Mary stands by Jesus at the cross and is with the Christian community at Pentecost.  How can we follow her example of being faithful in difficult times and remaining present with the church? [John 6:41-44; Luke 11:27-28; John 19:16-20, 23-27; Acts 1:13-14; 2:1-4; Galatians 4:4-7] Previous Mary List Next Session 6: At the foot of the cross and in the Upper Room Mary stands by Jesus at the cross and is with the Christian community at Pentecost. How can we follow her example of being faithful in difficult times and remaining present with the church? [John 6:41-44; Luke 11:27-28; John 19:16-20, 23-27; Acts 1:13-14; 2:1-4; Galatians 4:4-7] Quinten Massys (ca. 1466 – 1530). The Crucifixion . Around 1515. Cropped. The National Gallery, London, UK. Photo by Tom Faletti, 28 May 2025. Tom Faletti July 16, 2025 John 6:41-44 Is not this Jesus whose father and mother we know? This passage shows the family-oriented nature of Jewish society in Jesus’s time. It was important to know a person’s family background. Jesus was not a man who came out of nowhere. The people knew his parentage. What does this say to you? In our society, we tend to categorize people in a variety of ways, including based on their family. How important is family background to you? Jesus used familiar things in his parables: fathers, sons, farmers, grain, sheep, etc. He used the concept of a “father” to help us understand who God the Father is. What kind of relationship do you think Jesus had with his father Joseph, and do you think that relationship might have helped him as he considered how to teach us about God the Father? Luke 11:27-28 Bless is the womb / Blessed are those who hear the word of God and keep it This is another passage where people comment on Jesus’s earthly family relationships and he redirects the conversation to make a bigger spiritual point. What does the woman remind us about Jesus’s mother and her relationship with him? And what is the bigger point Jesus wants us to hear? Jesus keeps stressing the importance of hearing God’s word and doing it. How was Mary a good example of both hearing and doing what God says? How can we be people who are marked by both characteristics: that we hear God’s word and that we do it? John 19:16-20, 23-27 Mary at the foot of the cross Mary is at the foot of the cross. What is she observing? What is she thinking? What is she feeling? Mary is not alone. Who is with her? Mary Magdalene (Mary of Magdala) is there. Also present is Mary, the wife of Clopas. This could be a literal sister of Mary, but it would be unusual to have two sisters with the same name; so scholars think it is more likely that this is a sister-in-law of Mary. It could be her husband Joseph’s brother’s wife. Also present is the disciple whom Jesus loved, who is traditionally believed to be the apostle John since John is mentioned in the other Gospels but is not named in the Gospel of John. Why is it important that Mary is not alone? Why is it important that Christians not walk the road of life alone? How can the local church be a place where every person has other believers around them and is not alone? What needs to be done for that to be a reality in your church – that no one feels like they are facing the challenges of life alone? In verse 26, what does Jesus say to Mary? What do you think this means? In verse 27, what does Jesus say to the disciple? What do you think this means? How did they respond to Jesus’s instructions? According to tradition, John took Mary with him when he moved to Ephesus. What can we learn from Mary in her obedience to Jesus in this moment? The Gospel of John never names the beloved disciple and never mentions the apostle John by name. It also never names Mary by name. Some scholars believe Mary and John’s names are not used because John is partly offering them as symbols representing all of us. In what ways does Mary represent all mothers? In what ways does John represent all disciples? What does the fact that John and Mary are told to take care of each other say to us about ourselves? How can we be more like Mary and John in our lives? Is there something in this passage that God is using to call you personally to a new step right now? Notice that although in earlier passages Jesus seemed to be distancing himself from his earthly family relationships in order to make bigger points about the family of God, in the end, here, he takes care of his mother. What are our duties to our family members? The bigger-picture point that Jesus has been emphasizing is that family does not give you an inside track to Jesus. All people are called to be part of the family of disciples, the family of God who are followers of Jesus. How can we extend to all people that invitation to be part of God’s family? Acts 1:13-14 and 2:1-4 Mary in the Upper Room We do not know if Mary was with the disciples when Jesus appeared to them in the evening on the day that he rose (John 20:19-23; Luke 24:33-43), but it is quite possible. We do know that she was with them in this passage from Acts. In Acts 1:13-14, what are the disciples and Mary doing? This is after Jesus’s Ascension into heaven, and they are devoting themselves to prayer together, before the coming of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost. Pentecost was and still is a Jewish holiday – called Shavuot, or the Feast of Weeks. It is on the 50th day after the Passover and it celebrates two things: the giving of the Torah (the Law, the first 5 books of the Hebrew Scriptures) on Mount Sinai, and the grain harvest for the summer. Why is it significant that Mary is there praying with them? How important is it to our relationship with God to spend time praying with others? Why? Are there things you might consider doing, that would give you more time in prayer with fellow believers? Think about the experience Mary has already had of the Holy Spirit. What do you think it means to her to receive the Holy Spirit now? How might this experience of the Holy Spirit have been different for Mary than her experience of the Holy Spirit as a teenager? Pentecost is often described as the birthday of the Church. That means Mary was present at the birth of Jesus and at the birth of his Church. How is that special? How is the experience of the Holy Spirit important for you? How can you be more open to being filled with the Holy Spirit in your life? How can the Mary we see here be an example for us in our lives? Galatians 4:4-7 Paul mentions Jesus’s mother In Galatians, Paul makes this brief reference to Mary, without naming her by name. What does he say about her? Why might it have been important to Paul to note that, when God sent his son, Jesus was “born of a woman, born under the law”? Why does it matter that Jesus was born of a woman – that he entered human existence the way he did? Why does it matter that Jesus was part of the Jewish people who followed the Law? How important is Mary in God’s plan for our salvation? How might we be called to be like Mary, metaphorically, in having Jesus be born of us, to have him come to the world through us? Take a step back and consider this: We have watched Mary go through an extraordinary life’s journey: from a holy but young teenager called by God to do something monumentally unique; through some dangerous times when her baby’s life was threatened and she had to leave everything that was familiar to her; to a special moment when she pressed Jesus to take an action that became the first “sign” of his public ministry; through the excruciating experience of watching her son be tortured to death; to being present when his Church was born on Pentecost. In between the special moments, she lived an ordinary life for 30+ years. Our lives are similarly marked by singular moments scattered amidst the unremarkable routines of everyday life. How can we be ready for the special moments that pop up in our lives amidst the years of mundane, ordinary normality? What can we learn from Mary about those rhythms of extraordinary and ordinary experiences? How can we be like her? Bibliography See Mary - Bibliography at https://www.faithexplored.com/mary/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 Mary List Next

Do you struggle with the Christian teaching that Jesus Christ is both fully God and fully human? Three apostles had a visible experience of this truth. Previous Matthew List Next Matthew 17:1-13 Do you struggle with the Christian teaching that Jesus Christ is both fully God and fully human? Three apostles had a visible experience of this truth. Peter Paul Rubens (1577-1640). The Transfiguration of Christ . Part of The Gonzaga Family in Adoration of the Holy Trinity . 1605. Cropped. The Museum of Fine Arts of Nancy, Nancy, France. Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Transfiguration-Rubens.JPG . Tom Faletti June 18, 2025 Matthew 17:1-8 The Transfiguration What happens to Jesus here? There are some interesting similarities between this passage and God’s revelation of himself to Moses on Mt. Sinai, where God appeared on the seventh day in the midst of a cloud (Ex. 24) This passage follows Peter’s identification of Jesus as the Christ, the Messiah. Why does it happen now, after Peter’s declaration? How does this passage reflect who Jesus is? Is this who Jesus always has been, but it is usually hidden from us? Explain. Why does God usually not manifest himself in his glory? What is the significance of Moses and Elijah appearing with Jesus? Moses symbolizes the Law and Elijah symbolizes the prophets. The phrase “the law and the prophets” is shorthand for the whole Hebrew Scriptures (our Old Testament). Jesus has already used that phrase 3 times in Matthew (in 5:17; 7:12; and 11:13), and he will use it again in 22:40. A separate point of significance is that at the end of Elijah’s life he was taken to heaven, and therefore he was thought to be still alive, not dead in Sheol (which is why people thought he could return before the Messiah comes). Why do you think that Peter, James, and John are given this experience? What does God’s voice say from the cloud in verse 5? This voice is similar to the voice in Matthew 3:17 when Jesus is baptized. The church also came to connect it to Deuteronomy 18:15, where Moses commanded the Israelites to listen to the prophet God would raise up in the days to come. In what ways is God saying, “Listen to him” to us and the people of our time? Experiencing this miracle doesn’t protect the apostles from denying or forsaking Jesus later. The power of the moment slowly fades. Similarly, although Moses’s face shone after his encounters with God on the mountain (Ex. 34:29-35), the shine slowly faded (2 Cor. 3:12-13). Have you ever experienced the overwhelming presence of God and then later had it “wear off”? Why does this happen to us? Is it something we should expect and accept, or is there something we should do about it? Peter swings from one extreme to another – from so comfortable that he offers to make 3 tents to so overwhelmed that he cowers in fear. Is this a sign of his weakness or a sign of his amazing ability to change as he gains new knowledge? What can we learn from Peter in this story? Where would you be in this story? In verse 7, Jesus comes to them and touches them – a very down-to-earth, human gesture – and says, “Get up; don’t be afraid.” Is he telling them not to cower before God? Is there a distinction between the kind of fear of God that seemed more common in Moses’s time and the relationship Jesus wants his disciples to have with God? Read 2 Corinthians 3:12-18 , focusing particularly on verse 18. How does Paul describe us as we gaze on the glory of the Lord? How should we see ourselves in the presence of God? What is the appropriate “fear of the Lord” that is at ease with God and embraces his glory, rather than cowering before him? In what ways is Jesus saying to you, “Get up; do not be afraid?” Matthew 17:9-13 The coming of Elijah In verse 9, Jesus tells the apostles not to tell people about this vision until he is raised from the dead. Are there special moments in our experience of God that we should not try to explain to people who haven’t yet become believers in Jesus? How does Jesus connect John the Baptist to Elijah? The Jews believed that Elijah had to return before the Messiah would come. This discussion may have been important to Matthew and his community as an answer to Jews who argued that Jesus couldn’t be the Messiah because Elijah had not yet returned. In verse 12, Jesus again says he is going to suffer. This is a thread throughout the second half of Matthew, starting in chapter 16. How is the fact that Jesus suffered a thread in your life? Take a step back and consider this: There can be a tendency to focus either on Christ in his glory or Jesus in his humanity, and to lose sight of the fact that he is the one, same Lord. There are many aspects of our faith where people who doubt want to see it as a series of either-or choices that we see it as both-and: Is God all-just or all-merciful? Does our faith come from God or by our own will and choice? Is Jesus fully God or fully man? Often, as in these cases, the answer is, “Both.” The challenge for (and the invitation we have from God) is to hold seemingly contradictory truths together and to seek God’s wisdom so that he can show us how they are complementary, not contradictory. For many people, it is too easy to say, “It can’t be so,” and to fail to probe deeply enough to see how God does things that go beyond our human instincts as to what is possible. Is there any part of the idea that Jesus Christ is both our glorious God and our human brother that you struggle with? Think about Jesus as he is manifested in this passage, as one person who is both the divinely transfigured, beloved Son of God and the down-to-earth, “Don’t be afraid” human teacher. Share your uncertainties with him, and “listen to him.” What does Jesus say to you about your uncertainties? How can we train our hearts and minds to not settle for simple answers that focus on one part of the faith to the exclusion of other parts, but instead to grow to maturity in our understanding (1 Cor. 2:16; 14:20; Eph. 4:13; Rom. 12:2)? 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

