Bible Commentaries

Genesis 12:5-6 — Abram’s first settlement was in Shechem. ". . . towns on the main caravan route southwest-ward from the Euphrates which figure significantly in the Abram stories, are Shechem, Bethel, Hebron, and Gerar." [Note: Albright, p. 47.] Shechem became sacred to the Israelites because here God revealed Himself to Abram for the first time in the Promised Land. This was God’s second major revelation to Abram. At Shechem Jacob later bought land, set up his home, and buried his

Exodus 21:23-25 — retaliation (Latin lex talionis) became common in the ancient Near East. It sought to control the tendency of someone who had only suffered a minor injury to take major revenge. For example, a man might kill the person who beat up his brother (cf. Genesis 4:23). God forbade such excessive vengeance among His people and limited them so that they should only exact equal payment for offenses committed against them and no more. "This law of the talion, for a long time thought to be a more primitive kind

Isaiah 55 overview — Yahweh’s gracious invitation ch. 55 This chapter is part two of Isaiah’s celebration of the Servant’s work of redemption. In view of what God would do for humankind (ch. 54), people would need to appropriate the salvation that he provided (ch. 55). "All things are ready; the guests are invited; and nothing is required of them except to come." [Note: Delitzsch, 2:353. Cf. Matthew 22:4; Romans 11:6.] As in the

Ezekiel 17 overview — covenant with her. Was the Lord fair in destroying Jerusalem now since former generations of Judahites had been unfaithful? The present fable clarified that Judah’s recent leaders were also unfaithful and worthy of divine judgment. See 2 Kings 24:6-20; 2 Chronicles 36:8-16; and Jeremiah 37 and Jeremiah 52:1-7 for the historical background of the events described in this riddle. ". . . what Ezekiel’s pantomime [the sign of the departing deportee, Ezekiel 12:1-16] was to drama, this

Daniel 10 overview — future. "There is hardly anything in the Bible that is just like these chapters, especially like chapter 11. The word, the vision, and minute prediction are combined in a manner that is found nowhere else in the Scriptures." [Note: Leupold, p. 441.] The first chapter (ch. 10) and Daniel 10:1 of chapter 11 introduce the vision that follows. There are two parts to this vision: the immediate future from Darius through Antiochus (Daniel 11:2-35); and the distant future, namely: the seventieth

Daniel 8 overview — concerned his people particularly. The Book of Revelation, though written in only one language originally, reveals a similar structure. After an introduction (Revelation 1-3; cf. Daniel 1), a section dealing with worldwide judgments follows (Revelation 4-11; cf. Daniel 2-7). Then the prophecies deal more specifically with Israel (Revelation 12-20; cf. Daniel 8-12). A. Daniel’s vision of the ram and the goat ch. 8 Chapter 7 recorded the general history of "the times of the Gentiles,"

Deuteronomy 19:1-13 — Manslaughter 19:1-13 God revealed the law concerning how the Israelites were to deal with manslayers earlier (cf. Numbers 35:9-34). In Israel this kind of crime was a domestic rather than a law court matter; families were to deal with it rather than the courts. The instructions given here urge application of this law and explain the need for three more cities of refuge west of

Acts 2:34-35 — proved that David had prophesied Messiah’s resurrection (Acts 2:27). Now he said that David also prophesied Messiah’s ascension (Psalms 110:1). This was a passage from the Old Testament that Jesus had earlier applied to Himself (Matthew 22:43-44; Mark 12:35-37; Luke 20:41-42). It may have been Jesus’ use of this passage that enabled His disciples to grasp the significance of His resurrection. It may also have served as the key to their understanding of these prophecies of Messiah

Acts 2:36 — 2:21. "This title of ’Lord’ was a more important title than Messiah, for it pictured Jesus’ total authority and His ability and right to serve as an equal with God the Father." [Note: Bock, "A Theology . . .," p. 104. See Witherington’s excursus on Luke’s Christology, pp. 147-53.] Normative dispensationalists (both classical and revised, to use Blaising’s labels) hold that Peter only meant that Jesus of Nazareth was the Davidic Messiah. Progressive

1 Corinthians 9 overview — example, he ate marketplace food with Gentiles but not with Jews. Paul responded to this viewpoint in this chapter. There have been evidences of the Corinthians’ unwillingness to yield to Paul’s authority throughout this letter (1 Corinthians 4:1-5; 1 Corinthians 5-6; cf. 1 Corinthians 14:36-37). This was an appropriate place for him to confront the issue.

