The mind of Christ - Psalm 118

If one reads carefully in chapters 19 and 20 of Dr. Luke's gospel, one finds several references to Psalm 118, including Jesus making a razor sharp explanation that concludes His parable of the vineyard.

But he looked at them and asked, "What then does this scripture passage mean:

The stone which the builders rejected has become the cornerstone?

Everyone who falls on that stone will be dashed to pieces; and it will crush anyone on whom it falls."

YOUCH! The two-edged sword is sharp as sharp!

That being the case, it behooves us to dip backwards and take a short look at this mighty psalm, Psalm 118. Here are a few questions on this psalm:

1. In the first four verses, the psalmist exhorts
   1. Israel,
   2. the house of Aaron, and
   3. those who fear God
   tp give thanks to God. Is there a group of human beings that are permanently outside this set of three groups?
2. Is the psalmist in danger? Is he a weenie or is he brave? What kind of danger was Jesus heading into?
3. What was the thing about Jesus that most scandalized the Pharisees?
4. Was the Lord Jesus ever encircled during the betrayal and crucifixion? Did he ever cut anyone off?
5. Was the Lord Jesus chastised during the betrayal and crucifixion?
6. How did shouts of deliverance sound during the betrayal and crucifixion, if at all?
7. Can you see Jesus joyfully exclaiming, "Open for me the gates of righteousness! I shall enter them and thank God"?
8. How does this view of Jerusalem square with what Blessed John saw in the Revelation? Sneaky peek: Rev. 21.
9. What does the Church teach about the Lord’s Day? Which day is THE day that the Lord has made?

We will study this Thursday in Psalm 118, and, in that, seek to "learn him," seeking as always to become doers of the Word.

Dr. Luke's record of the Lord's εξοδον, his Exodus

We concluded last week's discussion by looking into the question of Jesus following his interaction with IRS man Zacchaeus by the parable of the wicked king and his ten "minas." What did Jesus accomplish with this pair of teachings, side by side?

This week we will look into the answer: his mission in Jerusalem. Here are a few questions to think over:

1. 
   Jesus sees his place of torture and execution, Jerusalem, and he weeps, for Jerusalem? Not for himself? What is the subject of his sorrow in vv. 41-44?
2. Was Jesus actually in the line of David, king of Israel?
3. Has God ever raised praise from the very stones of Earth?
4. Previously many times Jesus admonished people not to blab about him, and he definitely discouraged people from proclaiming him a king... but not this time. Why is that?
5. At Mass, when do we repeat the exclamation of Jesus as Lord? What does that signify, geospatially?
6. Who was worse: the money-changing merchants in the Temple or the scribes and Pharisees everywhere else? How were the two groups similar?
7. In v. 48, Dr. Luke writes that the people hung upon Jesus' words. How does Luke back up that concept with the beginning story of Ch. 20?
8. Did Jesus ever reveal the source of his authority?
9. Does Jesus show salt in this beginning of his Jerusalem mission?

This exodus from Jerusalem is the center of all history. We do well to look into it and thereby find our feet, steady and sure, ready to become doers of the Word.

Thursday, Sept. 27, Psalm 19

Today we will ascend to greatness and consider Psalm 19. Here are a few study questions.

1. The Church teaches that God created the universe by His word, according to His wisdom. Does this concept appear in Psalm 19?
2. The second half of the psalm describes the Torah. Is there something in the first half that describes Jesus or the Gospel?
3. Is there something about the message of Jesus that is inescapable to any man, woman or child, something that no man escapes?
4. Does Jesus' view of the Torah lead to the conversion of souls?
5. The precepts or statutes of the Lord lead to rejoicing of the heart, but federal and state statutes are about crimes and misdemeanors, so how can the Lord's statutes lead to rejoicing? And by the way, how many statutes are on the books of the Lord?
6. WHAT THE --?! Fear endures forever? That does not seem quite right -- or does it?
7. In Acts 3, St. Peter with St. John mentions gold and silver by the "Beautiful Gate" of the temple. How does that series of events relate to God's judgements?
8. To whom will the Day of Judgement be sweet? To whom will it be bitter?
9. What makes sins hard to "detect," hard to comprehend?
10. What was the worst, most horrendous sin ever committed? Is it possible for a man to be complicit with that sin, even now?
11. How would Peter, the Rock, have prayed this psalm?

Let's have some coffee and talk it over, seeing deeper into the perfect Torah of freedom.

