Bible Commentaries

Exodus 4:1-9 — away for a long time. He needed to prove to his brethren that they could trust and believe him. Not only were these miracles strong proofs of God’s power, but they appear to have had special significance for the Israelites as well (cf. Exodus 4:8). [Note: See Johnson, p. 55; et al.] God probably intended the first miracle, of the staff and serpent (Exodus 4:2-5), to assure Moses and the Israelites that He was placing the satanic power of Egypt under his authoritative control. This was the

Job 35:1-16 — 4. Elihu’s third speech ch. 35 We could chart the differences in Elihu’s first three speeches this way.Elihu’s SpeechJob’s question that Elihu answeredJob’s charge that Elihu refutedFirstWhy doesn’t God respond to me?God

Psalms 128:2-4 — 2. Some specific blessings 128:2-4 The work of the person who fears and obeys God will be productive. It will yield joy and well-being to him (Psalms 128:2; cf. Psalms 127:1-2). Such a man’s wife will also be fruitful. Vines were everywhere in Israel, and grape production was one

Isaiah 50:10 — and obeying the Servant are synonymous. The Israelites too, like the Servant, were walking in darkness, not the darkness of sin but the darkness of being called by God to a mission that involved suffering and misunderstanding (cf. Isaiah 50:6; Isaiah 42:6; Exodus 19:4). Such a people should trust in the reputation and character of the Lord, and rely on Him, like the Servant (cf. Isaiah 50:7-9; Colossians 2:4-7).

Ezekiel 14:7-8 — aliens), who did not repent but continued to do what these elders had done and approached a false prophet for a message would receive judgment from the Lord. Note the emphasis on personal responsibility for sin throughout this passage (cf. Ezekiel 14:4). The Lord would oppose all such people making them object lessons to others of what happens when God’s people pursue idolatry. He would put them to death (cf. Leviticus 17:4; Leviticus 17:10; Leviticus 17:14; et al.). Then His people would

Ezekiel 2:9-10 — Ezekiel then saw a hand extending a scroll to him. The Lord spread it out before the prophet and he saw that it was full of lamentations, mourning, and woes (i.e., bad news; chs. 4-32). Normally scrolls had writing on only one side, but this one had writing on both sides; it was full of revelation (cf. Revelation 5:1). "This accurately summarizes the contents of Ezekiel 4-32. It does not, however, reflect the latter part

Ezekiel 25:17 — He would take vengeance on them for their treatment of His chosen people. He would do so by these rebukes executed in His wrath (cf. Isaiah 11:14; Jeremiah 25:20; Jeremiah 47:1-7; Joel 3:1-4; Obadiah 1:19; Zephaniah 2:4-7). There is no record of the Philistines’ existence after the second century B.C., though the name of their cities remained. They would know that Yahweh was God when they

Daniel 10:14 — The good angel had come to explain to Daniel what would happen to the Jews in the latter days yet future. Daniel had already received some revelation about what lay ahead for the Jews (Daniel 8:23-26; Daniel 9:24-27). It was evidently this revelation that puzzled him and led to his requesting clarification in prayer (Daniel 10:2). What follows in Daniel 11:2 to Daniel 12:4 is more information on this subject. As in Daniel 8:23-26 and Daniel 9:24-27, Daniel 11:2

Daniel 4:24-26 — The king’s condition, whatever it was, would continue for seven periods of time (cf. Daniel 4:16) until the king had learned that the Most High is sovereign. Then Nebuchadnezzar would receive back both his senses and his throne. "Heaven ruling" (Daniel 4:26) is a figure of speech (metonymy) for God ruling, since God lives in heaven.

