Psalm: 63 Meditation Luke: This is the familiar passage which has come down to us as “The Good Samaritan”. The first thing to remember is that to the Jew the term “Good Samaritan” is considered an oxymoron or a contradiction of terms. No Jew would consider any Samaritan as worth any kind of notice. It …
Category: Daily Reading Guides
Saturday, October 24
Psalms: 30 Meditation Ezra: The story of Ezra, priest and scribe, traces the history of the rebuilding of the Jerusalem after the exile. Seventy years after Nebuchadnezzar conquered Judah, his successor and conqueror Cyrus of Persia (see Daniel chapter 2) had granted to any and all Jews who were so inclined to return to Jerusalem …
Friday, October 23
Psalms: 35 Meditation 1 Corinthians: Paul’s concern for Timothy (v. 10) is probably because of his youth and that he may be unfamiliar with the Corinthians. Apollos, originally from Alexandria, Egypt, was a co-worker with Paul who was trained by Pricilla and Aquila and they, in turn, were mentored by Paul. As the letter closes, …
Thursday, October 22
Psalm: 37 Meditation Matthew: Jesus was around the Sea of Galilee healing people and casting out demons. He discouraged people from spreading about the news of the healings. The good news of God’s forgiveness was a far timelier tiding to spread abroad. That is how Matthew saw it in quoting from Isaiah 42. Healings tend …
Wednesday, October 21
Psalms: 38 Meditation Lamentations: Even as Jesus approaches Jerusalem He is brought to tears. Jeremiah, some 800 years before also weeps for Jerusalem. I doubt we fully appreciate that depth of emotion for a place. We good Christians of the evangelical or reform stripe, tend not regard any place as sacred. Perhaps we cheat ourselves …
Tuesday, October 20
Psalm: 26 Meditation 1 Corinthians: The imagery Paul employs here we have heard before from Jesus Himself. In John 12:24, Jesus tells us that the only way life can spring from a seed is if the seed dies – only then will it sprout. So too our bodies at the time of our bodily resurrection. …
Monday, October 19
Psalm: 9 Meditation Matthew: Jesus has compared Himself to John the Baptist – funny thing: both are found wanting. John is just plain strange –he doesn’t eat much (locusts and wild honey) and doesn’t drink, whereas Jesus is accused of being a “winebibber” and a glutton. As I say, one can’t make everyone happy – …
Sunday, October 18
Psalm: 114 Meditation Jeremiah: Jeremiah is commissioned to tell the exiles just what they don’t want to hear. These people were carried away against their will and now Jeremiah is telling hem to settle in and raise new families, build homes and support the enemy king. The LORD tells them: “I know the plans I …
Saturday, October 17
Psalms: 20 Meditation 1 Corinthians: Paul’s argument in favor of the resurrection from the dead is quite pointed. If Christ did not rise from the dead, then His sacrifice on the cross was not accepted. Jesus’ resurrection was proof that God was pleased with Jesus’ sacrifice. As early as the time of Samson there was …
Friday, October 16
Psalms: 17 Meditation Matthew: John the Baptist sits in prison at King Herod Antipas’ pleasure. When John would die is anybody’s guess, but it was in the king’s power. Since John has time to think about it, he now wonders if Jesus is actually “the One”. He may even have doubted. Earlier John had pointed …
