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Now there was a certain man of Ramathaimzophim, of mount Ephraim, and his name was Elkanah, the son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu, the son of Tohu, the son of Zuph, an Ephrathite:
And he had two wives; the name of the one was Hannah, and the name of the other Peninnah: and Peninnah had children, but Hannah had no children.
And this man went up out of his city yearly to worship and to sacrifice unto the LORD of hosts in Shiloh. And the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, the priests of the LORD, were there.
And when the time was that Elkanah offered, he gave to Peninnah his wife, and to all her sons and her daughters, portions:
But unto Hannah he gave a worthy portion; for he loved Hannah: but the LORD had shut up her womb.
And her adversary also provoked her sore, for to make her fret, because the LORD had shut up her womb.
And as he did so year by year, when she went up to the house of the LORD, so she provoked her; therefore she wept, and did not eat.
Then said Elkanah her husband to her, Hannah, why weepest thou? and why eatest thou not? and why is thy heart grieved? am not I better to thee than ten sons?
So Hannah rose up after they had eaten in Shiloh, and after they had drunk. Now Eli the priest sat upon a seat by a post of the temple of the LORD.
And she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed unto the LORD, and wept sore.
And she vowed a vow, and said, O LORD of hosts, if thou wilt indeed look on the affliction of thine handmaid, and remember me, and not forget thine handmaid, but wilt give unto thine handmaid a man child, then I will give him unto the LORD all the days of his life, and there shall no razor come upon his head.
And it came to pass, as she continued praying before the LORD, that Eli marked her mouth.
Now Hannah, she spake in her heart; only her lips moved, but her voice was not heard: therefore Eli thought she had been drunken.
And Eli said unto her, How long wilt thou be drunken? put away thy wine from thee.
And Hannah answered and said, No, my lord, I am a woman of a sorrowful spirit: I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but have poured out my soul before the LORD.
Count not thine handmaid for a daughter of Belial: for out of the abundance of my complaint and grief have I spoken hitherto.
Then Eli answered and said, Go in peace: and the God of Israel grant thee thy petition that thou hast asked of him.
And she said, Let thine handmaid find grace in thy sight. So the woman went her way, and did eat, and her countenance was no more sad.
And they rose up in the morning early, and worshipped before the LORD, and returned, and came to their house to Ramah: and Elkanah knew Hannah his wife; and the LORD remembered her.
Wherefore it came to pass, when the time was come about after Hannah had conceived, that she bare a son, and called his name Samuel, saying, Because I have asked him of the LORD.
And the man Elkanah, and all his house, went up to offer unto the LORD the yearly sacrifice, and his vow.
But Hannah went not up; for she said unto her husband, I will not go up until the child be weaned, and then I will bring him, that he may appear before the LORD, and there abide for ever.
And Elkanah her husband said unto her, Do what seemeth thee good; tarry until thou have weaned him; only the LORD establish his word. So the woman abode, and gave her son suck until she weaned him.
And when she had weaned him, she took him up with her, with three bullocks, and one ephah of flour, and a bottle of wine, and brought him unto the house of the LORD in Shiloh: and the child was young.
And they slew a bullock, and brought the child to Eli.
And she said, Oh my lord, as thy soul liveth, my lord, I am the woman that stood by thee here, praying unto the LORD.
For this child I prayed; and the LORD hath given me my petition which I asked of him:
Therefore also I have lent him to the LORD; as long as he liveth he shall be lent to the LORD. And he worshipped the LORD there.
Now king David was old and stricken in years; and they covered him with clothes, but he gat no heat.
Wherefore his servants said unto him, Let there be sought for my lord the king a young virgin: and let her stand before the king, and let her cherish him, and let her lie in thy bosom, that my lord the king may get heat.
So they sought for a fair damsel throughout all the coasts of Israel, and found Abishag a Shunammite, and brought her to the king.
And the damsel was very fair, and cherished the king, and ministered to him: but the king knew her not.
Then Adonijah the son of Haggith exalted himself, saying, I will be king: and he prepared him chariots and horsemen, and fifty men to run before him.
And his father had not displeased him at any time in saying, Why hast thou done so? and he also was a very goodly man; and his mother bare him after Absalom.
And he conferred with Joab the son of Zeruiah, and with Abiathar the priest: and they following Adonijah helped him.
But Zadok the priest, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and Nathan the prophet, and Shimei, and Rei, and the mighty men which belonged to David, were not with Adonijah.
And Adonijah slew sheep and oxen and fat cattle by the stone of Zoheleth, which is by Enrogel, and called all his brethren the king's sons, and all the men of Judah the king's servants:
But Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah, and the mighty men, and Solomon his brother, he called not.
Wherefore Nathan spake unto Bathsheba the mother of Solomon, saying, Hast thou not heard that Adonijah the son of Haggith doth reign, and David our lord knoweth it not?
Now therefore come, let me, I pray thee, give thee counsel, that thou mayest save thine own life, and the life of thy son Solomon.
Go and get thee in unto king David, and say unto him, Didst not thou, my lord, O king, swear unto thine handmaid, saying, Assuredly Solomon thy son shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my throne? why then doth Adonijah reign?
Behold, while thou yet talkest there with the king, I also will come in after thee, and confirm thy words.
And Bathsheba went in unto the king into the chamber: and the king was very old; and Abishag the Shunammite ministered unto the king.
And Bathsheba bowed, and did obeisance unto the king. And the king said, What wouldest thou?
And she said unto him, My lord, thou swarest by the LORD thy God unto thine handmaid, saying, Assuredly Solomon thy son shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my throne.
And now, behold, Adonijah reigneth; and now, my lord the king, thou knowest it not:
And he hath slain oxen and fat cattle and sheep in abundance, and hath called all the sons of the king, and Abiathar the priest, and Joab the captain of the host: but Solomon thy servant hath he not called.
And thou, my lord, O king, the eyes of all Israel are upon thee, that thou shouldest tell them who shall sit on the throne of my lord the king after him.
Otherwise it shall come to pass, when my lord the king shall sleep with his fathers, that I and my son Solomon shall be counted offenders.
And, lo, while she yet talked with the king, Nathan the prophet also came in.
And they told the king, saying, Behold Nathan the prophet. And when he was come in before the king, he bowed himself before the king with his face to the ground.
And Nathan said, My lord, O king, hast thou said, Adonijah shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my throne?
For he is gone down this day, and hath slain oxen and fat cattle and sheep in abundance, and hath called all the king's sons, and the captains of the host, and Abiathar the priest; and, behold, they eat and drink before him, and say, God save king Adonijah.
But me, even me thy servant, and Zadok the priest, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and thy servant Solomon, hath he not called.
Is this thing done by my lord the king, and thou hast not showed it unto thy servant, who should sit on the throne of my lord the king after him?
And the king sware, and said, As the LORD liveth, that hath redeemed my soul out of all distress,
Even as I sware unto thee by the LORD God of Israel, saying, Assuredly Solomon thy son shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my throne in my stead; even so will I certainly do this day.
Then Bathsheba bowed with her face to the earth, and did reverence to the king, and said, Let my lord king David live for ever.
And king David said, Call me Zadok the priest, and Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada. And they came before the king.
The king also said unto them, Take with you the servants of your lord, and cause Solomon my son to ride upon mine own mule, and bring him down to Gihon:
And let Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet anoint him there king over Israel: and blow ye with the trumpet, and say, God save king Solomon.
Then ye shall come up after him, that he may come and sit upon my throne; for he shall be king in my stead: and I have appointed him to be ruler over Israel and over Judah.
And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada answered the king, and said, Amen: the LORD God of my lord the king say so too.
As the LORD hath been with my lord the king, even so be he with Solomon, and make his throne greater than the throne of my lord king David.
So Zadok the priest, and Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and the Cherethites, and the Pelethites, went down, and caused Solomon to ride upon king David's mule, and brought him to Gihon.
And Zadok the priest took an horn of oil out of the tabernacle, and anointed Solomon. And they blew the trumpet; and all the people said, God save king Solomon.
And all the people came up after him, and the people piped with pipes, and rejoiced with great joy, so that the earth rent with the sound of them.
And Adonijah and all the guests that were with him heard it as they had made an end of eating. And when Joab heard the sound of the trumpet, he said, Wherefore is this noise of the city being in an uproar?
And while he yet spake, behold, Jonathan the son of Abiathar the priest came: and Adonijah said unto him, Come in; for thou art a valiant man, and bringest good tidings.
And the king hath sent with him Zadok the priest, and Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and the Cherethites, and the Pelethites, and they have caused him to ride upon the king's mule:
And Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet have anointed him king in Gihon: and they are come up from thence rejoicing, so that the city rang again. This is the noise that ye have heard.
And also Solomon sitteth on the throne of the kingdom.
And moreover the king's servants came to bless our lord king David, saying, God make the name of Solomon better than thy name, and make his throne greater than thy throne. And the king bowed himself upon the bed.
And also thus said the king, Blessed be the LORD God of Israel, which hath given one to sit on my throne this day, mine eyes even seeing it.
And all the guests that were with Adonijah were afraid, and rose up, and went every man his way.
And Adonijah feared because of Solomon, and arose, and went, and caught hold on the horns of the altar.
And it was told Solomon, saying, Behold, Adonijah feareth king Solomon: for, lo, he hath caught hold on the horns of the altar, saying, Let king Solomon swear unto me to day that he will not slay his servant with the sword.
And Solomon said, If he will show himself a worthy man, there shall not an hair of him fall to the earth: but if wickedness shall be found in him, he shall die.
So king Solomon sent, and they brought him down from the altar. And he came and bowed himself to king Solomon: and Solomon said unto him, Go to thine house.
The sons of Japheth; Gomer, and Magog, and Madai, and Javan, and Tubal, and Meshech, and Tiras.
And the sons of Cush; Seba, and Havilah, and Sabta, and Raamah, and Sabtecha. And the sons of Raamah; Sheba, and Dedan.
And Cush begat Nimrod: he began to be mighty upon the earth.
The Jebusite also, and the Amorite, and the Girgashite,
And the Hivite, and the Arkite, and the Sinite,
And the Arvadite, and the Zemarite, and the Hamathite.
The sons of Shem; Elam, and Asshur, and Arphaxad, and Lud, and Aram, and Uz, and Hul, and Gether, and Meshech.
And unto Eber were born two sons: the name of the one was Peleg; because in his days the earth was divided: and his brother's name was Joktan.
Hadoram also, and Uzal, and Diklah,
And Ophir, and Havilah, and Jobab. All these were the sons of Joktan.
Abram; the same is Abraham.
These are their generations: The firstborn of Ishmael, Nebaioth; then Kedar, and Adbeel, and Mibsam,
Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah. These are the sons of Ishmael.
And the sons of Midian; Ephah, and Epher, and Henoch, and Abida, and Eldaah. All these are the sons of Keturah.
And the sons of Seir; Lotan, and Shobal, and Zibeon, and Anah, and Dishon, and Ezar, and Dishan.
And the sons of Lotan; Hori, and Homam: and Timna was Lotan's sister.
The sons of Anah; Dishon. And the sons of Dishon; Amram, and Eshban, and Ithran, and Cheran.
The sons of Ezer; Bilhan, and Zavan, and Jakan. The sons of Dishan; Uz, and Aran.
Now these are the kings that reigned in the land of Edom before any king reigned over the children of Israel; Bela the son of Beor: and the name of his city was Dinhabah.
And when Bela was dead, Jobab the son of Zerah of Bozrah reigned in his stead.
And when Jobab was dead, Husham of the land of the Temanites reigned in his stead.
And when Husham was dead, Hadad the son of Bedad, which smote Midian in the field of Moab, reigned in his stead: and the name of his city was Avith.
And when Hadad was dead, Samlah of Masrekah reigned in his stead.
And when Samlah was dead, Shaul of Rehoboth by the river reigned in his stead.
And when Shaul was dead, Baalhanan the son of Achbor reigned in his stead.
And when Baalhanan was dead, Hadad reigned in his stead: and the name of his city was Pai; and his wife's name was Mehetabel, the daughter of Matred, the daughter of Mezahab.
So that ye come behind in no ° gift; waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ:
Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.
For it hath been declared unto me of you, my brethren, by them which are of the house of Chloe, that there are contentions among you.
Lest any should say that I had baptized in mine own name.
For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect.
For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.
For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.
Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men.
But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty;
And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are:
That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.
As I besought thee to abide still at Ephesus, when I went into Macedonia, that thou mightest charge some that they teach no other doctrine,
From which some having swerved have turned aside unto vain jangling;
Knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners, for unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers,
For whoremongers, for them that defile themselves with mankind, for menstealers, for liars, for perjured persons, and if there be any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine;
According to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, which was committed to my trust.
This charge I commit unto thee, son Timothy, according to the prophecies which went before on thee, that thou by them mightest war a good warfare;
Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.
Of which salvation the prophets have inquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you:
Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow.
Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into.
Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;
As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance:
But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation;
And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man's work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear:
Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers;
But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:
Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently:
But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you.
That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life;
(For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and show unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;) °
And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full.

