BIBLE IN TEN

Matthew 16:16

Monday, 2 February 2026
 
Simon Peter answered and said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Matthew 16:16
 
“And answering, Simon Peter, he said, ‘You, You are the Christ, the Son of God, the living’” (CG).
 
In the previous verse, Jesus, in a question bearing emphasis, asked the disciples who they say He is. A response is given in a similar emphatic form. Matthew begins this statement with, “And answering, Simon Peter, he said.”
 
Simon Peter is generally the one to step forward and speak for the others. He was a bit impetuous, and he was not sound in backing up his faith at times, such as on the night of Jesus’ crucifixion and at the time when Judaizers had come to Antioch. At that time, he waffled in his convictions, withdrew from the Gentiles, and had to be sharply rebuked by Paul for his stand, as recorded in the book of Galatians.
 
However, he was able to clearly express his thoughts to Jesus about who the disciples agreed Jesus was, saying, “You, You are the Christ.”
 
The emphatic “You, You” is given as a response to Jesus’ carefully structured question. The word Christ is the same as the Hebrew mashiakh, Messiah, both of which mean “anointed.” This was both a recurring thing and a unique thing, depending on the situation.
 
Kings were anointed for their position. The high priest was anointed for his. Even Cyrus is called the Lord’s anointed in Isaiah 45:1. It was as if the Lord had personally anointed Cyrus with oil to accomplish a particular task. These and other examples of anointing meant the person was a messiah, a Christ.
 
However, Peter’s words were indicative of One on a completely different level. There was to be a particular Messiah who would come, anointed of God, to fulfill a role that none other could fulfill. This Messiah was to be the specific representative of God on earth.
 
It is true that various scholars and sects had varying opinions about what this would mean, but it was generally agreed within society that One was coming who would be Israel’s redeemer, leading them to a golden “messianic” age where they would lead the nations of the world.
 
At the time of the Roman Empire, the people thought this Messiah’s role would include casting off the Roman oppression and putting Israel over Rome and all other foes. It is certain that none of them, even these disciples, saw Jesus’ role as One who would die for the sins of the people.
It is equally certain that none of these people actually believed that the Messiah would be God incarnate. He may be a “god” to the people, but not Yehovah in the flesh. This was a totally unknown aspect of who Jesus would be.
 
And more, they never, in a thousand lifetimes, would have thought that His messiahship would level the field for Gentiles as well as Jews, offering them the same benefits in the commonwealth of Israel that they would receive. Such an idea would have been totally repugnant to them.
 
As such, Peter’s statement, though true, was not something that meant a whole lot in regard to Jesus’ actual ministry and mission. It was a truth, it was an anticipation of Jesus being the fulfillment of their Scriptures, but it was an almost wholly misunderstood proclamation.
And that is fine. Jesus would slowly reveal this to them, including things that would only be understood after His work was complete and He ascended to heaven. In some cases, like speaking to Gentiles such as Cornelius in Acts 10, it would cause confusion in their minds and generate hostility among one another. The Council of Jerusalem in Acts 15 clearly reveals this. As for Peter’s words, he continues with, “the Son of God, the living.”
 
As noted, this doesn’t mean they understood Jesus to be God incarnate. The term “son of the God” is something that was applied to people throughout the Jewish Scriptures, beginning in Genesis 6:2. Even Gentiles were called “sons of the God” in Job 1:6 and 2:1. It is a title that indicates sonship in an adoptive sense.
 
Peter’s proclamation is an indication that Jesus is One who is set apart in a preeminent position, even if it was still misunderstood exactly what that meant. One other point is that this was something that was already known to Peter quite some time before –
 
“One of the two who heard John speak, and followed Him, was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. 41 He first found his own brother Simon, and said to him, ‘We have found the Messiah’ (which is translated, the Christ). 42 And he brought him to Jesus.Now when Jesus looked at him, He said, ‘You are Simon the son of Jonah. You shall be called Cephas’ (which is translated, A Stone).” John 1:40-42
 
As such, this proclamation of Peter is an adamant assertion of something he and the other disciples already knew. However, Jesus asked it to form the basis of another proclamation that needed to be made at this time.
 
Life application: The most important question any person can ever answer is, “Who is Jesus to you?” In fact, it is a great question to ask when you are about to evangelize someone. The answer to the question will mean where a person spends their eternal existence.
 
If someone says, “I don’t know,” he needs careful instruction. If he says that Jesus was a “good person,” though true, it tends to imply that they have been indoctrinated by liberal ideology to accept Jesus as someone who will illuminate one’s path, but who is on the same level as Buddha, Muhammad, or Gandhi.
 
If the person says, “Jesus is the Savior,” that still needs to be further defined. Jehovah’s Witnesses and Mormons will say Jesus is the Savior, but their understanding of what that means is so vastly different from what is biblical that they are referring to “another Jesus” who proclaims “another gospel.”
 
Jesus is the Yehovah Elohim, the Lord God, in human form, nothing less. If this is not accepted and believed, they are following the wrong Jesus. Be sure to be precise and properly instruct others on who He is and what He means to the people of the world. There is no other subject that is as important as this.
 
Lord God, may we carefully convey the message of who Jesus is to those we interact with. Help us to be bold in our proclamation while being correct in our doctrine concerning Him and what He has done. The world needs Jesus! May we be responsible in telling others about Him so that they may be saved. Amen.
 

Matthew 16:15

Sunday, 1 February 2026
 
He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Matthew 16:15
 
“He says to them, ‘And you, whom you say Me to be?’” (CG).
 
