As a young preacher preparing to preach, I needed to take care that I didn’t say anything stupid.

For this reason, I would check my sermon notes against one or two of my favorite Bible commentaries. I considered these commentaries guard rails that kept me in line. I now realize they were also fetters keeping me shackled to dead works.

Pastors read commentaries, sometimes late on a Saturday in a mild state of panic. Of course, you don’t have to be a pastor to read a commentary. Many believers use Bible commentaries and study Bibles for their own personal study, and why wouldn’t they?

A Bible commentary is like having your own private tutor. With a good commentary or study Bible you can glean revelation and insight that was acquired over generations. You can get inside the head of your favorite teacher.

Bible commentaries are useful tools. By illuminating the context they help us to make sense of scripture.

But Bible commentaries sometimes perpetuate messages that are graceless, carnal and lead to dead works. To assess the extent to which Bible commentaries help or harm, I examined eight popular commentaries to see whether they preached law, grace, or a mixture of the two.

Eight Bible commentaries

I picked commentaries that are highly influential. These are the commentaries that pastors and teachers use when preparing sermons and lessons. You may have used them yourself.

To protect commentators’ identities, I refer to these commentaries by the first eight letters of the alphabet with A being the oldest commentary in my sample and H the youngest.

I rated each commentary by examining ten “shibboleth” scriptures. (I discuss the full procedure used in the accompanying study note on Patreon.)

I was not expecting to find any commentary that was perfectly grace based, but I hoped there might be one or two that got close. There weren’t. They all preached law or mixture.

One of the commentaries in my study (G) was a modern commentary that is popular with some of my friends. Among the eight commentaries, it was the least legalistic, which may explain its appeal. While other commentaries preached law most of the time, this one preached grace almost half of the time.

However, this meant the commentary was riddled with inconsistencies. Forgiveness is unconditional, but you have to earn it. You are saved by faith, but only if you act right. God loves you, but he’ll damn you if you don’t deliver.

This commentary (G) was confusing. It sounded as if it had been written by a committee of people with different views on faith and works. Its strong emphasis on works believers must do means it cannot be considered a grace-based commentary. But neither can it be considered a law-based commentary. With its muddled emphasis on both law and grace, it is a commentary of mixture.

(My study revealed a number of other interesting findings regarding readability et cetera, which I discuss in the study note.)

What now?

In my experience, Bible commentators typically preach mixture with a strong emphasis on the law and works. In all my years of reading, I have never encountered a whole Bible commentary that did not.

It seems clear that if Bible scholars are preaching mixture, then the preachers and teachers who rely on their commentaries will also preach mixture, and the church will be mixed up. Just as you can’t get hot water from a cold tap, you will never get pure grace from someone preaching mixture.

What can you do?

The number one takeaway of my study is lean on the Holy Spirit. Bring your Bible questions to the Author. The Spirit of Grace is the best Guide you will ever have. He will never accuse and condemn you or burden you with dead works. He will always point you to Jesus and encourage you to walk by faith (John 14:26).

The second takeaway is to watch what you read, view and listen to. Good teachers are a gift to the body of Christ, but not every teacher is walking in grace. Bad teachers went to Galatia preaching mixture, and when Paul heard about it he basically told the Galatians to cast them out (see Gal. 4:30). If the message you’re hearing helps you grow in the love and grace of God, it’s gold. But if it’s a muddled mix of law and grace, resist it. Stand firm in the faith and let nothing move you (Gal. 5:1).

Finally, check your Bible commentary. If it does not deliver a consistent message of grace, consider replacing it. It may be doing more harm than good. Find a grace-based Bible commentary – which is easier said than done.

I know several grace preachers who have written Bible commentaries in one form or another. But most of these commentaries are limited to a few hundred verses or a single book of the Bible. The exception is the Grace Commentary which has more than 10,000 entries covering more than 3,500 verses.

And this is is where I shamelessly plug my commentary.

Simpler is better

I have two goals in writing the Grace Commentary. The first is to offer a grace-based alternative to other types of commentary. The second is to provide a tool that is clear and easy to understand.

If the gospel is simple then commentaries should be simple too. For this reason I use small words and short sentences to provide clear and simple explanations of scripture. My motto is, the simpler the better.

I will spare you the details, but a readability assessment reveals that the Grace Commentary is easier to read than the eight commentaries in my study. To the best of my knowledge, the Grace Commentary is the only commentary that can be read by anyone with a sixth-grade education.

This easy readability may be why the Grace Commentary is read in more than 170 countries, including many nations where English is not the native language.

The results of a recent survey reveal that the typical Grace Commentary reader is a pastor or church leader. However, the majority of readers use it for non-preaching reasons (e.g., private study, daily devotions, homeschooling, getting clarity on “tough” scriptures).

Although the Grace Commentary is a work in progress, reader feedback suggests that after just three years it is already a useful tool for helping people grow in grace.

And it’s only going to get bigger and better.

—–

As a young preacher preparing to preach, I needed to take care that I didn’t say anything stupid.

For this reason, I would check my sermon notes against one or two of my favorite Bible commentaries. I considered these commentaries guard rails that kept me in line. I now realize they were also fetters keeping me shackled to dead works.

Pastors read commentaries, sometimes late on a Saturday in a mild state of panic. Of course, you don’t have to be a pastor to read a commentary. Many believers use Bible commentaries and study Bibles for their own personal study, and why wouldn’t they?

A Bible commentary is like having your own private tutor. With a good commentary or study Bible you can glean revelation and insight that was acquired over generations. You can get inside the head of your favorite teacher.

Bible commentaries are useful tools. By illuminating the context they help us to make sense of scripture.

But Bible commentaries sometimes perpetuate messages that are graceless, carnal and lead to dead works. To assess the extent to which Bible commentaries help or harm, I examined eight popular commentaries to see whether they preached law, grace, or a mixture of the two.

Eight Bible commentaries

I picked commentaries that are highly influential. These are the commentaries that pastors and teachers use when preparing sermons and lessons. You may have used them yourself.

To protect commentators’ identities, I refer to these commentaries by the first eight letters of the alphabet with A being the oldest commentary in my sample and H the youngest.

I rated each commentary by examining ten “shibboleth” scriptures. (I discuss the full procedure used in the accompanying study note on Patreon.)

I was not expecting to find any commentary that was perfectly grace based, but I hoped there might be one or two that got close. There weren’t. They all preached law or mixture.

One of the commentaries in my study (G) was a modern commentary that is popular with some of my friends. Among the eight commentaries, it was the least legalistic, which may explain its appeal. While other commentaries preached law most of the time, this one preached grace almost half of the time.

However, this meant the commentary was riddled with inconsistencies. Forgiveness is unconditional, but you have to earn it. You are saved by faith, but only if you act right. God loves you, but he’ll damn you if you don’t deliver.

This commentary (G) was confusing. It sounded as if it had been written by a committee of people with different views on faith and works. Its strong emphasis on works believers must do means it cannot be considered a grace-based commentary. But neither can it be considered a law-based commentary. With its muddled emphasis on both law and grace, it is a commentary of mixture.

(My study revealed a number of other interesting findings regarding readability et cetera, which I discuss in the study note.)

What now?

In my experience, Bible commentators typically preach mixture with a strong emphasis on the law and works. In all my years of reading, I have never encountered a whole Bible commentary that did not.

It seems clear that if Bible scholars are preaching mixture, then the preachers and teachers who rely on their commentaries will also preach mixture, and the church will be mixed up. Just as you can’t get hot water from a cold tap, you will never get pure grace from someone preaching mixture.

What can you do?

The number one takeaway of my study is lean on the Holy Spirit. Bring your Bible questions to the Author. The Spirit of Grace is the best Guide you will ever have. He will never accuse and condemn you or burden you with dead works. He will always point you to Jesus and encourage you to walk by faith (John 14:26).

