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John the Baptist: Repentance is not comfortable but is part of our calling. Previous Next Matthew 3:1-12 John the Baptist: Repentance is not comfortable but is part of our calling. Tom Faletti March 15, 2024 Matthew 3:1-12 John prepares the way by calling for repentance, baptizing those who respond John is in a place east of Jerusalem, perhaps 6 miles north of the Dead Sea. It is not an easy place to live. The Greek word used to describe that place is translated as the “wilderness” (NRSV) or “desert” (NABRE). People had to make an intentional decision to go there. In the West, Christians call this man John the Baptist. If we want to clarify that we don’t mean he was a member of the Baptist denomination, we might say John the Baptizer. In the Eastern Orthodox Churches, Christians call him “John the Forerunner,” because he came before and announced the coming of Christ. Let’s look first at what is going on in this passage, and then we will look at what his message of repentance means. What is happening in this passage? Who is involved? How would you describe John the Baptist’s character traits or personality? What is John’s central message? Is there significance in his being in a wilderness/desert? Matthew makes explicit Old Testament connections everywhere he sees them, and he sees John in the Old Testament: In verse 3, Matthew quotes Isaiah 40:3. What does that quote from Isaiah suggest to us about John? Why do you think it is important to Matthew that John fulfills that Old Testament passage? In verse 4, Matthew describes John’s clothing and food. What do you picture as you read this? Why is this image of John important? In 2 Kings 1:7-8, the prophet Elijah wore a hairy garment and a leather belt. Zechariah 13:4 tells us that prophets, include false prophets, wore a hairy mantle. John is baptizing not far from the place traditionally identified as the place where Elijah was taken up into heaven, and the Jews expected Elijah’s return before the coming of the Messiah. Why might John’s mannerisms and language have heightened interest in him? The Jews were concerned that there had not been a prophet, a voice of God, in their midst for several centuries. The connections between him and the Old Testament heightened the significance with which they saw him. John uses the word “repent” in verse 2. What does it mean to “repent”? The Hebrew word teshubah comes from the verb shub , meaning to turn (William Barclay, Gospel of Matthew, Volume 1 , p. 45), leading to the idea that repentance means turning around. The Greek word for “repentance” is metanoia , which means to think differently or have a change of mind. These concepts are often combined to create the concept that to repentance is to change your mind and turn away from sin and to God. Why should the people repent, according to John? What is “the kingdom of heaven”? What does that phrase mean to you? Matthew is the only Gospel writer to use the term “kingdom of heaven” rather than “kingdom of God.” The two different phrases are often used in the same statements and stories in the different Gospels, so it is hard to argue that they have different meanings. However, they have different connotations. Matthew might have decided to avoid the word “God” out of deference to the Jews, who were hesitant to speak the name of God (H. L. Ellison, “Matthew,” The International Bible Commentary , p. 1123), but there is a further point. In Jesus’s time, the Jews expected a messiah who would free them from political oppression. Referring to the kingdom “of heaven” might have allowed Matthew “to distinguish the kingdom proclaimed by John (3:2) and Jesus (4:17) from popular hopes for a literal restoration of Israel’s political empire” ( Ignatius Catholic Study Bible , p.11). The kingdom Jesus preached is not an earthly political kingdom; it is a kingdom that encompasses far more, a realm that transcends temporal political arrangements. In verses 7-8, John makes it clear that baptism is not free. It demands a change. What is the “price” of being baptized? What does John expect people to do to show that their repentance is genuine? What would that evidence look like? Is it genuine repentance if you decide you are doing something wrong but don’t actually do something else instead? Explain. In verses 9-10, what does John warn that God is going to do? In verses 11-12, John makes a prophecy about what is coming. What does he say is coming? What will the one who is coming do? Considering John’s overall message and what you know happened later, was John right about how things were going to play out or did his vision need to be corrected/tweaked? Read the passage again, but this time, pick a character and see it through that person’s eyes, thinking their thoughts, and asking several questions that I will give you below. (If you are studying this passage with a small group, have different people take different characters so that the whole list is covered by someone.) The characters to consider are: John. A “perfect 10” Pharisee (devoted to honoring God by strict observance of the entire law – including the Pentateuch (the written Torah), the rest of the Hebrew Bible, and also the oral legal traditions (sometimes called the oral Torah). An ordinary “5-6” Jew (The “5-6” Jews are the ones described in verses 5-6, who are trying to live a reasonably religious life but are probably not zealous about it and would not be rated a “10” like the Pharisees). A Sadducee (from the priestly aristocratic party, committed only to the written Torah/Pentateuch rather than the whole Old Testament and more politically savvy). Jesus (not having started your public ministry yet). God in heaven (whose kingdom and actions John is talking about). With regard to the character you chose: Why are you there? What do you think about John (or about what John is doing)? What does John’s preaching lead you to do or make you think you should do? Now fast-forward 2000 years. Where would you be in this scene? If you did not already know about John the Baptist, what would you think about him? Knowing all that you know, in what ways might you respond to John? What repentance do you need to consider? In what ways does God want you to think differently? What is God asking you to change right now? What good fruit (v. 8) do you think you need to be showing? Scholars disagree about whether the baptism with “the holy Spirit and fire” is talking about one thing or two. Is there a baptism of the Holy Spirit for the repentant and a baptism of fire for the unrepentant? Or are the terms synonymous, with the one baptism producing either purification (for the repentant) or destruction (for the unrepentant)? (This issue is raised, for example, in the NABRE in a footnote to 3:11.) Does it matter? Or is this just a good way to segue to: When John was preaching, no one would have known what being “baptized with the Holy Spirit” means. But we know more. How is this baptism of the Holy Spirit different from John’s baptism of repentance? Among other things, it is transformational in a way that the baptism of repentance was not. What does it mean to you to be baptized with the Holy Spirit? And what is the meaning of the baptism with fire and the burning of the chaff? If this is a baptism of fire in a positive sense, which later New Testament descriptions support, it is a purification that, again, changes us in ways that a simple repentance and confession of sin may not. Does it provide some encouragement that Matthew connects repentance and the Holy Spirit? How does the Holy Spirit get involved in our lives to help us repent and produce good fruit? Take a step back and consider this: Repentance is necessary for spiritual growth, but it is usually not a comfortable process. To repent requires us to recognize where we are falling short. Furthermore, it requires us to act on that recognition and actually make a change. The change comes in two parts: a change of mind – thinking differently than we used to think – and a change of action to conform our lives to the new thinking we are doing. If we were going to write the equation of repentance, we might write it this way: Repentance = Recognizing what’s wrong + thinking differently + acting differently Thinking differently is often uncomfortable. Acting differently can also be uncomfortable – we are creatures of habit and relinquishing old habits in order to take on new habits can be hard. Fortunately, we are not alone in the repentance process. God is trying to work the character of Jesus into us and then let that character guide all we say and do. He does not leave us alone in that process. He is always trying to help us. He has sent his Holy Spirit into our hearts, to