August 26, 2020
Matthew 5 Salt and Light vv. 13-16 – Part 2 Looking over to his right, seeing the town of Safat on the mountainside, he says his followers will be as conspicuous in the world as a city built on a hill. Their light will shine. Their influence will permeate like salt. They will become critical […]
August 19, 2020
Matthew 5 Salt and Light vv. 13-16 – Part 1 You don’t have to be a scientist. All you do is “Google” the question. “Can salt lose its saltiness?” The answer is clear. “Sodium chloride is readily water-soluble, so if this crude salt were exposed to condensation or rain water, the sodium chloride could be […]
August 5, 2020
Matthew 5 A Summary Comment Many years ago I had the honour of interviewing John R. W. Stott for a television show. I brought my copy of his classic, “The Message of The Sermon on the Mount” to the studio. He graciously singed it. As we waited for the crew to make the final lighting […]
July 29, 2020
Matthew 5 Persecuted because of Righteousness vv.10-12 Rather than do a word study on “righteousness” (which he could have done), Jesus qualifies its meaning as that which is done “on my account” or “because of me” (v. 11b). He is looking ahead and anticipates the push-back the disciples will suffer as they “go into all […]
July 22, 2020
Matthew 5 The Peacemakers v. 9 In Israel the standard “Hello” is “Shalom”. The standard “Goodbye” is “Shalom”. “Shalom” also means “Peace”. Ironically, “peace” is not the standard state of the atmosphere in Israel, or anywhere else in the Middle East for that matter. But “shalom” is the heart’s cry of the world. Imagine the […]
July 15, 2020
Matthew 5 The Pure in Heart v.8 – Part 2 Long before Jesus, the Psalms expressed the genius of the pure in heart: “Who may ascend the mountain of the Lord? Who may stand in his holy place? The one who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not trust in an idol […]
July 8, 2020
Matthew 5 The Pure in Heart v. 8 – Part 1 I was raised on the Canadian prairies, son of a preacher who pastored small town churches. His congregants were subsistence farmers, all poor and semi-literate. My view of church “buildings” was limited. Most of them weren’t even purpose-built houses of worship. They were converted […]
July 1, 2020
Matthew 5 The Merciful v.7 First a word from Shakespeare, and then Jesus’ brother James: “The quality of very is not strain’d It droppeth as the gentle rain from Heaven Upon the place beneath: it is twice blest; It blesses him that gives and him that takes: ‘Tis mightiest in the mightiest: it becomes The […]
June 17, 2020
Matthew 5 The Mourners v.4 Here we have what an old theologian called “a deep doctrine of sin, a high doctrine of joy.” St. Paul’s, “O wretchedness man that I am…” is followed by, “I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord…” (Ro. 7:24, 25). Comfort comes to those who mourn. Jesus is addressing both […]
June 10, 2020
Matthew 5 The Poor in Spirit v. 3 – Part 2 According to the “Etymological Dictionary” the English word “bless” comes from old English, “blestsian”, “to consecrate, make holy” and the Proto-Germanic, “blouson”, to hallow with blood” — originally to sprinkle blood on an alter. Both Latin and Greek words for “bless” indicate a “speaking […]
August 5, 2020
Matthew 5 A Summary Comment Many years ago I had the honour of interviewing John R. W. Stott for a television show. I brought my copy of his classic, “The Message of The Sermon on the Mount” to the studio. He graciously singed it. As we waited for the crew to make the final lighting […]
July 29, 2020
Matthew 5 Persecuted because of Righteousness vv.10-12 Rather than do a word study on “righteousness” (which he could have done), Jesus qualifies its meaning as that which is done “on my account” or “because of me” (v. 11b). He is looking ahead and anticipates the push-back the disciples will suffer as they “go into all […]
July 22, 2020
Matthew 5 The Peacemakers v. 9 In Israel the standard “Hello” is “Shalom”. The standard “Goodbye” is “Shalom”. “Shalom” also means “Peace”. Ironically, “peace” is not the standard state of the atmosphere in Israel, or anywhere else in the Middle East for that matter. But “shalom” is the heart’s cry of the world. Imagine the […]
July 15, 2020
Matthew 5 The Pure in Heart v.8 – Part 2 Long before Jesus, the Psalms expressed the genius of the pure in heart: “Who may ascend the mountain of the Lord? Who may stand in his holy place? The one who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not trust in an idol […]
July 8, 2020
Matthew 5 The Pure in Heart v. 8 – Part 1 I was raised on the Canadian prairies, son of a preacher who pastored small town churches. His congregants were subsistence farmers, all poor and semi-literate. My view of church “buildings” was limited. Most of them weren’t even purpose-built houses of worship. They were converted […]
