Psalms: 19, 95 Meditation Jeremiah: The responsibility of the teachers is treated here. While priests in the OT could only come from the descendants of Aaron, teachers could come from any of the 12 tribes. Paul, who was a Pharisee was from the tribe of Benjamin. The teachers of Jeremiah’s day were failing in their …
Tag: Pharisee
Saturday, November 27
Psalm: 17 Meditation Luke: “He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were religious and regarded others with contempt.” (v. 9) Well, I don’t like to think that I regard someone less religious than I in contempt. I have fallen victim to some self-complacency when I only wish others were …
Monday, November 15
Psalms: 87, 93 Meditation Luke: Setting: the house of a Pharisee. Verses 12-14 are an apt description of the contrast between “nice” and “kind”. The nice person will seek some sort of repayment – perhaps not in kind but something. I call these people “counters”; those who want to ensure the books are balanced! Rather, …
Wednesday, November 3
Psalms: 112, 113 Meditation Luke: Whoever thinks that Jesus is “nice” take a gander at this. The Pharisee was nice to Jesus by this invitation; Jesus returns this by insulting him and berating his ilk. The hapless lawyer speaks up, I suppose, in support of the Pharisee (evidently, the lawyer learned nothing from the Pharisee’s …
Tuesday, August 17
Psalm: 145 Meditation Acts: Sometimes cooler heads do prevail, as in this case. Gamaliel, a Pharisee of some renown, urged caution to the Council of elders to exercise patience; to refrain from killing (or executing) Peter and John. He cites historical precedence because those of the Council really did not know if this new movement …
Sunday, August 15
Psalm: 16 Meditation John: For evangelicals, this passage amounts to the Holy Grail in Scripture. We begin with a Pharisee who, in a moment of great courage, came to Jesus by stealth at night to ask and to seek. Jesus tells him he must be born from above (again). That was a bit much for …
Friday, June 18
Psalm: 41 Meditation - Galatians: This is a tricky passage. It seems to me that whenever Paul starts talking about the Law, he leaves me behind. These verses are no different. Paul was a Pharisee; one cannot unlearn all that he had learned at the feet of Gamaliel (Acts 5:27-40). Paul had undoubtedly memorized large …
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