Bible Commentaries

Joel 1:5-7 — the land to weep because the locusts had destroyed all the grapevines. There would be no grapes to produce sweet (the most favored) wine for them to drink (cf. Isaiah 5:11-12; Isaiah 5:22; Isaiah 22:13; Isaiah 28:1; Isaiah 28:7; Isaiah 56:12; Hosea 4:11-19; Hosea 7:5; Hosea 7:13-14; Amos 2:6-8; Amos 6:6; Amos 9:13; Micah 2:11; Acts 2:13; Acts 2:15). "Sweet wine (’asis) was made by drying the grapes in the sun for a short time and then allowing the juice to ferment for five to seven days

Zechariah 2:6-7 — The Lord called His people to flee from the land of the north (cf. Jeremiah 3:18; Jeremiah 16:15; Jeremiah 23:8; Jeremiah 31:8) where He had scattered them as the four winds (cf. Isaiah 43:5-6; Isaiah 49:12). Most of the Israelite exiles had gone into captivity in Assyria, and most of the Judean exiles went into captivity in Babylon. However, there were many other Israelites who had been taken or had fled to Egypt (Jeremiah 43:7), Moab,

Malachi 1:5 — Observing Yahweh’s dealings with Edom, the Israelites would learn of His love for her and His greatness that extended beyond Israel (cf. Malachi 1:11; Malachi 1:14; Malachi 3:12; Malachi 4:6). They would eventually call on other people to appreciate Him too. "While Edom does not have the most space devoted to prophecies against it in total number of verses (Egypt has that honor, thanks to Ezekiel), it has

Malachi 1:8 — occupied by Judah. Nehemiah held this position for a while, but others preceded and followed him in it. The Book of Malachi seems to date from Nehemiah’s leadership of Israel, but Nehemiah refused to receive offerings from the people (Nehemiah 5:14; Nehemiah 5:18). So the governor in view here was probably not Nehemiah. Elnathan, Yeho’ezer, and Ahzai were evidently the governors of Judah between Zerubbabel and Nehemiah. [Note: N. Avigad, "Bullae and Seals from a Post-exilic Judean Archive,"

Matthew 25:32-33 — Usually "the nations" (Gr. ta ethne) refers to Gentiles distinguished from Jews (e.g., Luke 21:24; Acts 14:16). [Note: Abbott-Smith, pp. 129-30; Thayer, A Greek-English . . ., p. 168; Vincent, 1:135. ] Because of this some interpreters believe the judgment of Matthew 25:31-46 is a judgment of Gentiles only. [Note: E.g., Barbieri, p. 80; Bailey,

Matthew 27:32 — Jesus was able to carry the crossbeam of His cross until He passed through the city gate (cf. Mark 15:21 John 19:17). Normally crucifixions took place outside the city wall (cf. Leviticus 24:14; Numbers 15:35-36; 1 Kings 21:13; Acts 7:58). This location symbolized added rejection (cf. Hebrews 13:13). Simon’s name was Jewish. He came from the town of Cyrene on the Mediterranean coast of North Africa (cf. Acts 2:10; Acts 6:9; Acts 11:20;

Matthew 3:12 — metaphorically described God separating the true and the false, the repentant and the unrepentant, in a future judgment. This thorough judgment will result in the preservation of the believing Israelites and the destruction of the unbelieving (cf. Matthew 25:31-46). The barn probably refers to the kingdom and the "unquenchable fire" to the endless duration and the agonizing nature of this punishment. "’Unquenchable fire’ is not just metaphor: fearful reality underlies Messiah’s

Matthew 7:12 — exposition of Old Testament revelation. Consequently the "therefore" in this verse probably summarizes the entire section (Matthew 5:17 to Matthew 7:12). The "golden rule" sums up the teaching of the Old Testament (cf. Exodus 23:4; Leviticus 19:18; Deuteronomy 15:7-8; Proverbs 24:17; Proverbs 25:21; Luke 6:31). The title "golden rule" traditionally comes from "the Roman Emperor Alexander Severus (A.D. 222-35), who, though not a Christian, was reputedly so impressed

Mark 1:38-39 — "come out" from God to fulfill this mission. Peter encouraged Jesus to stay where He could not escape pressure to perform miracles (cf. John 7:3-5). Jesus chose to move on to other parts of Galilee where He could present the gospel (Mark 1:14) and His claims (Mark 1:15). Mark 1:39 summarizes this preaching tour throughout Galilee. It may have lasted several weeks or even months (cf. Matthew 4:23-25). Jesus centered His ministry during this time in the synagogues because His mission was essentially

