The curtain is about to go up on the final scene of this magnificent drama. One might be tempted to wonder why this scene is necessary....

A new act begins in chapter 3, an act that is remarkably similar in form to the opening act yet wonderfully different in the way the...

The Hebrew text of Jonah is arranged slightly different than our English versions. What we refer to as Jonah 1:17 is read as Jonah 2:1 in...

This is a story that is masterfully written in order to present the covenantal message of its author. This story is divided into two...

Any study of Scripture cannot be conducted haphazardly, nor should it be assumed that the context and purpose of any given book of the...

Here Jesus will make clear the purpose of His mission.

Matthew’s calling is not only the foil to an earlier disappointment episode but a mirror to the successful call of the fishermen from ch. 4.

Jesus is back in Capernaum where He demonstrates the highest authority of all: to forgive sin.

While the text certainly illuminates the extent of Jesus’ authority, the main thrust is to introducroduce the reception of Jesus' authority.

Having defined the purpose of Jesus’ authority, Matthew now proceeds to define the extent and source of Jesus’ authority.

In this first discipleship narrative, Matthew defines discipleship in Jesus’ terms.

While hinting at it all the while, Matthew now makes clear the purpose of Jesus’ authority on earth.

Matthew clearly presents Jesus as the one who has the authority and ability to restore His people to the Father through faith in Him.

This miraculous restoration not only proves that Jesus possesses authority, but it also begins to define the purpose of His authority.

Before jumping into an exposition of Matthew 8 & 9, it is necessary that we first take several steps to wrap our heads around this section.

The final six verses of Matthew chapter 7 include not only the final words of Jesus’ SM, but also reveal the crowd’s response to Jesus.

To the contrary doctrine of the false prophets is now added the inconsistent living that betrays unbelief.

Jesus’ conclusion gains intensity as He first warns of false guides and then explains how they might be exposed for who they truly are.

We must assume that this final section corresponds to the sermon in its entirety and draws Jesus’ teaching to a single point.

These verses not only complete the call to repentance issued in v. 1 but also correspond with Jesus' teaching of merciful charity (6:1-4).