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We find hope because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through Jesus. (Paragraphs 1-4 of Spes Non Confundit) Previous Next Jubilee Year 2025: Embrace God’s Hope and Extend It to All Session 1: Why we can have hope We find hope because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through Jesus. (Read paragraphs 1-4) Link to S pes Non Confundit Photo by Tom Faletti, Capitol Hill, Washington, DC, March 29, 2024. Tom Faletti November 16, 2024 The title of Pope Francis’s document means “Hope Does Not Disappoint.” It’s easy to have hope when things are going well. But what about in the hard times? In this session, Pope Francis explores what hope is, where it comes from, and why we can have it. The Christian life flourishes when it is grounded in hope. Pope Francis draws on the words of the Apostle Paul to remind us why hope is possible even in the hard times, how even suffering can lead us to hope. Our study guide questions will help us explore how God’s love supports our hope and how Jesus Christ stands at the epicenter of God’s active love for the world. Jesus Christ is the foremost reason why we can have hope and bring hope to our world. Read paragraphs 1-4 in preparation for this session. You can use the links next to each heading to jump to that part of Pope Francis’s document. Paragraph 1 (the Jubilee is an opportunity for hope) 🔗 What does “hope” mean to you? How would you describe it? In the second part [1] of paragraph 1 , Pope Francis says that “God’s word helps us find reasons” for hope. Is there a particular passage from the Bible that has especially inspired or helped you find hope? If so, how does that passage speak to you? Suggested Activity: Take a few minutes to contemplate what life feels like to someone who is unemployed, dealing with a chronic illness, facing the fear of violence due to their background or heritage, discouraged about the future, etc. Try to feel their pain. Then consider whether there is something you could do for someone such as this – perhaps directly for someone you know, or by getting involved in a ministry in your parish or community (perhaps through Catholic Charities in your diocese or through another organization). (Section 1) A word of hope In this section, Pope Francis explores the biblical basis for the hope we have in God. Paragraph 2 (why we can have hope) 🔗 Read Romans 5:1-2,5 (we will look at verses 3 and 4 in Paragraph 4 later in this session) What does Paul tell us in Romans 5:1-2 that allows him to say that we have hope? In verse 5, Paul says that hope does not disappoint us. Why? How would you explain verse 5 in your own words? How have you experienced the love of God poured into your heart? How does knowing that God loves you so much allow you to show greater love to others? Paragraph 3 (hope is born of love) 🔗 In paragraph 3, why does Pope Francis say, “Hope is born of love”? How does Romans 5:5 help to explain this statement? Note: In paragraph 3, the Scripture cited as coming from Romans 5:19 is actually Romans 5:10. Read Romans 5:10 What is Jesus’s role in our being reconciled to God? How might being reconciled to God affect how we relate to God and to others? How does Romans 5:10 support Pope Francis’s statement that hope is born of love? How have you experienced God’s love giving you hope? In the second part of paragraph 3, Pope Francis describes the action of the Holy Spirit in giving us hope. What does he say the Holy Spirit does? How does Romans 5:5 support this understanding of the Holy Spirit? How have you experienced the Holy Spirit in your life? Read Romans 8:35 and 8:37-39 How does the fact that nothing can separate us from the love of God help us understand why we can live a life of hope? Paragraph 4 (hope requires patience) 🔗 Knowing that we all face times of suffering, Pope Francis calls our attention to Romans 5:3-4. Read Romans 5:3-4 Paul tells us that even suffering can lead to hope. He describes it as a multi-step process. What are the steps he sees that lead from suffering to hope? Think about the sequence of steps Paul suggests: suffering -> endurance -> character -> hope. Everyone is unique and not everyone experiences things in exactly the same way, but Paul’s analysis can be useful. How might suffering infuse God’s character into us? How might the experience of suffering lead to hope? In the rest of paragraph 4 (including part 2 of paragraph 4) Pope Francis explains that patience is closely linked to hope. Why is patience so important in the cultivation of hope? Pope Francis cites St. Francis of Assisi in reminding us of the value of contemplation. How might making time for contemplation help us deal with our impatience and better manage the cultural demand to treat everything as “urgent” and in need of immediate response? How might you make contemplation a more central part of your life? Suggested Activities: Spend a few minutes in quiet contemplation each day. You might find it helpful to find a good guide to contemplation from a respected Catholic or Christian author. Read and contemplate a portion of the New Testament each day. One way to approach the meditation of Scripture is through the practice of lectio divina . Pope Francis says patience is a fruit of the Holy Spirit, which is stated in Galatians 5:22-23. Read Galatians 5:22-23 Paul is telling us that God the Holy Spirit is the one who gives us the patience we need to endure the sufferings we face. How does it make you feel when you hear that God wants to give you what you need to go from suffering to hope? How have you experienced suffering leading to hope in your life? In the second part of paragraph 4, Pope Francis quotes from a translation of Romans 15:5 that describes God as “the God of all patience and encouragement.” Where do you see God’s patience in your life or in the lives of others? How does that give you hope? Closing question: Based on what we have considered in this session, if someone said to you, "How can you have hope with all that is going on in the world," how would you respond? [1] See A Note About Our Terminology for an explanation of what we mean by a “part” of a paragraph. Bibliography See Jubilee Year 2025 - Bibliography at https://www.faithexplored.com/jubilee-2025/bibliography . Copyright © 2025, 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 Jubilee 2025 Contents Next

That's one of our goals. Previous Next Table of Contents To Have the Mind of Christ That's one of our goals. Tom Faletti March 6, 2024 Some people think of religion as being like the relationship between a master and a slave: God orders and I obey. This attracts some people and repels others. They are both missing something central to our faith. People from both perspectives are missing something because they think that the Christian faith asks us to turn off our minds and just “believe.” That’s not the faith of the gospel. St. Paul says, “Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 2:5-11, NRSV). How can I think of my mind as something to turn off, if I am urged to have the same mind as Christ. I have to think carefully in order to think like Christ. Paul also says, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God – what is good and acceptable and perfect” (Romans 12:2, NRSV). What does God want to transform? Our minds. Why? So that we can discern well. If our minds are not valued by God, if He just wants us to turn off our minds and “have faith,” why would Paul say this? Ephesians says that we are to use our gifts to build up the body of Christ “until all of us come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to maturity, to the measure of the full stature of Christ” (Eph. 4:13, NRSV). Our goal is to reach the full stature of Christ. Did Jesus turn off his brain? No! He used it very carefully and wisely, throughout His ministry. Jesus said to his disciples, “I do not call you servants any longer, because the servant does not know what the master is doing; but I have called you friends, because I have made known to you everything that I have heard from my Father” (John 15:15, NRSV). How could we possibly make use of all the wisdom and knowledge that Jesus has received from the Father if we do not spend time thinking, but instead assume that we can “believe” and be done? So the point is that we are called to think. We are called to use these magnificent brains that we have received from God. We are called to put on the MIND – not just the heart or soul or will – of Jesus. So let’s get to work! TO BE CONTINUED Copyright © 2025, 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 Table of Contents Next

