Bible Commentaries

Isaiah 35:7 — exactly the same meaning, indicating the contrast between the conditions where men are in rebellion against God and the far better times which result from men's submission to God's will. It is no accident that, all over the world, wherever Christian faith has thrived, there, and there only, have occurred the truly great advancements of human civilizations. If one needs an example of this, try a contrast between Africa and North America. In this verse, the expression "glowing sand" is given as "mirage"

Isaiah 39:3-4 — palace wrong-side out to display it to any foreign power, much less to one such as Babylon. There seems to be a very pleased vanity exhibited by Hezekiah here as he tells Isaiah that "This embassy has come all the way from Babylon to see me!" "Thus the faith of Hezekiah, proof against the heaviest blows, melts at the touch of flattery; and the world claims another victim by its friendship."The New Bible Commentary, Revised, p. 610.

Matthew 8:26 — And he saith unto them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm. It is important to note the significance of the word "rebuked." Trench discussed this as follows: To regard this as mere oratorical personification would be

Mark 1:44 — of two male lambs without blemish and one ewe lamb without blemish (Leviticus 14). For a testimony unto them … The priests would by such a cleansing know of the power of Jesus; and Jesus did everything that even God could do in order to induce faith in the religious leaders. The prohibition to "tell no man" did not refer to the testimony which would of necessity be given to the priests.

Mark 14:32-33 — began to be greatly amazed and was sore troubled. AGONY IN GETHSEMANE The awful scene of the Saviour's anguish was not viewed by all the Twelve, only Peter, James, and John being the witnesses. Having already seen the transfiguration of Christ, their faith could withstand the shock of that tearful garden, but it might have proved too much for the others at that time; thus, the Lord chose three who would be able to see it and tell others of the sorrow that crushed the Lord that night. Here God laid

Mark 9:25 — From the Lord's command, it is evident that the son was also mute. His words must have been of the greatest consolation to the father, for they included the assurance that there would be no recurrence of the lad's pitiful condition. Thus, his halting faith, greatly strengthened by Jesus, was richly rewarded.

Mark 9:42 — uttered frequently and in various contexts, and they seem to have been written down here in the order of Mark's remembrance of them. See under Mark 9:1. The teaching of this verse regards the extreme gravity of causing any humble believer to lose his faith in the Lord. Persons guilty of such a breach of the will of God would be better off drowned in the sea. The word for "millstone" here means "a millstone drawn by an ass," that is, a very large one, and contrasting with the smaller

Luke 12:27-30 — neither do they spin; yet I say unto you, Even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothe the grass in the field, which today is, and tomorrow is cast into the oven; how much more shall he clothe you, O ye of little faith? It should be remembered that Christ was not here denouncing the textile industries. The problem addressed was anxiety; and the argument is that for all of man's feverish anxieties about his clothes, he really doesn't come out any better than the

Acts 22:16 — been written by the Holy Spirit if any such downgrading of the ordinance of baptism was valid. As Plumptre put it: These words (Acts 22:22) show that for the apostle, baptism was no formal or ceremonial act (only), but was joined with repentance and faith, being presupposed, and brought with it the assurance of a real forgiveness. E. H. Plumptre, Ellicott's Commentary on the Holy Bible (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1959), p. 152. Nothing is more clearly taught in the New Testament

Galatians 4 overview — and onerous nature of the Law itself, comparing it to slavery or bondage (Galatians 4:8-11). Next, he reminded them of the circumstances of their conversion, their love for him, and warned them against the evil men who were seducing them away from the faith (Galatians 4:12-20); and finally, he appealed to an allegory based upon the life of Abraham, which was climaxed by "Cast out the handmaiden and her son," meaning, in the analogy, "Christianity and Judaism are not compatible, or reconcilable;