A few questions in James 3

This chapter concerns how we use our tongue to speak, and the nature of our words. Here are some questions we might begin with:

1. A teacher, to James, is a person who primarily communicates by ______. (multiple choice)
   1. his spoken word
   2. his YouTube account
   3. his writing
   4. artwork and sculture
   5. Chuck Norris concepts
2. The tongue of a man is compared to a horse's bit and to a teeny rudder. What part of a man fulfills the analogy of the reins by which the rider controls the bit?
3. Continuing the analogy: What part of a man compares to the ship's wheel?
4. Completing the analogy: who or what is the rider of the horse, the captain of the ship?
5. Did Job ever have occasion to sin with words from his mouth? How about Moses?
6. Read Psalm 19. How does the final verse jive with James' teaching in chapter 3?
7. In v. 11, James mentions a spring of pure water. What should be the source of our pure words?
8. Can a person dip into jealousy or selfish ambition without some unwise spoken words?
9. How do jealousy and selfish ambition, spoken openly, help a teacher of the Lord's way to lead students toward God?

We will start with these questions on Thursday morning, a lot to learn.

James 2

Questions for chapter 2 of James:

1. 
   Why are good works an essential part of Christian faith?
2. James remarks in v. 19 that even the demons believe. What does that mean for a Christian who seeks to be obedient to God?
3. If faith without works is dead, then is it similar to bodily death?

Get going with James 1

Here are some study questions for starting to read in the epistle of James:

1. In Proverbs, wise King Solomon says that the fear of Lord is the beginning of wisdom. How does the fear of the Lord arise in the soul?
2. What part of the Our Father jives with the challenge of James, that we ask God for wisdom?
3. 
   Is a trial, mentioned in v. 2, the same as a temptation, mentioned in vv. 12-14?
4. Was Jesus ever tempted?
5. James admonishes us, saying that we must not "test" God the Father, in the sense of asking God to prove Himself. What is this testing? If you are in a trial of some kind, what would you want God to prove about Himself?
6. The Church teaches that "the family should live in such a way that its members learn to care and take responsibility for the young, the old, the sick, the handicapped, and the poor." Would James have agreed with that?

There is a lot to learn in this beautiful writing. Let's have some coffee on Thursday morning, 7 AM, and then gaze into this perfect Torah of freedom.

Philippians 3

A few questions to consider for Thursday morning in Philippians chapter 3:

1. Would you be more nervous standing next to a 3rd grader or next to the President of the United States?
2. After you have helped serve meals to the homeless, does it make you more or less inclined to do so again?
3. Where in the gospels does Jesus refer to a set of people as dogs?
4. What things do you consider as positives, as "gains," but which are really negative when compared to the Lord?
5. Did St. Thomas Aquinas ever get to this point, where he forgot about all his good work behind him and stretched forward to the prize?
6. Is it impossible to live the life of a great saint?

Let's dig into chapter 3 with a few of these questions.

More questions from Philippians Ch. 2

We will dig deeper into the meaning of Phil. 2:5-11, using a few more questions:

1. Do you have to strive and build up an argument to establish that you are in fact a human being?
2. What group of humans are subject to this predicament, that other humans must strive and build up an argument to establish that the individuals in that subgroup are in fact human beings, and that still other humans do not accept this argument?
3. Are there beings that are fully human and other beings only a fraction human?
4. Do we claim that, like the Greeks claimed about their gods, that God the Father is a little bit larger or greater than God the Son?
5. Does humility reside in the strong chains of a humbled slave, or does it exist elsewhere?
6. Is there any humility in the Eucharist?

Let's begin with these questions on Thursday morning, and thereby gaze deeply into the perfect law of freedom.

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.

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.

The curious incident of the dog in the night time

We occasionally refer to fictional works like the Shack during our study of the Bible, and today is another case of that: we will refer to a famous passage in a Sherlock Holmes story, "Silver Blaze," by Arthur Conan Doyle. Holmes has unraveled a mystery for one Colonel Ross, in the rustic Dartmoor region of southern England, delivering the answer with this conversation between Holmes and Inspector Gregory...

Colonel Ross still wore an expression which showed the poor opinion which he had formed of my companion's ability, but I saw by the inspector's face that his attention had been keenly aroused.

"You consider that to be important?" he [Inspector Gregory] asked.

"Exceedingly so."

"Is there any point to which you would wish to draw my attention?"

"To the curious incident of the dog in the night-time."

"The dog did nothing in the night-time."

