Bible Commentaries

Genesis 49:1-28 — 14. Jacob’s blessing of his sons 49:1-28 Having blessed Pharaoh (Genesis 47:7-10) and Ephraim and Manasseh (Genesis 48:15-20), Jacob next blessed all 12 of his sons and foretold what would become of each of them and their descendants. He disqualified

Genesis 9:8-17 — battle bow.) . . .   "The bow is now ’put away,’ hung in place by the clouds, suggesting that the ’battle,’ the storm, is over. Thus the rainbow speaks of peace." [Note: Ross, "Genesis," p. 40.] This covenant would remain for "all successive generations" (Genesis 9:12). People have no responsibility to guarantee the perpetuity of this covenant; God will do all that He promised (Genesis 9:9). Observe the recurrence of "I,"

Exodus 31:12-18 — (Genesis 17:11), the sign of the Mosaic covenant is the observance and celebration of the Sabbath day (Exodus 31:13; Exodus 31:17)." [Note: Youngblood, pp. 112-13. The sign of the New Covenant is the Lord’s Supper (Matthew 26:26-28; Mark 14:22-24; Luke 22:19-20; 1 Corinthians 11:23-25).] God intended this sign to teach Israel and the other nations that as redeemed people the Israelites had already entered into a measure of rest. They were partakers of God’s rest. Observance of the

Ezra 1 overview — initially (ch. 2). 1. The edict of Cyrus and its consequences ch. 1 God had warned His people Israel that disobedience to the Mosaic Covenant might result in exile from the Promised Land, if that disobedience was widespread and prolonged (cf. Leviticus 26:14; Leviticus 26:33; Deuteronomy 28:36; Deuteronomy 28:48; Deuteronomy 28:63). This was what actually happened. The Assyrians under Shalmaneser V took over the Northern Kingdom of Israel (2 Kings 17:1-6; cf. 2 Kings 15:29) and deported the people to Assyria

Esther 2:5-11 — great-grandfather, who went into captivity with Jehoiachin (Esther 2:5-6). [Note: Wright, p. 38.] This means Mordecai and Esther were probably descendants of the leading citizens of Jerusalem who went into exile in 597 B.C., perhaps nobility (cf. 2 Kings 24:12). Mordecai’s name is Persian, as is Esther’s, and it has connections with the god Marduk. [Note: Horn, p. 16.] All the same, it was common for the Jews in captivity to receive and to use pagan names (cf. Daniel 1:7; Ezra 1:8). This does

Leviticus 23:33-44 — 7. The Feast of Tabernacles 23:33-44 This feast (Heb. Sukkot) was another very joyous occasion for the Israelites. It was the third fall festival. It commemorated the Israelites’ journey from Egyptian bondage to blessing in Canaan. Its other names were the Feast of Booths and the

Leviticus 3:1-17 — sacrifice: the offerer, the priest, and God (symbolically). Eating together had great significance in the ancient Near East. People who ate a ritual meal together often committed themselves to one another in a strong bond of loyalty (cf. 1 Samuel 9:22-24; John 13-16). Eating together also symbolized fellowship, as it still does today. In this sacrifice the offerer fed on the same offering he had made to God. In the burnt offering God got the whole sacrifice. In the meal offering God and the priest shared

Matthew 3:1-2 — mean ’to give an informative or hortatory or edifying discourse expressed in beautifully arranged words with a melodious voice; it means to proclaim an event’ . . ." [Note: A. M. Hunter, The Message of the New Testament, p. 24.] The event John proclaimed was the imminent arrival of God’s kingdom. The scene of John’s ministry was the wilderness of Judea. This loosely defined area lay mainly to the west and somewhat north of the Dead Sea. John evidently conducted

Deuteronomy 33:6-25 — wealth. "While this cannot be documented as having taken place in biblical times, the promise has found startling fulfillment in the modern state of Israel, whose major port is Haifa, located in the area of ancient Zebulun." [Note: Merrill, Deuteronomy, p. 444.] These tribes would experience God’s blessing as they brought riches into Israel. These tribes occupied the fertile Jezreel Valley. "In your going forth" and "in your tents" (Deuteronomy 33:18) is a merism meaning in all

Acts 19:1-2 — Parthenon at Athens and was renowned as one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. Alexander the Great had contributed much money for its construction in the fourth century B.C., and it lasted until A.D. 263 when the Goths destroyed it. "It was 425 feet long by 220 feet wide by 60 feet high. There were 127 pillars, each of them the gift of a king. They were all of glittering Parian marble and 36 of them were marvelously gilt and inlaid. The great altar had been carved by Praxiteles, the greatest

