Bible Commentaries

Genesis 12:1-34 — described, in the history of the various tribes to which the nation of Israel owed its descent. In some cases such personification of tribes may be admitted; e.g. Canaan, Japheth, and Shem clearly represent tribes in the blessing of Noah (Genesis 9:25-27; Genesis 10:1-32), cp. also intro. to Genesis 49. The same is true of Ishmael in Genesis 16:12, and of Esau, who is called Edom in Genesis 25:30; Genesis 36:1, Genesis 36:8, Genesis 36:19. But admitting that there may be an element of truth in this

1 Kings 19:1-21 — part of a single manifestation of the divine presence, but the earlier stages did not reveal God in the same degree as the last. Elsewhere in the OT. wind, fire, and earthquake are frequent accompaniments of a Theophany: see Exodus 19:18; Psalms 18:7-13; Psalms 97:3-5; 2 Samuel 5:24; Job 38:1; Ezekiel 1:4. 12. A still small voice] cp. Job 4:16. The LXX renders, ’the sound of a gentle breeze’ The hurricane, the earthquake, the lightning, were all tokens and agencies of God, but none disclosed

Lamentations overview — easier to think that the traditional title has been added by the Greek version than that a genuine one has been lost from the Hebrew. Besides, the allusion to the prophets in Lamentations 2:9, bearing the iniquities of the fathers in Lamentations 5:7, and the expectation of help from Egypt in Lamentations 4:17, are unlike Jeremiah. But notwithstanding all the objections to the contrary, the balance of evidence, both internal and external, is probably in favour of Jeremiah. 5. Unity and Date. As

Ezekiel overview — prophet of the Captivity of Judah, but the allusions in his book go back over the last half-century of the existence of the Jewish kindgom. Assyria, Babylon, and Egypt. The kings of Judah had long been vassals of Assyria, but in the latter half of the 7th cent. b.c. the power of that empire was declining. Soon after 630 b.c. Western Asia was invaded by the Scythians—hordes of northern barbarians who penetrated to the borders of Egypt. Their irruption is not directly mentioned in Scripture, but

Ezekiel 20:1-44 — been brought into it under a warning of exile and dispersion should they continue unfaithful (Ezekiel 20:13-26). They had not heeded the warning, but had adopted the worship of the Canaanites, and God’s threat had now been fulfilled (Ezekiel 20:27-29). In all this course of mercy and judgment God had ’wrought for His name’s sake,’ that His character might be truly known to Israel and to the world. The present exiles were no better than their fathers. They too were resolving

Numbers 13:1-33 — The Sending of the Spies and their Report 8. Oshea] RV ’Hoshea,’ meaning ’help’ or ’salvation.’ Joshua, or Jehoshua (Numbers 13:16), means ’Jehovah is my help’: see on Exodus 17:9. 17. Southward] RV by (RM ’into’) the South’: lit. ’into the Negeb’: see on Genesis 12:9. The spies, however, really went northward on this occasion, first through the Negeb, and then through the mountainous district

Nahum overview — must be gathered from the brief superscription and from the contents of this small book; the traditions relating to his dwelling-place are late, uncertain, and contradictory. The name Nahum (probably = ’Comforter,’ same root as in Nahum 3:7 occurs only twice in the Bible, here and in Luke 3:25; ’Elkoshite’ means belonging to Elkosh (cp. Micah 1:1), but the identification of the place is quite uncertain. The suggestion that Nahum was an Israelite, dwelling near Nineveh, a descendant

Malachi 2:1-17 — crops does not appear to be specially applicable to the priests. A very slight change in the Heb. which has been suggested, gives the admirable sense, ’I will cut off your arm’ (cp. 1 Samuel 2:31); i.e. I will make you powerless: cp. Psalms 37:17. The dung of your solemn feasts (RV ’sacrifices’)] the offal of the animals slain for sacrifices, which at the three great feasts of the year would be very numerous, and a source of great gain to the priests. The words rendered upon your

Matthew 14:1-36 — Death of the Baptist. Feeding the Five Thousand. Walking on the Sea 1, 2. Herod’s opinion of Jesus (Mark 6:14; Luke 9:7). 1. Herod the tetrarch] son of Herod the Great, received by his father’s will the government (tetrarchy) of Galilee and Peræa. His first wife was the daughter of the Arabian prince Aretas, called in 2 Corinthians 11:32 king of Damascus.

