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Jesus is buried: Some people take action; others wait and watch. [Matthew 27:57-61; 27:62-66] Previous Matthew List Next Matthew 27:57-66 Jesus is buried: Some people take action; others wait and watch. Gustave Doré (1832-1883). The Burial of Christ . Woodcut. Detail. The illustration was originally published as one of 241 wood engravings created by Doré in La Grande Bible de Tours , issued in 1866. It is in the public domain due to copyright expiration. This image was reproduced from The Doré Bible Illustrations , Dover, 1974, and made available online by Felix Just, S.J. (see http://catholic-resources.org/Art/Dore.htm ) at https://catholic-resources.org/Dore/John19f.jpg , and its use is authorized by him. Tom Faletti May 17, 2024 Matthew 27:57-61 Jesus is laid in a tomb, under watchful eyes In verse 57, what does Matthew tell us about Joseph of Arimathea? He is rich, from Arimathea, and a disciple of Jesus. Mark adds that he is a respected member of the Sanhedrin, the Jewish council that had condemned Jesus (Mark 15:43), and Luke adds that Joseph had not agreed to the council’s actions. Scholars aren’t sure where Arimathea was. The early Christian historian Eusebius, writing nearly 300 years after the time of Jesus, identified it as the Old Testament town of Ramathaim or Ramah where Samuel the prophet was born (1 Sam. 1:1; 2:11), approximately 5 miles north of Jerusalem. What does Joseph do? Jewish Law required that criminals be buried on the same day they were executed (Deut. 21:22-23), and it would have been particularly unseemly to leave Jesus’s body to scavenging dogs on the Sabbath. Joseph steps in, in place of the family members who ordinarily would have acted. What does Matthew want us to understand about (1) the way Jesus’s body was handled, and (2) the status of the tomb he was buried in? Joseph’s action would have called attention to himself with Pilate and also might have deepened the wedge between him and other members of the Sanhedrin. How is Joseph an example of courage? How might we imitate Joseph in situations we might face in our own lives? Where might this kind of courage be needed? Who is watching as Joseph buries Jesus? The “other Mary” was the mother of James and Joseph – see verse 56. John 19:25 suggests she is the sister of Jesus’s mother Mary and the wife of Clopas. Some scholars sort out the family somewhat differently and think that Clopas ws the brother of Jesus’s (adopted) father Joseph, which would make this “other Mary” the sister-in-law of Jesus’s mother. Either way, the women of the family are steadfast to the end. Why do you think these women continue to follow the action, to the bitter end? Their commitment to God no matter what bad things happen, reminds me of Job’s comment, “Though He slay me, yet will I trust in him” (Job 13:15, KJV). It is as though they are saying: “Though He may die, still we will be there for Him.” How is their example a witness to us? Matthew 27:62-66 Setting a guard to avoid a hoax Who goes to Pilate? What is their concern? The Pharisees were last referenced in Matthew 23:29. All of the drama since then has involved the chief priests and elders – the political and religious leadership – not the rank-and-file Pharisees who are so concerned about fervently living out every detail of their understanding of the Law. Why do you think the Pharisees are involved again now? Why do they care whether people make up stories about a dead Jesus? The day of Preparation was the day before the Sabbath. Matthew says they went to Pilate on the day after the day of Preparation. If we understand the timing he is suggesting, it means they went to Pilate on the Sabbath, which would be a significant violation of the Sabbath required by the Law and show how concerned they were about Jesus even after his death. What do they specifically ask Pilate for? Notice that Pilate does not offer a simple “Yes.” His answer in verse 65 is literally, “You have a guard.” (Some translations say, “Take a guard,” but that is an interpretation, not the literal words in the Greek.) Pilate’s unclear answer has led to two different interpretations: Interpretation #1 : Pilate agreed to their request and made Roman soldiers available. There is a problem with this interpretation: If the guard was a Roman guard, it is hard to believe the soldiers would have gone to the Jewish leaders after the resurrection (see Matthew 28:11) and joined in a hoax that, if found out, would have caused them to be executed for dereliction of duty. Interpretation #2 : Pilate indirectly rejected their request by reminding them that they have their own soldiers – the Temple guard, who helped arrest Jesus – and is telling them to set up their own guard if they are concerned. There is a problem with this interpretation: If it was Jewish guards, why would they have been concerned about Pilate hearing about their failure at the tomb (Matthew 28:14)? A possible answer is that when a person has failed a task, they don’t want anyone in power knowing about it, even if they aren’t directly under that person’s authority; and in this case it might be even more troubling since Pilate, in effect, commissioned them to do the task. On balance, Interpretation #2 seems more likely, but it doesn’t really matter in the grand scheme of our faith who the guards were. In verse 66, what do the Jewish leaders and the guard do? What do you think they expect will happen next? Barclay remarks on the irony of Pilate’s last statement, regarding the plan to guard the tomb: “make it as secure as you can” (Matthew 27:65, NRSV). Barclay says, “It is as if Pilate all unconsciously said, ‘Keep Christ in the tomb – if you can.’” He adds: “They had not realized one thing – that there was not a tomb in the world which could imprison the Risen Christ” (Barclay, The Gospel of Matthew, Volume 2 , pp. 414). Every opponent of God would like to, in effect, keep Christ in his tomb. Why is that so important? If Jesus is risen, then he is still alive and active in the world today and must be confronted or accounted for; and many people would rather not have to explain what they are doing or not doing with regard to a man who said he was the Son of God and has come back to life – which no mere human could do. Are there ways that leaders in our societies do things that look like they are trying to keep Christ in his place rather than giving him free reign to work in our churches and communities? Explain. Are there ways that people in our churches do things that feel like they are trying to keep Christ in his place rather than giving him free reign to do his resurrection work in our churches and communities? Explain. What are some ways that we might unconsciously try to keep Christ in the “tomb” in our own lives rather than allowing the Risen Christ to have free reign? We have been exploring what happened to Jesus on Good Friday. The next passage describes what happens on Easter Sunday morning, the morning of Jesus’s glorious Resurrection. But there is a day in between – Holy Saturday. Take a minute to contemplate Holy Saturday – that day of waiting between Good Friday and Easter Sunday. Is there value in those days of waiting, between when we first experience pain and loss and when God helps us move to a new resurrection that rises above the pain and loss? What is the value of those days of waiting, between the dark and the dawn? How do times of waiting for God help build our character so that we become more like Jesus? How can we wait for God effectively? A footnote for the scholarly minded (feel free to skip): This story of the guard is only in Matthew’s Gospel, not in the other Synoptic Gospels, even though other parts of Matthew’s and Luke’s Gospels draw significantly from Mark. This bothers some scholars, leading some to suggest that it is merely apologetics (material developed to defend the faith against attacks) or is based in legend. One response is that perhaps Mark and Luke did not consider this story important to their audiences. Matthew’s community was a mix of Jewish and Gentile Christians, and, after Jerusalem was destroyed, the Jewish Christians were frequently challenged by Jewish leaders and even faced expulsion from synagogues. Those Jewish Christians would have valued this story as they tried to defend their faith against people who claimed that Jesus’s resurrection was just a stolen-body hoax. It would have been much less important to Luke’s and Mark’s largely Gentile audiences, who may not have been dealing so directly with that argument. We do not need to have this story to know that Jesus rose from the dead. We have abundant evidence in the 4 Gospels, in subsequent books of the New Testament, and in the lives of believers for 2,000 years. But even today, people who do not want to believe in Jesus like to suggest that perhaps his followers stole his body; so perhaps the story still has special relevance for us today. Take a step back and consider this: The Jewish leaders of Jesus’s time were living in a world of “what-ifs”: What if the people are being fooled by Jesus and it was the devil who sent a wonder-worker named Jesus to turn people away from their historic Jewish faith? What if Jesus’s radically different preaching causes the people to get so riled up that the Romans come down hard on us? What if the disciples of Jesus went and stole the body? What if? What if? What if? “What if” is not always a bad question. Sometimes it keeps us out of trouble or helps us anticipate a problem that we can solve or deflect if we think ahead. But sometimes, “What if” becomes an excuse to avoid confronting the uncomfortable. How do you know when your “what-ifs” are reasonable and when your “what-ifs” are masking your own unjustified resistance to the truth? Is there something that maybe God has been nudging you to do, but you are so caught up in “What ifs” that you can’t get yourself to do it? If so, what might Jesus say to you to encourage you to respond to God’s nudges? Talk to him about it. 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 cleanses the Temple, removing the sacrificial lambs he will one day take the place of. Where do we need his cleansing in the “temple” of our own life? [John 2:13-17; 2:18-25] Previous Next John List John 2:13-25 Jesus cleanses the Temple, removing the sacrificial lambs he will one day take the place of. Where do we need his cleansing in the “temple” of our own life? From Histoire Sainte , an incomplete set of hand-coloured lithographs depicting scenes from the Bible and the History of Christianity, published in Paris by Delagrave and printed by Becquet frères. Circa 1850-1880. The British Museum, London (see https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_1981-U-56-134?selectedImageId=1097590001 ). Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Histoire_Sainte_(BM_1981,U.56-134_60).jpg . Tom Faletti November 8, 2025 Read John 2:13-17 The cleansing of the Temple Why does Jesus go to Jerusalem? In John’s Gospel, Jesus spends much more time in Jerusalem than he does in the other Gospels. He goes from Bethany east of the Jordan River, where John was baptizing, to Galilee (where he grew up), where he starts gathering disciples, and now to Jerusalem for Passover. Passover was the annual spring religious feast celebrating God’s liberation of the Israelites from slavery in Egypt. It was marked by the sacrificing of lambs to commemorate how they were protected when the angel of death “passed over” the houses of the Israelites that had the blood of a lamb on their doorposts. In the Gospel of John, Jesus goes to Jerusalem 3 times for Passover, suggesting that his public ministry lasted more than 2 years, and perhaps longer. Luke tells us (Luke 2:41) that Jesus’s parents brought him to Passover in Jerusalem every year as a child, and presumably he continued that practice throughout his adult life. What does Jesus do in Jerusalem? John places the cleansing of the Temple at the beginning of Jesus’s ministry, whereas the Synoptics place it at the end. The Gospels writers arranged their stories to achieve their theological purposes, not to tell the story in chronological order. In the Synoptics, this event is the precipitating factor that leads to the final murder plot against Jesus. For John, the precipitating factor is the raising of Lazarus. There are other, more minor differences that at a minimum suggest that the story was passed down orally in two slightly different forms from different eyewitnesses. Some scholars think he cleared the Temple twice, once at the beginning of his ministry and again at the end. What were the sheep, oxen, and doves used for, in the Temple? Oxen, sheep, and doves were sacrificed in the Temple. You could buy the appropriate animals for your sacrifice, so that you would not have to travel to Jerusalem with your own animals for sacrifice. Also, if you brought your own animal to the Temple, the authorities might reject it, saying it was blemished, and tell you to buy one of theirs. The Synoptic Gospels and secular historical accounts indicate that people were often fleeced by the merchants in the Temple. Why were there moneychangers in the Temple? (It’s understandable if you do not know the answer to this question.) The moneychangers were there to accept payment for the Temple tax that every adult male was obligated to pay annually. The Jewish leaders accepted only certain coins – for example, they did not accept Roman coins, which carried the image of Caesar – so you needed a moneychanger to exchange your money for the accepted coins. All of this business was conducted in the outer court of the Temple complex – the Court of the Gentiles – making it a noisy place not conducive to prayer. Jews could proceed into the courts that were closer to the Holy of Holies, but Gentiles had to stop here and could not proceed further in order to find a quiet place to pray. What reason does Jesus give in verse 16 for his action? Jesus does not want God’s house to be a marketplace. It had lost it sense of reverence as economic concerns overshadowed the primary purpose of the Temple as a place where people could interact with God. Jesus’s action reminds many scholars of the last verse of the book of Zechariah (Zech. 14:21), which prophesies that when the Lord comes there will no longer be merchants in the house of the Lord. What do you think Jesus wants God’s house to look like? How might economics, money, and market considerations affect how the Church as a whole and our local churches operate? How might those concerns interfere with our primary purposes as God’s people? John may have a deeper point in mind. Sheep and oxen were essential to the Temple’s role as a place of sacrifice. Therefore, what might be the deeper symbolism in driving them out of the Temple? What would it mean if there were no longer any sacrificial animals in the Temple? There could only be no animals if Temple sacrifice was no longer necessary. This could happen because Jesus is here and will sacrifice himself as the “Lamb of God,” as John the Baptist called him in 2:29 and 2:36. There may be even more to this, in the mind of John the evangelist. In the other Gospels, the Last Supper is on Passover night . But in John’s Gospel the Last Supper is on the night before Passover, and Jesus is dying on the Cross in his ultimate act of sacrifice just as the Passover lambs are being slaughtered in the Temple in preparation for that evening’s Passover meals. Jesus’s sacrifice will make the whole sacrificial system in the Temple unnecessary, which would obviate the need for merchants buying and selling animals for sacrifice. That would bring to fulfillment Zecharia’s prophecy that when the Lord comes there will no longer be merchants in the Temple. Verse 17 tells us that Jesus’s action reminds his disciples of Psalm 69:9 (69:10 in the NABRE), which talked about zeal for God’s house. They were struck by the zeal with which Jesus cleansed the Temple. Why do you think Jesus cleared the Temple? What is your reaction to what Jesus did? Read John 2:18-25 Jesus is challenged by the Jewish leaders In verse 18, John refers to “the Jews,” a phrase he will use repeatedly throughout his Gospel. Sometimes, he is just referring to the Jewish people generally (for example, in John 2:13: “The Passover of the Jews was near”). But other times, as in verse 18, he is referring specifically to the Jews who opposed Jesus: the leaders of the Jews in Jerusalem. John’s references to “the Jews” are never a general indictment of all Jews. John and Jesus and Jesus’s mother Mary and many people in John’s community were Jews. John was not speaking against all Jews. What was the reaction of the Jewish leaders to Jesus’s cleansing of the Temple? Why do they challenge him? What do they want? What “evidence” does he offer them? John often tells stories where someone misunderstands something Jesus says. What does Jesus mean by the “temple,” and what do the Jewish leaders think he means? Why do you think Jesus answers their challenge in this way? Note: If this confrontation seems premature, we need to remember that John is not necessarily telling us everything in chronological order. Where would you have been in this scene? (One of the disciples? One of the people challenging Jesus? A moneychanger or merchant? A Temple leader? A bystander? Or would you not even have been in the Temple?) Consider the person you just named in the previous question. How do you think they would have reacted to the clearing of the Temple and the discussion that followed? What does this story say to you? Saint Paul said that we are temples of the Holy Spirit, who resides in us (1 Cor. 6:19). Is there any part of the “temple” of your life that needs some cleansing by Jesus? What would he like to do? How do we let Jesus clear away the distractions so that we are proper temples of the Holy Spirit? Take a step back and consider this: Verse 23 tells us that Jesus did other signs while he was in Jerusalem that John does not tell us about, and many people began to believe in his name – but Jesus did not trust these apparent declarations of faith. The New Testament scholar Raymond Brown wrote that Jesus “did not trust their faith because it stopped at the miraculous aspect of the sign and did not perceive what was signified” (Brown, p. 341). In other words, they saw only the miraculous action and not the message or meaning to which the sign pointed. We are called to look for what God’s miraculous signs “signify” – the deeper messages they point to, the eternal truths that lie behind what God has done at the surface or physical level. The human tendency is to stop at the surface of what God has done and is doing. We can only reach our full calling when we go beyond the surface and embrace what the signs signify. How can we train ourselves to look for the deeper spiritual meaning behind what happens on the surface of our lives? 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

The danger of riches: What kind of grip do they have on you? Previous Matthew List Next Matthew 19:16-22 The danger of riches: What kind of grip do they have on you? Image by freestocks, provided by Unsplash via Wix. Tom Faletti February 13, 2024 Matthew 19:16-22 The rich young man Why do you think Jesus starts off by asking the man why he is asking about the good? Describe the young man. Besides being rich, what kind of person was he? Some people might say that the young man was a “good person” who also happened to be rich. Do you know people like that? Others might say he was person who followed religious rules but kept his wealth to himself and didn’t care about the poor. Do you know people like that? In verse 16, the young man asks: What good deed (singular) must I do? At first, it sounds like he thinks there is one magic step that would guarantee him eternal life. How would you answer, if someone asked you what is the one thing they need to do to go to heaven? My answer, which would show that faith (and life) is more complicated than that, might be: The one thing you need to do is to give every part of your life over to Jesus to serve him. In other words, there isn’t one simple, single thing. When the young man asks which commandments he needs to keep, what is Jesus’s response? Notice that Jesus includes not only parts of the Ten Commandments but also to love your neighbor as yourself. How does that up the ante for what is expected? In verse 20, we find out what the heart of the problem is. This young man has been striving valiantly to fulfill all of the laws in the Old Testament (and there were very many! – 613 of them). He still feels a void. The very fact that he is asking this question, rather than feeling smug in his devotion to the Law, tells you the internal struggle he is going through. You can hear the pain in his voice as he asks, “What do I still lack?” (19:20, NABRE) Have you ever hit a point in your spiritual life where you felt like you were doing everything you were supposed to be doing and it still wasn’t enough? If so, what did you learn from that time of struggle? In verse 21, Jesus prefaces his directive to sell all with the phrase, “If you wish to be perfect.” The Greek word translated “perfect” here means complete or finished and responds to the man’s sense of being unfinished in his pursuit of eternal life. Jesus