Bible Commentaries

Ecclesiastes 12:6 — picture of old age applies to those who have not "remembered their Creator in youth." They have none of the consolations of God, which they might have obtained in youth; it is now too late to seek them. A good old age is a blessing to the godly (Genesis 15:15; Job 5:26; Proverbs 16:31; Proverbs 20:29).

Isaiah 34:5 — 5. sword— ( :-). Or else, knife for sacrifice for God does not here appear as a warrior with His sword, but as one about to sacrifice victims doomed to slaughter [VITRINGA]. (Ezekiel 39:17). bathed—rather "intoxicated," namely, with anger (so Ezekiel

Isaiah 6:10 — ears, eyes; in the latter, the reverse order, the eyes, ears, heart. It is from the heart that corruption flows into the ears and eyes (Mark 7:21; Mark 7:22); but through the eyes and ears healing reaches the heart (Romans 10:17), [BENGEL]. (Jeremiah 5:21; Ezekiel 12:2; Zechariah 7:11; Acts 7:57; 2 Timothy 4:4). In 2 Timothy 4:4- :, the words are quoted in the indicative, "is waxed gross" (so the Septuagint), not the imperative, "make fat"; God's word as to the future is as certain as if it were already

Ezekiel 9:6 — remnant (one hundred forty-four thousand) of Israel previous to the final outpouring of wrath on the rest of the nation; the correspondence is exact; the same pouring of fire from the altar follows the marking of the remnant in both (compare Revelation 8:5; Ezekiel 10:2). So Zechariah 13:9; Zechariah 14:2, distinguish the remnant from the rest of Israel. begin at . . . sanctuary—For in it the greatest abominations had been committed; it had lost the reality of consecration by the blood of victims sacrificed

Hosea 11:9 — no more, as in past times, destroy Ephraim. The destruction primarily meant is probably that by Tiglath-pileser, who, as the Jewish king Ahaz' ally against Pekah of Israel and Rezin of Syria, deprived Israel of Gilead, Galilee, and Naphtali (2 Kings 15:29). The ulterior reference is to the long dispersion hereafter, to be ended by God's covenant mercy restoring His people, not for their merits, but of His grace. God, . . . not man—not dealing as man would, with implacable wrath under awful provocation (Isaiah

Amos 1:5 — 5. bar of Damascus—that is, the bar of its gates (compare :-). the inhabitant—singular for plural, "inhabitants." HENDERSON, because of the parallel, "him that holdeth the scepter," translates, "the ruler." But the parallelism is that of one clause

Zephaniah 3:7 — Compare "thou, even thou, at least in this thy day" (Luke 19:42). their dwelling—the sanctuary [BUXTORF]. Or, the city. Compare Jesus' words (Luke 19:42- :), "Behold, your house is left unto you desolate" (Leviticus 26:31; Leviticus 26:32; Psalms 69:25); and used as to the temple (Micah 3:12). "Their" is used instead of "thy"; this change of person implies that God puts them to a greater distance. howsoever I punished them—Howsoever I might have punished them, I would not have cut off their dwelling.

Zechariah 2:6 — the north—that is, from Babylon: a type of the various Gentile lands, from which the Jews are to be recalled hereafter; hence "the four winds of heaven" are specified, implying that they are to return from all quarters (Deuteronomy 28:64; Jeremiah 16:15; Ezekiel 17:21). The reason why they should flee from Babylon is: (1) because of the blessings promised to God's people in their own land; (2) because of the evils about to fall on their foe (Ezekiel 17:21- :). Babylon was soon to fall before Darius,

Matthew 7:6 — caution, let us be on our guard against too readily setting our neighbors down as dogs and swine, and excusing ourselves from endeavoring to do them good on this poor plea. Prayer ( :-). Enough, one might think, had been said on this subject in Matthew 6:5-15. But the difficulty of the foregoing duties seems to have recalled the subject, and this gives it quite a new turn. "How shall we ever be able to carry out such precepts as these, of tender, holy, yet discriminating love?" might the humble disciple

Mark 2:2 — and he preached the word unto them—that is, indoors; but in the hearing, doubtless, of the multitude that pressed around. Had He gone forth, as He naturally would, the paralytic's faith would have had no such opportunity to display itself. Luke (Luke 5:17) furnishes an additional and very important incident in the scene—as follows: "And it came to pass on a certain day, as He was teaching, that there were Pharisees and doctors of the law sitting by, which were come out of every town," or village,

Galatians 2:20 — 2:19; Philippians 3:10). nevertheless I live; yet not I—Greek, "nevertheless I live, no longer (indeed) I." Though crucified I live; (and this) no longer that old man such as I once was (compare Philippians 3:10- :). No longer Saul the Jew (Galatians 5:24; Colossians 3:11, but "another man"; compare 1 Samuel 10:6). ELLICOTT and others translate, "And it is no longer I that live, but Christ that liveth in me." But the plain antithesis between "crucified" and "live," requires the translation, "nevertheless."

