Bible Commentaries

Genesis 17:22-27 — The writer’s use of the phrase "the very same day" (Genesis 17:26) points to a momentous day, one of the most important days in human history (cf. Noah’s entry into the ark, Genesis 7:13; and the Exodus, Exodus 12:17; Exodus 12:41; Exodus 12:51). This fifth revelation from God advanced God’s promises in six particulars. 1.    Part of God’s blessing would depend on Abraham’s maintaining the covenant of circumcision, though the Abrahamic Covenant

1 Kings 15:1-8 — 4. Abijam’s evil reign in Judah 15:1-8 Abijam (or Abijah, lit. my father is Yah[weh]) reigned from 913 to 911 B.C. while Jeroboam ruled over Israel. [Note: Various charts of the kings, including those referred to previously, visualize their overlapping

Isaiah 55:1 — blessings that the servant has obtained." [Note: Ibid.] After getting their attention, Isaiah, speaking as God and for God, called the thirsty to come and drink freely, and to the hungry to enjoy a free meal (cf. Proverbs 9:5-6; Matthew 5:6; John 4:13-14; John 6:32-35; Revelation 22:17). Water, that formerly represented the Holy Spirit (cf. Isaiah 32:15; Isaiah 44:3), was now available to the people because of the Servant’s work. Jesus extended a similar invitation to those in His day to

Hosea 5 overview — 2. The guilt of both Israel and Judah ch. 5 The general pattern of accusation of guilt followed by announcement of judgment that marked the messages in chapter 4 is also evident in chapter 5. One significant difference, however, is that in chapter 5 Judah falls under the prophet’s condemnation, though the primary object of the prophet’s criticism continues to be Israel.

Joel 2:18-27 — do if the people responded to Joel’s call to repentance. Sometime before the destruction of Jerusalem in 586 B.C. God told the Israelites that they had passed the point of no return and that captivity was inevitable (Jeremiah 7:16; Jeremiah 11:14; Jeremiah 14:11-12). Since repentance was still possible for the Israelites when Joel wrote, this prophecy evidently does not deal with that time. "Laments in the OT are sometimes followed by a divine oracle in which Yahweh, through a prophet,

Obadiah 1:11 — Edom’s treachery against Judah had taken place on a particular "day" in the past. Likewise God’s judgment would come on a particular "day" yet future (Obadiah 1:8). "Day" does not always refer to a period of 12 or 24 hours in the Bible. It sometimes refers to a longer period of time but one that is distinguishable as a period of time (e.g., Genesis 2:4). The Edomites’ sin was that they failed to help the Israelites in their hour of need (cf. Luke 10:31-32).

Zechariah 1:5-6 — warned the people about had overtaken them. The Lord had pursued and caught the evildoers like a hunter captures his prey. Then they acknowledged that the Lord had indeed done as He had warned them that He would do (cf. Deuteronomy 28:15; Deuteronomy 28:45; 2 Chronicles 36:16). This would be the experience of the contemporary Israelites too if they failed to heed Zechariah’s exhortation (cf. 1 Corinthians 10:11). Even though the Israelites had failed God miserably in the past, this introductory

Malachi 1:4 — a covenant relationship with Yahweh. Both Israel and Edom received judgment from God at the hands of the Babylonians in the sixth century (Jeremiah 27:2-8). Yet God repeatedly promised to restore Israel (because of His covenant promises, Deuteronomy 4:29-31; Deuteronomy 30:1-10), but He condemned Edom to complete destruction, never to be restored (Jeremiah 49:7-22; Ezekiel 35)." [Note: Blaising, p. 1576.] "The Judeans had Persian permission and support in their rebuilding campaign (Ezra

Matthew 13:31-32 — The parable of the mustard seed 13:31-32 (cf. Mark 4:30-32; Luke 13:18-19) The mustard seed was so small that the Jews used it proverbially to represent a very small thing (cf. Matthew 17:20). [Note: Mishnah Niddah 5:2.] When mature, the mustard plant stood 10 to 12 feet tall as "the largest of garden

Matthew 8:6-7 — probably did not intend it as a title of deity. [Note: See my comment on "lord" at 7:21.] The Greek word that the centurion used to describe his servant, pais, usually means "servant," though it can mean "son" (cf. John 4:51). This servant could have been the centurion’s personal aide. Matthew did not record the cause of his paralysis. Perhaps reports of Jesus’ healing of another official’s son led this centurion to approach Jesus (John 4). Here was