New Defender's Study Bible Notes

Introduction to I Samuel

The two books of Samuel were originally one book in the ancient Hebrew Canon, but became two in the Greek Septuagint translation of the Old Testament. Samuel may be considered the last of the judges (I Samuel 7:15). When he attempted to appoint his two sons as judges to succeed himself (I Samuel 8:3), they proved unworthy, and the people demanded a king. The book of I Samuel is thus especially significant in describing Israel’s transition from a theocracy to a monarchy.

In addition to being a judge, Samuel was also a priest (I Samuel 7:9; 13:11-14) and prophet (I Samuel 3:20). He was probably the founder of the so-called “school of the prophets,” which proved so important in Judah and Israel for centuries to come (I Samuel 19:20). He was never king of Israel, but did have the privilege of being used by God to anoint as king first Saul, then David.

Samuel possibly wrote the first twenty-four chapters of the book himself, but he could not have written more than this, as the events of I Samuel 25–31 occurred after his death (I Samuel 25:1). It is possible that the prophets Nathan and Gad, who were probably trained by Samuel, wrote these later chapters, as well as all of II Samuel (note I Chronicles 29:29). The final author or editor is unknown, however, and it may be that whoever it was simply used the earlier records of Samuel, Nathan and Gad in compiling his own account under divine inspiration. Even I Samuel could not have been put in its final form until at least the days of Rehoboam, for the kingdom had already been divided by the time this was done (note I Samuel 27:6).

Just as Moses had placed his books of the law in the Ark of the Covenant to be preserved there (Deuteronomy 31:24-26, so probably did Joshua (Joshua 24:26) and also Samuel (I Samuel 10:25). Accounts were kept of the events in the life of David (I Chronicles 27:24), and it is at least possible that these were kept by Nathan and/or Gad, both of whom outlived David.

In any case, there is every reason to believe that we have actual eye-witness accounts of the events described in both I Samuel and II Samuel. This was an extremely important period in the economy of Israel, marking both the great revival under Samuel after the dark period of the later judges, especially Eli. The period also contains the transition of the united kingdom under David and Solomon, the time of Israel’s pinnacle of greatness in all its history to date.


1:1 name was Elkanah. Elkanah (his name meaning “God created”) was an Ephraimite geographically but also a Levite genetically (I Chronicles 6:27,28). See note on I Chronicles 6:28.


1:3 LORD of hosts. This the first of almost 240 references in the Bible to God as the “LORD of hosts” (Hebrew Jehovah Sabaoth). He is also called “the God of hosts” (e.g., Psalm 80:7, for example) about ten times, and “LORD God of hosts” some twenty-five times (e.g., II Samuel 5:10, for example). This unique name, used most often in the prophetical books, stresses the “innumerable” (Hebrews 12:22) company of angels under the command of Christ. The Lord Jesus Christ is the “captain of the host of the LORD” (Joshua 5:14) and could easily have called on “twelve legions of angels” (Matthew 26:53) to save Himself from the cross, had He been so minded. The name “Lord of Sabaoth” is used only once in the New Testament (James 5:4).


