Bible Commentaries

Genesis 23:19-20 — Heth." Some have marveled that so much is made of this in the Bible, but the importance of it lies in the fact that this was the only part of the literal land of Canaan that Abraham ever owned. Also, his purchase of it at such an exorbitant price showed his faith that God in time would indeed drive out the Canaanites and give the land to the children of Abraham. That Abraham insisted on buying the place, when free burial grounds were offered, stems from the implications that might have accompanied such a

Genesis 30:43 — giving the greater number of children to Leah, who was actually more suitable to be the mother of patriarchs. We appreciate what Willis said about this: "The statement here (Genesis 30:22) that God opened Rachel's womb again affirms the inspired Biblical faith that God is personally and actively involved in human conception and birth, and that this process is not merely a natural phenomenon."John T. Willis, Genesis (Austin: Sweet Publishing Company, 1979), p. 344. The divine force that shaped the destiny

Exodus 25 overview — public worship. Some elements of worship, of course, had been known for centuries by all peoples as well as the Jew. Cain and Abel had received definite instructions with reference to sacrifices, else it would have been impossible for Abel "through faith" to offer a more excellent sacrifice than Cain. All of the patriarchs offered sacrifices, but now God would require the building of "a tabernacle," or sanctuary, in which a regular and formal schedule of religious events would more thoroughly instruct

Psalms 23 overview — remembers quoting it at every one of the one hundred funerals that he held in 1937, and upon countless other occasions also. Nothing else in the Bible, except New Testament passages such as John 14:1 ff, is able to provide the comfort and inspire the faith of believers in quite the same intensity as does this psalm. Some writers believe that two metaphors appear in this passage: (1) that of the shepherd (Psalms 23:1-4); and (2) that of the gracious and generous host (Psalms 23:5-6). Kyle Yates advocated

Deuteronomy 32:37-43 — the minds of the children of Israel the knowledge of their true God. Even today, many a child of God has found relief from temptation by the songs of the church found repeatedly upon his lips, as an ever present reminder of the great verities of the faith. "Where are their gods" (Deuteronomy 32:37). Keil reminds us that these are the false gods worshipped by the Israelites instead of the true God whom they have forsaken.C. F. Keil, op. cit., p. 489. The Creator is here represented as taunting the

1 Corinthians 4:6 — and spurning the meekness and humility taught throughout the Bible. Thus, as Grosheide said, "The whole question of factions was raised to a higher level," F. W. Grosheide, op. cit., p. 103. namely that of violating the scriptural rule of faith for the believer. "It is not his own words that Paul insists that the Corinthians must not go beyond; it is the word of God." William Barclay, op. cit., p. 43. Puffed up for the one against the other … An interesting phase of this

2 Corinthians 3:1 — had entered upon his mission of persecution to Damascus, he requested letters from the high priest (Acts 9:2); and from the above examples from the New Testament, it appears that the Jewish custom of granting credentials to legitimate members of the faith was brought over into the Christian religion. It was quite necessary to do this, because "Even Lucian, the pagan satirist, noted that any charlatan could make a fortune out of the simple-minded Christians, because they were so easily imposed

2 Corinthians 4:7 — background except that of laborers, etc. Let any man consider all of that, and then let him declare that God's purpose was indeed served by placing the inestimable riches of the treasures of the gospel in EARTHEN VESSELS, in order that the power of the new faith would be recognized as coming from God himself, and not from any abilities of its human advocate.

Galatians 2:1 — For full discussion of this man, see under 2 Corinthians 7:6. Barnabas … It should be noted that Paul, in order to avoid assuming any domination over Barnabas, stated that he went "with" him; whereas, in the case of Titus, one of his faithful followers, he referred to "taking him." One of Paul's purposes, in addition to that of defending his apostleship by making this journey, was to prove that he properly respected and honored those who were apostles before him; and, as

Galatians 2:3-5 — the following: PAUL: The binding of circumcision and Jewish ceremonial upon Christians violates the truth that the Christian religion is all that is needed for salvation …. TRUE. MEN: The binding of circumcision, etc., nullified the truth that faith in Christ is the sole and sufficient ground of justification. E. Huxtable, op. cit., p. 74. … FALSE. Such audacious perversions of sacred truth should be detected and rejected by all true believers in Christ.