In the previous verse, the disciples answered Jesus’ question concerning who people say He is. They answered, saying that some say John the Baptist or Elijah. Others, however, said He was Jeremiah or one of the prophets. Now that Jesus has been told the general speculation floating around about Him, “He says to them, ‘And you, whom you say Me to be?’”
 
The emphatic nature of the question sets the disciples apart from the others, such as, “Yes, that is fine, but what I am most curious about is who you...  you say I am!” He is looking to see where their understanding of Him rests. But it isn’t that He didn’t already know. Rather, He is getting them to think through what they already know and verbally proclaim it.
 
They have seen the miracles, and they have heard the wisdom of His instructions. They already know what they think about Jesus, but the information needs to be unpackaged and properly presented. Once that is out, they can then reinforce that belief, build upon it, and more boldly proclaim it.
 
Life application: If you ever want to get your thoughts straightened out about something, maybe something you didn’t even know you wanted straightened out, have someone interview you.
 
For example, a college student is told that one of his assignments is to interview three people from three different religions, asking them what they believe and why. The student decides to interview a Muslim, an orthodox Jew, and a Christian radio host.
 
When he interviews them, he has a list of various questions about their faith, why they do certain things, how they perceive God, etc. It is with all certainty that all three of them will come away with more information about themselves than they ever realized.
 
The Muslim is a Muslim because his parents were Muslims. He does XX and XX because that is what he grew up doing. Asked where the basis of that comes from, he has no idea. Asked if it is found in the Koran, he admits he has no idea. Rather, he has never read it.
 
The same is true with the other two as well. They have gone through life never thinking about why they believe what they believe. They just KNOW it is right... well, they think. After the interview, they have no idea exactly why they believe what they believe. Even the Jew spent more time defending his faith from a personal viewpoint than from a valid, researchable, and verifiable source.
 
The Jew said, “We Jews get along really well with Catholics. We are always going to functions with Catholics.” When asked why, his answer was, “We’re a lot alike. Jews and Catholics live for this life. They let the rabbi or priest take care of the next life for us.”
 
He had never thought that through before, but now he is forced to think through why he associates with some and not with others. Hopefully, he will see how exceedingly dangerous his position is. Letting someone else take care of your eternal state! Didn’t Jim Jones do that for his flock in Guyana?
 
Don’t be afraid to put yourself under the microscope and have your views challenged. And don’t be afraid to ask probing questions of others that may help them realize how tenuous their position on faith really is.
 
People need Jesus. If you can’t defend why you believe in Jesus when asked about Him, you will not be a very good representative for His cause. So have someone interview you. Their questions are bound to be like others’ questions. You will be preparing yourself for the inevitable questions that people really want answers to. This is what Jesus has done with His disciples. Now they must stand up and explain themselves. How will that go?
 
Lord God, help us to find ways of properly unpackaging our thoughts so that we know what we actually think and believe. We may know something, but not know why we know it or how to properly defend it. It may even be that we know something that is actually indefensible. Help us to get all of this sorted out. To Your glory, we pray. Amen.

Matthew 16:14

Saturday, 31 January 2026
 
So they said, “Some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” Matthew 16:14
 
“And they said, ‘These, indeed, John the Immerser, and others Elijah, and others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.’” (CG).
 
In the previous verse, Jesus questioned His disciples concerning who men say He is. Matthew next records, “And they said, ‘These, indeed, John the Immerser.’”
 
These words seem confused, just as with Herod’s words in Matthew 14:2, when he said, “This, he is John the Immerser! He, he is aroused from the dead, and through this the miracles work in him!” How could a person who is essentially the same age as John be John if John was only executed a relatively short time before?
 
Two answers could fit. Either John was raised to life, appearing in a different form, or this is what is known as metempsychosis, or soul transmigration, where a soul can enter into another body. Whatever was on the minds of those who held to this view, they claimed that Jesus was John. Next, it says, “and others Elijah.”
 
This belief was seen in some with the same mentality as that found in John 1 –
 
“Now this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, ‘Who are you?’20 He confessed, and did not deny, but confessed, ‘I am not the Christ.’21 And they asked him, ‘What then? Are you Elijah?’He said, ‘I am not.’‘Are you the Prophet?’And he answered, ‘No.’22 Then they said to him, ‘Who are you, that we may give an answer to those who sent us? What do you say about yourself?’” John 1:19-22
 
Based on the words of Malachi 4:5, there was the anticipation of Elijah returning to Israel. Jesus even said that John was Elijah to come in Matthew 11:14, meaning that he came to fulfill that promised role.
 
This was the anticipation of the people of Israel, and so it was a logical extension of the communal thought that permeated the culture. When Jesus came, they thought, “This must be him!” Understanding that, Matthew continues with, “and others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”
 
There is a difference in the word “others” that is not evident in the translation. We have one word that must be further explained, whereas the Greek has two separate words. The first, allos, others, before “Elijah” means others of the same kind. This others, the word heteros, means others of another kind.
 
In other words, there are those with the expectation of someone coming to fulfill Scripture. They didn’t understand that John the Immerser was the precursor of Jesus the Messiah. So both categories, defined by the word allos, were thinking about Elijah, directly or indirectly.
 
On the other hand, the second group, defined by heteros, are just making unfounded guesses, without any scriptural support, as to who Jesus might be. Therefore, they have gone back to Jeremiah or some other prophet, seen a trait in that person as recorded in Scripture, and think he must have come back in the person of Jesus.
 