is inviting the young man to a new level of perfection or completion in his desire to follow God. In verse 21, Jesus tells the young man that to address what he feels is lacking in his life, he needs to sell his possessions, give the money to the poor, and come follow Jesus – i.e., follow him completely, without any earthly attachments. How might that address what the young man feels is lacking in his life? Do you think this directive to sell all you have applies to all people, or was it specifically chosen to meet the need of this young man? Consider that while many people shared from their wealth in the early church, they were not required to do so – see, for example, Acts 5:1-4. Also consider friends of Jesus such as Lazarus, Martha, and Mary, who did not sell all they had and follow him. If we don’t give up our possessions, does that mean we can’t be “perfect”? Does it mean we can’t go to heaven? Does it mean there is some stage of discipleship that we will miss out on? Why might riches be an obstacle to perfect discipleship? Members of my Bible Study group offered answers such as: They might lead people to think they don’t need God. They might be a distraction from what is important to God. They might cause us to put our focus on material things instead of the things that matter most to God. They might encourage us to focus on ourselves, our own ego and interests, and become selfish. For you, how might your possessions and wealth (however big or small) be an obstacle to following Jesus more perfectly or completely? Some people think that Jesus was asking this particular young man to take the step he needed to take to fulfill his calling, but that it does not necessarily apply to all people. Why might this not apply to everyone? What might be the particular step you need to take to fulfill your calling? Take a step back and consider: Since each of us is unique, it wouldn’t be surprising that what one person needs is different than what another person needs. One person feels called to the priesthood, another to a marriage relationship, and a third never feels a tug in either of those directions. One person feels called to government service and another to the world of high finance. One person is a prosecutor while another is a public defender. One person feels called to the interior life of prayer and meditation, while another is devoted to a wide range of social relationships and activities. God has made each of us unique. Yet whoever we are, wherever we are, we need to come to grips with our relationship with possessions. Even a hermit might have to struggle with this: Where do “things” fit into my life and how do they affect my spiritual life? There are many people who will tell you how to deal with the possessions in your house, whether by buying closet organizers, sorting things into piles, or gently giving them away. Jesus’s concern here is not where you put your possessions, but what hold they might have on your heart. What is your current relationship with your possessions? Do you give them an appropriate priority, or do they tend to overshadow things that are more important? Are things that have a “grip” on you that you need to break free from? Is there something you need to do with your possessions to address something lacking in your spiritual life? 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

The cursing of the fig tree was a prophetic action, where Jesus stands against those who are "all leaf and no fruit." Is our metaphorical fig tree producing fruit or withering? Previous Matthew List Next Matthew 21:18-22 The cursing of the fig tree was a prophetic action, where Jesus stands against those who are "all leaf and no fruit." Is our metaphorical fig tree producing fruit or withering? Image by Wyxina Tresse, provided by Unsplash via Wix. Tom Faletti August 5, 2025 Matthew 21:18-22 Jesus curses a fig tree What do you think is going on in this incident? On his first day in Jerusalem, Jesus uses tactics we have seldom seen him use in the past. He is no longer concerned about attracting attention. He has made a dramatic entry into Jerusalem on a donkey, driven money changers and sellers out of the Temple, healed people in the Temple under the indignant noses of the chief priests, and now cursed a fig tree. What is going on? One way to interpret this is that Jesus is doing what many Old Testament prophets did: he is using dramatic public actions to illustrate symbolically what the leaders have ignored when he has merely spoken. These kinds of actions might be thought of as acted-out parables . (Protest movements would call it “street theater.”) Here are some of the things Old Testament prophets did that seem to be similar to Jesus’s actions in these acted-out parables: At the Lord’s direction, Jeremiah called the elders and senior priests together and destroyed a clay jug in their presence, telling them that this is what God would do to their houses and the house of the king if they did not repent (Jer. 19:1-13). Ahijah bought a new garment and tore it into 12 pieces to dramatize the breakup of David’s kingdom (1 Kings 11:29-31). Ezekiel baked bread on dung in the sight of the people and ate it for a year (Ezek. 4:9-17). When the people did not wake up to the calamity they faced, Ezekiel cut off his hair, divided it into three pieces, and then burned one-third, went around the city striking one-third with a sword, and scattered the last third to the wind, symbolizing what would happen to the nation (Ezek. 5:1-12). Isaiah took off his clothes and went naked and barefoot for 3 years to symbolize the coming defeat that would result in the people being led away naked and barefoot into captivity and exile (Is. 20:1-6). Jesus is using prophetic actions , direct actions similar to these, to try to wake up the religious leaders. American Catholic novelist Flannery O’Connor wrote stories that were often considered violent, disturbing, and even grotesque. He explained why: “When you can assume that your audience holds the same beliefs you do, you can relax a little and use more normal ways of talking to it; when you have to assume that it does not, then you have to make your vision apparent by shock – to the hard of hearing you shout, and for the almost blind you draw large and startling figures.” (qtd. in Austin Dominic Litke, O.P. “ Reading Flannery O’Connor in our times .”) Many people are bothered by the idea that Jesus might have cursed a poor tree, and they are even more troubled when they see that Mark says it was not the time for figs (Mark 11:13). Scholars have a variety of sometimes contradictory explanations: Some say that in fact figs do grow on fig trees in Israel at the time of year when the Passover occurs, and this tree was deficient. Others say that leaves don’t grow on fig trees until later in the Spring, so this tree had leaves when it should not have had leaves, a sign that it was not flourishing properly and would not produce fruit at the proper time. Others say that fig trees start with a knob that is not a delicious fig but can be eaten, and the tree should have had these knobs by this time of the year. A tree with no “fruit” (i.e., no knobs) at this point in the growing cycle would not produce fruit later in the year. Others point to the fact that the word Mark uses when he says that it was not the “time” for figs is the Greek word kairos , which is usually used in the New Testament to speak of a special kind of time: God’s time, the appointed time. So the tree should have had fruit because it was God’s time for that tree to have fruit for Jesus, but it was not responding to God’s time, just as the Jewish leaders were not responding to the unique moment or “time” they were in, a time when they should have been welcoming Jesus as the Messiah. Since this action of Jesus seems to be a prophetic action or acted-out parable – an action taken to make a broader point – let’s focus on the metaphor and the broader point Jesus is making, not the tree. If Jesus’s action is a metaphor, what do you think the fig tree and its lack of fruit stand for? The fig tree was sometimes used in the Old Testament as a reference to Israel – for example, in Jeremiah 8:12-13 and Hosea 9:10. Israel, as represented by their leaders, is not producing the fruit God expects to find. Mark tells the story of the fig tree in two parts, happening on successive days, with the cleansing of the Temple happening in-between. Since his Gospel was written first, it is possible that his sequencing of the story is closer to the actual timeline of what happened. His narrative establishes a clear connection between the cleansing of the Temple and the cursing of the fig tree. Matthew condenses the fig tree story but still keeps it adjacent to the cleansing of the Temple. When we see the connection, we realize that Jesus’s action is not about this tree’s fruit. The tree sacrificed its life so that the Lord of the Universe could perform a dramatic prophetic action to try to wake up the Jewish leaders. If the fig tree stands for Israel, i.e., the Jewish people, what is Jesus trying to tell the Jewish leaders? The Jewish leaders might be described as all leaf and no fruit. What kind of fruit should the leaders have been showing? How can we avoid being all leaf and no fruit? What should our “fruit” look like? Perhaps the most surprising thing about this passage is that Jesus does not explain his action. He does not talk about the tree or the fruit. He does not talk about the leaders. When he is questioned by the disciples, he makes a separate point that has nothing to do with the leaders, the fruit, or the leaves. Perhaps he concluded that the acted-out parable did not have the desired effect so he decided not to belabor the point, or the disciples didn’t remember his point, or the Gospel writers didn’t think there was value in explaining the point or thought we would grasp the point without it being said. He will make the point again in some of the parables he will tell in the next few days, as he returns to prophetic teaching rather than prophetic acting: Our actions need to conform to what we profess or claim about ourselves. We need fruit, not just leaves. How is the metaphorical fig tree of the Church (God’s people) doing these days? In what ways is it producing fruit or withering? How is your metaphorical fig tree doing? In what ways are you producing fruit or withering? How does Jesus respond in verse 21, when the disciples ask how the tree withered so fast? Rather than warning people that they might be at risk of suffering what the tree suffered, Jesus unexpectedly suggests that the disciples might be able to do the same thing he did if they have faith. In