Genesis 35:1-36:43 ~ Matthew 12:1-21 ~ Psalm 15:1-5 ~ Proverbs 3:21-26
~ Click here to read today’s Scripture on BibleGateway.com ~
~ Listen to today’s Scripture on DailyAudioBible.com (podcast) or OneYearAudioBible.org ~
Old Testament – Today is a big day for Jacob in that he finally returns to Bethel – the same place where his pilgrimage began with God in Genesis 28:10-22! Bethel is where Jacob had his dream of the angels ascending and descending the staircase, when he was leaving the promised land for 20 years in Haran. Below is a map of Jacob’s journeys for his entire life:
Bethel was the place where God first gave to Jacob His covenant promise that was also given to Abraham and Isaac – and the covenant promise is reconfirmed in today’s readings in chapter 35 verses 11 and 12: “Then God said, “I am God Almighty. Multiply and fill the earth! Become a great nation, even many nations. Kings will be among your descendants! And I will pass on to you the land I gave to Abraham and Isaac. Yes, I will give it to you and your descendants.” These 2 verses are essentially thought to be the climax of the Isaac-Jacob portion of Genesis. In tomorrow’s readings we begin the Jacob-Joseph portion of Genesis. (which is an amazing narrative that begins tomorrow…) The covenant continues!
Today we read about the passing of Isaac and Rachel. What was interesting to me today about the death of Isaac was that he passed away after Jacob and Esau reconciled. I honestly forgot that Isaac had lived this long – I thought when he gave Esau’s blessing to Jacob 20 years prior that he was on his deathbed! Obviously not. However, even with Jacob and Esau being reconciled at this point, going forward in the Old Testament we will see that this reconciliation didn’t carry forward to their descendants. The nation of Israel (Jacob) and the kingdom of Edom (Esau) will have much strife in their coming generations toward each other, which we’ll read about later this year. The red area in the map below shows the kingdom of Edom at its largest extent in approximately 600 B.C.:
In chapter 36 we read about Esau’s descendants. One interesting note on verse 11 per Zondervan’s NIV Study Bible – “Eliphaz: Teman – One of Job’s friends was named Eliphaz the Temanite (Job 2:11), and Job himself was from the land of Uz (Job 1:1). Thus Job probably lived in Edom (see verses 28 & 34 in Genesis readings today).” Interestingly, I have a friend reading a Chronological Bible where Job is the book that is read just after this portion of Genesis – I think even before the Jacob-Joseph narrative coming up, some Chronological Bibles place the book of Job in the timeline of being read at this point. Below is an image of Eliphaz the Temanite and Job:
Bible.org’s commentary on today’s readings in Genesis chapter 35 titled “The Way Back” is at this link and commentary on chapter 36 titled “A Hairy Tale” is at this link.
New Testament – Today in Matthew chapter 12 we read about Jesus’ teachings surrounding his healing on the Sabbath. Note that in verse 14 the plots to kill Jesus begin: “Then the Pharisees called a meeting and discussed plans for killing Jesus.” Why do you suppose these plots started at this point? I don’t think it was this one incident per se that began the plots in and of itself – but it was probably a culmination of Jesus’ teaching, preaching, and healing ministries up to this point that started murmurs and discussions and finally led to plots. I think Jesus’ wisdom and power and popularity with the people were seen as a threat. Do you suppose that Jesus’ wisdom and power and popularity with the people are seen as a threat by some in our world today?
I read an interesting commentary on verses 11 & 12 today: “And he (Jesus) answered, “If you had one sheep, and it fell into a well on the Sabbath, wouldn’t you get to work and pull it out? Of course you would. And how much more valuable is a person than a sheep!” The commentary said that in this verse Jesus contrasts the worth of an animal with that of a human being. I think for most of us, we would agree that a human life is more valuable than an animal life. However – interestingly, not everyone in our world today feels that way. I recently heard a radio talk show host ask a woman if she saw both her beloved dog and a stranger drowning in a lake and she could only save one of the two, who would she save. And the woman basically said her dog – she hemmed and hawed about saying that straightforwardly, but basically she said her dog was her family… And so the stranger – the human – would lose out in that situation. What about you – if you could only save your beloved pet or a stranger (human) from drowning, who would you save? Who would God save? Do you think God places a higher value on human life than animal life? (since we just read the creation narrative in Genesis, this should be a slam-dunk answer! 🙂
I love the Isaiah prophecy in today’s readings, summarizing the quiet aspects of the ministry of Jesus! Verse 21 makes me tear up to really meditate upon: “And his name will be the hope of all the world.” How does this verse strike you? Do you believe that Jesus’ name is the hope of the world? Is Jesus’ name the hope of your own personal world?