Life application: Elijah didn’t die. He was taken to heaven in a whirlwind, as recorded in 2 Kings 2:11. Therefore, the Bible can say without any contradiction that Elijah will return. However, it is not the case with John the Immerser, who was beheaded.
 
Hebrews 9:27 says that it is appointed for men to die once, after which comes the judgment. Moses appearing with Jesus on the Mount of Transfiguration does not mean that he has received the judgment and can now return again to be one of the two witnesses in Revelation 11.
 
A point was being made about Jesus being the fulfillment of the law (Moses) and the prophets (Elijah), as well as a point being made about Jesus having power over the living (Elijah) and the dead (Moses).
 
When we die, the chance we have for restoration with God is finished. If we die in Christ, we will be raised to eternal life. If we die apart from Christ, we will be raised for condemnation. This is what the Bible proclaims.
 
Don’t expect any loopholes for yourself or loved ones. Be sure to tell people about Jesus. But also be sure you are right with Jesus. This life is our chance to get the matter of Jesus settled.
 
Lord God, help us to be wise and discerning in this life, not only with our own relationship with You, but also with those we interact with. Help us to share the good news of restoration with those we encounter while there is time. May this be our priority at all times. Amen.

Matthew 16:13

Friday, 30 January 2026
 
When Jesus came into the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, saying, “Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?” Matthew 16:13
 
“And Jesus, having come to the allotments – Caesarea, the Phillipi, He entreated His disciples, saying, ‘Whom they say, the men, Me to be, the Son of Man?’” (CG).
 
In the previous verse, the disciples finally clued in to what Jesus was trying to teach them. His words about the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees were speaking of their evil doctrine. Matthew now continues the narrative of their time after arriving on the eastern shore of the Sea of Galilee, saying, “And Jesus, having come to the allotments – Caesarea, the Phillipi.”
 
A new word, Kaisareia, Caesarea, is introduced. It is derived from Kaisar, Caesar, a Latin word referring to the title of the Roman Emperor. Caesarea refers to two places in the area of Israel. The first is this location, Caesarea Philippi. Of this location, Albert Barnes says –
 
“There were two cities in Judea called Caesarea. One was situated on the borders of the Mediterranean (See the notes at Acts 8:40), and the other was the one mentioned here. This city was greatly enlarged and ornamented by Philip the tetrarch, son of Herod, and called Caesarea in honor of the Roman emperor, Tiberius Caesar. To distinguish it from the other Caesarea the name of Philip was added to it, and it was called Caesarea Philippi, or Caesarea of Philippi. It was situated in the boundaries of the tribe of Naphtali, at the foot of Mount Hermon.”
 
Having come to this general area, “He entreated His disciples, saying, ‘Whom they say, the men, Me to be, the Son of Man?’” Translations consider His words in one of two ways. One is “Whom do men say that I am? The Son of Man?”, or “Whom do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?”
 
The latter is correct. Jesus has referred to Himself as the Son of Man nine times already, making this the tenth. Peter’s answer will also show that He is not asking if people say He is the Son of Man. Rather, He is asking what He, the Son of Man, is called by others. He is preparing them for a great pronouncement by asking this probing question first.
 
Life application: Jesus came to His own country in Matthew 13:53-58. He was rejected by them. In Matthew 14:1-12, the account of the beheading of John the Baptist was given. That was followed by the feeding of the five thousand in Matthew 14:13-21.
 
Jesus then walked on the sea, as is recorded in Matthew 14:22-33. From there, they came to the area of Gennesaret, at which time He fully saved all who simply touched Him. In Matthew 15:1-20, it then noted the traditions of the Jews which Jesus condemned, explaining that what comes out of a man is what defiles, not what enters into him.
 
That was then followed by His journey to the allotments of Tyre and Sidon, where the faith of the Canaanite woman was noted, and her daughter was saved. After that, Jesus went around the Sea of Galilee to the eastern side of it. There, He healed many and eventually fed four thousand. After feeding them, they crossed the Galilee, coming to the region of Magdala.
 
While there, He was accosted by the Pharisees and Sadducees who looked for a sign from heaven. He told them no sign would be given but the sign of Jonah. Once that was complete, they once again crossed the Sea of Galilee to the eastern side, being instructed on the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees. Now in the account, they have remained on this eastern side and gone north to the area of Caesarea Philippi.
 
This crisscrossing of the land and the Sea of Galilee all has a purpose. Jesus’ movements are being used as a walking instructional tool in what God is doing in redemptive history. It is good to stop and reconsider where He has gone and where He is at any given time. By considering these things, we can follow what God is doing in reconciling the world to Himself through Jesus.
 
Each area visited, each topographical marker that is mentioned, and each thing Jesus does is being woven into a marvelous tapestry for us to ponder and learn from. Keep paying attention to the details, both from a micro and macro viewpoint. God is telling us a story of humanity’s long trek back to Him, and it is all centered on Jesus.
 
Lord God, it would make no sense for You to send Your Son into the world unless there was something to be gained from it. His life of trials and burdens, culminating in His cross and resurrection, tells us that there is a great plan that has been put in place to bring Your people to a place we cannot even imagine at this time. We are grateful to be on this journey because of Jesus! Thank You for the sure hope we possess. Amen.

Matthew 16:12

Thursday, 29 January 2026
 
Then they understood that He did not tell them to beware of the leaven of bread, but of the doctrine of the Pharisees and Sadducees. Matthew 16:12
 
“Then they comprehended that not He said to caution from the leaven – the bread, but from the teaching – the Pharisees and Sadducees” (CG).
 