Suggestions for individuals, small group members, and small group leaders. Previous Next Jubilee Year 2025: Embrace God’s Hope and Extend It to All Overview: How to Use This Study Guide Suggestions for individuals, small group members, and small group leaders. Link to S pes Non Confundit Photo by Tom Faletti, descending toward Berlin, Germany, June 20, 2024. Tom Faletti November 16, 2024 This page has separate suggestions for how to use this study guide for individuals studying on their own, small group members, and small group leaders. Click the appropriate link below: Individuals studying on their own Small group members Small group leaders Individuals studying on their own This study guide walks through Pope Francis's document Spes Non Confundit paragraph by paragraph so that you can engage with it personally and apply it to your life. The guide presents questions that will help you explore Pope Francis’s insights, the Scripture passages he cites, and additional Bible passages that support his points where his document does not explicitly cite Scripture. The guide also suggests activities that might help you put your discoveries into action. You can also be creative in coming up with your own activities. This study guide assumes that you will read the specified portions of Spes Non Confundit before trying to answer the corresponding questions. The document can be accessed online (and printed out, if desired) here: Spes Non Confundit . In this online study guide, there is a link to that document at the top right corner of every page. You can read the Bible passages as you go. It is not expected that you will engage every question with equal intensity. The goal is not to answer every question like a checklist. The goal is to hear what Pope Francis and the Scriptures are saying and then to dig in where God is calling you to new insights and action. When a question asks you to restate what Pope Francis or the Bible says, it helps to check yourself against the actual passage, to make sure you are interpreting accurately. Please give yourself plenty of time for the application questions that speak to your heart at this particular time in your life. Listen for what God is saying to you, and respond. If at the end of a session you have a clear sense of what new insight or action God is calling you to, you are on the right track. Small group members This study guide walks through Pope Francis's document Spes Non Confundit paragraph by paragraph so that we can engage with it personally and communally and apply it to our lives. The guide presents questions that will help your group explore Pope Francis’s insights, the Scripture passages he cites, and additional Bible passages that support his points where his document does not explicitly cite Scripture. The guide also suggests activities that might help you put your discoveries into action. You can also be creative in coming up with your own activities. Although anyone can explore these questions on their own, God can work powerfully when people come together with an open heart and a willingness to share their experiences, learn from others, and explore how God is calling them to action in their everyday lives. This study guide assumes that the group has agreed to read in advance the specified portions of Spes Non Confundit for each session. The document can be accessed here: Spes Non Confundit . In this online study guide, there is a link to that document at the top right corner of every page. Group members may read the Bible passages in advance but are not expected to do so. The study guide indicates when to read the Bible passages. You may access the Bible online or use your own Bible (use your Bible’s Table of Contents to find passages quickly). Groups will not have time to discuss all the provided questions. Group leaders will need to make choices about where to focus based on the direction of the conversation. Help your leaders cover the main points and allow plenty of time for the application questions, without feeling an obligation to cover everything. Let your leaders know in advance if there are particular questions or paragraphs of the document that you are especially interested in discussing. Help the group find the new insights or actions God is calling you to. Small group leaders This study guide walks through Pope Francis's document Spes Non Confundit paragraph by paragraph so that we can engage with it personally and communally and apply it to our lives. The guide presents questions that will help your group explore Pope Francis’s insights, the Scripture passages he cites, and additional Bible passages that support his points where his document does not explicitly cite Scripture. The guide also suggests activities that might help you put your discoveries into action. You can also be creative in coming up with your own activities. Although anyone can explore these questions on their own, God can work powerfully when people come together with an open heart and a willingness to share their experiences, learn from others, and explore how God is calling them to action in their everyday lives. This study guide assumes that the group has agreed to read in advance the specified portions of Spes Non Confundit for each session. Spes Non Confundit can be accessed online (and printed out, if desired) here: Spes Non Confundit . In this online study guide, there is a link to that document at the top right corner of every page. Group members may read the Bible passages in advance but are not expected to do so. The study guide indicates when to read the Bible passages. Group members may access the Bible online or use their own Bible (encourage them to use their Bible’s Table of Contents to find passages quickly). Who can lead: Because a full set of discussion questions is provided here, almost anyone can facilitate a small group on Spes Non Confundit . If you believe in Jesus, are willing to do a small amount of preparation in advance, have an open heart, and have an awareness of social dynamics, you can be a small group leader. For additional support, you can find leadership training materials at Leading a Small-Group Bible Study . Questions in bold are questions a leader can pose directly to the group. Other useful background information is presented in regular font. What to focus on: Groups will not have time to discuss all the provided questions. Group leaders should make choices about where to focus based on the direction of the conversation. Try to cover the main points and allow plenty of time for the application questions, without feeling an obligation to cover everything. Encourage members to let you know in advance if there are particular questions or paragraphs of the document that they are especially interested in discussing. Help the group find the new insights or actions God is calling you to. Bibliography See Jubilee Year 2025 - Bibliography at https://www.faithexplored.com/jubilee-2025/bibliography . Copyright © 2025, 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 Jubilee 2025 Contents Next

Jesus’s word was enough for the royal official. How much faith do you place in Jesus’s word? Previous Next John List John 4:43-54 Jesus’s word was enough for the royal official. How much faith do you place in Jesus’s word? James Tissot (1836-1902). The Healing of the Officer's Son (La guérison du fils de l'officier) . 1886–1894. Cropped. Brooklyn Museum, New York, NY. Public domain, Creative Commons License: CC BY-NC-SA , via Brooklyn Museum, https://www.brooklynmuseum.org/objects/13404 . Tom Faletti January 13, 2026 Read John 4:43-54 Jesus returns to Galilee and heals a royal official’s son – the second “sign” The first sign and the stories that followed it helps us think about Jesus’s role as living water . The next set of stories explores how Jesus’s word has the power to give life. The 7 signs John focuses on are not the only miracles Jesus performs. They are not even the only “signs” Jesus performs (John tells us in 2:11 that he performed other signs in Jerusalem). But John gives special attention to these 7 signs that point beyond the miracle to who Jesus is. Here are the Gospel of John’s 7 signs: Jesus turns water into wine at the wedding feast at Cana (John 2:1-12). Followed by the discussion with the Samaritan woman, Jesus shows he is the living water. Jesus heals the official’s son (John 4:46-54). Jesus shows his power over illness and ability to heal even at a distance. Jesus heals the paralytic on the Sabbath (John 5:1-47). Jesus shows he is Lord of the Sabbath. Jesus feeds the 5,000 by the multiplication of loaves and fish (John 6:1-14). Jesus is the Bread of Life. Jesus walks on water (John 6:16-24). Jesus has power over nature and overcomes fear. Jesus heals the man born blind (John 9:1-41). This sign is preceded by Jesus’s declaration that he is the Light of the World (John 8:12). It shows that Jesus offers spiritual insight so that we can see clearly. Jesus raises Lazarus from the dead (John 11:1-44). Jesus shows his power even over death, after declaring that he is the Resurrection and the Life (John 11:25). What does Jesus say in verse 44, and what does it mean? Some people see a contradiction between verses 44 and 45. In the short run, verse 45 tells us that the Galileans welcomed him because the people who had gone to the feast in Jerusalem reported the good things that Jesus had done. But John cautions us that this did not last in the long run, warning us in verse 44 that the proverb is true that says that a prophet is not honored in his native place. What happens in this story about the royal official in Cana? Matthew 8:5-13 and Luke 7:1-10 have a similar but not identical story. In Matthew and Luke, the one asking for help is a centurion – a military officer with 100 soldiers under him, and therefore a Gentile. In John, it is a “royal official,” meaning someone in the court of Herod Antipas, who was the ruler of Galilee, and therefore probably someone who is a Jew. In Matthew and John, the sick person is the centurion’s pais , a Greek word that can mean either one’s boy or girl child or one’s slave. Luke uses the word doulos , which only means slave (although it is often translated as servant). We needn’t be troubled by these minor discrepancies in people’s memory of what Jesus did. However, the television series The Chosen suggests a solution to part of the possible discrepancy: in their storyline, the boy is the illegitimate son of the official and of a servant/slave under him, and the boy was raised as a servant/slave. In all of the versions, the man is from Capernaum, suggesting that there is a common core event, even if there was uncertainty about exactly who Jesus healed from miles away. How is the official feeling in the beginning? Jesus responds in verse 48 by expressing concern that people only believe because of they see his signs and wonders. What is wrong with that? John warns in verses 44-45 that people might not believe in Jesus in the end, when the signs people expected don’t come to pass, even though they might believe for a time. John previously warned in 2:23-24 that there is a difference between initially “believing” because of Jesus’s