Bible.org’s commentary on today’s readings in Matthew chapter 12 titled “The Lord of the Sabbath” is at this link.
Psalms – Psalm 15 verses 1 & 2 today are awesome: “Who may worship in your sanctuary, LORD? Who may enter your presence on your holy hill? Those who lead blameless lives and do what is right, speaking the truth from sincere hearts.” Psalm 15 was written for those that wished to have access to God in his Temple in Jerusalem. However, I do believe that today, through Jesus, anyone can worship God anywhere – in a church or in our homes or wherever we find ourselves. However, I do think there is truth in these Psalm verses in that we can worship God beautifully by living a blameless life (not perfect life – only Jesus was perfect this side of heaven – we will need to confess sins & repent), doing what is right, and speaking the truth from sincere hearts. I do believe these are acts of worship that demonstrate our friendship with God and our growth in becoming more like his son Jesus in our lifetimes. Do you seek to lead a blameless life? Do you seek to do what is right? Do you speak the truth from a sincere heart? Do you seek to worship God in some way each and every day? How?
Proverbs – I love Proverbs 3 verses 21-23 today: “My child, don’t lose sight of good planning and insight. Hang on to them, for they fill you with life and bring you honor and respect. They keep you safe on your way and keep your feet from stumbling.” These verses remind me of a couple of things. First is the old adage of “Trust in God. And tie up your camels.” Meaning, tying up your camels to a pole so they don’t wander away is good planning and good insight. It’s common sense. Obviously you don’t want to live your life on solely your own smarts and your own planning and your own insight. We need God to be our foundation. But, at the same time I think God wants us to be smart about how we live our lives. Yes, trust in God, but wear your seatbelt. Trust in God, but save some money for a rainy day. See where I am going with this? The other thing that these Proverbs verses remind me of is one of my favorite three word quotes: “Habits determine success.” I’ve spoken about this in some of my weekly emails in regards to reading the One Year Bible each day. It takes some planning and insight for us to figure out when we will realistically read the Bible for 15 minutes every day. After this planning and insight and after a week or two we’ve suddenly built up a great habit! A habit that will determine our success in reading the Bible in a year.
Worship God: Matthew 12:21 reminded me of the Chris Tomlin song “How Great is Our God:”
How great is our God? Click here to find out!
Please join me in memorizing 2 verses of Scripture today:
“LORD, who may dwell in your sanctuary? Who may live on your holy mountain? Those whose walk is blameless, who do what is righteous, who speak the truth from their hearts.” Psalm 15:1-2 TNIV
Comments from You and Questions of the Day: Based on my reflections in Proverbs above, how do you go about planning things in your life? In what ways do you invite God into the process of planning your life? And in what ways, or at what times, do you simply make decisions based on your own knowledge or common sense? What is the foundation of your own knowledge or common sense? Is it the Bible? Is it God? Do you suppose with the foundation of God and the Bible in our lives, that we may not need to take every single decision throughout our day to God in prayer because we are operating (generally speaking) from a biblical godly worldview? How do you balance taking things to God for guidance and making decisions on your own? Also, what verses or insights stand out to you in today’s readings? Please post up by clicking on the “Comments” link below!
God bless,
Mike
10 responses to “January 17th One Year Bible Readings”
QUESTIONS OF THE DAY:
“ Based on my reflections in Proverbs above, how do you go about planning things in your life? In what ways do you invite God into the process of planning your life? And in what ways, or at what times, do you simply make decisions based on your own knowledge or common sense? What is the foundation of your own knowledge or common sense? Is it the Bible? Is it God? Do you suppose with the foundation of God and the Bible in our lives, that we may not need to take every single decision throughout our day to God in prayer because we are operating (generally speaking) from a biblical godly worldview? How do you balance taking things to God for guidance and making decisions on your own? “
I usually don’t make any major plans about anything without praying about it first and seeking the Lord’s will in my life. For example, recently I retired from my job after 30 years service. Retirement is a major life change. I prayed a lot about because I didn’t want to make a major mistake and do something I might regret later. I believe the Lord gave me a series of signs during the past year that I felt gave me the green light to move ahead with those plans. Of course there is always the possibility that I made the wrong decision but if I am wrong then I will find out soon enough and I will have to live with it. Right now though I am seeking the Lord’s will about what to do next because I feel that He has something else planned for me.
