Bible Commentaries

Numbers 20 overview — here probably being that Moses did not write the account of his own death, that account in Deuteronomy (Deuteronomy 34) being reserved for its addition by the inspired Joshua. Even so, Moses fully recounted the tragic failure, momentarily, of his great faith and the ensuing displeasure of God. Over and beyond the sin of Moses at Meribah, it was contrary to the will of God for Moses to enter Canaan as the leader of Israel. Had he done so, the essential truth that neither Moses (nor the Law that came

Acts 1:3 — specifics, however, are clearly visible in what is recorded, such as: (1) that Jesus is the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy (Luke 24:47; Luke 24:44-45); (2) that all men, including the Gentiles, were to be received into the kingdom through their faith and submission to baptism (Matthew 28:19-20 and Mark 16:15-16); (3) that Jesus would be with his church perpetually, watching over his followers providentially (Matthew 28:20 and Mark 16:17 ff), etc. Concerning the kingdom … Not only here,

Acts 11:18 — a thing as repentance, or any other obedience; and therefore, when God consents to permit repentance on man's part as one of the prior conditions of forgiving him, it is in essence a gift of God Unto life … Whereas the New Testament speaks of faith being "unto" righteousness (Romans 10:10), repentance being "unto" life (as here), and confession being "unto" salvation (Romans 10:10), it is of baptism alone that the word of God declares it to be "into Christ"

Acts 19:11-12 — aprons, etc., taken from Paul's body to the distressed, must be allowed as genuine, for the word "inasmuch" dearly shows this. Perhaps, as Dummelow said: God condescended to work miracles through these handkerchiefs, having regard to the genuine faith of those who thus used them, and not to their superstition. J. R. Dummelow, op. cit., p. 845. Such healings were so rare that "Luke calls them "special miracles." W. R. Walker, op. cit., p. 54. This is an appropriate place to mention

Acts 7 overview — the Men of the Bible (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1958), p. 321. and it is appropriate that the first to win the martyr's crown should have worn such a name. It is said of Stephen in the New Testament that he was a man: Full of faith (Acts 6:5). Full of grace (Acts 6:8, English Revised Version). Full of power (Acts 6:8). Full of light (Acts 6:15). Full of scripture (Acts 7). Full of wisdom (Acts 6:3; Acts 6:10). Full of courage (Acts 7:51-56). Full of love (Acts 7:60). Ibid.,

Acts 7:57-58 — martyrs is the seed of the church." That young man was never to forget what his eyes that day beheld, what his heart felt, and what his conscience said; and there was born in his soul that instant an impression that would in time recruit him to the faith of Christ and energize the greatest evangelist of all ages.

Romans 15:14 — very high degree of the body of Christ in the great imperial capital, which never having enjoyed the visit Of an apostle, having come from various lands and provinces, and being a truly cosmopolitan group, had, nevertheless, maintained unity of the faith, not being deficient in any vital knowledge, and truly exhibiting all the virtues and graces of Christianity. One limitation of Paul's word regarding "all knowledge" was noted by Lenski, thus: "All knowledge" does not mean all

Romans 6:19 — dramatic and familiar comparison. Just as it was unthinkable that a manumitted slave would keep on working for his old master, so it is unthinkable that a Christian would go on serving Satan after being delivered from the bondage of sin through his faith and obedience of the gospel. To paraphrase this verse, without metaphor, Paul was simply telling the disciples that just as they once used all their time and resources in committing impure and lawless deeds, now they should use all their energies

Romans 8:5 — in the flesh, which is doomed indeed to death, not however, on its own account, but on account of sin. Tertullian, loc. cit. Once the stubborn soul of man, the inner man himself, as distinguished from the flesh, has become reconciled to God through faith and obedience to the gospel of Christ, and has received the Holy Spirit of promise, such a person is then endowed with a whole new set of values. He is born again! Thus the man walks "in newness of life," as Paul had already stated in

1 Corinthians 13 overview — church are continually in view. Both the positive and negative attributes of love in 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 are clearly the opposites of conditions among the Corinthians. Also, such words as "tongues … prophecy … knowledge … faith so as to move mountains cannot be understood, except as references to the miraculous gifts at Corinth. This chapter should never be construed as merely an abstract teaching on love, parenthetically inserted. The situation at Corinth was still the

