The Jubilee Year invites us to encounter Jesus, who is our hope. (Paragraphs 1, 5, and 6 of Spes Non Confundit) Previous Next Jubilee Year 2025: Embrace God’s Hope and Extend It to All Session 2: The Jubilee leads us on a journey of hope The Jubilee Year invites us to encounter Jesus, who is our hope. (Read paragraphs 1, 5, and 6) Link to S pes Non Confundit Photo by Tom Faletti, Rothenburg, Germany, June 26, 2024. Tom Faletti November 16, 2024 In this session, we will see Pope Francis reveal one of his deepest desires: that this Jubilee may help us have a personal encounter with Jesus and an intense experience of God’s love, which will awaken hope in our hearts. We will further explore Pope Francis’s discussion of why Jesus is our hope and then move into the second section of Spes Non Confundit , where he explains the concept of a Jubilee Year, how the Jubilee Year has been celebrated in the past and will be celebrated this year. He will also explore the meaning and value of a pilgrimage. Our study guide questions will help us explore how we have experienced a personal encounter with Jesus and how we can experience the love of God more fully. We will explore our own possible participation in the Jubilee Year, how our faith can be thought of as a pilgrimage or journey of hope, and how the light we shine might communicate the love of God to others. Read paragraphs 1, 5, and 6 in preparation for this session. Paragraph 1 (one more insight: a personal encounter with Jesus) 🔗 Let’s look at one more part of paragraph 1 before we move forward. At the end of paragraph 1, Pope Francis quotes from Paul’s first letter to Timothy and from the Gospel of John – passages of Scripture that refer to Jesus as our hope and as the door to eternal life. Read 1 Timothy 1:1 Why is Christ Jesus our hope? Read John 10:7-10 Some translations say Jesus is the “door” and some say He is the “gate” (they are different possible translations of the same Greek word). How is Jesus a door (or gate) for us? How does Jesus’s role as the door to salvation and abundant life give you hope? Pope Francis connects the role of Jesus as the door of our salvation to the Holy Year of Jubilee, where special doors of grace are opened in Rome. He says: “For everyone, may the Jubilee be a moment of genuine, personal encounter with the Lord Jesus” (par. 1). What does he mean by a personal encounter with Jesus? How have you experienced a personal encounter with Jesus, and how does it give you hope? Suggested Activity: How well do you know the life and teachings of Jesus? Have you ever read His whole story? If you like to read novels, read one of the Gospels. If you prefer podcasts, listen to an audio reading of a Gospel. (If you think you don’t have time, consider how long it takes to read a novel. You can read or listen to an entire Gospel in 3 hours.) Some suggestions for where to start: the Gospel of Mark (the shortest), the Gospel of Matthew (the most practical), the Gospel of John (the most “spiritual”). (Section 2) A journey of hope In this section, Pope Francis discusses the practice of the Jubilee Year. Paragraph 5 (the Christian life as a journey, and the role of Jubilee Years) 🔗 In paragraph 5, what are some of the examples Pope Francis offers for how God was at work in the Church prior to the first Jubilee in the year 1300? In the second part [1] of paragraph 5, what are some of the benefits of going on a pilgrimage? Have you ever experienced the benefits of a pilgrimage (near or far away)? Explain. The title of this section is “A journey of hope.” How is your faith life like a journey, with many stops and encounters along the way? How do you find hope on your journey of faith? Suggested Activity: If you are unable to take a pilgrimage to Rome, contact your diocesan office and ask how you might take a Jubilee Year pilgrimage to the Jubilee Year site designated by your bishop (which may be your local cathedral). As you avail yourself of this opportunity, allow the love of God to permeate you and purify you from all that is not of Christ. In the third part of paragraph 5, Pope Francis refers to the Eastern (Catholic) Churches, which are a group of churches that are autonomous and have distinct practices from those in the Roman Catholic Church but operate within the worldwide Catholic Church and are in full communion with the Pope. Pope Francis’s mention of “their Orthodox brothers and sisters” refers to the Eastern Orthodox Church, an independent communion of churches that, like the Catholic Church, traces its roots to the apostles but has been separated from the Roman Catholic Church since 1054. He says they have endured violence and instability because many of these churches are located in areas of Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and Africa that are currently torn by war. In the third part of paragraph 5, why does Pope Francis invite members of the Eastern Churches to participate in this Jubilee, and why does he especially extend an “embrace” to all those who currently “endure their own Way of the Cross”? How might the Church’s concern for them give them “hope”? Why is it important to extend a hand of friendship to others in Christ’s divided Body? Paragraph 6 (this Jubilee Year) 🔗 In paragraph 6, Pope Francis places this Holy Year in the context of a series of Holy Years that are being celebrated from 2000 to 2033. What are the events that took place in Jesus’s life that make 2000 and 2033 especially important to be celebrated? Pope Francis says that the purpose of the Jubilee Year of 2025 is to “invite everyone to an intense experience of the love of God that awakens in hearts the sure hope of salvation in Christ” (par. 6). Unpack this sentence: What does “an intense experience” mean? What is Pope Francis hoping will happen in 2025? What does he mean by people experiencing “the love of God”? What specifically is he hoping they will experience? What is “the sure hope of salvation in Christ”? In what ways can our hope of salvation be “sure”? What does it mean when he says that our hope is to be “awakened”? In what ways might it need to be awakened in a fresh way? Why is it important that we are “inviting” people? Why is it important that we are inviting “everyone”? Re-read the full sentence: “Now the time has come for a new Jubilee, when once more the Holy Door will be flung open to invite everyone to an intense experience of the love of God that awakens in hearts the sure hope of salvation in Christ” (par. 6). When have you had this experience of the love of God in the past? What can you do to help extend this invitation to others? In what areas of your life do you need a renewal of this experience? What can you do to enter more fully into the experience of the love of God in your heart? The second part of paragraph 6 describes how the Jubilee Year begins in Rome. What happens there? Note: The third part of paragraph 6 describes what is to happen in every diocese. A Mass is celebrated in each diocese’s cathedral to open the Jubilee Year, and local bishops are designating special pilgrimage sites within their dioceses. Do you think you will participate, or have you participated, in some way in the Jubilee Year in your diocese? Why or why not? What do you hope to experience, or have you experienced, by your participation? At the end of the last part of paragraph 6, Pope Francis expresses his hope for what will happen during this Jubilee Year. How might you participate in shining “the light of Christian hope” as “a message of God’s love addressed to all” (par. 6, part 4), and how might you overcome anything that might hold you back from doing so? Suggested Activities: Invite someone to come to church with you. Share with a friend or neighbor, in a low-key way, how God has made a difference in your life and see where the conversation goes. Closing question: How might you more effectively “bear faithful witness” (par. 6, part 4) to the message of God’s love, to those around you? [1] See A Note About Our Terminology for an explanation of what we mean by a “part” of a paragraph. Bibliography See Jubilee Year 2025 - Bibliography at https://www.faithexplored.com/jubilee-2025/bibliography . Copyright © 2025, Tom Faletti (Faith Explored, www.faithexplored.com ). This material may be reproduced in whole or in part without alteration, for nonprofit use, provided such reproductions are not sold and include this copyright notice or a similar acknowledgement that includes a reference to Faith Explored and www.faithexplored.com. See www.faithexplored.com for more materials like this. Previous Jubilee 2025 Contents Next

The return of Christ and how to be ready. [1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; 5:1-11] Previous 1 Thess. List Next 1 Thessalonians 4:13-5:11 The return of Christ and how to be ready. Photo by Matthias Münning on Unsplash . Tom Faletti January 31, 2025 1 Thess. 