Bible Commentaries

Genesis 33:3 — recognition of God’s goodness.—The name of God does not once, in the whole Scripture record, issue from Esau’s lips, whereas Jacob distinctly avers here again that God has been the source of his prosperity, ‘ because God hath dealt graciously with me’ (ver. 11). This is the clue to the difference in the characters of the brothers, and to the different blessings and Scriptural eminence accorded them. Speak of the propriety of acknowledging God’s hand in all events. II. In the reconcilement of his brother

Genesis 37:18 — UNBROTHERLY BROTHERS ‘They conspired against (Joseph).’ Genesis 37:18 The scene changes. Dothan was, and is, on the line of traffic between the East and Egypt; it was quite natural, therefore, that a company of merchants, camels and servants should pass along. A happy (?) thought now struck the brethren, as this picture

Exodus 20:8 — the Sabbath, and proved Himself to be so by turning what the Jews made a curse into a blessing. He asserted the true glory of the Sabbath Day in asserting the mystery of His own relation to God and to His creatures. Rev. F. D. Maurice. Illustration (1) ‘The observance of the Sabbath is the one piece of ritual, or form of worship, in the Decalogue. It is founded in Exodus on the divine rest from creation, while in the version of the Decalogue in Deuteronomy 5 it is based on kindliness to servants,

Exodus 21:5 — THE PREVAILING MOTIVE ‘The servant shall plainly say, I love my Master … I will not go out free.’ Exodus 21:5 John Wesley said truly that slavery is the sum of all the villainies. And yet servitude in an old Hebrew household must often have been a very happy experience. You recollect the picture of it, painted in this chapter. The seventh year, the year

Exodus 40:17 — THE TENT OF MEETING ‘The Tabernacle was reared up.’ Exodus 40:17 I. There was no such thing as approaching the ‘the tent of meeting’ in the wilderness except by passing by an altar baptised in blood.—So for humanity to-day there is no successful approach to God possible save by that way of access opened for sinners

1 Kings 21:20 — THE REBUKE OF SIN ‘And Ahab said to Elijah, Hast thou found me, O mine enemy? And he answered, I have found thee: because thou hast sold thyself to work evil in the sight of the Lord.’ 1 Kings 21:20 We are like Ahab: we hate to be reproved—it is so troublesome, it is so annoying. When the Church, or her ministers, or the voices of individual consciences rebuke some fault which has grown old among men, they look on the messengers of

2 Kings 10:16 — A GOOD LESSON FROM A BAD KING ‘See my zeal for the Lord.’ 2 Kings 10:16 I. The zeal of Jehu! How badly our own efforts after social or personal righteousness compare with it!—Put over against it our slackness, our indifference, our inertia, our negligence, in the face of great and crying wrongs, of indefensible and

2 Kings 2:24 — pequeños que fueron devorados por los osos, ha dañado el registro y malinterpretado el significado de este justo juicio. No hay duda sobre la interpretación correcta. Son los hombres jóvenes, no los niños y las niñas, los que están destinados. Comparando 1 Reyes 3:7 y Jeremias 1:6 encontramos que Salomón, cuando fue ungido rey, y Jeremías, cuando fue ungido profeta, fueron denominados “niños” y un “niño pequeño” por las mismas palabras hebreas empleadas aquí. No se refieren a lo que representa el idioma

2 Kings 23:30 — some sudden Providence when engaged in his work, or summoned by some speedy sickness, or in whatever way God may take him, he may be of good cheer and of a quiet mind, knowing that God will do all things well. Bishop Harvey Goodwin. Illustrations (1) ‘Josiah’s death was not a peaceful one. He persisted in going into conflict with Pharaoh-nechoh, king of Egypt, against the latter’s earnest remonstrance; and, in consequence of his hardihood, met his death. “His servants carried him in a chariot dead

1 Chronicles 29:15 — ‘AS A SHADOW LIFE IS FLEETING’ ‘Our days on the earth are as a shadow.’ 1 Chronicles 29:15 I. The shadow is a fit emblem of human life.—From the hour it falls on the dial it moves round the little circle until the sun sinks, when in a moment it is gone. A few hours past, and its work is done. The shadow thrown by the brightest

