Expository Notes on the Bible (Constable)

• God's will concerning oaths 5:33-37
  5:33 Jesus next gave a condensation of several commands in the Old Testament that forbade taking an oath, invoking the Lord's name to guarantee the oath, and then breaking it (Exod. 20:7; Lev. 19:12; Num. 30:2; Deut. 5:11; 6:...
• The disciples' concern for their greatness 22:24-27
  Following Jesus' announcement of His self-sacrifice and the announcement of His betrayal, the disciples' argument over who of them was the greatest appears thoroughly inappropriate (cf. Matt. 20:17-28; Mark 10:32-45). Jesus u...
• Saul's preaching in Damascus 9:19b-22
  9:19b-20 How verses 19b-20 fit into the chronology of events in Saul's life is not perfectly clear. They could fit in any number of ways. We should probably understand "immediately"in a general sense. As soon as Saul became a...
• The official formulation of the decision 15:22-29
  15:22 The Jerusalem leaders chose two witnesses to return to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas to confirm verbally the decision of this council. Judas had a Jewish name so he may have been a Hebraic Jew whereas Silas had a Greek...
• Outline
  I. Introduction 1:1-11A. Salutation 1:1-2B. Thanksgiving for comfort in affliction 1:3-111. Thanksgiving for comfort 1:3-72. Thanksgiving for deliverance 1:8-11II. Answers to insinuations about the sincerity of Paul's commitm...
• A. Salutation 1:1-2
  This salutation contains the three elements common in all of Paul's epistles and other correspondence of his day: the writer, the addressees, and a greeting."This salutation exhibits undoubted resemblances in form to secular ...
• 1. The postponement of the intended visit 1:12-2:4
  In the present section (1:12-2:4) Paul sought to clarify the motives that led him to change his plans to visit the Corinthians. He did so to refute false accusations concerning him that were circulating in Corinth....
• The consistency of Paul's conduct 1:15-22
  Having claimed singleness of purpose in his dealings with the Corinthians, Paul proceeded to help them appreciate the fact that his behavior had been consistent with his Spirit-led purposes."Long-range plans may need to be mo...
• The loving motivation of Paul's conduct 1:23-2:4
  1:23 Paul's use of an oath should not disturb us."Our Lord's prohibition of swearing in Matt. 5:33ff. is directed against the casuistry that was prevalent among the Jews of His time, in accordance with which not only was swea...
• The encouragement of Christian ministry 4:1-6
  4:1 Paul now returned to the theme of being a minister of the New Covenant (3:6). Since we have a ministry in which the Spirit opens people's eyes and transforms their characters we can feel encouraged. Our job is not simply ...
• The contrast between our present and our future dwellings 5:1-10
  Paul continued to give reasons why we need not lose heart. The themes of life in the midst of death and glory following as a result of present suffering also continue.What about the believer who dies before he or she has foll...
• Titus' encouragement at their response 7:13b-16
  7:13b-14 Titus, who had observed the Corinthians' repentance, had increased Paul's joy further by reporting that to him. Paul's words of praise for his readers before he had sent Titus to them had proved worthy in view of the...
• 1. Reply to the charge of cowardice 10:1-6
  10:1-2 Paul may have identified himself by name here so his readers would have no doubt that what he proceeded to say indeed came from him. He began by gently asking his readers to respond to his appeal to submit to his apost...
• 2. Paul's warnings 13:1-10
  13:1 There are at least four possibilities about what Paul meant by the two or three witnesses that would confirm his credibility and his critics' guilt. First, he may simply have been saying that the church would pass judgme...
• The seal of the Spirit 1:13-14
  "God's spiritual blessings for believers are based not only on the sovereign election of the Father (vv. 3-6) and the redemptive work of the Son (vv. 7-12), but also on the seal of the Holy Spirit."301:13 In contrast to the J...
• The new man 4:20-32
  Paul turned from how not to walk to the positive responsibility Christians have to live in holiness.4:20 In contrast to unsaved Gentiles, Christians' minds are no longer dark, they are no longer aliens from God, and their hea...
• 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...
• 3. A popular saying 2:11-13
  To encourage Timothy further to endure hardship Paul cited a commonly accepted and used quotation that encouraged believers to remain faithful to their Christian profession (cf. 1 Tim. 1:15; 3:1; 4:9; Titus 3:8). It may have ...
• 3. The evidence of patience 5:12
  Swearing is an evidence of impatience."What he [James] means is that of all the manifestations of impatience in times of stress and affliction the most frequent is the taking of the Lord's name in vain by the use of explosive...
• 1. The responsibility of the elders 5:1-4
  5:1 In view of the inevitability of trials and God's judgment Peter gave a special charge to the elders (overseers) of the congregations of his readers. Peter himself was an elder as well as an apostle. As an elder he spoke f...
• Signs of the believer 2:20-23
  2:20-21 In contrast to the heterodox secessionists (v. 19), the faithful believers within the community were "keeping the faith."The "anointing"referred to is evidently the Holy Spirit whom Jesus gives to each believer at con...
• 1. The sealing of 144,000 Israelites 7:1-8
  The scene continues to be on earth.7:1 The phrase "after this"(Gr. meta touto) indicates that what follows is a new vision (cf. 4:1). The general chronological progression of the visions suggests that the events John saw now ...

Expositions Of Holy Scripture (Maclaren)

• God's Yea; Man's Amen
  For how many soever be the promises of God, in Him is the yea: wherefore also through Him is the Amen.'--2 Cor. 1:20 (R.V.). THIS is one of the many passages the force and beauty of which are, for the first time, brought with...
• Anointed And Stablished
  Now He which stablisheth us with you in Christ, and hath anointed us, is fled.'--2 Cor. 1:21.THE connection in which these words occur is a remarkable illustration of the Apostle's habit of looking at the most trivial things ...
• Seal And Earnest
  Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts' 2 Cor. 1:22.THERE are three strong metaphors in this and the preceding verse--anointing,' sealing,' and giving the earnest'--all of which find their ...