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1 Thessalonians Introduction Coming in January/February 2025. Bibliography Bibliography of major sources and additional sources used in this study of Paul's First Letter to the Thessalonians (1 Thess.). Join Faith Explored and Join the Conversation! Members of Faith Explored can comment on our blog posts, post comments in the forums, and post their own questions. C lick here or the blue button below to join (it's free). If you would like to react to or ask a question about any material here, please post a question in the forum or send an email using the Contact form at the bottom of the page. Use the other buttons below to post a comment. Become a Member Forum Page Blog Page

Previous Next Introduction Coming in January/February 2025. Image by David Tomaseti, provided by Unsplash via Wix. Tom Faletti Coming in January 2025. Copyright © 2024, Tom Faletti (Faith Explored, www.faithexplored.com ). This material may be reproduced in whole or in part without alteration, for nonprofit use, provided such reproductions are not sold and include this copyright notice or a similar acknowledgement that includes a reference to Faith Explored and www.faithexplored.com . See www.faithexplored.com for more materials like this. Previous Next Join Faith Explored and Join the Conversation! Members of Faith Explored can comment on our blog posts, post comments in the forums, and post their own questions. C lick here or the blue button below to join (it's free). If you would like to react to or ask a question about any material here, please post a question in the forum or send an email using the Contact form at the bottom of the page. Use the other buttons below to post a comment. Become a Member Forum Page Blog Page

2 Thessalonians Introduction Coming by Spring 2025. Join Faith Explored and Join the Conversation! Members of Faith Explored can comment on our blog posts, post comments in the forums, and post their own questions. C lick here or the blue button below to join (it's free). If you would like to react to or ask a question about any material here, please post a question in the forum or send an email using the Contact form at the bottom of the page. Use the other buttons below to post a comment. Become a Member Forum Page Blog Page

Previous Next Introduction Coming by Spring 2025. Image by David Tomaseti, provided by Unsplash via Wix. Tom Faletti Coming in early 2025. Copyright © 2024, Tom Faletti (Faith Explored, www.faithexplored.com ). This material may be reproduced in whole or in part without alteration, for nonprofit use, provided such reproductions are not sold and include this copyright notice or a similar acknowledgement that includes a reference to Faith Explored and www.faithexplored.com . See www.faithexplored.com for more materials like this. Previous Next Join Faith Explored and Join the Conversation! Members of Faith Explored can comment on our blog posts, post comments in the forums, and post their own questions. C lick here or the blue button below to join (it's free). If you would like to react to or ask a question about any material here, please post a question in the forum or send an email using the Contact form at the bottom of the page. Use the other buttons below to post a comment. Become a Member Forum Page Blog Page

Mary, the Mother of Jesus – What does the Bible tell us about her? Introduction Coming by Summer 2025. Image at top: Lambert Lombard (1506-1566), artist; Ferdinand Piloty (1785-1844), engraver. “Die Kreuzabnahme (The deposition from the cross).” Print. The Miriam and Ira D. Wallach Division of Art, Prints and Photographs: Art & Architecture Collection, The New York Public Library. The New York Public Library Digital Collections. 1837 - 1842. https://digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/510d47e3-3e73-a3d9-e040-e00a18064a99. Join Faith Explored and Join the Conversation! Members of Faith Explored can comment on our blog posts, post comments in the forums, and post their own questions. C lick here or the blue button below to join (it's free). If you would like to react to or ask a question about any material here, please post a question in the forum or send an email using the Contact form at the bottom of the page. Use the other buttons below to post a comment. Become a Member Forum Page Blog Page

Previous Next Introduction Coming by Summer 2025. Image by David Tomaseti, provided by Unsplash via Wix. Tom Faletti Coming in 2025. Copyright © 2024, Tom Faletti (Faith Explored, www.faithexplored.com ). This material may be reproduced in whole or in part without alteration, for nonprofit use, provided such reproductions are not sold and include this copyright notice or a similar acknowledgement that includes a reference to Faith Explored and www.faithexplored.com . See www.faithexplored.com for more materials like this. Previous Next Join Faith Explored and Join the Conversation! Members of Faith Explored can comment on our blog posts, post comments in the forums, and post their own questions. C lick here or the blue button below to join (it's free). If you would like to react to or ask a question about any material here, please post a question in the forum or send an email using the Contact form at the bottom of the page. Use the other buttons below to post a comment. Become a Member Forum Page Blog Page

Previous Next Introduction to John The Gospel of John provides deep insights into the nature of the Trinity and what it means to share in the life of Jesus. John's Gospel fills in spiritual insights the other Gospels don't have. Image provided by Wix. Tom Faletti This article will provide an introduction to the Gospel of John, including what we know about its author, when it was written, who the intended audience was, its purposes/goals, etc. Copyright © 2024, Tom Faletti (Faith Explored, www.faithexplored.com ). This material may be reproduced in whole or in part without alteration, for nonprofit use, provided such reproductions are not sold and include this copyright notice or a similar acknowledgement that includes a reference to Faith Explored and www.faithexplored.com . See www.faithexplored.com for more materials like this. Previous Next Join Faith Explored and Join the Conversation! Members of Faith Explored can comment on our blog posts, post comments in the forums, and post their own questions. C lick here or the blue button below to join (it's free). If you would like to react to or ask a question about any material here, please post a question in the forum or send an email using the Contact form at the bottom of the page. Use the other buttons below to post a comment. Become a Member Forum Page Blog Page

