Bible Commentaries

Exodus 4:27-31 — Aaron was evidently in Egypt when God told him to meet Moses and directed him to Horeb (Exodus 4:27). Moses was apparently on his way from Midian back to Egypt when Aaron met him. Compare the reunion of Jacob and Esau (Genesis 33). The Israelites believed what Moses and Aaron told them and what their miracles confirmed. They believed that the God

Ezekiel 1:18 — The rims around these wheels had eyes all around them (cf. Revelation 4:6). This gave the wheels an even more awesome appearance. Many eyes elsewhere in figurative language represent great intelligence and perception (cf. 2 Chronicles 16:9; Proverbs 15:3; Zechariah 3:9; Zechariah 4:10; Revelation 4:6).

Ezekiel 10:9-22 — the temple 10:9-22 "God would not share His dwelling place with other ’gods,’ and the sanctuary had been polluted with idolatry. God’s worship center at Shiloh was removed shortly after His glory had departed from it (1 Samuel 4:1-4; 1 Samuel 4:10-11; 1 Samuel 4:19-22; Jeremiah 7:12-14); and the same fate awaited the Jerusalem temple." [Note: Dyer, "Ezekiel," p. 1246.] "Ezekiel 10:9-22 provides one of the most obvious illustrations of echo literary strategy

Daniel 4:16 — The man portrayed as a tree cut down would be out of his mind (lebab, lit. heart, including feelings, emotions, and affections) for "seven periods of time" (cf. Daniel 4:23; Daniel 4:25; Daniel 4:32; Daniel 7:25). The word "periods of time" (’iddanin) is indefinite; it does not indicate how long these periods of time are. It means years in Daniel 7:25, and that may be the meaning here too. [Note: Pentecost,

Hosea 4 overview — A. The judgment oracles chs. 4-5 Chapters 4 and 5 contain more messages of judgment. Chapter 4 focuses on the sins of the Northern Kingdom. Chapter 5 describes the guilt of all the Israelites in both the Northern and Southern Kingdoms and announces judgment on both groups. 1. Yahweh’s

Hosea 8:2 — The Israelites claimed that they acknowledged (knew) the authority of their God, but their transgressions and rebellion proved that they did not (cf. Hosea 4:1; Hosea 4:6; Hosea 5:4). Their knowledge of Him was only historical and traditional (cf. John 8:33).

Jonah 1:2 — Nineveh was indeed a great city whose history stretched back as far as Nimrod, who built it as well as Babel and several other cities in Mesopotamia (Genesis 10:8-12). [Note: For further description of its greatness, see my comments on 3:3 and 4:11.] The word "great" occurs frequently in this book (Jonah 1:2; Jonah 1:4; Jonah 1:12; Jonah 1:16-17; Jonah 3:2; Jonah 4:1; Jonah 4:6; Jonah 4:11). Nineveh occupied about 1800 acres and stood on the east bank of the Tigris River across from

Jonah 4:9 — God’s question here was very similar to His question in Jonah 4:4. Was Jonah right to be angry about the plant, God asked? Jonah’s reply was a strong superlative. [Note: D. Winton Thomas, "Consideration of Some Unusual Ways of Expressing the Superlative in Hebrew," Vetus Testamentum 3 (1953):220.]

Micah 3:10-11 — He further described his audience of leaders as those who built Jerusalem by sacrificing the lives of innocent people. Micah used "Zion" and "Jerusalem" as synonyms to describe the same place (cf. Micah 3:12; Micah 4:2; Micah 4:8; Psalms 149:2; Isaiah 4:3; Isaiah 40:9; Amos 6:1). However sometimes, as here, Zion carries theological overtones meaning not just the city but what the city represented, namely, the kingdom of God on earth. The judges gave favorable verdicts

Deuteronomy 4:25-31 — 4. The consequences of idolatry 4:25-31 This warning has proved prophetic in that Israel did apostatize and experience all the consequences Moses warned against here. The nation’s present scattered condition as a result of her dispersion by the