guide and empower us. We are constantly invited to tap into the power of the Holy Spirit so that we can make the changes that allow Jesus to radiate in us and through us. For Christians, we are not asked to “tough it out” on our own. Repentance is something God is doing in us, with our cooperation – if we are willing. And the fruit of repentance is not something we need to dream up and then carry out on our own. God wants to work through us to change the world around us, to advance the work of the kingdom of heaven through our lives. So the fundamental question is: Am I willing to let God show me where I need to change my thinking? Am I wiling to put his thinking into action in my life? Am I willing to let the Holy Spirit empower me to produce good fruit? If the answer is “Yes,” then I need to stay in close contact with God. What am I doing to stay tuned in to God, so that my thinking and actions reflect his character and desires? Bibliography Click here for the bibliography . Copyright © 2024, Tom Faletti (Faith Explored, www.faithexplored.com ). This material may be reproduced in whole or in part without alteration, for nonprofit use, provided such reproductions are not sold and include this copyright notice or a similar acknowledgement that includes a reference to Faith Explored and www.faithexplored.com. See www.faithexplored.com for more materials like this. Previous Next

Mark presents Jesus as the Messiah (the Christ) and the Son of God. Previous Next Introduction to Mark Mark presents Jesus as the Messiah (the Christ) and the Son of God. Image by Tim Wildsmith, provided by Unsplash via Wix. Tom Faletti March 28, 2024 A NOTE BEFORE WE BEGIN This study material can be very enriching for personal study and growth. It was originally developed with small-group Bible Study in mind. Therefore, it will occasionally offer instructions that may be useful for small-group study. See https://www.faithexplored.com/leading-a-bible-study for materials on how to lead a small-group Bible Study. Introductions Before you begin a small-group Bible Study, you should take some time to build community, beginning with ensuring that everyone knows everyone else’s name. Here are some questions you could ask everyone in the group to answer: Introductions: What is your name? What is your connection to this church/parish/group? Why is the Bible important to you? Why are you interested in studying it? If the study extends beyond a break, such as a break for the summer, and then reconvenes, you could renew the introductions with questions such as these: Introductions after a summer break: What is your name, and why did you return to this group? (Or if you are new, why did you decide to join us?) What is one insight about faith or life that you gained this summer or were reminded of? Mark This article will provide an introduction to the Gospel of Mark, including what we think we know about its author, when it was written, who the intended audience was, Mark's purposes/goals, etc. For example: A B C (to be continued) Bibliography Click here for the 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 Next

The poor; the goods of the earth, debt, economic priorities; synodality. (Paragraphs 15-17 of Spes Non Confundit) Previous Next Jubilee Year 2025: Embrace God’s Hope and Extend It to All Session 5: Where signs of hope are needed today, part 3, and broader appeals for hope The poor; the goods of the earth, debt, economic priorities; synodality. (Read paragraphs 15-17) Link to S pes Non Confundit Photo by Tom Faletti, Berlin, Germany, June 20, 2024. Tom Faletti November 16, 2024 Some of the greatest divisions in the world seem to revolve around economics and religion. In the paragraphs of Spes Non Confundit that we will explore in this session, Pope Francis first voices God’s special concern for the poor. He then offers proposals for responding to the divide between wealthy and poorer nations. Finally, he highlights the Church’s long history of synodality as part of a call for greater unity among God’s people in the Church. Our study guide questions will help us explore how we can live lives that show greater solidarity with the poor, how we might appeal to our leaders to place a greater priority on meeting the needs of the poor and providing justice for all, and how we can promote unity in the Church. Rather than shaking our heads in despair at the challenges around us, we are called to find ways to work for justice and unity in our world and in our Church. Our loving God stands on the side of responsive hope rather than idle despair. Read paragraphs 15-17 in preparation for this session. Paragraph 15 (the poor) 🔗 In paragraph 15, Pope Francis gives an impassioned plea on behalf of the poor. What are some of the ways he sees them being neglected and impoverished? Pope Francis says that when we see “the constant tide of new forms of impoverishment, we can easily grow inured and resigned” (par. 15). What does he mean? Why do we become “inured or resigned”? How does poverty drain people of hope? How can you live a life that is more fully identified with the poor as an act of solidarity? Read 1 John 3:16-17 According to 1 John 3:16, who is our example for how we should treat others, and what do you think it calls you to do as a follower of Christ? What does John tell us in 1 John 3:17? What are some concrete things you could do, on your own or with others, to respond to some of the poverty around you? If Christians engaged in more concerted efforts to help the poor, it naturally would lift the hopes of the poor. How might it also give greater hope to you or others who are doing the helping? Now return to what Pope Francis wrote in paragraph 15. Why does he say that it is “scandalous” that “the poor continue to be the majority of the planet’s population” (par. 15)? Pope Francis is not only concerned with our individual responses to the poor; he is also concerned about the actions of leaders in the international economy. Why does the world need more than just our individual responses? In what ways might it be said that, for world economic leaders, the problems of the world’s poor “are brought up as an afterthought” (par. 15)? How might political and economic leaders do a better job of addressing poverty? Suggested Activities: Explore the work of Catholic Relief Services , which provides developmental assistance to communities in need all over the world and provides opportunities for church members to advocate for governmental action to address poverty around the world. Consider a more frugal and earth-sustaining lifestyle. Distinguish between needs, wants, and luxuries when you are considering purchases. If you save money this way, consider giving some of it to organizations that serve the poor. (Section 4) Appeals for hope In this section, Pope Francis discusses some broader ways of thinking about the issues we face. Paragraph 16 (the goods of the earth, debt, and economic priorities) 🔗 Pope Francis says that the goods of the earth are for everyone, not for a privileged few. This runs contrary to the prevailing view that whatever you own is yours – period, end of story. In paragraph 16, Pope Francis make a specific request of the rich. What does he ask them to do? In the same paragraph, Pope Francis makes a specific request of governments. What does he ask them to do with the money spent on weapons? What do you think about Pope Francis’s requests? Pope Francis is raising questions about the priorities of those who have the greatest impact on how the world’s resources are used. Let’s look at this question of priorities on a personal level and on a societal level. Read Matthew 25:41-42 and 25:45 What does Jesus say about our failure to provide food and water to those who need it? There is enough food in the world to feed everyone, but the food is not distributed equitably enough to meet all people’s basic needs. What does this say about our priorities? What changes is Pope Francis asking us to make in our priorities, and what would your response be? What are one or two things you could do – either directly or as an advocate appealing to people in power – to try to reduce poverty and increase access to food and water? What could people in power do to increase access to food and water? Suggested Activity: Explore the work of Bread for the World , a Christian organization that is the leading anti-hunger voice in the halls of Congress. This group helps church members and other people of good will become advocates for action as it calls on our leaders to take the necessary steps to end malnutrition and hunger in our nation and our world. Read Leviticus 25:13-17,23-24 The Law of Moses prescribed that every 50th year (the jubilee year) all land would be returned to