*Different Doctrines
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BY WILLIE WONG
1Ti 6:3, “If anyone advocates a different doctrine and does not agree with sound words, those of our Lord Jesus Christ, and with the doctrine
conforming to godliness.”
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
3. teach otherwise] More fully R.V., teacheth a different doctrine, but even this does not completely give the force; for the ‘different’ is not so much ‘different from what has just been laid down,’ as ‘different from the one true deposit, the creed of all my gospel and all your life;’ and helps to form the meaning now attached to heterodoxy, lit. ‘opinions different from established truth.’ The close of the Epistle takes up the opening where this word has occurred before there has been time to lay down any teaching, 1 Timothy 1:3. Lewin renders here ‘if any man teach what is heterodox.’
wholesome words] Again taking up his opening phrase 1 Timothy 1:10, where see note. Sound is the best English equivalent, if we do not stay on the most modern and ‘cant’ sense of the word, but go back to its early vigour, so as to appreciate St Paul’s contrast here with the ‘sickly questionings’ of the false teacher, 1 Timothy 6:4. See Appendix, K.
our Lord Jesus Christ] This exact order of the words so familiar to us in St Paul’s other writings occurs only here and 1 Timothy 6:14 throughout these Epistles according to the true text. An imitator would surely, as we see by the various readings so often attempted, have taken pains to make the well-known formula a marked feature. It may be also noted that the aged saint, so near the end of his ‘good fight,’ does not presume familiarly on his Saviour’s intimacy, so as to use the one name ‘Jesus’ with tripping fluency. It is still ‘Christ Jesus,’ ‘Jesus Christ,’ ‘The Lord.’ See note on 1 Timothy 1:1.
the doctrine … according to godliness] Two characteristic words of these Epistles combined in a phrase which might be taken as their keynote—‘Holy Truth—True Holiness.’ See previous notes on the words and especially the note on the central doctrinal passage 1 Timothy 3:16.
3–10. A further warning against false Teachers. Their covetousness
From the 3rd verse to the 16th St Paul once again resumes two of the chief topics of the Epistle—false teachers’ perverted doctrine, and Timothy’s own true unswerving life; in each case with a new thought, (1) of the debasing motive of traffic in godliness, (2) of the inspiring motive of the Master’s appearing. He then, 1 Timothy 6:17-19, gives one further direction (suggested perhaps by 1 Timothy 6:10) of pastoral faithfulness towards the rich; and in a last abrupt and touchingly natural outburst throws himself upon his son Timothy, and gathers up all his fears and hopes on the one chiefest subject in the brief appeal of 1 Timothy 6:20-21, from which he can no longer keep back the misused name of the monster evil—‘knowledge—falsely named, Gnosis—the Misnomer,’ 1 Timothy 6:3-10, unsound teaching, especially for gain.”
Different doctines are false doctrines, false doctrines are unsound doctrines. Doctrines mean teachings. There are so many false doctrines just as there are many false religions in the world. There are infinite ways to be crooked, there is only one way to be straight. Here we select only a few false doctrines so that you may not be fooled.
Not only there are false teachings, there are also twisted and distored teachings like those of the Pharisees and Sadducess.
Mat 16:12, “Then they understood that He did not say to beware of the leaven of bread, but of the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.”
Ver. 8-12. Mark, giving us an account of this passage, Mark 8:17-19, useth some harsher expressions: And when Jesus knew it, he saith unto them, Why reason ye, because ye have no bread? Perceive ye not yet, neither understand? Have ye your eyes yet hardened? Having eyes, see ye not? And having ears, hear ye not? And do ye not remember? When I brake the five loaves among five thousand, how many baskets full of fragments took ye up? They say unto him, Twelve. And when the seven among four thousand, how many baskets full of fragments took ye up? And they said, Seven. And he said unto them, How is it that ye do not understand? Our Saviour here charges them with three things, ignorance, unbelief, forgetfulness.
1. Ignorance, in that they did not understand that his usual way was to discourse spiritual things to them under earthly similitudes, and so by leaven he must understand something else than leaven with which men use to leaven their bread.
2. Unbelief, that they having seen the power and goodness of the Lord and Master, to feed four thousand with seven loaves, and five thousand with five loaves, leaving a great remainder, and that he did this for a mixed multitude, out of a mere compassion to the wants and cravings of human nature, should not judge that he was able to provide for them, although they had brought no bread; or doubt whether he would do it or no for them, who were much dearer to him.
3. Forgetfulness, which is often in Scripture made the mother of unbelief and disobedience. Deu 4:9,23 25:19 Psalm 78:11.
There is nothing of difficulty in the terms, only from this history we may learn these things:
1. That God expects that we should not only hear and see, but understand.
2. That he looks we should not only hear for the present time, but for the time to come. Christ expected that his disciples should have learned from his doctrine about washing of hands, that he could not mean the leaven of bread, but something else, which might defile them.
3. That he is much displeased with his own people, when he discerns blindness and ignorance in them, after their more than ordinary means of knowledge.
4. That former experiences of God’s power and goodness manifested for us, or to us, ought to strengthen our faith in him when we come under the like circumstances; and a disputing or doubting after such experiences argues but a little and very weak faith, and a hardness of heart, that the mercies of God have not made a just impression on our souls.
Then understood they how that he bade them not beware of the leaven of bread, but of the doctrine of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees. Mark, instead of and of the Sadducees, hath, and of the leaven of Herod, which hath made some think that Herod was a Sadducee. The doctrine of the Pharisees is reducible to two heads:
1. Justification by the works of the law, and those works too according to that imperfect sense of the law they gave.
2. The obligation of the tradition of the elders; whose traditions were also (as we have heard) some of them of that nature, that they made the law of God of no effect.