In the previous verse, Jesus explicitly told the disciples that He didn’t speak to them about bread, but about the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees. With His words spoken to them, the light bulb came on. Matthew says, “Then they comprehended.”
 
Jesus took the disciples through an instructional process to help them learn how to think clearly. Instead of just saying what He was talking about, He asked them questions that would help them to think through the matter.
 
With the questions complete, He then told them what He was talking about while still using the leaven metaphor. From there, they would have to make the final leap from the metaphor to the matter He was addressing, which was, “that not He said to caution from the leaven – the bread.”
 
They now know it isn’t leaven of bread. Jesus told them He was referring to the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees. As Pharisees and Sadducees are not loaves walking around, either leavened or unleavened, Jesus had to be referring to something else while using a metaphor.
 
With this understood, they were able to deduce that it wasn’t really leaven He was addressing, “but from the teaching – the Pharisees and Sadducees.”
 
This is their lightbulb moment. Jesus has successfully schooled them on a matter while giving them a warning about that matter. What the Pharisees and Sadducees had asked from Jesus was hypocritical, wicked, and adulterous according to Jesus’ words to them.
 
Understanding this, Jesus then let the disciples know that such people, who ask for signs when there are already signs galore to confirm what they had wanted, are false teachers. As false teaching comes from a sinful heart, their doctrine itself is sinful.
 
Jesus told the disciples to beware of their doctrine, meaning concerning the things of God, because the source of what they taught was corrupt. This is essentially the message Jesus conveys to them. It is somewhatone analogous to what He said to them earlier concerning false prophets –
 
“From their fruits you will recognize them. Not any, they gather from thorns a grape or from thistles figs? 17Thus, every good tree, it produces good fruit. And the rotten tree, it produces evil fruit. 18Not, it can, a good tree, bad fruit produce, nor a rotten tree good fruit produce. 19Every tree not producing good fruit, it is exscinded, and it is cast into fire. 20Hence, from their fruits you will know them.” Matthew 7:16-20
 
Life application: These leaders in Israel were to be obeyed in accordance with the law. Jesus will make this explicit in Matthew 23. However, the disciples were told to beware of what they taught, as it was an infection that would only lead people away from a sound relationship with God.
 
Nothing has changed with Israel’s religious leaders since then. The rabbis teach what is contrary to what God has determined, meaning salvation by faith through grace, as is found in the gospel of Jesus Christ. This is what God is doing. If they are teaching contrary to that, they are not teaching what God is doing.
 
This is such a sad situation for the people that many rabbis over the years have been proclaimed the Messiah. Today in Israel, there are billboards and banners along the highways proclaiming one person or another is the Messiah.
 
Until they get this right, as a nation, they will remain under the curse of the law. However, isn’t this what has happened in Christian circles many times as well? Throughout church history, a litany of false teachers has claimed they were God’s representative on earth.
 
There are people who have started aberrant cults and sects. There are those who claim the Messiah is alive today and he lives in the Philippines, Russia, Miami, and elsewhere. Why is this the way it is? It is because in both Israel and throughout the rest of the world, people don’t take the time to learn the Bible.
 
In not knowing the Bible, we cannot know if what we are being told is true or not about what God is doing. All we have to lean on is what we are told and whatever discernment we possess. Unfortunately, quite often those who claim the “gift” of discernment are the ones lacking even a modicum of it.
 
It is important for us to read the Bible. It has been given to keep us from being led down the primrose path. Be sure to use wisdom, pick it up, and read it!
 
Lord God, You have said in Your word that there is a proper path leading to restoration with You. If there is a proper path, then not being on it will not lead to that restoration. Help us to be wise and discerning concerning such things. May we be willing to put in the effort necessary to hold fast to You alone by knowing how to do so through Your word. Amen.

Matthew 16:11

Wednesday, 28 January 2026
 
How is it you do not understand that I did not speak to you concerning bread?—but to beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” Matthew 16:11
 
“How not you recollect that I spoke not concerning bread to you! Caution from the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees” (CG).
 
In the previous verse, Jesus continued His reminders to the disciples concerning His miracles, specifically the giving of the bread to four thousand, which was followed by collecting seven large hampers of leftovers. Because of this, He incredulously asks, “How not you recollect that I spoke not concerning bread to you!”
 
He had multiplied bread to feed many thousands on two separate occasions. And more, there was enough bread left over that people could have grabbed a snack for the journey on the way. So why would He care about the disciples not bringing bread? He wouldn’t. Something entirely different was on His mind. That is stated with the words, “Caution from the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.”
 
There are two small changes in some of the texts –
 
How not you recollect that I spoke not concerning bread to you, but to caution from the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.
How not you recollect that I spoke not concerning bread to you! Caution from the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.
 
Either way, the sense is understood. In the second example, there seems to be a bit of impatience implied in the response, something that would be completely understandable. Jesus’ words in verse 6 said, “You behold, and you caution from the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.”
 
Not getting the metaphorical nature of His words, they had assumed He was upset that they hadn’t brought bread. But now, after reminding Him that He could multiply bread at will, He restates what He had originally said to them, if not a bit more impatiently. He wants them to contemplate the metaphor without His having to explicitly explain it.
 
Life application: What Jesus is doing is instructional. Instead of just outright telling the disciples what He means, He gives them a chance to think through the words. Teachers may do this in class.
 
Instead of saying what the answer to a problem is, they may restate it as a question. In doing this, it forces the students to think through what the teacher intends to say. Otherwise, the students may hear the information in one ear, and it will go right out the other.
 
