Bible Commentaries

Micah 5:6 — and growth of the Church, and be incorporated into Christ, being made part of His Body.And the land of Nimrod - Babylon, which should displace Assyria, but should carry on its work of chastising God’s people, is joined by Micah, as by Isaiah Isaiah 10:5-34; 13–14:27, as an object of His judgment. In Isaiah, they are the actual Assyria Isaiah 10:12-15 and Babylon Isaiah 14:13-15 whose destruction is foretold, yet so as to shadow out rebellion against God in its intensest form, making itself independent

Micah 6:14 — much gold and silver, or so much discomfort and indigence, so that those most true words of Christ Jesus seem to have been especially spoken of us, “Take heed, for a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth” Luke 12:15. And is not this true of us now?Thy casting down shall be in the midst of thee - Where thou hast laid up thy treasures, or rather thy wickedness, there thou shalt sink down, or give way, from inward decay, in the very center of thy wealth and thy sin.

Micah 6:5 — land, where they so sinned in Baal-peor, “unto Gilgal,” the first in the promised land, which they entered by miracle, where the Ark rested amid the victories given them, where the Covenant was renewed, and “the reproach of Egypt was rolled away” Joshua 5:9. Remember all, from your own deep sin and rebellion to the deep mercy of God.That ye may know the righteousness - (righteousnesses) of the Lord His Faithfulness in performing His promises to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. God speaketh of His promises,

Zephaniah 3:15 — comes, as He saith, “Now shall the prince of this world be cast out. The King of Israel, even the Lord” John 12:31, Christ the Lord, “is in the midst of thee,” of whom it is said, “He that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them” Revelation 7:15, and who Himself saith, “Lo I am with you always unto the end of the world” Matthew 28:20. “Where two or three are gathered together in My Name, there am I in the midst of you” Matthew 18:20.He who had removed “from the midst of her” the proud, Who

Zephaniah 3:4 — spake and to the people whom they deceived. Jerome: “They spake as if from the mouth of the Lord and uttered everything against the Lord.” “The leaders of the people,” those who profess to lead it aright, Isaiah says, “are its misleaders” (Isaiah 9:15 (Isaiah 9:16 in English)). “Thy prophets,” Jeremiah says, “have seen vain and foolish things for thee; they have seen for thee false visions and causes of banishment” Lamentations 2:14.Her priests have polluted her sanctuary - Literally, “holiness,”

Zechariah 8:3 — glorious titles.”God had symbolized to Ezekiel the departure of His special presence, in that the “glory of the God of Israel” which was over the temple, at “the very place where they placed the image of jealousy, “went up from the Cherub” Ezekiel 8:4-5, whereupon it was, “to the threshold of the house” Ezekiel 9:3; then “stood over the Cherubim” Ezekiel 10:4, Ezekiel 10:18; and then “went up from the midst of the city and stood upon the mountain, which is on the east side of the city” Ezekiel 11:23,

Zechariah 8:6 — this remnant, but “the remnant of this people,” that is, those who should remain over of it, that is, of the people who were returned. It is the remnant of the larger whole, this people (see at Amos 1:8, vol. i. p. 247, n. 28, and on Haggai 1:12, p. 305). It is still “the remnant according to the election of grace;” that election which obtained what all Israel sought, but, seeking wrongly, were blinded Romans 11:5-7.Shall it be marvelous in Mine eyes also? - It is an indirect question in the way of

Zechariah 9:5 — neighbor cities of Philistia who had hoped that her might should be their stay, shall stand in fear and shame. Tyre, being a merchant-city, the mother-city of the cities of the African coast and in Spain, its desolation caused the more terror Isaiah 23:5-11.And the - (a) king shall perish from Gaza - that is it shall have no more kings. It had been the policy of the world-empires to have tributary kings in the petty kingdoms which they conquered, thus providing lot their continued tranquil submission

Matthew 16:21-23 — Messiah. He first, therefore, convinced them that he was the Christ, and then, with great prudence, began to correct their apprehensions of the proper character of the Messiah.Elders - The men of the great council or Sanhedrin. See the notes at Matthew 5:7.Chief priests and scribes - See the notes at Matthew 3:7.Matthew 16:22Then Peter took him - This may mean either that he interrupted him, or that he took him aside, or that he took him by the hand as a friend.This latter is probably the true meaning.