1:11 no razor. This commitment indicates that she would dedicate her son to be a Nazarite (Numbers 6:5). The commitment on her part was not for a distinct period as was usually the case, but lifelong.


1:20 his name Samuel. The name Samuel is believed to mean “name of God.”


1:28 lent to the LORD. The connotation of “lent,” as used by Hannah, implies a life-long and unconditional loan.


Introduction to I Kings

Formerly considered the “third book of Kings” after I and II Samuel, this book has carried its present identification since the sixteenth century. It continues the account of David’s life, starting with the rebellion of Adonijah, the coronation of Solomon and the death of David. It continues with the details of Solomon’s reign, featured by the building and dedication of the temple.

The sad fall of Solomon, his death and then the tragedy of the divided kingdom, following the rebellion of Jeroboam against Rehoboam, are recounted in the central chapters of I Kings, with the rest of the book devoted to the conflicts of Judah and Israel with each other and with other nations. Of special significance is the story of the prophet Elijah, in his interchanges with King Ahab and the prophets of Baal. The book continues through the reign of Jehoshaphat in Judah (great grandson of Rehoboam, son of Solomon), and Ahaziah in Israel (the seventh king of Israel following Jeroboam). The total period covered by I Kings is about 126 years, from the accession of Solomon to that of Jehoram.

No one knows who wrote I Kings. Undoubtedly the final editor used various sources with which to compile the inspired record as we now have it. Jewish tradition indicates that the prophet Jeremiah was the man responsible for the final compilation and editing of both I Kings and II Kings. The Jews had considered both Samuel and Kings to be included in the Books of the Prophets (as distinct from the Law and the Psalms), and the Books of Kings are indeed filled with many prophetic insights, so it could well be true that the original records, as well as the final editing, were produced by one or more of the prophets.


1:1 stricken in years. David was about seventy years old (II Samuel 5:4), and his long years of exile and fighting had taken a toll on his physical body.


1:5 Adonijah. Adonijah was the fourth son of David, but both Amnon and Absalom were dead. Nothing is known of Chileab, his second son. Adonijah evidently thought he should succeed his father, even though both David and God Himself had chosen Solomon, the son of David’s favorite wife, Bathsheba, as the next king (I Chronicles 22:9,10; I Kings 1:13).


1:7 Abiathar the priest. Joab had been David’s Commander-in-chief and Abiathar was high priest, so Adonijah had some influential allies to support him in his attempt to take over the rule of Israel.


1:12 save thine own life. If Adonijah were really to become king, he would almost certainly have had Solomon and his mother executed, as well as any other potential claimants to the throne. He knew of David’s promise to Solomon and Bathsheba, and thus did not invite them to his planned inaugural banquet, knowing they would vehemently protest.


1:50 horns of the altar. It had evidently become the practice of those who had committed crimes, especially if they were unintentional, to flee to the tabernacle (like a city of refuge), and hold on to the horns on the altar (note Exodus 21:12-14). First Adonijah and soon Joab (I Kings 2:28-34) would seek to escape punishment for this treasonous conspiracy by this action.


1:53 Go to thine house. Even though Adonijah’s treason was a capital crime, Solomon granted clemency, probably out of concern for David, who had already lost two sons.


Introduction to I Chronicles

The two books of Chronicles, like the two books of Samuel and the two books of Kings, were originally one book. I Chronicles deals mainly with the reign of David, substantially paralleling but abbreviating Samuel’s accounts. II Chronicles begins with the reign of Solomon and continues through Judah’s entire history to the time of the Babylonian invasion and exile, thus paralleling the two books of Kings. However, Chronicles all but ignores the corresponding history of the northern kingdom.

There are many indications that the two books of Chronicles date from the post-exilic period (for example, some of the genealogies in the first nine chapters extend into that period; also, the note in the final two verses of II Chronicles speak of the decree of Cyrus authorizing the rebuilding of the temple), and this suggests that Ezra the scribe probably was the final editor and author. In fact, there exists significant evidence that Chronicles was originally one book with Ezra and Nehemiah. Ezra’s authorship is not unquestioned, of course, but it seems reasonable and is confirmed by almost unanimous Jewish tradition.

Thus, the books of Chronicles were written long after Samuel and Kings, and the Chronicler no doubt had these two (or four) books to select from in developing his account. There were also numerous other ancient documents and records available, some of which are actually mentioned in the Bible. Note for example, the mention of the writings of the prophets Nathan and Gad (I Chronicles 29:29). In II Chronicles the authors mention: “the book of the kings of Judah” (II Chronicles 16:11); “the book of the kings of Israel” (II Chronicles 20:34); and the “book of the kings of Judah and Israel” (II Chronicles 25:26). There are numerous other sources listed, some twenty in all.

Since all these ancient documents are lost, there is no way of knowing which of them were used by Ezra (or whoever the Chronicler may have been). He undoubtedly used Samuel and Kings, since many sections in Chronicles are almost exact quotes (I Chronicles 11:1-3 with II Samuel 5:1-3).

A natural question is why such duplication was necessary, when the four books of Samuel and Kings were already available. From the viewpoint of the returning exiles, however, it was important for them to have a document establishing their ties with their founding fathers, with their continuing role in the plan of God for His chosen people, and with the eventual Messianic kingdom. Therefore, the detailed genealogies and the strong emphasis on David and the Davidic line leading ultimately to the Messiah are again recorded in these books. This theme not only explains why certain events were duplicated but why certain new records were added and why there were many omissions. As far as the latter are concerned (the events of Saul’s reign, the history of the northern kingdom, David’s sin and Absalom’s rebellion, Solomon’s moral decline in his later years), these were records of failure and rebellion which had no ultimate bearing on that great theme which the Chronicler needed to emphasize. The ultimate apostasy of Judah and her exile, of course, had to be included to explain the situation in which the returning exiles now found themselves.

Just as there is duplication in the four gospels of the New Testament, so also there is duplication between the book of Chronicles and the books of Samuel and Kings. Nevertheless, in both cases, the superficial amount of duplication merely serves as confirmation of the historicity of the events from a different perspective and also provides additional information. The net effect of this duplication is to give a greater in-depth understanding of God’s great plan.


1:1 Adam. The Adam-to-Abraham genealogy listed in I Chronicles 1:1–27 at the beginning of I Chronicles is the same as that in Genesis 5, but both omit the name of Cainan found in the genealogy of Luke 3:36. Cainan is also found in the Septuagint. It seems likely that the name “Cainan” was accidentally added by some Greek-Septuagint copyist, possibly by careless insertion of the antediluvian Cainan in the post-diluvian chronology (Genesis 5:9-14). The other alternative—that the second “Cainan” was inadvertently omitted by an ancient Hebrew copyist, in both Genesis and I Chronicles, seems less likely, both in view of the doctrine of verbal inspiration and also in view of the meticulous copying accuracy of the ancient Hebrew scribes who preserved the Old Testament Scriptures. In either case, a copying mistake seems to have been involved. Nevertheless, it seems probable that the original compiler of the genealogy presented it as a complete record, and all later copyists regarded it as such, including the inspired writer of I Chronicles. However, the chronological data included in either the Genesis genealogy or the others has posed a difficulty, since it seems to be much too short to correlate with the generally accepted secular chronology of ancient history, which assumes at least several hundred thousand years for the history of mankind. This fact has led many Christian apologists to propose arbitrary large gaps in the three genealogies of Genesis, I Chronicles and Luke. This expedient, however, is without warrant in either the context or the obvious intent of the writers. It seems more consistent with the Biblical doctrine of inerrancy to focus instead on the false assumptions in the evolutionary chronologies developed by secular writers—assumptions centered in naturalism and uniformitarianism.


