Bible Commentaries

Philippians 2:14 — grumble and argue less than we do now, but such activities should be totally absent from our lives. The first of these words looks at the initial activity and the second what results from the first (cf. 1 Corinthians 10:10; Philippians 2:2; Philippians 4:2). The great warning of what complaining and disputing can lead to is Israel’s 10 instances of complaining in the wilderness. That behavior culminated in the Israelites’ refusal to enter and occupy the Promised Land from Kadesh-barnea (Numbers

Colossians 2:4-5 — implication that Paul can actually see the state of affairs at Colossae (’rejoicing and seeing your good order . . .’) is, of course, intended more as an expression of what he would hope to see were it possible." [Note: Dunn, p. 134.]   "This final recall to faith forms an inclusio with Colossians 1:4 and thus brackets the whole of the intervening thanksgiving and personal statement as an exposition of that faith . . ." [Note: Ibid., p. 135.]

1 Thessalonians 4:11 — to provide for his or her own needs and the needs of his or her family does not put a burden on others to support him or her. Greek culture degraded manual labor, but Christianity together with Judaism viewed it as an honorable pursuit (cf. Ephesians 4:28; Colossians 3:17). [Note: Thomas, p. 274.] ". . . it was not Paul’s intent that the church disrupt society or overthrow governments. Rather, he encouraged Christians to be good citizens and exemplary members of their families and of their

1 Timothy 6:17 — notion that riches guarantee power and security. Paul warned against both of these conclusions. God will determine our future, not our present financial resources. Rich people should put their hope in the Giver rather than in His gifts (cf. 1 Timothy 4:10; 1 Timothy 5:5). God controls these resources. If he has given them to us, we can enjoy His gifts unselfishly. We can take pleasure in the fact that they free us from certain temptations (cf. Proverbs 30:7-9) and enable us to help others. "The

2 Timothy 2:17-18 — whose verbal speculations were derailing other sincere Christians from the track of God’s truth. "Perhaps due to some confusion over the Pauline teaching that believers even now participate in the death and resurrection of Christ (Romans 6:4-5; Romans 6:8; 2 Timothy 2:11), they believed and taught that the resurrection of believers had already occurred in a spiritual sense . . . "That such a mistake could be made may seem strange to us. But the fervency of the first-generation

Titus 2:6-8 — Young men 2:6-8 The same principles apply to the behavior of young men. The age range for the older men and women would have been about 40 and up in that culture, and that of the younger would have been between about 20 and 40. [Note: Towner, The Letters . . ., p. 730.] Since Titus was one of the younger, Paul addressed him personally. They should also be sensible (Gr. sophronein; self-controlled,

Hebrews 10:37-38 — a figure of speech called litotes in which a positive idea is expressed by negating the opposite. As the larger context makes plain, he means, ’God will be severely angered’ (see Hebrews 10:27)." [Note: Hodges, The Gospel . . ., p. 74.] The allusions in these verses are to Isaiah 26:21 and Habakkuk 2:3-4 in the Septuagint. The writer took all his Old Testament quotations from this version except the one in Hebrews 10:30, which he took from the Hebrew Bible. "My righteous one"

Hebrews 6:9 — confidence on their realizing the dreadful consequences of apostasy that he had just explained and avoiding it. "Salvation" refers to the full salvation ahead of them, about which he had been speaking throughout this epistle (cf. Hebrews 1:14). "The things to which he refers are defined in the following verses (Hebrews 6:10-12): work and love, diligence to the end, and faith and patience. Salvation is the victorious participation with Christ in the coming kingdom as it is in Hebrews

1 Peter 4:17 — are not an accident but an assurance of His sovereign control. One writer argued that Peter was alluding to Malachi 3:2-3. [Note: D. E. Johnson, "Fire in God’s House: Imagery from Malachi 3 in Peter’s Theology of Suffering (1 Peter 4:12-19)," Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society 29 (1989):285-94.] This seems unlikely since Malachi referred to a purifying judgment that would come on Israel whereas Peter wrote of one that Christians experience now. Peter previously

1 Peter 4:8 — In relation to their fellow Christians, Peter considered it most important that his readers keep their brotherly love at full strength (1 Peter 1:22; Romans 13:8-10; 1 Thessalonians 5:8; 1 Thessalonians 5:15; 1 John 4:7-11). The same expression occurs in non-biblical Greek to describe a horse at full gallop and a runner straining for the tape at the finish line of a race. The person with this kind of love is willing to forgive and even covers a multitude of the sins