its original owner, so that families would not be indebted forever. Pope Francis quotes from Leviticus 25:23, where the Lord tells the Israelites that they are tenants on the land, not permanent owners, because the land belongs to God. If we viewed land this way in our society, how might that lead to changes in the situation of the poor? We might not be able to implement the full vision of Leviticus 25:23, but what might we do to move closer to a society where people are not mired in debt? In the second part of paragraph 16, Pope Francis raises the issue of debt relief for countries that cannot repay their loans. Debt relief can help address the lingering effects of past injustices related to colonization. Pope Francis notes that economic disparities can be exacerbated by the disproportionate use of the earth’s natural resources by wealthy countries. Would you be willing to support debt relief programs that try to help indebted countries get a fresh start? Why or why not? What might you do to learn more about the history of colonial practices that impoverished so many nations in Africa, South America, and South Asia and the economic imbalances that still affect them? Suggested Activity: Do some research to learn more about the history of colonization, the ways wealthy and powerful nations have extracted wealth from poorer and weaker nations, and how the power imbalances of the past continue to hold back the development of the nations of the global South today. Share what you learn with a friend or neighbor. Paragraph 17 (synodality) 🔗 In paragraph 17, Pope Francis notes that 2025 is the 1700th anniversary of the First Council of Nicaea, where bishops approved the bulk of the Nicene Creed that we proclaim at Mass every Sunday. The Pope does not mention this merely to remind us of Church history and doctrine, but to illustrate the value and importance of church synods in the life of the Church. Synodality is the idea that we must include all of the People of God as we journey together and discern what God is doing and wants to do in our Church. In paragraph 17, Pope Francis discusses the concept of synodality, which goes back to the early days of the Church. Why does Pope Francis say that synodality is important? How might a synodal approach to Church life help build unity? At the end of the third part of paragraph 17, Pope Francis quotes Jesus’s prayer for unity, which appears in John 17:21. What does Jesus’s call for unity say to us, and how should we respond? According to Jesus’s prayer, how can unity in the Church have an effect that goes beyond the Church itself? How can we support the Church’s efforts to express unity through synodality? Suggested Activity: Reach out to someone in your parish who thinks differently than you on issues related to the Church or politics. Invite them to get together with you for coffee so that you can listen to their perspective. Let the conversation proceed without any intention to convince the other person – just listen and learn. The very act of listening is part of what synodality is about. It helps build unity, even when we don’t agree. Closing question: In these paragraphs, Pope Francis is trying to build a unity of purpose that transcends economic differences, reaches out across national boundaries, and draws together the entire Church. What needs to change in people’s hearts in order for this unity of purpose to be fostered? What needs to change in your heart to help you more fully embrace this unity of purpose? Bibliography Click here for the bibliography . Copyright © 2024, Tom Faletti (Faith Explored, www.faithexplored.com ). This material may be reproduced in whole or in part without alteration, for nonprofit use, provided such reproductions are not sold and include this copyright notice or a similar acknowledgement that includes a reference to Faith Explored and www.faithexplored.com. See www.faithexplored.com for more materials like this. Previous Next

We find hope because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through Jesus. (Paragraphs 1-4 of Spes Non Confundit) Previous Next Jubilee Year 2025: Embrace God’s Hope and Extend It to All Session 1: Why we can have hope We find hope because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through Jesus. (Read paragraphs 1-4) Link to S pes Non Confundit Photo by Tom Faletti, Capitol Hill, Washington, DC, March 29, 2024. Tom Faletti November 16, 2024 The title of Pope Francis’s document means “Hope Does Not Disappoint.” It’s easy to have hope when things are going well. But what about in the hard times? In this session, Pope Francis explores what hope is, where it comes from, and why we can have it. The Christian life flourishes when it is grounded in hope. Pope Francis draws on the words of the Apostle Paul to remind us why hope is possible even in the hard times, how even suffering can lead us to hope. Our study guide questions will help us explore how God’s love supports our hope and how Jesus Christ stands at the epicenter of God’s active love for the world. Jesus Christ is the foremost reason why we can have hope and bring hope to our world. Read paragraphs 1-4 in preparation for this session. You can use the links next to each heading to jump to that part of Pope Francis’s document. Paragraph 1 (the Jubilee is an opportunity for hope) 🔗 What does “hope” mean to you? How would you describe it? In the second part [1] of paragraph 1 , Pope Francis says that “God’s word helps us find reasons” for hope. Is there a particular passage from the Bible that has especially inspired or helped you find hope? If so, how does that passage speak to you? Suggested Activity: Take a few minutes to contemplate what life feels like to someone who is unemployed, dealing with a chronic illness, facing the fear of violence due to their background or heritage, discouraged about the future, etc. Try to feel their pain. Then consider whether there is something you could do for someone such as this – perhaps directly for someone you know, or by getting involved in a ministry in your parish or community (perhaps through Catholic Charities in your diocese or through another organization). (Section 1) A word of hope In this section, Pope Francis explores the biblical basis for the hope we have in God. Paragraph 2 (why we can have hope) 🔗 Read Romans 5:1-2,5 (we will look at verses 3 and 4 in Paragraph 4 later in this session) What does Paul tell us in Romans 5:1-2 that allows him to say that we have hope? In verse 5, Paul says that hope does not disappoint us. Why? How would you explain verse 5 in your own words? How have you experienced the love of God poured into your heart? How does knowing that God loves you so much allow you to show greater love to others? Paragraph 3 (hope is born of love) 🔗 In paragraph 3, why does Pope Francis say, “Hope is born of love”? How does Romans 5:5 help to explain this statement? Note: In paragraph 3, the Scripture cited as coming from Romans 5:19 is actually Romans 5:10. Read Romans 5:10 What is Jesus’s role in our being reconciled to God? How might being reconciled to God affect how we relate to God and to others? How does Romans 5:10 support Pope Francis’s statement that hope is born of love? How have you experienced God’s love giving you hope? In the second part of paragraph 3, Pope Francis describes the action of the Holy Spirit in giving us hope. What does he say the Holy Spirit does? How does Romans 5:5 support this understanding of the Holy Spirit? How have you experienced the Holy Spirit in your life? Read Romans 8:35 and 8:37-39 How does the fact that nothing can separate us from the love of God help us understand why we can live a life of hope? Paragraph 4 (hope requires patience) 🔗 Knowing that we all face times of suffering, Pope Francis calls our attention to Romans 5:3-4. Read Romans 5:3-4 Paul tells us that even suffering can lead to hope. He describes it as a multi-step process. What are the steps he sees that lead from suffering to hope? Think about the sequence of steps Paul suggests: suffering -> endurance -> character -> hope. Everyone is unique and not everyone experiences things in exactly the same way, but Paul’s analysis can be useful. How might suffering infuse God’s character into us? How might the experience of suffering lead to hope? In the rest of paragraph 4 (including part 2 of paragraph 4) Pope Francis explains that patience is closely linked to hope. Why is patience so important in the cultivation of hope? Pope Francis cites St. Francis of Assisi in reminding us of the value of contemplation. How might making time for contemplation help us deal with our impatience and better manage the cultural demand to treat everything as “urgent” and in need of immediate response? How might