Deep Dives into the Bible

Jesus Admonishes the Pharisees. Is Christ Addressing Us, As Well? - Episode 93 MATTHEW 23:29-39 It’s easy to read scripture and see the faults Jesus is pointing out about the scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites. Do we share any of those same faults?

Woe to You - Episode 92 Matthew 23:13-28 In verses 13-28, Jesus says, "Woe to you, Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!" He condemns their behavior, because they were given the authority to teach God's Law to His people, but they failed to act accordingly and follow the Law themselves. "Hypocrites!" "After thoroughly dismantling scribes, Pharisees, and Sadducees in debat...

ABUSES OF AUTHORITY - Episode 91 MATTHEW 23: 1-12  Christ criticizes the scribes and Pharisees for their actions that don’t align with their words. As hypocrites, they place themselves above God in power and importance. But Christ tells the people, power is servitude, not weakness. "Whoever is greatest among you shall be your servant."

Whose Son is the Christ? - Episode 90 MATTHEW 22:41-46 When Jesus asks the Pharisees this question, they answer, “The Son of David.” Jesus then asks how David can call His Son Lord? The Pharisees wouldn’t answer because they refused to call Jesus the incarnate God. God reveals the Truth to us. We either refuse it or accept it.

THE GREATEST COMMANDMENT IS LOVE - Episode 89 MATTHEW 22:34-40 The Jews, Sadducees and Pharisees, had the 10 commandments and 613 other laws. One of the members, known as a lawyer, tried to test Jesus asking, “Which is the greatest commandment in the law?” Jesus told the group there are two upon which all the others hang.

THE SADDUCEES TRY TO CONTAIN GOD AND SCRIPTURE IN A BOX - EPISODE 88 MATTHEW 22: 23-33 Our God is the Living God and His Power continues to pour forth beyond the pages of the Bible. He is the God of those who are alive in Him, not the God of the dead. When the Sadducees try to trick Christ with a question about 7 husbands having the same wife and asking who’s with whom in Heaven, Jesus doesn’t des...

Give Unto Caesar What Is Caesar’s and Unto God What Is God’s MATTHEW 22:15-22  (The first part of this episode expounds on the previous week’s discussion about “Many are called, but few are chosen.”) Then it explores the attempt by the Pharisees to entrap Jesus. Christ uses a coin of Caesar to point out we have earthly and spiritual obligations.

MATTHEW 22:1-14 Episode 86 Who Enters into the Kingdom? “For many are called, but few are chosen.” Do you answer the call or reject it? If you answer, are you prepared for what is expected of you? *Please note Fr. Michael misspoke, this episode is actually 86.

Mathew 21: 28-32 Obedience, whether we agree with it, feel like it or not, obeying is the act of relenting, repenting, trusting, believing in God. 

Matthew 21: 1-17 The triumphal entry into Jerusalem of Jesus on Palm Sunday as He rides the humble donkey. The people sing and praise Him, “Hosanna to the Son of David.”

Matthew 20: 29-34 Despite their blindness, the great faith of the two blind men enables them to recognize that Jesus is truly the Messiah. They call out to Him as He passes by, “Have mercy on us, Son of David!” Jesus heals them.

MATTHEW 20:17-28 The Gospels are a progression: the nativity; Jesus’ ministry of teaching, healing, and His call to follow Him; and His passion, death and resurrection. Jesus challenges all of us who want to inherit the Kingdom of Heaven to take up His cup just as Jesus took up His cup for our salvation. Those of us who wish to be great will be servants; those who wish to be first will be slaves;...

Matthew 20: 1-16  We are laborers in the vineyard and our assessment of ourselves is irrelevant. We’re judging ourselves but we’re not the Judge. God Is. What is God asking us to do? What have we agreed to do? And what are we going to get if we do it? We’re not in the first hour, third, sixth, ninth, or even the eleventh hour. Modern-day Christians are in the twelfth hour. 

Matthew 19: 23-30 “Many who are first will be last, and the last first." The goal is the Kingdom. In Heaven, many things are opposite of what we uphold on earth: the rich and the poor; the strong and the meek; the first and the last. Christ is emphasizing when we sacrifice for Him in our earthly life, we stand to gain in Heaven.

MATTHEW 19:23-30 The Camel, the Rich Man, and the Eye of the Needle What does it take to enter the Kingdom of Heaven? Our attachment to things of this world can keep us from attaching to the things of Heaven. What we have and hold onto in this life correlates to what we’ll have in the new life.

This is Matthew 19: 10-15: Continuing Discussion of Divorce and Marriage, the Single Life, and Children Leading the Way Revisiting the previous lesson, Moses gave the law allowing divorce but The God of Moses made male and female to cling to one another and not separate. The example of eunuchs and a celibate life shows that the single life is a calling, for those who can receive/accept it, a gift....

Matthew 19: 1-15 Episode 75 Moses allowed the law of divorce because of the hardness of the heart. God intended marriage to be life-long. Can you separate the legal from the religious? Can you separate the bridegroom from the bride?

MATTHEW 18:21-35 - Episode 74 How do we view forgiveness and how does Jesus view it?  Who’s at the center of forgiveness and does forgiveness have limits?

Matthew 18: 18-20 Episode 73 Where two or three are gathered and agree in my name, I am there in the midst of them and what they ask will be done for them. Our theology is based on unity: Father, Son, Holy Spirit is in agreement. God wants unity, agreement, and peace for all of us.

Matthew 18 God is always on the side of the small and the weak and is teaching us how to care for his precious ones.

Jesus' stern warnings against being the one who leads children into sin.

As we begin to look at Matthew 18 we hear with new ears Jesus' revolutionary idea that greatness is found in the humility of a child. We dig into this idea of how to make this a reality in our lives today when everything around us encourages our strength and superiority.

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