John 3:33-34 — prophets only for limited times and purposes. However, God gave His Spirit to Jesus without limit. This guaranteed the truth of Jesus’ words. The Spirit descended on Jesus at His baptism and remained on Him (John 1:32-33; cf. Isaiah 11:2; Isaiah 42:1; Isaiah 61:1). God gave His Spirit without measure only to Jesus (cf. 1 Corinthians 12:4-11). "Thirty-nine times the Gospel of John refers to Jesus being sent from God (John 3:17; John 3:34; John 4:34; John 5:23-24; John 5:30; John 5:36-38;

Acts 4:31 — It is not clear whether we should understand the shaking of the place where the disciples had assembled literally or metaphorically (cf. Exodus 19:18; 1 Kings 19:11-12; Isaiah 6:4; Acts 16:26). In either case those assembled received assurance from this phenomenon that God was among them and would grant their petition. "This was one of the signs which indicated a theophany in the Old Testament (Exodus 19:18; Isaiah 6:4),

Colossians 3:18-1 — C. The fundamental relationships 3:18-4:1 Paul next set forth certain principles to guide his readers in their most important interpersonal relationships. Geisler saw this section as containing exhortations to perfect the private life (Colossians 3:18 to Colossians 4:1), the prayer life (Colossians

1 Timothy 4:7-8 — Timothy should not become embroiled in refuting the fables of these false teachers (1 Timothy 1:4) that have a certain appeal, but only as curiosities. These fables are godless and worthless. Rather, he should train himself in godliness. This requires rigorous self-discipline. In allowing marriages and eating all kinds of food Paul was not advocating

Titus 1:13-14 — unity or perhaps a needed purging of those who deny the truth." [Note: Griffin, p. 290.] Apparently Jewish myths and laws laid down by those who rejected God’s truth fascinated these false teachers (cf. Matthew 15:9; Mark 7:7; 1 Timothy 1:4; 1 Timothy 4:3-7; 1 Timothy 6:3-4; 2 Timothy 4:4; Colossians 2:21-22). The context does not clarify whether those who turn away from the truth are believers or unbelievers (cf. 2 Thessalonians 2:3). They could be Christians (cf. Luke 8:13; 1 Timothy

Hebrews 6:9-12 — 4. The encouraging prospect 6:9-12 Even though the danger his readers faced was great, the writer believed they could avoid it. Consequently he concluded this warning, as he did the ones in Hebrews 2:1-4 and Hebrews 3:1 to Hebrews 4:16, with a word of hope to encourage his audience.

James 4:16 — of this kind is unrealistic. It betrays an attitude that puts man in God’s place. For this reason it is evil. In these verses James presented four arguments that show the foolishness of ignoring God’s will: the complexity of life (James 4:13), the uncertainty of life (James 4:14 a), the brevity of life (James 4:14 b), and the frailty of man (James 4:16). [Note: Wiersbe, pp. 130-33.]

1 John 2:5 — On the other hand the Christian who is careful to observe all of God’s Word (not just His commandments, 1 John 2:4) gives evidence that he has come to understand and appreciate God’s love for him. God’s love is perfected in him in the sense that the Christian has perceived it, has responded to it, and it is having its intended effect in his or her behavior.

1 John 4:4 — John’s readers had so far overcome these opponents of Jesus Christ by the Holy Spirit who indwelt them ("He who is in you;" cf. 1 John 3:24; 1 John 4:2; 1 John 4:13). The Holy Spirit is stronger than Satan ("he who is in the world"). We overcome Satan, his agents, and his influence as we resist his temptations to doubt, deny, disregard, and disobey the Word of God (1 Peter 5:9;

Revelation 11:4 — The ministry of these two witnesses resembles that of Zerubbabel and Joshua who sought to restore Israel after a previous exile (Zechariah 4:2-3; Zechariah 4:11-14). There is only one lampstand in the Zechariah passage, but there are two here representing each of the two witnesses. In the Zechariah passage it is the Holy Spirit who empowered Zerubbabel and Joshua (Zechariah 4:14), and the