Kevin Davis

Exegetical Meditations (36)

Do you want knowledge? What about wisdom? According to the Book of Proverbs, the fear of Yahweh is the beginning of both knowledge and wisdom.

Why is it that fearing Yahweh is related to knowledge and wisdom?

First we probably ought to come to terms with what it is to “fear” Yahweh (God). What usually comes to mind for most of us when we think about fearing God is being afraid of him in the sense that he scares us. Why are we scared of things? Typically it’s because we think whatever it is might hurt us or it could be that we just don’t understanding something, so naturally we’re scared of what might hurt us or what we don’t understand.

New Testament Outline: Matthew 25-28

Matthew 25 — Jesus tells the parable of the ten virgins and the parable of the talents. Then Jesus teaches his disciples about the final judgment.

Matthew 26 — After Jesus finishes teaching his disciples he tells them that he will be crucified. As Jesus and his disciples are in the house of Simon the leper, a woman anoints him. Judas meets with the chief priests about handing Jesus over to them. Jesus celebrates the passover with his disciples and says that one of them will betray him. He establishes the Lord’s Supper. Jesus and the disciples go to the Mount of Olives and he says that Peter will deny him.

Exegetical Meditations (35)

Paul wrote in Colossians 1:16 that all things have been created through Jesus and for Jesus. What does that mean? Thankfully, Paul helps us out by what he wrote earlier in that same verse.

The full statement from Paul is, “For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him.” Here we can see what Paul meant by all things.

New Testament Outline: Matthew 22-24

Matthew 22 — Jesus tells the parable of the wedding feast. After the Pharisees left to plot against Jesus, they send their disciples to ask him about paying taxes to Caesar. Later that same day the Sadducees ask Jesus about the resurrection. Jesus tells them they don’t know the Scriptures or the power of God. After the Pharisees hear that Jesus silenced the Sadducees they come to him and ask him about the great commandment. After, Jesus asks them who the Christ is.

Matthew 23 — Jesus pronounces seven “woes” on the scribes and Pharisees. He tells them they tie up heavy burdens for people, they shut the kingdom of God in people’s faces, they teach wrongly about the temple, they only pay attention to the parts of the Law they like, they make sure they look good even though they’re dead inside, and they kill the prophets sent to them. Jesus then laments over Jerusalem.

New Testament Outline: Matthew 19-21

Matthew 21 — Jesus rides into Jerusalem on a donkey and a colt as those watching shouted in praise. Then Jesus enters the temple and drives out all those who had disgraced the temple. In the morning Jesus curses a fig tree and teaches his disciples about prayer. Jesus enters the temple again and the chief priests and elders question his authority. In response to their questioning Jesus tells the parable of the two sons, and the parable of the tenants.

New Testament Outline: Matthew 17-18

Matthew 17 — Jesus takes Peter, James, and John up on a mountain and is transfigured before them. Jesus told them not to tell anyone about what they saw until he’s raised from the dead. Jesus and his disciples come to a crowd and heal a boy with a demon. Jesus again talks about his impending death and resurrection. The disciples and Jesus come to Capernaum and Jesus has a conversation about the temple tax. He tells Peter to catch a fish and pay the tax with the coin in the fish’s mouth.

Matthew 18 — The disciples come to Jesus and talk to him about who’s the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Jesus speaks to them about the sinful world and temptations to sin. Jesus then tells the parable of the lost sheep.

New Testament Outline: Matthew 13-16

Matthew 13 — Jesus tells a series of parables, he also gives an explanation for why he tells parables, explaining the meaning of the parable of the sower, and explaining the meaning of the parable of the weeds. The parables Jesus tells include: the parable of the sower, the parable of the weeds, the parable of the mustard seed and the leaven, the parable of the hidden treasure, the parable of the pearl of great price, and the parable of the net. After Jesus finished speaking in parables the crowds that had been listening to him took offense at Jesus, so Jesus left without doing many mighty works.

Matthew 14 — John the Baptist is beheaded in prison after Herod threw a party and promised to have his head on a platter.

New Testament Outline: Matthew 9-12

Matthew 9 — Jesus gets into a boat to go to his own country. There he heals a paralytic and then calls Matthew—the tax collector—to follow him. The disciples of John the Baptist come to Jesus to speak to him about fasting then Jesus raises a girl from the dead and heals a woman who had bled for a long time. Two blind men were crying out for Jesus and he healed them along with a man who couldn’t speak. After this and teaching a preaching in all the cities and villages Jesus tells his disciples that the harvest is plentiful but the workers are few.

Matthew 10 — Jesus calls twelve apostles and gave them special authority. Jesus then sends out his twelve apostles to proclaim the kingdom of heaven, heal, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, and cast out demons.

New Testament Outline: Matthew 5-8

Matthew 5 — The crowds gather and Jesus goes up on a mountain to preach. He begins the “Sermon on the Mount” with the “beatitudes”. Jesus then preaches on being salt and light and his work in fulfilling the law. Then Jesus begins a series of statements addressing what his hearers have heard and comparing that with what he says (anger, lust, divorce, retaliation, and love for enemies).

Matthew 6 — The “Sermon on the Mount” continues as Jesus preaches on giving to those who need, prayer, and fasting. Jesus then preaches about treasure, specifically what is valued and where it’s valued. He then preaches to the crowd about anxiety.