Bible Commentaries

Genesis 1:26-28 — realized despite all hindrances and delays in the era of the "new heavens and the new earth." "Thou madest him (man) a little lower than the angels; Thou crownest him with glory and honor, and didst set him over the works of thy hands" (Hebrews 2:5-7). This passage, of course, refers to the humiliation of Christ, whose being made "a little lower" than angels actually means "made lower for a little while," i.e., in the matter of his passion and death; for the same passage indicates that man, as he

Genesis 25:5-8 — great importance; and we should not permit "interpreters" to change it. Kline suggested that, "Perhaps the plural is abstract, i.e., `concubinage'."Meredith G. Kline, The New Bible Commentary, Revised (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1970), p. 101. Speiser tells us that the text here is literally, "the sons that Abraham had by concubines,"E. A. Speiser, The Anchor Bible (Garden City, N.Y.: Doubleday and Company, 1964), p. 187. but he then denied that plural should be allowed on the

Genesis 27:18-29 — God' gave me good speed." (4)    He wore Esau's clothes. (5)    He wore goat hair on his neck and hands. (6)    He answered his father's specific question, "Art thou Esau," by saying, "I am." (7)    He feigned the irreligion of Esau. It is curious that Jacob referred to Jehovah in this episode as "your God," thus answering the question after the manner of the irreligious Esau, who from this appears as one who had renounced

Exodus 1:19-22 — ludicrous fathead. The joke is on the king, and everybody knows it but him! So, while they laugh the king right out of his court, God wins another round and moves victoriously on."Ralph H. Langley, Teacher's Commentary, Exodus (Nashville: Broadman Press, 1972), p. 54. "Because the midwives feared God, he made them households" The meaning of this is that, "He blessed them with marriage and many descendants."J. R. Dummelow, Commentary on the Holy Bible (New York: The Macmillan Company, 1937), p. 50. Exactly

Exodus 13:3-10 — the heart), in a literal interpretation of what is commanded in these places. Esses tells us that these passages (Exodus 13:1-16) were always the ones worn on the left arm.Michael Esses, Jesus in Exodus (Plainfield, New Jersey: Logos International, 1977), p. 75. The Jewish literalization of the command here at last resulted in some bizarre behavior. The Pharisees of Jesus' time, having a desire to appear righteous in the eyes of men, enlarged the size of these religious ornaments and paraded them

Psalms 22 overview — though written a thousand years before Jesus, it is so vivid a description of the crucifixion of Jesus that one would think of the writer as being personally present at the Cross. Jesus' dying words (Psalms 22:1), the sneers of his enemies (Psalms 22:7-8), the piercing of his hands and feet (Psalms 22:16), and the casting of lots for his garments (Psalms 22:18) are some of the events here described. None of these statements are applicable to David, or to any other known event or person in the history

Psalms 40 overview — Psalms 40:6-8 (Hebrews 10:5 ff). The precious words of these verses in the psalm constitute a promise on David's part; but, of course, "None but the Messiah could fulfill them, as the New Testament passage makes abundantly clear. `Lo, I come,' (Psalms 40:7) is the highlight of the Psalm."Derek Kidner, Vol. 1, p. 158. There are a number of different ways of interpreting this psalm. Barnes cited these: (1) "The psalm refers originally and exclusively to David; (2) it refers originally and exclusively to

Leviticus 17:14-16 — creatures not suitable for sacrifice was not to be poured out thoughtlessly, but was to be covered with dust to protect it from the voracity of other animals and to demonstrate the respect of the hunter for the sacredness of life. Back in Leviticus 17:10, the Lord said, "I will set my face against the soul that eateth blood," and the full meaning of such a declaration could be much more terrible than men may suppose. The full authority of God Himself underlies the restrictions give here, for the

Ecclesiastes 12:2-8 — first verse. "He does not say, `Remember you must die,' but, `Remember thy Creator.' In this Solomon clearly distinguishes himself from all skeptics, cynics and Epicureans. with whom he has often been confused."The New Bible Commentary, Revised, p. 577. "All the daughters of music shall be brought low" "He has not only lost his ability to sing, but the loss of hearing means he cannot even appreciate music"!The New Layman's Bible Commentary, p. 749. "And one shall rise up at the voice of a bird" Despite

Daniel 3 overview — doing so should be cut in pieces and their houses made a dunghill! (Daniel 3:29). This decree promulgated throughout the vast empire of Nebuchadnezzar must have tended much to keep the Jews from idolatry during their captivity and afterward."Ibid., p. 627. Therefore we receive the great miracle of this marvelous chapter exactly as it is represented in this holy book, a book that Christ himself did not hesitate to quote during his ministry. Furthermore, the timing of this great wonder came at exactly

