Bible Commentaries

Isaiah 45:6 — designate the whole world. Kimchi says, that the reason why the north and the south are not mentioned here is, that the earth from the east to the west is perfectly inhabitable, but not so from the north to the south. That this was accomplished, see Ezra 1:1 ff Cyrus made public proclamation that Yahweh had given him all the kingdoms of the earth, and had commanded him to rebuild the temple in Jerusalem. The purpose of all this arrangement was, to secure the acknowledgment of the truth that Yahweh was

Hosea 8:11 — against the one altar, was to multiply sin. Hosea charges Israel elsewhere with this multiplying of altars, as a grievous sin. “According to the multitude of his fruit, he hath increased altars. Their altars are as heaps in the furrows of the field” Hosea 10:1; Hosea 12:11. They pretended doubtless, that they did it for a religious end, that they might thereon offer sacrifices for the expiation of their sins and appeasing of God. They endeavored to unite their own selfwill and the outward service of God.

Joel 3:14 — rendered “multitudes” suggests, besides, the thought of the hum and din of these masses thronging onward, blindly, to their own destruction. They all “tumultuously rage together, and imagine a vain thing, against the Lord and against His Christ” Psalms 2:1-2; but the place where they are gathered, (although they know it not,) is the “valley of decision,” i. e., of “sharp, severe judgment.” The valley is the same as that before called “the valley of Jehoshaphat;” but whereas that name only signifies “God

Micah 4:10 — suffering and thy joy shall be one. Thou canst not have the joy without the suffering. As surely as thou sufferest, thou shalt have joy. In all sorrow, lose not faith and hope, and “thou shalt be sorrowful, but thy sorrow shall be turned into joy” John 16:20. Cyril: “Good daughter, be very patient in the pangs, bear up against your sorrows,” so shall the birth be nigh. Yet for the time she must “go forth out of the city” into captivity. “And thou shalt dwell in the field,” houseless, under tents, as

Matthew 11:29 — Take my yoke - This is a figure taken from the use of oxen, and hence signifying to labor for one, or in the service of anyone. The “yoke” is used in the Bible as an emblem: (1)Of bondage or slavery, Leviticus 26:13; Deuteronomy 28:38. (2)Of afflictions or crosses, Lamentations 3:27. (3)Of the punishment of sin, Lamentations 1:14, (4)Of the commandments of God. (5)Of legal ceremonies, Acts 15:10; Galatians 5:1.It refers here

John 10:8 — that he rather refers to the scribes and Pharisees, who claimed to be instructors of the people, who claimed the right to regulate the affairs of religion, and whose only aim was to aggrandize themselves and to oppress the people. See the notes at John 1:18. When the Saviour says that “all” were thieves, he speaks in a popular sense, using the word “all” as it is often used in the New Testament, to denote the great mass or the majority.Thieves and robbers - See John 10:1; also Jeremiah 23:1; “Woe be

John 16:10 — him to his own right hand, he gave his attestation to his innocence; he showed that he approved his work, and gave evidence conclusive that Jesus was sent from God. To this proof of the innocence of Jesus the apostles often refer, Acts 2:22-24; Acts 17:31; Romans 1:4; 1 Corinthians 15:14, etc.; 1 Timothy 3:16. This same proof of the innocence or righteousness of the Savior is as satisfactory now as it was then. One of the deepest feelings which an awakened sinner has, is his conviction of the righteousness

John 3:33 — has spoken it is true. We vouch for the veracity of God, and assume as our own the proposition that it is the truth of God.God is true - Is faithful; is the author of the system of doctrines, and will fulfill all that he has promised. We learn here: 1.That to be a true believer is something more than to hold a mere speculative belief of the truth. 2.That to be a believer is to “pledge ourselves” for the truth, to seal it as our own, to adopt it, to choose it, and solemnly assent to it, as a man does

Acts 13:1 — The church that was at Antioch - See the notes on Acts 11:20.Certain prophets - See the notes on Acts 11:27.And teachers - Teachers are several times mentioned in the New Testament as an order of ministers, 1 Corinthians 12:28-29; Ephesians 4:11; 2 Peter 2:1. Their precise rank and duty are not known. It

Acts 17:3 — 24:26-27.Have suffered - That he should die.And that this Jesus - And that this Jesus of Nazareth, who has thus suffered and risen, whom, said he, I preach to you, is the Messiah.The arguments by which Paul probably proved that Jesus was the Messiah were: (1) That he corresponded with the prophecies respecting him in the following particulars:He was born at Bethlehem, Micah 5:2. He was of the tribe of Judah, Genesis 49:10. He was descended from Jesse, and of the royal line of David, Isaiah 11:1, Isaiah