The doctrine of the Sadducees we are in part told, Acts 23:8. They said there was no resurrection, nor angel, nor spirit: these were principles excellently suited to men of atheistical hearts and lives, and it is more than probable that Herod and his courtiers, and some of his lords and great captains, had sucked in some of these principles, and these were the Herodians mentioned, Matthew 22:16 Mark 3:6.
These doctrines are by our Saviour compared to leaven, not only because of the sour nature of it, but also because heretics’ words (as the apostle saith) eat as doth a canker, and are of a contagious nature; as leaven doth diffuse its quality into the whole mass of meat. Our Saviour had upon this account compared the gospel to leaven, Matthew 13:33, because by his blessing upon it it should influence the world, as we heard, in Matthew 13:1-58.”
- False religions
1Sa 15:23, “For rebellion is as reprehensible as the sin of divination, and insubordination is as reprehensible as false religion and idolatry. Since you have rejected the Word of the LORD, He has also rejected you from being king.”Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(23) For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft.—Witchcraft, more literally soothsaying or divination, was a sin constantly held up to reprobation in the Old Testament. It was the greatest of all the dangers to which Israel was exposed, and was in fact a tampering with the idol-worship of the surrounding nations. Impurity, and an utter lack of all the loftier principles of morality which the one true God and His chosen servants would impress on the peoples of the East, characterised the various systems of idol-worship then current in Syria and the adjacent countries. And Samuel here, in this solemn inspired saying, briefly gives the grounds of the Lord’s rejection of His Anointed: “Rebellion,” or conscious disobedience to the express commands of the Eternal, in the case of Saul, God’s chosen king, was nothing else than the deadly sin of idol-worship, for it set aside the true Master of Israel, and virtually acknowledged another. The next sentence still more emphatically expresses the same thought: “Stubbornness,” or “intractableness,” is in the eyes of the pure God the same thing as worshipping idols and teraphim. The Hebrew word aven, rendered iniquity, literally signifies “nothingness;” it is a word used in the late prophets for an idol (Hosea 10:8; Isaiah 66:3). The word in the original translated in the English Version “idolatry,” is teraphim. Teraphim were apparently small household gods or idols, venerated as the arbiters of good and evil fortune. In Roman life we find similar idols under the name of “Lares.” Teraphim is derived from an unused root, taraph, signifying “to live comfortably;” Arabic, tarafa: compare the Sanscrit trip, and the Greek τρέΦειν. These idols appear to have been small human figures of various sizes. The image in 1Samuel 19:13 was probably nearly life-size. These teraphim were made generally of silver or of wood. It has been suggested that the teraphim which Rachel stole were images of her ancestors. (See Note on Genesis 31:19, and Mr. Whitelaw’s comment on ib. in the Pulpit Commentary.)”
There are so many false religions, I cannot list them all. To be brief, any religion which is not in accordance WITH the Holy Scriptures, is a false religion.
- ) Do good deeds to be saved.
All man-made religions teach that you must do good deeds to be saved to deserve Heaven.
This is a fales doctrine or teaching.
For the Bible says, Eph 2:8, “For by grace you have been saved through faith; and this is not
of yourselves, it is the gift of God.”
Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(1 b.) Ephesians 2:8-10 (taking up and working out the parenthetical “by grace ye are saved” of Ephesians 2:5) form an instructive link of connection between these Epistles and those of the earlier group, especially the Epistles to the Galatians and Romans. (Comp. Philippians 3:9.) In both there is the same doctrine of “Justification by Faith,” the same denial of the merit of good works, the same connection of good works with the grace of God in us. But what is there anxiously and passionately contended for, is here briefly summarised, and calmly assumed as a thing known and allowed. Even the technical phrases—the word “justification,” and the declaration of the nullity of “the Law”—are no longer used.
- By grace are ye saved through faith.—Properly, ye have been saved; ye were saved at first, and continue in a state of salvation. In Ephesians 2:5 this thought is introduced parenthetically, naturally and irresistibly suggested by the declaration of the various steps of regeneration in Christ. St. Paul now returns to it and works it out, before passing on, in Ephesians 2:11, to draw out by “wherefore” the conclusion from Ephesians 2:1-7. Remembering how the Epistles were written from dictation, we may be inclined to see in this passage among others, an insertion made by the Apostle, on a revision of that already written.
The two phrases—“justification by faith” and “salvation by grace”—are popularly identified, and, indeed. are substantially identical in meaning. But the latter properly lays stress on a more advanced stage of the process of redemption in Christ. Thus, in Romans 5:9-10 (“having been justified,” “having been reconciled,” “we shall be saved”), salvation is spoken of as following on the completed act of justification (as the release of a prisoner on his pronounced pardon); and it is described, here and elsewhere, as a continuous process—a state continuing till the final judgment. Hence to lay especial stress on salvation accords better with the whole idea of this Epistle—the continuous indwelling in Christ—than to bring out, as in the Epistle to the Romans, the one complete act of justification for His sake. It is remarkable that the expression of the truth corresponds almost verbally with the words of St. Peter at the Council of Jerusalem (Acts 15:11), “We believe that through the grace of God we shall be (properly, we were) saved,” except that here the original shows that the salvation is looked upon as a completed act, like justification. It is also to be noted that the use of the name “Saviour,” applied both to God and to Christ, belongs entirely to the later Epistles. It is used once in this Epistle (Ephesians 5:23) and once in the Epistle to the Philippians (Ephesians 3:20), but no less than ten times in the Pastoral Epistles of St. Paul, and five times in the Second Epistle of St. Peter. The phrase in the text is, as always in this Epistle, theologically exact. Grace is the moving cause of salvation: faith only the instrument by which it is laid hold of.
