Bible Commentaries

Psalms 36 overview — the Lord.” On the meaning of the phrase “To the chief Musician.” see the notes at the title to Psalms 4:1-8. The words “A Psalm” are supplied by the translators. The original is simply “of,” or “by David,” as in Psalms 11:1-7; Psalms 14:1-7; Psalms 25:0; Psalms 26:1-12; and others, without indicating whether it is a “psalm” or a “prayer.” In many instances the “character” of the psalm is indicated try the title, as in Psalms 3:1-8; Psalms 4:1-8; Psalms 5:1-12; Psalms 6:1-10; and others, “A Psalm

Psalms 75 overview — Introduction to Psalms 73:0), and there is no reason to doubt that it is correctly attributed to him. On the phrase in the title, “To the chief Musician,” see Introduction to Psalms 4:1-8. On the phrase “Al-taschith,” see the notes on the title to Psalms 57:1-11. The phrase “A Psalm or Song” (in Hebrew, “a psalm - a song”), occurs also in the title, to other psalms, as Psalms 30:1-12; Psalms 65:1-13, etc.It is not possible now to determine the occasion on which this psalm was composed, as it is not indicated

Hosea 2:8 — For she did not know - The prophet having, in summary Hosea 2:5-7, related her fall, her chastisement, and her recovery, begins anew, enlarging both on the impending inflictions, and the future mercy. She “did not know,” because she would not; she “would not retain God in her knowledge” Romans 1:28. “Knowledge,”

Amos 5:25 — sacrifices were offered during the 38 years and a half, after God had rejected that generation, and left them to die in the wilderness. For the rebellion of Korah and his company was a claim to exercise the priesthood, as Aaron was exercising it Numbers 16:5, Numbers 16:9-10. When atonement was to be made, the “live coals” were already on the altar Numbers 16:46. These, however, were not the free-will offerings of the people, but the ordinance of God, performed by the priests. The people, in that they went

Jonah 1:2 — Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city - The Assyrian history, as far as it has yet been discovered, is very bare of events in regard to this period. We have as yet the names of three kings only for 150 years. But Assyria, as far as we know its history, was in its meridian. Just before the time of Jonah, perhaps ending in it, were the victorious reigns of Shalmanubar and Shamasiva; after him was that of Ivalush or Pul, the first aggressor upon Israel.

Haggai 2:21 — satrap of the province put the revolt down at once. At most two battles ended in the crucifixion of the rebel. The Jews, if they heard of them, knew them to be of no account. For the destroyer of the Persian empire was to come from the West Daniel 8:5, the fourth sovereign was to stir up all against the realm of Grecia Daniel 11:2, and Darius was but the third. In the same second year of Darius, in which Haggai gave this prophecy, the whole earth was exhibited to Zechariah as Zechariah 1:11, “sitting

Matthew 10:5 — This region was situated between Jerusalem and Galilee; so that in passing from the one to the other, it was a direct course to pass through Samaria. The capital of the country was Samaria, formerly a large and splendid city. It was situated about 15 miles to the northwest of the city of Shechem or Sychar (see the notes at John 4:5), and about 40 miles to the north of Jerusalem. For a description of this city, see the notes at Isaiah 28:1. Sychar or Shechem was also a city within the limits of Samaria.This

Matthew 12:9-13 — The account contained in these verses is recorded also in Mark 3:1-5, and Luke 6:6-10.Matthew 12:10A man which had his hand withered - This was probably one form of the palsy. See Barnes Mt 4:24.Mark and Luke have mentioned some circumstances omitted by Matthew. They say that Jesus addressed the man, and told him to

Mark 16:16 — the soul, the other of its manifestation before men or of a profession, of religion. Every man endangers his eternal interest by being ashamed of Christ before men. See Mark 8:38.Shall be saved - Saved from sin Matthew 1:21 and from eternal death John 5:24; John 3:36, and raised to eternal life in heaven, John 5:28; John 17:2, John 17:24.Shall be damned - That is, condemned by God and cast off from his presence, 2 Thessalonians 1:6-9. It implies that they will be adjudged to be guilty by God in the

Luke 2:14 — filled with peace!Good will toward men - The gift of the Saviour is an expression of good-will or love to people, and therefore God is to be praised. The work of redemption is uniformly represented as the fruit of the love of God, John 3:16; Ephesians 5:2; 1 John 4:10; Revelation 1:5. No words can express the greatness of that love. It can only be measured by the “misery, helplessness,” and “danger” of man; by the extent of his sufferings here and in the world of woe if he had not been saved; by the