you make contemplation a more central part of your life? Suggested Activities: Spend a few minutes in quiet contemplation each day. You might find it helpful to find a good guide to contemplation from a respected Catholic or Christian author. Read and contemplate a portion of the New Testament each day. One way to approach the meditation of Scripture is through the practice of lectio divina . Pope Francis says patience is a fruit of the Holy Spirit, which is stated in Galatians 5:22-23. Read Galatians 5:22-23 Paul is telling us that God the Holy Spirit is the one who gives us the patience we need to endure the sufferings we face. How does it make you feel when you hear that God wants to give you what you need to go from suffering to hope? How have you experienced suffering leading to hope in your life? In the second part of paragraph 4, Pope Francis quotes from a translation of Romans 15:5 that describes God as “the God of all patience and encouragement.” Where do you see God’s patience in your life or in the lives of others? How does that give you hope? Closing question: Based on what we have considered in this session, if someone said to you, "How can you have hope with all that is going on in the world," how would you respond? [1] See A Note About Our Terminology for an explanation of what we mean by a “part” of a paragraph. Bibliography Click here for the bibliography . Copyright © 2024, Tom Faletti (Faith Explored, www.faithexplored.com ). This material may be reproduced in whole or in part without alteration, for nonprofit use, provided such reproductions are not sold and include this copyright notice or a similar acknowledgement that includes a reference to Faith Explored and www.faithexplored.com. See www.faithexplored.com for more materials like this. Previous Next

Outside the timeline Previous Next Where is God? - Part 1 Outside the timeline Tom Faletti (to be continued) Copyright © 2024, Tom Faletti (Faith Explored, www.faithexplored.com ). This material may be reproduced in whole or in part without alteration, for nonprofit use, provided such reproductions are not sold and include this copyright notice or a similar acknowledgement that includes a reference to Faith Explored and www.faithexplored.com. See www.faithexplored.com for more materials like this. Previous Next

The baptism of Jesus, and how it relates to you. Previous Next Matthew 3:13-17 The baptism of Jesus, and how it relates to you. Tom Faletti March 15, 2024 Matthew 3:13-17 Jesus is baptized by John What happens in this passage? What do you think is the most significant word or statement or detail in this account, and why? William Barclay notes that the Jews had never seen baptism as being for Jews, but only for non-Jewish proselytes joining the Jewish faith. In their mind, baptism was for sinners, not the for the Chosen People. When John came baptizing and Jews submitted to his baptism, they were recognizing in a new way their own sin and their need for God to do something about it (Barclay, The Gospel of Matthew, Volume 1 , pp. 52-53.) Matthew is the only Gospel to include John protesting that Jesus should not be baptized. What is Jesus’s response? What is “righteousness,” and what does it mean to fulfill all righteousness? To live a “righteous” life is to live a life totally in accordance with the will of God. To “fulfill all righteousness” suggests that God wanted Jesus to do this. Why do you think Jesus chose to be baptized (or that the Father wanted Jesus to be baptized) when Jesus was not in need of repentance? One of the reasons Jesus might have done this was to demonstrate his identification with humanity. By accepting baptism, Jesus was identifying himself with sinful humans, counting himself as being one of us, which he will do in an extraordinary way on the Cross. In what ways does a willingness to be baptized show an attitude of humility? As the Son of God, Jesus was greater than John; but here he was placing himself in a position of submission to John (see Matthew 1:11). This act of placing himself in the inferior position is one of the early examples of what I call Jesus’s downside-up approach to life – he cares about the people in what society considers to be inferior positions. Here, he even takes the lesser position for himself, as he will do at other times in his ministry. He was constantly serving those who should be serving him, and making that the norm for Christian living. Matthew is establishing from the beginning that Jesus is the Messiah, but a particular kind of Messiah. How does Jesus’s decision to be baptized reflect the kind of Messiah he is? There is a really important point here about John. It says he “consented” (3:15, NRSV). What is the importance of our consent in doing the work of God and fulfilling all righteousness? Why do you think God speaks from the heavens at this moment? God rarely manifests himself with an audible voice. Why here? In Mark 1:11, the voice says, “ You are ” my beloved son. In Matthew 3:17, the voice says, “ This is ” my beloved son.” One version of the statement is directed toward Jesus and the other is directed toward the onlookers. Does that difference bring out different nuances about what is going on here? What do God’s words tell us about Jesus? The proclamation from heaven about Jesus harkens back to two Old Testament passages. Psalm 2 is about the anointing of the king but points to the Messiah. Verse 2 refers to the Lord and his “anointed.” The word “Christ” is the Greek word for “anointed one,” and “Messiah” is the Hebrew word for “anointed one,” so we look at Psalm 2 as speaking about the Messiah. In verse 7, God says, “You are my son; / today I have begotten you” (Psalm 2:7, NRSV), words that echo in God’s words when Jesus is baptized. Similarly, Isaiah 42:1 begins the description of the Suffering Servant that culminates in the great prophecies of Isaiah 53 that point to Jesus’s crucifixion. In 42:1, God says, “Here is my servant whom I uphold, / my chosen one with whom I am pleased” (Isaiah 42:1, NABRE), again using words that echo in Jesus’s baptism. God seeded the Old Testament with prophecies that pointed to Jesus and then confirmed them as Jesus began his ministry. Baptism is accepted by most Christian denominations as a sacrament instituted by Christ. How does what happens to Christians in baptism parallel what happens in this story about Jesus’s baptism? Notice the similarities in these brief summaries from two different Christian traditions: The Ignatius Catholic Study Bible says: “The water, Spirit, and divine voice signify the effects of baptism whereby the soul is cleansed (Acts 22:16), the grace of the Holy Spirit is imparted (3:11; 1 Cor. 12:13), and the recipient is adopted as a beloved child of God (3:17; Gal. 3:26-27; Catechism of the Catholic Church 537)” ( Ignatius Catholic Study Bible , Matthew 3:15 fn., p. 12). Evangelical Presbyterian theologian Vern Poythress writes: “So the features depicted in Jesus’s baptism by John come to apply through Jesus to us. We are cleansed from sin by the washing with Jesus’s blood, signified by the water of baptism. Heaven is opened to us through Jesus, giving us communion with God the Father (Heb 10:19–20). We receive the Holy Spirit, who descends on us when we have faith in Christ (Rom 8:9–10). We hear the voice of God the Father, who calls us sons in union with Christ the Son (Rom 8:14–17; Gal 4:4–7), and who is pleased with us on account of his being pleased with his eternal Son (Eph 1:4–10)” (Vern Poythress, “The Baptism of Jesus,” The Gospel Coalition , https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/essay/the-baptism-of-jesus/ ). What does the baptism of Jesus say to you about your own life? How does the Trinity show up here, and why is that significant? It took Christians hundreds of years to work out exactly how to speak accurately about the Trinity, but they did not make up the concept – it shows up here at the very beginning of Jesus’s ministry as the Father speaks about the Son while the Holy Spirit hovers over it all in the form of a dove. Not are not the same as Jesus, but you too are a beloved son or daughter of God. If God proclaimed something about you, what would he want you or others to know about you? Take a step back and consider this: When Christians are baptized, they are making a public profession that they belong to God the Father (or their parents make that profession on their behalf, in the case of infant baptism). They are embracing what Jesus has already done for them, and looking forward to what God will continue to do in them by the power of the Holy Spirit. If you have been baptized, how are you embracing and living up to what you professed (or what was professed for you on your behalf) when you were baptized? If you have been baptized, how are you embracing the indwelling of the Holy Spirit received in your baptism? Is there more you might consider doing to respond to the presence of the Holy Spirit in your life? If you have not been baptized, is this something you should consider? If so, who could you talk to about it? Bibliography Click here for the bibliography . Copyright © 2024, Tom Faletti (Faith Explored, www.faithexplored.com ). This material may be reproduced in whole or in part without alteration, for nonprofit use, provided such reproductions are not sold and include this copyright notice or a similar acknowledgement that includes a reference to Faith Explored and www.faithexplored.com. See www.faithexplored.com for more materials like this. Previous Next