And that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God.—This attribution of all to the gift of God seems to cover the whole idea—both the gift of salvation and the gift of faith to accept it. The former part is enforced by the words “not of works,” the latter by the declaration, “we (and all that is in us) are His workmanship.” The word here rendered “gift” is peculiar to this passage; the word employed in Romans 5:15-16; Romans 6:23, for “free gift” (charisma) having been appropriated (both in the singular and plural) to special “gifts” of grace.”
Since it is the gift of God, you cannot work for it. No one is good enough to go to Heaven.
- ) You must be circumcised and keep the law of Moses to be saved.
Rom 2:29, “But he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter; and his praise is not from people, but from God.”
1Co 7:19, “Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but what matters is the keeping of the commandments of God.”
Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
- Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing.—Often those who regard some ceremony as unimportant magnify the very disregard of it into a necessary virtue. The Apostle carefully guards against that by expressing the nothingness of both circumcision and uncircumcision (Romans 2:25; Galatians 5:6; Galatians 6:15). The circumcision of Timothy, and the refusal to circumcise Titus by St. Paul himself, are illustrations at once of the application of the truth here enforced, and of the Apostle’s scrupulous adherence to the principles of his own teaching. To have refused to circumcise Timothy would have attached some value to non-circumcision. To have circumcised Titus would have attached some value to circumcision. (See Acts 16:3; Galatians 2:3.)
But the keeping of the commandments of God is everything, understood. The teaching here is, practically, “To obey is better than sacrifice.”
Act 15:5, “But some of the sect of the Pharisees who had believed stood up, saying, “It is necessary to circumcise them and to direct them to keep the Law
of Moses.”
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
5. But there rose up, &c.] The margin of the A.V. takes this sentence as part of the narration of Paul and Barnabas, “there rose up, said they, certain, &c.” But it is much more natural to consider them to be St Luke’s account of what happened at Jerusalem. The teachers at Antioch had not been described as Pharisees though they probably were so. But in no other passage of the N. T. are the Pharisees mentioned away from Jerusalem. As soon as the Apostolic narrative was heard by the church certain of their party stood forth from the church body and lodged their protest against what had been done. The Pharisaic teaching concerning the necessity of circumcision was based on such passages as Isaiah 56:6, where the covenant mentioned was held to be that of circumcision. And they supported their position by such passages as Isaiah 52:1, where the uncircumcised are excluded from the holy city.
saying, That it was needful] Better, “saying, It is needful, &c.” The words are a direct utterance, and suit better so rendered with St Luke’s narrative, in which he is describing what occurred before the church at Jerusalem.
The visit of St Paul to Jerusalem which St Luke here describes is now generally admitted to be the same of which St Paul speaks in Galatians 2:1-9. The chronology offers no obstacle to this conclusion, while the purpose of the visit, and the companionship of Barnabas and the persons who were at the head of the church in Jerusalem are all accordant in the two notices. In the Epistle, St Paul tells us that he took Titus with him, and nothing is more likely than that while he had the company of some members of the Judaizing party, he would also take a companion with him from among those converts on whose behalf he was making the journey. He says too that it was ‘by revelation’ that he went up, while the narrative of the Acts represents him as sent by the church of Antioch. But here need be no contradiction. An inward monition may have furnished the true reason why the Apostle consented to make an appeal to the central authorities in Jerusalem. St Luke would not necessarily be aware of this; it was important in St Paul’s argument to the Galatians that he should mention it. (For a fuller comparison of the two notices, see Bp Lightfoot’s Ep. to Galatians, note, pp. 122–127.)
Rom 2:25, “For indeed circumcision is of value if you practice the Law; but if you are a violator of the Law, your circumcision has turned into uncircumcision.”
Rom 3:19-20, “Now we know that whatever the
Law says, it speaks to those who are under the Law, so that every mouth may be closed and all the
world may become accountable to God; because by
the works of the Law none of mankind will be justified in His sight; for through the Law comes
knowledge of sin.”
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
- the law] Here not the Pentateuch, but the O. T. as a whole. So John 10:34; John 15:25. The O. T. does indeed predict and reveal much of redeeming mercy; but its main characteristic work (apart from prophecy) is to reveal the preceptive will of God and the sin of man.
under the law] Lit. in the law; within its precincts, its dominion. These persons are here the Jews, the primary objects of the O. T. message. The Gentiles are otherwise convicted; and the Jews being now also thus convicted (from the very title-deeds of their privileges) both of sin and of exposure to its doom, “the whole world is found guilty.” We must remember that the Apostle has had in view the Pharisaic prejudice that the only really endangered sinners were the “sinners of the Gentiles.” See Appendix A.
guilty] The original word occurs here only in N. T. A common classical meaning is “liable to legal process, actionable.” Every human soul owes to God the awful forfeit for sin. Strong, indeed, is the language of this verse, but no conscience that ever really awoke to the holiness of God thought it at last too strong.”
Therefore; i.e. Seeing the Gentiles, by the law of nature, and the Jews, by the written law, are thus subject to the judgment of God; and seeing no one is able to fulfil the law, and satisfy for the breach of it; therefore, &c.
By the deeds of the law; he means the moral law, and not the ceremonial law only or chiefly; even that law that forbids theft and adultery, as Romans 2:21,22, and concupiscence, as Romans 7:1-25; and by which, as this text says,
is the knowledge of sin; to which Gentiles as well as Jews are obliged, and by which therefore they are condemned.