Joshua 21:34-42 — The Merarites’ towns 21:34-42 There were 12 towns in which the Merarites resided: four in Zebulun (Joshua 21:34-35), four in Reuben (Joshua 21:36-37), and four in Gad (Joshua 21:38-39). In all, the Levites received 48 cities with their surrounding pasturelands, including the

Judges 5:31 — 1983):158-75.] This verse invites the reader to consider how we too may join God in His work of crushing oppressors, His enemies, and so take our place among His friends. [Note: McCann, p. 61.] Following this victory and the battles that followed (Judges 4:24), the land saw no major wars for 40 years (Judges 5:31). One writer pointed out several features of the ministry of Deborah that reveal Israel’s inverted life during the era of the judges. [Note: Freema Gottlieb, "Three Mothers,"

Jude 1:16 — in this verse. As the former grumblers, the false teachers in his day grumbled primarily against God. "He who is out of touch with God is prone to grumble about anything." [Note: Hiebert, "An Exposition . . . 12-16," p. 247.] They pursued their lusts for sensuality and gain (cf. Judges 1:4; Judges 1:8; Judges 1:10-11). Their arrogant words probably refer to what they claimed was true about God that contradicted apostolic revelation (cf. Daniel 11:36). Furthermore they

Jude 1:23 — Sixth, Jude gave instruction concerning those believers who have already fallen under God’s discipline by capitulating to false teachers. We should attempt to extract them from their error before their consequent judgment falls (cf. Amos 4:11; Zechariah 3:2). Fire is symbolic of God’s judgment in Scripture. Here Jude saw God’s judgment coming on believers for yielding to sin or false teaching. [Note: Hiebert, Second Peter . . ., p. 290; Lawlor, p. 127. Cf. John 15:6; 1 Corinthians

Revelation 13:1 — The dragon stood on the seashore watching a beast come out of the sea, in John’s vision (cf. Daniel 7:2-3; Daniel 7:7-8; Daniel 7:19-27; Job 40-41). The AV and NKJV rendering "I stood" does not have as good textual support, I believe, as the NASB and NIV "he stood." ". . . people in Asia minor thought of whatever came ’from the sea’ as foreign

Revelation 18:20 — 18:20 In contrast to the earth-dwellers, God’s people will rejoice when Babylon falls (cf. Revelation 11:10). The songs in Revelation 19:1-5 may be their response to this invitation. Heaven rejoiced over the fall of ancient Babylon too (Jeremiah 51:48-49). [Note: Hughes, p. 194.] What causes bitter mourning on earth brings great exultation to heaven. The speaker is evidently the angel (Revelation 18:4; cf. Revelation 12:12). Saints are all believers. Apostles, who died as martyrs, and prophets are

Revelation 3:1-2 — was that they had a good reputation, evidently among the other churches. However, they were really a dead church and their good works were not as impressive as they should have been. Only a few of their number were faithful to the Lord (Revelation 3:4). "The temple to Artemis (possibly Cybele) equaled in size the famous temple of Artemis in Ephesus. However, the temple at Sardis was never finished." [Note: Johnson, p. 447.] This tendency to fail to finish what they had begun characterized

Revelation 6:10 — John saw these martyrs calling out to their heavenly Master (Gr. despotes) to punish their murderers. Contrast the prayers of Jesus (Luke 23:34) and Stephen (Acts 7:60) in which they asked God to be merciful to their murderers. The difference is that the time of God’s longsuffering has now ended and He has begun to pour out His wrath on sinners. "Master" implies divine might,

2 Samuel 11:26-15 — [NIV]’ (2 Samuel 11:27) is literally ’sent and collected her’ and emphasizes the abuse of royal power that David is increasingly willing to exercise. . ." [Note: Youngblood, p. 938.] The same phrase appears in 1 Samuel 14:52 where it describes Saul’s method of recruiting soldiers. "How could a man-a man after God’s own heart-fall to such a level? If you are honest about your own heart, it’s not hard to understand." [Note: Swindoll, p. 194.]

2 Samuel 5:13-16 — 4. David’s additional children 5:13-16 Again David sinned by multiplying wives (Deuteronomy 17:17). Nevertheless in spite of this sin, God continued to bless him with fertility because he was God’s elect, and for the most part, God’s