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Showing 2326 to 2350 of 5000 results

2326. Two Shepherds

Zechariah 11:4-17

Understanding Series

Pamela J. Scalise

Prophetic Sign-Acts: Two Shepherds: Scholars regularly name this passage as one of the most difficult in the book. Part of the reason for this assessment is that it frustrates the reader’s initial expectations. It appears to be a narrative report of prophetic sign-acts commissioned by God and performed by the prophet, who narrates in the first person. The two commissions (vv. 4, 15) and divine words of judgment that interpret the sign-acts (vv. 6, 16) fit this pattern well. Yet God’s words of explanation ...

2327. Jacob Loved, Esau Hated

Malachi 1:1-5

Understanding Series

Pamela J. Scalise

The Superscription (1:1): 1:1 The superscription, or extended title, of the book of Malachi has two parts. First, it is called an oracle (massaʾ). This term also heads the books of Nahum (1:1) and Habakkuk (1:1), but elsewhere it appears in the headings of shorter units of speech, such as the oracles against the nations in Isaiah 13–23 and Zechariah 9–11 and 12–14. The word does not denote any particular type of content or literary genre. The same word also means “burden,” communicating the sense of the ...

2328. Jesus Changes Water to Wine

John 2:1-11

Understanding Series

J. Ramsey Michaels

The journey home to Galilee is not described. The writer focuses instead on a single incident that took place after the group arrived. Debates about whether one could reach Galilee from Bethany in two days are pointless, first, because the exact location of Bethany is unknown (see note on 1:28), and second, because the phrase on the third day could sometimes be used to express a short indefinite period of time (like “a couple of days” in colloquial English). Strictly speaking, the phrase means “the day ...

2329. Jesus Predicts His Death

John 12:20-36

Understanding Series

J. Ramsey Michaels

The principle that the “whole world has gone after” Jesus (v. 19) finds immediate illustration in some Greeks who were among the worshipers at the festival (v. 20). Their request to see Jesus was directed at Philip (cf. 1:43–44), ceremoniously passed along by him to Andrew, and by the two of them to Jesus (vv. 21–22). These two disciples have been seen together twice before: first as Jesus’ agents in initially gathering a group of followers (1:35–45), and later as the two whose faith Jesus tested before ...

2330. Jesus Washes His Disciples’ Feet

John 13:1-17, John 13:18-30

Understanding Series

J. Ramsey Michaels

The new division in John’s Gospel is marked by a long, loosely connected, almost breathless comment by the narrator (vv. 1–3) in which he tries to gather up the themes of chapters 1–12 and 13–17 alike and use them as his stage setting. The first element in this setting has to do with time and circumstances: The notice that it was just before the Passover Feast (v. 1a) brings the temporal notices of 11:55 (“it was almost time”), 12:1 (“six days before”), and 12:12 (“the next day”) up to date. The further ...

2331. The Impending Departure I

John 14:1-4, John 14:5-14, John 14:15-31

Understanding Series

J. Ramsey Michaels

The single theme of the first block of teaching material is developed in dialogue form, with a series of questions and answers (13:36–14:24) ending with a postscript in the form of a monologue (14:25–31). Each question is occasioned by a previous statement of Jesus, so that each interchange has three parts: Jesus’ initial statement, the question that it occasions, and Jesus’ answer to the question. In all, four disciples take their turn as inquirers: Peter, Thomas, Philip, and Judas (not “the son of Simon ...

2332. The Empty Tomb and the First Appearance

John 20:1-9, John 20:10-18

Understanding Series

J. Ramsey Michaels

The story of the empty tomb is Mary Magdalene’s story. To this point in the Gospel, Mary has been mentioned only once, with no further identification (19:25), probably because she is presumed to be well known to the Gospel’s readers. In Mark, Matthew, and Luke she is mentioned first among the women who came to the tomb on Sunday morning, but here she seems to come alone. Only her statement that we [plural] don’t know the whereabouts of Jesus’ body (v. 2) betrays a consciousness of others present with her ...

2333. Paul's Chains Advance the Gospel

Philippians 1:12-30

Understanding Series

F. F. Bruce

Paul’s Present Situation The Christians of Philippi were deeply concerned about Paul. They cherished a warm affection for him; they knew that he was now in custody awaiting trial and that his case was due to come up for hearing soon before the supreme tribunal of the empire. How was he faring right now? And what would be the outcome of the hearing when once it took place? How, moreover, would its outcome serve to advance the gospel throughout the Roman world? Paul knows what is in their minds, and he ...

2334. Shining as Stars

Philippians 2:12-18

Understanding Series

F. F. Bruce

Encouragement to Fidelity After the Christ hymn, and reinforced by its contents, the apostolic exhortation is resumed. 2:12 Christ’s obedience has been stressed; his obedience should be an example to his people. Paul has no misgivings about the Philippian Christians’ obedience: unlike the Corinthians in the situation reflected in 2 Corinthians 10:6, they had always shown obedience, not so much to Paul as to the Lord whose apostle he was. If it is felt to be strange that obedience should be mentioned at all ...

