Expository Notes on the Bible (Constable)

• 2. The re-establishment of fellowship ch. 33
  Breaking God's covenant resulted in the Israelites' separation from fellowship with Him. It did not terminate their relationship with Him, but it did hinder their fellowship with Him. Similarly when Christians sin we do not c...
• Message8
  To formulate a statement that summarizes the teaching of this book it will be helpful to identify some of the major revelations in Numbers. These constitute the unique values of the book.The first major value of Numbers is th...
• Appendix 2
  Suggestions for Preventing DivorceAs I have worked with several couples and individuals who were thinking about getting a divorce, I have noticed a pattern of behavior that is quite common.1. One or both of the partners in th...
• 6. Victory over the Amorite alliance at Gibeon 10:1-27
  Israel's continuing success led her enemies to exert increasing opposition against the people of God. This chapter records the Canaanites' first aggressive action against the Israelites.10:1-5 The Jebusites lived in and aroun...
• Conclusion
  The Book of Joshua demonstrates that God is perpetually at war with sin. He hates it and will judge it not only because it is an offense to His character but because it destroys the people He created for fellowship with Himse...
• 1. David's sin of numbering the people 24:1-9
  David probably ordered this census about 975 B.C."After the revolutions of both Absalom and Sheba it would have been reasonable for David to reassess his military situation against the possibility of similar uprisings or othe...
• B. Abijah 13:1-14:1
  Abijah generally did not please God (1 Kings 15:3). However there was the instance the Chronicler recorded in which he spoke out in favor of the temple, the priests, and the Levites against the apostate Jeroboam and Israel.Th...
• The dependable Lord 40:27-31
  Isaiah now applied this knowledge of God to the discouraging prospect that the Judahites faced, namely, Babylonian captivity (cf. 39:6). He encouraged them by pointing to the sufficiency of their God. Since the creator knows ...
• The fearful servant, Israel 41:1-20
  The Lord, through His prophet, assured fearful Israel in this segment. Israel need not fear the nations (vv. 1-7) because Yahweh remained committed to His people and would use them to accomplish His purposes in the world (vv....
• Daniel's further strengthening 10:18-19
  10:18 This is the third instance in this chapter of Daniel receiving strength from an angel who touched him (vv. 10, 16; cf. Heb. 1:14).400This human-appearing angel was probably the same one who touched Daniel's lips (v. 16)...
• The first oracle 4:6-7
  4:6 The angel announced a word of explanation from Yahweh that Zechariah was to pass on to Zerubbabel, the descendant of David who was the leader of the first group of returnees from exile.88He was to tell him, "not by might ...
• 3. The interpretation of the vision 4:11-14
  Though some help understanding the vision came through the preceding oracles concerning Zerubbabel, Zechariah still had some questions about what he had seen in the vision. The angel helped him further.4:11-12 Zechariah asked...
• Jesus' prayer to His Father in Gethsemane 26:36-46 (cf. Mark 14:32-42; Luke 22:40-46)
  This pericope illustrates the importance of facing temptation with vigilance and prayer. What is more important, it reveals Jesus' attitude toward what He was about to do. Until now, Jesus seems to have been anticipating His ...
• 3. The parable of the persistent widow 18:1-8
  Jesus continued His instruction to the disciples about His return. He told them a parable designed to encourage them to continue praying while they lived in the interval before His second coming.18:1 The audience for this par...
• The salvation of one criminal 23:39-43
  This is another incident that only Luke recorded. It reflects his interest in needy people receiving salvation from Jesus. This is such a dominent theme in Luke's Gospel that one commentator concluded that this incident is th...
• D. The incarnation of the Word 1:14-18
  John's return to the Word in verse 14 from verse 1 introduces new revelation about Him. Though still part of the prologue, the present section focuses on the Incarnation of the Word.1:14 The Word, who existed equal with God b...
