Bible Commentaries

Jeremiah 49:22 — The enemy would come down on Edom like an eagle (or vulture, cf. Jeremiah 48:40-41). Men would be as fearful as women in labor when the invader struck. Nebuchadnezzar fulfilled the judgment predicted in this prophecy when he subdued the entire Transjordan region. Like Moab and Ammon, Edom plotted against the Babylonians, who

Ezekiel 14:3 — with the elders in Jerusalem, cf. Ezekiel 8:7-12) had been nursing idolatry in their hearts. The word translated "idols" in this passage is gillulim, Ezekiel’s favorite term for idols. It means pellets of dung literally (cf. Ezekiel 6:4-6; Ezekiel 6:9; Ezekiel 6:13; et al.). These elders had put right in front of them the very thing that caused them to stumble in sin. That is, instead of trying to avoid temptation (cf. 2 Timothy 2:22) they cherished the worship of other deities. In

Micah 4:10 — Assyrian Empire. Probably "Babylon" here has a double meaning: the historic Babylon of Nebuchadnezzar’s day and the future Babylon, the symbol of Gentile power that has held Israel captive since Nebuchadnezzar (cf. Genesis 10:10; Genesis 11:4-9; Revelation 17-18). "God chose Babylon because in Micah’s pagan world it functioned as the equivalent of Rome in the Middle Ages and of Mecca in Islam. The darkest land will become the place where the daylight of the new age dawns."

Zephaniah 1:4 — Yahweh announced that He would stretch out His hand in judgment against Judah and the people of Jerusalem. Stretching out the hand is a figure of speech that implies a special work of punishment (cf. Exodus 6:6; Deuteronomy 4:34; 2 Kings 17:36; Isaiah 14:26-27; Jeremiah 27:5; Jeremiah 32:17; et al.). He promised to cut off the remnant of Baal worshippers who remained in Judah, or perhaps the temple (cf. Deuteronomy 12:5; Deuteronomy 12:11; 1 Kings 8:29-30; Ezekiel 42:13),

Zephaniah 2:3 — The prophet urged his humble hearers who had sought to be obedient to the Lord to continue to seek Him in prayerful dependence. He was appealing to the faithful remnant in particular (cf. Zephaniah 3:12; Isaiah 11:4; Amos 8:4; Matthew 5:3). They needed to continue to pursue righteous behavior and place themselves under the Lord’s sovereign authority by listening to Him and obeying Him. If they did this, the Lord might hide them when He poured out His anger

Matthew 16:1 — represented the most official group of religious leaders that Matthew reported coming to Jesus thus far. These men came specifically to test Jesus (Gr. peipazontes), to demonstrate who He was by subjecting Him to a trial that they had contrived (cf. Matthew 4:1; Matthew 4:7). The scribes and Pharisees had asked Jesus for a sign earlier (Matthew 12:38). Now the Pharisees and Sadducees asked Him to produce a sign from heaven. The Jews believed that demons could do signs on earth, but only God could produce

Mark 1:29-31 — 2. The healing of Peter’s mother-in-law 1:29-31 (cf. Matthew 8:14-15; Luke 4:38-39) This incident, which happened immediately after the previous one, displays a different aspect of Jesus’ authority, His power over physical sickness. In Jesus day, people regarded fever as a disease not necessarily related to

Mark 1:35 — Mark implied that these events happened the next day. Many people would have slept late after such a busy day, but Jesus rose early, even before dawn, and went to a remote (Gr. eremon, Mark 1:4, wilderness, cf. Mark 1:12) place to pray (Gr. proseucho, the general word for prayer). This sacrificial act paints Jesus as consciously dependent on His Father for strength and direction for what lay ahead of Him (i.e., a servant; cf. Isaiah 50:4).

Luke 2:8 — Shepherds were socially looked down upon in Jesus’ day. Their work made them ceremonially unclean, and they had a reputation for being untrustworthy. [Note: Liefeld, p. 845.] Thus God first sent the gospel to the lowly. Luke had a special interest in the lower elements of society. David, of course, had been a shepherd, but God had elevated him to be the ruler of His people (2 Samuel 7:8). Jesus’ career would follow

Luke 23:3-4 — It may seem strange that having secured a confession from Jesus that He was the King of the Jews Pilate would declare Him innocent. The answer is that Luke did not record the conversation that took place between Luke 23:3-4 (cf. John 18:35-38). In this conversation Pilate learned that Jesus did not claim to be a king in the ordinary sense. He concluded that Jesus posed no treat to the political stability of Roman interests in Palestine. Only Luke recorded Pilate’s