What is the small gesture or action you could take? Previous Next Reconciliation Can Start with a Gesture What is the small gesture or action you could take? Image provided by Wix. Tom Faletti February 24, 2024 It is sometimes hard to reconcile with someone who has hurt you, or whom you have hurt. We may think the gulf lying between us is too great. We know that the Bible tells us to forgive each other (Eph. 4:32; Matt. 5:23-24; Matt. 6:14-15; Col. 3:13). In Philippians 4:2, Paul asks the believers in Philippi to help two women leaders in the local church to be reconciled to each other. But how do we do it? It can be hard to know how to even take the first step. Sometimes, it all begins with a gesture of good will. The Roman Catholic Church and the Anglican Church have been separated since the 16 th century. Many people of good will on both sides desired at least a thaw in relations, if not a formal reconciliation, but the rift seemed unbridgeable. After the Roman Catholic Church’s Second Vatican Council in the 1960s, the Catholic Church embraced a new openness to dialogue. On March 24, 1966, Pope Paul VI and the Anglican Archbishop of Canterbury, Michael Ramsey, met in Rome in the basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls. At that meeting, they signed a declaration in which they agreed to pursue a serious dialogue with each other. Perhaps more significant than the declaration was a gesture that Pope Paul VI made during their meeting. Here is how Gerald O’Connell of America magazine describes it: Paul VI took the ring off his finger and placed it on Archbishop Ramsey’s finger. The archbishop burst into tears because he understood that the bishop of Rome was, in a symbolic rather than doctrinal way, recognizing his role as archbishop and inviting a deep relationship toward full visible unity. Ever since, the archbishops of Canterbury have worn that ring when they visit the pope. ( A short history of Catholic-Anglican relations—and the last roadblocks to unity ) Pope Paul VI offered Archbishop Ramsey a ring. And he made it personal by placing the ring on the Archbishop’s finger. This simple gesture did nothing to break through the doctrinal disagreements between the churches. But it did everything to start the dialogue. The lesson is clear for us. We don’t have to achieve a full reconciliation in one step. The question is, can we take a first step? In our normal lives, I can’t imagine a situation where offering a ring would be a helpful gesture. But each ruptured relationship is unique. For one, it might be a token or gesture, for another it might be a note or small act of kindness. But our God is the God of reconciliation, so we can trust him that something can break through the cold silence and start the thawing process. What is the small gesture or action you could take with someone you are estranged from, to start the process toward a possible reconciliation? Copyright © 2024, Tom Faletti (Faith Explored, www.faithexplored.com ). This material may be reproduced in whole or in part without alteration, for nonprofit use, provided such reproductions are not sold and include this copyright notice or a similar acknowledgement that includes a reference to Faith Explored and www.faithexplored.com. See www.faithexplored.com for more materials like this. Previous Next

The temptation of Jesus shows how to respond to our own temptations. Previous Next Matthew 4:1-11 The temptation of Jesus shows how to respond to our own temptations. Tom Faletti March 22, 2024 Matthew 4:1-11 Jesus is tempted by the devil In Matthew 4:1, the Holy Spirit leads Jesus into the desert. Jesus needs some alone time to prepare for his ministry. The 40 days parallels the 40 years the Israelites were in the desert. In v. 1, where some translations say the Spirit led Jesus out to be “tempted,” the word can also be translated “tested.” “Tested” is the better translation because God does not tempt people. God does not lure people toward sin, nor does he dangle the thought of sin in front of people to see if they will succumb. James is very clear about this: “No one, when tempted, should say, ‘I am being tempted by God’; for God cannot be tempted by evil and he himself tempts no one” (James 1:13, NRSV). However, while God does not tempt people, he does allow people to be tested by temptation. He does not preserve us from temptation, but instead gives us ways to resist (see 1 Cor. 10:13). The word “tested” conveys better the reality of what is going on: the temptation may come from the devil or from our own weaknesses, and God allows it to happen; but God does not cause temptation and he always stands beside us, urging us to resist sin and offering us the strength to overcome the temptation. What happens in this passage? What is the value of being tested? Explain. Why does this take place in the wilderness/desert? On a human level, in the desert people have no support system and no distractions. On a figurative level, Jesus’s testing parallels the testing of the Israelites in the desert after they were delivered out of Egypt. Jesus is identifying with humanity in being tempted. What are some similarities between the testing of Jesus in the desert here and the testing of the Israelites in the desert before they entered the Promised Land? In what ways are they different, including in how well they handled the temptations they faced? No disciples of Jesus were present for Jesus’s temptation. They could have known about it only if Jesus told them about it. Why do you think Jesus would have told his disciples about what happened to him in the desert? Throughout Christian history, theologians and commentators have seen the three temptations of Jesus as representing the three types of sins that all humans face : sins of the flesh , sins of the world , and sins of the devil . (You can easily find more about this, from a variety of denominational perspectives; for example: Fr. Dwight Longenecker, “Fighting the Un-Holy Trinity: The World, the Flesh and the Devil,” Catholic Online , 14 Feb. 2010, https://www.catholic.org/news/national/story.php?id=35421 ; “The World, the Flesh, and the Devil,” Ligonier Ministries (founded by Dr. R. C. Sproul), 23 May 2011, https://www.ligonier.org/learn/devotionals/world-flesh-and-devil ; and nicely summarized by Wikipedia with examples from scholars who wrote centuries ago here: “The world, the flesh, and the devil,” 31 March 2024, Wikipedia , https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_world,_the_flesh,_and_the_devil .) Temptation #1 : Bread, sins of the flesh, putting our own wants ahead of what God wants for us. On the surface, there would not seem to be anything immoral about Jesus turning stones into bread. What is the root of the potential sin in doing so? How might this have been a misuse of his powers? Some of the reasons why this is a temptation to sin include the following: He would be using his power for his own sake rather than using it for its intended purpose: to serve others. He would be failing to identify with the human race he came to identify with. There many also be a battle going on here regarding how Jesus would carry out his mission. Should he entice people to follow him by giving them food to eat? What would have been wrong with that as his primary method of spreading the Gospel? How does this temptation apply to us? How might we be at risk of the temptation to put our own wants ahead of what God might have for us? Throughout the life of the church, going back many centuries, this temptation has been described as involving sins of the flesh, including gluttony, drunkenness, and sexual immorality, but also laziness, covetousness, etc. A personal question, not necessarily for sharing if you are discussing this passage in a small group: Which sins of the flesh do you tend to struggle with and why? What Scripture passage does Jesus quote in response to this temptation? How does this Scripture passage provide guidance