Bible Commentaries

Genesis 43:22-25 — way records what actually happened is unacceptable. That it was done, and that it was done exactly as indicated here is obviously the truth. "Your God and the God of your father" From this, it appears that Joseph's steward was aware of his master's faith in God, and that to some extent, at least, he himself shared it.

Psalms 36:10-12 — through God's grace, the workers of iniquity, when their time comes to fall, will perish."Ibid. "There" The psalmist here speaks as if he indeed sees the fallen hosts of wickedness. Perhaps those are correct who see this as an example of, "The man of faith who endures as seeing the things that are invisible."

Isaiah 46:12-13 — my glory." Paul in Romans 10:6-9 uses expressions very similar to some of those in this passage, the idea being that the way to please God is not a difficult thing to know. "The word is nigh thee, in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith which we preach." Henderson was correct in the observation that, "There seems to be here a transition, momentarily, to a greater deliverance than that from Babylon; Jehovah here hints that he will effect a far greater deliverance and that it would

Isaiah 64:9 — ungodliness, were heirs of the promises to Abraham; but this was never the case at all. The great New Testament principle that, "They are not all Israel who are of Israel," (Romans 9:6), seems never to have been comprehended by the Jews. Only those of like faith and character of Abraham were ever, in any sense whatever, the chosen people.

Numbers 32:28-32 — of Canaan, and the possession of our inheritance shall remain with us beyond the Jordan." This paragraph recounts the public proclamation of this important decision and its solemn ratification by the tribes concerned. They no doubt meant it in good faith, but they never did what they promised to do.

Zechariah 1 overview — had made their way back to Jerusalem following the seventy years of captivity, the prophet quite properly began with a stern call to repentance, reaffirming the eternal principle of God's truth that the divine favor is absolutely inseparably linked to faithful, godly living. Every generation needs this truth reinforced in the popular mind. The loving grace of God, of course, is free; but a sensuous, irreligious life is the forfeiture of God's grace and mercy. "Faith only" as a valid claim upon heavenly

Acts 15:7 — ago God made choice among you, that by mouth the Gentiles should hear the word of the gospel, and believe. Peter here has reference to the events related in Acts 10, where is recorded the conversion of Cornelius. Peter at that time had acted in good faith, baptizing Cornelius and his household without any thought of circumcision and law-keeping; but it is evident that the cunning Pharisees, in efforts to bring them all to their viewpoint, began by stressing the social issue of eating with the uncircumcised,

Romans 13:3 — catalogued and failures noted; but, in the principal part, and in the overwhelming number of examples afforded by history, Paul's language here must stand as unchallenged truth. There has hardly been a state in history where the private exercise of Christian faith has been the object of governmental hatred and punishment. The glaring exception to this is in the ruthless Marxist governments which have appeared in the present century; and, should that type of government gain ascendancy in areas populated by

1 Corinthians 4:9 — exposure of their sins of worldliness, vanity, conceit, vain glory and division. At the very moment of their sporting all those prideful airs of popularity and success, Paul in this verse reminds them how it is with the GENUINE teachers of the true faith, the holy apostles. The imagery here is that of the Roman Coliseum. "Paul pictures himself and fellow apostles as `the last and most worthless band' brought forth to die in the great arena, where the whole world, including men and angels, view

2 Corinthians 1:17 — according to the flesh, that with one there should be the yea yea and the nay nay? Paul's argument is simply that: Surely I cannot be accused of fickleness merely upon the basis of changes in my plans! He further declared that he had made his plans in good faith, changing them only when there appeared good and sufficient reasons for doing so. Incidentally, there is a glimpse in this of the fact that even so Spirit-filled a person as the blessed apostle was compelled to make future plans, not upon the basis

2 Corinthians 4:5 — For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake. We preach not ourselves … As Lipscomb declared, "This cannot mean that Paul excluded all reference to himself or his faith and maintained altogether an impersonal tone in his preaching." David Lipscomb, op. cit., p. 60. The meaning is that Paul rejected all personal claims to any human authority on his part, preaching only what Christ commanded him to preach. "All

2 Corinthians 8:15 — sufficient. The great lesson is that the man with much should ever hold his stewardship of abundance as subject to the just claims of the man whose necessities are impossible for himself unaided to meet. This is especially true of "the household of faith."

1 Timothy 5:8 — But if any man provideth not for his own, and specially his own household, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an unbeliever. Spence has the following comment on this verse: The circle of those whose support and sustenance were the responsibility of the Christian is here enlarged. Not merely parents and grandparents, but "he must

Philemon 1:6 — that the fellowship of thy faith may become effectual, in the knowledge of every good thing which is in you, unto Christ. The meaning of this verse is somewhat difficult to understand, but perhaps Hendriksen's paraphrase of it is adequate: The more thoroughly Philemon recognizes

Hebrews 10:24 — And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and good works. In a sense, the sentiment of this verse is a recurring theme in Hebrews. Again and again, the author stresses the maintenance of an enthusiastic morale in the hearts of the faithful, a subject he introduced in Hebrews 3:6; Hebrews 3:16, and to which repeated reference is made. The apostles taught that if one member of the body suffers, or is honored, all the others are likewise affected (1 Corinthians 12:26 ff). Christian

Hebrews 12:26 — (Hebrews 7:11 ff; Psalms 110:4), the very same thing is done in this place, where he refers to the earthquake at Sinai, and then to Haggai's prophecy of another such disturbance (Haggai 2:6), making the latter a prophecy of the end of the world. Such faith and perception on the part of the author of this epistle is a moving demonstration of the trust that may be reposed in every word that God has spoken. There are no unimportant scriptures. That a great earthquake will indeed occur at the end of the

Hebrews 13:16 — his oral profession; and the admonition to "communicate" is not a reference to anything verbal but to the old-fashioned grace of giving. It means that a Christian is obligated to give liberally, purposefully, continually, prayerfully, and faithfully, of his money and other possessions for the forward movement of the faith. A child of God who fails in this duty must be adjudged lacking in a vital area of duty. For thoughts on tithing see under Hebrews 7:8. The use of such a word as "communicate"

1 Peter 4:14 — If ye are reproached for the name of Christ, blessed are ye; because the Spirit of glory and the Spirit of God resteth upon you. It should be observed that the only wrong alleged against those persecuted ones was that of having accepted the faith of Christ. The conceit that the mere profession of Christianity did not become a capital offense until the reign of Domitian is categorically denied by a passage like this. Furthermore the universal tradition that Peter and Paul both died under

1 John 2:17 — honor may place upon his head for an instant some distinction or accolade, tomorrow cannot remember it. This tragic quality of all human glory is the reason why the apostles taught Christians to look to the unseen, the invisible realities of hope and faith in Christ for their true fulfillment. As Paul put it: We look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal (2 Corinthians 4:18). Paul's

2 John 1:4 — were privileged to meet persons whom we had baptized long ago, and with whom a reunion was held after those long years of not even knowing if they were even still living. The rejoicing that resulted from finding them still active and diligent in the faith of Christ, after so many years, was indeed a blessing of God. Even as we received commandment from the Father … Again, the apostolic "we" is prominent in this letter.