Parable of the wedding feast, the Pharisees conspire with the Herodians, a question about taxes, a ridiculous question about marriage in the resurrection, the greatest commandment and finally Jesus asks a question that shuts the room down.
Matthew 22
Again Jesus spoke to them by parables, and said,
Continue readingJesus contends with the Pharisees over keeping the Sabbath and they accuse him of casting out demons by the power of demons. Some very well known statements of Jesus are in this chapter, concluding with “those who do the will of my Father in heaven is my brother, and sister, and mother.”
Matthew 12
At that time Jesus went through the grain fields on the Sabbath day. His disciples were hungry and began to pluck the heads of grain and to eat.
Continue readingThere is value in using simple images we are familiar with to help us understand more complex concepts. The Bible is rich with such imagery. But sometimes we get carried away and a metaphor can be overextended. At some point every analogy breaks down and it is possible to complicate the issue we started out trying to simplify. I didn’t want to add to the original post but the wife and I had a discussion about the Parable of the Pickle Jar and I submit the following for your consideration. Continue reading
Let’s begin by defining our terms. Most people have a concept of radical that may be hard to put into words. You could be a radical thinker in a good way that doesn’t involve overthrowing the government (but that’s one possibility). Miriam-Webster’s online dictionary gives 3 definitions, these are the two that apply to our discussion:
1) very new and different from what is traditional or ordinary
2) having extreme political or social views that are not shared by most people
Radical describes something new, different, or views that are not shared by most people. I contend that Jesus was radical from man’s point of view, but not from God’s. Continue reading
The Master's Table 