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Tuesday, October 26, 2010

Chapter Fifteen - Quick Notes and Facts

  • The Pharisees (or at least not all of the Pharisees) were not explicit enemies of Jesus.  However, they were obviously critical of his approach.  Much of their arguing sounds very hostile to us.  However, in the cultural context, disputation is the way that teaching on the Law was refined.  (Even in modern yeshivas, it sounds like a huge fight is going on, but that is just the way that learning takes place.)

  • In the Law, there are strict dietary laws and rituals about eating.  (That is why the washing is mentioned.)  Various foods are not kosher and can never by eaten, such as pork and shellfish.  Also, there are rules such as the prohibition of eating milk and meat in the same meal.

  • The Canaanites were the original inhabitants of Palestine.  (We also know them as the Phoencians and Palestine is a Latin name for the "Land of the Phoenicians".)  Abraham was called by God to leave his ancestral land (modern Iraq) and settle in the land of Canaan.  The Hebrews returned to Canaan when they escaped slavery in Egypt.  Even though this was the Promised Land, the original population didn't disappear and continued to live right next to the Jews.

  • The feeding miracle is such an important story that it reappears.  A repetition like this is called a "doublet."

Chapter Fifteen - Question 4

How is the feeding miracle connected to the healing as well?

Chapter Fifteen - Question 3

Jesus climbs another mountain, only this time he doesn't teach, but heals.  What is the connection between this story and the Sermon on the Mount?

Chapter Fifteen - Question 2

The incident with the Canaanite woman is important on several levels.

  • What would the significance of this story be to Gentile members in Matthew's community?
  • What does this story tell us about the role of women and Jesus' relationship to them?

Chapter Fifteen - Question 1

Jesus argues with the Pharisees about the Law.  What point is he trying to make?

Tuesday, October 19, 2010

Chapter Fourteen - Quick Notes and Facts

  • Herod had married his brother's wife, and John preached against this, saying that it was indecent. The daughter, Salome, has gone down in history as a seductress, but that is tradition and not straight out of this passage. Also, in legend, her performance is sometimes called the ‘dance of the seven veils.'

  • The feeding miracle is recorded (although the timing and the details differ) in all four of the gospels. It is one of the most enduring and remembered stories.

  • In the early Christian church, loaves obviously had a connection to the Eucharist. Fish were a common symbol for Christ, since (icthys) the word for ‘fish' in Greek is an acronym that stands for ‘Jesus Christ, son of God, Savior.'

Chapter Fourteen - Question 6

The chapter closes with another round of healing. What is essential to any healing, according to the gospel? How does this bear itself out in those who encounter Jesus?

Chapter Fourteen - Question 5

Have you ever felt like Peter - ready to take a risk and then be in way over your head? What is Jesus' answer to this?

Chapter Fourteen - Question 4

Jesus' command over the waters is demonstrated again. What is the symbolic value of this story?

Chapter Fourteen - Question 3

Jesus goes off to pray. What does his retreat from people to do this show to us?

Chapter Fourteen - Question 2

Look at the miracle of the loaves and the fishes. First, what is Jesus' simplest solution to the problem? Second, what is the writer of the gospel trying to explicitly remind us of?

Chapter Fourteen - Question 1

Herod thinks that Jesus is John the Baptist come back to life. Why would this have put a chill in his bones?

Monday, October 11, 2010

Chapter Thirteen - Quick Notes and Facts

  • The numbers in the parable of the sower are exaggerations.  The estimate of a good yield in those days was about ten-fold.

  • Mustard seeds are indeed small, and the bushes lush, but not quite the ‘greatest of all.'  Exaggeration was one way to keep interest when telling the story.

  • The brothers and sisters of Jesus mentioned by name here are a conundrum for Catholic tradition.  Catholic doctrine teaches that Mary remained a virgin always, and so never had other children.  The explanations for this are that 1) "brother and sister" meant more than siblings, but also cousins or 2) Joseph had children from a first marriage, and then was widowed before marrying Mary.  (This is represented in many medieval and Renaissance paintings which show Joseph as an old man.)

Chapter Thirteen - Question 4

Jesus spent his ministry inviting people into God's Reign.  What attraction does it have for you?  Is it precious enough, like the pearl of great price, to risk the rest of what you possess?

Chapter Thirteen - Question 3

People in the synagogue in Nazareth don't seem all that impressed with Jesus?  What holds them back?

Chapter Thirteen - Question 2

Why do you think that Jesus spoke in parables?

Chapter Thirteen - Question 1

The parables in this chapter all tell us of aspects of the Kingdom of God. Read through them and note for each
  • What is the Kingdom of God like? What aspect is being presented?
  • How can we recognize the Kingdom?
  • How can we explain or deal with those who ‘get it wrong' or who don't get it at all?

Tuesday, October 5, 2010

Chapter Twelve - Quick Notes and Facts

  • In the Jewish law, it was strictly prohibited to do any kind of work on the Sabbath. Picking grain definitely fell into that category. However to relieve suffering is permitted, and anything to save a life is commanded.

  • The bread of the Presence was special bread placed each week in the sanctuary of the Temple.

  • "I desire mercy and not sacrifice" is a paraphrase of Hosea 6:6. Hosea was a prophet from the north who preached in eighth century before Jesus. The prophetic tradition often critiqued the Jerusalem Temple, accusing the worshipers of not obeying the true spirit of the Law, but resorting to expensive sacrifices thinking that this would appease God.

  • Jesus worshiped at the Temple, but he criticized the hypocrisy of some who also worshiped there. The prophets did, as well.

  • Jonah preached (reluctantly) to pagans, who listened to his word about God. The "Queen of the South" was the Queen of Sheba, who came to be one of Solomon's wives.

Chapter Twelve - Question 6

Once again the chapter ends with a ‘bottom line' statement about discipleship. What is the criterion for discipleship that Jesus is looking for? What does it mean for us?

Chapter Twelve - Question 5

Why does Jesus invoke the people of Nineveh (Jonah 3:1-10) and the Queen of Sheba (1 Kings 10:1-13) in contrast to the people ‘in this generation?' What is Jesus looking for instead?

Chapter Twelve - Question 4

What does Jesus mean about ‘blasphemy against the Holy Spirit'?

Chapter Twelve - Question 3

The Pharisees accuse Jesus of exorcizing demons because he himself is using demonic power. Why do you think that they made this accusation? What is Jesus' answer to their charges?

Chapter Twelve - Question 2

What is the connection between Jesus' work of healing and the quote from Isaiah? How does one illuminate the other?

Chapter Twelve - Question 1

Jesus says that he is "lord of the Sabbath" and greater than the Temple. What does he mean by this, and why does what he says and how he acts so anger the Pharisees?