for us for how to think about and resist this kind of sin? Temptation #2 : Spectacle, attention, sins of the world, telling God what to do. Jesus could have jumped from the top io the Temple and survived, if he chose to. What would have been wrong with that? What is the potential sin in this temptation? There are several issues here: Some see it as a matter of tactics: Should I use spectacle and razzle-dazzle to try to draw people to God by attracting them to me? Others see it as a matter of authority: Will I assert leadership over God by putting him in a position where he has to do what I want him to do? Others see it as a matter of abdicating our responsibility to do God’s work, leaving things to God that he expects us to be doing as part of our calling.) Jesus could have used spectacle as a way of attracting the attention of people. What would have been wrong with that? Note that Jesus did perform miracles, but they were miracles of service, to help others – not for show. The devil is implying that Jesus could force God to do things his way by doing things that would only work out if God steps in. But Jesus was God, so what would have been wrong with that? An alternate view is that the temptation here was to abdicate responsibility for how to do the work of God and just leave it to God and his angels to make it work. Are there times when “God will take care of things” is not an act of faith but instead an act of laziness? How does this temptation apply to us? How might we be tempted to draw attention to ourselves or wow others rather than doing God’s work humbly? How might we be tempted to force God’s hand by doing things that will only work out if God steps in? (“If God doesn’t want me to do that, he’ll stop me.”) What’s wrong with that approach to life? How might we be tempted to leave everything to God and not do the work he calls us to do? What Scripture passage does Jesus quote in response to this temptation? How does this Scripture passage provide guidance for us for how to think about and resist these kinds of “sins of the world”? Temptation #3 : Allegiance, power, sins of the devil, compromising our commitment to God. What is the nature of the third temptation? It involves a temptation to submit to the devil in order to gain power. What is wrong with the devil’s offer? The devil is asking for a compromise. What are some ways Jesus might have faced this temptation throughout his ministry on Earth? How does this temptation apply to us? How might we be at risk of the temptation to seek power or control of our circumstances even at the price of a bit of spiritual compromise? What Scripture passage does Jesus quote in response to this temptation? How does this Scripture passage provide guidance for us for how to think about and resist this kind of sin? In what ways did the devil misuse Scripture? In your life, how valuable is it to know Scripture? Is it an aid to avoiding or resisting temptation? To what extent do you turn to Scripture for specific guidance in difficult moments or times of temptation? How might the Bible be a greater help to you in dealing with temptation, if you knew the Bible better? Is there anything you could be doing to strengthen your ability to rely on the Word of God? The devil leaves Jesus at this point. What kinds of opportunities do you think the devil will be looking for, to return and tempt Jesus again? When are you at risk of temptation? Silently, unless you are comfortable sharing, which temptation is the greatest risk for you: Inappropriately fulfilling your own wants? Seeking recognition or attention in inappropriate ways? Trying to get God to do things your way in order to make your efforts successful? Making inappropriate compromises to gain more power or control over your circumstances? What can you do to avoid or respond successfully to these temptations? What are your best strategies? Here are some strategies to consider: First we need to step back and not dash headlong into the temptation. Then we have many things we can do: Pray. Think about what is really going on, both inside of you and in the situation around you. Try to see the situation from God’s perspective. Get help from Scripture. Open your heart to the Holy Spirit’s influence. Get counsel from wise and godly people around you. Take a step back and consider this: The first temptation is a temptation to put our own wants ahead of the ways God wants us to deal with our lives. The second temptation is a temptation to draw attention to ourselves or to get God to do things our way. The third temptation is a temptation to compromise our commitments to God in order to gain some power or control. All three temptations, at root, are temptations to put ourselves ahead of God. When we are facing temptation we often forget that God is not looking down from on high with a frown, just waiting to catch us in a sin. Most of us grow up with that kind of image of God, but it doesn’t match the reality of God as presented in the Gospels. Jesus is always standing right next to you, loving you and urging you to do what you and he know is right. His Spirit lives in you, reminding you of who you are in Christ and empowering you to be what you are called to be. If the root of temptation is our desire to put ourselves – our plans, our ideas, our desires, our wants – ahead of God, and yet we know, when we are not in the middle of the temptation, that our greatest happiness and greatest fulfillment comes in putting God first, then in the time of temptation we need to remember who we really are in Christ. Our most desperate need in those times is to see things from the perspective of the God we have given our lives to, and to receive his power to act on who we are. When you are not in the middle of a temptation, where are your allegiances? Have you decided that your goal is to put God first in everything? Or are there still parts of your life that you have not been ready to give to him? Temptations will never go away, but some temptations fade after that fundamental question has been resolved. Have you really given your life to God? If not, now would be a good time to talk with God about it. There is nothing more important that you can do. Talk to God about where you stand with him right now. Jesus’s example tells us something important: Scripture is the first line of defense in times of temptation. Is there anything you can do to embed the Word of God more deeply into your heart, mind, and deepest self, so that you can call it forth when you need it? Bibliography Click here for the bibliography . Copyright © 2024, Tom Faletti (Faith Explored, www.faithexplored.com ). This material may be reproduced in whole or in part without alteration, for nonprofit use, provided such reproductions are not sold and include this copyright notice or a similar acknowledgement that includes a reference to Faith Explored and www.faithexplored.com. See www.faithexplored.com for more materials like this. Previous Next

Who is Jesus? – Matthew’s genealogy of Jesus. Previous Next Matthew 1:1-17 Who is Jesus? – Matthew’s genealogy of Jesus. Tom Faletti February 13, 2024 Matthew 1:1 Who is this Gospel about? How does Matthew identify or describe the chief character of his story? What do each of these terms mean: Jesus, Messiah, son of David, and son of Abraham? Why is each term important to Matthew or significant to the Jews or early Christians? Let’s look at each one. Jesus : Greek for the Hebrew name Joshua (Yeshua), which in Hebrew means “God saves,” or “Jehovah (Yahweh) is salvation,” or “Yahweh, save [us]!”