“At that time Herod the tetrarch heard about the fame of Jesus” (Matthew 14:1 ESV). This was Herod the “tetrarch” (“ruler of a quarter”), not Herod the Great. He was one of the sons of Herod the Great, and was better known as Herod “Antipas” (“anti + pater” meaning “against the father”). After the death
‘He told them another parable. “The kingdom of heaven is like leaven that a woman took and hid in three measures of flour, till it was all leavened”‘ (Matthew 13:33 ESV). Jesus often spoke in parables when describing the kingdom of heaven. In this parable, He compared it to leaven. Leaven is an ingredient, typically
“Now Joseph had been brought down to Egypt” (Genesis 39:1 ESV). Joseph was brought “down to Egypt.” The Lord’s plan to elevate Joseph over his brethren, and one day rescue them from famine, led downward. The dreamer found himself in a nightmare. Down, down, down he went. The once favored son was betrayed by his
“Then Midianite traders passed by. And they drew Joseph up and lifted him out of the pit, and sold him to the Ishmaelites for twenty shekels of silver. They took Joseph to Egypt” (Genesis 37:28 ESV). Jacob’s sons were jealous of their brother, Joseph. He was the favored son of Jacob’s favorite wife, Rachel, who
“A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not quench, until he brings justice to victory; and in his name the Gentiles will hope” (Matthew 12:20-21 ESV). The Spirit inspired Matthew to quote the Messianic prophecy from Isaiah 42:3 as being fulfilled in Jesus. For the type of justice and
“There he erected an altar and called it El-Elohe-Israel” (Genesis 33:20 ESV). As he entered the Promised Land, Jacob built an altar to God near Shechem, just as his grandfather Abraham had once done (Gen. 12:7). However, Jacob no longer referred to the Lord as the God of Abraham and Isaac. Here for the first
“But you said, ‘I will surely do you good, and make your offspring as the sand of the sea, which cannot be numbered for multitude.’” (Genesis 32:12 ESV). When Jacob heard that his brother Esau was approaching with 400 men, he was afraid. So, he prayed to the Lord for protection. In his prayer, he
“I am the God of Bethel, where you anointed a pillar and made a vow to me. Now arise, go out from this land and return to the land of your kindred” (Genesis 31:13 ESV). Jacob had arrived in Haran empty-handed, but now he had wives, many children and flocks of sheep, goats and camels.
“When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd” (Matthew 9:36 ESV). When Jesus looks at us, what does He see? He sees a world of people who are “harassed and helpless.” What is His response? He has “compassion” for us because we
“Go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.’ For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners” (Matthew 9:13 ESV). When the Pharisees asked why Jesus ate with sinners, He answered them with a common rabbinic response, “Go and learn.” For rabbis were known for sending their students back to