The second takeaway is to watch what you read, view and listen to. Good teachers are a gift to the body of Christ, but not every teacher is walking in grace. Bad teachers went to Galatia preaching mixture, and when Paul heard about it he basically told the Galatians to cast them out (see Gal. 4:30). If the message you’re hearing helps you grow in the love and grace of God, it’s gold. But if it’s a muddled mix of law and grace, resist it. Stand firm in the faith and let nothing move you (Gal. 5:1).

Finally, check your Bible commentary. If it does not deliver a consistent message of grace, consider replacing it. It may be doing more harm than good. Find a grace-based Bible commentary – which is easier said than done.

I know several grace preachers who have written Bible commentaries in one form or another. But most of these commentaries are limited to a few hundred verses or a single book of the Bible. The exception is the Grace Commentary which has more than 10,000 entries covering more than 3,500 verses.

And this is is where I shamelessly plug my commentary.

Simpler is better

I have two goals in writing the Grace Commentary. The first is to offer a grace-based alternative to other types of commentary. The second is to provide a tool that is clear and easy to understand.

If the gospel is simple then commentaries should be simple too. For this reason I use small words and short sentences to provide clear and simple explanations of scripture. My motto is, the simpler the better.

I will spare you the details, but a readability assessment reveals that the Grace Commentary is easier to read than the eight commentaries in my study. To the best of my knowledge, the Grace Commentary is the only commentary that can be read by anyone with a sixth-grade education.

This easy readability may be why the Grace Commentary is read in more than 170 countries, including many nations where English is not the native language.

The results of a recent survey reveal that the typical Grace Commentary reader is a pastor or church leader. However, the majority of readers use it for non-preaching reasons (e.g., private study, daily devotions, homeschooling, getting clarity on “tough” scriptures).

Although the Grace Commentary is a work in progress, reader feedback suggests that after just three years it is already a useful tool for helping people grow in grace.

And it’s only going to get bigger and better.

—–

As a young preacher preparing to preach, I needed to take care that I didn’t say anything stupid.

For this reason, I would check my sermon notes against one or two of my favorite Bible commentaries. I considered these commentaries guard rails that kept me in line. I now realize they were also fetters keeping me shackled to dead works.

Pastors read commentaries, sometimes late on a Saturday in a mild state of panic. Of course, you don’t have to be a pastor to read a commentary. Many believers use Bible commentaries and study Bibles for their own personal study, and why wouldn’t they?

A Bible commentary is like having your own private tutor. With a good commentary or study Bible you can glean revelation and insight that was acquired over generations. You can get inside the head of your favorite teacher.

Bible commentaries are useful tools. By illuminating the context they help us to make sense of scripture.

But Bible commentaries sometimes perpetuate messages that are graceless, carnal and lead to dead works. To assess the extent to which Bible commentaries help or harm, I examined eight popular commentaries to see whether they preached law, grace, or a mixture of the two.

Eight Bible commentaries

I picked commentaries that are highly influential. These are the commentaries that pastors and teachers use when preparing sermons and lessons. You may have used them yourself.

To protect commentators’ identities, I refer to these commentaries by the first eight letters of the alphabet with A being the oldest commentary in my sample and H the youngest.

I rated each commentary by examining ten “shibboleth” scriptures. (I discuss the full procedure used in the accompanying study note on Patreon.)

I was not expecting to find any commentary that was perfectly grace based, but I hoped there might be one or two that got close. There weren’t. They all preached law or mixture.

One of the commentaries in my study (G) was a modern commentary that is popular with some of my friends. Among the eight commentaries, it was the least legalistic, which may explain its appeal. While other commentaries preached law most of the time, this one preached grace almost half of the time.

However, this meant the commentary was riddled with inconsistencies. Forgiveness is unconditional, but you have to earn it. You are saved by faith, but only if you act right. God loves you, but he’ll damn you if you don’t deliver.

This commentary (G) was confusing. It sounded as if it had been written by a committee of people with different views on faith and works. Its strong emphasis on works believers must do means it cannot be considered a grace-based commentary. But neither can it be considered a law-based commentary. With its muddled emphasis on both law and grace, it is a commentary of mixture.

(My study revealed a number of other interesting findings regarding readability et cetera, which I discuss in the study note.)

What now?

In my experience, Bible commentators typically preach mixture with a strong emphasis on the law and works. In all my years of reading, I have never encountered a whole Bible commentary that did not.

It seems clear that if Bible scholars are preaching mixture, then the preachers and teachers who rely on their commentaries will also preach mixture, and the church will be mixed up. Just as you can’t get hot water from a cold tap, you will never get pure grace from someone preaching mixture.

What can you do?

The number one takeaway of my study is lean on the Holy Spirit. Bring your Bible questions to the Author. The Spirit of Grace is the best Guide you will ever have. He will never accuse and condemn you or burden you with dead works. He will always point you to Jesus and encourage you to walk by faith (John 14:26).

The second takeaway is to watch what you read, view and listen to. Good teachers are a gift to the body of Christ, but not every teacher is walking in grace. Bad teachers went to Galatia preaching mixture, and when Paul heard about it he basically told the Galatians to cast them out (see Gal. 4:30). If the message you’re hearing helps you grow in the love and grace of God, it’s gold. But if it’s a muddled mix of law and grace, resist it. Stand firm in the faith and let nothing move you (Gal. 5:1).

Finally, check your Bible commentary. If it does not deliver a consistent message of grace, consider replacing it. It may be doing more harm than good. Find a grace-based Bible commentary – which is easier said than done.

I know several grace preachers who have written Bible commentaries in one form or another. But most of these commentaries are limited to a few hundred verses or a single book of the Bible. The exception is the Grace Commentary which has more than 10,000 entries covering more than 3,500 verses.

And this is is where I shamelessly plug my commentary.

Simpler is better

I have two goals in writing the Grace Commentary. The first is to offer a grace-based alternative to other types of commentary. The second is to provide a tool that is clear and easy to understand.

If the gospel is simple then commentaries should be simple too. For this reason I use small words and short sentences to provide clear and simple explanations of scripture. My motto is, the simpler the better.

I will spare you the details, but a readability assessment reveals that the Grace Commentary is easier to read than the eight commentaries in my study. To the best of my knowledge, the Grace Commentary is the only commentary that can be read by anyone with a sixth-grade education.

This easy readability may be why the Grace Commentary is read in more than 170 countries, including many nations where English is not the native language.

The results of a recent survey reveal that the typical Grace Commentary reader is a pastor or church leader. However, the majority of readers use it for non-preaching reasons (e.g., private study, daily devotions, homeschooling, getting clarity on “tough” scriptures).

Although the Grace Commentary is a work in progress, reader feedback suggests that after just three years it is already a useful tool for helping people grow in grace.

And it’s only going to get bigger and better.

—–

As a young preacher preparing to preach, I needed to take care that I didn’t say anything stupid.

For this reason, I would check my sermon notes against one or two of my favorite Bible commentaries. I considered these commentaries guard rails that kept me in line. I now realize they were also fetters keeping me shackled to dead works.

Pastors read commentaries, sometimes late on a Saturday in a mild state of panic. Of course, you don’t have to be a pastor to read a commentary. Many believers use Bible commentaries and study Bibles for their own personal study, and why wouldn’t they?

A Bible commentary is like having your own private tutor. With a good commentary or study Bible you can glean revelation and insight that was acquired over generations. You can get inside the head of your favorite teacher.

Bible commentaries are useful tools. By illuminating the context they help us to make sense of scripture.