• 3. Jesus' conversation with Nicodemus 3:1-21
  John now presented evidence that Jesus knew people as no others did and that many believed in His name (2:23). This constitutes further witness that He is the Son of God. John summarized several conversations that Jesus had w...
• The healing of the man 9:1-12
  The exact time of this miracle and Jesus' resultant discourse is unclear. Evidently these events transpired sometime between the feast of Tabernacles (7:2, 10; September 10-17, 32 A.D.) and the feast of Dedication (10:22-39; ...
• Saul's reception in Jerusalem 9:26-30
  Luke concluded each of his narratives of the Samaritans' conversion (8:4-25), Saul's conversion (9:1-31), and Cornelius' conversion (10:1-11:18) with references to the mother church in Jerusalem. He evidently wanted to stress...
• The spiritual initiative of the Antioch church 11:19-26
  11:19 Luke's reference back to the persecution resulting from Stephen's martyrdom (7:60) is significant. It suggests that he was now beginning to record another mission of the Christians that ran parallel logically and chrono...
• Appendix 2
  Sequence of Paul's ActivitiesDateEventReferenceBirth in TarsusActs 22:3Early life and theological education in Jerusalem under GamalielActs 22:334Participation in Stephen's stoning outside JerusalemActs 7:57-8:134Leadership i...
• 4. Our place in God's sovereign plan 8:26-30
  In the foregoing verses Paul spoke of God's plan for creation and the believer. In these verses he showed how central a place His children occupy in the plan He is bringing to completion in history.8:26 Hope helps us in our s...
• Appendix
  Sequence of Paul's ActivitiesDateEventReferenceBirth in TarsusActs 22:3Early life and theological education in Jerusalem under GamalielActs 22:334Participation in Stephen's stoning outside JerusalemActs 7:57-8:134Leadership i...
• The folly of Paul's preaching 2:1-5
  Paul offered the example of his preaching among the Corinthians as a further illustration of what the wisdom of God can do in contrast to what the words that humans regard as wisdom can do."The matters of literary contextand ...
• The necessity of love 13:1-3
  In these first three verses Paul showed that love is superior to the spiritual gifts he listed in chapter 12."It is hard to escape the implication that what is involved here are two opposing views as to what it means to be sp...
• Historical background
  First Corinthians did not dispel the problems in the church at Corinth completely. While it resolved some of these, opposition to the Apostle Paul persisted and Paul's critics continued to speak out against him in the church....
• 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...
• 1. Thanksgiving for comfort 1:3-7
  1:3 The Greek word translated "blessed"(eulogetos) occurs eight times in the New Testament mostly in Paul's writings. It always occurs with the person of God.27It expresses both gratitude and adoration (cf. Eph. 1:3; 1 Pet. 1...
• 2. Thanksgiving for deliverance 1:8-11
  Paul's thanksgiving continues, but its focus shifts from the reason for thanksgiving to the situation that provided the occasion for it.1:8 We cannot identify the precise affliction to which Paul referred certainly. This text...
• The contrast between the message and the messenger 4:7-15
  Paul presented many paradoxical contrasts involved in the sufferings and supports of the Christian to clarify for his readers the real issues involved in serving Jesus Christ."This passage, which is about suffering and death ...
• The constraining love of Christ 5:11-15
  5:11 Respect for the Lord since He would be his judge (v. 10) motivated Paul to carry out his work of persuading people to believe the gospel. A healthy sense of our accountability to God should move us to fulfill our calling...
• A. The example of the Macedonians 8:1-7
  Paul was not only proud of the Corinthians but he also rejoiced over the Christians in Macedonia, the Corinthians' neighbors to the north. This joy connects the present section with the former one.8:1-2 Paul tactfully began h...
• E. The benefits of generous giving 9:6-15
  Paul concluded his exhortation regarding the collection by reminding his readers of the benefits God inevitably bestows on those who give liberally. He did this so they would follow through with their purpose and believe that...
