Aug 30, 2020
Over three years earlier, Judas was part of a large crowd that followed Jesus intermittently as he traveled Israel. Eventually, Jesus chose twelve men from the crowd to be with him on a daily basis for teaching and training. His intent was to multiply himself as a teacher in his students (Luke 6:12-16). The disciples...
Aug 23, 2020
Jesus was heading south and passed along the border of Galilee and Samaria. Samaria was an area between southern Israel (Judea) and northern Israel (Galilee). The Samaritans were known as half-breed Jews from the Assyrian conquest of 721 B.C. and were hated by northern and southern Israelite Jews (2 Kings 17:22-24).
Aug 16, 2020
While Jesus had healed many just by speaking, here he spits in the dirt and, instead of placing it on the eyelids so it could be wiped off, Jesus wiped it onto his eyes (Gr. epichriō, ‘to smear’). This re-creation of his eyes with dirt and a divine touch parallels God breathing life into Adam after creating him...
Aug 9, 2020
After spending the majority of his ministry within the borders of Israel to the Jews, Jesus goes north to the Gentile region of Tyre and Sidon by the Mediterranean Sea. These two cities were wealthy, coastal shipping ports. They were heavily influenced by sailors and merchants who brought their sinful lifestyles and...
Aug 2, 2020
After Jesus miraculously fed 12-15,000 people, he realized they wanted to start a revolution with him as their leader (Matt. 14:21; John 6:15). Not wanting himself or his disciples to get distracted by political or social issues, he sent them to the other side of the Sea of Galilee in a boat. For believers, good concerns...