Posts by Josh Moody
Matthew 22:1-14: Many Are Invited, but Few Are Chosen
Numbers 5-6; Psalm 50; Matthew 22:1-14; Romans 2 Matthew 22:1-14: At one level this next parable is quite simple. It is another story that illustrates the meaning and reality of the kingdom of heaven (22:1). The point, of course, is that the king has a feast, invites guests to come, they refuse to come…
Read MoreMatthew 21:33-46: He Is the Owner
Numbers 3-4; Psalm 49; Matthew 21:33-46; Romans 1:18-32 Matthew 21:33-46: To explain further his radical point that it was the unexpected who truly received Jesus’ message of the kingdom, Jesus now tells another parable (21:33). This one is about a vineyard, a typical symbol for God’s people and for Israel, and about an owner of…
Read MoreMatthew 21:23-32: Lessons from Tax Collectors and Prostitutes
Numbers 1-2; Psalm 48; Matthew 21:23-32; Romans 1:1-17 Matthew 21:23-32: In religious circles, “authority” questions are nearly ubiquitous. Who is in charge is a political issue in many institutions and organizations, and the conflict that such questions can cause has been solved down through history through various political resolutions—in our modern Western age most prevalently…
Read MoreFebruary 26-28, 2025
With the Bible reading plan we are using, the last days of each month are designated as “free days.” February 26-28 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. With this…
Read More5 Reasons You Should Read the Old Testament
by Dr. Josh Moody Sometimes it feels hard enough to persuade people to read the Bible at all. Why bother with the Old Testament? Isn’t it irredeemably, well, old, out of date, out of touch, not to mention violent, aggressive, misogynistic, and just plain nasty to boot? Here are five reasons why you should read the Old…
Read MoreMatthew 21:12-22: Fig Tree
Leviticus 26-27; Psalm 47; Matthew 21:12-22; Acts 28:17-31 Matthew 21:12-22: Jesus’ mission to Jerusalem requires a prophetic word towards the corrupt state of the people of God, and in particular, the temple at the time (21:12-13). God’s people are in constant need of being brought back into line with the truth of the Bible and…
Read MoreMatthew 21:1-11: Donkey
Leviticus 24-25; Psalm 46; Matthew 21:1-11; Acts 28:1-16 Matthew 21:1-11: Jesus comes to claim his royal throne—and what an extraordinary way to do it. “Say to the daughter of Zion, ‘Behold, your king is coming to you, humble, and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a beast of burden.’” (21:5) Jesus…
Read MoreMatthew 20:17-34: What Do You Want from Me?
Leviticus 21-23; Psalm 45; Matthew 20:17-34; Acts 27:27-44 Matthew 20:17-34: This section abounds in irony. First of all, we have Jesus predicting his death. It is not going to be an easy death—mocking, crucifixion—but on the third day he will rise again. What the disciples thought about this prediction is not immediately recorded, but what…
Read MoreMatthew 20:1-16: Workers in the Vineyard
Leviticus 18-20; Psalm 44; Matthew 20:1-16; Acts 27:1-26 Matthew 20:1-16: Picking up on an apparently fairly enigmatic phrase at the end of the last section (“first, last; last, first,” 19:30), Jesus expounds more on that principle by telling a story to illustrate his meaning. By 20:16 he has explained what it is that he is saying, “So…
Read MoreMatthew 19:16-30: Hundredfold
Leviticus 16-17; Psalm 43; Matthew 19:16-30; Acts 26:19-32 Matthew 19:16-30: Another encounter that is well-known, and often misinterpreted. A man comes up to Jesus with what is apparently a genuine, as well as important, question: “What must I do to inherit eternal life?” (19:16). But Jesus notes the precise elements of his question that indicate…
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