signs and truly believing in a way that permanently changes your life. Why do you think the official persists when Jesus makes that comment? What can we learn from him? In verse 49, the official asks Jesus to come “down” to Capernaum. Capernaum was a port city on the Sea of Galilee (a lake, actually), which is east of Galilee. Capernaum and the Sea of Galilee are around 700 feet below sea level. Archaeologists have identified 2 possible sites for Cana. Both are up in the hilly part of Galilee, at least 700 feet above sea level, so there is a 1,400-foot difference in elevation between the two towns. Capernaum was perhaps a 20-mile walk down from Cana, which would have taken a whole day. To walk from Capernaum to Cana, as the royal official had done, would have taken longer, because it required a climb of 1,400 feet in elevation. The official asks Jesus to come to Capernaum. Why do you think Jesus chose to heal the man’s son at a distance rather than going to Capernaum? Verse 50 tells us that the man “believed the word that Jesus said to him” and left. Why was Jesus’s word enough for him? The man chose to believe the word of Jesus. Have you had an experience like that, where you needed to believe the word of God before it was clear that he would do something? What happened? What can we learn from this about the power of Jesus’s word? When we are desperate, as this man was, we might be tempted to believe anyone who says they can help us. How do you discern which words are truly from God and which are not, in order to avoid being fooled by false prophets? If you had been that official, would you have needed something more than just a word from Jesus before you left? More generally, what kinds of “signs and wonders” (verse 48) do you need before you are ready to believe a word from Jesus? What is Jesus saying to you in this passage? Take a step back and consider this: Verse 53 says that the man (and his whole household) believed. What sort of belief do you think he had when it says he believed in verse 53 (believed what)? How might this belief have been greater or different than the belief he had in verse 50 where it says he believed when Jesus said his son would live? Initially, the man at least believed that Jesus has the power to heal. In verse 53, he probably believes that Jesus is sent from God and that what he teaches is true, and perhaps even that he is the Messiah. “Belief” can have many levels. One can believe merely that God exists, or also that Jesus has power from God, or that Jesus is God. One can stop with head knowledge, or one can act on it and become a follower and disciple of Jesus. One can make Jesus part of their life, or they can be “all in” and try to let Jesus shape every aspect of who they are. When you say you “believe” in God or in Jesus, what does it mean for you? What do you mean when you say you have put your faith in God? Bibliography See John - Bibliography at https://www.faithexplored.com/john/bibliography . Copyright © 2026, 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 John List Next

Pre-tribulation theories contradict Jesus and Paul. What does the Bible actually say? Previous Christian Faith Articles Next The Rapture? It’s Not a Pre-Millennial Escape from Tribulation Pre-tribulation theories contradict Jesus and Paul. What does the Bible actually say? Image by CHUTTERSNAP, provided by Unsplash via Wix. Tom Faletti December 13, 2024 In 1 Thessalonians 4:17-18, the apostle Paul refers to the “rapture” while he is discussing the end times when Christ will return. The word “rapture” comes from the Latin word that translates the Greek word in verse 17 where Paul says that we will be “caught up” (literally, “snatched”) to meet the Lord in the air. Authors Tim LaHaye of the Left Behind series and Hal Lindsey of The Late Great Planet Earth fame have popularized an approach to interpreting what the Scriptures say about the end times that leans heavily on a modern interpretation of Paul’s “rapture.” These authors (and others, who don’t always agree among themselves) combine their interpretation of the rapture with their interpretation of the “1000 years” mentioned in Revelation 20:2-3 and other Bible passages to produce an entire timeline of the end times that is not consistent with the historic understanding of the Scriptures. Their views are based on ideas that mostly did not spread until the 19th century. Most of Christendom from the time of Augustine in the 5th century until the 19th century has taken a very different approach to interpreting the Bible’s end-times passages. Currently, the Catholic Church, the Orthodox Churches, and many Protestant denominations – including the Episcopal, Lutheran, and Methodist Churches and others – reject that interpretation of the end times. This summary of the problem is drawn from a variety of sources, in an attempt to identify the commonalities in Catholic and Protestant thinking about the subject. In addition to the sources used in my 1 Thessalonians study, it also considers Trent Horn (Catholic), Karlo Broussard (Catholic), Alan S. Bandy (Reformed), the Commission on Theology and Church Relations (Lutheran), and “Where does the Rapture fit into UM beliefs?” (United Methodist). The historic churches and denominations have much in common in their understanding of the end times. The main divide on this topic is not between Protestants and Catholics. The main divide is between a fundamentalist segment of modern Christianity and the rest of Christianity. Frameworks for thinking about the end times There are roughly 6 common frameworks for thinking about the rapture, the tribulation, and the 1000-year “millennial” reign mentioned in Revelation 20:2-3: The first three approaches all revolve around the idea that the rapture will precede a 1000-year millennium of peace and righteousness on earth. However, the pre-millennialists don’t agree on whether the rapture will happen before, during, or after the tribulation that precedes the end: Pre-tribulation, pre-millennial: Christ will come and take the Christians who are alive to heaven (the “rapture”) before the tribulation. Then the tribulation will come, in a world devoid of Christians. Then Christ will come again with the church (which sounds like a second Second Coming, since he already came to rapture people). Then Christ will reign for 1000 years, and then there will be the final judgment (which sounds like a third Second Coming). This is the view of the people like Tim LaHaye and Hal Lindsey who have fed the “rapture” industry. Mid-tribulation, pre-millennial: This approach is similar to the pre-tribulation, pre-millennial approach, except that the rapture will happen in the middle of the tribulation (i.e., halfway through the 7-year tribulation), not before it begins. Therefore, Christians will experience some of the tribulation and not be fully spared. Post-tribulation, pre-millennial: This approach says that Christians will not be spared the tribulation at all. Christians will not join Christ until he comes in his Second Coming at the end of the tribulation. Then Christ will reign for 1000 years, and then the final judgment will come. These approaches all separate the Second Coming of Christ from the final judgment. Jesus never suggests such a separation, nor does Paul. They both describe one decisive event when Jesus comes, takes believers to himself, and presides over the final judgment. Amillennial: This view rejects the separation of the “rapture” from the final judgment and the entire pre-millennial framework. In this view, we are in the 1000-year reign of Christ, which began when Christ broke the power of sin by his death and resurrection and ascended into heaven. The reference to “1000” years in the Book of Revelation is symbolic, not literal: “1000” means a large number and “1000 years” means “a very long time.” Revelation 20 says that in this millennial time, the devil is being restrained. God is giving us time so that the gospel can be spread around the world. After the period we are now in, which includes its own times of smaller tribulation, Satan will be allowed to try to turn people away from Christ and the great, final tribulation will come. The Christians and non-Christians suffer now, and both the church and non-believers will suffer during the final tribulation, as Jesus warned from the beginning (see, for example, Matthew 24:29-31, where the tribulation precedes the gathering of the elect to Christ). After that period of tribulation, the final judgment will begin with Christians being caught up with those who have risen from the dead to meet Christ when he returns (1 Thess. 4:17; also referred to by Paul in 2 Thess. 