Matthew 17:1-27 — were shortly to happen they might be sustained by the remembrance of the revelation which they had been vouchsafed. The Transfiguration revealed Christ in His divine glory as Son of God. If, as is generally supposed, it took place at night (see Luke 9:37), the spectacle of the face of Christ, shining like the sun in its strength, must have been inexpressibly glorious. His form shone, not like that of Moses with borrowed light, but with a glory which came from within, and was His own. ’We were

Matthew 5:1-12 — Salmo 89:15 ; Salmo 119:1 ; Salmo 128:1, etc.), pero Cristo ha hecho de ambos tipos peculiarmente suyos. Las bienaventuranzas expresan el espíritu esencial de la Nueva Alianza, en contraste con la Antigua, que fue pródiga en denuncias (Deuteronomio 27, 28, 29, etc.). Los truenos del Sinaí proclamando el Decálogo contrastan notablemente con la suave voz del Hijo del Hombre en el Monte de las Bienaventuranzas que proclama la religión del amor. La bienaventuranza es más alta que la felicidad. La felicidad

Matthew 9:1-38 — The Sick of the Palsy. Call of Matthew. Raising of Jairus’ Daughter 1-8. The paralytic healed and his sins forgiven (Mark 2:1; Luke 5:17). The peculiarity of this miracle is that it was worked to prove a doctrine, and that in the face of opposition. There were present certain scribes and Pharisees, some of whom had doubtless come from Jerusalem expressly to oppose Jesus. Jesus at once

Luke 24:1-53 — disciples was St. Luke still finds supporters, but is unlikely. 13. Emmaus] Josephus speaks of an Emmaus 60 furlongs from Jerusalem, the habitation of a colony of Titus’s soldiers. This may be the modern Kulênieh (lit. ’colony’), 7 m. W. of Jerusalem. 16. Their eyes were holden] Mk gives a slightly different explanation (’He appeared in another form’). St. Luke implies that our Lord prevented their recognition of Him by an act of will. But apart from this a certain

Acts 18:1-28 — Ephesus (2 Timothy 4:19), which is our last notice of them. Pontus] with Bithynia formed a Roman province occupying the S. coast of the Euxine (Black Sea). 3. Tentmakers] All Jews, however wealthy, were taught a trade. 5. Silas and Timotheus] see Acts 17:15. They brought money with them, so that Paul no longer worked with his hands, but gave himself entirely to preaching (2 Corinthians 11:9; Philippians 4:15). Was pressed in the spirit] RV ’was constrained by the word,’ i.e. devoted himself

Acts 3:1-26 — ’seasons of refreshing from the presence of the Lord.’ 21. Whom the heaven must receive] i.e. retain. This rendering is better than the alternative one, ’who must hold the heaven in possession.’ Restitution of all things] In Matthew 17:11 a restitution of all things by Elijah is mentioned, in preparation for the first coming of Christ. The restitution here spoken of is the restoration of the whole universe to its original and intended perfection, which will take place when Christ

Romans 9:1-33 — i.e. if it were lawful and possible. Accursed] RV ’anathema,’ reproducing the Gk.: cp. 1 Corinthians 12:3; 1 Corinthians 16:22; Galatians 1:8.; The word is used in LXX of that which is devoted to God, either as an offering (cp. Leviticus 27:28.), or for destruction as evil: cp. Joshua 6:17. 4. Israelites] ’Israel’ being the name given by God to Jacob, ’Israelite’ described the Jew as the inheritor of God’s promises: cp. Romans 11:1; 2 Corinthians 11:22. Adoption]

1 Corinthians 8:1-13 — supuesto, que un ídolo no representa una deidad real, porque solo hay un Dios. (5, 6) Los paganos, sin duda, hablan de muchas deidades y semidioses, pero sabemos que estos no tienen existencia real: creemos en Dios Padre y Creador y en Jesucristo Su Hijo. (7) Hay muchos cristianos, sin embargo, no tan bien instruidos como nosotros, que todavía piensan, como han estado acostumbrados, de un ídolo como representante de una deidad existente, y se escandalizan ante la idea de comer carne que se le ha ofrecido

2 Corinthians 5:1-21 — Thou art just.’ (Tennyson.) 6-8. Paraphrase. ’With this hope in our hearts we are always courageous. We know that while we live in this mortal body we are away from the Lord, and that when we put off this body we shall be in His presence; (7) (for we live in anticipation, not yet having realised the vision of Christ.) (8) We are courageous, I repeat; and are even ready to put off this mortal body and to be at home in the presence of the Lord.’ 8. Absent from the body] St. Paul here

2 John 1:1 — demonstrative pronoun or adverb pointing forward to the definition coming in the next clause; e.g. This is love, that we walk after His commandments. This is the commandment, That, as ye have heard from the begining, ye should walk in love. Cp. John 15:8; John 17:3; 1 John 2:3; 1 John 3:16. 6. In it] better to make ’it’ refer not to the nearest noun, ’commandment,’ but to ’love.’ 7. Are entered into the world] rather, ’are gone out into the world’: cp. RV; i.e.

Ruth 4:1-22 — done, where, too, he would catch the other kinsman on his way out to the field. The author does not know this man’s name, and therefore contents himself with calling him ’So and So.’ 2. Ten was considered a perfect number (Jeremiah 6:27; 1 Samuel 25:5; 2 Samuel 18:15): where ten Jews live there should be a synagogue; these ten elders are heads of the community, sheikhs, as they would be called today. 3-5. Elimelech was not their brother in the strict sense, but was a member of the