1:29 their generations. Ishmael was a son of Abraham, as Esau (I Chronicles 1:35) was a son of Isaac, yet neither was in the line of the chosen people Israel. The same is true of the sons of Keturah, Abraham’s wife in his later years. Yet their descendants are included here along with those of Jacob, essentially copied from the same tabulations in Genesis. In accord with the principle of verbal inspiration, there must be a reason why the writer of I Chronicles was led to repeat these records. All of these others are descendants of Abraham, and for later generations of both Jews and Gentiles, repetition emphasizes again the fact that God has abundantly fulfilled His original prophetic promise to make Abraham “a father of many nations” (Genesis 17:5). These offspring—from Ishmael, Keturah and Esau—have their modern descendants in the various Arab peoples and states. It is also noteworthy that, despite the long enmity of Arabs and Israelis toward each other, and the enmity of both toward Christians, the Arabs alone among non-Christian peoples continue to believe in the book of Genesis, in a primeval special creation of the entire universe, and in a personal transcendent Creator God. All other nations since the dispersion at Babel, have followed some form of evolutionary humanistic pantheism as their religion, although some—especially among the animists—do maintain also the tradition of a far-off “unknown God” (Acts 17:23), who was greater than the other gods.


1:38 sons of Seir. See Genesis 36:20-28. Esau’s daughter-in-law, Timna (I Chronicles 1:35-36) was a daughter of Seir. Thus the descendants of Esau and Seir were related by marriage and, in effect, the Edomites included both tribes. Timna was the mother of Amalek, but it is likely that he had been named after some previous Amalek, who was the real father of the Amalekites.


Introduction to I Corinthians

The church at Corinth was founded by the Apostle Paul in about A.D. 51, while on his second missionary journey, shortly after his visit to Athens (Acts 18:1). Corinth is located in a narrow isthmus connecting Achaia with Macedonia, and is just a few miles west of Athens. During the first century it was a very large and prosperous city, with one harbor on the west side of the isthmus facing Italy, the other on the east facing Asia.

With many sailors coming and going all the time, as well as other tradesmen, the city became notorious for its immorality, especially in connection with its temple to Aphrodite, which was serviced by a thousand temple prostitutes. This character reflected itself in the many problems that soon surfaced in the Corinthian church.

On his first visit to Corinth, Paul ministered there for eighteen months (Acts 18:11), during which time he wrote the two Thessalonian epistles. The first epistle to the Corinthians was written some four or five years later while Paul was in Ephesus during his third missionary journey (I Corinthians 16:8,19).

Although a thriving church was established in Corinth, largely consisting of Gentiles (note Acts 18:8), it was strongly influenced by the city’s culture, giving Paul great concern. The epistle was written partly to answer their questions about such matters as eating temple meats, the use of spiritual gifts, and proper marriage relationships (I Corinthians 8:1-13; 12:1-14; 7:1-40). Even more, however, Paul was concerned about divisions in the church and their toleration of flagrant immorality among their members (I Corinthians 1:10-17; 3:1-8; 5:1-11; 6:9-20).

At the same time, the fifteenth chapter of I Corinthians constitutes the greatest chapter to be found in any of the epistles on the glorious bodily resurrection. Many consider the first four verses of this chapter to be the defining passage on the saving gospel of Christ.

There are other important doctrines developed in the epistle, as well as numerous instructions concerning practical Christian behavior. Paul had actually written an earlier letter to them (note I Corinthians 5:9), on the morality question.

The authenticity of I Corinthians as a genuine epistle of Paul is all but universally accepted, even by skeptics. The present-day city of Corinth is located some distance away from the New Testament city. The remains of the latter have been well explored archaeologically, fully confirming the descriptions given in Acts and the two Corinthian letters. The Roman proconsul of Achaia (of which Corinth was the capital), a man named Gallio (Acts 18:12-17), is well known to secular history. An inscription containing his name and identifying him as proconsul of Achaia at the time has been found at Delphi, another city in Achaia.

The epistle is also known for its famous “love chapter” (I Corinthians 13). It is also known for its critique of human wisdom, so prized among the Greeks, in relation to divine wisdom as revealed through the Holy Spirit in the Scriptures (I Corinthians 1:17–2:16).


1:1 Sosthenes. “Sosthenes,” until just a short time before, had been ruler of the Jewish synagogue at Corinth (Acts 18:17), even suffering a beating by the Corinthian Greeks because of his involvement with the Jewish insurrection against Paul (Acts 18:12). Somehow the Lord had used these experiences to bring Sosthenes to believe Paul and accept Christ. He had even gone to Ephesus with Paul, and now was joining Paul in his letter back to his Christian friends in Corinth (I Corinthians 16:5-8; Acts 20:31.


1:2 sanctified. As the further development of his letter makes evident (e.g., I Corinthians 3:1; 5:1-2; 6:1), Paul knew these Corinthian believers were not “called saints” because of their saintly behavior. Rather, they were “sanctified in Christ Jesus”—that is, “set apart” to God through faith in Christ Jesus.


1:8 unto the end. It is obvious that even the first-century church was “waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ” (I Corinthians 1:7), looking for His imminent return and “the end” of the present age.


1:17 not to baptize. Paul did baptize believers, for this was a part of the great commission (Matthew 28:19-20), but baptism, as this verse makes very clear, is not a part of the gospel, and therefore not a requisite of salvation, for it is by the gospel that men and women are saved (I Corinthians 15:1-2).


1:18 foolishness. Those who regard Christianity as foolishness, rejecting and perhaps even ridiculing God’s Word, thereby prove to others that they are perishing in sin, on their way to hell.


1:19 it is written. Paul is quoting here from Isaiah 29:14, with somewhat similar relevant passages in Jeremiah 49:7 and Obadiah 8. The section from this verse through the end of chapter 2 is a sobering indictment of supposed human wisdom, as opposed to true wisdom in Christ (I Corinthians 1:30).


1:21 wisdom knew not God. Human wisdom—whether ancient Greek philosophy or modern evolutionary scientism—has always sought to explain the origin of the world by some means apart from its God and Creator. In the sight of God, this attempt is not true wisdom, true philosophy, or true science, but mere rebellious foolishness (Psalm 14:1; Romans 1:22).


1:21 foolishness of preaching. To the wisdom of the ungodly, “foolish preaching” is preaching the crucifixion of the world’s Creator by His creation.


1:22 require a sign. Note Christ’s rebuke of this carnal attitude in Matthew 12:39-40 and John 4:48.


1:26 not many. Paul does not say: “Not any,” but: “Not many.” There have always been a few brilliant or powerful or aristocratic men who have devoted their gifts to the Lord and His Word, but they have always been the exceptions. This passage, in fact, is a remarkably fulfilled prophecy, having remained incisively true for almost two thousand years. Rather than being discouraged by the intellectual snobbery of educated unbelievers, their very dominance in the world should be regarded as merely another proof of the inspiration of the Scriptures.


1:30 made unto us. All we are, and all we have—if it is of any value at all in the scale of eternity—is given us by our Creator and Savior Jesus Christ. “In [Him] are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge” (Colossians 2:3); “[He] is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth” (Romans 10:4); we are “sanctified in Christ Jesus” (I Corinthians 1:2); and, “in [Him] we have redemption through His blood” (Colossians 1:14).


1:31 it is written. See Jeremiah 9:23-24. Pride is the devil’s sin (I Timothy 3:6), and “God resisteth the proud” (James 4:6).


Introduction to I Thessalonians

This first epistle to the church at Thessalonica was written soon after Paul’s first visit there, while on his second missionary journey (Acts 17:1-4). After forming a church there, Paul and Silas were suddenly required to leave the city. Paul, therefore, felt it necessary to confirm and extend the teaching he had left unfinished when he was with the Thessalonians. After he reached Corinth he wrote to the church there as soon as he had opportunity (Acts 18:1-4; I Thessalonians 3:1-6).

This was relatively early in Paul’s ministry, and many have assumed that I Thessalonians was the earliest of his canonical epistles, written about A.D. 50. However, it is also quite possible that Galatians was written even earlier (see “Introduction to Galatians”), possibly in A.D. 49.