2335. No Confidence in the Flesh

Philippians 3:1-11

Understanding Series

F. F. Bruce

First Conclusion: Call to Rejoice “With this communication about Epaphroditus now the epistle seems to be at an end” (Ewald, ad loc.). If so, nothing remains but a final word of greeting. The reader is therefore prepared for Finally. 3:1 Finally: the natural inference from this phrase (drawn by most commentators) is that Paul is on the point of finishing his letter. If the letter be regarded as a unity, it must be assumed that something suddenly occurred to him which prompted the warning of verse 2 with ...

2336. The Flood

Genesis 6:1-8:22

Understanding Series

John E. Hartley

The Increase of Wickedness on Earth: This passage explains why God had to judge the inhabited earth with a deluge (6:9–8:22). It has two distinct sections: a description of the rapid increase in population, when the sons of God married daughters of men (vv. 1–4), and God’s response to human violence (vv. 5–8). The first section reports the population explosion, presumably spurred by the extraordinary marriages between the sons of God and the daughters of men. During that era superheroes are said to have ...

2337. The Sons of Noah

Genesis 9:18-29

Understanding Series

John E. Hartley

Noah Curses Canaan and Blesses Shem and Japheth: In a style characteristic of Genesis, the account of Noah closes with his genealogy. Attached to this genealogy are Noah’s contribution to culture, the report of a troubling incident, and Noah’s blessings and curses. 9:18–19 The three sons of Noah, Shem, Ham and Japheth, are identified as those who left the ark. These sons of Noah were the heads of the peoples who populated the earth. Only one grandson, Canaan, is mentioned because of his place in what ...

2338. Abraham and Abimelech

Genesis 20:1-18

Understanding Series

John E. Hartley

Abraham before Abimelech of Gerar: Abraham settles for a brief time in Gerar, a city-state in the Negev to the west of Beersheba, ruled by a Philistine king, where he again identifies Sarah as his sister. The local king, Abimelech, takes her into his harem. The rabbis speculate on the legendary beauty of Sarah in her old age, believing it to be a result of God’s blessing on the great matriarch of Israel. More likely, though, Abimelech may have been seeking an alliance through marriage with the people whom ...

2339. Jacob and Esau

Genesis 25:19-34

Understanding Series

John E. Hartley

The Birth and Early Rivalry of Esau and Jacob: The next patriarchal narrative, that of Jacob (25:19–36:43), extends from Jacob’s birth to Esau’s lineage. (See the Introduction for an overview of the Jacob narrative as a whole and its relationship to the Joseph story.) Three incidents set the stage for the drama of Jacob’s life: the struggle of Jacob and Esau in the womb and at birth (vv. 19–26), a brief portrait of the two boys (vv. 27–28), and Jacob’s stealing the birthright from Esau (vv. 29–34). 25:19– ...

2340. The Death of Jacob

Gen 49:29–50:14

Understanding Series

John E. Hartley

Jacob’s Death and Funeral: This report offers the assurance that Jacob was truly buried in the Cave of Machpelah. More importantly, this recounting of Jacob’s death looks ahead to his children’s going out of Egypt to return to the land of promise. This unit has three sections: Jacob’s death (49:29–33), the mourning for Jacob in Egypt (50:1–3), and Jacob’s burial in the Cave of Machpelah (50:4–14). 49:29–33 Jacob instructed all of his sons, presumably assembled for his last blessing, to bury him in the cave ...

2341. The Death of Joseph

Genesis 50:22-26

Understanding Series

John E. Hartley

50:22–23 Joseph lived a hundred and ten years. For the Egyptians, this age symbolized a long and full life. Joseph saw his grandchildren to the third and fourth generation. The ancients viewed such a privilege as the reward for righteousness. 50:24–25 Before his death Joseph wished to give his extended family a word of promise that would sustain and guide them as long as they remained in Egypt. He reiterated the promise that God would surely bring them out of this land to the land that God had sworn to ...

2342. The Appointment of Leaders

Deuteronomy 1:9-18

Understanding Series

Christopher J. H. Wright

Structures for Growth: The recollection of this particular event out of all the memories of the wilderness period is a key to one of the book’s main purposes, which was to provide Israel with a social, political, moral, and spiritual charter (cf. McBride, “Polity”). Here, and in greater detail in 16:18–18:22, the people are provided with different levels and structures of leadership. Those leaders are then given their primary responsibilities. Deuteronomy thus outlines a theology and an ethos of leadership ...

