by Paul Apple | May 14, 2023 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: GOD MEASURES GREATNESS BY THE STANDARD OF HUMBLE DEPENDENCE RATHER THAN ACHIEVEMENTS OR WORLDLY RECOGNITION OR SOCIAL-ECONOMIC STATUS INTRODUCTION: One benefit of getting together with your extended family over special holidays like Thanksgiving is that you...
by Paul Apple | May 13, 2023 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: JESUS PAID THE TEMPLE SUPPORT TAX TO AVOID OFFENSE DESPITE BEING THE LEGITIMATE FOCUS OF TEMPLE WORSHIP INTRODUCTION: David Thompson: To understand this passage, we must understand the Jewish background. It took a lot of money to run the temple in Jerusalem...
by Paul Apple | May 12, 2023 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: REPEATING THE PROPHECY OF HIS CENTRAL MISSION STILL DOES NOT COMPUTE WITH JESUS’ SAD DISCIPLES INTRODUCTION: Charles Swindoll: Jesus and His disciples were inseparable. This became all the more obvious as Jesus entered the final six months of His public...
by Paul Apple | May 11, 2023 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: DON’T QUIT ON TRUSTING GOD TO PERFORM THE IMPOSSIBLE INTRODUCTION: Grant Osborne: The disciples have a smattering of understanding (17:13) but a real deficiency of faith (17:20a) and need the presence of Jesus more than ever. In fact, the incredible contrast...
by Paul Apple | May 9, 2023 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: THE TRANSFIGURATION UNCOVERED THE GLORY OF MESSIAH TO PROVIDE A PREVIEW OF THE COMING KINGDOM INTRODUCTION: Grant Osborne: This is an epiphany story in which the divinity of Jesus breaks through and “manifests” itself, with Matthew highlighting that glory in...
by Paul Apple | May 8, 2023 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: THERE IS NO AVOIDING THE CROSS – EITHER FOR JESUS OR FOR HIS DISCIPLES INTRODUCTION: Grant Osborne: With “from that time on” (v. 21) we begin the second half of this narrative section (13:54 – 17:27), indeed, the second half of Matthew’s gospel. Immediately...
by Paul Apple | May 6, 2023 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: THE FOUNDATION OF THE UNSTOPPABLE CHURCH IS THE APOSTLES (AS REPRESENTED BY PETER) WHO EMBRACED THE TRUE IDENTITY OF JESUS AND WERE DELEGATED AUTHORITY TO ENFORCE HIS TEACHING INTRODUCTION: Charles Swindoll: All of us have taken classes that have climaxed in...
by Paul Apple | May 4, 2023 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: BE AWARE OF THE SIGNS OF THE TIME AND BE WARY OF FALSE TEACHING INTRODUCTION: Walter Wilson: Once again, a scene depicting conflict gives way to a scene depicting instruction (cf. 15:1–20). This time, Jesus’s opponents are the Pharisees and Sadducees, who...
by Paul Apple | May 3, 2023 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: COMPASSION AND PROVISION SHOWN TO THE GENTILES BY THE MESSIAH CONTRASTED WITH THE DISMISSIVE ATTITUDE OF THE DISCIPLES INTRODUCTION: Leon Morris: Matthew clearly regards the two incidents as distinct: the numbers of people are different in the two incidents,...
by Paul Apple | May 2, 2023 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: MERCY EXTENDED TO THE GENTILES DESPITE JESUS FOCUSING ON THE PRIORITY OF HIS MISSION TO THE JEWS INTRODUCTION: Stanley Saunders: From the woman’s perspective, this is a story about walls, obstacles, persistence, ingenuity, and faith. The Gospels consistently...
by Paul Apple | Apr 29, 2023 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: DON’T SUBSTITUTE RELIGIOUS TRADITION EMPHASIZING CEREMONIAL CLEANLINESS FOR DIVINE COMMANDMENTS EMPHASIZING INTERNAL PURITY INTRODUCTION: Donald Hagner: Matthew follows Mark in alternating passages revealing the power and identity of Jesus with...
by Paul Apple | Apr 27, 2023 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: FAITH FOCUSES ON THE DIVINE IDENTITY OF JESUS WHO HAS POWER OVER CREATION AND RESCUES THOSE WHO CALL OUT TO HIM INTRODUCTION: Stanley Saunders: Matthew riddles this account with double entendre, much of which is lost in English translation and most of which...
by Paul Apple | Apr 25, 2023 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: JESUS OFFERS HIMSELF AS THE BREAD OF LIFE FOR THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL INTRODUCTION: Donald Hagner: The narrative now turns to the recounting of two dramatic “nature” miracles, the multiplying of the loaves and fish and Jesus’ walking on the water. These have the...
by Paul Apple | Apr 24, 2023 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: DEPRAVED POWER COWERS IN FEAR, CONCEALS A GUILTY CONSCIENCE AND COMPLIES WITH MANIPULATIVE SCHEMES INTRODUCTION: Van Parunak: Now we enter the third subsection of the Proclamation section. Having documented the opposition and presented the choice that is to...
by Paul Apple | Apr 23, 2023 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: FAMILIARITY BREEDS CONTEMPT IN JESUS’ HOME TOWN OF NAZARETH – THOSE CLOSEST TO US RESPOND IN HURTFUL REJECTION AND UNBELIEF INTRODUCTION: Jeffrey Crabtree: Verse 53 brings the kingdom parables to an end and marks the end of Matthew’s third major block of...
by Paul Apple | Apr 22, 2023 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: GOLD NUGGETS OF KINGDOM TRUTH INCLUDE BOTH NEW AND OLD REVELATION INTRODUCTION: Donald Hagner: The key here—indeed the key to the parables themselves—is the combination of new and old. The parables, like Jesus’ other teaching about the kingdom, involve old...
by Paul Apple | Apr 22, 2023 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: THE FINAL JUDGMENT WILL SEPARATE OUT THE WICKED AND CONDEMN THEM TO ETERNAL SUFFERING INTRODUCTION: Stu Weber: Here, as in the parable of the weeds, we find the coexistence of evil alongside the righteous, the discarding and burning of the evil, and the...
by Paul Apple | Apr 21, 2023 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: THE SUPREME VALUE OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD MOTIVATES AN APPROPRIATION OF TOTAL COMMITMENT INTRODUCTION: Stu Weber: These parables (:44-46) answer two closely related questions from the surrounding context. First, why should we give our lives for a kingdom we...
by Paul Apple | Apr 19, 2023 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: THE KINGDOM OF GOD WILL EXPERIENCE SIGNIFICANT GENUINE AND COUNTERFEIT GROWTH UNTIL CHRIST RETURNS AT THE END OF THE AGE TO EXERCISE JUDGMENT INTRODUCTION: Charles Swindoll: The problem of the ever-present wicked among the righteous is such a nagging issue...
by Paul Apple | Apr 18, 2023 | Bible-NT
BIG IDEA: VARYING RESPONSES TO THE WORD OF GOD HIGHLIGHT FRUITFULNESS AS THE KEY EVIDENCE OF GENUINE DISCIPLESHIP INTRODUCTION: Warren Wiersbe: This chapter records the events of a crisis day in the ministry of Jesus Christ. He knew that the growing opposition of the...
