Expository Notes on the Bible (Constable)

• The ministry of Apollos 18:24-28
  The purpose of this pericope (18:24-28) seems primarily to be to bring us up to date on what had transpired in Ephesus since Paul left that city.755Luke also introduced his readers to another important servant of the Lord to ...
• Paul's visit to Macedonia and Achaia 20:1-6
  "This report of Paul's return visit to Macedonia and Achaia is the briefest account of an extended ministry in all of Acts--even more so than the summary of the ministry at Ephesus (cf. 19:8-12). Nevertheless, it can be fille...
• Gentile response to the gospel 28:30-31
  Paul's innocence of anything worthy of punishment is clear from his living a relatively comfortable life in Rome for the following two years (60-62 A.D.).977Paul was able to preach (Gr. kerysso, to proclaim as a herald) the k...
• B. Final greetings and benediction 16:19-24
  "The letter now concludes with a series of standard (for Paul) greetings (vv. 19-22) and the grace-benediction (v. 23). But Paul cannot quite give up the urgency of the letter, so he interrupts these two rather constant eleme...
• The duty of fathers 6:4
  Paul addressed fathers because they are God's ordained family heads on whom the primary responsibility for child training rests. When a father is absent in a family, the mother usually assumes this responsibility. In Greco-Ro...
• 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...
• A. The bearers of this epistle 4:7-9
  4:7-8 Paul sent Tychicus with this letter for two primary purposes. He wanted to provide more information about himself and his present ministry than he felt led to record in this letter. He also wanted to encourage the Colos...
• 3. Further discipline for the unrepentant 3:14-15
  3:14 Failure to abandon the idle lifestyle after having received the further warnings in this epistle should result in increased ostracism (cf. Rom. 16:17; 1 Cor. 5:9, 11; Titus 3:10-11). This discipline would embarrass the o...
• A. The task Timothy faced 1:3-11
  Paul penned these opening words to remind Timothy to correct teachers in the Ephesian church who were majoring on minor matters in their Bible teaching. In so doing he reminded Timothy of his own responsibility as a communica...
• VI. CONCLUDING CHARGE AND BENEDICTION 6:20-21
  Paul closed his letter with a final exhortation to urge Timothy again to avoid going astray in his ministry."What is most remarkable about this conclusion is the lack of any final greetings. All the Pauline letters, including...
• Historical Background
  Assuming Paul visited Nicapolis as he planned (Titus 3:12), he went from there to Rome evidently indirectly. His visit to Troas (2 Tim. 4:13) probably took place shortly before he wrote 2 Timothy. It may be that Paul's arrest...
• Historical background
  Paul may have visited Crete more than once. It seems unlikely that he would have had time to plant a church in Crete on his way to Rome as a prisoner (Acts 27:7-13, 21). One may have already been in existence then (cf. Acts 2...
• Outline
  I. Salutation 1:1-4II. Instructions for setting the church in order 1:5-3:11A. The appointment of elders 1:5-9B. The correction of false teachers 1:10-16C. The conduct of the saints 2:1-3:111. The behavior of various groups i...
• I. SALUTATION 1:1-4
  As usual, Paul began this letter with comments that not only introduced himself and greeted his reader but also set the tone for his emphasis in what followed. The emphasis in this section is on Paul's duty and the nature of ...
• Young women 2:4-5
  Paul listed seven responsibilities of these women. They were (1) to be lovers of their husbands (to put their welfare before self-interests), (2) to be lovers of their children, and (3) to be sensible (Gr. sophronas; self-con...
• Individual responsibility 3:1-8
  "After a brief exhortation to Titus (2:15) to teach these things' (at least 2:1-14), Paul returns in this section to the major concern of the letter--'good works' (i.e., genuinely Christian behavior) for the sake of the outsi...
• Titus' responsibility 3:9-11
  3:9 On the other hand Titus should shun what was worthless and unprofitable. In view of the context Paul especially meant those things the false teachers were promoting (1:14; 1 Tim. 1:3-7; 6:4; 2 Tim. 2:23). Examples of thes...
• III. CONCLUSION 3:12-15
  Paul closed this epistle by sending Titus instructions concerning fellow workers, a final charge, and greetings. He did so to enable him to complete his task of setting the church in order.3:12 Paul evidently intended to send...
• A. Gaius' Love vv. 5-8
  John commended Gaius for his love of the brethren to encourage him to continue practicing this virtue.v. 5 John loved Gaius as Gaius loved the brethren to whom he had extended hospitality."The early Christian community's deep...