Bible Commentaries

Genesis 1:29-31 — civilization. Nature was to serve man, not vice versa. This does not give man the right to abuse nature, however. [Note: See Gina Hens-Piazza, "A Theology of Ecology: God’s Image and the Natural World," Biblical Theology Bulletin 13:4 (October 1983):107-110.] Neither does it justify giving animals and plants the "rights" of human beings. "Man is the climax of creation, and instead of man providing the gods with food, God provided the plants as food for man (Genesis

Exodus 24:1-8 — and 70 of the elders of Israel were to ascend the mountain to worship God. God permitted only Moses to approach Him closely, however. Moses first related the content of God’s covenant with Israel orally, and the people submitted to it (Exodus 24:3). Then he wrote out God’s words to preserve them permanently for the Israelites (Exodus 24:4). The altar he built memorialized this place as where God had revealed Himself to His people. The 12 pillars were probably not part of the altar but

Job 1:1-5 — A. Job’s Character 1:1-5 Uz (Job 1:1) was probably southeast of the Dead Sea (cf. Job 1:3; Job 1:14; Job 1:19; Job 42:12). [Note: See Zondervan Pictorial Encyclopedia of the Bible, s.v. "Uz," by G. Frederick Owen.] Some scholars place it in Bashan south of Damascus, but the writer of Lamentations (probably Jeremiah) associated the land of

Job 1:6-22 — devour" (1 Peter 5:8). [Note: For a summary of what the Book of Job teaches about angels, see ibid., p. 232. See too Sydney H. T. Page, "Satan: God’s Servant," Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society 50:3 (September 2007):449-65.] In Eden, Satan disparaged God to Eve. Here he disparaged Job to God. [Note: Kline, p. 462.] Satan accused God of bribing Job so he would act piously (Job 1:9-11). This charge articulates one of the main questions of this book: Why do righteous

Psalms 119:1-176 — holiness and handle the persecutions and pressures that always accompany an obedient walk of faith." [Note: Wiersbe, The . . . Wisdom . . ., p. 308.] This psalm contains a reference to God’s Word in almost every verse (except Psalms 119:84; Psalms 119:90; Psalms 119:121-122; Psalms 119:132). The psalmist used 10 synonyms for the Word of God, each of which conveys a slightly different emphasis. "Way" and "ways" (Heb. derek) describes the pattern of life God’s

Leviticus 24:10-23 — E. The punishment of a blasphemer 24:10-23 This is another narrative section of Leviticus (cf. chs. 8-10). Its position in the book must mean that it took place after God had given Moses the instructions about the holy lamps and showbread (Leviticus 24:1-9). This fact underlines that Leviticus

Daniel 9:27 — and the destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70. Yet Daniel presented both of these events as after the sixty-ninth week and before the seventieth week. Thus there must be a break in the chronology after the sixty-ninth week. [Note: See McClain, pp. 31-45, for additional proofs of a gap.] This future ruler, according to Gabriel, will make a covenant with "the many" for one week (seven years). "The many" evidently refers to Daniel’s people (Daniel 9:24), ethnic Jews (cf. Daniel

Joel 2:32 — all who call on Him for salvation from sin. They will avoid the terrible day when all unbelievers will suffer condemnation by their Judge (Revelation 20:11-15). The Apostle Peter also quoted this passage (Joel 2:28-32) in his Pentecost sermon (Acts 2:14-36). He said that what the people of Jerusalem were witnessing, which they mistook for drunkenness, was what Joel had spoken of (Acts 2:16-21; cf. Acts 10:45). Many interpreters believe that Peter meant that Joel’s prophecy was completely fulfilled

Jonah 4:11 — idiomatic meaning lacking in knowledge and innocent in that sense (cf. 2 Samuel 19:35; Isaiah 7:15-16). [Note: Stuart, p. 507.] "Not to be able to distinguish between the right hand and the left is a sign of mental infancy." [Note: Keil, 1:416.]   It would be unusual if this referred only to chronological infants, however.   "Their inability to discern ’their right hand from their left’ must refer to their moral ignorance. Though responsible for their evil deeds

Matthew 2:21-23 — could do so, news reached him that Herod the Great’s son, Archelaus, had begun to rule as ethnarch over Judea, Samaria, and Idumea. The rest of Herod the Great’s kingdom went to his sons Antipas, who ruled as tetrarch over Galilee and Perea (4 B.C. - A.D. 39), and Philip. "Tetrarch" means Philip ruled over one-fourth of the kingdom of his father, Herod the Great. Philip became tetrarch of Iturea, Trachonitis, and some other territories (4 B.C. - A.D. 34). The title "ethnarch"

