In 1897 Charles Sheldon published the book In His Steps, in which he introduced a phrase that would become quite popular in the 20th and 21st centuries. The abbreviation of this phrase would adorn innumerable items such as t-shirts, bumper stickers, and rubber bracelets. Mr. Sheldon’s phrase, What Would Jesus […] Read more
A short sentence, only two verses, follows the Sermon on the Mount. Matthew writes, Matthew 7:28 And when Jesus finished these sayings, the crowds were astonished at his teaching, 29 for he was teaching them as one who had authority, and not as their scribes. Matthew 7:28-29 This sentence serves as a […] Read more
I can look out my living room window and see the broad and basic contours of the southern edge of a small forest. But the beauty of this view cannot be seen while walking through the same woods where I can observe the individual trees, the undergrowth, the dead and […] Read more
Jesus, after unveiling the full extent of our sin (Matt. 5:17-48), tells us we need to perfect, as our Heavenly Father is perfect (Matt 5:48), and explains how to love our Heavenly Father (Matt. 6:1-34), introduces judgment. In so doing, Jesus addresses how to live in a world full of […] Read more
You therefore must be perfect, as your Heavenly Father is perfect. Matthew 5:48 We read these words and probably think Jesus is talking about perfection with regard to sin — our thoughts and actions — but I’m not so certain that’s what Jesus really meant. Everything preceding this is a […] Read more
After the very important drumrolls of Matthew’s first four chapters, we finally arrive at Jesus’s first recorded teaching of the Kingdom of Heaven, and it’s quite a doozy. There is more depth and breadth and width and height to the wisdom found within this passage than I can uncover. But […] Read more
We have read about the king’s heritage, the king’s herald, the coming kingdom, and the king’s baptism and temptations, but it isn’t until Matthew 5 that we encounter the king teaching the kingdom. It may seem as though there is a preposition missing in that last sentence but there isn’t; […] Read more
One of my favorite elements of the earth’s landscapes is the mountain. If I could, I’d have a house far enough away from mountains so I could see them clearly, but close enough so I could climb them daily. While I enjoy looking at mountain peaks, I don’t often study […] Read more
Matthew 4:1 Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. Matthew 4:1 These first words of Matthew 4 might suggest this section more appropriately fits with the petition “lead us not into temptation” than the petition “Your kingdom come.” Yet, while […] Read more
The name of the Lord shines brightly through each verse of Matthew’s first two chapters; that name we hold hallowed as we pray and offer praise. Certainly, the whole of scripture is a revelation of God, but Matthew’s first two chapters seem to be especially focused on his work, providing […] Read more