2:1 as our “assembling” with the Lord). That event is not a pre-tribulation, pre-millennial escape from suffering; it is part of the Second Coming and final judgment exercised by Christ. This more traditional approach to interpreting the end-times Scriptures was the generally accepted view throughout the church from the time of Augustine in the 5th century, through the Protestant Reformation, and all the way until the 19th century. It is more faithful to the Scriptures, and it is followed by the Catholic and Orthodox Churches and a variety of current Protestant denominations, including the Episcopal, Lutheran, and Methodist Churches and others. Although scholars call this approach the “amillennial” approach, that term is not necessarily used by these churches. All of those churches reject the pre-tribulation, pre-millennial approach that was popularized in the decades before and after the year 2000. There are two other views worth mentioning, for the sake of completeness (and there are many other sub-categories and branches dividing all of the approaches). Postmillennial: In this view, first there will be a (literal or symbolic) 1000-year golden age of prosperity and minimal suffering on Earth, during which most people will be converted to Christ and live in righteousness. The devil will be bound during that time but will be loosed at the end of the 1000 years. After that 1000 years of relative peace, there will be a time of tribulation followed by the Second Coming (when believers will be called up to heaven) and the final judgment. This view was popular in the 19th century (the 1800s), until the World Wars of the 20th century made people rethink whether the world could reach such a golden age of righteousness. Metaphorical: In this view, most of the end-times references in the Bible are metaphorical and should not be interpreted literally. There will not be a literal trumpet, a literal 1000-year reign, a literal meeting of Christ in the sky, etc. God has used figurative language and metaphors to help us understand things that are beyond us. All of the key points of Scripture will be fulfilled: Christ will return and judge the world, the dead will be raised, there will be a final judgment, the devil and death will be defeated, and Christians will live with Christ forever. But the details of what it will look like are not for us to worry about. Problems with the pre-tribulation, pre-millennial rapture idea The pre-tribulation, pre-millennial rapture theory is inconsistent with Scripture in several ways: The pre-tribulation, pre-millennial rapture violates the claim in Acts 1:11 that Jesus will return in the same visible way he left, since the pre-tribulation, pre-millennial story creates a scenario where Jesus remains hidden except to believers. The theory claims that Jesus doesn’t stay on Earth after the rapture and only returning visibly 1000 years later. The word Paul uses in 1 Thessalonians 4:15 for the “coming” of the Lord (the Greek word parousia ) in was used by the Greeks before Christ to refer to the ceremonial arrival of a king or ruler. Pre-tribulation, pre-millennial rapture proponents argue that in 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17, Christ only comes partly back, gathers the raptured people, and returns to heaven. However, Paul does not say Jesus immediately returns to heaven with them; he only says that those who are caught up to meet him in the air will be with him forever. The word for “meet” in verse 17 is a Greek word used to describe the situation where people go out from their town to meet a visiting official or king and escort that official into their city (in response to the “coming” in verse 15). Paul is saying that when Christ comes to Earth and the risen Christians and the still-alive Christians join him, they will stay with him as he comes to the Earth and does his work of final judgment. The idea that Christ aborts his “coming” and returns to heaven, only to return later, has been added by the pre-tribulation advocates without justification or good evidence. The pre-tribulation, pre-millennial rapture theory that Jesus’s coming to gather the elect is separated from his final judgment by 1000 years contradicts Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 4:16 says that Christ’s Second Coming will be announced with an archangel’s voice and the sound of a trumpet, at which point the dead will be raised. 1 Corinthians 15:51-55 also links the trumpet to the raising of the dead. In Matthew 24:29-31, Jesus links his coming in power and glory (verse 30) with the angels (verse 31), the sound of the trumpet (verse 31), and the gathering of the elect (verse 31). In Matthew 25:31-33, Jesus links his coming in glory (verse 31) with the final judgment (verses 32-33ff). These events are all connected and happen together. The pre-tribulation, pre-millennial approach contradicts Jesus by separating the raising of the dead from the final judgment by 1000 years. In Matthew 24:29, Jesus says that these events happen right after the tribulation (verse 29). The pre-tribulation, pre-millennial advocates seek to escape the tribulation that Jesus clearly foretells. The pre-tribulation, pre-millennial rapture violates Jesus’s statement in Matthew 16:27 that when he comes with his angels, he will repay people according to their deeds (i.e., the Second Coming with the final judgment). Again, Jesus does not teach any separation between these events. Note: Some rapture fans also interpret Luke 17:34-37 as referring to the rapture. In that passage, Jesus says that one person will be taken and another will be left. However, when you read that verse in context, starting at verse 26, you see that people are being “taken” in judgment. They are not being taken to heaven. They are not being raptured away to be saved from tribulation. Conclusion: The popular theory is wrong, but the Lord will be with us forever. In summary, the pre-tribulation, pre-millennial rapture story created in the 19th century and popularized as Americans endured the Cold War and approached the millennial year 2000 does not have a sound basis in Scripture. The Book of Revelation is filled with symbolic language. There is no reason to distort the teachings of Jesus and Paul in order to interpret Revelation’s round number of 1000 years as a literal 1000 years. It is symbolic for the long period of time we are in before the Lord returns. And Jesus and Paul are very clear that Christians will endure the tribulation before they are united with Christ in his return. We must reject the distortions of their words that are central to every pre-tribulation rapture theory. This also means that no one escapes the tribulation except by dying. What else is true? The Scriptures tell us clearly: Christ will return. The dead will be raised. Christians (both those who have died and those who are still alive) will be united with Christ and live with him forever. Christ will judge the living and the dead and ask them how they treated “the least of these” among us. Fortunately, that’s all we really need to know about the end times. 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 Christian Faith Articles Next

Integrity means your words line up with your actions. Previous Matthew List Next Matthew 5:33-37 Integrity means your words line up with your actions. Image provided by Wix. Tom Faletti May 2, 2024 Matthew 5:33-37 Oaths: what are you saying? What did the Old Testament Law say about oaths in Leviticus 19:12? What kind of oaths were prohibited? (See also Deuteronomy 23:21-23.) In Jesus’s time, Jews made oaths and vows frequently and casually. William Barclay says they developed arcane rules for which oaths actually had to be honored and which could be ignored without repercussions (Barclay, The Gospel of Matthew, Volume 1 , p. 157). If you didn’t include God himself in your oath, it didn’t “count.” What does Jesus say about oaths? What are the reasons behind Jesus’s prohibit of these oaths? We do not have control over the heavens, the earth, or even our own bodies, so we have no right to be swearing by them. What do you think about Jesus’s rule, and why? If I leave the heavens, etc., out of my oath is it OK? Or is Jesus making a bigger point? How often do you make promises? How seriously do you take your promises? How do respond when someone says, “Promise me you’ll . . .”? Some people often signal that they are about to say something honest with a phrase such as: “I’m not going to lie to you,” “Frankly,” “To tell the truth,” etc. I sometimes wonder, when such people say other things that are not prefaced by that assurance, whether that means that what they are about to say might not be the truth. How honest are you in your everyday dealings with people? Can others count on what you are saying to be true, or do you have a tendency to shade the truth? Why does Jesus say that anything more than “Yes” or “No” comes from the evil one? Jesus is saying that a truly good person would never need to take an oath because everything he or she says would always be the truth. If a person needs to add an oath to what they are saying, it is a sign that they have already made compromises with untruthfulness that tarnish their honesty. Why do we sometimes want to embellish what we say by adding a promise? What is the purpose of adding a promise? Some reasons might be: to assure, or to impress. What would it look like to live a life where your “Yes” is so solid that no one would ever feel the need to ask you to swear that what you are saying is true? How can we foster a world where the truth is so cherished that people don’t feel the need to make oaths? Take a step back and consider this: Jesus’s words about honesty in speech are not isolated. They appear right after he asked us to squarely confront our thought life to tame lust, and asked us to be true to our marriage commitments no matter what. He is getting at something bigger than just a series of individual character issues or types of sin. He is pointing us toward true integrity. Integrity is the characteristic of a person who is solid through and through – where the inside of the person and the outside of the person match up and demonstrate a consistent morality. When you look at them, what you see on the outside is what they actually are on the inside. What they say is actually true. What they spend their time thinking about is consistent with the ethical principles they profess. What they do is what they say they will do, and what they do is what God has taught them to do. The word “integrity” comes from a Latin word that means whole or complete in the sense of being intact, unbroken, undivided. The person of integrity is undivided. Their whole being is intact. They are one person – the same person inside and out. That is what Jesus is calling us to be. How can you cultivate a character of integrity? How might you consider changing the way you talk and act – the things you say and do – in order to ensure that integrity defines your character? How might you consider changes in your thought life, so that the you on the outside matches the you on the inside and matches what God is calling you to be inside and out? Bibliography See Matthew - Bibliography at https://www.faithexplored.com/matthew/bibliography . Copyright © 2025, 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 Matthew List Next