John 21:15 — shore, with John within earshot close behind (cf. John 21:20-21). Jesus began by addressing Peter as Simon the son of Jonas. In the Gospels, Jesus addressed Peter this way on only the most important occasions. These were his call to follow Jesus (John 1:42), his confession of Jesus as the Son of God (Matthew 16:17), and as he slept in Gethsemane (Mark 14:37). When Jesus addressed Peter this way here, Peter probably realized that what Jesus was about to say to him was extremely important. Jesus used a

Acts 1:8 — Rather than trying to figure out when the kingdom would come, the disciples were to give their attention to something different, namely, worldwide witness. Moreover the disciples would receive divine enablement for their worldwide mission (cf. Luke 24:47-49). As God’s Spirit had empowered the Israelites and Jesus as they executed their purposes, so God’s Spirit would empower the disciples as they executed their purpose. "What is promised to the apostles is the power to fulfil their

Romans 5:13-14 — righteousness entered the world by one man and life through righteousness." Evidently Paul broke off his statement because he wanted to explain the relationship between sin and the Law, specifically, why there was death before the Law. Romans 5:13-14 explain Romans 5:12. He returned to the thought begun in Romans 5:12 in Romans 5:18. People died before God gave the Mosaic Law. If there is no law, there can be no transgression of law (cf. Romans 3:20). Since death is the penalty for transgression

2 Corinthians 1:1 — individuals plus Paul possessed them (1 Corinthians 15:8; Acts 1:21-22; Acts 9:15). However "apostle" occurs elsewhere in the non-technical sense of anyone sent on God’s great mission of spreading the gospel (cf. 2 Corinthians 8:23; Acts 14:4; Acts 14:14; Philippians 2:25; et al.). The recipients of this epistle knew Timothy well (v.19, Acts 18:5). He had come to faith in Christ evidently through Paul’s ministry in Lystra in Asia Minor (Acts 14:8-20; 1 Timothy 1:2; 2 Timothy 1:2).

Colossians 1:20 — (Colossians 1:20). God never has had need to be reconciled to man; He has always loved man. It is easy to see the importance of holding right views here, since our attitude to Christ’s work and our very idea of God are affected." [Note: Johnson, 474:143. See also James S. Stewart, A Man in Christ, pp. 204-72; and Barclay, p. 147.] "All things" would include the angelic world and the rest of creation besides humanity. Christ’s death has dealt with the defilement sin caused as

Judges 12:1-7 — Jephthah for this affront (Judges 12:1). "Why should the Ephraimites complain about a victory accomplished through God’s intervention for the benefit of all the tribes? It was a strange jealousy that spurred on Ephraim." [Note: Wolf, p. 458.] Jephthah opened his mouth wisely again and replied that he had indeed requested their help, but they had not responded (Judges 12:2). This did not satisfy the Ephraimites, however, who mobilized a large fighting force to teach the Gileadites a

Judges 3:31 — 2. Oppression under the Philistines and deliverance through Shamgar 3:31 Several factors suggest that Shamgar’s victory took place sometime during the 98 years described in the previous section (Judges 3:12-30). First, Judges 4:1 refers to Ehud, not Shamgar. Second, there is no reference to Israel doing evil in Yahweh’s sight in this verse. Third, the length of the Philistine oppression was long. Fourth, the writer did not mention a number of years that the land enjoyed

Judges 3:7-11 — Caleb’s younger brother, was still alive and strong (cf. Joshua 15:17; Judges 1:13). The writer identified each of these periods with the phrase "the sons of Israel did what was evil in the sight of the LORD" (Judges 3:7; Judges 3:12; Judges 4:1; Judges 6:1; Judges 10:6; Judges 13:1). Many scholars now identify Asheroth (Judges 3:7, NASB) with the Canaanite goddess Asherah (NIV) and the Ugaritic Athirat. They distinguish her from the Mesopotamian female deity Astarte. "She was frequently

Revelation 3:9-12 — foes claimed to be the true followers of God, but they were not, having rejected Jesus Christ (cf. John 8:31-59). Eventually they would have to admit their error, at the judgment of unbelievers (the great white throne judgment) if not earlier (Isaiah 45:23; Isaiah 60:14; Romans 14:11; Philippians 2:10-11). However the future repentance of Israel at Messiah’s second coming that will result in the Jews’ respectful treatment of Gentile believers seems to be in view here (cf. Isaiah 45:14;

1 Samuel 16:14-23 — David’s introduction to the royal court 16:14-23 "In addition to being the middle chapter of 1 Samuel, chapter 16 is pivotal in another way as well: Its first half (1 Samuel 16:1-13), ending with a statement concerning David’s reception of the Spirit of God, describes David’s anointing