89 chapter project: Matthew

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Inspired accounting ... creative aspirations?

Then there is the cognizance of creative accounting that makes soles wealthier than simple working dummies that the powers like to corrupt in the dark! A blind pathe ...
 
Summary: Matthew 3:1-17

The third gospel of Matthew has two sections:

1. The appearance of John the Baptist in accordance with Isaiah's prophecy. He calls for repentance because the kingdom of God is at hand. The people of Jerusalem and Judea came to him for baptism in the river Jordon, confessing their sins. When the Sadducees and Pharisees come forward they are called a brood of vipers.

John announces that One more worthy than he is coming after him. This One will baptize not with water but with the Holy Spirit and with fire.

2. The baptism of Jesus by John in order to fulfill all righteousness. When Jesus came up from the water, the heavens opened and the Spirit of God descended like a dove and fell on Him. A voice from heaven said, "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well-pleased."
 
Reflection:

This is a well-known passage and I am more familiar with it than the first two chapters of Matthew. It is a dramatic introduction to the adult person of Jesus. The last we saw him he was a small child.

I have always understood the request by Jesus for baptism as a story of His humility. It also establishes that He is the beloved Son of God.

The prediction in verse 12 puzzles me: NRSV "His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor and gather his wheat into the granary; but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire."

It must reflect the view of Jesus held by John the Baptist. What does John think the ministry of Jesus will be all about?
 
Jae said:
Why have you not listed as a possibility that the chapter is an inspired account of what actually happened?
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Believe it or not, it didn't occur to me. Good thing I outlined my biases in the opening post . . . I am not trying to pretend I don't have them.

This thread is meant to be a personal reflection. Not an all inclusive list of possibilities.

I am happy to hear from those who understand scripture differently than I do. What meaning do the various chapters hold for you? I hope this is what you and others will share with us, Jae.
 
paradox3 said:
Reflection:

This is a well-known passage and I am more familiar with it than the first two chapters of Matthew. It is a dramatic introduction to the adult person of Jesus. The last we saw him he was a small child.

I have always understood the request by Jesus for baptism as a story of His humility. It also establishes that He is the beloved Son of God.

The prediction in verse 12 puzzles me: NRSV "His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor and gather his wheat into the granary; but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire."

It must reflect the view of Jesus held by John the Baptist. What does John think the ministry of Jesus will be all about?
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Straw men? In myth could this be lionized ...? Present itself as Blake's Ancient Daze ... Dais dreaming ... AN Cored thought?
 
From The Five Gospels, here are three questions to consider:

1. Did John the Baptist preach an apocalyptic message to the effect that God's imperial rule was closing in?
2. Did John call on people to repent in the face of this impending event?
3. Did Jesus learn and take over these points from John?

When I was out on my walk today, I was pondering whether the winnowing fork verse refers to end times.
 
Summary: Matthew 4: 1 - 25

This chapter gives us 4 stories

1. The temptation in the wilderness of Jesus by the devil. Jesus replies to the taunts of the devil by quoting scripture in each case. The devil himself quotes scripture once.
2. The start of the ministry of Jesus in accordance with prophecy. As John the Baptist had done earlier, Jesus calls for repentance and declares the kingdom of God is at hand. Here we learn that John has been arrested.
3. The calling of the first four disciples. Matthew 4: 19 NKJ "And he said to them, Follow me and I will make you fishers of men."
4. The healing ministry of Jesus begins. Many are healed and great multitudes follow Him.
 
Reflection: Matthew 4: 1 - 25

This chapter seems to suggest that Jesus has taken over from John the Baptist with his message of repentance and his announcement of God's kingdom. Jesus is presented to us as very familiar with the Hebrew scriptures and again, he fulfills early prophecy.

The stage is set for the Sermon on the Mount in subsequent chapters.

I am very aware that I am reading these chapters differently than my usual approach to Scripture. For one thing, I have spent much more time with the Bible in the last five days than I generally do!

Attempting to digest and reflect on a whole chapter at a time is quite different than focusing on a single lectionary lesson. My usual practice is more like reading poetry perhaps. In these four chapters I have been aware of a narrative building and a persuasive bent of the gospel writer.

In thinking about my quest to understand the faith perspective of Jesus, I would say he is firmly established here as a righteous Jew.
 
Summary: Matthew 5: 1 - 48

Jesus begins his ethical teaching with this first chapter of the Sermon on the Mount. There are 9 distinct sections:

1. The Beatitudes
2. Believers are seen as the salt of the earth and the light of the world.
3. Jesus tells us he has come to fulfill the Law and the Prophets. His scorn for the scribes and the Pharisees is evident here.
4. Cautions about anger
5. Cautions about lust and adultery
6. The sacred and binding nature of marriage
7. Forbidding of oaths
8. The lesson about turning the other cheek
9. The instruction to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us.
 
Reflection: Matthew 5: 1 - 48

This chapter begins with the beatitudes which I committed to memory many years ago. I think this effort was part of earning one of those stars for my sleeve in Explorers. Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven . . .

Who the heck are the poor in spirit? The humble???

The beatitudes are filled with hope and comfort, yet they caution us about persecution for righteousness' sake. But we are to rejoice and be glad!