Mark 12:26-27 — authoritative. Exodus 3:6 taught continued human existence after death. Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob were still alive in Moses’ day. The Sadducees not only rejected the resurrection but also life after death. [Note: Josephus, Antiquities of . . ., 18:1:4; idem, The Wars . . ., 2:8:14. See the Zondervan Pictorial Encyclopedia of the Bible, s.v. "Sadducees," by D. A. Hagner, 5:214-15.] The Jews had a more holistic view of man than most modern westerners do (cf. Genesis 2:7). The Sadducees concluded

Mark 13:33 — realistic or necessary to live as though Jesus’ return is imminent? Jesus’ return was not less than seven years away from His departure from the earth because the Old Testament prophesied the Tribulation before the messianic kingdom (Daniel 9:24-27). Therefore the 12 disciples to whom Jesus gave this discourse could have been only a few years away from His return. They needed to be vigilant. That generation of disciples and all succeeding generations of disciples learned later that Jesus would

Mark 4:39-40 — Mark is the only evangelist who recorded the words Jesus spoke. Jesus addressed His creation as His child, and it responded accordingly. The wind ceased and the waves calmed down. "In the calming of the storm (Mark 4:35-41) his ’rebuke’ of the wind and ’muzzling’ of the waves are phrased in the language of exorcism, recalling the power of God over chaos at creation. Both episodes are effected solely by the word." [Note: Edwards, p. 223.]

Mark 5:41 — Apparently Jesus took the hand of the dead girl to associate His power with her healing in the witnesses’ minds. He did not need to touch her to raise her. Elijah (1 Kings 17:17-23) and Elisha (2 Kings 4:18-37) had both raised children to life, but they had to exert considerably more effort and spend more time doing so than Jesus did. It was probably this healing that led many of the people to identify Jesus with Elijah (Mark 6:15). Touching a dead

Luke 1:5 — Herod the Great ruled over Judea, the large Roman province that included all of Israel, from 37 B.C. to A.D. 4. Luke pointed out that both of John’s parents had a priestly heritage. The priests in Israel had the great privilege of intimate association with God through their worship and service in the sanctuary. Zechariah’s name means "Yahweh

Luke 13:10-17 — nation to repentance (Luke 13:3; Luke 13:5). Now He showed that change was possible with His power. He had pictured Israel in need of fruit (Luke 13:6-8). Now He illustrated His restorative powers. He had called the people to believe in Him (Luke 12:54-59). Now He gave them a sign that He was the Messiah. He had called the multitudes hypocrites because they refused to respond to the clear evidence before them (Luke 12:56). Now He called them hypocrites again because they refused to act to relieve

Luke 13:28-29 — The phrase "weeping and gnashing of teeth" elsewhere describes eternal punishment in hell (Matthew 8:12; Matthew 13:42; Matthew 13:50; Matthew 22:13; Matthew 24:51; Matthew 25:30). [Note: See Pagenkemper, pp. 183-86, 188-90.] There is no reason to conclude that it means something else here. Weeping expresses sorrow (cf. Luke 6:25; Acts 20:37; James 4:9; James 5:1)

Luke 14:26-27 — positively about loving oneself too (Luke 10:27). He clearly meant hate in a relative rather than an absolute sense here. Second, a disciple must bear the burden of public identification with Jesus even to death if necessary (Luke 9:23; cf. Deuteronomy 13:4; 1 Kings 14:8; 1 Kings 18:21; 2 Kings 23:3). Luke recorded this command in more detail than Matthew did perhaps because of his Gentile readers’ greater need for challenge and encouragement in view of persecution (cf. Matthew 10:37-38). "Salvation

Luke 18:29-30 — (Matthew 19:29) and Mark wrote "for my sake and for the gospel’s sake" (Mark 10:29). These are all synonymous concepts. First, that one will receive deeper spiritual comfort and more satisfying human contacts in the present life (cf. Acts 2:44-47; Acts 4:32-37). Second, he or she will receive an even better and enduring life in the coming kingdom. Jesus and the apostles spoke of eternal life as a reward for self-sacrifice (Matthew 19:29; Mark 10:30; John 12:25-26; Romans 2:7; Romans 6:22;

John 3:11 — rejecting that witness. The Apostle John later made a similar claim. He said he wrote his first epistle that his readers might enter into the joy of fellowship with God that the apostles, who were eyewitnesses of Jesus’ ministry, enjoyed (1 John 1:1-4). John’s purpose in this Gospel was also that readers would accept his witness that Jesus was the Christ (John 20:30-31). Nicodemus had rejected the witness, and Jesus saw him as representing many others who also did (plural "you").

John 3:14 — In another sense Jesus would rise up to heaven. The Ascension is not in view here. Jesus’ enemies lifting Him up toward heaven as Moses lifted the serpent on the pole toward heaven is in view (cf. Numbers 21:4-9). In the wilderness God promised the Israelites that whoever looked on the bronze serpent would receive physical life and not die. This is Jesus’ earliest recorded prediction of His death. It is an allusion to death by crucifixion (cf. John