Thessalonica (modern Salonika), on the road to Athens from Philippi, was the capital of ancient Macedonia and was a large and important port city. Paul had first entered Europe at Thessalonica. The church he started there was composed of both ethnic Jews and Gentile proselytes to Judaism, with a great multitude of the latter becoming Christians (Acts 17:4). This development stirred up the unbelieving Jews, who thenceforth sought to destroy Paul wherever he went.

He had warned the new converts that they might face persecution, and was overjoyed when Timothy later came from Thessalonica to meet Paul in Corinth (Acts 18:5) with the good news that the young Christians in Thessalonica were standing firm (I Thessalonians 3:1-6). However, they did have a number of questions, especially in relation to life after death and the promised return of the Lord. These were key topics which Paul in his brief ministry there had evidently not been able to deal with adequately. Consequently, this epistle contains perhaps the most important and definitive passage in the Bible on these topics (I Thessalonians 4:13–5:10).

Other than that, perhaps Paul’s main purpose in writing the first Thessalonian epistle was to defend his ministry against the slanders of the Jews, reminding them that he had not taken anything at all from them out of a sincere desire to share the saving gospel of Christ with them without any obligation on their part (I Thessalonians 2:1-12). He also reminded them of a number of pithy and practical instructions for effective Christian living in a pagan world.

The first Thessalonian epistle is as timely today, over 1,950 years later, as when it was written, and as much applicable to churches and believers in the modern world as in the ancient world.


1:1 Thessalonians. It is possible that this is the first epistle written by Paul. Paul had taken Silas (same as Silvanus) and Timothy with him on his first missionary venture into Greece (see Acts 15:40–16:3; 16:10). After preaching the gospel in Philippi, the leading city of Macedonia (Acts 16:12), they came to another important seaport, Thessalonica (Acts 17:1), remaining at least several weeks and winning both Jews and Greeks to Christ. These people evidently formed a church, and Paul wrote this first epistle to them a short time later, after he had gone on to Corinth (Acts 18:1,11). Since both Silas and Timothy had been with him at Thessalonica, he included them in his salutation to the church.


1:1 the Lord Jesus Christ. It is significant that in the first verse of what may have been his first epistle, Paul acknowledges Jesus Christ as Lord (note Acts 2:36). He frequently used this full name and title in his preaching (e.g., Acts 16:31) as well as his writing, and finally in the very last verse written before his death (II Timothy 4:22). He also frequently wrote of “Jesus Christ” (e.g., Galatians 1:1, his earliest letter except possibly for the Thessalonian epistles) but, for some reason, never to the Thessalonians. To the Thessalonians, he wrote about “Christ Jesus” (e.g., I Thessalonians 2:15), as well as simply “Christ” and “the Lord” (e.g., I Thessalonians 2:6; 1:6). Once, in Colossians 3:24, he mentioned “the Lord Christ.” But it is significant that never in any of his epistles did he speak simply of “Jesus,” except when he was specifically referring to Him in His human life on earth. Paul speaks of Him as “the Lord Jesus Christ” at least nineteen times in the two Thessalonian epistles.


1:3 without ceasing. The Greek word rendered “without ceasing” means “continuously” (i.e., repeated frequently), rather than “continually” (i.e., never stopping).


1:3 hope. The linking of faith, hope and love occurs often in the New Testament. See note on Colossians 1:4,5.


1:9 from idols. Note the exposition in the lives of the Thessalonians of Paul’s testimony in I Thessalonians 1:3. They had demonstrated the reality of their faith by their work of faith in turning “to God from idols;” they had shown true “labour of love” in serving “the living and true God,” and they were manifesting “patience of hope” as they waited “for His Son from heaven.”


1:9 true God. The Thessalonian believers, especially the Gentiles, had evidently heard and received the same creation evangelism message Paul had preached at Athens. They had trusted the true, eternally living God of creation, instead of the false gods and dead idols they once had served. They further believed in the atoning death of Jesus for their eternal deliverance from judgment to come, acknowledging that He alone, as God incarnate and perfect man, could conquer death and rise from the dead (Compare Acts 17:22-31).


1:10 wait for his Son from heaven. This epistle written by Paul, only eighty-eight verses long, has at least fourteen verses referring to Christ’s second coming, or sixteen percent, a larger ratio than any other later epistle, except for II Thessalonians (eleven out of forty-seven, or twenty-three percent). The promise of the return of Christ was the “blessed hope” (Titus 2:13) of Christians from the very first.


Introduction to I Timothy

This is the first of Paul’s three pastoral epistles. Timothy was Paul’s stalwart young disciple, to whom he gave many responsibilities. Paul first met him at Lystra, probably while on his first missionary journey. Paul invited him to join with him in his ministry on his second missionary journey when he again came to Lystra (Acts 16:1-3), the same city where he had once been stoned and left for dead (Acts 14:1,19). Timothy had been diligently trained in the Scriptures by his mother and grandmother (II Timothy 1:5), and then was evidently led to Christ by Paul himself, for Paul regarded him as his son in the faith (I Timothy 1:2).

Timothy served Paul in numerous ways throughout Paul’s travels. He was with Paul and Silas when Paul wrote his two letters to the Thessalonians (I Thessalonians 1:1; II Thessalonians 1:1) from Corinth, where Timothy had joined Paul after ministering in Berea while Paul was in Athens (Acts 17:16; 18:5).

He was also with Paul in Macedonia when II Corinthians was written and in Corinth when Romans was written (Romans 16:21). However, when Paul wrote to Timothy himself, Timothy was apparently serving in Ephesus (I Timothy 1:3), while Paul had gone back into Macedonia. There is no indication of this particular situation in the narrative of Acts, so it is likely that this was written after Paul’s release from his first imprisonment in Rome. Since Acts closes at the point of Paul’s rather comfortable incarceration in Rome awaiting his appeal (Acts 28:30), it is almost certain that Paul was later released and was able to continue his missionary ministries for another few years.

It was during that time, apparently, that Paul sent Timothy to Ephesus to lead the important church there for a time. In his letter to Timothy, presumably written from Philippi about A.D. 63, Paul is instructing Timothy concerning church structure, order and teachings. In particular, he wanted to guide Timothy in ordaining bishops and deacons for the church (I Timothy 3:1-13), who were then to lead the church on an ongoing basis.

Paul also warned Timothy of the dangers to the church from occultic teachings and from pseudo-scientific philosophy (I Timothy 4:1-5; 6:19-20). These warnings are as appropriate today as they were in the first century, with New Age practices and evolutionary philosophies abounding today in liberal churches and even affecting great numbers of evangelical churches.

Like most of the Pauline epistles, the Pastoral Epistles (I and II Timothy and Titus) were unanimously accepted as genuine Pauline writings by all the early church fathers. The personal references in I Timothy are so many and so clear that they could not have been forged by someone using Paul’s name (I Timothy 1:1), even though a few modern critics have argued weakly for such an idea. There is surely no reason to question either the Pauline authorship or the divine inspiration of this first epistle of Paul to young Timothy.


1:1 our hope Our “hope” is not in this world; it is Christ, not some vague wish but a “confident expectation,” which is the meaning of the Greek word. It is a “blessed hope” (Titus 2:13), a living hope (I Peter 1:3), a saving hope (Romans 8:24), a glorious hope (Colossians 1:27), a joyful hope (Romans 5:2), a reasonable hope (I Peter 3:15), a purifying hope (I John 3:3), a stabilizing hope (Hebrews 6:19), and an everlasting hope (II Thessalonians 2:16).


1:2 Timothy. Timothy (meaning “honor to God”) was the son of a Greek father and a devout Jewish mother (Acts 16:1). His mother and grandmother had instructed him in the Scriptures in childhood. Apparently they had come to believe in Christ as a result of Paul’s message and testimony at Lystra on his first missionary journey (II Timothy 1:5; 3:15). On Paul’s second trip to Lystra, he was so impressed with young Timothy and his Christian character that Paul urged Timothy to accompany him on the rest of his journey, first arranging for Timothy to be circumcised in order not to offend the Jews in the cities where they would be witnessing (Acts 16:3). From then on, Timothy worked closely with Paul right up to the end of Paul’s life, though often being sent away on special assignments.