But Bible commentaries sometimes perpetuate messages that are graceless, carnal and lead to dead works. To assess the extent to which Bible commentaries help or harm, I examined eight popular commentaries to see whether they preached law, grace, or a mixture of the two.

Eight Bible commentaries

I picked commentaries that are highly influential. These are the commentaries that pastors and teachers use when preparing sermons and lessons. You may have used them yourself.

To protect commentators’ identities, I refer to these commentaries by the first eight letters of the alphabet with A being the oldest commentary in my sample and H the youngest.

I rated each commentary by examining ten “shibboleth” scriptures. (I discuss the full procedure used in the accompanying study note on Patreon.)

I was not expecting to find any commentary that was perfectly grace based, but I hoped there might be one or two that got close. There weren’t. They all preached law or mixture.

One of the commentaries in my study (G) was a modern commentary that is popular with some of my friends. Among the eight commentaries, it was the least legalistic, which may explain its appeal. While other commentaries preached law most of the time, this one preached grace almost half of the time.

However, this meant the commentary was riddled with inconsistencies. Forgiveness is unconditional, but you have to earn it. You are saved by faith, but only if you act right. God loves you, but he’ll damn you if you don’t deliver.

This commentary (G) was confusing. It sounded as if it had been written by a committee of people with different views on faith and works. Its strong emphasis on works believers must do means it cannot be considered a grace-based commentary. But neither can it be considered a law-based commentary. With its muddled emphasis on both law and grace, it is a commentary of mixture.

(My study revealed a number of other interesting findings regarding readability et cetera, which I discuss in the study note.)

What now?

In my experience, Bible commentators typically preach mixture with a strong emphasis on the law and works. In all my years of reading, I have never encountered a whole Bible commentary that did not.

It seems clear that if Bible scholars are preaching mixture, then the preachers and teachers who rely on their commentaries will also preach mixture, and the church will be mixed up. Just as you can’t get hot water from a cold tap, you will never get pure grace from someone preaching mixture.

What can you do?

The number one takeaway of my study is lean on the Holy Spirit. Bring your Bible questions to the Author. The Spirit of Grace is the best Guide you will ever have. He will never accuse and condemn you or burden you with dead works. He will always point you to Jesus and encourage you to walk by faith (John 14:26).

The second takeaway is to watch what you read, view and listen to. Good teachers are a gift to the body of Christ, but not every teacher is walking in grace. Bad teachers went to Galatia preaching mixture, and when Paul heard about it he basically told the Galatians to cast them out (see Gal. 4:30). If the message you’re hearing helps you grow in the love and grace of God, it’s gold. But if it’s a muddled mix of law and grace, resist it. Stand firm in the faith and let nothing move you (Gal. 5:1).

Finally, check your Bible commentary. If it does not deliver a consistent message of grace, consider replacing it. It may be doing more harm than good. Find a grace-based Bible commentary – which is easier said than done.

I know several grace preachers who have written Bible commentaries in one form or another. But most of these commentaries are limited to a few hundred verses or a single book of the Bible. The exception is the Grace Commentary which has more than 10,000 entries covering more than 3,500 verses.

And this is is where I shamelessly plug my commentary.

Simpler is better

I have two goals in writing the Grace Commentary. The first is to offer a grace-based alternative to other types of commentary. The second is to provide a tool that is clear and easy to understand.

If the gospel is simple then commentaries should be simple too. For this reason I use small words and short sentences to provide clear and simple explanations of scripture. My motto is, the simpler the better.

I will spare you the details, but a readability assessment reveals that the Grace Commentary is easier to read than the eight commentaries in my study. To the best of my knowledge, the Grace Commentary is the only commentary that can be read by anyone with a sixth-grade education.

This easy readability may be why the Grace Commentary is read in more than 170 countries, including many nations where English is not the native language.

The results of a recent survey reveal that the typical Grace Commentary reader is a pastor or church leader. However, the majority of readers use it for non-preaching reasons (e.g., private study, daily devotions, homeschooling, getting clarity on “tough” scriptures).

Although the Grace Commentary is a work in progress, reader feedback suggests that after just three years it is already a useful tool for helping people grow in grace.

And it’s only going to get bigger and better.

—–

As a young preacher preparing to preach, I needed to take care that I didn’t say anything stupid.

For this reason, I would check my sermon notes against one or two of my favorite Bible commentaries. I considered these commentaries guard rails that kept me in line. I now realize they were also fetters keeping me shackled to dead works.

Pastors read commentaries, sometimes late on a Saturday in a mild state of panic. Of course, you don’t have to be a pastor to read a commentary. Many believers use Bible commentaries and study Bibles for their own personal study, and why wouldn’t they?

A Bible commentary is like having your own private tutor. With a good commentary or study Bible you can glean revelation and insight that was acquired over generations. You can get inside the head of your favorite teacher.

Bible commentaries are useful tools. By illuminating the context they help us to make sense of scripture.

But Bible commentaries sometimes perpetuate messages that are graceless, carnal and lead to dead works. To assess the extent to which Bible commentaries help or harm, I examined eight popular commentaries to see whether they preached law, grace, or a mixture of the two.

Eight Bible commentaries

I picked commentaries that are highly influential. These are the commentaries that pastors and teachers use when preparing sermons and lessons. You may have used them yourself.

To protect commentators’ identities, I refer to these commentaries by the first eight letters of the alphabet with A being the oldest commentary in my sample and H the youngest.

I rated each commentary by examining ten “shibboleth” scriptures. (I discuss the full procedure used in the accompanying study note on Patreon.)

I was not expecting to find any commentary that was perfectly grace based, but I hoped there might be one or two that got close. There weren’t. They all preached law or mixture.

One of the commentaries in my study (G) was a modern commentary that is popular with some of my friends. Among the eight commentaries, it was the least legalistic, which may explain its appeal. While other commentaries preached law most of the time, this one preached grace almost half of the time.

However, this meant the commentary was riddled with inconsistencies. Forgiveness is unconditional, but you have to earn it. You are saved by faith, but only if you act right. God loves you, but he’ll damn you if you don’t deliver.

This commentary (G) was confusing. It sounded as if it had been written by a committee of people with different views on faith and works. Its strong emphasis on works believers must do means it cannot be considered a grace-based commentary. But neither can it be considered a law-based commentary. With its muddled emphasis on both law and grace, it is a commentary of mixture.

(My study revealed a number of other interesting findings regarding readability et cetera, which I discuss in the study note.)

What now?

In my experience, Bible commentators typically preach mixture with a strong emphasis on the law and works. In all my years of reading, I have never encountered a whole Bible commentary that did not.

It seems clear that if Bible scholars are preaching mixture, then the preachers and teachers who rely on their commentaries will also preach mixture, and the church will be mixed up. Just as you can’t get hot water from a cold tap, you will never get pure grace from someone preaching mixture.

What can you do?

The number one takeaway of my study is lean on the Holy Spirit. Bring your Bible questions to the Author. The Spirit of Grace is the best Guide you will ever have. He will never accuse and condemn you or burden you with dead works. He will always point you to Jesus and encourage you to walk by faith (John 14:26).

The second takeaway is to watch what you read, view and listen to. Good teachers are a gift to the body of Christ, but not every teacher is walking in grace. Bad teachers went to Galatia preaching mixture, and when Paul heard about it he basically told the Galatians to cast them out (see Gal. 4:30). If the message you’re hearing helps you grow in the love and grace of God, it’s gold. But if it’s a muddled mix of law and grace, resist it. Stand firm in the faith and let nothing move you (Gal. 5:1).

Finally, check your Bible commentary. If it does not deliver a consistent message of grace, consider replacing it. It may be doing more harm than good. Find a grace-based Bible commentary – which is easier said than done.

