Bible Commentaries

Joel 2:15 — Before, he had, in these same words Joel 2:1; Joel 1:14, called to repentance, because the Day of the Lord was coming, was near, “a day of darkness,” etc. Now , because God is “gracious and merciful, slow to anger and plenteous in goodness,” he agains exhorts, “Blow ye the trumpet;” only the call

Zephaniah 1:16 — the movements of the tabernacle and accompanying their feasts); then also of the “battle cry.” They had not listened to the voice of the trumpet, as it called them to holy service; now they shall hear “the voice of the Archangel and the trump of God” 1 Thessalonians 4:16.Against the high towers - Literally, “corners” , and so “corner-towers.” This peculiarity describes Jerusalem, whose walls “were made artificially standing in a line curved inwards, so that the flanks of assailants might be exposed.”

Haggai 2:4 — Yet now be strong ... and work - They are the words with which David exhorted Solomon his son to be earnest and to persevere in the building of the first temple 1 Chronicles 28:10. “Take heed now, for the Lord hath chosen thee to build an house for the sanctuary: be strong and do” 1 Chronicles 28:20. “Be strong and of good courage, and do.” This combination of words occurs once only elsewhere 2 Chronicles 19:11,

Matthew 10:32-33 — Whosoever therefore shall confess me ... - The same word in the original is translated “confess” and “profess,” 1 Timothy 6:12-13; 2 John 1:7; Romans 10:10. It means to acknowledge the Lord Jesus Christ, and our dependence on him for salvation, and our attachment to him, in every proper manner. This profession may be made in uniting with a church, at the communion,

Matthew 12:3 — by fresh “bread.” This was called the “showbread,” Leviticus 24:5-9. David, fleeing before Saul, weary and hungry, had come to Ahimelech the priest; had found only this bread; had asked it of him, and had eaten it contrary to the “letter” of the law, 1 Samuel 21:1-7. David, among the Jews, had high authority. This act had passed uncondemned. It proved that in “cases of necessity the laws did not bind a man” - a principle which all laws admit. So the “necessity” of the disciples justified them in doing

Matthew 18:19 — Again I say unto you, That if two of you ... - This is connected with the previous verses. The connection is this: The obstinate man is to be excluded from the church, Matthew 18:17. The care of the church - the power of admitting or excluding members - of organizing and establishing it - is committed to you, the apostles, Matthew 18:18. Yet there is not need of the whole to give validity to the transaction. When two of you

Matthew 4:2 — Abstained from food.Forty days and forty nights - It has been questioned by some whether Christ abstained wholly from food, or only from the food to which he was accustomed. Luke says Luke 4:2 that he ate nothing. This settles the question. Mark says Mark 1:13 that angels came and ministered unto him. At first view this would seem to imply that he did eat during that time. But Mark does not mention the time when the angels performed this office of kindness, and we are at liberty to suppose that he means

Mark 6:45-56 — See this passage explained in the notes at Matthew 14:22-36.Mark 6:52They considered not the miracle of the loaves - They did not remember or call to mind the “power” which Jesus had shown in feeding the five thousand by a miracle, and that, having done that, he had power also to save them from the storm.Their

Luke 1:35 — The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee - See Matthew 1:20.The power of the Highest ... - This evidently means that the body of Jesus would be created by the direct power of God. It was not by ordinary generation; but, as the Messiah came to redeem sinners - to make atonement for “others,” and not for himself

Luke 19:2 — A man named Zacchaeus - The name Zacchaeus is Hebrew, and shows that this man was a “Jew.” The Hebrew name properly means “pure,” and is the same as Zacchai in Ezra 2:9; Nehemiah 7:14. The publicans, therefore, were not all foreigners.Chief among the publicans - Who presided over other tax-gatherers, or who “received” their collections and transmitted them to the Roman government.He was rich - Though this class of people was despised

