Bible Commentaries

Genesis 15:1 — commandments of Jehovah, in leaving Ur, in leaving Haran, in going to Canaan, and (probably) in the return to Bethel; and, as we have already noted, the expedition to rescue Lot could not have been undertaken without prayer for God's aid. Abram's obedient faith was the grounds upon which God had accounted Abram righteous, long before the events of this chapter. Could God possibly have said, "I am thy shield, etc.," if this had not been so? Was God in the business of being the shield and exceeding great

Genesis 5:6 — fellowship with God morally and religiously perfect."John Skinner, op. cit., p. 127. Based upon the expression, "He was not, for God took him," we are to conclude that Enoch never died, but was translated into an eternal fellowship with the Creator. "By faith Enoch was taken up so that he should not see death" (Hebrews 11:5). From these words Willis drew the conclusion that, "The word take functions as a technical term for man's translation by God to a higher existence."John T. Willis, Genesis (Austin:

2 Chronicles 29:1-11 — drawing largely upon his imagination, and evidently cared little about accuracy of detail.International Critical Commentary, op. cit., p. 466. To such so-called scholarship as this, we wish to say NO! It is the evil radical critics, seeking to destroy faith in the Word of God, who are drawing upon their imagination. The real Biblical Midrash is that imaginary P Code, that alleged discovery in the reign of Josiah, the Jehovist, the Elohist, the Deuteronomist, and the Second, Third, or Twentieth ISAIAH,

Leviticus 8:31-36 — priests to remain at the door of the tent of meeting and not to depart from it either day or night for a whole seven days has its particular symbolism for Christians. We too have been baptized, and have received the token gift of God's Spirit, and, by faith, our hearts have been sprinkled with the blood of the Atonement, even that of Christ, but God is not through with us. Seiss was doubtless correct in seeing this seven-day period as a symbolical indication of the Christian's entire earthly life.

Isaiah 52:13-15 — produced by the Hebrew people, but given of Almighty God through Isaiah. The conception of a suffering, humiliated, chastised, rejected, crucified Saviour was contrary to absolutely everything that the Jews desired; and when the Christ came, it was his faithful adherence to the pattern laid down here that caused their rejection and their clamoring for his death. Paul's remarks quoted above, "Suggest Psalms 89:27 where Jehovah said of the Messiah, `I also will make him the Firstborn, supreme above the

Jeremiah 32:36-44 — Racial Israel would never break the covenant (the old one) again is foreign to everything in the entire Bible. The prophecy here (in Jeremiah 32:40) that God's people will not again break his covenant has been fulfilled by the continuity of the Christian faith upon earth; and, "In these two conditions, that neither God nor his people shall break the New Covenant, lies the certainty of the eternal duration of that covenant."Scribner's Bible Commentary (New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1898), p. 485. Then,

Ezekiel 3:16-21 — from grace" (Galatians 5:4); and that did not mean that, "They had abandoned the basis of grace for works of their own,"Charles Lee Feinberg in Ezekiel (Moody Press), p. 29. as Feinberg thought, but that, they had abandoned reliance upon the work of faith for reliance upon the works of the Law of Moses! The great warning of 1 Corinthians 10:12 is a total fraud unless there is genuine danger of falling for every Christian who ever lived. "Let him that standeth take heed lest he fall." Nor is the old

Jonah 2:1 — and living in the Word of God, and is in perfect accordance with the prophet's circumstances and the state of his mind."Ibid. There are no quotations from the Psalms in Jonah's words, but only the usage of certain words, phrases, etc., known to all faithful Hebrews. "The words (in Jonah's prayer) fit none (of the Psalms) well enough to conclude that they are specific quotations. More likely, many Psalms were in mind and freely paraphrased to fit the particular situation and in a manner which expressed

Matthew 13:55-56 — The lazy mind takes the lazy way out. (4) It was illogical. Strange that Nazareth should have rejected the Holy One who was welcomed with "Hosannas" in Jerusalem; but the same illogical phenomenon is yet seen in men who will blindly reject a faith that was held by men like Paul, Washington, Newton, and countless others of the greatest minds ever known on earth. (5) It was moral cowardice. The gossips of Nazareth did not have the moral courage to kneel at the feet of Jesus. The rich young

