Expository Notes on the Bible (Constable)

• 2. The Passover and Feast of Unleavened Bread 23:4-8
  Verse 4 introduces the seven annual festivals.In one sense the Passover (Heb. Pesah, v. 5) was the most important feast (cf. Exod. 12:1-28). It commemorated God's deliverance of Israel from Egyptian slavery by a powerful supe...
• The effects of the year on the personal freedom of the Israelites 25:35-55
  The Israelites were not to exploit one another (vv. 35-38). They were not to charge one another interest on loans (v. 37; cf. Exod. 22:25; Deut. 23:19-20). This policy would have enabled a poor farmer to buy enough seed for t...
• 2. Joshua's charge to Israel 1:10-18
  Having received his marching orders from Yahweh, Joshua prepared to mobilize the nation.1:10-11 Joshua expected to be able to cross the Jordan within three days."The Jordan River wanders about two hundred miles to cover the s...
• 2. Restoring fellowship with Yahweh ch. 14
  God blessed David and his kingdom because David had honored God by seeking to bring the ark into Jerusalem. The Chronicler recorded three instances of divine blessing in this chapter.First, God gave David favor in the eyes of...
• 4. Jehoshaphat's appointment of judges ch. 19
  Even though God had spared Jehoshaphat's life in the battle, his close brush with death was the result of an unwise decision to help ungodly Ahab. A prophet rebuked him for this alliance (v. 2)."A Christian's attachment to Go...
• 1. The blessed person 1:1-3
  1:1 A trilogy of expressions describes the person who is blessed or right with God.19Each of these is more intense than the former one. They proceed from being casually influenced by the ungodly to cooperating with them in th...
• 3. Confidence in God 4:6-8
  4:6 The comment of many people David quoted reflects the spirit of discontent with present conditions that had led them to oppose the king. Their desire for good was legitimate. David asked God to show them good by blessing t...
• 1. The function of wisdom ch. 8
  Chapter 8 is an apology (defense) of wisdom. The argument of this section develops as follows. Wisdom would be every person's guide (vv. 1-5; cf. Gal. 5:18, 22-23). She is morality's partner (vv. 6-13), the key to success (vv...
• B. Jeremiah's hope 3:19-40
  3:19 Jeremiah prayed that the Lord would remember his affliction and bitterness (cf. Job 13:15).3:20-21 He himself remembered something that gave him hope.3:22 The prophet remembered that the Lord's loyal love (Heb. hesed) ne...
• 7. A summary lament over Egypt 32:17-32
  The last of the seven oracles against Egypt fittingly pictures the nation in its final resting place, the grave or Sheol, surrounded by other dead nations that had preceded it in judgment."The language is highly poetical and ...
• D. Micah's lament over his decadent society 7:1-7
  This section is an individual lament similar to many of the psalms (cf. 1:8-16).7:1 Micah bewailed his own disappointment with Israel's situation. He compared himself to Israel's fruit pickers and grape gatherers who felt gre...
• Their condition 5:3-10 (cf. Luke 6:20-26)
  This pericope describes the character of the kingdom's subjects and their rewards in the kingdom.236"Looked at as a whole . . . the Beatitudes become a moral sketch of the type of person who is ready to possess, or rule over,...
• 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 ...
• Jesus' teaching about the nature of defilement 7:14-23
  Jesus continued His response to the critics by focusing on the particular practice that they had objected to (v. 5). The question of what constituted defilement was very important. The Jews had wandered far from God's will in...
• 2. John's preaching 3:7-18 (cf. Matt. 3:7-12; Mark 1:7-8)
  Essentially John called his hearers to change their minds about their relationship to God and to demonstrate the genuineness of their repentance with righteous conduct (vv. 7-14). He also promoted Jesus (vv. 15-17). Only Luke...
• 6. The concluding exhortation to watchfulness 21:34-36 (cf. Matt. 24:42; Mark 13:33-37)
  Luke concluded his account of the Olivet Discourse with Jesus' exhortation to remain ready for what He had predicted. Jesus' words presupposed an interval before His coming, but He allowed that His coming might occur in the l...