This chapter is almost overwhelming with its 48 verses and many teachings. I was tempted yesterday to slow down my pace of reading & reflecting on one chapter per day. But I am sticking with my plan. :)

What does this chapter tell us about the faith of Jesus of Nazareth? I think Matthew's gospel continues to present Him as a devout Jew. He is grounded in the Law and the Prophets but emphasizes that faith needs to be lived out in a variety of ways.

And He is not saying this will be easy.
 
paradox3 said:
Summary: Matthew 5: 1 - 48

Jesus begins his ethical teaching with this first chapter of the Sermon on the Mount. There are 9 distinct sections:

1. The Beatitudes
2. Believers are seen as the salt of the earth and the light of the world.
3. Jesus tells us he has come to fulfill the Law and the Prophets. His scorn for the scribes and the Pharisees is evident here.
4. Cautions about anger
5. Cautions about lust and adultery
6. The sacred and binding nature of marriage
7. Forbidding of oaths
8. The lesson about turning the other cheek
9. The instruction to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us.
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Nine items to muse about the etiology thereof ... ancient Greek myth as slippery and hard to grasp?

Hair eM scare M ... her of the Black Velvet Band tempting gentle men to be other than gentile? Thus powerful thief of the Knight ... if black of night is absence ... where did IT go when the matter part was at rest! Nun knows ... habit of loess ... that's the dirt!

Humble mire as dirt to hide the humble self and thus soul-spirit is stuffed into clE as Jaerd! Some say be close mouthed and other firm bouche ... bo*Chi as evergreen creeping across the soiled ... amassing of lighter force .. en bouquet? Das flouring as mill'd ...

Life grinds on stigmatized by whats unseen and myth! Yet heh ... we still don't wish to know of Bad Nous Bare .. extirerated Tao 've Po' ... word is crap and many powers can't read well ... no examples required given what's advertised about Nous ...

No Nous is good news? Thus a rare few visit the mindlessness or a dark pool construct! Ethereal and lightless fantasy ... dark desires ... allows a break from reality! Thus*crewed ... improper dissociation ...????

What's a dissociation constant? Applicable to the pH 've waters falling ...
 
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Then there is the rule about adornment and folks asa tired in falsities ... the dressing up of some items of etiology as in wee red dresses and demon straight 'd oute ... without curves and Swerve ... scoot (from etiology, the Nature 've Things) and the booties are gone ... parked in the vestibule of some house writing for what's a given (Grace) hopefully received with gentile force ... Go dite IDE ... that's the word ... sometimes used as explete ... and not by incite of irregularity of nature ... supernatural BS about so being cranked ... out of bode and out of mind? Can nature be systemically dissonant about confined passions about knowing Uriza?

Tis sacred ... Sophia as wisteria in the forest looking for a horse ... the one that died in the chase for the Stag in the Twilight ... that's ET! Extracted from The Lady of the Lake and Running Bare Down by the River ... ryeh elle's ... sometimes Dove Intuit ... genetic disposition!

Many thanks to Walled Her's Cott ... and his mysterious receptions ... ABBA'd Nous? Executives rant ... especially at subductions of knowlledge about monis taried seducements ... tis almost biblical as the temptations of the essence of psyche and the urge to over-think as a passionate crossing the line! Licentious poetry crosses the line ... into the outer limits of moral freedom of expression under the trees ... totem-IHC!

Ever get the alien sensuality that we've ben here before ... and all is hidden behind and under the sol 've the story as myth? Thus I am resolved ... there's additions tuit as Jane out on the Eire Rayed Moors ... as a whys perin spirit ... Faulk in air ... seeking a small mousy critter as if heh'd lost Ide ...

Tar Zen Moors and the darkest of a' freak'n moment ... birth of sol? The Job is laid onta Yah ... act like it develop a working psyche ... and it shall be machined down into shape ... ironic form! In cite 've hue M'N vs IV y leagues ... mysterious pede antree ...
 
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GeoFee said:
I have not thought much about Joseph’s influence on Jesus. My thoughts tend towards Mary as a primary influence on Jesus. I see him as an infant in her kitchen. Absorbing her spirit of care.
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But he didn't absorb it did he.
Waterfall said:
I'm sure she was a caring mother, but they did leave Jesus behind in Jerusalem before going home to Nazareth when He was 12. It took both Mary and Joseph a day to notice.
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And Jesus didn't care about them either, as he was rude to her when she found him. I used to be out all day when I was little, it wasn't until it was late that my mum would get worried. It was the same for Mary I would assume. but I was never rude to my mum. Because I actually cared for her.
 
Pavlos Maros said:
But he didn't absorb it did he.
And Jesus didn't care about them either, as he was rude to her when she found him. I used to be out all day when I was little, it wasn't until it was late that my mum would get worried. It was the same for Mary I would assume. but I was never rude to my mum. Because I actually cared for her.
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you mean your preached in synagogues too!!!!!!!!!!!!!

im shocked
 
As usual It doesn't follow Blackbelt. It went right over your head. Woosh. Lol. But should I have expected anything else.
 
It went over your head. Because it had nothing to do with where they found him.

The point is how not caring he was. Wow.! Talk about miss it, and twice. You're unbelievable, but funny with it. Thanks for the laugh.
 
Pavlos Maros said:
It went over your head. Because it had nothing to do with where they found him.

The point is how not caring he was. Wow.! Talk about miss it, and twice. You're unbelievable, but funny with it. Thanks for the laugh.
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You know you should really lighten up and laugh a little more it'll help you
 
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