In light of today’s growing secularization of the Christmas holiday many sincere and devout Christians have come to question its origin and are wondering to what extent they should participate in its festivities. On the one hand, they know that its celebration is in honor of the advent into our world of our great God…
Recall that after having posed many questions to Jesus in order to catch Him in something He might say, Jesus has now posed a question to the religious leaders, not to ensnare, but to instruct them. Were they able to answer the question Jesus asked them? See Mat 22:46. What is the answer to His…
Recall that it is Tuesday of Passion week and Jesus has been confronted by the religious leaders who were seeking an occasion to seize Him by questioning Him about various things that they hoped would catch Him in something He said; cf. Mat 21:23-24, 22:15,23,34-35. What does Scripture record was the result of Jesus’ answers…
Recall that after Jesus had answered the Sadducees’ question about marriage and the resurrection one of the scribes from among the Pharisees asked Him what commandment was foremost in the law, to which Jesus answered to love God with all one’s heart and soul and strength and to love one’s neighbor as himself. What does…
What is another way of saying “love your neighbor as yourself”, and what do we call this rule? See Mat 7:12. In what way does this second great command summarize the second half of the Decalogue (Ten Commandments), even as the foremost commandment summarizes the first half? Cf. Exo 20:1-17. Although the 5th commandment to…
What did the scribe mean by the “great” commandment in Mat 22:36? See Mar 12:28 and the NAS text note there. By “great” or “foremost” or “first” are we to understand that some commandments are less binding than others? Cf. Jam 2:10. In what sense then may one commandment be greater than another? See Mat…
Recall that it is Tuesday of Passion week and Jesus has returned to Jerusalem from spending the night outside of the city (Mar 11:19). Upon entering the temple He was confronted by a delegation from the Sanhedrin, the ruling body of the Jews. This council of the elders of Israel was composed mostly of Pharisees…
Recall that Jesus is addressing the Sadducees’ mistaken belief that there is no resurrection, and has dispelled their argument that the resurrection makes no sense in light of the Levirate marriage commanded in the law of Moses. They were mistaken in this regard, indeed greatly deceived in their understanding, for it isn’t the case that…
Recall that in answering the Sadducees Jesus taught that in the resurrection men cannot die because they are equal to angels and are sons of God being sons of the resurrection (Luk 20:36). For in that age the tree of life shall be restored to man. Why was it that God prevented man from eating…
Recall that in answering the Sadducees Jesus noted that in the resurrection men shall neither marry nor be given in marriage for they can no longer die anymore because they are equal to angels and are sons of God being sons of the resurrection (Luk 20:36); what in particular that was lost in Eden and…