Aug 14 2012

Luke 6 – Jesus is Lord of the Sabbath

Verses 1-5 have been used to link Biblical teaching to situation ethics, but this comes from a lack of understanding of the scriptures.  The disciples in verse 1 plucked and ate the grain with their hands, not with a sickle.  This was expressly allowed in the Law given in Deuteronomy 23:24-25.  But the Pharisees had made their own interpretation and decided it was the law, rather than God’s word.  Jesus challenged them to speak against David and his men eating the Bread of the Presence, or shewbread (1 Samuel 21:1-6) – which He said in verse 4 was unlawful.  He settles the matter in verse 5, saying that He is “lord of the Sabbath,”  with the unstated conclusion that the Pharisees are not.

English: A dispute with the pharisees. Passeri...

English: A dispute with the pharisees. Passeri. In the Bowyer Bible in Bolton Museum, England. Print 4384. From “An Illustrated Commentary on the Gospel of Mark” by Phillip Medhurst. Section D. Jesus confronts uncleanness. Mark 1:21-45, 2:1-12, 5:1-20, 25-34, 7:24-30. http://pdfcast.org/pdf/an-illustrated-commentary-by-phillip-medhurst-on-the-gospel-of-mark-section-d (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Verses 6-11 are another Sabbath encounter with the Pharisees, as Jesus was teaching in the synagogue.  Knowing that they are waiting to see if He will heal the man with the withered hand, He poses the question of whether it was lawful to do harm or to do good on the Sabbath.  They would not answer, but when he healed the man, they were angry.  Notice that their malice and desire to do harm to Him blinds them to the fact that the miracles prove He is the son of God.

In verses 12-16, after spending all night in prayer, He chose the twelve apostles from his disciples.   Verses 17-19 show the magnitude of the vast amounts of people He ministers to in the rest of this chapter.  People from Tyre and Sidon would almost certainly be Gentiles.

Some believe that the rest of this chapter is just Luke’s account of the Sermon on the Mount, but we must realize that similar sermons by the Lord would be taught at different times and to different crowds.  Note that in verse 17, after having spent the night praying on the mountain, He “he came down with them and stood on a level place.”  This has resulted in people referring to this as the Sermon on the Plain.  In comparing the “blessed” and the “woes” in this sermon, Jesus is not saying that it is wrong to be rich or that the poor are more righteous.  He is stating the poor and those less fortunate who are in His kingdom will have their reward, while those who may be rich but not part of the faithful already have their reward.

Read or listen to audio of ESV version of this selection from this link.

/Bob’s boy
___________________
some images © V. Gilbert & Arlisle F. Beers

Please note: I did not design the reading plan that I am following in my blog.  All of my comments in this blog, however, are solely my responsibility.  When reading ANY commentary, you should ALWAYS refer first to the scripture, which is God’s unchanging and unfailing word. Reading schedules, as well as a link to the site where you can get the reading plan that I’m currently following for yourself can be found on the “Bible Reading Schedules” page of my website at http://graceofourlord.com.  For questions and help, please see the “FAQ” and “Summaries” pages there.

Aug 13 2012

John 4 – Jesus and the Woman of Samaria

In order to get to Galilee from Judea, one had to either go through Samaria or cross over the Jordan to go around it on the east side.  A strict Jew would do the latter to avoid being defiled by setting foot on Samaritan soil.  After the Assyrians captured Samaria, the Assyrian king brought foreigners from various places in to settle in 722 BC (2 Kings 17:24).  Some Jews remained and intermarried with these foreigners, and the animosity between this mixed race of people and the Jews grew strong over time.

Jesus, however, had come to seek and save the lost and would naturally not avoid these people.  As He approaches Jacob’s well, verse 6 indicates His humanity by saying that He was weary from the journey. Jesus intentionally turns the subject of the conversation with the Samaritan woman at the well to her “husband” in verses 17-19. His thorough knowledge of her history is enough to convince her that He may be who He says He is in verse 26, when Jesus makes a rare admission that He is the Messiah.  After she told others, many came from the town and believed by their own encounters with Jesus that He was the “Savior of the world” (verse 42).

When His disciples return in verse 31, Jesus gives them a lesson about sowing and reaping in the kingdom in verses 34-38.  He points out that the sowers and reapers can rejoice together now, as new believers are brought into His kingdom.

