Recent Commentaries

Wisdom is the reward you get for a lifetime of listening when you would have preferred to talk. You don’t have to be listed in “Who’s Who” to know what’s what. Wisdom is being spiritually opportunistic (Eph. 5:16–17). A wise man learns by the experience of others. An ordinary man …

Paul attempts to connect doctrine with duty in this passage. He lists the following: Who we are in Christ (verses 1-4) We are raised with Christ (vv. 1-2) We died with Christ (v. 3a) We are hidden in Christ (v. 3b) We live in Christ (v. 4a) We are …

Persecution spread across the empire which included social ostracism, public torture and murder. Paul was imprisoned for the last time, and he knew he would soon die. As his life drew to a close he realized in a deeper way how dear Timothy is to him. Knowing that he would soon …

Elijah’s prophetic ministry dominates this section of the book of l Kings. He had been prepared by the Lord to demonstrate to all of Israel that God and not Baal is still the only true God. Perhaps as Elijah heard reports of Jezebel’s increasing maneuverings to replace t …

Paul made plans to return to Greece and Palestine, and then go to Rome (v. 21). Two and a half years had passed since Paul arrived in Ephesus, and he felt his work there was over. To prepare the believers in Macedonia for his coming, Paul sent two of his disciples (Timothy and Erastus) …

King Xerxes answers the letter written to him by the Samaritan leaders (v. 17). He states that after their letter had been translated to him (v. 18) he did some research and found out it was true that for years Jerusalem has rebelled and caused trouble for other kings and nations …

The author begins chapter 6 by describing the building of the temple. It began in mid-spring during the fourth year of Solomon’s reign (v. 1). This was 480 years after Israel was delivered from Egypt. The temple was not made according to the pattern of the Tabernacle, which had …

We find three parables in this chapter that reveal the love and concern Jesus has for sinful men and women (vv. 1-2). The Pharisees had a knowledge of the Old Testament Law and a desire for personal purity but they had no love for lost souls. Jesus attracted sinners whi …

In this chapter we face the need for a standard, a measuring stick by which we can distinguish between things which are harmful and those which are harmless, between right and wrong and good and evil. That is not easy to do, as you well know. This section reveals the realism of S …

The conquest of Ai was very important to the Israelites. Only 11 miles from Jericho, Ai was a key stronghold for the Canaanites and a buffer fortress for Bethel (v. 12). The LORD told Joshua not to be afraid or discouraged by what happened at the town of Ai (vv. 1-2). Take the army and attack …