Bible Commentaries

Mark 10:33-34 — The following chart shows the greater detail of this prediction and the fulfillment in the passion narrative compared with the previous two predictions. [Note: Adapted from Taylor, p. 436.] First prediction 8:31-9:29Second prediction 9:30-10:31Third prediction 10:32-52Passion narrative 14:1-15:471.Handing over to the Sanhedrin(Mark 9:31)Mark 10:33Mark 14:532.Condemnation by the Sanhedrin(Mark 8:31)Mark 10:33Mark 14:643.Handing over

Mark 4:30-32 — The parable of the mustard seed 4:30-32 (cf. Matthew 13:31-32; Luke 13:18-19) The third and last parable that Mark recorded Jesus giving to the multitudes stressed the contrast between the kingdom’s insignificant beginnings and its final impressively large size. When Jesus came

Luke 10:20 — keep His blessings in their proper perspective. There appear to be several records that God keeps in heaven. There is the book of the living, namely, those who are presently alive on the earth (Exodus 32:32-33; Deuteronomy 29:20; Psalms 69:28; Isaiah 4:3). There is also a book containing the names of the lost and their deeds (Revelation 20:12). There is a book with the names of the elect in it (Daniel 12:1; Revelation 13:8; Revelation 17:8; Revelation 20:15; Revelation 21:27). A fourth book evidently

Luke 4:1-13 — D. The temptation of Jesus 4:1-13 (cf. Matthew 4:1-11; Mark 1:12-13) Luke stressed how the Spirit who had come upon Jesus at His baptism guided and empowered Him in His temptation and how Jesus, God’s approved Son, pleased His Father by His obedience. Jesus overcame the devil,

Luke 4:18-19 — ministry and that Luke should have recorded it here. As the Servant of the Lord, which the context of the Isaiah passage contributes, Messiah would possess the Spirit. He would also be the bearer of good news (Luke 1:19; cf. Deuteronomy 18:18; Isaiah 40:9; Isaiah 41:27; Isaiah 52:7). Luke highlighted Jesus’ prophetic ministry of proclamation (Luke 4:24; Luke 7:16; Luke 7:39; Luke 9:8; Luke 9:19; Luke 13:33; Luke 24:19). Moreover Messiah would bring release to the oppressed (cf. Luke 7:22). The

John 1:13 — life as children of God comes from God. It does not come because of their blood, namely, their physical ancestors. Many of the Jews believed that because they were Abraham’s descendants they were the spiritual children of God (cf. ch. 8; Romans 4; Galatians 3). Even today some people think that the faith or works of their ancestors somehow guarantees their salvation. However, God has no grandchildren. People become the children of God by personally trusting in Christ. New life does not come

John 10:1 — (Gr. kleptes, stressing trickery) and "robber" (Gr. lestes, stressing violence) are quite close in meaning. God frequently compared His relationship to Israel to that of a shepherd and his sheep in the Old Testament (e.g., Psalms 80:1; Isaiah 40:11; Ezekiel 34:10-16; cf. Psalms 23:1). He also called Israel’s unfaithful leaders wicked shepherds of His people (e.g., Isaiah 56:9-12; Jeremiah 23:1-4; Jeremiah 25:32-38; Ezekiel 34:4; Zechariah 11). Moreover He predicted that one day a descendant

John 14:1 — forsaken all to follow Him. Jesus had said that Peter would deny Him implying that some great trial was imminent (John 13:38). God’s revelations about the future should have a comforting and strengthening effect on His people (cf. 1 Thessalonians 4:18). This verse introduces a short section of revelation that has given much comfort to God’s people as they think about the future (John 14:1-4). It is a favorite passage at funerals. Jesus explained how to calm their troubled hearts. The verb

John 18:13 — Jesus. "That year" refers to the fateful year of Jesus’ death (i.e., A.D. 33).The High Priests of Israel(ca. A.D. 6-36)Annas (ca. A.D. 6-15)Unofficial high priest with Caiaphas during Jesus’ trial (Luke 3:2; John 18:13; John 18:24)Unofficial high priest who, with Caiaphas, tried Peter and John (Acts 4:6)Eleazar (ca. A.D. 16-17)Son of Annas whose name does not appear in the New TestamentCaiaphas (ca. A.D. 18-36)Son-in-law of AnnasOfficial high priest during Jesus’ earthly

John 9:2 — regarded blind people as especially worthy of charity. [Note: Ibid., 2:178.] The disciples’ question reflected popular Jewish opinion of their day. Clearly the Old Testament taught that sin brings divine punishment (e.g., Exodus 20:5; Exodus 34:7; Ezekiel 18:4). This cause and effect relationship led many of the Jews, as well as many modern people, to conclude that every bad effect had an identifiable sinful cause. [Note: Cf. Talmud tractates Shabbath 55 a, and Nedarim 41 a, quoted in Edersheim,