Arriving at Cana in Galilee, he heals the son of an official from Capernaum that was dying, but does so from without going with him because the official believed.  When the man returned, he asked the hour at which his son had started improving, and knew it was the same hour that Jesus had told him “your son will live.”  Note that verse 54 says that this was “the second sign that Jesus did when he had come from Judea to Galilee”  – not that it was the second sign He had done.

Side note: There is an interesting story about the area at Shechem and a picture of what is believed to be Jacob’s well in this article at Ferrell’s Travel Blog.

Read or listen to audio of ESV version of this selection from this link.

/Bob’s boy
___________________
some images © V. Gilbert & Arlisle F. Beers

Please note: I did not design the reading plan that I am following in my blog.  All of my comments in this blog, however, are solely my responsibility.  When reading ANY commentary, you should ALWAYS refer first to the scripture, which is God’s unchanging and unfailing word. Reading schedules, as well as a link to the site where you can get the reading plan that I’m currently following for yourself can be found on the “Bible Reading Schedules” page of my website at http://graceofourlord.com.  For questions and help, please see the “FAQ” and “Summaries” pages there.

Aug 12 2012

Week 31 summary posted

English: The Wedding at Cana (watercolour)

English: The Wedding at Cana (watercolour) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Last week we finished the Sermon on the Mount, the Wedding at Cana, and Jesus’ encounter with Nicodemus, and important Pharisee of the day.  This week we will see look at some of the great parables of the Lord, and see His more typical encounters with the Pharisees become more accusatory on their part, as those in power become more afraid of His popularity.  How will Jesus respond to this?

Summing Up

Each weekend, I am now posting a small PDF of one week of chapter summaries (on the website’s “Summaries” page), current to the beginning of the previous week.  I have posted the summary for Week 31 (July Week 5) of the schedule I am following.  This short PDF document contains condensed comments about John 1, Luke 1, Luke 2, and Matthew 3 and 4, with hyperlinks to the ESV version of each chapter for listening or reading, and joins the summaries for other weeks already posted there.

/Bob’s boy
___________________
image © V. Gilbert & Arlisle F. Beers

Please note: I did not design the reading plan that I am following in my blog.  All of my comments in this blog, however, are solely my responsibility.  When reading ANY commentary, you should ALWAYS refer first to the scripture, which is God’s unchanging and unfailing word. Reading schedules, as well as a link to the site where you can get the reading plan that I’m currently following for yourself can be found on the “Bible Reading Schedules” page of my website at http://graceofourlord.com.  For questions and help, please see the “FAQ” and “Summaries” pages there.

Aug 10 2012

John 3 – For God So Loved the World

Nicodemus was a Pharisee.  Verse one says that he was a “ruler of the Jews,” which would make him a member of the Sanhedrin – the Jewish governing council.  In fact, one of the other two places he is mentioned is in John 7:50, as there is division among them concerning arresting Jesus. Nicodemus states his belief that Jesus is sent from God because of the signs that he did, confirming that Jesus did many more miracles than were written in the gospel, as John states in John 20:30-31.  Nicodemus seems to be trying to understand what Jesus means by being born again in a physical manner.  But Jesus is speaking of being re-born by the Spirit by way of baptism (Romans 6:3-4, Colossians 2:12-13).  In verse 14, Jesus refers to Moses lifting up the Bronze Serpent in Numbers 21:5-9 to save the people when they had spoken against God; and gives Nicodemus a preview of His crucifixion, which likely he would also not understand – yet.  He will repeat this reference to being lifted up in John 8:28 and John 12:32-33.

The Bronze Serpent

Verse 16 is one of the most famous of the New Testament, and most Bibles that put the words of Jesus in red assign verses 16-21 as His words.  But many scholars believe that these verses are actually John’s inspired words, and the fact that he speaks of God having given His son in the past tense seems to bear that out.  In any case, these verses are joined with verse 15 in such a way that together they well represent the message of the gospel concerning salvation.  The phrase “God so loved the world” followed by the other references to the world are often overlooked in their significance – not only for salvation being open to all, but the declaration of God’s love for all the world, not just the people of Israel.

It is no coincidence that the text immediately jumps to the baptism being done by John the Baptist (who is not yet in prison in this part of the gospel) and now by Jesus and His disciples (verses 22-26). John’s disciples note that people are going to Jesus for baptism now, and John reminds them that he himself told them that he is not the Christ, but had been sent before him.  And in verse 30, says “He must increase, but I must decrease.”  John had done what God had sent him to do.

