Bible Commentaries

Exodus 25:1-9 — a los israelitas de la esclavitud. Él había hecho un pacto con ellos y les había dado leyes. Él había prometido, con la condición de su obediencia, aceptarlos como Su propio “tesoro peculiar”, como “un reino de sacerdotes y una nación santa” Éxodo 19:5 . Y ahora Él estaba visiblemente listo para testificar que Él hizo su morada con ellos. Afirmó tener una vivienda para sí mismo, que sería en forma externa una tienda de pelo de cabra , para tomar su lugar entre sus propias tiendas, y formada del

Isaiah 47 overview — items:I. Babylon is addressed, by an apostrophe to her, as the seat of empire, and her humiliation is directly predicted under the image of a happy and delicately reared female, suddenly reduced to circumstances of great humiliation and disgrace Isaiah 47:1-5. She is commanded to sit down in the dust; she should no longer be treated as tender and delicate Isaiah 47:1; she would be reduced to the most abject condition - like a delicate and tender female from elevated life compelled to perform the most menial

Micah 5:5 — And this Man shall be the Peace - This, emphatically, that is, “This Same,” as is said of Noah, “This same shall comfort us” Genesis 5:29, or, in the song of Moses, of the Lord, “This Same is my God” Exodus 15:2. Of Him he saith, not only that He brings peace, but that He Himself is that Peace; as Paul saith, “He is our Peace” Ephesians 2:14, and Isaiah calls Him “the Prince of peace” Isaiah 9:6, and at His Birth the heavenly host proclaimed “peace on earth”

John 3:2 — motives were such as God would approve, especially as the Saviour did not reprove him. We should not be disposed to blame men where Jesus did not, and we should desire to find goodness in every man rather than be ever on the search for evil motives. See 1 Corinthians 13:4-7. We may learn here:That our Saviour, though engaged during the day, did nor refuse to converse with an inquiring sinner at night. Ministers of the gospel at all times should welcome those who are asking the way to life. That it is

John 3:3 — thoughts of the heart is evil from the youth up. We are conceived in sin and brought forth in iniquity, and there is none that doeth good, no, not one. The carnal mind is enmity against God, and by nature we are dead in trespasses and sins, Genesis 8:21; Psalms 14:2-3; Psalms 51:5; Romans 1:29-32; Romans 3:10-20; Romans 8:7.All sin exposes men to misery here and hereafter. To escape from sin, to be happy in the world to come, it is necessary that man should be changed in his principles, his feelings,

Acts 2:19 — I will show wonders - Literally, “I will give signs” - δώσω τέρατα dōsō terata. The word in the Hebrew, מופתים mowpatiym, means properly “prodigies; wonderful occurrences; miracles performed by God or his messengers,” Exodus 4:21; Exodus 7:3, Exodus 7:9; Exodus 11:9; Deuteronomy 4:34, etc. It is the common word to denote a miracle in the Old Testament. Here it means, however, a portentous appearance, a prodigy, a remarkable occurrence. It is commonly joined in the New Testament

Acts 21:38 — Egyptian was probably a Jew who resided in Egypt. Josephus has given an account of this Egyptian which strikingly accords with the statement here recorded by Luke. See Josephus, Antiq., book 20, chapter 8, section 6, and Jewish Wars, book 2, chapter 13, section 5. The account which he gives is, that this Egyptian, whose name he does not mention, came from Egypt to Jerusalem, and said that he was a prophet, and advised the multitude of the common people to go with him to the Mount of Olives. He said

1 Corinthians 10:31 — lead those around us to cherish elevated conceptions of his goodness, and mercy, and holiness. Whatever plan or purpose will tend to advance His kingdom, and to make him better known and loved, will be to His glory. We may observe in regard to this:(1) That the rule is “universal.” It extends to everything. If in so small matters as eating and drinking we should seek to honor God, assuredly we should in all other things.(2) It is designed that this should be the constant rule of conduct, and that

1 Corinthians 15:44 — subject to the laws of the vital organization. It will be so much like a spirit as to be continued without food or nutriment; to be destitute of the special physical organization of flesh, and blood, and bones; of veins, and arteries, and nerves, as here 1 Corinthians 15:50.; and it will live in the manner in which we conceive spirits to live; sustained, and exercising its powers, without waste, weariness, decay, or the necessity of having its powers recruited by food and sleep.” All, therefore, that