No flesh; a common synecdoche: see Genesis 6:3,12, and elsewhere. The same with no man living, in the psalmist; especially being depraved with original corruption, which is called flesh in Scripture.
Be justified in his sight; or be discharged in the court of heaven: the phrase is taken from Psalm 143:2, see annotations there.
For by the law is the knowledge of sin: lest any should think that the law hereupon is useless, he goes on to show its use, but a quite contrary one to what they intended. It convinceth us of our guilt, and therefore is far from being our righteousness, Romans 7:7 1 Corinthians 15:56.”
- ) To be perfect is to be sinless.
Jas 4:17, “So for one who knows the right thing to do and does not do it, for him it is sin.”
How many right things that you know but you do not do them?
1Jo 1:8, “If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us.”
Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
If we say that we have no sin,…. Notwithstanding believers are cleansed from their sins by the blood of Christ, yet they are not without sin; no man is without sin: this is not only true of all men, as they come into the world, being conceived in sin, and shapen in iniquity, and of all that are in a state of unregeneracy, and of God’s elect, while in such a state, but even of all regenerated and sanctified persons in this life; as appears by the ingenuous confessions of sin made by the saints in all ages; by their complaints concerning it, and groans under it; by the continual war in them between flesh and spirit; and by their prayers for the discoveries of pardoning grace, and for the fresh application of Christ’s blood for cleansing; by their remissness in the discharge of duty, and by their frequent slips and falls, and often backslidings: and though their sins are all pardoned, and they are justified from all things by the righteousness of Christ, yet they are not without sin; though they are freed from the guilt of sin, and are under no obligation to punishment on account of it, yet not from the being of it; their sins were indeed transferred from them to Christ, and he has bore them, and took them and put them away, and they are redeemed from them, and are acquitted, discharged, and pardoned, so that sin is not imputed to them, and God sees no iniquity in them in the article of justification; and also, their iniquities are caused to pass from them, as to the guilt of them, and are taken out of their sight, and they have no more conscience of them, having their hearts sprinkled and purged by the blood of Jesus, and are clear of all condemnation, the curse of the law, the wrath of God, or the second death, by reason of them; yet pardon of sin, and justification from it, though they take away the guilt of sin, and free from obligation to punishment, yet they do not take out the being of sin, or cause it to cease to act, or do not make sins cease to be sins, or change the nature of actions, of sinful ones, to make them harmless, innocent, or indifferent; the sins of believers are equally sins with other persons, are of the same kind and nature, and equally transgressions of the law, and many of them are attended with more aggravating circumstances, and are taken notice of by God, and resented by him, and for which he chastises his people in love: now though a believer may say that he has not this or that particular sin, or is not guilty of this or that sin, for he has the seeds of all sin in him, yet he cannot say he has no sin; and though he may truly say he shall have no sin, for in the other state the being and principle of sin will be removed, and the saints will be perfectly holy in themselves, yet he cannot, in this present life, say that he is without it: if any of us who profess to be cleansed from sin by the blood of Christ should affirm this,
we deceive ourselves; such persons must be ignorant of themselves, and put a cheat upon themselves, thinking themselves to be something when they are nothing; flattering themselves what pure and holy creatures they are, when there is a fountain of sin and wickedness in them; these are self-deceptions, sad delusions, and gross impositions upon themselves:
and the truth is not in us; it is a plain case the truth of grace is not in such persons, for if there was a real work of God upon their souls, they would know and discern the plague of their own hearts, the impurity of their nature, and the imperfection of their obedience; nor is the word of truth in them, for if that had an entrance into them, and worked effectually in them, they would in the light of it discover much sin and iniquity in them; and indeed there is no principle of truth, no veracity in them; there is no sincerity nor ingenuity in them; they do not speak honestly and uprightly, but contrary to the dictates of their own conscience.”
- ) Have faith, God will always heal your illness.
This is a false doctrine taught by Pentecostal Church. The truth is: it is not always God’s will to heal.
2Co 12:7-9, “Because of the extraordinary greatness
of the revelations, for this reason, to keep me from exalting myself, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to [fn]torment me—to keep me from exalting myself! Concerning this
I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might leave me. And He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” Most gladly, therefore, I will rather
boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me.”
The best of God’s people have in them a root of pride, or a disposition to be
exalted above measure, upon their receipt of favours from God not common to others; of which nature extraordinary revelations are none of the meanest, especially when they are multiplied, as it seems they were here to Paul. To prevent the breaking out of which, the apostle here tells us, that he had
a thorn in the flesh given him. It is variously guessed what this was; he calleth it a thorn in the flesh; but whether (supposing flesh to be here strictly taken) he meaneth some disease affecting his body with pain and smart, and if so, what that specifical disease was, is no where revealed, and very uncertainly conjectured: or whether (taking flesh in a large sense, for his state in the flesh) he meaneth some motions to sin made to him from the devil; the importunity of which made them very grievous and afflictive to him, being in the flesh: or (as others think) motions to sin from his own lusts; which God suffured to stir in him, withholding such influence of his grace, by which he ordinarily kept them under, and in subjection; is very uncertain. The last mentioned seem to be least probable. For although the devil hath an influence upon our lusts, to excite and educe them into acts, yet it seems not according to the language of holy writ, to call these
messengers of Satan; neither is it probable that St. Paul would have reckoned these amongst the gifts of God unto him: nor was this an infirmity which he would have gloried in, or which would have commended him; nor doth the term
buffet so well agree to this sense. It seems therefore more properly to be interpreted, either of some great bodily affliction, or some diabolical importunate temptation, with which God, after these abundant revelations, suffered this great apostle to be infested; that he might be kept humble, and not lifted up upon this great favour which God had showed him; which, considering the danger of pride, might well be reckoned amongst the gifts of God to this great apostle. And so he here gives another reason why he would not glory in the abundance of his revelations, because God by this providence had let him know, that his will was, that he should walk humbly notwithstanding them; and it had been very improper for him, being immediately upon this favour humbled by such a providence, to have lifted up himself by reason of it.”