Previous Next Matthew 28:1-10 The empty tomb means that Jesus is alive – and still alive today! Tom Faletti May 24, 2024 Matthew 28:1-10 The Resurrection: Jesus appears to the two Marys From your knowledge of the Resurrection story, why do you think the two Marys returned to the tomb after the Sabbath? Luke tells us (24:1) that they had prepared spices with which to anoint his body. What happens in verse 2? This is not an earthquake for show, though it is meant to signal that God is at work here. The real earth-shaking event here is not the rumble of shifting tectonic plates but the fact that the stone has been rolled away. What does the description of the angel in verse 3 tell us about this person? How does it show that this is not a human? In verse 4, how do the guards react? The angel says a lot of things to the women. Take it one verse at a time. What does the angel tell them in verse 5? In verse 6? In verse 7? What is the significance of “Do not be afraid”? Is there a place in your life where you need to hear those words right now: Do not be afraid? What kinds of things cause us to need to hear those words? Uncertainty, inadequate resources, health issues, loved ones facing struggles, world situations, etc. How does the fact that Jesus is risen give us a way to try to deal with our fears? (If you are struggling with anxiety or worry, this might be a good time to go back and look at our study of Matthew 6:25-34 : Do not worry about your life; do not worry about tomorrow.) Why does the angel remind them that Jesus said he would be raised? Why does the angel invite them to “see the place where he lay”? The angel honors the natural human desire to want to verify. Being able to see with one’s own eyes gives confidence that it is true. It will also strengthen their story and make it more believable when they go tell the disciples. In some Christian circles, one sometimes gets the impression that wanting evidence is a bad thing. But the Christian faith is based on real evidence, not on unsupported claims. The angel invited the women to see for themselves . Jesus invited Thomas to examine the wounds of his crucifixion. Jesus appeared bodily to the disciples. He didn’t just communicate to them in some ethereal, otherworldly way that he had risen from the dead – he showed them by coming into their midst with a real body, eating with them, and letting them touch him. God understands our need for evidence. Evidence is not a bad thing. Why is evidence important? Among other things, evidence allows us to separate countless fakes and frauds from the genuine work of God. You were not there to see the empty tomb or to see the risen Lord in the flesh. On what basis can you make the claim that Jesus is risen and is not still dead in a tomb? What difference does it make to you that Jesus is risen? How does it affect how you live your everyday life in the real world? It is amazing that, despite the male-dominant culture of Jesus’s time, the initial news that Jesus is risen is given to women, not to male members of the band of disciples. Why do you think this is, and what difference does it make that God chose to have this great news be told first to women? Women showed up to the tomb, so they were in the right place at the right time. Women throughout history are the ones who show up to do the grunt work. In doing the grunt work, they were there for this great revelation. God’s choice to honor the women is one more example of God’s downside-up approach to humanity. Women were the first people to tell the good news of Jesus’s resurrection. Do we give women a significant enough voice in our churches today? Explain. Jesus wants to see the disciples. It isn’t just that they want to see him. He wants to see them . Why? Can we extend this to ourselves? In what ways, and why, does Jesus want to see us ? Jesus told the disciples at the Last Supper, in Matthew 26:32, that after he was raised he would go ahead of them to Galilee. Why do you think he wants to see them in Galilee ? What do you think he wants to do with them, and why not just stay in Jerusalem and do it there? There are many possible answers to this question. Some of the factors are: The disciples are just visiting Jerusalem. They don’t have homes there. They have families who presumably expect them back. Jesus has more he needs to teach them, to prepare them for his sending them forth to preach the gospel without his constant bodily presence. Being in Jerusalem means being under a spotlight. Galilee provides a quieter, less visible place where they can focus on that preparation with fewer distractions. Just as Jesus isn’t finished with the disciples yet, he isn’t finished with you or me, either. What do you think he wants to do with us right now? Where is your “Galilee”? Where is the place where Jesus can meet with you and get you ready for your next steps, with minimal distraction? The women leave the tomb to go tell the disciples, feeling both fear and great joy. What a combination of feelings! Suddenly – wonder of wonders – Jesus himself appears to them! Are there ways in which it is especially fitting that it is these two women who first experience the risen Lord? Explain. Jesus greets them. The Greek word Matthew uses for Jesus’s greeting had multiple meanings. It was a standard greeting, meaning “Hail!” or “Greetings.” So a literal translation of that sentence might be: “And behold, Jesus met them, saying greetings” (“Matthew 28,” Interlinear Bible, Bible Hub , https://biblehub.com/interlinear/matthew/28.htm ). However, the original and literal meaning of that word was “rejoice,” and it was still used that way in Jesus’s time. For example, in Matthew 