Read or listen to audio of ESV version of this selection from this link.

/Bob’s boy
___________________
some images © V. Gilbert & Arlisle F. Beers

Please note: I did not design the reading plan that I am following in my blog.  All of my comments in this blog, however, are solely my responsibility.  When reading ANY commentary, you should ALWAYS refer first to the scripture, which is God’s unchanging and unfailing word. Reading schedules, as well as a link to the site where you can get the reading plan that I’m currently following for yourself can be found on the “Bible Reading Schedules” page of my website at http://graceofourlord.com.  For questions and help, please see the “FAQ” and “Summaries” pages there.

Aug 9 2012

John 2 – The Wedding at Cana

 

John 2:11 confirms that the event of the wedding at Cana is where Jesus performed His first miracle.  Some make reference to this as an argument for social drinking, but it would be safe to say that the Lord would not be providing a means for people to become drunk with wine.  For Jesus to have done so would have been a sin (Habakkuk 2:15); and the point of this scripture is found in examining the miracle (or sign, as John refers to it) itself.  There were six stone jars, each holding 20-30 gallons.  Note that verse 7 says that He had the servants fill the jars to the brim with water – nothing could have been poured into them afterward, and Jesus never touched them.  Running out of wine at a wedding feast would be particularly awkward.

Addressing His mother as “Woman” in verse 4 would seem disrespectful to people today, but such was not the case in the language of the day.  It was a term of respectful distance.  Note that the anger is righteous anger, as Jesus drives out the merchants and money changers.  The temple area spoken of here would be the surrounding area of the temple itself that would be used for worship as well by worshiping Gentiles.  So these traders would be disrupting that worship.  In verse 18, the Jews present questioned Jesus as to what His authority for doing this was.  He answered “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.”  Of course, they did not understand that He was talking about His own body – not the temple He had just cleansed.  But verse 22 confirms that His disciples would remember after the crucifixion.

Read or listen to audio of ESV version of this selection from this link.

/Bob’s boy
___________________
some images © V. Gilbert & Arlisle F. Beers

Please note: I did not design the reading plan that I am following in my blog.  All of my comments in this blog, however, are solely my responsibility.  When reading ANY commentary, you should ALWAYS refer first to the scripture, which is God’s unchanging and unfailing word. Reading schedules, as well as a link to the site where you can get the reading plan that I’m currently following for yourself can be found on the “Bible Reading Schedules” page of my website at http://graceofourlord.com.  For questions and help, please see the “FAQ” and “Summaries” pages there.

 

Aug 8 2012

Matthew 7 – The Sermon on the Mount – part 3

Verse 1 is one of the few verses that many people who know little else about the Bible are familiar with; and it is wrongly used both as self-justification and to rebuke criticism of wrong-doing.  The verse denounces compassion-less condemnation and hypocritical judgment of others – not any judgment at all.  In fact, verse 6 requires judgment on our part, and if we could not judge at all, how could we ever determine what was right or wrong.  The problem also comes into play when people want to put us on the spot, asking if we believe one person or even a group of people will go to heaven.  Thank the Lord that such judgment is not our responsibility!  It sometimes takes tremendous courage to speak up to someone who is doing wrong.  You run the risk of hurting their feelings or more likely, making them angry – and even alienating yourself from people you care about.  But if you believe that someone is living in a way in which they risk losing their soul and you say nothing, is that not terribly wrong of you?

Verse 6 simply means that there comes a time when, try as we might, we must realize that we are not going to be able to persuade some people to serve the Lord, and we must move on.  Verses 7-11 do not make God the vending machine of prayer that grants every wish if we just ask for something.  Not all things we wish for are best for us or for His purposes. Certainly God answers prayers, and many times, that answer from our perspective is “yes,”  – other times we must be patient and see that His way is better for all in the long-term scheme.   But the good gifts spoken of here are more spiritual in nature, as Jesus is making the point that the kingdom is open to all, and not just a select few.

The Golden Rule of verse 12 should come naturally to those who love the Lord with all their heart, and their neighbor as themselves.  Verses 13-14 mean that though the way to heaven can be difficult with all of the temptation around us, the other way – the easy way – leads to destruction. Verses 15-20 are great advice for knowing who the many false prophets are – just like a good tree or a bad tree, you will know by their fruits.  What is the result of their influence on others?  This will always show the truth of the matter.

