Bible Commentaries

1 Kings 11:1-43 — 4. Solomon’s apostasy ch. 11 The writer brought Solomon’s weaknesses and sins, to which he only hinted previously, into the light in this chapter. Solomon had sown some seeds of departure from God and His Word early in his reign. They bore bitter fruit as he grew older.

Psalms 20:7 — He repudiated confidence in the most sophisticated physical implements of warfare available, but he affirmed his reliance on the Lord Himself for victory (cf. Exodus 14; Judges 4). The name of the Lord refers to His character, reputation, and nature. David gained confidence as he meditated on his God.

Leviticus 26:34-46 — 4. The objective of God’s judgments in relation to the land and the nation of Israel 26:34-46 In this section God explained that His discipline for disobedience would be to produce repentance and return to Himself by the Israelites (cf. Proverbs 3:12; Hebrews 12:6).

Isaiah 65:19 — God Himself would also rejoice in the new city and in the new people in that new city. Isaiah wrote many times that God presently lamented over old Jerusalem and her inhabitants (e.g., Isaiah 24:7-12). Weeping and crying would end in that new city (Revelation 21:4).

Jeremiah 17:1-18 — Judah’s indelible sin and sin’s deceitfulness 17:1-18 The next five sections (Jeremiah 17:1-18) continue the theme of Judah’s guilt from the previous chapter. These pericopes have obvious connections with one another, but they were evidently originally separate prophecies. Jeremiah 17:1-4 are particularly ironic.

Jeremiah 5:9 — Was it not just for Yahweh to punish such a people and to take vengeance on them for their sins (cf. Jeremiah 5:7)? It certainly was just, as Jeremiah 5:7-8 amply demonstrated (cf. Ephesians 5:5; Hebrews 13:4). Questions frame Jeremiah 5:7-9.

Jeremiah 9:16 — He would also scatter them among nations that would be unfamiliar to them and their forefathers. Violence would follow them until the Lord had annihilated them. This would be the fate of many ungodly Judahites, not the whole nation (cf. Jeremiah 4:27; Jeremiah 5:18; Jeremiah 30:11).

Lamentations 4:22 — Jerusalem’s punishment had reached its end; the exile would not last forever. But God would still punish Edom for her sins. "Chapter 4 does not end with a prayer, as do the preceding chapters, but it is followed by a prayer-all of chapter 5." [Note: Jensen, p. 136.]

Daniel 5:24 — Nebuchadnezzar had heard a voice from heaven while he was outdoors (Daniel 4:31), but Belshazzar saw a hand from heaven indoors. Both forms of revelation have been extremely rare throughout history, but these occasions in the Book of Daniel involved leaders of the greatest nation on earth.

John 16:25 — "These things I have spoken unto you" (NASB) indicates another transition in the discourse (cf. John 14:25; John 16:1; John 16:4; John 16:33; John 17:1). Jesus acknowledged that He had not been giving direct answers to His disciples’ questions. He had been speaking enigmatically or cryptically. The Greek phrase en paroimias has this meaning elsewhere

Acts 10:39 — The apostles regularly mentioned that they were eye-witnesses of Jesus’ ministry in their preaching (Acts 2:32; Acts 3:15; Acts 5:32; Acts 10:41; Acts 13:30-31). This had tremendous persuasive appeal to their hearers. Peter divided Jesus’ acts into those that He performed in the land of the Jews and in Jerusalem, their capital city. Those who put Jesus to death were the Jews (Acts 3:15;

Acts 11:4-17 — Peter’s defense of his conduct 11:4-17 Luke recorded Peter’s retelling of these events to his critics to impress the significance of this incident on his readers further. Peter stressed particularly God’s initiative (vv. Acts 11:8-9; Acts 11:12; Acts 11:15-17 a) and his own

Acts 15:36-39 — Some commentators have overestimated the "sharp disagreement" between Paul and Barnabas over John Mark, in my opinion. [Note: E.g., Neil, p. 176; Blaiklock, pp. 118-19; Barclay, p. 128; and Robertson, 3:241.] The text says they disagreed vigorously over this issue, but there is no statement or implication that they ended up disliking each other, as some of the commentators have inferred. It seems that they were both led by the Holy Spirit to arrive at

Acts 20:18-21 — past three-year ministry among these elders (Acts 20:31). He appealed to the way he lived among them to urge them to remain faithful in the future (cf. 1 Thessalonians 2:1-12). He emphasized particularly his humble service of the Lord (cf. Ephesians 4:2), his sorrows (cf. 2 Corinthians 2:4), and the opposition of enemies of the gospel (cf. Acts 19:9; Acts 20:1). He also stressed his faithfulness in proclaiming what they needed to hear (cf. Romans 1:16), his ceaseless teaching ministry (cf. Acts 19:8-10),

2 Corinthians 11:30-31 — evidences that God had supernaturally sustained His servant through countless discouraging circumstances. They were, therefore, the greatest possible proof and vindication that Paul was an apostle (cf. 2 Corinthians 1:8-10; 2 Corinthians 3:5; 2 Corinthians 4:7; 2 Corinthians 4:10-11; 2 Corinthians 12:5; 2 Corinthians 12:9-10). Paul’s boast was that he resembled the Suffering Servant; his life was like that of Christ. Paul called God as his witness that his claims, which probably seemed incredible

2 Corinthians 5:12 — him open to the accusation that he was self-commended. In consequence, whenever he affirms his ministry-in this case that he evangelizes (’we persuade men’)-he must disclaim self-commendation (see on 2 Corinthians 3:1 and 2 Corinthians 6:4). Nonetheless, his ministry did commend him, as the Corinthians should have recognized (2 Corinthians 12:11; cf. 2 Corinthians 4:2, 2 Corinthians 10:18)." [Note: Barnett, p. 282.]

Ephesians 2:18 — whether Gentile believers had to come to God through Judaism or whether they could come directly to God as Gentiles raged in the early church (Acts 15:1-5; Galatians 1-2). Paul gave the solution to this problem again here (cf. Acts 15:6-21; Galatians 3-4). God has made Jewish and Gentile believers one in the church (Ephesians 2:14). He created a new entity, the church, out of two others, namely, Jewish believers and Gentile believers (Ephesians 2:15). Both kinds of believers experience reconciliation

Ephesians 2:2 — mg.)." [Note: Foulkes, p. 69.] Second, the unsaved follow the person who is promoting this philosophy, namely, Satan. As prince of the power of the air Satan received temporary freedom to lead this rebellion against God (cf. 1 John 5:19; 2 Corinthians 4:4; Revelation 12:9). The "spirit" now working probably refers to the "power" or "kingdom" (lit. authority) of the air since that word is its nearest antecedent. ". . . by speaking of the devil’s authority as

Ephesians 4:2 — himself. Gentleness is the opposite of self-assertion. A gentle person is one whose emotions are under control. ". . . meekness is a virtue of the strong, those who could exert force to get their own way but choose not to." [Note: Morris, p. 114.] Meekness is "the absence of the disposition to assert personal rights, either in the presence of God or of men." [Note: G. G. Findlay, The Epistle of Paul to the Ephesians, p. 265.] Patience is endurance even under affliction. When wronged,

Revelation 12:15 — Perhaps Satan will use literal water to try to drown this group of Israelites. [Note: Düsterdieck, pp. 353-54; Bullinger, p. 416; Smith, A Revelation . . ., pp. 190-91.] If they take refuge in a place such as Petra this might seem to be a possibility. Another possibility is that he will pursue them with soldiers as a river (cf. Jeremiah 46:7-8; Jeremiah 47:2-3).