Tuesday 1 May 2012

Day 24: Matthew 18

Jesus' followers are to humble themselves like children, forgive each other and treat sin seriously

Jesus followers jockey for position. Jesus sets a child before them, one who has no position or rights, and tells them to be like them. He also tells them to accept people like them. They are to treat each other rightly as well!

The rest of the chapter is taken up by what this will look like They are to fight sin and temptation (no doubt with an eye to Judas and his impending betrayal). They are not to despise each other (after all God has specially rescued them. They are to speak to each other privately and then with someone else before publicly rebuking someone (what they do here will have consequences in eternity so aim to win, not destroy your brother). They are to forgive each other because they have been forgiven as shown emphatically by the parable He tells.

Day 23: Matthew 17

Jesus is God's true Son, greater than Moses or Elijah- listen to Him and trust Him.

Jesus takes some of His disciples up a mountain and they get a glimpse of His glory. This is not the Kingdom of Heaven coming, this is not the end, although Peter seems to think this is permanent. In fact they still haven't grasped that the cross must come before the Kingdom. They haven't grasped that 'Elijah' has come because they didn't expect him to suffer and die either. They don't understand the pattern of the Kingdom. Moses and Elijah appear on the mountain. Two great prophets of Old, but it is of Jesus that God says 'This is my beloved Son'. The application is to listen to Him, which we see the disciples starting to do.

When he comes down the mountain His disciples have been unable to heal someone. The reason given is their lack of faith (in Jesus). Faith here again is highlighted as the crucial ingredient for the disciples, but also what they lack.

The chapter ends with a veiled challenge to Jesus. Does he pay His taxes. Jesus does, in obedience to the earthly authorities, but uses this to teach Peter again that He is the Son of God (and therefore actually exempt from the temple tax).

Apologies for the delay in this and for these next few ones.