Verses 21-23 do not refer to people who are completely lacking in religious fervor.  The key point is the latter part of verse 21 “the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.”  There are many who do great works and genuinely consider themselves to be righteous, but have never fully submitted to the Lord’s authority.  Partial obedience, or subverting God’s commands to fit  man’s own desires has never been good enough, and never will be – it is still disobedience (see James 2:8-11).  Note that those referred to in those verses listed the works that they had done, missing the point entirely concerning where salvation comes from. It comes from the Lord’s grace, and that grace does not negate the requirement for full obedience!

Most everyone who went to Bible class as a child knows something of the story of the wise man who built his house on the rock,  and the foolish man who built on the sand.  As Jesus concludes this powerful sermon, He uses this analogy to demonstrate that all of things that He is teaching us in this sermon constitute the foundation for the “house” that we are building with our lives.  By using all of these principles, we are building on a solid foundation (rock).  Ignoring some of them, we will still get the house built, and it may appear to be fine.  But when the storms of life come, the lack of a solid foundation may well result in disaster – and the final outcome (the eternal one) will certainly be a great fall.

Read or listen to audio of ESV version of this selection from this link.

/Bob’s boy
___________________
some images © V. Gilbert & Arlisle F. Beers

Please note: I did not design the reading plan that I am following in my blog.  All of my comments in this blog, however, are solely my responsibility.  When reading ANY commentary, you should ALWAYS refer first to the scripture, which is God’s unchanging and unfailing word. Reading schedules, as well as a link to the site where you can get the reading plan that I’m currently following for yourself can be found on the “Bible Reading Schedules” page of my website at http://graceofourlord.com.  For questions and help, please see the “FAQ” and “Summaries” pages there.

Aug 7 2012

Matthew 6 – The Sermon on the Mount – part 2

Verses 1-8 are the Lord’s admonitions to us not to try to parade our righteousness before others, and likewise not to pray with an empty heart.  When we do good works, such as helping those who are in need, to attract the attention, admiration, or approval of others, it taints the very act we are doing by putting the focus on ourselves.  All good instead should be to the glory of God, living by His commandments and doing good because of the reign of the Lord in our hearts and lives.  The “empty phrases” of verse 7 are translated as “vain repetitions” in some versions, causing some to be critical of those praying fervently with over-used and repetitious phrases.  But such is not what Jesus was speaking about (just think of his own heart-felt prayers at Gethsemane in Mark 14:39), but many so-called pious pagans of the day would beseech their “gods” with endless empty chatter. Prayer to the Lord cannot be centered from the heart if the mind is not to be used in earnest.

Most people know verses 9-13 as the “Lord’s prayer.”  But that designation is ours and is unfortunate in some ways, as there is a tendency to use it in the very way that Jesus warned against in the previous verses!  It is an example and a model for our own prayers from our hearts – it was meant to teach us how to pray – with reverence and honor to the Lord, before presenting our petitions.  The “kingdom” was to come in the power of the God’s son which would be fulfilled through the crucifixion and resurrection (Mark 9:1 and Romans 1:4).

The references to fasting in verses 16-18 are not a command for us to fast, though there is nothing wrong with doing so.  The only time that the Old Testament Law required fasting was for the Day of Atonement (Leviticus 16:29-31), but many other days had been added by the people themselves, especially after the events of the destruction of Jerusalem and Babylonian captivity.   And by now, the Pharisees had made it a weekly activity.  The problem came in the fact that people were purposely making themselves look more haggard than they were, so as to draw attention to themselves for their piety.

Verses 19-21 speak to the heart as well.  If we place the most value on the things of this world, we do so at the expense of our spiritual well-being.  The treasures we store in heaven are our own salvation and is all that will truly last.  The “eye” of verses 22-23 is similar to the heart in Jewish literature.  If the eye is healthy, the light that fills the heart comes from devotion to the Lord.

Verses 25-34 do not meant God’s people have no need to work for anything (see  2 Thessalonians 3:10).  But if we put our service to the Lord above all else, that means that we will of necessity be doing all that we should be doing that is right for ourselves as well.   If God takes care of the lowliest of His creation, why should we be worried for our own care?  If we had to spend an inordinate amount of time on that kind of worry, we would have less time to devote to what is important – our salvation and that of others.  Again, it is what we value most that determines where our heart lays.

Read or listen to audio of ESV version of this selection from this link.