Are you serving others and helping to lift their burdens, or seeking attention and honor for yourself? Previous Matthew List Next Matthew 23:1-12 Are you serving others and helping to lift their burdens, or seeking attention and honor for yourself? Image by Sai Madhav, provided by Unsplash via Wix. Tom Faletti August 19, 2025 Matthew 23:1-12 Don’t follow the example of the scribes and the Pharisees In the previous passages, Jesus dealt with challenges from the various leadership factions in Jerusalem. Now he turns to the crowds and his disciples. In this chapter, Jesus severely criticizes the scribes and Pharisees for their hypocrisy and their heartless indifference to the burdens of others. But these groups did not come into existence for nefarious reasons. They started from a sincere desire to follow God’s Law completely, which is a cautionary tale for us. The scribes were the experts regarding the Old Testament scriptures – what they mean and how to apply them to life. We might compare them to the scholars and theologians of our time: people who have theology degrees or other forms of lengthy training in religious matters. Most scribes had a deep reverence for the Law and believed that it was the highest of all callings to spend one’s life studying the Law. They worked very hard to identify the 613 commands they found in the Law of Moses and to apply the God’s commands to every minute detail of life, because they loved the Law so much. The Pharisees were a deeply dedicated group of Jews who sought to follow every detail of those 613 commands in the most rigorous way possible. They sought to live every part of their lives, as fully as possible, according to their strict interpretation of the Scriptures. We might compare them in our time to the most devoted members of ecclesial organizations such as Opus Dei or Third Order Franciscans. Just as not all theologians are members of Opus Dei and not all members of Opus Dei are theologians, but some people are both, so too there was an overlap but also a distinction between the scribes and the Pharisees. Jesus zeroes in on the ways that they have obstinately resisted his good news and have remained stuck in narrow and often self-serving approaches to faith. In verse 2, the reference to Moses’s “seat” may be metaphorical or it may refer to the seat of honor reserved for the people who taught in the synagogues. Synagogues did not have ordained “ministers,” so many people were invited to teach and interpret the Scriptures. In verse 3, what does Jesus instruct the crowds and his followers to do? There are two halves to what Jesus says here: Do whatever they teach you, but don’t do as they do. The first half – to do what they teach you – doesn’t seem to fit, given that Jesus has pointed out so many errors in their teaching throughout this entire Gospel. He is implying that sometimes they get it right. What do you think are some of the things they taught that he wants the crowds to follow? What do you think Jesus means in the second half of his statement, when he says: Don’t do the things they do? He might be saying that when they start focusing on their extreme and sometimes heartless interpretations of the Law, emphasizing little details that maybe even they don’t always follow, and when they make an ostentatious production of their faith, then you should not follow their example. How might we apply this in our day? What might Jesus suggest in our day that we should not do? What do you think verse 4 means when Jesus makes a metaphorical reference to “heavy burdens”? How are they imposing “heavy burdens” on the people who follow them? Their endless multiplication of detailed laws makes life very hard for everyday people. Their laws are burdensome and don’t benefit people’s faith life. Are there ways that people today pile rules and laws onto ordinary Christians unnecessarily, and perhaps miss the core of the gospel? Jesus adds that they don’t lift a finger to help the people who are struggling under the burdens they have created. Read Matthew 11:28-30 . How does their indifference compare to how Jesus deals with our burdens? Beginning in verse 5, Jesus focuses on the ways they do things for show. He has already warned the disciples about this in Matthew 6:1-18 with regard to almsgiving, prayer, and fasting. What is wrong with wanting to be seen when you do things that follow God’s Law? In verse 6, Jesus says they wear bigger phylacteries and longer tassels. Here is an explanation: Phylacteries are small leather boxes containing a little scroll with Scripture verses on it, that Jews would strap to their arm or forehead . This practice was based on Exodus 13:9. It was intended to remind them to keep God’s teachings on their lips and to remember God’s saving hand that delivered them from Egypt. The command is repeated in Deuteronomy 6:4-9, right after the famous command to love the Lord with all your heart, soul, and might, implying that this practice would help them do that. It is also repeated in Deuteronomy 11:18-21, where this practice is linked with keeping God’s commands in their heart and soul. Tassels were pieces of string that were sewn onto the four corners of a person’s cloak to fulfill the command prescribed in Numbers 15:37-41. They were meant to be a reminder to follow God’s commandments. (The command is repeated in Deuteronomy 22:12 without the explanation.) When the woman with a hemorrhage touched the “hem” or “fringe” of Jesus’s garment in Luke 8:44, she was probably touching the tassel on his cloak. Do you think we would be more likely to remember to follow God’s commands if we went through our day with a reminder strapped to our foreheads or arms? Explain. What were the Pharisees doing wrong with regard to their phylacteries? What were they doing wrong with their tassels? In verses 6 and 7, Jesus denounces more of their practices. What were they doing wrong at banquets, in the synagogues, and in the marketplaces? What ungodly attitudes were being shown by these Pharisees? Where are the temptations for you to become a “scribe” or “Pharisee” in this way? Where might you have to be careful to avoid these kinds of attitudes? Verses 8-10 talk about titles to avoid. It is probably not useful to apply this too simplistically or literally. Even the apostle Paul referred to himself as the “father” of other Christians in 1 Corinthians 4:15 and Philemon 10. What is the ungodly attitude that Jesus is challenging? Jesus is challenging the pride that wants to be honored and treated as greater or more important than others. Almost every Christian denomination identifies the people who are allowed to teach the truths of their faith in colleges and seminaries as “teachers” (or “doctors,” which is just a title for a high-level teacher). The Catholic Church and some other denominations call their ministers “Father,” and many denominations make a big deal about who gets to be called “Pastor” (which means “shepherd”) or Bishop (which means “overseer”). Do we handle these titles appropriately, or do they run afoul of Jesus’s teaching to reserve the honorifics for God? If we dropped all honorifics for our church leaders, would it still be possible for them to fall into the pride that wants to be honored and treated as greater than others? And if so, what is the deeper point here? In verses 11-12, Jesus sums up what he is saying by making a bigger point. What does he say? This statement echoes what Jesus said in Matthew 20:26-27. How do verses 11-12 apply to Christian leaders, regardless of what we call them? How do verses 11-12 apply to you personally, as you live your own life? What do you need to do to honor Jesus’s teaching here? It is easy to try to put myself ahead of others without even realizing it, and to exalt myself in big or small ways. How can I keep from falling into that trap? There is also a risk that we might find ourselves trying to call attention to how humble we are. How do we sometimes do that? And how can we avoid it? Take a step back and consider this: For every scribe or Pharisee who was strutting around, flaunting his phylacteries and tossing his tassels, there were probably 2 or 4 or 9 others who were simply trying to live their faith with all the devotion they could muster. The same is true in our day. It is easy to point our finger at the TV evangelist with gold rings and a Mercedes. It is harder to recognize the subtle ways we are tempted to buy into a culture that tells us, “You need more ‘likes.’ It’s your time. You deserve the best. Everyone needs a little bling. Bigger is better. You earned it; now flaunt it.” If I listen to the ads and the social media culture, I’ll start to think that I need all kinds of things, and a lot of attention, in order to be important, or fulfilled, or happy. Jesus says, “No. Stop thinking about yourself. Stop wasting time on what does not matter. God has much bigger purposes for you than this. Focus on what God is trying to do.” What are the messages embedded in our culture that are most likely to steer you off track or knock you off your game? What are the distractions that can take your eyes off of Jesus? What can you do to stay focused, so that when people see you, they say, “There is a servant of God who makes life a little bit easier for the people around them”? In your life as a servant, what can you do to help lift the burdens of others? 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 offers the same salvation to all – high or low, early or late – and asks us to adopt his attitude, which is that many who are last will be first. Can we embrace his approach? Previous Matthew List Next Matthew 20:1-16 Jesus offers the same salvation to all – high or low, early or late – and asks us to adopt his attitude, which is that many who are last will be first. Can we embrace his approach? Lawrence W. Ladd (fl. 1865–1895). Parable of the Laborers in the Vineyard . Circa 1880. Smithsonian American Art Museum, Washington, DC. Public domain, via SAAM , https://americanart.si.edu/artwork/parable-laborers-vineyard-14162 . Tom Faletti July 4, 2025 Matthew 20:1-16 The parable of the vineyard owner and the laborers; the last shall be first This parable can be interpreted on many different levels, which we will explore; but first, we need to understand what actually happens in the story. Jesus tells a story about a landowner and laborers, but according to the first few words of verse 1, what is this parable really about? The kingdom of heaven. What does the landowner do early in the morning and what does he do at various times later in the day? How much does he agree to pay the first group of workers? A denarius was the standard daily wage. It was enough for a man to feed his family the next day. If he didn’t get a daily wage, his children very possibly might go hungry. Do the laborers agree to receive that wage? The landowner’s actions and the laborers’ actions were perfectly normal for that time. Workers who did not have a steady job would go to the marketplace and hope to be hired for a day’s work. When the harvest was ready, landowners needed a large number of people to bring in the crop quickly. Rain or other weather problems could ruin the crop, and it could go bad if it is left in the field too long. So the landowner needed everyone he could get. At the same time, the economic lives of common laborers were very precarious: they never knew from day to day whether they would be able to eat the next day – it all depended on whether they found work that day. We see this day-labor economy in many places. Where I live in the nation’s capital, I have often seen groups of day laborers in the Home Depot parking lot hoping they can get some work for the day. When the landowner goes back to the marketplace later in the day, he finds more workers. What wage do they agree to? They agree to his offer to be paid whatever is right, or righteous, or just. The Greek word here is díkaios , which is often used to distinguish a “righteous” person from a sinner. He’s saying to them, I’ll do the right thing; I’ll treat you right. Why do you think the laborers accept that vague statement? By the time he is hiring more workers at the end of the day, he doesn’t even talk about money. He just tells them to go work and they do. Why do you think they go work without any agreement about money? They are just grateful to no longer be standing around. A little pay would be better than no pay at all. When it is time to pay the workers, the landowner starts with the workers he hired last. Jesus tells the story this way to make a point. He is not saying this is how a boss would act or should act. It is a device he is using to make his point. How did the workers hired first react when everyone had been paid? Did the landowner cheat the workers who were hired first? Now let’s dig deeper. Level #1 Remember that this is a story about what (verse 1): the kingdom of heaven. So who in the parable stands for what in the kingdom of heaven? The landowner represents who? The workers hired first represent who? The workers hired last represent who? The landowner is God. The first group of workers is probably the devout Jews who keep challenging Jesus, people who have been devoting their lives to God from their childhood. The workers who come later are perhaps the “tax collectors and sinners” that Jesus has been welcoming into his kingdom, or perhaps Gentiles. What is the point Jesus is making about the kingdom of heaven? As we connect the story to the kingdom of heaven, what is the “pay” the workers receive? We are saved by grace, not be our works, so what is the “pay”? If the answer is “salvation,” what does that mean? Now, Matthew might have included this story to make a point about devout Jews and “sinners,” or about Jews and Gentiles. What would the point be? Different people say this in different ways, for example: All people receive the same salvation; all people receive eternal life; all people receive access to God. In verse 13, when the first group complains, what does the landowner call the one he responds to? Jesus calls him “Friend.” What does Jesus’s use of the word “friend” in verse 13 tell us about his attitude toward those who challenge him because they don’t like his egalitarianism? The workers who started in the morning could be interpreted as those who developed a commitment to Jesus from their childhood, in contrast to those who came to faith in adulthood or even at the very end of their lives. For that interpretation, what would the point be? Do people receive a greater reward from God if they come to faith earlier in life? They get to live more of their life in communion with God