Recent Commentaries

Pilate wanted to release Jesus, but the crowd continued to demand His death; so he sentenced Him to die (vv. 13-25). Today we might say that he did what was politically correct. No doubt Pilate did not want to risk losing his job, and as we have indicated previously, it w …

The list of David’s mighty men is preceded by a short poem (vv. 1-7) titled the last words of David. In the first stanza (v. 1) he identified himself as “the son of Jesse,” a peasant farmer in Bethlehem. David was never ashamed of that, as God lifted him “ …

Joshua comes back with a reply that is perhaps one of the most shocking statements of the Old Testament (v. 19). After spending an entire lifetime of trying to get the Israelites to commit to serving God, and after getting the affirmative answer he was seeking, Joshua says: “You cannot …

The nation’s future hope will contrast sharply with her present misery (vv. 15-20). Rachel, the mother of Benjamin, continues to live through the descendants of that tribe (v. 15). In N.T. fulfillment her weeping is prompted by the cruel and barbarous act of Herod, who had …

The first ten chapters have been an exciting adventure story of God calling Joshua to lead the Israelites in military conquest of the land of Canaan, which God had given them. The conquest of much of the land of Canaan seems to have happened quickly but it actually took seven years. The …

Contrasts between people who are the Lord’s servants and those who have departed from Him are dramatically presented (vv. 13-16). Those who obeyed His covenant will enjoy all types of blessings, while those who rebelled will experience all types of curses. In the remainder of thi …

The prophet seems to place himself in the future “day of the Lord” and from that position looks back to the present locust plague. With this dual crises in mind Joel wrote to warn his nation and at the same time encourage her to a holy walk. The trumpet of alarm …

In his twenty-eight-year reign, Jehu was unexcelled in his zeal to rid his people of Baal worship. Baal worship had thrived for many years under Ahab and his successors. The victory won through Elijah’s contest on Mount Carmel had been only temporary. As part of Jehu’s s …

This vision is about the Messiah, the King-Priest. In the days of the kings and after the exile Judah’s government was ruled by two distinct persons; the king ruling the political life and the high priest, ruling its religious life. This section opens with three Hebrews arrivin …

As you can imagine, the temple guards were perplexed upon finding the empty prison cells (v. 24). They were soon informed, however, that their prisoners were already back in the temple, preaching as though nothing had happened (v. 25). The guards once again arrested the apostles, but they did …