Bible Commentaries

Amos 9:14 — Yahweh also promised to restore the Israelites to the Promised Land following their captivity and exile from it. They would return to their land and establish life marked by security and joy, abundant food and drink, and beauty and blessing. Such conditions could not occur during wartime (Amos 9:1; Amos 9:10; Amos 2:13-16; Amos 3:11; Amos 3:15; Amos 4:10-11; Amos 5:2-3; Amos 6:9-10; Amos 7:17) but would be possible in peacetime (cf. Leviticus 26:6; Deuteronomy 28:6).

Micah 1:2-13 — containing other messages that Micah evidently preached and then compiled into the canonical form in which we have them. Each of the three main messages begins with the same imperative (Heb. shm’), translated "Hear" (cf. Deuteronomy 6:4). In each one, promises of restoration follow predictions of ruin. Words of hope follow announcements of doom.

Micah 7:14 — His people Israel. Shepherding with His rod (Heb. shebet) implies kingly leadership. This is a request for the promised descendant of David to appear and lead Israel. Presently the Israelites, the flock that Yahweh possessed uniquely (cf. Deuteronomy 4:20), were isolated even though they inhabited the land that God had given them. Micah prayed that they might enjoy God’s blessings, as when their flocks fed on the lush, grassy hills of Bashan and Gilead earlier in their history.

Nahum 3:5 — Almighty Yahweh repeated that He was against Nineveh (cf. Nahum 2:13). He would expose her shamefulness because of her shameless acts, as when someone lifted the skirt of a lady over her head so high that he covered her face with it (cf. Isaiah 47:1-3; Jeremiah 13:26-27; Ezekiel 16:37; Hosea 2:3-5; Revelation 17:15-16). Nakedness was a great shame in the ancient world. She who had enslaved the nations (Nahum 3:4) would have her own nakedness exposed to them.

Habakkuk 1:10 — The kings and rulers of the lands they overran were no threat to them. They laughed at them and their fortified cities in contempt (cf. 2 Kings 25:7). They heaped up rubble to conquer fortifications; they did not need special machines but used whatever they found to build siege ramps to conquer them (cf. 2 Samuel 20:15; 2 Kings 19:32; Ezekiel 4:2; Ezekiel 21:22; Ezekiel 26:8-9). [Note: See Yigael Yadin, The Art of Warfare in Biblical Lands, pp. 17, 20, 315.]

Habakkuk 2:9 — Babylon used its unjust acquisitions to build a secure place for itself that it thought would be safe from all calamity (cf. Genesis 11:4). It built a strong and rich dynasty (house) so it would be self-sufficient. Another interpretation is that the secure nest in view is the capital city. [Note: Bruce, p. 867.] Saving to protect oneself from large future expenses is not wrong in itself,

Haggai 1:13 — The people’s obedient response resulted in the Lord sending another message to Haggai, His messenger. He reported that Yahweh was with them (cf. Haggai 2:4). This assurance of His divine enablement guaranteed their success as they continued obeying by rebuilding the temple. It is God’s presence with us more than anything else that guarantees our success as we carry out His will (cf. Joshua 1:1-9;

Zechariah 11:9 — "them" over to their fate though that meant that some of them would die, suffer annihilation, and devour one another. The Jews did eat one another during the siege of Jerusalem in the first century A.D. [Note: Josephus, The Wars of the Jews, 6:3:3-4.] And they will evidently do so again during the Tribulation. "By withholding his leadership the shepherd abandoned the people to the consequences of their rejection of him: death, and mutual destruction. He simply let things take their course."

Malachi 2:11 — the Israelites were profaning (making common) Yahweh’s beloved sanctuary. This sanctuary may refer to the temple or His people. They did this by practicing idolatry. They had married pagan women who worshipped other gods (cf. 2 Corinthians 6:14-16). Yahweh’s son (Malachi 2:10) had married foreign women that worshipped other gods and, like Solomon, had become unfaithful to Yahweh (cf. Exodus 34:11-16; Deuteronomy 7:3-4; Joshua 23:12-13; Ezra 9:1-2; Ezra 9:10-12; Nehemiah 13:23-27).

