This is not a long post, but I've just seen something I've never seen before.
Matthew 12:1-14 illustrates and adds colour to Matthew 11:28-30.
Matthew 11:28-30 are some of the most beautiful words in the New Testament:
Here's a detail I've just noticed, and rather love.
Psalm 95:7 in the NIV reads as follows:
"For he is our God
and we are the people of his pasture
and the flock under his care."
Take that phrase "flock under his care" and look more closely.
וְצֹ֣אן יָד֑וֹ
Literally "the flock of his hand".
I've said before how valuable I find the writing of David Gooding, particularly on the book of Acts. It turns out his writing on Luke's gospel is just as sharp.
The parable of the lost sheep occurs in two of the gospels: It's in Matthew 18:10-14 and Luke 15:1-7.
I'm preparing to preach on Mark 13 in a couple of Sundays time, and find myself once again reaching for R T France's excellent commentary on Mark.
On Tuesday, I posted some thoughts on why John records the miraculous catch of fish in John 21.
This Sunday I'm preaching on John 21:1-14, the miraculous catch of fish. I've been asking myself why this miracle is recorded in John's gospel. Here are some thoughts.
Here's why the question needs asking. The story is a miracle (the catch of fish), and a post-resurrection appearance (“Afterwards Jesus appeared again to his disciples. … This was now the third time Jesus appeared to his disciples after he was raised from the dead”).
As we look at the visit of the Magi in Matthew 2, the obvious lead human characters in the story are Herod, the Magi, and Jesus himself. These are the lead protagonists and antagonists.
Whilst the Jewish priests are more flat, functionary characters, we mustn't miss the contrast Matthew deliberately paints between them and the Magi.
Michael Green comments:
Last week, I wrote a post quoting Calvin's interpretation of Peter walking on the water in Matthew 14:22-33. I was looking again at this passage, as the lectionary brought it round again, having last preached on it in 2018.
I most recently preached on Matthew 14:24-33 (the story of Jesus walking on the water) in January 2018. There is a debate with this story as to whether Peter's request to join Jesus on the water reflected his great faith and is something we should emulate (we too need to "get out of the boat"), or whether Peter was being foolish and reckless.
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