Acts 10:27-29 — It was taboo for Jews to associate with Gentiles and to visit them in their homes. [Note: Mishnah Demai 3:4.] Gentiles did not observe the strict rules Jews followed in eating, preparing, and even handling food, nor did they tithe or practice circumcision. Any physical contact with Gentiles laid a Jew open to becoming ceremonially unclean because of the Gentiles’

Acts 23:4-5 — robes since this was not a regular meeting of the Sanhedrin. [Note: Longenecker, "The Acts . . .," p. 531.] Perhaps Paul was looking in another direction when Ananias gave the order to strike him. Perhaps Paul had poor eyesight. [Note: McGee, 4:614.] However this seems less likely in view of Acts 23:1. The passage to which some commentators appeal to argue that Paul had deficient eyesight (Galatians 4:13-15) does not really say that. Another possibility is that Paul was speaking in irony:

Romans 1:24-25 — Romans 1 is not an active outpouring of divine displeasure but the removal of restraint that allows sinners to reap the just fruits of their rebellion." [Note: Mounce, p. 80.] It is active in another sense, however. God gave man over (Romans 1:24; cf. Romans 1:26; Romans 1:28) by turning him over to the punishment his crime earned, as a judge does a prisoner (cf. Hosea 4:17). The third characteristic of man in rebellion against God that Paul identified after ignorance (Romans 1:21) and idolatry

Romans 10:10 — This verse summarizes the ideas in the previous verse in general terms. Paul frequently summarized in Romans, and often these summaries refer to the results of the action in view, as here (cf. Romans 4:25; Romans 5:21; Romans 6:23; Romans 7:25). Belief in Jesus Christ in one’s heart results in acceptance by God (i.e., imputed righteousness, justification, and positional sanctification). Testimony to one’s belief in Jesus Christ normally

1 Corinthians 12:3 — motivated would curse Jesus Christ. Probably no one in the Corinthian church had. In the Septuagint anathema means a thing devoted to God without being redeemed, doomed to destruction (Leviticus 27:28-29; Joshua 6:17; Joshua 7:12). [Note: Robertson, 4:167.] Anathema is an Aramaic term carried over from the church’s Jewish background. Likewise no one would sincerely acknowledge that Jesus is Lord, Savior and or Sovereign, unless the Holy Spirit had some influence over him or her. This was true

2 Corinthians 11:6 — not, no one could charge him with being inferior in knowledge. Another view is that Paul meant he was not professionally trained as a rhetorician. The Corinthians knew very well Paul’s superior knowledge of the revelations of God (cf. Ephesians 3:4-5; 1 Corinthians 2:6-11). He had expounded divine truth to his readers exhaustively in person and in his letters. Obviously knowledge is more important than speech. Paul had previously revealed that some of his Corinthian hearers criticized him for

Galatians 4:6 — God also sent the Holy Spirit to indwell believers and to motivate us to approach God. The "heart" is the seat of the will (cf. Proverbs 4:23). Our relationship with God can be intimate rather than formal. We can call Him "Daddy." "Abba" means that in Aramaic (cf. Mark 14:36; Romans 8:15-16). "However, we oversentimentalize this word when we refer to it as mere

Ephesians 3:19 — more to know." [Note: Morris, p. 107.] The ultimate goal of Paul’s request was that his readers might be so full of the knowledge of Christ’s love and appreciation for God that they might allow Christ to control them fully (Ephesians 4:13). "These four requests are more like four parts to a telescope. One request leads into the next one, and so on." [Note: Wiersbe, 2:31.] "I like to think of the apostle’s petition as a staircase by which he climbs higher and

Colossians 1:12-13 — God qualifies the believer by His grace. He makes us heirs of an inheritance (cf. 1 Peter 1:4). [Note: See John A. Witmer, "The Man with Two Countries," Bibliotheca Sacra 113:532 (October-December 1976):338-49.] The qualification to receive an inheritance took place at conversion, though actual possession of most of it is future. Second,

2 Thessalonians 2:13 — could always give thanks for his readers. Moreover he did so (cf. 2 Thessalonians 1:3). The ground for his joy was God’s choice of them for salvation before He created the world ("the beginning," 2 Thessalonians 2:13; cf. Ephesians 1:4). Though God loves all people (John 3:16), He does not choose all for salvation. Paul consistently taught what the rest of Scripture reveals, namely, that the initiative in salvation comes from God, not man. God accomplishes salvation through the sanctifying