Category: The Bible as Literature

The word scandal or stumbling block frequently occurs in Matthew—it’s as important for his book as the word “immediately” is in the Gospel of Mark. In light of the prohibition against causing others to stumble in chapter 18, those not following the original Greek text often assume that “to scandalize” is taboo. But throughout the…

In the original Greek text of Matthew, when Jesus warns his disciples “unless you are converted and become like children,” his statement calls to mind the Lord’s desire in Ezekiel, “that the wicked [man] turn from his path and live.” (Ezekiel 33:11) In Ezekiel and Matthew, the Lord, who takes “no pleasure in the death…

In Romans 13, St. Paul dismantles the authority of Caesar by reframing Caesar’s value.  Caesar is not important because of his station or the might of Rome. He is useful, however, because his station can be used by God to further the cause of the gospel. In other words, Caesar is God’s pawn.  So when…

God’s teaching is his will, and his will is the content of his teaching. The speaking and the carrying out of this will has the power to correct our steps, imprinting itself on our heart and replacing human thoughts with, you guessed it, God’s will. For several chapters in Matthew, Jesus himself has repeated his…

The title “Son of Man” is a literal translation of the Hebrew phrase ben-adam. In Hebrew, the name Adam means “man.” As such, the biblical expression, son of man, like the modern phrase, human being, applies to anyone and everyone. C.S. Lewis captures this beautifully in the Chronicles of Narnia, where he refers to human…

Meaning controls understanding and shapes behavior. When a parent names a child, wittingly, or unwittingly, they assign a meaning to their child. In this sense, the modern practice of choosing a meaningless name that sounds nice should give one pause.  In the Gospel of Matthew, the Father controls our understanding of the role of Jesus…

In the New Testament, the proclamation of the death of Christ is inextricably bound to the proclamation of his Resurrection. Typical explanations of this link cheapen it by expounding on the psychology of hope, as if the Resurrection is proclaimed as an antidote for the emotional burden of the Cross. On the contrary, the Resurrection…

Human beings are tribal. Even in the United States, where community has evaporated, we find a way to pick sides. Driven by primal instinct, we worship, unflinchingly, the twin gods of ideology and brand, allowing fear and greed to control our fate. The Apostle Peter is no different. He too wanted to pick a side. Peter’s…

Over the years, we’ve insisted on the biblical principle that the integrity of the teacher is irrelevant to their function. To illustrate this point, God repeatedly chooses sinners, like the Prophet Jonah, to spread his word. Insofar as they repeat the words of Scripture, the one who teaches Scripture has no bearing on the mission….

Beginning with the genealogy in chapter 1, the Gospel of Matthew challenges its addressees to rethink their understanding of the words “king” and “kingdom.” Now, in chapter 16, as they enter a city named after Philip of Macedon, the chips are down. If Peter truly understands the lesson of the bread and can discern the…