4:13-18 Christians, dead and living, will join Christ when he returns This passage has been a distraction for many, due to poor theology. Some Christians have woven whole books and movies out of inventive interpretations of Paul’s language and the Book of Revelation. Let’s examine what Paul actually says. Paul uses the term “fallen asleep,” a term the early Christians frequently used by for the dead. In what sense are they only “sleeping”? Looking at verses 13-14, what is the concern that has troubled the Thessalonian community? They are troubled that members of the church have died before Jesus has returned. Why does Paul say they can have hope? In verse 14, what is the connection he makes between Jesus and Christians who die? How does Jesus’s resurrection affect your view of death? When we lose a loved one, grief is natural and to be expected. But how does our faith affect our grief? Paul now turns to a brief discussion of Second Coming of Christ. In verse 15, he says that what he is going to tell us in verses 16-17 is a “word of the Lord.” We do not have this in any of the Gospels. It might have been received as a prophetic utterance in the early church or as a prophetic revelation to Paul himself. What is Paul’s main point in verse 15? Why might it matter to Christians that, when Christ returns, those who have already died will not be left behind? The Nicene Creed, which is accepted by most Christian denominations, professes belief in the Second Coming of Christ when it says, “He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead and his kingdom will have no end.” Although the Nicene Creed had not yet bee formulated, this is what Paul is talking about in this passage. In verses 16-17, Paul describes the return or Second Coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. In verse 16, what words or sounds signal that the time has come? The Lord gives the command, and then two things happen, or one thing happens that is described in two ways: the voice of an archangel and the trumpet of God. When that signal is given, what happens first (still in verse 16)? Christians who are dead rise. What Paul says here seems to be consistent with what Jesus says in Matthew 24:31. Let’s look at it: Read Matthew 24:29-31 What elements of Jesus’s words are matched in what Paul says? Jesus will return. Jesus will come in the clouds. A trumpet will sound. Jesus will gather his followers. He will gather the dead as well as the living. He says he will gather them from the four winds and from one end of “the heavens” to the other – this is poetic language, but “the heavens” means not just the people living on the Earth. A trumpet sound could be literal, but it could be symbolic. What does the sounding of a trumpet signal? What kinds of people get heralded by the sound of trumpets? What difference does it make to you that Jesus will return with power and glory? What difference does it make to you that those who have died will rise again – that we will have a resurrection? What difference does it make to you that your loved ones who have gone before you will be part of the resurrection? Return to 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 . In verse 16, Paul says that the dead will rise to life. In verse 17, he says that the people who are alive at that time will be “caught up” with the dead who have risen, to meet the Lord in the air. The Greek word for “caught up” is used in other places in the Bible to mean “snatched” or “taken by force” (e.g., Matt. 11:12; 13:19; John 6:15; 10:12, 28, 29; Acts 8:39). When the Scriptures were translated into Latin, this word was translated to a Latin word that begins with the letters rapt . When the Latin was translated into English, it became our word “rapture.” This passage later became one of the primary passages used by people such as Tim LaHaye of the Left Behind series, and Hal Lindsey in The Late Great Planet Earth and other books, to teach a particular theory about the end times in which Christians are “raptured,” or taken to heaven, before the tribulation that everyone else must face. People who subscribe to that theory are described as pre-tribulation pre-millennialists. What Paul teaches does not support the pre-tribulation, pre-millennial view popularized with the modern use of the term “rapture.” That “rapture” teaching is actually not consistent with the Scriptures, which is why it was rejected throughout much of Christian history until the 19th century. Almost all Christians agree on certain truths: Christ will return. The dead will be raised. Christians who are dead and Christians who are still alive will be united with Christ and live with him forever. That’s what Paul says. But Christians don’t get to escape tribulation by being snatched up to God while everyone else is left behind to suffer. The Catholic Church does not accept that claim. The Orthodox Churches do not accept it. The Episcopal, Lutheran, and Methodist Churches to not accept it. Many other Christian churches do not accept it. It goes against established Christian teaching that reaches all the way back to St. Augustine. This new interpretation of the “rapture” did not become a popular belief until isolated groups of Christians proposed it starting in the 19th century. There are at least two key flaws in the pre-tribulation, pre-millennial rapture theory. First, nothing in Scripture supports the idea that Christians will be protected from tribulation. On the contrary, the Bible tells us over and over again to expect serious suffering. Second, the theory is intertwined with the idea that after Christ comes to take Christians to heaven, there will be a 1000-year gap before the final judgment. Jesus and St. Paul are clear that when Christ comes in his Second Coming, three things will happen immediately: the dead will be raised, those who are still alive will be caught up to Christ, and Christ will carry out the final judgment. There is no 1000-year gap in the middle. Revelation 20:2-3 mentions a 1000-year period known as the “millennium” without explanation as to whether it is symbolic or literal. The mainstream understanding of the millennium is that it is a symbolic “1000” years that began when Jesus ascended into heaven and will end when he returns in glory. During this time, God is restraining evil so that the Word of God can be spread throughout the whole Earth. However, as Jesusa and Paul taught, a time of severe persecution (the “tribulation”) will come before the end, and Christians will not be exempt from that persecution and suffering. See The Rapture? It’s Not a Pre-Millennial Escape from Tribulation for a fuller exploration of how the pre-tribulation, pre-millennial rapture theory contradicts what Jesus and St. Paul clearly teach. Is it a disappointment or a relief to you that Paul, here in 1 Thessalonians, does not teach what has been popularized in books and movies such as the Left Behind series? Why? In verse 17, Paul says that we will be with the Lord forever. What difference does it make to you that we will be with the Lord forever? In verse 18, Paul tells the Thessalonians to use these teachings to “console” (NABRE) or “encourage” (NRSV) each other. How might these teachings about the end times be consoling or encouraging? How are these teachings a source of consolation or encouragement to you? 1 Thess. 5:1-11 Always live in the light, ready for the Lord As Paul continues to discuss the return of Christ, he refers to “the day of the Lord,” which is a term used in Old Testament prophecies in the books of Daniel, Isaiah, Joel, and other prophets. For the Jews of Jesus’s and Paul’s time, that was when God would bring victory for the Jews. Christians re-interpreted it as the day when Christ would return in power and glory. Considering verses 1-3, what can we know about when Christ will return in his Second Coming? What do you think of Paul’s analogy comparing Jesus’s coming to the coming of a “thief in the night”? (FYI- 2 Peter 3:10 uses the same analogy of a thief.) What does it suggest to you as to how you should be prepared? In verses 4-5, what does Paul say about darkness and light? What does it mean to be “children of light”? In verses 6-7, Paul talks again about people “sleeping,” but this time it is not a metaphor for death. What does the metaphor of “sleeping’ mean this time, and what is Paul calling us to do, to avoid “sleeping” like others do? What does it look like to be the kind of Christian who lives in the light? How can you be a child of the light more fully or consistently? In verse 8, Paul tells us to put on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet. He is again talking about the three theological virtues: faith, love, and hope (first mentioned in 1 Thess. 1:3). In this metaphor, they are defensive gear, to protect our head and heart. How do faith, love, and hope protect our head and heart? How do you “put on” faith, love, and hope? In verse 10, Paul uses the word sleep again, but now he is using it as he did in 4:13-18 to refer to death, not as he used it in 5:6-7 regarding lax living. What does he call us to do in verse 10? Since Christ died for us, we are called to respond by living with him, in this life and after we die. How can we live with Christ while we are alive? Paul ends this section by again urging us to encourage each other (verse 11). How can we do that? Paul also urges us to build each other up. What does that mean, and how can we do it? Looking back over 1 Thessalonians 4:13 through 5:11: Which of Paul’s teachings in these passages is most comforting or encouraging to you right now, and why? Which of Paul’s teachings here challenges you to take a new step, and what can you do specifically to respond? Take a step back and consider this: Paul talks about faith, love, and hope twice in this letter. In 1:3, he says the Thessalonians are actively exhibiting all three of these virtues. In 5:8, he urges them to put on the protection of faith, love, and hope. In some ways, faith, love, and hope sum up the whole gospel: if we are actively living our lives in accordance with these three virtues, we will be living the kind of life to which we are called in Christ Jesus. Genuine faith puts God first in all things. Genuine love treats others with the same love God has for us. Genuine hope helps us endure suffering and hold fast to the God who loves us. Which of these virtues would be good for you to focus on this week? Why? We are not alone. God is working to help us respond to these virtues, which he has placed in us. What can you do, or stop doing, to allow the virtues of faith, love, and hope to guide every aspect of your life? Bibliography See 1 Thessalonians - Bibliography at https://www.faithexplored.com/1-thessalonians/bibliography . Copyright © 2025, Tom Faletti (Faith Explored, www.faithexplored.com ). This material may be reproduced in whole or in part without alteration, for nonprofit use, provided such reproductions are not sold and include this copyright notice or a similar acknowledgement that includes a reference to Faith Explored and www.faithexplored.com. See www.faithexplored.com for more materials like this. Previous 1 Thess. List Next