Matthew 11:20 — The Greek word oneidizein translated "reproach" (NASB) and "denounce" (NIV) is a strong word that conveys deep indignation (cf. Matthew 5:11; Matthew 27:44). Jesus did not denounce these cities because they actively opposed His ministry. He did so because the residents refused to repent in spite of the many miracles that Jesus and His disciples had performed there (cf. Matthew 3:2; Matthew 4:17). The

Matthew 21:35-37 — Israel’s leaders had beaten and killed various prophets (cf. 1 Kings 18:4; 1 Kings 18:13; 1 Kings 22:24; 2 Chronicles 24:21-22; Jeremiah 20:1-2; Jeremiah 26:20-23; Jeremiah 37:15). Sending his son might seem foolhardy in view of the tenants’ former behavior. [Note: Lenski, p. 835.] However this act showed the landowner’s

Matthew 22:23 — Daniel 12:2). The Sadducees did not because they did not find it explicitly taught in the Pentateuch. They believed that both the material and the immaterial parts of man perish at death (cf. Acts 23:8). [Note: Josephus, Antiquities of . . ., 18:1:3-4; idem, The Wars . . ., 2:8:14.] There was much diverse opinion concerning death and the afterlife in Jesus’ day. [Note: Cf. G. W. E. Nickelsburg, Resurrection, Immortality and Eternal Life in Intertestamental Judaism.]

Matthew 6:25 — "Therefore" draws a conclusion from what has preceded (Matthew 6:19-24). Since God has given us life and a body, He will certainly also provide what we need to maintain them (cf. Luke 12:22-31; Philippians 4:6-7; Hebrews 13:5; 1 Peter 5:7). This argument is a fortiori, or qal wahomer, "How much more . . .?"

Mark 11:25 — must also forgive his or her fellow human beings. The Jews commonly stood when they prayed (cf. 1 Samuel 1:26; Luke 18:11; Luke 18:13). Forgiving our brothers and sisters is a precondition for obtaining family forgiveness from the Father (Matthew 6:14-15). This is the only place in Mark where Jesus referred to the disciples’ Father in heaven. This may have reminded them of His teaching in the Lord’s Prayer (Matthew 6:9-15; Luke 11:2-4).

Luke 11:37-38 — Many of Jesus’ teaching opportunities arose during meals (cf. Luke 14:1-24; Matthew 15:1-20; Matthew 23:1-36; Mark 7:1-22). This was one such occasion. Jesus offended His host by not washing ritually before eating. Luke omitted an explanation of the Jewish custom (cf. Matthew 15:1-9; Mark 7:1-4) and only recorded the

Luke 12:35-48 — 4. The coming of the Son of Man 1:12:35-48 Jesus’ teaching of the disciples continued without a break. However the subject shifted from ceasing to be anxious about material possessions to being ready for the Son of Man’s coming. Freedom from

Luke 20:1-2 — Luke’s reference to Jesus preaching the gospel, as well as the question of His authority to do so, preview the experiences of Peter and Paul (cf. Acts 4:7). Individuals from the chief priests, scribes or lawyers, and elders made up the Sanhedrin. Thus their question constituted an official inquiry. The critics’ first question dealt with who Jesus claimed to be and the second with whom He represented:

Luke 7:1 — describe the completion of Jesus’ teaching on that occasion is eplerosen, which means "fulfilled." He thus implied that this teaching was a fulfillment of prophecy about the Messiah, perhaps that He would preach good news to the poor (Luke 4:18; Luke 6:20; Isaiah 61:1).

Luke 8:22-23 — Evidently Jesus mentioned crossing the lake to His disciples before and after He entered the boat (cf. Matthew 8:18; Mark 4:35). Jesus’ command to cross constituted a guarantee that they would arrive safely. The other side was the east side (cf. Luke 8:26). Luke introduced the fact that Jesus fell asleep before he mentioned the storm breaking, perhaps to heighten the

John 2:6 — The Jews washed before eating to cleanse themselves from the defilement of contact with Gentiles and other ritually defiling things more than from germs. They needed much water since they washed often (cf. Matthew 15:1-2; Mark 7:3-4). Each pot held two or three measures (Gr. metretes), namely, between 20 and 30 gallons. Their combined capacity would have been between 120 and 180 gallons of liquid. Stone pots did not absorb moisture and uncleanness as earthenware vessels did, so