John 1:41 — from the testimony of John, and now had been more fully convinced from conversation with Jesus, that he was the Messiah. The word “Messiah,” or “Messias,” is Hebrew, and means the same as the Greek word “Christ,” “anointed.” See the notes at Matthew 1:1. From the conduct of Andrew we may learn that it is the nature of religion to desire that others may possess it. It does not lead us to monopolize it or to hide it under a bushel, but it seeks that others also may be brought to the Saviour. It does

John 6:51 — The bread that I will give is by flesh - That is, his body would be offered as a sacrifice for sin, agreeably to his declaration when he instituted the Supper: “This is my body which is broken for you,” 1 Corinthians 11:24.Life of the world - That sinners might, by his atoning sacrifice, be recovered from spiritual death, and be brought to eternal life. The use of the word world hero shows that the sacrifice of Christ was full free ample, and designed

Acts 19:4 — the notes on Matthew 3:6.Saying unto the people - The design of his preaching was to tarn the people from their sins, and to prepare them for the coming of the Messiah. He therefore directed their attention principally to him that was to come, John 1:15, John 1:22-27.That is, on Christ Jesus - These are the words of Paul, explaining what John taught. John taught them to believe in the Messiah, and Paul now showed them that the Messiah was Jesus of Nazareth. The argument of Paul is, that it was highly

Romans 2:19 — blind is a figurative expression to denote an instructor of the ignorant. The blind here properly refers to the Gentiles, who were thus regarded by the Jews. The meaning is, that they esteemed themselves qualified to instruct the pagan world; Matthew 15:14; Matthew 23:15.A light - Another figurative expression to denote a teacher; compare Isaiah 49:6; John 1:4-5, John 1:8-9.In darkness - A common expression to denote the ignorance of the Gentile world; see the note at Matthew 4:16.

Romans 6:21 — implied here that having once experienced these effects, and knowing the tendency of sin, they will not indulge in it now; compare Romans 7:5.Whereof ye are now ashamed - Having seen their nature and tendency, you are now ashamed of them; compare Romans 1:0; Ephesians 5:12, “For it is a shame to speak of those things which are done of them in secret,” 2 Corinthians 4:2; Jude 1:13; Philippians 3:19.For the end - The tendency; the result. Those things lead to death.Is death - Note, Romans 6:22.

Ephesians 1:12 — converted before the gospel was preached extensively to the Gentiles. The reason for this opinion is, that in the following verse he contrasts those to whom he here refers with others whom he was addressing. But it may be that by the word “we” in Ephesians 1:11-12, he refers to himself and to his fellow-laborers who had “first” hoped in the Saviour, and had then gone and proclaimed the message to others; see the notes on Ephesians 1:11. They “first” believed, and then preached to others; and they also believed,

Ephesians 5:23 — For the husband is the head of the wife - see the notes on 1 Corinthians 11:3.As Christ is the head of the church - As Christ rules over the church, and has a right to direct and control it.And he is the Saviour of the body - That is, of the church, represented as “his body;” see notes, Ephesians 1:23. The idea

Ephesians 6:24 — Grace be, ... - note, Romans 16:20.That love our Lord Jesus Christ - see the notes on 1 Corinthians 16:22.In sincerity - Margin, “with incorruption.” With a pure heart; without dissembling; without hypocrisy. There could not be a more appropriate close of the Epistle than such a

1 Timothy 2:13 — here assigned cannot be understood to be merely that of priority of existence - for then it would give every old person authority over a younger one; but it must refer to the circumstances of the case as detailed in the history of the creation; Gen. 1–2. Man was made as the lord of this lower creation and placed in the garden, and then the woman was made of a rib taken from his side, and given to him, not as a lord, but as a companion. All the circumstances combine to show the subordinate nature

1 Timothy 4:13 — Till I come; - notes, 1 Timothy 3:14-15.Give attendance to reading - The word here used may refer either to public or to private reading; see Act 13:15; 2 Corinthians 3:14; compare Esdr. 9:48. The more obvious interpretation here is to refer it to private reading, or to a