Don’t tell me you have more faith than Apostle Paul. On earth we have a mortal body so we have sickness. When we meet the Lord we will have an immortal body that will never get sick.
- ) The proof of filling with the Holy Spirit is speaking in tongues.
This is another false doctrine taught by Pentecostal Church. The filling of the Holy Spirit is not for speaking in tongues, it is for witnessing for Christ.
Mic 3:8, “On the other hand, I am filled with power—
With the Spirit of the LORD—And with justice and courage to make known to Jacob his rebellious act, and to Israel his sin.”
Luk 1:41-45, “When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. And she cried out with a loud voice and said, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! And how has it happened to me that the mother of my Lord would come to me? For behold, when the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby leaped in my womb for joy. And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what had been spoken to her by the Lord.”
Luk 1:67-70, “And his father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied, saying:“Blessed be
the Lord God of Israel, For He has visited us and accomplished redemption for His people, and has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house
of His servant David—Just as He spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets from ancient times—”
Luke 1:67. And Zacharias was filled with the Holy Ghost — Was endued with a more than ordinary measure of the Spirit of God, supernaturally enlightening his mind in the knowledge of divine things: and even of future events. God not only forgave him his unbelief and distrust, which was signified by discharging him from the punishment of it, but, as a specimen of his abounding grace and mercy toward believers, he filled him with the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, that he might speak to his praise, and the instruction and edification of mankind of that and every future age and nation. And he prophesied — Of things immediately to follow, which proved the accomplishment of God’s promises made to Abraham, and the other patriarchs and prophets, concerning the redemption and salvation of God’s people by the Messiah. By prophesying, no more is sometimes meant in the Scriptures than celebrating the praises of God with great elevation and affection of soul, as 1 Chronicles 25:1, Where Asaph and Jeduthun are said to prophesy with the harp and cymbal, which, Luke 1:3, is explained by their giving praise and thanks to God. But as Zacharias is said, on this occasion, to have uttered predictions concerning the kingdom and salvation of the Messiah, and the office and ministry of his own son, the ordinary sense of the word prophesy may be here very properly admitted.”
Luke 1:68-70. Blessed be the Lord God of Israel — Who is also the God of the spirits of all flesh: but Zacharias, speaking of the work of redemption calls him only the God of Israel, because to Israel the prophecies, promises, and types of redemption, had hitherto been given, and to them the first offers and proposals of it were now to be made. Israel, as a chosen people, was a type of the people of God to be called out of all nations and ages, whom God had a particular eye to in sending the Saviour. For he hath visited, &c., his people — In sending the Messiah, God made a gracious visit to his people, whom, for many ages, he had seemed to neglect, and be estranged from. He is said to have visited his people in bondage, when he delivered them, Exodus 3:16; to have visited them in famine, when he gave them bread, Ruth 1:6. He had often sent to them by his prophets, and had kept up a correspondence with them, but now he himself made them a visit, for Christ was Immanuel, God with us, God manifest in the flesh. And redeemed his people — Εποιησε λυτρωσιν τω λαω αυτου. He hath wrought out redemption for his people, complete and illustrious redemption. This was the errand on which Christ came into the world, to redeem those that were sold for sin and sold under sin; even God’s own people, his Israel, need to be redeemed, and are undone if they be not. Christ redeems them by price out of the hands of God’s justice, and redeems them by power out of the hands of Satan’s tyranny, as Israel out of Egypt. And hath raised up a horn of salvation for us — That is, a mighty, victorious, and glorious Saviour, who saves his people with an abundant salvation. The expression is metaphorical, taken from beasts, whose strength, defence, and victory over other animals, lies chiefly in their horns, as also the beauty and glory of several of them; the property likewise of the ancients consisting chiefly in their flocks and herds. Accordingly, the word horn is used in Scripture emblematically, to denote strength or power, Lamentations 2:3; Lamentations 2:17; Psalm 75:10; also honour and triumph, as, when the horn is exalted, Psalm 89:24. From the union of these, it signifies the power of a king or kingdom, Revelation 13:1. This is the chief import of the word in this place, the house of David being the regal family, and the word Saviour, implying deliverer, protector, and ruler; the horn of salvation in the house of David denotes the kingdom of Christ. As he spake — That is, as he promised; by his holy prophets, which have been since the world began — Απ’ αιωνος, from the beginning of ages, the promise being made to Adam, Genesis 3:15, that the seed of the woman should bruise the serpent’s head; and to Abraham and the other patriarchs, that in their seed all nations of the earth should be blessed. “It cannot,” however, as Dr. Doddridge justly observes, “certainly be inferred from hence, as some have argued, that there was from the beginning of the world a series of prophets, or that every individual prophet spoke of the Messiah, which can never be proved without doing great violence to the remaining writings of some of them.” The words of Zacharias only amount to this, that the generality of prophecies in all ages refer to this great event. See Acts 10:43.”
Act 1:8, “but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem and in all Judea, and Samaria, and as far as the remotest part of the earth.”
