Exploring the Scriptures Together
Matthew 17:24-18:9, Mark 9:33-50, and Luke 9:46-50 …where their worm does not die and the fire is not quenched. (Mark 9:48) Jesus is citing this verse to “describe” hell (or some aspect of hell). In so doing he is quoting Isaiah (also in verses 44 and 46, left out in some manuscripts), but what’s intriguing …
Continue reading “March 24 / Matt. 17:24-18:9; Mark 9:33-50; Luke 9:46-50”
Matthew 17:14-23, Mark 9:14-32, and Luke 9:37-45 And when they came to the disciples, they saw … scribes arguing with them. (Mark 9:14) As I note in the second link below, Jesus had taken Peter, James, and John with Him for His Transfiguration, leaving the other disciples behind, presumably nearby. And the scribes were there …
Continue reading “March 23 / Matt. 17:14-23; Mark 9:14-32; Luke 9:37-45”
Matthew 17:1-13, Mark 9:2-13, and Luke 9:28-36 And He was transfigured before them, and His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became white as light. (Matthew 17:2) And He was transfigured before them, and His clothes became radiant, intensely white, as no one on earth could bleach them. (Mark 9:2b-3) And as He …
Continue reading “March 22 / Matt. 17:1-13; Mark 9:2-13; Luke 9:28-36”
Mark 8:27-9:1 and Luke 9:18-27 And calling the crowd to Him with his disciples, He said to them, “If anyone would come after Me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me.” (Mark 8:34) Both Matthew and Luke have Jesus speaking these words (and those that follow) to His disciples. Only …
Matthew 16:13-28 For the Son of Man is going to come with His angels in the glory of His Father, and then He will repay each person according to what he has done. (v. 27) I’m always intrigued by these “rewards” verses. See also Mt. 5:12, 19:27-30; Luke 6:23, and others. I’m going to quote John S. …
Matthew 16:1-12 and Mark 8:11-26 In discussing the feeding of the 4,000 in the area of the Decapolis I had wondered yesterday who might those people be who came from “far away”. We learn this morning that some in this “far away” crowd were Pharisees and Sadducees: And the Pharisees and Sadducees came, and to …
Matthew 15:32-39 and Mark 8:1-10 Jesus speaking: …and some of them have come from far away. (Mark 8:3b) According to both Matthew and Mark (if they were writing chronologically) Jesus and His disciples are on the eastern shore of the Sea of Galilee, in the region of the Decapolis. So I wonder about those who …
Matthew 15:21-31 and Mark 7:24-37 Holy Week this year is Spring Break week for our Avanza kids. Normally we try to tie our Avanza Bible lessons to our church calendar, but we will be a week early in covering Jesus’ crucifixion since we won’t meet the kids during Holy Week. To set the stage for …
Mark 7:1-23 Jesus speaking: You leave the commandment of God and hold to the tradition of men. (v. 8) Yesterday the pope signed off on a Vatican decree stating that priests could not bless same-sex unions. One article that I read on this topic had this response from someone opposed to the pope’s position, that …
Matthew 15:1-20 The Isaiah quote (Mt. 15:8-9) caught my eye. Surprisingly, it was the Isaiah quote that I noticed two years ago. Those of you who were raised in the Catholic faith or some other denomination, see if you agree. Today, something different in that quote… This time I went back to the Isaiah text; …