Hosea 9 overview — 9:6. Egypt (slavery) will gather you...Hosea 9:6. Memphis (the great cemetery) shall bury you...Hosea 9:6. Nettles and thorns shall take your tents...Hosea 9:6. Your treasures shall be destroyed...Hosea 9:6. Your judgment of doom is at hand...Hosea 9:7. Your prophets and seers are insane fools...Hosea 9:8. Ephraim has climbed into the place of God...Hosea 9:8. He is a trap for all the people...Hosea 9:8. God is now going to punish you...Hosea 9:8-9. You have become God's enemy...Hosea 9:9. You are

Zechariah 13:1 — opened… for sin and for uncleanness" This is the fountain of the blood of Christ, the only fountain in all history that ever afforded cleansing from sin and uncleanness. That fountain may also be understood as the fountain of living water (John 7:37). "To the house of David… inhabitants of Jerusalem" These expressions denote the "true Israel of God" in the times of the New Covenant; and, although that Israel is by no means restricted to racial Jews, or literal descendants of Abraham,

Deuteronomy 13:1-5 — that the question of whether or not the false prophet could actually perform such signs or wonders is treated as irrelevant! What if he did, or could? "What stamped the prophet false in this context is the doctrine!"T. Witton Davies, op. cit., p. 237. The possibility that evil men could indeed do wonders "through the power of Satan" is allowed in both Old Testament and New Testament. Paul spoke of the "lying miracles" which would be displayed by the apostate church (2 Thessalonians 2:9), and it

Mark 7:14-16 — having had practical as well as symbolical value to the chosen people; and the words of Christ in this place are not to be understood as any kind of denial of the validity of the Law of Moses, which Christ equated with "the word of God" in Mark 7:13, immediately preceding. Christ here did for the law concerning defilement exactly what he did with regard to the Decalogue itself in the Sermon on the Mount, claiming his own authority as sufficient right to extend, change, and modify God's ancient

Mark 8:31 — 5:21-25. Scholars have a custom of formalizing three definite announcements of Jesus' approaching death, resurrection, and second coming; and despite the fact of Matthew's detailing three distinct occasions when such prophecies were given (Matthew 16:21; Matthew 17:22; and Matthew 20:17), it is the conviction here that Christ spoke frequently of those epic events which at that time began to loom so ominously upon the horizon of our Lord's public ministry. Therefore, the only way to view these various prophecies

Luke 3:1-2 — tetrarch of Iturea and Trachinitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene, in the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came unto John the son of Zacharias in the wilderness. The fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius … On Sept. 17, 14 A.D., this ruler ascended the throne of the Roman Empire.Jack P. Lewis, Historical Backgrounds of Bible History (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Book House, 1971), p. 143. Luke 3:23 of this chapter states that Jesus, very near this time, was "about

Joshua 22 overview — throughout Israel's history! Preposterous! (Read our elaborate discussions of that "Den of Thieves and Robbers" known as Solomon's Temple in the N.T. series.) It was "the Tabernacle" that God gave Israel, not the Temple. The Temple was David's idea (2 Samuel 7), and, although God accommodated to it, God Almighty twice destroyed it. Why? From its beginning it proved to be a hindrance and a roadblock to the true will of God. It was that Temple, really, that crucified the Son of God! This chapter, of course,

Colossians 3:1 — waters close over him, it is as if he was buried in death; as he emerges from the waters, it is like being resurrected to a new life. William Barclay, The Letters to the Philippians, Colossians and Thessalonians (Philadelphia: The Westminster Press, 1975), p. 147. … We have seen repeatedly that the early Christians regarded baptism as a dying and rising again. When a man was buried, the Greeks commonly spoke of him as being hidden in the earth; but the Christian had died a spiritual death in

1 Thessalonians 1:3 — Christians, except in this one particular of being disunited from love and hope, as well as from work, labor and patience. The demon at Gadara cried out: What have I to do with thee, Jesus, Son of God Most High? I adjure thee by God, torment me not! (Mark 5:7). An analysis of the demon's faith shows that: (1) he believed Jesus to be the Son of God; (2) that Jesus had the power to torment him; (3) he also believed in God's existence; (4) that there was already a "time" appointed when God would visit

2 Samuel 23:20-39 — with the one mentioned in 2 Samuel 23:11, but pointed out that 1 Chronicles 11:10 ff ascribes that deed of bringing David the water from Bethlehem to Eleazer the son of Dodo."Ella Davis Isaacs in International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, Vol. 4, p. 2748, 49. Another of the mighty men had the same name (2 Samuel 23:33). "Elika of Harod" We are given no additional information about Elika. "Helez the Paltite" "From 1 Chronicles 11:27, it appears that this man was an Ephraimite and captain of the seventh