• IV. APPEALS CONCERNING PAUL'S APOSTOLIC AUTHORITY 10:1--13:10
  In this third and last major division of his epistle the apostle Paul defended his apostolic authority. He did this to silence his critics in Corinth and perhaps elsewhere permanently and to confirm the united support of the ...
• 3. Paul's service and sufferings 11:16-33
  To answer his critics and prove the extent of his own service and sufferings for Christ, Paul related many of his painful experiences as an apostle.11:16 Paul apologized again for having to resort to mentioning these experien...
• 4. Special revelations Paul received 12:1-10
  Paul had cited his freedom to minister without the Corinthians' financial support and his sufferings in ministry as grounds for boasting. He next mentioned the special visions and revelations that God had granted him. He refe...
• 1. Paul's concerns 12:19-21
  12:19 The first part of this verse may have been a statement or a question. The meaning is the same in either case. Paul said what he did, especially in 10:1-12:18, primarily to build up the Corinthian believers in their fait...
• A. The exhortation 13:11-12
  13:11 Obedience to five commands would result in one condition that Paul wanted his readers to express in a particular practice.1. They were to rejoice, probably because they had the opportunity to judge themselves before God...
• 2. The historical illustration 4:12-20
  Paul appealed next to his past contacts with the Galatians and called on them to remember his visits to Galatia to move them to abandon nomism."If the reader is inclined to think Paul has been impersonal in dealing with the p...
• Paul's power 1:29
  Paul had to expend physical, mental, and spiritual energy toiling to this end. Sometimes he had to strive and contend with adversaries in the world as well as with his own flesh and the devil. Nevertheless the supernatural po...
• Message2
  Paul had previously written to Timothy explaining that the local church is a supporting pedestal for God's truth (1 Tim. 3:15). He had said that the purpose of the local church is the proclamation of God's truth in the world....
• 2. The prescription for help 5:14-16
  It is not surprising to find that James dealt with physical sickness in this epistle. He referred to the fact that departure from the will of God sets the Christian on a course that, unless corrected, will result in his or he...
• Message7
  One writer has identified five major motifs in 1 Peter. These are the believer's behavior, the believer's unfair circumstances, the believer's deference, the believer's motivation by Christ's example, and the believer's antic...
• 4. The importance of resisting the devil 5:8-11
  5:8 Trust in God is not all that we need, however. We also need to practice self-control and to keep alert (cf. 1:13; 4:7) because Satan is on the prowl (cf. Job 1:7; Matt. 26:41; 1 Cor. 16:13). Peter's readers were in danger...
• VII. Conclusion 5:12-14
  Peter concluded this epistle with a final exhortation and greetings from those with him and himself to encourage his readers further.5:12 Silvanus is the Roman form of the Greek name Silas. This Silas may very well have been ...
• Christ's invitation 4:1
  "These things"refer to the revelation of the messages to the seven churches (chs. 2-3; cf. 1:19). After John had received these messages, he received a vision of heaven in which Jesus Christ invited him (cf. 1:10, 12-16) to e...
• 1. The appearance of the mighty angel 10:1-4
  10:1 Whereas a few commentators have identified this strong angel as Jesus Christ,341the evidence for his being simply another (Gr. allon, another of the same kind) strong angel seems more convincing (cf. vv. 5-6). Other comm...
• 1. The vision of the new heaven and earth 21:1
  John now saw a new scene that elaborated on the passing away of the present earth and heaven to which he had just referred briefly (20:11). The new earth and heaven will come into existence after the Millennium and the great ...
• The restoration of Paradise 22:1-5
  Essentially what John saw next was Paradise regained (cf. 2:7; Gen. 2; Luke 23:43; 2 Cor. 12:2). Having viewed the splendor of the New Jerusalem he now saw what will nourish and enrich the lives of God's people there."Up to t...

Expositions Of Holy Scripture (Maclaren)

• Strength In Weakness
  For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. And He said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee; for My strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infir...