I know several grace preachers who have written Bible commentaries in one form or another. But most of these commentaries are limited to a few hundred verses or a single book of the Bible. The exception is the Grace Commentary which has more than 10,000 entries covering more than 3,500 verses.

And this is is where I shamelessly plug my commentary.

Simpler is better

I have two goals in writing the Grace Commentary. The first is to offer a grace-based alternative to other types of commentary. The second is to provide a tool that is clear and easy to understand.

If the gospel is simple then commentaries should be simple too. For this reason I use small words and short sentences to provide clear and simple explanations of scripture. My motto is, the simpler the better.

I will spare you the details, but a readability assessment reveals that the Grace Commentary is easier to read than the eight commentaries in my study. To the best of my knowledge, the Grace Commentary is the only commentary that can be read by anyone with a sixth-grade education.

This easy readability may be why the Grace Commentary is read in more than 170 countries, including many nations where English is not the native language.

The results of a recent survey reveal that the typical Grace Commentary reader is a pastor or church leader. However, the majority of readers use it for non-preaching reasons (e.g., private study, daily devotions, homeschooling, getting clarity on “tough” scriptures).

Although the Grace Commentary is a work in progress, reader feedback suggests that after just three years it is already a useful tool for helping people grow in grace.

And it’s only going to get bigger and better.

—–

My dad was a pastor and when he died young I inherited all his books, Bibles and commentaries. When I became a pastor, I bought more Bibles and commentaries. I have quite the library.

Your pastor might not have a lot of books, but I can almost guarantee that there are two books he reads regularly; his favorite Bible translation and his favorite Bible commentary.

A Bible commentary is a systematic analysis and interpretation of scripture which is usually presented in a verse-by-verse format. A Bible commentary helps us make sense of the Bible.

Many Christians have been profoundly influenced by the Bible, but few realize they have also been influenced by their pastor’s favorite commentary.

In my last article, “Keywords of Grace and Law”, I said that every message and sermon you ever heard was either law based, grace based, or a mixture of the two. For the past 50 years I have been surrounded by commentaries and I estimate that 90% of them are in the mixture group.

“Paul, how can you tell when a commentary preaches law, grace or mixture?”

It’s not hard. If you know the difference between law and grace, you can do it.

Shibboleth scriptures

The simplest way is to examine “shibboleth” scriptures. In the Bible, a shibboleth is a word that can be said in different ways depending on which group you are from (Jdg. 12:6). A shibboleth scripture is one that can be interpreted in different ways depending on whether you are under law or grace, the old covenant or the new.

For example, if you believe you are under law, you will read the Bible through law lenses and see an endless list of rules to follow and works to do. But if you believe you are under grace, you will read the Bible through grace lenses and get a different message. And if you are unsure about the difference between law and grace, you will interpret scripture through a mixture of the two.

The key question to ask is whether the interpretation inspires you to try or trust, work or rest. A law-based commentary will inspire works, while a grace-based commentary will inspire you to trust in the Lord.

Very few Christians wear law lenses. But many wear law + grace bifocals, and the result is the blurred vision of mixture. To illustrate, here are six shibboleth scriptures that are regularly interpreted through a lens of mixture.

1. The price of forgiveness

But if you do not forgive others, then your Father will not forgive your transgressions. (Matthew 6:15)

Mixture interpretation: Forgiveness is something you earn through your acts of forgiveness. “Those who desire to find mercy with God, must show mercy to their brethren,” said Matthew Henry in his esteemed commentary. “If we are not ready and willing to forgive (others), we are assured that God will not forgive us,” added the American theologian Albert Barnes. You are saved by works of forgiveness.

Grace interpretation: Context matters. In the Sermon on the Mount, which is where this verse is from, Jesus preached law to people who lived under the law-keeping covenant. However, as the messenger of the new covenant of grace, he also demonstrated and proclaimed unconditional forgiveness (Matt. 9:2, 18:27, Luke 7:42, 47, 11:4, 23:34). Then on the night he rose, he instructed the disciples to preach the good news of unconditional forgiveness (Luke 24:47) and they did (e.g., Acts 13:38). In the new covenant we are not forgiven on account of our acts of forgiveness, but in accordance with the riches of God’s grace (Eph. 1:7).

2. What are the works of faith?

Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself. (James 2:17)

Mixture: Faith in Christ will lead to good works, and those works prove that one has faith in Christ. No works, no faith. What are the works that reveal faith? “Works of charity and mercy,” said Adam Clarke in his Commentary on the Bible. “Works of active benevolence,” said another. They are the works of “an active life of practical morality and well-doing” said Charles Ellicott in his Commentary for English Readers. Apparently Paul was wrong when he said we are saved by faith alone. “No man can be saved without producing works,” said William Barclay in his Daily Study Bible.

Grace: In the context of salvation, the only work that matters is “the work” of believing in Jesus Christ. “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent” (John 6:29). James was writing to a Jewish audience who had faith in God but they did not believe in the One he sent. Faith in God means nothing if you don’t believe in his Son. Such faith is dead and useless.

3. Doers of the law

For it is not the hearers of the Law who are just before God, but the doers of the Law will be justified. (Romans 2:13)

Mixture: You need to keep the law. But since nobody can, just do your best. God gives us grace to keep his commands and he turns a blind eye to our imperfect performance.

Grace: Paul is saying, “Hearing the law is not enough, you have to keep it – and none of you can!” A holy God expects perfection but no one can deliver a lifetime of perfect performance. Paul is not calling us to attempt the impossible; he wants us to admit defeat (see Rom. 3:20). Those who have try and fail to keep the merciless law will see their need for Christ (Gal. 3:24).

4. Who is your Supply?

Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, brotherly kindness, etc. (2 Peter 1:5–6)

Mixture: You need to manufacture or supply your own faith, excellence, self-control, etc. William Barclay spoke for many when he described this as a “list of virtues which have to be added one to another.” As the philosophers said, you need to “keep climbing up this ladder of virtues.” In his Notes on the New Testament, Albert Barnes said “we are to strive to possess and exhibit all these virtues.” You need to perform and produce for the Lord (i.e., more dead works).

Grace: Jesus is your rich supply (Col. 2:19). In the economy of grace, everything we need is supplied by God (2 Pet. 1:11). When we abide in God’s love, he supplies us with faith, self-control, perseverance, brotherly kindness, etc. Whatever needs we have the Lord himself will abundantly supply (Php. 4:19).

5. Are you lukewarm?

I wish that you were cold or hot. Because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of My mouth. (Revelation 3:15–16)

Mixture: It’s better to have cold hatred towards God than to be merely indifferent. Don’t be “too good to go to hell but too bad to go to heaven,” said Adam Clarke. In other words, show some zeal and impress the Lord with your enthusiasm.

Grace: It’s better to be under the cold demands of the law than to be caught in the tepid waters of mixture and self-righteousness. Mix law with grace and you will end up with the benefits of neither. But the best choice is to open the door of your heart (see Rev. 3:20) and bask in the white-hot love of your Father’s unconditional love and acceptance.

6. Who gets the crown of life?

Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial; for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love him. (James 1:12)

Mixture: Life is a constant struggle. You have to endure to show yourself approved and earn the crown of life. In his Expositions commentary on this passage, the Scottish Minister Alexander Maclaren spoke of the need for “manful wrestling with temptations and with difficulties, long-breathed running, and continual aspiration after the things that are before.” In other words, no pain, no gain.

Grace: The crown of eternal life is given to those who love the Lord, regardless of what trials we face and how well we face them. Jesus promised.

—–

My dad was a pastor and when he died young I inherited all his books, Bibles and commentaries. When I became a pastor, I bought more Bibles and commentaries. I have quite the library.

Your pastor might not have a lot of books, but I can almost guarantee that there are two books he reads regularly; his favorite Bible translation and his favorite Bible commentary.

