March 23 / Jeremiah 26

Jeremiah 26 Dear RTB’ers, Back to Jeremiah. Both the STS editors and my Study Bible suggest that today’s chapter 26 reading is an extension of what we already read in Jeremiah 7. Back then Jeremiah was warning the officials and people of Jerusalem of their certain doom if they did not repent of their evil …

March 22 / Matthew 28:1-20

Matthew 28:1-20 Dear RTB’ers, Jesus’ Resurrection. Words fail me. The best that I can do is to try to “put myself into the story”. I imagine that I were there, alongside the women meeting the angel or with Jesus’ disciples in Galilee. And even then I am awestruck – that He had done what He …

March 21 / Matthew 27:51-66

Matthew 27:51-66 Dear RTB’ers, The events immediately following Jesus’ death are striking: And behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. And the earth shook, and the rocks were split. (v. 51) I wonder, is this God the Father doing this? Is this His final condemnation of sin, shaking …

March 20 / Matthew 27:32-50

Matthew 27:32-50 Dear RTB’ers, Finally, Jesus’ Crucifixion. After all the suffering He had already endured… I guess it’s appropriate that we are reading this on a Friday – for us in our reading, a “Good Friday”. Jesus’ last words in Matthew’s gospel, My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me? (v. 46b) [NOTE: John’s …

March 19 / Matthew 27:15-31

Matthew 27:15-31 Dear RTB’ers, Then he released for them Barabbas, and having scourged Jesus, delivered Him to be crucified. (v. 26) These are only a few words, “having scourged Jesus”, but they leave me almost sick to my stomach every time I read them. The famous “forty lashes less one”… My Study Bible noted that …

March 17 / Matthew 26:57-75

Matthew 26:57-75 Dear RTB’ers, Today’s first verse, Then those who had seized Jesus led Him to Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and the elders had gathered. (v. 57) The scribes and elders had gathered already, very likely through the night and early into the morning, yet they had not been part of the …

March 15 / Matthew 26:17-29

Matthew 26:17-29 Dear RTB’ers, Today, the Last Supper and Jesus’ institution of the Eucharist, which we remember and celebrate every Sunday. “Take, eat; this is My body.” (v. 26) “Drink of it, all of you, for this is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.” (vv. …

March 14 / Matthew 26:1-16

Matthew 26:1-16 Dear RTB’ers, Today we begin Passion Week: Then the chief priests and the elders of the people … plotted together in order to arrest Jesus by stealth and kill Him. Then one of the twelve, whose name was Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests and … from that moment he sought an …