Bible Commentaries

Exodus 2 overview — the Jewish people for more than 4,000 years! His importance, however, pertains not merely to Judaism, but to worldwide Christianity as well, standing in the Old Testament as an outstanding type of the Lord Jesus Christ. The story of his birth (Exodus 2:1-10) is followed by an account of his killing of an Egyptian and the flight to Midian (Exodus 2:11-16). A summary of his forty years in Midian is given (Exodus 2:12-22), and the last three verses (Exodus 2:23-25) set the stage for Exodus 3. THE BIRTH

1 Kings 4:26-28 — every man in his month; they let nothing be lacking. Barley also and straw for the horses and swift steeds brought they unto the place where the officers were, every man according to his charge." "Forty thousand stalls of horses" The parallel account in 2 Chronicles 9:25 gives the number of Solomon's horses at 4,000, a number favored by many scholars, but our own opinion is that the number here is just as likely to be correct as the other. "The Philistines are reported to have brought 30,000 chariots

2 Kings 18:1-8 — not. He smote the Philistines unto Gaza and the borders thereof from the tower of the watchmen to the fortified city." "His mother's name was Abi the daughter of Zechariah" "Thirty O.T. characters bore the name Zechariah."Everyone in the Bible, p. 362. "He removed the high places" Whitcomb gives us a summary of the reforms of Hezekiah: "(1) He opened the temple doors which Ahaz had closed (2 Chronicles 28:24; 2 Chronicles 29:3); (2) He ordered the cleansing of the temple (2 Chronicles 29:4-19); (3)

Amos 2:13 — uncertain; and the sense of the English version is that the load of Israel's sin and guilt is a burden that presses God down; but the figure of being run over by a wagon (or wain) "is very natural in the mouth of the shepherd Amos."W. J. Deane, op. cit., p. 26. "Whatever meaning is given to the verb, it is clear that the ultimate action of God would be catastrophic upon the nation.J. Keir Howard, op. cit., p. 958. The divine judgment against Israel in these four verses (Amos 2:13-16) will be such that, "Neither

Matthew 21:44 — And he that falleth on this stone shall be broken to pieces: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will scatter him as dust. The apostle Peter, referring to this metaphor, quoted Isaiah 28:16 and added, "A stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense; for they stumble at the word, being disobedient" (1 Peter 2:7-8). Thus, our Lord's reference to the Pharisees' falling on that stone (himself) is a reference to their stumbling at

Matthew 27:54 — Jesus, when they saw the earthquake, and the things that were done, feared exceedingly, saying, Truly this was the Son of God. Practically all beings with anything to do with Christ confessed him in one way or another: (1) The angels confessed him (Luke 2:11). (2) The demons confessed him (Matthew 8:29). (3) Almighty God confessed him three times,, at his baptism, on the mount of transfiguration, and in a voice resembling thunder (John 12:28). (4) Simeon (Luke 2:30). (5) Anna (Luke 2:36). (6) Nicodemus

Matthew 5:12 — Rejoice and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets that were before you. The apostles took to heart this admonition of the Saviour to rejoice in persecutions. James (James 1:2-4), Paul (1 Timothy 3:12; Colossians 1:24), and the Twelve (Acts 5:41) were happy in persecutions. In this passage, Christ firmly underscored the principle motive undergirding human submissiveness to God. There were, in fact, three of these: love, fear,

John 13:33 — … is found nowhere else in the Gospels and was used here, perhaps, for the first time by the Lord. This tender address and the circumstances under which it was used endeared the words to John who made them a permanent part of his vocabulary (1 John 2:1; 1 John 2:12; 1 John 2:18; 1 John 2:28 etc.). As I said unto the Jews … See John 7:34 and John 8:21-22. In those instances, Jesus referred to the eternal impossibility of wicked men having fellowship with himself; but here he referred to the

Romans 1:2 — prophets … Here is a distinction one meets constantly in the Bible, that the words therein contained are not the words of the prophets, but the word of God delivered "through his prophets" (as here), and "through the apostles" (2 Peter 3:2). (See Matthew 1:22; Matthew 2:5; Matthew 2:15; Matthew 2:17; Matthew 3:3; Matthew 4:14, and throughout the Bible). Paul's summary of the gospel (1 Corinthians 15:3-4) stresses this same point through the recurrence of the phrase, "according