A Bible commentary is a systematic analysis and interpretation of scripture which is usually presented in a verse-by-verse format. A Bible commentary helps us make sense of the Bible.

Many Christians have been profoundly influenced by the Bible, but few realize they have also been influenced by their pastor’s favorite commentary.

In my last article, “Keywords of Grace and Law”, I said that every message and sermon you ever heard was either law based, grace based, or a mixture of the two. For the past 50 years I have been surrounded by commentaries and I estimate that 90% of them are in the mixture group.

“Paul, how can you tell when a commentary preaches law, grace or mixture?”

It’s not hard. If you know the difference between law and grace, you can do it.

Shibboleth scriptures

The simplest way is to examine “shibboleth” scriptures. In the Bible, a shibboleth is a word that can be said in different ways depending on which group you are from (Jdg. 12:6). A shibboleth scripture is one that can be interpreted in different ways depending on whether you are under law or grace, the old covenant or the new.

For example, if you believe you are under law, you will read the Bible through law lenses and see an endless list of rules to follow and works to do. But if you believe you are under grace, you will read the Bible through grace lenses and get a different message. And if you are unsure about the difference between law and grace, you will interpret scripture through a mixture of the two.

The key question to ask is whether the interpretation inspires you to try or trust, work or rest. A law-based commentary will inspire works, while a grace-based commentary will inspire you to trust in the Lord.

Very few Christians wear law lenses. But many wear law + grace bifocals, and the result is the blurred vision of mixture. To illustrate, here are six shibboleth scriptures that are regularly interpreted through a lens of mixture.

1. The price of forgiveness

But if you do not forgive others, then your Father will not forgive your transgressions. (Matthew 6:15)

Mixture interpretation: Forgiveness is something you earn through your acts of forgiveness. “Those who desire to find mercy with God, must show mercy to their brethren,” said Matthew Henry in his esteemed commentary. “If we are not ready and willing to forgive (others), we are assured that God will not forgive us,” added the American theologian Albert Barnes. You are saved by works of forgiveness.

Grace interpretation: Context matters. In the Sermon on the Mount, which is where this verse is from, Jesus preached law to people who lived under the law-keeping covenant. However, as the messenger of the new covenant of grace, he also demonstrated and proclaimed unconditional forgiveness (Matt. 9:2, 18:27, Luke 7:42, 47, 11:4, 23:34). Then on the night he rose, he instructed the disciples to preach the good news of unconditional forgiveness (Luke 24:47) and they did (e.g., Acts 13:38). In the new covenant we are not forgiven on account of our acts of forgiveness, but in accordance with the riches of God’s grace (Eph. 1:7).

2. What are the works of faith?

Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself. (James 2:17)

Mixture: Faith in Christ will lead to good works, and those works prove that one has faith in Christ. No works, no faith. What are the works that reveal faith? “Works of charity and mercy,” said Adam Clarke in his Commentary on the Bible. “Works of active benevolence,” said another. They are the works of “an active life of practical morality and well-doing” said Charles Ellicott in his Commentary for English Readers. Apparently Paul was wrong when he said we are saved by faith alone. “No man can be saved without producing works,” said William Barclay in his Daily Study Bible.

Grace: In the context of salvation, the only work that matters is “the work” of believing in Jesus Christ. “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent” (John 6:29). James was writing to a Jewish audience who had faith in God but they did not believe in the One he sent. Faith in God means nothing if you don’t believe in his Son. Such faith is dead and useless.

3. Doers of the law

For it is not the hearers of the Law who are just before God, but the doers of the Law will be justified. (Romans 2:13)

Mixture: You need to keep the law. But since nobody can, just do your best. God gives us grace to keep his commands and he turns a blind eye to our imperfect performance.

Grace: Paul is saying, “Hearing the law is not enough, you have to keep it – and none of you can!” A holy God expects perfection but no one can deliver a lifetime of perfect performance. Paul is not calling us to attempt the impossible; he wants us to admit defeat (see Rom. 3:20). Those who have try and fail to keep the merciless law will see their need for Christ (Gal. 3:24).

4. Who is your Supply?

Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, brotherly kindness, etc. (2 Peter 1:5–6)

Mixture: You need to manufacture or supply your own faith, excellence, self-control, etc. William Barclay spoke for many when he described this as a “list of virtues which have to be added one to another.” As the philosophers said, you need to “keep climbing up this ladder of virtues.” In his Notes on the New Testament, Albert Barnes said “we are to strive to possess and exhibit all these virtues.” You need to perform and produce for the Lord (i.e., more dead works).

Grace: Jesus is your rich supply (Col. 2:19). In the economy of grace, everything we need is supplied by God (2 Pet. 1:11). When we abide in God’s love, he supplies us with faith, self-control, perseverance, brotherly kindness, etc. Whatever needs we have the Lord himself will abundantly supply (Php. 4:19).

5. Are you lukewarm?

I wish that you were cold or hot. Because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of My mouth. (Revelation 3:15–16)

Mixture: It’s better to have cold hatred towards God than to be merely indifferent. Don’t be “too good to go to hell but too bad to go to heaven,” said Adam Clarke. In other words, show some zeal and impress the Lord with your enthusiasm.

Grace: It’s better to be under the cold demands of the law than to be caught in the tepid waters of mixture and self-righteousness. Mix law with grace and you will end up with the benefits of neither. But the best choice is to open the door of your heart (see Rev. 3:20) and bask in the white-hot love of your Father’s unconditional love and acceptance.

6. Who gets the crown of life?

Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial; for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love him. (James 1:12)

Mixture: Life is a constant struggle. You have to endure to show yourself approved and earn the crown of life. In his Expositions commentary on this passage, the Scottish Minister Alexander Maclaren spoke of the need for “manful wrestling with temptations and with difficulties, long-breathed running, and continual aspiration after the things that are before.” In other words, no pain, no gain.

Grace: The crown of eternal life is given to those who love the Lord, regardless of what trials we face and how well we face them. Jesus promised.

—–

My dad was a pastor and when he died young I inherited all his books, Bibles and commentaries. When I became a pastor, I bought more Bibles and commentaries. I have quite the library.

Your pastor might not have a lot of books, but I can almost guarantee that there are two books he reads regularly; his favorite Bible translation and his favorite Bible commentary.

A Bible commentary is a systematic analysis and interpretation of scripture which is usually presented in a verse-by-verse format. A Bible commentary helps us make sense of the Bible.

Many Christians have been profoundly influenced by the Bible, but few realize they have also been influenced by their pastor’s favorite commentary.

In my last article, “Keywords of Grace and Law”, I said that every message and sermon you ever heard was either law based, grace based, or a mixture of the two. For the past 50 years I have been surrounded by commentaries and I estimate that 90% of them are in the mixture group.

“Paul, how can you tell when a commentary preaches law, grace or mixture?”

It’s not hard. If you know the difference between law and grace, you can do it.

Shibboleth scriptures

The simplest way is to examine “shibboleth” scriptures. In the Bible, a shibboleth is a word that can be said in different ways depending on which group you are from (Jdg. 12:6). A shibboleth scripture is one that can be interpreted in different ways depending on whether you are under law or grace, the old covenant or the new.

For example, if you believe you are under law, you will read the Bible through law lenses and see an endless list of rules to follow and works to do. But if you believe you are under grace, you will read the Bible through grace lenses and get a different message. And if you are unsure about the difference between law and grace, you will interpret scripture through a mixture of the two.

The key question to ask is whether the interpretation inspires you to try or trust, work or rest. A law-based commentary will inspire works, while a grace-based commentary will inspire you to trust in the Lord.

Very few Christians wear law lenses. But many wear law + grace bifocals, and the result is the blurred vision of mixture. To illustrate, here are six shibboleth scriptures that are regularly interpreted through a lens of mixture.