1:3 abide still at Ephesus. There is no record of this assignment in the book of Acts, and the same is true of other personal references in this epistle. This is one of the reasons most New Testament scholars believe that Paul was released after his first incarceration at Rome, although the book of Acts closes with his imprisonment. He then, presumably, continued to travel and preach at many places throughout the Roman empire. Eventually, he was again arrested, this time under the severe waves of persecution by the emperor Nero, and was finally executed. I Timothy, it is believed, was written between the two imprisonments; II Timothy was written from prison, shortly before he was put to death by Nero’s order.


1:3 doctrine. Doctrine (i.e., teaching) is often downgraded today in the church in favor of an emphasis on love. Nevertheless, sound doctrine must come first; true Christian love is the natural product of sound doctrine (I Timothy 1:5).


1:4 fables and endless genealogies. These “fables and endless genealogies” are generally thought to be rabbinical traditions, since the Ephesian church where Timothy was pastoring (I Timothy 1:3) had been plagued from the start by Jewish opponents of Paul (Acts 19:8-9). However, Gentile converts were also numerous (Acts 19:10), and these had come from a background of pagan evolutionary philosophy, featuring the worship of the nature goddess Diana (Acts 19:35). Like other forms of evolutionism, Greek paganism was a nest of fables and a great chain of genealogical relationships extending back into eternity. All such compromises with either legalism or evolutionism, ancient or modern, are utterly bereft of spiritual edification.


1:10 defile themselves with mankind. In contrast to the modern rush to make homosexuality an approved life style, it is noteworthy that the Apostle Paul classifies homosexuals right along with murderers and pimps.


1:10 menstealers. These are “kidnappers” or “slave-catchers.”


1:15 a faithful saying. There are three other “faithful sayings” noted by the Apostle Paul (I Timothy 4:9; II Timothy 2:11; Titus 3:8), all in the pastoral epistles.


1:15 I am chief. Right near the end of a uniquely fruitful Christian life, Paul still considered himself chief of sinners. Earlier he had called himself “least of the apostles” (I Corinthians 15:9), then later “less than the least of all saints” (Ephesians 3:8).


1:17 only wise God. Some manuscripts do not include the word “wise” in this doxology, but it is clearly appropriate and certainly should be retained. God is not only eternal, incorruptible and omnipresent, but also omniscient.


1:19 good conscience. Note I Timothy 1:5. Holding the true faith is naturally compatible with a good conscience. If one lapses into moral sin, it is a short step to explaining away the faith, and vice versa.


1:20 Hymenaeus. The blasphemy of Hymenaeus, and presumably that of Alexander, was denial of the future bodily resurrection (II Timothy 2:17-18), evidently holding that the resurrection was simply the spiritual change when a person is born again. This was called blasphemy, because it denied not only the teachings of Paul (e.g., I Thessalonians 4:16-17), but also of Christ Himself (e.g., John 5:25-29).


1:20 delivered unto Satan. The action of “[delivering] unto Satan” probably includes more than excommunication from the church. The same action mentioned in I Corinthians 5:5 speaks of “destruction of the flesh” as a possible chastisement, not carried out by the church, but by the Lord.


Introduction to I Peter

The two epistles of Simon Peter were, like those of James and Hebrews, written to the Christian Jews of the dispersion (I Peter 1:1; II Peter 3:1), evidently intended to be circulated among their churches in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia, all of which were Roman provinces in the area that is now called Turkey. At least some of these provinces—and probably all—were represented by pilgrims who had believed on Christ at the outpouring of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost (Acts 2:4). Peter had been the spokesman and preacher on that great day and probably felt continuing interest and concern for these pilgrims as they returned to their homes. As the one to whom was committed the special “apostleship of the circumcision” (Galatians 2:8), his ministry thereafter always was directed especially toward winning his Jewish brethren to Christ, wherever they lived in the world.

His epistle was written “at Babylon” (I Peter 5:13), and delivered “by Silvanus,” with the purpose of reminding his Jewish Christian brethren that “this is the true grace of God wherein ye stand” (I Peter 5:12). Silvanus was the same as Silas, who had been with Paul on his second missionary journey for a time (Acts 15:40–18:5). Mark also was with Peter at the time (I Peter 5:13), and he, like Silas, had been with Paul both early and late in Paul’s missionary career. Somehow both had come to be associated with Peter at this time, however.

Christians have long disputed over whether the Babylon from which Peter wrote was the actual city of Babylon on the Euphrates or was a cryptic name for Rome. Since Babylon was still a large city at this time, with a large Jewish population, at least some of whom had become Christians at Pentecost (note the mention of “dwellers in Mesopotamia” in Acts 2:9), and since the recipients of Peter’s letter lived geographically closer to Babylon than Rome, it would have been at least quite confusing to these readers if Peter had meant Rome when he said Babylon. The great Neronian persecution did not break out in Rome until some time after the epistle was written, and Peter was writing to help believers prepare for coming persecution anyway (note I Peter 4:12-13), so there would likely have been no good reason for him not to say Rome if that is what he meant.

Although Peter, no doubt, did go to Rome and—according to tradition, at least—eventually was martyred there, there is no good evidence that he founded the church at Rome or ever served as bishop there for any length of time. He had certainly not been in Rome before or during the time Paul was under house arrest there (Acts 28:30). There is no mention of Peter being in Rome either in Acts or in any of Paul’s epistles.

The date of writing of I Peter is believed to be about A.D. 63, after the martyrdom of James in Jerusalem (which, according to Josephus, occurred in A.D. 62.) and before the great persecution of Christians instigated by the Emperor Nero in A.D. 64–65. It was during the course of the latter that Peter himself was martyred—according to one tradition, at least, crucified upside down.

Most authorities, especially those of the early church, accepted the Petrine authorship of this epistle without question. Some modern critics have alleged that the language is too eloquent for an unlearned Galilean fisherman. They are wrong in this, for Peter was not ignorant, even though he was a fisherman. His sermons as recorded in Acts reveal not only an eloquent command of language but also a profound knowledge of Scripture (note Acts 2:14-36; 3:12-26; 4:8-12; 5:29-32; 10:34-43; 11:4-17; 15:7-11). There is no legitimate reason to doubt that Peter wrote this epistle, possibly using Silas as an “amanuensis,” or secretary.

The epistle is incomparably rich in spiritual vitality and filled with love for the Lord whom Peter once had denied. He stresses Christ’s atoning death (I Peter 1:18-20; 2:21-24; 3:18) and glorious resurrection (I Peter 1:3-4,21; 3:21-22). A dominating theme is that of willingness on the part of believers to face persecution and suffering for Christ’s sake (I Peter 1:6,7; 2:19-21; 3:14-17; 4:12-19).

There are also practical exhortations to holy living (e.g., I Peter 1:15,16), to obedience to civil governments (I Peter 2:13-17), to strong marital relationships (I Peter 3:1-7), to Christian humility (I Peter 5:1-7), and to the defense of the faith (I Peter 3:15).


1:1 Peter. Peter apparently wrote this first epistle from Babylon (see I Peter 5:13) which was still a thriving city at the time, even though it had lost most of its former glory. There was a large Jewish community there, and Peter had evidently gone there to evangelize them and plant a church.


1:1 strangers. These persecuted Jewish Christians may have been viewed as “strangers” to those among whom they lived, but in God’s sight they were “elect” (I Peter 1:2). The phrase “strangers scattered” means, in effect, “foreigners, dispersed” from their homeland. The five Roman provinces were all in what is now Turkey. Presumably Peter had also worked in the churches of these provinces. Cappadocia, in particular, was not too far from Babylon. Thus Peter’s epistles, like that of James, were written primarily to Jewish Christians of the dispersion, although it is evident that there were also Gentiles in the churches.


