Bible Commentaries

Genesis 13:11-13 — Lot, however, chose neither of these options, north or south. Instead he decided to move east into the Jordan Valley (Genesis 13:11). Earlier we read that Adam, Eve, and Cain traveled east after they sinned (Genesis 3:24; Genesis 4:16) and that the people of Babel went east and rebelled against God (Genesis 11:2). Thus Lot’s move east makes us a bit uneasy (cf. Genesis 12:3). At this time the Jordan River was the eastern border of Canaan that continued south from

Genesis 28:10-17 — (carried out) what I have told thee.’" [Note: Keil and Delitzsch, 1:281-82.] Other visions of God’s heavenly throneroom appear in 1 Kings 22:19-22; Job 1:6-8; Job 2:1-3; Isaiah 6; Ezekiel 1; Zechariah 1:10; Zechariah 6:5; Revelation 4-5; et al. This was God’s first revelation to Jacob, and it came in a dream (cf. John 1:51). Other passages contain promises of the land (Genesis 12:7; Genesis 13:14-16; Genesis 15:18; Genesis 17:8; Genesis 24:7), but this one (Genesis 28:13-14)

Genesis 6:9-22 — partly due to the fact that a flood narrative is peculiarly suited to this literary form. . . . "Particularly striking are the references to days (lines H, I, L, O). (Only the references to days form part of the palistrophe; the 40 days and nights [vii 4, 12] and the dates do not.) The periods of time form a symmetrical pattern, 7, 7, 40, 150, 150, 40, 7, 7. The turning point of the narrative is found in viii:1 ’God remembered Noah.’ "What then is the function

Exodus 32:15-24 — Aaron’s excuse 32:15-24 Moses broke the tablets of the law (Exodus 32:19) symbolizing the fact that Israel had broken its covenant with Yahweh. He then proceeded to destroy the golden calf, the symbol of the illicit covenant into which they had entered (cf. 2 Kings 23:15).

Leviticus 10:12-20 — God’s judgment of his eldest sons. Perhaps the holiness of God so impressed Aaron that he felt unworthy to eat what he had offered as a sin offering. He probably concluded that mourners should not take part in sacrificial meals (cf. Deuteronomy 26:14). [Note: Sailhamer, p. 332.] This explanation is preferable to one that suggests Aaron refused to eat simply because he was grief-stricken by the death of his sons. This motivation probably would not have been as acceptable to Moses as the former. Moses

Deuteronomy 28:58-68 — fifth view shows Israel deprived of all the benefits she had formerly enjoyed (cf. Deuteronomy 6:21-23; Deuteronomy 26:5-9). This section deals with disease and disasters in the land (Deuteronomy 28:58-63) and deportation from the land (Deuteronomy 28:64-68). Both parts picture a reversal of Exodus blessings. In the later history of Israel the punishments God predicted here took place very literally when the people disobeyed His law. What Moses described in Deuteronomy 28:32-36 happened in the Assyrian

Ephesians 5:22 — 23.] We live in an ordered universe in which there is authority and submission to authority everywhere (cf. Romans 13:1). Authority and submission relationships are therefore natural and necessary to maintain order. God has authority over man (James 4:5). Man has authority over nature (Genesis 1:28). Husbands have authority over their wives (Ephesians 5:22). Parents have authority over their children (Ephesians 6:1). Governors have authority over those they govern (1 Peter 2:13-14). Employers have

Colossians 2:20-23 — "If" (Colossians 2:20) could read "Since." It is a first class condition in Greek that in this case is a condition true to reality. Christians "died" to merely human ordinances of Judaism and Gnosticism at conversion (cf. Romans 6:1-4; Romans 7:1-6; 2 Corinthians 5:14; Galatians 2:19). Nevertheless it is possible to put oneself under these and live like unbelievers in the world. The false teachers were in effect forcing the Colossians to live by the world system by placing ascetic

Colossians 3:1-2 — but as they appear to God." [Note: Barclay, p. 177.] "The Christian has to keep his feet upon the earth, but his head in the heavens. He must be heavenly-minded here on earth and so help to make earth like heaven." [Note: Robertson, 4:500.] This is the legitimate mysticism of Paul. The two commands differ in that the first emphasizes the more practical pursuits of life whereas the second stresses the whole bent of the life. The first is outward and the second inward. Jesus Christ’s

Hebrews 1:5 — angels" opens and closes this section of the text (cf. Hebrews 1:13). This literary device (an inclusio) marks off a literary unit by using the same word or phrase at the beginning and at the end of a discussion (cf. Hebrews 2:5-16; Hebrews 3:1 to Hebrews 4:14; Hebrews 5:1-10; Hebrews 5:11 to Hebrews 6:12; Hebrews 7:1-10; Hebrews 12:14 to Hebrews 13:20). David prophetically referred to Jesus Christ as God’s Son in Psalms 2:7, the verse the writer quoted first. [Note: See. Franz Delitzsch, Biblical