Do you struggle with the Christian teaching that Jesus Christ is both fully God and fully human? Three apostles had a visible experience of this truth. Previous Matthew List Next Matthew 17:1-13 Do you struggle with the Christian teaching that Jesus Christ is both fully God and fully human? Three apostles had a visible experience of this truth. Peter Paul Rubens (1577-1640). The Transfiguration of Christ . Part of The Gonzaga Family in Adoration of the Holy Trinity . 1605. Cropped. The Museum of Fine Arts of Nancy, Nancy, France. Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Transfiguration-Rubens.JPG . Tom Faletti June 18, 2025 Matthew 17:1-8 The Transfiguration What happens to Jesus here? There are some interesting similarities between this passage and God’s revelation of himself to Moses on Mt. Sinai, where God appeared on the seventh day in the midst of a cloud (Ex. 24) This passage follows Peter’s identification of Jesus as the Christ, the Messiah. Why does it happen now, after Peter’s declaration? How does this passage reflect who Jesus is? Is this who Jesus always has been, but it is usually hidden from us? Explain. Why does God usually not manifest himself in his glory? What is the significance of Moses and Elijah appearing with Jesus? Moses symbolizes the Law and Elijah symbolizes the prophets. The phrase “the law and the prophets” is shorthand for the whole Hebrew Scriptures (our Old Testament). Jesus has already used that phrase 3 times in Matthew (in 5:17; 7:12; and 11:13), and he will use it again in 22:40. A separate point of significance is that at the end of Elijah’s life he was taken to heaven, and therefore he was thought to be still alive, not dead in Sheol (which is why people thought he could return before the Messiah comes). Why do you think that Peter, James, and John are given this experience? What does God’s voice say from the cloud in verse 5? This voice is similar to the voice in Matthew 3:17 when Jesus is baptized. The church also came to connect it to Deuteronomy 18:15, where Moses commanded the Israelites to listen to the prophet God would raise up in the days to come. In what ways is God saying, “Listen to him” to us and the people of our time? Experiencing this miracle doesn’t protect the apostles from denying or forsaking Jesus later. The power of the moment slowly fades. Similarly, although Moses’s face shone after his encounters with God on the mountain (Ex. 34:29-35), the shine slowly faded (2 Cor. 3:12-13). Have you ever experienced the overwhelming presence of God and then later had it “wear off”? Why does this happen to us? Is it something we should expect and accept, or is there something we should do about it? Peter swings from one extreme to another – from so comfortable that he offers to make 3 tents to so overwhelmed that he cowers in fear. Is this a sign of his weakness or a sign of his amazing ability to change as he gains new knowledge? What can we learn from Peter in this story? Where would you be in this story? In verse 7, Jesus comes to them and touches them – a very down-to-earth, human gesture – and says, “Get up; don’t be afraid.” Is he telling them not to cower before God? Is there a distinction between the kind of fear of God that seemed more common in Moses’s time and the relationship Jesus wants his disciples to have with God? Read 2 Corinthians 3:12-18 , focusing particularly on verse 18. How does Paul describe us as we gaze on the glory of the Lord? How should we see ourselves in the presence of God? What is the appropriate “fear of the Lord” that is at ease with God and embraces his glory, rather than cowering before him? In what ways is Jesus saying to you, “Get up; do not be afraid?” Matthew 17:9-13 The coming of Elijah In verse 9, Jesus tells the apostles not to tell people about this vision until he is raised from the dead. Are there special moments in our experience of God that we should not try to explain to people who haven’t yet become believers in Jesus? How does Jesus connect John the Baptist to Elijah? The Jews believed that Elijah had to return before the Messiah would come. This discussion may have been important to Matthew and his community as an answer to Jews who argued that Jesus couldn’t be the Messiah because Elijah had not yet returned. In verse 12, Jesus again says he is going to suffer. This is a thread throughout the second half of Matthew, starting in chapter 16. How is the fact that Jesus suffered a thread in your life? Take a step back and consider this: There can be a tendency to focus either on Christ in his glory or Jesus in his humanity, and to lose sight of the fact that he is the one, same Lord. There are many aspects of our faith where people who doubt want to see it as a series of either-or choices that we see it as both-and: Is God all-just or all-merciful? Does our faith come from God or by our own will and choice? Is Jesus fully God or fully man? Often, as in these cases, the answer is, “Both.” The challenge for (and the invitation we have from God) is to hold seemingly contradictory truths together and to seek God’s wisdom so that he can show us how they are complementary, not contradictory. For many people, it is too easy to say, “It can’t be so,” and to fail to probe deeply enough to see how God does things that go beyond our human instincts as to what is possible. Is there any part of the idea that Jesus Christ is both our glorious God and our human brother that you struggle with? Think about Jesus as he is manifested in this passage, as one person who is both the divinely transfigured, beloved Son of God and the down-to-earth, “Don’t be afraid” human teacher. Share your uncertainties with him, and “listen to him.” What does Jesus say to you about your uncertainties? How can we train our hearts and minds to not settle for simple answers that focus on one part of the faith to the exclusion of other parts, but instead to grow to maturity in our understanding (1 Cor. 2:16; 14:20; Eph. 4:13; Rom. 12:2)? Bibliography See Matthew - Bibliography at https://www.faithexplored.com/matthew/bibliography . Copyright © 2025, 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 Matthew List Next

Your attitude determines what is a “win.” Previous Christian Faith Articles Next Look for the Perspective that Allows You to See Joy Your attitude determines what is a “win.” Image provided by Wix. Tom Faletti February 21, 2024 A mother called in to the Internet radio station K-Love at 9:55 a.m. EST on January 25, 2023. The DJs were asking listeners to fill in the blank in this sentence: “I am wealthy because . . . (not necessarily wealthy monetarily, but wealthy in some way).” In response, the mother told a story about making dinner. She made a casserole with chicken, broccoli, and rice. When she went to serve it to her 12-year-old son, he said, “I don’t want any broccoli.” So she gave it to him without the broccoli. He went to a drawer in the kitchen and pulled out a sauce packet from Chick-fil-A. He poured the sauce on his dinner and ate it. When he was done eating, he said, “That was the best dinner I’ve ever had!” As she told this story on the air, this mother summed it up this way: “Mom for the win! Any time you can make a dinner and your middle-schooler loves it, it’s a win.” Your attitude determines what is a “win” As I listened, I thought about all the ways this mother could have had a different attitude. She could have objected to her son not eating the broccoli. She could have grumbled about his adding the Chick-fil-A sauce to her casserole. Instead, she accepted the situation for what it was and found joy in her son’s joy. Your perspective influences your attitude If she had approached the situation from the perspective that her son’s daily intake of vegetables was deficient, she wouldn’t have been able to call it a “win.” If her perspective had been that she makes good meals and doesn’t need “improvements,” she wouldn’t have been able to call it a “win.” In either of those cases, she wouldn’t have been able to share in her son’s joy. Mom for the win? It all depends on what you focus on, and what you choose to see. St. Paul wrote, “[W]hatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things” (Phil. 4:8, NRSV). He also wrote: “Rejoice with those who rejoice” (Rom. 12:15,NRSV). Sharing in the joy of others is one of the secrets of a joyful Christian life. We are encouraged to find a perspective that allows us to look see joy. Your perspective influences the joy of others American film producer Samuel Goldwyn, founder of MGM, has been quoted as saying, “When someone does something good, applaud! You will make two people happy.” This mother’s son left the table happy about a good meal but also happy in his mother’s appreciation of his joy. If she had scolded him, there would have been no joy in that house for either of them that night. Our decision to look for joy can make ourselves and everyone around us happier. Whenever you can, share in the joy of others! 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 Christian Faith Articles Next