1. The price of forgiveness

But if you do not forgive others, then your Father will not forgive your transgressions. (Matthew 6:15)

Mixture interpretation: Forgiveness is something you earn through your acts of forgiveness. “Those who desire to find mercy with God, must show mercy to their brethren,” said Matthew Henry in his esteemed commentary. “If we are not ready and willing to forgive (others), we are assured that God will not forgive us,” added the American theologian Albert Barnes. You are saved by works of forgiveness.

Grace interpretation: Context matters. In the Sermon on the Mount, which is where this verse is from, Jesus preached law to people who lived under the law-keeping covenant. However, as the messenger of the new covenant of grace, he also demonstrated and proclaimed unconditional forgiveness (Matt. 9:2, 18:27, Luke 7:42, 47, 11:4, 23:34). Then on the night he rose, he instructed the disciples to preach the good news of unconditional forgiveness (Luke 24:47) and they did (e.g., Acts 13:38). In the new covenant we are not forgiven on account of our acts of forgiveness, but in accordance with the riches of God’s grace (Eph. 1:7).

2. What are the works of faith?

Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself. (James 2:17)

Mixture: Faith in Christ will lead to good works, and those works prove that one has faith in Christ. No works, no faith. What are the works that reveal faith? “Works of charity and mercy,” said Adam Clarke in his Commentary on the Bible. “Works of active benevolence,” said another. They are the works of “an active life of practical morality and well-doing” said Charles Ellicott in his Commentary for English Readers. Apparently Paul was wrong when he said we are saved by faith alone. “No man can be saved without producing works,” said William Barclay in his Daily Study Bible.

Grace: In the context of salvation, the only work that matters is “the work” of believing in Jesus Christ. “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent” (John 6:29). James was writing to a Jewish audience who had faith in God but they did not believe in the One he sent. Faith in God means nothing if you don’t believe in his Son. Such faith is dead and useless.

3. Doers of the law

For it is not the hearers of the Law who are just before God, but the doers of the Law will be justified. (Romans 2:13)

Mixture: You need to keep the law. But since nobody can, just do your best. God gives us grace to keep his commands and he turns a blind eye to our imperfect performance.

Grace: Paul is saying, “Hearing the law is not enough, you have to keep it – and none of you can!” A holy God expects perfection but no one can deliver a lifetime of perfect performance. Paul is not calling us to attempt the impossible; he wants us to admit defeat (see Rom. 3:20). Those who have try and fail to keep the merciless law will see their need for Christ (Gal. 3:24).

4. Who is your Supply?

Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, brotherly kindness, etc. (2 Peter 1:5–6)

Mixture: You need to manufacture or supply your own faith, excellence, self-control, etc. William Barclay spoke for many when he described this as a “list of virtues which have to be added one to another.” As the philosophers said, you need to “keep climbing up this ladder of virtues.” In his Notes on the New Testament, Albert Barnes said “we are to strive to possess and exhibit all these virtues.” You need to perform and produce for the Lord (i.e., more dead works).

Grace: Jesus is your rich supply (Col. 2:19). In the economy of grace, everything we need is supplied by God (2 Pet. 1:11). When we abide in God’s love, he supplies us with faith, self-control, perseverance, brotherly kindness, etc. Whatever needs we have the Lord himself will abundantly supply (Php. 4:19).

5. Are you lukewarm?

I wish that you were cold or hot. Because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of My mouth. (Revelation 3:15–16)

Mixture: It’s better to have cold hatred towards God than to be merely indifferent. Don’t be “too good to go to hell but too bad to go to heaven,” said Adam Clarke. In other words, show some zeal and impress the Lord with your enthusiasm.

Grace: It’s better to be under the cold demands of the law than to be caught in the tepid waters of mixture and self-righteousness. Mix law with grace and you will end up with the benefits of neither. But the best choice is to open the door of your heart (see Rev. 3:20) and bask in the white-hot love of your Father’s unconditional love and acceptance.

6. Who gets the crown of life?

Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial; for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love him. (James 1:12)

Mixture: Life is a constant struggle. You have to endure to show yourself approved and earn the crown of life. In his Expositions commentary on this passage, the Scottish Minister Alexander Maclaren spoke of the need for “manful wrestling with temptations and with difficulties, long-breathed running, and continual aspiration after the things that are before.” In other words, no pain, no gain.

Grace: The crown of eternal life is given to those who love the Lord, regardless of what trials we face and how well we face them. Jesus promised.

—–

My dad was a pastor and when he died young I inherited all his books, Bibles and commentaries. When I became a pastor, I bought more Bibles and commentaries. I have quite the library.

Your pastor might not have a lot of books, but I can almost guarantee that there are two books he reads regularly; his favorite Bible translation and his favorite Bible commentary.

A Bible commentary is a systematic analysis and interpretation of scripture which is usually presented in a verse-by-verse format. A Bible commentary helps us make sense of the Bible.

Many Christians have been profoundly influenced by the Bible, but few realize they have also been influenced by their pastor’s favorite commentary.

In my last article, “Keywords of Grace and Law”, I said that every message and sermon you ever heard was either law based, grace based, or a mixture of the two. For the past 50 years I have been surrounded by commentaries and I estimate that 90% of them are in the mixture group.

“Paul, how can you tell when a commentary preaches law, grace or mixture?”

It’s not hard. If you know the difference between law and grace, you can do it.

Shibboleth scriptures

The simplest way is to examine “shibboleth” scriptures. In the Bible, a shibboleth is a word that can be said in different ways depending on which group you are from (Jdg. 12:6). A shibboleth scripture is one that can be interpreted in different ways depending on whether you are under law or grace, the old covenant or the new.

For example, if you believe you are under law, you will read the Bible through law lenses and see an endless list of rules to follow and works to do. But if you believe you are under grace, you will read the Bible through grace lenses and get a different message. And if you are unsure about the difference between law and grace, you will interpret scripture through a mixture of the two.

The key question to ask is whether the interpretation inspires you to try or trust, work or rest. A law-based commentary will inspire works, while a grace-based commentary will inspire you to trust in the Lord.

Very few Christians wear law lenses. But many wear law + grace bifocals, and the result is the blurred vision of mixture. To illustrate, here are six shibboleth scriptures that are regularly interpreted through a lens of mixture.

1. The price of forgiveness

But if you do not forgive others, then your Father will not forgive your transgressions. (Matthew 6:15)

Mixture interpretation: Forgiveness is something you earn through your acts of forgiveness. “Those who desire to find mercy with God, must show mercy to their brethren,” said Matthew Henry in his esteemed commentary. “If we are not ready and willing to forgive (others), we are assured that God will not forgive us,” added the American theologian Albert Barnes. You are saved by works of forgiveness.

Grace interpretation: Context matters. In the Sermon on the Mount, which is where this verse is from, Jesus preached law to people who lived under the law-keeping covenant. However, as the messenger of the new covenant of grace, he also demonstrated and proclaimed unconditional forgiveness (Matt. 9:2, 18:27, Luke 7:42, 47, 11:4, 23:34). Then on the night he rose, he instructed the disciples to preach the good news of unconditional forgiveness (Luke 24:47) and they did (e.g., Acts 13:38). In the new covenant we are not forgiven on account of our acts of forgiveness, but in accordance with the riches of God’s grace (Eph. 1:7).

2. What are the works of faith?

Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself. (James 2:17)

Mixture: Faith in Christ will lead to good works, and those works prove that one has faith in Christ. No works, no faith. What are the works that reveal faith? “Works of charity and mercy,” said Adam Clarke in his Commentary on the Bible. “Works of active benevolence,” said another. They are the works of “an active life of practical morality and well-doing” said Charles Ellicott in his Commentary for English Readers. Apparently Paul was wrong when he said we are saved by faith alone. “No man can be saved without producing works,” said William Barclay in his Daily Study Bible.