Nehemiah 13:26 — GOD’S ‘YET’ ‘Did not Solomon king of Israel sin by these things? yet among many nations was there no king like him, who was beloved of his God, and God made him king over all Israel: nevertheless even him did outlandish women cause to sin.’ Nehemiah 13:26 ‘YET’—but, for all that, notwithstanding, nevertheless—there was none like him. It required the whole Godhead to deliver that verdict on poor, frail, tottering human character. Solomon began well and ended ill. Outlandish women caused him to sin;

Nahum 1:1-15 — NAHUM: UN ESTUDIO 'La visión de Nahum el Elkoshita.' Nahúm 1:1 Se puede afirmar, sin temor a contradicciones, que el Libro del profeta Nahum es uno de los menos conocidos y estudiados de todos los libros proféticos del Antiguo Testamento. No es tan fácil decir por qué debería ser así, ya que, como poeta, Nahum

Luke 5:1 — SOBRE LA AUDIENCIA DE SERMONES "El pueblo lo presionó para oír la palabra de Dios". Lucas 5:1 Este anhelo de la gente por escuchar a Cristo está lleno de instrucción, y tanto de aliento como de advertencia para todos los que en todas las épocas predican y escuchan la Palabra de Gracia. I. Motivo — Algunos deseaban escuchar a Cristo por motivos

1 Corinthians 15:14 — EL DILEMA "Y si Cristo no ha resucitado, entonces nuestra predicación es vana, y también vuestra fe es vana". 1 Corintios 15:14 El Apóstol argumentó con justicia que si Cristo no resucitó, es otro cristianismo; si es un evangelio, no es el evangelio que nos ha sido encomendado, no es el evangelio en el que hemos apostado todo por el tiempo y la eternidad. Si

1 Thessalonians 5:24 — LO QUE HACE DIOS "Fiel es el que os llama, el cual también lo hará". 1 Tesalonicenses 5:24 La razón por la que la mayoría de los cristianos no son tan felices como deberían, es esta: están buscando pruebas y aliento en sus propios corazones, y no en Dios. El atractivo supremo, la verdadera lógica del alma, el único lugar

Judges 14:20 — AN ILL-FATED UNION ‘Samson’s wife was given to his companion.’ Judges 14:20 I. Samson had been brought up in the faith of the Lord God of Israel.—He was in covenant with Him by circumcision. His religious duty was to love the Lord his God with all his heart, and to serve Him alone. His wife did not believe in the Lord,

Judges 16:17 — her all his heart, and said unto her, There hath not come a razor upon mine head; for I have been a Nazarite unto God from my mother’s womb: if I be shaven, then my strength will go from me, and I shall become weak, and be like any other man.’ Judges 16:17 Samson is unlike any other character in Scripture. Although the sphere in which he moved was a comparatively narrow one, he seems to have made a profound impression on the men of his time. The whole active life of Samson was spent in the district

2 Peter 1:4 — EXCEEDING GREAT AND PRECIOUS PROMISES ‘Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the Divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.’ 2 Peter 1:4 Why are these promises so great and precious? I. Because of the source from which they come.—These promises flow from the highest source, they flow from Him Who is the fountain of supply to all His people. They are great because they are bestowed

1 John 1:2-3 — the eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us; that which we have seen and heard declare we unto you also, that ye also may have fellowship with us; yea, and our fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ.’ 1 John 1:2-3 (R.V.) There are three questions that lie deep in the spirit of man. Sooner or later, if he thinks at all, he must encounter them, and they will ask him for an answer. I. Man’s questions and Christ’s answers.—The first is, What is the real

1 John 1:2-3 — la vida eterna, que estaba con el Padre, y se nos manifestó; lo que hemos visto y oído, os lo declaramos también a vosotros, para que vosotros también tengáis comunión con nosotros; sí, y nuestra comunión es con el Padre y con Su Hijo Jesucristo '. 1 Juan 1:2 (RV) Hay tres preguntas que están profundamente arraigadas en el espíritu del hombre. Tarde o temprano, si piensa algo, debe encontrarlos y le pedirán una respuesta. I. Las preguntas del hombre y las respuestas de Cristo. —La primera es, ¿Cuál