Bible Commentaries

Genesis 8:15-19 — There are many interesting thematic parallels between God calling Noah out of the ark and God calling Abraham out of Ur (cf. Genesis 8:15 and Genesis 12:1; Genesis 8:16 and Genesis 12:1; Genesis 8:18 and Genesis 12:4; Genesis 8:20 and Genesis 12:7; Genesis 9:1 and Genesis 12:2; Genesis 9:9 and Genesis 12:7). "Both Noah and Abraham represent new beginnings in the course of events recorded in Genesis. Both are marked by God’s promise of blessing and his

Genesis 9:1-7 — human family, God again commanded Noah and his sons to fill the earth with their descendants (Genesis 9:1; cf. Genesis 1:28; Genesis 9:7). [Note: See Bernhard W. Anderson, "Creation and Ecology," American Journal of Theology and Philosophy 4:1 (January 1983):14-30; and Waltke, Genesis, pp. 155-56.] As with Adam, He also gave them dominion over the animals and permission to eat food with only one prohibition (cf. Genesis 1:26; Genesis 1:28-29; Genesis 2:16-17). God gave Noah permission to

Nehemiah 6:15-4 — 5. The completion of the work 6:15-7:4 The builders finished the walls only 52 days after construction had begun (Nehemiah 6:15). "Elul" is late August and early September. Israel’s enemies viewed their rapid progress as evidence that God had helped the workers (Nehemiah

Isaiah 10:1-4 — The oppression of the helpless 10:1-4 Isaiah directed this last strophe against the unjust authorities and judges.

Jeremiah 50:21-28 — 4. Divine vengeance on Babylon 50:21-28 The following prophecies further describe the divine vengeance coming on Babylon.

Amos 5:4-6 — A call for individual repentance 5:4-6 This pericope is also chiastic (Bethel, Gilgal, Beersheba, Gilgal, Bethel).

Obadiah 1:18 — The Israelites would then consume the Edomites, as a fire burns up stubble (cf. Exodus 15:7; Isaiah 10:17; Joel 2:5; Zechariah 12:6; Malachi 4:1; Matthew 3:12; Luke 3:17). Fire is often a tool of divine judgment in Scripture (cf. Deuteronomy 28:24; Deuteronomy 32:22). There would be no Edomites left (cf. Deuteronomy 32:8-9; Numbers 24:18; Isaiah 11:13-14; Ezekiel 25:13-14; Amos 9:12), though

Matthew 18:1-4 — The introduction of the theme of humility 18:1-4 (cf. Mark 9:33-36; Luke 9:46-47)

Matthew 19:27-28 — definitely-"Truly I say to you"-that God would reward them for leaving what they had left and following Him (Matthew 19:28). The "regeneration" or "renewal" (Gr. palingenesia) refers to the establishment of the messianic kingdom (Isaiah 2:2-4; Isaiah 4:2-6; Isaiah 11:1-11; Isaiah 32:16-18; Isaiah 35:1-2; Isaiah 65:17; Isaiah 66:22; cf. Acts 3:21; Romans 8:18-23). Then the Son of Man will sit on His glorious throne (lit. throne of glory, cf. Matthew 25:31; Daniel 7:13-14). This is a very

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

Matthew 8:1-4 — The cleansing of a leprous Jew 8:1-4 (cf. Mark 1:40-45; Luke 5:12-16)

Romans 12:1-13 — God’s. This is an oversimplification of the book, but the distinction is a valid one. God’s provision contrasts with man’s responsibility to behave in a manner consistent with what God has done, is doing, and will do for him (cf. Ephesians 4:1; Philippians 2:12-13). The first part is more information for belief whereas the last part is more exhortation for action. The first part stresses right relations with God and the last part right relations with other people. "Doctrine must always

Ephesians 4:8 — identified with him. Christ, the victor over sinful people, has the right to give those people to the church as gifts. [Note: Who the captives were seems to have been of less interest to Paul than the fact that Christ won a great victory (Morris, pp. 123-24).] In Romans 12 and 1 Corinthians 12 Paul spoke of gifts given to people (cf. Ephesians 4:7), but here he spoke of people given to the church as gifts. "Some have alleged that Paul erred in his citation from Psalms 68:18 on at least two counts:

Philippians 3:12 — not sin (cf. 1 John 1:6-10). "The word ’perfect,’ as the Bible uses it of men, does not refer to sinless perfection. Old Testament characters described as ’perfect’ were obviously not sinless (cp. Genesis 6:9; 1 Kings 15:14; 2 Kings 20:3; 1 Chronicles 12:38; Job 1:1; Job 1:8; Psalms 37:37). Although a number of Hebrew and Greek words are translated ’perfect,’ the thought is usually either completeness in all details (Heb. tamam, Gk. katartizo), or to reach

Colossians 3:22-1 — 3. Slaves and masters 3:22-4:1 (cf. Ephesians 6:5-9; ; 1 Peter 2:18-25)

1 Thessalonians 4:3-8 — 2. Sexual purity 4:3-8 This section opens and closes with explicit references to the will of God.

2 Timothy 2:11-13 — aorist tense of the verb synapethanomen, translated "died," argue for the former view. [Note: Cf. Newport J. D. White, "The First and Second Epistles to Timothy and the Epistle to Titus," in The Expositor’s Greek Testament, 4:163.] Knight suggested that since Paul wrote this epistle from Rome, it is possible that the church in Rome developed this first line by reflecting on Romans 6, especially 2 Timothy 2:8. Water baptism symbolizes the death and resurrection of the believer.

Hebrews 7:25 — delivering His people through to the end. He can deliver completely (better than "forever," Hebrews 7:25) in the sense of seeing us through to the realization of our full salvation, our rest (inheritance) in God’s presence (cf. Hebrews 1:14). "Here the author is not referring to His saving work as the salvation of sinners from judgment and death, but rather using the words to save in the sense of ’to bring to God’s desired end’ . . ." [Note: Pentecost,

Judges 4:23-24 — destroyed Jabin and his kingdom. This may have taken several years. [Note: For a very helpful exposition of this chapter with emphasis on its chiastic literary structure, see John H. Stek, "The Bee and the Mountain Goat: A Literary Reading of Judges 4," in A Tribute to Gleason Archer, pp. 53-86.] The Canaanites never oppressed Israel again militarily, as far as Scripture records, but their religion continued to ensnare God’s people (cf. the Moabites’ and Midianites’ two strategies

1 Samuel 4:19-22 — 3. The response of Phinehas’ wife 4:19-22 Likewise the news of the loss of the ark is what distressed Phinehas’ wife more than the news of the deaths of her husband, father-in-law, and brother-in-law (1 Samuel 4:21-22). "Ichabod" is usually translated, "The glory