2 Corinthians 1:3 — imagination of mankind. Every chapter in the Koran, except one, begins with the words, "In the name of God the Merciful, the Compassionate." God of all comfort … "The word COMFORT, either as a verb or a substantive, occurs ten times in 2 Corinthians 1:3-7." F. W. Farrar, op. cit., p. 2. As a matter of truth, God is the God of everything beautiful and desirable. He is the God of patience and of comfort (Romans 15:5), the God of glory (Acts 7:2), the God of hope (Romans 15:33), the

2 Corinthians 12:18 — steps? Tasker convincingly affirms that "I sent" as used here should not be translated in the past tense, but as "epistolary," and translated in English as the present tense; because these men "had not arrived in Corinth when 2 Corinthians was written, but they will have done so by the time the Corinthians receive the letter." R. V. G. Tasker, op. cit., p. 183. This is an important distinction, having the impact of proof that "2 Corinthians 12 was not written before

2 Corinthians 12:3-4 — And I know such a man (whether in the body, or apart from the body, I know not; God knoweth), how that he was caught up into Paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter. The repetition of the same thought in 2 Corinthians 12:2-3 ("whether in the body …") is difficult to interpret. "Opinion is divided as to whether the apostle is merely repeating what he had just said, or is describing" Philip E. Hughes, Paul's Second Epistle to

2 Thessalonians 1 overview — This chapter has Paul's salutation: (1) and thanksgiving for the Thessalonians because of the manner of their acceptance of the gospel (2 Thessalonians 1:2-11).

2 Thessalonians 3:17-18 — The salutation of me Paul with mine own hand, which is the token in every epistle: so I write. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. See under 2 Thessalonians 3:4 for pertinent comment on Paul's attestation. Significantly, Paul here declared that all of his epistles were similarly authenticated; thus it is likely that the usual Pauline "grace and peace" at the end of his writings were

2 Timothy 3:15 — Newport J. D. White, op. cit., p. 174. The sacred writings … In the next verse, Paul used the word "Scripture." Why the distinction? Paul did this for the simple reason that he wishes to draw a distinction between the Old Testament (2 Timothy 3:15) and WHATEVER has a right to be called divinely inspired Scripture (2 Timothy 3:16). The latter comprises more than the former. William Hendriksen, op. cit., p. 300. The earnest conviction of this writer supports Hendriksen's comment on

2 Timothy 4:5 — suffering, thus providing the great example for Timothy. Do the work of an evangelist … The New Testament does not make the distinction between this word and "preacher," as in current usage. For comment on the work of preaching, see under 2 Timothy 4:2. Fulfill thy ministry … Spain observed that the word "fulfill" here means "the same as the word Paul used in 2 Timothy 4:17 where Paul speaks of proclaiming the word FULLY." Carl Spain, Commentary on 1 and 2 Timothy

1 John 5:19 — We know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in the evil one. We know … This is the second of three great certainties stressed by the apostle in 1 John 5:18-20: (1) We know that we are guarded from the evil one by Jesus Christ our Lord. (2) We know that we belong to God in a hostile, Satan dominated world. (3) We know the great basic of divine revelation, especially the Incarnation of God in Christ. That

Jude 1:2 — Mercy unto you and peace and love be multiplied. Jude's fondness for triads is evident throughout the letter. In these first two verses we have: (1) three names: Jude, Jesus Christ, and James, then (2) three forms of relation: servant, Lord (Master), and brother, then (3) mercy, peace, and love. In Judges 1:5-10, we have three examples of apostasy: (4) Israel of the Exodus, the rebel angels, and the citizens of Sodom and Gomorrah. There follows:

Revelation 2:11 — He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith to the churches. He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death. On the first sentence in this verse, see comment on the identical words in Revelation 2:7, also concerning "overcometh." Shall not be hurt of the second death … The second death is a reference to the lake of fire in which Satan and his followers are destined at last to be overwhelmed. As Roberson pointed out, many expressions

2 Samuel 24:2-9 — "from one end of the nation to the other." "Why does my lord the king delight in this thing?" Joab's protest was as vigorous as could have been expected; and it was backed up by all of the army commanders who accompanied Joab into David's presence (2 Samuel 24:4). Although detailed reasons for this opposition to David's numbering the people are not given, it is clear enough that all Israel seriously objected to it. Tatum wrote that, "The people did not want to be enlisted for further military duty";The