/Bob’s boy
___________________
some images © V. Gilbert & Arlisle F. Beers

Please note: I did not design the reading plan that I am following in my blog.  All of my comments in this blog, however, are solely my responsibility.  When reading ANY commentary, you should ALWAYS refer first to the scripture, which is God’s unchanging and unfailing word. Reading schedules, as well as a link to the site where you can get the reading plan that I’m currently following for yourself can be found on the “Bible Reading Schedules” page of my website at http://graceofourlord.com.  For questions and help, please see the “FAQ” and “Summaries” pages there.

Aug 6 2012

Matthew 5 – The Sermon on the Mount

Though we do not really know the location, the Horns of Hattin (above) is one traditional site of the Sermon on the Mount.

Matthew 5 begins what we know as the Sermon on the Mount, and is certainly the best sermon of all time (it is, after all, quite literally the Word from God).  Volumes have been written about chapter 5 alone, so this blog certainly cannot do an adequate job of commentary, but neither should it skip quickly through it.  One can study it over and over and learn something new about being a part of His kingdom each time, and apply it to virtually any question about sin.  Matthew 4:23-25 tells us to some extent how much the Lord’s fame had spread as he taught, proclaimed the gospel, and healed the afflicted – and we can get some idea of the “great crowds” that had begun following Him.  Many of them were hoping for a much different king, and an entirely different type of kingdom, than that which Jesus was proclaiming; but He well described that kingdom to Pilate in John 18:36.

Verses 3-12 contain what we refer to as the Beatitudes.  The translation of the word “blessed” in these verses is confusing to some, as it varies from “happy” to “fortunate.”  “Fortunate” is closer to the real meaning here (someone who is “mourning,” for example, could hardly be described as “happy”), and it relates more to a state of being in a relationship with God that results from His approval.  None of the qualities in these statements refer to a condition that people are born with, inherit, or come by naturally.  Nor are they intended as prescriptions for behavior, some of which the unconverted world at large can simply adopt for the good of mankind.

These are traits of character and attitude that reflect the qualities that Christians must have.  But they are not, as some have suggested, lofty goals – all of which no one person could possibly achieve.  In each one, Jesus says “Blessed are.. ,” indicating that there are people who have these qualities, and that we can ourselves be the people that he describes – that we as Christians, in fact, must be those people.  Yet, we must understand that while having these qualities is what defines us as His people, our place in His kingdom is not something we earn by doing so.  It is, in fact, our full understanding of that fact which enables us to have those qualities in the first place.  It is the understanding that it is only by His grace – totally undeserved on our part – that we have salvation (Ephesians 2:8).  But it is also our commitment to putting the needs, and even the importance of other people above that of our own that must shape our lives.  All of these beatitudes illustrate these two facts, and point clearly to what Jesus Himself said are the two greatest commandments (Matthew 22:35-40).

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven”

The “poor in spirit” refers to a condition of the heart much like the tax collector in the parable Jesus tells in Luke 18:11-14.  The latter part of verse 14  says it well – “everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”  It is likewise the same realization that Job came to when he at last got his audience with God in Job 42:1-6 – that our we are nothing compared to our Creator.

“Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted”

This refers to same sort of godly grief that comes from the remorse for our disobedience to God personally, as in 2 Corinthians 7:9-11, as well as mourning for the sins of others, as in Psalm 119:136.

“Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth”

Men listening to Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount

Unfortunately, most people translate meekness into weakness, but that is not what is meant here.  This meekness comes from the conscious decision to control even one’s own strength because of a redirected purpose – that of serving God, and of being genuinely concerned for the salvation of others, instead of serving ourselves.  It is the antithesis of being overly concerned (and sometimes even obsessed) about personal advancement or correcting a perceived injustice to ourselves – to the detriment of others.  They will “inherit the earth” because they put their trust in God, rather than themselves, even if that means being gentle at times when they could use force instead (Psalm 37:11-13).

“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied”

Few that will read this have ever known the sort of immense hunger that comes from being deprived of food for a very long time, but it is this sort of very deep hunger and thirst that is referred to here.  When one becomes a Christian, he commits himself to being a new creature, putting his old pursuit of life behind him (2 Corinthians 5:17), and then thirsts for knowledge and righteousness that comes from the right relationship with God (Romans 12:2).  It is the kind of thirst spoken of in Psalm 42:1-2.

“Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy”

The mercy referred to here is the sort of mercy Jesus taught in the parable of the unforgiving servant (Matthew 18:23-35), as well as the mercy that equates to compassion, as in the parable of the good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37).