However, when confronted with the chance to appear smart or refrain from looking uninformed, the question will cause each person to pay attention and contemplate what is on the teacher’s mind.
 
An even more subtle approach is what Jesus did. He didn’t ask a question. Instead, He said something intending for a metaphor to be considered, but knowing that probably wouldn’t be understood at first.
 
Then, after seeing the frustration of the disciples, He takes time to explain why their thinking is askew, and then He restates the original question, implying a demand for them to think again about what they had originally considered.
 
Suppose a person who owns a bell factory is getting married. He walks into the company and says, “I hear bells ringing soon.” The employees may say, “We are working on the whole new line. They should be ready soon!”
 
But the owner repeats his original statement, “I hear bells ringing SOON.” By repeating the same thing, he is letting them know he didn’t mean what they thought he meant. By adding stress, he asks them to reconsider the entire paradigm. Searching the recent past, they remember that the boss has been doting on Polly Pretty a lot lately.
 
Suddenly, the bells in their own minds ring clearly. The boss is talking about getting married. The metaphor is not only understood, but it has also been highlighted for them to joke about and reconsider in the years ahead. Jesus has used such a tool. That has now been reiterated to us in millions and millions of copies of the Bible for the past two thousand years.
 
We have learned, explicitly, what leaven is to be equated to when we read the Bible.
 
Lord God, we love how Your word instructs us. Again and again, teaching techniques are used that are intended to help us perfect our doctrine and also remember lessons that may otherwise escape our memories. But because of the way the word is laid out, we will remember many details as clearly as the ringing of a bell. Thank You for this. Amen.
 

Matthew 16:10

Tuesday, 27 January 2026
 
Nor the seven loaves of the four thousand and how many large baskets you took up? Matthew 16:10
 
“Nor the seven loaves – the four thousand, and how many hampers you took?” (CG).
 
In the previous verse, Jesus reminded the disciples about the five loaves of the five thousand, asking them to recollect how many handbaskets they had taken up. He next reminds them of the second feeding of a multitude, saying, “Nor the seven loaves – the four thousand.”
 
If the chronology is as recorded by Matthew, this was a very recent event. It is recorded in Matthew 15:32-38, as the chapter closed out. Therefore, unless the events are not chronological, it has been an extremely short period of time since then.
 
They went to the area of Magdala, had an interaction with the Pharisees and Sadducees, and then they departed. Upon their departure to the other side, Jesus warned them about the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees. The implication is that all of this was in a very short time span. And yet, Jesus is questioning them about what happened, as if they had completely forgotten. He continues with, “and how many hampers you took?”
 
The answer is seven hampers, meaning big basketfuls, of leftovers. How they could have forgotten that and worried about not having taken bread is a bit astonishing.
 
Life application: Despite being incredible that the disciples forgot the great thing Jesus did, how can we look down on them for having done so? Do we remember what Jesus did for us? He saved us from the power of sin and the hand of the devil.
 
One would think we would be constantly and eternally grateful for this. And yet, how often do we forget as we go through our daily lives? We may go back and do some of the stupid things we once did, or we may find some other thing that we never did before and pick up that habit.
 
Instead of living holy lives and honoring Him, we fail Him often. Imagine the words He would say to us! “Don’t you remember the pit you were in? Don’t you remember the joy of the day you first believed? How can it be that you have forgotten those things and have picked up the ways of the world again?”
 
The good news is, Jesus didn’t say, “You guys can’t be my disciples anymore. Your memory is short, and your level of understanding isn’t up to par.” Rather, He continued to work with them despite their many faults and limitations. And He will continue to work through those He has saved throughout the ages.
 
We are fallible creatures doing an imperfect job in telling the world about the goodness of God in Christ. This is how Jesus has set things up, and it is how God is being glorified as the years pass. When people point their finger at you and say, “You aren’t a good Christian because of XXX,” you can respond, “XXX is why I am a Christian. Jesus saved imperfect me. I understand my faults, and Jesus does too. We are in the process of getting me to be more like Him. That is why I need Jesus!”
 
If we were all perfected when we came to Christ, there would be no need for us to grow in Him. We wouldn’t be dependent on Him for our walk. But just as the universe is being held together by the power of His word, we are continually being saved by the power of His all-sufficient atonement.
 
Thank God for Jesus Christ, who has accepted us and granted us eternal life. How great He is! Let us not forget the great thing He has done and is doing for us. Praise God for His goodness to us.
 
Lord God, thank You for the surety we possess because of Jesus. We are ever-unfaithful, and yet You are ever forgiving of it because You have saved us through the fully sufficient sacrifice of Jesus. Despite our faults and waywardness, we are Yours. Hallelujah! Hooray for Jesus! Amen.
 

Matthew 16:9

Monday, 26 January 2026
 
Do you not yet understand, or remember the five loaves of the five thousand and how many baskets you took up? Matthew 16:9
 
“You grasp, not yet, nor you recollect the five loaves – the five thousand, and how many handbaskets you took?” (CG).
 
In the previous verse, Jesus called the disciples little-faithed for thinking His words were about not having brought bread. Now, He continues His rebuke, saying, “You grasp, not yet, nor you recollect.”
 
Two new words are seen here. The first is oupó, not yet. It is derived from ou, no, or not, and po, an enclitic particle of indefiniteness meaning yet, or even. Taken together, they form the thought of “not yet.” The disciples were slow on the uptake, and Jesus is letting them know it is so.
 
