On this journey, Jesus deliberately makes his apostles dependent on the hospitality of the children of Israel by instructing them not to take provisions. The apostles might expect they are launching a victory tour, but they will learn first-hand how the children of Israel will reject the Messiah.
Tools and resources you need to do a word study on the Greek word for worthy, axios.
Enjoy this 8-minute video of Reggie Coates leading worship at a Sunday morning service with First Baptist Church in Watsonville, California.
Matthew presents this initial sending of the Twelve as a first step toward their ultimate global mission. Even though they are to stay in Jewish territory on this journey, ultimately, Jesus is going to send them to the world.
In biblical terms, the word “fear” does not usually focus on feelings of terror or fright. “Fear” is a motivating emotion. We use “fear” to determine what we will do in any given situation.
Metaphors about sheep and their shepherd have a rich background in the Old Testament that continues in the New Testament. Without a shepherd, sheep can easily end up hungry, lost and the victim of predators.
Some see faith as a settled issue, something we no longer have to think about once we pray the sinners prayer. Others see faith as a journey with trials and troubles along the way. The goal is to grow and persevere. Which approach we take influences how we interpret the Bible. (I take the second approach.)
Enjoy a refreshing half hour of Reggie Coates sharing his own songs during one of his home concerts. May you be encouraged and reminded of essential truths.
Did you know there is more to Wednesday in the Word than a podcast? The website contains over 1000 pages of free bible study tools and resources. As you resume your local bible studies, WitW can help you with your homework. I’ve got a resource page for each book of the Bible with links to tools, commentaries, outlines and articles. It’s all free and growing!
After gathering an idea of the word’s meaning from your own study, it’s a good time to check the conclusions of other scholars and reference works. Here are some free online places to look.
In these last two miracles, Matthew foreshadows the growing conflict with the Pharisees. While the crowds are excited and amazed, the Pharisees reject Jesus as working with the devil. Ultimately the unbelief of the Jewish leadership will be a crucial part of the story.
You’re probably aware that many classic commentaries are free online, but did you know many modern commentaries (written after 1970) are also online?
Krisan Marotta is a Bible teacher and host of Wednesday in the Word, the podcast about what the Bible means and how we know.