Blessed are those who are focused on what God cares about. Previous Matthew List Next Matthew 5:6-12 Blessed are those who are focused on what God cares about. Image provided by Wix. Tom Faletti April 20, 2024 Matthew 5:6-12 – For context, re-read Matthew 5:1-12 : The “Sermon on the Mount” In our last study , we looked at the first 3 beatitudes that appear in what has been called Matthew’s “Sermon on the Mount.” Today we will look at the remaining beatitudes. Having read the entire list of beatitudes, what do you think is the overall message Jesus is trying to communicate in this discussion about what makes a person “blessed”? Verse 6 What does it mean, to “hunger and thirst for righteousness”? In general, how is hungering or thirsting for something different than simply wanting it? Barclay says that in the Greek language, the ordinary grammatical structure for the words hunger and thirst connote a desire for some – I hunger for some bread, not the whole loaf; I thirst for some water, not the whole pitcher. But in this sentence spoken by Jesus, the grammatical construction connotes a desire for all of it, for the whole thing – in this case, for total righteousness, for being wholly righteousness (William Barclay, Gospel of Matthew, Volume 1 , p. 96). Do we truly hunger and thirst for righteousness? Or do we tend to just want some righteousness? What can we do to become more like the person Jesus pictures who hungers for total righteousness? There is a promise associated with this hungering. What does it mean when he says that they will be “filled” (5:6 NRSV) or “satisfied” (NABRE)? How can we become filled to the point that we are no longer hungry for righteousness? What does that mean? Luke’s 6:21 says, “Blessed are you who are now hungry, / for you will be satisfied” (NABRE) or “filled” (NRSV). That is a literal hunger. Why would Matthew focus on a spiritual interpretation rather than Luke’s literal experience of hunger? What value is there in Matthew’s version of this beatitude? It is very possible that Jesus said it both ways at different times. What does Matthew’s choice of words suggest about his audience, compared to Luke and his audience? Verse 7 What does it mean to be merciful? How does it feel to receive mercy? What is that experience like? How can I become more merciful? Among many possible answers, consider these: Cut others some slack. Try to walk in their shoes. Does this remind you of any other Bible passages? For example, the Lord’s Prayer; the forgiven servant (who didn’t forgive). What kind of mercy do you particularly hope you will receive, or in what kinds of situations do you most hope you will encounter mercy? Are those situations perhaps the situations where you also need to give mercy? Verse 8 What does it mean to be “pure in heart” (NRSV) or “clean of heart” (NABRE)? Pure has many good connotations. We often focus on purity in our conduct or behavior. There is also the idea of having a pure heart in the way we relate with others. What does that kind of pure heart look like? Purity of heart also can be considered in our relationship with ourselves, in an honesty with ourselves. What does that look like? Among many possible answers, consider these: Being free of mixed motives; not manipulative; doing the right thing regardless of your feelings; without a personal agenda, but rather, having God’s agenda as your only agenda (because then you will be connected to him in an intimate way; you will “see” him). What does the promise mean, that they will “see God”? Do you think this opportunity to “see God” is all in the future, or is there a sense in which the pure in heart experience it partially in their present life? Why is purity necessary in order to see God? In what sense do the pure in heart see God in a way that other, less pure Christians might not? What can I do to become more pure or clean of heart? Verse 9 What is “peace”? “Peace” in Greek is eiréné , but the Jews would have had in mind the Hebrew word shalom , which does not mean the absence of strife but the presence of all that is good (William Barclay, Gospel of Matthew, Volume 1 , p. 103) or a “total well-being” ((Benedict T. Viviano, O.P., “The Gospel According to Matthew,” The New Jerome Biblical Commentary , par. 24, p. 640). What is a “peacemaker”? What do you have to do to be a peacemaker? Is it possible to be so focused on keeping the peace that you fail to address problems that then grow and break the peace? Is peacemaking sometimes a struggle? If so, how can we stay focused on peace making , and not just avoiding strife? Barclay tells us that the Jewish rabbis said that peacemakers are the people who “establish right relationships between man and man” (William Barclay, The Gospel of Matthew, Volume 1 , p. 105) – i.e., who bring people together and resolve conflicts. He contrasts “peace-makers” with “trouble-makers.” In what ways are you a peacemaker? How does a person make peace between people? Are there ways that you would like to be more consistent or effective as a peacemaker? Explain. How can we become better peacemakers? What promise comes to the peacemakers, and what does it mean? They will be called children of God when all is said and done – not necessarily in the heat of the peacemaking struggle. The phrase is literally “sons of God.” They are like God or reflect the lineage of God because they are doing the work of God. In what ways is God a peacemaker, so that being a peacemaker is being like God? Verses 10-12 What kind of persecution is rewarded with this blessing – i.e., according to v. 10, for what are they being persecuted? What do you know of the sufferings of the early martyrs? What persecutions did they suffer, and why? They were executed in many gruesome ways, mainly for not offering the required sacrifice to Caesar. They could not acknowledge Caesar as Lord because for them, only Jesus was Lord. Jesus elaborates on this beatitude in vv. 11-12, shifting from talking about “they” to talking to “you.” In v. 11, when are “you” blessed? Why are you blessed when you are persecuted? Notice that Jesus does not name a promise in this beatitude the way he did in the other beatitudes. The promise is implicit – that you will be counted with the prophets. Why is that a high reward? What do you think are the benefits or rewards that come with being persecuted? Some of the rewards include: the chance to live with God forever, to be counted among the prophets, to know that you were able to stay faithful to the God you love, and to know that you were participating in God’s great work on earth. Translations that use the word “glad” are understating the level of joy Jesus is suggesting here. The Greek word means to exult – nearly the same word Mary uses in her Magnificat when she says, “my soul rejoices .” It comes from two words that mean “much” and “leaping” – i.e. to leap for joy (see, for example, William Barclay, The Gospel of Matthew, Volume 1 , p. 112, and “21. agalliaó,” Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance , Bible Hub , https://biblehub.com/greek/21.htm ). What would it take for you to see persecution as a cause for rejoicing? How, if at all, are we persecuted in our time? What can we take from this exploration of the blessings of being persecuted? Looking back at the whole expanse of the beatitudes, what key points do you see? What stands out to you as especially important? What is most important to remember? What beatitude is God calling you to live out more fully? What can you do to become more a beatitude person? Take a step back and consider this: The beatitudes are just the beginning of the story Matthew and Jesus are telling us about kingdom of heaven and what the life of a Christian looks like. What attracts you about a Savior who starts with the Beatitudes as an introduction to life with God? What troubles you about this as his starting point? What do you think Jesus would say to you about what attracts you and what concerns you here? Bibliography See Matthew - Bibliography at https://www.faithexplored.com/matthew/bibliography . Copyright © 2025, Tom Faletti (Faith Explored, www.faithexplored.com ). This material may be reproduced in whole or in part without alteration, for nonprofit use, provided such reproductions are not sold and include this copyright notice or a similar acknowledgement that includes a reference to Faith Explored and www.faithexplored.com. See www.faithexplored.com for more materials like this. Previous Matthew List Next

Integrity means your words line up with your actions. Previous Matthew List Next Matthew 5:33-37 Integrity means your words line up with your actions. Image provided by Wix. Tom Faletti May 2, 2024 Matthew 5:33-37 Oaths: what are you saying? What did the Old Testament Law say about oaths in Leviticus 19:12? What kind of oaths were prohibited? (See also Deuteronomy 23:21-23.) In Jesus’s time, Jews made oaths and vows frequently and casually. William Barclay says they developed arcane rules for which oaths actually had to be honored and which could be ignored without repercussions (Barclay, The Gospel of Matthew, Volume 1 , p. 157). If you didn’t include God himself in your oath, it didn’t “count.” What does Jesus say about oaths? What are the reasons behind Jesus’s prohibit of these oaths? We do not have control over the heavens, the earth, or even our own bodies, so we have no right to be swearing by them. What do you think about Jesus’s rule, and why? If I leave the heavens, etc., out of my oath is it OK? Or is Jesus making a bigger point? How often do you make promises? How seriously do you take your promises? How do you respond when someone says, “Promise me you’ll . . .”