Bible Commentaries

Genesis 49:5-7 — Simeon and Levi. These two were brothers not only by blood but also in disposition. They were violent, wicked men (Genesis 34:25-31). Because of their wickedness they would have no independent tribal territory, but their descendants would live scattered among the other tribes. By the second census, just before the Israelites entered Canaan, the Simeonites had become the smallest

Exodus 35:1-7 — a fire was not a work, but only a preparation for some kind of work. But the Law makes sure that this too was not done." [Note: The NET Bible note on 35:3.] Moses invited the people to bring their contributions for the construction (Exodus 35:4-19; cf. Exodus 25:1-9). These materials would have been the Israelites’ own goods. Some were items the Egyptians had given them when they left Egypt and possessions they had obtained from traders they had met during their travels since leaving

1 Kings 2:10-12 — 4. David’s death 2:10-12 David and Saul each reigned for 40 years (cf. Acts 13:21). The differences in their personal lives and administrations were not due to differences in the time they ruled. The course of their careers sprang from God’s

Ezra 2:68-70 — this was one day’s wage for a working man (cf. Matthew 20:1-16). Obviously the exiles made a substantial contribution to the rebuilding of the temple that supplemented what Cyrus and the friends of the immigrants had previously donated (Ezra 1:4; Ezra 1:6-11; cf. Exodus 25:4-7; Exodus 35:2-9; 2 Corinthians 8:3; 2 Corinthians 9:7). When this group of Jews returned to the Promised Land in 537 B.C., they went first to Jerusalem (Ezra 2:68). Later they settled in the towns where their ancestors

Psalms 8:6-8 — for which God created him, namely, to be king of the earth. Man’s responsibility is to maintain order in creation, not to let it control him. Man may use any animals, domesticated or wild, for his purposes, including food (Genesis 9:3; 1 Timothy 4:3-5). Man has tamed and even domesticated many kinds of animals, but he finds it impossible to control himself without divine assistance (James 3:7-8). "In Psalms 2 Christ is seen as God’s Son and King, rejected and crucified but yet to reign

Isaiah 12 overview — 4. Trust in God’s favor ch. 12 This psalm of praise concludes the section dealing with Israel’s choice between trusting God or trusting Assyria (Isaiah 7:1 to Isaiah 12:6). It expresses the trust in God that Isaiah’s revelations in this section encouraged. This is a song of redemption that the remnant will sing "in that day" of Messiah’s triumph, but which the prophet anticipated in his own.

Luke 11:33-36 — 4. The importance of responding to the light 11:33-36 This exhortation concluded the controversy about signs (Luke 11:16; Luke 11:29-33), as Jesus’ teaching about the importance of obeying God’s Word (Luke 11:27-28) concluded the controversy about casting out demons (Luke 11:14-26). Both conclusions called on Jesus’ hearers to respond to His teaching rather than continuing in the darkness of ignorance.

Luke 6:31 — This hyperbolic command summarizes the duty of a disciple regarding love of enemies, and all people for that matter. We should be willing and ready to sacrifice ourselves and what we have for the welfare of others. This "Golden Rule" was not original with Jesus, though He made it positive and strengthened it (cf. Tobit 4:15; Leviticus 19:18). [Note: Cf. Mishnah Shabbath 31a; and Epistle of Aristeas 207.]

John 5:25 — Jesus continued to describe what believers will experience in the future fully that they already experience now in measure (cf. John 4:23), namely, resurrection life. We will experience it in the future physically, but we experience it now spiritually (cf. Romans 6:13). Jesus’ word gives believers spiritual life now, and it will raise the dead in the future (cf. John 5:28-29; John 11:43).

John 9:17 — Faced with having to decide if Jesus was from God or not, the healed man concluded that He was a prophet similar to other miracle-working Old Testament prophets (e.g., 2 Kings 2:19-22; 2 Kings 4:18-44; 2 Kings 5:1-14). This was an advance over his previous description of Jesus as simply "the man called Jesus" (John 9:11). His faith was growing.

