Jim’s Blog

Alms, Prayer, & Fasting 6:1-18 How NOT to Give vv. 2-4 Part 3 As is often the case with language and culture there is a blurring of the lines over time. For example, the “Pharisees” and the “Sadducees” emerged as differing religious sub-cultures in the latter half of the second century before Christ. Their sectarian […]

Alms, Prayer, & Fasting 6:1-18 How NOT to Give vv. 2-4 Part 2 This secrecy in giving presents a bit of a conundrum, however. Elsewhere Jesus instructs us to “let your light shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.” How does one do both? […]

Alms, Prayer & Fasting 6: 1-18 Showing Off v. 1 In the Jewish culture of the time there were three religious core values: alms giving, prayer, fasting. All three could be done in secret but they also could be done publicly with great show of piety. One could give to the beggar, and beseech heaven […]

Matthew 5 Love & Hatred vv.43-48 The love of enemies is the ethical bottomline of the Sermon on The Mount. It seems impossible – as does being “perfect” in v. 48. Mind you, to love your enemy is possible, in that love is essentially volitional. On the other hand, to like your enemy is virtually […]

Matt. 5 Retaliation vv. 38-42 – Part 2 Essentially what Jesus is saying here is that we are not to take the law into our own hands. Wrong done to us by an “evil” person does not justify out doing a wrong in return. Indeed, when wrong is met with wrong, the cycle of injustice […]

Matt. 5 Retaliation vv. 38-42 – Part 1 Revenge is not vengeance. Revenge is vindictive. Vengeance, on the other hand, is retributive justice. Revenge is subjective; vengeance is objective. That’s why the victims of an injustice cannot avenge — only a court of law, or better yet, God himself, can bring vengeance. “Vengeance is mine; […]

Matthew 5 Oaths vv. 33-37 – Part 2 “Do not swear falsely by my name and so profane the name of your God. I am the Lord” (Lev.19:12). “You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God…” (Ex. 20:7). In Jewish thought the name of God was binding. To abuse his name by […]

Matthew 5 Oaths vv. 33-37 – Part 1 Human nature being what it is, we humans tend to “look out for Number One.” We seek advantage over our neighbour. We hide our agendas. We tell half truths. And often, we lie. To protect ourselves from the other guy we bring in an outside authority. Business […]

Matthew 5 Divorce vv.31 & 32 – Part 5 Malachi starts the argument by declaring that Israel has one God and a unique covenant. Israel will be his people and he will be their God. But they have become disloyal to their national family (V. 10), their spiritual family (vv. 11,12), and their marriage partners […]