? Some people often signal that they are about to say something honest with a phrase such as: “I’m not going to lie to you,” “Frankly,” “To tell the truth,” etc. I sometimes wonder, when such people say other things that are not prefaced by that assurance, whether that means that what they are about to say might not be the truth. How honest are you in your everyday dealings with people? Can others count on what you are saying to be true, or do you have a tendency to shade the truth? Why does Jesus say that anything more than “Yes” or “No” comes from the evil one? Jesus is saying that a truly good person would never need to take an oath because everything he or she says would always be the truth. If a person needs to add an oath to what they are saying, it is a sign that they have already made compromises with untruthfulness that tarnish their honesty. Why do we sometimes want to embellish what we say by adding a promise? What is the purpose of adding a promise? Some reasons might be: to assure, or to impress. What would it look like to live a life where your “Yes” is so solid that no one would ever feel the need to ask you to swear that what you are saying is true? How can we foster a world where the truth is so cherished that people don’t feel the need to make oaths? Take a step back and consider this: Jesus’s words about honesty in speech are not isolated. They appear right after he asked us to squarely confront our thought life to tame lust, and asked us to be true to our marriage commitments no matter what. He is getting at something bigger than just a series of individual character issues or types of sin. He is pointing us toward true integrity. Integrity is the characteristic of a person who is solid through and through – where the inside of the person and the outside of the person match up and demonstrate a consistent morality. When you look at them, what you see on the outside is what they actually are on the inside. What they say is actually true. What they spend their time thinking about is consistent with the ethical principles they profess. What they do is what they say they will do, and what they do is what God has taught them to do. The word “integrity” comes from a Latin word that means whole or complete in the sense of being intact, unbroken, undivided. The person of integrity is undivided. Their whole being is intact. They are one person – the same person inside and out. That is what Jesus is calling us to be. How can you cultivate a character of integrity? How might you consider changing the way you talk and act – the things you say and do – in order to ensure that integrity defines your character? How might you consider changes in your thought life, so that the you on the outside matches the you on the inside and matches what God is calling you to be inside and out? Bibliography See Matthew - Bibliography at https://www.faithexplored.com/matthew/bibliography . Copyright © 2025, Tom Faletti (Faith Explored, www.faithexplored.com ). This material may be reproduced in whole or in part without alteration, for nonprofit use, provided such reproductions are not sold and include this copyright notice or a similar acknowledgement that includes a reference to Faith Explored and www.faithexplored.com. See www.faithexplored.com for more materials like this. Previous Matthew List Next

Your attitude determines what is a “win.” Previous Christian Faith Articles Next Look for the Perspective that Allows You to See Joy Your attitude determines what is a “win.” Image provided by Wix. Tom Faletti February 21, 2024 A mother called in to the Internet radio station K-Love at 9:55 a.m. EST on January 25, 2023. The DJs were asking listeners to fill in the blank in this sentence: “I am wealthy because . . . (not necessarily wealthy monetarily, but wealthy in some way).” In response, the mother told a story about making dinner. She made a casserole with chicken, broccoli, and rice. When she went to serve it to her 12-year-old son, he said, “I don’t want any broccoli.” So she gave it to him without the broccoli. He went to a drawer in the kitchen and pulled out a sauce packet from Chick-fil-A. He poured the sauce on his dinner and ate it. When he was done eating, he said, “That was the best dinner I’ve ever had!” As she told this story on the air, this mother summed it up this way: “Mom for the win! Any time you can make a dinner and your middle-schooler loves it, it’s a win.” Your attitude determines what is a “win” As I listened, I thought about all the ways this mother could have had a different attitude. She could have objected to her son not eating the broccoli. She could have grumbled about his adding the Chick-fil-A sauce to her casserole. Instead, she accepted the situation for what it was and found joy in her son’s joy. Your perspective influences your attitude If she had approached the situation from the perspective that her son’s daily intake of vegetables was deficient, she wouldn’t have been able to call it a “win.” If her perspective had been that she makes good meals and doesn’t need “improvements,” she wouldn’t have been able to call it a “win.” In either of those cases, she wouldn’t have been able to share in her son’s joy. Mom for the win? It all depends on what you focus on, and what you choose to see. St. Paul wrote, “[W]hatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things” (Phil. 4:8, NRSV). He also wrote: “Rejoice with those who rejoice” (Rom. 12:15,NRSV). Sharing in the joy of others is one of the secrets of a joyful Christian life. We are encouraged to find a perspective that allows us to look see joy. Your perspective influences the joy of others American film producer Samuel Goldwyn, founder of MGM, has been quoted as saying, “When someone does something good, applaud! You will make two people happy.” This mother’s son left the table happy about a good meal but also happy in his mother’s appreciation of his joy. If she had scolded him, there would have been no joy in that house for either of them that night. Our decision to look for joy can make ourselves and everyone around us happier. Whenever you can, share in the joy of others! Copyright © 2024, Tom Faletti (Faith Explored, www.faithexplored.com ). This material may be reproduced in whole or in part without alteration, for nonprofit use, provided such reproductions are not sold and include this copyright notice or a similar acknowledgement that includes a reference to Faith Explored and www.faithexplored.com. See www.faithexplored.com for more materials like this. Previous Christian Faith Articles Next

Mark presents Jesus as the Messiah (the Christ) and the Son of God. Previous Mark List Next Introduction to Mark Mark presents Jesus as the Messiah (the Christ) and the Son of God. Image by Tim Wildsmith, provided by Unsplash via Wix. Tom Faletti March 28, 2024 A NOTE BEFORE WE BEGIN This study material can be very enriching for personal study and growth. It was originally developed with small-group Bible Study in mind. Therefore, it will occasionally offer instructions that may be useful for small-group study. See https://www.faithexplored.com/leading-a-bible-study for materials on how to lead a small-group Bible Study. Introductions Before you begin a small-group Bible Study, you should take some time to build community, beginning with ensuring that everyone knows everyone else’s name. Here are some questions you could ask everyone in the group to answer: Introductions: What is your name? What is your connection to this church/parish/group? Why is the Bible important to you? Why are you interested in studying it? If the study extends beyond a break, such as a break for the summer, and then reconvenes, you could renew the introductions with questions such as these: Introductions after a summer break: What is your name, and why did you return to this group? (Or if you are new, why did you decide to join us?) What is one insight about faith or life that you gained this summer or were reminded of? Mark This article will provide an introduction to the Gospel of Mark, including what we think we know about its author, when it was written, who the intended audience was, Mark's purposes/goals, etc. For example: A B C (to be continued) Bibliography See Mark - Bibliography at https://www.faithexplored.com/mark/bibliography . Copyright © 2025, Tom Faletti (Faith Explored, www.faithexplored.com ). This material may be reproduced in whole or in part without alteration, for nonprofit use, provided such reproductions are not sold and include this copyright notice or a similar acknowledgement that includes a reference to Faith Explored and www.faithexplored.com. See www.faithexplored.com for more materials like this. Previous Mark List Next

If we try to make sense of God based on our human limitations, we will misunderstand the Scriptures and the power of God. How can the Scriptures guide us to a bigger picture? Previous Matthew List Next Matthew 22:23-33 If we try to make sense of God based on our human limitations, we will misunderstand the Scriptures and the power of God. How can the Scriptures guide us to a bigger picture? Image by Frank McKenna, provided by Unsplash via Wix. Tom Faletti August 18, 2025 Matthew 22:23-33 The Sadducees and whether there is a resurrection This is the second in a series of 3 challenges Jesus faces when he arrives in Jerusalem – this time from the Sadducees. The Sadducees believed only in the Torah – the first 5 books of the Old Testament, which Christians sometimes refer to as the Pentateuch, which is Greek for “five books.” The Sadducees did not consider the books of the prophets authoritative, nor did they accept the wide body of oral tradition that the Pharisees adhered to. Since the Torah does not suggest that there is a resurrection or an afterlife, the Sadducees did not believe in a resurrection. The Sadducees tended to be wealthy. They made up a major portion of the political leadership among the Jews and tended to be collaborators with the Roman occupation. But those characteristics do not seem to be relevant here, where the question revolves around their religious beliefs. The Pharisees believed in a resurrection and an afterlife. They not only believed in an afterlife of the soul (as, for example, the Greeks believed); they also believed that our bodies are raised. They pointed to passages later in the Old Testament that provided varying degrees of support for such a position. Here are some of those passages: Isaiah 26:19 says, “Your dead shall live, their corpses shall rise.” Ezekiel 37:1-14 describes a vision of a valley of dry bones. The bones come back together and regain flesh and skin, breath enters them, and they come to life. Although in the passage itself the image is of a new Israel being restored after the exile to Babylon, Jews (and later, Christian commentators) saw it as a sign or foreshadowing of individual resurrection. Daniel 12:2 says that after a time of terrible