1:2 foreknowledge. The “foreknowledge” of God involves more than just knowing ahead of time the choice that a given person will make, for “known unto God are all His works from the [foundation] of the world” (Acts 15:18), and He “worketh all things after the counsel of His own will” (Ephesians 1:11). Those whom He foreknew He then created as “the vessels of mercy, which He had afore prepared unto glory” (Romans 9:23). This in no way inhibits anyone who wants to be saved from coming to Christ, for He has invited all to “come unto me” (Matthew 11:28), with the assurance that “whosoever will” may come (Revelation 22:17). The natural man, however, in his own mind “receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God” (I Corinthians 2:14), and chooses not to come. The Father, in inscrutable ways, draws to Christ those whom He foreknew and made His elect. “No man can come to me,” said Jesus, “except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day” (John 6:44). We cannot, in our finite minds, comprehend the infinite mind and ways of God (Romans 11:33-36), but we can, and must, believe His Word. See also the note on I Peter 1:20.


1:2 obedience. The proof that we have been foreknown by God and are among His elect is that we are obedient to His Word, for we have been “created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them” (Ephesians 2:10).


1:2 multiplied. Paul normally began His epistles with “grace and peace” (e.g., Romans 1:7), but Peter begins with grace times peace! Marvelous is the implication of infinite grace (II Corinthians 8:9) multiplied by infinite peace (Philippians 4:7). The product can only be eternal fullness of joy (John 15:11).


1:3 begotten us again. “Begotten again” is the same as “born again” in I Peter 1:23.


1:3 lively hope. “Lively”—that is, our hope in Christ is made vibrantly alive by His resurrection, which guarantees forever the ultimate defeat of Satan, sin and death, and the fulfillment of His promise of everlasting life. On this hope, see also I Peter 1:13,21.


1:4 incorruptible. Contrast I Peter 1:23-24. Corruptible seed generates only glory that fades away, whereas the incorruptible seed generates an incorruptible inheritance that will never fade away. I Peter 1:4 says the inheritance is reserved for us, whereas I Peter 1:5 assures us that we are reserved for the inheritance!


1:5 kept. “Kept” means “being guarded.” Our keeping is not by our works or even by our faith (though it is received through faith), but by the power of God. We are in His hand (John 10:29).


1:7 praise and honour and glory. These may represent three classes of rewards for believers at the judgment seat of Christ. See I Corinthians 3:11-15. On “praise,” see I Corinthians 4:5; on “honour,” see John 12:26, and on “glory,” see Philippians 3:21. Perhaps these are rewards given to those Christians who bear fruit for Christ, “some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty” (Matthew 13:23).


1:8 having not seen. Compare John 20:29. “Blessed are they,” Jesus said, “that have not seen, and yet have believed.”


1:11 Searching. This is a striking affirmation of the nature of Biblical inspiration—in particular, of those portions of Scripture which contain Messianic prophecies. The prophets were so carried along by the Holy Spirit (II Peter 1:21) that they themselves did not understand what they were prophesying. Note, for example, Daniel 12:8-9, where Daniel was told that his words were “sealed till the time of the end.”


1:11 glory that should follow. Typical prophecies that referred both to the sufferings and later glory of the Christ included Psalm 22, Daniel 9 and Isaiah 53.


1:12 angels. It is amazing to realize that even God’s holy angels (probably also Satan and the fallen angels) are observing with great interest the unfolding of God’s great plan of salvation, both in individual human beings and for the whole creation. For further glimpses into this fascinating subject, study such Scriptures as Hebrews 1:14; Psalm 34:7; Matthew 18:10; I Corinthians 11:10; Ephesians 3:10; and many others.


1:13 gird up. This expression, meaning to be serious and thoughtful rather than shallow and flippant in attitude, comes from the custom of gathering up one’s flowing robe (the customary dress of the day, even for men) and tying it up around the loins, in order to free the feet and legs for running or for working at certain manual tasks. Note Luke 12:35; 17:8; Acts 12:8.


1:14 obedient children. Read “children of obedience” (compare Ephesians 5:8; contrast Ephesians 2:2).


1:14 fashioning. “Fashioning” is the same word in the Greek as “conforming.” Its only other use is in Romans 12:2: “Be not conformed to this world.”


1:15 conversation. “Conversation” includes not only our speech, but all aspects of conduct.


1:16 it is written. See Leviticus 11:44-45.


1:17 every man’s work. Note the emphasis on “work” rather than “works.” God will judge our life’s work as a whole, especially the work of believing on Christ. Note John 6:28-29; James 1:4.


1:17 fear. This fear is not cowardly fear, of course, but reverential fear of God our Judge (note Luke 12:4-5; Hebrews 12:28; contrast Romans 3:18).


1:18 redeemed. To “redeem” means to “ransom” or “buy back,” especially the redemption of a bondservant by a kinsman (Leviticus 25:49). But the first use of the Hebrew word (gaal), thus establishing the primary theme throughout Scripture, speaks of “the Angel which redeemed me from all evil” (Genesis 48:16). This could only have been the one called “the Angel of the Lord” in many Scriptures (e.g., Genesis 16:7), often in fact a theophany, or preincarnate appearance of Christ, who in His incarnate appearance would ultimately become the true Redeemer of the lost world which had been enslaved to Satan and sin. See also such Scriptures as Ephesians 1:7, 11; Hebrews 9:12; and Revelation 5:8-9.


1:18 silver and gold. Money payment was made by a kinsman-redeemer to purchase back an indentured relative (Leviticus 25:48), but silver and gold are “corruptible things”; in fact, the whole world is in “the bondage of corruption” (Romans 8:21), and can only be redeemed by an adequate price paid in incorruptible legal tender. Nothing but the shed blood of Christ can meet such a requirement, purchasing total and eternal redemption (Romans 3:24; Hebrews 9:12).


1:19 without spot. Under the Mosaic system, a temporary atonement (i.e., “covering”) could be obtained for forgiveness of sins by offering the blood of an unblemished and unspotted lamb (Exodus 12:5; Numbers 28:3). But this merely served as a type of the future offering of the blood of Christ, without contamination by either inherent sin or practiced sin. He would become “the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world” (John 1:29). The sinlessness of Christ is often affirmed in Scripture (e.g., II Corinthians 5:21; I Peter 2:22; I John 3:5; John 8:29).


1:20 foreordained. “Foreordained” (Greek proginosko) is the verb form of the noun (prognosis) better translated as “foreknowledge” in I Peter 1:2. Just as God foreknew that Christ would become the Savior, because the triune God had so ordained, so He also foreknew those who would be saved by Him.


1:20 foundation of the world. Before God ever created the world, in the mind of God, Christ had been sacrificed, and the names of the redeemed were known (see Ephesians 1:4; Revelation 13:8; 17:8; II Timothy 1:9).


1:22 obeying the truth. Note that truth (that is, God’s Word), if obeyed, will generate a purified soul and genuine love.


1:23 corruptible seed. Not only is all seed (the assurance of continued plant, animal, and human reproduction) corruptible, but so is our own human flesh (I Corinthians 15:53) and, indeed “the whole creation” (Romans 8:22). However, we have been redeemed by the incorruptible blood of Christ (I Peter 1:19) to an incorruptible inheritance (I Peter 1:4), an incorruptible body (I Corinthians 15:53), and an incorruptible crown (I Corinthians 9:25), to serve an incorruptible King (I Timothy 1:17), all revealed and activated through the incorruptible, eternal Word of God (I Peter 1:23).


1:24 flower of grass. I Peter 1:24-25 is essentially a quotation from Isaiah 40:6-8.


1:25 endureth for ever. For more on the eternal nature of God’s Word, see also Psalm 119:89, 160; Matthew 24:35; 5:18; Psalm 12:6-7.


1:25 gospel. Note that the “everlasting gospel” includes creation as its very foundation (Revelation 14:6-7).


Introduction to I John

The three epistles of John nowhere include John’s own name as writer. Nevertheless, the concepts and vocabulary are all so similar to those of the gospel of John, and even to those in the book of Revelation, that there should be little doubt that the same writer wrote all five books, and that that writer was the Apostle John, son of Zebedee, brother of James, and “beloved disciple” of Jesus.