• 2. The antagonism of the Jewish authorities 5:10-18
  More than once Jesus used His Sabbath activities to make the Jews consider who He was (cf. Matt. 12:1-14; Mark 2:23-3:6; Luke 13:10-17; 14:1-6). Here He wanted them to realize that He had the right to work on the Sabbath as H...
• The death of Sapphira 5:7-11
  5:7 The answers to questions such as whether someone tried to find Sapphira to tell her of Ananias' death lay outside Luke's purpose in writing. He stressed that she was as guilty as her husband and so experienced the same fa...
• The teaching of Moses 7:37-43
  Stephen continued dealing with the Mosaic period of Israel's history, but focused more particularly now on Moses' teaching, the Mosaic Law. This is what the Jews of his day professed to venerate and follow exactly, but Stephe...
• Peter's testimony 15:6-11
  15:6 Evidently a large group of people observed the meeting that the church convened to debate the issue (vv. 12, 22).60915:7-9 First, spokesmen for each side presented arguments pro and con. Then Peter rose and reminded thos...
• Paul's defense before the Sanhedrin 22:30-23:10
  "The irregular structure of Luke's account of Paul's defense before the Sanhedrin evidently reflects the tumultuous character of the session itself. Three matters pertaining to Luke's apologetic purpose come to the fore: (1) ...
• 1. The law's authority 7:1-6
  7:1 "Those who know law"--the article "the"before "law"is absent in the Greek text--were Paul's Roman readers. They lived in the capital of the empire where officials debated, enacted, and enforced laws. They of all people we...
• 3. The law's inability 7:13-25
  In verses 13-25 Paul continued to describe his personal struggle with sin but with mounting intensity. The forces of external law and internal sin (i.e., his sinful nature) conflicted. He found no deliverance from this confli...
• The statement of the believer's condition 8:1-4
  8:1 "Therefore"introduces a conclusion based on everything that Paul wrote from chapter 3 on, not just chapter 7. He reaffirmed justification as the indispensable basis for sanctification.241A Christian must believe that he o...
• The explanation of the believer's condition 8:5-11
  8:5 Here Paul began to elaborate the difference between "flesh"and "Spirit."This distinction is difficult to grasp because both terms have more than one meaning. To "walkaccording to the flesh"(v. 4) means to carry out in con...
• The application of the believer's condition 8:12-13
  8:12 Because of what God has done for us (vv. 1-11), believers have an obligation to respond appropriately. However we can only do so with the Spirit's help. Paul stated only the negative side of our responsibility here. He c...
• The attestation of the believer's condition 8:14-17
  Verses 14-17 explain the Spirit's ministry of confirming the reality of the believer's position as a son of God to him or her. Paul believed that the believer who is aware of his or her secure position will be more effective ...
• 3. Our present sufferings and future glory 8:18-25
  Paul proceeded to expound on the thought that he introduced at the end of verse 17. This passage gives a very wide perspective of God's great plan of redemption, which is the heart of Paul's theology.2648:18 In the light of e...
• 1. The reason God has set Israel aside 10:1-7
  The reason for Israel's failure mentioned in 9:32-33, namely her rejection of Christ, led Paul to amplify that subject further in this section.10:1 This pericope opens with Paul returning to his feelings of compassionate conc...
• VI. THE PRACTICE OF GOD'S RIGHTEOUSNESS 12:1--15:13
  In contrasting chapters 1-11 with chapters 12-16 of Romans, perhaps the most important distinction is that the first part deals primarily with God's actions for humanity, and the last part deals with people's actions in respo...
• 2. Conduct toward unbelievers 13:8-10
  Paul had previously glorified the importance of love among believers (12:9-10). Now he urged this attitude toward all people though unbelievers are primarily in view in this chapter. The connecting link in the argument is our...
