Thoughts for the Day

Luke 1:11 Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right side of the altar of incense.  When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and was gripped with fear. One can find numerous models and simulated tours of Herod’s temple online.  All I’ve seen show an imposing building with large doors…

Luke 1:9 [Zechariah] was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to go into the temple of the Lord and burn incense. Zechariah is one of those characters in the bible I really warm towards. As we will note later, he is described as blameless and well on in years but childless.…

Luke 1:5 In the time of Herod king of Judea there was a priest named Zechariah, who belonged to the priestly division of Abijah; his wife Elizabeth was also a descendent of Aaron. All four gospel writers make the connection between Jesus and John the Baptist, so perhaps it should come as no surprise that…

Luke 1:3-4 I too decided to write an orderly account for you … so that you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught. So then, to the opening 100 verses of Luke’s gospel. And it is reasonable to start by asking whether Luke is to be believed.  There seems plenty enough…

Matthew 1: 2-16 (an extra dimension?) Perez whose mother was Tamar … Boaz whose mother was Rahab … Obed whose mother was Ruth … Solomon whose mother had been Uriah’s wife. I imagine Matthew pondering his list of 42 names, not only discerning the big picture, the pattern of God’s unfolding plan, but dwelling on…

Matthew 1: 2-16 (sort of) Abraham – Isaac – Jacob – Judah – Perez – Hezron – Ram – Amminadab – Nahshon – Salmon – Boaz – Obed – Jesse – King David – Solomon – Rehoboam – Abijah – Asa – Jehoshaphat – Jehoram – Uzziah – Jotham – Ahaz – Hezekiah – Manesseh…

Matthew 1: 1 This is the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah the son of David, the son of Abraham: Where should one begin the story of Jesus?  John begins his gospel in the very beginning, at the moment of creation.  Mark and Luke in their very different ways begin their gospels with John the Baptist. …