5:12, when Jesus says, “Rejoice and be glad” when they persecute you, the word “Rejoice” is the same Greek word. We wouldn’t translate it “Greetings and be glad”; we would choose the other meaning for the word: “Rejoice.” So, it would be legitimate to translate the sentence where Jesus greets the women in this way: And behold, Jesus met them, saying, “Rejoice!” How is being in the presence of the Lord a reason for rejoicing for you? In verse 9, how do the women respond when they see Jesus alive? What is the significance of “worshipping” him? There is a subtle but important point in the fact that they touched his feet: It tells us that he had a real body and was not just a disembodied spirit. Why is this important? How important is it to you that Jesus rose from the dead and is alive, not dead? Jesus repeats the angel’s instructions: Do not be afraid; tell the disciples to go to Galilee, where they will see me. But he doesn’t call them “disciples.” He calls them “brothers.” Why is it significant that, at this particular point in time, he is calling them “brothers”? Jesus had not used the word “brothers” for them previously in Matthew except in a vague way in Matthew 12:46-50. Calling them “brothers” now, after they deserted him, is a clear sign of the depth of his love for them and dedication to them. It is also a declaration of the relationship they will have with him forevermore. Jesus considers us, too, his “brothers and sisters.” How does it feel to you, to be called a brother or sister of Jesus? Now look beyond just how it feels. What does it mean to say that you are a brother or sister of Jesus? Is there anything you would like to say to the risen Lord Jesus, or that you would like to do, in response to the fact that he considers you his brother or sister? Take a step back and consider this: At a few points in our study of Matthew’s Gospel, where scholars disagreed or there were conflicting interpretations of a passage, I have said or implied that it doesn’t really matter for our faith which interpretation is right. For example, whether there was a Roman or Jewish guard at Jesus’s tomb doesn’t affect our faith. It is not a central issue. (I am not promoting relativism here. There is an absolute truth. Either there were Roman soldiers guarding the tomb or there weren’t, regardless of what we think. But practically speaking, the answer to that question does not have any significant effect on what we believe as Christians or how we live out our faith.) But the issue of the Resurrection does matter. Whether Jesus did in fact rise from the dead, resulting in an empty tomb and a living Lord; or whether there was still a body in a tomb somewhere, now long decomposed; or whether the disciples stole the body, also now long decomposed – that matters a lot . If Jesus did rise bodily from the grave, he did something that no other human could do, after announcing it in advance. In that case, the Resurrection confirms and authenticates the claims he made when he was alive. If he can do that, he is not just a human. And since he called himself the Son of God, his Resurrection calls us to response to him as the Son of God. If Jesus did not rise from the dead, his claims are fraudulent. Moreover, in that case the transformation of the fledgling Christian community from fearful waverers to bold witnesses is incomprehensible. Many people have died for a lie, but who would suffer excruciating torture for a fraudulent claim they knew they had made up? The story from the beginning, for which people gave their life, is that Jesus bodily rose from the dead and lives in a very real way today. So this really matters. Why have Christians from the very beginning emphasized the reality of the Resurrection so much? Is the Resurrection a central part of your faith? How important is the Resurrection in your understanding of God’s interaction with the world and with you? Are there ways that you have experienced the resurrection power of God? What has God done in your life that gives you confidence that Jesus rose from the dead and is alive today? For small groups studying Matthew: Preparation for next time: If you can, please do this small amount of preparation before our final meeting (but come anyway, even if you can’t do this “homework”): Look back through the Gospel of Matthew and try to answer these two questions: What do you think Matthew wants his readers to do in response to his account of the life and teachings of Jesus? Please don’t stop at something simple like, “He wants us to believe.” Yes, of course he does. But what would that look like? What does he want us to do or how does he want us to live our lives as our response to Jesus? What is your favorite story, quote, or teaching from Matthew’s Gospel, or what strikes you as most important or most meaningful, and why? Bibliography Click here for the bibliography . Copyright © 2024, Tom Faletti (Faith Explored, www.faithexplored.com ). This material may be reproduced in whole or in part without alteration, for nonprofit use, provided such reproductions are not sold and include this copyright notice or a similar acknowledgement that includes a reference to Faith Explored and www.faithexplored.com . See www.faithexplored.com for more materials like this. Previous Next Join Faith Explored and Join the Conversation! Members of Faith Explored can comment on our blog posts, post comments in the forums, and post their own questions. C lick here or the blue button below to join (it's free). If you would like to react to or ask a question about any material here, please post a question in the forum or send an email using the Contact form at the bottom of the page. Use the other buttons below to post a comment. Become a Member Forum Page Blog Page