1 Corinthians 7:34 — than if married. And he intimates that the married female would be in danger of losing her zeal and marring her piety, by attention to her husband, and by a constant effort to please him. Some of the ways in which this might be done are the following:(1) As in the former case 1 Corinthians 7:33, her affections might be transferred from God to the partner of her life.(2) Her time will be occupied by an attention to him and to his will; and there would be danger that that attention would be allowed to

Galatians 2:4 — Paul; that they regarded him as teaching dangerous doctrines; that they perverted and misstated his views; and that they claimed to have clearer views of the nature of the true religion than he had. Paul met such adversaries everywhere 2 Corinthians 11:26; and it required all his tact and skill to meet their plausible representations.It is evident here that Paul is assigning a reason for something which he had done, and that reason was to counteract the influence of the “false brethren” in the case.

Galatians 3 overview — the Old Testament; and to show the necessary effect of an observance of the laws of Moses on the great doctrine of justification by faith. This subject is pursued through this chapter and the following. This chapter comprises the following subjects:(1) A severe reproof of the Galatians for having been so easily seduced by the arts of cunning men from the simplicity of the gospel, Galatians 3:1. He says that Christ had been plainly set forth crucified among them, and it was strange that they had so

Philippians 3:18 — and that all professors are hypocrites. We should rather speak of the fact with tears; for, if there is anything that should make us weep, it is, that there are those in the church who are hypocrites, or who dishonor their profession. We should weep: (1)Because they are in danger of destroying their own souls; (2)Because they are destined to certain disappointment when they come to appear before God; and, (3)Because they injure the cause of religion, and give occasion to the “enemies of the Lord to

Hebrews 10:26 — other sacrifice for sin; no way by which we could be saved. This passage, however, like Hebrews 6:4-6, has given rise to much difference of opinion. But that the above is the correct interpretation, seems evident to me from the following considerations:(1) It is the natural and obvious interpretation, such as would occur probably to ninety-nine readers in a hundred, if there were no theory to support, and no fear that it would conflict with some other doctrine.(2) It accords with the scope of the Epistle,

Hebrews 13:3 — religion, of whom there were doubtless many at that time, but the “principle” will apply to every case of those who are imprisoned or oppressed. The word “remember” implies more than that we are merely to “think” of them; compare Exodus 20:8; Ecclesiastes 12:1. It means that we are to remember them “with appropriate sympathy;” or as we should wish others to remember us if we were in their circumstances. That is, we are (1)To feel deep compassion for them; (2)We are to remember them in our prayers; (3)We

1 Peter 2:23 — Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again - He did not use harsh and opprobrious words in return for those which he received: (1) He was reviled. He was accused of being a seditious man; spoken of as a deceiver; charged with being in league with Beelzebub, the “prince of the devils” and condemned as a blasphemer against God. This was done: (a)By the great and the influential

1 John 3:9 — resembles it, anything which germinates, or which springs up, or is produced.It is applied in the New Testament to the word of God, or the gospel, as that which produces effects in the heart and life similar to what seed that is sown does. Compare Matthew 13:26, Matthew 13:37-38. Augustin, Clemens, (Alex.,) Grotius, Rosenmuller, Benson, and Bloomfield, suppose that this is the signification of the word here. The proper idea, according to this, is that the seed referred to is truth, which God has implanted

3 John 1:10 — Wherefore, if I come - He was evidently expecting soon to make a visit to Gaius, and to the church, 3 John 1:14.I will remember his deeds which he doeth - That is, he would punish his arrogance and presumption; would take measures that he should be dealt with in a proper manner. There is no evidence whatever that this is said in a vindictive or revengeful

Revelation 10:7 — sounding of the seventh trumpet. That is, the affairs of this world would not be consummated in that period embraced in the sounding of the sixth trumpet, but in that embraced in the sounding of the seventh and last of the trumpets. Compare Revelation 11:15-19.When he shall begin to sound - That is, the events referred to will commence at the period when the angel shall begin to sound. It will not be merely during or in that period, but the sounding of the trumpet, and the beginning of those events,

Revelation 16:3 — more severe and awful. It is as if every living thing - πᾶσα ψυχὴ ζῶσα pasa psuchē zōsa - had died. No emphasis should be put on the word “soul” here, for the word means merely “a creature, a living thing, an animal,” Acts 2:43; Acts 3:23; Romans 13:1; 1 Corinthians 15:45. See Robinson, Lexicon sub voce, c. The sense here is, that there would be some dreadful calamity, as if the sea were to be changed into dark blood, and as if every living thing in it were to die.In inquiring into the proper