. Why is this identification important for Matthew’s Gospel and for us? Messiah : Hebrew for “Anointed One”; Christ, from the Greek Christos , has the same meaning). Special people were anointed, usually kings and priests; but the “Messiah” took on a greater connotation of a savior of some kind. Why is this identification of Jesus important for Matthew’s Gospel and for us? Sneak peak: You are probably familiar with the story of the key turning point when Peter first recognizes that Jesus is the Messiah, which is told in Matt. 16:16. Son of David : The Jews expected that they would find relief from foreign occupation and domination when David’s throne was restored. God had told David that a descendant of his would be on the throne forever. Why is this identification of Jesus important for Matthew’s Gospel and for us? Consider Isaiah 9:2-7; see verse 7: “there shall be endless peace / for the throne of David and his kingdom.” (NRSV) Consider Isaiah 11:1-9; see verse 1: “a shoot shall come out from the stump of Jesse” (NRSV) – Jesse was David’s father. Consider Jeremiah 33:14-17; see verse 15: “I will cause a righteous Branch to spring up for David; and he shall execute justice and righteousness in the land” (NRSV), and verse 17: “David shall never lack a man to sit on the throne of the house of Israel” (NRSV). Sneak peak: The term “Son of David” will be used by people who were healed by Jesus and by people in Jerusalem when he entered the city on the first day of his last week on Earth, so it takes on important significance as his crucifixion nears. Son of Abraham : God made the Jewish people’s original covenant with Abraham, and all Jews trace their lineage from him (whereas not all are from the house of David). Why is this identification of Jesus important for Matthew’s Gospel and for us? David was only one part of one of the 12 tribes of Israel. Abraham was the father of the entire Jewish people. Muslims also see their lineage going back to Abraham, but it goes further than that. Through Abraham, all people were to be blessed, not just Abraham’s children: Gen. 12:2-3: “I will make of you a great nation, and . . . in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed” (NRSV). After Abraham shows his willingness to sacrifice Isaac: Gen. 22:17-18: “I will make your offspring as numerous as the stars of heaven and as the sand that is on the seashore. And . . . by your offspring shall all the nations of the earth gain blessing for themselves” (NRSV). Pick one of these identifications of Jesus and explain why it is important to you or has special meaning for you. Matt. 1:2-17 Jesus’s genealogy What names or other features of this genealogy stand out for you? It was unusual to include women in a Jewish genealogy, but Matthew’s genealogy names four: Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, and Bathsheba. . What makes these four women stand out as worthy of mention? All four of the women were from other nations; they were not Israelites: Tamar, Canaanite: Genesis 38. Rahab, from Jericho, so Canaanite: Joshua 2:1-21; 6:22-25. Ruth, Moabite: Ruth 2-4. Bathsheba, Hittite: 2 Samuel 11-12. Why would Matthew want to call attention to these foreign women in Jesus’s genealogy? What message would that send? Matthew might have included these women in part to deflect any criticism about Jesus’s birth circumstances. If the irregularities in David and Solomon’s lineage did not disqualify them from the throne of an eternal dynasty, then Jesus’s lineage does not disqualify him either. Joseph essentially adopted Jesus into the family line by taking him into his home, so he had a legitimate claim to being a son of David on the human level. Matthew’s genealogy ends with “Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom Jesus was born” (1:17 NRSV), which does not follow the standard male-line genealogy of “So-and-so, the father of So-and-such,” which might have been expected to end with “Joseph, the father of Jesus.” That would not have been accurate, as Matthew will explain shortly. When we look at God choice to make room in Jesus’s lineage for people of different backgrounds, how might that guide us in our attitudes toward people who have different backgrounds from ours? How does the presence of Gentiles in Jesus’s ancestry connect to the last two verses of Matthew’s Gospel (Mat. 28:19-20)? The good news about Jesus is meant for people of all nations. Sneak peak: Matthew spends a significant portion of his Gospel reporting Jesus’s preaching, healing, and miracles in Gentile areas. Matthew says in verse 14 that his genealogy has 3 sets of 14 generations. The number 14 might have been considered important as the numerical value of the sum of the three letters that make up David’s name in Hebrew. Matthew’s genealogy walks through the story of the Jews from the beginning with Abraham, to a high point when David was king, to the depths of despair when the Israelites were sent into exile to Babylon, and on to Jesus. How do you see Jesus serving as the climax to this story? Note: The Gospel writers were not aiming for genealogical perfection. Matthew is focused on his 3 times 14 arrangement. Luke has many more names in his list and is telling the genealogical history to make a different point. (Note: It is possible that Luke’s list is a genealogy of Mary, but there is no evidence to support the claim.) Matthew is not trying to nail down every genealogical detail. For example, considering the many decades between Rahab’s role in the Jericho story and Boaz’s role in the story of Ruth (David’s great-grandmother), Rahab could not have been the mother of Boaz. (Matthew is the only one who makes that claim; the book of Ruth, where Boaz’s story is told, does not make that claim.) Matthew’s list also doesn’t quite match up with the list in 1 Chronicles (see 1 Chron. 3:11-12). The Gospel writers were not trying to nail down every genealogical detail. They were trying to make much bigger and broader points. What do you think Matthew’s goals were in including this genealogy at the beginning of his story of Jesus? What points does he want us to take from it? It connects Jesus to the great past figures and also prepares us for the unique birth of Jesus by showing that irregularities show up in many places in the story of God’s people. Scholarly footnote: The third genealogical group, from the Exile to Jesus, is only 13 generations. Some scholars wonder if the 14th generation is Christ begetting the church. Take a step back and consider this: During Advent of 2023, my home parish posted online a musical reflection for each of the weeks of Advent. On the page Music for the Second Week of Advent ( St. Peter’s Church on Capitol Hill , https://saintpetersdc.org/pray/advent23/35171-music-for-the-second-week-of-advent ), we could listen to some lovely music including a remarkable interpretation of the genealogy of Jesus. The third musical selection on that page offered a video titled “…which was the Son of — Arvo Pärt (b.1935).” It can be found on YouTube here: Which Was the Son of... (Arvo Pärt) - Sofia Vokalensemble (“Which Was the Son of... (Arvo Pärt) - Sofia Vokalensemble.” Sofia Vokalensemble , 23 Oct. 2017, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WyPmFBpiF7E ). In this piece, a choir sings a beautiful musical selection telling the genealogy of Jesus as presented in the Gospel of Luke. The commentary on the page posted by St. Peter’s Parish acknowledged that “it can be dull to hear about Jesus’s genealogy,” but went on to say: “Estonian composer Arvo Pärt has set Luke’s version of this genealogy in such a way that it is no burden to hear Jesus’s family tree. Rather, Pärt’s music seems something like an overture to the whole biblical narrative, an epic tale on par with Lord of the Rings or Chronicles of Narnia. We are not bored by Jesus’s family tree; we are overwhelmed with wonder at its sweep across time.” This is beautiful! Jesus takes his place within an entire history of the working of God in our world, so that he can save all of the people in that genealogy, all of the people who descended from them, and indeed all human beings, wherever they fall in human history. God loved this world and the people he created so much that he chose to embed Himself in the world he created, in the history of that world, in the person of Jesus. That is what we celebrate at Christmas — not a pleasant story about a sweet little baby, but rather an audacious story about a God who loved his creation so much that he was not afraid to get his hands dirty and assume our genealogy, to become one of us so that we could become like him. Glory in the story — the story of God coming among us at Christmas! We can embrace Joseph as a role model of one who was willing, as Mary did, to say “Yes” to God, so that God could do his great work of salvation among us. What is one way you can say “Yes” to God, that will allow God to do something new in your life or the lives of those around you? Bibliography Click here for the bibliography . Copyright © 2024, Tom Faletti (Faith Explored, www.faithexplored.com ). This material may be reproduced in whole or in part without alteration, for nonprofit use, provided such reproductions are not sold and include this copyright notice or a similar acknowledgement that includes a reference to Faith Explored and www.faithexplored.com. See www.faithexplored.com for more materials like this. Previous Next

The danger of riches: What kind of grip do they have on you? Previous Next Matthew 19:16-22 The danger of riches: What kind of grip do they have on you? 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 Click here for the bibliography . Copyright © 2024, Tom Faletti (Faith Explored, www.faithexplored.com ). This material may be reproduced in whole or in part without alteration, for nonprofit use, provided such reproductions are not sold and include this copyright notice or a similar acknowledgement that includes a reference to Faith Explored and www.faithexplored.com. See www.faithexplored.com for more materials like this. Previous Next

