This year’s Holy Week Trilogy is a series of three visions of the crucifixion, each primarily illumined by one of three different ‘light sources’: Good Friday, Holy Saturday, and Resurrection Sunday. Each day’s particular illumination draws out certain aspects of the same, infinitely meaning-filled event—the Crucifixion of the Risen Lord. In part 2 of the […]
Holy Saturday – 2023 Read More »
Matthew 28:9, 10, ‘Jesus met them and said, ‘Greetings!…Do not be afraid…’ These are the first words the Risen Christ speaks in Matthew’s Gospel (and they are also the words depicted in Greek in today’s image). Significantly, the word translated ‘Greetings’ is actually the imperative form of the word for ‘Rejoice.’ It become an idiom
The Paschal Trilogy – Part II/III – Holy Saturday Matthew 26:20, ‘When it was evening, He reclined at table…’ Considering Jesus’ final meal with His disciples, Irenaeus of Lyons makes the beautiful observation that ‘[Jesus] administered food to [His disciples] in a recumbent posture, indicating that those who were lying in the earth were they
Holy Saturday (2022) 2 Read More »
Matthew 1:21, ‘You shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.’ Already in the naming of our Lord, His divine identity is on display in at least two ways. First, who is able to save humanity from their sin except God Himself? Is not all sin ultimately an offense
Matthew 2:2, ‘For we saw His star when it rose and have come to worship Him.’ John 12:12, ‘And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.’ The coming of the magi to worship the newborn Jesus is the first fruits of the eschatological in-gathering of the nations
Matthew 13:44, ‘The Kingdom of Heaven is like treasure hidden in a field…’ In this picture, I wanted to focus on the ‘hiddenness’ of the Kingdom. The Kingdom of God—the reign of the risen King—is a treasure, to be sure; it is a treasure worth all that we are and have. And yet, it is
Matthew 10:1, ‘And He called to Him His twelve disciples and gave them authority…’ Matthew 10:16, ‘Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves…’ Summary Thoughts: To wield the authority of the Lamb who slays the Dragon through His death is to walk as sheep in the midst of wolves,
Matthew 1:25+21, ‘And he called his name Jesus…for He will save His people from their sins.’ Matthew 2:2, ‘Where is he who has been born King of the Jews?” Matthew 27:37, ‘This is Jesus, the King of the Jews.’ The Magi’s question is never answered in the immediate context. Yes, they find Jesus and worship
Matthew 1:25,21; 2:2; 27:37 Read More »
The seed that fell on the ‘good soil.’ The ‘seed’—which Jesus tells us is the ‘word of the kingdom, 13:19 —is once again depicted as the crucified and risen Jesus Himself. The only saving word that ever has or ever can be spoken, is the word of Who God Is, declared in the flesh of
Parable of the Soils 4/4 (Matthew 13:1-8; 18-23) Read More »
The seed that fell ‘among thorns.’ As in the other pictures, the ‘seed’ (which is the ‘word of the Kingdom’, 13:18) is represented as the Crucified and Risen Jesus. He is the True Word who—being the perfect declaration of who God is—embraces, embodies & fulfills every word of God. In this picture, the resurrection illumined
The Parable of the Soils 3/4 (Matthew 13:1-8; 18-23) Read More »
This second image exposits the seed that fell ‘on rocky ground.’ The ‘seed’ that Jesus tells us is the ‘word of the Kingdom’ (13:18), is ultimately the crucified and risen Jesus Christ Himself. The essence of the ‘Good News’ that Jesus proclaimed (and which His disciples continue to proclaim) is not some*thing*, but some*one*, namely
The Parable of the Soils 2/4 (Matthew 13:1-8; 18-23) Read More »
This first image considers the seed that fell ‘along the path (Matt.13:4,19). First, Jesus tells us that the seed that is sown is the word. Now, the ‘word’ (of God, of the Kingdom, of the Gospel) is ultimately Jesus Christ Himself, as He is known in His Crucifixion and Resurrection (1 Cor.1:17-18ff). Thus the ‘seed’
The Parable of the Soils 1/4 (Matthew 13:1-8; 18-23) Read More »
Matthew 21:9, And the crowds going before Him and the ones following cried out saying: Hosanna to the Son of David; Blessed is the One coming in the Name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest! The words the crowd shouts are taken from Psalm 118:25-26. In verse 27 of that Psalm—following immediately after
Matt. 4:4, ‘It is written, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God” Satan asks Jesus to turn stones into bread in order to prove that He is indeed the Son of God. Except, recall that the Father has just proclaimed Jesus to be
Lam. 2:15-16, ‘All who pass along the way clap their hands at you; they hiss and wag their heads at the daughter of Jerusalem: ‘Is this the city that was called the perfection of beauty, the joy of all the earth?’ All your enemies rail against you; they hiss, they gnash their teeth…’ Jerusalem
Lamentations 2:15-16 Read More »
Mark 10:49, “Take heart, rise, He is calling you.” A quick study shows that the Greek words translated “take heart,” appear in the NT only in relation to Jesus, specifically in instances where Jesus enters in to and meets someone in the midst of their darkness, fear, or suffering (Matt.9:2,22; 14:27, Mk.10:49, Acts 23:11).
Matt. 26:30, “When they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.” The “hymn” that Jesus and His disciples sang here was likely the “Hallel,” which encompasses Psalm 113-118. These Psalms are rich and multifaceted, but a common theme shared amongst them all is YHWH’s deliverance of His people, especially
Peter — “…and going out, he wept bitterly.” Matt.26:75 Judas — “…and going out, he hung himself.” Matt 27:5 Consider the paralleled responses of these two men who both betrayed Jesus. What’s the difference? We aren’t given an in-depth look into either man’s mind or heart and so it is difficult to answer “why”
Matthew 26:75, 27:5 Read More »
Matthew 25:20, “Master, you delivered to me five talents; here, I have made five talents more.” What did the faithful servant do with the talents (an ancient measure for money, probably gold) that his Master had given him? How did he turn the five he received into five more? Was it shrewd investment? Was
Matthew 16:25, “For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.” I’ve written a lot on this verse and on passages like it, but it is a truth that I easily forget and so need to be continually reminded of. Living to preserve,
