Bible Commentaries

Genesis 13:1-18 — padres, el Dios de Abraham, el Dios de Isaac y el Dios de Jacob'. VerÉxodo 3:6 ; Éxodo 4:5 , y nota sobre el pasaje anterior. Las secciones de la historia de Abraham (Génesis 12-25) que se atribuyen a la fuente sacerdotal son las siguientes: Génesis 11:27 ; Génesis 12:5 ; Génesis 13:6 ; Génesis 13:11 ; Génesis 16:1 ; Génesis 16:15 ; Génesis 17:1 ; Génesis 19:29 ; Génesis 21:1 ; Génesis 21:2 ; Génesis 23 ; Génesis 25:7 . Los que forman parte de la narrativa primitiva son: Génesis 12:1 ; Génesis

Exodus 26:1-37 — The Tabernacle Proper This, which in the Hebrew is called ’the dwelling’ (see on Exodus 25:9), consists of an oblong tent, 30 cubits long, 10 broad, and 10 high, and stands within the ’court of the tabernacle’ (Exodus 27:9 -f.). It is formed of a frame of open woodwork, over which are spread four layers of coverings, the undermost being of linen embroidered with figures of cherubim, the second of goathair cloth, the third of ramskin, and the outermost of sealskin. Internally,

2 Kings 17:1-41 — his inscriptions, states that after he had slain Pekah, he ’appointed’ Hoshea to rule over Israel, and received as tribute 10 talents of gold and 1,000 talents of silver. 3. Shalmaneser] succeeded Tiglath-pileser, his reign lasting from 727 to 723 b.c. Gave him presents] i.e. rendered him tribute. 4. So] This king, whose name should perhaps be written Seve, is generally identified with Sabako, the first king of the 25th dynasty, though some authorities regard him as a petty prince who

Job 3:1-26 — ’all that maketh black the day’; e.g. eclipses and unusual darknesses. 6. Let it not be joined, etc.] let it be blotted out of the calendar. The ancients believed in lucky and unlucky days. Let this day ruin no more lives, it has ruined enough. 7. Solitary] RV ’barren.’ No joyful voice] as on the occasion of a birth. 8. Let them curse it that curse the day] A reference to magicians who professed to be able to cast spells on a day and make it unlucky, apparently causing eclipses,

Jeremiah 2:1-37 — Egypt and now with Assyria, has Judah shown her faithlessness. For both these sins she will be punished. 14. Is Israel, etc.] The meaning here probably is, How is it that Israel, the people of God, has become a slave to neighbouring powers? Jeremiah 2:17 gives the answer. 15. The young lions, etc.] the enemies of Israel. 16. Noph] probably Memphis, the capital of northern (lower) Egypt. Tahapanes] the classic Daphnæ, an Egyptian fortress on the E. frontier of Lower Egypt. It is again mentioned

Haggai 2:1-23 — times of need. Moreover, they would soon have adequate proof of His presence. 6. Yet once, it is a little while] This is literal, but it evidently means ’But a little while.’ It seems to refer to the shaking, which might be soon expected. 7. Shake all nations] This clearly refers to political overturnings. The prophet expected that the great empire, all aflame with rebellion, would be broken up, and that the Jewish community would have its coveted opportunity. His language, probably figurative,

Zechariah 1:1-21 — Lessons from the Past. The First and Second Visions 1-6. The Prophet’s message. He calls the people to repentance. 8-17. The First Vision: The Divine Messengers ever watching over the affairs of the nations. 18-21. The Second Vision: Hostile nations subdued by divinely-appointed agents. 1. The eighth month] the month Bul (see 1 Kings 6:38), corresponding to part of

John 15:1-27 — The True Yine. The Witness of the Comforter and of the Apostles 1-17. The allegory of the True Vine and its interpretation. The metaphor of ’the vine’ was suggested by ’the fruit of the vine’ which had just been consecrated in the Holy Supper (Matthew 26:29), and the allegory was intended to illustrate

John 6:1-71 — The Bread of Life John 6:1 to John 7:1. Feeding the five thousand. Walking upon the sea. Discourse upon the bread of life. Defection of many disciples. The Apostles stand firm. Returning from Jerusalem, our Lord met the Apostles somewhere on the W. of the lake (perhaps at Capernaum), and

Acts 11:19-3 — The Church in Antioch, 35-47 a.d. (Acts 11:19 to Acts 13:3) 19-26. Extension of the Church to Antioch. Admission of Gentile members. Antioch in N. Syria ranked next to Alexandria, as the third city in the Roman empire. It was beautifully situated on the Orontes, about 15 m. from