Previous Next Matthew 11:1-19 What is the evidence that Jesus is the Messiah? Tom Faletti August 27, 2024 Matthew 11:1-19 Jesus responds to John the Baptist and explains John’s role in God’s plan Notice in verse 1 that Matthew does not tell us what happened when Jesus sent out the apostles. This reinforces the idea that Matthew isn’t focused on writing an event-by-event history; he is focused on explaining how Jesus’s life and teachings are relevant to the Christian community he is writing for. What matters most to Matthew here is not what the apostles did but what his readers might do. Verses 2-6 What is the meaning of John’s question? What does Jesus offer as signs, or what we would call “evidence,” in response to John’s question? All of the signs Jesus offers involve physical healing except the last one. Why does the fact that the good news is being proclaimed to the poor fit in a list of signs, and how is it evidence of who Jesus is? How is this concern for the poor a sign that Jesus is the one sent by God? How is being concerned for the poor evidence that a person may be aligned with or sent by God? What does Jesus’s inclusion of the poor here suggest to us about our own relationship with the poor? Notice that Jesus does not directly answer John’s question. Instead, he provides evidence by naming deeds mostly deeds mentioned in the Old Testament) as things the Messiah would do. John would have been familiar with those Old Testament passages and would have understood the conclusion Jesus is suggesting he reach. Let’s take a look at two of those prophecies: Read Isaiah 35:3-6 . According to Isaiah 35:3-6, what things will happen when the Lord comes to save his people? Read Isaiah 61:1 . According to Isaiah 61:1, what things will happen when the Lord comes to save his people? Jesus also names signs that are not listed in the Old Testament prophecies – signs that perhaps make his presence even more wonderous that what had been predicted. What has he done that goes beyond those Old Testament prophecies? Jesus raised a small number of people from the dead. But for some people, the greatest evidence that Jesus is the Messiah is the fact that he himself rose from the dead. Why is that powerful evidence of who Jesus is? Verse 6 is not meant as a criticism of John the Baptist, but rather as a set-up for what Jesus says in verses 16-19, where he challenges those in his own time who have taken offense at him. What are some of the things Jesus said or did that people took offense at? In our time we also have people who take offense at Jesus. What about Jesus causes people to take offense at him today, in our time? Have the words or deeds of Jesus ever been a stumbling block or problem for your faith? If so, how did you deal with it? Verses 7-15 Jesus shows a bit of wit as he speaks about John’s identity. He is saying that the people knew that John was special, or they wouldn’t have gone out to see him and be baptized by him. Jesus follows this by revealing John’s identity in biblical terms. He quotes Malachi, the last officially recognized prophet, whose book is the last book of the Old Testament (last when the Deuterocanonical books are placed in their proper places). Read Malachi 3:1 . What does Malachi 3:1 say that relates to John the Baptist? Continue on, reading Malachi 3:2-3 . In this description (Malachi 3:2-3) of the messenger preparing the way before the Lord, what reminds you of John, and how? Read Malachi 4:5-6 . In Mathew 11:14, Jesus explicitly connects John to Elijah by invoking Malachi 4:5. What does Malachi 4:5 say? In what sense is John the Baptist like Elijah? In Luke’s Gospel (1:8-20), an angel appeared to John the Baptist’s father Zechariah and told Zechariah that he would have a child. The angel uses language from Malachi 4:6 in describing John. What does this verse say about John the Baptist? Why does John the Baptist get so much attention in the Gospels? Why is John important in the story of God’s plan to save his people? John serves not only as a forerunner to Jesus but also as a link or bridge between the Old Testament and the New Testament. Go back to Matthew and look at Matthew 11:11 . Jesus has now established that John is really important. Why does he then say that the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than John? Greater in what sense? Is he talking about moral/spiritual greatnesss? About what they could experience that John did not have an opportunity to experience? Or what? This question may be answered in a variety of ways, but most answers revolve around the fact that Christians who lived after John had the opportunity to know the crucified and risen Christ and experience the new life he brings in the kingdom of God, and John did not. Barclay offers this: “But what was it that John lacked? What is it that the Christian has that John could never have? The answer to that is very simple and very fundamental. John had never seen the Cross. And therefore one thing John could never know – the full revelation of the love of God” (Barclay, The Gospel of Matthew, Volume 2 , p. 7, emphasis in the original). It is our opportunity, blessing, and privilege to have experienced what John did not. We did not merit it. Do not agonize over verse 12. The scholars consider it to be puzzling at best and offer a wide variety of interpretations of it. The “violence” could be the violence suffered by John at the hands of the Roman government, or the sufferings of Christians in Matthew’s day (perhaps as a parenthetical insert by Matthew), or the apocalyptic sufferings to come; but some commentators consider it to be allegorical, referring to the self-discipline that Christians must embrace as followers of Christ. Verses 16-19 Jesus contrasts what was said about John and what was said about Jesus, to show the hypocrisy of those who rejected both John and Jesus. What was the impression of John among those who did not respond to his preaching? What was the impression of Jesus among those who did not respond to his preaching? Are there ways that we can become naysayers, rejecting preachers or teachers who seem too severe but also rejecting those who seem too soft? Scholars disagree about the meaning of verse 19. Luke records the saying differently (Luke 7:35), saying that wisdom is vindicated by her children. That form of the statement might suggest that John and Jesus are the children of wisdom. But Matthew’s version offers a different interpretation that draws on the Old Testament practice of personifying wisdom as a person (see, for example, Proverbs 8-9 and Wisdom 7:22-8:21). In that view, Jesus is the embodiment of