Archive for March 2021

Deuteronomy 6-8, Psalm 64, Matthew 26:36-56, Romans 11:1-24 Matthew 26:36-56: What a prayer is this—take this cup from me, but not my will, but your will be done (26:39). Jesus is expressing his desire, if it be possible, that the cup of suffering would not be his. At the same time, through this torturous moment, he is both…

Deuteronomy 4-5, Psalm 63, Matthew 26:17-35, Romans 10 Matthew 26:17-35: Was ever love like this? Jesus prepares to eat the feast of Passover, and as he sits down at the meal, he tells them that one of them will betray him. He knows full well who it is—“You have said so” (26:25). And yet, out of love, Jesus…

Deuteronomy 1-3, Psalm 62, Matthew 26:1-16, Romans 9:19-33 Matthew 26:1-16: The movement towards Jesus’ death, betrayal, execution (and then resurrection) now appears inexorable. Once again, Jesus predicts his death (26:1-2). And, indeed, in the background, in the smoke-filled rooms of the religious leaders of the time, there is a plot being hatched to kill Jesus (26:3-4). There is…

Numbers 33-36, Psalm 61, Matthew 25:31-46, Romans 9:1-18 Matthew 25:31-46: This is no doubt one of the scariest passages in the whole Bible, and from the lips of Jesus. It does though first need to be correctly understood before its full weight can be appropriately felt and applied. The critical text to notice is the repeated, first positively…

Numbers 31-32, Psalm 60, Matthew 25:14-30, Romans 8:18-30 Matthew 25:14-30: Carrying on with Jesus’ teaching about how to get ready for his return, now is the famous parable of the talents. A “talent” was a monetary unit worth around twenty years’ work for a laborer. In very rough contemporary terms, then, if we say a reasonable but not…

Numbers 28-30, Psalm 59, Matthew 25:1-13, Romans 8:1-17 Matthew 25:1-13: The Master storyteller takes another story from contemporary life, familiar to his original hearers, and uses it to bring into sharp focus the lesson he has been teaching them. Imagine a wedding. Imagine two sets of bridesmaids. As sometimes happens, the bridegroom is much delayed—so much so,…

Numbers 26-27, Psalm 58, Matthew 24:36-51, Romans 7:13-25 Matthew 24:36-51: As Jesus looks ahead to his return, he makes the amazingly strong statement in verse 36, that should forever have prevented anyone from predicting when he was going to return. What does Jesus mean when he says that even the Son does not know the day and hour?…

Numbers 23-25, Psalm 57, Matthew 24:15-35, Romans 7:1-12 Matthew 24:15-35: These verses have caused considerable head scratching among faithful Bible believers, and it is important that we hold to the teaching here with consistency to avoid shrillness and clear mistakes without love and acceptance of legitimate differences of opinion. The first part of this section most clearly refers…

Numbers 21-22, Psalm 56, Matthew 24:1-14, Romans 6:15-23 Matthew 24:1-14: Having denounced fake religion, Jesus’ disciples point out to him how impressive the temple buildings were. Perhaps they thought that this at least was a sign of something genuine and honoring to God. Jesus, however, prophesies that—which has come true—that even the temple will be destroyed. He is…

Numbers 18-20, Psalm 55, Matthew 23:25-39, Romans 6:1-14 Matthew 23:25-39: Jesus’ denouncement of pharisaic, fake religion continues.    Such fake religion is characterized, next, by a concern for external cleanliness over against internal (23:25-26). Washing, ritual cleaning—all these are ways to cover up the malice within.   This, then, has a repercussion and an effect. Such fake religion creates “whitewashed…