Expository Notes on the Bible (Constable)

• The tenth commandment 5:21
  Coveting means inordinately desiring to possess what belongs to another person. This commandment deals with motivation rather than deed, with attitude rather than action. It gets at the spirit that often leads to the sins for...
• The first 10 sayings 22:22-23:11
  22:22-23 Note the chiastic structure in these four lines that unifies the thought of the passage: violence, litigation, litigation, violence. God will avenge the poor on those who oppress them.22:24-25 The writer gave a reaso...
• The effect of personal covetousness 5:10-12
  If a rich man is covetous, all that his increasing wealth will bring him will be the necessity of greater vigilance and more anxiety (cf. 1 Tim. 6:9-10). For example, more wealth in the home may lead to burglar alarm systems ...
• The divine enablement 57:14-21
  This pericope concludes the section begun at 56:1 dealing with the need for humility and holiness in the redeemed people of God. Isaiah explained that the basis of God's acceptance and blessing of His redeemed people was righ...
• The destruction of pagan shrines ch. 6
  ". . . the focus of chap. 6 is on the individual responsibility of the people and prepares the way for the subsequent spoken messages."1216:1-2 The Lord directed Ezekiel to pronounce an oracle of judgment against "the mountai...
• The luxurious indulgence of the Samaritans 6:4-7
  6:4-6 Amos described the luxury and self-indulgence that characterized the leaders of Samaria during his day. They reclined on very expensive beds inlaid with ivory. They sprawled, implying laziness or drunkenness, on couches...
• The disciple's relationship to wealth 6:19-34 (cf. Luke 12:13-34)
  6:19-21 In view of the imminence of the kingdom, Jesus' disciples should "stop laying up treasures on earth."329Jesus called for a break with their former practice. Clearly money is not evil. The wise person works hard and ma...
• The parable of the rich fool 12:16-21
  12:16-18 Jesus told the parable of the rich fool to illustrate His point (v. 15). He presented the rich man as an intelligent farmer. The farmer did only what was reasonable. Jesus was not faulting him for his plans. Likewise...
• 1. Discipleship as stewardship 16:1-13
  Jesus instructed His disciples about their use of material possessions. He taught them to be prudent in the use of wealth and to beware of the danger of loving it (cf. 1 Tim. 6:10).
• The implications of heavenly stewardship 16:10-13
  Jesus proceeded to draw two more lessons from the parable He had just told. One was the importance of faithfulness for Jesus' agents. The other was the importance of undivided loyalty to Jesus.16:10-12 Trustworthiness does no...
• Jesus' teaching about riches 18:24-30 (cf. Matt. 19:23-30; Mark 10:23-31)
  Jesus continued talking with His disciples about the preceding conversation. However, Luke did not identify the disciples as those to whom Jesus spoke. This gives the impression that what Jesus said has relevance to all peopl...
• The death of Ananias 5:1-6
  5:1-2 "But"introduces another sacrificial act that looked just as generous as Barnabas' (4:37). However in this case the motive was quite different. Ananias' Jewish name means "Yahweh is gracious,"and Sapphira's Aramaic name ...
• Historical background
  Timothy apparently became a Christian as a result of Paul's missionary work in Lystra (Acts 14:6-23). He joined Paul on the second missionary journey when the apostle's evangelistic team passed through that area where Timothy...
• Outline
  I. Salutation 1:1-2II. Timothy's mission in Ephesus 1:3-20A. The task Timothy faced 1:3-11B. Exhortations to be faithful 1:12-201. A positive encouragement 1:12-172. A negative warning 1:18-20III. Instructions concerning the ...
• B. False teachers 6:3-10
  Paul returned to instructions concerning the false teachers (cf. 1:3-11; 4:1-5) to alert Timothy to their underlying attitudes so he could deal with them effectively.". . . Paul issues a kind of wanted poster.' It is the coun...
• C. Those committed to Christ 6:11-16
  Paul continued the emphasis he began in the previous section (vv. 3-10) by appealing to Timothy to pursue spiritual rather than physical goals in his life. He seems to have intended his instructions for all the faithful Ephes...
• D. The wealthy 6:17-19
  Paul had not finished all he wanted to say about money, so he returned to that subject briefly with a word of instruction for the wealthy Ephesian believers. He gave these directions to balance what he had said earlier in thi...
• VI. Women in the Ministry and Teaching of Paul and Peter
  A. Paul affirms the personal equality of man and woman in the new creation by stating that in Christ there is "neither male nor female"(Gal. 3:28).A woman obtains salvation by faith exactly as a man does (Eph. 2:8-9; 1 Pet. 1...
• 1. Timothy's duty 2:1-7
  2:1 Paul's charge in this verse is a general one. Specific responsibilities follow. On the basis of what he had already written Paul urged his son (Gr. teknon, lit. child, an affectionate term) to let Christ's grace empower h...
• 4. The larger view of circumstances 1:9-11
  James had been urging his readers to adopt God's view of their trials. Now he broadened their perspective and encouraged them to adopt His viewpoint on all their present circumstances.1:9 Materially poor believers should deri...
• 1. The introduction of the problem 5:1
  Rich people are usually happy that they have wealth. However, James challenged his rich readers to weep and howl in anguish, not repentance. The Bible nowhere condemns the rich for being rich. Money is not evil (cf. 1 Tim. 6:...