Bible Commentaries

Genesis 1:7 — God separated the waters so some of them remained on the earth and some were above the earth in the atmosphere. Before He made this division there may have been a dense fog over the whole surface of the earth. [Note: See my comments on the "canopy theory" at 2:4-6.]

Isaiah 29:13 — The Lord had observed that the people of Jerusalem were going through the motions of worship without a vital, daily relationship of trust and obedience with Him. Their worship was a matter of traditional ritual observance, rather than a heartfelt desire to interact with Him (cf. Matthew 15:9; John 4:23-24).

Isaiah 61:7 — Instead of the shame that Israel suffered formerly because of God’s judgments on her, she would enjoy the double portion of blessing bestowed on the favored firstborn son in Israelite society (cf. Deuteronomy 21:17). As God’s firstborn son, Israel would enter into her promised bountiful and joyful inheritance (Exodus 4:22).

Jeremiah 3:15 — After their return, the Lord would give the truly repentant Israelites good leaders who had hearts for Himself and who would instruct them in sound "knowledge" (wisely) and "understanding" (well). Kind-hearted shepherds would provide wholesome and nourishing food for their sheep (cf. Jeremiah 23:1-4; Ezekiel 34:23; Ezekiel 37:24).

Jeremiah 34:12-13 — The Lord then sent Jeremiah to remind the people that He had made a covenant with their forefathers to set them at liberty from their bondage in Egypt (Exodus 19:4-6). They of all people should have shown mercy to others in bondage. The Passover commemorated their emancipation from Egyptian slavery.

Jeremiah 35:16 — The Rechabites had obeyed Jonadab’s instructions, but the Judahites had not listened to Yahweh (cf. Jeremiah 7:24-28; Jeremiah 11:1-17; Jeremiah 13:10; Jeremiah 25:4-8; Jeremiah 26:2-6; Jeremiah 29:17-29). The Lord used the Rechabites as a clinching argument in His "trial" against Judah.

Numbers 21:4-9 — The bronze snake 21:4-9 The Israelites next traveled to the southeast around the southern border of Edom. They took "the way of the Red Sea" (Numbers 21:4), a road to the town of Elath that stood at the northern tip of the Gulf of Aqabah. [Note: See Denis Baly,

Luke 11:1-4 — The Lord’s Prayer 11:1-4 (cf. Matthew 6:9-13) Luke’s record of Jesus’ teaching the Lord’s Prayer differs significantly enough from Matthew’s account that we can safely conclude that Jesus gave similar teaching on separate occasions. This repetition illustrates the importance that Jesus attached to the subject of prayer.

John 1:43-51 — 4. The witness of Philip and Andrew 1:43-51 The disciples of John were not the only men who began following Jesus. Andrew continued to bring other friends to Jesus. This incident preceded Jesus’ formal appointment of the Twelve, but it shows Him preparing those who would become His disciples.

John 4:15 — The woman did not pretend to understand what Jesus was talking about, but she did want to avoid the work involved in drawing water from Jacob’s well. Since Jesus had offered it, she asked Him to give her whatever it was that He had (cf. John 3:4; John 6:34).

John 4:31-32 — Jesus showed little interest in eating even though He was probably hungry (John 4:6). He used the disciples’ urging to teach them something about His priorities. Something was more satisfying to Him than food. They showed interest in physical need primarily, but He had more concern for spiritual need.

Acts 13:11 — Paul’s stern words recall Peter’s as he dealt with Ananias and Sapphira, and Simon the sorcerer (Acts 5:3-4; Acts 5:9; Acts 8:20-23). Perhaps Paul hoped that when God darkened Elymas’ physical eyesight He might restore his spiritual eyesight, as had been his own experience (ch. 9).

Acts 28:30-31 — first century began a story that will continue until the consummation of the kingdom in Christ (Acts 1:11)." [Note: Longenecker, "The Acts . . .," p. 573.] These verses contain the last of Luke’s seven progress reports (Acts 2:47; Acts 6:7; Acts 9:31; Acts 12:24; Acts 16:5; Acts 19:20). "What is the one outstanding impression made by the study of the life and work of the Apostle of the Gentiles? Is it not this:-The marvelous possibilities of a wholly-surrendered and Divinely-filled

Romans 15:27 — The money that Paul was collecting was both a love-gift and an obligation. He could say that the givers owed it because the gospel had come from Jerusalem and Judea to the Gentiles. Believers in Asia Minor also contributed to this fund (1 Corinthians 16:1; Acts 20:4).

1 Corinthians 9:17 — If he preached the gospel willingly, he would receive a reward (pay) from the Lord. If he did so unwillingly, he would not receive a reward but would be simply doing his duty as a steward (manager of a household; cf. 1 Corinthians 4:1-2; Luke 17:7-10).

2 Corinthians 3:12-6 — 2. The great boldness of the new ministers 3:12-4:6 The superiority of Christian ministry should produce great openness and encouragement within Christ’s ministers. Paul developed these qualities in this section to enable his readers to understand his behavior and to respond in like manner in their own ministries.

1 Thessalonians 5:25 — Paul believed that intercessory prayer would move God to do things that He would not do otherwise (cf. James 4:2). "The ministry of prayer is the most important service that the Church of Christ can engage in." [Note: D. Edmond Hiebert, Working with God: Scriptural Studies in Intercession, p. 44.]

2 Timothy 2 overview — III. EXHORTATIONS TO PERSEVERE CH. 2 Paul continued to encourage Timothy to remain faithful to the Lord and to his calling by charging him to endure hardship. Then he stressed again the importance of faithfulness in his public ministry and in his personal life (cf. 1 Timothy 4:6-16).

Titus 3:12 — Paul evidently intended to send either Artemas or Tychicus (2 Timothy 4:12) to take Titus’ place in Crete. Paul wanted Titus to join him for the coming winter in Nicapolis ("city of victory"), probably the one in Illyricum that lay on the Adriatic coast of western Greece opposite northern Italy.

Hebrews 7:11 — The writer’s point was that since God promised in Psalms 110:4 that the coming Messiah would be a priest after Melchizedek’s order, He intended to terminate the Levitical priesthood because it was inadequate. If the Levitical priesthood had been adequate, the Messiah would have functioned as a Levitical priest.