Bible Commentaries

Jeremiah 23:13-15 — than Sodom and Gomorrah (Ezekiel 16). "Prophets of Samaria… prophets of Jerusalem" Smith analyzed the denunciation of these prophets, noting that, "The prophets of Samaria were open idolaters, whereas the prophets of Jerusalem professed the true faith but led immoral lives and lived in hypocrisy. Therefore they were more strongly condemned than the prophets of Samaria."Scribner's Bible Commentary (New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1898), p. 443.

Daniel 3 overview — If Nebuchadnezzar, or any other king, had been permitted by God to compel the Jews to bow down before pagan images, it must be considered very doubtful that Israel could have survived a period of seventy years and at the same time have retained their faith in God. Many of the older commentators understood the urgent need of just such interposition upon God's part as may be seen in this chapter and other portions of Daniel. The miracles here came at a juncture in Israel's history when the Chosen People

Zechariah 6:10 — other possible meanings, but here the meaning is: "Those who have been in exile but have returned to their country."Hinckley G. Mitchell, op. cit., p. 184. The names of the returnees given here were deeply religious names carrying these affirmations of faith in God: "Hildai = the Lord's world; Tobijah = the Lord is good; and Jedaiah = the Lord knows."Merrill F. Unger, op. cit., p. 111. "Come thou the same day" This connects the event of Joshua's crowning with the night visions as having occurred in

Matthew 14:19 — And he commanded the multitudes to sit down on the grass; and he took the five loaves, and the two fishes, and looking up to heaven, he blessed, and brake and gave the loaves to the disciples, and the disciples to the multitudes. Christ tested the faith of the multitude by the command to sit down on the grass. The store out of which food was to be supplied for so vast a company was evident to all; and it is a mark of their confidence in the Lord that they sat down. Note that Christ, as Billy Sunday

Matthew 18:4-6 — that a great millstone should be hanged about his neck, and that he should be sunk in the depth of the sea. The particular qualities of little children commended by Jesus are humility, freedom from prejudice, teachableness, lovableness, trustfulness, faith, freedom from anxiety, and innocence. Receiving a little child in Jesus' name refers to complete acceptance of a child-like believer because of his innocent and unrestrained trust in the Lord. The warning in this passage applies specifically to

Luke 1:72-73 — was widespread misunderstanding. The materialistic, secular priests, and a majority of the people, thought that mere fleshly descent from Abraham was all that mattered; but, of course, it was only to the "spiritual seed," the people of like faith and character with Abraham, that the promise really pertained. It was the great mission of John the Baptist to enlighten Israel on this very point.

Luke 10:40 — Mary's failure to help with the serving. Also, the three, Lazarus included, from the events recorded in John, would appear to have belonged to one household. It is not true that Martha was an unspiritual person, for one of the noblest confessions of faith in the New Testament was made by her (John 11:27); but in the incident here, she was indignant at what appeared in her eyes as a slight of duty on Mary's part; and she called for the Lord to rebuke it. Nor do the Lord's words deny that a duty had

Acts 6:5 — And the saying pleased the whole multitude: and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolaus a proselyte of Antioch. Stephen … is mentioned first, as Luke's narrative was about to recount his martyrdom. The qualifications that he

Acts 9:10-12 — passages from the Pauline epistles. Saul believed, repented and confessed Christ as "Lord" on the Damascus highway; but this did not save him. The Lord commanded that it would be told him what he must do in Damascus. Not only is it true that faith, repentance and confession did not result in his immediate forgiveness; but it is likewise true that even the laying on of the hands of Ananias, three days later, for the purpose of giving him recovery from blindness did not signal the forgiveness

Romans 10:6-8 — But the righteousness which is of faith saith thus, Say not in thy heart, Who shall ascend into heaven? (that is, to bring Christ down:) or, Who shall descend into the abyss? (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead.) But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, in thy mouth, and in thy

Romans 15:25-26 — attention in such a remark as that just quoted. Paul did not preach acceptance "apart from works' but apart from "works of the law of Moses" and "circumcision," Paul's position being exactly that of James that the "obedience of faith" is always absolutely required. Moreover, there is no cause for viewing Paul's fund-raising for the poor as "pathetic." It was not a mere strategy of Paul's to try and win favor in Jerusalem. He accepted the mission of aiding the

Romans 3:3-4 — For what if some were without faith? shall their want of faith make of none effect the faithfulness of God? God forbid: yea, let God be found true, but every man a liar; as it is written, That thou mightest be justified in thy words, And mightest prevail when thou comest into judgment. What

Romans 5:2 — Through whom also we have had our access by faith into this grace wherein we stand; and we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. The observant student will already have noted that Paul's writings in this letter lay great stress upon being "in Christ." Already, in this chapter, justification

Ephesians 1:13 — the possible interpretation that the "sealing" took place coincidentally and at the same time of their believing. In the general sense, of course, if "believing" is understood as the whole complex of actions involved in conversion (faith, repentance, confession, and baptism), no error is implied; however, "believing" or "faith" as used in the limited, technical sense of the theological jargon current today, is alleged to be something apart from being baptized

Hebrews 13:15 — plus all other forms of giving God the glory through oral testimony. It has been repeatedly revealed in Hebrews that a Christian's conversation, in the last analysis, is not merely a measure of his devotion but also a means of increasing both his own faith and that of others. (See under Hebrews 3:13.) Every hour of every day the child of God should seek occasions to speak humbly and lovingly of the wonderful blessings in Christian service, of the love and mercy of God, of God's goodness, and of the

Hebrews 3:17 — appears in the fact that God was ready thus to punish them but yielded to the intercession of Moses (Exodus 32:32). It has already been noted that this physical judgment against them did not compromise their right of eternal salvation, based upon their faith, repentance and obedience subsequent to their apostasy. (See under Hebrews 3:8). Also, in contrast, the Hebrew Christians, by their apostasy, would incur an even more terrible penalty in that they stood to forfeit heaven itself.

James 1 overview — "That ye may be perfect and entire, lacking in nothing." In this chapter, the following requirements for those who would be perfect are advocated: (1) be joyful in trials (James 1:2-4); (2) in ignorance and uncertainties, let the Christian pray in faith without doubting (James 1:5-8); (3) in economic disparities, the rich and the poor alike are to rejoice at their new status in Christ (James 1:9-11); (4) God is not to be blamed for temptations, but the source of temptation must be recognized as

Revelation 1:5 — And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loveth us, and loosed us from our sins by his blood. Jesus Christ who is the faithful witness … There is a powerful New Testament emphasis upon

Revelation 18:15-16 — "afar off." The ancient prejudice of businessmen that they are not concerned with religion will at last be confounded when there is none, or so little that it hardly counts on any effective scale. Woe, woe … They shall cry not for lost faith, but for lost profits. Caird confused the present tense of these supplementary and recapitulatory views of an end that has already occurred, saying, "After it has happened, men are still able to stand afar off and watch the smoke of their burning."

Revelation 21:10 — for viewing the great whore (Revelation 17:3); but it was only from such a lofty pinnacle as this that he could behold the glory of the Lamb's wife. "The heavenly city is to be described only from an exalted viewpoint, perhaps the high point of faith." Leon Morris, op. cit., p. 249. Coming down out of heaven from God … What an incredibly wonderful thought is this! That the church, which is made of ordinary mortals who came through the toils, struggles, temptations, and sorrows of