I think “common sense “ is common to man which is why it is called that. Granted though some people don’t even seem to have that. However, “common sense” is different from the spiritual discernment and spiritual guidance that comes from the Holy Spirit. Having a biblical worldview can enhance our common sense or heighten it maybe but I know people who have what you might call “common sense “ about some things but certainly not a biblical perspective or spiritual discernment about the things which are most important in life. Basically I just try to follow biblical principles when that is clear in the Holy Scriptures and when in doubt I pray.
“ Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.”
– Proverbs 3:5 ( KJV )
GENESIS 35:1-36:43
I like the spiritual leadership that Jacob exhibited in his home with his family ( 35:2 ).
Before God would confirm the Abrahamic covenant with Jacob it was required that they put away from among them their idols which some members of his family had brought back from Mesopotamia. Jacob made sure they did. Later in the history of the Israel his descendants would fall once again into idolatry. So God renewed the covenant with Jacob ( 35:9-12 ) as He had done with his father Isaac. God changed Jacob’s name to Israel ( 35:10 ) and from then on the nation was called by that name. Jacob and his family were supernaturally protected by God for as the Scripture says “…the terror of God were upon the cities that were round about them…” ( 35:5 ) which means that these people were afraid to attack Israel. I believe that Israel today is under divine protection as well. Though Israel is plagued by terrorist attacks by her enemies there will come a day when that terror will be returned upon their own heads and they will not be successful in destroying the state of Israel. God’s mighty hand is upon this nation.
MATTHEW 12:1-21
It’s somewhat ironic that the Pharisees were accusing Jesus, he who created the heavens, the earth and everything in it in six days, rested on the seventh day and made it holy, of breaking the Sabbath Day. Jesus used the opportunity to reveal who He is, that is, “…Lord even of the Sabbath Day ” ( v.8 ).
PSALM 15:1-5
This Scripture points to the future millennial reign of Jesus Christ in Jerusalem: “ Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion “ ( Psalm 2:6 )…and beyond to the New Jerusalem in the new heavens and new earth: “ Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God “ ( Revelation 21:3 ). His eternal kingdom will marked by the righteousness of those whom He has redeemed and dwell in it.
PROVERBS 3:21-26
One of the benefits of being wise is that it will help keep us from getting ourselves into dangerous situations which we are prone to blindly walk into ( v.23 ). The Lord will deliver us from the hands of wicked men and see that we are not judged with them ( v.25 ).
Genesis 33:1-36:43
Although Jacob has wrestled with God and prevailed, although his name was changed to Israel (Genesis 32:28) in the previous chapter to signify his reliance upon God, Jacob gave his brother, Esau, a deceptive answer to a question. He implied that he was heading with Esau back to Seir, the place where Esau had settled. However, Jacob, headed toward Cannon as God had directed him. Jacob meant heal grabber, supplanter, deceiver but God had given him a new name and confirmed it a second time, Israel, but he was still acting like a Jacob. Fear of man will have you acting like the nature God has delivered you from. I heard a preacher say this once, “When we get Saved, we are moved to a new address. However no one can find us there because we are still hanging out at the old address,” something to think about. Am I an “Israel” acting like a Jacob?
Whether God tells Jacob to get rid of the idols within the households in the camp is not stated, but Jacob does just that. This shows that as we walk in our deliverance we can still be carrying elements from our past lives. I don’t know if the terror of God came upon all the towns so that no one attacked them as they traveled because of Jacob’s obedience to God’s command to build an alter and worship, as well as the purging of everything that wasn’t of God, but God clearly subdued the nations around them so they wouldn’t attack. When I cry out to God to subdue my enemies have I done so from a place of cleansing and idol disinvesting?
The deaths of Deborah, Rebekah’s nurse, Rebekah and Isaac are recorded and we enter the chapter of names, names and more names: hard names that I can’t pronounce and which have a meaning and reason for being recorded, even if I don’t know why. It is always a good thing to read through the names, no matter how “dry” the reading may seem. I have found some interesting relationships, surprising to say the least, which have explained some rebellious behaviors and or deepened the depths of some heinous crimes. I’ve yet to find any things in Esau’s family tree that has made me go, Hmmm, yet. Although I have taken note of the lists of kings in chapter 36. Kings come and then they go. Their rule may be good or bad but their effect on man is limited by their life span be it a natural death or an assassination. Jesus is the only eternal King that has ever ruled.