while they are still alive, but do they receive a greater salvation? Can the point of the parable be applied to other comparisons people might make? For example, is the reward of salvation greater for the speaker at a church event, compared to the person who provides the refreshments, the person who puts away the chairs afterwards, or the person who just comes in, listens, and goes home? In what ways do those things matter and in what ways do they not? Conclusion #1 : All who work for God will receive the same salvation: forgiveness of their sins and life forever with God – regardless of whether they came to God early in life or later. God saves all who work in his kingdom and loves all of them. Level #2 The reaction of the laborers who started first, when they see what the other workers are paid, is why Jesus told the story in the order he did. If he had said that the landowner paid the early workers first, those workers would never have found out that the workers who came last were paid the same amount, and we would not have been able to see their attitude toward the other workers. What is their attitude toward the workers who came later? The landowner implies that they do not have the right attitude. Why is it that attitude a problem? A BIG NOTE OF CAUTION: Some people are bothered by this story because they think that paying the workers who come late the same wage as the workers who start early will encourage laziness . They are bringing their own biases to the story. The story does not say that the workers who were hired later were lazy people who slept late and only came to the marketplace at the end of the day. The story says they were “idle,” but it does not use that word pejoratively. It doesn’t say it was their fault that they hadn’t found a job. It doesn’t even say they showed up late. They could have been waiting all day for someone to hire them. The story doesn’t say the landowner hired all of the people who were looking for work early in the morning. Perhaps the landowner originally thought 20 workers would be enough to bring in the harvest, but as the day progressed, it became clear that he needed more, so he went back to the marketplace. They might have been there from the beginning. Or perhaps some workers were taking care of a sick member of the family in the morning, or were themselves sick, or were testifying in court that morning, or were burying a loved one. If we choose to see them as lazy, we are injecting our own biases into the story. Jesus does not say they were lazy or at fault in any way. This leads us to consider the attitudes of the various groups of workers. At the beginning of the day for the first group of laborers, when they first encounter the landowner and their relationship begins, what do you think is the attitude of the first group of workers toward the landowner and the work they are getting from him? It's a contract – you pay me the normal wage, and I will work for you. Notice that when they challenge the landowner, they inject a sour note into their relationship with the landowner. When the second group of workers first encounter the landowner and their relationship begins, what is their attitude toward the landowner and the pay he is offering? They choose to trust him that he will be fair. When the later groups first encounter the landowner and their relationship begins, what do you think their attitude is toward the landowner and the pay they are likely to get? They also trust him. They don’t know what they will get, but they trust that the landowner will pay them something reasonable. Which attitude better reflects what God hopes to see in his followers? Why? What does this tell us about how we should feel about having the privilege of working in God’s vineyard, of being a member of God’s kingdom? It calls us to humility. If you’ve decided to work for God, trust him and don’t second-guess what he is doing with other workers in his kingdom. Conclusion #2 : Our attitude towards other people and their access to salvation can sour our relationship with God and with each other, and can even taint our thinking about the privilege of being in a relationship with God. There are two more levels of application to look at: This landowner recognizes that all people should have what they need for their daily bread. The last shall be first. God actually seems to care more about those who the world cares less about, because the world cares less about them. Level #3 The Catholic Church has a long history of concern for economic relationships in society and has developed an extensive body of teaching, often called “Catholic social teaching,” regarding how to apply Christian principles to social issues, especially issues related to God’s desire for justice. (And many other denominations have similar teachings.) One of the core principles in Catholic social teaching involves the dignity of work and the rights of workers. Two of the ways that Catholic social teaching develops that principle are relevant to this passage: (1) That everyone has a right to work, and (2) that everyone has a right to a living wage for their work. How do you see those principles affirmed in this passage? How might these principles be put into practice in our society? Ever since Pope Leo XIII’s encyclical Rerum Novarum in 1891, the Catholic Church has called for a minimum wage that is high enough to allow a worker to cover the basic needs of the worker and his or her family. Some people call that a “living wage” to distinguish it from a bare minimum wage that is not high enough to support a family. Ensuring a right to work – that everyone who desires to work can find a job – is a more difficult policy challenge, but some governments do more than others to try to ensure that everyone seeking work can find a job. Do you see ways that we are falling short of these goals for work, and what can we do about it? Conclusion #3 : We pray, “Give us this day our daily bread,” but God also asks us to try construct our societies so that people can work for their daily bread and other basic needs. Workers have a right to work and a right to be paid enough to cover the basic needs of themselves and their families. Level #4 Now let’s look at a final point here that is often given little attention. Jesus says almost the same thing right before and right after he tells this story. In Matthew 19:30, he says, “But many of the first will be last, and the last, first,” and Matthew 20:16 is similar, without the “many”. This is a different point than the point about salvation being given also to those who come late. What is added by making this declaration about the last and the first? What does “first” mean? First in what? The only way to make sense of this is to interpret the “first” to mean those who are first in the eyes of the world – highest in status, wealth, sex appeal, fame, applause, followers on social media, etc. What does “last” mean? Last in what? In what ways are we – you and I – last? In what ways are we first? Notice that in Matthew 19:30, Jesus says, “ Many of the first will be last, and the last, first.” Why do think he qualifies it with “many,” as though it will not be true of everyone? What kind of person who is “first” in the eyes of the world might not be “last” in the kingdom of heaven? And what kind of person who is “last” in the eyes of the world might not be “first” in the kingdom of heaven? If everyone receives the same salvation by grace as a gift from God, does it make sense to talk about first and last? What is Jesus trying to tell us when he says, “The last shall be first”? What does it tell us about how God thinks? Notice that Jesus doesn’t say, “The first will end up even with those who were last, and the last will finally catch up.” What does this tell us about God’s perspective? God sees things differently than we do, in his downside-up view (see God’s Downside-Up View of the World , with additional Scripture passages in God Takes a Downside-Up View of the World ). As God sees it, those who are seen as less important or further behind in this life are all the more of concern to him. If you ever find yourself thinking that you have more of a right to God’s favor than someone else, he might tell you that you’re missing something and someone else has moved ahead. Conclusion #4 : If you want to know what God is thinking about, what perspective God is looking from, look from the bottom up, because God is noticing what things look like from the bottom, from the people who are “last” in the world’s eyes. He wants all of us to see the world from his upside-down view – to understand that many of the last will be first. Looking over the whole parable and Jesus’s closing comment, what does this passage tell us about God? What does it tell us about God’s attitude toward us? What does it tell us about how we should live? Are you a Christian because of the reward you will get – the “pay” that comes when you die or at some other point in your life? Or are you a Christian because of the relationship and the privilege and the joy of participating in God’s work? Explain. Take a step back and consider this: It can be very hard for us to think as God thinks. We get too focused on ourselves. This parable reminds me of a poem by Shel Silverstein: God’s Wheel by Shel Silverstein God says to me with kind of a smile, “Hey how would you like to be God awhile And steer the world?” “Okay,” says I, “I’ll give it a try. Where do I set? How much do I get? What time is lunch? When can I quit?” “Gimme back that wheel,” says God, “I don’t think you’re quite ready yet.” (Source: Shel Silverstein, A Light in the Attic , HarperCollins, 1981, p. 152.) What are some ways that we tend to think we know better than God what he should do in our world? It is hard to see our own blind spots. Do you have any idea where you tend to think you know better than God? What can you do to more fully take on God’s perspective on our world? 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

Bibliography of major sources and additional sources used in this study of the Gospel of Matthew. Previous Matthew List Next Matthew - Bibliography Bibliography of major sources and additional sources used in this study of the Gospel of Matthew. Some of the resources on the author's bookshelf. Tom Faletti February 13, 2024 Major Sources Augsberger, Myron. Matthew . The Communicator’s Commentary (Mastering the New Testament) , Lloyd J. Ogilvie, general editor. Word Books, 1982. Barclay, William. The Gospel of Matthew, Volume 1. 2nd edition. The Daily Study Bible. The Saint Andrew Press, 1958. Note: All of the volumes in Barclay’s Daily Study Bible series can be viewed online at “William Barclay's Daily Study Bible,” Bible Portal , https://bibleportal.com/commentary/william-barclay . Barclay, William. The Gospel of Matthew, Volume 2. 2nd edition. The Daily Study Bible. The Saint Andrew Press, 1958. Note: All of the volumes in Barclay’s Daily Study Bible series can be viewed online at “William Barclay's Daily Study Bible,” Bible Portal , https://bibleportal.com/commentary/william-barclay . Brown, Raymond E. An Introduction to the New Testament . Yale University Press, 1997. Ellison, H. L. “Matthew.” The International Bible Commentary: With the New International Version . F.F. Bruce, General Editor. Marshall Pickering/Zondervan, 1986. Harrington, Fr. Daniel J. The Gospel According to Matthew . Collegeville Bible Commentary, The Liturgical Press, 1983. Ignatius Catholic Study Bible: The New Testament, Revised Standard Edition, Second Catholic Edition . Ignatius Press, 2010. Interlinear Bible. Bible Hub , https://biblehub.com/interlinear/ . The International Bible Commentary: With the New International Version . F.F. Bruce, General Editor. Marshall Pickering/Zondervan, 1986. Liddell, Henry George and Robert Scott . An Intermediate Greek-English Lexicon, Founded Upon the Seventh Edition of Liddell and Scott’s Greek-English Lexicon . Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1899. Perseus Digital Library , Tufts University, https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:1999.04.0058 . For the full Lexicon from 1940 available online, see A Greek-English Lexicon , Furman Classics Editions, http://folio2.furman.edu/lsj/ or A Greek-English Lexicon , Internet Archive , Volume I: https://archive.org/details/b31364949_0001/mode/2up and Volume II: https://archive.org/details/b31364949_0002/mode/2up . New American Bible, revised edition (NABRE) . Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, 2010. Scripture texts in this work are taken from the New American Bible, revised edition © 2010, 1991, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Washington, D.C. and are used by permission of the copyright owner. All Rights Reserved. No part of the New American Bible may be reproduced in any form without permission in writing from the copyright owner. The New Jerome Biblical Commentary . Edited by Raymond E. Brown, et al. Prentice Hall, 1990. The New Oxford Annotated Bible: New Revised Standard Version: With the Apocrypha: An Ecumenical Study Bible . Eds. Michael D. Coogan, Marc Z. Brettler, Carol A. Newsom, and Pheme Perkins. 