil, Keil-Delitzsch's Old Testament Commentaries (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company), p. 196. As we approach the end of the century, the death of the whole system of radical criticism of the Bible is inevitably approaching. As Thompson (writing in the eighth decade of this century) stated it, "Nineteenth and early twentieth century critical

Amos 7 overview — Here begins the final major section of Amos, consisting principally of five visions, three of which are found in this chapter: (1) that of the locusts (Amos 7:1-3); (2) that of the fire (Amos 7:4-6); and (3) that of the plumb-line (Amos 7:7-9). The balance of the chapter (Amos 7:10-14) has an exceedingly interesting and instructive narrative of the confrontation between God's Prophet (Amos) and Jeroboam's Priest. The appearance of this historical

Acts 27 overview — Paul, and the Roman statute for the protection of its citizens, very strangely but very naturally combined to fulfill a promise of God made in answer to prayer. J. W. McGarvey, Commentary on Acts (Cincinnati, Ohio: Standard Publishing Company), ii, p. 260. Still other providences are visible throughout the voyage itself. Regarding the issue of the voyage in the fulfillment of its purpose, Ramsay was doubtless correct in the affirmation that "The result of his trial before the supreme court of the

James 1:1 — of the Dispersion, greeting. The manner in which James here bracketed the names of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ carries the affirmation of the deity of our Lord Jesus Christ. Our Lord taught that "no man can serve two masters" (Matthew 6:24); and, in James' affirmation here, he did not mean that he had two masters, but that the two are one. The very use of the title "Lord" in the New Testament denotes this, the same being the "title given to the early Roman emperors to

1 Peter 1:10 — and in his speeches recorded in Acts. Here he gives a very remarkable glimpse into the condition of the prophetic consciousness. B. C. Caffin, The Pulpit Commentary, Vol. 22, Peter (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1950), p. 6. Here Peter called attention to the curiosity that the ancient prophets of the Old Testament had with reference to their own writings! Of course, New Testament critics would find fault with a truth like this, suggesting that Peter "built"

1 Peter 3:15 — to answer the questions of others, or to restore one who has fallen into sin, there is danger to the Christian himself. As Paul put it, "Restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, looking to thyself, lest thou also be tempted" (Galatians 6:1). (2) There should be fear that the answers might not be given in the right spirit, or that they might not be correct. The failure of many really to know the truth about their own religious views is widespread; and every teacher should concern himself

2 Peter 3:16 — considered "Scripture" and "inspired." Kelcy was doubtless correct in the observation that, "The canon of Scripture, which later was to exist in completeness, was in process of formation." Raymond C. Kelcy, op. cit., p. 162. Speaking in them of these things … There are many subjects discussed in 1 Peter, which were also discussed by Paul in his letters. Among these are: (1) the great apostasy; (2) the eternal judgment; (3) the second coming of Christ; (4) the longsuffering

3 John 1:9 — Bible Commentary, Revised (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1950), p. 1273. May we take a closer look at: THE SIN OF DIOTREPHES It was through pride that Satan fell. It leads the procession of the things God hates (Proverbs 6:16 f). Fellowship within the sacred fold of the church itself cannot prevail where the poison ivy of pride is enthroned. The spirit of Diotrephes not only rejected the authority of an apostle, arrogantly turned away the Lord's missionaries from his

Revelation 12:3 — also of kings and their successors, as revealed later. Seven diadems … These do not symbolize lawful power but usurped authority. "These are not like the crowns of victory worn by the saints (Revelation 2:10; Revelation 3:11; Revelation 6:2, etc.)." A. Plummer, The Pulpit Commentary, Vol. 22, Revelation (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1950), p. 311. A different word is used in the Greek. Morris thought that the color red, so prominent in the description

Revelation 16:8 — impious and hostile people of earth will suffer by excessive heat and burning. Lactantius, Of the Manner in Which the Persecutors Died, Divine Institutes, The Ante-Nicene Fathers (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1951), VII, 26. "This fourth bowl has no parallel in the Egyptian plagues," James D. Strauss, The Seer, the Saviour, and the Saved (Joplin, Missouri: College Press, 1972), p. 204. which certainly stops the writers who cannot find anything in this series

Revelation 2 overview — the price with their lives (Smyrna), some that are cooling off in their devotion (Ephesus), and some that are taking it easy in Zion (Laodicea). W. A. Criswell, Expository Sermons on Revelation (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1962), p. 43. (4)    These letters appear here in their normal geographical sequence, each in turn being next on the list for anyone attempting to visit all seven. They have nothing to do with any chronological succession of churches

Revelation 7:14 — … This verse is the principal proof-text for sponsors of the Great Tribulation theory; but the words "they that came are translated from the present middle participle, meaning they continue to come." James D. Strauss, op. cit., p. 126. Bruce translated this, "These are the comers. F. F. Bruce, op. cit., p. 646. This positively identifies the "coming" of these white-robed saints w dispensation. "The whole history of the church is a time of tribulation. James William

Revelation 8:12 — This probably stands for heavenly intervention in the atmospheric area of man's environment. Lenski quoted someone's complaint that the apostle "either forgot or ignored the fact that he has already cleared the heavens of the stars (Revelation 6:13)!" R. C. H. Lenski, op. cit., p. 282. But that is only one of a thousand difficulties encountered by an interpretation that makes these various series of visions (seals, trumpets, and bowls) to be sequential, consecutive, or concerned with successive