persecution, “many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.” Psalm 73:24-25 says, “You guide me with your counsel, and afterward [or, in the end] receive me with honor [or, into glory].” This could merely mean that the psalmist will be restored, in this life, after when the difficulties he faces are over, but some saw it as a description of entering into God’s realm like Enoch (Gen. 5:24) and Elijah (2 Kings 2:11-12), both of whom are described as being taken up to God without dying first. The Sadducees, who don’t believe in an afterlife, approach Jesus with a puzzle that they think shows the foolishness of believing in a resurrection. What is the problem the Sadducees pose? There is a commandment in the Old Testament, in Deuteronomy 25:5-10, that directs a man to marry his brother’s wife if his brother dies childless, so that through the first child of that union the brother will have a legal heir. Genesis 38:7-11 gives an example of a refusal to follow this command. Both of these books are part of the Torah, the limited part of the Hebrew Scriptures that the Sadducees acknowledged. The Sadducees imagine a series of brothers marrying the same woman, each dying before any offspring is produced, and they ask: Whose wife is she in heaven? In verse 29, Jesus tells them they are wrong (misled, led astray) for two reasons they don’t know the Scriptures and they don’t know the power of God. How is knowing both of those critical to the spiritual life? In verse 30, what does Jesus say about how they are thinking incorrectly? Jesus says there is no marriage in heaven, because in heaven people are like angels. It is important not to misinterpret the statement that humans are “like angels.” Humans in heaven are “like angels” in the sense that, like angels, they live forever and don’t need to engage in sexual reproduction in order to produce offspring and keep the family line alive (see New Oxford Annotated Bible, NRSV , Matthew 22:30 fn., p. 1780). This does not mean we are like angels in other ways; for example, unlike angels, we will have a body in heaven. Angels are a different kind of creature than humans. They only have a spiritual nature and don’t have a body or a material nature. Although Jesus frames his answer in terms of the Sadducees’ underlying assumption, common at the time, that the point of marriage is to carry forward the family line. This should not be misinterpreted to mean that that is the only purpose of marriage. St. Paul, and theologians and everyday believers throughout the centuries, have seen much more in marriage, in addition to its function of continuing an individual’s family line and ultimately propagating the species as a whole. In verses 31-32, Jesus turns specifically to the Scriptures. We might expect Jesus to focus on how they are wrong in not accepting the parts of the Old Testament that the Pharisees accept. Instead, in verse 32, Jesus quotes from Exodus 3:6, which is in the Torah, the part of the Old Testament that the Sadducees do accept. What does God say in Exodus 3:6, and why does Jesus argue that this indicates people do live on after death? In Exodus 3:6, God says, “I am” the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. They must be alive, because otherwise God would have said, “I was the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob before they died. The fact that he is still their God indicates that they are still alive. God is the God of the living, not the dead. The Sadducees are wrong about the Scriptures partly because of their crimped reading of the Torah. They think marriage works the same way in heaven as on earth, which shows that they think that heaven isn’t all that different from earth. Why is thinking that heaven is like earth such a big error, not just with regard to the question they asked but in our understanding of heaven more generally? Jesus also says the Sadducees are wrong about the Scriptures because they have not noticed a key statement by God in their Scriptures that presupposes that people do live on after death. What does this tell you about Scripture study? Now let’s come back to the fact that Jesus says in verse 29 that the Sadducees are also wrong because they do not know the power of God. What is it that they are missing about God’s power? They think that God is limited by what we understand from our human perspective. They think he is only powerful enough to create physical lives, which come and go. They don’t think that God has power over death and can extend life beyond death. At a fundamental level, they don’t understand how powerful God is. They underestimate God. In what ways do we tend to act like God is bound by human limitations or underestimate God’s ability to transcend problems that stump us? There are a lot of different threads in this exchange between Jesus and the Sadducees. What insights does this passage give you about God, or heaven, or the resurrection, or the Scriptures, or yourself? Take a step back and consider this: It is possible that the Sadducees didn’t really want to think of God as having a power and perspective that transcended theirs and could cut through their conundrums. They were very invested in their own power and comfortable with their own ways of seeing things. Accepting a God who transcends their power might have forced them to rethink some of the ways they were using their own power. How does our own desire for power affect our responsiveness to the power of God? How does our belief that we have power, at least in some areas of our lives, sometimes make it harder to appreciate the Scriptures and the power of God? Where, in your own life, do you need to let go of your preconceived notions about God and his ways? And replace them with what? Bibliography See Matthew - Bibliography at https://www.faithexplored.com/matthew/bibliography . Copyright © 2025, Tom Faletti (Faith Explored, www.faithexplored.com ). This material may be reproduced in whole or in part without alteration, for nonprofit use, provided such reproductions are not sold and include this copyright notice or a similar acknowledgement that includes a reference to Faith Explored and www.faithexplored.com. See www.faithexplored.com for more materials like this. Previous Matthew List Next

Jesus walks with two discouraged disciples and opens the Scriptures to them, and then they recognize him in the breaking of the bread. How can we see Jesus in the Scriptures and the breaking of the bread? Previous Next Luke List Luke 24:13-35 Jesus walks with two discouraged disciples and opens the Scriptures to them, and then they recognize him in the breaking of the bread. How can we see Jesus in the Scriptures and the breaking of the bread? (Michelangelo Merisi da) Caravaggio (1571-1610). The Supper at Emmaus . 1601. Cropped. The National Gallery, London, UK. Photo by Tom Faletti, 28 May 2025. Tom Faletti April 14, 2026 Luke 24:13-35 Jesus walks with two men on the road to Emmaus and breaks bread with them It is Easter Sunday. Angels have told the women at the empty tomb that Jesus is alive, and Peter has verified that the tomb is empty. Now, two disciples are walking 7 miles from Jerusalem to a village called Emmaus. Verse 18 tells us that one of these disciples is named Cleopas. It is possible that this is the same man as the “Clopas” in John 19:25, but there is no way of knowing. An early tradition in the Church says that Clopas was the brother of Jesus’s adoptive father, Joseph. Verse 14 tells us that the two disciples are talking with each other about all the things that have happened, and verses 19-24 provide the specifics of their conversation. How do you think they feel about what has happened? A man joins them on the road and walks with them, but they do not recognize that it is Jesus (verses 15-16). Why do you think they don’t realize it is him? There are several possibilities. Jesus may have, in some supernatural way, prevented them from recognizing him. They may be sufficiently overcome with grief that they aren’t paying much attention to the details of this man walking with them. And Jesus’s resurrected body may look a bit different than his body previously looked, although it is still his body. What stands out to you in verses 19-24, in their summary of what has happened? Luke often points out the role of women in Jesus’s story. In verse 22, the disciples note that some women have delivered the message, proclaimed by angels, that Jesus is alive. But they clearly don’t believe it. How are the words and contributions of women often ignored or treated as less trustworthy in our day? Based on verse 19, what kind of person do they think Jesus is? In verse 21, they say that they had hoped Jesus would “redeem” Israel. What do you think that means to them? What do you think they had hoped would happen? They were probably envisioning that Jesus would bring political freedom from Roman oppression. But Jesus’s mission was to free all people from sin and death and fill them with his Spirit in order to empower them to live as members of God’s kingdom even in the midst of the political kingdoms of the world. Some scholars think that these disciples have lost faith or have given up on Jesus (verse 21), and that is why they are leaving Jerusalem while his whereabouts are still uncertain. Others think that is an unfair interpretation. If it is true, Jesus does not give up on them but comes after them. And they immediately return to Jerusalem once they recognize him. How might this be symbolic of our experience of repentance and renewed faith after times when we doubt? In verse 25, in most translations Jesus calls them “foolish.” However, the Greek word can mean “without thought” or “lacking in understanding” (Liddell and Scott, p. 145). Jesus is saying they haven’t thought things through the way they should have. What have they missed? How do we sometimes fail to think things through and properly understand what God has taught us? In verse 25, Jesus also says they are “slow of heart.” The Greek word for heart, kardia , was seen as the core of who a person is, the center of a person’s thoughts, will, and emotions. When Jesus says they have been slow of heart, what does