I have been studying Matthew’s Gospel through the lens of the Lord’s Prayer to see how we might gain a richer prayer life. But anytime we filter scripture through a set of lenses not readily apparent in the passage, we must be wary of the danger of reading into the […] Read more
Matthew 16:13-17:8 – Rocks, Confession, a Cross, and Transfigured Bread
These next few verses in Matthew’s Gospel, if taken in isolation, can seem oddly placed and have even produced some radical interpretations. Matthew writes, along with Mark and Luke, this interchange, 13 Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that […] Read more
Matthew 15:29-16:12 – More Bread, Jonah, and Bad Leaven
Two times Jesus miraculously multiplied small amounts of bread and fish to feed a large number of people. While our focus will be directed toward the second miracle (Matt. 15:32-39), some important points need to be made by way of comparison to the first (Matt. 14:13-21). The first miracle occurred […] Read more
Matthew 14:24-15:28 – The Sea, A Garment, Traditions, and Crumbs
When we last saw the disciples, they were getting into a boat, most likely carrying 12 baskets of food, and heading out to sea while on shore, 5,000 people were relaxing in an after-meal bliss and Jesus was seeking a desolate place where he could pray to the Father. We […] Read more
Matthew 14:13-23 – Bereavement, Hunger, and Our Daily Bread
As we transition to the next section of Matthew’s Gospel, it might help to look back to see how Matthew’s Gospel helps us understand how to better pray the Lord’s Prayer: Matthew 1-2 shows the Father’s hand in the birth and protection of his son, providing insight into ways to […] Read more
Matthew 13:53-14:12 – Astonishment, John, and the Sower’s Life
53 And when Jesus had finished these parables, he went away from there, Matthew 13:53 When I read these first words of this week’s passage, my mind immediately goes to C. S. Lewis’s book, The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, and the moment when the Pevensie children first met Mr. […] Read more
Matthew 13:24-52 – A Sword, the Family, and Rewards, Part 2. c.
The first parable recorded by Matthew, and the focus of last week’s blog, has much to say about the soils of the world, but I believe its primary focus is on the sowers and their call to remain faithful. The following parables, however, shift their focus from the sower to […] Read more
Matthew 13:1-52 – A Sword, the Family, and Rewards, Part 2. b.
As much as I dislike fortune cookies, if I choose to eat at a Chinese restaurant, they are inevitable, and as much as I dislike focusing on small portions of scripture in isolation, if I am human, it is inevitable. We are creatures of the immediate and it is rare […] Read more
Matthew 12:46-50 – A Sword, the Family, and Rewards, Part 2. a.
I received my driver’s license in 1980, graduated from high school in 1983, and graduated from college in 1987. More importantly, however, the 1980s was the decade when I watched my first David Letterman show and was introduced to his Top-10 lists. I trust it is not offensive to the […] Read more
Matthew 12:31-45 – Disciples, Demons, Housetops, and Eternity, Part 2. b.
With a taste similar to wet cardboard and consistency to match, I’ve never understood how fortune cookies have persisted so long in the food industry. I suppose their longevity could be attributed to the small piece of paper upon which are written words of wisdom or some lucky lottery numbers, […] Read more