The second new word is mnémoneuó [mnay-mon-YOO-oh], to exercise the memory. Thus, it signifies to recollect or remember. Jesus is letting them know that they need to pay attention, consider, exercise their memories, and recollect what had already taken place... right in front of their eyes.
 
What they needed to recollect is a continuation of the question, saying, “the five loaves – the five thousand, and how many handbaskets you took?”
 
These same men had been with Jesus when there was almost nothing to eat, and yet, from five loaves, He had multiplied the bread to feed five thousand people. The disciples were not thinking things through clearly. But Jesus isn’t done yet. He has more to remind them before He finishes.
 
Life application: What is it that is causing you to question your faith, or to lack faith in something the Bible says? If you believe the word, you will remember that the Bible says God created everything by simply speaking the word. The Bible also says that everything is currently being held together by the power of that same word.
 
God fashioned every living thing on the planet to do certain things. For example, bees spend their lives gathering nectar to make honey. God had to design everything in the process of making honey to work together. There have to be flowers that make nectar.
 
There needs to be bees to gather the nectar. At the same time, they pollinate other flowers and plants as they move around. There has to be rain and sunshine for the plants to grow. Bees have to have a little compass in their heads to direct them. There has to be a communication system set up for them to tell other bees about where the best spots to go are.
 
Really... think about it. You could spend all day thinking of things necessary for bees to make honey. And even then, you still wouldn’t have all of the parameters necessary for it to happen. And yet, everything has been set up by God so that we have honey.
 
If He puts this much attention into such a process, don’t you think He is tending to the fulfillment of His word to His people? Think of all that it has taken to preserve Israel. They became a nation and have endured for thousands of years, despite all that the Bible and recorded history tell us has come upon them.
 
But His word said this would be the case. We are without excuse in believing that God can do what His word says. The evidence is right in front of us in ten jillion ways. Don’t be discouraged or disheartened about whether God will fulfill His word to you. He will.
 
When all is said and done, there will be a life for us that is so much more wonderful than this one that we cannot even imagine what lies ahead. Have faith! God has got everything under control. Be confident of this.
 
Lord God, we do have moments of weakness from time to time. Help us in such times to remember all that You have done and are doing. Our insignificant little issues will fall into their proper place in our minds when we consider all You are doing. Surely, You have all things under control! Amen and amen.
 

Matthew 16:8

Sunday, 25 January 2026
 
But Jesus, being aware of it, said to them, “O you of little faith, why do you reason among yourselves because you have brought no bread? Matthew 16:8
 
“And Jesus, having known, said to them, ‘Why – you deliberate in yourselves, little-faithed? Because you took no bread?’” (CG).
 
In the previous verse, the disciples reasoned that Jesus’ words concerning the Pharisees and Sadducees were because they had taken no bread. Matthew continues the narrative with, “And Jesus, having known.”
 
Matthew doesn’t say how He knew. Mark doesn’t provide any extra info. He may have known their thoughts, reasoned it out by watching them, or He may have overheard them. Whatever transpired, He knew and “said to them, ‘Why – you deliberate in yourselves, little-faithed?’”
 
Notice how He didn’t rebuke them for not reasoning the matter through, but for their lack of faith. In this case, the two do complement each other, but they are distinct enough to show where their true problem resided, which is a lack of faith.
 
They had failed to consider Jesus, what He had done, and the outcome of the things He did. He will explain this to them in the next few verses, but for now, this verse finishes with, “Because you took no bread?”
 
Jesus gets to the heart of their faith problem. They are worried that they failed to bring bread, not having taken the time to think through Jesus’ words about leaven. If their faith in Jesus and His capabilities was properly directed and sufficiently strong, they would have either reasoned through what He was talking about or come and asked Him to explain things.
 
Life application: Jesus’ words concerning faith are, at times, taken to unintended extremes. This is quite common among charismatic denominations. They make claims based on their supposed faith concerning healing, financial success, obtaining a goal, etc. They will even make claims about changing the weather, such as not being harmed by a hurricane, earthquake, tornado, etc.
 
As ridiculous as that may sound, it is as common as drumbeats on a Beatles album. This unbalanced faith-driven mentality is used to demonstrate a supposed superiority over others who don’t make such claims, such as “You got sick because you are lacking faith” or “You didn’t get the promotion you wanted because you lacked faith.”
 
This type of attitude demonstrates a lack of understanding of the true purpose of faith, and it dismisses many facts, both from a scriptural sense as well as from the perspective of how things work in the world.
 
Claiming something you want, like a financial breakthrough, is not a demonstration of faith. It is a self-centered attitude that does nothing to glorify God. The fact is that God uses troubles, trials, and hardships in our lives to mold us and instruct us.
 
It may be that our affliction is intended to lead others to a relationship with God or a right understanding of His word. When we have a desire, we should pray about it, knowing that God is fully capable of granting it, but we should also understand that He is not obligated to make it come about.
 
All people suffer loss. One cannot faith-claim away death from those around him. To blame God after our little demands aren’t granted is also a nonsensical way of handling our relationship with Him.
 
If you sit down with people who have this faith-claim attitude and explore their knowledge of the Bible or doctrines that stem from the Bible, you will normally find that they are lacking in real biblical understanding.
 
Don’t feel like your level of faith isn’t what it should be based on such people. You will never win at that game. Rather, let your faith be directed to what is reasonable and in accord with the words of Scripture. With this attitude, you will have a proper balance in your relationship with God.
 
Lord God, help us to rightly direct our faith as we walk in this fallen world. It is true that faith can move mountains, but it is also true that You may not want us to move a particular mountain. Help our faith to be properly directed and motivated through the desire to glorify You. Amen.

