Tag: Explore the Bible

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Exegetical Notes: 2 Samuel 21:1-6, 10-14

Chapter 21 provides us with a somewhat odd story regarding an ongoing famine during the reign of David. It gives seemingly several odd theological and ethical dilemmas. However, we do see an emphasis on the justice of God for those who may be oppressed as well as some possible causation for natural disaster.

21 Now there was a famine in the days of David for three years, year after year. And David sought the face of the Lord. And the Lord said, “There is bloodguilt on Saul and on his house, because he put the Gibeonites to death.” 2 So the king called the Gibeonites and spoke to them. Now the Gibeonites were not of the people of Israel but of the remnant of the Amorites. Although the people of Israel had sworn to spare them, Saul had sought to strike them down in his zeal for the people of Israel and Judah. 3 And David said to the Gibeonites, “What shall I do for you? And how shall I make atonement, that you may bless the heritage of the Lord?”

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Exegetical Notes: 2 Corinthians 9:1-15

9 Now it is superfluous for me to write to you about the ministry for the saints,

Paul uses a bit of honey here to convince the believers in Corinth to complete their original intention of participating in the Jerusalem Offering. (See. 8:6)

“the ministry for the saints” – more specifically the Jerusalem Offering. As Paul would go from town to town on his missionary journey, he collected an offering to present to the believers in Jerusalem.

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Exegetical Notes: 1 Corinthians 1:10-25 (The Cross, The Calling, and The Unity of the Church)

10 I appeal to you, brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment.

“I appeal to you” – An informal request, but with emphasis. “I strongly urge you” or ” I earnestly asking you”

“by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ” – Paul appeals on the basis of Christ’s authority over the church and His redeeming work on behalf of his gospel. Paul’s overarching point throughout chapter one is his desire for all believers to remain steadfastly pointed to Christ and give him praise because his crucifixion provides the power for men to find forgiveness. Note that Paul begins his plea with Jesus at the center here in verse 10 and concludes this section by writing, “And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, so that, as it is written, ‘Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.”

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Exegetical Notes: Acts 28:17-28

17 After three days he called together the local leaders of the Jews, and when they had gathered, he said to them, “Brothers, though I had done nothing against our people or the customs of our fathers, yet I was delivered as a prisoner from Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans.

“after three days” – Meaning 3 days after his arrival in Rome (see v. 16). Paul’s house arrest prevents him from going to the local synagogue as is his usual custom, thus he arranges a meeting for them to come to him. 

Even in the midst of unpleasant circumstances (to say the least) Paul continues with the mission of teaching and sharing the gospel to those within his sphere of influence.

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Exegetical Notes: Acts 22:3-8; 15-22

1“Brothers and fathers, hear the defense that I now make before you.”

“hear the defense that I now make before you” – Paul’s entrance into the temple resulted in a quick uproar (Acts 21:26-36). In short, Paul was falsely accused by some Jews from Asia, who claimed he taught against the temple and brought Gentiles into the temple. The news of the riot soon reached a local Roman commander and he seized Paul in order to squelch the disturbance.

2 And when they heard that he was addressing them in the Hebrew language, they became even more quiet. And he said: Continue reading “Exegetical Notes: Acts 22:3-8; 15-22”

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Exegetical Notes: Acts 18:24-28; 19:1-7

18:24 Now a Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria, came to Ephesus. He was an eloquent man, competent in the Scriptures.

“Apollos” – As an aside: Many hypothesize Apollos to be the writer of the NT book, Hebrews (over the traditional Pauline authorship) because the writer of Hebrews demonstrates a great knowledge of Christ’s fulfillment of the OT scriptures (Jew, v28) and the linguistic style of Hebrews demonstrates itself to be much more “eloquent” than Paul’s other writings.

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Exegetical Notes: Acts 17:22-34

22 So Paul, standing in the midst of the Areopagus, said: “Men of Athens, I perceive that in every way you are very religious.

“said” – “The thrust of his message is clear: the Creator God, who has revealed Himself in Creation, has now commanded all to repent, for everyone must give an account to Jesus Christ whom God raised from the dead.”
 Stanley D. Toussaint, “Acts,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, ed. J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck, vol. 2 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985), 403.

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Exegetical Notes: Acts 16:22-34

22 The crowd joined in attacking them, and the magistrates tore the garments off them and gave orders to beat them with rods.

The events in these verses are ignited by Paul’s healing of a slave girl who “had a spirit of divination. Scholars tie her divination back to the false god Apollo, (who was represented by a Python snake), the original priestess at Delphi (home of Apollo) was said to have the gift of divination as well. Thus this slave girl is also able to predict future events. She was a source of great profit for her owners and when Paul became aggravated at her following them around for several days, he cast the demon out of the girl. The owners of this girl became angry over their impending profit losses and began a stir in the city of Philippi (v. 12).

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Exegetical Notes: Luke 2:22-38

22 And when the time came for their purification according to the Law of Moses, they brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord

“when the time came for their purification” -Referring to the time mentioned within the Mosaic Law (Leviticus 12), 33 days after Jesus’ circumcision. Making Jesus just under 6 weeks old.

23 (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, “Every male who first opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord”)

“Every male who first opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord” -Noted from Exodus 13:2, 12

24 and to offer a sacrifice according to what is said in the Law of the Lord, “a pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons.”

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Exegetical Notes: Leviticus 9:15-24; 10:1-3

Leviticus 9:15-24
15 Then he presented the people’s offering and took the goat of the sin offering that was for the people and killed it and offered it as a sin offering, like the first one.

“presented the people’s offering” – Notice the order of these offerings. Warren Wiersbe stated, “We must first deal with our sins before we can dedicate ourselves totally to the Lord; then we can enjoy fellowship with Him.”
 Mark F. Rooker, Leviticus, vol. 3A, The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 2000), 152–153.

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