4th ed. Oxford University Press, 2010. New Revised Standard Version Bible , copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance . Bible Hub , https://biblehub.com/greek/21.htm . Vine, William E. Vine’s Expository Dictionary , 1940, StudyLight.org , https://www.studylight.org/dictionaries/ved.html . Viviano, Benedict T., O.P. “The Gospel According to Matthew.” The New Jerome Biblical Commentary . Edited by Raymond E. Brown, et al. Prentice Hall, 1990. Additional Sources Aquinas, Thomas. Catena aurea: commentary on the four Gospels, collected out of the works of the Fathers . Oxford: Parker, 1874, https://archive.org/details/p1catenaaureacom01thomuoft/page/244/mode/2up . Aquinas, Thomas. “Commentary on Matthew 20.” StudyLight.org , “Golden Chain Commentary on the Gospel,” https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/eng/gcc/matthew-20.html . Augustine. “Sermon 272.” Philip Schaff, Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers series, Early Church Texts , https://earlychurchtexts.com/public/augustine_sermon_272_eucharist.htm . Barna Group. “1 in 4 Practicing Christians Struggles to Forgive Someone.” Barna Group , 11 Apr. 2019, https://www.barna.com/research/forgiveness-christians/ . Belfast , directed by Kenneth Branagh, TKBC and Northern Ireland Screen, 2021. The British Museum. “Slavery in ancient Rome.” Exhibition: “Nero the man behind the myth,” 2021. The British Museum , https://www.britishmuseum.org/exhibitions/nero-man-behind-myth/slavery-ancient-rome . Calechman, Steve. “Sleep to solve a problem.” Harvard Health Publishing, Harvard Medical School , May 24, 2021, https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/sleep-to-solve-a-problem-202105242463 . Cooper, Kyle. “Have you given up on your New Year’s resolution? Here’s how to get back on track.” WTOP , 12 Jan. 2024, https://wtop.com/health-fitness/2024/01/today-is-the-day-many-of-us-give-up-on-our-new-years-resolutions-but-you-may-be-able-to-get-back-on-track-with-these-tips/ . Eusebius. Ecclesiastical History , Book III. New Advent , https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/250103.htm . “Faith and the Faithful in the 2024 Election.” Online forum. Initiative on Catholic Social Thought and Public Life , Georgetown University, 13 Feb. 2024, https://catholicsocialthought.georgetown.edu/events/faith-and-the-faithful-in-the-2024-election . Feldman, Robert S. Understanding Psychology , 14th edition. McGraw Hill Education, 2019. Fischer, John. “Inside.” YouTube , https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=avrVLA4uDos . Lyrics at Genius , https://genius.com/John-fischer-inside-lyrics . Fischer, John. “John Wayne and the Sermon on the Mount.” The Catch Ministry , 29 Nov. 2023, https://catchjohnfischer.live/2023/11/29/john-wayne-and-the-sermon-on-the-mount/ . “Food & Nutrition.” World Concern , https://worldconcern.org/food-nutrition . Accessed 25 Aug. 2024. Francis of Assisi. “Letter to the Faithful II” [also known as “Later Admonition and Exhortation To the Brothers and Sisters of Penance (Second Version of the Letter to the Faithful)”]. c. 1220. The Writings of St. Francis of Assisi, Parts I & II . Translated from the Latin Critical Edition by Fr. K. Esser, O.F.M. [Die opuskula des hl. Franziskus von Assisi. Neue textkritische Edition. Editiones Collegii S. Bonaventurae ad Claras aquas, Grottaferrata (Romae) 1976], http://www.liturgies.net/saints/francis/writings.htm . Frost, Robert. “The Road Not Taken.” 1915. Poetry Foundation , https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/44272/the-road-not-taken . Grohol, John M. “Why ‘Sleeping on It’ Helps.” LiveScience , 26 Oct. 2009, https://www.livescience.com/5820-sleeping-helps.html . Innocence Project. “Explore the Numbers: Innocence Project's Impact,” Innocence Project , 2024, https://innocenceproject.org/exonerations-data/ . King, Martin Luther, Jr. Strength to Love . Beacon Press, 1963. Lewis, C. S. Mere Christianity . Macmillan Publishing Co., 1952. Macmillan Paperbacks edition, 1960. Litke, Austin Dominic, O.P. “Reading Flannery O’Connor in our times.” Aleteia , 3 July 2020, https://aleteia.org/2020/07/03/reading-flannery-oconnor-in-our-times/ . His citation for the Flannery O’Connor quote is: “The fiction writer and his country.” Mystery and Manners: Occasional Prose , Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 1970, p. 34. Longenecker, Fr. Dwight. “Fighting the Un-Holy Trinity: The World, the Flesh and the Devil.” Catholic Online , 14 Feb. 2010, https://www.catholic.org/news/national/story.php?id=35421 . The Magnificat Advent Companion , Advent 2023. Meyers, Eric. “Galilee.” From Jesus to Christ . Frontline , Apr. 1998, https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/religion/portrait/galilee.html . Miller, Jared. “Does ‘Sleeping on it’ Really Work?” WebMD , https://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/features/does-sleeping-on-it-really-work . Mother Teresa: In My Own Words . Compiled by José Luis González-Balado. Liguori, 1996. Mother Teresa: Where There is Love, There is God . Compiled by and edited by Brian Kolodiejchuk. Doubleday, 2010. “Music for the Second Week of Advent.” St. Peter’s Church on Capitol Hill , https://saintpetersdc.org/pray/advent23/35171-music-for-the-second-week-of-advent , Dec. 2023. O’Toole, Garson. “When One Door Closes Another Opens, But Often We Look So Long Upon the Closed Door That We Do Not See the Open Door.” Quote Investigator , 3 Dec. 2018, https://quoteinvestigator.com/2018/12/03/open-door/ . “Palestine in the time of Jesus, 4 B.C. - 30 A.D.: (including the period of Herod, 40 - 4 B.C.).” Library of Congress , https://www.loc.gov/item/2009579463/ . Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace. Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church . Libreria Editrice Vaticana (The Vatican). United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, 2005. Poythress, Vern. “The Baptism of Jesus.” The Gospel Coalition , https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/essay/the-baptism-of-jesus/ . “Quitters Day.” There is a Day for That , https://www.thereisadayforthat.com/holidays/various/quitters-day . Randall, Rebecca. “Which Is Worse: the Guilty Freed or the Innocent Punished?” Christianity Today , 5 Mar. 2021, https://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2021/march-web-only/wrongful-convictions-prison-bible-view-split-by-race.html . Shelby, Daniele. “DNA and Wrongful Conviction: Five Facts You Should Know.” Innocence Project , 25 Apr. 2023, https://innocenceproject.org/dna-and-wrongful-conviction-five-facts-you-should-know/ . Silverstein, Shel. “God’s Wheel.” A Light in the Attic . HarperCollins, 1981, p. 152. Warren, Rick. The Purpose-Driven Life . Zondervan, 2002. Welch, John W. and John F Hall. “Chart 6-4: Estimated Distribution of Citizenship in the Roman Empire.” Charting the New Testament , BYU Studies, 2002, https://byustudies.byu.edu/further-study-chart/6-4-estimated-distribution-of-citizenship-in-the-roman-empire/ . Wesley, John. “The Use of Money,” Sermon 50, https://web.archive.org/web/20150402061915/http://www.umcmission.org/Find-Resources/John-Wesley-Sermons/Sermon-50-The-Use-of-Money . “Which Was the Son of... (Arvo Pärt) - Sofia Vokalensemble.” Sofia Vokalensemble , 23 Oct. 2017, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WyPmFBpiF7E . “The World, the Flesh, and the Devil.” Ligonier Ministries (founded by Dr. R. C. Sproul), 23 May 2011, https://www.ligonier.org/learn/devotionals/world-flesh-and-devil . “The world, the flesh, and the devil.” Wikipedia , 31 March 2024, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_world,_the_flesh,_and_the_devil [presents the views of scholars who wrote centuries ago]. 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

Pre-tribulation theories contradict Jesus and Paul. What does the Bible actually say? Previous Christian Faith Articles Next The Rapture? It’s Not a Pre-Millennial Escape from Tribulation Pre-tribulation theories contradict Jesus and Paul. What does the Bible actually say? Image by CHUTTERSNAP, provided by Unsplash via Wix. Tom Faletti December 13, 2024 In 1 Thessalonians 4:17-18, the apostle Paul refers to the “rapture” while he is discussing the end times when Christ will return. The word “rapture” comes from the Latin word that translates the Greek word in verse 17 where Paul says that we will be “caught up” (literally, “snatched”) to meet the Lord in the air. Authors Tim LaHaye of the Left Behind series and Hal Lindsey of The Late Great Planet Earth fame have popularized an approach to interpreting what the Scriptures say about the end times that leans heavily on a modern interpretation of Paul’s “rapture.” These authors (and others, who don’t always agree among themselves) combine their interpretation of the rapture with their interpretation of the “1000 years” mentioned in Revelation 20:2-3 and other Bible passages to produce an entire timeline of the end times that is not consistent with the historic understanding of the Scriptures. Their views are based on ideas that mostly did not spread until the 19th century. Most of Christendom from the time of Augustine in the 5th century until the 19th century has taken a very different approach to interpreting the Bible’s end-times passages. Currently, the Catholic Church, the Orthodox Churches, and many Protestant denominations – including the Episcopal, Lutheran, and Methodist Churches and others – reject that interpretation of the end times. This summary of the problem is drawn from a variety of sources, in an attempt to identify the commonalities in Catholic and Protestant thinking about the subject. In addition to the sources used in my 1 Thessalonians study, it also considers Trent Horn (Catholic), Karlo Broussard (Catholic), Alan S. Bandy (Reformed), the Commission on Theology and Church Relations (Lutheran), and “Where does the Rapture fit into UM beliefs?” (United Methodist). The historic churches and denominations have much in common in their understanding of the end times. The main divide on this topic is not between Protestants and Catholics. The main divide is between a fundamentalist segment of modern Christianity and the rest of Christianity. Frameworks for thinking about the end times There are roughly 6 common frameworks for thinking about the rapture, the tribulation, and the 1000-year “millennial” reign mentioned in Revelation 20:2-3: The first three approaches all revolve around the idea that the rapture will precede a 1000-year millennium of peace and righteousness on earth. However, the pre-millennialists don’t agree on whether the rapture will happen before, during, or after the tribulation that precedes the end: Pre-tribulation, pre-millennial: Christ will come and take the Christians who are alive to heaven (the “rapture”) before the tribulation. Then the tribulation will come, in a world devoid of Christians. Then Christ will come again with the church (which sounds like a second Second Coming, since he already came to rapture people). Then Christ will reign for 1000 years, and then there will be the final judgment (which sounds like a third Second Coming). This is the view of the people like Tim LaHaye and Hal Lindsey who have fed the “rapture” industry. Mid-tribulation, pre-millennial: This approach is similar to the pre-tribulation, pre-millennial approach, except that the rapture will happen in the middle of the tribulation (i.e., halfway through the 7-year tribulation), not before it begins. Therefore, Christians will experience some of the tribulation and not be fully spared. Post-tribulation, pre-millennial: This approach says that Christians will not be spared the tribulation at all. Christians will not join Christ until he comes in his Second Coming at the end of the tribulation. Then Christ will reign for 1000 years, and then the final judgment will come. These approaches all separate the Second Coming of Christ from the final judgment. Jesus never suggests such a separation, nor does Paul. They both describe one decisive event when Jesus comes, takes believers to himself, and presides over the final judgment. Amillennial: This view rejects the separation of the “rapture” from the final judgment and the entire pre-millennial framework. In this view, we are in the 1000-year reign of Christ, which began when Christ broke the power of sin by his death and resurrection and ascended into heaven. The reference to “1000” years in the Book of Revelation is symbolic, not literal: “1000” means a large number and “1000 years” means “a very long time.” Revelation 20 says that in this millennial time, the devil is being restrained. God is giving us time so that the gospel can be spread around the world. After the period we are now in, which includes its own times of smaller tribulation, Satan will be allowed to try to turn people away from Christ and the great, final tribulation will come. The Christians and non-Christians suffer now, and both the church and non-believers will suffer during the final tribulation, as Jesus warned from the beginning (see, for example, Matthew 24:29-31, where the tribulation precedes the gathering of the elect to Christ). After that period of tribulation, the final judgment will begin with Christians being caught up with those who have risen from the dead to meet Christ when he returns (1 Thess. 4:17; also referred to by Paul in 2 Thess. 2:1 as our “assembling” with the Lord). That event is not a pre-tribulation, pre-millennial escape from suffering; it is part of the Second Coming and final judgment exercised by Christ. This more traditional approach to interpreting the end-times Scriptures was the generally accepted view throughout the church from the time of Augustine in the 5th century, through the Protestant Reformation, and all the way until the 19th century. It is more faithful to the Scriptures, and it is followed by the Catholic and Orthodox Churches and a variety of current Protestant denominations, including the Episcopal, Lutheran, and Methodist Churches and others. Although scholars call this approach the “amillennial” approach, that term is not necessarily used by these churches. All of those churches reject the pre-tribulation, pre-millennial approach that was popularized in the decades before and after the year 2000. There are two other views worth mentioning, for the sake of completeness (and there are many other sub-categories and branches dividing all of the approaches). Postmillennial: In this view, first there will be a (literal or symbolic) 1000-year golden age of prosperity and minimal suffering on Earth, during which most people will be converted to Christ and live in righteousness. The devil will be bound during that time but will be loosed at the end of the 1000 years. After that 1000 years of relative peace, there will be a time of tribulation followed by the Second Coming (when believers will be called up to heaven) and the final judgment. This view was popular in the 19th century (the 1800s), until the World Wars of the 20th century made people rethink whether the world could reach such a golden age of righteousness. Metaphorical: In this view, most of the end-times references in the Bible are metaphorical and should not be interpreted literally. There will not be a literal trumpet, a literal 1000-year reign, a literal meeting of Christ in the sky, etc. God has used figurative language and metaphors to help us understand things that are beyond us. All of the key points of Scripture will be fulfilled: Christ will return and judge the world, the dead will be raised, there will be a final judgment, the devil and death will be defeated, and Christians will live with Christ forever. But the details of what it will look like are not for us to worry about. Problems with the pre-tribulation, pre-millennial rapture idea The pre-tribulation, pre-millennial rapture theory is inconsistent with Scripture in several ways: The pre-tribulation, pre-millennial rapture violates the claim in Acts 1:11 that Jesus will return in the same visible way he left, since the pre-tribulation, pre-millennial story creates a scenario where Jesus remains hidden except to believers. The theory claims that Jesus doesn’t stay on Earth after the rapture and only returning visibly 1000 years later. The word Paul uses in 1 Thessalonians 4:15 for the “coming” of the Lord (the Greek word parousia ) in was used by the Greeks before Christ to refer to the ceremonial arrival of a king or ruler. Pre-tribulation, pre-millennial rapture proponents argue that in 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17, Christ only comes partly back, gathers the raptured people, and returns to heaven. However, Paul does not say Jesus immediately returns to heaven with them; he only says that those who are caught up to meet him in the air will be with him forever. The word for “meet” in verse 17 is a Greek word used to describe the situation where people go out from their town to meet a visiting official or king and escort that official into their city (in response to the “coming” in verse 15). Paul is saying that when Christ comes to Earth and the risen Christians and the still-alive Christians join him, they will stay with him as he comes to the Earth and does his work of final judgment. The idea that Christ aborts his “coming” and returns to heaven, only to return later, has been added by the pre-tribulation advocates without justification or good evidence. The pre-tribulation, pre-millennial rapture theory that Jesus’s coming to gather the elect is separated from his final judgment by 1000 years contradicts Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 4:16 says that Christ’s Second Coming will be announced with an archangel’s voice and the sound of a trumpet, at which point the dead will be raised. 