verse 21 and at the end of verse 22, what does he ask his followers to exhibit? What does this passage say to you about your own faith life and prayer life? Do you think Jesus is talking literally about trees and mountains (that if I have enough faith, I could cause a tree to wither or a mountain to move?), or is he speaking metaphorically? What are the “trees” and “mountains” that we might need to talk to God about with undoubting faith? Christians tend to like the mountain metaphor: we see obstacles, call them mountains, and pray that they will be removed. Can the fig tree be a useful metaphor for us as well? What might be some things we could approach God about in prayer, that we would like to see wither away so that God’s will would be done in our lives? How can we build the kind of faith that is not about getting God to do what we want, but rather about living in such union with God that we can ask for the right things and trust him completely that he will work in and through us? Take a step back and consider this: The clearing of the Temple and the cursing of the fig tree can raise many questions in our minds. Let’s not lose sight of the big picture. Jesus is calling us to live lives totally devoted to God, and this dedication should be manifest in our public lives: in the “Temple,” in marketplace, in our workplaces, in our families, everywhere. If the chief priests and scribes had believed in Jesus, he would never have felt the need to cause a fig tree to wither as a metaphor for their lack of faith. But the point was never about the fig tree; the point was that the nation was withering because of the lack of faith of the chief priests and scribes. Perhaps our lack of faith also causes things to “wither” that would flourish if we had faith. When we fail to trust that God has our back, we may be tempted to do inappropriate things that wither our spiritual life rather than giving life. When we fail to believe in and support the people around us, our actions or inaction may wither the life in them and us. When we do the easy thing instead of the right thing, and do it again and again, our connection to God will gradually wither. Every day, we face choices that lead us to cry hosanna to the Son of David or to take actions that contribute to the withering of our life with Christ. How can you recognize and consciously reject actions that cause faith to wither? How can you help your own faith and the faith of the people around you to produce fruit? 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

The sick; the young; migrants and refugees; the elderly. (Paragraphs 11-14 of Spes Non Confundit) Previous Next Jubilee Year 2025: Embrace God’s Hope and Extend It to All Session 4: Where signs of hope are needed today, part 2 The sick; the young; migrants and refugees; the elderly. (Read paragraphs 11-14) Link to S pes Non Confundit Sunset, Ephesus. Photo by Tom Faletti, Ephesus, Turkiye, October 27, 2023. Tom Faletti November 16, 2024 Everywhere we turn, we can find people who are discouraged. Jesus calls us to share God’s hope with those around us whose lives are not easy. In this session, we look at more of the groups Pope Francis identifies as having a special need for hope: the sick and disabled, the young, migrants and refugees, and the elderly. People in each of these groups face significant challenges that could sap their hope. Pope Francis suggests ways we can help give them hope. Our study guide will help us explore specific ways we might bring God’s hope to people in these situations. When we reach out to those who are overlooked, forgotten, or on the margins of society (what Pope Francis calls the “periphery”), we are recognizing God’s presence in them and welcoming them in as part of “us.” When we cross those barriers, we help make it clear that in God’s world there is no “us” versus “them”; there is only God and “us” – all of us. Read paragraphs 11-14 in preparation for this session. Paragraph 11 (the sick) 🔗 Why does Pope Francis care so much about the sick? Read Matthew 25:35-36,40 What does Jesus say about people who are sick and himself? How is visiting someone who is sick a way to foster hope? In paragraph 11, besides talking about the sick, Pope Francis also talks about healthcare workers. Why does he say we should show them gratitude? The pandemic showed just how precarious the conditions of healthcare workers can be. What concrete actions can we take as a society to increase their safety and hope? Suggested Activity: Think about a caring nurse, a cheerful medical receptionist, an upbeat optician or dental hygienist, a gentle phlebotomist, or another healthcare worker who has brightened your day by the way they have cared for you. Say a prayer of thanks for them and ask God to renew their hope in their profession. Then send them a thank-you message. You can also let their boss know how much you appreciate them. You can do the same for a doctor, but don’t leave out the assistants who make a huge difference but are so often unseen. What can we learn from healthcare workers and apply in how we care for others? Do you know someone who is sick and would appreciate a note, call, or visit? What is one step you can take to show them God’s love and your caring heart? Suggested Activity: Ask someone who is sick if you could bring them a meal, a loaf of bread, or just stop by for a visit. Check with them about their dietary needs and personal likes and dislikes before cooking something, and adjust accordingly. If they invite you to stay and eat with them, accept their offer – they may appreciate the company more than the food. In the second part of paragraph 11, Pope Francis expresses concern for people with disabilities. Read Leviticus 19:14 Leviticus 19:14 shows the bare minimum of how we should treat people with disabilities: don’t make things more difficult for them. Why would that even need to be said? Why do people with disabilities sometimes face unnecessary discrimination and mistreatment? Pope Francis calls for our whole society to join in a “song of hope” (par. 11) for people with disabilities through our care for them and respect for their human dignity. What are the concrete actions that might create a “song of hope” for people with disabilities? What are some specific things that you or your parish or your society’s institutions could do to help people with disabilities feel less restricted and, with a song in their heart, be more free to be independent participants in society? Suggested Activities: Check in on people you know are dealing with a chronic illness. For many, their ongoing challenges may take a long time to resolve, if ever, while the attention of those they know may have moved elsewhere. So try to keep in touch over time. Get to know a member of your parish who has a disability. Ask them if they would be willing to move through your church and parish facilities with you and show you the obstacles they encounter. Then work with them to explore with your parish leadership what might be done to help people with disabilities feel more welcome in your church. Invite people with disabilities to events and help make it possible for them to attend if they are interested, rather than assuming they will not be able to do so. Paragraph 12 (the young) 🔗 In this paragraph, Pope Francis is thinking primarily of teenagers and young adults. Why is he concerned about them? What are some of the signs that they are lacking in hope? Read Colossians 3:21 Although Colossians 3:21 is directed at fathers, it offers wisdom for society as a whole. What are some of the challenges young people face that may cause them to become discouraged or lose heart? What can your parish or community do with young people to support their hopes and dreams? Are there ways you can encourage young people in their desire to help people in need? Suggested Activity: Ask teens you see at church if they would be willing to share their perspective with you on how the Church could be more welcoming and supportive of teens. Or ask your parish youth group leader if you could bring a few adults to one of their meetings to meet with the youth group members and listen to their ideas. Be prepared to try to move forward on some of the ideas you hear, or you will become one more reason why teens are sometimes discouraged about the Church. Paragraph 13 (migrants and refugees) 🔗 In paragraph 13, Pope Francis lists some reasons why people become migrants or refugees. Why do migrants leave their homelands? Why are refugees forced to emigrate? Read Matthew 25:35 and 25:40 When Jesus refers to a “stranger” in Matthew 25:35, the Greek word is xenos , which means a foreigner or a person who is unfamiliar. What does this passage suggest to us about our treatment of migrants and refugees? How does our society currently treat migrants and refugees? Note: The Catholic Church teaches that nations have a right to control their borders, but that governments have an obligation to treat migrants and refugees with dignity and respect and to provide protection to those seeking refugee status while their claims are considered. How can we help make migrants and refugees more welcome in our society? Read Leviticus 19:33-34 How does God say “strangers” or “aliens” should be treated? How would things be different in our society if refugees and other immigrants were treated the same as native-born people, as Leviticus directs? In the second part of paragraph 13, Pope Francis calls on the Christian community to defend the rights of the vulnerable. How can we do this and how would it increase hope? Suggested Activities: Look for opportunities to be welcoming to immigrants or other people on the fringe of parish life. Introduce yourself to them after church. Chat with them at the coffee hour. Research what people in your community are doing to welcome immigrants and look for ways you can be supportive. Encourage others in your parish to join in helping when you see needs that can be met. Paragraph 14 (the elderly) 🔗 Why do you think Pope Francis says that elderly people often feel lonely and abandoned? What are some of the factors in modern society that contribute to the elderly being neglected rather than held close to us as a treasured part of the fabric of our communities? What can we do to keep the elderly connected to the life of our parishes and communities? What can we do to help the elderly live in hope all through their lives? Suggested Activities: Invite older people to events you are part of. Go beyond just people who are your age or have the same marital status as you. Say hello to the older people in your parish and draw them into conversations. Visit people you know who are home-bound. Send them a card or note letting them know you care about them. Let your parish know about them. Ask your parish priests whether they know of “shut-ins” who would appreciate a visit. The sick, teenagers, migrants, refugees, and the elderly all experience situations where they feel like they are being ignored by church and society. Why is that? Read Proverbs 31:8-9 Proverbs 31:8-9 tells us to be a voice for those who have no voice. How might you respond to this call? How can you be an advocate for people whose voices are not heard in society or in the halls of power? Verse 8 says to speak up for the rights of the destitute, and verse 9 says to defend the needy and the poor. Why is this kind of action necessary, and not just providing charity to them? Closing question: How can we shift the way we see people so that our default is to be welcoming to all, to be people who inspire hope in all who feel ignored or disconnected? Bibliography See Jubilee Year 2025 - Bibliography at https://www.faithexplored.com/jubilee-2025/bibliography . Copyright © 2025, Tom Faletti (Faith Explored, www.faithexplored.com ). This material may be reproduced in whole or in part without alteration, for nonprofit use, provided such reproductions are not sold and include this copyright notice or a similar acknowledgement that includes a reference to Faith Explored and www.faithexplored.com. See www.faithexplored.com for more materials like this. Previous Jubilee 2025 Contents Next

