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Showing 1726 to 1750 of 2404 results

1726. Warning Against Refusing God

Hebrews 12:14-29, Hebrews 12:1-13

Understanding Series

Donald A. Hagner

... NASB). Righteousness, then, is the portion of those who accept the discipline of suffering from their Father’s hand. The point of this verse is the same as that of 2 Corinthians 4:17, where Paul writes: “For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all” (cf. the closely related emphasis of 1 Pet. 1:6f.; 4:12–14). Additional Notes 12:4 “Resistance to the point of death” is a common motif in Jewish literature, describing absolute commitment and ...

1727. To Elders and Young Men

1 Peter 5:1-11

Understanding Series

Norman Hillyer

... bridegrooms. Also in the Greek world crowns denoted the joy that comes at weddings, and they were common objects in pagan religions (TDNT, vol. 7, pp. 616–24). For both Jew and Greek, the dominant idea was of the recognition of victorious achievement, with its associated themes of honoring and joyful celebration, rather than any reference to a symbol of the autocratic rule of a king. That will never fade away (amarantinos): unfading, unlike the garlands of flowers and leaves awarded at the Greek games ...

1728. The Day of the Lord

2 Peter 3:1-18

Understanding Series

Norman Hillyer

... permanence, and the reminders it contains (1:12, 13, 15) will continue to be on hand to do their work. Moreover, a letter can be copied and distributed, and its message thus accurately conveyed to others. Teaching passed on by word of mouth might not achieve this so well. Peter is writing a second time—reiteration is the mark of a good teacher (Phil 3:1)—to stimulate you to wholesome thinking (Phil. 4:8). The NIV translation obscures the fact that Peter is, again like an experienced tutor, paying his ...

1729. The Plague of Locusts

Exodus 10:21-29

Understanding Series

James K. Bruckner

... also holds their parents hostage. “Clearly you are bent on evil.” This is the conflict in brief. For Pharaoh, losing his slaves to another “lord” would be an unbearable evil. Moses and the people certainly were “bent” on obeying the Lord. Achieving freedom to serve or worship another lord would mean the end of Pharaoh’s lordship over them. Literally, the expression is, “evil is before your faces,” meaning “on your minds.” It could also be a threat, suggesting that they might encounter ...

1730. Bazalel and Oholiab

Exodus 31:12-18

Understanding Series

James K. Bruckner

... experiencing rest before the Lord would they come to know that their holiness was truly a gift from God. Christians and Christian theologies widely misunderstand holiness in Scripture as religion rather than relationship to the Holy One. Holiness is not something to achieve, but to receive. One can prepare to meet and receive the Lord but one cannot presume to possess “holiness.” Leviticus is quite clear that “holiness,” being set apart by the Lord’s redeeming work, is a gift from God. The words ...

1731. Rahab and the Spies

Joshua 2:1-24

Understanding Series

J. Gordon Harris

... and then helping them escape. In her own words, Rahab tells the men of the king a lie that sends them to look for spies on the road to the fords of the Jordan River. Some readers are shocked that she would lie and yet have the respect she achieved in the book of Joshua and in the NT. Deception in Rahab’s case expresses her loyalty to the strangers who were her guests. Without the power to fight, Rahab lives by her wits. Rahab’s deception is the way God rescues the blundering spies and ensures that the ...

1732. Northern Kings Defeated

Joshua 11:1-23

Understanding Series

J. Gordon Harris

... to the second task, dividing the land among the tribes according to lots and their inheritance. The primary point made here by the narrator is that Joshua took control in the land of Canaan to a sufficient degree as the Lord directed Moses. In this achievement, Joshua is faithful and God gives him the land. Additional Notes 11:5, 7 At the Waters of Merom: The waters of Merom have been identified with the village of Meirom on the eastern slopes of Jebel Jarmaz in upper Galilee. Several seasons of excavation ...

1733. Allotment for Ephriam and Manasseh

Joshua 16:1--17:18

Understanding Series

J. Gordon Harris

... and complain about shortages but want convenient and easy solutions. The passage also says much about God. God has little sympathy with whining. God calls disciples to hard work and courage, not narcissism. Christians want God’s blessings but will not sacrifice to achieve them. Not satisfied, the tribes of Joseph complain again. Canaanite military forces block access to the plains. Again they say, The hill country is not enough for us, but this time they give the excuse that the Canaanites who live in the ...

1734. David’s Victories

1 Chronicles 18:1-13

Understanding Series

Louis C. Jonker

... much so that the Arameans made peace with David and became subject to him. They even withdrew their support for the Ammonites. With the Arameans already subjugated and with the Ammonites now without their coalition partner, it would not take long for David to also achieve military success against the latter. The Chronicler follows his source text’s narrative line in 2 Samuel 11:1 when he continues his version in 1 Chronicles 20:1, but then skips over the greatest part of 2 Samuel 11–12, only to link up ...