Joshua 22:11 — that the two tribes and a half had really built an altar, the deputies expressed astonishment at their so soon falling into such a heinous crime as that of violating the unity of divine worship (Exodus 20:24; Leviticus 17:8; Leviticus 17:9; Deuteronomy 12:5-13). They reminded their eastern brethren of the disastrous consequences that were entailed on the nation at large by the apostasy at Peor and by the sin of Achan, and finally exhorted them, if they felt the want of the tabernacle and altar and repented

Joshua 22:22 — that the two tribes and a half had really built an altar, the deputies expressed astonishment at their so soon falling into such a heinous crime as that of violating the unity of divine worship (Exodus 20:24; Leviticus 17:8; Leviticus 17:9; Deuteronomy 12:5-13). They reminded their eastern brethren of the disastrous consequences that were entailed on the nation at large by the apostasy at Peor and by the sin of Achan, and finally exhorted them, if they felt the want of the tabernacle and altar and repented

1 Timothy 6:9 — evil lust ("wish to be rich") many others join themselves: the one is the "root of all evils" (1 Timothy 3:7- :). which—Greek, "whatever (lusts)." drown—an awful descending climax from "fall into"; this is the last step in the terrible descent (James 1:15); translated "sink," Luke 5:7. destruction . . . perdition—destruction in general (temporal or eternal), and perdition in particular, namely, that of body and soul in hell.

2 Timothy 1:5 — 5. When I call to remembrance—This increased his "desire to see" Timothy. The oldest manuscripts read, "When I called to remembrance"; implying that some recent incident (perhaps the contrasted cowardice of the hypocrite Demas, who forsook him) had reminded

Hebrews 10:15 — 15. The Greek, has "moreover," or "now." is a witness—of the truth which I am setting forth. The Father's witness is given :-. The Son's, Hebrews 10:5. Now is added that of the Holy Spirit, called accordingly "the Spirit of grace," Hebrews 10:29. The

Hebrews 6:4 — again to repentance. for those—"in the case of those." once enlightened—once for all illuminated by the word of God taught in connection with "baptism" (to which, in :-, as once for all done," once enlightened" here answers); compare Ephesians 5:26. This passage probably originated the application of the term "illumination" to baptism in subsequent times. Illumination, however, was not supposed to be the inseparable accompaniment of baptism: thus CHRYSOSTOM says, "Heretics have baptism, not

Hebrews 9:23 — Revelation 12:7-10. Christ's atonement had the effect also of casting Satan out of heaven (Luke 10:18; John 12:31, compare Hebrews 2:14). Christ's body, the true tabernacle (see on Hebrews 2:14- :; Hebrews 9:11), as bearing our imputed sin (2 Corinthians 5:21), was consecrated (John 17:17; John 17:19) and purified by the shedding of His blood to be the meeting place of God and man. sacrifices—The plural is used in expressing the general proposition, though strictly referring to the one sacrifice of

James 4:2 — ensure possession. Not probably in the case of professing Christians of that day in a literal sense, but "kill and envy" (as the Greek for "desire to have" should be translated), that is, harass and oppress through envy [DRUSIUS]. Compare Zechariah 11:5, "slay"; through envy, hate, and desire to get out of your way, and so are "murderers" in God's eyes [ESTIUS]. If literal murder [ALFORD] were meant, I do not think it would occur so early in the series; nor had Christians then as yet reached so open

2 Peter 1:3 — ALL things (needful) for life and godliness, (so) do you give us ALL diligence," &c. The oil and flame are given wholly of grace by God, and "taken" by believers: their part henceforth is to "trim their lamps" (compare 2 Peter 1:3 2 Peter 1:4; 2 Peter 1:5, c.). life and godliness—Spiritual life must exist first before there can be true godliness. Knowledge of God experimentally is the first step to life (John 17:3). The child must have vital breath. first, and then cry to, and walk in the ways of,