he mean? How are we sometimes slow of heart: slow to respond with our whole being to the reality of who Jesus is and what he seeks to do in our lives? In verse 26, Jesus says that it was necessary for the Messiah to suffer. That was not the expectation of the Jewish people in Jesus’s time. Christians see passages in the Old Testament that describe a man who suffers and apply them to Jesus (for example, Isaiah 50; Isaiah 53; Psalm 22). (Jews often interpret those passages as applying to the nation of Israel as a whole.) In verse 26, why does Jesus say that it was “necessary” for the Messiah to suffer? In verse 27, how do you think the disciples felt when Jesus opened up their understanding of the many passages in the Old Testament that refer to Jesus? How do you find Jesus in the Scriptures? Around AD 140, a Christian theologian named Marcion argued that the Christian canon (i.e., the Christian Bible) should not include any books from the Old Testament. This was rejected and the early Church excommunicated Marcion when he persisted. Why is the Old Testament so important to Christians? Do you feel like you have a good understanding of the Old Testament passages that refer to Jesus, or is that something you might want to explore further? If you think more is needed, what can you do about it? In verse 28, why do you think Jesus acted like he was going to travel further? In verse 29, the disciples say, “Stay with us.” Why do you think they are so eager to keep this traveler with them? Those words “Stay with us” might be good words for us to say to Jesus. How can we keep inviting Jesus to stay with us by the way we live? What does Jesus do in verse 30? What does it remind you of? What Jesus does here is what Jews would do at the beginning of a meal. However, it is also what Jesus did at the Last Supper (Luke 22:19). Compare Jesus’s actions in verse 30 with his actions at the Last Supper in Luke 22:19, where he also “took . . . said the blessing . . . broke . . . and gave.” Jesus chose to join the disciples at a meal, bless the bread, and break it and share it. In doing so, he linked his first appearance in Luke’s Gospel with the Last Supper. Since he also said, “Do this in remembrance of me” (Luke 22:19), what he did at Emmaus is connected to what we call “Holy Communion” or “the Eucharist.” Why do you think Jesus chose to include Eucharistic imagery in his first appearance after his resurrection? Verse 31 tells us that when Jesus blessed the bread, broke it, and gave it to the disciples, it was then that their eyes were opened and they recognized him. Why do you think that was the moment they recognized him? There is a symbolic meaning when Luke says their eyes were opened (verse 31). How does the symbolism of their eyes being opened serve as a good image of what it means to come to faith in Jesus? How are our eyes “opened” when we gather for the breaking of the bread? None of this story would have happened if the disciples had not shown hospitality to a stranger. What does that say to us? At the Last Supper in Luke 22:16-18, Jesus says that he will not eat and drink with his disciples again until the Passover is fulfilled in the kingdom of God (22:16) or until the kingdom of God comes (22:18). How was that fulfilled? What do you think is the turning point or high point in this story: The disciples’ hospitality which brought Jesus to their table? Jesus’s implicit forgiveness of their unbelief? The breaking of the bread? The extended Bible lesson as they walked? Something else? What do you most need to take from this story and apply in your life today? In verse 32, the disciples say, “Were not our hearts burning within us” as he opened the Scriptures to them? What do they mean? How does your heart burn within you when you see new insights from the Scriptures? Jesus’s extended Bible Study with the disciples as they walk shows how important Bible Study is. Does your church put enough emphasis on helping people study the Bible? What more could be done? The disciples return to Jerusalem and receive great news from the apostles and other disciples who are gathered together: Jesus has appeared to Peter. None of the Gospels tell us about this meeting between Jesus and Peter. Why do you think Jesus made a separate appearance to Peter, and what do you think they talked about? Read Luke 22:32-34 , where Jesus says he will pray for Peter. What difference do you think that made? Do you think of Jesus praying for you? Do you think of his sacrifice on the Cross as a prayer offering for you? In what ways is Jesus bringing you before the Father even now? In Luke 22:32, Jesus tells Peter, “When you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.” Do you think they talked about that when Jesus appeared to Peter? How do you think Peter went about trying to fulfill that command? Take a step back and consider this: Most Christian denominations see images of both the Word of God and the sacrament of Holy Communion or the Eucharist in this story. The disciples learn from Jesus as he teaches from the Old Testament and then join him in the breaking of the bread. Our worship services include readings from the Bible (with a sermon exploring its implications for our lives) and a celebration of Holy Communion (whether daily, weekly, or quarterly, depending on the denomination). Why are both of those elements (word and sacrament) central to our worship services? How do you recognize Jesus in the Word of God? How do you recognize Jesus in the sacrament of Holy Communion? Bibliography See Luke - Bibliography at https://www.faithexplored.com/luke/bibliography . Copyright © 2026, Tom Faletti (Faith Explored, www.faithexplored.com ). This material may be reproduced in whole or in part without alteration, for nonprofit use, provided such reproductions are not sold and include this copyright notice or a similar acknowledgement that includes a reference to Faith Explored and www.faithexplored.com. See www.faithexplored.com for more materials like this. Previous Next Luke List

A note about our terminology: What do we mean when we refer to a “part of a paragraph”? Previous Next Jubilee Year 2025: Embrace God’s Hope and Extend It to All A Note About Our Terminology What do we mean when we refer to a “part of a paragraph”? Link to S pes Non Confundit Photo by Tom Faletti, bridge near Neuschwanstein Castle, Hohenschwangau, Germany, June 27, 2024. Tom Faletti November 16, 2024 Church documents are often broken up into numbered paragraphs to aid in finding particular passages. This document follows that norm in having numbered paragraphs. However, in many places in Spes Non Confundit , one numbered “paragraph” extends over several paragraphs as we normally understand the meaning of that term. When this study guide says, “paragraph X,” it is referring to the paragraph that has the number X in front of it – for example , “paragraph 3” refers to the paragraph that has the number 3 in front of it . When a “paragraph” (as church documents count them) has more than one standard paragraph (as we normally understand a paragraph to be), this guide refers to those additional paragraphs as additional “parts” of that numbered “paragraph.” For example, the “second part of paragraph 3” refers to the second paragraph in the portion of the document that follows the number 3 and comes before the paragraph numbered paragraph 4 . Similarly, the “fourth part of paragraph 6” is the fourth regular paragraph that comes after the number 6 (and before the number 7). Bibliography See Jubilee Year 2025 - Bibliography at https://www.faithexplored.com/jubilee-2025/bibliography . Copyright © 2025, Tom Faletti (Faith Explored, www.faithexplored.com ). This material may be reproduced in whole or in part without alteration, for nonprofit use, provided such reproductions are not sold and include this copyright notice or a similar acknowledgement that includes a reference to Faith Explored and www.faithexplored.com. See www.faithexplored.com for more materials like this. Previous Jubilee 2025 Contents Next

God wants Christians to work for justice. Previous Justice Articles Next Justice and the Bible God wants Christians to work for justice. Image provided by Wix. Tom Faletti February 28, 2024 In the Bible, God repeatedly calls us to work for justice. Here is a short overview of the many Scripture passages where God’s demand that we work for justice is clear : God makes every human person in his image (Genesis 1:27) and tells us to treat all people with respect (1 Peter 2:17). Jesus tells us that he is present in every person in need (Matthew 25:34-40). Repeatedly, throughout the Old Testament, God demands that his people establish justice in their society (Amos 5:15), end the oppression of immigrants and those who are poor (Zechariah 7:8-11), provide for the poor and alien (Leviticus 23:22), and treat the immigrant like a citizen (Leviticus 19:33-34). He tells us to free the oppressed and provide for the needy (Isaiah 58:6-7). He calls us to defend the weak, the poor, and the oppressed (Psalm 82:3-4). He tells businesses to treat their customers fairly (Leviticus 19:35-36; 23:35-36) and to pay just wages to their workers (Deuteronomy 24:14-15; James 5:4). He tells governmental leaders to seek justice, defend the oppressed, and take up the cause of those who are at the bottom of society (Isaiah 1:17; Jeremiah 22:3). He directs those in political authority to act with justice and deliver the needy from those who oppress them (Psalm 72). How can we follow the Lord’s commands to establish justice in our land if we do not work to transform the social and political structures of our society? With so many Scripture passages directing us to take action for justice, how can any preacher suggest that salvation is just between you and God and we don’t need to be involved in transforming our society, our government, our businesses, and our culture? Furthermore, if we live in a democracy, we are responsible for our government’s laws. We cannot claim that God does not care if we allow laws that violate the principles of justice He has established – we are responsible to choose, guide, and influence our lawmakers, who are responsible to work for justice on our behalf. God demands that we get involved. He will hold us accountable for our response to His call to seek justice in our world. May we respond to God’s intense desire for justice and join His work to make it so. Copyright © 2024, Tom Faletti (Faith Explored, www.faithexplored.com ). This material may be reproduced in whole or in part without alteration, for nonprofit use, provided such reproductions are not sold and include this copyright notice or a similar acknowledgement that includes a reference to Faith Explored and www.faithexplored.com. See www.faithexplored.com for more materials like this. Previous Justice Articles Next

