Bible Commentaries

John 14:4 — get to Him, "For in Him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily" ( :-), and He is all "THE LIFE" that shall ever flow to us and bless us from the Godhead thus approached and thus manifested in Him—"this is the true God and eternal life" (1 John 5:20).

John 8:51 — 51. If a man keep my saying, he shall never see death—Partly thus vindicating His lofty claims as Lord of the kingdom of life everlasting, and, at the same time, holding out even to His revilers the scepter of grace. The word "keep" is in harmony with

Acts 16:4 — 4, 5. And as they went through the cities, they delivered . . . the decrees . . . And so were the churches established in the faith, and increased in number daily—not the churches, but the number of their members, by this visit and the written evidence laid

Acts 17:4 — 4. consorted—cast in their lot. with Paul and Silas—Compare 2 Corinthians 8:5. of the chief women—female proselytes of distinction. From the First Epistle to the Thessalonians it appears that the converts were nearly all Gentiles; not only such as had before been proselytes, who would be gained in the synagogue, but such as

Acts 8:5 — 5. Then Philip—not the apostle of that name, as was by some of the Fathers supposed; for besides that the apostles remained at Jerusalem, they would in that case have had no occasion to send a deputation of their own number to lay their hands on the baptized

Romans 5:21 — befitted this comprehensive summation of the whole matter—the great general term sin. hath reigned unto death—rather, "in death," triumphing and (as it were) revelling in that complete destruction of its victims. even so might grace reign—In Romans 5:14; Romans 5:17 we had the reign of death over the guilty and condemned in Adam; here it is the reign of the mighty causes of these—of SIN which clothes Death a Sovereign with venomous power (Romans 5:17- :) and with awful authority (Romans 5:17- :),

Romans 7:5 — 5. For when we were in the flesh—in our unregenerate state, as we came into the world. See on :- and :-. the motions—"passions" (Margin), "affections" (as in :-), or "stirrings." of sins—that is, "prompting to the commission of sins." which were

1 Corinthians 3:5 — 5. Who then—Seeing then that ye severally strive so for your favorite teachers, "Who is (of what intrinsic power and dignity) Paul?" If so great an apostle reasons so of himself, how much more does humility, rather than self-seeking, become ordinary ministers!

1 Corinthians 7:5 — 5. Defraud . . . not—namely, of the conjugal duty "due" ( :-; compare the Septuagint, :-). except it be—"unless perchance" [ALFORD]. give yourselves to—literally, "be at leisure for"; be free from interruptions for; namely, on some special "season,"

1 Corinthians 8:3 — 3. love God—the source of love to our neighbor (1 John 4:11; 1 John 4:12; 1 John 4:20; 1 John 5:2). the same—literally, "this man"; he who loves, not he who "thinks that he knows," not having "charity" or love (1 Corinthians 8:1; 1 Corinthians 8:2). is known of him—is known with the knowledge of approval and is acknowledged by God as His (Psalms

1 Corinthians 9:12 — 12. others—whether true apostles (1 Corinthians 9:5) or false ones (2 Corinthians 11:20). we rather—considering our greater labors for you (2 Corinthians 11:20- :). suffer all things—without complaining of it. We desire to conceal (literally, "hold as a water-tight vessel") any distress we suffer

2 Corinthians 11:5 — 5. For—My claim is superior to that of the false teachers, "For," c. I suppose—I reckon [ALFORD]. I was not—Greek, "That I have not been, and am not." the very chiefest apostles—James, Peter, and John, the witnesses of Christ's transfiguration and

2 Corinthians 9:9 — 9. As it is written—realizing the highly blessed character portrayed in :-. He—the "good man" (Psalms 112:5). dispersed—as seed sown with full and open hand, without anxious thought in what direction each grain may fall. It is implied also that he has always what he may disperse [BENGEL]. So in Psalms 112:9. the poor—The Greek word is found here only

Galatians 6:2 — "load"): "weights" exceed the strength of those under them; "burden" is proportioned to the strength. so fulfil—or as other old manuscripts read, "so ye will fulfil," Greek, "fill up," "thoroughly fulfil." the law of Christ—namely, "love" (Galatians 5:14). Since ye desire "the law," then fulfil the law of Christ, which is not made up of various minute observances, but whose sole "burden" is "love" (John 13:34; John 15:12); John 15:12- : gives Christ as the example in the particular duty here.

1 Thessalonians 2:1 — 1. For—confirming :-. He discusses the manner of his fellow missionaries' preaching among them (1 Thessalonians 1:5, and former part of 1 Thessalonians 2:9) at 1 Thessalonians 2:1-12; and the Thessalonians' reception of the word (compare 1 Thessalonians 1:6; 1 Thessalonians 1:7, and latter part of 1 Thessalonians 1:7- :) at 1 Thessalonians 2:13-16. yourselves—Not

1 Thessalonians 5:5 — 5. The oldest manuscripts read, "FOR ye are all," c. Ye have no reason for fear, or for being taken by surprise, by the coming of the day of the Lord: "For ye are all sons (so the Greek) of light and sons of day" a Hebrew idiom, implying that as sons

1 Timothy 1:6 — well-spring of love. having swerved—literally, "having missed the mark (the 'end') to be aimed at." It is translated, "erred," 1 Timothy 6:21; 2 Timothy 2:18. Instead of aiming at and attaining the graces above named, they "have turned aside (1 Timothy 5:15; 2 Timothy 4:4; Hebrews 12:13) unto vain jangling"; literally, "vain talk," about the law and genealogies of angels (1 Timothy 1:7; Titus 3:9; Titus 1:10); Titus 1:10- :, "vain babblings and oppositions." It is the greatest vanity when divine things

1 Timothy 3:9 — 9. the mystery of the faith—holding the faith, which to the natural man remains a mystery, but which has been revealed by the Spirit to them (Romans 16:25; 1 Corinthians 2:7-10), in a pure conscience (1 Timothy 1:5; 1 Timothy 1:19). ("Pure," that is, in which nothing base or foreign is intermixed [TITTMANN]). Though deacons were not ordinarily called on to preach (Stephen and Philip are not exceptions

James 4:3 — but we must ask with a good spirit and intention. "Ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it (your object of prayer) upon (literally, 'in') your lusts (literally, 'pleasures')"; not that ye may have the things you need for the service of God. Contrast James 1:5; Matthew 6:31; Matthew 6:32. If ye prayed aright, all your proper wants would be supplied; the improper cravings which produce "wars and fightings" would then cease. Even believers' prayers are often best answered when their desires are most opposed.

Revelation 11 overview — "the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit" (not mentioned before), with the detailed accounts, Revelation 13:1; Revelation 13:11; Revelation 17:8; also Revelation 11:8, "the great city," with Revelation 14:8; Revelation 17:1; Revelation 17:5; Revelation 18:10.