1 Thessalonians 5:23 — along with the instance in Ephesians, of Paul's varying the formula of "grace and peace." Here it is "peace and grace." Sanctify you wholly … Despite the "setting apart" unto God that takes place in one's conversion (faith, repentance and baptism) into Christ, the sanctification in this verse refers to the continuation of the sanctification that is begun at the beginning of the Christian life. The word "wholly" indicates that it is a perfected or completed

1 Timothy 1:3 — in Rome. The thing that most concerned Paul was that the doctrine should be maintained absolutely in its purity and fidelity. The situation at Ephesus, where Paul had lately been, was compounded by the appearances of certain departures from the true faith, and this letter was Paul's charge to Timothy relative to making the necessary corrections. It appears that Paul was compelled, from whatever consideration we do not know, to proceed with all dispatch to Rome; hence the reason for his leaving Timothy

2 Timothy 2:10 — salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory. For the elect's sake … Disputes about whether this means those already saved or those to be saved in the future are pointless. All of the elect of all times and places truly benefit from the faithful suffering of the apostle Paul. Had there been any wavering on his part, any form of retraction, denial or adjustment of the holy message he had shouted up and down the ancient empire; had there been on Paul's part the slightest evidence of his

Hebrews 1:13 — the seed of the serpent and her children, in which strife every one of us particularly have our fight, so that from our mother's womb until we lie down in the grave our life is a warfare upon the earth. Ibid., p. 60. From that beleaguered citadel of faith in which every child of God is besieged and threatened by the encroachments and frustrations imposed by the evil one, how glorious is the refreshment that comes from a glance heavenward where the Head and Redeemer sits in eternal enthronement, exercising

Hebrews 3:14 — the judicial discharge from their sins, by means of his sacrifice; and look forward to entering heaven itself by having become members of his spiritual body the church. Here again, as in Hebrews 3:6, is given the necessity for believers to continue faithfully and enthusiastically "to the end"; what end? Any end whatsoever! Perhaps the words "to the end" are unspecific on purpose in order to cover a range of meanings such as: (1) the end of a particular period of temptation; (2)

James 4:17 — To him therefore that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin. The primary application to what James had just said is evident; but, as frequently in the word of God, the principle here extends to the whole theater of faith and the obligations incumbent upon men. Tasker expressed it thus, "This maxim has wider reference than that which is drawn from it in this particular context." Ibid. Oesterley perceptively attributed James' teaching in this verse to the

1 Peter 4:12 — third and final major division of the epistle begins, and in it Peter gives the climax of his urgent warning and strengthening of the church against the terrible persecution, already under way, but soon to issue in the death of countless numbers of the faithful. First of all, this verse says, in effect, it is natural for the world to hate you; do not think there is anything strange or unusual happening to you. All of the apostles had already discovered the truth of the Saviour's warning: If the world

1 Peter 5:8 — lion elevated in the person of Nero upon the throne of the Caesars and thundering his decrees of death and destruction, like a roaring lion! Many of the Christians would be terrified and intimidated, and some under threat of death would renounce their faith. Satan's true nature is more visible in this than in the other Scriptural likenesses; because he adopts other methods only when circumstances make it impossible for him openly and wantonly to destroy, as was the case in the Neronian persecution.

2 Peter 3:9 — slack concerning his promise, as some count slackness; but is longsuffering to you-ward, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. "Here the writer of this epistle enables us to view the summit of the Christian faith, and to rise to a magnificent conception of God." R. H. Strachan, op. cit., p. 144. Barclay even went so far as to see a hint of universalism in it: "Ever and again there shines in Scripture the glint of the larger hope … that somehow

Revelation 22:20 — further discussion of the use of these expressions in the New Testament church. As Caird summed it up: No one who has ever read John's book can have any doubt about what the prayer is asking. It is a prayer that Christ will come again to win in the faith of his servants the victory which is both Calvary and Armageddon. G. B. Caird, op. cit., p. 288. Caird also pointed out the responsive nature of this verse, indicating "its standing in the liturgical setting of the eucharist, answered by the