Acts 14:1-28 — First Missionary Journey (continued) 1-7. Paul and Barnabas at Iconium. The gospel meets with great success among both Jews and Gentiles in this populous city, and miracles are wrought in confirmation of the faith. 2. The first persecution at Iconium, which probably took the form of arraigning

Acts 27:1-44 — The Voyage and Shipwreck Acts 27:1 to Acts 28:16. The Journey to Rome. This narrative is the most detailed account of an ancient voyage which we possess, and is our principal source of knowledge of the art of navigation as practised by the ancients. St. Luke describes the voyage at

Acts 4:1-37 — Temple. The Sadducees] Most of the chief priests belonged to this party. They denied the oral traditions of the elders, the existence of angels and spirits, predestination and fate, the immortality of the soul, and the resurrection of the body: see Matthew 3:7; Matthew 16:1.; Matthew 22:23; Acts 5:17; Acts 23:6. 5. Their rulers] A full and important meeting of the Sanhedrin was summoned. ’Rulers’ = chief priest; ’scribes’ = rabbis or ’lawyers,’ professional teachers of

1 Corinthians 12:1-31 — implied here. Administrations] RV ’ministrations’; ways in which the Lord is served. Operations] RV ’workings.’ Which worketh all in all] i.e. who is the author and instigator of all these activities in all who possess them. 7. The gift by which the Spirit manifests His presence is given to each for the common good of all. 9. Faith] i.e. (probably) a great wonder-working faith (1 Corinthians 13:2; Hebrews 11:33). 10. Prophecy] i.e. inspired utterance of God’s mind;

Ephesians 1:1-23 — omitted here because of the general character of the letter. At Ephesus was omitted for the same reason (see Intro.). The Apostle takes the whole responsibility of instructing Christians at large respecting ’the whole counsel of God’ (Acts 20:27). 2. This is the usual salutation in the Pauline, as in the Petrine Epistles; 1 and 2 Timothy are exceptions. 3-14. This doxology or thanksgiving should be compared with that in 2 Corinthians 1:3-11. That is for a special deliverance; this is for God’s

2 Thessalonians 2:1-17 — The Great Apostasy 2. Spirit] i.e. a pretended revelation uttered by a false prophet. Letter as from us] perhaps a forged letter (the probable meaning), cp. 2 Thessalonians 3:17, or a misunderstanding of the First Epistle. 3-10. It will be convenient to. treat this difficult passage as a whole. Literally translated, it runs thus: ’Let no man deceive you in any wise: for [the Final Presence of our Lord shall not be] except

1 Timothy 1:1-20 — mean one of two things, either that the heterodox teaching led to futile speculation and not to the spread of the knowledge of the dispensation of the gospel, or that it made men idle disputants instead of faithful dispensers of God’s truth. 5-7. The end of the commandment] RV ’the end of the charge,’ i.e. the aim of all true teaching as contrasted with ’fables and endless genealogies.’ The gospel which Timothy had to preach consists of charity or ’love,’

1 Timothy 6:1-21 — teaching in the Gospels. 5. Supposing that gain is godliness] RV ’supposing that godliness is a way of gain.’ 8. Raiment] RV ’covering.’ Houses may be included as well as clothes. 9, 10. Similarly Seneca, ’Ep.’ 87, ’While we wish to gain riches we fall into many evils.’ 11-16. Resumption of personal charge to Timothy. Timothy’s conduct was to be in absolute contrast with that of the heterodox teachers, who valued religion as a source of gain.

Hebrews 6:1-20 — elementary doctrines, he mentions what they are under six headings arranged in three pairs. The first are ’repentance from dead works and faith toward God,’ the first steps to be taken in the Christian life: cp. Mark 1:15; Acts 20:21; Acts 17:30 see on Hebrews 9:14. Dead works] i.e. sinful works, the wages of which is death (Romans 6:23). 2. The second pair comprises the ’teaching of baptisms and of laying on of hands,’ which constitute the next step in the Christian life. Baptism

Ruth overview — thought of evil can obtrude itself. And the type of piety which it recommends so strongly by merely describing it is singularly engaging. It is so thoroughly unaffected, human and real. Contrast the profound feeling and perfect simplicity of Ruth 1:16-17 with the stilted and unnatural paraphrase in the Talmud. There the older woman says, ’We are forbidden to go beyond the limits of a sabbath day’s journey’: Ruth replies, ’Where (i.e. as far as) thou goest I will go’: ’It