Why does Jesus tell us to love our enemies? Previous Matthew List Next Matthew 5:43-48 Why does Jesus tell us to love our enemies? Image provided by Wix. Tom Faletti May 8, 2024 Matthew 5:43-48 Love your enemies This is the last of the 6 antitheses, where Jesus reinterprets and transforms the Jewish teachings in the Law. What does Jesus suggest that his Jewish audience has been taught? They have been taught: love your neighbor and hate your enemy. The Hebrew Bible does not teach that you should hate your enemy. You could imagine his audience nodding along as he says it, because that is what they have been raised to think. But it’s not there in the Old Testament. Leviticus 19:18 says, “you shall love your neighbor as yourself” (NRSV). Leviticus 19:17 says you shall not hate your kin. That might have been interpreted by some as allowing you to hate your enemy, even if you are not directed to do so. But the Old Testament does not say it; and Jesus not only rejects it, he goes further. What does Jesus teach here? The word for love here is agape , which is the kind of love that goes beyond even one’s love for one’s family and taps into the love that comes from God. This love does what is best for the other person even at cost to oneself. This does not necessarily mean letting others do whatever they want against us. Sometimes, restraining or refusing another person is the best thing for them. But this kind of love is the love that is done solely for the other person’s benefit, not to meet our own desires. What does this kind of love look like in action? According to Jesus in verse 45, who will we be if we do this? What does it mean to be “children of God”? The literal phrase here is “sons of God.” In the Hebrew language, there were relatively few adjectives, and “son of . . .” was often a way to convey an adjective – for example, the Jews might have said someone was a “son of peace” to signify that the person was peaceful. In this case, saying someone is a son of God might convey that they are a “godlike” person (Barclay, The Gospel of Matthew, Volume 1 , p. 175). Jesus is saying that if you love your enemies, you are acting like God would act – you are showing the character of God. How does loving our enemies make us like God? When we love, we reflect the mind and actions of God, because that is how God thinks and acts toward all people. If we love our enemies like God does, people will see the “family” resemblance – like Father, like son or daughter. In verse 44, Jesus tells us not only to love our enemies but to pray for those who persecute us. Why is praying for our enemies part of the package here? In the second part of verse 45, Jesus gives some examples of what God does to show his love even toward his enemies. What does he say God does? What are some ways we can treat our “enemies” – or those who are hard to love – that would be like the way God provides the sun and rain even to people who are evil or unrighteous? What attitude lies behind these ways that God and we show love to others? What attitude toward humans leads to a desire to love them even when they are being difficult? In verse 46-47, how does Jesus describe the more shallow, transactional care for others that is part of normal human nature? In his examples, Jesus refers to tax collectors and Gentiles – the non-favored people of his society. In a subtle way, he is suggesting that, although the Jews looked down on these groups, the “love your neighbor, hate your enemy” attitude of the prevailing Jewish society was no better. How can we adopt more fully an approach of love toward those we don’t agree with that would reflect the mind and actions of God? What would it look like if we were to routinely approach others, in every facet of life, this way? What would it look like: in business dealings? in political discourse? in disagreements within the church? in family squabbles and estrangements? in other areas of your life? Jesus is trying to help us embrace a whole new conception of ourselves, where we become like God and always keep God as our focus. He must increase in us, and our self-centeredness must decrease. Focus now on verse 48. What does it mean to be “perfect”? The Greek word here for perfect is teleios , which comes from the word telos , meaning end, purpose, aim, or goal. This word for “perfect” is not about being flawless in some abstract way. The word is about fulfilling the purpose for which you have been created (Barclay, Gospel of Matthew, Volume 1 , p. 176). How does loving our enemy help perfect us to that we can become more fully what God intended us to be? When we choose to love our enemies, we move forward in the transformation by which we take on God’s character and allow every part of our lives – our thoughts, words, and actions – to reflect the image of the God in whose image we were originally created. We could interpret the “be perfect” statement in this way: Jesus calls us to “be [fill in the blank] as your heavenly Father is [that thing].” Be holy as he is holy; be loving as he is loving; be patient as he is patient; etc. Be fully what God intends you to be. How does the call, in verse 48, to be fully what we are intended by God to be, sum up the entire teaching of the 6 “antitheses” from verses 21-47? In this part of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus totally transforms some of the core teachings from the Jewish Law on how to relate to and deal with one another. Where in your life do you need to work on this new way of living? Take a step back and consider this: Why does God want us to love our enemies? The easy answer, based on this passage, is: to become children of God. But let’s push ourselves to think more rigorously. One reason to love our enemies is that Jesus told us to do so, to become children of God. What are some additional reasons why we should love our enemies? Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., said that we should love our enemies because (1) only love can overcome hate; (2) hate scars the soul; (3) only love can turn an enemy into a friend; and (4) love allows us to experience God’s holiness: (1) “Why should we love our enemies? The first reason is fairly obvious. Returning hate for hate multiplies hate, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars. Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that.” (Martin Luther King, Jr., Strength to Love , Beacon Press, Boston, 1963, p. 47). (2) “Another reason we must love our enemies is that hate scars the soul and distorts the personality. . . . [H]ate brings irreparable damage to its victims. . . . But there is another side which we must never overlook. Hate is just as injurious to the person who hates. Like an unchecked cancer, hate corrodes the personality and eats away its vital unity. Hate destroys a man’s sense of values and his objectivity. It causes him to . . . confuse the true with the false and the false with the true.” (Martin Luther King, Jr., Strength to Love , Beacon Press, Boston, 1963, pp. 47, 48). (3) “A third reason why we should love our enemies is that love is the only force capable of transforming an enemy into a friend. We never get rid of an enemy by meeting hate with hate; we get rid of an enemy by getting rid of enmity. . . . Love transforms with redemptive power.” (Martin Luther King, Jr., Strength to Love , Beacon Press, Boston, 1963, p. 48 ) . (4) “An even more basic reason why we are commanded to love is expressed in Jesus’ words, ‘Love your enemies . . . that you may be children of your Father which is in heaven .” [ellipses and italics in the original] We are called to this difficult task in order to realize a unique relationship with God. . . . We must love our enemies, because only by loving them can we know God and experience the beauty of his holiness.” (Martin Luther King, Jr., Strength to Love , Beacon Press, Boston, 1963, p. 50 ) . If someone were to ask you, “Why should I love my enemies?”, how would you respond? How can you apply these insights about love to some particular situation in your life? What is something you can do to choose love over hate? Bibliography See Matthew - Bibliography at https://www.faithexplored.com/matthew/bibliography . Copyright © 2025, Tom Faletti (Faith Explored, www.faithexplored.com ). This material may be reproduced in whole or in part without alteration, for nonprofit use, provided such reproductions are not sold and include this copyright notice or a similar acknowledgement that includes a reference to Faith Explored and www.faithexplored.com. See www.faithexplored.com for more materials like this. Previous Matthew List Next

