Category: Bible Commentary

When he takes the throne of his kingdom, he is to write for himself on a scroll a copy of this law, taken from that of the priests, who are Levites. //In my book about Revelation, young Matthew complains that the cistern is as “dry as Deuteronomy.” But does this…

Then he said to the kinsman-redeemer, “Naomi, who has come back from Moab, is selling the piece of land that belonged to our brother Elimelech.” //Yesterday, I told how Naomi hatched a plan to get her widowed daughter-in-law re-hitched. Per Naomi’s instructions, Ruth visited Naomi’s “kinsman” while he slept off…

When Boaz had finished eating and drinking and was in good spirits, he went over to lie down at the far end of the grain pile. Ruth approached quietly, uncovered his feet and lay down. In the middle of the night something startled the man, and he turned and discovered a…

When the people saw the thunder and lightning and heard the trumpet and saw the mountain in smoke, they trembled with fear. They stayed at a distance and said to Moses, “Speak to us yourself and we will listen. But do not have God speak to us or we will die.”…

And the Jews’ passover was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem, And found in the temple those that sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the changers of money sitting: And when he had made a scourge of small cords, he drove them all out of the temple, and the…

In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes. //With this understatement, repeated roughly four times in the book of Judges, the Bible describes a period of unruly behavior in Israel known as the time of the judges. Six times a vicious cycle repeats itself…

Cursed be he that lieth with his mother in law. And all the people shall say, Amen. //Anyone who has read much of the Old Testament knows that the Hebrew Law had grown quite large and confusing. Scholars generally divide the law into five sections, developed at five different times…

Then the disciples went back to their homes, but Mary stood outside the tomb crying. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb and saw two angels in white, seated where Jesus’ body had been, one at the head and the other at the foot. //Yesterday, I…

As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe sitting on the right side, and they were alarmed. //This verse comes from the book of Mark, our earliest gospel. All translations agree, the being is a “young man dressed in white.” There is no…

Then the high priest rent his clothes, saying, He hath spoken blasphemy; what further need have we of witnesses? //In the interrogation of Jesus, Caiaphas, the high priest, grows frustrated with Jesus’ refusal to answer his inquiries. When Jesus finally claims that Caiaphas will see him “sitting on the right…