John 16:2 — Jesus announced that these disciples would experience excommunication from their Jewish synagogues (cf. John 9:22; John 9:34; Acts 18). The first strong opposition that the early Christians faced came from the Jews because most of them had been Jews (Acts 2:11; Acts 2:14; Acts 2:22). Unfortunately Christians have persecuted the Jews too. Jesus also hinted that some of them

John 20:15 — Jesus addressed this heartbroken disciple by respectfully calling her "woman" (Gr. gynai), as had the angels (John 20:13; cf. John 2:4; John 19:26). He also asked the same question they had asked (John 20:13). Jesus’ first recorded post-resurrection words were these in which He combined compassion and mild rebuke. He also asked whom she was seeking as preparation for His self-revelation

John 6:27 — Jesus had previously spoken to the Samaritan woman about living water (John 4:10; John 4:14), and now He spoke to these Galileans about food that endures. He was, as previously, contrasting physical and spiritual nourishment. Consequently the descriptions that follow contain a mixture of literal and metaphorical language. Jesus

Acts 10:30-33 — way merit salvation, but they are things which God notes. . . . Wherever there is a man who seeks after God as Cornelius did, that man is going to hear the gospel of the grace of God. God will see that he gets it." [Note: McGee, 4:555.] Cornelius had responded to God admirably by sending for Peter immediately (cf. Peter’s "By no means, Lord," Acts 10:14). Cornelius then invited Peter to tell him and his guests what God wanted him to say to them. What a prepared

Acts 13:4 — God’s initiatives in building His church. Barnabas and Saul departed from the port of Antioch, Seleucia, located about 15 miles to the west near where the Orontes River flowed into the Mediterranean Sea. The island of Cyprus (Kittim, Genesis 10:4; et al.) was Barnabas’ homeland (Acts 4:36). [Note: See Jerome Murphy-O’Connor, "On the Road and on the Sea with St. Paul," Bible Review 1:2 (Summer 1985):38-47, for some very interesting insights into travel conditions over land

Acts 14:19-20 — rather than gods and deserved to die. "Disillusioned fanatics are easily led off into contradictory actions." [Note: Kent, p. 117.] Some scholars believe that Paul died from this stoning and experienced resurrection. [Note: E.g., Lumby, p. 264; and McGee, 4:573.] However, the text only says that onlookers supposed that Paul was dead. Ironside believed that this is when Paul was caught up into the third heaven (2 Corinthians 12:2-4). [Note: Ironside, Lectures on . . ., pp. 341-42.] There is

Acts 18:27-28 — his way to Jerusalem. Maybe Priscilla and Aquila planted it. Apollos was so effective at instructing the Corinthian believers and refuting Jewish objectors that he developed a strong personal following in Corinth (1 Corinthians 1:12; 1 Corinthians 3:4). He does not seem to have been responsible for encouraging the party spirit that his presence there generated (1 Corinthians 4:6; 1 Corinthians 16:12). He proved from the Old Testament that Jesus was the Messiah (cf. Acts 8:35; Acts 18:5; 1 John 5:9). The

Acts 5:5 — interest was solely in pointing out that he did die immediately because of his sin. The Greek word ekpsycho ("breathed his last") occurs in the New Testament here and only where God strikes someone in judgment (Acts 5:10; Acts 12:23; cf. Judges 4:21, LXX, where Sisera was the victim). Ananias’ sin resulted in premature physical death. It was a sin unto death (cf. 1 John 5:16; 1 Corinthians 11:30). We should not interpret the fact that God rarely deals with sinners this way as evidence

1 Corinthians 10:3-4 — Furthermore, fourth and fifth, all the Israelites, not just some of them, ate the manna and drank water from the rock. They ate supernatural food and received supernatural sustenance. They ate manna throughout their wilderness sojourn (Deuteronomy 8:2-4), and they drank from the rock at the beginning (Exodus 17:1-7) and at the end of it (Numbers 20:2-13), namely, throughout their wilderness experience. Paul called the manna and water spiritual food and drink because God provided them supernaturally

1 Corinthians 10:9 — patience. The best manuscript evidence suggests that "Christ" rather than "Lord" is the correct word here. If so, Paul again stressed that it was Christ that both the Israelites and the Corinthians were testing (cf. 1 Corinthians 10:4). He made the apostasy in both cases Christological. They dared Him to live up to His promise to discipline them if they doubted His word. They continued to complain even though He faithfully provided for them (Numbers 21:4-9). His provision of manna