Galatians 4:6-7 — Spirit is subsequent to achieving the status of sonship and a consequence of it. This is without doubt the true meaning, for it coincides with the promise of the apostle Peter (Acts 2:38) that the reception of the Holy Spirit is to be expected after faith, repentance and baptism into the name of Christ, and as a promise to be fulfilled subsequently to such faith and obedience. That is why Paul also referred to the same gift as "the Holy Spirit of promise" (Ephesians 1:13). Whereby we cry,

1 Thessalonians 4:18 — But still we can do nothing in such a case. So comfort yourselves. Goodbye. James Moffatt, op. cit., p. 38. How hopeless is such a letter! And what a world of difference in the pagan "comfort yourselves" and the glowing words of Christian faith, "comfort one another with these words!" Not only did the words of this passage allay the weeping, dry the tears and comfort the bereaved in Thessalonica, they are still doing so after some nineteen centuries have rolled away; and they

1 Timothy 1:4 — neither to give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which minister questionings, rather than a dispensation of God which is in faith; so do I now. Of all historical peoples, the Jews, more than any other, were concerned with genealogies; and coupled with this, the sequential mention of the Ten Commandments, one at a time in order, a moment later, emphatically demands that the

1 Timothy 4:7 — but refuse profane and old wives' fables. And exercise thyself unto godliness: "Invented stories and untrue fables have no place in Christian proclamation. The faith is rooted in history." Ronald A. Ward, op. cit., p. 71. How much of the lore regarding the so-called canonization of the "saints" of the church is pure fable? For example, take the tale regarding St. Patrick who was said to have died

2 Timothy 2:8 — and there would have been no inconsistency whatever in his calling it his own. Surely this understanding of the phrase is preferable to the heretical notion that Paul's gospel was a brand new version of Christianity which offered salvation "by faith alone" instead of "by faith and obedience of the gospel." Despite the above, however, it appears best to consider the passage as a reference to the total gospel as delivered both to Paul and to the Twelve, rather than as having any

Titus 1:10 — circumcision, The persons in view here are not the hierarchical Jews of the secular state of Israel who also were vigorous opponents of Christianity, but the company of Jews who had indeed accepted Christ as the Messiah, having been baptized into the faith, and who, through inadequate understanding of Christianity, were attempting to bind the forms and ceremonies of Judaism upon Christians. This seems to have been especially true of that large group of Pharisees who had accepted Christ (Acts 15:5).

Hebrews 11:25 — promised "seed" in whom all nations would be blessed. When the moment came, he made the right decision, viewing the pleasures of sin in their true character as ephemeral, and at last unsatisfying. The greatness of such a decision "by faith" is implicit in the fact that even today so few find the power really to make it. Too many are unaware that the triumph of the wicked is short (Job 20:5), and that the righteous shall be held in everlasting remembrance (Psalms 112:6).

Hebrews 4:1 — Heb. 4:18, is taken up and further elaborated. "Rest" in the usage at this place is a much more varied and extensive thing than merely entering Canaan, for it is a concept that is made to stand for all the spiritual and eternal rewards of faith. The Christian rest includes rest in Christ, as procured by taking his yoke and learning of him (Matthew 11:28-29), rest from the labors of life (Revelation 14:13), and rest with the Lord in heaven throughout all eternity; and although the author

James 1:25 — insufficient. Gibson said that "The conception of the gospel as a law is characteristic of James"; E. C. S. Gibson, op. cit., p. 5. but that conception was also that of the apostle Paul who wrote, "Do we then make law of none effect through faith? God forbid: nay, we establish law" (Romans 3:31), also, "And so fulfill the law of Christ" (Galatians 6:2). The perfect law … It is impossible, logically, to refer this to the Law of Moses; because the writer of Hebrews declared

2 John 1:7 — speculations. The apostolic doctrine is that Jesus of Nazareth was the Son of God who was Christ, not only after his baptism, but in his death, burial and resurrection as well. With the apostle John, and all the New Testament teachers, the confession of full faith in Jesus Christ as the Son of God was central, imperative and absolutely essential to the Christian faith. The "many deceivers" mentioned in 2 John 1:7 stand in this letter opposed to the "certain of thy children walking in the truth,"