Jesus appears to the disciples, imparts the Holy Spirit to them, commissions them, and gives special attention to Thomas’s need to see him. What do you need to hear from the risen Lord? [John 20:19-23; 20:24-29; 20:30-31] Previous Next John List John 20:19-31 Jesus appears to the disciples, imparts the Holy Spirit to them, commissions them, and gives special attention to Thomas’s need to see him. What do you need to hear from the risen Lord? Guercino (1591-1666). The Incredulity of Saint Thomas . 1621. Cropped. The National Gallery, London, UK. Photo by Tom Faletti, 28 May 2025. Tom Faletti April 6, 2026 Read John 20:19-23 Jesus appears to the disciples (but Thomas is not there) Why are the doors locked? What does this tell you about how the disciples are feeling? What is the first thing Jesus says to them? Although “Peace be with you” was a standard greeting among Jews, why is it a particularly appropriate greeting at this point? When have you experienced the peace of Jesus and what difference did it make? How do we sometimes hide beyond locked doors, figuratively, and how can Jesus’s peace free us? Why do you think Jesus shows them his hands and his side (verse 20)? This shows that it is the same person, Jesus. But it also shows that his resurrected body is the same body that was crucified for us, not a new body. How do the disciples react, and why? Notice that Jesus’s resurrected body can go through locked doors or appear in some other way, but it still shows his scars. It’s still his body, not some new body. Why do you think Jesus says “Peace be with you” again in verse 21? John does not tell the story of Pentecost, where the Holy Spirit is given widely to the church. He focuses on this moment, where Jesus imparts the Holy Spirit to his inner circle of disciples. Why is this moment important? In verse 21, Jesus says, “As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” What does he mean when he says he “sends” them, and why is that important? The word “sent” can be interpreted in various ways. One way to think about it is this: John never uses the word “apostle” to describe the disciples, but “apostle” means “one who is sent,” and here Jesus is “sending” them. So John may see this as the moment when they are commissioned as apostles. Is what ways does Jesus still send his followers out today? Why is being sent out by Jesus linked with the giving of the Holy Spirit? How is the Holy Spirit central as followers of Jesus are commissioned or sent out? In verse 22, Jesus breathes on them and says, “Receive the Holy Spirit.” What is the significance of his breathing on them? John does not describe what happens, and whatever happened inside of them was more important than whatever it looked like on the outside. What do you think happened, inside of them? How have you received, or how do you experience, the Holy Spirit? In John 14:25-27, Jesus said that he would send the Holy Spirit and then added, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you.” Why is the Holy Spirit so intimately associated with peace? In verse 23, Jesus says, “If you forgive the sins of anyone, they are forgiven them; if you retain any, they are retained.” What does this mean? How do you see this ministry of forgiveness in the church today? In Matthew 16:19 there is no reference to the Holy Spirit when Jesus imparts the power to forgive sins, but John places it at the same moment as the giving of the Holy Spirit. Why is the Holy Spirit so central to the forgiveness of sins? Read John 20:24-29 Thomas does not believe the disciples until Jesus appears again while he is there Recall that Thomas is the one who, when Jesus said he was going back to Jerusalem, said, “Let us also go, that we may die with him” (John 11:16). What does that tell you about Thomas? Thomas is a solid, committed follower of Jesus. His faith is not erratic or capricious. He is the kind of person who is willing to face the facts but wants to know all the facts so that he can be a fully committed disciple. None of the disciples, other than John, believed that Jesus had risen until they saw him alive. Why do you think Thomas did not believe them when they said they had seen Jesus? Thomas gets a bad rap for his doubts, forever earning the moniker “The Doubting Thomas.” Would you have believed it if your friends said they had seen your dead leader alive again, or would you have wanted to see it for yourself? Why do you think Thomas specifically said he needed to see and touch the nail marks and the wound in his side? What does the fact that Jesus appears to them despite the locked doors tell you about his resurrected body? Jesus again begins with “Peace be with you.” Where do you need to hear those words, “Peace be with you,” from Jesus right now in your life? Jesus takes Thomas seriously and meets him where he’s at, offering his hands and side to Thomas. What does that tell you about Jesus’s patience with us in our times of doubt? How has God responded when you needed an assurance that he is real? Jesus then urges Thomas to believe (verse 27). How does God do that in your life? Thomas’s answer, “My Lord and my God” (verse 28), is not just a statement that he now believes Jesus is alive; it is a statement of faith declaring who Jesus is. What does it mean when Thomas calls Jesus his “Lord”? When Thomas says, “my God,” he takes a step further than any other human has taken in the Gospels. Until now, only Jesus has said he is God. The disciples, even in their breakthrough moments, have only declared him to be the Messiah, the Son of God, the Holy One of God. (The title “Lord” was often applied to humans, so it is not a clear declaration of divinity.) Thomas calls Jesus “God.” Why do you think it is Thomas who first says clearly that Jesus is God? When John gives us Thomas’s declaration that Jesus is God, it is a central point about Jesus that he first stated in the very first verse of his Gospel: that “the Word” – i.e., Jesus – is God (1:1). Skeptics claim that the disciples did not think Jesus was God. How would you respond? See Who Was the First to Say Jesus is God? for more on Thomas’s role as the first person to explicitly say that Jesus is God. We sometimes suppress our doubts rather than confronting them. How can wrestling honestly with our doubts lead to insights and spiritual advances that might never happen if we didn’t voice our doubts? God can handle your doubts. Are there any doubts you could bring to him right now, and let him respond, as Jesus responded to Thomas? Jesus’s final comment here (verse 29) is, “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” He is not rebuking Thomas but encouraging people in the following generations, including us. What does this blessing from Jesus say to you? You have never seen Jesus, nor the nail marks in his hands, nor the wound in his side. Why do you believe? What do you need to hear from the risen Lord right now? Read John 20:30-31 Conclusion These verses provide a conclusion to John’s Gospel. Chapter 21 serves as an epilogue that, at least in its final verses, was added by others in his community. In verses 30-31, what does John say about the stories he hasn’t told us in this Gospel? What does John say his purpose was in writing this Gospel? John hoped that by reading his Gospel you would believe and have life (verse 31). Do you? Is there anything that might help you believe more or experience more fully the life Jesus offers you? What might your next step be? Take a step back and consider this: It is very common for people to pick one incident in a person’s life and act like that little story tells you everything you need to know about the person. Or they may focus on one incident in an event and ignore the bigger picture of what happened. The apostle Thomas is known mostly for this incident where he expressed his doubts, while his years of formation with Jesus are ignored and his decades of ministry preaching the Gospel in many foreign lands are forgotten. Similarly, people remember far more about Jesus’s appearance to Thomas than they do about his first appearance to the disciples the evening of his resurrection. John certainly wanted us to hear Jesus’s blessing on those who have not seen but believe: few eyewitnesses to the risen Jesus were still alive. But he would not have wanted us to miss the rest of the story: Jesus called his followers to be at peace. He gave them the Holy Spirit. He sent them forth. He gave them a ministry of forgiveness of sins. Let us keep the whole story in mind. In his first appearance to the disciples, Jesus called them to be at peace, gave them the Holy Spirit, sent them forth, and gave them a ministry of forgiveness of sins. Which of those do you feel needs special attention in your life today, and why? Which needs greater attention among the followers of Jesus today, and why? If you look beyond a moment of doubting and see the whole Thomas, what can you learn from him and apply in your own life? 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