wisdom, and his works vindicate his claims. If we follow that interpretation, verse 19 reaffirms the point of verse 2: that Jesus’s works demonstrate that he is “the one,” the very wisdom of God. Would it be fair to say that when someone is claiming to be offering words of wisdom, the deeds or actions that come from following that word of wisdom might be a helpful guide to whether the claim is actually wisdom or nonsense? Explain. How do Jesus’s actions give us reasons to believe his teachings, so that we can be confident that he is providing wisdom from God? If Jesus is the wisdom of God, what might you consider doing, or doing more of, to grow in that wisdom? Take a step back and consider this: In Matthew, 11:4-5, Jesus tells John the Baptist to judge him by his actions. The Christian community today mostly does not do the things that Jesus did: we mostly don’t give sight to the blind, make the lame walk, heal lepers, open the ears of the deaf, or raise the dead. To deal with this problem, people often spiritualize the statement, as though Jesus was talking about spiritual blindness, for example, rather than physical blindness. However, the Christian community, down through the ages, has shown the same concern for people’s physical needs, even though they have mostly not addressed those needs through miraculous signs. For example, Christians, and especially Catholic Christians, have created countless hospitals and other health care institutions to connect people with medical professionals who use the medical truths God has allowed scientists to discover, to bring healing to many people. I can support those good works, and I can support efforts to ensure universal access to health care. Second, Christians have found countless ways to carry out the last sign that Jesus offered to John: to proclaim good news to the poor. Healing can involve meeting both people’s spiritual needs and their physical needs. Similarly, good news can come to the poor both in the spiritual form of the spoken gospel and in the physical form of actions that meet their physical needs. The apostle James tells us: “If a brother or sister has nothing to wear and has no food for the day, and one of you says to them, ‘Go in peace, keep warm, and eat well,’ but you do not give them the necessities of the body, what good is it?” (James 2:15-16, NABRE) Why should someone believe our gospel if we do not show an active, effective concern for their pressing physical needs as well as their spiritual needs? World Concern, a Christian nonprofit organization that provides disaster response and community development in many countries around the world, puts it this way: “Food is a basic human need and an essential part of bringing the whole gospel to a village. A mother cannot hear the gospel over the cries of her hungry child” (“Food & Nutrition,” World Concern , https://worldconcern.org/food-nutrition , accessed 25 Aug. 2024). The whole gospel addresses the physical and spiritual needs of God’s children. This is not the first time we have seen Jesus express concern for the poor. Repeatedly throughout Matthew’s Gospel, Jesus emphasizes his particular concern for the poor and suffering of the world. Part of sharing the good news of Christ is showing his concern for the basic needs of others. We are called to present his love to others by being his hands and feet as the Body of Christ in this world. How can you show concern for the whole person as you consider the poor around you? How can you bring the good news of Jesus both in words and in actions that address their basic human needs? What is your church doing to meet the basic needs of the poor? What more might it be able to do, perhaps with a little help from you? What international Christian organizations, like World Concern, might you support to extend, in the name of Christ, God’s helping hand to those struggling to meet their basic needs? Many Christians support the work of Catholic Relief Services and/or World Vision, both of which are large, highly respected relief and development organizations that effectively address the basic needs of millions of people around the world every year. Bibliography Click here for the bibliography . Copyright © 2024, Tom Faletti (Faith Explored, www.faithexplored.com ). This material may be reproduced in whole or in part without alteration, for nonprofit use, provided such reproductions are not sold and include this copyright notice or a similar acknowledgement that includes a reference to Faith Explored and www.faithexplored.com . See www.faithexplored.com for more materials like this. Previous Next Join Faith Explored and Join the Conversation! Members of Faith Explored can comment on our blog posts, post comments in the forums, and post their own questions. C lick here or the blue button below to join (it's free). If you would like to react to or ask a question about any material here, please post a question in the forum or send an email using the Contact form at the bottom of the page. Use the other buttons below to post a comment. Become a Member Forum Page Blog Page

Previous Next Matthew 3:13-17 The baptism of Jesus, and how it relates to you. Tom Faletti March 15, 2024 Matthew 3:13-17 Jesus is baptized by John What happens in this passage? What do you think is the most significant word or statement or detail in this account, and why? William Barclay notes that the Jews had never seen baptism as being for Jews, but only for non-Jewish proselytes joining the Jewish faith. In their mind, baptism was for sinners, not the for the Chosen People. When John came baptizing and Jews submitted to his baptism, they were recognizing in a new way their own sin and their need for God to do something about it (Barclay, The Gospel of Matthew, Volume 1 , pp. 52-53.) Matthew is the only Gospel to include John protesting that Jesus should not be baptized. What is Jesus’s response? What is “righteousness,” and what does it mean to fulfill all righteousness? To live a “righteous” life is to live a life totally in accordance with the will of God. To “fulfill all righteousness” suggests that God wanted Jesus to do this. Why do you think Jesus chose to be baptized (or that the