Galatians 5:19-21 — who practice such sins will not inherit the kingdom of God (cf. 1 Corinthians 6:9-11; Ephesians 5:5). The use of the term "inherit the kingdom of God" (Galatians 5:21) is in keeping with Paul’s emphasis in this letter (e.g., Galatians 4:1-7; et al.). There are two important views as to what this exclusion involves. Most interpreters understand Paul’s words here to mean that people who practice these types of sins are not the kind of individuals who will inherit the kingdom (i.e.,

Galatians 5:22-23 — Romans 8:1). This fruit involves both character and conduct. [Note: For a helpful exposition of what is and what is not within the scope of the fruit of the Spirit, see James E. Rosscup, "Fruit in the New Testament," Bibliotheca Sacra 125:497 (January-March 1968):56-66. See also Charles C. Ryrie, "What is Spirituality?" Bibliotheca Sacra 126:503 (July-September 1969):204-13.] ". . . the law is not against those who walk by the Spirit because in principle they are fulfilling

Joshua 8:30-35 — 4. Renewal of the covenant 8:30-35 Israel had now obtained a substantial enough foothold in the land to journey north to Shechem to carry out God’s instructions concerning the renewal of the covenant in the land (Deuteronomy 27). Shechem stood about

Hebrews 9:6-10 — a year on the Day of Atonement to offer the special sacrifices for that day (Leviticus 16:2). His offering then covered those sins of the people that they committed ignorantly as opposed to those they committed in deliberate apostasy (cf. Leviticus 4:1-2; Leviticus 5:17-19). Some ignorance is culpable (blameworthy); sins of this kind do matter. In Israel the punishment for deliberate rebellion against the Mosaic Covenant was death. It is about this apostasy that the writer warned his audience. He

2 Peter 1:4 — maintain a holy life in a world like ours, we must be deeply rooted in the prophetic promises of God’s word. Above all, we must hold fast to that ’blessed hope’ of the coming again of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ [cf. Matthew 24:48-50]." [Note: Zane C. Hodges, "Exposition of Second Peter," The KERUGMA Message 1:2 (July-August 1991):4.]   "Here, again, we have an instance of St. Peter’s habit of anticipation, and a link between the introduction

Ruth 1:15-18 — exercised faith, but Naomi the Israelitess lived by sight. Ruth trusted God and obeyed the Mosaic Covenant, but Naomi did not. [Note: See Charles P. Baylis, "Naomi in the Book of Ruth in Light of the Mosaic Covenant," Bibliotheca Sacra 161:644 (October-December 2004):413-31.] Ruth was a descendant of Lot, who chose to leave the Promised Land because he thought he could do better for himself elsewhere (Genesis 13:11-12). The "cities of the valley" (Genesis 13:12), including Sodom

Ruth 2:1-7 — pericope. The writer introduced Boaz as a kinsman (lit. acquaintance or friend, Heb. myd’) of Elimelech. "According to the rabbinic tradition, which is not well established however, Boaz was a nephew of Elimelech." [Note: Keil and Delitzsch, p. 447.] Scholars debate the etymology of Boaz’s name because it is obscure (cf. 1 Kings 7:21), though most of the suggestions are similar. Keil and Delitzsch believed Boaz’s name means "alacrity" (promptness, or eager and speedy readiness),

1 Samuel 10:17-27 — Deuteronomy 5:6; Judges 6:8-9). He also reminded them of their rebellion against God’s will when they insisted on having a king (1 Samuel 10:19). [Note: See Bruce C. Birch, "The Choosing of Saul at Mizpah," Catholic Biblical Quarterly 37:4 (1975):447-54.] The lot (1 Samuel 10:20) showed all Israel that Saul was God’s choice, not Samuel’s (cf. Joshua 7:14-18). That is, he was the king God permitted (Proverbs 16:33). Was Saul hiding because he was humble or because he was afraid

1 Samuel 22:6-23 — no indication that Jonathan had done this. Doeg was obviously loyal to Saul (1 Samuel 22:9-10), but he proved disloyal to Yahweh (1 Samuel 22:18-19). Ahimelech appealed to Saul on David’s behalf much as Jonathan had done earlier (1 Samuel 22:14-15; cf. 1 Samuel 17:4-5). Nevertheless this time Saul did not respond to reasonable persuasion (1 Samuel 22:16). Saul’s disregard for Yahweh’s will is obvious in his command to kill the priests-whom God had appointed to serve Him. This punishment

1 Samuel 25:23-31 — Abigail’s appeal to David 25:23-31 Abigail’s approach to David was a model of tact and courage. Visualize this solitary woman, riding a donkey, approaching 400 armed men who were riding horses and were bent on slaughtering her household. It took immense courage and boldness, as well as great wisdom, for Abigail to take her life in her hands and do what she did. First, Abigail took all the blame for her husband’s