1 Corinthians 15:51-55 also links the trumpet to the raising of the dead. In Matthew 24:29-31, Jesus links his coming in power and glory (verse 30) with the angels (verse 31), the sound of the trumpet (verse 31), and the gathering of the elect (verse 31). In Matthew 25:31-33, Jesus links his coming in glory (verse 31) with the final judgment (verses 32-33ff). These events are all connected and happen together. The pre-tribulation, pre-millennial approach contradicts Jesus by separating the raising of the dead from the final judgment by 1000 years. In Matthew 24:29, Jesus says that these events happen right after the tribulation (verse 29). The pre-tribulation, pre-millennial advocates seek to escape the tribulation that Jesus clearly foretells. The pre-tribulation, pre-millennial rapture violates Jesus’s statement in Matthew 16:27 that when he comes with his angels, he will repay people according to their deeds (i.e., the Second Coming with the final judgment). Again, Jesus does not teach any separation between these events. Note: Some rapture fans also interpret Luke 17:34-37 as referring to the rapture. In that passage, Jesus says that one person will be taken and another will be left. However, when you read that verse in context, starting at verse 26, you see that people are being “taken” in judgment. They are not being taken to heaven. They are not being raptured away to be saved from tribulation. Conclusion: The popular theory is wrong, but the Lord will be with us forever. In summary, the pre-tribulation, pre-millennial rapture story created in the 19th century and popularized as Americans endured the Cold War and approached the millennial year 2000 does not have a sound basis in Scripture. The Book of Revelation is filled with symbolic language. There is no reason to distort the teachings of Jesus and Paul in order to interpret Revelation’s round number of 1000 years as a literal 1000 years. It is symbolic for the long period of time we are in before the Lord returns. And Jesus and Paul are very clear that Christians will endure the tribulation before they are united with Christ in his return. We must reject the distortions of their words that are central to every pre-tribulation rapture theory. This also means that no one escapes the tribulation except by dying. What else is true? The Scriptures tell us clearly: Christ will return. The dead will be raised. Christians (both those who have died and those who are still alive) will be united with Christ and live with him forever. Christ will judge the living and the dead and ask them how they treated “the least of these” among us. Fortunately, that’s all we really need to know about the end times. 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

Who can be saved? Your wealth won’t save you, but what will? Previous Matthew List Next Matthew 19:23-26 Who can be saved? Your wealth won’t save you, but what will? Image by Jussara Romão, provided by Unsplash via Wix. Tom Faletti February 13, 2024 Matthew 19:23-26 The danger of riches Jesus uses a vivid illustration to make his point about the dangers of wealth. His statement about the camel going through the eye of a needle has led many people to search for answers – particularly because they don’t want to take it literally (and given that fact that Jesus was raised as a Jew in a culture where exaggeration for effect was the norm, he probably was exaggerating in some sense). Some scholars suggest the existence of a small gate into a walled city, separate from the wide, main gate, where a camel could only go through if it was stripped of all it was carrying. This smaller entrance is supposed to have been called the “needle’s eye.” There is no evidence for the existence of such entryways, but the image might be apt anyway. We need to let go of any possessions that would keep us from entering the kingdom of God, and that means we need to let go of everything we cling to, like a camel being relieved of its burdens, before we can go through. However, the disciples don’t envision there being any way through the eye of a needle. The disciples are astonished by what Jesus says about rich people because they think rich people are more likely to get into to heaven than poor people. That was common thinking in their day. Would that be a correct way of thinking? Explain. What is Jesus’s answer to their question, “Then who can be saved?” (19:25, NRSV) Note that Jesus is not saying rich people can’t go to heaven. Zacchaeus was rich (Luke 19:9). Joseph of Arimathea was rich (Matt. 27:57). Nicodemus was rich (John 19:39). Rich people were not required to give up their wealth in the early church (Acts 5:4). What do you think Jesus means by saying that for humans it is impossible? What do you think Jesus means by saying that for God all things are possible? What is he saying about us and wealth? What is your reaction to this passage? What does it say to you about your own wealth or lack of it and how it might affect your salvation? Take a step back and consider this: God is at work in us, in this world. He knows that we need possessions: a frying pan to cook in, clothes to wear, a toilet; etc. And the more advanced our world gets, due to the ingenuity of the human mind – which was created by God and then invited to use its free will to create other things – the more things we come to need: cars or bicycles, cell phones, microwave ovens, etc. The problem is not that things exist; the problem is that they sometimes take over the focus of our lives. Jesus has at least two different purposes in today’s conversation: to push us to re-focus and put our priorities in the right place, and to guide us to a deeper point – that there is nothing we can do to save ourselves. Only God can do that. Wealthy persons can live a life focused on their many possessions and the next possession they hope to get, or they live a life focused on sharing the love of God with those around them. Poor people can live a life focused on their meager possessions and the next possession they hope to get, or they live a life focused on sharing the love of God with those around them. Whatever a person’s situation, only God can bring them to the kingdom of heaven. Neither having many possessions nor having few possessions gives you a ticket to heaven. Only God can do that. What is one, small change you could make today, to take a bit of your mind off of wealth or “things” so that your mind and heart can focus more on people and God? 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

In the beginning, the Word was with God and was God, yet he chose to come and live among us. His life is the light that enlightens us, and the darkness has not overcome it. [John 1:1-5; 1:6-9] Previous Next John List John 1:1-18 In the beginning, the Word was with God and was God, yet he chose to come and live among us. His life is the light that enlightens us, and the darkness has not overcome it. Image provided by Wix. Tom Faletti October 31, 2025 Welcome! This study is designed for anyone who is willing to approach the Bible with an open heart, including: Catholics, Protestants, evangelicals, and Orthodox. People who are active in their church, who have stepped away from a local church or the Church as a whole, or who have never found a church home. People who are familiar with the Bible and people who are just starting out. Seekers, doubters, agnostics, explorers, and the curious. Everyone is welcome to join us as we explore what the Bible says, what it means, and how we can apply it to our lives today. A NOTE FOR SMALL GROUPS This study material can be very enriching for personal study and growth, and it can be even more powerful and life-changing when it is used by a small group of people who explore God’s Word together. We will occasionally offer instructions, indented like this, that may be useful for a small-group study. Small-group leaders can find leadership training material and practical suggestions at Leading a Small-Group Bible Study . Leaders can see Preparing to Lead a Small-Group Bible Study Meeting for suggestions on how to prepare for a small group Bible Study. I encourage you to begin and end each meeting with a time of prayer, and to go through each passage in detail, often verse by verse. As you do so, try to explore what the passage says, what it means, and how we can apply it in our lives. Personal Introductions If you are studying with a small group, it would be helpful to take some time to build community. Introduce yourselves, make sure everyone has a chance to know everyone else’s name, and get to know each other a bit. Here are some questions you could ask everyone in the group to answer: What is your name and where are you from (or how are you connected to our church or this group? Can you describe some away that the written word or the spoken word is important to you? What is one thing you hope to learn more about as you participate in this study of the Gospel of John? We will provide an introduction that looks at the background of the Gospel of John (who wrote it, etc.) in our third study, after we have explored the first 18 verses and have an idea of what this Gospel sounds like. If you want to explore that introductory material first, you can find it here: Introduction to John . Read John 1:1-18 The Word was with God and was God, created all things, and became human Verse 14 and 15 tell us who John is talking about when he refers to the Word. John doesn’t name him until verse 17, but who is he talking about? Jesus, the One who was God and became flesh, the only Son of the Father, the one John the Baptist pointed to, whom Christians identify as the Second Person of the Trinity. John 1:1-18 is a prologue to the Gospel of John. It sounds very abstract, because John is speaking in cosmic terms, but it is introducing some of the major themes of that we will see again in more detail later in the Gospel. How is this writing different than what you have seen in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke? What is your reaction to this passage? What questions does this passage prompt in you? What questions do you already have after having just read it? Re-read John 1:1-5 In the first verse, what does John tell us about the Word? The Word was already present in the beginning, the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The Greek word translated as “Word” is logos . John tells us a lot about the Word in this section. Let’s look at what logos meant. Although the Greek word logos did mean “word,” it also meant much more than that. It traditionally was used where we might use the word “reason” or “thought” or “speech.” Then a Greek philosopher named Heraclitus, who lived from around 540 BC to 480 BC, used the word Logos in a way that affected Greek philosophy ever after. He said the Logos was the divine reason or principle that keeps the universe orderly, that sustains and provides order to the world. Hundreds of years later, around the time of Jesus, a Greek-speaking Jewish philosopher named Philo tried to make connections between Greek philosophy and the Jewish worldview derived from the Torah. Philo described the Logos as the intermediary between God and the universe and said that God created the universe through the Logos . (For more on the Greek understanding of Logos , see Barclay, The Gospel of John, Volume 1 , pp. 2-14; and Encyclopaedia Britannica .) Even before Philo, the Jews thought that a “word” was much more than a unit of speech: In Jewish thinking, every word has creative power. When God created the universe, all he had to do was speak a word and things came into being. For everyone, once a word went forth, it had an independent existence and force. In the last few hundred years before Christ, a form of Old Testament literature arose that is known as “Wisdom literature.” In Wisdom literature, Wisdom is personified as a living being. Wisdom was present with God at the Creation (Proverbs 8:30). Wisdom is the breath of God (Wisdom 7:25). Wisdom is always actively seeking to guide humans (Proverbs 8:1-9:12 and Wisdom 7:7-10:21). (For more on the Jewish understanding of the word of God and of Wisdom, see Barclay, The Gospel of John, Volume 1 , pp. 2-14.) John brings all of this together at the beginning of his Gospel in a way that offers a truer