Posts by Josh Moody
Matthew 3:13-17: With Whom I Am Well Pleased
Genesis 15-17, Psalm 6, Matthew 3:13-17, Acts 4:1-22 Matthew 3:13-17: The baptism of Jesus by John the Baptist is one of the most compelling and dramatic moments in the Gospel accounts. It has several remarkable features. For one, we see Jesus here showing a degree of humility that is extraordinary. John is correct: Jesus does…
Read MoreMatthew 3:1-12: Spirit and Fire
Genesis 12-14, Psalm 5, Matthew 3:1-12, Acts 3 Matthew 3:1-12: “In those days John the Baptist”—so enters, in Matthew’s Gospel, this strange, extraordinary and great figure of biblical history: John the Baptist. He it is who prepares the way for the Lord, making straight his paths in the wilderness, declaring that Jesus is the Christ,…
Read MoreMatthew 2:13-23: God’s Plans Cannot Be Thwarted
Genesis 9-11, Psalm 4, Matthew 2:13-23, Acts 2:22-47 Matthew 2:13-23: Prophetic fulfillment and angelic intervention. It is clear, from Matthew’s account, that what is happening is of cosmic, supernatural, world-changing impact. Not all the time do angels appear in the Bible. They turn up fairly rarely in the Old Testament, and not much more frequently…
Read MoreMatthew 2:1-12: Exceeding Joy
Genesis 5-8, Psalm 3, Matthew 2:1-12, Acts 2:1-21 Matthew 2:1-12: The visit of the “wise men” is a famous story—but what exactly is it intended to teach us? To begin with, the focus is on “worship” (three times repeated in these twelve verses), and in particular, a contrast between the response of Herod and the…
Read MoreMatthew 1:18-25: God and Savior
Genesis 3-4, Psalm 2, Matthew 1:18-25, Acts 1:12-26 Matthew 1:18-25: The birth of Jesus Christ, as we remember at Christmas, is the fulcrum of the world, the center point of history, and the very pinnacle of God’s salvation plan—as it works its way out through the life, death, resurrection, ascension and return of the Lord…
Read MoreMatthew 1:1-17: God’s Saving King
Genesis 1-2, Psalm 1, Matthew 1:1-17, Acts 1:1-11 Matthew 1:1-17: Genealogies are not normally thought to be best-selling literature. But in certain contexts, and when rightly understood, they are thrilling. Missionaries tell me that in some cultures the translation of the Bible most eagerly anticipated is the genealogy. That is because, in cultures where family…
Read MoreDecember 26-31, 2024
In keeping with the Bible reading plan we are using, the last days of each month are designated as “free days.” December 26-31 then are intended to allow you to catch up on reading you may have missed or to study passages more in depth that intrigued you during the first 25 days of the month.…
Read MoreMalachi 1-4: The Sun of Righteousness
Malachi 1-4, Job 42, John 21:15-25, Revelation 22 Malachi 1-4: The new temple had been completed, through the ministry of Haggai and Zechariah, but the great promised messianic age had not yet dawned. Why not? Malachi prophesies to explain the sins that God’s people were committing, and continues to look forward to the dawning new day…
Read MoreZechariah 10-14: Hopes and Fears
Zechariah 10-14, Job 41:12-34, John 21:1-14, Revelation 21 Zechariah 10-14: I wade into these chapters with trepidation, for they are on the one hand filled with New Testament promises, resonant in our ears—“Strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered (13:7)”; “thirty pieces of silver (11:12-13)”; and echoes of other words, truth such as…
Read MoreZechariah 6-9: Seasons of Joy
Zechariah 6-9, Job 41:1-11, John 20:24-31, Revelation 20 Zechariah 6-9: Chapter 6 begins with yet another vision—Zechariah is packed with such visions. This one is particularly hard to interpret. As one commentator said, we are very much in the dark as to its meaning in any particularities, though opinions multiply. In general, it is a vision…
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