You will be judged in the same way you judge others. Previous Matthew List Next Matthew 7:1-6 You will be judged in the same way you judge others. Image by Chris Curry, provided by Unsplash via Wix. Tom Faletti June 7, 2024 Matthew 7:1-6 Judge not, lest you be judged What is Jesus saying in this passage? What does v. 2 mean, in speaking about the “measure” you get? A “measure” is the method used to weigh or count the portions of something. In the supermarket, if you buy potatoes by the pound, a “pound” is the measure. If you buy mangos by the number of mangos, then the number of units (mangos) is the “measure.” Lettuce might be sold using either measure – by weight or by the number of heads. Jesus says that the measure you use for judgment is the measure that will be used to judge you. What are some of the things about which we tend to judge others, and what measure do we use to judge their guilt or innocence, or how good or bad their actions are? If we will be judged in the same way that we judge others (i.e., using the same measure we use), what does this tell us about making judgments about other people? What do you think is an appropriate measure for judging other people, or an appropriate way of approaching your judgments, if you know that you will face the same standard of judgment? Consider Galatians 6:7, which tells us that whatever we sow we will also reap. Although Paul is making a different point in that passage, how does the concept of sowing and reaping illuminate verse 2’s discussion of judging? God has built linkages into the natural world that provide useful analogies for the linkages he has built into the spiritual fabric of life. Just as we can’t sow grass seed and reap vegetables, so too we can’t sow judgmental attitudes and reap mercy. In many aspects of our lives, you get back what you give out. What is the meaning of Jesus’s image of the speck (or splinter) and the log (or beam) in verse 3? What might be some examples of the logs or beams in our own eyes that might make it hard for us to make sound judgments about what others do? What biases make it hard for people to judge other people accurately? How do you know when you have a “log” in your eye? How do you know when you have a blind spot that makes it hard to accurately judge what is going on around you? Someone else can tell you; you can try to put yourself in others’ shoes; you can immerse yourself in God’s Word and check your actions against God’s Word. One of my Bible Study members, Phyllis Hegstrom, told us that she asks her boss: What are my blind spots? How might that approach to our own behavior make us more effective followers of Jesus? Jesus tells us to take the log (or beam) out of our own eye first. How can we do that? How can we remove the things that make it hard for us to see clearly? In Matthew 5:38-42, Jesus tells us not to resist those who seek to do evil to us but to turn the other cheek, go two miles, etc. What are the traits of Christian character that Jesus is trying to foster both in that passage and here in Matthew 7:1-6? Verse 6 uses some metaphors that need to be unpacked: for example, what does a “pearl” stand for and what does a “dog” or “swine” stand for? Note: Dogs were mostly undomesticated scavengers in Jesus’s time. According to the Law, swine were unclean, so Jews were prohibited from eating or handling them. When you put it all together, what does verse 6 mean? What are the “pearls” we should be preserving? One interpretation of verse 6 is that the pearls are the deeper truths of our faith. If we follow that interpretation, what is Jesus saying about not giving the pearls to those who will trample them? Don’t try to convince others of the deeper truths of the faith if they have not accepted the more basic truths. In order to follow verse 6, we would need to make judgments about who falls into the metaphorical category of the “dogs” or “swine.” Doesn’t that require judging? Explain. Do you conclude from this passage that we should never judge, or only judge certain kinds of things (and if so, what)? Explain. How can we apply in our lives the principles Jesus is teaching us here about judging? Take a step back and consider this: Social psychologists working in the field of attribution theory explore how we decide why people do what they do. If someone does something we think is wrong (fails to show up for a meeting, says something unkind, etc.), how do we decide what the causes of their behavior might be? We might attribute their behavior to situational causes – to external factors that might explain their behavior. For example, we might say to ourselves: He must have had an unexpected crisis that kept him from coming; maybe someone in his family got sick. She must be having a bad day; maybe her boss chewed her out or her child did something wrong – that’s why she said what she said. Alternatively, we might attribute their behavior to dispositional causes – to internal factors in their personality or character. In this case, we might say to ourselves: He is unreliable; he doesn’t respect other people’s time and effort. She is a mean person and doesn’t appreciate the effect of her words on other people. We don’t usually know the whole story behind people’s actions. To be honest, we never know the whole story. But we make judgments. And arguably, judgments are sometimes necessary. If George routinely fails to show up for meetings that have been arranged with him, we need to recognize that and not assign essential tasks to him where a no-show would cause harm. The interesting thing is that we have attribution biases that distort our assessments. If we already have a positive view of a person, we are more likely to explain a false step as being caused by situational factors rather than signaling a flaw in their personality. If we think a person is similar to us, we are more likely to give them a pass rather than deciding that they have a bad character trait. The bias that is most relevant to Jesus’s words about judging others is the fundamental attribution error : the tendency to think that if we have done something wrong, it is because of something external that caused the problem; but if someone else has done something wrong, it is because of their own internal dispositions (Robert S. Feldman, Understanding Psychology , 14th edition, McGraw Hill Education, 2019, pp. 563-564). In other words, people have a tendency to think that the speck or log in the other person’s eye is caused by flaws in the other person’s character, while any speck in our own eye is only due to the external circumstances we face. This fundamental attribution error may be the biggest log of all in our eyes, because it signals an unconscious belief that we are better or less flawed than other people, and that other people are choosing to be bad while we are with good intentions just trying to make the best of a difficult world. Jesus calls us to stop thinking that we are better, or that we are doing better, than others. That is the fundamental log in our eyes. When someone does something that you perceive to be a slight or that hurts you in some way, are you more likely to attribute it to a flaw in their personality/character or to attribute it to external circumstances that made it difficult for them to do what you wanted them to do? Can you describe a time (or times) when you did that? When you do something that someone else perceives to be a slight or that hurts someone else in some way, are you more likely to make justifications for your action based on external circumstances or to do some soul-searching about whether this shows you need to work on your character? Can you describe a time (or times) when you did that? If you were talking with Jesus right now, what would he say to you about whether you treat others the way you treat yourself in terms of how you attribute motives to your behavior and others’ behavior? What steps can you take to adjust your thinking about other people, so that you are more merciful in the judgments you make about other people? Bibliography See Matthew - Bibliography at https://www.faithexplored.com/matthew/bibliography . Copyright © 2025, 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 Matthew List Next

The return of Christ and how to be ready. [1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; 5:1-11] Previous 1 Thess. List Next 1 Thessalonians 4:13-5:11 The return of Christ and how to be ready. Photo by Matthias Münning on Unsplash . Tom Faletti January 31, 2025 1 Thess. 4:13-18 Christians, dead and living, will join Christ when he returns This passage has been a distraction for many, due to poor theology. Some Christians have woven whole books and movies out of inventive interpretations of Paul’s language and the Book of Revelation. Let’s examine what Paul actually says. Paul uses the term “fallen asleep,” a term the early Christians frequently used by for the dead. In what sense are they only “sleeping”? Looking at verses 13-14, what is the concern that has troubled the Thessalonian community? They are troubled that members of the church have died before Jesus has returned. Why does Paul say they can have hope? In verse 14, what is the connection he makes between Jesus and Christians who die? How does Jesus’s resurrection affect your view of death? When we lose a loved one, grief is natural and to be expected. But how does our faith affect our grief? Paul now turns to a brief discussion of Second Coming of Christ. In verse 15, he says that what he is going to tell us in verses 16-17 is a “word of the Lord.” We do not have this in any of the Gospels. It might have been received as a prophetic utterance in the early church or as a prophetic revelation to Paul himself. What is Paul’s main point in verse 15? Why might it matter to Christians that, when Christ returns, those who have already died will not be left behind? The Nicene Creed, which is accepted by most Christian denominations, professes belief in the Second Coming of Christ when it says, “He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead and his kingdom will have no end.” Although the Nicene Creed had not yet bee formulated, this is what Paul is talking about in this passage. In verses 16-17, Paul describes the return or Second Coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. In verse 16, what words or sounds signal that the time has come? The Lord gives the command, and then two things happen, or one thing happens that is described in two ways: the voice of an archangel and the trumpet of God. When that signal is given, what