In reference to vocabulary, such words as know, love, light, truth, abide, witness, keep, overcome, eternal, and many others occur in John’s gospel more than in any other gospel. Likewise, they all occur in the epistle of I John more than in any other epistle. These very words represent the great themes of both the gospel and the epistles of John. Furthermore, the unbroken tradition of the ancient church is that the Apostle John wrote both the gospel and the three epistles. There is, therefore, every reason to accept all of these as authentic and inspired writings of John.

As Jesus had implied (John 21:22), John long outlived all the other apostles. He is last mentioned in Acts in connection with the martyrdom of his brother James (Acts 12:2), and last mentioned in the other epistles in connection with Paul’s visit to Jerusalem (Galatians 2:9). The rest of his life was undoubtedly marked by active ministry, but little is known of it except that, according to the uniform tradition of the early church fathers (such as Polycarp, Irenaeus, Papias, and others) the last decade or more of John’s life was centered in Ephesus, from which he kept in touch with many of the churches in Asia, probably especially those referred to by him in Revelation 2 and 3. It was there, according to the same church fathers, that he wrote I John and, indeed, probably all four of his other books. All were written after the other eleven apostles had died, probably by martyrdom. Furthermore, the fall of Jerusalem in A.D. 70 was also past history when John wrote. Neither John’s gospel, nor his first epistle, therefore, was meant either for the Jews or for a specific church, but rather for all people everywhere, though probably I John was intended especially for the churches in Asia, centered around Ephesus, among whom John was ministering. This was all probably in the decade from A.D. 85 to 95.

As the gospel of John was written specifically to stress the deity of Christ and to win unbelievers to saving faith in Him (John 20:31), so the epistle of I John was written to stress the full (though sinless) humanity of Jesus and to assure believers of the certainty of their gift of eternal life (I John 5:11-13).

A further purpose of I John was to refute those Christians who were seeking to accommodate Gnostic philosophies and practices into their Christian faith and life. Gnosticism was a pagan evolutionary philosophy which was in existence well before the birth of the Lord Jesus Christ but, by the middle of the first century many Christians were compromising with it. There were many varieties of Gnostics, but all rejected the concept of special creation by the transcendent God of the Bible, and either the true deity or true humanity of the Lord Jesus Christ. Further, their practice involved either extreme asceticism within one group of Gnostics or anti-nomianism and libertinism among other groups. In his epistle, John was combating all these false teachings. The name “Gnostic” came from gnosis, meaning “knowledge,” since most Gnostics claimed to have occult knowledge of deep truths, amounting essentially to a form of mystical evolutionary pantheism.

This may well have been one reason for John’s strong emphasis on knowledge in his epistle, showing that the believer in Christ has genuine knowledge of salvation through faith in the atoning sacrifice of the God/man Jesus Christ. The word “know,” for example, occurs some thirty-eight times in I John, as translations of either ginosko or eido, both of which mean “know for certain.” Among other things, John lists several criteria by which the believer may assure himself that his salvation is genuine, and therefore certain and eternal (e.g., I John 2:3; 3:14; 5:13).

The theme of love is also very prominent in I John. The word “love” (Greek agape, agapao, or agapetos) occurs over fifty times in these five chapters. “Truth” occurs ten times and “life” fifteen times. Also of interest is the fact that “antichrist” occurs five times in John’s epistles, but nowhere else in the New Testament, even though the theme of the coming Antichrist is common throughout the Bible. The closing word in I John is a command to believers to keep away from idols (I John 5:21).


1:1 from the beginning. Note the similarity between the opening verses of John’s gospel and his first epistle, both starting with a reference back to creation. The gospel of John looks back before the beginning of time, when only God existed, and Jesus Christ was God. His epistle, on the other hand, proceeds forward from that beginning of time (Genesis 1:1) to the incarnation of the eternal “Word,” which became “the Word of life,” the manifestation of the Father in “His Son Jesus Christ” (I John 1:3).


1:1 we. The author uses the plural “we,” referring undoubtedly to the twelve apostles, but later uses the first person singular when his epistle becomes more personal (e.g., I John 2:1). In any case, it is obvious that the author is the beloved disciple, John, even though he never identifies himself by name. The similarity in vocabulary between John’s gospel and his epistles is strikingly obvious. For example, the word “know” occurs more in the Gospel of John than in any of the other gospels, and occurs in I John more than in any other epistle. Exactly the same phenomenon is noted for many other vocabulary words. These include such words as love, light, truth, fellowship, commandment, abide, witness, eternal, manifest, keep, overcome, beginning, father, son, and others.


1:1 heard. John was writing this epistle late in the first century after all the other apostles were dead. Tradition suggests he was writing from Ephesus, where he served many years as bishop and pastor, possibly intending his letter to be circulated among all the churches of the region, including the seven churches of Revelation 2 and 3. He stressed to his readers of the younger generation that he and the other apostles had actually heard Jesus speak (note John 5:24), seen Him with their own eyes (John 1:18), “beheld” Him in His glory (John 1:14) and handled Him with their own hands (Luke 24:39).


1:2 life was manifested. When “the Word of life” (I John 1:1) “became flesh” (John 1:14), that eternal life “was manifested unto us.” Because we have been shown life in God as it really is, when we have seen Christ, we know that He is able to convey that same eternal life to us.


1:3 fellowship. “Fellowship” as used in Scripture does not refer to mere social companionship or camaraderie, as we tend to use the term today. The same word is translated “communion” (e.g., I Corinthians 10:16; II Corinthians 6:14). The basic meaning is “joint participation in things held in common.” The fellowship we can have with the Father through the Son (John 17:22,26) is the same fellowship we as believers can have with one another.


1:5 God is light. Since God is light, dwelling in light (I Timothy 6:16), He did not have to “create” light, but simply say: “Light, be!” (Genesis 1:3). On the other hand, He did create darkness (Isaiah 45:7) as the initial state of the unformed and uninhabited earth (Genesis 1:2). When light appeared to disperse the darkness, it could thereby become a model of the shining of spiritual light into a soul born in the darkness of innate sin (II Corinthians 4:6). Physically, God is the light of shining glory; intellectually, He is the light of truth; and morally He is the light of holiness. He is also the light of life (John 1:4) and of true guidance (John 8:12).


1:6 do not the truth. Note that the truth is not only something we should believe and teach, but also something we should do!


1:7 fellowship one with another. That is, we are in fellowship with the Lord, and therefore also with other believers who are in fellowship with Him. Since there is no darkness in God, if we truly walk in His light, there can be no reason for any error, sin, or ignorance of His will on our part.


1:7 cleanseth us. Literally this could read “keeps on cleansing us from all sin.” The blood of Christ was not like that of other men, for it was “the precious blood…without blemish and without spot” (I Peter 1:19), uncontaminated either by inherited genetic mutations or inherent sin. Somehow, after it was all poured out at the foot of the cross (John 19:34) in atonement for our sins (Hebrews 9:22-28), “by His own blood [Christ] entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us” (Hebrews 9:12).


1:7 all sin. All sin, whether known or unknown, is cleansed by His blood, as we walk in fellowship with Him.


1:8 deceive ourselves. The heresy of “perfectionism”—that is, the claim that our sin-nature has been completely eradicated, so that we no longer commit sin—is self-deception. It is related to the Gnostic heresy of the time which claimed that the soul had been set free from one’s sinful flesh.


1:9 confess our sins. To “confess” one’s sins does not mean merely to confess one’s sins in general, but rather to identify them specifically, and then to agree with God as to their specific sinful character, thus in reality repenting (that is, changing one’s mind) about them and viewing them as God does. Since Christ’s blood has already been shed to cover them, He is faithful to His Word and provides forgiveness in perfect justice.


1:9 cleanse us. The “confession” of this verse is not merely a pat formula that one can glibly apply and then all is well. When God forgives our sins, He also expects to “cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (not just from the penalty of unrighteousness). The Greek word for “cleanse” is katherizo (from which we get our English word “catharsis”) and is often translated “purify” and even “purge.”


1:10 have not sinned. To say either that we “have no sin” (I John 1:8) or “have not sinned” (I John 1:10) is presumptuous, blasphemous and false. Those who make such claims may deceive themselves, but others can easily discern sin in them.


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