Grace: In the context of salvation, the only work that matters is “the work” of believing in Jesus Christ. “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent” (John 6:29). James was writing to a Jewish audience who had faith in God but they did not believe in the One he sent. Faith in God means nothing if you don’t believe in his Son. Such faith is dead and useless.

3. Doers of the law

For it is not the hearers of the Law who are just before God, but the doers of the Law will be justified. (Romans 2:13)

Mixture: You need to keep the law. But since nobody can, just do your best. God gives us grace to keep his commands and he turns a blind eye to our imperfect performance.

Grace: Paul is saying, “Hearing the law is not enough, you have to keep it – and none of you can!” A holy God expects perfection but no one can deliver a lifetime of perfect performance. Paul is not calling us to attempt the impossible; he wants us to admit defeat (see Rom. 3:20). Those who have try and fail to keep the merciless law will see their need for Christ (Gal. 3:24).

4. Who is your Supply?

Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, brotherly kindness, etc. (2 Peter 1:5–6)

Mixture: You need to manufacture or supply your own faith, excellence, self-control, etc. William Barclay spoke for many when he described this as a “list of virtues which have to be added one to another.” As the philosophers said, you need to “keep climbing up this ladder of virtues.” In his Notes on the New Testament, Albert Barnes said “we are to strive to possess and exhibit all these virtues.” You need to perform and produce for the Lord (i.e., more dead works).

Grace: Jesus is your rich supply (Col. 2:19). In the economy of grace, everything we need is supplied by God (2 Pet. 1:11). When we abide in God’s love, he supplies us with faith, self-control, perseverance, brotherly kindness, etc. Whatever needs we have the Lord himself will abundantly supply (Php. 4:19).

5. Are you lukewarm?

I wish that you were cold or hot. Because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of My mouth. (Revelation 3:15–16)

Mixture: It’s better to have cold hatred towards God than to be merely indifferent. Don’t be “too good to go to hell but too bad to go to heaven,” said Adam Clarke. In other words, show some zeal and impress the Lord with your enthusiasm.

Grace: It’s better to be under the cold demands of the law than to be caught in the tepid waters of mixture and self-righteousness. Mix law with grace and you will end up with the benefits of neither. But the best choice is to open the door of your heart (see Rev. 3:20) and bask in the white-hot love of your Father’s unconditional love and acceptance.

6. Who gets the crown of life?

Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial; for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love him. (James 1:12)

Mixture: Life is a constant struggle. You have to endure to show yourself approved and earn the crown of life. In his Expositions commentary on this passage, the Scottish Minister Alexander Maclaren spoke of the need for “manful wrestling with temptations and with difficulties, long-breathed running, and continual aspiration after the things that are before.” In other words, no pain, no gain.

Grace: The crown of eternal life is given to those who love the Lord, regardless of what trials we face and how well we face them. Jesus promised.

—–

My dad was a pastor and when he died young I inherited all his books, Bibles and commentaries. When I became a pastor, I bought more Bibles and commentaries. I have quite the library.

Your pastor might not have a lot of books, but I can almost guarantee that there are two books he reads regularly; his favorite Bible translation and his favorite Bible commentary.

A Bible commentary is a systematic analysis and interpretation of scripture which is usually presented in a verse-by-verse format. A Bible commentary helps us make sense of the Bible.

Many Christians have been profoundly influenced by the Bible, but few realize they have also been influenced by their pastor’s favorite commentary.

In my last article, “Keywords of Grace and Law”, I said that every message and sermon you ever heard was either law based, grace based, or a mixture of the two. For the past 50 years I have been surrounded by commentaries and I estimate that 90% of them are in the mixture group.

“Paul, how can you tell when a commentary preaches law, grace or mixture?”

It’s not hard. If you know the difference between law and grace, you can do it.

Shibboleth scriptures

The simplest way is to examine “shibboleth” scriptures. In the Bible, a shibboleth is a word that can be said in different ways depending on which group you are from (Jdg. 12:6). A shibboleth scripture is one that can be interpreted in different ways depending on whether you are under law or grace, the old covenant or the new.

For example, if you believe you are under law, you will read the Bible through law lenses and see an endless list of rules to follow and works to do. But if you believe you are under grace, you will read the Bible through grace lenses and get a different message. And if you are unsure about the difference between law and grace, you will interpret scripture through a mixture of the two.

The key question to ask is whether the interpretation inspires you to try or trust, work or rest. A law-based commentary will inspire works, while a grace-based commentary will inspire you to trust in the Lord.

Very few Christians wear law lenses. But many wear law + grace bifocals, and the result is the blurred vision of mixture. To illustrate, here are six shibboleth scriptures that are regularly interpreted through a lens of mixture.

1. The price of forgiveness

But if you do not forgive others, then your Father will not forgive your transgressions. (Matthew 6:15)

Mixture interpretation: Forgiveness is something you earn through your acts of forgiveness. “Those who desire to find mercy with God, must show mercy to their brethren,” said Matthew Henry in his esteemed commentary. “If we are not ready and willing to forgive (others), we are assured that God will not forgive us,” added the American theologian Albert Barnes. You are saved by works of forgiveness.

Grace interpretation: Context matters. In the Sermon on the Mount, which is where this verse is from, Jesus preached law to people who lived under the law-keeping covenant. However, as the messenger of the new covenant of grace, he also demonstrated and proclaimed unconditional forgiveness (Matt. 9:2, 18:27, Luke 7:42, 47, 11:4, 23:34). Then on the night he rose, he instructed the disciples to preach the good news of unconditional forgiveness (Luke 24:47) and they did (e.g., Acts 13:38). In the new covenant we are not forgiven on account of our acts of forgiveness, but in accordance with the riches of God’s grace (Eph. 1:7).

2. What are the works of faith?

Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself. (James 2:17)

Mixture: Faith in Christ will lead to good works, and those works prove that one has faith in Christ. No works, no faith. What are the works that reveal faith? “Works of charity and mercy,” said Adam Clarke in his Commentary on the Bible. “Works of active benevolence,” said another. They are the works of “an active life of practical morality and well-doing” said Charles Ellicott in his Commentary for English Readers. Apparently Paul was wrong when he said we are saved by faith alone. “No man can be saved without producing works,” said William Barclay in his Daily Study Bible.

Grace: In the context of salvation, the only work that matters is “the work” of believing in Jesus Christ. “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent” (John 6:29). James was writing to a Jewish audience who had faith in God but they did not believe in the One he sent. Faith in God means nothing if you don’t believe in his Son. Such faith is dead and useless.

3. Doers of the law

For it is not the hearers of the Law who are just before God, but the doers of the Law will be justified. (Romans 2:13)

Mixture: You need to keep the law. But since nobody can, just do your best. God gives us grace to keep his commands and he turns a blind eye to our imperfect performance.

Grace: Paul is saying, “Hearing the law is not enough, you have to keep it – and none of you can!” A holy God expects perfection but no one can deliver a lifetime of perfect performance. Paul is not calling us to attempt the impossible; he wants us to admit defeat (see Rom. 3:20). Those who have try and fail to keep the merciless law will see their need for Christ (Gal. 3:24).

4. Who is your Supply?

Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, brotherly kindness, etc. (2 Peter 1:5–6)

Mixture: You need to manufacture or supply your own faith, excellence, self-control, etc. William Barclay spoke for many when he described this as a “list of virtues which have to be added one to another.” As the philosophers said, you need to “keep climbing up this ladder of virtues.” In his Notes on the New Testament, Albert Barnes said “we are to strive to possess and exhibit all these virtues.” You need to perform and produce for the Lord (i.e., more dead works).