Matthew 12:1-21
Jesus ticks off the “religious folks” by breaking their laws. Laws they made out of false reasons to keep folks religious. The religious leaders knew the laws and applied them to ever aspect of their lives and to the lives of others, but the one thing they didn’t know was God who wrote and gave them the laws, they didn’t know the purpose of the laws. You can do all the right things for the wrong reasons, their motivation for keeping the laws were wrong. They had a desire to elevate themselves instead of the Holy God who wrote those laws. They were looking to accuse Jesus of working on the Sabbath so they could charge Him with blasphemy. But because it wasn’t Jesus’ time yet, all their efforts fell short.
Jesus put them to shame by applying rightly the scriptures they knew so well but didn’t know how to use. So their accusation charging the disciples of working on the Sabbath because they took a couple of grains of wheat to feed themselves, because they were hungry, became the charge that embarrassed them. Please note that this was on the Sabbath day, the day that people came to the Temple or the synagogue to here the Word of God discussed and taught. Jesus is called the Bread of Life and bread is made from wheat. I don’t know if I’m going off on a tangent but I just saw this in this reading. The disciples are breaking off heads of wheat to eat because they were hungry, the wheat representing the Bread of Life, Jesus. People were going to the temple to be fed Spiritual Food, yet the religious leaders were symbolically trying to stop the disciples, as well as the people, from feeding off of that “Bread of Life.”
It is a sad event indeed to flock to the place where one is supposed to be fed with spiritual food and find the pantry empty. It has already been stated that the crowds were like sheep without a shepherd (Matthew 9:36) The role of the shepherd is to feed the sheep, yet the ones assigned to do that were not doing their job. What is the state of our churches, are people being fed?
Jesus also stopped them from making a second accusation of working on the Sabbath. By not laying his hands on the man with the withered hand, they could not accuse him of being a Sabbath Breaker.
Psalm 15:1-5
The question of who may worship in the sanctuary of the Lord, a psalm of David, is answered by a man who sought God’s forgiveness because he could not keep them the answers without offering up sacrifices to cover his sins. But God said of David, He is a man after God’s own heart. I know that some of us are dealing with the problem of what we desire to see in the men and woman of the Old Testament and what they actually were in flesh and blood. Yet of David, he was a man after God’s own heart. A question to ponder, “What does it mean to be after God’s own heart?
Everything that the person does to be able to “stand firm forever” (verse 5), means that that person is not concerned about what other folks think or say about them. Example: If you refuse to slander others (verse 3), when you are standing at your front door or in the market place at your job and gossip walks up to you and starts giving you an earful, whether you deflect their talk as gracious as Miss Manners or you stop them cold, they will talk about you. If you lead a blameless life you won’t do it in a box somewhere because people are always watching, you will be called a “goody-two-shoes” and folks will be waiting to see you fall. You can’t run with the crowd and fulfill the last verse in the Psalm. We want everyone to like us. We want to be Holy, but not too holy. I struggle with this all the time. There goes that bible lady…
Proverbs 3:21-26
Insight and good planning can only be done under the umbrella of godly Wisdom. Godly Wisdom or hanging with the Ph.D. wise, the MBA wise, that is the dilemma. Praises of God or the praises of men, we get to choose.
I struggle with being a victim or victor of others’ decisions as much as my own. I have a hard time seeing so much waste in the Kingdom of God, beginning with my own. We are told in god’s word to watch the ants and live, prepare like they do, but I see a lot of dung beetles, piling up their”stuff” and rolling it around, not having time for righteousness peace and joy in the Holy Ghost. The “me” generation needs to give way to the “He” and “we” generation. That we would be one as Father, Son and Holy Spirit are one. Our own personal gods and jessuses need to give way to the God of the Bible, who does not change.
Gen 35
It was ten years between Jacob not following Esau and the events of Shecem. There is no mention of God during that time. Jacob has been in a spiritual slump – backsliding into his scheming, passive ways.
God did not punish Jacob’s family at Shecem for the murders and looting. Simeon and Levi would pay a price when Jacob dispenses his deathbed blessings, and Jacob????
Jacob was shaken at the events of Shecem. Jacob was afraid of reprisal, and he was at a point where he was ready to listen.