"That was the curious incident," remarked Sherlock Holmes.

We find other mysterious situations in Matthew's 27th chapter. Let's ask a few questions:

1. The curious incident of the Messiah before Pilate: Pilate repeats the accusations of the chief priests and elders, to which Jesus makes no reply, stunning the Roman governor. Why would this silence be so stunning, so curious, to Pontius Pilate? What does it tell us?
2. At the Crucifixion, the passersby railed at the Messiah, and flung the words of Jesus back in His face, words about rebuilding the Temple and saving others. Obviously some of them had seen Jesus at work and listened to His words, yet another curious incident. How should they have reacted to seeing the innocent man voluntarily being crucified?
3. Yet another curious incident: Judas does not change his mind when Jesus is first captured, but only later. What was the factor that made Judas change his mind and throw the blood money back into the Temple?
4. After Judas returns the silver pieces, he ends his actions permanently, but the chief priests and elders continued. What was different about the chief priests and elders, that they could continue?
5. Did the chief priests and elders know they had purchased murder?
6. Is Jesus Christ willing to be served by the gold and wealth coming from covetousness, crime and duplicity?
7. What should be the true currency of the Church?

Let's start our study this morning with these questions, asking the Lord for clear eyes to see His Word.

Questions

A few more questions to finish up ch. 26 of Matthew:

1. How does Jesus celebrate this new action, the Eucharist? With joy or with fear?
   
2. Why does Jesus initiate the new covenant from within the Passover celebration of the old covenant?
   
3. Why should the gospel include the accounts of the Twelve abandoning the Messiah in this time of suffering?
   
4. How is Peter's denial different from the actions of Judas?
   
5. Why did Jesus rebuke Peter for having a sword?

Ch. 26, Passover

We will continue our consideration of the Lord's exodus that began in Jerusalem on the evening before the Passover began, in ch. 26 of Matthew's gospel. For instance, we can consider some of these questions:

1. Why didn't Jesus or the Twelve own a condo in Jerusalem where they could have supper?
   
2. Jesus knew that his own suffering, death and resurrection would be THE paschal sacrifice, THE escape from Egyptland, THE true Passover of the Lord, so why did he keep the old timey ritual passover meal?
   
3. Why didn't Jesus cite his betrayer by name, Judas Iscariot, but only as "one of you," one of the Twelve?
   
4. Each of the Twelve asked himself, "This betrayer, is it I?" It is an honest question, given the circus stances. What godly property does this show, to have asked this question?
5. 
   Judas was a shameless traitor, eating at the table with the man he had already betrayed. Why does Jesus permit it?
   
6. St. Paul writes that "all things work for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose." Is this Passover of the The Lord an example of what Paul described?
   
7. Who is to blame for the evil that Judas wrought, God for allowing Judas to be born or Judas himself?
   
8. Why wasn't Jesus in agony and suffering while at this Passover meal, instead of later, in the garden of Gethsemane?

How many thousands of questions can we ask of the Lord's passion? But we will start today with these few and see if the Lord's wisdom can penetrate our hearts.

Ch. 26, Holy Thursday, Good Friday

Today is Holy Thursday.

It is good that we are digging into Ch. 26 of Matthew's gospel, and we have all of last week's questions to work on, plus a few more:

1. Matthew writes, "When Jesus finished all these words..." and then Jesus points out that in two days will be a celebration, the Passover. How is the last part of "all these words" -- the last judgement of Matthew 25:31-46 -- related to the escape from Egyptland?
   
2. Why do these goombahs have to plot in secrecy?
   
3. Does the high priest Caiaphas fear the Lord more than the people of Jerusalem?
   
4. Jesus is a son of Abraham, a son of David. Who was it in the story of the Exodus that wanted to kill off the sons of Abraham?
   
5. Does the woman with the jar of perfumed oil have a malady of some kind?
   
6. When Moses died, did he have a public burial, with all the rituals, for all to see?
   
7. How would it come about that this woman acquires enduring fame, even though she is nameless?
   
8. Why does the gospel record the surname of Judas the betrayer?
   
9. WHy is it that Matthew even mentions the reproachful fact that Judas the betrayer is one of the Twelve? Is it necessary to the gospel message?
   
10. Oughtn't Jesus to have cut off Judas the betrayer long before this? Why didn't he do so?
    
11. Why could Jusus not have just forced the issue with Judas and turned him from the path of betrayal like He turned Paul on the way to Damascus?
    