Matthew 16:20 — Luke 9:21). Jesus wanted His disciples to keep a "messianic secret," namely, that He was the Messiah. Jesus was not trying to conceal His true identity, but He was controlling how people would respond to Him (cf. Matthew 12:38-39; Matthew 16:4). If the disciples had broadcast the fact that Jesus of Nazareth was the Messiah, some people would have tried to draft Jesus as a political liberator. However, Jesus wanted people to come to believe on Him because of the words He spoke and the works

Matthew 16:27 — God’s future judgment of His disciples, as well as Jesus’ example, should be an inducement to deny self, identify with Christ, and follow Him (Matthew 16:24; cf. Matthew 10:24-25). This verse teaches both eschatology and Christology. Jesus will come with the glory of His Father when He returns to earth at His second coming (Revelation 19:11-16). Jesus is the Son of Man (Daniel 7:13) who will come with the

Deuteronomy 29:2-8 — 1. Historical review 29:2-8 The emphasis in this section is on God’s faithfulness in bringing Israel to its present position (cf. Deuteronomy 1:6 to Deuteronomy 4:40). To do this God had provided for the people in the wilderness and had given them victory over some of their enemies (e.g., Sihon and Og). He had also given them some of the land He had promised them. One writer concluded that most of the Israelites

Mark 9:2-4 — Matthew’s here. He added that Jesus’ garments became whiter than any human launderer could make them. This reflects an eyewitness’s testimony if nothing else. Perhaps the reference to six days followed by revelation should recall Exodus 24:15-16. Moses was on Mt. Sinai for six days and then God revealed Himself on the seventh. This is the most precise date in Mark’s Gospel before the passion story. It also connects this fulfillment with Jesus’ prediction in Mark 9:1. In the

Luke 4:23 — Evidently Jesus had been ministering in Capernaum before this incident (cf. Luke 4:14-15). The accounts of Jesus in Nazareth in Matthew 13:53-58 and Mark 6:1-6 also follow instances of His doing miracles in Capernaum (Matthew 4:13; Mark 1:21-28). This has encouraged some interpreters to regard this passage in Luke as parallel to the

Luke 8:22-25 — 1. The stilling of a storm 8:22-25 (cf. Matthew 8:18, 23-27; Mark 4:35-41) This story pictures Jesus in complete control of Himself and His environment. Its climax is not the stilling of the storm but the disciples’ question about Jesus’ identity (Luke 8:25). This is the first miracle that Luke recorded

Acts 19:33-34 — not distinguish between Christianity and Judaism. Both faiths stood against idolatry. Perhaps the crowd assumed Alexander wanted to defend Paul who was also a Jew. This Alexander may be the one Paul warned Timothy about (1 Timothy 1:19-20; 2 Timothy 4:14), but he may have been someone different since Alexander was a common name among both Jews and Gentiles. [Note: See Josephus, Antiquities of . . ., 4:8:10.]

Romans 1:2 — "holy" stress the unique origin of the gospel. God had inspired the Old Testament by speaking through men as He gave His revelation. Paul did not preach an unanticipated gospel but one that God had promised through His prophets (cf. Romans 4:13-25; Romans 9:4; Romans 15:8). This is the reason Paul appealed to the Old Testament so fully in this and other of his epistles. Specifically, Paul’s gospel was not a human invention that tried to make the best of Israel’s rejection of

Romans 4:6-8 — 2. David’s testimony to justification by faith 4:6-8 Paul cited another eminent man in Jewish history whose words harmonized with the apostle’s. Whereas Abraham lived before the Mosaic Law, David lived under it. Abraham’s story is in the law section of the Hebrew Bible, and David’s

James 1:12 — his or her love for God. James used the same Greek word for trials here as in James 1:2, but here the negative sense of the word is in view. [Note: See Buist M. Fanning, "A Theology of James," in A Biblical Theology of the New Testament, p. 419.] It is those who persevere under trials out of love for God that He will reward with the crown of life (cf. Revelation 2:10). Only the person who endures will receive the blessing. [Note: See Mayor, p. 194.] ". . . James has begun the sentence

Revelation 4:4 — John saw 24 thrones surrounding the main throne in what is obviously a subordinate relationship. The throne is a place of rule. Evidently these elders will have positions of authority under God. The identity of the 24 elders (Gr. presbyteros) is difficult to determine.