Today’s readings cover the events of Gethsemane, Jesus being brought before Pilate and a Jewish council, and other such well known events of the last days of Jesus. We’ll pick up in  Matthew 26:50- And Jesus said unto him, Friend, wherefore art thou come? Then came they, and laid hands on Jesus, and took him. (KJV) Does Jesus mean it when he refers to Judas as “friend”? Is he making a point by using a term of address that contrasts with “brother,”... Read more

Between a family reunion on the east coast, and a busy work week, I offer a few tidbits on today’s readings. First, though, a note on my work. I’m at BYU for the summer working on their New Testament Commentary series, at the summer seminar. Many people don’t know about either the series or the seminar. This project has been in the works for years and is just now coming to light. This is a formal, scholarly, confessional series of New Testament commentary.... Read more

Today’s chapters continue Jesus’ final sermon at the last supper, which uniquely extends to multiple chapters, only in John. These chapters have some puzzling statements, and are difficult to parse. I don’t have any magic unifying interpretation, so I’ll offer some specific points instead. In terms of structure, 16 still sounds like exposition or sermon, whereas 17 is known as the great intercessory prayer. Were they still in the upper room at that point? Had they gone somewhere? Note that... Read more

Luke 22 opens with “Satan enter[ing] into Judas called Iscariot.” John refers to this as “Satan [had] put into the heart of Judas Iscariot… to betray” Jesus. The heart, in Israelite thought, was not just the center of emotion but also conscious thought and planning. In other words, while we could read Luke as something vaguely like demonic possession, John seems to say that Judas was tempted by the suggestion. (more…) Read more

A short commentary tonight, which I’ll try to update later this week. Matthew 25 is part and parcel of Matthew 24, with two parables further illustrating Jesus’ eschatological themes. (Remember that our biblical chapter and verse divisions are medieval and somewhat artificial, not part of the original text. See here. The oldest divisions in the text are marked in the KJV by the ❡ or paragraph marker.) (more…) Read more

Today we’re covering less territory. In fact, we can focus entirely on one chapter. What’s the setting? A stereotypical collection of tax collectors and sinners on one side, scribes and pharisees on the other.  The second group criticizes Jesus for associating with the first group. Jesus responds to them with three parables. (more…) Read more