Acts 3:13 — The God of Abraham - He is called the God of Abraham because Abraham acknowledged him as his God, and because God showed himself to be his friend. Compare Matthew 22:32; Exodus 3:6, Exodus 3:15; Genesis 28:13; Genesis 26:24. It was important to show that it was the same God who had done this that had been acknowledged by their fathers, and that they were not about to introduce the worship of any other God. And it was especially important,

Acts 6:4 — But we will give ourselves continually - The original expression used here denotes “intense and persevering” application to a thing, or unwearied effort in it. See the notes on Acts 1:14. It means that the apostles designed to make this their constant and main object, undistracted by the cares of life, and even by attention to the temporal needs of the church.To prayer - Whether this means “private” or “public” prayer cannot be certainly

Acts 9:7 — And the men which journeyed with him - Why these men attended him is unknown. They might have been appointed to aid him, or they may have been travelers with whom Saul had accidentally fallen in.Stood speechless - In Acts 26:14, it is said that they all fell to the earth at the appearance of the light. But there is no contradiction. The narrative in that place refers to the immediate effect of the appearance of the light. They were immediately smitten to the ground together.

Romans 15:24 — “take it in his way” in the fulfillment of his higher purpose to preach the gospel in regions where Christ was not named. Whether he ever fulfilled his purpose of visiting “Spain” is a matter of doubt. Some of the fathers, Theodoret (on Philippians 1:25; 2 Timothy 4:17) among others, say that after he was released from his captivity when he was brought before Nero, he passed two years in Spain. If he was imprisoned a “second” time at Rome, such a visit is not improbable as having taken place “between”

1 Corinthians 1:7 — has so abundantly endowed you with his favors.Ye come behind - ὑστερεῖσθαι hustereisthai. You are not missing, or deficient. The word is usually applied to destitution, want, or poverty; and the declaration here is synonymous with what he had said, 1 Corinthians 1:5, that they abounded in everything.In no gift - In no favor, or gracious endowment. The word used here χάρισμα charisma, does not refer necessarily to extraordinary and miraculous endowments, but includes also all the kindnesses of God

1 Corinthians 10:19 — idol is anything; that it has a real existence? Does my reasoning lead to that conclusion; and am I to be understood as affirming that an idol is of itself of any consequence? It must be recollected that the Corinthian Christians are introduced by Paul 1 Corinthians 8:4 as saying that they knew that an idol was nothing in the world. Paul did not directly contradict that; but his reasoning had led him to the necessity of calling the propriety of their attending on the feasts of idols in question; and

1 Corinthians 10:28 — him into sin;, do not pain and wound his feelings.And for conscience’ sake - Eat not, out of respect to the conscientious scruples of him that told thee that it had been offered to idols. The word “conscience” refers to the conscience of the informer 1 Corinthians 10:29; still he should make it a matter of conscience not to wound his weak brethren, or lead them into sin.For the earth is the Lord’s ... - See 1 Corinthians 10:26. These words are missing in many mss. (see Mill’s Greek Testament), and

1 Corinthians 10:7 — of the danger to which they would be exposed if they partook of the feasts that were celebrated in honor of idols in their temples. The particular idolatry which is referred to here is, the worship of the golden calf that was made by Aaron Exodus 32:1-5.As it is written - Exodus 32:6.The people sat down to eat and to drink - To worship the golden calf. They partook of a feast in honor of that idol. I have already observed that it was common to keep a feast in honor of an idol, and that the food which

1 Corinthians 11:34 — that it was to be distinguished from the ordinary idea of a feast or festival.That ye come not together unto condemnation - That the effect of your coming together for the observance of the Lord’s Supper be not to produce condemnation; see the note at 1 Corinthians 11:29.And the rest will I set in order ... - Probably he refers here to other matters on which he had been consulted; or other things which he knew required to be adjusted. The other matters pertaining to the order and discipline of the

2 Corinthians 5:8 — are confident - 2 Corinthians 5:6. We are cheerful, and courageous, and ready to bear our trial. Tyndale renders it: “we are of good comfort.”And willing rather to be absent from the body - We would prefer to die. The same idea occurs in Philippians 1:23. “Having a desire to depart and to be with Christ; which is far better.” The sense is, that Paul would have preferred to die, and to go to heaven; rather than to remain in a world of sin and trial.To be present with the Lord - The Lord Jesus; see