Recent Commentaries

In today’s passage, all participants were at fault: 1. Isaac knew that it was God’s plan for the elder Esau to serve the younger Jacob, but he chose to ignore it. Esau was his favorite son and he intended to give him his blessing …

Joseph had still another test for his brothers. He had his servant fill up their sacks with grain and again put their money back in the sacks (v. 1). Then he had him put his silver cup in Benjamin’s sack (v. 2). The next morning the eleven men left to return to their father with the grain (v. 3) …

With Israel divided there was constant tension between the north and the south. From the beginning of David’s reign his real rival in the north was not Ishbosheth but Abner. In order to settle the question of royal succession Abner, the general in the north and David’s military l …

Because of the reference to captivity many Bible scholars believe this psalm was written at the time of Zerubbabel (Ezra.3:4) or more likely during the days of Ezra and Nehemiah (Neh. 2-4) (v. 1). At any rate it seems to belong to the early days of the return from Babylon. The th …

Things happened just as David had predicted as Saul became violently angry when David did not show for the feast of the New Moon. Jonathan tried to reason with his father as he had done a few weeks before (vv. 24-31). Saul, however, hurled his spear, narrowly missing his son. Jon …

When David heard that the Philistines were attacking Keilah, a border town about 15 miles southwest of Bethlehem, he inquired of the Lord as to whether they should help them (vv. 1-2). Sometimes in ministry we are faced with opportunities that to us might seem obvious. People are …

From the various gifts mentioned in chapter 12, the apostle selects three for discussion in this chapter. These are (1) prophecy, (2) speaking in tongues, (3) and interpretation of tongues. Paul compares the Corinthians’ preoccupation with tongues and their apparent disinterest in prophecy …

Here we see very clearly the danger which John saw in these false teachers (vv. 7-9). They are to be given no hospitality; and the refusal of hospitality would be the most effective way of stopping their work. We can never compromise with mistaken teachers but we are never free f …

Why is Satan unable to reveal his “man of sin” sooner? It is because God is restraining the forces of evil in the world. Satan cannot do whatever he wants to do, whenever he wants to do it. Paul mentions a restraining force that helps keep everything on schedule ( …

In Paul’s day letters usually started out with the person writing the letter using their own name first and then the name of the person or church to whom he was writing (v. 1). Paul addresses his fellow Christians as brothers and prays that God will be kind to them and bless them …