understanding of the Greek concept of the Logos while remaining consistent with the Jewish Scriptures. John is asserting in verse 1 that the Word existed in the beginning, was with God, and was God. But in verses 14-17, he says that the Word became human and lived as the man Jesus. Why is it significant that he is connecting God and Jesus in this way, and how does it connect with our concept of the Trinity? John is saying that Jesus, who is the only Son of the Father, is the Word who was present with God in the beginning. The Word is distinct from God (he was “with God”), and yet the Word is God, not some lesser being. He is identifying on God but two Persons, a step toward our understanding of the Trinity (which also includes the Holy Spirit). Note: The official Bible of the Jehovah’s Witnesses mistranslates verse 1 to say that the Word was “a god”. The article “a” does not appear in verse 1 in the Greek. In fact, in the Greek, the verse actually says: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and God was the Word,” which makes it even clearer that the Word (i.e., Jesus) is not a lesser god. What else does John tell us about the Word in verses 2-5? * All things were created through him, and nothing was created except through him. * Life came from him. * This life provided light for the human race. * Darkness has not overcome this light. Why is it significant that the Word created the world? Verse 5 mentions darkness. What does the darkness not do? Darkness is not a physical thing – it is merely the absence of light. (Evil is also not a thing: theologians and church fathers have helped us understand that it is best understood as a corruption of a good or an overemphasis on one good that results in a lack or absence or loss or denial of another good – the technical terms is a privation.) What does the darkness stand for, metaphorically? There is not a single correct answer to this question. The spiritual darkness John is envisioning could be an absence of the knowledge of God, a resistance to God’s teachings, opposition to the way of Christ, a state of having embraced what is contrary to God, etc. When we do not embrace the light of Christ, we are turning to the darkness. This reference to darkness brings to mind Isaiah 9:1-7 (8:23-9:6 in the NABRE), which includes verses that are well-known at Advent/Christmas such as, “The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light” (Is. 9:2; 9:1 in the NABRE) and “For unto us a child is born, a son is given . . .” (Is. 9:5; 9:6 in the NABRE). John says that the Word brings life and light to us. How do the images of “light” and “life” capture important elements of the Christian faith? How have you experienced Jesus bringing you life or light? Can you describe a time that has happened? Read John 1:6-9 John the Baptist came to testify to the light In the first 5 verses, John establishes some eternal truths. In verse 6, he moves into the timeline of human history. Look at verse 7. What was John the Baptizer’s purpose? He came to testify, or give testimony, or serve as a witness. What does it mean to testify or be a witness? We use those terms in courts of law. What do they mean? The NABRE says of verse 7: “ Testimony: the testimony theme of John is introduced, which portrays Jesus as if on trial throughout his ministry. All testify to Jesus: John the Baptist, the Samaritan woman, scripture, his works, the crowds, the Spirit, and his disciples” ( NABRE , John 1:7 fn.). John the Baptist is the first of many people and sources that will “testify” to Jesus or serve as witnesses on his behalf. What do you think the purpose of their testimony is? What do they show? Are we also called to testify (bear witness, give testimony) about Jesus? Explain. In verse 9, John says that Jesus was the real light who gives light to every person. What does that mean? What is our relationship to the light and to the darkness? Where do you need the light of God to show in some part of your life right now? (It would be beneficial to bring to God in prayer those areas of your life where you feel the need for God’s light, and ask him to shine his light in your situation and help you let his light shine through you.) (We will continue with verse 10 in the next session .) Take a step back and consider this: Saint Augustine, in his book The Confessions written around AD 397-400, said that in the books of the Greek philosophers he found teachings that he also found in John 1:1-5, “not indeed in the same words, but to the selfsame effect” (Augustine, Book 7 , Chapter 9, par. 13): specifically, that the Word was with God and was God, that all things were created through him, and that he provides light and life to humans. But Augustine went on to say that he did not find in the Greek philosophers what John says in 1:12: that he gave those who believe in him the power to become children of God. Nor did he find what John says in 1:14: that the Word became flesh and dwelt among us. Augustine also did not find in the Greek philosophers that the Word emptied himself and became obedient unto death (Phil. 2:7-8) and died for the ungodly (Rom. 5:6) (Augustine, Book 7 , Chapter 9, par. 14). Augustine expressed appreciation to God that God allowed him to read the books of the Platonists (Greek philosophers in the tradition of Plato), because the Greek teachings about the Word helped prepare him for what he learned when he became a Christian and read John, even though they did not have the whole truth. Christians sometimes think they must disdain everything that is not “Christian.” Augustine would have disagreed, as would many of the early Church fathers. Here, John was clearly building on concepts from the Greek philosophers. Paul quoted a Greek philosopher-poet as he tried to bring the gospel to the people of Athens (Acts 17:28). Partial truths can be found in many places, even if they must be refined. In what ways can we learn from thinkers of the past, or people in our own lives who are not Christian, as we try to understand God’s nature and role in the world? How can you decide when drawing from non-Christian sources is appropriate and when it will lead you to error? Bibliography See John - Bibliography at https://www.faithexplored.com/john/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 John List Next

Who are you willing to befriend? Previous Matthew List Next Matthew 9:1-17 Who are you willing to befriend? “I say to you: Stand up.” Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church, Berlin, Germany. Photo by Tom Faletti, 24 June 2024. Tom Faletti August 3, 2024 Matthew 9:1-8 a paralyzed man is forgiven of his sins (and healed) Jesus returns home to Capernaum, the city he moved to after he started his public ministry (Matt. 4:13). Matthew leaves out some details we are familiar with from Mark’s version of this story – for example, in Mark’s telling, they let the man down through the roof of the house. What does Jesus see in the men who are carrying the paralyzed man? What does he say first to the man (verse 2)? Why would Jesus focus on the man’s need for forgiveness from his sins? Why do the scribes react so negatively? Mark explains why they think he is blaspheming. They are saying to themselves, “Who can forgive sins but God alone?” (Mark 2:7, NRSV) Unstated but probably also in their minds is that sins are forgiven through sacrifices offered in the Temple. Note that if Jesus were merely human, his claim would indeed be blasphemous, because sin is, at root, an offense against God, and only God can forgive that. Note also that blasphemy is a serious charge. Jesus will ultimately be charged with blasphemy when the religious leaders use it to call for his execution by crucifixion (Matt. 26:65). How does Jesus respond to the scribes in verses 4-5? Some people find Jesus’s statement confusing. The key to understanding it is to picture how easily people could check to see if the statement is accurate. It is easy to say , “Your sins are forgiven,” because no human can verify whether your words have made it happen. But it is hard to claim that a paralyzed person is now able to stand up and walk unless you actually have healing powers, because the evidence will clearly show whether you are telling the truth or lying. For a purely human person, which is easier: to tell someone their sins are forgiven or to tell them they are healed and can now walk? Why? In verse 6, Jesus says that healing the man will help the scribes know that Jesus can forgive sins. Explain how this is so. It is only at this point that Jesus now heals the man. How might this conversation have been important for the man to hear, before he was healed? How do you think the man felt, having his sins forgiven and his body healed? How do you feel when you experience God’s forgiveness? In John 20:22-23, Jesus gives to the apostles the power to forgive sins. How do you see this power flowing through the church today? How do the crowds react to what Jesus has said and done? How is their reaction different from the reaction of the people in the town where the demon-possessed men lived? How does this story ratchet up even further the power and authority Jesus is showing? How does forgiving sins show an even greater authority than stilling a storm or ordering demons to leave a man? What does this story say to you about your own life and your own relationship with Jesus? Go back to verse 2 for a moment. The man was only able to have this encounter with God because some friends brought him to Jesus. How are friends important to our faith? Are there some friends of yours who might need a little help from you to bring them to Jesus so that they can have an experience of God? Introduction to Matthew 9:9-17 : Jesus’s relationship with tax collectors and fasting Having related 3 more miracles, Matthew again takes a break to bring us two more conversations between Jesus and those around him. In both cases, Jesus is trying to give religious leaders a clearer insight into his purpose or mission. In each of these two dialogues, Jesus presents three arguments in response to a challenge. Matthew 9:9-13 going to a party at a tax collector’s house What good thing happens in verse 9? In Mark 2:14 and Luke 5:27, the tax collector’s name is Levi, and in Mark 2:15 and Luke 5:29 the party takes place at Levi’s house. The fact that in the Gospel of Matthew this man’s name was changed to Matthew suggests that there may be some connection between this Gospel and this man. However, as our Introduction to Matthew explains, this tax collector is probably not the actual author of this Gospel, even though some sayings in this Gospel may have been handed down from him. Tax collectors (also called by their Roman name “publicans”) were responsible for collecting local taxes in Roman provinces and remitting the taxes to Rome. In Israel, they were Jews who were usually despised for two reasons First, they were seen as collaborators with the imperial overlords who oppressed them. Second, they were seen as extortionists. Tax collectors did not receive a salary. To become a tax collector, they had to win an auction where they made the best bid to collect the most taxes for Rome, and they had to deliver on the amount of taxes they promised. The only way they could make money was by collecting more taxes than they had to remit to Rome. They were allowed to use whatever means were necessary to collect the taxes, and since the more they collected the richer they became, the system was highly vulnerable to abuse. Many tax collectors used extortionist methods to enrichment themselves at the expense of their fellow countrymen. As a result, they tended to be wealthy and hated. The term “sinners” is used repeatedly in the Gospels. It includes people in a variety of occupations, including camel drivers, herders, and physicians (who expose themselves to blood and other impurities that might make them ritually unclean) (Benedict T. Viviano, “The Gospel According to Matthew,” The New Jerome Biblical Commentary , par. 61, p. 649). H. L. Ellison indicates that there is a place in the Talmud where a list of sinners includes gamblers, people who engage in usury, criminals, and tax collectors, among others (H. L. Ellison, “Matthew,” The International Bible Commentary , p. 1131). In both cases, the word appears to focus on people who have made persistent business or vocational choices, not people who have committed individual sins in their private lives. Is Matthew’s decision to follow Jesus a good thing even if he is a tax collector? Are there times when we are skeptical about people who count themselves among the followers of Jesus? How do we deal with that? Why is it significant that Jesus dines at Matthew’s home? What is the Pharisees’ complaint against Jesus in verse 11? The Pharisees were devoted to strict observance of every tiny detail of the Law, with great concern about ritual purity. They would never have entered the home of a tax collector or sinner, much less eaten with them. They think Jesus should have the same view. What are they implying about Jesus? They are implying he is a sinner because he hangs out with sinners. As my Bible Study group member Migna Taveras put it, they are suggesting that “you are who you hang out with.” Matthew has now brought into the light the opposition of both scribes and Pharisees to Jesus. Jesus offers 3 arguments in response to the Pharisees’ concern. First, he uses the analogy of healthy and sick people (verse 12). How does this analogy fit the situation of going to this dinner party? Are we “well” or “sick”? Explain. What might we do when we realize that we and others are a combination of well and sick? Jesus’s second argument (verse 13a) uses a quote from Hosea 6:6 in which God says he desires mercy, not sacrifice. What does that mean? The prophet Hosea, speaking to the northern kingdom of Israel, was trying to call back to God a people who had rejected the Davidic line of kings, set up their own worship practices in place of worship in the Temple, and tolerated and often embraced the worship of other gods. The Pharisees, in their response to Jesus, are rejecting the Messiah in the Davidic line who is, like Hosea, trying to bring a wayward people back to God. Jesus echoes Hosea in saying that mercy is the first thing on God’s mind. How can we embrace Jesus’s call for mercy in our lives? Jesus’s third argument (verse 13b) is that he came to call sinners, not