Acts 2:24 — image of a band that confined people, that pressed closely on them, that prevented escape, and produced severe suffering. For this use of the word חבל chebel, see Psalms 119:61; Isaiah 66:7; Jeremiah 22:23; Hosea 13:13. It is applied to death, Psalms 18:5, “The snares of death prevented me”; corresponding to the word “sorrows” in the previous part of the verse; Psalms 116:3, “The sorrows of death compassed me, and the pains of hell (Hades or Sheol, the cords or pains that were binding me down to the

Romans 11:1 — entirely.” This objection he answers by showing,That God had saved him, a Jew, and therefore that he could not mean that God had east off all Jews Romans 11:1; That now, as in former times of great declension, God had reserved a remnant Romans 11:2-5; That it accorded with the Scriptures that a part should be hardened Romans 11:6-10; That the design of the rejection was not final, but was to admit the Gentiles to the privileges of Christianity Romans 11:11-24; That the Jews should yet return to

1 Corinthians 3 overview — Paul had left unexplained. Hence, this division into parties. It became Paul, therefore, to state why he had confined his instructions to the rudiments of the gospel among them - and this occupies the first part of 1 Corinthians 3:0 and 1 Corinthians 5:1-11. The reason was, that they were not prepared to receive higher instruction, but were carnal, and he could not address them as being prepared to enter fully into the more profound doctrines of the Christian religion. The proof that this was so was

Ephesians 6:1 — He desires his welfare; and the placing of the child under the authority of the parent is about the same thing in regard to the welfare of the child, as it would be to endow the child at once with all the wisdom and experience of the parent himself.(5) It is important, because the family government is designed to be an imitation of the government of God. The government of God is what a perfect family government would be; and to accustom a child to be obedient to a parent, is designed to be one method

1 Thessalonians 5:14 — church, and not to the ministers of the gospel only. The duties here enjoined are such as pertain to all Christians in their appropriate spheres, and should not be left to be performed by ministers only.Warn them - The same word which in 1 Thessalonians 5:12 is rendered “admonish.” It is the duty of every church member, as well as of the ministers of the gospel, affectionately to admonish those whom they know to be living contrary to the requirements of the gospel. One reason why there is so little piety

1 Thessalonians 5:3 — The word here rendered “sudden,” occurs nowhere else in the New Testament, except in Luke 21:34, “Lest that day come upon you unawares.” The word rendered “destruction” - ὄλεθρος olethros - occurs in the New Testament only here and in 1 Corinthians 5:5; 2Th 1:9; 1 Timothy 6:9, in all of which places it is correctly translated destruction. The word destruction is familiar to us. It means, properly, demolition; pulling down; the annihilation of the form of anything, or that form of parts which constitutes

2 Thessalonians 3:2 — such men everywhere, as all do who labor to diffuse the knowledge of the truth, but it is probable that there is particular reference here to the opposition which he encountered when in Corinth. This opposition arose mainly from the Jews; see Acts 18:5-6, Acts 18:12-13. The word “unreasonable” is rendered in the margin as “absurd.” The Greek word (ἀτόπος atopos) means, properly, “out of place;” then “absurd, unusual, strange; then improper, unreasonable, wicked.” It is rendered in Luke 23:41 as

2 Timothy 2:25 — embrace the truth; compare Acts 11:18. The word rendered “peradventure,” here - μήποτε mēpote - means, usually, “not even, never;” and then, “that never, lest ever” - the same as “lest perhaps.” It is translated “lest at any time,” Matthew 4:6; Matthew 5:25; Matthew 13:15; Mark 4:12; Luke 21:34; “lest,” Matt, Luke 7:6; Luke 13:29; Luke 15:32; “et al.: lest haply,” Luke 14:12; Acts 5:39. It does not imply that there was any CHance about what is said, but rather that there was uncertainty in the mind

1 John 5:14 — prayer. The apostle does not say that this is the only thing in respect to which there is to be confidence in him, but that it is one which is worthy of special consideration. The sense is, that one of the effects of believing on the Lord Jesus 1 John 5:13 is, that we have the assurance that our prayers will be answered. On the word “confidence,” see the notes at 1 John 3:21; 1 John 4:17.That, if we ask anything according to his will, he heareth us - This is the proper and the necessary limitation

Revelation 7:17 — For the Lamb, which is in the midst of the throne - notes on Revelation 5:6. He is still the great agent in promoting the happiness of the redeemed in heaven.Shall feed them - Rather, shall exercise over them the office of a shepherd - ποιμανεῖ poimainō. This includes much more than mere feeding. It embraces all the care