happens first (still in verse 16)? Christians who are dead rise. What Paul says here seems to be consistent with what Jesus says in Matthew 24:31. Let’s look at it: Read Matthew 24:29-31 What elements of Jesus’s words are matched in what Paul says? Jesus will return. Jesus will come in the clouds. A trumpet will sound. Jesus will gather his followers. He will gather the dead as well as the living. He says he will gather them from the four winds and from one end of “the heavens” to the other – this is poetic language, but “the heavens” means not just the people living on the Earth. A trumpet sound could be literal, but it could be symbolic. What does the sounding of a trumpet signal? What kinds of people get heralded by the sound of trumpets? What difference does it make to you that Jesus will return with power and glory? What difference does it make to you that those who have died will rise again – that we will have a resurrection? What difference does it make to you that your loved ones who have gone before you will be part of the resurrection? Return to 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 . In verse 16, Paul says that the dead will rise to life. In verse 17, he says that the people who are alive at that time will be “caught up” with the dead who have risen, to meet the Lord in the air. The Greek word for “caught up” is used in other places in the Bible to mean “snatched” or “taken by force” (e.g., Matt. 11:12; 13:19; John 6:15; 10:12, 28, 29; Acts 8:39). When the Scriptures were translated into Latin, this word was translated to a Latin word that begins with the letters rapt . When the Latin was translated into English, it became our word “rapture.” This passage later became one of the primary passages used by people such as Tim LaHaye of the Left Behind series, and Hal Lindsey in The Late Great Planet Earth and other books, to teach a particular theory about the end times in which Christians are “raptured,” or taken to heaven, before the tribulation that everyone else must face. People who subscribe to that theory are described as pre-tribulation pre-millennialists. What Paul teaches does not support the pre-tribulation, pre-millennial view popularized with the modern use of the term “rapture.” That “rapture” teaching is actually not consistent with the Scriptures, which is why it was rejected throughout much of Christian history until the 19th century. Almost all Christians agree on certain truths: Christ will return. The dead will be raised. Christians who are dead and Christians who are still alive will be united with Christ and live with him forever. That’s what Paul says. But Christians don’t get to escape tribulation by being snatched up to God while everyone else is left behind to suffer. The Catholic Church does not accept that claim. The Orthodox Churches do not accept it. The Episcopal, Lutheran, and Methodist Churches to not accept it. Many other Christian churches do not accept it. It goes against established Christian teaching that reaches all the way back to St. Augustine. This new interpretation of the “rapture” did not become a popular belief until isolated groups of Christians proposed it starting in the 19th century. There are at least two key flaws in the pre-tribulation, pre-millennial rapture theory. First, nothing in Scripture supports the idea that Christians will be protected from tribulation. On the contrary, the Bible tells us over and over again to expect serious suffering. Second, the theory is intertwined with the idea that after Christ comes to take Christians to heaven, there will be a 1000-year gap before the final judgment. Jesus and St. Paul are clear that when Christ comes in his Second Coming, three things will happen immediately: the dead will be raised, those who are still alive will be caught up to Christ, and Christ will carry out the final judgment. There is no 1000-year gap in the middle. Revelation 20:2-3 mentions a 1000-year period known as the “millennium” without explanation as to whether it is symbolic or literal. The mainstream understanding of the millennium is that it is a symbolic “1000” years that began when Jesus ascended into heaven and will end when he returns in glory. During this time, God is restraining evil so that the Word of God can be spread throughout the whole Earth. However, as Jesusa and Paul taught, a time of severe persecution (the “tribulation”) will come before the end, and Christians will not be exempt from that persecution and suffering. See The Rapture? It’s Not a Pre-Millennial Escape from Tribulation for a fuller exploration of how the pre-tribulation, pre-millennial rapture theory contradicts what Jesus and St. Paul clearly teach. Is it a disappointment or a relief to you that Paul, here in 1 Thessalonians, does not teach what has been popularized in books and movies such as the Left Behind series? Why? In verse 17, Paul says that we will be with the Lord forever. What difference does it make to you that we will be with the Lord forever? In verse 18, Paul tells the Thessalonians to use these teachings to “console” (NABRE) or “encourage” (NRSV) each other. How might these teachings about the end times be consoling or encouraging? How are these teachings a source of consolation or encouragement to you? 1 Thess. 5:1-11 Always live in the light, ready for the Lord As Paul continues to discuss the return of Christ, he refers to “the day of the Lord,” which is a term used in Old Testament prophecies in the books of Daniel, Isaiah, Joel, and other prophets. For the Jews of Jesus’s and Paul’s time, that was when God would bring victory for the Jews. Christians re-interpreted it as the day when Christ would return in power and glory. Considering verses 1-3, what can we know about when Christ will return in his Second Coming? What do you think of Paul’s analogy comparing Jesus’s coming to the coming of a “thief in the night”? (FYI- 2 Peter 3:10 uses the same analogy of a thief.) What does it suggest to you as to how you should be prepared? In verses 4-5, what does Paul say about darkness and light? What does it mean to be “children of light”? In verses 6-7, Paul talks again about people “sleeping,” but this time it is not a metaphor for death. What does the metaphor of “sleeping’ mean this time, and what is Paul calling us to do, to avoid “sleeping” like others do? What does it look like to be the kind of Christian who lives in the light? How can you be a child of the light more fully or consistently? In verse 8, Paul tells us to put on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet. He is again talking about the three theological virtues: faith, love, and hope (first mentioned in 1 Thess. 1:3). In this metaphor, they are defensive gear, to protect our head and heart. How do faith, love, and hope protect our head and heart? How do you “put on” faith, love, and hope? In verse 10, Paul uses the word sleep again, but now he is using it as he did in 4:13-18 to refer to death, not as he used it in 5:6-7 regarding lax living. What does he call us to do in verse 10? Since Christ died for us, we are called to respond by living with him, in this life and after we die. How can we live with Christ while we are alive? Paul ends this section by again urging us to encourage each other (verse 11). How can we do that? Paul also urges us to build each other up. What does that mean, and how can we do it? Looking back over 1 Thessalonians 4:13 through 5:11: Which of Paul’s teachings in these passages is most comforting or encouraging to you right now, and why? Which of Paul’s teachings here challenges you to take a new step, and what can you do specifically to respond? Take a step back and consider this: Paul talks about faith, love, and hope twice in this letter. In 1:3, he says the Thessalonians are actively exhibiting all three of these virtues. In 5:8, he urges them to put on the protection of faith, love, and hope. In some ways, faith, love, and hope sum up the whole gospel: if we are actively living our lives in accordance with these three virtues, we will be living the kind of life to which we are called in Christ Jesus. Genuine faith puts God first in all things. Genuine love treats others with the same love God has for us. Genuine hope helps us endure suffering and hold fast to the God who loves us. Which of these virtues would be good for you to focus on this week? Why? We are not alone. God is working to help us respond to these virtues, which he has placed in us. What can you do, or stop doing, to allow the virtues of faith, love, and hope to guide every aspect of your life? Bibliography See 1 Thessalonians - Bibliography at https://www.faithexplored.com/1-thessalonians/bibliography . Copyright © 2025, 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 1 Thess. List Next

What is the evidence that Jesus is the Messiah? Previous Matthew List Next Matthew 11:1-19 What is the evidence that Jesus is the Messiah? Image by Hasan Almasi, provided by Unsplash via Wix. Cropped. 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 3:1-3 . What does Malachi 3:1 say that relates to John the Baptist? Look at Malachi 3:2-3. In this description 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, then, does he say in Matthew 11:11 that the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than John? Greater in what sense? Is he talking about moral/spiritual greatness? 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 See Matthew - Bibliography at https://www.faithexplored.com/matthew/bibliography . Copyright © 2025, 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 Matthew List Next

