Author: Jim Cantelon

October 14, 2020

Matthew 5 Divorce vv.31 & 32 – Part 1 Here in the twenty-first century we live in an era of disposable relationships. Nearly one in two marriages ends in divorce. We accept it, even though it is often painful. And, increasingly, young couples are choosing cohabitation without the legal trappings of marriage. It’s a way of avoiding red tape when the inevitable breakup occurs. The breakup will occur. or, so we believe. Very few expect to marry for life. So it’s a bit of jolt to red Jesus’ prohibition of divorce. It seems harsh. But let’s look at the context. Marriage,...

Read Mark 5

Key Verse: Mark 5:34 “…your faith has made you well. Go in peace, and be healed…” Here we have the stories of a dead girl and a sick woman. The woman had an affliction which had disabled her for twelve years. What’s more, it brought with it a ceremonial uncleanness– which meant she was a bit of an outcast. Because of this, she lived with a deep sense of shame, affecting her self-esteem and self-confidence to the point where she would shrink from coming to Jesus openly and of easily confessing afterwards that she’d touched Him. The dead girl, on the other...

Read Mark 4

Key Verse: Mark 4:9 “He who has ears to hear, let him hear!” This has been called by some commentators the chapter of parables. Mark suggests in verses 2, 33 & 34, that the parables here are just some of the many Jesus taught. Two of them deal with the kingdom and what the kingdom of heaven is like; they other two talk about a proper responses to the gospel. Just a few comments about that first parable, that of the sower. It is not so much about seed or sowers, as it is about soil. Broadcasting or scattering seed was often used as an illustration of the act of teaching, and the...

Read Mark 3

Key Verse: Mark 3:27 “Stretch out your hand…” Two things stand out in this chapter. First of all, Jesus heals someone who has had a withered hand all his life. Notice that Jesus asks a man who has never used his hand before to stretch it out. This seems to be a rather unreasonable demand. The man probably expected Jesus to take the initiative in this healing; instead, He looks at the man and says, “You take the initiative. You stretch out your hand.” So he did. As he made the attempt, Jesus empowered him. This is a good word to us. When we seek God’s touch...

Read Mark 2

Key Verse: Mark 2:17 “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance. In this chapter, Jesus really does and says some radical things. First of all, He heals a paralytic which in itself is outstanding, but precedes the healing by saying to this fellow who has dropped in from the roof, “Son, your sins are forgiven”. It’s no wonder the teachers of the Law were upset. Nobody has the right to forgive sins but God alone, and I think we would all agree with their comment. But the fact...

October 7, 2020

Matthew 5 Adultery and Lust vv. 27-30 To be clear, the Old Testament injunction against adultery is about more than sex. Mainly it’s about property. As grating as we may find patriarchy today, the fact is that the Old Testament Israelite culture was totally patriarchal. The man was king. His wife/wives, his children, his entire household were, in their entirety, his property. He could divorce his wife at will. He could even sell his children, just as he might sell an ox. His dwelling compound was his own little fortress. Any break in by a thief was not just an intrusion but an assault...

Read Mark 1

Key Verse: Mark 1:15 “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the Gospel.” After Mark tells us about John the Baptist and his ministry of repentance in preparing for the coming of Messiah, he immediately gets into the ministry of Jesus. Jesus’ ministry is characterized by the message, “the kingdom of God is near, repent and believe the good news”. (Repentance is fundamental in Jesus’ ministry. It is seen in terms of turning around and walking away from one’s sin.) We see Him calling the disciples in verses 14-20,...

Read Matthew 25

Key Verse: Matthew 25:23 “…you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things.” The parable of the ten maidens is very much a one-point parable. Jesus had just talked to His disciples about the signs of the times and importance of keeping watch in anticipation of the coming of the bridegroom. Here is a parable which stresses again the importance of keeping watch. It is simple but profound. Jesus tells all who anticipate the coming of the Bridegroom, all who are looking forward to the coming of the King, that they should stay alert because we don’t...

October 5, 2020

It’s a big world out there. The mind is boggled by reports of natural disasters ( eg. wild fires on the west coast of America), wars ( latest being Armenia vs Azerbaijan), widespread corruption (read: government leaders everywhere), and relentless surges of Covid. Could bring on a surge of depression! Nevertheless the critical mass of human energy, history, and resilience continues to prevail. What’s more, for those who have faith in a sovereign and loving Creator, there is much more hope than despair. My grandmother used to say of adversity,” This too shall pass”. She...

Read Matthew 26

Key Verse: Matthew 26:11 “You have the poor with you always, but Me you do not have always.” This chapter is the beginning of what is known as the passion narrative–the story of the arrest, trial, crucifixion, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. It begins with Jesus Himself predicting that at the Passover He would be handed over to be crucified. It’s at this point the chief priest and the elders of the people plot to kill Jesus, but they don’t want to do it during the feast of unleavened bread, which begins at the Passover, because they feel that there would be a...

Read Matthew 27 & 28

Key Verse: Matthew 28:6 “He is not here; for He is risen, as he said.” The account of Jesus’ resurrection is foundational to Christian faith. In fact, all of New Testament theology presupposes resurrection, and Paul, in 1 Corinthians 15, says that if Christ is not risen, our faith is in vain. Why? Because if Christ be not risen, then the central point of His teaching is in question. He says that He is the Son of God, and as such He should be able to rise above mere human mortality, as human as He was. If He, like us, is mastered by the grave, then however kind, good, loving,...

Read Matthew 24

Key Verse: Matthew 24:42 “Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming.” The subject of the end of the age is something that has been written and preached about to the point where one wonders if anything original can be said. So there’s no need to delineate all of the various details of this chapter and speculate as to their possible fulfillment, but there are a few things that jump out at you. It starts with the disciples asking Jesus the question of what will be the sign of His coming and the end of the age. Jesus responds by mentioning four things:...