Jesus is the way to the Father. When we see him, we see the Father because he and the Father are one. What difference does he make in your life? [John 14:1-12; 14:13-14] Previous Next John List John 14:1-14 Jesus is the way to the Father. When we see him, we see the Father because he and the Father are one. What difference does he make in your life? Image provided by Wix. Tom Faletti April 27, 2026 Read John 14:1-14 Jesus tells the disciples that he is the way to the Father Verses 1-3 Jesus urges the disciples to maintain their faith as he goes to prepare a place for them The tone is somber as Jesus begins this discourse. Jesus has announced that Judas will betray him and that Peter will deny him. How do you think the disciples are feeling as Jesus begins to speak here? In verse 1, Jesus says to them, “Do not let your hearts be troubled.” In the second half of verse 1, he tells them how to do that. What does he urge them to do? The Greek verb Jesus uses in the second half of verse 1 can mean to “believe in,” “trust,” or “put your faith in” Jesus ( Liddell and Scott , p. 641). Which of those words best captures your attitude toward Jesus – that you believe in , trust , or put your faith in him – and why? Jesus does not want his disciples to despair when he is crucified, and John does not want the Christians of his time to lose hope when they face persecution. When Jesus says, “Do not let your hearts be troubled,” what does that say to you personally? In verse 2, what does Jesus say about his Father’s house, and what does he say he is going to do? What does Jesus promise in verse 3? What do you think he is referring to when he refers to his “Father’s house” where there will be a “place” for us? In verse 2, Jesus says that his Father’s house has many “dwelling places” or “rooms.” The Greek word means a place to stay or abide. What do you think Jesus means when he says that his Father’s house has many of these places? What do you think it means when Jesus says he is going to prepare a place for us? What preparation is needed? In verse 3, Jesus says that he will come back and take us to himself, so that we will be where he is. What does that mean? Although Jesus’s reference to coming back certainly includes his eschatological return at the end of time, he also comes to us by his Spirit in many ways throughout our lives. How do you experience his “coming” even as you live? How does this promise from Jesus make you feel? How does this promise make you want to respond? What questions do verses 1-3 raise in your mind, and how do you think Jesus would answer those questions? Verses 4-6 I am the way, the truth, and the life In verse 4, Jesus tells them that where he is going, they know the way. Thomas objects. What does Thomas say in verse 5? Do you think Thomas’s objection is valid? Why or why not? How does Jesus answer in verse 6? What does Jesus mean when he says he is the “way,” the “truth,” and the “life,”? Jesus is not just a prophet: he does not just tell us how to get to the Father. He is not just a guide: he does not just show us the way to God . He is the way. In what ways is he the way? How do you experience Jesus being the way and the truth and the life in your life? In John 8:32, Jesus said, “You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” Now he says that he is the truth. If the truth sets us free, and he is the truth, then he sets us free. In what ways does Jesus set us free? How do you experience freedom in Jesus? Jesus adds in verse 6 that no one comes to the Father except through him. What do you think that means? What do you think verse 6 means with regard to people who died before Jesus lived, or who were raised in another faith and never had a chance to know Jesus? How might he provide the way for them? Some people hear Jesus’s statement, “No one comes to the Father except through me,” and wonder whether Christ died for all people or only for those who ultimately live forever with God. The Scriptures are clear that Christ died for all: In 2 Corinthians 5:14, Paul says that Christ died for all. In 1 John 2:2, John says that Jesus’s propitiation or expiation was not only for our sins but for the sins of the whole world. Hebrews 2:9 says that Christ tasted death for everyone. 1 Timothy 2:6; 1 Timothy 4:10; Titus 2:11; John 1:29; and Isaiah 53:6 provide similar statements indicating that Christ died for all. (In Romans 8:20-23, Paul even suggests that the whole of creation, not just all humans, groan as it awaits redemption.) These passages show that, although not everyone chooses to avail themselves of the offer to come to the Father, Jesus provides the way for everyone. What do people need to do to avail themselves of the “way” that Christ provides to the Father? Verses 7-12 You know me, so you know the Father and you know the way In verse 7, Jesus first makes a conditional statement that is literally, “If you had known me, you would have known the Father,” or “If you have known me, you have known the Father.” Jesus has allowed us to know the Father, so he adds a declarative statement: “From now on, you do know him and have seen him.” What does this mean? How does verse 7 apply also to us? Philip hears Jesus say that they have seen the Father. He is not convinced that they actually have seen the Father, so in verse 8, he says, “Show us the Father, and it will be enough for us.” What do you think Philip has in mind? What does he hope to see, and how will it be “enough”? In verse 7, Jesus indicates that because they know him, they know the Father. In verse 9, he says, “Whoever has seen me has seen the Father.” What does he mean when he says they have “seen” the Father? Jesus elaborates in verse 10: “I am in the Father and the Father is in me.” What does this mean? In verses 10 and 11, Jesus again points to his works as a sign that the Father is in him. What has led you to believe that Jesus is in the Father and the Father is in Jesus? In verse 12, Jesus first says that the people who believe in him will do the works that he does. What works does Jesus do that his followers also do? In the second half of verse 12, Jesus adds that the people who believe in him will do greater works than his works. How can this be? What works have the followers of Jesus done, down through the centuries, that are greater than the works Jesus did while he was on the earth? Jesus’s time on earth was limited to a few years in a few places. His followers have been able to spread the word of God, and show the love of God, to people all over the globe, for 2,000 years. In this way, the Church, the Body of Christ, has been able to do many things that Jesus, in his one human body, could not do to such as extent. Only Jesus could save us, but collectively, we can share the good news, in word and deed, to far more people. What do these verses say to you about your faith? Verses 13-14 Ask anything of me in my name and I will do it What do verses 13 and 14 say? There are two conditions attached to what Jesus says in verses 13-14. First, he says that what you ask must be “in my name.” What do you think Jesus means when he says we must ask “n his name? What does that mean? Is he just giving us a formula, some magic words to say to get what we ask for, by ending our prayers with, “In Jesus’s name, amen”? Or does asking “in his name” mean something else? Consider some other uses of the phrase “in the name of”: Stop in the name of the law; I come to you in the name of the king; the letter was signed in the name of the mayor. “In the name of” has a connotation of acting consistent with the character and authority of the person who has the real power. If we want to pray in Jesus’s name, how can we be sure we are asking for things that are consistent with his character and will? How do you discern what the will of God is, so that you are praying prayers that are truly in Jesus’s name? The second condition Jesus attaches to this statement is that he answers our prayers “so that the Father may be glorified in the Son” (verse 13)). This suggests that in order for Jesus to do what we ask in his name, it must be something that will glorify God. How can we focus our prayers on what glorifies God? Verses 13 and 14 may relate directly to verse 12. In verse 12, Jesus says that his followers will do greater works than he. In verses 13-14, he says that whatever we may ask in his name, he will do. The only reason people can do greater works than Jesus did while he was on earth is because they ask in his name and he does it. It is all from him. How can we take that into our hearts and let it change us and shape how we pray? How might you adjust how you pray to better reflect the conditions Jesus places on our prayer in this passage? Take a step back and consider this: In John 1:18, John says, “No one has ever seen God, [but] God the only Son . . . has made him known.” In John 14:9, Jesus says that whoever has seen Jesus has seen the Father. The apostle Paul spent a lot of time reflecting on the relationship between the Father and the Son. In Colossians 1:15, Paul says that Jesus is “the image of the invisible God.” In other words, if you want to know what God looks like, look at what Jesus looks like. Of course, Paul is not talking about Jesus’s physical appearance as a human, although I imagine that Jesus might have had a winsome smile, a joyful laugh, and sometimes a twinkle in his eye as he told his parables. Paul presumably had in mind more elemental attributes that Jesus manifested, such as his loving heart, his wisdom, his self-sacrificing nature, the peace he exuded to those who were fearful, and so on. Take a moment to picture Jesus, the real Jesus. In what ways do you think he was the image of the invisible God? We are made in the image of God. Although our reflection of God’s image is not as perfect as Jesus’s, his goal is to restore us fully to his image. Paul says that we, “gazing with unveiled face on the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image” (2 Cor. 3:18, NABRE). What can you do to allow God to transform you into his image, so that when people see you, they see a visible image of the invisible God? 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

