1Cor 1:9, 10:13, 1Th 5:24, 2Th 3:3, Heb 6:17-18, 11:11, 12:26, 28 | JFB | STEP | 9. faithful-- to His promises ( ; ). called-- according to His purpose ( ). unto ... fellowship of ... Jesus-- to be fellow heirs with Christ ( ), like Him sons of God and heirs of glory ( ; ; ; ). Chrysostom remarks that the name of Christ is oftener mentioned in this than in any other Epistle, the apostle designing thereby to draw them away from their party admiration of particular teachers to Christ alone.

‏ 1 Corinthians 1:9

9. faithful--to His promises (Php 1:6; 1Th 5:24).

called--according to His purpose (Ro 8:28).

unto ... fellowship of ... Jesus--to be fellow heirs with Christ (Ro 8:17-28), like Him sons of God and heirs of glory (Ro 8:30; 2Th 2:14; 1Pe 5:10; 1Jo 1:3). Chrysostom remarks that the name of Christ is oftener mentioned in this than in any other Epistle, the apostle designing thereby to draw them away from their party admiration of particular teachers to Christ alone.

‏ 1 Corinthians 10:13

13. Consolation to them, under their temptation; it is none but such as is "common to man," or "such as man can bear," "adapted to man's powers of endurance" [Wahl].

faithful--(Psa 125:3; Is 27:3, 8; Re 3:10). "God is faithful" to the covenant which He made with you in calling you (1Th 5:24). To be led into temptation is distinct from running into it, which would be "tempting God" (1Co 10:9; Mt 4:7).

way to escape--(Jr 29:11; 2Pe 2:9). The Greek is, "the way of escape"; the appropriate way of escape in each particular temptation; not an immediate escape, but one in due time, after patience has had her perfect work (Jas 1:2-4, 12). He "makes" the way of escape simultaneously with the temptation which His providence permissively arranges for His people.

to bear it--Greek, "to bear up under it," or "against it." Not, He will take it away (2Co 12:7-9).

‏ 1 Thessalonians 5:24

24. Faithful--to His covenant promises (Joh 10:27-29; 1Co 1:9; 10:23; Php 1:6).

he that calleth you--God, the caller of His people, will cause His calling not to fall short of its designed end.

do it--preserve and present you blameless at the coming of Christ (1Th 5:23; Ro 8:30; 1Pe 5:10). You must not look at the foes before and behind, on the right hand and on the left, but to God's faithfulness to His promises, God's zeal for His honor, and God's love for those whom He calls.

‏ 2 Thessalonians 3:3

3. faithful--alluding to "faith" (2Th 3:2): though many will not believe, the Lord (other very old manuscripts read "God") is still to be believed in as faithful to His promises (1Th 5:24; 2Ti 2:13). Faith on the part of man answers to faithfulness on the part of God.

stablish you--as he had prayed (2Th 2:17). Though it was on himself that wicked men were making their onset, he turns away from asking the Thessalonians' prayers for HIS deliverance (2Th 3:2: so unselfish was he, even in religion), to express his assurance of THEIR establishment in the faith, and preservation from evil. This assurance thus exactly answers to his prayer for them (2Th 2:17), "Our Lord ... stablish you in every good word and work." He has before his mind the Lord's Prayer, "Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil"; where, as here, the translation may be, "from the evil one"; the great hinderer of "every good word and work." Compare Mt 13:19, "the wicked one."

‏ Hebrews 6:17-18

17. Wherein--that is, Which being the case among men, God, in accommodation to their manner of confirming covenants, superadded to His sure word His oath: the "TWO immutable things" (He 6:18).

willing ... counsel--Greek, "willing ... will"; words akin. Expressing the utmost benignity [Bengel].

more abundantly--than had He not sworn. His word would have been amply enough; but, to make assurance doubly sure, He "interposed with an oath" (so the Greek). Literally, He acted as Mediator, coming between Himself and us; as if He were less, while He swears, than Himself by whom He swears (for the less among men usually swear by the greater). Dost thou not yet believe, thou that hearest the promise? [Bengel].

heirs of promise--not only Abraham's literal, but also his spiritual, seed (Ga 3:29).

18. immutable--Translate, as in He 6:17, "unchangeable."

impossible ... to lie--"ever to lie"; this is the force of the Greek aorist [Alford]. His not being able to deny Himself is a proof, not of weakness, but of strength incomparable.

consolation--under doubts and fears, and so "encouragement," literally, "exhortation."

fled for refuge--as if from a shipwreck; or, as one fleeing to one of the six cities of refuge. Kadesh, that is, holy, implies the holiness of Jesus, our Refuge. Shechem, that is, shoulder, the government is upon his shoulder (Is 9:6). Hebron, that is, fellowship, believers are called into the fellowship of Christ. Bezer, that is, a fortress, Christ is so to all who trust in Him. Ramoth, that is, high, for Him hath God exalted with His right hand (Ac 5:31). Golan, that is, joy, for in Him all the saints are justified and shall glory.

lay hold upon the hope--that is, the object of our hope, as upon a preservative from sinking.

set before us--as a prize for which we strive; a new image, namely, the race course (He 12:1, 2).

‏ Hebrews 11:11

11. also Sara herself--though being the weaker vessel, and though at first she doubted.

was delivered of a child--omitted in the oldest manuscripts: then translate, "and that when she was past age" (Ro 4:19).

she judged him faithful who had promised--after she had ceased to doubt, being instructed by the angel that it was no jest, but a matter in serious earnest.

‏ Hebrews 12:26

26. then shook--when He gave the law on Sinai.

now--under the Gospel.

promised--The announcement of His coming to break up the present order of things, is to the ungodly a terror, to the godly a promise, the fulfilment of which they look for with joyful hope.

Yet once more--Compare Notes, see on Hag 2:6; Hag 2:21, 22, both of which passages are condensed into one here. The shaking began at the first coming of Messiah; it will be completed at His second coming, prodigies in the world of nature accompanying the overthrow of all kingdoms that oppose Messiah. The Hebrew is literally, "it is yet one little," that is, a single brief space till the series of movements begins ending in the advent of Messiah. Not merely the earth, as at the establishment of the Sinaitic covenant, but heaven also is to be shaken. The two advents of Messiah are regarded as one, the complete shaking belonging to the second advent, of which the presage was given in the shakings at the first advent: the convulsions connected with the overthrow of Jerusalem shadowing forth those about to be at the overthrow of all the God-opposed kingdoms by the coming Messiah.

‏ Hebrews 12:28

28. receiving--as we do, in prospect and sure hope, also in the possession of the Spirit the first-fruits. This is our privilege as Christians.

let us have grace--"let us have thankfulness" [Alford after Chrysostom]. But (1) this translation is according to classical Greek, not Paul's phraseology for "to be thankful." (2) "To God" would have been in that case added. (3) "Whereby we may serve God," suits the English Version "grace" (that is Gospel grace, the work of the Spirit, producing faith exhibited in serving God), but does not suit "thankfulness."

acceptably--Greek, "well-pleasingly."

reverence and godly fear--The oldest manuscripts read, "reverent caution and fear." Reverent caution (same Greek as in He 5:7; see on He 5:7) lest we should offend God, who is of purer eyes than to behold iniquity. Fear lest we should bring destruction on ourselves.