• 2. The evil of offending another 14:13-23
  In the previous section Paul addressed both the "weak"and the "strong"Christians, but he spoke mainly about the weaker brother's temptation to condemn the stronger believer. In this section he dealt more with the temptation t...
• 1. Past labors 15:14-21
  Paul had been somewhat critical of the strong and the weak in the Roman church (14:1-15:13). He now balanced those comments by pointing out other strengths in the church beside the faith of his Roman brethren (1:8).15:14 Paul...
• Bibliography
  Alford, Henry. The Greek Testament. 4 vols. New ed. Cambridge: Rivingtons, 1881.Allen, Kenneth W. "Justification by Faith."Bibliotheca Sacra135:538 (April-June 1978):109-16.Auden, W. H. For the Time Being. London: Faber and F...
• 1. The manifestation of the problem 1:10-17
  The surface manifestation of this serious problem was the party spirit that had developed. Members of the church were appreciating their favorite leaders too much and not appreciating the others enough. This was really a mani...
• 4. The spiritual yet carnal condition 3:1-4
  The apostle proceeded to tell the Corinthians that they had not been viewing things from the spiritual point of view. He was referring specifically to their exaltation of one or another of God's servants above the others (1:1...
• B. Lack of discipline in the church chs. 5-6
  The second characteristic in the Corinthian church reported to Paul that he addressed concerned a lack of discipline (cf. Gal. 5:22-23). This section of the epistle has strong connections with the first major section. The lac...
• The analogy of the Passover 5:6-8
  Paul argued for the man's removal from the church with this analogy. It was primarily for the sake of the church that they should remove him, not for the man's sake.5:6 It was not good for the Corinthians to feel proud of the...
• Paul's judgment in the matter 6:7-11
  The apostle now addressed the two men involved in the lawsuit but wrote with the whole church in view.6:7 By hauling one another into court the Corinthians were intent on winning damages for themselves. Evidently a business o...
• 2. The basic principle 7:17-24
  At this point Paul moved back from specific situations to basic principles his readers needed to keep in mind when thinking about marriage (cf. vv. 1-7). He drew his illustrations in this section from circumcision and slavery...
• 1. The test of Spirit control 12:1-3
  The apostle began his discussion by clarifying the indicators that a person is under the control of the indwelling Spirit of God. With this approach, he set the Corinthians' former experience as idolaters in contrast to their...
• 3. The supremacy of love ch. 13
  Paul now proceeded to elaborate on the fact that love surpasses the most important spiritual gifts. Some of the Corinthian Christians may not have possessed any of the gifts mentioned in the previous three lists in chapter 12...
• The character of love 13:4-7
  The apostle next pointed out the qualities of love that make it so important. He described these in relationship to a person's character that love rules. We see them most clearly in God and in Christ but also in the life of a...
• The permanence of love 13:8-13
  Paul moved on to point out that Christian love (agape) characterizes our existence now and forever, but gifts (charismata) are only for the present. The Corinthians were apparently viewing the gifts as one evidence that they ...
• The old and new covenants 3:4-11
  3:4 Jesus Christ had given Paul confidence that the changes that the gospel had produced in the Corinthians validated his apostolic credentials. That confidence was not merely the product of Paul's imagination.3:5 Paul did no...
• Hardships inflicted on self for the furtherance of the gospel
  "Labors"or "hard work"encompasses all the strenuous activities of life including manual labor."Watchings"are "sleepless nights.""Fastings"or "hunger"refers to missed meals.6:6-7a Paul now named various graces that God had pro...
• 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...
• Historical Background
  "The most uncontroverted matter in the study of Galatians is that the letter was written by Paul, the Christian apostle whose ministry is portrayed in the Acts of the Apostles."1The Apostle Paul directed this epistle to the c...
• Message7
  Probably the most distinctive impression one receives from this epistle is its severity. Paul wrote it with strong emotion, but he never let his emotions fog his argument. His dominant concern was for truth and its bearing on...