12. Whom does the covetous man hate?

There are a lot of things to consider this morning, and it is a good thing that tomorrow is Good Friday.

 

Image: spikenard

Forward to chapter 26

We will continue working on last week's questions, #9 - #14,

9. How does it help the King to make the positive judgement first, for those on his right, and after that, to make his negative judgement?
   
10. What is the significance of the word inherit, compared to, for instance, in Ch. 9, where Jesus commands the healed man to take up his mat?
    
11. If a person does more than just to visit a prisoner, more than just to feed a hungry family, more than just to put a roof over a man's head, if a person does more than that, what kind of person is that? How would you describe that person?
    
12. For whom was the kingdom prepared? For whom was the eternal fire prepared?
    
13. Have you ever known someone who helped an enemy, someone who was down, even though under normal circumstances they would be persona non grata?
    
14. What does it tell you that Jesus left this last direct prophetic message as the last one before the events of crucifixion, starting in Ch. 26?
    

then push forward into the passion of the Messiah, chapter 26. For starters, here are a few questions to work with:

1. Matthew writes, "When Jesus finished all these words..." and then Jesus points out that in two days will be a celebration, the Passover. How is the last part of "all these words" -- the last judgement of Matthew 25:31-46 -- related to the escape from Egyptland?
   
2. Why do these goombahs have to plot in secrecy?
   
3. Does the high priest Caiaphas fear the Lord more than the people of Jerusalem?
   
4. Jesus is a son of Abraham, a son of David. Who was it in the story of the Exodus that wanted to kill off the sons of Abraham?
   
5. 
   Does the woman with the jar of perfumed oil have a malady of some kind?
   
6. When Moses died, did he have a public burial, with all the rituals, for all to see?
   
7. How would it come about that this woman acquires enduring fame, even though she is nameless?

Let's start with these questions today, maybe have some coffee, too, and ask the Holy Spirit to help us see into the perfect law of freedom, God's Word!

Deeper into the 25th chapter of Matthew

We finished last Thursday during a discussion of the Eucharist. We will extend that discussion today, plus a few more areas, viz.

1. How many individuals were involved in the parables of the vigilant handmaidens and the parable of the talents? How many in this prophetic description of the last judgement?
   
2. What effect is there from the presence of all his holy angels?
   
3. Jesus the King will separate the righteous from the unrighteous. Does that remind you of an parable of the kingdom?
   
4. Which is easier:
   1. to visit a prisoner, or
      
   2. to set the prisoner free?
5. Why didn't the ones on the King's left share their bread, their drink, their clothes, their presence?
   
6. Why does Jesus the King call them the "least" of his brothers?
   
7. Have you ever heard a story about a king who walked about in his kingdom disguised as a beggar? What is it about that kind of story that rouses your interest?
   
8. Can a poor man be on the King's right by reason of having shared something with another poor man? What could he share?
   
9. How does it help the King to make the positive judgement first, for those on his right, and after that, to make his negative judgement?
   
10. What is the significance of the word inherit, compared to, for instance, in Ch. 9, where Jesus commands the healed man to take up his mat?
    
11. If a person does more than just to visit a prisoner, more than just to feed a hungry family, more than just to put a roof over a man's head, if a person does more than that, what kind of person is that? How would you describe that person?
    
12. For whom was the kingdom prepared? For whom was the eternal fire prepared?
    
13. Have you ever known someone who helped an enemy, someone who was down, even though under normal circumstances they would be persona non grata?
    
14. What does it tell you that Jesus left this last direct prophetic message as the last one before the events of crucifixion, starting in Ch. 26?

Well, there is a lot to think about, a lot to take into our heart and execute. Let's have some coffee and talk it over this Thursday morning.

Findings

Findings from some of the Thursday morning questions, concerning the judgement in Matthew 25:31-46.

2. Is there matching truth in the Beatitudes of Matthew ch. 5?
   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.
   
   Ken: the persecution that comes when people mock you for serving the poor and doing the right thing.
3. BRAIN-BURNER: Is there any place in the Old Testament that correlates with the actions that the Son of Man rewards?
   Len: the 4th commandment has a reward.
4. In all the actions rewarded by th Messiah, note that there is no teaching or preaching mentioned. Why is that?
   Al: As St. Francis said, sometimes the preaching of the gospel comes in with ones actions, as the King describes the actions of the righteous.
   
   Len: It's because Jesus is THE teacher; also because the Natural Law exists.

Thursday this week we will continue with discussion of the Eucharist.