Bible Commentaries

Isaiah 44:5 — are not our own, but that we belong to God. It is, that we not only feel that we are bound to worship him, but that we actually belong to him; that our bodies and spirits, and all that we have and are, are to be sacredly employed in his service (see 1 Corinthians 6:20; 2 Corinthians 7:5; 2 Corinthians 5:14-15). Nothing, in few words, can more appropriately describe the true nature of a profession of religion than the expression used here (אני ליהוה layhovâh 'ānı̂y) ‘For Yahweh am I’ - ‘I am wholly,

Isaiah 47:2 — lower side, so that they fitted into each other. The hole for receiving the grain was in the center of the upper stone, and in the process of grinding the lower one was fixed, and the upper one was turned round, usually by two women (see Matthew 24:41), with considerable velocity by means of a handle. Watermills were not invented until a little before the time of Augustus Caesar; and windmills long after. The custom of using handmills is the primitive custom everywhere, and they are still in use

Isaiah 65:11 — evidently because our translators were not aware of the true meaning of the word, and did not seem to understand that it referred to idolatry. The translation seems to have been adopted with some reference to the paronomasia occurring in Genesis 49:19; ‘Gad, a troop shall overcome him’ - יגוּדנוּ גדוּד גד gâd gedûd yegûdenû - where the word Gad has some resemblance to the word rendered troop. The word Gad itself, however, never means troop, and evidently should not be so rendered here. Much

Habakkuk 3:6 — He stood - It is “a metaphor of his giving victory to Israel” Tanchum.And measured - So Kimchi, A. E., Rashi, Tanchum, Vulgate. It is borne out by Hithpolel. “extended himself,” 1 Kings 17:21. By an interchange of dentals; מוד might be = מוט, and so the Aramaic and the Septuagint but in no other case do the two forms co-exist in Hebrew.The earth - Joshua, after he had conquered the land, meted it out and divided it among the

Malachi 1:6 — as He is Father of all, as Creator of all. He had come to be their Father in a nearer way, by temporal redemption and adoption as His special people, creating them to be a nation to His glory. This they were taught to confess in their psalmody Psalms 100:3, “He hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are His people and the sheep of His pasture.” This title God had given them in sight of the Egyptians Exodus 4:22, “Israel is My son, My firstborn:” of this Hosea reminded them; Hosea 11:1, “When Israel

Acts 2:29 — illustrious ancestor.” It was commonly applied to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob by way of eminence, the illustrious founders of the Jewish nation, Hebrews 7:4; Acts 7:8-9. It was also applied to the heads of the families, or the chief men of the tribes of Israel, 1 Chronicles 24:31; 2 Chronicles 19:8, etc. It was thus a title of honor, denoting “high respect.” Applied to David, it means that he was the illustrious head or founder of the royal family, and the word is expressive of Peter’s intention not to say anything

Romans 1:32 — Who knowing - That the Gentiles had a moral sense, or were capable of knowing the will of God in this case, is clear from Romans 2:14-15. The means which they had of arriving at the knowledge of God were, their own reason, their conscience, and an observation of the effects of depravity.The judgment of God - The word “judgment” here denotes the declared sentiment of God that such

1 Corinthians 10:13 — avoiding the places of temptation, is to tempt him, and provoke him to wrath; see the notes on Matthew 4:0.Who will not suffer you to be tempted ... - This is a general promise, just as applicable to all Christians as it was to the Corinthians. It implies:(1) That all the circumstances, causes, and agents that lead to temptation are under the control of God. Every man that tempts another; every fallen spirit that is engaged in this; every book, picture, place of amusement; every charm of music, and of song;

2 Corinthians 6:8 — By honor and dishonor - The apostle is still illustrating the proposition that he and his fellow-laborers endeavored to give no offence 2 Corinthians 6:3, and to commend themselves as the ministers of God, 2 Corinthians 6:4. He here 2 Corinthians 6:8-10 introduces another group of particulars in which it was done. The main idea is, that they endeavored to act in a manner so as to commend the ministry and the gospel, whether they were in circumstances of honor or dishonor, whether lauded or despised

Hebrews 9:27 — man. There was a remarkable “oneness” in the great events which most affected people; and neither death, the judgment, nor the atonement could be repeated. In regard to the declaration here that “it is appointed unto men once to die,” we may observe:(1) That death is the result of “appointment;” Genesis 3:19. It is not the effect of chance, or haphazard. It is not a “debt of nature.” It is not the condition to which man was subject by the laws of his creation. It is not to be accounted for by the

1 Peter 2:5 — acceptable worship rendered there. As a new dispensation was introduced; as the tendency of the Christian system was to draw off the worshippers from that temple, and to teach them that God could be worshipped as acceptably elsewhere as at Jerusalem, John 4:21-23 as Christianity did not inculcate the necessity of rearing splendid temples for the worship of God; and as in fact the temple at Jerusalem was about to be destroyed forever, it was important to show that in the Christian church there might be found