1 John 3:19-20 — remembering that God knows our real motives. He does not judge on the basis of appearance, as we often judge ourselves. "This phrase ["before Him," 1 John 3:19] could refer to standing in the presence of God on the day of judgment (1 John 4:17), an occasion which might well fill the heart of a man with foreboding. But the context here is one of prayer: dare we approach God with our requests if we feel guilty before him? On the whole, it seems more likely that this is what is in John’s

1 John 4:17 — Our love becomes complete in the sense that we can now have confidence as we anticipate our day of judgment (i.e., the evaluation of our works at Christ’s judgment seat; 1 Corinthians 3:12-15; 2 Corinthians 5:10; Romans 14:10-12). The characteristic of God and Christians in view here is our love. We do not need to fear the judgment seat of Christ if we have demonstrated love to others. By loving we become like Jesus Christ our Judge. Therefore to give love is to gain

1 John 4:6 — "We" probably refers to the apostolic eyewitnesses, as in 1 John 1:1-4, but it probably also includes all the faithful. Those believers who "know" God intimately respond positively to the teaching of the apostles. By apostolic doctrine we know whether any teaching is truth or error, namely, having its source

Revelation 10:6 — obviously not what the angel intended here. "Delay" is the only acceptable translation that makes sense in this context. There would be no delay between this announcement and the blowing of the seventh trumpet (Revelation 11:15). [Note: Alford, 4:652; Swete, pp. 126-27; Charles, 1:263-64; Beckwith, p. 582.] Revelation 10:7 explains this affirmation (cf. Daniel 12:7 a). The Tribulation martyrs would have to wait no longer for vindication (cf. Revelation 6:10). Evidently the seal and trumpet judgments

Revelation 14:14 — "And I looked" (Gr. kai idou) again marks a new scene and an advance to another important subject. The whole description is very similar to Daniel’s prophecy of Messiah’s second coming (Daniel 7:13-14). The cloud probably represents the glory of God, the Shekinah. The person John saw was evidently Jesus Christ, though some commentators think he was an angel in view of Revelation 14:15. This seems clear since John saw Him wearing a victor’s

Revelation 14:15 — Another angel (cf. Revelation 14:9) came out of the opened heavenly temple (cf. Revelation 11:19; Revelation 15:5) and announced that the time to judge those living on the earth had arrived. Three previous angels (Revelation 14:6-7; Revelation 14:9) announced that judgment was coming,

Revelation 16:9 — Evidently climatic changes will take place resulting in the sun’s heat becoming much hotter than normal (cf. Deuteronomy 32:24; Isaiah 24:6; Isaiah 42:25; Malachi 4:1; perhaps the destruction of the ozone layer?). Nevertheless instead of repenting, the beast-worshippers curse God (cf. Revelation 16:11; Revelation 16:21). They recognize His sovereignty, but they refuse to honor

Revelation 18:22-23 — resulted. No music, trades, or industry will continue (cf. Jeremiah 25:10). Where there had previously been hustle and bustle, there will then be silence. The angel gave three reasons for this devastation, two in Revelation 18:23 and one in Revelation 18:24. The Greek word hoti, "because," appears twice in Revelation 18:23. Each time it introduces a reason. First, men whom the world regards as great have enriched themselves and lifted themselves up in pride because of Babylon’s influence

Revelation 20:9 — plain may not be exactly identifiable now. The rebels will also surround the dwelling place ("camp") of believers, even the earthly city of Jerusalem. This city will be Christ’s capital during the Millennium (Jeremiah 3:17; cf. Isaiah 24:23; Ezekiel 43:7; Micah 4:7; Zechariah 14:9-11), the center of the world (Ezekiel 38:12). Nevertheless, God will destroy the rebels with fire from heaven (cf. Genesis 19:24; Leviticus 10:2; 2 Kings 1:10; 2 Kings 1:12; Ezekiel 38:22; Ezekiel 39:6; Luke

Revelation 9:1 — simply carries out God’s instructions faithfully, I tend to think he is an unfallen angel. The "bottomless pit" (lit. shaft of the abyss) is the abode of Satan (Revelation 9:11; Revelation 20:1-3), some demons (cf. Luke 8:31; 2 Peter 2:4; Judges 1:6), and the beast (Revelation 11:7; Revelation 17:8). It is evidently a preliminary prison, not their final abode, which is the lake of fire (i.e., hell, Revelation 19:20; Revelation 20:10; cf. Matthew 25:41), from which this angel is about