Matthew 24:31 — And he shall send his angels - “Angels” signify, literally, “messengers,” Luke 7:24; Luke 9:52. The word is often applied to inanimate objects, or to anything that God employs to rescue his people from danger Psalms 104:4; but it most commonly refers to the race of intelligent beings more exalted than man, who are employed often in the work

Matthew 5:1 — however, in the midst of his hearers, for it affords a platform amply large enough for the accommodation of the hundreds who may have been present on that occasion.”And when he was set - This was the common mode of teaching among the Jews, Luke 4:20; Luke 5:3; John 8:2; Acts 13:14; Acts 16:13.His disciples came unto him - The word “disciples” means “learners,” those who are taught. Here it is put for those who attended on the ministry of Jesus, and does not imply that they were all Christians. See John

Mark 16:1-8 — rise, gives more strength to the evidence for his resurrection.Mark 16:4It was very great - These words belong to the third verse: “Who shall roll us away the stone from the door of the sepulchre?” for, the evangelist adds, it was very great.Mark 16:5Sitting on the right side - As they entered. The sepulchre was large enough to admit persons to go into it; not unlike, in that respect, our vaults.Mark 16:7Tell his disciples and Peter - It is remarkable that Peter is singled out for special notice.

John 1:51 — Nathanael we may learn: 1.That Jesus searches the heart. 2.That he was truly the Messiah. 3.That he was under the protection of God. 4.That if we have faith in Jesus, it will be continually strengthened the evidence will grow brighter and brighter. 5.That if we believe his word, we shall yet see full proof that his word is true.Since Jesus was under the protection of God, so all his friends will be. God will defend and save us also if we put our trust in Him. Jesus applied terms expressive of humility

John 12:2-8 — who have been restored to life from the dead have made any communications respecting that world. See Luke 16:31, and the notes at 2 Corinthians 12:4.John 12:4Which should betray him - Greek, “who was to betray him” - that is, who would do it.John 12:5Three hundred pence - About 40,00, or 8 British pounds, 10 shillings (circa 1880’s).And given to the poor - The avails or value of it given to the poor.John 12:6Had the bag - The word translated “bag” is compounded of two words, meaning “tongue,” and

John 21:25 — and that he had not pretended to give them all, but only such as would go to establish the main point for which he wrote that he was the Messiah, John 20:30-31. The figure which John uses here is not uncommon in the Scriptures, Genesis 11:4; Genesis 15:5; Numbers 13:33; Daniel 4:20.This gospel contains in itself the clearest proof of inspiration. It is the work of a fisherman of Galilee, without any proof that he had any unusual advantages. It is a connected, clear, and satisfactory argument to establish

John 5:2 — 292): “Just to the east of the Turkish garrison, and under the northern wall of the mosque, is a deep excavation, supposed by many to be the ancient pool of Bethesda, into which the sick descended after the troubling of the water, and were healed, John 5:1 ff. It is 360 feet long, 130 feet wide, and 75 deep. The evangelist says that this pool was near the sheep-gate, as the Greek probably signifies, rather than sheep-market, as rendered in the English version. That gate, according to Nehemiah 3:1 ff,

Acts 13:41 — them.(4) There are people who will not believe in the possibility of their being lost, though it be declared by prophets, by apostles, by the Saviour, and by God. They will still remain in fancied security, and suffer nothing to alarm or rouse them. But,(5) As the fancied security of the Jew furnished no safety against the Babylonians or the Romans, so it is true that the indifference and unconcern of sinners will not furnish any security against the dreadful wrath of God. Yet there are multitudes who

Acts 2:36 — without any hesitation or possibility of mistake. This is the sum of his argument or his discourse. He had established the points which he purposed to prove, and he now applies it to his hearers.God hath made - God hath appointed or constituted. See Acts 5:31.That same Jesus - The very person who had suffered. He was raised with the same body, and had the same soul; he was the same being, as distinguished from all others. So Christians, in the resurrection, will be the same beings that they were before

Acts 2:41 — demand on them was to yield themselves at once to God. And their profession was made, and the ordinance which sealed their profession administered without delay.And the same day - The discourse of Peter commenced at nine o’clock in the morning, Acts 2:15. How long it continued it is not said; but the ceremony of admitting them to the church and of baptizing them was evidently performed on the same day. The mode in which this is done is not mentioned; but it is highly improbable that in the midst of

Acts 4:10 — epithets of opprobrium which may be affixed to themselves or to their religion.Whom ye crucified - There is emphasis in all the expressions that Peter uses. He had before charged the people with the crime of having put him to death, Acts 2:23; Acts 3:14-15. But he now had the opportunity, contrary to all expectation, of urging the charge with still greater force on the rulers themselves, on the very council which had condemned him and delivered him to Pilate. It was a remarkable providence that an opportunity