As was usually the case, when Jesus spoke to the crowds, the religious rulers were right there, listening, critically examining, and scheming how to use His Words against Him. The Pharisees and chief priests may not have understood all that Jesus implied in His parables, but they did get the point that He was often…
Posts Categorized: Sin
Matthew 21:33-46 – Parable of the Tenants
This parable is the story of Israel. God chose Israel to be His special inheritance (Deuteronomy 32:9). When mankind rebelled at the Tower of Babel and Yahweh scattered them into nations, He effectively divorced the majority of men for the time being in order to raise a nation loyal to Him. From that time, Israel…
Exodus 25-26 – God’s Mercy Seat
In reading detailed descriptions in the Bible, lists of laws, or genealogies, it’s easy to be overwhelmed by the text. Often, people attempting to read their entire Bible get bogged down in these portions of Scripture and lose their resolve to remain faithful to God’s Word. What I typically recommend for these passages initially is…
Exodus 23:32-33 – The Snare of Other Gods
From the very first when God called His children out of Egypt, the most important commandment He gave was that they should follow no other gods but Him. This was so important that Yahweh enshrined this ordinance as the first two of the Ten Commandments in Exodus 20:3-4: “You shall have no other gods before…
Exodus 20:18-21 – Near or Far from God
As God was introducing Himself to the Israelites during the Exile through various encounters, in which Moses was the intermediary, an interesting dynamic comes into focus. The passage in Exodus 20:18-21 gives us an indication of this interplay: “Now when all the people saw the thunder and the flashes of lightning and the sound of…
Matthew 16:18 – The Gates of Hell
One of the most misunderstood verses in the Bible is Matthew 16:18 where Jesus, speaking to Peter and His disciples, says: “And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” Most of us are aware that the Catholic…