Father wanted Jesus to be baptized) when Jesus was not in need of repentance? One of the reasons Jesus might have done this was to demonstrate his identification with humanity. By accepting baptism, Jesus was identifying himself with sinful humans, counting himself as being one of us, which he will do in an extraordinary way on the Cross. In what ways does a willingness to be baptized show an attitude of humility? As the Son of God, Jesus was greater than John; but here he was placing himself in a position of submission to John (see Matthew 1:11). This act of placing himself in the inferior position is one of the early examples of what I call Jesus’s downside-up approach to life – he cares about the people in what society considers to be inferior positions. Here, he even takes the lesser position for himself, as he will do at other times in his ministry. He was constantly serving those who should be serving him, and making that the norm for Christian living. Matthew is establishing from the beginning that Jesus is the Messiah, but a particular kind of Messiah. How does Jesus’s decision to be baptized reflect the kind of Messiah he is? There is a really important point here about John. It says he “consented” (3:15, NRSV). What is the importance of our consent in doing the work of God and fulfilling all righteousness? Why do you think God speaks from the heavens at this moment? God rarely manifests himself with an audible voice. Why here? In Mark 1:11, the voice says, “ You are ” my beloved son. In Matthew 3:17, the voice says, “ This is ” my beloved son.” One version of the statement is directed toward Jesus and the other is directed toward the onlookers. Does that difference bring out different nuances about what is going on here? What do God’s words tell us about Jesus? The proclamation from heaven about Jesus harkens back to two Old Testament passages. Psalm 2 is about the anointing of the king but points to the Messiah. Verse 2 refers to the Lord and his “anointed.” The word “Christ” is the Greek word for “anointed one,” and “Messiah” is the Hebrew word for “anointed one,” so we look at Psalm 2 as speaking about the Messiah. In verse 7, God says, “You are my son; / today I have begotten you” (Psalm 2:7, NRSV), words that echo in God’s words when Jesus is baptized. Similarly, Isaiah 42:1 begins the description of the Suffering Servant that culminates in the great prophecies of Isaiah 53 that point to Jesus’s crucifixion. In 42:1, God says, “Here is my servant whom I uphold, / my chosen one with whom I am pleased” (Isaiah 42:1, NABRE), again using words that echo in Jesus’s baptism. God seeded the Old Testament with prophecies that pointed to Jesus and then confirmed them as Jesus began his ministry. Baptism is accepted by most Christian denominations as a sacrament instituted by Christ. How does what happens to Christians in baptism parallel what happens in this story about Jesus’s baptism? Notice the similarities in these brief summaries from two different Christian traditions: The Ignatius Catholic Study Bible says: “The water, Spirit, and divine voice signify the effects of baptism whereby the soul is cleansed (Acts 22:16), the grace of the Holy Spirit is imparted (3:11; 1 Cor. 12:13), and the recipient is adopted as a beloved child of God (3:17; Gal. 3:26-27; Catechism of the Catholic Church 537)” ( Ignatius Catholic Study Bible , Matthew 3:15 fn., p. 12). Evangelical Presbyterian theologian Vern Poythress writes: “So the features depicted in Jesus’s baptism by John come to apply through Jesus to us. We are cleansed from sin by the washing with Jesus’s blood, signified by the water of baptism. Heaven is opened to us through Jesus, giving us communion with God the Father (Heb 10:19–20). We receive the Holy Spirit, who descends on us when we have faith in Christ (Rom 8:9–10). We hear the voice of God the Father, who calls us sons in union with Christ the Son (Rom 8:14–17; Gal 4:4–7), and who is pleased with us on account of his being pleased with his eternal Son (Eph 1:4–10)” (Vern Poythress, “The Baptism of Jesus,” The Gospel Coalition , https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/essay/the-baptism-of-jesus/ ). What does the baptism of Jesus say to you about your own life? How does the Trinity show up here, and why is that significant? It took Christians hundreds of years to work out exactly how to speak accurately about the Trinity, but they did not make up the concept – it shows up here at the very beginning of Jesus’s ministry as the Father speaks about the Son while the Holy Spirit hovers over it all in the form of a dove. Not are not the same as Jesus, but you too are a beloved son or daughter of God. If God proclaimed something about you, what would he want you or others to know about you? Take a step back and consider this: When Christians are baptized, they are making a public profession that they belong to God the Father (or their parents make that profession on their behalf, in the case of infant baptism). They are embracing what Jesus has already done for them, and looking forward to what God will continue to do in them by the power of the Holy Spirit. If you have been baptized, how are you embracing and living up to what you professed (or what was professed for you on your behalf) when you were baptized? If you have been baptized, how are you embracing the indwelling of the Holy Spirit received in your baptism? Is there more you might consider doing to respond to the presence of the Holy Spirit in your life? If you have not been baptized, is this something you should consider? If so, who could you talk to about it? Bibliography Click here for the bibliography . Copyright © 2024, Tom Faletti (Faith Explored, www.faithexplored.com ). This material may be reproduced in whole or in part without alteration, for nonprofit use, provided such reproductions are not sold and include this copyright notice or a similar acknowledgement that includes a reference to Faith Explored and www.faithexplored.com . See www.faithexplored.com for more materials like this. Previous Next Join Faith Explored and Join the Conversation! Members of Faith Explored can comment on our blog posts, post comments in the forums, and post their own questions. C lick here or the blue button below to join (it's free). If you would like to react to or ask a question about any material here, please post a question in the forum or send an email using the Contact form at the bottom of the page. Use the other buttons below to post a comment. Become a Member Forum Page Blog Page

