Tag: bible

Real Bible Studies: Matthew 18, Mark 9

The Greatest In both Gospels, the Disciples ask Yeshua who’ll be greatest. As is usual, Matthew puts a slightly different spin on it than Mark. In Mark, the question is posed in such a way to imply the Disciples are asking which is the greatest among them, but Matthew frames it as the greatest in … Continue reading Real Bible Studies: Matthew 18, Mark 9 →

Real Bible Studies: Matthew and Mark, Transfiguration

Matthew 17, Mark 9 One improvement Matthew makes over Mark is in how Matthew edits the episodes in his Gospel versus how Mark does. For instance, Mark 9 begins with what appears to be the wrap up of the previous episode where Yeshua predicts what’s going to happen in Jerusalem. And he said to them, … Continue reading Real Bible Studies: Matthew and Mark, Transfiguration →

Real Bible Studies, Matthew and Mark

Tradition of the Elders Chapters 15-16 of Matthew are an almost word for word insertion from Mark 7-8 though Matthew makes several changes to the source material. Both cite passages from various scriptures in condemning the Pharisees and Scribes for dishonoring their elders (Exodus 20:12, Deuteronomy 5:16, Exodus 21:17, Leviticus 20:9). Given that Yeshua himself … Continue reading Real Bible Studies, Matthew and Mark →

Real Bible Studies, The Gospel of Mark

Baptism, Temptation, and Disciples Most scholars agree that Mark was the first Gospel and both Matthew and Luke made liberal usage of Mark, going so far as to lift entire passages without changing a word. Mark tells a simple, straightforward story of an itinerant preacher and miracle worker who begins as a follower of John … Continue reading Real Bible Studies, The Gospel of Mark →

Real Bible Studies, Matthew 13, Parables and Prophecies

Parables Matthew relates more lessons from Yeshua, and these are delivered in the form of parables. They all relate to the central conflict of the Gospel, separating true believers from the hangers-on and wannabes. They also highlight Yeshua’s tendency to obscure his message to the crowds who follow him, relaying his true meaning only to … Continue reading Real Bible Studies, Matthew 13, Parables and Prophecies →

Real Bible Studies: Matthew 11

Messengers from John After giving his disciples their marching orders, Yeshua is approached by messengers from John, inquiring if he’s the leader John has been predicting. Rather that state it outright, Yeshua instructs the messengers to report what they’ve seen to John and let him decide. In much of Christian orthodoxy, John is heralded as … Continue reading Real Bible Studies: Matthew 11 →

Real Bible Studies: Matthew 9-10

Tax Collectors and Sinners Yeshua returns to Capernaum, where the crowd brings out a paralyzed man. Yeshua is quick to forgive his sins, which raises charges of blasphemy from the scribes. To counter this, Yeshua tells the man to rise, take up his bed and walk, which the individual does, astounding the crowd. Afterward, we’re … Continue reading Real Bible Studies: Matthew 9-10 →

Real Bible Studies: Matthew, Healings & Miracles

Matthew 8 Following the Sermon on the Mount, Matthew provides a chapter detailing several healing miracles performed by Yeshua. These mostly take place around Capernaum, which is Yeshua’s main base of operations for this part of the Gospel. Matthew’s concentration on the teachings and healings of Yeshua lend weight to the notion that Yeshua is … Continue reading Real Bible Studies: Matthew, Healings & Miracles →

Real Bible Studies: Matthew, Baptism and Temptation

After the drama of Yeshua’s birth and his family’s escape to Egypt, Matthew skips ahead to the baptism by John, when Yeshua was an adult. Here, we get another prophecy, foretelling John’s ministry. For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah when he said, “The voice of one crying in the … Continue reading Real Bible Studies: Matthew, Baptism and Temptation →