Matthew 23:7-9 — Christ's plain word the moment one is made a title or symbol of religious authority to which other men are expected to give obedience, allegiance, submission, or deference. All titles that seek to elevate one man above another in the solemn business of the faith in Christ are wrong. Some of the arguments brethren use to maintain this truth may sometimes be described as illogical, but the truth is overwhelmingly plain and undeniable. Christ condemned religious titles of preferment and authority because all

Deuteronomy 3:23-29 — misunderstand Moses' mention of those pagan gods. The worship of such so-called "gods" was everywhere in the land of Egypt, and all over the world of that period. After witnessing the triumph of Jehovah over all the pagan gods of Egypt, Moses could have had NO faith whatever in the reality of any such "gods." "There can be no doubt about the genuine monotheism of Moses."Ibid. "Thou shalt not go over this Jordan" One's heart goes out on behalf of Moses here. His experience is like that of many of the rest of

Acts 2:2-4 — Lange, that the "kingdom of power and of grace is governed by one God." John Peter Lange, Commentary on Acts (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, n.d.), p. 31. It is also proof that the God of nature and the God of religious faith are one and the same. Although the tongues so strongly resembled fire, this may not be called a baptism of fire; "for the context in the Gospel (Matthew 3:11 f) suggests that the baptism of fire is the judgment of those who reject the Messiah,

Romans 11:17-18 — it, a failure exactly like that of the Jews, were doubtless the underlying reason why Paul diligently strove in Romans to prove the absolute unworthiness of all people, and to establish the golden premise that salvation is of grace through an obedient faith, as positively distinguished from all human merit. Paul's awareness of the encroaching attitude of superiority in Gentile Christians must have produced emotions similar to those of a mother, whose entire family were ruined through alcoholic debauchery,

Romans 8:9 — obey the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. The results of the indwelling of the Spirit in the hearts of God's children are also spelled out in Galatians 5:22-23, where such results are defined as love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and self-control. Specifically it should be observed that certain things are not said to be the fruit of the Spirit. Such things as miracles, gifts of prophecy, and speaking in tongues are not included. The Holy Spirit is not a spirit

Romans 9:10-13 — profane person and a fornicator (Hebrews 12:16). Thus, Esau was rejected and Jacob chosen because of God's foreknowledge of what would take place in the lives of both of them. When Isaac blessed his sons, the scriptures relate that he did so "by faith concerning things to come" (Hebrews 11:20); and it is arbitrary and contrary to reason for anyone to suppose that God made choice between those brothers without taking into account the "things to come." Nothing in the election of

Galatians 6:18 — (Matthew 5:48). The manner of keeping this is discussed under Colossians 1:28, which see. 9.    What is done to the church, the spiritual body of Christ, is also done to Christ (Acts 9:4 ff). 10.    "Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee the crown of life" (Revelation 2:10). Etc. This is no more than a few suggestions; but they do not represent human opinion at all, but what Christ said. Let every man ponder this Law. The notion that the

Revelation 10 overview — The big thing in this chapter is "the little book open," which beyond any reasonable doubt is the New Testament. Of all the books ever heard of in the history of the world, there is only one small book continuing to remain open in spite of

Revelation 3:7 — M. Blaiklock, op. cit., p. 122. Following the edict of the League of Nations in 1922, practically all the Christians were deported. Holy … true … These attributes of Christ are clearly appropriate for a church maintaining their love and faith in Christ in the midst of pagan culture. Key of David … openeth and none shutteth … shutteth and none openeth … This verse is clearly related to the principal problem which confronted the Philadelphian church. That problem was

1 Samuel 17:1-11 — reject the passage as `unhistorical.' "All Israel… were dismayed and greatly afraid" "Here the Israelites were guilty of the same sin that has plagued God's people through the centuries… They did not really trust in God's power. David's faith stands out in bold contrast to that cowardice"John T. Willis, p. 181. "1 Samuel 17:12-31 are omitted in the Vatican copy of the LXX,"Albert Barnes, op. cit., p. 43. but the reason for this omission was solely due to the failure of translators to

2 Samuel 7:4-7 — declared that, "Solomon built him a house! Yet the Most High does not dwell in houses made with hands." (Acts 7:47). As Caird stated it, "The temple may have had its place in unifying national Israel, but it stood in the way of a more lofty and universal faith in God who dwells with the humble and contrite and is in their midst wherever they are gathered together."The Interpreter's Bible, Vol. 2, p. 1082. Bennett also spoke of, "The O.T. view that the Temple of Solomon was a mistaken innovation."Arthur