Questions to make a beginning.

There are a zillion questions we could ask of this first chapter in Matthew's gospel, but here are a few that will suffice for now:

1. Was Mary a virgin at the time of conception?


2. Why were Abraham and David specially mentioned in the genealogy?


3. What does Matthew mention the exile to Babylon but not the slavery in Egypt?


4. In the birth of the Messiah,
   
   • the Infinite is in a womb,
     
   • He that contains all things is carried, as unborn, by a woman;
     
   • the Virgin bears, and continues a virgin.
   How did the Spirit frame that Temple?


5. Did Joseph exhibit out of control behaviors in this time period, which many suppose to be a grievous predicament for an unmarried man?


6. Why didn't the angel appear to Joseph in a dream earlier, just as Gabriel had come to Mary before conception?


7. Where in the New Testament is Mary again commended into a new home, as the angel does in v. 20?

Let's begin here on Thursday morning.

Hebrews 7 questions for Thursday, Aaron and Melchizedek.

Here are a few questions for getting your mind to focus on the section of Hebrews we will study on Thursday, Hebrews 7.

1. Why do the priests of the order of Aaron receive tithes?
2. Was Melchizedek a Jew or a Gentile?
3. In v. 20, the author says that the priests in the order of Aaron did not become priests with an oath. How is that these men became priests in the order of Aaron?
4. What was the central event in history by which the priesthood of the order of Aaron was begun?
5. What was the founding document of the Aaron priesthood?
6. Jesus, priest forever in the order of Melchizedek, is quite busy in Heaven... doing what?
7. How does the common priesthood of the faithful fit into all this?

I hope we will get to question 7 Thursday morning, because it is the reason God sent us this part of the perfect law of freedom.

Hebrews, chapters 5 and 6

Last week we worked on chapters 4 and 5, and this Thursday we will work on chapters 5 and 6. Here are some questions to work with when reviewing this part of Hebrews:

1. How did Jesus become the source of salvation?
2. What was his specific path in life before he accomplished it, becoming the source of salvation?
3. The author describes Jesus very carefully and thoroughly as high priest after the order of Melchizedek. Can we be imitators of Jesus in this? Ought we to do so?
4. Are you mature and skilled in the word of righteousness?
5. Can you see the small creed, a mini-recitation of faith, at the start of chapter 6?
6. Was Father Abraham skilled and mature in the word of righteousness?
7. What exactly WAS the word of righteousness that Father Abraham encountered? Have you encountered anything like that?

That will be a good start in the process of diving into the Word, in Hebrews 6 today.