Combo time

We will have a combo study plan today, as we decide where to study next:

1. Read about Paul's and Silas' evangelization through incarceration at Phillippi, Acts chapter 16, and
2. then dive into Paul's letter to the Philippians.

Final exam today

We will have our Gospel of Matthew final exam today. It will be "open book" if you can read your bible. Bring a pencil or pen, and be ready to exercise your grey matter!

Some of the things we found in Matthew's gospel.

Over the past several months of studying Matthew's gospel, we have considered a large set of questions. From our prayer and discussion, we have found many things of note:

1. What is the significance for us in the worship offered by the magi?
   1. Len: The magi were a bit like apostles, except that they were called inwards, to Jerusalem.
   2. Scott: The magi were like the first Christians.
   3. It is interesting to consider how the Lord used the astrologer concepts of the magi to draw them to the Messiah. Len suggested that this is similar to Paul's famous speech to the smart Athenians, where he started form their religious activity and led them to the message of Jesus the Messiah. Each man's life is like that -- called from outside to come in toward the center, Jesus.
2. Regarding the judgement in Matthew 25:31-46, is there matching truth in the Beatitudes of Matthew ch. 5?
   1. Len: the King divides the sheep from the goats on the basis of pure hearts. That is, the sheep had pure hearts, and the goats did not.
   2. Ken: the persecution that comes when people mock you for serving the poor and doing the right thing.
3. Why would this silence of Jesus before Ponius Pilate be so stunning, so curious, to Pontius Pilate? What does it tell us?
   1. Bob: When Jesus stands mute, he is making no excuses, not making a cop out, volunteering nothing that can be twisted.
4. If the crucifixion was such a defeat (as the Enemy viewed it), then why does the angel feature it, saying "Jesus the crucified" when addressing the women in v. 5?
   1. Al: All you have to do is read the next verse!
5. Why does everybody keep telling the women not to be afraid?
   1. Dave: They still do not grasp the full concept of there Lord's resurrection.
   2. Ken: We'd probably be more like the guards, who feinted dead away!
   3. Al:The fact that there was an angel shows that God knew they'd need help to get across the bridge to understanding.
6. What were the women doing there at the tomb, anyway?
   1. Dave: corporal works of mercy.
   2. Len: Following the Torah faithfully, especially the command to love your neighbor as you love yourself.
7. When was the last time you hugged the feet of anyone?
   1. Al: Other than Publisher's Clearing House... X
   2. Len: It reminds you of Mary in the house of Lazarus. Martha was hustling and bustling with fixing the meal, but Mary sat at the Lord's feet to listen.

Image: Brooklyn Bridge in 1918.

We finish, we begin

This Thursday, we finish studying the gospel of Matthew, closing out with these remaining questions:

5. Fear thou not! Why does everybody keep telling the women not to be afraid?
6. What were the women doing there, anyway?
7. Just curious: When was the last time you hugged the feet of anyone?
8. What is the significance of Jesus rising on that particular day of the week?
9. Review the end of John's gospel for comparison. Matthew's account emphasizes something a bit more than John does. What is it?
10. Is baptism important for a Christian?

Though we finish Matthew's gospelthis Thursday morning, we also begin something new, if we desire to be a doer of the Word. Good.

What we found

Some of the more important comments and findings of the men this past Thursday morning:

1. The chief priests and Pharisees caused the Messiah's tomb to be sealed against mischief from dishonest disciples. Did their action, sealing the tomb, work for their purposes or for God's? Why did Matthew include this?(question #9 last Thursday)
   1. Len: This clarifies the position of the apostles. Later on, in Acts, one can then see the Holy Spirit really operating in the apostles.
   2. Bob: 2000 years later, we can understand their doubts.
   3. Scott: It is the literal details that make you sit up and take notice.
   4. St. John Chrysostom: But mark thou, I pray you, the disciples' love of truth, how they conceal from us none of the things that are said by His enemies, though they use opprobrious language.
2. If the crucifixion was such a defeat (as the Enemy viewed it), then why does the angel feature it, saying "Jesus the crucified" when addressing the women in v. 5? (question #3 last Thursday)
   1. Al: All you have to do is read the next verse!
   2. St. John Chrysostom: The angel is not ashamed to call Him "crucified" for this is the chief of the blessings.

A few questions from last week plus some new ones

We have a few questions from last week, and new ones concerning chapter 28.

9. The chief priests and Pharisees caused the Messiah's tomb to be sealed against mischief from dishonest disciples. Did their action, sealing the tomb, work for their purposes or for God's?
10. What basis do the chief priests and Pharisees have for expecting the eleven to steal a dead body?

PLUS

1. 
   When was the last time in this gospel that we saw someone whose appearance was like lightning?
2. Is there mention of the women actually going into the tomb or even peeking in?
3. If the crucifixion was such a defeat (as the Enemy viewed it), then why does the angel feature it, saying "Jesus the crucified" when addressing the women?
4. What is this business about being "fearful yet overjoyed" when the women left?
5. Fear thou not! Why does everybody keep telling the women not to be afraid?
6. What were the women doing there, anyway?
7. Just curious: When was the last time you hugged the feet of anyone?

Well, we have a lot to learn but looking at these questions will at least get us started early this Thursday morning.

The Crucifixion

We call it a sorrowful mystery, a sorrowful event, and rightly so. The crucifixion of the Messiah is the center of history. That being the case, we ought to look into it with patience, seeking the depths of its meaning. At the surface, we can begin with a few questions, viz.

1. The centurion and his squad declare, "Truly, this was the Son of God." Peter also made a similar declaration. How is Peter's declaration different from that of the centurion?
2. How many signs can you see in this description of the crucifixion?
3. These signs, here at the crucifixion, were there similar signs when He was walking the Earth? What does this tell you?
4. Based on your answer to the previous question, how ought the people of Jerusalem to have reacted to what they saw?
5. How did the centurion react, even after having heard all the jeering of the crowd and having supervised the actual nailing to the Cross?
6. At the death of the Messiah, Matthew uses a Greek verb, αφηκεν, to release, when Jesus released His spirit. It is a very commonly used in the ancient world and full of meaning. How does that verb signify the power of Jesus to the very end?
7. The veil in the Temple is rent in two. Does this signify disaster coming to the Temple or a good opening of the tabernacle to all?
8. Joseph of Arimathea was a member of the council, yet boldly went forward to claim the body of the Messiah. Does he remind you of anyone in this our day?
9. The chief priests and Pharisees caused the Messiah's tomb to be sealed against mischief from dishonest disciples. Did their action, sealing the tomb, work for their purposes or for God's?
10. What basis do the chief priests and Pharisees have for expecting the eleven to steal a dead body?

Let's look into this event and see what God the Father wants us to learn.

Findings about curious events in the Crucifixion

Here are some of the conclusions of the men last Thursday morning, concerning some of the questions:

1. Why would this silence be so stunning, so curious, to Pontius Pilate? What does it tell us?
   1. Bob: When Jesus stands mute, he is making no excuses, not making a cop out, volunteering nothing that can be twisted.
2. What was the factor that made Judas change his mind and throw the blood money back into the Temple?
   1. Jim: Perhaps Judas realized, "They have Jesus in deeper trouble than I thought it'd be."
3. What should be the true currency of the Church?
   1. Bob: Look at Matthew the crooked but wealthy tax collector. Matthew gave himself to Jesus.

The conclusion of the matter, the example that Matthew presents, is a great example of doing the Word.

We will dive deeper into chapter 27 this Thursday.