Exploring the Scriptures Together
Matthew 13:53-58; Mark 6:1-6; John 5 Let’s get a few things straight right up front: But Jesus most certainly breaks down the excessively burdensome rules and regulations heaped up by the scribes and Pharisees surrounding the Sabbath, rules that ostensibly help protect the Sabbath but which in fact run completely contrary to the spirit of …
Continue reading “October 23 / Matthew 13:53-58; Mark 6:1-6; John 5”
Matthew 8:23-34; Mark 4:35-5:20; Luke 8:22-39;Matthew 9:18-34; Mark 5:21-43; Luke 8:40-56 And they … said to one another, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey Him?” Mark 4:41 (cf. Mt. 8:27, Luke 8:25) Who is this Person Who has power over the forces of nature? Who is this Man Who …
Continue reading “October 22 / Matthew 8:23-34, 9:18-34; Mark 4:35-5:43; Luke 8:22-56”
Matthew 13:1-52; Mark 4:1-34; Luke 8:1-18; 13:18-21 And [Jesus] said, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.” Mark 4:9 (See also: Mt. 11:15, 13:9, 13:43; Mark 4:23; Luke 8:8, 14:35.) It should be clear that Jesus is not speaking simply of physical ears and the ability to process sound waves. He is speaking …
Continue reading “October 21 / Matthew 13:1-52; Mark 4:1-34; Luke 8:1-18; 13:18-21”
Matthew 12:22-50; Mark 3:20-35; Luke 11:14-36; 8:19-21 Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters. Matthew 12:30; Luke 11:23 In Matthew, Jesus makes this statement just before saying that blasphemy against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven, that next verse (Mt. 12:31) starting off, “Therefore, …” …
Continue reading “October 20 / Matthew 12:22-50; Mark 3:20-35; Luke 11:14-36; 8:19-21”
Matthew 8:5-13; Luke 7:1-17; John 4:46-54;Matthew 11:2-19; Luke 7:18-50 Today we see some tremendous contrasts in attitudes toward Jesus. First we have the Roman centurion who asks Jesus to heal his servant but who says, “Lord, I am not worthy to have you come under my roof…” (Mt. 8.8) At the end of our reading …
Continue reading “October 19 / Matthew 8:5-13, 11:2-19; Luke 7:1-50; John 4:46-54”
Matthew 6; Luke 11:1-4, 12:22-34;Matthew 7; Luke 6:37-49, 11:5-13 …and forgive us our debts,as we also have forgiven our debtors.…For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. Matthew 6:12,14-15 How often do we …
Continue reading “October 18 / Matthew 6-7; Luke 11:1-13, 12:22-34, 6:37-49”
Matthew 12:15-21; Mark 3:7-19; Luke 6:12-19;Matthew 5:1-48; Luke 6:20-36 You have heard that it was said, “You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.” But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you. Matthew 5:43-44 But I say to you who hear, Love your enemies, do good to …
Continue reading “October 17 / Matthew 12:15-21, 5:1-48; Mark 3:7-19; Luke 6:12-36”
Matthew 9:1-17; Mark 2:1-22; Luke 5:17-39;Matthew 12:1-14; Mark 2:23-3:6; Luke 6:1-11 Matthew tells us that on at least two separate occasions, Jesus quotes Hosea 6:6 to the Pharisees: “I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.” The first time is in Matthew 9:13, where Jesus is responding to the Pharisees’ questioning of Jesus’ association with tax collectors …
Continue reading “October 16 / Matthew 9:1-17, 12:1-14; Mark 2:1-3:6; Luke 5:17-6:11”
Mark 1:21-28; Luke 4:31-37;Matthew 8:14-17; Mark 1:29-34; Luke 4:38-41;Matthew 4:23-25; Mark 1:35-39; Luke 4:42-5:11;Matthew 8:1-4; Mark 1:40-45; Luke 5:12-16 That evening they brought to Him many who were oppressed by demons, and He cast out the spirits with a word and healed all who were sick. This was to fulfill what was spoken by the …
Continue reading “October 15 / Matthew 8:14-17; 4:23-25; 8:1-4; Mark 1:21-45; Luke 4:31-5:16”
John 4:1-45;Matthew 4:12-22; Mark 1:14-20; Luke 4:14-30 Today Jesus passes through the region of Samaria and stops at Jacob’s well to rest and get a drink of water. There Jesus interacts with a woman who is surprised (or, I daresay, shocked) to find that this Jew would have anything to do with a Samaritan. (For …
Continue reading “October 14 / John 4:1-45; Matthew 4:12-22; Mark 1:14-20; Luke 4:14-30”