Previous Next Matthew 6:19-24 What is a healthy view of wealth? Tom Faletti May 19, 2024 Matthew 6:19-24 Money and wealth Verses 19-21 What does Jesus tell us not to do in verse 19? What does Jesus tell us to do in verse 20? Jesus offers a practical reason for these two arguments. Why does Jesus say the one kind of treasure is better than the other? The problems Jesus identifies with trying to preserve the world’s treasures relate to the kinds of ways people might store up treasures in Jesus’s time: Moths eat fine clothing, which is something that wealthy people might put their wealth into – recall the parable of Lazarus and Dives (Luke 16:19-31) where the rich man dressed in purple and fine linen. The word for rust literally means “eating,” which could refer to rust corrupting metal but could also refer to vermin eating away at storehouses of grain. Thieves could break into houses and steal gold, silver, or other treasures. The contrast Jesus draws between the two kinds of treasures revolves in part around treasures that can be corrupted or taken away from us, and the secure and incorruptible treasures that will remain with us in heaven. What “treasures” do we have now that would still have value in heaven? Jesus describes these as treasures we “store up” now, so they are things that we at least partially experience now, before we go to heaven. So be not talking just about “heavenly” treasures, but also things that we experience at least partially on earth but that have lasting value in heaven. Here are some possible examples: The character we develop and demonstrate by showing patience, fortitude, or other virtues, which we will still have in heaven; the ways we experience Jesus as we respond to him by feeding the hungry, helping the poor, comforting those who are mourning or sick, educating others, etc.; the ways we live the teachings of Jesus by working to make peace or promote justice or to encourage others to live for God; etc. “Who we are” goes to heaven, so our virtues, character, and godly ways of living that made us who we are will still be there in heaven. What are some examples of earthly treasure that are corruptible or lacking in eternal value and will not be treasure in heaven? What does “Where your treasure is, there will your heart be” mean to you? How can we train ourselves to focus on the “treasures” that have heavenly value and not just earthly value? Verses 22-23 This passage is not based on the modern science of the eye but on a more simple idea that light enters our body through your eyes. A “healthy” or “sound” eye (Matthew 6:22, NRSV and NABRE, respectively), allows the light to come in fully and easily. We might think about the effect of cataracts on human eyes. A cataract clouds your eye so that not as much light gets in and what gets in is more blurry. To use that as a metaphor for our approach to wealth, In the context of the surrounding teachings, Jesus may be using the idea of the eye and light as a metaphor for the need for his disciples to have a clear view about wealth or riches. What are some spiritual or metaphorical cataracts that might keep the light of Jesus’s teachings from shining clearly into your eyes? Some of the things that might block the light are: Anxiety, fear, prejudice, pride, the desire to be thought well of by others, confirmation bias or other cognitive biases, self-centeredness, excusing our own actions in ways we would not excuse others. What are the effects or results when those things keep the light from getting in? What kind of eye do we need? What would make for a “sound” or “healthy” eye? How does the attitude expressed in the Lord’s Prayer – “Give us this day our daily bread” – which Jesus taught in the previous passage, offer guidance about how to let the light of God’s teaching about possessions shine clearly through healthy eyes in our lives? In what ways do you need a new way of “seeing” wealth if you are going to take a Christ-like approach to money, wealth, and possessions? Verse 24 What does Jesus say in this verse? The last word of the verse is the Greek word mammon , which can mean money or wealth or possessions. “Wealth” better captures the point, since there are various forms in which we might be focused on riches or possessions or assets rather than God. What are some forms of “wealth” we might be tempted to become devoted to? Regarding verses 19-20, St. Jerome said: “This must be understood not of money only, but of all our possessions. The god of a glutton is his belly; of a lover his lust; and so every man serves that to which he is in bondage; and has his heart there where his treasure is” (quoted in Thomas Aquinas, Catena aurea: commentary on the four Gospels, collected out of the works of the Fathers , Oxford: Parker, 1874, p. 244; https://archive.org/details/p1catenaaureacom01thomuoft/page/244/mode/2up ). What does Jesus say about the possibility of serving two masters at once? Why do we sometimes think we can serve more than one master? Why doesn’t it work to try to serve two masters at once? Jesus does not reject all forms of wealth-holding. It is worth noting that his ministry was funded in part from the resources of wealthy women – see Luke 8:2-3. St. Jerome suggested that there is a difference between being a slave or a master of one’s money: “Let the covetous man who is called by the Christian name, hear this, that he cannot serve both Christ and riches. Yet He said not, he who has riches, but, he who is the servant of riches. For he who is the slave of money, guards his money as a slave; but he who has thrown off the yoke of his slavery, dispenses them as a master” (quoted in Thomas Aquinas, Catena aurea: commentary on the four Gospels, collected out of the works of the Fathers , Oxford: Parker, 1874, p. 248; https://archive.org/details/p1catenaaureacom01thomuoft/page/248/mode/2up ). Jerome’s insight is that a person may have wealth yet be the master rather than the slave of it by how they regard it and what they do with it. In our time, it is considered irresponsible as well as imprudent to go through one’s whole work life and approach retirement without having saved up some wealth, because our social system does not provide a way for us to live in dignity in our old age if we do not have assets saved up to spend down in retirement. How can a person have riches and yet not become a servant of riches? How do we find balance in our handling of wealth? What are the practical attitudes and actions that would help us not become slaves or servants of the wealth or assets we have? In 1 Cor. 7:29-31, Paul talks about having possessions and dealings with the world but living as though you do not have them. It might be possible to apply that idea here. There are several dimensions that could be considered. First is our focus : How much attention do we give to our wealth? What is one practical thing you could do to reduce your focus on money, wealth, or possessions? Second is our spending : How much do we spend on ourselves? Just because we have wealth (if we do) does not mean we have to spend it on ourselves. Instead, we could be on the lookout for ways to use it for the kingdom of God. If you don’t currently tithe (give 10% of your income to the work of God – i.e., church, service agencies, groups working for justice, etc.), could you increase your giving to the level of a full tithe? If you already tithe and you don’t need to spend all the money you earn, could you increase your charitable giving? Regardless of your level of tithing, how could you become more open to opportunities to help others who need help? What is one thing you could do differently that would shift your amount of spending somewhat from yourself to others? Take a step back and consider this: Many Christian denominations have found value in the concept of “stewardship” – the idea that what we have is not ours, to be used for our own benefit, but a gift or loan from God to be used for his service. This might lead to a shift in our attitude toward our paycheck: Instead if thinking of it as “what I have earned,” we could think of it as “what God has given to me.” If we can get there, we can consider a further mind-shift, from “what God has given to me” (which is still me-centered), to “what God allowed me to receive in trust for his purposes.” What we hold in trust, we hold for another’s benefit. If we can view all we have as being entrusted to us by God for his benefit and the benefit of his children (i.e., for the common good), it can help us avoid becoming a slave to our money, wealth, or possessions. Then we can see the things we do with our wealth as acts of service to God, as we acknowledge him as our master, rather than ourselves or our wealth. John Wesley, founder of the Methodist movement in the Church of England, understood this view of stewardship. In a sermon on money in 1760, he said: First: “Gain all you can” through your labor and effort without hurting yourself or anyone else. Second, “save all you can” and don’t waste any of what you have gained on unnecessary expenses. Third, “give all you can.” In deciding how to give, Wesley said you should think about it this way: God “placed you here not as a proprietor [owner], but a steward: As such he entrusted you, for a season, with goods of various kinds.” As a faithful steward of what the Lord has “for the present lodged in your hands,” you should first meet your own genuine needs and the needs of those dependent on you, and then “give all you can; nay, in a sound sense, all you have,” giving for the purpose of doing good to all people, and particularly to help the poor. Every expenditure we consider, he suggested, could be evaluated by whether the spending would be the action of a steward or the action of someone who thought he or she was the owner of what they possess. When we act like a steward rather than like an owner, then we are recognizing that all we have has been entrusted to us by God. (John Wesley, “The Use of Money,” Sermon 50, https://web.archive.org/web/20150402061915/http://www.umcmission.org/Find-Resources/John-Wesley-Sermons/Sermon-50-The-Use-of-Money ). How would you approach wealth, money, or possessions differently if you routinely thought of them as things entrusted to you by God rather than as things you have earned or received on your own account? What is one step you might take in response to today’s insights? Bibliography Click here for the bibliography . Copyright © 2024, Tom Faletti (Faith Explored, www.faithexplored.com ). This material may be reproduced in whole or in part without alteration, for nonprofit use, provided such reproductions are not sold and include this copyright notice or a similar acknowledgement that includes a reference to Faith Explored and www.faithexplored.com . See www.faithexplored.com for more materials like this. Previous Next Join Faith Explored and Join the Conversation! 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Previous Next Mark 1:9-16 Jesus is baptized, subjected to temptation, and starts preaching. Tom Faletti Mark 1:9-15 Why do you think Jesus chose to be baptized by John? (to be continued) Copyright © 2024, Tom Faletti (Faith Explored, www.faithexplored.com ). This material may be reproduced in whole or in part without alteration, for nonprofit use, provided such reproductions are not sold and include this copyright notice or a similar acknowledgement that includes a reference to Faith Explored and www.faithexplored.com . See www.faithexplored.com for more materials like this. Previous Next Join Faith Explored and Join the Conversation! Members of Faith Explored can comment on our blog posts, post comments in the forums, and post their own questions. C lick here or the blue button below to join (it's free). If you would like to react to or ask a question about any material here, please post a question in the forum or send an email using the Contact form at the bottom of the page. Use the other buttons below to post a comment. Become a Member Forum Page Blog Page