2343. Solomon's Throne Established

1 Kings 2:13-46

Understanding Series

Iain W. Provan

Solomon Consolidates His Position: David has gone, and Solomon has been left to fend for himself. His rule was firmly established, 2:12 tells us. This is clearly an allusion to 2 Samuel 7:11b–16, where the verb ḵwn (established) appears on three occasions (vv. 12, 13, 16; cf. also v. 26) of God’s action in ensuring for David an everlasting dynasty. In 1 Kings 2:12–46, this same verb appears on four occasions, strategically positioned at the beginning and end of the section (vv. 12, 45–46) and halfway ...

2344. The Ark Brought to the Temple

1 Kings 8:1-21

Understanding Series

Iain W. Provan

The Ark Brought to the Temple: The ark of God, the great symbol of the LORD’s presence with the people and the receptacle for the tablets of the law (Exod. 25:10–22; Deut. 10:1–5; Josh. 3–6), had hitherto remained in a tent sanctuary somewhere in the old city of David (2 Sam. 6:16–17; 7:2; 1 Kgs. 3:15)—except for the brief trip described in 2 Samuel 15:24–29. First Kings 8:1–21 recounts the circumstances of its relocation and Solomon’s speech about the significance of the event. 8:1–2 It is interesting, in ...

2345. Israel Rebels Against Rehoboam

1 Kings 12:1-24

Understanding Series

Iain W. Provan

The Kingdom Torn Away: The king is dead. Long live the king! Well, not quite. We are now to read of the tearing away of the kingdom that has been threatened in chapter 11. As Moses led his people out from slavery under the house of the Egyptian Pharaoh, so Jeroboam will lead Israel out from “slavery” under the house of David; as God hardened Pharaoh’s heart in order to accomplish all his will, so the hardness of Rehoboam’s heart will precipitate this schism also. The exodus will take Israel towards a new ...

2346. Hoshea Last King of Israel

2 Kings 17:1-6

Understanding Series

Iain W. Provan

The End of Israel: The “uprooting” and “scattering” of Israel (1 Kgs. 14:15) has long been delayed because of God’s promises and character (2 Kgs. 10:30; 13; 14:23–29). God has continually saved (Hb. yšʿ) it from its enemies: through Elisha, through Jeroboam (2 Kgs. 14:27), through other unnamed saviors (2 Kgs. 13:5). There have been signs in the preceding chapters, however, that deliverance is now at an end, that the “exile” of 2 Kings 13:5 was a dry run for a now imminent main event. The most recent act ...

2347. Woe to the Obstinate Nation

Isaiah 30:1-33

Understanding Series

John Goldingay

Oh You Obstinate Nation: It has made sense to read much of chapters 28–29 against the background of Judean assertion of independence from Assyria and alliance with Egypt in the latter part of Isaiah’s ministry, but only in chapter 30 does reference to Egypt become explicit. While the setting might be the independence movement during the reign of Sargon in 713–711 B.C., alluded to in passages such as 14:28–32, we have separate reference to alliance with Egypt in the context of the similar events of 705–701 ...

2348. Two Adulterous Sisters

Ezekiel 23:1-49

Understanding Series

Steven Tuell

A Tale of Two Sisters: The allegory of the two sisters in Ezekiel 23 is clearly related to the story of the foundling bride Jerusalem in Ezekiel 16. This can be seen not only in explicit terminological links (e.g., the expression translated “naked and bare” appears only in 23:29 and 16:7, 22, 39), but also in the broad outline and theme of the story. Both chapters personify cities as women and graphically depict their unfaithfulness to God through foreign alliances and idolatry as adultery (for the ...

2349. Jesus the Messiah from Joseph’s Family Line

Matthew 1:1-17

Teach the Text

Jeannine K. Brown

Big Idea: Matthew, in the opening genealogy, emphasizes Jesus as the Davidic Messiah, whom God has sent to enact Israel’s restoration from exile and to include the Gentiles in God’s kingdom. Understanding the Text It may seem surprising to find a genealogy at the opening of Matthew’s Gospel, but genealogies were a common means for establishing and substantiating the identity of a person. Matthew’s genealogy of Jesus demonstrates that Jesus is Israel’s Messiah-King, from David’s royal line. Introducing ...

2350. Through His Faithful Death, Jesus as Messiah Redefined Brings Life

Matthew 27:27-31, Matthew 27:32-44, Matthew 27:45-56, Matthew 27:57-61, Matthew 27:62-66

Teach the Text

Jeannine K. Brown

Big Idea: In his narration of the crucifixion Matthew intertwines his affirmation of Jesus as the true king of the Jews with his use of Psalm 22 to indicate Jesus as the one who trusts God when suffering unjustly, thereby demonstrating Jesus’ death as the completion of his faithful mission, a redefinition of kingship, and a cosmic life-giving event. Understanding the Text The crucifixion narrative (27:27–50) brings together various christological threads of Matthew’s Gospel. The kingly (messianic) identity ...

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