Continue in faith, love, and endurance despite persecution, so that the Lord may be glorified in you. Previous 2 Thess. List Next 2 Thessalonians 1:1-12 Continue in faith, love, and endurance despite persecution, so that the Lord may be glorified in you. Image by Olivia Snow provided by Unsplash via Wix. Tom Faletti March 10, 2025 2 Thess. 1:1-12 Paul begins with the traditional letter format (to, from, thanks, and a prayer) Verses 1-2 Paul begins with words that are very similar to what he wrote at the beginning of his earlier letter. Does anything stand out to you as different in this beginning? Or is there anything that strikes you as especially deserving of repetition here? Explain. In 1 Thessalonians, Paul wishes them “grace and peace,” but does not name the source of that grace and peace. Here, in verse 2, where does he say the grace and peace come from? How do you experience “grace” from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ? How do you experience “peace” from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ? Verses 3-4 In verses 3-4, Paul praises the Thessalonians for their faith, their love for one another, and their endurance in the face of persecution and affliction. He also praised them for these traits in the first letter he wrote to them. What is the value of praising people for the good things they are doing? Are there some people you could encourage by praising them for the good they are doing? How might your life be different if you cultivated a habit of praising others? What would you need to do to be such a person? Verses 5-10 In verse 5, what does Paul say about their persecution? Their steadfastness in the face of persecution is a sign that they are worthy of eternal life in the kingdom of God. In verse 6, what does Paul say will happen eventually to those who are afflicting the Thessalonian Christians? How does the idea that people who mistreat others will someday face God’s judgment make you feel? Is the idea that evil will someday face judgment important for our theology? How does Paul’s statement in verse 7 that those who have been persecuted will find “rest” (NABRE) or “relief” (NRSV) make you feel? Note: The reference to “fire” in verse 8 is standard apocalyptic language of Paul’s time and not necessarily meant to be taken literally. The primary and most haunting pain of rejecting God is not physical but instead lies in having freely chosen to live forever outside of God’s presence, separated from him, as Paul indicates in verse 9. In verse 8, Paul identifies what is worthy of judgment in the people who have persecuted the Thessalonians. He does not just criticize their specific wrongful actions; he diagnoses what is going on in them spiritually. What are the two things about them that he finds worthy of God’s judgment? They do not know/acknowledge God and they do not obey the gospel. So, they do not recognize God’s authority or place in their life and they do not obey God’s teachings about how to live. Paul finds them deficient with regard to both their missing relationship with God (they do not know/acknowledge him) and their missing actions (they do not obey the gospel). How are both of those elements – knowing and doing – important in the Christian life? In verse 9, Paul says that those who have rejected God will experience the ultimate penalty: they will be “separated from the presence of the Lord.” In what ways is this a particularly fitting description of what we call “hell”? Notice that this chief feature of hell – separation from God – is something they already chose while they were on earth: they chose to live a life that was not in communion with God. Why would they want anything different in eternity? How does this passage support the idea that God doesn’t choose to send people to hell; they freely choose it for themselves by rejecting him? Verses 11-12 In verse 11, what two things does Paul pray for the Thessalonians? Paul prays that God will make them worthy of God’s calling and fulfill every good “purpose” (NABRE) or “resolve” (NRSV) and every “effort” (NABRE) or “work” (NRSV) of their faith. In verse 11, Paul prays that God will make them “worthy of his calling.” How might you evaluate whether you are living a life that is worthy of God’s calling? Also in verse 11, Paul prays that God will bring to fulfillment every good “purpose” (NABRE) or “resolve” (NRSV) and every “effort” (NABRE) or “work” (NRSV) of faith. In other words, may God fulfill both their good intentions and the actions they take because of their faith. How can we try to make sure both our intentions and our actions are consistent with our faith? Who is someone for whom you could pray this prayer, that God will fulfill their good purposes and efforts of faith? What are they trying to do with the help of God that you could support in prayer? In verse 12, Paul indicates that, because of God’s grace, the name of the Lord Jesus can be glorified in us, and we can be glorified in him. What does it look like when Jesus is glorified in us, and how can that happen? How can we be glorified in Christ? What does that mean or look like? What are you doing, or what might God be calling you do to, that could bring glory to him? Take a step back and consider this: William Barclay offers a beautiful image, and a challenge, in response to verse 12. He writes: “A teacher’s glory lies in the scholars he produces; a parent’s in the children he rears not only for living but for life; a master’s in his disciples; and to us is given the tremendous privilege and responsibility that Christ’s glory can lie in us. We may bring discredit or we may bring glory to the Master whose we are and whom we seek to serve. Can any privilege or responsibility be greater than that?” (Barclay, The Letters to the Philippians, Colossians, and Thessalonians , pp. 210-211). Jesus frequently uses the word “joy” to characterize his attitude when we do good. In Matthew 25:21, Jesus tells us that the master says to the servant who uses well the gifts he was given, “Come, share your master’s joy” (Matt. 25:21, NABRE) or “enter into the joy of your master” (Matt. 25:21, NRSV). In Luke 15:3-6, he says that the shepherd (an image of Jesus Christ) rejoices and invites others to rejoice with him when he finds the lost sheep. In Luke 15:7-10, he says there is joy or rejoicing in the presence of the angels when a sinner repents. In John 15:11 and John 17:13, he says that he wants his joy to be in us. Jesus is a person of joy. When we fulfill God’s purposes in our lives, the joy is not only ours; it is also his. When we glorify the Lord by serving him effectively, it gives joy to our Lord. How might it recast or even transform how you approach the details as well as the major actions of your life if you were to remember consistently that your faithful efforts to serve Jesus give him joy? How can you live in that joy even when God has not yet fulfilled "every good purpose and every effort of faith” in your life (2 Thess. 1:11)? Bibliography See 2 Thessalonians - Bibliography at https://www.faithexplored.com/2-thessalonians/bibliography . Copyright © 2025, Tom Faletti (Faith Explored, www.faithexplored.com ). This material may be reproduced in whole or in part without alteration, for nonprofit use, provided such reproductions are not sold and include this copyright notice or a similar acknowledgement that includes a reference to Faith Explored and www.faithexplored.com. See www.faithexplored.com for more materials like this. Previous 2 Thess. List Next

In the days surrounding Jesus’s birth, uncertainty is a fact of life for his mother Mary. She responds by pondering and treasuring everything that happens. How can we embrace her trusting attitude? [Matthew 1:18-25; Luke 2:1-7; 2:8-20; 2:21; Luke 2:22-24] Previous Mary List Next Session 2: Jesus’s birth causes uncertainty as well as joy In the days surrounding Jesus’s birth, uncertainty is a fact of life for his mother Mary. She responds by pondering and treasuring everything that happens. How can we embrace her trusting attitude? [Matthew 1:18-25; Luke 2:1-7; 2:8-20; 2:21; Luke 2:22-24] Nicolas Poussin (1594-1665). The Adoration of the Shepherds . Around 1633-4. Detail. The National Gallery, London, UK. Photo by Tom Faletti, 28 May 2025. Tom Faletti July 13, 2025 As we explore the birth and infancy of Jesus, we are going to look at what happens from Mary’s perspective. We begin with a story that is partly about Mary but not told from Mary’s perspective. It is Joseph’s side of the story as Mary and Joseph grapple with the virginal conception and birth of Jesus. Matthew 1:18-25 The birth of Jesus from Joseph’s perspective What dilemma does Joseph face? How do you think Mary felt as Joseph was considering what to do about the fact that she was pregnant? How do you think Mary felt when Joseph told her about her dream and took her into his house to live their married life together? Mary bears a lot of uncertainty throughout her life. The Bible doesn’t tell us much about what she is thinking or how she deals with the anxiety of not knowing what will happen. How do you think Mary dealt with anxiety? We have no words from Mary in this story. What can learn from this “silent Mary” who endures all things quietly and stays faithful? Luke 2:1-7 Mary and Joseph travel to Bethlehem, where Jesus is born Why do Joesph and Mary travel to Bethlehem? Traveling from Nazareth to Bethlehem would require walking around 90 miles, which would take 4-7 days, depending on how fast Joseph wanted to push his pregnant wife and perhaps a donkey. Donkeys walk at roughly the same speed as humans, so a donkey helps carry a burden and can carry a human, but it doesn’t speed up the journey. Note: In Luke 2:4, Jesus is referred to as Mary’s “firstborn son.” Some have tried to argue that this is a clear signal that Mary had more children later. That would be a misreading of the text. This passage does not provide any guidance regarding the debate between Protestants and Catholics over whether Mary had additional children or was a perpetual virgin. For Jews, the phrase “firstborn son” had a special meaning that applied regardless of whether the mother had more children later. They were commanded to redeem their firstborn son through a special offering. We will see this when we look at Luke 2:22-24. This offering was required regardless of whether they ever had additional children. So the only thing Luke is clearly stating here is that Jesus is subject to the requirements that applied to a “firstborn son.” How do you think Mary felt when she learned that she and Joseph needed to walk or travel by donkey to Bethlehem? How comfortable do you think Mary and Joseph are with each other at this point? If you have had a newborn child, think back to those early days. Now add to your mental image the extra challenges Mary faces: staying in a cave or barn, or more likely, staying in a stranger’s house on the first floor where the animals live, while the residents sleep upstairs. What do you think it would have been like for Mary in those first days in Bethlehem with a newborn baby? If you were Mary, how would you try to make sense of the contrast between the prophecies that this child would be great and the gritty reality of life with the animals? Luke 2:8-20 Shepherds suddenly pop in and tell Mary that her son is special We usually start looking at this