Acts 18:1-17 — Ministry in Corinth 18:1-17 Silas and Timothy had evidently rejoined Paul in Athens (1 Thessalonians 3:1). Before leaving Athens, Paul sent Timothy back to Thessalonica (1 Thessalonians 3:2) and Silas back to somewhere in Macedonia (Acts 18:5), perhaps Philippi (cf. Philippians 4:16). Paul entered Corinth without these brethren, but they joined him in Corinth later (Acts 18:5; 1 Thessalonians 3:6).

1 Corinthians 15:50-58 — 4. The assurance of victory over death 15:50-58 Paul brought his revelation of the resurrection to a climax in this paragraph by clarifying what all this means for the believer in Christ. Here he also dealt with the exceptional case of living believers’ transformation at the Rapture. Transformation is absolutely necessary to enter the spiritual mode of future existence. This transformation will happen when Christ comes.

1 Corinthians 4:2 — The most important quality in a steward is that he manage his master’s affairs so the desires of his lord materialize (cf. Matthew 25:14-30; Luke 16:1-13; Luke 19:11-27; 1 Peter 4:10). He must be faithful to his master’s trust. For Paul this meant remaining faithful to the gospel as he had received it and preached it (cf. 1 Corinthians 15:1-11).

1 Corinthians 7:20 — The "condition" (NASB) or "situation" (NIV; Gr. klesis) is the calling (1 Corinthians 7:17) in life in which a person was when God called him or her into His family (cf. 1 Corinthians 1:2; Ephesians 4:1). Our calling as Christians, to bear witness to Jesus Christ, is more important than our calling in life, namely, the place we occupy in the social, economic, and geographical scheme of things.

Philippians 2:1-4 — The foundation for unity 2:1-4 Paul advocated humility, namely, concern for the needs of others, not just one’s own needs, as the basis for unity in the church (cf. Philippians 1:22-26; Philippians 2:21). ". . . someone well said: ’Love begins when someone else’s needs are more important than my own,’ which is precisely what Paul will urge in the elaboration that follows." [Note: Fee, p. 185.]

Hebrews 13:25 — The writer closed with a final benediction and prayer that God’s grace would be with his readers in the sense that they would receive strength from it (cf. Hebrews 2:9; Hebrews 4:16; Hebrews 10:19; Hebrews 12:15; Hebrews 13:9). This would happen as they persevered faithfully in the truth. This entire last chapter is an admonition to worship God acceptably, according to the New Covenant.

James 4:9 — James was calling readers who had compromised with the world by following hedonism to get right with God. There is laughter and joy in the pursuit of personal desires, but we must abandon these in the process of repenting. James was not saying Christians must be constantly miserable, mourning, weeping, and gloomy. These are only the evidences of repentance from a formerly sinful attitude and lifestyle (cf. Matthew 5:3-4).

Revelation 18:16 — The description of the city here is very similar to that of the harlot in Revelation 17:4. One city is in view in both chapters. This dirge begins and ends the same way as that of the kings in Revelation 18:10 did. However the merchants bewail the city’s lost opulence and splendor whereas the kings grieved over its broken strength (cf. Ezekiel 16:23; Ezekiel 28:13).

1 Samuel 20:12-17 — would be with David as he had been with Saul, namely, as Israel’s king (1 Samuel 20:13). These verses indicate clearly that Jonathan believed David would someday be king and subdue his enemies, including Saul (1 Samuel 20:13-15; cf. 1 Samuel 13:14). He had come to appreciate Yahweh’s loyal love (Heb. hesed, 1 Samuel 20:14-15), and now called on David to deal similarly with his descendants in the future. He secured a promise from David that when he reigned he would protect Jonathan’s

1 Samuel 23:19-23 — David’s escape from the wilderness of Ziph 23:19-23 Again the writer directed our attention back to Saul. Psalms 54 tells us what David was thinking and praying during this experience. He trusted in God. Evidently the Ziphites thought that they would be better off if they informed Saul of David’s presence in their area than if the king discovered that he was