Jesus is buried: Some people take action; others wait and watch. Previous 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 Click here for the bibliography . Copyright © 2024, Tom Faletti (Faith Explored, www.faithexplored.com ). This material may be reproduced in whole or in part without alteration, for nonprofit use, provided such reproductions are not sold and include this copyright notice or a similar acknowledgement that includes a reference to Faith Explored and www.faithexplored.com. See www.faithexplored.com for more materials like this. Previous Next

The Golden Rule is part of the fundamental choice Jesus is calling us to make. Previous Next Matthew 7:12-23 The Golden Rule is part of the fundamental choice Jesus is calling us to make. Tom Faletti June 7, 2024 Matthew 7:12 The Golden Rule What word or phrase comes to mind as you consider this passage? In my Bible Study group, here are some of the ideas that were considered: empathy, consideration, reciprocal treatment, kindness, walking in the other’s shoes. How does this go beyond the “eye for an eye thinking” of earlier civilizations? Almost all religions and ethical systems have some form of the Golden Rule, but most are expressed in the negative: Don’t do to others what you don’t want them to do to you. No one before Jesus expressed this idea in the affirmative, requiring that we “do.” How does Jesus’s way of saying it push us further? There are a variety of possible answers to this question. One think worth noting is that the negative formulation only requires you to hold back and not do something bad. Jesus’s rule requires us to affirmatively take action to be helpful in ways that we would want others to be helpful to us. To live the Golden Rule seriously, we have to take the time regularly to think about what we might wish others were doing – and then do that thing. Is that an easy or difficult challenge for you? Explain. How would the Christian witness to the world be different if we truly lived the affirmative version of the Golden Rule that Jesus taught? Matthew 7:13-23 The fundamental choice Verses 13-14: The wide way and the narrow way. In the poem “The Road Not Taken,” Robert Frost wrote: Two roads diverged in a wood, and I— I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference. (Robert Frost, “The Road Not Taken,” 1915, Poetry Foundation , https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/44272/the-road-not-taken .) Jesus is similarly proposing a fundamental breakpoint where a choice must be made. Where does the narrow gate lead (verse 14)? What do you think he means by “life”? How have you experienced this “life” that is found on the narrow way? What choices did you have to make to set you on the path with the narrow gate? On the narrow way (verse 14), why do you think Jesus says the road is “hard” (NRSV) or “constricted” (NABRE)? How is the narrow way hard? Where does the road with the wide gate lead (verse 13)? What do you think he means by destruction”? Are there times when you have experienced the effects of spending time on the easy road with the wide gate? Explain. If you have spent time on the wide way, what choices did you have to make to get of that road and move to the narrow way? How would you characterize the difference between how a person lives their life on the narrow way versus the wide way? Are there differences in outlook, focus, character traits that are exhibited, priorities, etc.? Verses 15-20: False prophets Prophets are people who speak the word of the Lord to the people. While we think of prophecy mostly in terms of predictions about the future, most prophetic activity in the Old Testament and probably in the early church involved the delivering of commands from God about how the people should live, often in response to what was going on at the time. We know from other passages in the Bible that itinerant prophets would come through town and expect to be fed them and supported while they were there. The question was, were they moochers, or evilly inspired, or from God? According to Jesus, how can you judge whether some is a good prophet (verses 16 and 17)? What does good fruit look like? What fruits would you look for in trying to judge whether someone is of God? Among many criteria, we might look for: How are they living their lives? Do their lives exhibit righteousness and repentance, or are they caught up in sinful behaviors? Do their lives conform to the Golden Rule that Jesus has just laid down a few verses earlier? How well do they manifest the fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22-23)? Do they live lives of discipline or excess? Do they care for the poor or focus on the wealthy? How do they handle adversity? Do their teachings promote unity or sow division? Do their teachings cohere with what God has already revealed or promote new, hidden knowledge known only to them? Why does Jesus say in verse 19 that bad trees are cut down and thrown into the fire? Who are the “prophets” of our time whom we need to judge by their fruits? Are there “prophets” you are tempted to listen to? How can you make sure you are judging them wisely and not being drawn in by clever words and enticing ideas? Verses 21-23: Saying “Lord, Lord” doesn’t mean you’re in the kingdom of heaven Jesus says that saying, “Lord, Lord,” is not enough. What needs to be done to enter the kingdom of heaven? Only those who do the will of the Father enter the kingdom of heaven. In this context, what do you think Jesus means by “doing the will of the Father”? What must we do? What deeds are not sufficient evidence that someone will be welcomed into the kingdom of heaven (verse 22)? Why are those powerful signs of God’s presence not sufficient? What do you think those people should have been doing instead? Note: Jesus will spell some of this out more explicitly later in Matthew’s Gospel, including where he says that the ultimate test will be how we treated the least of us who were in need around us (Matthew 25:31-46). It is popular to say that we need to “walk the walk and not just talk the talk.” How does that idea reflect what Jesus is saying? What is the “walk” that is needed, that goes beyond the “talk”? Notice that the people Jesus is describing here weren’t just “talking.” They were doing impressive, attention-grabbing things. They may have even been doing good things. But Jesus said that is not enough. What are they missing? What does this passage say to you about your own life? What do you need to be doing, in order to be what you are called to be? Take a step back and consider this: It is interesting that the Golden Rule sits between a set of passages that, on one side, tell us to stop judging others and to pray continually to God with confidence that our Father in heaven will give us what we need, and, on the other side, tell us that we need to make a fundamental choice to take the hard way that bears good fruit and look good. Perhaps the linkage is that the Golden Rule, if lived fully by a committed Christian, will lead us to the right dispositions: If we treat others the way we want them to treat us, we will cut others as much slack as we hope they will cut us and that God will cut us. If we treat others the way we want them to treat us, we will trust God for our needs and not look for ways to squeeze every last dollar out of the people around us. If we treat others the way we want them to treat us, we will live lives that the people around us will recognize as bearing good fruit. If we treat others the way we want them to treat us, the Lord will not say, “‘I never knew you. Depart from me, you evildoers” (Matt. 7:23, NABRE). If we take the Golden Rule in its full, affirmative form – do what you want others to do – how might it change not only our actions, but our entire way of thinking? Pick an area of your life where you are dealing with other people and the situation is currently bothering you or not going as you would like. How can you apply the Golden Rule creatively, in its affirmative direction to do what you wish others would do for you? How can you do something differently in that situation, in the spirit of the Golden Rule? Bibliography Click here for the bibliography . Copyright © 2024, Tom Faletti (Faith Explored, www.faithexplored.com ). This material may be reproduced in whole or in part without alteration, for nonprofit use, provided such reproductions are not sold and include this copyright notice or a similar acknowledgement that includes a reference to Faith Explored and www.faithexplored.com. See www.faithexplored.com for more materials like this. Previous Next