Real Voices

To best comprehend Jesus’ teachings on parables, it’s helpful to examine his dialogue preceding and following the discussion of these parables. In Chapter 11, Jesus addresses cities that have witnessed his miracles yet failed to repent. He delivers a word of judgment upon them (Matthew 11.20-24). Then, he expresses gratitude to the Heavenly Father for […]

As we study the Gospel of Matthew, it’s helpful to remember that Matthew wrote this gospel for a church that was suffering persecution and internal struggles. On one level, Jesus told the parable of the sower to remind the church that the kinds of soils mentioned in the parable represent different responses to the gospel […]

A would-be follower of Jesus wanted to be a disciple but to delay his commitment to care for his father. Jesus responded to this man and said, “Follow me, and let the dead bury their own dead” (Matthew 8.22). On another occasion, Jesus said: “Whoever comes to me and does not hate father and mother, […]

The best way to understand the discussion between Jesus and the Pharisees is to realize that it is connected with what has previously transpired. Jesus and the religious authorities have been arguing. Jesus healed and delivered people from demons, but the authorities were adamantly opposed to him. For some strange reason, they now ask for […]

A close friend of mine in Louisiana struggled with serious mental illness. Despite his challenges, we met often for coffee. He patiently – very patiently, in fact – taught me what carpentry skills I know. In return, I hoped to offer him some support with his mental health. One question that haunted him was whether […]

The healing of a demonized man brought two radically different responses. One came from the crowd, another from the religious authorities. Then they brought to him a demon-possessed man who was blind and mute, and he cured him, so that the one who had been mute could speak and see. All the crowds were amazed […]

In yesterday’s blog article, I asked you to imagine that you were following Jesus through the lanes and villages of Galilee. If you were following along, you were present during Jesus’s encounter with the Pharisees on the Sabbath. In a wheat field, they argued, and Jesus angered them to the point wanting him dead by […]

Imagine that you’re part of the crowd in the northern part of Israel, Galilee, watching Jesus interact with the religious leaders. You’ve just seen Jesus say some striking things to them in a grain field. He says that he’s greater than the temple, the Son of Man, and the Lord of the Sabbath (Matthew 12.1-8). […]

When we last heard Jesus, He was inviting people to come to Him to find rest. Now, the scene is the day of rest, the Sabbath, and what takes place between Jesus and the religious leaders. At that time Jesus went through the grain fields on the Sabbath; his disciples were hungry, and they began […]

Try an experiment with me. Imagine you are burdened by life and seated alone on a park bench. Someone who you recognize to be Jesus walks up to you and says this. “Come to me, all you who are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. “Take my yoke upon […]