Jesus provides evidence that he comes from the Father and challenges the religious leaders to search the Scriptures to find him. How eagerly do we search the Scriptures and accept what he says? [John 5:19-30; 5:31-40; 5:41-47] Previous Next John List John 5:19-47 Jesus provides evidence that he comes from the Father and challenges the religious leaders to search the Scriptures to find him. How eagerly do we search the Scriptures and accept what he says? Image provided by Wix. Tom Faletti January 22, 2026 Read John 5:19-30 Jesus is the Son doing the work of his Father The main thrust of this passage is that Jesus does not do anything on his own. Where does what he does and says come from? In verse 20, Jesus says that the Father shows Jesus what to do because the Father loves Jesus. In what ways does the Father show his love for Jesus? In verse 21, Jesus says that the Father raises the dead and gives life – powers that the Old Testament acknowledged as powers of God. In what ways does Jesus give life? (Think about this question both literally and figuratively.) Verse 21 says that Jesus gives life to whomever he wishes. How has he given life to you? How do you respond to Jesus’s gift of life? Are there ways you would like to adjust how you respond, to receive his gift more fully? The Old Testament acknowledged that God has the power to judge humans. In verse 22, Jesus refines this understanding, saying that the Father does not judge people but instead gives all judgment to the Son. What does this mean to you? In verse 24, Jesus describes those who will not be condemned or suffer judgment when Jesus exercises judgment. Who does Jesus say has eternal life? Jesus says this about those who “hear my word” and “believe in the one who sent me.” Verse 24 could be misinterpreted to make salvation seem to be a matter of the ears and mind. Jesus obviously expects more. In verse 29, what does Jesus say is the difference between those who receive the resurrection of life and those who receive the resurrection of judgment? Jesus says that those who have done good (NRSV) or done good deeds (NABRE) receive the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil (NRSV), or wicked deeds (NABRE), receive the resurrection of judgment. This makes it clear that “hearing” and “believing” require action. What do these verses tell us about what it looks like when someone actually “hears” Jesus’s words and “believes” in God the Father? What do you think Jesus means when he talks about doing good or doing good deeds in verse 29? What does that look like? What do these verses tell you about your own place in the Final Judgment that Jesus is describing? In verse 27, Jesus refers to himself as the “Son of Man” in the context of the dead coming to life in a day of judgment. He is invoking two Old Testament prophecies. First, in Daniel 7:13-14, the prophet Daniel has a vision in which he sees “one like a son of man” coming with the clouds of heaven, who is then presented to God and given eternal dominion over all nations and peoples. Second, in Ezekiel 37:1-4, God addresses Ezekiel as “son of man” (a term he uses frequently for Ezekiel) and tells him to speak words over a valley full of dry bones (i.e., people who are dead) and tell them that God will restore their bodies and they will come back to life. Any time we face judgment, whether it is by a parent or a boss or a judge or a friend, or by anyone else, the fear is always that the judge will not be fair. In verse 30, Jesus says that you can count on his judgment being just because he does not seek his own will but the will of the one who sent him. Do you think of Jesus as a just judge? How does the fact that he is the one who will be judging you make you feel? Throughout this passage, Jesus has insisted that he only does what the Father tells him to do, that everything he does and says is a reflection of who the Father is. If he were claiming to be the son of a Greek god, this would be terrifying, since the Greek gods were petty, jealous, fickle, and rarely loving. These words of Jesus can be reassuring only if we have a positive impression of the God whom Jesus is calling his Father. What do you think about God the Father’s attitude toward you? Go back and re-read John 3:16-17 . What does John the Evangelist tell us about the Father, and how does that help us understand what Jesus is like when he acts according to the Father? How can the fact the Jesus embodies the ways of the Father be reassuring to you? Can we use this image of being like the Father as a guide for our lives? If we are meant to be like Jesus, who is an image of the Father, how might that guide how we live? What is the most important thing you can take from this passage as you live your life? Read John 5:31-40 Jesus discusses the witnesses that testify on his behalf Jesus has just been talking about his role in judging the world. Now he shifts the focus to respond to the fact that the Jewish religious leaders are judging him. He talks about the evidence that shows that what he is teaching is right. In Jewish law, testimony on your own behalf was not considered convincing. John will bring this up in 8:13. Furthermore, according to Deuteronomy 19:15, no one could be judged on the basis of a single witness. The testimony of 2 or 3 witnesses was required in order for a verdict to be reached. Here, Jesus offers 4 sources that testify on his behalf. What does Jesus mean when he says that these various sources of evidence “testify” on his behalf? What does it mean for them to “testify” for him? Jesus is describing what in a modern court might be thought of as a combination of “character witnesses” and witnesses who provide testimony that can be used as evidence in support of the claims of the defendant. These sources show that what Jesus is saying is true. What are the sources that testify to Jesus in the following verses? Verses 33-34? Verse 36? Verses 37-38? Verse 39? Jesus says that he receives supportive testimony from John the Baptist, the miracles that he (Jesus) does, the Father, and the Scriptures. By citing these sources of testimony, what is Jesus saying about himself and who he is? What evidence or sources do you find most compelling in support of your belief in Jesus? There is an interesting ambiguity in verse 39. In most translations, Jesus is stating a fact: “You search the Scriptures, because you think in them you have eternal life.” However, the sentence could be translated as an imperative (an order or direction): “Search the Scriptures....” Could you imagine Jesus telling that to you? Why might Jesus want you to study the Scriptures? How might your life be affected if you spend more time studying the Scriptures? What do you think might happen? Read John 5:41-47 Jesus criticizes the Jewish religious leaders for their refusal to accept him despite the evidence Looking at verses 43-44, who does Jesus say the people receive or accept or give glory to, instead of accepting Jesus? They accept and honor people who are speaking only in their own name, not in the name of God. How is this a problem in our time? In what ways do people today accept the claims of others who are only speaking in their own name? In verse 44, Jesus criticizes them for seeking praise from each other instead of from God. In what ways do people in our day do that? What does it look like to seek the praise of God, as Jesus describes in verse 44? How can we know if we are living a life that is worthy of praise from God (for example, where God might say, “Well done, you good and faithful servant”)? In verses 45-47, Jesus says that the people he is talking to – the religious leaders and those who follow them – are not paying attention to Moses. Moses was considered the author of the first 5 books of the Old Testament (the Torah). Jesus is saying that they are ignoring the evidence in the Old Testament that would show that Jesus is the Messiah. We are probably more familiar with passages from other parts of the Old Testament that prophecy about Jesus, but the Torah also has passages that point to a Messiah. For example, Genesis 3:15 says that Eve’s offspring will strike the head of the serpent (the passage that is considered the first Messianic prophecy); Genesis 49:10 says that the scepter will never depart from the house of Judah (implying that a king would arise again); and in Deuteronomy 18:15-19 Moses says that God will raise up a prophet like him. There is also Numbers 21:4-5, which we saw in John 3:14-15, where the bronze serpent is hung on a pole to heal the people. Why do you think the religious leaders were not able to see Jesus in the Old Testament? When did you come to realize that you are comfortable with the idea that Jesus fulfills Old Testament prophecies? What Old Testament passages do you think talk about Jesus most compellingly? Take a step back and consider this: It may see odd to think of Jesus being judged rather than doing the judging. But people do it all the time as they try to decide whether to believe in him. And it might be fair to say that we are judging the words of Jesus when we try to decide what parts of Jesus’s teaching should be taken more seriously and what parts can be moved to the shadows. I'm not suggesting that everything Jesus says must be taken literally. He spoke often in metaphors, and in contexts we don’t always understand well. We need to study his words carefully to figure out what words are meant to be taken literally and what words need to be interpreted with more nuance. But the challenge remains: Are there things Jesus teaches that you have consciously decided to ignore? Are there things Jesus teaches that you have unconsciously pushed out of sight? How can we grapple with the words of Jesus in all their complexity, believing that all of his words have meaning for us? How can we take seriously even the teachings we may not entirely agree with? How would Jesus like us to deal with the things we find difficult? May God the Father be with you and may the Holy Spirit guide you as you wrestle with the words of Jesus. Bibliography See John - Bibliography at https://www.faithexplored.com/john/bibliography . Copyright © 2025, 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 John List Next