Matthew 16:7

Saturday, 24 January 2026
 
And they reasoned among themselves, saying, “It is because we have taken no bread.” Matthew 16:7
 
“And they deliberated in themselves, saying, ‘Because not we took bread!’” (CG).
 
In the previous verse, Jesus said to the disciples to beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees. Because of Jesus’ words, not understanding the metaphor He spoke to them, Matthew records, “And they deliberated in themselves.”
 
A new word, dialogizomai, to reckon thoroughly, is seen. When one reckons a matter, he deliberates. HELPS Word Studies says, “properly, go back-and-forth when evaluating, in a way that typically leads to a confused conclusion. The term implies one confused mind interacting with other confused minds, each further reinforcing the original confusion.”
 
This word is only found in the synoptic gospels. At times, such as in Luke 1:29, it signifies an internal pondering or musing over a situation. In this case, however, any internal musing spilled over into dialogue where they deliberated the words of Jesus, “saying, ‘Because not we took bread!’”
 
Not understanding Jesus’ intent concerning His words about the Pharisees and Sadducees, they could only grasp at straws about what He meant. Eventually, they came to the faulty conclusion that He must be scolding them for not bringing bread. Thus, they assumed Jesus meant their shortsightedness would leave them hungry on their journey.
 
Life application: The definition concerning the word dialogizomai given by HELPS words studies spoke of a confused conclusion, which resulted from one confused mind interacting with other confused minds. Because they have started with the wrong premise, their conclusions will be faulty.
 
This pretty much sums up any rapture discussion board you may go to. People start with a faulty premise. In doing so, their analyses will always end with faulty conclusions. Jesus’ last words to His disciples were based on a question they proposed to Him –
 
“Therefore, when they had come together, they asked Him, saying, ‘Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?’ 7 And He said to them, ‘It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority. 8 But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.’” Acts 1:6-8
 
Paul, when referring to the timing of the rapture, uses Jesus’ words to explain end times matters –
 
“But concerning the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need that I should write to you. 2 For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night.” 1 Thessalonians 5:1, 2
 
The Lord, through His word, has told us that we are simply not going to know when the rapture will take place. That is the end of the matter... well, unless you think you are smarter than God. And so people constantly and nauseatingly come up with a constant stream of predictions as to when the rapture will take place.
 
This has been going on for two thousand years. Eventually, some false prediction is bound to correspond to the day, merely because every day, someone has a false prediction about the rapture.
 
There will be no reward for “getting it right” by such a person. In fact, there will be no rewards for having wasted one’s life sitting on rapture boards with other ill-informed people, deliberating a day that we are told we will not be able to identify. Instead, there will be many who stand before the Lord and have absolutely nothing of value to present to Him for the lives they lived.
 
It is even questionable if many of these rapture seekers are even saved. The best way to avoid coming to faulty conclusions because of debating with confused-minded people is to not bother debating with them.
 
Instead, read your Bible, study it carefully, and be ready to tell people about the goodness of God in Christ. This is what we have been tasked with, so be about that good business. The Lord will come when He comes. Let’s leave that to Him.
 
Lord God, help us not to get caught up in sensationalism, predictions about things we are told we will not know, and focusing on the nothingness of useless banter about unproductive things. Instead, may our deliberations be based on what is sound, reasonable, and glorifying of You. Amen.

Matthew 16:6

Friday, 23 January 2026
 
Then Jesus said to them, “Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the Sadducees.” Matthew 16:6
 
“And Jesus, He said to them, ‘You behold, and you caution from the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees’” (CG).
 
In the previous verse, it was noted that the disciples had forgotten to take bread as they traveled. Matthew next records, “And Jesus, He said to them, ‘You behold, and you caution from the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.’”
 
Leaven, yeast, is something that has been noted many times in Scripture. It was something the people knew was forbidden during the Passover –
 
“Seven days you shall eat unleavened bread. On the first day you shall remove leaven from your houses. For whoever eats leavened bread from the first day until the seventh day, that person shall be cut off from Israel. 16 On the first day there shall be a holy convocation, and on the seventh day there shall be a holy convocation for you. No manner of work shall be done on them; but that which everyone must eat—that only may be prepared by you. 17 So you shall observe the Feast of Unleavened Bread, for on this same day I will have brought your armies out of the land of Egypt. Therefore you shall observe this day throughout your generations as an everlasting ordinance. 18 In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month at evening, you shall eat unleavened bread, until the twenty-first day of the month at evening. 19 For seven days no leaven shall be found in your houses, since whoever eats what is leavened, that same person shall be cut off from the congregation of Israel, whether he is a stranger or a native of the land. 20 You shall eat nothing leavened; in all your dwellings you shall eat unleavened bread.” Exodus 12:15-20
 
Elsewhere, leaven is forbidden at various times during the instructions for the sacrificial offerings, etc. The disciples would probably not understand Jesus’ words outside of that type of context.
 
In Hosea 7:4, the use of leaven is used in a metaphorical sense, but it is not a verse that most people would look at and understand the scriptural idea that is to be explained by Jesus. There, it says –
 
“They are all adulterers.Like an oven heated by a baker—He ceases stirring the fire after kneading the dough,Until it is leavened.” Hosea 7:4
 
Jesus used leaven in a parable in Matthew 13:33. That too would be tough to get metaphorical meaning out of unless the disciples specially asked Him what He was talking about. In Matthew 13:51, Jesus asked the disciples if they understood everything He had spoken to them, but it is questionable if they understood it as He is now relaying.
 