“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God”

This purity in heart is what Jesus speaks of in Matthew 15:18-20, and is the sort of sincere devotion to striving for good that we are encouraged to emulate in Philippians 4:8.

“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God”

This does not refer to those who settle disputes or conflicts with others, though that sort of peace certainly may be a bi-product of it.  But the word used for peace, shalom, had a much more meaningful usage.  Here it relates not just to striving to be without conflict, but a deep and compassionate desire to instill well-being in one’s self, and especially in others, by having a right relationship with God (Colossians 3:12-15) that encourages others to do the same.  We have peace with God through Jesus (Romans 5:1), and it is in Him through which we are all sons of God (Galatians 3:26).

“Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven”

Jesus used a parable about a Good Samaritan to teach about mercy

Those who serve the Lord have been hated by others for all time.  Genesis 3:15 tells us that it will be that way as the Lord put enmity (a condition of hostility and animosity) between the devil’s offspring and us.  That enmity was there throughout the Old Testament just as with Cain and Abel.  It was there at the time of Jesus, as Herod and others later even sought to kill the Son of God; and that hostility non-believers have for God and His people is still in evidence today.  Jesus named them for who they serve in John 8:44; and Paul explains in Romans 8:7 that those who are hostile to God cannot submit to His law.  This is at the root of their animosity toward God’s people.

Verses 13-16 are referred to as the Similitudes, comparing Christians to salt and light.  The salt they were familiar with would not have come from the round box with a metal spout, but probably from the Dead Sea, containing much impurity that over time would have the salt leached out.  Jesus says that Christians are the salt of the earth.  One way that we can lose our effectiveness (the savor) as such is by allowing our worship, and even the preaching of the Gospel itself, to become watered down by compromising in it so that we may please men, rather than remaining true to God’s commands.  We remain the light of the world by staying true to His commands and letting the world see the results of the beatitudes in our lives.  Verse 20 would be a fairly shocking statement, as the Pharisees certainly would have considered themselves to be the most righteous of all.

Verses 21-30 tell us that although murder and adultery both are certainly wrong, sin is a problem of the heart (going back to the 6th beatitude) as well.  When we allow anger and lust to take it over, we have sinned.  In verses 29-30, tearing an eye out or cutting a hand off are not literal suggestions (one could still lust with one eye, after all).  The verses illustrate how important it is to remove ourselves completely from anything that makes us prone to fall away from the Lord.

Verses 31-32 make it clear that God takes the marriage relationship very seriously; and as Matthew 19:3-9 states, God intended from the beginning for that relationship to be between one man and one woman forever.  Unfortunately, many people have considered the entire lesson of verses 33-37 to be that one should not take an oath, even in a judicial circumstance.  While a Christian should consider that carefully in his heart, that does not seem to be the point that Jesus was making.  Look further – in Matthew 23:16-22 – and consider that the Pharisees distinguished one oath from another, in order to excuse being deceptive – as if a lie would actually not be a lie if that by which you swear was not counted as binding.  If people have to constantly wonder whether or not something one says may be true, one is hardly demonstrating that he hungers and thirsts after righteousness.

One should not take verses 38-42 to mean that there is never an appropriate time to take action or defend against evil.  Once again, a proper reading of  the rest of the New Testament will demonstrate that such is not the case.  But the Pharisees had corrupted the Old Testament law to extend the right of personal revenge to new heights.  Instead, Jesus teaches (and Paul states it well in Romans 12:17-21) that we should not resist evil with evil, but we rather overcome evil with good.

This magnificent chapter concludes in verses 43-48 with the command that we should love even our enemies, and even pray for those who persecute us.  Apart from the fact that it is the right thing to do, and that it is commanded by God, this just makes good sense when we think about it.  If we truly pray for the salvation of those who do wrong to us, we are praying for their hearts and lives to become blessed as in the beatitudes of this chapter.  If that prayer is granted, how could that person continue to do us evil!

Read or listen to audio of ESV version of this selection from this link.

/Bob’s boy
___________________
some images © V. Gilbert & Arlisle F. Beers

Please note: I did not design the reading plan that I am following in my blog.  All of my comments in this blog, however, are solely my responsibility.  When reading ANY commentary, you should ALWAYS refer first to the scripture, which is God’s unchanging and unfailing word. Reading schedules, as well as a link to the site where you can get the reading plan that I’m currently following for yourself can be found on the “Bible Reading Schedules” page of my website at http://graceofourlord.com.  For questions and help, please see the “FAQ” and “Summaries” pages there.