the (self-)righteous. We might find it uncomfortable to be counted among either of those groups. Is there a third option besides “sinners” and the “(self-)righteous”? How is Jesus’s statement that he has come to call sinners, not the righteous, a direct appeal to those who complained? How can we embrace more fully the attitude of the Lord who welcomes sinners, comes for the sick, and extends the mercy of God? What is something specific that you can do differently or do more consistently to by like Jesus? Matthew 9:14-17 John’s disciples and fasting Jesus encounters a third complaint, this time from the followers of John the Baptist. What is the complaint in verse 14? What are they implying about Jesus? Jesus offers 3 arguments in response to this question about fasting. First, he notes that people don’t mourn at a wedding (verse 15). What is the meaning of this seeming non-sequitur? Jesus is the bridegroom, and his disciples are the wedding guests. They do not need to fast while he is present. When Jesus refers to himself as a bridegroom, it evokes several Old Testament Scriptures where God is described as a bridegroom, including Isaiah 54:5; Jeremiah 3:20; Hosea 2:14-20. When Jesus says that later they “will” fast, is that an order or just a prediction/prophecy? Jesus’s second point is that you don’t sow a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old cloak (verse 16). What is wrong with doing that? What is Jesus’s point? What does the unshrunk cloth stand for, in this analogy? What is the old cloth? What are we? Where do we fit in the analogy Jesus offers? Jesus’s third point is that you don’t put new wine in old wineskins (verse 17). What is wrong with doing that? What is Jesus’s point? What does the new wine stand for, in this analogy? What are the old wineskins? What are we? Where do we fit in the story Jesus tells? How can we welcome the “new wine” in our lives and live as new wineskins? What about the “old wineskins” who live among us? Is there hope for them? What can we do with them? Note: In 9:15, Jesus gives his first hint of his coming death: “The days will come. . . .” These hints will get stronger and more explicit as we continue in Matthew. Take a step back and consider this: In the story of the paralyzed man, the man’s friends bring him to Jesus and the scribes are resistant to Jesus’s authority. In the story of the party at the home of the tax collector, the Pharisees are indignant that Jesus has befriended these obvious sinners. Whenever Jesus is confronted with a person, he begins with the fact they are created by God and loved by God, and therefore worthy of receiving our welcoming and love. He always sees the whole person – not just one thing they have done, or one aspect of who they are. Therefore, when he sees the paralyzed man, he sees someone who needs both healing and forgiveness. When he sees the tax collector, he sees someone who could be an apostle. When he sees the tax collector’s dinner companions, he sees people who are more than what they currently seem to be. And he wants to befriend them all. How can we put on Jesus’s eyes and see the fuller story of every person we meet, rather than rejecting people because parts of their story are objectionable? Who are you willing to befriend? 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

How do you manage what goes on in a Bible Study meeting that you are leading? Previous For Leaders Next Leadership Techniques for Good Bible Study Discussions How do you manage what goes on in a Bible Study meeting that you are leading? Image provided by Wix. Tom Faletti March 25, 2024 In General : Remember that You Set the Tone for the Group Be excited about your group and about God’s Word. Be welcoming, affirming, and supportive. Set a climate of openness and caring. Be honest in what you share. Cultivate a sense of humor, as Jesus did. Jesus calls us to a joyful life. Help people respond to the challenge of God’s Word on a personal and spiritual level as well as intellectually. Set an example by what you say and do. Contact people who have been absent to let them know they are missed and to see how they are doing. Those who get a concerned message after an absence of one or several weeks are much more likely to return. Also, pray for your group members. Trust in the Lord. You are qualified to lead by your faith, your willingness to say yes to God’s call, and your willingness to improve. Your group members will respond to you and overlook your mistakes if you are truly trying to serve them. At the Beginning of the Meeting: Set the Stage Always start with conversational prayer. Direct the group through the steps of silence and prayers of thanks or praise. In the early weeks of a new group, start the meeting with a low-risk getting-to-know-you question (or “ice-breaker”) that allows people to share something about themselves. Encourage everyone to share a response. Set the example of honesty, both here and throughout the meeting. Summarize the main points of the previous week’s passages and discussion. During the Meeting : Facilitate Good Discussion and Sharing In general. Remember that your role is not primarily to give information, but to stimulate and encourage good discussion and sharing. Your primary goal is to encourage the kind of faith commitment that allows God to transform lives. When necessary, explain to the group that, because of the different Bible translations, what one person reads from the Bible may not be the same as the words in another person’s Bible, but the meaning is usually similar. Take advantage of the different translations to help clarify verses that are unclear in one version. Ask a variety of good questions. Make sure you ask all three types of questions: fact, interpretation, and application (see “Preparing to Lead a Small-Group Bible Study Meeting”). Leave plenty of time for discussion of the application/sharing questions, and encourage a variety of people to respond to those questions. Ask only one question at a time, and be appreciative of every answer. Don’t be afraid of silence after you have asked a question. After a pause, ask the question again in the same or different words. Periods of silence usually seem much longer to the leader than to others in the group. Silence gives members time to absorb previous comments and formulate a thoughtful response to the question. Try not to be the first or only person to answer your own question. If you give an answer later, don’t give the impression that yours is the only right answer. Keep the discussion from dragging. Take an active role in keeping the discussion moving. It is better to ask the group another question too soon than to wait too long and let the discussion drag on or go around in circles. Help the group stay focused on the Scripture passage. Keep bringing the group back to the passage so that people keep confronting what God’s Word says and means. Don’t feel the need to ask every question you have prepared. When the group has explored the passage in depth, gained the main insights, and applied it to their lives, you may want to move on. Ask, “Does anyone have anything else they would like to add before we move on? . . . . If not, let’s look at the next passage.” Help the group go deeper and share more. Don’t be satisfied with the first answer given. Ask, “Does anyone have anything to add?” or, “Is there more to what the author is saying?” or, “Are there other ways of looking at this?” After one or two people have answered an interpretation or application question, repeat the question to see if others have additional or alternative thoughts to share. Bring out the faith dimension. Use Scripture to interpret Scripture, i.e., to clarify and expand on a passage. Have the group look up a cross-reference or a related Scripture passage to help understand the passage currently being discussed. Don’t be overly troubled if people express concerns about accepting the demands of a passage. Trust that God is at work. Encourage others to share their perspectives. The discussion may help those with questions to deal with their doubts so that they can embrace the message of God’s Word. Don’t claim to speak for God, but encourage them to be open to what God is saying through His Word. Give a balanced picture of faith in Jesus. Don’t ignore or soft-pedal the demands and struggles of faith, but help people see also the joys and positive results of faith. Encourage trust in God as the basis for dealing with all aspects of life. Dealing with Common Problems Discussions that get off the subject or wander. Don’t be afraid to cut off a discussion that has wandered off the track or is going around in circles. Say, “This is very interesting, but I think we have gotten off the track. Let’s go back to the question of. . . .”, or, “What does verse 17 say about this?”, or, “There are clearly different ways of looking at that, and we’re not going to resolve it here. So let’s leave it for now and move on.” or, “Let’s discuss this after the meeting.” or, “We need to move on. Will someone read verses 19 to 26.” Or ask a new question that brings the group back to the passage or a personal application of the passage. Unclear answers. Follow up an unclear answer with another question. Ask, “What do you mean by that?” or, “I’m not sure I understand. Can you rephrase that?” or, “Can you give us a concrete example?” Or ask, “What makes you say that?” or, “Why do you think so?” or, “Let me see if I understand you right. Are you saying . . . (and rephrase their statement).” Or take whatever piece of the answer you understand, relate it to the topic, and move on to the next person or question. If the group is giving vague answers and doesn’t seem to be getting the message of a passage, rephrase your question, or ask someone to re-read a verse and then ask, “What does this specific passage (or verse x) say about this issue?” “Off-the-wall” answers. Don’t feel you need to correct every wild answer. Ask, “What do the rest of you think?” or, “What does verse 12 say about that?” As the discussion continues, the person will often realize they did not understand the question or the passage. People who talk too much or dominate. If someone is talking too much or dominating, ask the group another question when the person takes a breath, or say, “Excuse me, John, but I think Helen has something to say.” or, “Thank you. I wonder if someone else has something to add or has a different perspective?” Or ask everyone to share a short answer and go around the group. Or have the group pair off into groups of 2 (or divide the group into groups of 3 or 4 persons) and have those pairs or small groups discuss a sharing or application question. If the problem is that someone is rude or overly critical of what others have shared, say to the rude person, “Your experience may not be the same as Mary’s, but Mary has apparently had that experience and it is valid whether you have experienced it or not.” or, “If we want people to share their thoughts, we need to be respectful of their comments even when we disagree. We can disagree without being unkind.” Or, if appropriate, share your own experience in a way that supports or validates the experiences that were criticized. If possible, make a positive comment or a comment that connects with the rude person before correcting them. If you need to talk to someone privately because they regularly dominate the discussions or are disruptive, enlist their help in helping others to participate. Point out to them that briefer or kinder comments will make it easier for others to share, and that how they communicate is as important as what they say. Describe the behavior you have observed in them and how it affects the group. Describe the different behavior you would like to see and what it would look like. Shy or quiet people. Call on the shy or quiet person when you see the spark in their eyes that tells you they have something to offer. Or ask them to read the passage, or ask them the easy fact questions. Or break into pairs or small groups to discuss a question that involves sharing. Or ask everyone to answer an application question. Be appreciative when they do share. When you don’t know the answer to someone else’s question. Don’t be afraid to say, “I don’t know; I’ll try to find out.” or, “Let’s all look at that during the week and talk about it again next week.” It is better to say you don’t know something than to say what you “think” is true and risk misleading people. You are not expected to be an expert. Don’t put that burden on yourself. At the End of the Meeting Summarize briefly at the end of the meeting. (It is also good to do this before going on to a new passage.) Make sure your summary points people toward faith in God and a commitment to following Jesus and living according to His ways. Always close with a time of conversational prayer. Guide the group by giving them sample phrases (“Lord, help me or us to. . . .” or “Lord, help my brother or sister to . . . .”) Encourage and model following up on each other’s prayers with additional prayers on the same subject (“Yes, Lord, help, me or us or Chris to. . . . Give them your. . . .”) Pray specifically for God’s help to apply the week’s insights, and offer the wrap-up prayer that ends the prayer time. When You Are Not Leading On weeks when you are not leading, answer the leader’s questions when it helps get things going or others are stumped, but don’t dominate. Pay attention to how things are going. Help the leader notice when someone wants to share (leaders can be so busy leading that they don’t see certain things). Make clarifying comments when the group seems confused. Re-phrase correctly when the leader misstates something. Set a good example of personal sharing on application questions and by keeping your answers short. Monitor the time for the leader if desired. For more leadership training materials, see Leading a Small-Group Bible Study . 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 For Leaders Next