Ephesians 6:11 — "probability"; but what is the "probability" that any fraudulent forger could have produced a book like Ephesians? The wiles of the devil … This refers to the strategems employed by the evil one with the design of destroying the faith of Christians. Paul was familiar with many of the devices by which Satan had sought to hinder and thwart his apostolic labors. He mentioned a glaring instance of this (1 Thessalonians 2:18), knew that the most intimate human relationships could

Hebrews 11:9 — By faith he became a sojourner in the land of promise, as in a land not his own, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise. Sojourner in the land of promise was the only status Abraham ever had in Canaan. Although God

Hebrews 12:17 — carried the memory of that shameful hour of his deception of Isaac, like a burning coal in his bosom, throughout all the 147 years of his life. With all his sins, however, Jacob did possess the one redeeming characteristic of regard for sacred things and faith in the promise of God, which enabled him to become a true prince of God, that being the meaning of the name "Israel," given to Jacob by an angel of the Highest (Genesis 32:28). The remaining 12 verses (Hebrews 12:18-29) present a contrast

Hebrews 13:25 — on the bleak shores of Massachusetts in January, 1621, they brought with them the Mayflower Compact, signed earlier aboard ship. It began with the solemn words, "In the name of God. Amen." The very word is hallowed in the song and story of faith. It is sounded in the halls of Congress, pronounced fervently on the field of battle, enunciated over the grave, and murmured by the dying. It is a blessed word. And how shall it be pronounced? Ah-men, or A-men? One might say it makes no difference;

Hebrews 3:16 — in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight" (Numbers 13:33). One might call that "the grasshopper complex" and find a great many examples of it today. (4) They accepted the majority report brought in by the ten unfaithful spies. The multitude of Israel looked at the ten instead of the two, blindly following the majority, feeling that wisdom was in that course, and unaware until too late that ignorance, defeat, folly and death lay with the majority. People of the

James 1:12 — here as "a new kind of living which is life indeed," William Barclay, op. cit., p. 49. but such a view falls far short of that which is promised. Regardless of all the spiritual emoluments of Christian living, despite the glory and dignity of faith in the present life, and after taking full account of all the joys of Christian service, all the victories of the abundant life in Christ, "If we have only hoped in Christ in this life, we are of all men most pitiable" (1 Corinthians 15:19).

1 Peter 4:6 — object of certain anxieties on the part of their Christian relatives. Paul, it will be remembered, addressed the Thessalonians on the same subject. Barnes spoke of this thus: It was natural in such a connection to speak of those who had died in the faith, and to show for their encouragement that, though they had been put to death, yet they still lived to God. Albert Barnes, Barnes' Notes on the New Testament (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Book House, 1953), p. 191. Significantly, the dead mentioned

Revelation 19:7 — bridegroom are taking up life together. For further elaboration of this, see under the above references in this series of commentaries, also in my Commentary on Matthew, pp. 6-8. And his wife hath made herself ready … This verse shocks the "faith only" people, who at once "correct this" by the comment that she made herself ready "not by doing anything of her own," and pointing out that "it was given to her, given by the pure grace of God, that she be clothed."

Revelation 22 overview — prophecies that a holy virgin would conceive and bear a son, that a man should die and not see corruption in the grave, or that one despised and rejected by man should be established forever upon the throne of David? "Yet the pious Jew preserved his faith amidst all these wonderful, and in appearance, contradictory intimations." Floyd Myers, Difficult Passages in Revelation Examined (Pekin, Indiana: Floyd Myers, 1960), p. 170. Just so, Christians should receive the great prophecies of the New

Revelation 3:18 — that they were proposing to enjoy true riches of Christ for nothing. The same is true of a great deal of the current religious world around us today. Among the things that "in a sense" must be exchanged for the true riches are an obedient faith in Jesus Christ. However, it is only "in a sense" that such may be called "buying." There is no quid pro quo that may be tendered in order to receive salvation; and it was probably this that Lenski intended. And white garments