• Outline8
  I. Introduction 1:1-10A. Salutation 1:1-5B. Denunciation 1:6-10II. Personal defense of Paul's gospel 1:11-2:21A. Independence from other apostles 1:11-241. The source of Paul's gospel 1:11-172. The events of Paul's early mini...
• A. Salutation 1:1-5
  Paul began this epistle with a word of greeting for his readers to introduce himself as the writer and to emphasize the divine source of his apostolic commission.1:1 The nickname (cognomen) "Paul"is from the Latin Paulus, whi...
• B. Denunciation 1:6-10
  In these opening words Paul rebuked his readers for turning away from the gospel that he had preached to them and for turning toward a different "gospel."He accused them of being religious turncoats. He did so to impress them...
• II. PERSONAL DEFENSE OF PAUL'S GOSPEL 1:11--2:21
  The first of the three major sections of the epistle begins here. We could classify them as history (1:11-2:21), theology (chs. 3-4), and ethics (5:1-6:10).". . . Paul was . . . following the logic of the Christian life: Beca...
• 1. The source of Paul's gospel 1:11-17
  Paul clarified the source of his gospel message in this pericope to convince his readers that the gospel he had preached to them was the true gospel. What the false teachers were presenting was heresy. He began an autobiograp...
• The curse of works 3:10-14
  "In vv. 6-9 Paul set forth a positive argument for justification by faith. In vv. 10-14 he turned the tables and argued negatively against the possibility of justification by works."933:10 Living under the Mosaic Law did not ...
• The continuance of faith after the giving of the Law 3:15-18
  3:15-16 Paul now turned to the objection that when God gave the Law He terminated justification by faith alone. He reminded his readers, with a human analogy, that even wills and contracts made between human beings remained i...
• 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...
• 1. Living without the Law 5:1-12
  The apostle warned his readers not to think that they could satisfy the demands of the Mosaic Law by obeying only a few of its commands. Only complete compliance satisfies its demands.5:1 Paul's readers were in danger of retu...
• 2. Living without license 5:13-15
  Paul urged his readers to live unbound to the Law of Moses (5:1-12). He also warned them against using their liberty as a license to sin to prevent them from overreacting."The theme of love . . . informs all of Paul's exhorta...
• The promise of victory 5:16-18
  5:16 Walking by the Spirit means living moment by moment submissively trusting in the Holy Spirit rather than in self."Walk by the Spirit' means let your conduct be directed by the Spirit.'"183"To walk by the Spirit' means to...
• Other sins (v. 21)
  Things like these (similar violations of God's moral will)"The common feature in this catalogue of vices seems to reside not in the precise ways in which these fifteen items manifest themselves but in the self-centeredness or...
• The fruit of the Spirit 5:22-23
  Paul identified the behavior that results when we rebel against the Holy Spirit's leadership and follow the dictates of our sinful nature (cf. v. 17). He next listed the behavior characteristics that become evident when we al...
• General or self-ward qualities (vv. 22-23)
  Faithfulness (Gr. pistis, reliability, trustworthiness)Gentleness (Gr. praytes, acquiescence to authority and consideration of others)Self-control (Gr. enkrateia, ability to master oneself)"Again, it appears that Paul is not ...
• The provision for victory 5:24-26
  5:24 The Christian has crucified the flesh in the sense that when he or she trusted Christ God broke the domination of his or her sinful nature. While we still have a sinful human nature, it does not control us as it did befo...
• 1. Toward sinning Christians 6:1
  "Walking by the Spirit will mean not only avoidance of mutual provocation and envy (5:26) but also, positively, the rehabilitation of those who have lapsed into sin."204The situation Paul envisioned here is that of sin overta...
• 2. Toward burdened Christians 6:2-5
  6:2 In view of the context probably the burden Paul had in mind was an excessive burden of particular temptation and struggle with the flesh (cf. Rom. 15:1). This could be a burden caused by social, economic, spiritual, or ot...
• V. CONCLUSION 6:11-18
  In this section Paul summarized some of his more important points. He also appealed to his readers again to urge them to follow through and to put into practice what he had taught them."Before concluding his letter Paul retur...