1735. Preparations for the Temple

1 Chronicles 22:2-19

Understanding Series

Louis C. Jonker

... throughout the books of Chronicles. Terminological patterns in Chronicles confirm (1) that Solomon’s reign is seen as a paradigm of the rest, peace, and quietness that Yahweh gives to Israel; and (2) that this rest, peace, and quietness was not something achievable by military means but was only the result of the Judahite king seeking Yahweh and relying on him. The distribution of key terms shows that 1 Chron. 22:2–19 is a key pericope that is paradigmatic in the Chronicler’s overall theological ...

1736. The List of Exiles Who Returned

Ezra 2:1-70

Understanding Series

Leslie C. Allen

... and presented it as a single return—although the list itself seems to reflect a series of returns in the relatively early period of the postexilic community. We are given a literary, condensed presentation of a protracted history. Its coherence has been achieved by linking later material to the description of the initial wave of migration led by Sheshbazzar. 2:1–2a The concern of the list is to define the restored community as a legitimate continuation of the preexilic people of God who had been ...

1737. Nehemiah Helps the Poor

Nehemiah 5:1-19

Understanding Series

Leslie C. Allen

... 14–18, as well as 4:10–5:13, gave him an opportunity to plead his integrity over against those who were maligning his character. The editor retained these petitions from the memoirs, which he used as the source of information about Nehemiah’s achievements on behalf of God’s people. Additional Notes 5:1 For a defense of ch. 5 in its present setting, see Williamson, Ezra, Nehemiah, pp. 235f. Throntveit, Ezra-Nehemiah, pp. 61, 123f., regards it as originally following ch. 13 on the grounds of content ...

1738. Further Opposition to the Rebuilding

Nehemiah 6:1-14

Understanding Series

Leslie C. Allen

... inflict on Judah (4:14–15). Here was the happy experience of Psalm 126:2 all over again: “Then it was said among the nations, ‘The LORD has done great things for them.’” How could anyone deny divine enabling in this amazingly rapid achievement against such odds? 6:17–19 This postscript to verses 10–14 gives general information about Tobiah’s meddling in Judean affairs. It continues the intimidation theme of the chapter, and so the implication is that this information related to a time before ...

1739. Nehemiah's Final Reforms

Nehemiah 13:1-31

Understanding Series

Leslie C. Allen

... promise into performance. The guidelines build a bridge between the pledge and the reforms. These guidelines are monitored by Nehemiah’s reforms, which have become responses to them in the years after they were laid down. The insights and achievements of the past do not automatically carry over into the present. Instead, deliberate and vigorous reimplementation is required. Nehemiah is the servant of the community as he seeks to help them maintain the values they affirmed, intervening vigorously whenever ...

1740. Haman's Plot to Destroy the Jews

Esther 3:1-15

Understanding Series

Timothy S. Laniak

... who shares the king’s bed! The Hebrew root translated “tolerate” means “to leave alone” (nvh). This verb is a variation of the root translated “holiday” in 2:18 and the word for the “relief” and “rest” that the Jews were finally able to achieve in chapter 9 (mentioned four times in vv. 16–22). Attached to Haman’s plan is an offer to pay for the entire operation. Rather than open himself up to questions from the king regarding the cost (or the identity of this threatening people ...

1741. Triumph of the Jews

Esther 9:1-19

Understanding Series

Timothy S. Laniak

... on a particular day: On the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, the month of Adar—a date that chillingly recalls the events in chapter 3 that led to this crisis. This chapter is about this day (and the next), about the victory the Jews achieved over those who hated them, and about the rest that followed. These events provide the etiology of the Jewish festival of Purim. Much of chapter 9 is devoted to explaining, in annalistic fashion, the origin of the two days that constitute the holiday and the ...

1742. Purim Celebrated

Esther 9:20-32

Understanding Series

Timothy S. Laniak

... record in writing their defeat of the Amalekites, their first and prototypical enemy in the conquest (Exod. 17:14). This command included a divine oath to completely annihilate the Amalekites. Although Saul failed to complete the divine mission, Esther and Mordecai achieve the desired results. They put the final chapter of the Amalekite affair into writing. Mordecai also sent letters to all the Jews throughout the provinces (v. 20) to require (leqayyem ?al) them to observe the new holiday (v. 21). This is ...

