Bible Commentaries

Genesis 13:2-4 — Palestine (and of the whole world) was honored in a social setting that was rife with paganism. By such conduct, coupled with the repentance and rededication indicated by the very fact of his return to this altar, "Abram was becoming through his obedient faith the kind of man through whom (in the future) God would build his church."William Neil, Harper's Bible Commentary (New York: Harper and Row, 1975), p. 44.

Genesis 33:12-17 — way unto Seir. And Jacob journeyed to Succoth, and built him a house, and made booths for his cattle: therefore the name of the place is called Succoth." The brothers parted amicably in this scene. The offer of an escort by Esau was probably in good faith, but it would have been an embarrassment to Jacob. And, besides, there could have developed friction between his men and those of Esau. When Esau understood Jacob's unwillingness to receive it, he left off suggestions and returned on the way to

Genesis 41:46-53 — for God. Surely, his marriage with a pagan princess was not in keeping with that covenant. However it was, the terrible years of famine were about to begin, and during the rigors of those years, and his eventual reunion with his family, all of his old faith in the blessed covenant was renewed. And, on his deathbed he requested that when Israel entered Canaan, they would carry his bones with them (Genesis 50:26).

Genesis 7:7-9 — not have to round up the animals and corral them and drive them into the ark; they "went in unto Noah." "Because of the waters of the flood" This does not mean that they waited until it started raining, and then went in, but their knowledge, through faith, of what was to occur was the cause of their entry. This is clear enough from the statement in the very next verse. The supernatural nature of this whole narrative should not be overlooked. This is not the record, merely, of God's warning of a great

Exodus 29:38-42 — Jehovah. It shall be a continual burnt-offering throughout your generations at the door of the tent of meeting before Jehovah, where I will meet you, to speak there unto thee." Here is the institution of one of the most distinctive features of the Judaic faith, that of the Daily Sacrifice, an institution that was observed by Israel throughout their history unto the destruction of Jerusalem by Vespasian and Titus in A.D. 70. It ceased, as God prophesied that it would, "upon the wings of abomination" when

1 Kings 19:1-4 — the grand confrontation between her 450y pagan priests and Elijah, and how it had been terminated in their execution, if she had been anything else except a dedicated enemy of God Himself, she would have renounced paganism and have accepted the true faith in God. "There are eyes so blinded (2 Corinthians 4:4) and hearts so steeled against the truth that no evidence can reach them; and this fierce murderer of the prophets had long been given over to a reprobate mind. She listened to Ahab's account,

John 21:25 — on the failure of one Gospel or another to record what was related or omitted by another. We have found many disagreements with scholars like Alan Richardson; but, despite this, his final words regarding this Gospel are magnificent. He said: When in faith we have received John's testimony, and have learned from him that JESUS IS THE CHRIST THE SON OF GOD, we shall, from the depth of our inmost conviction, add our testimony to what he has written, and say, WE KNOW THAT HIS WITNESS IS TRUE. Alan Richardson,

1 Corinthians 1:17 — Christ should be made void. Christ sent me not to baptize … Some have been diligent to make this passage an excuse for denying the necessity of the believer's baptism into Christ, as for example, Metz, who said, "The gospel of grace and faith that he proclaimed was as free from outer ritual and ceremony as it was devoid of legal observances." Donald S. Metz, op. cit., p. 316. If such a view is tenable, how can Paul's baptism of Stephanas, Gaius, and Crispus be explained? Of course,

1 Corinthians 2:1 — and devices of oratory, refused to accommodate the gospel to the style of the Greek philosophers, and did not try to adorn the truth with pagan wisdom. That Paul had the ability to do such things may not be doubted for a moment; but he wanted their faith to be in the power of God, not in the ability of human beings (1 Corinthians 2:5). Excellency of speech … "When the preaching itself is stressed to the degree that it obscures its own content, there is a case of excellency of speech."

