Bible Commentaries

Genesis 39 overview — 4. Joseph in Potiphar’s house ch. 39 Joseph experienced God’s blessing as he served faithfully in Potiphar’s house. His master’s wife repeatedly seduced him, but he refused her offers because he did not want to sin against God

Isaiah 47:1-4 — A call to Babylon 47:1-4 The first four verses constitute the introduction to the oracle.

Jeremiah 48:29-39 — 4. The pride of Moab 48:29-39 Moab’s pride would finally come to an end.

Ezekiel 40:1-4 — 1. The setting of the vision of the return of God’s glory 40:1-4

Micah 5:5-6 — 4. The peace of Zion 5:5b-6 This pericope continues the emphasis on future peace.

Matthew 10:1-4 — 2. Jesus’ commissioning of 12 disciples 10:1-4 (cf. Mark 6:7; Luke 9:1-2)

Matthew 13:10-17 — The purpose of the parables 13:10-17 (cf. Mark 4:10-12; Luke 8:9-10)

Mark 1:21-28 — 1. Jesus’ teaching and healing in the Capernaum synagogue 1:21-28 (cf. Luke 4:31-37)

Mark 13:1-4 — 1. The setting 13:1-4 (cf. Matthew 24:1-3; Luke 21:5-7)

Mark 4:10-12 — The purpose of the parables 4:10-12 (cf. Matthew 13:10-17; Luke 8:9-10)

Luke 4:31-37 — The exorcism of a demoniac in the Capernaum synagogue 4:31-37 (cf. Mark 1:21-28)

1 Corinthians 16:10-11 — Timothy’s visit to Corinth from Ephesus was not very tentative. Paul had already sent him (and Erastus; Acts 19:22) or was about to send him when he penned this epistle (1 Corinthians 4:17). Evidently Timothy’s relative youth tended to make some people look down on him, and he tended to be fearful (cf. 1 Timothy 4:12). Paul advised the Corinthians, who judged by external appearances, to give him the respect he deserved for doing

Ephesians 5:3 — introduced here (lust) are the opposite of love. Self-indulgence is the opposite of self-sacrifice. There should be no hint of these perversions of love in the believer’s life, even in our speech (cf. Exodus 23:13; Deuteronomy 12:30; Psalms 16:4). Sexual immorality was common among unsaved Gentiles, but it is totally inappropriate for saints. Impurity is a broader term that includes all types of uncleanness (cf. Ephesians 4:19). Greed is the lust for more and is essentially idolatry (Ephesians

Colossians 1:3-4 — Whenever Paul and Timothy prayed for the Colossians they gave thanks to God for them. Note the many references to thanksgiving in this letter (Colossians 1:3; Colossians 1:12; Colossians 2:7; Colossians 3:15-17; Colossians 4:2). "Paul could have meant that every time he prayed he remembered his various churches. Perhaps he maintained the Jewish practice of prayer three times a day (cf. Daniel 6:11; Acts 3:1; Didache 8:3), or perhaps he used the long hours of travel

2 Timothy 4:20 — Erastus and Trophimus were old associates of Timothy (Acts 19:22; Acts 20:4; Acts 21:29). Paul sent news of them. Some authorities believe that Paul’s ability to heal people physically had ended. Many of them believe that God gave the gift of healing to the church only in its infancy to help authenticate the apostles

2 Timothy 4:7 — Paul used three more figures to describe his life as he reviewed it. The first two are athletic metaphors (cf. 2 Timothy 2:5) describing a boxer or wrestler and a runner (cf. Acts 20:24). The third is that of a faithful steward who has kept (guarded) his charge (cf. 1 Corinthians 4:2; Matthew 25:14-30; Luke 19:11-27). Another view is that the first figure is military, the second athletic, and the third religious. [Note: Simpson, p.

Titus 3:9 — On the other hand Titus should shun what was worthless and unprofitable. In view of the context Paul especially meant those things the false teachers were promoting (Titus 1:10; Titus 1:14; 1 Timothy 1:3-7; 1 Timothy 6:4; 2 Timothy 2:23). Examples of these kinds of controversies that the Jewish commentaries have preserved are the following. Should a Jew eat an egg laid on a festival day? What sort of wick and oil should a Jew use for

James 4:15 — The merchant should have made his planning in conscious dependence on God recognizing His sovereign control over all of life (cf. Acts 18:21; 1 Corinthians 4:19; 1 Corinthians 16:7; Philippians 2:19; Philippians 2:24). The Latin phrase, deo volente ("God willing," abbreviated D.V.) remains in use even today among some Christians. "A study of the use of this conditional clause ["If the

1 Peter 5:1 — Christ’s sake. "Witness" (Gr. martys; cf. Acts 3:15; Acts 10:39) does not just mean that he observed Jesus suffering, which he did. It means he shared Jesus Christ’s sufferings and bore testimony out of that experience (1 Peter 4:13). As his readers, Peter also shared the glory that God will yet reveal (1 Peter 4:14).

2 John 1:7-11 — readers to resist the false teachers who were distorting the truth and deceiving some of the believers. "The presbyter’s attention now moves from the existence of true belief inside the Johannine community, which gives him great joy (2 John 1:4), to the dangers presented to it through the espousal of false belief by deceivers who have ’defected into the world.’ Earlier, the writer has spoken of Christian truth and love; in the remainder of 2 John the emphasis inevitably falls on