Bible Commentaries

Esther 2:17 — THE KING AND THE MAIDEN ‘The king loved Esther.’ Esther 2:17 ‘After these things’ (chap. 2:1) is an indefinite expression that may mark the interval, during which Xerxes invaded Greece and was ignominiously defeated. I. It almost appears that he was filled with compunction at the memory of his treatment of

Psalms 27:1 — ‘DOMINUS ILLUMINATIO MEA’ ‘The Lord is my light.’ Psalms 27:1 ‘The Lord is my light.’ Here only does David, in all his psalms, so speak of the Lord; and, indeed, this exact expression only occurs twice in the Old Testament. ‘When I sit in darkness,’ says the prophet Micah, ‘the Lord shall be a light unto me.’

Psalms 35:25 — hand.—We must learn to be broader and more generous in our prayers. Send a plenteous rain on Thine inheritance, Thou Lord of the waters. Illustration ‘A special occasion for this psalm is suggested by Hengstenberg in the declaration of David to Saul ( 1 Samuel 14:15): “The Lord, therefore, be Judge, and judge between me and thee, and see and plead my cause, and deliver me out of thine hand.” But he adds: “David speaks in the person of the righteous, and the truly Righteous One appropriates this psalm

Proverbs 26:13 — LAZINESS AND COWARDICE ‘The slothful man saith, There is a lion in the way; a lion is in the streets.’ Proverbs 26:13 I. There is a lion in the way!—In what way? I answer, In the way of life, of every life. Life, if it is to be a true life, is not an easy thing. The men who live for nobler objects than those of shameful selfishness, like St. Paul, will have to fight

Ecclesiastes 4:4 — from the rich treasures of his own experience we find the relation of an ascending grade from lower to higher and more brilliant conditions of happiness. I. From the sad lot of victims innocently suffering from tyrannical persecution and oppression (1–3), the description proceeds directly to the more lucky but not more innocent condition of persons consumed with envy, dissatisfaction, and jealousy, and who with toilsome efforts chase after the treasures of this earth. II. Looking with jealous envy

Ecclesiastes 8:1 — THE SECRET OF THE SHINING FACE ‘Wisdom maketh his face to shine.’ Ecclesiastes 8:1 ‘A man’s wisdom maketh his face to shine, and the boldness or coarseness of his face shall be changed.’ I. In ancient days it was noted that piety has an effect on the countenance.—It brings refinement. It is a remarkable fact that wherever the Bible

Isaiah 28:16 — THE CALMNESS OF FAITH ‘He that believeth shall not make haste.’ Isaiah 28:16 Our day is one in which men, emphatically, ‘make haste.’ The idea of the text is, that if a man believes in God, and trusts in God, and will consent to work on the lines which God has laid down, he will be saved from that restless, worldly agitation

Isaiah 5:2 — A DISAPPOINTING VINTAGE ‘He looked that it should bring forth grapes, and it brought forth wild grapes.’ Isaiah 5:2 I. Consider the distinguishing features which, in God’s allegory, separate the grape from the wild grape.—(1) The good grape is not in a state of nature; the wild grape is. Either it has had no culture, or it has not responded to its culture. Therefore it is wild. The secret of its state lies in that one word ‘wild.’ (2) The wild grape does not grow or ripen

Isaiah 60:19 — THE SYMBOL AND THE REALITY ‘The sun shall be no more thy light by day; neither for brightness shall the moon give light unto thee: but the Lord shall be unto thee an everlasting light, and thy God thy glory.’ Isaiah 60:19 I. There is no better test of men’s progress than the advancing power to do without the things which used to be essential to their lives.—The lives of men who have been always growing are strewed along their whole course with things they have learned

Jeremiah 5:1 — NO! NOT ONE! ‘If there be any that executeth judgment.’ Jeremiah 5:1 I. A nation’s moral ruin.—The desperate condition of the Hebrew people is described in moving terms. Both high and low were equally corrupt, therefore judgment could not be delayed ( Jeremiah 9:9; Jeremiah 44:22). When men become ungodly, the bands