Hebrews 11 overview — section is expository in form but parenetic in function, inviting the readers to emulate the example of the heroes listed. The linking word that ties this section to what precedes is "faith" or "faithfulness," which the Habakkuk 2:4 quotation introduced (Hebrews 10:38-39; cf. Hebrews 10:20). The Habakkuk quotation gives "faith" the nuance of "faithfulness." The writer repeated this word (Gr. pistis) 24 times in chapter 11. It occurs in the first and last sentences

James 1:2 — accompany sinners rather than remaining faithful to the Savior. He was not distinguishing between internal and external temptations. [Note: James B. Adamson, The Epistle of James, p. 53; Sidebottom, p. 30.] Trials come from both sources (cf. James 1:14). Any trial can constitute a test of our faith, namely, a temptation to cease trusting and obeying God. "Trials rightly faced are harmless, but wrongly met become temptations to evil." [Note: Robertson, 6:11.] Note that James was speaking

James 5:9 — and bitter denunciation of others but the unexpressed feeling of bitterness or the smothered resentment that may express itself in a groan or a sigh." [Note: Burdick, p. 202.] James forbade this because it involves improper judging (cf. James 4:11-12). Judgment will take place soon. This verse is a clear indication that the early Christians expected the Lord Jesus to return imminently. [Note: See Gerald B. Stanton, Kept from the Hour, ch. 6: "The Imminency of the Coming of Christ for

1 Peter 5:3 — Third, an elder should lead by giving an example of godly living that others can follow rather than by driving people forward with authoritarian commands (cf. 1 Timothy 4:12; 2 Thessalonians 3:9). He should be able to expect them to do as he does as well as to do what he says. The English word "clergy" derives from the Greek verb kleroo, meaning "to make a possession," here translated "allotted

Judges 7:1-8 — afraid the opportunity to go home, which he did (Judges 7:3). However the large number that deserted him, more than two out of three, must have shocked Gideon. Then God said that even the remaining 10,000 soldiers (or 10 units) were too many (Judges 7:4). The normal way to drink from a stream was to get down on one’s hands and knees and put his mouth to the water. This is what most of the soldiers did. A smaller number simply remained standing or kneeled, reached down, dipped one hand into the

1 John 1:1 — The "beginning" (Gr. arche) may refer to the beginning of all things (John 1:1) or the beginning of the creation (Genesis 1:1). It could also refer to the beginning of Jesus’ earthly ministry (i.e., His incarnation; John 1:14), the beginning of the readers’ experience as Christians, or the beginning of the Christian gospel. The last option seems most consistent with what John proceeded to say about that beginning (1 John 2:7; 1 John 2:24; 1 John 3:11; cf. Mark 1:1-4;

Revelation 18:24 — The third reason for Babylon’s judgment is that she slew the saints (cf. Jeremiah 51:35-36; Jeremiah 51:49). The angel stated this reason as a fact rather than as an accusation. The responsibility for the blood of God’s servants martyred for their testimonies lies at the feet of this system. The murder of prophets is especially serious since they

Revelation 2 overview — eschatological and is correlated with the last two chapters of the book (21-22). . . . Furthermore, the promises are echoes of Genesis 2-3 : what was lost originally by Adam in Eden is more than regained in Christ." [Note: Johnson, p. 432.] "Churches 1 and 7 are in grave danger; churches 2 and 6 are in excellent shape, churches 3, 4, and 5 are middling, neither very good nor very bad." [Note: Morris, p. 58.] These were letters to historical churches in the first century

Revelation 20:4 — purpose of the thrones that John saw was twofold: ruling and judging (cf. Daniel 7:9-10; Daniel 7:22; Matthew 19:28). Those sitting on them are probably the faithful saints who have returned with Christ to the earth (Revelation 19:7-8; Revelation 19:14; Revelation 19:19; cf. Revelation 2:26-28; Revelation 3:12; Revelation 3:21). [Note: Seiss, pp. 457-58; Thomas, Revelation 8-22, p. 414.] Other views are that they are the 24 elders viewed as representatives of the church, [Note: Smith, A Revelation

2 Samuel 6:12-23 — means: after the priests had taken six steps, other priests sacrificed an ox and a fatling (a fat, i.e., choice, calf). This happened every time the priests carrying the ark took six steps. [Note: See McCarter, "The Ritual . . .," pp. 273-74, 277, n. 1; or Carlson, pp. 80, 86, for the Assyrian parallel custom.] David wore a priestly garment (2 Samuel 6:14; cf. 1 Samuel 2:18) as he praised the Lord (2 Samuel 6:13). Some scholars believe the ephod David wore was a brief loincloth and that