July 1, 2020
Matthew 5 The Merciful v.7 First a word from Shakespeare, and then Jesus’ brother James: “The quality of very is not strain’d It droppeth as the gentle rain from Heaven Upon the place beneath: it is twice blest; It blesses him that gives and him that takes: ‘Tis mightiest in the mightiest: it becomes The […]
June 17, 2020
Matthew 5 The Mourners v.4 Here we have what an old theologian called “a deep doctrine of sin, a high doctrine of joy.” St. Paul’s, “O wretchedness man that I am…” is followed by, “I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord…” (Ro. 7:24, 25). Comfort comes to those who mourn. Jesus is addressing both […]
June 10, 2020
Matthew 5 The Poor in Spirit v. 3 – Part 2 According to the “Etymological Dictionary” the English word “bless” comes from old English, “blestsian”, “to consecrate, make holy” and the Proto-Germanic, “blouson”, to hallow with blood” — originally to sprinkle blood on an alter. Both Latin and Greek words for “bless” indicate a “speaking […]
July 29, 2020
Matthew 5 Persecuted because of Righteousness vv.10-12 Rather than do a word study on “righteousness” (which he could have done), Jesus qualifies its meaning as that which is done “on my account” or “because of me” (v. 11b). He is looking ahead and anticipates the push-back the disciples will suffer as they “go into all […]
July 22, 2020
Matthew 5 The Peacemakers v. 9 In Israel the standard “Hello” is “Shalom”. The standard “Goodbye” is “Shalom”. “Shalom” also means “Peace”. Ironically, “peace” is not the standard state of the atmosphere in Israel, or anywhere else in the Middle East for that matter. But “shalom” is the heart’s cry of the world. Imagine the […]
July 15, 2020
Matthew 5 The Pure in Heart v.8 – Part 2 Long before Jesus, the Psalms expressed the genius of the pure in heart: “Who may ascend the mountain of the Lord? Who may stand in his holy place? The one who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not trust in an idol […]
July 8, 2020
Matthew 5 The Pure in Heart v. 8 – Part 1 I was raised on the Canadian prairies, son of a preacher who pastored small town churches. His congregants were subsistence farmers, all poor and semi-literate. My view of church “buildings” was limited. Most of them weren’t even purpose-built houses of worship. They were converted […]
July 1, 2020
Matthew 5 The Merciful v.7 First a word from Shakespeare, and then Jesus’ brother James: “The quality of very is not strain’d It droppeth as the gentle rain from Heaven Upon the place beneath: it is twice blest; It blesses him that gives and him that takes: ‘Tis mightiest in the mightiest: it becomes The […]
June 17, 2020
Matthew 5 The Mourners v.4 Here we have what an old theologian called “a deep doctrine of sin, a high doctrine of joy.” St. Paul’s, “O wretchedness man that I am…” is followed by, “I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord…” (Ro. 7:24, 25). Comfort comes to those who mourn. Jesus is addressing both […]
June 10, 2020
Matthew 5 The Poor in Spirit v. 3 – Part 2 According to the “Etymological Dictionary” the English word “bless” comes from old English, “blestsian”, “to consecrate, make holy” and the Proto-Germanic, “blouson”, to hallow with blood” — originally to sprinkle blood on an alter. Both Latin and Greek words for “bless” indicate a “speaking […]
July 22, 2020
Matthew 5 The Peacemakers v. 9 In Israel the standard “Hello” is “Shalom”. The standard “Goodbye” is “Shalom”. “Shalom” also means “Peace”. Ironically, “peace” is not the standard state of the atmosphere in Israel, or anywhere else in the Middle East for that matter. But “shalom” is the heart’s cry of the world. Imagine the […]
July 15, 2020
Matthew 5 The Pure in Heart v.8 – Part 2 Long before Jesus, the Psalms expressed the genius of the pure in heart: “Who may ascend the mountain of the Lord? Who may stand in his holy place? The one who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not trust in an idol […]
July 8, 2020
Matthew 5 The Pure in Heart v. 8 – Part 1 I was raised on the Canadian prairies, son of a preacher who pastored small town churches. His congregants were subsistence farmers, all poor and semi-literate. My view of church “buildings” was limited. Most of them weren’t even purpose-built houses of worship. They were converted […]
July 1, 2020
Matthew 5 The Merciful v.7 First a word from Shakespeare, and then Jesus’ brother James: “The quality of very is not strain’d It droppeth as the gentle rain from Heaven Upon the place beneath: it is twice blest; It blesses him that gives and him that takes: ‘Tis mightiest in the mightiest: it becomes The […]
