Bible Commentaries

Genesis 48:21-22 — Jacob’s announcement of Joseph’s birthright 48:21-22 Jacob (Israel, the prince with God) firmly believed God’s promise to bring his descendants back into the Promised Land (cf. Genesis 46:4). Jacob’s prophetic promise to Joseph (Genesis 48:22) is a play on words. The word for "portion"

Zechariah 11 overview — their Messiah, with the consequent visitation of God upon them in dire punishment." [Note: Feinberg, God Remembers, p. 197.] Several shepherds are in view in this chapter: the wailing shepherds (Zechariah 11:1-3), the true Shepherd (Zechariah 11:4-14), and the false shepherd (Zechariah 11:15-17).

Deuteronomy 15:1-11 — rather than a slave release law, linked in some way to the Hebrew slave release laws of Exodus 21:1-7 and Deuteronomy 15:12-18." [Note: Christopher Wright, "What Happened Every Seven Years in Israel?" Evangelical Quarterly 56:3 (July 1984):132.] "At the end of every seven years" is an idiom meaning "during the seventh year." [Note: Deere, p. 290.] There is some debate among interpreters whether God wanted the Israelites to terminate debts permanently [Note: Thompson,

Deuteronomy 4:44-49 — B. Introduction to the second address 4:44-49 These verses are similar to Deuteronomy 1:4-5. They summarize and introduce with historical references what follows. In a larger sense these verses summarize all of chapters 1-3. These verses contain narration about Moses, not a discourse by Moses. "This

Deuteronomy 5:17 — Bible Teaches That . . ., pp. 23-32.] There are several reasons for the sixth commandment (Genesis 9:6). The first is the nature of man. Not only did God create man essentially different from other forms of animal life (Genesis 2:7; cf. Matthew 19:4), but He also created humans in His own image (Genesis 1:26-28). Consequently when someone murders a person he or she obliterates a revelation of God. Second, murder usurps God’s authority. All life belongs to God, and He gives it to us on lease

2 Corinthians 11:17-18 — minority of his own genuineness. Straightforward claims such as the Lord Jesus made would not. "The reason for Paul’s embarrassment at this juncture is now given: self-commendation is not ’after the Lord’ [cf. Romans 15:5; Ephesians 4:24; Colossians 2:8] but, the exact opposite, ’after the flesh’ [cf. 2 Corinthians 5:16], that is, typical of the old unregenerate nature whose values are dictated by the external, self-centered standards of this fallen world." [Note:

Galatians 1:11-21 — II. PERSONAL DEFENSE OF PAUL’S GOSPEL 1:11-2:21 The first of the three major sections of the epistle begins here. We could classify them as history (Galatians 1:11 to Galatians 2:21), theology (chs. 3-4), and ethics (Galatians 5:1 to Galatians 6:10). ". . . Paul was . . . following the logic of the Christian life: Because of who God is and what he has done (history) we must believe what he has said (theology) in order to live as he commands (ethics)."

Galatians 6:11 — Evidently Paul wrote the rest of this letter himself. He probably dictated the former verses to a scribe (cf. 1 Corinthians 16:21; Colossians 4:18; 2 Thessalonians 3:17). The "large letters" were probably capitals used for the sake of emphasis and to distinguish Paul’s handwriting from his secretary’s. Betz observed that what Paul wrote with his own hand "contains

Galatians 6:5 — This verse gives a reason for the injunction in Galatians 6:4. Every Christian is responsible to carry his own weight. We all have a load to bear, but it is comparatively light (Matthew 11:30). The burden in Galatians 6:2 is an excessive burden. The load in Galatians 6:5 is our normal burden of responsibility.

Ephesians 2:7 — Specifically His kindness toward believers as displayed in all that we have in Christ is in view. We see God’s kindness in His giving life to those who were dead in sin. Note that Ephesians 2:1-3 describe what we were in the past, Ephesians 2:4-6 what we are in the present, and Ephesians 2:7 what we shall be in the future.