Aug 5 2012

Week 30 summary posted

Sea of Galilee

Last week, we reached the beginning of the ministry of Jesus.  The Messiah has finally come!  But He is not the king that people were expecting, and his mission is not to lead the Jews to great power as a nation, nor lead them to victory over the Roman Empire by the sword.  His will be a different kingdom, and all will be welcome.

Summing Up

Each weekend, I am now posting a small PDF of one week of chapter summaries (on the website’s “Summaries” page), current to the beginning of the previous week.  I have posted the summary for Week 30 (July Week 4) of the schedule I am following.  This short PDF document contains condensed comments about Nehemiah 4, 6, 8, 13, and Malachi 4, with hyperlinks to the ESV version of each chapter for listening or reading, and joins the summaries for other weeks already posted there.

/Bob’s boy
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image © V. Gilbert & Arlisle F. Beers

Please note: I did not design the reading plan that I am following in my blog.  All of my comments in this blog, however, are solely my responsibility.  When reading ANY commentary, you should ALWAYS refer first to the scripture, which is God’s unchanging and unfailing word. Reading schedules, as well as a link to the site where you can get the reading plan that I’m currently following for yourself can be found on the “Bible Reading Schedules” page of my website at http://graceofourlord.com.  For questions and help, please see the “FAQ” and “Summaries” pages there.

Aug 3 2012

Matthew 4 – Jesus Begins His Ministry

In verse 1, Jesus is led into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.  God never tempts anyone to do wrong (James 1:13), but He has sometimes used situations to test someone’s faithfulness and character (see  Hebrews 11:17).  This testing had a purpose from the devil’s perspective (to derail God’s plan for the redemption of man, by preventing Jesus from being without sin).  The purpose from the perspective of God’s plan was that by having suffered from temptation himself (Hebrews 2:18), he understands how temptation affects us, and He is strengthened as our savior.  It also reinforces for us the value of knowing God’s word.

English: View of the Kidron Valley from the Ol...

English: View of the Kidron Valley from the Old City of Jerusalem. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Hungry from fasting forty days, which compares to the 40 years of the testing of the people of Israel in the wilderness, the ability to use His power to feed himself in verse 3 would be a substantial temptation.  Jesus quotes the latter part of Deuteronomy 8:3 in verse 4 as an answer to the devil.  The devil’s quotation of Psalm 91:11-13 in the second  temptation of verses 5-6 is a deliberate misuse of the scripture – God does not encourage people to place themselves in needless danger.   The pinnacle of the Temple would likely be the southeast corner – some 300 feet above the Kidron Valley.  Such a feat would have been a great shortcut to achieve fame and attract people to Him, but would subvert God’s plan.  Jesus then answers in verse 7 by quoting from Deuteronomy 6:16.   The last temptation in verse 8 offers yet another opportunity to reign as king by nothing short of the worst kind of idolatry and betrayal of God; and is answered by a quote from Deuteronomy 6:13.

Then, returning to Galilee to avoid the area where John the Baptist was arrested (verse 12), in verses 13-16, he fulfills the prophecy of Isaiah 9:1-2.  Reinforcing John the Baptist’s message, Jesus preaches for the people to “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”  This simply refers to the kingdom as a new period of the reign of God in people’s hearts and in their lives, shortly to come.  The calling of His disciples in verses 18-22 at first reading makes one think that these men dropped everything all of a sudden to follow a complete stranger.  But John 1:35-42 demonstrates a prior relationship.  Now He was calling them to be apostles.   Verses 23-25 detail the great following that He was accumulating, and the wonders such as healing the sick that He began doing.

Read or listen to audio of ESV version of this selection from this link.

/Bob’s boy
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some images © V. Gilbert & Arlisle F. Beers

Please note: I did not design the reading plan that I am following in my blog.  All of my comments in this blog, however, are solely my responsibility.  When reading ANY commentary, you should ALWAYS refer first to the scripture, which is God’s unchanging and unfailing word. Reading schedules, as well as a link to the site where you can get the reading plan that I’m currently following for yourself can be found on the “Bible Reading Schedules” page of my website at http://graceofourlord.com.  For questions and help, please see the “FAQ” and “Summaries” pages there.