Bible Commentaries

2 Chronicles 1:1-31 — cared for the temple and perpetuated temple worship. When the Chronicler wrote his history, there was controversy over the second temple (i.e., the temple that Ezra built). Some of the residents in and around Jerusalem opposed its construction (Ezra 4:4-24; Haggai 1:2-4). If the returned exiles were to renew their (Mosaic) covenant relationship with God, they had to have a temple. There they could obey the laws regarding expiation of sin, worship, and fellowship with God (cf. Exodus 25:8). Furthermore,

Job 15:17-35 — The fate of the wicked 15:17-35 Perhaps Eliphaz wanted to scare Job into repenting with these words. As before, Eliphaz’s authority was his own observations (Job 15:17; cf. Job 4:8). To this he added the wisdom of their ancestors (Job 15:18-19; cf. Job 8:8). Probably Job 15:18 means wise men have not hidden their fathers’ traditions. In the ancient world, people considered it foolish to reject the traditions of the past. Several

Ezekiel 40:38-41 — Ezekiel also saw a room outside each of the three inner gate complexes close to its doorway. There priests would rinse animals brought as burnt offerings. Discussion of these offerings will follow in the section dealing with worship (Ezekiel 43:13 to Ezekiel 46:24). Within each inner gate complex, in the vestibules, there were four tables where priests slaughtered animals brought as burnt, sin, and guilt offerings. Two tables stood on one side of each vestibule and two on the other side.

Jonah 3:3 — favors this view. Roland de Vaux estimated that Israel’s largest city, Samaria, had a population of about 30,000 at this time. [Note: Roland de Vaux, Ancient Israel: Its Life and Institutions, p. 66.] Nineveh was at least four times larger (Jonah 4:11). The meaning of "a three-days’ walk" remains somewhat obscure. The Hebrew phrase is literally "a distance of three days," which does not solve the problem. It may mean that it took three days to walk through the city from

Matthew 8:11-12 — Again Jesus introduced a solemn truth (cf. Matthew 8:10). He then referred to the messianic banquet prophesied in Isaiah 25:6-9 (cf. Isaiah 65:13-14). There God revealed that Gentiles from all parts of the world will join the Jewish patriarchs in the kingdom. The Old Testament has much to say about the participants in the kingdom. God would gather Israel from all parts of the earth (Psalms 107:3;

Deuteronomy 12 overview — pp. 218-331; and Stephen A. Kaufman, "The Structure of the Deuteronomic Law," MAARAV 1 (1978-79):105-58.] CommandmentMerrillKaufmanDescription1Deuteronomy 12:1-31ch. 12Fidelity2Deuteronomy 12:32 to Deuteronomy 13:18ch. 12Worship3Deuteronomy 14:1-21Deuteronomy 13:1 to Deuteronomy 14:27Name of God4Deuteronomy 14:22 to Deuteronomy 16:17Deuteronomy 14:28 to Deuteronomy 16:17Sabbath5Deuteronomy 16:18 to Deuteronomy 18:22Deuteronomy 16:18 to Deuteronomy 18:22Authority6Deuteronomy 19:1 to Deuteronomy

Deuteronomy 13 overview — pp. 218-331; and Stephen A. Kaufman, "The Structure of the Deuteronomic Law," MAARAV 1 (1978-79):105-58.] CommandmentMerrillKaufmanDescription1Deuteronomy 12:1-31ch. 12Fidelity2Deuteronomy 12:32 to Deuteronomy 13:18ch. 12Worship3Deuteronomy 14:1-21Deuteronomy 13:1 to Deuteronomy 14:27Name of God4Deuteronomy 14:22 to Deuteronomy 16:17Deuteronomy 14:28 to Deuteronomy 16:17Sabbath5Deuteronomy 16:18 to Deuteronomy 18:22Deuteronomy 16:18 to Deuteronomy 18:22Authority6Deuteronomy 19:1 to Deuteronomy

Deuteronomy 14 overview — pp. 218-331; and Stephen A. Kaufman, "The Structure of the Deuteronomic Law," MAARAV 1 (1978-79):105-58.] CommandmentMerrillKaufmanDescription1Deuteronomy 12:1-31ch. 12Fidelity2Deuteronomy 12:32 to Deuteronomy 13:18ch. 12Worship3Deuteronomy 14:1-21Deuteronomy 13:1 to Deuteronomy 14:27Name of God4Deuteronomy 14:22 to Deuteronomy 16:17Deuteronomy 14:28 to Deuteronomy 16:17Sabbath5Deuteronomy 16:18 to Deuteronomy 18:22Deuteronomy 16:18 to Deuteronomy 18:22Authority6Deuteronomy 19:1 to Deuteronomy

Deuteronomy 15 overview — pp. 218-331; and Stephen A. Kaufman, "The Structure of the Deuteronomic Law," MAARAV 1 (1978-79):105-58.] CommandmentMerrillKaufmanDescription1Deuteronomy 12:1-31ch. 12Fidelity2Deuteronomy 12:32 to Deuteronomy 13:18ch. 12Worship3Deuteronomy 14:1-21Deuteronomy 13:1 to Deuteronomy 14:27Name of God4Deuteronomy 14:22 to Deuteronomy 16:17Deuteronomy 14:28 to Deuteronomy 16:17Sabbath5Deuteronomy 16:18 to Deuteronomy 18:22Deuteronomy 16:18 to Deuteronomy 18:22Authority6Deuteronomy 19:1 to Deuteronomy