God appears and does not say that is it, we are done, I am going to find another family to use in my plan. No, God told Jacob – ‘Get up and go to Bethel and make an altar’, gently reminding Jacob of his vow. There will be temporal punishment, but God’s blessings through his promise and plan are not earned, but given freely by grace – something we get that we do not deserve.
God did not tell Jacob to get rid of the idols, but Jacob knows that if he is going to obey there has to be spiritual cleansing.
– put away false idols
– spiritual cleansing (admission and repenting of sins – purify yourselves).
– change our outward behavior – schedules – (change your garments)
Good list for all of us that are Christians that have wandered from the Lord, and are in a spiritual slump. This is the first time Jacob takes proper leadership of his family.
God responds to Jacob’s obediance and protects them on their journey from revenge of local tribes.
======================================================
Bethel
Before getting intimate with God at the altar, the Lord appears to Jacob and reminds Jacob of his past and continuing compassion for Jacob. Why?
In a spiritual slump one often thinks that we have to discover new spiritual truths. When in fact as the Lord does with Jacob, we really need to focus on old truths that we have put aside – the past and continuing mercies and grace of our Lord to us in our lives.
======================================================
Life of trials
Once we return to the Lord and are in obediance, we tend to think Life will now be just fine. It is a good feeling.
However we will still face tough times. It is these tough times that keep us clinging to Him, so we do not backslide into another spiritual slump.
Jacob suffers four sorrows here in this chapter:
– His mother’s nurse, Deborah, died.
– Rachel died in child-birth.
– Reuben lay with Bilhah, and some think this was a crude attempt to grab the family inheritance for himself bu supplanting his Father with his concubine (much like Absalom did to David.) It may also have been a slap in the face at Jacob’s passivity towards Dinah’s rape at Shecem.
– Jacob’s father, Isaac, dies. We know from elsewhere in Genesis that Jacob spent twelve years wit Isaac before his death.
There are hints of Jacob’s renewed trust in God in these events:
-Jacob renames Benoni (son of sorrow) to Benjamin (son of my right hand).
– pillars erected at Bethel (honoring God’s faithfulness) and Rachels tomb (his faith in God depite his loss of Rachel).
– Dealing with Reuben at his fianl blessing instead of letting it slide.
– Getting together with Esau to bury his father.
– then Israel (God prevails) travels on…Vs.21.
Although God was not mentioned in Chapter 34, God is mentioned 11 times in Chapter 35. Jacob/Israel is advancing in his walk with the Lord.
Gen 36
Names Again
I think the reason for listing all the names is to understand them in contrast to Jacob’s family and God’s promise.
Esau was godless (profane) Heb 12:16. Esau had never sought God, nor did he want Him in his life. Esau was of the “world”.
So how did the “world” consider Esau. He was likable, independant, successful, fertile (large family), and was the father of a kingdom and a line of kings and nobleman. The world would say, Esau was all right.
Esau’s decisions were always about self with no regard to God. He took pagan wives, he left Canaan to expand his wealth and power outside of the promised land. Every name (middle eastern names reflect character)listed in Esau’s family is translated and based on some natural surroundings or physical characteristic except two. Those two names although they mention a god are probably pagan related.
Esau’s family grew rapidly; Jacob’s slowly. When Esau’s descendants were ruling a strong kingdom; Jacob’s line was in servitude for 400 years in Egypt. Esau’s line would be strong militarily, the nation Israel would always consider Edom a thorn in their side.
So we have a worldly kingdom – rich, populous and strong. On the other hand we have Jacob and his eventual 70 living with only a tent and an altar. If Esau were alive during the servitude in Egypt – one might well here him say – ‘Who needs God or where is your God now?’.
Being successful in the world does not make you successful to God. No one hears or knows where the Edomites are now (although there are some genetic studies that might show they are in Palestine), the Edomites were long ago supplanted in the power lines that exist in world geopolitics. You hear “Israel” everyday almost in the news. God’s people (although larglely secular now), are back in the Promised Land and one day a remnant of Israel will call on the “Name of the Lord” for salvation.
[Note: Herod and Herod Antipas were Edomites. They were men of great wealth. Contrast them with Jesus (descendant of Jacob) who had no place to lay His head.]
Whose line do you think God was with??????
Prov 3:21 was a great basis for what I believe about life.
“Dear friend, guard Clear Thinking and Common Sense with your life;
don’t for a minute lose sight of them.
They’ll keep your soul alive and well,
they’ll keep you fit and attractive.”