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
8. ye shall receive power] Something different from the profitless speculations to which they had just desired an answer, even “a mouth and wisdom which their adversaries could neither gainsay nor resist” (Luke 21:15). Thus would they be enabled to become Christ’s witnesses.
in Jerusalem, and in all Judea] To which district all the ministrations of the Apostles were confined till the death of Stephen.
and in Samaria] Whither the first who went with authority was Philip, one of the seven (Acts 8:5), and afterwards Peter and John.
and unto the uttermost part of the earth] Commenced by the preaching of Paul, Barnabas, Mark, Silas and Timothy, and regarded as placed on a secure footing when St Paul was once brought into the capital city of the world.
The writer keeps before him from first to last the promise contained in this verse, and leaves out of his narrative all that does not tend to illustrate its fulfilment. The work of every agent is followed so far as he is used to bring about this result and no farther. This will be noticed at each stage as we proceed, and it will be seen that it explains why among “Acts of Apostles” some works are included which were not carried on by Apostles, and why the histories of the chief agents are left incomplete.”
Act 4:31, “And when they had prayed, the place
where they had gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak the Word of God with boldness.”
Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
And when they had prayed,…. Either while they were praying, or as soon as they had done; for sometimes, as here, prayer is immediately heard, and an answer is returned, whilst the saints are speaking, or as soon as prayer is ended:
the place was shaken where they were assembled together; which, whether it was a private house, or the temple, is not certain: the latter seems more probable, because their number was so great, that no private house could hold them; and since this was the place where they used to assemble; this was now shaken with a rushing mighty wind, as on the day of Pentecost, and was a symbol of the divine presence, and a token that their prayers were heard, and an emblem of the shaking of the world by the ministry of the apostles:
and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost; with the gifts of the Holy Ghost, even with extraordinary ones, such as speaking with divers tongues, as before on the day of Pentecost; see Acts 2:4 and this was the case not only of the apostles, but of the other ministers of the word, and it may be of the whole church:
and they spoke the word of God with all boldness; that is, the apostles, and preachers of the Gospel, spoke it with great freedom, and without fear, not only privately, in their community, but publicly, in the temple: this was what was particularly prayed for, and in which they had a remarkable answer.”
7.) Hell fire may not be material.
Mat 5:22, “But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother shall be answerable to the court; and whoever says to his brother, ‘You good-for-nothing,’ shall be answerable to the supreme court; and whoever says, ‘You fool,’ shall be guilty enough to go into the fiery Hell.”
It is Jesus who calls the fiery Hell.
But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be {i} in danger {k} of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the {l} council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of {m} hell {n} fire.
- He speaks of the judgment of God, and of the difference of sins, and therefore applies his words to the form of civil judgments which were then used.
(k) Of that judgment which was ruled by three men, who had the hearing and deciding of money matters, and such other small causes.
(l) By that judgment which stood of 23 judges, who had the hearing and deciding of weighty affairs, as the matter of a whole tribe or of a high priest, or of a false prophet.
(m) Whereas we read here hell, it is in the text itself Gehenna, which is one Hebrew word made out of two, and is as if to say as the Valley of Hinnom, which the Hebrews called Topheth: it was a place where the Israelites cruelly sacrificed their children to false gods, whereupon it was taken for a place appointed to torment the reprobates in Jer 7:31.
(n) The Jews used four kinds of punishments, before their government was taken away by Herod: hanging, beheading, stoning, and burning. It is burning that Christ meant, because burning was the greatest punishment; therefore by making mention of a judgment, a council, and a fire, he shows that some sins are worse than others are, but yet they are all such that we must give account for them, and will be punished for them.”
Mat 10:28, “And do not be afraid of those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear
Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in Hell.”
Them which kill the body – That is, people, who have no power to injure the soul, the immortal part. The body is a small matter in comparison with the soul. Temporal death is a slight thing compared with eternal death. He directs them, therefore, not to be alarmed at the prospect of temporal death, but to fear God, who can destroy both soul and body forever. This passage proves that the bodies of the wicked will be raised up to be punished forever.
In hell – See the notes at Matthew 5:22.”
False teachers and false theologians fail to point out, in Hell the victims are continuously dying, but they are not dead; eternally suffering, but the end never comes. It is endless suffering.
Jesus warns of the two features of Hell: (a.) the worm does not die; (b.) the fire is not extinguished.
Mar 9:48, “where THEIR WORM DOES NOT DIE, AND THE FIRE IS NOT EXTINGUISHED.”
If the fire of Hell is immaterial, why would Jesus warns that the Hell fire is unqueanchable?
8.) The Bible contains the Word of God.
This is a false doctrine advocated by a false theologian I do not want to promote his name. The Bible is the Word of God, not just contains the Word of God. Whatever the Bible says is so. When the Bible says the devil says, God says the devil says. The Word of God is absolute, supreme, ultimate and eternal.
Mat 24:35, “Heaven and earth will pass away, but My Words will not pass away.”
Ver. 32-35. Mark hath the very same, Mark 13:28-31. So hath Luke, Luke 21:29-33, only he saith, the fig tree, and all the trees, when they now shoot forth, ye see and know of your own selves that summer is now nigh at hand. So likewise ye, when ye see these things come to pass, know ye that the kingdom of God is nigh at hand. Verily, &c. By this similitude of the fig tree (called therefore by Luke a parable) our Saviour doth not only design to inform them that these things which he had told them should be as certain signs of the approaching of the destruction of Jerusalem, and the coming of his kingdom, as the fig trees and other trees putting forth of leaves is a sign of the approaching summer, as Song of Solomon 2:13; but that as the frosts, and snow, and cold of the winter, doth not hinder the trees from bringing forth fruit in the summer, so these tribulations and troubles should be so far from hindering and destroying Christ’s kingdom, that they should prepare the world for it, and promote it: so that as they might know from these tribulations in Judea that the kingdom of grace was at hand, and began; so from the following tribulations upon the world they might know that his kingdom of glory was also hastening.
Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled. There are several notions men have of that term, this generation, some by it understanding mankind; others, the generation of Christians; others, the whole generation of the Jews: but doubtless our Saviour mean’s the set of men that were at that time in the world: those who were at that time living should not all die until all these things shall be fulfilled, all that he had spoken with reference to the destruction of Jerusalem; and indeed the most of those signs which our Saviour gave, were signs common both to the destruction of Jerusalem and the last judgment, abating only Christ’s personal coming in the clouds with power and glory. So that, considering that the destruction of Jerusalem was within less than forty years after our Saviour’s speaking these words, so many as lived to the expiration of that number of years must see the far greater part of these things actually fulfilled, as signs of the destruction of Jerusalem; and fulfilling, as signs of the end of the world.
Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away. By this expression our Saviour confirmeth the truth of what he had said, assuring those to whom he spake, that although there should be a change of the heavens and the earth, 2 Peter 3:10,12,13, which then commonly look upon as the most stable and abiding things, yet the truth of what he had said should not fail.”
Mat 22:29, “But Jesus answered and said to them, “You are mistaken, since you do not
understand the Scriptures nor the power of God.”
People err on two counts: They do not understand the Scriptures nor the power of God.
Luk 8:21, “But He answered and said to them, “My mother and My brothers are these who hear the
Word of God and do it.”
Luk 11:28, “But He said, “On the contrary, blessed are those who hear the Word of God and follow it.”
Jesus says the Scriptures cited above.
2Co 4:2, “but we have renounced the things hidden
because of shame, not walking in trickery nor
distorting the Word of God, but by the open
proclamation of the truth commending ourselves
to every person’s conscience in the sight of God.”
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
2. But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty] Far from shrinking from the labour and suffering and opposition entailed by the preaching of the Gospel, and so inclining to suppress its utterance, the true ministers of Christ “even rejoice and speak boldly” (Chrysostom). Cf. ch. 2 Corinthians 3:12. The word here rendered dishonesty (a word, however, which had three centuries ago a wider meaning than it has now, cf. As you Like it,Acts 3. Sc. 3) is rather disgrace. It is translated shame wherever else it occurs in the N. T., as, for instance, Luke 14:9; Php 3:19; Revelation 3:18. What the Apostle has renounced is all secret practices, which, when found out, cause shame. Cf. John 3:20.
craftiness] The word means the conduct of a man who resorts to all kinds of contrivances to attain his end. An excellent illustration of the meaning of the word may be found in Luke 20:20-23. See also ch. 2 Corinthians 11:3, where it is rendered subtilty. St Paul was accused of this. See ch. 2 Corinthians 12:16, note.
nor handling the word of God deceitfully] This word is the nearest translation of the Greek δολοῦντες. Adulterantes, Vulgate; neither corrupte we, Tyndale. Our translation is due to Cranmer. “It is done,” says Meyer, “by alterations and strange admixtures.” Cf. ch. 2 Corinthians 2:17.
but by manifestation of the truth] i.e. by bringing the truth clearly and plainly to light, without any attempt at concealment.
commending] The word commend has here obviously the same signification as recommend. This cannot be said of ch. 2 Corinthians 3:1, where see note.
to every man’s conscience] See note on ch. 2 Corinthians 1:24. The individual conscience is, and always must be, the ultimate tribunal to which all teaching must appeal, and St Paul assumes that in it there resides a faculty of appreciating and acknowledging truth.”
9.) Revelaltion 21 is symbolic.
This is a false doctrine of false prophets and false teachers. When the Bible speaks in parables or symbols, they ought to be interpreted as parables and symbols. There is nothing symbolic about Revelation Chapter 21. I know the rational mind of false teachers is overwhelmed when it is written the Holy City, New Jerusalem, is:
Rev 21:16, “When he measured it, he found it was a square, as wide as it was long. In fact, its length and width and height were each 1,400 miles.”
Their unbelieving hearts could not accept that God created a City 1,400 miles long, 1,400 miles wide, and 1,400 miles high.
I disagree with all commentaries that vison the Holy City as the Church and “a figurative or symbolical representation.”
Jesus says plainly, nothing symbolic:
Jhn 14:2-3, “In My Father’s house are many mansions; if that were not so, I would have told you, because I AM going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I am coming again and will take you to Myself, so that where I am, there you also will be.”
With all my heart I believe the Holy City is the place, the greatest masterpiece Jesus Christ has prepared for His followers. The Holy City is a real place, which a million times better than Shanghai, London, Paris, etc.
I aso believe the place is also what is written in the Bible:
1Co 2:9, “but just as it is written:
“THINGS WHICH EYE HAS NOT SEEN AND EAR HAS NOT HEARD, AND WHICH HAVE NOT ENTERED THE HUMAN HEART, ALL THAT GOD HAS PREPARED
FOR THOSE WHO LOVE HIM.”
This is the same place that Jesus Christ and God has prepared for those who love Him, the Holy City.