Their thoughts would be directed to Jesus’ words being literal, something Matthew will confirm.
 
Life application: As you read the Bible, there are thoughts that are presented, such as having no leaven in the house during the time of Passover and Unleavened Bread. It is right to stop and ask why that would be included.
 
Eventually, when you get to the New Testament, the idea of leaven being a metaphor for sin is explained several times. As this is so, we can know exactly why the Lord instructed the people as He did.
 
It was an instructional tool to teach us about the nature of sin, how God would deal with it in Christ, and our responsibilities, as well as our position in Christ. Because it is explained in the New Testament, we should go no further with metaphorical applications. Scripture has interpreted Scripture –
 
“Your glorying is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump? 7 Therefore purge out the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, since you truly are unleavened. For indeed Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us. 8 Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.” 1 Corinthians 5:6-8
 
Look for the meaning of things in the unfolding pages of Scripture. If no explanation is given, then careful thought should be given to why certain things are presented. Don’t just make stuff up out of your head.
 
Instead, let the Bible provide insights into the typology. If it is correct, a panorama of interesting information will arise that will then be consistent throughout the rest of Scripture. If this doesn’t happen and things don’t fit elsewhere, it means your original idea was not correct.
 
Be careful and contemplative as you consider what the word is saying.
 
Lord God, what a great and precious word You have given us. May we handle it carefully and analyze it in hope of finding what You intend for it to say, not what we want it to say. Help us in this endeavor, O God. Amen.
 

Matthew 16:5

Thursday, 22 January 2026
 
Now when His disciples had come to the other side, they had forgotten to take bread. Matthew 16:5
 
“And His disciples, having come to the beyond, they overlooked to take bread” (CG).
 
In the previous verse, Jesus rebuked the Pharisees and Sadducees for having sought after a sign. From there, it says He left them and departed. The meaning of where He departed to will be found in the next words, “And His disciples, having come to the beyond.”
 
In Matthew, it isn’t obvious where Jesus is at this time. The reason is that in verse 15:39, it says that Jesus got into a boat and came to the region of Magdala. Nothing is said about His disciples, which is usually the case.
 
However, Mark specifically notes that they all had traveled together. Therefore, they have gone from the eastern shore of the sea to the borders of Magdala (Dalmanutha in Mark). Jesus talked to the Pharisees and Sadducees in that area. They then went back to the eastern side of the sea. When there, Matthew records, “they overlooked to take bread.”
 
A new word is seen here, epilanthanomai, to lose out of mind. It is derived from epi, upon, and lanthanó, to escape notice. The sense, then, is a focus on the consequences that arise when one forgets. The word overlook is a suitable match for what the Greek signifies.
 
Because of this oversight on their part, the disciples will misunderstand what Jesus will next convey to them.
 
Life application: It is interesting that Matthew did not record if the disciples traveled with Jesus in Matthew 15:39. Nor did he mention if His disciples went with Him in verse 16:4. Because of that, one might question if His disciples came to Him in Magdala in verse 16:5 or if He and His disciples traveled together to the eastern shore.
This is unlike Matthew’s normal precision concerning Jesus’ travels, but it shows that the accounts are dependent on each other to fully understand what is going on. And yet, each is a single whole that gives exactly what is needed to meet the intent of the narrative.
 
The Bible does this in both testaments. Each main narrative is sufficient for the purpose being conveyed, but there are details that must be determined from other narratives to see the full scope of what actually happened.
 
A long and detailed example is found between the details of the books of Kings and the books of the Chronicles. They each provide the necessary information to understand the intent of the books, and yet, without having both of them, there seem to be contradictions in the timing of the kings’ histories.
However, when placed side by side and along with an understanding of the type of dating used by each author, the histories come together to form a complete whole. Along with that, adding in the overlapping historical and prophetic narratives found in other books, an even more detailed understanding of what is being conveyed comes into focus.
 
This is true with the book of Acts and the epistles as well. Taken together, the timing and details of what occurred at various times are more fully understood. And so, what we have is a collection of books that are independently sufficient for the intended purpose being conveyed, but they are actually all dependent on the whole for the entire panorama of God’s redemptive purposes to be fully understood.
Without including all sixty-six books, there would be a deficiency in knowing what the ultimate purpose of Scripture is. There would also be an unraveling of being sure of the authenticity of the books.
 
Therefore, the Bible is like a tapestry that has been perfectly woven together. By pulling out one string, the book would unravel in its perfectly harmonious intent.
 
This pattern is followed by authors of series today. Each book written by an author is an independent whole, but when details refer forward or back to other books, you can say, “Ah ha! I see why this happened in that other book!”
There was no lack in the other book. And yet, there is a synchronization of all of the books that forms a complete panorama of the intent of the author. The difference, however, is that the Bible spans about fifteen hundred years and has about forty human authors.
 
And yet, it is a perfectly harmonious whole where thousands of years later, people are still finding new insights, almost daily, where it can be said, “Ah ha! I see why this happened in that other book!”
 
As the majority of the human authors had no idea who the other authors were, having come from different lands and different times, it means that the Bible is either the greatest fluke in human literary history, or it is truly the divinely inspired word of God. By faith, you can choose to believe the latter. That would be the wise course to take.
 
Lord God, we confidently receive the Bible as a reliable record of Your dealings with humanity as You work to reconcile us to You through the span of history. We know what we possess, and we thank You for it. Be glorified, O God, in our cherishing and careful handling of this precious word. Amen.