• Bibliography
  Allen, Kenneth W. "Justification by Faith."Bibliotheca Sacra135:538 (April-June 1978):109-16.Andrews, Mary E. "Paul and Repentance."Journal of Biblical Literature54:2 (June 1935):125.Barclay, William. The Letters to the Galat...
• The basis of unity 4:1-6
  4:1 "Therefore"or "then"refers to what Paul had said in chapters 1-3. To walk worthily or in balance means to harmonize one's conduct with his or her calling. Calling here refers to God's calling to live in unity as Jews and ...
• 3. Walking in love 5:1-6
  In addition to calling his readers to walk in unity (4:1) and holiness (4:17), Paul urged them to walk in love (5:2). He first advocated positive love (vv. 1-2) and then negatively warned to abstain from evil (vv. 3-6).5:1 "T...
• IV. CONCLUSION 6:21-24
  Paul's anticipation of his defense before Nero brought him back to the present in his thinking. His exposition of the mystery of the church to his readers had ended. He had also explained their proper conduct in view of their...
• B. Prayer 1:9-11
  Paul had already written that he prayed for the Philippians (vv. 3-4). Now he explained what he prayed so his readers would know specifically what the apostle was asking God to do for them. In response to God's working in the...
• 2. Paul's anticipated deliverance 1:19-26
  At this point Paul's thinking turned from what had already occurred because of his imprisonment to what he anticipated happening in the future. He referred to this so his readers would uphold him in their prayers and feel enc...
• A. A worthy walk 1:27-30
  The first sub-section (1:27-30) begins with a topic sentence that expresses Paul's desire for the Philippians. Then he proceeded to explain and to illustrate what constitutes a worthy walk (2:1-4:9)."With this section we come...
• The responsibility of the believer 2:12-16
  "The detailed attention just given to the Christ-hymn must not obscure the fact that vv 12-18 are part of a larger parenetic section--1:27-2:18. Exhortation is resumed again through the frequent use of the imperative mood, or...
• The Judaizing danger 3:2-4a
  Paul proceeded to deal with a significant group of antagonists that the Philippians faced.3:2 Jesus and other prophets used the term "dogs"to refer to opponents of God's truth (Matt. 7:6; cf. Deut. 23:18; 1 Sam. 17:43; 24:14;...
• Paul's persistent zeal 3:12-14
  3:12 Paul had said that he had not already grasped the intimate knowledge of His Savior that he sought to obtain (v. 10). He did not want his readers to understand him as saying that his conversion brought him into the intima...
• C. Prayer 1:9-14
  Paul told his readers that he prayed for their full perception and deepest understanding of God's will for them and for all believers. He did this so they would be able to glorify God in their conduct. He told them this to re...
• C. The false doctrines of men 2:16-23
  Having revealed what believers have in Christ, Paul next pointed out the errors of the false teachers more specifically to help his readers identify and reject their instruction."Sad to say, there are many Christians who actu...
• 1. Summary statement 1:2-3
  The Thessalonians' response to the gospel and their continuance in the faith caused Paul and his companions to thank God for them continually.13Three characteristics of these Christians stood out to Paul. First, they had turn...
• 2. Sexual purity 4:3-8
  This section opens and closes with explicit references to the will of God.4:3-5 The will of God for the Christian is clear. Positively it is sanctification, namely a life set apart from sin unto God. Negatively it involves ab...
• 3. Brotherly love 4:9-12
  4:9 Whereas the previous exhortation to avoid sexual immorality is a negative prohibition, this one is a positive encouragement. The Thessalonians needed instruction from Paul concerning their sexual behavior. However, God Hi...
• 2. Actions and attitudes in corporate living 5:19-22
  5:19 Quenching the Spirit is a figurative expression used to illustrate the possibility of hindering the Spirit's work in and through the believer. The image is that of water thrown on a fire. The proper response is to follow...