Deuteronomy 5:7 — essence of God’s grace. He initiates love, and the only reasonable response is to love Him for what He has done (cf. Romans 12:1-2). God does not just love us when we love Him. More fundamentally, He loves us first (cf. Romans 5:10; Ephesians 1:4-5; 1 John 4:19). In the game of love, God always makes the first move. [Note: G. S. Sloyen, Walking in the Truth, p. 49.] This command was a call to respond to God’s love by remaining faithful to Him instead of turning from Him to love something

Luke 1:32-33 — Jesus would be great (Luke 1:15). However, He would be the Son of God, a clear statement of His deity (Psalms 2:7-9; Psalms 89:26-29; cf. Luke 1:35). The "Most High" is a common designation of God in the Old Testament (Heb. El Elyon, Genesis 14:18; et al.). It carried over into the New Testament (Luke 1:35; Luke 1:76; Luke 6:35; Luke 8:28; Acts 7:48; Acts 16:17; Hebrews 7:1-3). The Greeks also used the title "Most High" to describe their gods. [Note: Marshall, The Gospel . . ., p.

Luke 3:19-20 — narrate Jesus’ ministry. This arrangement of material allowed Luke to continue comparing and contrasting the ministries of the two men. [Note: C. Talbert, "The Lukan Presentation of Jesus’ Ministry in Galilee," Review and Expositor 64 (1967):490.] One writer argued that Luke took John out of the scene before introducing Jesus to minimize John’s importance for the baptist sectarians of Luke’s day (cf. Acts 19:1-7). [Note: Richard J. Erickson, "The Jailing of John

John 5:39-40 — "John," p. 68.] The study of Scripture had become an end in itself rather than a way of getting to know God better. Their failure to recognize Jesus as the Messiah testified to their lack of perceiving the true message of Scripture (cf. John 1:45; John 2:22; John 3:10; John 5:45-46; John 20:9; 2 Corinthians 3:15). Life comes through Jesus, not through Bible study (John 5:21; John 5:26; cf. John 1:4; Romans 10:4), even though it is through Bible study that one comes to know Jesus. As John the

1 Timothy 3:12 — Returning to the male deacons, Paul added two more qualifications. 11.    They must be the "husbands of one wife" (Gr. mias gunaikos andres) elder qualification #2, 1 Timothy 3:2).   12.    They must also be "good managers of their children and their own households" (Gr. teknon kalos proistamenoi kai ton idion oikon; cf. elder qualification #13, 1 Timothy 3:4-5).

2 Timothy 3:2 — People would be (1) self-centered and narcissistic (Gr. philautoi), (2) lovers of money (philargyroi, cf. 1 Timothy 3:3; 1 Timothy 3:8), (3) boastful of their own importance (alazones), and (4) proud, arrogant in attitude (hyperephanoi). They would be (5) abusive toward others (blasphemoi), (6) unresponsive to parental discipline, (7) ungrateful, unthankful, unappreciative (acharistoi), and (8) impure, unholy (anosioi).

James 1:20 — An angry response to temptations does not advance the righteousness in character and conduct that God is seeking to produce in the believer. "The policy James condemns is one of seeking to promote the cause of freedom by politically motivated and engineered violence (an endeavor to be brought into the discussion at James 4:1-3)." [Note: Martin, p. 48.]

1 John 2:13-14 — to assure his readers that he was aware of their growth and strength in the faith. In the first series of three (1 John 2:12-13 b) we have the minimal spiritual experience for each stage of spiritual life. In the second series of three (1 John 2:13-14) we have the more advanced spiritual experience for each stage. Little children (Gr. teknion, born ones) spiritually all know that God has forgiven their sins, but little children (Gr. paidion, taught ones) can advance to intimate knowledge of the Father.

Revelation 18:5 — Another reason for abandoning Babylon and Babylonianism is that God is about to judge her. Her sins, like the bricks used to build the tower of Babel (Genesis 11:3-4), have accumulated so they finally reach heaven. She has exhausted God’s patience (cf. Jeremiah 51:9). God has noticed and remembered her sins, and because He is righteous, He must judge them.

1 Samuel 14:1-23 — Jonathan’s success at Michmash 14:1-23 Armed with trust in God and courage, Jonathan ventured out to destroy Israel’s enemy in obedience to God’s command to drive out the inhabitants of Canaan (cf. 1 Samuel 9:16). He would have made a good king of Israel. Saul remained in