2 Timothy 1:7 — Timothy had apparently held back from some ministry because of timidity. Paul reminded him that such a spirit is not from God. God makes us spiritually powerful (i.e., having a forceful character that uses authority boldly, cf. 1 Corinthians 2:4), loving (Galatians 5:22), and self-disciplined (Galatians 5:23). Self-disciplined refers to a person who has a "wise head." [Note: Fee, p. 227.] "He [Paul] is obliquely chiding Timothy for his timidity, but softens the blow by lumping

Hebrews 10:32-39 — 3. The encouragement to persevere 10:32-39 The writer concluded his warning by reminding his readers of their former faithfulness when tempted to encourage them to endure their present and future tests (cf. Hebrews 4:12-16; Hebrews 6:9-20). "The juxtaposition of Hebrews 10:26-35 suggests that it may have been the experience of suffering, abuse, and loss in the world that motivated the desertion of the community acknowledged in Hebrews 10:25 and a general tendency

Hebrews 7:15-17 — A third proof that God made a change in the priesthood is that God predicted that Messiah would live forever (Psalms 110:4). Jesus Christ did not become a priest because He met a physical requirement, namely, was born into the priestly tribe and qualified by his descent to serve as high priest. He became a priest because He would not die. In this He showed Himself to be

James 5:1-6 — persevere in the will of God when tempted to depart from it (cf. ch. 1). Thus the book demonstrates a somewhat chiastic structure. ". . . wealth brings consternation [James 5:1], ends up in corrosion [James 5:2-3], and results in condemnation [James 5:4-6]." [Note: Blue, p. 832.]

James 5:4 — Some of James’ readers were evidently getting rich by cheating their hired workers out of their fair wages (cf. Deuteronomy 24:15). Cries for justice from these oppressed people had entered God’s ears, even though their employers were deaf to them (cf. Genesis 4:5; Genesis 18:20-21). The title "Lord of Sabaoth" (lit. Lord of Hosts, i.e., Lord Almighty; cf. Isaiah

1 Peter 1:14 — ignorant of God. Practically this involves saying no to the flesh. The fact that Peter said that his readers had lived in "ignorance" identifies them for the first time explicitly as Gentile Christians (cf. Acts 17:23; Acts 17:30; Ephesians 4:18). The Jews were not ignorant of the importance of abstaining from fleshly lusts since their Scriptures informed them.

Judges 10:8-18 — (Judges 10:9). The Ammonite oppression lasted 18 years (Judges 10:8; evidently about 1123-1105 B.C.). Finally the Israelites confessed their sin of apostasy and cried out to God for deliverance (Judges 10:10; cf. Judges 3:9; cf. Judges 3:15; Judges 4:3; Judges 6:6). They had waited only seven years before appealing for His help against the Midianites (Judges 6:6). This may indicate that their hearts had become even harder toward Yahweh. Judges 6:1-6 gives the most detailed description of Israel’s

2 Peter 3:2 — Again Peter put the teaching of the apostles, which these men received from Jesus Christ, on a level of authority equal with the writings of the Old Testament prophets (cf. 2 Peter 1:12-21; 2 Peter 3:16; Acts 1:16; Romans 9:29; Hebrews 4:7). "The ’commandment’ is used here in the same way as in 2 Peter 2:21 . . .: it emphasizes the ethical aspect of the Christian message because it is on this, along with the eschatological expectation, that the author wishes

Revelation 15:4 — It is inevitable that everyone fears God and glorifies Him. The rhetorical questions make this crystal clear (cf. Revelation 13:4). This will happen after He finishes judging (cf. Psalms 86:8-10; Jeremiah 10:7). One reason for this fear and glory is God’s unapproachable majesty (Gr. hosios). Another is the fact that everyone will worship Him when Christ returns because He

Revelation 18:10 — power suddenly. These rulers must be different from the 10 kings who destroy the city (Revelation 17:16). These woes are an exclamation of sorrow; the earlier ones in the book are announcements of doom (Revelation 8:13; Revelation 12:12). [Note: Lee, 4:770; Robertson, 6:440.] Doubling the woes increases the perception of the strength of the sorrow (cf. Revelation 18:6). This city was strong, but its Judge is stronger.