Jesus tells us we need to be born again/from above in order to enter his kingdom. What does this mean, and what might our life look like if we are born from above? Previous Next John List John 3:1-15 Jesus tells us we need to be born again/from above in order to enter his kingdom. What does this mean, and what might our life look like if we are born from above? John La Farge. Visit of Nicodemus to Christ . 1880. Smithsonian American Art Museum, Washington, DC. Public domain, via Smithsonian American Art Museum, https://americanart.si.edu/artwork/visit-nicodemus-christ-14202 . Tom Faletti November 23, 2025 Read John 3:1-15 Jesus talks with Nicodemus about being born again from above It would be helpful to read this passage in the light of the final verses of the previous chapter. Some people came to believe in Jesus because of the signs he was doing in Jerusalem, but Jesus did not trust their newfound faith, which may have been a shallow response to his miracles rather than being a deep-seated change of heart. One of the Jewish leaders now comes to Jesus. He has not rejected Jesus the way other Jewish leaders have, but he also has not jumped to faith based on Jesus’s signs. He has questions. Nicodemus is described in 2 different ways in verse 1 and in a third way in verse 10. What are told about Nicodemus? Verse 1 tells us that Nicodemus is (1) a Pharisee and (2) a “ruler” (in most translations) or “leader” (NRSV) of the Jews. Verse 10 tells us he is a teacher. A “ruler” probably means a member of the Sanhedrin, the 71-member Jewish council that enforced Jewish religious law and also had political power under the Roman authorities. The Sanhedrin included the chief priests and the elders of Jerusalem’s leading families, and its members included both Pharisees and Sadducees. The Pharisees were committed to a zealous adherence to the entire Jewish law and the interpretations of it that had developed over the centuries. The Sadducees believed only what was stated in the Torah (the first 5 books of our Old Testament) and took a less rigorous approach to religious practices. Why do you think Nicodemus comes to see Jesus? Is he like the “come and see” disciples who check out Jesus in chapter 1? In verse 2, John tells us that Nicodemus came to Jesus at night. On a practical level, why might he have come at night? And what symbolism might be suggested in the image of Nicodemus coming at night? He may be afraid to be found out by those who oppose Jesus. Symbolically, he is in spiritual darkness and has not yet received the light of Christ. This fits with something Jesus will say later in the chapter when he contrasts those who come into the light from those who don’t (John 3:19-21). In verse 2, how does Nicodemus describe Jesus? In verse 3, Jesus shifts the conversation. What does he say? John here tells another story where someone misunderstands Jesus. The misunderstanding begins with the Greek word that follows the word “born.” That word can mean “from above” or “again.” Which way does your translation of the Bible translate that word? The NRSV and the NABRE choose the translation “from above.” Most other translations follow the King James Bible in using “again,” although some translations say “anew.” Some of our modern translations say “born again,” and some say “born from above.” What does Nicodemus think Jesus is saying, and what does Jesus actually mean? After Nicodemus shows that he doesn’t understand, Jesus tries again. Jesus provides a little more explanation in verse 5. What does he say? He says we must be born of water and spirit (or Spirit – the Greeks at that time did not have separate letters for lower case and upper case, so we must make our best interpretation). There is significant disagreement across the various Christian traditions as to how to interpret this verse. The Catholic Church sees here a clear reference to the sacrament of Baptism, where people are born of water and the Spirit in a single event: one baptism that involves both a physical washing by water and a reception of the Holy Spirit. This understanding extends back to the early church. Justin Martyr, writing around AD 155-157, cited John 3:3-4 in explaining the Church’s baptismal practices ( Justin , par. 61). The Orthodox, Anglican, and Lutheran Churches also have historical positions that are compatible with a sacramental view of this verse. Many evangelicals reject the idea that this verse is referring to sacramental baptism and believe that these words refer to the cleansing and spiritual regeneration that occurs when a person makes a profession of faith. They point to other passages of Scripture such as Romans 10:9 for their understanding of spiritual regeneration. A minority position is that the baptism of water is a reference to our natural birth at the beginning of our lives, but it would have been trite for Jesus to say that a condition of entering the kingdom of God is that you must have been born physically. The fact that Jesus identified water and spirit suggests that he was thinking of something more when he referred to water. Moreover, the Greek phrasing suggests that “water and spirit” are not separate but go together, because in the Greek there is no “the” before “spirit”: the phrase is “water and spirit.” Ezekiel 36:25–27 talks about water and spirit in a way that supports the idea that there is a spiritual transformation that involves both water and spirit in one action of God. What does it mean to you to be “born again”? What does it mean to you to be born of water and the Spirit? In Nicodemus’s mind, to become a child of God, you must be born of a Jewish mother. Jesus is redefining what it means to be a child of God. In verse 7, the first “you” is singular – talking to Nicodemus – but the second “you” is plural: “ You all must be born again/from above.” Jesus is not just saying that Nicodemus must be born again/from above, he is saying this to everyone. Regardless of whether you interpret this passage sacramentally or as referring to a spiritual regeneration that comes with a profession of faith, it needs to be lived out on an ongoing basis. What does a life that is born again or born from above look like? Jesus refers to “the kingdom of God” in both verse 3 and in verse 5. This is the only place that phrase appears in the Gospel of John. It appears more regularly in the Synoptic Gospels. In verse 3, Jesus says we need to be born again or from above to “see the kingdom of God,” and in verse 5, he says we need to do this to “enter the kingdom of God.” So being born again or from above is the process or step that allows us to see or enter the kingdom of God. What do you think Jesus means by “the kingdom of God”? What do you think it means to see or enter the kingdom of God? Jesus makes a pun in verse 8 that is not obvious to us in English. In both Hebrew and Greek, there is one word that means both “wind” and “spirit” (John uses the Greek word pneuma ). Jesus says the pneuma blows and you hear it, referring to wind. And he says we are born of the pneuma , by which he means the Spirit. Jesus says that we don’t know where the wind comes from or goes, but we are able to perceive that it is there; and he says that people who are born of the Spirit have a similar experience. How are they similar? We can’t see the Holy Spirit, but we see the effects of the Spirit. In what ways do you perceive the presence of the Holy Spirit even though you cannot see him? Nicodemus still does not understand what Jesus is saying, and Jesus chides him in verse 10 for not understanding even though he is a teacher. Nicodemus then disappears from the story, though he will return later (John 7:50) and will eventually do a courageous good deed (John 19:39). The “we” in verse 11 may refer to Jesus and John the Baptist, though it also could be the author’s view of the contrast between the Christian community and the Jews around it. The second “you” in verse 11 and all the instances of “you” in verse 12 are plural. Jesus is now speaking not just to Nicodemus but to anyone who has not put their faith in him. In verse 13, what does Jesus say about the Son of Man? He descended from heaven and will ascend to heaven. This description of the Son of Man makes it more clear than in the Synoptic Gospels that the “Son of Man” is a heavenly person, not just a human. How important to you is it that Jesus came down from heaven and returned to heaven, and why? Verses 14-15 refer to an incident from the Old Testament involving Moses. John has already suggested that Jesus is greater than Moses (1:17). Let’s see what he is talking about here. Read Numbers 21:4-9 . Why do you think Moses hangs the bronze serpent on a pole? This allows him to lift it up for people to see, even from a distance. Look at John 3:14. John does not explain here what “lifted up” means (he will make it clearer later in his Gospel), but we know what it means, as did John’s readers. What does Jesus mean when he says that he will be lifted up? Jesus will be lifted up on the cross in his Crucifixion. He will also be lifted up from the grave in his Resurrection and lifted into heaven at his Ascension. The bronze serpent that Moses lifted up in the desert gave life to people who otherwise would have died of a snake bite. According to John 3:15, what does Jesus being lifted up do? Ironically, the bronze serpent eventually became an idol and King Hezekiah ultimately destroyed it in 2 Kings 18:4. Satan appeared as a snake in the Garden of Eden to tempt Adam and Eve. Genesis 3:15 says that the snake will continue to strike at the heel of Eve’s offspring. In Numbers, snakes were biting the Israelites in the desert. If we interpret the story in Numbers as an allegory, the snakes that were biting the people might represent Satan, and the bronze serpent that was lifted up represents Jesus. How does Jesus’s action of being lifted up protect us from the deadly attacks of Satan? How is Jesus in chapter 3 calling us to a deep-seated change and not just to a single moment of faith? Take a step back and consider this: Although churches that believe in sacramental Baptism see it as a one-time event, and churches that focus on a profession of faith only expect you to make that profession once, they all agree that faith is about more than a single moment. Faith is an ongoing process of conforming yourself more and more fully to the person of Jesus. How can you live your life in a way that more fully reflects your status as a person who has been born again, born from above, born of water and the Spirit? Bibliography See John - Bibliography at https://www.faithexplored.com/john/bibliography . Copyright © 2025, Tom Faletti (Faith Explored, www.faithexplored.com ). This material may be reproduced in whole or in part without alteration, for nonprofit use, provided such reproductions are not sold and include this copyright notice or a similar acknowledgement that includes a reference to Faith Explored and www.faithexplored.com. See www.faithexplored.com for more materials like this. Previous John List Next