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Abiding Pleasure
We spend much of our physical and mental energy in the pursuit of happiness. But it is impossible to find satisfaction outside of a relationship with God, and seeking pleasure in sinful practices only alienates Him from us. Evaluate your ...Read More
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A Gentile Meets Jesus
Our prayers may sometimes seem like the encounter between Jesus and this woman. Often we will pray for a person’s salvation or healing, and, when no change is immediately forthcoming, we will assume God’s answer is no. Yet ...Read More
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A Lesson From a Fig Tree
Matthew Henry writes, “The fruit of fig trees may justly be expected from those who have the leaves. Christ looks for the power of religion from those who make profession of it.” The cursing of the fig tree is a ...Read More
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A Man Who Loved Riches
Even though not every Christian is called to sell all his possessions, one commentator has helpfully noted that those who find comfort that this call is not universal are precisely those to whom Jesus would issue it! As citizens of ...Read More
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A Murderer from the Start
Scripture’s emphasis on both the inward attitudes of evil and the outward deeds of wickedness results in a doctrine of sin that is both robust and realistic. The problem of sin is rooted within, and it takes an inward ...Read More
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An Obstinate Generation
Matthew Henry asks, “If people will neither be awakened by the greatest things, nor allured by the sweetest things, nor startled by the most terrible things, nor be made aware by the plainest of things; if they will listen to ...Read More
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Another Request for a Sign
Matthew Henry comments, “It is an instance of the deceitfulness of the heart, to think that we should be influenced by the means and advantages which we do not have, while we slight those which we have.” The Sadducees and ...Read More
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An Unknown Day and Hour
Our Lord’s admission, in His humanity, that He did not know when the day of His second advent would be is a warning to anyone who might try to set a date for His return. We are wasting time ...Read More
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A Prophet without Honor
Western society is blessed to be steeped in the teaching of Scripture and the person and work of Christ. However, we must take care that this blessing of familiarity does not motivate contempt in us for the things of God ...Read More
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A Question of Authority
Matthew Henry comments on today’s passage, saying that “those who imprison the truth they know, in unrighteousness are justly denied the further truths they enquire after.” When we, like the scribes and priests in today’s passage, refuse to ...Read More
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A Somber Warning
One commentator says that leading others into sin can be done in ways that do not involve false teaching. Failure to provide adequate pastoral care, for example, can make us unable to see trouble in the lives of others, leading ...Read More
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A Warning About Leaven
It is not always easy to recognize false teaching because those who teach error often mix it in with some legitimate truth. That is why we must be well grounded in the doctrines of Scripture, for if our grasp of ...Read More
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Blind Eyes Are Opened
The close connection of Jesus’ miracles to His work of bearing the sins of His people (Matt. 8:17) has led many commentators to look at His miraculous healings not only as real events but also as metaphors for what ...Read More
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Crumbs from the Table
John Calvin comments, “At no time, certainly, did God shut up his grace among the Jews in such a manner as not to bestow a small taste of them on the Gentiles.” Throughout redemptive history there have been Gentiles who ...Read More
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David’s Lord
Augustine wrote, “Christ is both David’s Son and David’s Lord: David’s Lord always, David’s Son in time. David’s Lord, born of the substance of his Father; David’s Son, born of the Virgin Mary, conceived ...Read More