Verse 9. – But as it is written. The whole sentence in the Greek is unfinished. The thought seems to be, “But God has revealed to us things which eye hath not seen, etc., though the princes of this world were ignorant of them.” Scriptural quotations are often thus introduced, apart from the general grammar of the sentence, as in the Greek of 1 Corinthians 1:31. Eye hath not seen, etc. The Revised Version is here more literal and accurate. The quotation as it stands is not found in the Old Testament. It most resembles Isaiah 64:4, but also vaguely resembles Isaiah 53:15; 65:17. It may be another instance of a loose general reminiscence (comp. 1 Corinthians 14:21; Romans 9:33). “Non verbum e verbo expressit,” says St. Jerome, “sed παραφραστικῶς ευνδεμ σενσυμ aliis sermonibus indicavit.” St. Chrysostom regards the words as part of a lost prophecy. Origen, Zacharias of Chrysopolis, and others say that the words occurred in an apocryphal book, the ‘Apocalypse of Elias,’ but if so the apocryphal writer must have had the passage of Isaiah in his mind. Some regard the words as a fragment of some ancient liturgy. Origen thought that they came from the ‘Revelation of Elijah.’ They were also to be found in the ‘Ascension of Isaiah’ (Jerome on Isaiah 64:4). and they occur in the Talmud (Sanhedr. 99 a). In a curious fragment of Hegesippus (circ. A.D. 150) preserved in Photius (Cod. 232.), that old writer indignantly repudiates this passage, saying that it is futile and “utterly belies (καταψεύδεσθαι) the Holy Scriptures and the Lord, who says, ‘Blessed are your eyes which see, and your ears which hear.'” Photius cannot understand why (ὅτι καὶ παθὼν) Hegesippus should speak thus. Routh (‘Rel. Sacr.,’ 253) hardly knows how to excuse him; but perhaps if we had the context of the fragment we should see that he is attacking, not the words themselves, but some perversion of them by heretics, like the Docetae. The phrase, “As it is written,” decisively marks an intention to refer to Scripture. Neither have entered into the heart of man; literally, things which have not set foot upon the heart. The general thought is that God’s revelations (for the immediate reference is to these, and not to future bliss) pass all understanding. The quotation of these words as referring to heaven is one of the numberless instances of texts inaccurately applied. 1 Corinthians 2:9.”
2Pe 3:13, “But according to His promise we are looking for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells.”
Verse 13. – Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth; rather, but, according to his promise, we look for. The promise is that in Isaiah 65:17, “Behold, I create new heavens and a new earth” (see also Isaiah 66:22 and Revelation 21:1). St. John saw in vision the fulfillment of the prophecy of Isaiah and St. Peter: “The first heaven and the first earth were passed away.” It may be that, as the water of the Deluge was the baptism of the ancient world into a new life, so the fire of the great day will be the means of purifying and refining the universe, transforming it into new heavens and a new earth, making all things new. Our Lord’s use of the word “regeneration,” in Matthew 19:28, seems to favour this view. In the regeneration of the individual soul the personality remains, the thoughts, desires, affections, are changed; so, it may be, in the regeneration of the world the substance will remain, the fashion (σχῆμα) of the old world will pass away (1 Corinthians 7:31). But it is impossible to pronounce dogmatically whether the new heavens and earth will be a reproduction of the old in a far more glorious form, through the agency of the refining fire, or an absolutely new creation, as the words of Isaiah seem to imply. St. John, like St. Peter, speaks of a new earth, and tells us that that new earth will be the dwelling-place of the blessed. He saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven; the throne of God and of the Lamb (he tells us) shall be in it: “The tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them.” The holy city, Jerusalem, which is above, is in heaven now; the commonwealth of which the saints are citizens is in heaven (Philippians 3:20). But heaven will come down to earth; the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be there; there his servants shall serve him. The distinction between earth and heaven will be abolished; for where God is, there is heaven. Wherein dwelleth righteousness (comp. Isaiah 60:21, “Thy people shall be all righteous;” also Isaiah lay. 25; Revelation 21:27; Romans 8:21). 2 Peter 3:13.”
According to His promise, I am looking forward to my mansion in Heaven where righteousness dwells.
My dear brothers and sisters in Christ, when you study the Bible, the Word of God, remember the following principles:
(1.) The Bible interprets itself. (2.) The Bible does not contradict itself. (3.) If it is a parable or symbol, it will say so. (4.) Do not follow humans (no matter how famous); follow Jesus Christ and Apostles, they cannot be wrong. Ask the Holy Spirit to enlighten you. (5.) Anything that contradicts Jesus Christ is
absolutely wrong. For example, some theologians and scholars say the Hell fire is immaterial. If it be so, why would Jesus warns that Hell fire cannot be extinguished? Do you try to put out imaginary fire? (6.) Revelations given to Apostles cannot be wrong. If Revelation Chapter 21 symbolizes the Churh, how can it be square, 1,400 miles in length, width and height?
You have learned the truth of the Gospel. So you must repent of your sins and believe in Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. Do not neglect so great a salvation. Do it now; for now is the day of salvation.
WILLLIE WONG THOUGHT
WILLIE WONG
November 22, 2025
Copyright © 2018 – 2025 by Willie Wong
All African nations, South America, Asia and the world, where can you find a country which does not have large national debts and deficits? Africa is different because for 500 years, not one country has become self-sufficient and solvent, they glorify with their primitive cultures and brag about their scientists and experts, joy to kill each other. International aid actually fuel their official corruption. Any nation that shares destinies with Africa will be doomed! No resources can fill the Black holes! The international community should leave Africa alone, let them do or die.
China modernization must focus that every village will have:
- Electricity.
- Running water to drink and wash.
- Gas to cook and heat.
- Internet.
- Livelihood.