Revelation 14:12 — Aquí está la paciencia de los santos - Vea las notas en Apocalipsis 13:1. Aquí están los que guardan los mandamientos de Dios - Es decir, al ejercer tal paciencia. Quienes ejerzan esa "paciencia" en estas persecuciones y pruebas de larga duración, demostrarán que pertenecen a quienes guardan los mandamientos de Dios

Revelation 14:3 — porque estaba en una nueva ocasión, o pertenecía a un nuevo objeto. La canción aquí celebraba la redención completa de la iglesia, y era la canción que se cantaba en vista de su triunfo final sobre todos sus enemigos. Compare notas en Apocalipsis 7:9-1. Ante el trono - El trono de Dios en el cielo. Vea las notas en Apocalipsis 4:2. Y antes de las cuatro bestias - Vea las notas en Apocalipsis 4:6. Y los ancianos - Vea las notas en Apocalipsis 4:4. Y ningún hombre podía aprender esa canción,

Revelation 16:14 — Porque son los espíritus de los demonios - Sobre el significado de la palabra utilizada aquí, vea las notas en Apocalipsis 9:2. Aquí se usa, como en Apocalipsis 9:2, en un mal sentido, como denotando espíritus malignos. Compare las notas en Mateo 4:1, Mateo 4:24. Trabajando milagros - Trabajando lo que parecían ser milagros; es decir, maravillas como para engañar al mundo con la creencia de que eran milagros. Vea las notas en Apocalipsis 13:13, donde se atribuye el mismo poder a la "bestia".

Revelation 17:12 — Y los diez cuernos que viste - En la bestia de color escarlata, Apocalipsis 17:3. Son diez reyes - Representa o denota diez reyes, es decir, reinos o poderes. Vea las notas en Daniel 7:24. Que todavía no han recibido reino - Es decir, no existían cuando John escribió. Está implícito que durante el período que se examina

Revelation 19:21 — espada - Cortados con la espada; no rescatado por tormento prolongado. Por lo tanto, se hace una distinción adecuada entre las multitudes engañadas y los líderes que las habían engañado. Del que se sentó sobre el caballo - El Mesías, Apocalipsis 19:11. Qué espada salió de su boca - notas en Apocalipsis 19:15. Es decir, fueron reducidos por una palabra. Cayeron ante él mientras él hablaba, como si fueran asesinados por la espada. Quizás esto indica que el efecto que se producirá cuando se destruyan

Revelation 4:10 — esta alabanza universal, y al echar cada corona a los pies de Aquel que se sienta en el trono. Y arrojan sus coronas ante el trono - Se describen como "coronados" Apocalipsis 4:4, es decir, como triunfantes y como reyes ( compárese Apocalipsis 5:1), y aquí están representados como arrojando sus coronas a sus pies, en señal de que le deben su triunfo. A sus tratos providenciales, a su gobierno sabio y misericordioso, le deben estar coronados; y, por lo tanto, existe la conveniencia de que deberían

Revelation 5:3 — tierra, las moradas de los muertos. ¿No puede haber aquí una alusión a la supuesta ciencia de la nigromancia, y una afirmación de que incluso los muertos no pueden penetrar en el futuro y revelar lo que está por venir? Compare las notas en Isaías 8:19. En todos estos grandes reinos nadie avanzó que estuviera calificado para emprender el oficio de revelar lo que podría contener el misterioso pergamino. Pudo abrir el libro - Tenía la habilidad - ἠδύνατε ēdunate - para hacerlo. Era una tarea más

Revelation 5:4 — proclamación del ángel. Al no haber ninguno, John dio paso a sus profundas emociones en un torrente de lágrimas. Las lágrimas del apóstol aquí pueden considerarse como una ilustración de dos cosas que ocurren constantemente en la mente de las personas: (1) El fuerte deseo de penetrar el futuro; levantar el velo misterioso que envuelve lo que está por venir; para encontrar alguna manera de perforar la pared oscura que parece estar de pie ante nosotros, y que nos impide ver lo que será más adelante. La

Revelation 7:15 — servicio de Dios, variado sin duda para satisfacer el estado de la mente, continuará para siempre. La frase, "servirle en su templo", se refiere sin duda al cielo, considerado como el templo o la morada sagrada de Dios. Vea las notas en Apocalipsis 1:6. Y el que se sienta en el trono - Dios. Vea las notas en Apocalipsis 4:2. Habitará entre ellos - σκηνώσει skēnōsei. Esta palabra propiamente significa "hacer una tienda de campaña, armar una tienda de campaña"; y, en el Nuevo Testamento, habitar