Exploring the Scriptures Together
Matthew 14:22-33, Mark 6:45-52, and John 6:16-21 But He said to them, “It is I; do not be afraid.” (John 6:20) The Gospel writers in all three readings today quote Jesus with the exact same words. Another “divine echo” for us, in that we’ve got FEAR as the topic for our St. Andrew’s Sunday sermon …
Continue reading “March 12 / Matt. 14:22-33; Mark 6:45-52; John 6:16-21”
Luke 9:10-17 and John 6:1-15 I keep thinking about feeding the 5,000. What is Jesus’ message for us today? One U.S. farm today feeds 166 people annually (American Farm Bureau). So it would take 30 farmers to feed 5,000 for one year. Backing that off for one day – 30 farmers over 365 days means …
Matthew 14:13-21 and Mark 6:30-44 …and taking the five loaves and the two fish, He looked up to heaven and said a blessing. (Matthew 19b) Looking forward to the Last Supper…?? Mark is even more explicit: …He looked up to heaven and said a blessing and broke the loaves… (Mark 6:41b) And further in Mark: …
Matthew 14:1-12, Mark 6:14-29, and Luke 3:19-20, 9:7-9 A note in my Study Bible intrigued me, so I looked further online. Herodias is a main character in today’s readings. She is the wife of Herod Antipas and is the person who goads her husband into having John the Baptist beheaded. But there’s more to her …
Continue reading “March 9 / Matt. 14:1-12; Mark 6:14-29; Luke 3:19-20; 9:7-9”
Matthew 10:16-11:1 For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. (v. 35) Note what is not said here – a son-in-law against his father-in-law. It seemed strange to me not to have this fourth relationship listed until I thought about the …
Mark 6:7-13 and Luke 9:1-6 And if any place will not receive you and they will not listen to you, when you leave, shake off the dust that is on your feet as a testimony against them. (Mark 6:11) I wonder what Jesus would say to us, today’s disciples if we are “not received” or “not heard” for …
Matthew 9:35-10:15 …for the laborer deserves his food. (v. 10b) Over the years the Lord has blessed me with more of an evangelical heart to the point where I see most day-to-day meetings with strangers as possible sharing opportunities. To that end I have developed (that is, I trust that the Holy Spirit has put …
John 5:24-47 Today’s last many verses (vv. 30, ff.) are often referred to as the “fourfold (or fivefold) witnesses: John the Baptist, the works, the Father, and Scripture (and Moses as the fifth). Both the Old Testament and the New Testament (Deuteronomy 17:6 and II Corinthians 13:1) ask for two or three witnesses. Jesus goes …
John 5:1-23 So Jesus committed two “crimes” – according to the Jewish leaders: He healed the man on the Sabbath, and He told the man to break their Sabbath rule by carrying his bed on the Sabbath. So Jesus’ responses to these two charges: “My Father is working until now, and I am working.” (v. …
Matthew 13:53-58 and Mark 6:1-6 …and coming to His hometown He taught them in their synagogue, so that they were astonished, and said, “Where did this man get this wisdom and these mighty works?” (Mt. 13:54) We had a discussion in our Men’s Group a few weeks ago about Jesus’ deity. I believe we came …