1743. The Proverbs of Solomon

Proverbs 10:1-32

Understanding Series

Roland E. Murphy

... blessing, human toil will not be enough for success. 10:23 Antithetic. Wrongdoing is the delight of the foolish, whereas wisdom satisfies the sensible. 10:24–25 These verses deal with retribution. The wicked will receive what they fear, while the righteous achieve their desire (v. 24). However, the fear is not specified; perhaps it is the fear that they inspire or with which they are threatened. In any case, they will be appropriately punished (v. 25), blown away by tempest, whereas the righteous remain ...

1744. Proverbs of Solomon

Proverbs 11:1-31

Understanding Series

Roland E. Murphy

... Notes). Others think that the kind-hearted woman wins respect without effort, in contrast to a man’s ruthless pursuit of wealth. 11:17 Antithetic and juxtapositional. The contrast is between the happy and sad results that kind and cruel conduct achieves for a person. 11:18–21 Antithetic. These verses (note the juxtaposition) characterize the righteous and the wicked. According to verse 18, only virtue brings a true reward (cf. 10:16). Verse 19 (in the NIV, but see the Additional Notes) repeats ...

1745. Proverbs of Solomon

Proverbs 21:1-31

Understanding Series

Roland E. Murphy

... kind of definition of the scoffer. But hubris is not the only characteristic (cf. 1:3; 9:7–8; 13:1, etc.). The NIV renders Hebrew lēṣ consistently as mocker. 21:25 Synthetic. The sluggard is torn by desires and by laziness (which prevent the achievement of any goal). 21:26 The problem here is the subject in 26a; the NIV continues with the sluggard of the previous verse, but true parallelism is lacking. One can understand the construction as indefinite and thus it designates the opposite of the generous ...

1746. More Proverbs of Solomon

Proverbs 26:1-28

Understanding Series

Roland E. Murphy

... of each word: Hb. rab can mean “much,” “master,” “archer"? The verb can mean “bring forth” or “wound”; the object is “all.” Literally, v. 10b reads: “and one who hires a fool and who hires passers-by.” No emendations have achieved consensus. 26:23 The MT is usually translated “silver dross” (NIV margin), presumably to indicate a covering that is not pure silver, but this is uncertain. The NIV adopts in the text the conjectural reading, Hb. kspsgym, which supposedly means ...

1747. More Proverbs of Solomon

Proverbs 28:1-28

Understanding Series

Roland E. Murphy

... thrive). Additional Notes 28:2 The MT of v. 2b can be translated: in/by/with a man (or men?) intelligent, knowing, right lasts. The rendering of Hb. kēn as “right” (NIV, order) is doubtful and it is not clear what one man (the king?) can achieve. The Gk. has a quite different text. 28:3 The MT has “a poor man”; the NIV proposes rōʾš (head, chief) for Hb. rāš. 28:16 The MT has lit. “A prince lacking in understanding and great in oppressions—those who hate ill-gotten gains will live ...

1748. More Proverbs of Solomon

Proverbs 29:1-27

Understanding Series

Roland E. Murphy

... to the oppressor. Verse 13b reads literally “makes bright the eyes of both”—in Psalm 13:3, the phrase means “to keep alive.” 29:14 Synthetic, with two lines juxtaposed. On the security of the throne, see 16:12b; 20:28b; and 25:5. This stability is achieved by equitable treatment of the poor (in 25:5, by removing the wicked). See also verse 7a. 29:15 Antithetic. Physical punishment is mentioned also in 13:24; 23:13–14. See also verse 17. 29:16 Antithetic. Similar ideas are found in 11:10–11; 28 ...

1749. Sayings of Agur

Proverbs 30:1-33

Understanding Series

Roland E. Murphy

... guesses are: greyhound and warhorse. The MT has an inexplicable “or” before he-goat. Perhaps there is a corruption behind it. In v. 31b, Hb. ʾalqûm cannot mean “not rising up,” but the various hypothetical readings that have been proposed have not achieved any consensus. The NIV appears to read the Hb. text as lāqūm ʿal ʿammô. The margin of the NIV follows the Vulgate understanding. See the discussion in McKane (Proverbs) and Plöger (Sprüche). It would appear that three animals are compared ...

1750. Oppression, Toil, Friendlessness

Ecclesiastes 4:1-12

Understanding Series

Elizabeth Huwiler

... of Solomon, used earlier for the experiment in wisdom and pleasure, is no longer used. A king this outraged about oppression could take action against it rather than merely lamenting its presence. 4:4–6 These verses deal with striving. Verse 4 ascribes all human achievement to envy; verse 5 appears to note the self-destructiveness of the lazy fool; and verse 6 rejects working for more than one needs. If indeed all of these express aspects of Qohelet’s point of view, it would seem that there is no course ...

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