Life happens. God is in control but we’re supposed to use our God-given brains and logic too. I get so tired of seeing people ‘blindly’ trusting God when common sense obviously calls for a different course of action.
forgot to add… I think Ps 15 is a lovely summary of the 10 commandments in a way…
1 God, who gets invited to dinner at your place?
How do we get on your guest list?
2 “Walk straight,
act right,
tell the truth.
3-4 “Don’t hurt your friend,
don’t blame your neighbor;
despise the despicable.
5 “Keep your word even when it costs you,
make an honest living,
never take a bribe.
“You’ll never get blacklisted
if you live like this.”
brings to mind an earlier verse that was covered – Matt 5:48
err.. last comment…
Mike, would it be possible to post your commentary earlier? you see I live in Singapore and usually don’t see your commentary for the day til late afternoon (my time). I’d love to be able to do my readings in the morning. ^.^
Matt 12:1-8
Sabbath Day
I believe Paul in Col 2:16-17 clearly states to let no man judge you regarding the Sabbath Day. More on that when we get to Colossians.
Here Jesus addresses the Pharisees’ condemnation for violating the Sabbath. I want to look at Jesus’ response from a practical standpoint and the a spiritual picture.
Practical:
Jesus reminds the Pharisees that the anointed king, David, supposedly violated the Sabbath. He also points out that the priests of the temple violate the Sabbath, but are blameless.
But Jesus is greater than all that – the temple, the anointed king, the priests. Jesus is the anointed of God who will one day rule the Earth (He already rules in a believer’s heart), Who is now our High Priest and intercessor to God, and everything about the temple points to Christ and the redemptive plan of God.
citing Hosea 6:6 If you had a merciful heart (for God) and therefore had knowledge of God – you would know what He desires and it is not sacrifies done with no heart. Rituals done in clock-punching fashion.
You would see that God is a practical God. When men need to eat, they should eat. When priests need to work, they work.
I am Lord over the Sabbath day – unsaid is: ‘I can decide what my men do and don’t do on the Sabbath. I created the commandment, and I can interpret the commandment.’
======================================================
Spiritual standpoint
Exodus establishes the Sabbath day as hallowed pointing to God resting from Creation.
Deut 5:15 repeats Exodus and adds the Redemptive act of bringing the Hebrews out of Egypt. So God is saying the Sabbath is linked to His two greatest works: Creation and Redemption.
How does Redemption fit in with the Sabbath day?
I believe it is because the Sabbath day is a picture of Rest. The Lord ceased working from a specific task (Creation). God wasn’t tired, he ceased working. God still runs things in the Universe and here on earth, but He no longer is working on Creation. So what does that mean to us?
Well we are to rest, cease working but from what? The answer is in Deut 5:15. We are to cease working, toiling and striving to redeem ourselves. Just like the Hebrews had nothing to do with their successful exodus from Egypt (being redeemed by God), we have no role to play in the redemptive process spiritually. We are to simply rest, and let God handle it. All we have to do is go along with His plan, just as the Hebrews went along with God in leaving Egypt.
The Sabbath is a picture of Salvation. It is a picture of rest. Simply stop working at Salvation. Rest in the Lord.
8For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.”
Spiritually we can look at this verse, and correctly say:
For the Son of Man is Lord of Salvation (Rest). Jesus is in charge. Not us.
Matthew 12:9-21
A few notes:
1) Inside the synagouge Jesus is confronted again about the Sabbath. Withered hand can be addressed in Mark and Luke Gospels. Here it is important to know Jesus just gives another practical example of a practical God with the sheep in the ditch, and heals the man.
2) Jesus states his authority over the Sabbath, and confirms He has the authority to speak by performing a miracle.
3) It is here the Pharisees decide Jesus must die. Why? In their eyes, Jesus is claiming deity (blasphemy), and Jesus’ teaching has the potential to change their very LUCRATIVE operation. It is a mixture of religious and worldly concerns that make the Pharisees make the decision to kill Jesus.
4) End of readings cite Is. 42:1-4. Jesus will be passive on this first trip. He will be passive until Judgment (Return of Christ) and the final victory (over evil).
Important in here is Isaiah prophesied and proclaimed that the “servant” that came was not just for Israel, but also the World (nations/Gentiles). God always planned to provide salvation to the World, it was just to come to Israel first.
21In his name the nations will put their hope.”
In his name the nations (Gentiles) will put their hope (trust).
His name: Jesus – Yeshua – and the translation is:
God is Salvation. There is no other way, and all who are saved put their trust in that fact.