June 17, 2020
Matthew 5 The Mourners v.4 Here we have what an old theologian called “a deep doctrine of sin, a high doctrine of joy.” St. Paul’s, “O wretchedness man that I am…” is followed by, “I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord…” (Ro. 7:24, 25). Comfort comes to those who mourn. Jesus is addressing both […]
June 10, 2020
Matthew 5 The Poor in Spirit v. 3 – Part 2 According to the “Etymological Dictionary” the English word “bless” comes from old English, “blestsian”, “to consecrate, make holy” and the Proto-Germanic, “blouson”, to hallow with blood” — originally to sprinkle blood on an alter. Both Latin and Greek words for “bless” indicate a “speaking […]
July 15, 2020
Matthew 5 The Pure in Heart v.8 – Part 2 Long before Jesus, the Psalms expressed the genius of the pure in heart: “Who may ascend the mountain of the Lord? Who may stand in his holy place? The one who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not trust in an idol […]
July 8, 2020
Matthew 5 The Pure in Heart v. 8 – Part 1 I was raised on the Canadian prairies, son of a preacher who pastored small town churches. His congregants were subsistence farmers, all poor and semi-literate. My view of church “buildings” was limited. Most of them weren’t even purpose-built houses of worship. They were converted […]
July 1, 2020
Matthew 5 The Merciful v.7 First a word from Shakespeare, and then Jesus’ brother James: “The quality of very is not strain’d It droppeth as the gentle rain from Heaven Upon the place beneath: it is twice blest; It blesses him that gives and him that takes: ‘Tis mightiest in the mightiest: it becomes The […]
June 17, 2020
Matthew 5 The Mourners v.4 Here we have what an old theologian called “a deep doctrine of sin, a high doctrine of joy.” St. Paul’s, “O wretchedness man that I am…” is followed by, “I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord…” (Ro. 7:24, 25). Comfort comes to those who mourn. Jesus is addressing both […]
June 10, 2020
Matthew 5 The Poor in Spirit v. 3 – Part 2 According to the “Etymological Dictionary” the English word “bless” comes from old English, “blestsian”, “to consecrate, make holy” and the Proto-Germanic, “blouson”, to hallow with blood” — originally to sprinkle blood on an alter. Both Latin and Greek words for “bless” indicate a “speaking […]
July 8, 2020
Matthew 5 The Pure in Heart v. 8 – Part 1 I was raised on the Canadian prairies, son of a preacher who pastored small town churches. His congregants were subsistence farmers, all poor and semi-literate. My view of church “buildings” was limited. Most of them weren’t even purpose-built houses of worship. They were converted […]
July 1, 2020
Matthew 5 The Merciful v.7 First a word from Shakespeare, and then Jesus’ brother James: “The quality of very is not strain’d It droppeth as the gentle rain from Heaven Upon the place beneath: it is twice blest; It blesses him that gives and him that takes: ‘Tis mightiest in the mightiest: it becomes The […]
June 17, 2020
Matthew 5 The Mourners v.4 Here we have what an old theologian called “a deep doctrine of sin, a high doctrine of joy.” St. Paul’s, “O wretchedness man that I am…” is followed by, “I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord…” (Ro. 7:24, 25). Comfort comes to those who mourn. Jesus is addressing both […]
June 10, 2020
Matthew 5 The Poor in Spirit v. 3 – Part 2 According to the “Etymological Dictionary” the English word “bless” comes from old English, “blestsian”, “to consecrate, make holy” and the Proto-Germanic, “blouson”, to hallow with blood” — originally to sprinkle blood on an alter. Both Latin and Greek words for “bless” indicate a “speaking […]
July 1, 2020
Matthew 5 The Merciful v.7 First a word from Shakespeare, and then Jesus’ brother James: “The quality of very is not strain’d It droppeth as the gentle rain from Heaven Upon the place beneath: it is twice blest; It blesses him that gives and him that takes: ‘Tis mightiest in the mightiest: it becomes The […]
June 17, 2020
Matthew 5 The Mourners v.4 Here we have what an old theologian called “a deep doctrine of sin, a high doctrine of joy.” St. Paul’s, “O wretchedness man that I am…” is followed by, “I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord…” (Ro. 7:24, 25). Comfort comes to those who mourn. Jesus is addressing both […]
June 10, 2020
Matthew 5 The Poor in Spirit v. 3 – Part 2 According to the “Etymological Dictionary” the English word “bless” comes from old English, “blestsian”, “to consecrate, make holy” and the Proto-Germanic, “blouson”, to hallow with blood” — originally to sprinkle blood on an alter. Both Latin and Greek words for “bless” indicate a “speaking […]