story from the perspective of the shepherds, who see angels. Consider it from the perspective of Mary, who does not see these angels (though she has seen an angel before) but first encounters the shepherds when they barge into the cave or barn or house and tell her they have seen angels. Focus on verses 16-17 for a moment. How do you think Mary feels? According to verse 11, What did the angels tell the shepherds about Jesus? In verse 11, the angels tell the shepherds that this is good news for all people. What do you think this reference to “all people” means to them and to Mary? Verse 18 tells us that everyone who heard the shepherds’ story was amazed. Do you think this includes Mary? What do you think her initial reaction is? Verse 19 tells us that Mary hung onto these events long after they happened, keeping them and reflecting on them (NABRE) or treasuring them and pondering them (NRSV) in her heart. There are two parts to this. First, she keeps or treasures the memories. What do you think these memories mean to Mary as the years go by during Jesus’s childhood? Second, she ponders or reflects on what has happened. How does pondering and reflecting what has happened in the past help prepare us or strengthen us for what may lie ahead in our life? How does looking back on what God has done help us discern what God is trying to do in our lives now? Do you think these memories meant something different to Mary after Jesus began his public ministry? How might these memories have taken on a different or enhanced meaning after Jesus died and rose from the dead? What Mary was, we are called to be. How can the habit of treasuring and pondering what God has done in our lives help us be the kind of people God is calling us to be? What Mary did, we are called to do. How can we act on what God shows us as we treasure and ponder what he has done previously in our lives? Luke 2:21 Jesus is circumcised and named What is the significance of the fact that Jesus is circumcised? If you go back and look at the accounts of the appearance of the angel to Mary and the angel in Joseph’s dream, both angels tell them to name the child Jesus. This would be the Hebrew name Joshua, which means “God saves,” or “Yahweh saves.” What do you think the assignment of this name to Jesus meant to them? Luke 2:22-24 Mary offers sacrifice for purification and Jesus is consecrated to God Starting in verse 22, Luke describes rites that occurred 40 days after Jesus’s birth. There are two things going on here: According to the Law of Moses, a woman who gave birth was considered unclean – i.e., ritually impure – for 40 days after the birth of a son (80 days after the birth of a daughter). At the end of that period, she was supposed to make an offering to God of a year-old lamb and either a pigeon or a turtledove. If she could not afford a lamb, she could offer a second pigeon or turtledove. Read Leviticus 12:1-8 to see the purification rule in the Old Testament. What strikes you as significant in Leviticus 12:1-8? What does the fact that they offered two pigeons or turtledoves, and not a lamb, tell you about them? Also, according to the Law of Moses, every firstborn son belongs to God and must be consecrated to him. The firstborn son is ransomed by the offering of a sheep, in remembrance of the death of the firstborns in Egypt when the Israelites were rescued from bondage. Jews were not required to make this offering at the Temple, but that is where Mary and Joseph did it. Read Exodus 13: 1-2, 11-16 to see the rules regarding the firstborn in the Old Testament. What does the fact that Mary and Joseph brought these offerings to the Temple tell you about them in terms of their faith? How do you think Mary and Joseph’s dedication to following the Law affected Jesus as he was growing up? As Mary was, so we are called to be. What does this passage say to you about your approach to your faith? Sometimes, when we face unexpected developments in our lives, it is easy to fall away from the regular routines that we might otherwise stick with, including church attendance and religious observances. How is Mary’s approach toward these practices an example to us of how to live out our faith in uncertain times? Take a step back and consider this: Mary faces a great deal of uncertainty as she ponders what the angels are saying about her son. The angel she encountered directly, at the Annunciation, told her that her son would be given the throne of David and would rule over the house of Jacob forever (Luke 1:32-33), yet his birth did not look like a royal birth in an earthly sense: no palace, no royal attendants, no heralds proclaiming the birth to the people in the countryside. Angels declared to nearby shepherds that he was a savior and Messiah, but no one cared enough to provide them a proper room for the delivery. We face uncertainties too. We might ask in faith for something we know is a good thing, and not receive it. We might pray for someone for decades and not see the outcome we desire. We might seek to be freed from a habitual sin and find it still lurking years later. And yet God has assured us that he never forsakes us. We might summarize this experience of life by saying that life is not always easy, but God says things are not always as they seem. There is more going on than we can see. Mary lives with the uncertainty and keeps doing what people of faith do, while keeps pondering, and treasuring, and trusting. How can you, like Mary, keep trusting God for what lies ahead, even when what is happening now is not what you might have liked? What attitudes and practices can you embrace that Mary has shown? 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

Faith Explored applies the Bible to our lives today, with Bible Study resources for individuals and small groups and analysis of issues related to faith and justice. Copyright and Permissions Copyright © 2024 – 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. Scripture quotes are copyrighted by their respective owners; including the following: Some Scripture texts on this website 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. Some Scripture texts on this website are taken from the 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.

Bibliography of major sources and additional sources used in this study of Paul's Second Letter to the Thessalonians (2 Thess.). Previous 2 Thess. List Next 2 Thessalonians - Bibliography Bibliography of major sources and additional sources used in this study of Paul's Second Letter to the Thessalonians (2 Thess.). Some of the resources on the author's bookshelf. Tom Faletti March 8, 2025 Major Sources Barclay, William. The Letters to the Philippians, Colossians, and Thessalonians . The Westminster Press, Revised Edition, 1975. Brown, Raymond E. An Introduction to the New Testament . New Haven, CT: Yale University Press, 1997. Cousins, Peter E. “2 Thessalonians.” The International Bible Commentary: With the New International Version . F.F. Bruce, General Editor. Marshall Pickering/Zondervan, 1986. Demarest, Gary W. 1, 2 Thessalonians; 1, 2 Timothy; and Titus . The Communicator’s Commentary (Mastering the New Testament) , Lloyd J. Ogilvie, general editor. Word Books, 1984. Giblin, Charles Homer, S.J. “The Second Letter to the Thessalonians.” The New Jerome Biblical Commentary . Edited by Raymond E. Brown, et al. Prentice Hall, 1990. Havener, Ivan, OSB. First Thessalonians, Philippians, Philemon, Second Thessalonians, Colossians, Ephesians . 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/ . 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 . Additional Sources Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church . Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, 2005. “The Dignity of Work and the Rights of Workers,” United States Conference of Catholic Bishops , https://www.usccb.org/beliefs-and-teachings/what-we-believe/catholic-social-teaching/the-dignity-of-work-and-the-rights-of-workers . 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 2 Thess. List Next

What would you like to do next at Faith Explored? We offer articles and Bible Studies to help you explore how to apply the Bible to everyday life and current issues. Thank You for Responding! We appreciate you! If you have not already subscribed to receive email notifications when we post new articles, please do so. Receiving notice of new material will help you get the most out of our website . Subscribe to receive email notifications of new posts What Would You Like to Do Now? Explore a Bible study to grow in your faith: Matthew Philemon John Hope 1 Thessalonians 2 Thessalonians Mary Read an article on how to apply the Bible to everyday life: Who Was the First to Say Jesus is God? The answer might surprise you. The first person to explicitly call Jesus “God” was someone who is better remembered for his doubt, not for his belief. But he is the first person every quoted calling Jesus “God” – and it happened 1,992 years ago. We Know the End of Our Story (That’s What Easter Tells Us) One of my students asked me, “Mr. Faletti, how do you stay so calm?” I responded that “I know the end of the story.” “What do you mean?” the students asked. "How do you know the end of the story?" The answer begins with Easter. Jesus’s Death and the American Experience of Injustice Christians use the Stations of the Cross to explore the meaning of Jesus’s crucifixion and death. Explore how his suffering connects with the suffering of those who face injustice and racism in America today. Then ask yourself, “How can I take up my cross in response?” March Madness and the Pursuit of Excellence In junior high, I used to shoot 100 free throws a day but could never make more than 57 shots. Elite athletes pour their heart and soul into the pursuit of excellence. What can we learn from them as we pursue our goals? How to Deal with Difficult People When a coworker, teammate, church member, student, or family member is not doing the right thing, what should we do? It is tempting to respond with anger. This expert on human relationships offers a different approach that is more effective in dealing with difficult people. Take a look at what to do – and what not to do. Can an Awe-Inspiring Rocket Launch Bring Glory to God? Last week’s SpaceX rocket launch was awe-inspiring because engineers and scientists spent years using their gifts and talents to achieve an amazing goal. When we use the curiosity, creativity, and intellect that God placed in us at our creation, to do good, it is awesome and can bring glory to God, even if that is not our intention. Image at top  Mateus Campos Felipe, provided by Unsplash via Wix. Oher images provided by Wix.