Bible Commentaries

1 Kings 14:21-31 — 3. Rehoboam’s evil reign in Judah 14:21-31 "The narrator introduces a new format and style at this point that enables him to state the essence of a king’s reign with an economy of words. The introduction and conclusion of the account of each reign conform to a fixed pattern

1 Chronicles 6:1-81 — 4. The family of Levi ch. 6 This list clearly defines the priests and Levites’ line of descent. Its purpose seems to be to legitimate and clarify their role and service in the temple. [Note: Idem, "1 Chronicles," in The Old . . ., p. 301.]

Amos 1:3 — expression "for three transgressions [Heb. pesha’im, rebellions, i.e., against the universal Sovereign; cf. Genesis 9:5-17] and for four" is one of Amos’ trademark phrases (cf. Amos 1:6; Amos 1:9; Amos 1:11; Amos 1:13; Amos 2:1; Amos 2:4; Amos 2:6). It means for numerous transgressions (cf. Job 5:19; Job 33:29; Psalms 62:11-12; Proverbs 6:16; Proverbs 30:15-16; Proverbs 30:18-19; Proverbs 30:21-23; Proverbs 30:29-31; Ecclesiastes 11:2; Micah 5:5-6). "Three transgressions"

Malachi 4:6 — and worship Yahweh. At His first coming Jesus said that because of Him families would experience division. Some fathers would believe on Him but their sons would not, and daughters would disagree with their mothers over Him (Matthew 10:35-36; Luke 12:49-53; cf. Micah 7:6). When this Elijah comes, he will cause the Jews to believe on their Messiah, as many did in Elijah’s day. They will unite over belief in Him. If the Lord would not send this Elijah, and if he did not turn the hearts of the

Matthew 8:1-34 — A. Demonstrations of the King’s power 8:1-9:34 Matthew described Jesus’ ministry as consisting of teaching, preaching, and healing in Matthew 4:23. Chapters 5-7 record what He taught His disciples: principles of the kingdom. We have the essence of His preaching ministry in Matthew 4:17. Now

Matthew 8:26-27 — virgin-born Messiah, God with us, come to provide salvation and to set up His kingdom. While the disciples were "men" (Matthew 8:27), Jesus was a different type of man, the God-man. [Note: Plummer, p. 131.] Psalms 65:5-6; Psalms 89:8-9; Psalms 104:7; and Psalms 107:23-30 attribute the stilling of seas to God (cf. Jonah 1-2). Psalms 89:25 predicted that the ideal king would be able to do this. The Israelites viewed the sea as an enemy they could not control. Throughout the Old Testament it epitomizes

Mark 1:40-45 — 2. The cleansing of a leprous Jew 1:40-45 (cf. Matthew 8:1-4; Luke 5:12-16) This pericope evidently describes one incident during the Galilean preaching tour just summarized. It provides a striking example of Jesus’ supernatural power. This is only one of two healings of lepers that

Mark 4:26-29 — The parable of the seed growing by itself 4:26-29 Since this parable supplements the parable of the soils, it appears that Jesus addressed it to the multitudes (cf. Mark 4:1-9). Mark is the only evangelist who recorded this part of the discourse. Each parable to the multitudes illuminated something

Luke 16:27-31 — would not believe on Jesus even though Jesus would rise from the dead (cf. Luke 9:22; Luke 11:29-30; Luke 13:32). The testimony of the Scriptures is powerful because that is what God has chosen to use to bring conviction of spiritual need (cf. Hebrews 4:12). Angels had appeared to people in Old Testament times, but hardhearted people did not believe them either (Genesis 19:14). Evidently people in Hades have a concern for the lost on earth, but they can do nothing about it. "There is an implication

John 20:22 — These disciples needed supernatural spiritual power to carry out such a task, but what did Jesus really do next? There are several views. One view is that Jesus gave these disciples a temporary infusion of His Spirit. [Note: Blum, p. 343; cf. Calvin, 2:205; Morris, pp. 747-48.] The act of breathing on them recalls the Creation in which God breathed His life into Adam (Genesis 2:7). Thus Jesus may have been suggesting that He was doing a new creative work by filling these men with His

John 8:10-11 — Jesus’ addressed the woman respectfully (cf. John 2:4; John 4:21; John 19:26; John 20:13). He asked if no one who was condemning her remained. He did not ask her if she was guilty. Evidently she was. As the judge in her case, He showed more interest in her prosecutors than in her guilt. Without prosecutors