Matthew 27:1 — THE PASSION ‘When the morning was come, all the chief priests and elders of the people took counsel against Jesus to put Him to death.’ Matthew 27:1 I. Our Lord’s example.—Christ is given us that all men should follow the example of His great humility. We pray that we may follow the example of His patience. How wonderfully humility and patience shine forth in the example of our Lord. Humility and

Mark 4:8 — with corn.’ When gathered in it is found to yield thirty, sixty, even a hundredfold, and the farmer rejoices. Who are these? Those who have an ‘ honest and good heart,’ made so by Him from Whom comes ‘the preparations of the heart in man’ ( Proverbs 16:1), open to receive good; sincere, like Nathanael and Lydia. Proof of this shown by:— I. Receiving the Word.—‘Thy Word have I hid in mine heart.’ II. Understanding the Word.—With heart and mind. III. Keeping the Word, not letting it go, when world

Luke 8:39 — TESTIMONY AT HOME ‘Return to thine own house, and shew how great things God hath done unto thee.’ Luke 8:39 The work of man’s testimony should begin at home (cf. the order in Acts 1:8). I. Testimony at home.—There ( a) they have the greater claim; ( b) they can better judge of the reality of changes in character and life; ( c) they are more likely to be influenced than strangers who know nothing of the man’s past. II. The influence

Luke 9:51 — THE FASCINATION OF THE CROSS ‘He stedfastly set His face to go to Jerusalem.’ Luke 9:51 The fascination of the Cross! Why was Christ so enamoured of such a goal? Why did He hasten to its outstretched arms, as He did to Mary? I. He wished that none who followed Him should drink of a more bitter cup. II. He must do His Father’s will,

John 1:23 — A MESSAGE FOR TO-DAY ‘Make straight the way of the Lord.’ John 1:23 An old message; yet one for our own day. Lacking now, indeed, the dramatic surroundings of its first delivery: the man from the desert, with the frame of an ascetic, the eye of a seer, the garb of a prophet, with a reputation for sanctity, heightened

Romans 1:1 — 'UN SIERVO DE JESUCRISTO' 'Un siervo de Jesucristo'. Romanos 1:1 Es el título más alto que se conoce en la tierra o el cielo: 'un siervo de Jesucristo'. El servicio se basa en el amor. ¿Puedes ayudar a amar a Aquel que ha hecho todo por ti? ¿A amarlo con cariño? y amándolo, ¿no querrás probar tu amor? ¿No debe

1 Corinthians 1:24 — LA SABIDURÍA DE LA CRUZ "Cristo ... la sabiduría de Dios". 1 Corintios 1:24 Observe aquí el fuerte contraste trazado por el Apóstol entre la sabiduría de Dios y la supuesta sabiduría de los hombres, o, como se llama en la frase paulina, "la sabiduría del mundo". I. La sabiduría de Dios revelada en la redención,

1 Thessalonians 4:10-11 — TRABAJO TRANQUILO 'Los exhortamos ... a que estudien para estar tranquilos, y para hacer sus propios asuntos, y para trabajar con sus propias manos, tal como les encomendamos'. 1 Tesalonicenses 4:10 Si bien ningún buen hombre puede mirar con indiferencia las condiciones de vida en Inglaterra, mientras que una aquiescencia egoísta en la mera comodidad personal es profundamente inmoral, es muy posible, por otro lado, insistir

1 Peter 1:16 — SANTIDAD PERSONAL Sed santos; porque yo soy santo. ' 1 Pedro 1:16 Inmediatamente nos surge la pregunta: "¿Qué es la santidad?" La palabra original, que hemos traducido como "santidad", significa "sin terrenalidad". Somos 'de la tierra, terrenales'; el contraste con la santidad, de modo que, de manera más

1 Peter 5:13 — MARCOS Marcus, mi hijo. 1 Pedro 5:13 I. Que San Marcos poseía un espíritu misionero es claro. —Al principio fue el compañero devoto de San Pablo y San Bernabé en algunos de sus largos viajes para propagar el cristianismo ( Hechos 12:25 ; Hechos 13:5 ); pero se retiró a Panfilia,