Luke 23:43 — or delightful park such as the Garden of Eden (Genesis 2:8). Symbolically it represents future bliss (cf. Isaiah 51:3; Revelation 2:7). Essentially the paradise that lies ahead of believers is paradisiacal because God is there (cf. 2 Corinthians 12:4). Jesus presented fellowship with Himself as the best part of salvation, as it is. ". . . Jesus acts as the Messiah who has the kingly right to open the doors of paradise to those who come into fellowship with him." [Note: Marshall, The Gospel

John 1:18 — seeing God (e.g., Exodus 33:21-23; Isaiah 6:1-5; Revelation 1:10-18). Those instances involved visions, theophanies, or anthropomorphic representations of God rather than encounters with His unveiled spiritual essence (cf. Exodus 33:20-23; Deuteronomy 4:12; Psalms 97:2; 1 Timothy 1:17; 1 Timothy 6:16; 1 John 4:12). The way we know what God is like is not by viewing His essence. No one can do that and live. God has sent His unique and only Son (monogenous, cf. John 1:14) from His own most intimate presence

John 21:16-17 — failures in ministry may bar a believer from serving the Lord in particular ways from then on (cf. 1 Timothy 3:1-13; Titus 1:5-16). Other failures may only require temporary suspension from service until restoration is complete (cf. Acts 15:38; 2 Timothy 4:11). However regardless of one’s failures he or she can always serve the Lord in some capacity (cf. 2 Timothy 2:20-21). Peter had learned not to make rash professions of great love. Therefore he did not compare his love for Jesus to the love of

Romans 7:6 — Christ. Perhaps the Holy Spirit was Paul’s primary referent since he developed the ministry of the Holy Spirit in the believer’s life in chapter 8. But spirit and flesh probably refer to the new and old covenants respectively. [Note: Moo, p. 421.] The verse, of course, is saying nothing about the non-literal as contrasted with the literal interpretation of Scripture. Paul did not say, We have been released from the ceremonial part of the Law. The Mosaic Law was a unified code that contained

1 Corinthians 15:52 — Greek word translated "moment" or "flash" (atomos) refers to an indivisible fragment of time. The blinking of an eye takes only a fraction of a second. This trumpet blast will summon Christians home to heaven (cf. 1 Thessalonians 4:16). It is the last trumpet that connects with our destiny, the one that signals the end of our present existence and the beginning of our future existence. [Note: See Barnabas Lindars, "The Sound of the Trumpet: Paul and Eschatology," Bulletin

2 Corinthians 3:11 — Paul’s seventh and last contrast is between the temporary character of the Old Covenant and the permanent character of the New. The New will remain (cf. Hebrews 13:20). The Old has passed away (cf. Romans 10:4; Galatians 5:1; Hebrews 7:12). Paul compared the fading glory on Moses’ face with the fading glory of the Old Covenant. [Note: See Duane A. Garrett, "Veiled Hearts: The Translation and Interpretation of 2 Corinthians 3," Journal of the

1 Timothy 3:16 — Christian living: the mystery is the essence of godliness." [Note: Idem, 1-2 Timothy . . ., p. 99.] The six strophes probably describe Christ’s (1) incarnation, (2) resurrection, (3) post-resurrection sightings (probably by angelic messengers), (4) proclamation by the disciples (between His resurrection and ascension), (5) regeneration of those who heard and believed this witness, and (6) ascension. This interpretation has in its favor the chronological sequence of Christ’s entire earthly

Hebrews 8:3-5 — Hebrews 8:4 sounds as though the Jewish priests were presenting offerings in Herod’s Temple when the writer wrote. This understanding of the text has led some students of the book to date its writing before the Romans destroyed Jerusalem in A.D. 70. However

1 John 2:28 — idea of the believer’s meeting with Jesus Christ at death or the Rapture to motivate his readers to continue to cultivate intimate fellowship with God. The prospect of this meeting remained the basis for John’s instruction through 1 John 4:19. This is the theme verse because it sets the agenda for what follows in this major portion of the epistle. 1 John 2:28 is a janus that looks in two directions: backward to summarize the preceding section, and forward to introduce the following section.

Revelation 16:12 — on people but serves as a preparation for the final eschatological battle. [Note: Ladd, p. 212.] The Euphrates River is the northeastern border of the land God promised to Abraham’s descendants (Genesis 15:18; Deuteronomy 1:7; Deuteronomy 11:24; Joshua 1:4). The Bible calls the Euphrates River (cf. Genesis 2:14), the eastern border of the Promised Land, the great river; and it calls the Mediterranean Sea, the western border of the Promised Land, the Great Sea. Now God dries up this river that

1 Samuel 19:11-17 — teraphim had some connection with childbearing (fertility; cf. Genesis 31:19, where barren Rachel kept teraphim). [Note: On the disputed significance of possessing the family idols, see Stuart A. West, "The Nuzi Tablets," Bible and Spade 10:3-4 (Summer-Autumn 1981):70; Kenneth A. Kitchen, The Bible In Its World, p. 70; and Kenneth L. Barker, "The Antiquity and Historicity of the Patriarchal Narratives," in A Tribute to Gleason Archer, p. 135.] It is noteworthy that Rachel and Michal