Romans 8:29 — Romans 11:2; Acts 2:23; 1 Peter 1:2). Yet, as mentioned above, the Bible does not regard Him as the direct cause of all that happens or blameworthy because bad things happen. The reason for God’s choice of the elect was not human merit (Ephesians 1:4), or even the faith of the elect, but God’s love and purpose (Romans 8:28; cf. Deuteronomy 7:6-8). "Theologians rightly point out that prior to knowledge must be the divine decree. Unless God determines in some sense that something will happen,

1 Corinthians 12 overview — E. Spiritual gifts and spiritual people chs. 12-14 Paul had been dealing with matters related to worship since 1 Corinthians 8:1. He had forbidden the Corinthians from participating in temple meals but had allowed eating marketplace meat under certain circumstances (1 Corinthians 8:1 to 1 Corinthians

Galatians 1:15-17 — What totally revolutionized Paul was God’s choice to reveal Himself to him (cf. Isaiah 6:1-9; Isaiah 49:1-6; Jeremiah 1:4; Ezekiel 1:4 to Ezekiel 3:11). [Note: See J. Munck, Paul and the Salvation of Mankind, pp. 24-35, for parallels between God’s calling of Paul and His calling of Jeremiah and the Suffering Servant of the Lord.] God had taken

Ephesians 1:14 — justification is in view, but here glorification is, the final aspect of our redemption. We experience redemption in three stages: we have been redeemed in Christ (Ephesians 1:7), we are being redeemed as the Spirit makes us more like Christ (Romans 8:1-4), and we shall be redeemed when Christ returns and we become sinless, as He is. God’s possession is the believer whom He has chosen (Ephesians 1:3-6), redeemed (Ephesians 1:7-12), and sealed (Ephesians 1:13-14) "to the praise of His glory"

1 Peter 1:5 — referred to in this verse as ongoing faith rather than initial faith. One advocate of this view wrote the following. "Those who have true faith can lose that faith neither totally nor finally." [Note: Anthony A. Hoekema, Saved by Grace, p. 234. See also John MacArthur, Faith Works, pp. 175-92.] I do not believe the apostle meant that the elect will inevitably continue in faith, namely, continue to believe the truths of the gospel. Paul warned that Christians can stop believing the truth

2 Peter 1:1 — identified himself with a double name. Peter may have done this to suggest the two aspects of his life, before and after discipleship to Jesus Christ. [Note: W. H. Griffith Thomas, The Apostle Peter: Outline Studies in His Life, Character, and Writings, p. 247.] Peter called for discipleship in this letter and referred to the changes that it produces in Christians (e.g., 2 Peter 1:4-11). Peter regarded himself first as a bond-slave (Gr. doulos) of Jesus Christ and secondarily as His apostle (cf. Romans 1:1;

1 John 2:27 — The "anointing" is the Holy Spirit (cf. 1 John 2:20). The readers had the Holy Spirit within them whose ministry it is to guide believers into all the truth and to teach us what God has revealed (John 14:26; John 16:13). Consequently they were not dependent on other human teachers, especially the false teachers. From this verse some Christians have concluded that we should not listen to any human teacher. That is not what John said. He wanted his readers

Revelation 11:3 — perform (Revelation 11:6). [Note: E.g., Smith, A Revelation . . ., p. 169; Tenney, p. 191; and Barclay, The Revelation . . ., 2:87.] Others believe they will be Enoch and Elijah since God took these men to heaven without dying. [Note: E.g., Seiss, p. 244; and Thomas W. Mackay, "Early Christian Millenarianist Interpretation of the Two Witnesses in John’s Apoclaypse, 11:3-13," in By Study and Also by Faith, pp. 252-65, 310.] Another reason some believe one of these witnesses will be Elijah

2 Samuel 6:1-11 — where the ark had evidently rested since the Israelites had moved it from Bethshemesh in Samuel’s days (1 Samuel 6; cf. Psalms 132:6-8). [Note: Joseph Blenkinsopp, "Kiriath-jearim and the Ark," Journal of Biblical Literature 88 (1969):146-47.] David wanted to bring the ark into his capital because it symbolized the Lord’s presence. As we have seen, David did not believe superstitiously that the ark for its own sake would bring blessing wherever it went. He viewed Yahweh as the