Compassion compels Jesus and us to proclaim the good news. [Matthew 9:35-38; 10:1-4; 10:5-15] Previous Matthew List Next Matthew 9:35-10:15 Compassion compels Jesus and us to proclaim the good news. Image by Daryl Han, provided by Unsplash via Wix. Cropped. Tom Faletti August 9, 2024 Matthew 9:35-38 compassion for sheep without a shepherd; laborers needed for the harvest In 9:35, Jesus’s work is described as having three components. What are the three aspects of Jesus’s work? Teaching, proclaiming the gospel, and healing people. Jesus is now moving from town to town throughout the northern region. How does he feel about the crowds? Jesus is moved with compassion or pity. The Greek word Matthew uses for “compassion” has a root word: a word for the internal organs – a person’s inner parts or bowels. The word implies a deep, emotional concern. In our day, we would use the word “heart.” It is the same word Jesus uses to describe how the father felt when he saw his long-gone prodigal son returning in the distance. He feels the kind of deep compassion you feel in your gut. How does Matthew describe the state of the people in verse 36? He says they are harassed and helpless (Matthew 9:36, NRSV) or “troubled and abandoned” (Matthew 9:36, NABRE), like a sheep without a shepherd. Why does this assessment of the people’s condition bring forth the image of a sheep without a shepherd? How does it feel to be in that condition? What do you think it was about the people that moved Jesus to compassion? Do you think of Jesus as having that kind of deep compassion for you? Explain. In what ways do we or the people in our church or the world at large need the compassion of Jesus today? How does it change things when we recognize God as having this kind of deep compassion for us? Are we called to have this kind of compassion, the kind of compassion Jesus had, for the people around us? If so, what would that look like? The Jewish leaders were supposed to be their shepherds. Why were the people like sheep without a shepherd? Do you ever feel like this? If so, what do you think Jesus would want you to know and what do you think he would want you to do? Recognizing that the people had great needs, Jesus makes a comment about the harvest and laborers. What is the “harvest” Jesus is referring to? Who are the “laborers” in that harvest, and what is their role – i.e., what should they be doing? Why are laborers scarce? What is the role of the harvest master? The obvious next question is, what does this call us to do? We will some on answer to that in the next passage. In chapters 8-9, Matthew has inserted some short discussions (see 8:18-22; 9:9-17; 9:35-38) in a long series of miracles. Each discussion helps us understand what true discipleship is – that is, what it means to follow Jesus. The next thing that happens in Matthew’s narrative is that Jesus sends out the apostles. But Matthew is not just trying to tell a good story. He is trying to prepare, encourage, motivate, and prod the Christian communities for whom he is writing. And that includes us. So: Is there still a “harvest” yet to be harvested today? Is there still a shortage of laborers? Why? What is our role as potential laborers? What is Jesus calling us to do? What is he calling you to do? Introduction to Chapter 10 Chapter 10, like the Sermon on the Mount, is a collection of things Jesus said over a long period of time, probably including things he did not teach the apostles until after his resurrection. For example, 10:18 says, you will be brought to trial before rulers and kings. This was not a description of what they would face on this initial missionary journey, but rather something they would face as they went out into the Roman world after the coming of the Holy Spirit. Matthew 10:1-4 Jesus gives authority to 12 apostles to go forth Notice the diversity of the twelve apostles. What does that tell you about what Jesus is looking for in his disciples? The Greek word for “apostle” means one who is sent forth. Apostles go and speak or act on the authority of the person who sent them; here, they are “sent out” in verse 5. But Verse 2 is the only place in Matthew’s Gospel where the word “apostle” is used, whereas Luke refers to them as apostles on other occasions throughout his Gospel. Even in verse 1 Matthew uses the word “disciples.” Why do you think Matthew uses the word “apostles” only once and repeatedly calls them “disciples” everywhere else in his Gospel? Perhaps he does not want his readers (or us) to think that only a select few are called to proclaim the good news – all disciples can do that. He wants us to connect with them and identify with them rather than setting them apart as something different from us. What “authority” does Jesus give them? Why do you think Matthew uses the word “authority” and not the word “power”? Matthew 10:5-15 Jesus gives instructions to the apostles as they go out to proclaim the good news and heal people Where does Jesus tell the apostles to go? Why focus there? Who are “the lost sheep of the house of Israel”? Note: Jesus will go to the Gentiles and to Samaria later in Matthew’s Gospel. Jesus commands the apostles to proclaim the good news (“gospel” means “good news”). What is the specific message they are to proclaim? As they proclaim the good news, what specifically do you think they would be proclaiming? What would they have said after that starting sentence? Who might Jesus be calling you to share his good news with, in your life right now? Jesus commands the apostles to do miraculous works of healing. Why? Why do you think Jesus tells them to bring nothing with them? Verse 10 says, “laborers deserve their food.” If they weren’t bringing any food, how do you think Jesus expected them to eat? What do you think a “worthy” house is, in verse 12? Jesus tells them not to stay in places that do not welcome them or listen to their words, but to leave and shake the dust off their feet as they go? How might that have been intended as a message to the people they were leaving? How might “shaking off the dust” have been an important act for the apostles themselves, in terms of their own psyche as they dealt with rejection? Is there a lesson in here for you, as you try to be a good witness to your faith in Jesus but may encounter varying reactions? What might this say to you? Take a step back and consider this: In the first 9 chapters of his Gospel, Matthew has shown us: where Jesus comes from (Matt. 1-3). the methods Jesus will not use, and, by implication, what methods he will use (Matt. 4). Jesus’s revolutionary teachings on what it means to follow God and how we should interact with each other (Matt. 5-7). the sweeping range of Jesus’s power and authority, the opposition he faces from powerful people, the need for people who are willing to do the work of God, and the costs of choosing to follow him (Matt. 8-9). Then, at the beginning of chapter 10, Jesus empowers his disciples to do what he has done. As you review the first 9 chapters of Matthew and the beginning of chapter 10, what part of this story speaks to you most directly right now with regard to your calling as a disciple of Jesus? What part of Jesus’s good news is God calling you to embrace more fully right now? What action is God inviting to take to put his teachings into action? 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

Are you acting like you are ready for the Lord? What would it look like in your life to be the faithful servant, the well-prepared attendant? [Matthew 22:45-51; 24:1-13] Previous Matthew List Next Matthew 24:45-25:13 Are you acting like you are ready for the Lord? What would it look like in your life to be the faithful servant, the well-prepared attendant? Peter von Cornelius (1783–1867). The Parable of Wise and Foolish Virgins (unfinished) . 1813-1816. Museum Kunstpalast, Düsseldorf, Germany. Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Peter_von_Cornelius_-_The_Parable_of_Wise_and_Foolish_Virgins_(unfinished)_-_Google_Art_Project.jpg . Tom Faletti September 7, 2025 Matthew 24:45-51 two servants – one ready and one not ready for the master’s return This is the first of 2 parables about Jesus’s return and the need to be ready. Some translations use the word “servant” and some translations use the word “slave.” In New Testament times, perhaps 20% or more of all the people in the Roman Empire were slaves ( Welch and Hall ; The British Museum ). Slaves performed professional as well as menial jobs, often side by side with freed people. They moved freely around their cities and beyond, were allowed to earn money, and could buy their freedom if their master was willing. Although masters were allowed to abuse their slaves, and some or many did, Roman slavery was not the same as the chattel slavery of the American South. To help us understand the relatively independent, decision-making roles they played in their society, I will use the translation “servant” in this study. That will also help us understand that Jesus wants us to be able to see ourselves in these servants. What happens in this parable? Who do the two servants stand for? Jesus is talking to the disciples now, not the Pharisees or chief priests. Matthew is probably expecting his audience to apply the parable to themselves, in which case it applies equally to us and to all Christians in every age. One member of my Bible Study, when asked who the faithful and unfaithful servants stand for, thoughtfully replied, “It [i.e.,both] could be us at different times.” What is the job of the two servants? What would it look like when these servants were doing their jobs properly? Jesus wants us to see ourselves in these images, so translate this to your life. What would it look like in your life if you are the faithful servant living your life until the master comes? What would you, the faithful servant, be doing in your life? What are the things we might become distracted by, that would leave us caught by surprise when the master comes? Note that this servant is not just distracted, he is wicked: he abuses the other servants. In verse 51, what happens to that wicked servant? Jesus is talking to his followers in this parable, and Matthew is telling the story as a caution to his fellow Christians. Jesus says the wicked servant will be assigned a place with the hypocrites. Why is that a devastating outcome for a Christian? Who has Jesus accused of being a hypocrite, and why would Jesus use that term for “followers” of his who do not live the life of a faithful servant? It was the job of these servants to take care of the household and make sure the other slaves/servants were fed at the proper times. Each of us has a different “job” as we serve God, based on the unique circumstances of our lives. What are the “jobs” God wants to see you doing faithfully right now? Matthew 25:1-13 being ready – a parable of 10 virgins In the second parable, 10 virgins (i.e., unmarried women) are supposed to be ready so that when the bridegroom arrives (probably with the bride he has gone to get from another city) they can welcome him and accompany him to their new home for a week-long celebration ( Ignatius Catholic Study Bible , fn. to 25:1-13, p. 53). In Jesus’s time, travel was unpredictable and the timing of events was often more uncertain than in our day. It might not be clear when the bridegroom would have completed all the necessary steps to bring the bride home. When he was approaching, it was expected that the word would go out ahead of him so that they could be greeted, day or night. In this case, the bridegroom represents Jesus, so the focus in on him. The Greek word can mean “virgin” or “unmarried woman” (what in the past was called a “maiden”). Some translations use the term “bridesmaid.” Most translations use the term “virgin,” so this study uses that word. What happens in the parable? Who do the wise and foolish virgins represent? What is Jesus’s point in this parable? Notice that Jesus calls the virgins who weren’t sufficiently prepared “foolish,” whereas he called the unfaithful servant “wicked.” Are there ways that we might not be “wicked” but could still be foolish (unwise) and therefore not be what Jesus is expecting us to be? How might we be guilty of being, or in danger of being, unwise in our spiritual lives, even though we are not trying to be wicked? What does this tell us about faithfulness in living the Christian life? What happens to those who are not ready when the time comes? Matthew wants us to hear this parable as applying to all of us. What does it say to us? There are aspects of our lives where we can’t wait until the last minute to be ready for Jesus’s coming. What might be some of those things we need to be doing in advance? What might be some things we can’t “borrow” – that we need to already have when Jesus comes? In verse 12, when the foolish women finally show up late to the wedding banquet, the bridegroom says, “I do not know you.” In the context of the story , this makes sense: the groom, perhaps coming from far away, might not know the friends of the woman he is marrying. But what does this say to us about our lives? We would not want Jesus, when we come before him at the end of our lives, to say, “I do not know you.” What do we need to do about that? What does it mean to be known by Jesus? What would you do differently if you lived your life, like the five wise virgins, with a real readiness for the day you will meet God face to face? As with earlier statements by Jesus, this parable can be applied to being ready for the Second Coming of Christ, but it applies equally well to our deaths, for we shall see him then. What does this parable say to you about being ready for your inevitable death? Jesus’s ends by saying, “Stay awake, for you do not know the day or the hour.” What does it look like to, in a spiritual sense, “Stay awake”? Take a step back and consider this: We are always making choices. Sometimes our choices make us more ready for Jesus, and some do not. Some choices help us as we seek to know and be known by Jesus, and some do not. Sometimes we act like we can put off spending time with God or wait until later to do what God wants us to do, and yet still be ready for Jesus when he comes. That approach might make us unready for the Lord when we die. But it also has an impact long before we die. There might be things that God wants to do through us, but if we are not “ready,” he might not be able to open the path for us to serve him or others in that way. Our choices affect not only the endgame of our lives, but also the plays we make every day. To what extent is your life focused on being ready for each next thing that Jesus is showing up for in your life? How can you be more ready for every little thing that he might want to do in you or through you? 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