2 Corinthians 6:14 — vain" (2 Corinthians 6:1); and (2) he had just touched upon a truth which undoubtedly had superlative impact upon his emotions, that being the loss of love for Paul on the part of the Corinthians. It was the encroachment of paganism against the holy faith which was the ground of the warning in 2 Corinthians 6:1 and the cause of the defection mentioned in 2 Corinthians 6:11-13; and it was directly in response to both of these that the scathing attack on paganism was delivered. Scholars who see some

Galatians 1:24 — advocate the gospel of an infallible church, whereas no church was ever infallible, not even any that were founded, or planted, by the apostles themselves, as detailed in the first chapters of Revelation. Still others preach the gospel of salvation by faith only, notwithstanding the fact that such a so-called gospel is anti-Scriptural, delusive, deceitful and contrary to everything in the New Testament. The great fad of our own times is the gospel of humanism, which deifies man himself, leaves the

Ephesians 1:7 — Christ." If there is any other way to be in Christ, someone should cite the New Testament passage which tells sinful people what it is, because it is clear enough that many are spurning the manner of being united with God "in Christ" through faith, repentance and submission to God's ordinance of baptism (1 Corinthians 12:13; Romans 6:3-5; Galatians 3:27). Redemption through his blood … The New Testament presents the blood of Jesus Christ as the purchase price of the church, the grounds

Ephesians 3:9 — not angels, spirits or other non-terrestrial beings. It is important to keep this in mind in the study of the next verse. The dispensation of the mystery … Paul's many references in the New Testament to the mystery of God, the mystery of the faith, the mystery of Christ, the great mystery, the mystery of godliness, etc., etc., are among the most interesting passages in the New Testament. Essentially, Christ himself is the mystery, a thumbnail biography of Christ actually being called the

Ephesians 4:2 — virtue in Christians because it reflects their evaluation, of themselves in respect of the infinitely righteous and holy God. It is the fountain from which are derived all of the Christian virtues. Conceit on the part of a child of God is a denial of the faith. There is also a very proper and necessary self-esteem which enters into Christian character (Romans 12:3). Meekness … Martin chose "gentleness" as a synonym for this word; Alfred Martin, Wycliffe Commentary, Ephesians (Chicago:

Hebrews 2:1 — Christ because: (1) some, being in him, are still not anchored in him; (2) subtle and powerful tides and currents surge and tug against the soul's safety; (3) the believer fails to exercise due care and diligence in the defense and development of his faith; and (4) some allow preoccupation with unimportant and secondary things to preempt too much of their time and attention. The description of apostasy given in this verse is true to life for people seldom turn boldly and dramatically away from the

Hebrews 3:19 — and productive land of Canaan, we seem to read, in characters so plain that only willful error can mistake their meaning, the great truth that the earthly prospects of all may be materially and even vitally affected by the possession or the want of faith. H. B. Moffatt, The Biblical Illustrator (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Book House, 1967), p. 287.

Hebrews 5:13-14 — the passage before us, it is plain that spiritual maturity is not simply a matter of time. Many who have been Christians many years may be in the condition of these Hebrew Christians. True spiritual growth is the result of prayer, study, meditation, faithfulness, diligence, exercise, and the successful struggle against temptations. The need for spiritual maturity is implicit in the confusion of the complex and sinful world in which people live. Matters of right and wrong do not always appear as checkerboard

1 Peter 2:5 — covenant (Matthew 26:28; Hebrews 13:20; Hebrews 10:29). Nevertheless, there are sacrifices which God's holy nation of the new Israel, which is the church, must now offer according to the will of God. And what are these? (a)    Our faith is our sacrifice. "Even if I am to be poured out as a libation upon the sacrificial offering of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with you all" (Philippians 2:17). (b)    The love of God is our sacrifice. "And

Revelation 18:6 — the great" of this passage cannot possibly be literal Rome. According to her works … Christians should never forget this clause which sounds repeatedly like a refrain throughout the New Testament. The popular doctrine of salvation by "faith alone" is not a repeal of this principle, even if some think it is. In the cup which she mingled, mingle unto her double … This is a repetition, for emphasis, of the first clause of this verse.

Revelation 19:8 — "Righteous acts flow from a righteous character, which is entirely of the grace of God"; Charles Caldwell Ryrie, Revelation (Chicago: Moody Press, 1968), p. 111. but the righteous deeds do not do themselves! They are not done by the believer's faith, nor by the Holy Spirit, but they are done by the believer. Morris voiced a common view thus, "The white robes are not provided by any righteous acts on the part of the wearers," Leon Morris, Tyndale Commentaries, New Testament, Vol. 20,