Grace: Jesus is your rich supply (Col. 2:19). In the economy of grace, everything we need is supplied by God (2 Pet. 1:11). When we abide in God’s love, he supplies us with faith, self-control, perseverance, brotherly kindness, etc. Whatever needs we have the Lord himself will abundantly supply (Php. 4:19).

5. Are you lukewarm?

I wish that you were cold or hot. Because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of My mouth. (Revelation 3:15–16)

Mixture: It’s better to have cold hatred towards God than to be merely indifferent. Don’t be “too good to go to hell but too bad to go to heaven,” said Adam Clarke. In other words, show some zeal and impress the Lord with your enthusiasm.

Grace: It’s better to be under the cold demands of the law than to be caught in the tepid waters of mixture and self-righteousness. Mix law with grace and you will end up with the benefits of neither. But the best choice is to open the door of your heart (see Rev. 3:20) and bask in the white-hot love of your Father’s unconditional love and acceptance.

6. Who gets the crown of life?

Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial; for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love him. (James 1:12)

Mixture: Life is a constant struggle. You have to endure to show yourself approved and earn the crown of life. In his Expositions commentary on this passage, the Scottish Minister Alexander Maclaren spoke of the need for “manful wrestling with temptations and with difficulties, long-breathed running, and continual aspiration after the things that are before.” In other words, no pain, no gain.

Grace: The crown of eternal life is given to those who love the Lord, regardless of what trials we face and how well we face them. Jesus promised.

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My dad was a pastor and when he died young I inherited all his books, Bibles and commentaries. When I became a pastor, I bought more Bibles and commentaries. I have quite the library.

Your pastor might not have a lot of books, but I can almost guarantee that there are two books he reads regularly; his favorite Bible translation and his favorite Bible commentary.

A Bible commentary is a systematic analysis and interpretation of scripture which is usually presented in a verse-by-verse format. A Bible commentary helps us make sense of the Bible.

Many Christians have been profoundly influenced by the Bible, but few realize they have also been influenced by their pastor’s favorite commentary.

In my last article, “Keywords of Grace and Law”, I said that every message and sermon you ever heard was either law based, grace based, or a mixture of the two. For the past 50 years I have been surrounded by commentaries and I estimate that 90% of them are in the mixture group.

“Paul, how can you tell when a commentary preaches law, grace or mixture?”

It’s not hard. If you know the difference between law and grace, you can do it.

Shibboleth scriptures

The simplest way is to examine “shibboleth” scriptures. In the Bible, a shibboleth is a word that can be said in different ways depending on which group you are from (Jdg. 12:6). A shibboleth scripture is one that can be interpreted in different ways depending on whether you are under law or grace, the old covenant or the new.

For example, if you believe you are under law, you will read the Bible through law lenses and see an endless list of rules to follow and works to do. But if you believe you are under grace, you will read the Bible through grace lenses and get a different message. And if you are unsure about the difference between law and grace, you will interpret scripture through a mixture of the two.

The key question to ask is whether the interpretation inspires you to try or trust, work or rest. A law-based commentary will inspire works, while a grace-based commentary will inspire you to trust in the Lord.

Very few Christians wear law lenses. But many wear law + grace bifocals, and the result is the blurred vision of mixture. To illustrate, here are six shibboleth scriptures that are regularly interpreted through a lens of mixture.

1. The price of forgiveness

But if you do not forgive others, then your Father will not forgive your transgressions. (Matthew 6:15)

Mixture interpretation: Forgiveness is something you earn through your acts of forgiveness. “Those who desire to find mercy with God, must show mercy to their brethren,” said Matthew Henry in his esteemed commentary. “If we are not ready and willing to forgive (others), we are assured that God will not forgive us,” added the American theologian Albert Barnes. You are saved by works of forgiveness.

Grace interpretation: Context matters. In the Sermon on the Mount, which is where this verse is from, Jesus preached law to people who lived under the law-keeping covenant. However, as the messenger of the new covenant of grace, he also demonstrated and proclaimed unconditional forgiveness (Matt. 9:2, 18:27, Luke 7:42, 47, 11:4, 23:34). Then on the night he rose, he instructed the disciples to preach the good news of unconditional forgiveness (Luke 24:47) and they did (e.g., Acts 13:38). In the new covenant we are not forgiven on account of our acts of forgiveness, but in accordance with the riches of God’s grace (Eph. 1:7).

2. What are the works of faith?

Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself. (James 2:17)

Mixture: Faith in Christ will lead to good works, and those works prove that one has faith in Christ. No works, no faith. What are the works that reveal faith? “Works of charity and mercy,” said Adam Clarke in his Commentary on the Bible. “Works of active benevolence,” said another. They are the works of “an active life of practical morality and well-doing” said Charles Ellicott in his Commentary for English Readers. Apparently Paul was wrong when he said we are saved by faith alone. “No man can be saved without producing works,” said William Barclay in his Daily Study Bible.

Grace: In the context of salvation, the only work that matters is “the work” of believing in Jesus Christ. “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent” (John 6:29). James was writing to a Jewish audience who had faith in God but they did not believe in the One he sent. Faith in God means nothing if you don’t believe in his Son. Such faith is dead and useless.

3. Doers of the law

For it is not the hearers of the Law who are just before God, but the doers of the Law will be justified. (Romans 2:13)

Mixture: You need to keep the law. But since nobody can, just do your best. God gives us grace to keep his commands and he turns a blind eye to our imperfect performance.

Grace: Paul is saying, “Hearing the law is not enough, you have to keep it – and none of you can!” A holy God expects perfection but no one can deliver a lifetime of perfect performance. Paul is not calling us to attempt the impossible; he wants us to admit defeat (see Rom. 3:20). Those who have try and fail to keep the merciless law will see their need for Christ (Gal. 3:24).

4. Who is your Supply?

Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, brotherly kindness, etc. (2 Peter 1:5–6)

Mixture: You need to manufacture or supply your own faith, excellence, self-control, etc. William Barclay spoke for many when he described this as a “list of virtues which have to be added one to another.” As the philosophers said, you need to “keep climbing up this ladder of virtues.” In his Notes on the New Testament, Albert Barnes said “we are to strive to possess and exhibit all these virtues.” You need to perform and produce for the Lord (i.e., more dead works).

Grace: Jesus is your rich supply (Col. 2:19). In the economy of grace, everything we need is supplied by God (2 Pet. 1:11). When we abide in God’s love, he supplies us with faith, self-control, perseverance, brotherly kindness, etc. Whatever needs we have the Lord himself will abundantly supply (Php. 4:19).

5. Are you lukewarm?

I wish that you were cold or hot. Because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of My mouth. (Revelation 3:15–16)

Mixture: It’s better to have cold hatred towards God than to be merely indifferent. Don’t be “too good to go to hell but too bad to go to heaven,” said Adam Clarke. In other words, show some zeal and impress the Lord with your enthusiasm.

Grace: It’s better to be under the cold demands of the law than to be caught in the tepid waters of mixture and self-righteousness. Mix law with grace and you will end up with the benefits of neither. But the best choice is to open the door of your heart (see Rev. 3:20) and bask in the white-hot love of your Father’s unconditional love and acceptance.

6. Who gets the crown of life?

Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial; for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love him. (James 1:12)

Mixture: Life is a constant struggle. You have to endure to show yourself approved and earn the crown of life. In his Expositions commentary on this passage, the Scottish Minister Alexander Maclaren spoke of the need for “manful wrestling with temptations and with difficulties, long-breathed running, and continual aspiration after the things that are before.” In other words, no pain, no gain.

Grace: The crown of eternal life is given to those who love the Lord, regardless of what trials we face and how well we face them. Jesus promised.

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