• A. Thanksgiving for growth 1:3-4
  1:3 In his earlier epistle to the Thessalonians Paul had urged them to grow in faith (1 Thess. 4:10) and to increase in love (1 Thess. 3:12). He now rejoiced that they were doing both of these things (v. 3).5Paul began each o...
• 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...
• A. Timothy's past faithfulness 1:3-7
  Paul gave thanks to God for Timothy's past faithfulness to his Lord and encouraged him to continue faithful. He did so to strengthen Timothy's resolve in view of ever increasing apostasy and the decision of many to abandon Pa...
• A. The Agent of God's Final Revelation 1:1-4
  The writer began his epistle with an affirmation of Jesus Christ's greatness to introduce his readers to his subject. This section is one sentence in the Greek text. It contrasts God's old revelation with the new, specificall...
• 2. The needed remedy 6:1-3
  The writer proceeded to explain what the community of Christians that he addressed should do to rectify its dangerous condition.6:1 Since they needed stretching mentally they should with the writer "press on to maturity."That...
• 4. The encouraging prospect 6:9-12
  Even though the danger his readers faced was great, the writer believed they could avoid it. Consequently he concluded this warning as he did the ones in 2:1-4 and 3:1-4:16 with a word of hope to encourage his audience.6:9 Th...
• The imperfection of the Levitical priesthood and the Mosaic Law 7:11-14
  7:11 The writer's point was that since God promised in Psalm 110:4 that the coming Messiah would be a priest after Melchizedek's order, He intended to terminate the Levitical priesthood because it was inadequate. If the Levit...
• 3. The complete response 1:22-25
  Whereas verses 19-21 stress the importance of listening to the Word, verses 22-25 emphasize the necessity of putting the Word into practice, applying it.1:22 Doing the Word of God in this context means persevering in God's wi...
• 3. The inconsistency of favoritism 2:5-7
  James' three questions in these verses all expect positive answers, as is clear in the construction of the Greek text.2:5 Since God has chosen the poor of this world to be the recipients of His blessings it is inconsistent fo...
• B. Self-exaltation 4:11-12
  Having dealt with the source of interpersonal and inner personal conflicts that believers in particular and all people generally experience, James dealt next with a different aspect of the same problem. He did so to motivate ...
• 3. Living with the promise in view 4:1-6
  Since Jesus Christ has gained the victory, Peter urged his readers to rededicate themselves to God's will as long as they might live. He wanted to strengthen their resolve to continue to persevere. He resumed here the exhorta...
• A. The Believer's Resources 1:3-4
  Peter reminded his readers of God's power and promises that were available to them. He did this to rekindle an appreciation for the resources God had given them in view of their present needs. This epistle begins and ends on ...
• B. The Believer's Needs 1:5-9
  Having established the believer's basic adequacy through God's power in him and God's promises to him, Peter next reminded his readers of their responsibility to cultivate their own Christian growth. He did so to correct any ...
• 2. John's first vision of the New Jerusalem 21:2-8
  21:2 In the same vision, John next saw a city descending out of heaven from God (cf. v. 10; 3:12; Heb. 11:13-16). It was holy in contrast to the former Jerusalem (cf. 11:8; Isa. 52:1; Matt. 4:5; 27:53). As the old Jerusalem w...

Expositions Of Holy Scripture (Maclaren)

• Forms Versus Character
  Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but the keeping of the commandments of God.'--1 Cor. 7:19.For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth anything, nor uncircumcision, but faith which worketh by love...
• What Makes A Christian: Circumcision Or Faith?
  In Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but faith which worketh by love.'--Gal. 5:6.IT is a very singular instance of imaginative misreading of plain facts that the primitive Church should...
• Walk In The Spirit'
  Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.'--Gal. 5:16.WE are not to suppose that the Apostle here uses the familiar contrast of spirit and flesh to express simply different elements of human nature. W...
• The Fruit Of The Spirit
  But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness. faith, 23. Meekness, temperance'--Gal. 5:22-23.THE fruit of the Spirit,' says Paul, not the fruits, as we might more naturally have expect...